Method and apparatus for selectively capturing ferrous debris from a floor
AssigneeHM Cross & Sons
InventorsPaul S. Harrison, David A. D'Orazio, Robert H. Muraco
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for collecting, transporting and releasing ferrous debris from a floor is disclosed. The apparatus includes a magnet movable between a lowered and a raised position to provide a sufficient magnetic field intensity to capture debris from the floor in the lowered position and to permit gravity induced separation of the debris in the raised position. The magnet may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
Claims20
An apparatus for removing ferrous debris from a floor having a ferrous track;
- comprising:
- (a) a non-magnetic collection surface spaced from the floor a sufficient distance to permit the debris to be located therebetween;
- (b) a magnet disposed above the collection surface to create a magnetic field intensity at the collection surface, the magnet movable between a raised position and a lowered position to create a magnetic field intensity in the lowered position to attract the debris from the floor to the collection surface and the magnet being spaced from the collection surface in the raised position to allow the debris to be separated from the collection surface by a force of gravity;
- and
- (c) a blower for directing at least a portion of a fluid stream toward the track,
- the magnet selected so that in the lowered position the magnet is insufficient to magnetize the track, whereby debris subjected to the blower will not be magnetically retained by the track and will dislodge from the track such that a substantial amount of the debris is removed from the track.
A device for removing ferrous debris from adjacent a magnetizable track embedded in a floor, comprising:
- (a) a non-magnetic shield having a collection surface proximate with the floor;
- (b) a blower connected relative to the collection surface to move the debris from a magnetized attraction with the track;
- and
- (c) a magnet spaced from the collection surface, the magnet movable between a lowered position to retain ferrous debris against the collection surface and a raised position to permit gravity induced separation of the debris from the collection surface, the magnet configured so that in the lowered position the magnet is insufficient to magnetize the track, whereby debris subjected to the blower will not be magnetically retained by the track and will dislodge from the track such that a substantial amount of the debris is removed from the track.
An apparatus for selectively capturing ferrous debris from a floor having a magnetizable track, comprising:
- (a) a magnetic field generator selectively actuatable to create a magnetic field at the track to capture the debris from the track;
- and
- (b) a fluid stream generator configured to direct a fluid stream against the track to induce movement of debris from the track into the created magnetic field to capture the debris, the magnet field generator and the fluid stream generator selected so that the created magnetic field at the track is insufficient to magnetize the track, whereby debris subjected to the fluid stream generator will not be magnetically retained by the track and will dislodge from the track such that a substantial amount of the debris is removed from the track.
A method of collecting and translating ferrous debris relative to a floor having a ferrous track, comprising:
- (a) locating a magnet sufficiently near a non magnetic shield to create a magnetic field to magnetically attract and retain the debris to the shield;
- (b) impinging a fluid stream against a portion of the floor to move debris relative to the floor and separate magnetically attracted debris from the track to capture a portion of the moved and separated debris in the created magnetic field;
- and
- (c) moving the magnet a sufficient distance from the shield to allow gravity induced separation of the debris from the shield;
- the magnet being configured to provide a magnetic field intensity insufficient to magnetize the track, whereby debris subjected to the fluid stream will not be magnetically retained by the track and will be dislodged from the track such that a substantial amount of debris is removed from the track.
A method for removing ferrous debris from a floor having a magnetizable track, comprising:
- (a) moving a permanent magnet from a raised position to a lowered position relative to a non-magnetic shield;
- (b) impinging a fluid stream against a portion of the floor to separate debris from a magnetic attraction to the track;
- (c) retaining a portion of the moved debris in a magnetic field adjacent the shield;
- and
- (d) moving the magnet to a position spaced from the shield to induce separation of the debris from the shield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.