Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MATERIAT. SEPARATING APP~RATUS
Field of the Invention
The pre~ent invention g~nerally relates to a
material separating apparatus and, more particularly, to an
apparatus for separating particle~ up to a preselected size
from a material having particles of di~ferent ~izes therein.
Bach4-oulld o~ the Inventt.on
Many sQparating devices employ a screen over which
material is moved 80 that the smaller particles may pass~
through the screen while the larger particles pass
therealong. Such screens are o~ten sub~ect to excessive
wear and are BUb~ ect to damage due to the clogging of the
screen by the particles them6elves. Furthermore, the
material must often be recirculated o~er the screen in order
to effectively filter out a high ratio of partlcles of the
size attempted to be separated therefrom.
To overcome thi6 problem, a separator with a
plurality of scr~ens, preferably inclined and overlying each
other in series, wa~ ~u~osed in U.S. Patent No. 3,232,4~1.
20 While hiqhly satisfactory ~or its int~n~ed purpose, there
has re~ine~ a need for a material separating or classifying
apparatus for di~ficult material~ which wo~ld catch in
typical wire mesh or perforated screen type deYices.
Specifically, there are a number of di~ficult materials that
are not readily separable by any apparatus that i8 presently
commercially available.
In this con~ection, it would be desirable to be
able to cla~sify or separate such materials in a continuous
proce~s. Among the materials to which this would apply, and
30 by way of example only, i~ shredded auto scrap re~idue,
building demolition materials, wood re~use including bark,
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municipal solid wastes, solid-fluid mixtures, biomass fuels,
and the like. For all such materials, the apparatus ~hould
be no~ b~ n~, self-relieving, and stay clean without
"porcupining."
The present invention is directed to uve.~oming
the above stated problems and accomplishing the sta~ed
ob;ects by providing a unique material ~eparating apparatu~.
~mary of the Invention
Accordingly, the present invention i5 used in a
material separating apparatus for sQparating particles of
di~ferent sizes from a material. ~he apparatus in which the
invention is u~ed includes a trough having a material input
end longit~d;n~lly spaced from a material fli~rh~rge end
together with means for separating particles up to the
pre~elected size from a material having particles of
different sizes therein. The separating means includes a
plurality of longitu~;n~lly spaced finger 6creen means
disposed between the input end and the ~;~chArge end and
along the longitudinal axis of the trough. Each of the
finger screen means includes a b~ckhone ext~;ng from side
to side across the width of the trough and also includes
forwardly ext~;n~ fingers connected at one end to the
backhonP. The fingers are spaced side by side from each
other by a preselected a~ount at forward ends thereof
sufficient to allow particles up to the preselected size to
pass through the finqers. Each of the finger screen means
has forward ends of its fingers overlapping the next
forwardly adjacent finger screen mean8 and includes a
rearwardly depending leg connected at one end to its
backbone. The apparatus in which the invention is used al~o
has the forward ends of the fingers vertically spaced above
the finger screen means immediately forward thereof by an
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distance equal to the pre~elected amount of spacing between
the fingers. W~th this arran~l - L, the material will be
co~e~ed along the trough and over successive ones of the
finger screen means with particles up to the preselected
size falling through one of the finger screen means as the
material moves from the input end to the dt~ch~rge end o~
the l,L O~h .
To accomplish the objective~ of the invention, the
apparatus will include means for resiliently ~u~po~Ling the
~Lu~yh relative to a ~u~olLing surface to permit vibratory
v ~~~ of the trough together with means for vibrating the
trough for agitating and moving the material fro~ the input
end toward the discharge end.
The invention i8 particularly useful for
sQparating particles up to at least two distinct preselected
sizes from a material having particlcs of a variety of
different size~ therein. The apparatus then preferably
includes at least two longit~1din~1ly adjacent screen
regions, each of which is made up of the finger screen
20 means, for separating the material into at least two
separate batches, one of which is of substantially uniform
smaller sized particles and the other of which is of
sub~tantially uniform larger sized particles. For this
application, the smaller sized particles are separated from
25 the material upstream of where the larger sized particles
are separated from the material with any ~ -1 n ing material
being ~sch~rged at the fl~çh~rge end of the trough.
