Abstract: Suction device for obtaining dust samples of nearly homogeneous grain sizes and with a reproducible bulk density for the analysis of ores. The device, which is suitable for use during the mining of ores, includes a cylindrical casing, having an opening at each end thereof, and a cylindrical sieve insert, having an opening at each end thereof and being coaxially located within the casing. An inwardly-facing conically-shaped insert, located at the front end of said casing, provides flow communication between the front end of the casing and the sieve insert. A suction pipe socket is located laterally on the casing for attachment to suction-generating equipment. A filter is located over the mouth of the conically-shaped insert. The front end of a downwardly-curved dust-conducting tube is in direct communication with the back end of the sieve insert. There is a tube for collecting samples from the dust-conducting tube.

Abstract: An anti-blinding grain, seed and like particulate cleaning and grading machine includes a gyrating support frame assembly, and mechanism for vibrating the assembly. Horizontally inclined opposed guide members extend along the side members of the assembly on the interior face thereof at a horizontally inclined angle to project interiorly thereof. The separating screen for separating overs and unders has side rails which are supported by the flanges which project outwardly from the side rails of a clearer ball tray to overlie the guide members. Balls trapped in the ball tray are deflected upwardly with the gyrating motion to engage the separating screen and keep it from becoming blinded. Swingable clamp shoes clamp the screen side rails and the ball tray side rails against the guide members.

Abstract: A magnetic separator has a support defining an upright axis, two stationary pole pieces spaced from and around the axis on the support, and a stationary inner ferromagnetic piece extending between the pole pieces and axially bridging same. This inner piece defines with the outer pieces respective angularly offset separation gaps. Means is provided, normally in the form of coils, for energizing the pole pieces and thereby creating a magnetic field extending radially across the gaps and through the inner piece. An annular rotor centered on the axis extends through the gaps. This rotor is formed of an endless angular succession of groups of nonradially extending and spaced-apart rotor elements. It is rotated about the axis to orbit the groups of rotor elements through the gaps and particulate material including magnetically attractable particles is fed axially down through the rotor as it rotates. Particles are then washed from the elements at a location angularly offset from the gaps.

Abstract: A vibratory screening machine for separating particles from fluid includes a fine mesh screen located within a vibratory basket. The machine further includes a supply for delivering fluid having the entrained particles from a source thereof towards the screen. A weir is disposed substantially adjacent the supply and overlies an upstream portion of the screen for directing the flow of fluid onto the screen. The weir includes an upstream end positioned adjacent the supply and a downstream end. A plate forming a dam is attached to the downstream end of the weir to form a pool of fluid on the weir. The weir includes at least one fluid flow opening positioned substantially adjacent the plate forming the dam. A flow directing plate is connected to the weir for directing the fluid flowing through the fluid flow opening towards the upstream portion of the screen underlying the weir.

Abstract: This invention relates to a flat stroke sifter screen unit having the entire vibratory drive system mounted at the inlet end of the unit including drive springs, input motor (or vibratory excitor) and counterbalance, all located at this end of the screening unit. The outlet end of the unit is free of any bearings, or wheels, or rods, or the like and the entire unit is supported on isolation springs which may be steel coils for a fully free floating mounting.

Abstract: Process for recovery of elemental phosphorus from waste ponds by dredging the waste pond to obtain an aqueous phosphorus slurry, separating particles larger than 2 mm from the slurry, treating the remaining slurry in an initial hydrocyclone and removing an overflow of solids larger than 500 micrometers, treating the underflow from the initial hydrocyclones in smaller diameter hydrocyclones, removing a second overflow enriched in slimes and diminished in phosphorus, removing a second underflow enriched in phosphorus and diminished in slimes and heating it sufficiently to melt the phosphorus therein, treating the heated second underflow in a centrifugal separator, and separating and recovering a stream of coalesced phosphorus from a heavy fraction of impurities.

