System for detecting conductive contaminants and method of use

A system for detecting conductive contaminants in unconsolidated materials comprising:

• at least one nonconductive section, having an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein a plurality of contacts, identified as first or second contacts, are secured or disposed through the section such that at least 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of each contact extends above the exterior surface;
• an uncompleted electrical circuit comprising:
• at least one power source electrically connected to the first contacts;
• at least one voltage sensor electrically connected to each power source and to the second contacts;
• at least one conveyor capable of forwarding the materials to the exterior surface;
• at least one hopper capable of guiding the materials leaving the conveyor such that the materials are guided onto the exterior surface;
• at least one relay system electrically connected to each sensor that will stop each conveyor;
• a shaft rotatably attached to a frame;
• at least two support disks, each having an outer rim fixedly attached to the shaft, wherein a plurality of setions are fixedly attached or secured to the outer rim of each disk to form a detection wheel about the shaft;
• and
• at least two conductive rings, a first ring and a second ring, fixedly attached to the shaft wherein the first ring is disposed in between and provides the electrical connection between at least some of the first contacts and at least one power source and the second ring is disposed in between and provides the electrical connection between at least some of the second contacts and at least one sensor;
• wherein a conductive contaminant in unconsolidated materials will complete the electrical circuit and activate at least one voltage sensor.

A method of detecting conductive contaminants in unconsolidated materials comprising:

• allowing the materials to pour into a hopper that guides the materials onto a rotating detection wheel wherein the wheel comprises:
• a plurality of nonconductive sections, having exterior surfaces and interior surfaces, wherein a plurality of contacts, identified as first or second contacts, are secured or disposed through each section such that a distance of no more than ¾ inches (1.9 cm) exists between each first contact and a second contact and at least 1 inch (2.54 cm) of each contact extends above the exterior surface of one of the sections;
• an uncompleted electrical circuit comprising:
• at least one power source electrically connected to the first contacts;
• at least one sensor electrically connected to each power source and
• to the second contacts;
• and
• a shaft rotably attached to a frame;
• at least two support disks, each having an outer rim fixedly attached to the shaft, wherein each section is fixedly attached or secured to the outer rim of each disk to form the wheel about the shaft;
• at least two conductive rings, a first ring and a second ring, fixedly attached to the shaft wherein the first ring is disposed in between and provides the electrical connection between at least some of the first contacts and at least one power source and the second ring is disposed in between and provides the electrical connection between at least some of the second contacts and at least one sensor;
• wherein a conductive contaminant in unconsolidated materials will complete the electrical circuit activating at least one sensor;
• stopping the first conveyor and a second conveyor disposed below the wheel;
• wiping the materials from the second conveyor after a delay sufficient to allow the rotating wheel to dump the materials containing the conductive contaminant onto the second conveyor;
• and
• reactivating both the first and second conveyors to process additional materials.