IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SEPARATING MAGNETIC IRON FROM SAND AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SEPARATING MAGNETIC IRON FROM SAND
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."-A communication from abroad by Alfred
Holme Balch, Gentleman, and Wolfred David Emelius Nelson,
Medical Student, both of Montreal, Canada.
Sealed the 18th August 1871, and dated the 23rd February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd February 1871.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," South-
ampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SEPARATING MAGNETIC IRON
FROM SAND AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," a communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for separating
magnetic iron from sand and other foreign substances, but is more
O particularly adapted for use in dividing the minute particles of iron

page_text: found in a native state mixed with sand at the Moisic in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, and elsewhere.
The iron thus found is of extremely good quality and many devices
have been made for separating it from the sand with more or less success,
but all involving so large an amount of labor as to render them prac-
tically failures. To overcome this difliculty is the principal object of
the present Invention.
In practising my said Invention a general receiving hopper is
suspended from the upper floor of a building in which the machine
may be placed or supported by suitable columns or framework from
below. The said hopper is formed at the bottom with an elongated
opening, extending its entire width for the sand to flow out through. This
is regulated by an adjustable stop of any desired form, and causes the
sand and iron to fall in a constant and thinly scattered stream upon an
inclined platform made of wood or metal. This platform is of the same
width as the hopper, and its lower end is curved to extend around part
of the circumference of a drum or cylinder, its length being equal to
the width of the hopper and platform. The cylinder is carried by any
suitable supports provided with friction rollers or ordinary bearings on
which its axle rests.
The cylinder is constructed in the following manner:-The axle of
suitable size and shape is made in two parts. I interpose between the
two parts at or near the centre of the machine any substance which is
a non-conductor of electricity, and by any suitable contrivance the two
parts are attached together to act as if made in one. On each end of
the axle and at the proper distance apart to give the cylinder the
required length two metal pulleys are secured; these are of any required
diameter, and on their periphery curved sheets of brass or other metal
are attached forming the cylinder. The pulleys are covered with a
sheeting of wood giving even and flush ends to the cylinder and are
fitted around the axle passing through them. On one end of the
eylinder, which for clearness I will call the front, a metal disc is placed
having a hole in its centre for the axle to pass through and attached
to the sheeting, and on the opposite end of the cylinder, which I will call
the back, another disc is situated, being attached by any suitable bolts
to the supports at that end. This disc is held close to the end of the
cylinder but does not touch it, and has a hole in its centre, through
which the axle passes, of such size that a space shall exist between the

page_text: two. This disc is made of wood with a strip of metal extending around
part of its periphery. To the metal plates and on the inside of them
arc attached series of vertical and parallel electro-magnets in such
manner that the two poles of cach magnet shall extend on the outside
of the brass slicets or plates. On the back end of the cylinder or
that at which the second disc is placed, a number of metal springs
secured in any suitable manner project from it, being arranged so that
their extremities shall rest and press upon the periphery of the said
disc. To the other end of the springs wires are attached leading to cach
series of magnets, being in number one for cach series of magnets, and
at the other or front end of the cylinder other wires in like manner
Icad from cach series of magnets through the end of the cylinder and
are brought down it and attached to the first-mentioned disc. Metal
strips extending partly around the discs are attached by wires or in any
suitable manner to the two wires leading from an electric battery. A
shaft and belt pulleys cause the cylinder to revolve at any desired speed
and other pulleys transmit the motion to a cylindrical brush extending
the whole length of the cylinder and made to revolve in suitable
bearings and preferably in an opposite direction. At the lower portion
of the cylinder two hoppers are situated, and into one of these the
lower extremity of the inclined platform leads, the other encases the
brush. This brush removes the particles of iron adhering to the cylinder
and to prevent their flying through into the hopper a division board is
provided. The hoppers lead in opposite directions to any suitable.
receptacles which may be placed on rails with wheels or arranged in
any other suitable manner for saving labour in removing the sand and
iron. Any suitable contrivance is employed for lowering and raising the
lower end of the inclined platform to regulate its distance from and to
suit the power of the magnets.
It is evident that a machine of similar form may be arranged with
fixed magnets applied to the cylinder instead of electro-magnets.
In this case the wires and springs may be dispensed with, and also
the discs, the particles of iron being removed by the action of the
brush only.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Buildings,
London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one,
in the thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Haseltine,
Her special licence that I, the said George Haseltine, my excentors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SEPARATING MAGNETIC IRON FROM SAND AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES," a communication to me from abroad by Alfred
Holme Balch, Gentleman, and Wolfred David Emelius Nelson, Medical
Student, both of Montreal, Canada, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Haseltine, my executors or 'adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
•
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for separating
magnetic iron from sand and other foreign substances, but is more
particularly adapted for use in dividing the minute particles of iron

