Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving a sort plan. According to one embodiment, several groups are formed where each group contains articles having an identifier of a hierarchical structure. In certain embodiments, the identifier may include a geographical indication, such as a postal or ZIP code. Further aspects relate to systems and methods for conducting sort plan optimization where at least some prior data is known or otherwise obtainable. In one embodiment, data relating to the quantity of groups within the sort plan, the quantity of articles associated with each identifier, and/or the quantity of articles within each group may be estimated or known. In certain embodiments, such data may be utilized to assign articles to specific bins, including any available bin, and then optimize the sort plan by selecting at least one bin for improvement.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a combined dry sorting bed, the sorting bed is arranged with an inclination, and the inclination between the longitudinal extending of said bed surface and horizontal plane is from ?2° to +4°, and the inclination between the lateral extending of said bed surface and horizontal plane is from 0° to +15°. By reasonable setting of the angle of inclination, the material being separated spiral overturn continuously on the sorting bed under the influence of the rising air currents and the force of vibration, with the result that the light material in the upper layer is separated under the influence of weight. The material is sorted for many times during the circularly movements, the product with different content of ash can be obtained. This invention also relates to a combined dry sorting device that comprises frame, sorting bed, vibrator and air supply device.

Abstract: Opposite ends of a dry vibration-fluidized separator are moved with complex vibrations, including linear, whirl, linear plus whirl, oscillation, linear plus oscillation, pitch and roll. Near zero to large amplitudes up to about ±0.050 inches and low frequencies of about 30 Hz are used. Mixed particulate materials are fed into a first end and circulate across and along the separator in a shallow depth. More dense materials move linearly along a floor and are removed through an opening in a second end of the floor. The less dense materials flow over a weir at the second end of the separator.

Abstract: A jigger for the processing of minerals such as coal, consisting of two traveling troughs, the upper trough being equipped with a sieve and closed from below by a continuous flexible membrane, the lower trough interrelating with the diaphragm of the upper trough, acting as a piston and giving water vertical pulsation. The troughs are linked to each other via double-arm levers, hinged in the supports. The double-arm levers together with the troughs form a system of hinged parallelograms, providing uniform distribution of pulsations along the whole capacity of the upper trough that produces conditions for the intensification of the jigging process. Besides this intensification, decreasing of energy-consumption and simplicity of design having been achieved. A laboratory sample was made and its testing showed good technological results and confirmed the reliability of a unit simple in manufacturing, operating and maintenance.

Abstract: A rotatively oscillating separator comprising separating vessels 4 each having cone-shaped separating plate 5 disposed in the vessel, and drive means 6 for rotatively oscillating said separating vessels 4, mixed rice consisting of unhulled rice and unpolished rice being fed onto the separating plates in the separating vessels at a given location to separate the unhulled rice and the unpolished rice from each other, the unpolished rice being discharged through raised peripheral portions of the vessels, and the unhulled rice being discharged through the central bottoms of the separating vessels.

Abstract: A screenless vibratory separator consists of a trough, support assemblies, a vibrator, a blade and an adjuster for the blade. The trough having a flat bottom plate and two outlets is open, and is supported by the support assemblies. The vibrator is mounted on the trough. When operating, a mixture is stratified into an upper layer and a lower layer which are separated by the blade and are discharged respectively from the outlets.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a fluidized bed to effect the separation of a mixture of articles having at least a first density and a second density that is greater than the first density into separate groups. The apparatus includes an inclined trough which is supplied at an input end with either a fluidization medium, such as sand, or a mixture of articles from which a fluidized bed is formed by forcing gas upwardly through the bottom of the trough and through the fluidization medium or the mixture. In the case where a fluidization medium such as sand is used, the mixture of articles is introduced into the fluidized bed medium so as to be entrained therewith to effect separation as the articles travel in the direction of flow of the fluidized bed medium. Vertical oscillatory movement is imparted to the inclined trough to improve the separation and layering where the mixture of articles is fluidized, or to improve the density uniformity where a fluidization medium such as sand is fluidized as the bed.

