Abstract: The invention relates to a feed unit for a processing plant, in particular for a crushing or screening station, having a feed chute which has a chute beam (90), wherein the chute beam (90) has a bottom (92), wherein the bottom (92) extends in the conveying direction (V) of the feed chute, wherein at least one beam (130) extending in the conveying direction (V) is arranged in the area of the underside of the bottom (92) and supports the bottom (92), wherein furthermore a bracket (140) is provided, which supports at least one vibration exciter (150), and wherein the bracket (140) is connected to the beam (130).

Abstract: A separation-apparatus for separating from a particle-stream at least a first fraction with particles of a first group of dimensions, and a second fraction with particles of a second group of dimensions, comprising an infeed-device (2, 10) for the particle-stream, a rotatable drum (5) having at its circumference plates (6, 6), each plate having a radially extending hitting surface for the particles, at least a first receiving area (12) proximal to the drum for receipt therein of particles of the first fraction, and at least a second receiving area (11) distant from the drum for receipt therein of particles of the second fraction, wherein a conveyor (17) in the second receiving area (12) moves during use at a speed of at least 2 m/s.

Abstract: A portion of a circulatable air permeable conveyor member (6) constitutes a sorting track (7) inclined from a lower end (8) to an upper end (9). A vacuum (11) is maintained underneath the sorting track (7). The sorting track (7) is arranged for entraining a portion of the material to be sorted with the conveyor member from a drop zone (15) of the sorting track (7) towards the upper end (9) of the sorting track (7) and allowing another portion of the material to be sorted to descend from the drop zone (15) towards the lower end (8) of the sorting track (7). A sweeper (2) is arranged between the drop zone (15) and the upper end (9) for sweeping flat material entrapping non-flat material off the entrapped non-flat material. A method for sorting flat material such as paper or plastic film from a stream of waste material is also disclosed.

Abstract: The methods and apparatus separate fines from crushed rock and stone. A motorized conveyor belt system is activated that includes a conveyor belt moving in an upward direction. A spray system is activated to spray a fluid on an underneath surface of the conveyor belt. The mixture of rock and fines are directed to the conveyor belt. The rock tumbles or rolls down the conveyor belt and is collected at a first end of the conveyor belt. The fines stick or adhere to the conveyor belt, and the fines are scraped off of the conveyor belt at or near the second end of the conveyor belt. The apparatus includes a conveyor belt system, including a moving belt, a motor to move the belt, the belt including a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is elevated relative to the first end. The apparatus includes a spray system, including a source of fluid, a sprayer in fluidic communication with the source of the fluid, and the sprayer positioned to spray a surface of the belt with the fluid.

Abstract: A conveyor system for separating mixed recycled materials containing lighter and heavier recycled materials employs an inclined conveyor belt with a series of rows of rotating beaters striking the underside of the conveyor belt. A feeder mechanism deposits mixed recycled materials onto the midsection of the conveyor belt. Heavier recycled materials are bounced from the conveyor belt and tumble to the lower end, while lighter recycled materials are carried by motion of the conveyor belt to its upper end.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for separating elastomeric materials from mixed material streams. A separator includes a bank of parallel rollers extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end. The bank of parallel rollers having a predefined inclination with the first end elevated higher than the second end. Mixed material streams are fed onto a top surface of the high end of the inclined parallel rollers. A material having less friction and elasticity slides down the inclined roller bank top surface are collected into a collection bin positioned adjacent the second, lower end of the roller bank. Other materials having a higher friction coefficient grip the rollers more and are lifted out of the valley due to friction migrating perpendicular to the rotating rollers and are collected in a collection bin positioned adjacent one side of the roller bank parallel to the longitudinal roller axis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting, sorting and storing samples from multiple batches of copper cathode is disclosed. Samples are collected at a sampling station and transferred to a collection container. The samples are then transferred to a sorting container by way of chutes forming a continuous path from the collection container to the sorting container. The sorting container is affixed on the top surface of an automated carousel having a plurality of sorting containers for sorting samples from multiple batches. Samples in the sorting containers are recovered into storage containers through an access door panel and a funnel placed beneath the access door.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are used to separate fines from objects of a feed mixture being processed (e.g., iron bearing pellets, chips and dust). For example, at least a portion of an endless belt defining a channel is movable up an incline relative to horizontal (e.g., an incline that is at an angle relative to horizontal that is greater than an angle of repose associated with the objects, but less than an angle of repose associated with the fines being removed). Further, obstruction elements may be used on the endless belt to impede the flow of the fines down the incline.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are used to separate fines from objects of a feed mixture being processed (e.g., iron bearing pellets, chips and dust). For example, at least a portion of an endless belt defining a channel is movable up an incline relative to horizontal (e.g., an incline that is at an angle relative to horizontal that is greater than an angle of repose associated with the objects, but less than an angle of repose associated with the fines being removed). Further, obstruction elements may be used on the endless belt to impede the flow of the fines down the incline.