In the preferred e ~ t, a ~loping chute is
suspended from below the LL ~h for each of the
longit~ ly ad~acent screen regions to receive particles
falling therethrough. Wlth this arrang- ~nt, a separate
particle cor.veyor is al60 provided below a discharge end of
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each of the chutes for conveying partlcles received in the
chutes to sep-arate destinations.
Preferably, sach of the fingers of any one of the
finger screen means is laterally offset 50 as to be aligned
with a gap between a pair of the fingers of the finger
screen means ; -d~tely forward thereof. It is also
advantageous for the fingers of each of the finger screen
means to extend forwardly and slightly upwardly relative to
the ~r-khone of the finger screen means ; ~ tely forward
thereof. As for the rearwardly ~ep~n~ing legs, they each
extend rearwardly and downwardly relative to the backbone of
the COL L e8~0~d; n~ finger screen means to direct the
particles toward one of the particle receiving chutes.
In a highly preferred e~hod;r~rL, the fingers are
spaced from each other by a tapering ---u,lL defining a gap
diverging outwardly from the backbone to the forward ends
thereof. Thus, the ~ spacing between adjacent
fingers, i.e., the spacing at the forward onds thereof, i~
equal to the vertical spacing or distance between the
forward end8 of the fingers and the finger screen means
~ tely forward thereof. By utilizing a diverging gap
between the finger~, particles up to a preselected size are
either freed to fall into a 610ping chute or caused to
continue to move with the material toward the discharge end
of the ~,ou~h.
An additional feature of the invention involve~
the fact that the finger screen means being connected to the
~rouyh. More specifically, the b2ckhone of each of the
fing~r screen means is con~cted directly to the ~u~h at
30 opposite ends theraof whereby the finger screen ~ean~ are
exclusively supported by the trough. In this ~n~r, there
need be no underdeck cross ~uppo~Ls that might serve to
cause hang-ups.
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Still other objects, advantages and feature~ of
the invention will be apparent from the following
epecification taken in conjunction wtth the accompanying
drawing~.
Brief Description of the Drawinas
Fig. 1 i8 a side elevational view of a material
separat~ng apparatus accordinq to the presenk invention:
Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the material
separating apparatus of Fig. 1:
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the material separating
apparatus of Fig. 1:
Fig. 4 i8 a side elevational view illustrating the
a pair of longitu~1n~11y ad~acent finger screen sections;
Fig. 5 i5 a top plan view of a single finger
screen section: and
Fig. 6 iR a pe~ective ViQW illustrating the
relation~hip of a plurality of finger screen sectlons.
Detailed Description of the Pxeferred Embodi~ent
Referring to the drawings, and first to Fig. 1,
the reference numeral 10 designates generally a material
separating apparatus in accordance with the pre~ent
invent$on. The apparatus 10 includes a ~rouyh generally
de~ignated 12 having a material input end as at 14
longitu~inAlly spaced from a material ~ hArge end as at 16
together with means for separating particles up to a
pre~elected size from a material having particles of
different sizes therein. In particular, the separnting
means includes a plurallty of finger screen ~eans or
sections 18 disposed between the input end 14 and the
discharge end 16 along the longitu~nAl axis 20 of the
~ou~ll 12.
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Referring spacifically to Figs. 4 through 6, the
finger screen ~ections 18 eac:h include a backbone 22
ext~n~ ng from slde to sidQ acros~ the width of the trough
12 ( ee, also, Figs. 2 and 3). Each of the finger scr~Qn
5 sections 18 also includes forwardly ext~n~ng fingers 24
conn~cted at one end 24a to the }~cl~hone 22 and spaced side
by side from each other by a preselected r L at forward
ends 24b thereof sufficiQnt to allow particles up to the
preselectQd size to pass through the finger~ 24. As shown,
10 the finger screen sQctions 18 alRo include a rearwardly
~p~nrling leg 26 connected a~ one end 26a to the back~one
22.
