Reynolds Metals Company

Jack Lowdon

Gilbert F Bourcier

A method and an apparatus for separating shredded particles, for instance particles of used beverage cans, into respective fractions that contain greater amounts of one of a plurality of alloys from which the cans have been made. The method includes screening the shredded material to provide particles having a desired particle size, and gravimetrically separating the screened particles into a plurality of groups based upon the mass of the particles. The heaviest bulk density group of particles is selected for further processing and is first preferably passed through a flattening device to flatten the particles, which are then conveyed through a varying magnetic field provided by a linear induction motor so that the particles containing higher concentrations of higher conductivity alloys can be further separated from particles of alloys having lower electrical conductivities. The highest conductivity fraction that results includes a high concentration of can body alloy, which can then be recycled as scrap material for further processing into can body alloy material. The other fraction of material, depleted of the can body alloy, can be more readily used in the manufacture of new can end material.

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Richmond, VA, United States of America

Jack Lowdon