Abstract: An object sorting and orienting apparatus is for sorting, orienting and discharging a plurality of objects, such as, container closures dispensed from a hopper. An endless conveyor transports the closures from a loading area, through an intermediate area, to a discharge area. At least one regulator, including an adjustable spill-plate, regulates the effects of object fill-level within the hopper during a sorting run. Orienting means, including an extension of the adjustable spill-plate and a plurality of flights on the endless conveyor, arrange the closures in a correct orientation. Sorting means, including a belt path disruptor and a substantially vertical belt path, sort incorrectly oriented closures from correctly oriented closures. Discharge means, including a removal device and at least one discharge chute, discharge correctly oriented closures from the discharge area.

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 cereal grain sorting system includes a wind force sorting device, a rough sorting device and a roll sorting device. The wind force sorting device is operative for selectively sorting light weight foreign materials from feedstock cereal grains. The rough sorting device is operative for selectively removing foreign materials having different diameters from the standard one from the feedstock cereal grains. The roll sorting device is operative for selectively removing foreign materials having different forms from the standard ones from the feedstock cereal grains having been subjected to the wind force sorting step as well as to the rough sorting step.

Abstract: A bench-top pill counter accurately and automatically counts a wide variety of shapes and sizes of pharmaceutical pills and capsules, having a variety of coatings. A rotating bowl, periodically shaken during rotation, is combined with a fixed, flared spiral guide ramp causing pills to distribute individually on an annular ledge in the bowl. The pills are dispensed from the bowl onto a sloped slide and counted at the bottom of the slide by an optical counter. The micro-computer determines an optimum speed and shake algorithm for the bowl, based on the characteristics such as the size and shape of the pills, so that the pills distribute individually and only one pill at a time passes the counter.

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 rotary shaking separator for separating unhulled rice and unpolished rice from each other includes at least one separating vessel and a plurality of drives located at even intervals on the peripheral edge of the separating vessel, the plurality of drives being actuated to bring the whole of the separating vessel into a rotationally shaking motion.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for separating granules of different sizes from a granular mixture, by combination of vertical size separation under vibration and horizontal flow. A horizontal base plate with an asymmetric saw-tooth upper profile is provided and a mixture of granules is fed onto the base plate. The base plate is then vertically vibrated, so as to separate the mixture into superimposed, partial layers of granules of different sizes, while horizontally advancing the same in opposite directions and separately collecting these layers.

Abstract: A table separator is provided, wherein the table separator comprises a plurality of solid-bottom trays and a plurality of dimples for facilitating separation of degerminated corn into endosperm and germ fractions, the dimples being aligned in linear juxtaposition on the surface of the trays and having a center portion raised with respect to the perimeter of the dimples.

Abstract: An apparatus for dry physical separation of particulate material comprises an inclined separating surface having upper and lower edges, oscillation means for inducing non-linear oscillatory motion of the separating surface, and introduction means for introducing the particulate material onto the separating surface between the upper and lower edges.

Abstract: This invention is a moving table for separating valuable heavy particles from an orebearing slurry of heavy consistency. The system uses reversing polarity as well as lateral oscillation. It also uses at least two tables to provide multiple stages of progression.

Abstract: A rotationally oscillating separator for separating mixed rice into unhulled rice and unpolished rice after the rice have passed through a rice huller to remove the hulls from rice.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shaking separator, which can maintain a constant separating accuracy without any failure in separation which might possibly occur in the same separating vessel, and which is not required to have a rotary shaft inserted though a central portion of the separating vessel.

Abstract: A material separating apparatus which is particularly suitable for sorting different forms of waste material including a carrier, generally a table (1) having a surface (10) onto which material can be deposited; and a drive element (3) for providing the carrier surface with a reciprocating motion in the plane of the carrier surface; the drive element being arranged to provide, in use, an abrupt change of direction of the carrier surface at each end of its travel to provide a motion to cause different components of the material to be separated in consequence of obtaining different velocities in dependence on their physical properties, and the table surface having different sloping zones for channeling out different materials. The drive element uses an offset crank linkage which collapses at the end of travel in each direction enabling the inertia of the table to continue until it hits a stop and is then drawn back in the reverse direction by the linkage.

