By Mr. J. D. Ross, of Princes-street, Soho.
With an Engraving.
From the Transactions of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.
The object of the machine I have invented is to separate iron filings, turnings, &c. from those of brass or finer metals, in place of the slow and tedious process hitherto employed, which is by a common magnet held in the hand. By my invention many magnets may now be employed at once, combined and attached to a machine on a large scale. The magnetic hammers are so contrived as to take up the iron filings from the mixture of them with other filings, or metallic particles, placed in the trays or end-boxes, and drop them into the receiving box in the centre, which is effected by the altenate motion of a winch-handle, working the two magnetic hammers placed at two angles of a quadrant or anchor. In proportion to the power of the magnets and to the force of the blow given by the hammers, a great quantity of iron is separated from the brass, by the alternate motion, and dropped into the receiver placed in the centre of the machine.
I have shewed the model to persons engaged in various metallic works, who give me great encouragement by their signatures and sanction.
The following persons certified that they consider Mr. Ross's invention of a machine for separating iron filings, turnings, &c. from those of brass or finer metals, as likely to prove extremely useful in various branches of workers in metal.
Thomas Charles King, Founder and Plater, No. 10, Brownlow-street.
Calvert and Dowey, Hart-street, Covent-garden.
William Shawler, Litchfield-street.
J. Asqnith, Metal-turner, St. Martin's-lane.
Charles Bond, Old Compton-street, Soho.
John Turmeau, Goldsmith, Carleton-place.
J. Perigal, Watch-maker, 55, Princes-street, Soho.
George Hall, Gold-worker, 482, Strand.
Paul Storr, Silversmith, Dean-street, Soho.
H. Hall, Coach-plater, 5, Cross-lane, Long Acre.
W. Williams and Son, Button-makers and Silversmiths, 103, St. Martin's-lane.
Reference to the Engraving.
(Figs. 4 and 5.)
A is an axis of brass, and B a handle upon the end of it. C is a piece of brass in form of an anchor, at each end of which a horse-shoe magnet is fixed, in the manner shewn at Fig. 4, where c is the arch of the anchor, and d a piece of brass, having a hole- through it to receive the legs e e of the magnet, which is fixed to the arch by a screw/, tapped into the arch. The anchor is mounted upon the pivots of the axis A, in a frame E, which incloses it. On the outside of the frame two blocks of wood, F F, are situated ; in each of which a hollow or tray is formed to receive the filings, which are to be separated from the iron they contain in these hollows. The magnets fixed at the ends of the anchor Strike upon the filings, and select, by the magnetic attraction, all the iron among them; the anchor is then turned over by the handle B, and the opposite magnet strikes in the other hollow F; at this time the other magnet is just over the axis, and by the jerk of its opposite striking the block F the iron filings a/e shook off", and fall down in the bottom of the frame or receiver ; in this manner the handle B, being moved backwards and forwards, strikes the magnets alternately in the two blocks F, at the same time that one strikes the opposite is cleared from the iron it has picked up by the shock. G is a screen of thin board, to prevent the filings being scattered.
Source: The Repertory of Patent Inventions: And Other Discoveries and Improvements in Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture.
Published by T. and G. Underwood, 1811.
Trev.