Abstract: A gold dry washer comprised of a stand assembly and a trough assembly. The trough assembly is angled from an upper end with a hopper for raw soil to a lower end where denser gold is collected. Along the declining path of the trough are a series of graduating apertures that successively isolate the denser materials in the soil and allow waste to fall overboard. The stand assembly includes a motor or other gentle agitation means to encourage the dry soil to move with the aid of gravity towards the lower end of the trough where the heavier gold may be collected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a roller bar screen and to the generation of certain parameters for optimal adaptation to the bulk material being processed and as a prerequisite for process optimization. Construction measures—essentially equipping the rollers with variable speed drive mechanisms—are taken in a first preparatory step. Selected control variables and limit values related to the average characteristics to be expected of the bulk material are generated in a single operation by means of a regulation and process control system. The optimum number of revolutions for each individual roller in particular is predetermined in dependence on the process. The rollers can be grouped together.

Abstract: A padding machine (10, 100) is disclosed which is capable of separating materials in a spoils bank beside a trench into coarser materials, which are redeposited in the spoils bank behind the machine, and finer materials which are conveyed to the trench for padding the pipeline. The machine includes a conveyor with a conveyor chain which moves around the perimeter of the machine. Material caught by the scraper blade (28) is conveyed by the conveyor chain along a belly pan (70) and thereafter over a plurality of grizzly bars (72). Coarser material which will not pass through the grizzly bars is conveyed by the conveyor chain (56) to the rearward end of the machine and dumped off the rearward end of the machine back to the ground. The finer materials passing through the grizzly bars are again separated by a vibrator unit (76, 104).

Abstract: This invention is directed to a device for separating deformed balls from normal spherical balls prior to washing as is common in the ball pen industry. The device comprises an L-shaped tunnel which defines a slot on its lower surface. The slot feeds into a receptacle positioned below the tunnel. Balls enter under the force of vacuum pressure through an intake opening, striking a first bi-angled deflector plate. Deformed balls will fall through the slot into the receptacle in most cases. However, to increase the likelihood of such an eventuality, the balls then strike a second deflector plate and are sent down the second leg of the L-shaped tunnel. The second leg also defines a slot. By striking the second deflector plate, the ball is reoriented and the likelihood of passing through the slot is increased. Thus, normal balls are left and pass from the L-shaped tunnel out through an output opening and on for conventional washing.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting fragile objects has a grading structure connected to a base. The grading structure is movable in first and second substantially horizontal directions with respect to the base. A displacement mechanism imparts reciprocating, substantially horizontal movement of predetermined frequency and amplitude to at least part of the grading structure to thereby move the objects in the first substantially horizontal direction along the grading structure. A displacement controller variably controls the frequency and amplitude of the reciprocating horizontal movement. The frequency of movement in the first substantially horizontal direction is controlled independently of the frequency of movement in the second substantially horizontal direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in cleaning confinement houses, to be pulled within the confinement house by a small tractor, providing motive force to the apparatus and to its components, is constructed on a wheeled frame, the front of which is connected to the tractor in a manner that allows the height of the leading edge of the apparatus to be adjusted. The leading edge of the frame carries a feeder reel which breaks up the mass of litter and waste on the floor and lifts it to an inclined conveyor. The conveyor is a bar type conveyor in which a plurality of parallel bars are mounted transverse to the direction of travel of the conveyor to urge material along a fixed grate having interstitial separation of such size as to allow sifting of reusable litter from waste litter which is too soiled to be reused. A plurality of panels may be detachably affixed to the grate beneath the bar conveyor thereby allowing the user to determine the amount of reusable material returned to the floor.

Abstract: A water based dredge includes a grizzly with a sieve and a pair of bi-directional rakes. The rakes translate relative to the stationary sieve to slide waste or recoverable material off of the grid and onto a refuse barge or material processing apparatus, respectively. A grab deposits dredge material onto the sieve and an operator determines whether the material includes waste such as clay or the like or recoverable material such as rocks, dirt, or sand. If the operator determines that the dredge material is waste, the rakes will be actuated for movement from a first direction to thereby push the waste off of the grizzly and onto a refuse barge. If the operator determines that the dredge material includes recoverable material, the rakes will be operated in a second direction so the recoverable material is slid from the grizzly and into a crusher or other appropriate processing apparatus.