Abstract: A bend detector for detecting a bend in headed rod members such as nails, screws, bolts, rivets and terminals. A guide plate, a base plate and a beam are mounted on a base which is being vibrated. Thus, a nail set in the bend detector is vibrated and rolls on the inclined edge of the guide plate and the base plate, which extends parallel to the edge of the guide plate. An air blower is provided under the head of the nail to lift it up from the edge of the guide plate by blowing air. If the nail is straight, it can roll smoothly on the edge of the guide plate and the base plate without its head disengaging from the edge of the guide plate even though it is lifted up from the edge of the guide plate by the air blower. If the nail is bent, its head will jump up until its shank abuts the beam when the crest of the bent portion faces downward while the nail is rolling. Its head will thus disengage from the edge of the guide plate, so that the nail will drop into the gap between the guide plate and the base plate.

Abstract: A particle separation apparatus having an adjustable tilted vibratory conveyor, an adjustable material flow control guide, and an adjustable material flow splitter. A heterogenous mixture of taconite pellets and other material is fed to the vibratory conveyor. The different particles flow across the surface of the vibratory conveyor in different paths or trajectories according to the different coefficients of friction and angles of rest inherent in the particles. The different flow paths are split such that one stream of material is chiefly taconite pellets and the other path is made mostly of non-taconite pellet material.

Abstract: A system and method for recycling used oil filters by shredding the filters to facilitate separation of the metal and nonmetal filter components and to release free oil trapped inside the filters, separating the metal and nonmetal filter components using combined magnetic and gravitational means, compressing the nonmetal filter components, and recovering the oil therefrom.

Abstract: Processes by which a mixture of two or more discrete particulate materials, each of said materials having a different sliding coefficient of friction, can be separated using methods which take advantage of velocity differences generated by the application of a force to said mixture to create movement of said mixture over a surface as a function of its sliding coefficient of friction. Various apparatus to effect such processes are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process and an apparatus for separating powdery materials shaped as balls or pellets. It is characterized by the use of a vibrating screw elevator (4) subjected to vibrations of an amplitude so selected as to produce on the screw turns (5), an upward flow of the particles to be removed, while maintaining a downward flow of the particles to be recovered. The invention provides in particular for the separation of round balls from broken balls.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for separating and removing seeds from a juice/juice sac slurry. In one embodiment of the present invention, a juice/juice sac slurry is deposited onto the upper surface of an inclined, vibrating bed. The bed includes a plurality of ridges and valleys that form channels, and a plurality of pins and dams projecting upwardly from the bed. The high frequency vibrations imparted to the bed cause the juice sacs to travel up the bed to a point where they are collected while the seeds bounce off and tumble down the bed to another point where they are collected and discarded. Also disclosed and described are apparatuses for and methods of extracting fruit meat sections from a whole fruit, and an apparatus for and method of separating sectional membranes from the fruit meat section to produce the juice/juice sac slurry.

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: A sorting machine which serves for treatment of mixtures of refuse, especially household rubbish, trade waste, industrial waste, refuse from demolition, waste from building sites, and also waste from wood or the like. To achieve a drum-like motion, a mixture of useful material is supplied to a conveyor belt which is inclined transversely to the direction of transport, the conveyor belt having the shape of part of a cylindrical shell. For the production of a screen effect, the screen conveyor belt is provided with screen pockets on its surface, so that fine material falling into the screen pockets is transported in the longitudinal direction of the screen conveyor belt, and coarse material is transported in the transverse direction of the screen conveyor belt, and thereby they are separated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the separation of granulate materials, in extruded form of different lengths and of the same or different diameter. It is characterized by the use of a helicoidal vibrating elevator subjected to vibrations whose amplitude is chosen so as to cause on the threads of the spiral on the one hand the ascending flow of all the particles and on the other hand the recovery of the finest particles on the outer edge of the upper thread of the spiral and the largest particles on the inner edge of the upper thread of this spiral.

Abstract: A bowl feeder for separating damaged rolling bodies, for example nuclear fuel pellets, from sound ones includes a bowl (10) having a central conical section (12) for distributing the bodies radially outwardly towards a V-shaped circular channel (16) which ensures that the bodies are arranged end-to-end with the rolling axes orientated lengthwise of the channel. The channel (16) discharges the bodies one by one onto an outer sloping section (14) whose slope is sufficiently shallow to allow bodies with asymmetrical defects to resist rolling by virtue of the shift in their centres of gravity, while allowing defect free bodies to roll radially outwardly down the slope. A system of rails (22, 24, 26) with gaps (28, 30, 32) serves to separate defective bodies from those which are defect free, the latter being allowed to roll to the outer periphery of the bowl and eventually to a feed track (38) while the former are routed to a reject outlet (40).