Abstract: A method for concentrating ores of non-ferrous metals by flotation, wherein a pulp and air mixture is prepared and fed through a nozzle under pressure to the bottom part of a mixing chamber. The mixture is directed toward an impact wall in such a manner that after the jet hits against the wall air bubbles of a diameter not exceeding 150-200 .mu.m are formed. The flows resulting from the impact against this wall are directed toward each other in such a manner as to collide in the top part of the mixing chamber at a velocity maximum 90-100 cm/s and at an angle 40-75.degree. with respect to the vertical axis of the mixing chamber, the resultant flow being deaerated, and a resultant froth layer removed. A flotation machine has a mixing chamber having a nozzle for feeding thereto a pulp and air mixture and an impact wall disposed directly adjacent to the nozzle, the mixing chamber having walls which are so shaped as to provide for carrying out the abovedescribed method.

Abstract: Partially purified salt containing less than about 00.4 weight percent insolubles is further purified to reduce the insolubles until the milk pad rating is 3 or better for certain industrial uses and 1 for human consumption. The entry salt is washed in clarified brine to dislodge insoluble impurities adhered to the salt surfaces. The washed salt is then scrubbed with fresh water sprays to displace the wash brine from salt surfaces. The washed salt is drained and then dried in a kiln where flowing air blows away some impurities. The dried salt is passed through a magnetic separator, doubly sifted to remove both large and small impurities, and, where food grade salt is required, passed through a color sorter that removes relatively dark impurities.

Abstract: A raw refuse processing apparatus disk screen separating bed has a series of interdigitated rotatable disk assemblies and is adapted to receive raw refuse at one end, including bagged refuse, and at an intermediate location along its length the separating bed is provided with a bag breaker arrangement comprising a floating carriage having bag delaying disk assemblies and overlying bag ripping disk assemblies of the separating bed.

Abstract: An elutriation apparatus which combines pressurized liquid jets and the low energy air bubble flotation for the separation is described. A manifolded set of multiple apparatus which increases operator efficiency is described. Quantitative separation of roots is achieved by the apparatus by a closed system of mechanical separations using water and air to isolate and deposit roots on a sieve submerged in the water. The method provides a rapid, quantitative and inexpensive method for measuring plant root responses to soil biological, chemical, and physical conditions.

Abstract: The invention is a cyclone-type particle classifier. It comprises an upper body section, with an inlet for a particle laden gas, and a lower conical section where classification occurs. The lower section comprises an inner foraminous portion and a coaxial outer solid walled portion. These are separated so as to define an annular-shaped volume between them. The two lower sections are further separated at their upper basal portion by an air gap which is in communication with the annular volume and the ambient atmosphere. The annular space is connected to one outlet duct at its apex while the inner volume of the foraminous portion is connected to another duct. These ducts lead to the suction side of appropriate fans. The two ducts serve as the only gas outlet means from the device.

Abstract: A sluice box classifier for a sluice box of a gold mining dredge includes a trough and a rim secured to an underside of the trough. The rim anchors the trough to a standard size container. The trough is formed of four walls and a bottom, and is at least as wide as a lower end portion of the sluice box from which collected overburden is received. The bottom includes a center panel and two floor panels which slope upwardly from opposite sides of the center panel to meet opposite sidewalls of the trough. The floor panels funnel overburden deposited into the trough from the sluice box to the center panel where a plurality of openings in the center panel allows the smaller pieces of overburden to pass through into the container. A portion of a front wall of the trough is bent outwardly of the trough to cooperate with an angle member so as to form a slot which connects the trough to the sluice box.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of beneficiating a material, such as coal, by subjecting the coal to be treated to the action of a dense-media cyclone, where the dense-media thereof is a slurry of magnetite in water. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method to control the separating gravity of said cyclone within predetermined limits by (1) measuring the flow rate and percent magnetite in the flow discharging from the cyclone, and (2) based on pre-calibrated data, adjusting the feed flow and content, i.e. magnetite and/or water, into said cyclone, thereby controlling said separating gravity within predetermined limits.

