Abstract: A can and bottle crusher and separator with stationary and oscillating tooth jaw plates confronting each other and converging with each other in a downward direction and dropping crushed glass and metal containers into the discharge chute. A glass discharging port in the bottom of the discharge chute directs glass particles directly into a collecting barrel. A gate is provided to alternately close the chute or to close the glass discharge port. The chute has a separating wheel at its bottom end to initially stop and then propel aluminum cans over the top of it. The wheel has magnetic belts to carry steel containers around with the wheel until they are stripped off and dropped into an appropriate barrel.

Abstract: A substantially cylindrically shaped rubber food scraper is mounted on a steel dish cleaning table over a refuse container located below the table. The interior of the scraper is substantially hourglass shaped and includes a plurality of magnets embedded in the interior wall thereof adjacent the reduced diameter portion. Food and waste paper scraped from dishes pass through the scraper to the container below but stainless steel flatware is attracted to and held by the magnets.

Abstract: Elongated magnetic diodes 12 are removed from a carrier 20 having a periphery along which the diodes 12 are advanced. A magnetic bin 75 has spaced sidewalls 76 and 77 extending to either side of the periphery of carrier 20. There is established between and transverse to the sidewalls a first magnetic field of sufficient strength to remove the diodes 12 from along a first distance at a first location on carrier 20. There is provided a movable retention mechanism 70 for optionally magnetically retaining the diodes 12 on carrier 20 as such diodes 12 are advanced along and beyond the first location and over a second distance to a second location. Mechanism 70 has a magnetic member 93 fixedly disposed along the second distance and a movable magnetic member 95 of sufficient length to retain the diodes 12 along the first distance. Member 95 is pivotally mounted to member 93 and member 95 is disposed in a normally inactive position within carrier 20.

Abstract: Apparatus for (a) selecting plural desired edge-notched coded documents from different decks of similarly coded documents successively delivered to a document selector from a remote mass document store, in which selection process the selected documents extend only partially out of their respective decks in a direction parallel to their code-notched edge, and (b) successively fully removing the partially extending documents selected from the various successively retrieved decks and temporarily storing them in a temporary storage zone prior to ejecting them into a stationary container in which they are accumulated for manual removal at the convenience of an operator. Also included is a movable selected document removal and temporary storage assembly which traverses along a path adjacent the document selector proximate the leading edges of documents selected from the deck thereat.

Abstract: A magnetic separator for removing ferrous or other magnetic contaminants from loose, non-magnetic materials comprising a bipartite assembly having two sections, which when joined, define a flow passage having an inlet for receiving material to be processed and an outlet for processed material. Magnetic elements in the form of prongs arranged in a plurality of assemblies, associated with each section, travel through the flow passage in an inter-digitated relationship and capture the magnetic substances in the material. The captured contaminants are released at discharge stations spaced from the outlet, where the prongs are demagnetized. Any material not released, is cleaned from the prong assemblies by brushes located at a cleaning station. The prongs are magnetized by a plurality of magnet assemblies that are transported by a conveyor in synchronism and juxtaposed relation with, the prong assemblies for a portion of their travel.

Abstract: Electrodynamic separation of nonmagnetic free-flowing materials is accomplished by feeding the flow of a material into a region of maximum intensity of a variable nonuniform magnetic field for inducing maximum eddy currents in electrically conducting particles of the material being separated and producing maximum electromagnetic forces which deflect the electrically conducting particles from the direction of feed of the material being separated.The variable nonuniform magnetic field is generated by an electromagnet having a closed magnetic core with a magnetic air gap defined by pole pieces. The electromagnet pole pieces are symmetrically divergent from the pole axes in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of feed of the material being separated.

Abstract: A magnetic can separator which is specifically constructed for assuring the separation of all-aluminum cans from steel and steel-aluminum cans. The separator includes a magnetic drum onto which cans to be classified are directed and there is a deflector plate spaced from the path of the drum a distance such that a can must be disposed parallel to the axis of the drum before it can pass the deflector plate, thereby assuring that any steel component of a can will be attracted to the drum and will be delivered to a receiving area in exclusion of a receiving area for all-aluminum cans.

Abstract: A ball separator for pool tables that strikes only the "Q" ball as it passes through the ball run which directs playing balls to one crib and the "Q" ball to a separate crib, utilizing a magnetic "Q" ball and a magnet pendulum attracted thereby to strike the same as said ball passes along the ball run, thereby diverting the "Q" ball into a return run to a separate crib.

Abstract: A can sorting apparatus is described for processing over 600 filled metal cans per minute. An infeed conveyor moves alongside a main conveyor in which the main conveyor is moving at a speed greater than the infeed conveyor. A transverse diverter directs the moving cans from the infeed conveyor to the main conveyor causing the cans to be automatically spaced as they move from the infeed conveyor to the main conveyor. The cans move past a sensing station to individually identify the cans and determine which cans are to be separated from the others. An overhead separating conveyor extends across the main conveyor at a separating station. An overhead electromagnet is positioned at the separating station to selectively lift a can from the main conveyor and bias the can upward against the lower flight of the overhead conveyor. The overhead conveyor then directs the lifted can transversely from the single line of filled cans to perform the separation of the cans.