Abstract: A pre-printed label is attached to an article of internal or interdepartmental mail. The label is imprinted with a matrix of boxes that are selectively scratched or blackened out by a sender to represent a destination mail stop code. The matrix includes a lead-in marker and a lead-out marker that are detected by an optical scanner of a mail sorting machine to determine the location and orientation of the matrix. The matrix is scanned and the destination mail code is read as the article is processed by the mail sorting machine. The mail sorting machine then determines if the mail stop code matches a known destination and, if so, routes the article to a mail receptacle corresponding to the mail stop code.

Abstract: A item separating or debris eliminating system includes a tank and a pump for circulating water from one end of the tank around through a duct and back into the opposite end of the tank. A medium density object collector is located within the tank, and a light debris collector is located within the tank. A conveyor filter is included through which substantially all of the water in the tank is circulated. The debris eliminating system preferably also includes a high density object collector within the tank. The system can be used to separate a variety of objects having different densities and terminal velocities in a fluid. Most preferably, the system is utilized for separating debris from potatoes and the like produce.

Abstract: A door (20) for a separation table (10) is pivotably installed within discharge chute (12). The door is pivotable between a closed position and an open position. The door has a distal planar section (24) that lies horizontally against the floor wall (38) of the discharge chute when in a closed position. The door when in the open position has a curved contour section (26) that defines the lowest extent (47) of the door and upper wall of opening (47). A stop limit mechanism (50) includes a bar 52 that is adjustably mounted within discharge chute (12) to limit the opening of the door (20).

Abstract: An aeration separator for separating lighter and heavier materials in a separation chamber in which the material flows through a downwardly sloping passage in the lower region of the separation chamber toward a lower discharge while air flows upwardly through the material to aerate and agitate it to separate the lighter particles and direct them to an upper discharge.

Abstract: A jigging machine comprises at least one pulsation chamber, particularly for finest grain sizing of coal or other minerals which traverse the jigging machine on the jig bed which is shorter in the direction of motion of the minerals that at right angles to the direction of motion, whereby the jigging machine is designed as a bottom-pulsed machine. The jigging machine comprises curved lateral walls whose curvature is such that only tensile stresses occur in the walls, is designed suspended in an upper frame, and has the pulsation chamber disposed immediately below the jig bed which rests on cross tie rods.

Abstract: A device for separating fine articles as sand from a sludge containing ultrafine articles comprises a continuously rotated substantially horizontal drum having a helical web at the peripheral inside thereof. The mass flow to be separated is deposited in the drum at a place spaced from both ends of the drum. The drum moves the sand at the bottom of the drum to the discharge end thereof, where a water feeding system is arranged providing an oppositely directed fresh water flow which mixes with said ultrafine particles forming a sludge. The sand is elevated at the discharge end of the drum by a plurality of buckets and discharged via an inclined discharge chute through an outlet opening of the drum. The sludge is discharged through the opposite front wall opening through which the mass flow is fed within a feeding tube.

Abstract: Method and apparatus 10 permits material immersed in a body of fluid to move under the influence of gravity across inclined surfaces 14 and 24 having an angle of incline below the horizontal approximately equivalent to that of the repose angles .alpha. and .beta. of the fluid-immersed material. Such materials are moved under the influence of gravity rather than fluid forces to winnowing channels 25 comprising closed regions of finite length through which an upwelling flow of fluid at relatively high velocity passes into the fluid body in which the material is immersed. Undesired materials pass upward, borne on the upwelling flow through the fluid body while desired materials 36 move through winnowing channels 25 counter to the upwelling flow, passing along surface 251 at the repose angle .beta. of such material within the region of relatively high fluid velocity in accord with the material's fluid settling characteristics.

Abstract: A gold mining pan having riffle-like slits or grooves in the bottom and a device for separating the material contained in the slits or grooves from the remainder of a slurry contained within the pan. The pan may also include a device for removing the material contained within the slits from the pan.

Abstract: A method of separating granular pourable materials in fluidized bed layers formed by fluid media. These layers are withdrawn by a fluidizing medium from the top downwardly one after the other down to slightly above the border surface of the lowest layer but one. Subsequently, the fluidizing medium which remains above the residual layer is rotated, and the residual layer is completely withdrawn by means of the thus created secondary radial flow toward the central region.

Abstract: An apparatus and a control system for receiving the mud-like discharge from a liquid clarifying vessel and dewatering it into the form of slugs by vacuum means connected to the annular space surrounding a stand pipe connected to the discharge outlet. A timing and control system effects squeeze-out action and discharges the dewatered slugs from a flapper valve on a timed basis, as well as effecting periodic clean-out action.