RQferring to Fig. 4, the finger screen sections 18
are arranged such that the forward ends 24b of the fingers
15 24 overlap the finger screen ~ection 18 ~ ~~iAtely forward
thereof. It should ~e noted in this conn~ction that the
forward ends 24b of the fingers 24 are vertically spaced
above the next forwardly ad~acent finger screen ssction 18
by a distance egual to the presQlected amount of spacing
20 beL~ n thQ fingers 24. In this -nnP~, particles up to the
preselected size will readily fall thluu~}~ the flnger screen
sections 18 as the material mov~s from the input end 14 to
the ~t~hArge end 16 of the l.~,uyll 12.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the trough 12 i5
25 resiliently ~u~o~ed by meanR of a plurality of spring 28
which are disposed between spring slaf~ts as at 30 on the
bottom of the trough 12 and a tl~hlll ~r fram2 ~l.L~ uLe
generally de~ignated 32 which i~ 8~u~ed to a ~ Ling
surface 33. In addition, the apparatus 10 include~ m~an~
30 for vibrating the trough 12 for agitating and movlng the
material therealong. In this conn~ction, the vibrating
means preferably includes a high frequency vibration
genelhLor 34 mounted to the LLUUC~h 12 on a ~u~ ing frame
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36 so as to impart vibrational force~ causing v~ment of
the material along the longit~1 n~ 1 axis 20 from the input
end 14 toward the c~#~h~rge end 16 of the l_~GUyh 12 .
As will be appreciatQd, the material will be
5 cu.,ve~,ed along the trough 12 and over succ~Five ones of the
finger screen sections 18 as it moves from the input end 14
toward the discharge end 16. A6 tha material is cG.,~eyed
therealong, particlas up to the pre~slQcted slze, i.e., the
si2e which corrP~pond~ to the preselected spacing between
10 the forward ends 24b of the fingers 24 as well as the
vertical spacing between the forward ends 24b of the finger6
24 and the next forwardly ad~ac~nt of the finger scraen
sections 18, will fall through the finger screen 6ections 18
into at least one sloping ch~lte such as 38 provided for
15 purposes of collecting and co.,v~ying the f~ll ing particleB.
Ae shown, the sloping chute 38 i5 susp~n~le~ from below the
t.~uuyh 12 to receive such particle~ and a particle conveyor
such as 40 is provided below a ~9~h~rge end 38a of the
chute 38 for ;n~lep~n~ertly conve~ing such particles to a
20 separate destination.
As will be appreciated by referring to Fig. 1,
finger screen sections 18 are preferably provided in at
least two longitu~l;nally adjacent screen regions Sl and S2
for separating the mater~al into at least two separate
25 batches of different sized particles. One of the batches i8
o~ substantially uniform smaller sized particles and the
other of the batches is of substantially uniform larger
sized particles. More specifically, the smaller sized
particles are separated from the material at an up~eam
30 point, i.e., in screen region Sl, whereas the larger sized
particles are separated from the material at a downstraam
point, i.e., in screen region S2.
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Wlth this arrangement, it i~ possible to sQparate
particles up to at least two distinct pre~elected sizes from
a material having particles of a variety of different sizes
therein. In other words, the material wlll } e conveyed
5 along the L~ h 12 and ov~3r ~uc~ce~Qive onQs of the finger
screen section~ 18. As thi~ occurs, all of the ~maller
sized particles fall through the finger scraQn sectlons 18
in the u~L,eam scr~en region Sl while all of tha larger
sized particles fall through the finger screen 6ections 18
10 in the downstream screen region S2.
With this arrangement, there will be 610ping
chutes 38 and 42 ~ p~n~ed from below the L~u-~h 12 in
longit~in~lly spaced relat$or~h~p for each of the scraen
regions Sl and S2. The~e sloping chutes will receive
15 particles falling through the finger screen sections 18 in
the re~pective screen region~ S1 and S2. Further, there
will be separate particle cc,nv~yor~ 40 and 44 below
h~rge end~ 38a and 42a for ln~pp~nr3arltly col,veying
particles received from each of the chute~ 38 and 42 to
20 separate destinations.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that
the fingers 24 are sp~ce~ from each other by a tapering
amount defining a gap 46 diverging outwardly from the
backbone 22 to the forward ends 24b thereof. It will al60
25 be appreciated by referring specifically to Fig. 6, and al80
Fig. 3, that the fingers 24 of any one of the finger screen
sections 18 are laterally offset so as to be aligned with
the gap 46 between a pair of the fingers 24 of the finger
screen section 18 immedlately forward thereof. In other
30 word~, the fingers 24 of ad~acent ones of the finger screen
sections 18 are staggered in a manner r:~ki ng it possible to
eliminate material "bypass."
