Abstract: A vibratory separator includes a screen frame having an upper screen surface and a plurality of openings and a first screen insert disposed in a first opening of the plurality of openings of the screen frame, the screen insert having a screen surface positioned at a first height above the supper screen surface. The vibratory separator also includes a second screen insert disposed in a second opening of the plurality of openings of the second screen frame, wherein a screen surface of the second screen insert is positioned at a second height. The second height may be different from the first height. A method of processing fluid includes providing a flow of fluid to a vibratory separator, and flowing the fluid over a screen having a first screen insert positioned at a first height.

Abstract: A vibrating screen separator machine including a frame bounding a first screening assembly, the first screening assembly forming a first sifting plane. The first screening assembly comprises a mesh screen and a planar backing panel proximate the mesh screen, the backing panel having a plurality of perforations. The screen separator also includes a material input slot on the frame and an un-sifted material output slot and a sifted material output slot on the frame where material travels from the material input slot into the screening assembly and where un-sifted material exits the frame through the un-sifted material output slot and sifted material exits the frame through the first sifted material output slot. The screen separator also includes a vibration mechanism supported by the frame and connected to the screening assembly, the vibration mechanism imparting vibrational energy to the screening assembly to sift material passing through the screening assembly.

Abstract: A screen system having a plurality of screen elements that can be readily removed and replaced to vary one or more characteristics of the screen surface formed by the screen system. The screen system includes a support system for supporting at least one screen element to prevent deformation of the screen element that typically would occur due to the insufficient structural stability of the at least one screen element relative to the weight of the product being screened. Preferably, the support system includes one or more support elements that can be readily and easily installed and removed from the screen system. The support system is preferably configured to permit the one or more support elements to be positioned at different locations in the screen system. Preferably, the support system is configured to permit a variety of different support elements to be used to allow a greater variety of screen elements to be used.

Abstract: A process for classifying water-absorbing polymer beads, wherein the polymer beads are separated into n particle size fractions by means of at least n screens and n is an integer greater than 1.

Abstract: A retention device for use with a filter apparatus having a main frame and an intermediate frame member, and a plurality of parallel filter elements in a filter zone being spaced one from another at a selected distance and forming a filter screen known as a harp screen, is disclosed. The filter screen is mounted to the main frame. The retention device includes a clamp disposed at an intermediate portion of the filter elements for clamping at least a clamped portion of the filter elements to the intermediate frame member, with the arrangement being such that a neutral region is provided adjacent or within the clamped portion of the filter elements, the neutral region being such that the filter elements may be manipulated within that region, and their relative spacing varied, within that region, without affecting spacing between filter elements outside the neutral region.

Abstract: In a system to separate shredded vegetable pieces, a slicer cuts a vegetable having leaves and a core into pieces to form a mixture of leaf and core pieces. The mixture then passes through a sorting mechanism that separates the core pieces from the mixture.

Abstract: A material separation device for use in an internal area of a material handling system. The separation device includes a separator member with a body with a plurality of material passageways extending therethrough. The separator member includes a material exit portion. The device also includes an attachment mechanism for securely attaching the separator member within the internal area of the material handling system. A method of manufacturing a material separation device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of attenuating the sound emanating from a bank of a plurality of vibrating screens of a plurality of vibrating screening machines including the steps of providing a master pulse of known phase and frequency, comparing the phase and frequency of a plurality of vibrating screens with the known phase and frequency of said master pulse, and adjusting the phase and frequency of said bank of plurality of vibrating screens so that the waveforms produced thereby tend to cancel each other. An apparatus for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A support for a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, a screen assembly with such a support, a vibratory separator with one or more such screen assemblies, and a method of using such a screen assembly, such a support having a body, a first series of holes through the body each hole having a first opening size as viewed from above, a second series of holes through the body each hole with a second opening size as viewed from above, the second series of holes at a selected area of the body and the support positionable in a vibratory separator so that the selected area is adjacent a selected location with respect to the vibratory separator, and the second opening size smaller than the first opening size and/or the second series of holes with holes spaced apart differently than the holes of the first series of holes; and in one aspect, a plastic grid with such hole series for fusing together layers of screening material.

Abstract: A disc screen apparatus for classifying a stream of mixed recyclable materials of various sizes and shapes, including newspaper, clean mixed paper, magazines, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, cans, and the like. The apparatus has an inclined fixed first disc screen section and an inclined articulating second disc screen section whose angle of inclination can be independently adjusted via a hydraulic cylinder or other angular adjustment mechanism in order to improve the separation of newspaper and/or clean mixed paper without impairing the ability of the fixed disc screen section to separate mixed containers. The first and second disc screen sections are supported by first and second frames that carry the parallel driven shafts and discs that form the disc screen sections. The frames have complementary mating surfaces that limit the range of articulation of the second disc screen section.

Abstract: A support for a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, a screen assembly with such a support, a vibratory separator with one or more such screen assemblies, and a method of using such a screen assembly, such a support having a body, a first series of holes through the body each hole having a first opening size as viewed from above, a second series of holes through the body each hole with a second opening size as viewed from above, the second series of holes at a selected area of the body and the support positionable in a vibratory separator so that the selected area is adjacent a selected location with respect to the vibratory separator, and the second opening size smaller than the first opening size and/or the second series of holes with holes spaced apart differently than the holes of the first series of holes; and in one aspect, a plastic grid with such hole series for fusing together layers of screening material.

