Abstract: A roller mill system includes a vessel having an inlet, an outlet, a grinding zone and a classifier zone. The grinding zone includes a grinding assembly configured for grinding the material into fine particles. The grinding zone also includes a rejects capture and discharge system that includes one or more discharge conduits for conveying rejects away from the vessel. The rejects capture and discharge system includes: 1) a collection trough located under the grinding assembly and in communication with one of the discharge conduits, for discharging rejects from the grinding zone; and/or 2) a turbine classifier mounted in the classifier zone. The turbine classifier is rotatable about a central axis. Another outlet is formed in a side wall of the classifier zone. The turbine classifier is configured to expel the rejects radially outward therefrom, through the side wall outlet and into another one of the discharge conduits.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for separating plastics from compost material. In an embodiment, the method comprises: providing an inclined trough having a feed entry at a top end and a materials discharge end at a bottom end, the inclined trough including a plurality of riffles positioned substantially perpendicularly to a direction of flow of compost material down the inclined trough; inducing a vibration in the inclined trough to induce a prolonged period of hindered unsettling in the compost material; providing a longitudinal dam to at least one side of the inclined trough; and generating an air flow over a substantial length of the inclined trough perpendicular to the direction of flow of compost material down the inclined trough, thereby to blow plastics separated from the compost material over the longitudinal dam.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for depositing slurry upon a moving forming web. The apparatus includes a pivotally mounted headbox for depositing slurry from the inner bottom surface of the headbox down an inclined spillway as a continuous curtain onto a moving web. The headbox is mounted transverse to the direction of travel of the moving web. The headbox also has vertical edge boards, including a headbox back edge board and two opposed headbox side edgeboards, on three respective sides of the headbox to prevent slurry from spilling over the sides and back of the headbox. The headbox is supplied with slurry from a slurry mixer by a feed line mounted on a reciprocating trolley which moves, transverse to the direction of travel of the moving web, back and forth along the length of the headbox.

Abstract: An air jigging machine for dry processing of raw materials, an air supply conduit for supplying working air to an air funnel, and having a pulsing valve. At least two jigging-material carriers for receiving material from a material-feeding mechanism are configured to consecutively receive therethrough working air from the air funnel and to separate the material into heavy and light material layers. The jigging-material carriers are disposed one above the other and are spaced apart. A wall encloses this intermediate space. At least one bypass airline branches off from the air supply conduit downstream of the pulsing valve, bypasses the lower jigging-material carrier, and communicates with the intermediate space for supplying an additional working airflow thereto. Respective discharge devices are provided for the jigging-material carriers for the material layered thereon during a jigging process.

Abstract: Various traveling wave grid configurations are disclosed. The grids and systems are well suited for transporting, separating, and classifying small particles dispersed in liquid or gaseous media. Also disclosed are various separation strategies and purification cells utilizing such traveling wave arrays and strategies.

Abstract: A method of beneficiating coal in a dry process includes separating raw coal from a coal mine into coal fines and larger pieces of coal using pressurized air, separating the larger pieces of coal according to size, removing ash from the larger pieces of coal on an air table, and further removing ash from the larger pieces of coal using a size-discriminating device to obtain a beneficiated coal product. The invention also includes an apparatus for the dry beneficiation of coal. The apparatus includes at least one air separating device, at least one air table, and at least one first and second shakers which separate the coal by size and remove ash from the coal. The air table effectively removes ash from infed coal without the need for a fluidizing media.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the separation of husks and other chaff material apart from bird seed includes a smaller diameter inner container that is placed inside of a larger diameter outer container. A plurality of feet elevate the inner container above a floor of the outer container. A lid is used to cover the outer container and also the inner container. A housing is attached to the inside center of the lid and it includes a motor disposed distally from the lid with a fan blade attached thereto to displace air. A plurality of vanes are attached to the housing from which they extend until they contact the inside surface of the inner container. The vanes prevent a cyclonic air current pattern from occurring and so help to displace the husks apart from the seed. An offset mass introduces vibration which tends to raise more of the husks to the surface where they are displaced out from the inner container.