Abstract: A particle concentrator and method of operation are disclosed wherein the concentrator includes a concentrator deck, preferably having an inverted frustoconical configuration with substantial portions of the deck being vertically inclined, an eccentric drive for producing rotary oscillating movement of the deck with low density and high density particle outlets respectively formed on an axially central portion of the deck and a peripheral portion of the deck. Riffle elements are angularly formed on the deck to facilitate particle separation with a mechanical stop limiting travel of the deck in a direction selected for propelling the higher density particles along the riffle elements toward the high density outlet. The concentrator may be operated either dry or submerged under standing liquid, with annular inclination of the deck, angular pitch of the riffle elements and height of the riffle elements on the concentrator deck being selected to facilitate classification and separation of the particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a fluidized bed to effect the separation of a mixture of articles having at least a first density and a second density that is greater than the first density into separate groups. The apparatus includes an inclined trough which is supplied at an input end with either a fluidization medium, such as sand, or a mixture of articles from which a fluidized bed is formed by forcing gas upwardly through the bottom of the trough and through the fluidization medium or the mixture. In the case where a fluidization medium such as sand is used, the mixture of articles is introduced into the fluidized bed medium so as to be entrained therewith to effect separation as the articles travel in the direction of flow of the fluidized bed medium. Vertical oscillatory movement is imparted to the inclined trough to improve the separation and layering where the mixture of articles is fluidized, or to improve the density uniformity where a fluidization medium such as sand is fluidized as the bed.

Abstract: A mineral benefication apparatus having a housing, including opposed stratification hoppers arranged at its lower periphery. Particulate material and water are introduced separately into the housing, which is then oscillated to separate a portion of the particulate material. The apparatus can be modified to operate either on land or in a sea environment.

Abstract: A concentrator comprises a beneficiating member (7) a shaft (9) of which is arranged with an eccentricity relative to the hub (5) of a base (3), and a drive mechanism (2) imparting to the beneficiating member (1) movement about a radius equal to the eccentricity. The housing (14) of the beneficiating member is cylindrical accommodating tapered separating trays (16) arranged one under the other and having by-pass ports (22) of a flow area reducing from the upper to the lower tray.

Abstract: A sorting machine for grained products comprises at least one sorting board which is inclined relative to horizontal and vertical planes and reciprocatingly vibratable in a plane and direction suitable for sorting, a unit for supplying a product to be sorted and arranged in one region of the sorting board and a unit for separating and withdrawing a sorted product and located in another region of the sorting board, the sorting board with the supplying unit and the separating and withdrawing unit together forming a sorting unit, two imbalance drives which operate in opposite directions and cooperate with the sorting unit for driving the latter in vibration, a base frame, a unit forming at least three supporting points on which the sorting unit is supported in a vibration-damping manner freely movably so as to provide inclination of the sorting unit relative to horizontal and vertical planes, and a unit for additionally adjusting the inclination relative to the horizontal and vertical planes.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting lightweight from heavy material in mixtures of solid materials containing lumpy, granular, and pulverous constituents substantially comprises an upright slim container having a lower portion into which material for sorting is introduced. Pulsating air flows are introduced from the exterior into the container, resulting in an upward flow of pulsating air which loosens the material for sorting and produces a fluidized bed. Simultaneously, the apparatus is vibrated up and down in a linear manner by vibrators to assist in loosening the material. The lightweight material floating in the air stream is conveyed to a discharge channel at the top end of the container, whereas heavy material rapidly sinks down to a tubular member into which a second pulsating air flow is introduced in order additionally to sort the heavy material in a last treatment stage inside the tubular member.

Abstract: A sluice box has an open box frame formed from a plurality of welded beams. A trough having an arcuate transverse cross section is suspended in an inclined fashion within the frame by a plurality of chains. A low end of the trough has an end wall with a central aperture which serves as a sand drain. A transversely extending water overflow drain channel is disposed adjacent the low end trough wall. The bottom of the trough is provided with a series of spaced transverse ridges. A variable speed motor having a rotary output shaft with an eccentric weight and a cooling fan is secured to a bottom exterior surface of the trough, adjacent the low end wall, and serves to vibrate the trough. A second variable speed motor is utilized in conjunction with a pitman wheel and arm for reciprocating the trough from side to side. A pair of arcuate levers are pivotally mounted to the frame on opposite sides of the trough.

