Lifting magnet with roller cam release mechanism

In a magnetic lifting and holding apparatus of the type comprising a plurality of permanent magnets, a housing for said plurality of said magnets, a lever element for urging said apparatus apart from a workpiece, said lever element having a proximal end for actuation of said lever element and a distal end for contacting said workpiece, said lever element further comprising a roller element pivotally attached to said distal end of said lever element, and said roller element further comprising an axle radially offset by an offset distance from the central axis of said roller element, said axle spaced apart from said housing at a pivot point, the improvement comprising:

• said lever element disposed proximate one end of said housing, and said roller element attached to said distal end of said lever element, whereby the outer circumferential surface of said roller element may be brought into contact with said workpiece upon movement of said lever element, said roller element having a radial dimension less than the minimum distance between said pivot point and said housing, the dimension comprising the sum of said offset distance and said radial dimension of said roller element being greater than said minimum distance between said pivot point and said housing, whereby rotation of said lever element about said pivot point brings said outer circumferential surface into contact with said housing.