Abstract: A two-deck apparatus, one deck above the other, is provided for enabling drying of approximately twice as much material with very little increase in heat used to dry the material, when compared to a single deck dryer. The fan usually provided with dryers of this type requires only a small incremental size increase over prior art. The second or upper deck, in operation, experiences a greater pressure below that deck than the pressure above the deck. Solid material flows into the top of the apparatus from above, and then from the upper deck to the lower deck through what is essentially a one-way valve, with air flow moving from below the lower deck through the upper deck, without impeding the material flow downwardly in the apparatus. The same apparatus, but with the use of cold air to cool the product, rather than hot air to heat and dry a product, is also within the teachings of the present invention.

Abstract: An improved vibrating screener includes a tangential input system for the material to be processed, combined with a channel internal to the machine and for directing air down through the center of the unit to assist the screened material flowing down the conical sides of the bottom of the machine to its discharge. In this way, the air bypasses the screening surfaces and screen blinding is avoided.

Abstract: An improved vibrating screener is disclosed as including an inlet system which provides for tangential input of the material to be processed by the screener. A spacing frame is provided in connection with the tangential inlet in order to separate materials by disengaging particles from the input material as it spirals down the side of the spacing frame and feed tray. During the spiraling down action, the material decreases in velocity. During the separation process, an external loop is used for by-passed air, thereby providing the full diameter of the machine for the by-pass screen, to avoid by-pass screen blinding. The by-passed air can then be used to pick up the screened powder at the bottom of the unit; or, the by-passed air is reintroduced below the separating screen to flush the machine free of screened product.

Abstract: An agglomerator structure, used in conjunction with a sifting structure, is described to provide variable sized agglomerates and uniform agglomeration, using at least one cone, with apex pointing toward the feed flow, and an inverted cone with a screen below. The agglomerator structure is provided to enable convenient use in a sanitary environment, with the system including an agglomerator cone above the inverted cone, which defines a central opening for feeding the material to one or more screens. The system is primarily designed for use with a vibration-imparting structure to better enable use in a sanitary environment.

Abstract: A woven wire screen is held tightly on a circular tension ring mount and attached directly thereto by welding. A basic Z-shape for the tension ring is modified by a vertical partial drop from the inner part of the tension ring in order to prevent jamming of anti-blinding devices. The overall structure provides the necessary stiffness and is devoid of crevices and the like, which would not be suitable in a sanitary environment.

Abstract: A method for the sorting of bulk material comprises the feeding of the bulk material into a frusto-conical sorting means. The rotational speed of the sorting means is varied to permit the passage of the bulk material therethrough at the higher speed and the migration of tramp material along the sorting means at the lower speed. Continuously alternating the speeds allows sorting to be done on a continuous basis.