Abstract: A mechanical drive mechanism is designed for imparting pivotal motion to the frame arm or walking beam of a mineral jig. Rotary cam action is employed to mechanically pivot the walking beam or frame arm which supports a cone and flexible diaphragm at one end for imparting jigging action to the jig bed. Adjustment features are preferably provided to enable the amplitude of the reciprocating motion imparted to the diaphragm and cone to be selectively varied. In the preferred embodiment, the cam is constructed to be pivotal when at rest for enabling the amplitude of the camming action, and correspondingly the pivot stroke, to be varied.

Abstract: The present invention is a gravity separator for classifying particulate matter as to weight. The invention herein uses a screened vibrating deck having a flow of air therethrough for separating the particulate matter placed thereon. The air flow is provided by a fan, located centrally of the housing below the deck and, which fan rotates about a vertical axis. Movement is imparted to the deck by a drive rod connected to an eccentric shaft. The eccentric shaft rotates about an axis transverse to the fan shaft. A single drive motor is used to operate both the eccentric shaft and the fan.

Abstract: A gravity separator for separating particulate material deposited onto a perforate separator deck is disclosed. The rate of separation is controlled by varying end raise and side tilt adjustments. These adjustments are made hydraulically and are remotely controlled. These adjustments are carried out while the machine is operating to avoid down-time. The feeder is located above the highest point of the separator deck to provide for faster separation. A blender assembly located at the high side of the deck accepts heavy material and conveys it to a discharge hopper. This provides for faster separation and allows the length of the deck to be decreased. A counterbalance is agitated in a manner to oppose and negate the motion of the deck. An air supply assembly with multiple fans is provided to direct a certain volume of air to separate areas of the separator deck.

Abstract: A mineral concentrator, including a main support base interconnected to a deck by a flexible support and an oscillator assembly, for recovery of free minerals from a mixture of screened raw materials is disclosed. A symmetrical deck is divided in equal parts by a longitudinal center line plane and includes two sloping surfaces extending laterally and longitudinally downwardly and away from a feed end of said deck. Water and raw material are continuously supplied at the feed end of said deck and moved along the sloping surfaces. First riffles are defined in association with the sloping surfaces and generally perpendicularly to a fall line. The first riffles intercept said raw material and terminate at a point allowing the water and entrained waste materials to fall to the side of the deck for removal from troughs positioned thereat.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vibratory grain sorting machine which comprises an assembly to be vibrated at least including a frame and at least one stack of sorting plate members. The assembly to be vibrated is pivotally supported on a base structure by a plurality of strut units. At least one of the strut units has a top end pivotally connected to a side wall of the frame and a bottom end pivotally connected to the base structure. Each of the remaining strut units has a top end pivotally connected to a bottom wall of the frame and a bottom end pivotally connected to the base structure. A vibrating device is connected to the frame to apply a force substantially toward and away from the center of gravity of the assembly to be vibrated, thereby angularly reciprocating the assembly to be vibrated, around the bottom ends of the respective strut units.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating granular material such as crushed coal or ore that includes particles of different specific gravity. The apparatus includes an elongated frame defining a receiving chute and a discharge chute. A plurality of hydraulic cells are supported in tanden on the frame, each cell including a wave chamber, a screen forming a material supporting floor submerged in the wave chamber, plungers for cyclically raising and lowering the water level in the wave chamber and a refuse bin adapted to receive heavier particles that are separated out in the wave chamber and that collect above the screen. The wave chambers define a flow channel extending from the receiving chute to the discharge chute and adapted to contain a suspension or slurry of the crushed particles.

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: The invention relates to a percussion jig in which the carrier for material to be separated is freely suspended in the region of its centroidal axis on the piston rod of a hydraulic drive cylinder. This results in a particularly simple construction subject to little wear.

Abstract: A support frame is provided for support in a body of water with the level of the water disposed, generally, at a predetermined level on the frame and a mount is provided and supports a generally horizontal sample support screen therefrom. The mount includes portions thereof horizontally spaced apart about the support screen and inward of corresponding peripherally spaced portions of the support frame. A purality of elongated, coiled expansion springs extend and are connected between the mount portions and the aforementioned corresponding peripherally spaced portions of the support frame in at least a partially tensioned state and support the mount and screen from the frame. Lift structure is connected between the frame and the mount operative to intermittently direct and release upward thrust on the mount and the expansion springs support the screen, when the latter is in a static condition, at a level at least slightly below the aforementioned predetermined level.