Abstract: A flow management system and process for providing controlled separation and sizing of an incoming flow of wood chips. A flow management screen is provided in the form of a horizontal disk screen having a variable speed drive, with the drive controlled based upon the flow rate of wood chips to the screen. By controlling the rotational speed of the disks of the horizontal disk screen, the flow separation and sizing to subsequent screening stations can be predicted and controlled. As a result, more consistent output is provided, as well as improved system efficiency and ability to accommodate for varying operational conditions and wear.

Abstract: A classifying grate has corrugated bars with respective stubs eccentrically journaled in bearing blocks in bearing chambers of the longitudinal supports on either side of the grate bars. The bearing blocks have play Sr in the feed direction of the breaker product, and the bars can move with axial play relative to the blocks. The play and eccentric mountings of the grate bars ensures that there will be no jamming of the product in the gaps between the bars and consequent damage to the bear stubs and blocks.

Abstract: A padding machine (10, 100) which is capable of separating materials in a spoils bank beside a trench into coarser materials, which are redeposited in the spoils bank behind the machine, and finer materials which are conveyed to the trench for padding the pipeline. The machine includes a conveyor with a conveyor chain which moves around the perimeter of the machine. Material caught by the scraper blade (28) is conveyed by the conveyor chain along a belly pan (70) and thereafter over a plurality of grizzly bars (72). Coarser material which will not pass through the grizzly bars is conveyed by the conveyor chain (56) to the rearward end of the machine and dumped off the rearward end of the machine back to the ground. The finer materials passing through the grizzly bars are again separated by a vibrator unit (76, 104). The depth of the scraper blade can be adjusted by pivoting the entire frame about the wheels (34) at the rearward end of the frame by a hydraulic cylinder (48) pivoting the towing arm (38).

Abstract: A flow management system and process for providing controlled separation and sizing of an incoming flow of wood chips. A flow management screen is provided in the form of a horizontal disk screen having a variable speed drive, with the drive controlled based upon the flow rate of wood chips to the screen. By controlling the rotational speed of the disks of the horizontal disk screen, the flow separation and sizing to subsequent screening stations can be predicted and controlled. As a result, more consistent output is provided, as well as improved system efficiency and ability to accommodate for varying operational conditions and wear.

Abstract: The machine according to the invention comprises a channel which is:constituted by two shaped panels giving it an open bottomed V-shaped section and which are associated with relative spacing adjustment members,provided with spraying conduits and overlapping plates closing off its top part,and associated with an endless conveyor comprising thrust bars brought successively by the conveyor in a transversal position in the channel passage section.The machine according to the invention finds an application in the sorting and grading of fish of the Salmonidae family.

Abstract: Elongated components such as piston pins may be sequentially fed at an entrance point onto a conveyor connected to a distant discharge point. The conveyor includes a pair of guides so spaced to allow the pins to fit loosely therebetween and a stop plate which limits downward movement of the pins. An elongated drive plate having a top edge positioned between the guides and below the pins is rotated in an elliptical-like pattern so that the top edge lifts the pins from the stop plate, moves the pins forward and then re-engages the pins with the stop plate at a point forward of the point of initial lifting. The pins thus may be conveniently stepped between the entrance point and the discharge point as well as accumulated and stored if such is required. The conveyor may include sorting sections to separate the pins into different groups having equal diameters where pins of varying diameters have been inadvertently mixed.

Abstract: A substrate grader accepts or rejects a substrate depending upon the degree of warp and then sorts the accepted substrates according to a dimension thereof. The grader comprises a first plate which is U-shaped and inclined at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal, the two arms of the first plate extending above the base thereof. A first elongated member (or lower guide) that is attached to the front of the base has a straight side which is adjacent to and spaced a short distance away from the opening in the first plate. A second elongated member, that is attached to the back of the free ends of the arms, supports a second plate (or upper guide) thereon which extends between the arms, which has a top surface in a plane containing the top surfaces of the arms and base, and which has a stepped edge in the opening.

Abstract: A sorting machine feeds longitudinally aligned carrots onto a transversely directed sloping conveyer. The conveyer, after first positioning one end of each carrot against a baseboard, transports the carrots past progressively longer supporting rods parallel to but progressively displaced from the baseboard. The rods allow progressively incrementally longer carrots to drop through the conveyer into one of several bins. Thereby, each bin is filled with carrots of less than a predetermined length, which length is commensurate with the displacement from the baseboard of a respective one of the supporting rods.