Abstract: An electromagnetic lifting device is provided with a pole piece of tapered or conical configuration extending outwardly from the load contacting surface of the magnet body. The tapered or conical configuration of the pole piece extends the effective magnetic flux pattern outwardly of the magnet body and also enables the pole piece to penetrate more readily into a collection of loose ferrous articles which are to be lifted.

Abstract: Fragments of ferromagnetic material, such as tin can pieces, are sorted by size on apparatus including an inverted conveyor that carries fragments that have been previously oriented with their longest axes placed in parallel directions past a line of magnets spaced progressively further apart in the direction of orientation of the fragments. The magnets attract the fragments strongly to the conveyor directly under the magnets, but progressively more weakly in those spaces between the magnets so that the shorter pieces separate gravitationally from the conveyor sooner than the longer pieces.