Abstract: A screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly including a first screen assembly, a frame to which is mounted screening material, at least one seal member on the frame for sealing contact against a second screen assembly. A unibody structure for a first screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the unibody structure having an integral body member with a portion having a plurality of spaced-apart openings therethrough defining a pattern of a plurality of spaced-apart screening openings, the integral body member including side portions foldable to form a pair of spaced-apart integral side members, and at least one seal member on the integral body member for sealing contact of the unibody structure with another item.

Abstract: A screening plant including a housing to which first and second screen boxes are reciprocatably mounted. The screen boxes are coplanar and the inner peripheral edge of the first box is adjacent the inner peripheral edge of the second box. Separate prime movers, such as hydraulic motors, are drivingly linked to the independently mounted screen boxes. The screen boxes are separated by a gap over which a beveled cap is mounted.

Abstract: The invention provides a separator plate for the screening of particulate material comprising an upstream non-perforated segment, and at least one downstream screening segment with orifices of a desired size and orientation and with a plurality of upward protruding pins distributed between the orifices. There is also provided a sorting apparatus comprising a vibratory screen constituting the above-described separator plate.

Abstract: A new type of filter assembly which can be employed to retrofit an existing shaker or which can be built as an integral part of a new shaker. The assembly is comprised of a series of compartments arranged in cascading fashion within the shaker. Each compartment is provided with a removable hookless corrugated filter having no additional support backing which secures between a perforated bottom of the compartment and a removable and reclosable lid. Each filter is sealed and supported from below, at its front and rear edges and along its sides within its respective compartment upon removable corrugated lips provided in each of the compartments. Each lid is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending parallel blades which coincide with and engage valleys of the corrugated filters to seal and support the filters within their respective compartments when the lids are closed.

Abstract: Screens have been developed which, in one aspect, have interconnection apparatus including male projections on one first screen end which are received in female openings on another adjacent screen end. In one aspect the female openings are defined by raised portions of a three-dimensional screen and the male projections either are formed of the other screen's end or are part of plugs inserted into raised portions of the first screen end. A shale shaker has been developed with such screens. In one aspect such a shale shaker has screens disposed in a tiered configuration, one screen in sealing contact with the next. Screen connector apparatus has also been developed for such screens.

Abstract: A soil rinsing apparatus includes a rinsing and sieving element with two successive sieve regions for rinsing and sieving the soil. Water is supplied in order to reduce the soil to slime and to separate harmful substances from the soil. In order to reduce the water consumption and to improve the soil processing quality fresh water is supplied to the first sieve section and water leaving the first sieve section is collected and fed to the second sieve section which precedes the first sieve section.

Abstract: A method for enabling, without first opening the envelope, prioritized processing of envelopes according to indications of clearing organization(s) of potentially enclosed checks. The method is rapidly executed by high speed automatic sorters operating on appropriate encoded indicia supplied to drawers of checks in such a way that the indicia is detectable from unopened envelopes delivering the checks.

Abstract: A vibrating screen which comprises a housing having screening surfaces, the surfaces forming an angle with respect to each other, and vibrators. The housing consists of separate sections having screening surfaces arranged, one underneath the other, inside of each section. Each section is suspended to a frame by means of flexible joints. Vibrators are mounted to each section. The screening surfaces of the separate sections are arranged at different inclinations and have different widths in the downward direction of motion of the material passing through the vibrating screen device.

Abstract: In removing impurities, such as printing inks, binders, fiber fragments and pigments, from a fibrous suspension of waste paper containing water, the fibrous suspension is directed downwardly over an inclined sieve for removing the impurities through the sieve. In its length direction between its upper and lower ends, the sieve is divided into a number of individual sections. A triangularly shaped groove-like trough is located between the lower end of one section and the upper end of the next downwardly adjacent section. The trough extends transversely of the length of the sieve and is shaped to provide a swirling movement to the suspension flowing into the trough. At the outlet from the trough a flow-stemming device is provided for affording the uniform level of the suspension as it flows over the next section of the sieve.

Abstract: A sieve screen module comprises a plurality of screen elements whose opposed edges contain complementary formations interlocked by an elongate member fixedly secured in the formation by a settable material. A number of modules may be assembled by passing a rod thru the elongate member.

Abstract: An improved sorting apparatus for sorting sand, rock, gravel and other fragmented material utilizes a wire screen panel having a plurality of sorting zones with the apertures of each zone having a different cross-sectional area. A multiplicity of equally spaced, parallel, serpentinely crimped, longitudinal wires extend from receiving end to discharge end of the panel and are rigidly retained by attachment shrouds at the ends, permitting the longitudinal wires to be tensioned and sagging of the wires avoided by gradually tightening and straightening the longitudinal wires. Mounting means is provided to mount the panel in most commercially available vibrating screen boxes and includes a stationary angle iron mountable at one end of the screen box to retain an attachment shroud at an end of the panel and further includes a plurality of clamping devices adjacent the remaining end of the screen box and engaging an attachment shroud at the remaining end of the panel.

Abstract: Vibrating screen apparatus wherein high screening output is achieved by providing a series of inclined screens in generally end to end relation whereby undersize material passing through the screens is received in a common hopper disposed beneath the screens. The oversize material falls from the lower end of each screen and guide means thereat directs the oversize material from the several screens into a common conduit extending longitudinally beneath the screens to conduct the oversize material from the apparatus. A splitter above the apparatus divides the input material into equal parts corresponding to the number of screens and discharges such parts onto the upper ends of the several screens.