Abstract: An oscillating grain separator comprised a grain separating plate provided with a rugged surface which oscillates in the angle direction of elevation for shaking up grain and mixed grain is separated at one at front side and/or rear side of the separating plate and flow out sideways from the plate, an oscillating grain separator having photoelectric means consisting of a light source and a light receiving element for detecting the flow conditions of the grain on the grain separating plate and automatically controlling the angle of elevation, mean oscillating angle, frequency or amplitude of the grain separating plate for normal control of the grain flow.

Abstract: This application discloses a separator for separating granular materials according to specific weight including an air permeable reciprocatory deck for supporting a bed of the granular material thereon and defining an elongate discharge opening therefrom through which a certain separated fraction of the granular material is to be discharged after separation; a fan forcing air upwardly through the air permeable deck and the bed of granular material carried on the deck to fluidize the bed and cause the granular material in the bed to separate according to the specific weight thereof as the deck is reciprocated; and a pneumatic pressure operated gate selectively covering the discharge opening so as to selectively control the flow of the granular material therethrough in response to the pneumatic pressure in said bottom air plenum with the gate selectively varying the effective length and height of the opening in response to the pneumatic pressure below the deck.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating waste material contained in a heap in at least one separating zone, the heap largely comprising particles of the same shape, size and density, from which the waste particles differ. It also relates to apparatus for performing the method. The heap is fed onto an inclined conveying surface where it is vibrated and the waste particles are removed upwards and the remaining particles downwards, the vibrations being initiated at an angle to the horizontal which is larger than the inclined position of the conveying surface.

Abstract: A sand separator has two sloping decks. Each receives a sand suspension for separation, and both are continuously smoothly reciprocated horizontally, transversely to the slope direction. The separator follows a cycle of operations whereby sand suspension is fed to each deck in turn, is separated by the reciprocation and is flushed off to bins collecting separate time-intervals of flushings.

Abstract: A method of reverse stratification of solid particulate material, in which heavy particles move upwards and lighter particles move downwards. The material intended for stratification is supplied as a water-solids mixture moving at the bottom of a vessel. The material is submitted to vibration so that the quantity of material intended for stratification with respect to the quantity of water is in the ratio of 1:0.2 to 1:0.5 by weight.

Abstract: A separating apparatus has a frame comprised of a stationary lower frame and a tiltable upper frame. A pair of longitudinally independently displaceable tables are spring-biased into respective central positions on the frame and are each displaceable in either longitudinal direction from these central positions. A drive assembly comprises an electric motor operatively connected to a crank pin that is rotated so as to move longitudinally relative to the frame. A link is connected between this crank pin on the front table and the rear table so that the two tables are moved oppositely longitudinally relative to each other when the motor operates. A stabilizer including a two-arm lever pivoted on the frame and having a pair of arms each connected via a respective stabilizing link to a respective table may be provided in the arrangement in order to insure that the strokes of the two tables remain at a fixed ratio to each other.

Abstract: A process and apparatus wherein a size-classified bed of particles is fluidized by agitating a supporting surface with a gyratory motion to fluidize the particle bed. Particles are contacted with surfaces, e.g., vertically projecting surfaces, movable with the supporting surface and defining two or more annular regions so as to impart sufficient fluidity to allow the particles to move within the particle bed and distribute themselves according to their relative densities. Particles are then permitted to move through openings between these annular regions whereby the more dense particles tend to accumulate in one of the annular regions and particles of lesser density are displaced into the adjacent annular region(s).Provision is made for continuously extracting from the aggregate particle mass either or both those particles of lesser density and those of greater density whereby a continuous selective separation of particles according to density takes place.

Abstract: A separator for mixed solid particulate materials such as gold or heavy minerals which are dispersed in a host material such as sand. A circular disc has a slanting surface with a plurality of riffles for catching the heavy materials. The riffles are defined by a plurality of annular baffles each having short radial walls projecting toward the center of the disc. A water turbine having off-center weights is used to vibrate the disc.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibrating table allowing very fine particles to be separated with output rates greater than for known tables.The table, supplied with pulp has a series of longitudinal grooves having a decreasing depth. The table mounted with the aid of spring blades on a chassis having an adjustable inclination by means of screws. The positions of the weights of a box are controlled by the group motor having a variable speed, are angularly and radially adjustable. The adjusting of the frequency during the operation allows a maximum output.The invention is applicable to the gravimetric separation of all particles.