Apparatus for Separating Ores and Metals by the Aid of Electricity.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Separating Ores and Metals by the Aid of Electricity.
I, ERMINIO FERRARIS, of Ronco ligure, Italy, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists in an arrangement on the arms of a wheel of a number of
electro-magnets which are connected with one another and with a collector located
at right angles to the axis of the wheel; and of a rim, or crown of magnetic metal
surrounding the wheel, on which rim the ore or metal is carried and separated by
the change of the electric current.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a part side view of the wheel with one of the
side flanges removed. Fig. 2 is a half elevation of the wheel and a half section
through the centre thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the apparatus in the
working position. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of a portion of the rim of
wheels of modified forms. Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the wheel rim shewn
in Fig. 6.
The principle on which the construction of the apparatus is based is similar to
that of the Gramme (Pacinotti) ring.
The
a are the arms of the wheel cast in one piece with the boss 7. The wheel is
fixed on a horizontal shaft c carried in bearings d and driven through band pullies
or in another suitable way. Un each of the arms a there is a bobbin 9, all the
bobbins being of like form and connected in tension one behind the other so that
they form a continuous current. are the wires connecting the bobbins successively
with one another. From these wires there are wires i terminating in a collector &
located at one side of the wheel and at right angles to the axis of the same.
elements of the collector corresponding in number to the number of the bobbins,
bear alternately on two circles concentric with the wheel. I, 1, are two brushes
placed diametrically opposite each other and each always bearing against at least
two collector elements. e is the rim or crown of magnetic metal surrounding the
spokes or arms a. ff, are side flanges or plates of non magnetic metal which cover
the two sides of the wheel from above the rim or crown e to the boss.
When an electric current is conducted through the brushes it branches off as in
the Pacinotti ring into two currents which excite in the two halves of the wheel,
magnets of unlike name, one half being south magnetic and the other half north
magnetic. As however the brushes are each in contact with two collector elements
at the same time no current passes through the intermediate bobbin and the
corresponding segment of rim e remains neutral.
In this way with a wheel of twenty four elements
north magnetic, south magnetic, and 1+1 neutral.
24
of the rim or crown e is
As however the rim or
crown forms a closed circle it has always a tendency to divert the lines of force.
The consequence is that as regards the exterior effect the magnetisation of the rim
or crown decreases from the two poles to the neutral diameter. If in the manner
shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 comminuted ore is conducted on to the wheel and an electric
current passed into the same through brushes, the apparatus will not only separate
the thoroughly magnetic metal from the non magnetic metal but also ores and
metals of an intermediate degree of magnetism and of different kinds such as copper
ore containing iron from which lead and iron may in this way be separated also
more or less magnetic metals such as nickel, iron, zinc, etcetera, which come into
a position on the revolving drum or wheel where their respective magnetic properties
are in equilibrium with the magnetic energy of the corresponding segment of the
e. P, Q, R, (Fig. 3) indicate the places where different metals
rim or crown
will fall

page_text: In order to increase the surface of contact and to retain the materials under
treatment for a longer time on the rim e this is provided with teeth or with iron
blades» placed radially as shewn in Fig. 1. The intensity of the magnetisation of the
wheel may be brought so high that materials in pieces of any desired size may be
treated provided that the distance between the teeth or the width of the cells is
properly proportioned to the size of the pieces.
To obtain the most suitable inclination of the neutral axis as shewn in Fig. 3, the
connecting wire of two bobbins next to each other should be connected, not to the
collector element located directly underneath it as for the sake of simplicity is
shewn in Fig. 1 but to the collector element which forms the same angle with the said
connecting wire as that enclosed between the contact diameter of the brushes and
the desired pole diameter.
The intensity of the magnetic field at the circumference of the wheel may be
considerably increased by the construction of the wheel rim armature in the case of
a toothed rim in the manner shown in Figs. 5, and in the case of a rim with radial
blades, in the manner shewn in Figs. 6 and 7. In the former case a second
concentric armature is placed round the wheel rim consisting of iron blades or bars
equal in number to the teeth, which blades are fixed to two iron side rings located
between the non magnetic side plates f. Each of the iron blades stands radially
opposite a tooth z and their inner edges are held a short distance from the points of
the teeth by two or more wires of non magnetic metal. By this arrangement an
energetic magnetic field is formed in the spaces between the teeth and blades s
and the lines of force are enclosed within the rim armature so that they are not
uselessly dissipated in the surrounding space. In this respect the arrangement shewn
in Figs. 6 and 7 is still more suitable as here the inner blade armature is also held
a short distance from the circumference of the rim by non magnetic wires or parts .
The two armatures of similar construction placed one over the other form with the
corresponding side rings each for itself an armature enclosed in itself and are mag-
netically insulated from each other and from the wheel circumference.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :―
1. In an apparatus of the kind referred to, the radial position of the electro-
magnets in combination with a collector of such form and disposition that the
magnetisation obtains north and south of the wheel circumference always in the
same diametric zones and two well defined neutral zones are formed at an angle
of 90° to the poles, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The particular form and action of the wheel rim which by means of its teeth
or cells, its outer armatures for the purpose of localising the magnetic field, its
armatures enclosed in themselves and magnetically insulated affords a hold to the
material under treatment in combination with the particular distribution of the
magnetic energy on the wheel rim which gradually decreases from the two poles to
the two neutral zones so as to effect a separation of different kinds of ores
and metals according to their magnetic properties substantially as described and
shewn.
Dated this 20th day of January 1891.
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
Agents for the Applicant.