Abstract: According to the invention, a fluidizing gas is introduced upwards into the fluidized bed (3) through a valve grid (2), said stationary fluidized bed (3) containing solids with different grain sizes. A supply pipe (10) is disposed in the area of the fluidized bed, the mouth of said pipe being located above the valve grid (2) and its outlet (12) leading outwards from the fluidized bed (3). Part of the solids located above the valve grid (2) is blown into the supply pipe by a gas jet (13) which is directed upwards and fed separately from the fluidizing gas and pneumatically evacuated from the fluidized bed through the supply pipe (10). Normally, the flow speed of the gas in the supply pipe is at least two times higher than the speed of the fluidizing gas in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A sluice comprising a series of sequential, interconnected chutes, each inverting a stratified slurry, discharges the slurry in each chute over a mesh screen in a subsequent chute and eventually out of the sluice, with each incremental stage designed to treat smaller matter. An array of cones is disposed on each chute bottom over which the slurry passes, each cone in the array having an opening oriented downwater and including a ridge over-hanging its opening also oriented downwater, such that heavy matter settling from the mineral matrix is drawn into the cone. Below the cone array is a perforated mat. Also below the array, beginning at the minor's moss mat and extending downwater, is a textured mat, typically with upstanding ribs transverse to the chute water flow that also tends to capture settling material.

Abstract: A device for separating liquid and solid material from a mixture consists of an endless filter belt, beneath which is arranged a suction box connected to a vacuum device. The suction box supports the filter belt. The filter belt moves continuously while the suction box performs a reciprocating movement in the direction of the filter belt. In order to make possible the reciprocating movement of the suction box the connection of the suction box to the stationary vacuum device is embodied as a telescopic connection consisting of a stationary part connected to the vacuum device and a part connected to the suction box and slidably movable in the stationary part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sorting a mixture of particles containing a first group of particles of substantially uniform size and density and a second group of particles of substantially the same size as the particles of the first group and of different density than the particles of the first group. The noted mixture is supplied to a reservoir in which it is fluidized so that the particles gather into different levels in accordance with their density. The particles are then removed from the reservoir at their different levels.

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: Separating elements (14) arranged about a central shaft (1a) rotate in common about the main axis (A) and individually about their longitudinal axes (B). A centrifugal distributor (6) distributes fine-grain mineral mixture mixed with fluid uniformly to the separating elements (14). In each separating element (14) the partial material flow (2a) is set in rotation about the longitudinal axis (B) by entrainment vanes (18) arranged in a first separating element section (15a) and the heavy fraction is centrifuged on to the separator wall (16a). In the second section (15b), formed as conical tubular worm conveyor, which contains no entrainment vanes, the heavy fraction is transported to the collecting chamber (21) and discharged through first discharge openings (22), the fine-grain mineral mixture being fluidized in pulsation on the separating wall (16b) by the combined rotating movements and the heavy fraction being concentrated.

Abstract: An apparatus for recovering gold from gold-containing mixtures by forming a gaseous effluent of said mixture and bringing it into contact with baffles which are arcuately disposed in series so as to divert the gold onto collecting trays. The trays are disposed within a chamber in such manner as to create pathways for the effluent so that divergent streams of said effluent are directed to the baffles to enhance the recovery operation.

Abstract: A seed treating machine for the separation of seeds from lighter-weight particulant plant matter intermixed with the seeds. The seed separating machine includes a horizontally mounted table having a center opening under which a plurality of fans are mounted to provide an upward blast of air. A screen is affixed to the table over the center opening and a harvested mixture such as seeds and particulant plant matter are placed on top of the screen. The blast of air lifts the lighter particulant matter away from the heavier-weight seeds. A semicircular cover is affixed to the table covering the screen to contain the seeds. The lighter-weight material is released to the atmosphere. The table is pivotally mounted upon an upright stand, permitting the table to be tilted from side-to-side to fully expose the mixture to the air blast. The separated seeds roll down the table through a chute and into a container for packaging.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel machine that, by a dry process, will segregate granules of different specific gravities. The machine first segregates the granules as to size, regardless of their specific gravities and regardless of the multiplicity of the sizes (within limits set by the machine). In the next step the machine feeds individual granules side by side ranging progressively from fine to more coarse into a stream of air that ranges in carrying power from low to high in a sequence corresponding to the increasing sizes of the granules that fall through it. The carrying power of the air stream is regulated to convey granules having the same specific gravity to the same container, regardless of the sizes of the granules. Granules of different specific gravities will be deposited in different containers. Thus gold will be segregated from silver, and silver from copper etc. by the present invention.The invention is more fully described in the preceding specification.

Abstract: An improved continuous run sluice box having a sonic vibration and ultrasonic vibration means for concentrating gold or other precious metals while eliminating the loss of black sands containing other valuable fines normally accompanying the use of conventional sluices. The sluice includes a novel type riffle construction including a vertical wall and a sloping wall leading to a collecting area having a nylon cloth screen positioned between coarse and fine metallic screens which facilitates both the collection of the fines and the release of the same during flushing operations.