Abstract: An impact separator has a V-shaped downwardly angled trough vibratorily mounted at its lower end and fixedly resiliently secured at its upper end which is fed at the upper portion with scallop and residual shell and a small amount of water while being vibratorily driven. The meat of the scallop descends downwardly and absorbs the impact of the vibrations while the shell portion is impacted by the walls of the V and eventually tumbles out over the top and descends to a trash tray positioned beneath the V-shaped trough. The scallop flesh travels the full length of the V-shaped trough to an exit hole for further processing including removal of the viscera. The trough is designed at its lower portion to permit a vibratory drive of between 0.100 inches and 0.300 inches. In one embodiment of the separator the vibrations are imparted orbitally.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a rectangular separating plate having upright front and rear walls and unhulled and hulled rice outlets formed on opposite sides thereof, respectively. The plate is adjustably supported in a plane inclined to the horizontal and is reciprocated in a direction transversely of the front and rear walls. Substantially two thirds of the surface of the plate adjacent its front wall is formed with first inclined projections inclined toward the hulled rice outlet, and one third thereof adjacent its rear wall is formed with second inclined projections inclined toward the unhulled rice outlet. Reciprocation of the plate causes the first projections to guide hulled rice toward the front wall and ultimately to the hulled rice outlet, and the second projections guide unhulled rice toward the rear wall and ultimately to the unhulled rice outlet.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating spherically-shaped solids from irregularly-shaped solids comprising a rotatable separating table having a frustoconically shaped upper surface, the angle of inclination of the upper surface with the horizontal being such that spherically-shaped solids supplied onto the upper surface will roll down towards a central vertical conduit at the lower end of the upper surface and irregularly-shaped solids supplied onto the upper surface remain at rest. The apparatus further includes a number of supply structures for the supplying of a mixture of spherically-shaped solids and irregularly-shaped solids onto the upper surface and removal means for removing irregularly-shaped solids from the upper surface.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method for sorting a batch (200) of electrical contact pieces (11, 11') into two groups. The apparatus is characterized by a tiltable frame (72) concentrically mounting an assembly of a rotatable circular table (74) in spaced relation to a platform (80) having a radial wall (82) of less diameter than the table (74) to define an opening (86) therebetween. The circular table (74) includes an annulus sized to receive contacts. A guide arrangement (46) including a pair of guide members (50, 52) allows the contacts to pass to the rotating annulus, the good contacts rolling between the opening and through central holes in the table and the bad contacts rotating around and being scraped from the annulus.

Abstract: A grain sorter including a machine frame, at least one grain sorting board and a device for moving the grain sorting board in swinging movement including a mounting mechanism for mounting the grain sorting board on the machine frame in such a manner that the grain sorting board is inclined in one direction at a certain angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal, a swinging mechanism for moving the grain sorting board in swinging movement at an angle larger than the angle of inclination of the grain sorting board, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of the grain sorting board. The mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of the grain sorting board is incorporated in the device for moving the grain sorting board in swinging movement within the limit set by the heights of the mounting mechanism and the swinging mechanism, so as to lower the center of gravity of the grain sorting board and avoid production of irregular vibration of the grain sorting board.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for spiral separation of materials. The apparatus includes spiral separator flights mounted on a vertical tube within an enclosure with the material, such as seeds, to be separated being introduced into the apparatus through the vertical tube upon which the spirals are mounted. One of the separated material fractions is discharged from the apparatus through the vertical tube while the other fraction is discharged from a second discharge outlet. A spiral driving mechanism and a baffle are provided for separator adjustability and a plurality of spirals may be enclosed within a common housing. The method includes separating materials by introducing the materials onto spirals at a separating area, controlling the speed of rotation of the spirals to control separation, and collection the separated fractions.

Abstract: Size separation is effected upon coal, ores, pellets of various sizes and other particulates by depositing the particulate material in an inclined rotating separator vessel having a flat bottom with a central orifice and peripheral sidewalls. As the separator vessel rotates the particulates are carried upwardly and churned by the movement of the vessel. The larger particulates accumulate upon the top of the body of particulates in the separator and eventually overflow over the lip of the vessel while the smaller particulates accumulate in the lower portion of the body of particulates and are then carried up by the movement of the vessel and pass out of the vessel through the central orifice.

Abstract: In an oil shale retorting process, hot heat-carrying spherically-shaped solids are cycled to a retort zone to mix with and retort crushed oil shale, thereby producing gas and oil products and a mixture of irregularly-shaped, laminar spent shale and spherically-shaped solids. The spherically-shaped solids are separated and recovered from the spent shale for recycle through the process. In one stage of the separation procedure, a mixture of spent shale and spherically-shaped solids is fed to a continuously restored inclined surface whereon the spherically-shaped solids roll from the surface while the irregularly-shaped spent shale solids are separately removed from the inclined surface. Continuous restoration of the inclined surface is achieved through movement of the feed and the impingement area of the inclined surface relative to each other. The separation system may be used for separating other types of spherically-shaped solids which will roll from nonspherical, irregularly-shaped solids which do not roll.