Abstract: A lump coal size sorting grate comprising parallel bars is provided with three spaced apart, parallel cleaning combs which can be individually activated to clean the sizing grid of lodged coal lumps in a predetermined sequence so that the entire sizing grid is never closed during a coal sorting operation. The cleaning combs are made of spaced, parallel bars which can be pivoted upwardly, between and through the bars of the sizing grate. An adaptive system which senses and responds to a clogged condition in the grate can be provided by sensing crusher motor current or, in the alternative, sensing grate bar deflection using strain gage transducers.

Abstract: A package-culling conveyor system and a method for culling flat packages from a bulk flow of flat and non-flat packages. The conveyor system includes a tilted conveyor belt that conveys flat packages along its length while non-flat packages tumble off its lower side edge to initially cull flat packages from a bulk flow of packages. Retention means, such as a high-friction outer conveying surface or a raised barrier along the length of the outer conveying surface of the tilted conveyor belt, holds flat packages on the tilted conveyor belt. The initially separated packages are more fully culled in a conveyor comprising a roller conveyor belt with package-supporting belt rollers rotated in a direction to push packages sidewise toward a culling element that extends along the length of the roller conveyor belt. Examples of culling elements include powered rollers and vertical walls forming side guards. The powered roller lifts the contact side of non-flat packages to free flat packages underneath.

Abstract: A lump coal size sorting grate comprising parallel bars is provided with three spaced apart, parallel cleaning combs which can be individually activated to clean the sizing grid of lodged coal lumps in a predetermined sequence so that the entire sizing grid is never closed during a coal sorting operation. The cleaning combs are made of spaced, parallel bars which can be pivoted upwardly, between and through the bars of the sizing grate. An adaptive system which senses and responds to a clogged condition in the grate can be provided by sensing crusher motor current or, in the alternative, sensing grate bar deflection using strain gage transducers.

Abstract: A self-clearing rotary screening system (300, 300?, 300?, 300??) includes a frame (110) having a longitudinally extending axis (112). The frame (110) includes a plurality of longitudinally extending frame members (114) disposed in angularly spaced relationship, one with respect to another, about the axis (112). The system (300, 300?, 300?, 300??) includes a plurality of screening members (116) fixed between respective pairs of the plurality of frame members (114) to define a longitudinally extending cavity (118). A drive system (120) is coupled to the frame (110) for rotating the frame (110) about the axis (112). The system (300, 300?, 300?, 300??) includes a plurality of displaceable members (210, 210?, 310, 410) pivotally coupled to respective portions of the frame (110). The displaceable members (210, 210?, 310, 410) are displaced responsive to rotation of the frame (110) about the axis (112).

Abstract: A lump coal size sorting grate comprising parallel bars is provided with three spaced apart, parallel cleaning combs which can be individually activated to clean the sizing grid of lodged coal lumps in a predetermined sequence so that the entire sizing grid is never closed during a coal sorting operation. The cleaning combs are made of spaced, parallel bars which can be pivoted upwardly, between and through the bars of the sizing grate. An adaptive system which senses and responds to a clogged condition in the grate can be provided by sensing crusher motor current or, in the alternative, sensing grate bar deflection using strain gage transducers.

Abstract: An apparatus for disposing garbage bags in one embodiment includes a screen assembly including a first conveyor for conveying garbage bags from a feeding device to a hollow screening cylinder for piercing, and a second conveyor mounted below a rear discharge opening of the cylinder for conveying materials released from the pierced bags to a subsequent station; a nonrigid, elongate object collection assembly extended from within the cylinder to a place rearward of the cylinder, a gable roof mounted on an elongate housing, a lengthwise gap formed on a top of the gable roof, and a second container mounted below a rear end of the object collection assembly for collecting nonrigid, elongate objects dropped therefrom; and a washing assembly including one or more sets of pump and pipe having nozzles terminated within the cylinder for washing the released materials.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus comprising a screen assembly for sifting powder including a rear feeding device, a first conveyor adapted to convey garbage bags from the feeding device to the screen assembly, an inclined board extended downwardly from a front end of the screen assembly, and a second conveyor provided below the board, the second conveyor being adapted to convey materials leaving the screen assembly to a subsequent station for processing; and a nonrigid, elongate object collection assembly extended from the rear of the screen assembly through the screen assembly to a point in front of the screen assembly, the object collection assembly including an elongate housing of rectangular section, a gable roof provided on the housing, a lengthwise gap provided on a top of the gable roof, and a container provided below a front end thereof for collecting nonrigid, elongate objects dropped therefrom.

Abstract: A self-cleaning coal bypass and debris separation grid assembly has a sizing/segregating grid for particulate material such as coal, and a debris bypass grid downstream to bypass the coal to a coal crusher and separate any debris which might damage the crusher. Clearing mechanisms are provided for both the sizing/segregating grid and the debris separating grid. The clearing mechanism for the debris separating grid is preferably a rotating clearing comb having arcuate fingers yieldably mounted to a rotating axle shaft. The arcuate fingers are preferably adjustably tensioned to the axle shaft.

Abstract: An elongate metal needle 23 is used to detect blockage in a throughbore in a nuclear fuel pellet 20 or other article. The pellets are fed along a tube 11 having a reject slot 30 and horseshoe magnets 14, 15. 14a, 15a support the needle so that the pellets pass along the tube with the needle in the pellet bores. When a blockage is sensed, feed is interrupted and a switch 41 is operated to energize magnets 35 to rotate the tube 11 so that the defective pellet passes through slot 30 assisted by gravity operated reject element 33. Visual indicators 39, 40 are operated by flap 50, responsive to discharge of satisfactory pellets, to indicate a blockage has occurred.

Abstract: A feeder mechanism for controlling delivery of fruits to a processing apparatus such as a juice extractor and wherein the delivered fruits must be of a size equal to or less than a predetermined size, and in particular where the fruits from the feeder are to be delivered to a hopper of the rotary type having magazines or other restrictive passages through which the fruits must pass en route to the processing apparatus, the feeder mechanism being arranged to provide a gating roll for limiting the maximum size of fruit admitted from a supply source to a feed path which contains an adjustable discharge opening for limiting the minimum size of fruit to be fed to the processing apparatus and also discharge unwanted foreign objects, the feed path at its delivery end having a feed roll for moving fruits which are within the predetermined maximum and minimum size limitations from the feed path to a delivery path, and in the case of delivery to a hopper having a control for sensing the fruit level in the hopper, and b

Abstract: This invention relates to a sieving roller conveyor for transporting green pellets and for sieving off fines. The conveyor comprises a series of horizontally disposed rollers which are alternately spaced to provide a cleaning clearance and a sieving clearance. The rollers extend transversely to the direction in which pellets are to be conveyed and are rotatably mounted in a frame and provided with drive mechanism for the rotation of the rollers in the direction in which the pellets are to be conveyed.