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan of a machine constructed according to this Inven-
tion. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figure 3 is an elevation
of the front end of the cylinder of the said machine; Figure 4 is an
clevation of the back end of the same; Figure 5 shows a portion of
the said cylinder; Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the arrangement of the
magnets; Figures 5, 6, and 7 are drawn to an enlarged scale. Like
letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
a is a general receiving hopper suspended from the upper floor of
a building in which the machine may be placed or supported by suitable
columns or framework 6 from below. The hopper is formed at the
bottom with an elongated opening &' extending its entire width for the
sand to flow out through; this is regulated by an adjustable stop b³ of
any desired form, and causes the sand and iron to fall in a constant
and thinly scattered stream on an inclined platform c made of wood or
metal. This platform is the same width as the hopper, and of the form
shown in Figure 2 having its lower end curved to extend around part of
the circumference of a drum or cylinder c¹, its length being equal to the
width of the hopper and platform. The cylinder is carried by any
suitable supports provided with friction rollers c³ or ordinary bearings
on which its axle c' rests. The cylinder c¹is constructed in the following
manner: The axle c' of suitable size and shape is made in two parts; I
interpose between the two parts at d any substance which is a non-
conductor of electricity, and by any suitable contrivance the two parts
On each end of the
are attached together to act as if made in one.
axle and at the proper distance apart to give the cylinder the required
length, two metal pulleys are secured; these are of any required
diameter, and on their periphery curved sheets of brass or other metal
are attached forming the cylinder. The pulleys d' are covered with a
sheeting of wood &³ giving even and flush cuds to the cylinder and fitted

page_text: around the axle c', passing through them as shown in the Drawing. On
one end of the cylinder, which for clearness I will call the front end, and
as shown in Figure 3 a metal disc e is placed having a hole in its centre
for the axle to pass through and attached to the sheeting d³, and on the
opposite end of the cylinder, which I will call the back, and as shown in
Figure 4, another disc is situated, being attached by any suitable bolts
to the supports c² at that end. This disc is held close to the end of the
cylinder as shown in Figure 1, but does not touch it, and has a hole in
its centre through which the axle c* passes, of such size that a spaceƒ'
shall exist between the two, clearly shown in Figure 5. This discis
mado of wood with a strip of metal extending around part of its periphery
as indicated in Figures 4 and 5. To the metal plates d and on the
inside of them are attached series of vertical and parallel electro-magnets
ƒª, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7, or in any other suitable manner so that
the two poles of cach magnet shall extend on the outside of the plates
d. On the back end of the cylinder, or that end at which the disc
is placed, a number of metal springs g are secured in any suitable
manner projecting from it, being arranged so that their extremities shall
rest and press upon the periphery of the disc f; to the other end of the
springs wires are attached leading to each series of magnets, being in
number one for each scries of magnets, and at the other or front end of
the cylinder wires in like manner lead from each series of magnets
through the end of the cylinder, and are brought down it and attached
to the disc e. The metal strips extending partially around the discs e
and are attached by wires or in any suitable manner to the two wires
leading from an electric battery. A shaft i, suitably situated and driven
by a pulley by any required motive power is provided, and on it a
pulley and belt passing over a pulley on the axle c' causes tho
cylinder c¹ to revolve. Another pulley is situated on the shaft i giving
motion to the shaft and pullics, arranged to give increased speed as in-
dicated in the Drawing. These again transmit the motion to a revolving
cylindrical brush 7, extending the whole length of the cylinder c', and
made to revolve in an opposite direction; or the two revolve in the
directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 2; this brush is carried by
any suitable supports & through which the end of its axle passes. At
the lower portion of the cylinder two hoppers, ³, are situated, and
into one of these the lower extremity of the incline e leads, the other
encases the brush 7; this brush removes the particles of iron adhering
to the cylinder, and to prevent their flying through into the hopper
k

page_text: is provided. The hoppers
a division board
and lead in opposite
directions to any suitable receptacles, ; these may be placed on
rails with wheels by which they can be more readily removed if desired
or arranged in any other suitable manner for saving labor in removing
the sand and iron after they are separated. is a suitable contrivance
for lowering and raising the lower end of the incline c slightly, to
regulate its distance from and to suit the power of the magnets.
Having thus fully described the construction of my Invention I will
proceed more particularly to state how the same is operated. The
hopper a having been filled with the intermingled sand and iron and
other substances previously dried and screened to remove all stones or
large masses of matter, and the clectric battery connected and put in
action, the machine has motion communicated to it; the regulating
board is then adjusted to cause the sand to flow out in a thin broad
stream, and in the proper quantity to be acted upon by the magnets. It
flows down the incline c, the particles of iron being attracted by the
magnets while the sand passes on by its own gravity, falling into the
hopper and thence into the receptacle . By the arrangement of the
disc, springs g, and wires g', the electro-magnetic action caused by
completing the circuit only takes place through a given portion of the
magnets at one and the same time, and this is so arranged that the
action shall begin about the point a, and end at about the point y in
Figures 2 and 4. The particles of iron thus attracted in a great
measure fall from the cylinder, after they pass the point y into the
hopper and thence into the receptacle , but should any remain
adhering by native magnetism or any other cause they are easily.
removed by the revolving brush 77.
It is evident that a machine of similar form may be arranged with
fixed magnets applied to the cylinder c¹ instead of electro-magnets.
In this case the wires g', g, and springs 9 may be dispensed with, as also
the discs e and; the particles of iron being removed by the action of
the brush only.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and shewn how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. The novel combination of the hopper a, incline c, cylinder c',
provided with electro-magnets and other parts of the machine all

page_text: working together substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described.
Second. The machine herein-before described, arranged with fixed
magnets constructed and working substantially in the manner and for
the purpose described.
Third. The novel arrangement of the electro-magnets
having
their poles outside the plate & with other parts of the machine all
working together substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described.
Fourth. The novel combination and action of the electro-magnets f* 1
caused to act between the points x and y on the revolving cylinder c¹
and revolving brush working together with other parts of the machine
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Fifth. The cylinder c' provided with any suitable magnets working
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
onc.
1
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)