Abstract: Tritiated species, e.g., tritium, tritiated water, and/or tritiated hydrocarbons, are removed from gas streams comprised thereof by reacting the same over a precious metal catalyst with sufficient air or oxygen to convert all tritiated species to tritiated water and, if hydrocarbons are present in the gaseous feedstock, carbon dioxide. The tritiated water and any other moisture that might be present in the reaction effluent are next adsorbed by a desiccant dryer, preferably to a level of less than one part per million. Most desirably, the desiccant dryer effluent is then diluted with non-radioactive water such that the tritiated water is diluted by a factor of at least 1,000 to 1; the resulting water mixture can be adsorbed from the diluted effluent by a second desiccant dryer to provide a value in the ultimate effluent gas of less than about one-half parts per billion tritiated water.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for making a sharp separation of solids into components which are finer than the screen mesh and coarser then the screen mesh. The solids ladened fluid is introduced onto a screen to separate coarse solids from fine solids. A tray containing a body of aqueous liquid is vibrated causing the aqueous liquid to repeatedly contact the solids while on the screen to provide the needed mobility for fine particles to pass through the screen with the liquid. The aqueous liquid returns to the tray and the vibration of the tray aids in removal of the fine solids which have passed through the screen from the tray. Aqueous liquid is continuously added to the tray or sprayed above the screen to keep accumulated solids from increasing the viscosity of the aqueous liquid in the tray.

Abstract: Particulate material such as sand is classified in two or more classifying devices (13 and 15) which operate on the principle of "hindered settling" each to provide a coarse underflow fraction and a fine overflow fraction. A chosen blend 12 of the underflow fractions is provided by pneumatic control circuitry (FIGS. 2,5,6) which actuates flow control valves (14 and 16) to open, by amounts in accordance with a chosen blend ratio, only when there is sufficient material available for blending.

Abstract: Chlorine dioxide solution for use in waste water treatment is produced in an automated small scale plant wherein sodium chlorate solution is reacted with sulphur dioxide at subatmospheric pressure by countercurrent flow in a reaction tower. Water ejectors are used to withdraw gaseous chlorine dioxide from the upper end of the tower and form therefrom chlorine dioxide solution and also to withdraw liquid effluent from the bottom of the tower for discharge. The plant is fully automated to form chlorine dioxide solution in response to inventory requirements. The chlorine dioxide-producing reaction is only permitted to operate if each of a plurality of sensed parameters is within predetermined ranges.

Abstract: An arrangement of separation device is provided such that after centrifugation, for example, the heavy materials at the bottom of the separation container may be directly removed from the bottom without first having to decant or otherwise remove the lighter fraction at the upper end of the container. The arrangement may include, for example, a conventional tube-type container modified to have an opening in the bottom. A specially configured plug or stopper is utilized in combination with the container bottom opening to seal the opening closed, which plug is configured to complete the bottom end of the container and to provide an access septum for needle penetration in the bottom of the container. The arrangement of the plug prevents displacement thereof, once it is properly positioned, and includes specifically, a locking detent to prevent the plug from being displaced inwardly upon insertion of a needle into the plug.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discriminating between alcohol and acetone in a breath sample and accurately measuring the alcohol level when acetone is present in the sample. The breath sample is measured with two different types of detectors and their outputs compared. One detector uses the principles of infrared (IR) absorption, the other detector is a semiconductor, commonly called a Taguci cell, or its equivalent. Automatic correction is provided for variations in sensitivity of the semiconductor.

Abstract: Closures for fluid sample cups, preferably for blood, according to the teachings of the present invention are preferably formed in a multilayered sheet including a matrix of closures and remaining area located around and between the closures. Specifically, the multilayered sheet includes two sided adhesive tape sandwiched between a layer of adhesive covering paper and a rigidifying layer. An elastic layer is adhesively secured to the rigidifying layer. A matrix of first apertures extend through the tape, the paper layer, and the rigidifying layer, with the material located inside of the first apertures being discarded. A matrix of second apertures extend through the tape and the elastic and rigidifying layers concentric with and of greater radius than the first apertures and which define the matrix of the closures. A matrix of slits are also formed in the elastic layer within the first apertures.