Abstract: A method of separating a mixture of solid materials includes supplying a stream of a mixture of solid materials to a stationary inclined surface and collecting a plurality of particles at one or more collection ports spaced from and located along the axis of the inclined surface. The mixture of solid materials includes a plurality of particles. The plurality of particles includes rubber particles and plastic particles. The particles of the mixture contact the stationary inclined surface and travel downward along the surface due to gravitational force. The collected particles include a higher percentage of the rubber particles than mixture due to a greater degree of bouncing of the rubber particles due to their higher friction compared with plastic particles. A material sorting apparatus includes a stationary inclined surface, a feeder, and a plurality of collection ports spaced from and located along the axis of the inclined surface.

Abstract: A method of separating a mixture of solid materials includes supplying a stream of a mixture of solid materials to a stationary inclined surface and collecting a plurality of particles at one or more collection ports spaced from and located along the axis of the inclined surface. The mixture of solid materials includes a plurality of particles. The plurality of particles includes rubber particles and plastic particles. The particles of the mixture contact the stationary inclined surface and travel downward along the surface due to gravitational force. The collected particles include a higher percentage of the rubber particles than mixture due to a greater degree of bouncing of the rubber particles due to their higher friction compared with plastic particles. A material sorting apparatus includes a stationary inclined surface, a feeder, and a plurality of collection ports spaced from and located along the axis of the inclined surface.

Abstract: A classifier for classifying particulates entrained in a flowing stream of gas is configured such that a change of direction of gas flow causes particles to impinge upon a target, heavier particles being trapped in a downwardly extending fluidized trap. The classifier is easily constructed, has no moving parts, and can take the place of sifters and other equipment traditionally used for classifying such product streams.

Abstract: Methods include separating feed material containing magnetic particles and non-magnetic particles using a belt and magnetic roll separator that has an idler roll and a magnetic roll carrying magnets and the methods involve positioning a feed pan or slide for directing the feed onto the belt in contact with the magnetic roll at selectable positions on the belt and at selectable angles of impact onto the belt closely adjacent and contacting the magnetic roll to provide enhanced separation by the forces of feed impact, bounce and gravity and simultaneous magnetic attraction by the magnetic roll.

Abstract: A classifier for classifying particulates entrained in a flowing stream of gas is configured such that a change of direction of gas flow causes particles to impinge upon a target, heavier particles being trapped in a downwardly extending fluidized trap. The classifier is easily constructed, has no moving parts, and can take the place of sifters and other equipment traditionally used for classifying such product streams.

Abstract: The invention relates to a closed air circulation system for an apparatus used for sorting wood chips, containing chips in a variety of sizes and/or fines particles, in a wood chips processing chamber, in separate fractions by means of a gas flow, which is delivered from one or more nozzle chambers by way of a nozzle slit into the wood chips processing chamber and which applies an impulse action to the processing-bound wood chips sliding along an inclined support surface. Air is circulated from the wood chips processing chamber by way of a dedusting cyclone into said one or more nozzle chambers. The wood chips processing chamber is maintained at a negative pressure by regulating the volume of air removed from the chamber. A conduit extending between the wood chips processing chamber and the one or more nozzle chambers is open to the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A pre-separator for separating out large particles from a fluid flow has a housing forming an interior chamber with an inlet and an outlet, and a separator plate in the chamber between the inlet and outlet. The separator plate has a surface facing the inlet that is provided with a liquid carrying tank into which the flow is directed when it enters the interior chamber through the inlet. The separator plate has a series of nozzle openings therethrough adjacent its periphery to the outside of the tank. The nozzle openings adjacent the periphery of the separator plate overlie a surface of the housing adjacent the outlet. The pre-separator thus has two impaction stages that permit use across a wide range of flows. The separator plate and the housing have surfaces which are tapered so that liquid in the housing can be drained out when the housing is inverted.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for sorting agricultural products such as vegetables or fruits from dirt clods, rocks, or other debris, without bruising the desired product. The mixture of desired product and undesired debris is transported by conveyor and allowed to fall freely on a rotating roller. The individual components rebound differentially from the roller, separating the product and the debris. The roller is constructed of a loose-fitting sleeve supported and rotated by resilient disks on a rotating shaft, with the resilience of the disks minimizing the bruising of the product rebounding from the roller.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating a mixture of agricultural products and stones including an impact element defining an impact surface, which element is operative to absorb appreciable kinetic energy from stones but to absorb a significanty lower amount of kinetic energy from agricultural products sought to be separated therefrom and apparatus for causing the mixture of agricultural products and stones to impinge on the impact surface.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating discrete items of different materials from a mixture. The mixed items fall vertically from a feeder device onto a plate spinning about a vertical axis. According to their difference in material, the items rebound with different trajectories so that they land on separate receiving surfaces lying at different radii from the axis. The receiving surfaces may be stationary or maybe vibratable, so that items received by them are conveyed along them by vibration to collection points.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating objects of a particular kind from other objects, e.g. stones etc. from potatoes during harvesting, wherein the objects fall in a stream past a detector for objects of said particular kind and, after detection of an object, a separating member positioned downstream of the detector is moved in a manner in dependence on a physical dimension of the detected object so that objects of said particular kind are directed in a first direction and other objects are directed in another direction. The physical dimension may determine a time of movement of the separating member and/or whether the separating member should be moved at all.

