Abstract: A screen assembly for a vibratory separator has been invented, which, in certain aspects, has a ridge-valley series of undulating screening material with a plurality of alternating ridges and valleys of screening material, each of said ridges having two spaced-apart ridge ends, a ridge top and a ridge bottom, and each ridge end with a portion of screening material that tapers down from its corresponding ridge's ridge top to a level of screening material at its corresponding ridge's ridge bottom.

Abstract: Screens and screen assemblies for a vibratory separator or shale shaker, such screens and screen assemblies made by a method including applying glue in a glue pattern to at least one layer of screening material, said applying done by powered moving mechanical glue application apparatus; in one aspect moving with powered mechanical screen movement apparatus the at least one layer of screening material beneath the powered moving mechanical glue application apparatus; in one aspect, using hot melt moisture-curing glue, and in one aspect facilitating the cure of moisture-curing glue by applying moisture to it.

Abstract: A method for making a screen for a vibratory separator, the method including placing at least one layer of screening material below a glue application apparatus, the glue application apparatus including a main body and a plurality of movable glue nozzles movably connected to the body, applying with the movable glue nozzles an amount of glue, in a pattern to at least a portion of the at least one layer of screening material by moving the movable glue nozzles over the at least one layer of screening material. The method wherein the glue application apparatus includes at least one stationary glue nozzle secured immovably to the main body, the method including applying at least one shearable glue bead having a length to the screening material so that shearing the screening material along the length of the at least one shearable glue bead produces separate sections of the screening material.

Abstract: A method for flattening non-flat areas of screening material of a screen assembly, the non-flat areas of screening material between lines of glue gluing together a plurality of layers of screening material, the plurality of glued-together layers of screening material secured to a frame, the method including mounting the screen assembly on a vibratory separator, the vibratory separator located in an environment at an ambient temperature, vibrating the screen assembly with the vibratory separator for a period of time, feeding material to be treated onto the screen assembly, the material to be treated at a material temperature above the ambient temperature, the period of time of such a temporal length and the material temperature of such a temperature to effect flattening of the non-flat areas of screening material.

Abstract: A method for separating fluid and fibrous lost circulation material from a mixture of fluid, drilled cuttings and fibrous lost circulation material, the method including introducing the mixture onto a screen assembly that has at least two layers of screening material and including at least a first layer over a second layer, the layers with rectangular openings, the first layer having first rectangular openings each having a first width and a first length, and the second layer having second rectangular openings each having a second width and a second length, the ratio of the first length to the first width ranging between 1.55 and 2.00, the ratio of the second length to the second width ranging between 1.55 and 2.00, the ratio of the first length to the second width ranging between 0.95 and 1.05, and the lengths of the first rectangular openings parallel to lengths of the second rectangular openings.

Abstract: A vibratory separator with a base, vibrating apparatus, a screen container on the base, the screen container having a plurality of spaced-apart drain holes, a plurality of spaced-apart screens in the screen-container, said screens oriented vertically within the screen container, and the screens positioned so that screened fluid passes through the screens and flows from the container through the plurality of spaced-apart drain holes.

Abstract: A screen assembly has been invented which has a base, at least one layer of screening material on the base, and at least one ramp formed in the at least one layer of screening material.

Abstract: A unibody structure for a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, and screens with such a structure, the unibody structure having, in certain aspects, an integral body member with a portion having a plurality of spaced-apart openings therethrough, the integral body member including side portions foldable to form a pair of spaced-apart integral side members, the integral body member having a plurality of spaced-apart support openings defining portions of the integral body member foldable to form a plurality of spaced-apart supports extending from a first side of the integral body member to a second side thereof and each support of the plurality of spaced-apart supports independent of each other support of the plurality of spaced-apart supports along its length.

Abstract: A screen assembly which, in at least certain aspects, has at least one wire mesh screen formed with undulating mesh material having a series of ridges spaced apart by a series of valleys, a corrugated perforated plate with an undulating shape corresponding to the undulating mesh material of the at least one wire mesh screen, the at least one wire mesh screen on the corrugated perforated plate, a series of spaced apart rods all of which are in one plane, the corrugated perforated plate mounted on the rods of the series of spaced apart rods, and each rod having a length and independent of and not connected to the other rods along its length by any member in the same plane as the rods, each rod having two spaced apart ends.

Abstract: A method for separating fluid from a mixture of fluid and fibrous lost circulation material, the method including introducing the mixture onto a screen assembly that is vibrating for passage of the fluid through the screen assembly and for separation of fibrous lost circulation material from the fluid, the screen assembly comprising a plurality of screens one on top of the other and including at least a first screen and a second screen, one of the screens with comprising a screen mesh woven with non-square openings as viewed from above.

