Patent ID: 7696457

Claim:
A magnetic separator for spacing a plurality of workpieces in face-to-face relationship, said separator comprising: an upper guide plate and a lower guide plate that define a passage having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for workpieces moving through said separator, said inlet opening having a funnel-shaped configuration adapted to admit and align any misaligned workpieces moving into said passage; an upper pole piece adjacent said upper guide plate and a lower pole piece adjacent said lower guide plate, said upper and lower pole pieces providing a magnetic field operative to orient workpieces in said passage; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the vertical position of said upper guide plate relative to said lower guide plate; said adjustment mechanism comprising a member that is rotatable about an axis, said rotatable member having a first portion fixed for vertical movement with said upper guide plate and a second portion that is threadedly received in a frame portion of said separator, rotation of said rotatable member about said axis causing axial movement of said rotatable member and thereby of said upper guide plate relative to said frame portion; wherein said lower guide plate has an intermediate portion that extends between an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion of said lower guide plate, said inlet end portion of said lower guide plate extending parallel to said intermediate portion of said lower guide plate; said upper guide plate having an intermediate portion that extends between an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion of said upper guide plate, said inlet end portion of said upper guide plate extending transverse to said intermediate portion of said upper guide plate; and wherein said passage has an intermediate portion disposed between said inlet opening and said outlet opening, said inlet opening being substantially larger in cross-sectional area than said intermediate portion of said passage.