Abstract: To sort first bodies from a mixture of first and second bodies in which the first bodies, for example potatoes or other root crop, are less dense than the second bodies, for example stones harvested simultaneously with the root crop, the mixture is dropped down a vertical pathway onto an energy absorber. This comprises spaced resilient strips disposed side by side in a common plane transverse to the vertical. The impact of the denser second bodies bends the strips down sufficiently to allow the second bodies to continue along the pathway past the energy absorber. But the less dense first bodies only bend the strips to a lesser extent and are halted thereby. On resiling the strips flick such halted first bodies from the pathway.

Abstract: A batch of raisins in which moldy raisins are mixed with sound ones is immersed in a hot water bath, causing the moldy raisins to assume a mushy and sticky texture while leaving the texture of the sound raisins substantially unaffected. The batch of raisins is then dropped onto a laterally inclined conveyor belt. The conveyor belt moves the raisins over a framework which is rapidly moved up and down to slap the underside of the belt, causing the raisins to bounce up and down on the continuously moving conveyor. The sound raisins, which have retained their firm texture, are bounced substantially higher than the moldy raisins, and thus, bounce down off the side of the conveyor as they move along the length of the conveyor. Because of their mushy texture, the moldy raisins do not bounce as high as the sound ones and therefore do not as readily bounce downward off the conveyor. Instead, they are carried along and off the end of the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for sorting firm whole fruits and vegetables from those which are soft and broken by sliding or rolling the specimens to be sorted down an inclined plane to impart momentum and velocity and then dropping them on a rearwardly moving conveyer belt. The firm whole specimens will have achieved sufficient forward velocity on the inclined plane to overcome the rearward motion of the conveyer belt while the soft broken specimens will be carried rearwardly with the belt.

Abstract: The sorting method includes moving materials at a certain horizontal speed such that on falling their points of impact are disbursed over a moving sorting belt in such a manner that the materials become located at points which are sufficiently different to enable effective sorting to be obtained by small adhesion differences so that the adhering materials are carried by the sorting belt to a discharge region and the non-adhering or weakly adhering materials are rejected by the belt. The apparatus includes a feed device located above a moving adhesion belt having an adjustable speed control and an arrangement for adjusting the position of the feed device relative to the adhesion sorting belt.

Abstract: A batch of raisins in which moldy raisins are mixed with sound ones is immersed in a hot water bath, causing the moldy raisins to assume a mushy and sticky texture while leaving the texture of the sound raisins substantially unaffected. The batch of raisins is then dropped onto a laterally inclined conveyor belt. The conveyor belt moves the raisins over a framework which is rapidly moved up and down to slap the underside of the belt, causing the raisins to bounce up and down on the continuously moving conveyor. The sound raisins, which have retained their firm texture, are bounced substantially higher than the moldy raisins, and thus, bounce down off the side of the conveyor as they move along the length of the conveyor. Because of their mushy texture, the moldy raisins do not bounce as high as the sound ones and therefore do not as readily bounce downward off the conveyor. Instead, they are carried along and off the end of the conveyor.