IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING IRON FROM CHARCOAL; SUGAR, AND FROM OTHER GRANULAR OR PULVERISED SUBSTANCES, AND FROM SACCHARINE LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Dugald Mac Eachran at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1881.
DUGALD MAC EACHRAN, of Greenock, in the County, of Renfrew, North Britain,
Sugar Refiner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING IRON FROM CHARCOAL; SUGAR,
AND FROM OTHER GRANULAR OR PULVERISED SUBSTANCES, AND FROM SACCHARINE
LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its objects to separate iron from animal or vegetable
charcoal, both in its raw state as at first manufactured, or partially manufactured,
as well as in its revivified state, after each or any reburning or before reburning, or
partial reburning, or whole or partial washing, and also to separate the particles of
iron which exist in sugar and saccharine liquids, and any other granular or
pulverized substance.
The said Invention may be carried out by a variety of contrivances; apparatus,
however, which meets the object of the Invention is so arranged as to permit the
charcoal or sugar, or saccharine liquid, or syrup, or other substance or substances
to be passed as desired slowly or quickly across a magnet or a series of magnets,
which may be permanent magnets, in which case means are provided for removing
the iron from the magnets by means of brushes or the like, or they may be electro-
magnets, so that on the current of electricity being interrupted, the iron may fall
or be otherwise removed from the surface which attracted it, whilst the said surface
was magnetized by the electric current.
•
In carrying the Invention into effect a box or trough is provided, in which are
placed or suspended from the top or sides, or otherwise supported, one or more
magnets. The charcoal or sugar, or saccharine liquid, or other substance or
substances being passed through this box or trough, the particles of iron collect on
the poles of the magnet or magnets as the said charcoal or sugar, or saccharine
liquid, passes across the surface of the magnet or magnets.
A series of magnetized tapered bars of a triangular section may be arranged
together in a conical form, and having an adjustable space between each magnetic
bar. The charcoal, sugar, or saccharine liquids, or other substance or substances
are passed through these spaces, and the particles of iron which it or they contain
collect on the edges of the bars. The back of the bars may be of a curved hollow
form into which the particles of iron accumulate as they are separated.
Or a series of parallel bar magnets bound together in a framing with sufficient
space between the bars to allow the charcoal, sugar, or saccharine liquid, or other

page_text: .
substance or substances to pass, the iron being retained by the magnets, may be
used.
Or the magnets may be arranged so that they form conduits for the charcoal or
other substance. For example, a row of the magnets, or one or more long similar
magnets of a channel or loop form in section, preferably turned with the flat edges
toward each other to form north and south poles may be closed at their lower end,
or closed, or partially closed, above their lower end, with the poles downwards, may
be supported over a shoot which may lead to the cistern or other receptacle, the
charcoal being fed in at the upper end of the magnets and passing out at the
opening or slit beneath into the shoot or other receptacle, the iron adhering to
the edges of the magnets. The magnets and shoot may be inclined if wished
towards the cistern or elevator, receptacle, or their equivalent, and the magnets
can be fixed, or may have a backward and forward movement or rotating
movement.
.
Or a magnetized roller or rollers may be employed at the exit of a hopper or
other place, so that the roller or rollers take the iron from the charcoal or other
substance or substances as it passes, thereby the said iron being brushed or
otherwise removed from the roller, so that it falls into a separate receptacle from
that into which the charcoal or other substance falls. Or the magnet or magnets
may be placed so that as the charcoal or other substance passes in proximity
therewith, the iron will be diverted by the attraction of the magnet or magnets
and be thereby caused to fall into one receptacle, whilst the charcoal or other
substance or substances falls into another.
•
In abstracting iron from saccharine matters, the permanent magnet or magnets
or electro magnet or magnets may be placed in the "blow up," or in the runs from
the "blow up," or at the head of the filters, or at the outlet of the filters, cisterns,
heaters, coolers, or in any other place that may be suitable. The charcoal may be
submitted to the action of the magnets before or after burning or reburning at any
stage before it reaches the refinery, or before or during filling into the cistern or
cisterns, or when being emptied therefrom, or before being reburned or during
.burning or reburning, or after being burned or reburned, or during cooling and
after or before being taken in any manner to or for or from the cistern or cisterns or
the equivalent. The charcoal or other substance can be run if desired into a shoot,
or shoots, or tray (with an outlet as may be found convenient, of, say, 18 inches
long with, say, an opening of one quarter of an inch, or, as may be wished, with a
permanent magnet or magnets, or an electro magnet or magnets fixed and revolving
at the desired distance, and with a brush or other contrivance fixed, movable, and
revolving for removing the iron that adheres to the magnet or magnets or the
magnetized parts of the appparatus, or with means for breaking the current in the
case of electro magnets. The charcoal or other substance or substances herein
referred to, may be run through, over, or under the said apparatus hereinbefore
referred to, whether such apparatus be used separately or in combination, or in com-
bination with one or more magnetized drums, wheels, cylinders, shafts, bars, or series
.of bar or other magnets, on a shaft or in rings separate or connected together,
or through a magnetized sieve or sieves fixed, or revolving, or otherwise moveable,
it being understood that the said drums, wheels, cylinders, shafts, or bars, may be
combined together in any convenient number or order.
The distance betwixt the poles of the magnet or magnets is to be adjusted
according to the size and grain of the substance or substances to be passed or
used.