Ferrous material recovery system

Abstract

A system for recovering ferrous metal components from waste materials includes a first magnetic separator for magnetically separating ferrous metal components from waste material and an impacting device for dislodging residual waste material from the surface of ferrous metal components separated by the first magnetic separator. The system may also include a second magnetic separator following the impacting device, a water washing system for cleaning ferrous metal components retained by the second magnetic separator, a ferrous metal collection station, a waste material collection station and conveyors for conveying the various unseparated and separated materials throughout the system. The impacting device includes a solid wall rotatable drum having at least one radially inwardly projecting protruberance on its interior surface. As the drum rotates, the protruberances lift the ferrous materials separated by the first magnetic separator. When the protruberances reach a sufficient elevation and angular orientation within the drum, the ferrous metal components and residual waste material clinging thereto drop under the influence of gravity and impact against the interior surface of the drum. The repeated impacts of the ferrous material with the interior surface of the drum effectively dislodges waste material from the surface of the ferrous metal components without comminuting the ferrous material or subjecting the drum to aggressive wear and tear.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.