Apparatus and Method for Connecting Magnetic Tubes to Fluid Magnetic Separators

1 . A magnetic separator for removing magnetic contaminants from process fluids, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet adaptable for communicating the process fluids through the housing;

a removable structure removably connected to and enclosing the housing, and the removable structure having at least one of aperture;

at least one dimple formed about the circumference of each of the at least one aperture in the removable structure;

at least one magnetic tubes each having one end received by one of the at least one aperture and a second opposite end disposed within the interior of the housing; and

the at least one dimple connected to the at least one magnetic tube to further support the connection between the at least one magnetic tube and the removable structure.

2 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 1 , further comprising:

the at least one magnetic tube seam welded to the at least one dimple on the removable structure.

3 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 1 , the removable structure further comprising:

a main plate having the at least one aperture formed therein;

a radius plate connected to the main plate and having the at least one aperture extending therethrough wherein the at least one aperture in the radius plate is coaxially aligned with the at least one aperture in the main plate; and

the at least one dimple formed about the circumference of the at least one aperture in the radius plate.

4 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 3 , further comprising:

the radius plate having an inner surface facing the interior of the housing; and

the at least one dimple formed on the inner surface of the radius plate and having a frustoconical configuration extending away from the inner surface of the radius plate.

5 . A magnetic separator for removing magnetic contaminants from process fluids, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet adaptable for communicating the process fluids through the housing;

a removable structure removably connected to and enclosing the housing, and the removable structure having a main plate and a radius plate;

the main plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein for receiving a plurality of magnetic tubes wherein one of the plurality of magnetic tubes extends into each of the plurality of apertures and wherein the plurality of magnetic tubes are connected to the main plate;

the radius plate connected to the main plate and having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and coaxially aligned with the plurality of apertures in the main plate for receiving one of the plurality of magnetic tubes in each of the plurality of apertures in the radius plate;

a plurality of dimples formed about the circumference of each of the plurality of apertures in the radius plate; and

the plurality of magnetic tubes welded to the plurality of dimples to connect the plurality of magnetic tubes to the radius plate to further support the connection between the plurality of magnetic tubes and the removable structure, wherein the plurality of magnetic tubes are disposed within the housing for adaptably attracting the magnetic contaminants from the process fluids.

6 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , further comprising:

the plurality of dimples each having a frustoconical configuration extending away from the radius plate toward the interior of the housing and along a longitudinal axis of the plurality of magnetic tubes.

7 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , wherein the removable structure further comprises an upper lid of the housing.

8 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , wherein the removable portion further comprises at least one drawer slidably connected to the housing.

9 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , further comprising:

the main plate having the plurality of apertures extending through the main plate; and

a cover plate connected to the main plate on the opposite side of the main plate from the radius plate and covering the plurality of apertures on one side of the main plate wherein one end of the plurality of magnetic tubes is adjacent the cover plate.

10 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , further comprising:

the plurality of apertures in the main plate, the plurality of apertures in the radius plate, and the plurality of magnetic tubes spaced substantially equidistant from one another.

11 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , further comprising:

the plurality of magnetic tubes seam welded to the plurality of dimples of the radius plate and seam welded to the main plate.

12 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , further comprising:

a plurality of permanent magnets and spacers disposed within the plurality of magnetic tubes.

13 . The magnetic separator stated in claim 5 , further comprising:

the plurality of magnetic tubes each having an open end connected to the main plate and a closed end disposed within the interior of the housing.

14 . A method of fabricating a magnetic separator for separating magnetic contaminants from process fluids, comprising:

providing a housing having an inlet and an outlet adaptable for communicating process fluids through the housing;

providing a removable structure having a main plate and a radius plate wherein the removable structure may be removably connected to the housing for enclosing the housing;

forming at least one aperture in the main plate;

forming at least one aperture and at least one of dimple in the radius plate wherein the at least one dimple is formed about a circumference of the at least one aperture in the radius plate;

connecting the main plate to the radius plate such that the at least one aperture in the main plate are coaxially aligned with the at least one aperture in the radius plate;

inserting at least one magnetic tube into the at least one of aperture in the main plate and through the at least one aperture in the radius plate;

connecting the at least one magnetic tube to the main plate; and

connecting the at least one magnetic tube to the at least one dimple on the radius plate.

15 . The method as stated in claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the at least one aperture and the at least one dimple in the radius plate further comprises the steps of:

providing the at least one dimple with a frustoconical configuration that extends around the circumference of the at least one aperture in the radius plate and extends away from the radius plate along a longitudinal axis of the at least one magnetic tube.

16 . The method as stated in claim 14 , wherein the steps of providing a removable structure further comprise the steps of:

extending the at least one aperture through the main plate; and

connecting a cover plate to the main plate on the opposite side of the main plate as the radius plate for covering the at least one aperture on one side of the main plate and adjacently aligning the cover plate with one end of the at least one magnetic tube.

17 . The method as stated in claim 14 , wherein the steps of providing a removable structure further comprise the steps of:

providing at least one drawer that slidably engages the housing.

18 . The method as stated in claim 14 , wherein the steps of providing a removable structure further comprise the steps:

providing an upper lid of the housing.

19 . The method as stated in claim 14 , wherein the steps further comprise:

seam welding the at least one magnetic tube to the main plate and to the at least one dimple on the radius plate.

20 . The method as stated in claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:

inserting a plurality of permanent magnets and spacers into the at least one magnetic tube.