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A~ will be appreciated hy referring to Figs. 1
through 3, the finger screen sections 18 are each connected
to and exclusively ~jul~o~Led by opposite sides 12a and 12b
of the t.~uy}. 12. More ~pecifically, the finger screen
5 sections 18 are 80 cQnnected at opposite ends of the
ba~khon~ 22 thereof. By 60 configuring and 6ecuring the
finger screen sections 18, it i8 possible to avoid underdeck
cross ~ G~Ls that might otherwise be capable of causing
hang-ups.
As bQst shown in Fig. 4, the rearwardly ~1epPn~1ng
leg 26 of each of the finger ~creen sections 18 extends
rearwardly and downwardly relative to the backbone 22 which
causes particle~ to be directed toward one of the particle
receiving chutes 38 and 42. As also ~hown in Fig. 4, the
1S fingers 24 of each of the finger screen sections 18 extend
forwardly and slightly upwardly relative to the backbone 22
of the finger screen section 18 1 ~ tely forward thereof.
With this arran.J- ~rl unique arra"~l -nt o~ finger
~creen ~ections 18, the present invention ha~ provided what
20 can be characterized as a "cA~c:~l; ng action finger-screen."
While not previou~ly mentioned, the forward ends
24b of ad~acent ones of the ~ingers 24 are spaced apart by
an equal ~,L for all of the finger screen sections 18 in
any one of the separate screen regions 6uch as Sl and S2
25 (see Fig~3. 1 and 6). The degree of separation, as
previously mentioned, is the same as the vertical spacing
beL~.ecn the forward ends 24b of the fingers 24 and the next
forwardly adjacent one of the finger screen sections 18.
With this arrAn~- -nt, there are unobstructed openings to
30 allow "free fall" of the a~LopLiately sized particles as
the material is c:o~ eyed from the input end 14 toward the
~chArge end 16 of the trough 12.
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Referring to Flg~. 1 and 3, the material
separating appnratus 10 is parttc~lA~ly well suitQd for
s~psrating plural sized part~cles into at least two batches
of particlos. It will be appreciated that the plural ~ized
s particles comprise a material to be classified by size. In
this c~ Lion, one of the batche~ o~ particl~s wlll
contain particles up to a first presQlectQd size and another
of the batche~ of particles will contain partlcles up to a
secon~l preselected 6iZQ~
wlth this underst~n~l~nq, the fingQrs 24 are spaced
side by side from each other by a first (smaller)
preselectQd amount at forward Qnds 24b of the first,
u~L e~m screen r~gion Sl of finger screen sections 18
sufficient to allow particles up to the first pre~elected
size to pass ~hrough the fingers 24 thereof. In l~ke
f~hi ~n, th~ finqer8 24 are spacQd side by side from each
other by a ~c~n~ tlarger) amount at forward ~nds 24b of the
8ecnnA r ~ - ~ ~ screen region S2 of finger screen
sections 18 suf~c~Pnt to allow particles up to the ~econd
preselected size to pass through the fingers 24 thereof.
As a result, the material having plural sized
particl~s will be conv~yed along tha L~u~h and ov~r
s~lcce~sive ones o~ the finger scrQen ~Gctions 18 with
particles up to the first preselected size falling through
the finger 6creen sections 18 of the first, u~,eam sCrQen
section Sl, particles up to the seconA presalected ~ize
falling through the ~econ~, dù~ Le~m screen region S2, and
particles larger than the 6econd pre~slected s$ze be~ng
~ h~rged from the rli ~ch~rge end 16 o~ the ~,~u~h 12 onto a
material COnve~ur 46 as the material moves from the input
end 14 to the rl ~ cr~h~rge end 16 of the trough 12.
With this underst~nrling o~ thQ invention, the
material separating apparatu~ is a non-h~n~ ng ~
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self-relieving design whlch stays clean wlthout
"porcupining." The diverging g~ps betwsen fingers which
gr~n~lly increasQ in width free on-siza pieces to allow
the_ to drop through or continue to be cu-.ve~ed, and the
design of the fingers provides a "c ; n~ action for longer
pieces which will not completely pa86 through thereby
avoiding wedging. Moreover, modular self-contained sectiûns
are utilized for quick and easy replao~ , the apparatus
can be custom built in a variety of 5iZe6 and ~aterial~, and
multiple size particle sQparations can be accomplished on a
single deck.
While in the foregoing there has bQen set forth a
preferred ~-~o~iment of the invention, it will be understood
that the details herein given are for p~oses of
illustration only and the invention is to be limited solely
by the spirit and scope of the appe~de~ claims.