Abstract: A method for separating fluid and fibrous lost circulation material from a mixture thereof that also includes drilled cuttings, the method including introducing the mixture onto a screen assembly that is vibrating for passage of the fluid and fibrous lost circulation material through the screen assembly and for separation of the driled cuttings from the fluid, the screen assembly with a plurality of screens one on top of the other and including at least a first screen and a second screen, one of the screens with a screen mesh with non-square openings as viewed from above to facilitate the passage of fibrous lost circulation material through the screen assembly.

Abstract: A screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly having a first screen portion having a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end, and a second screen portion formed integrally of or connected to the second end of the second screen portion. A screen assembly with a first portion of screening material and a second raised portion of screening material, the second raised portion extending from a material introduction end of the screen assembly to a material exit end thereof, the raised portion, in one aspect, culminating in an apex above the first portion of screening material.

Abstract: A screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly including at least one lower coarse screen member, at least one upper fine screen member above the at least one lower coarse screen member and fused with plastic to the at least one lower coarse screen member, and a strip member beneath and adhered to the at least one lower coarse screen member. In one aspect the strip member includes two side strips, two end pieces, and a plurality of spaced-apart strips parallel to the two side strips each with an end terminating at, in, or on each of the end pieces.

Abstract: A method for separating fluid from a mixture of fluid and fibrous lost circulation material, the method including introducing the mixture onto a screen assembly that is vibrating for passage of the fluid through the screen assembly and for separation of fibrous lost circulation material from the fluid, the screen assembly comprising a plurality of screens one on top of the other and including at least a first screen and a second screen, one of the screens with comprising a screen mesh woven with non-square openings as viewed from above.

Abstract: A support strip has been invented for supporting part of a screen used in a vibratory shaker, the support strip having a support body having spaced-apart ends spaced-apart sides, and a top surface, and at least one hump, raised portion or upturned finger projecting above the top surface of the support body and a support beneath said at least one hump, etc. The support may be entirely beneath the hump, etc. or part thereof may project beyond the hump, etc. The present invention also discloses a variety of screens and screen assemblies with such structure.

Abstract: A screen assembly for a vibratory separator has been invented, which, in certain aspects, has at least two ridge-valley series of screening material with a plurality of alternating ridges and valleys of screening material, and at least one ridge-valley series of screening material offset from at least one other ridge-valley series of screening material. A screen assembly for a vibratory separator has been invented, which, in certain aspects, has at least one ridge-valley series of screening material, said ridge-valley series including a plurality of ridges each ridge between valleys of a plurality of valleys, and each ridge having a first end spaced apart from a second end, said first end having a top wider than a top of second end.

Abstract: A unibody structure for a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, and screens with such a structure, the unibody structure having, in certain aspects, an integral body member with a plurality of spaced-apart openings therethrough for sealingly abutting the shoulder support portion of an end of an adjacent screen defining fluid flow paths for screening and/or defining a plurality of spaced-apart supports for screening material, and the integral body member including side portions foldable to form one or two pairs of spaced-apart integral side members and/or the integral body member including two end portions foldable to form a pair of spaced-apart integral end members and/or a pair of spaced-apart ends. In certain aspects one of a pair of spaced-apart end portions is configured with a shoulder support portion and another end with a ledge portion.

Abstract: A support strip has been invented for supporting part of a screen used in a vibratory shaker, the support strip having a support body having spaced-apart ends spaced-apart sides, and a top surface, and at least one hump, raised portion or upturned finger projecting above the top surface of the support body and a support beneath said at least one hump, etc. The support may be entirely beneath the hump, etc. or part thereof may project beyond the hump, etc. The present invention also discloses a variety of screens and screen assemblies with such structure.

Abstract: A screen for a vibratory shaker for treating material flowing thereto, the screen in certain aspects having a lower support made of criss-crossed wires which define a plurality of spaced-apart holes through the lower support, the wires having top surfaces with a substantially flat portion, and screening material on the top surfaces of the wires.

Abstract: A new screen has been invented for use with vibratory screening apparatuses which has, in certain aspects, a base, a first screen on the base, and a scalping screen on the first screen, the first screen assembly including a corrugated screen having alternating crests and valleys, and the second screen assembly secured to the crests of the corrugated screen, and cushion members disposed between the first and second screen assemblies, the corrugated screen of the first screen assembly having first end openings beneath valleys on two sides thereof, and end plugs within the first end openings to sealingly close off the end openings to fluid flow. The present invention has other embodiments disclosed herein from. A screening apparatus or shale shaker and methods of their use have been invented that use such screens.