Magnetic Vibratory Screen Clamping
First Claim
1. A method for automatically controlling acceleration of a basket of a vibratory separator, the basket having at least one screen for screening material,the vibratory separator comprising:
- screen supports removably secured to the screen with an electro-magnetic clamp apparatus,motor apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket and the screen,the motor apparatus applying force to the basket to accelerate the basket,sensor apparatus connected to the basket for sensing basket acceleration,control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for introducing a material to the vibratory separator,the method comprising,controlling the motor apparatus,sensing with the sensor apparatus acceleration of the basket and providing a signal indicative thereof to the control apparatus, and,with the control apparatus, further controlling the motor apparatus to automatically adjust acceleration of the basket, the method further comprising,clamping the screen supports to the screen by energizing the electro-magnetic clamp apparatus to a magnetized state and maintaining it in a magnetized state with a single pulse signal from a controller device and,with a second, later single pulse from the controller device, setting the electro-magnetic clamp apparatus to an un-magnetized state, releasing the screens;
wherein the clamp remains in the un-magnetized state indefinitely until it is once again re-energized by another single electric pulse from the controller device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for automatically controlling a vibratory separator for processing drilling fluid are disclosed. The methods include introducing material to a vibratory separator, and sensing with a sensor apparatus a state parameter indicative of operation of the vibratory separator and providing a signal indicative of a value of the state parameter to a control apparatus. Then, with the control apparatus, automatically controlling the vibratory separator based on the level of the state parameter.
113 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for automatically controlling acceleration of a basket of a vibratory separator, the basket having at least one screen for screening material,
the vibratory separator comprising: -
screen supports removably secured to the screen with an electro-magnetic clamp apparatus, motor apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket and the screen, the motor apparatus applying force to the basket to accelerate the basket, sensor apparatus connected to the basket for sensing basket acceleration, control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for introducing a material to the vibratory separator, the method comprising, controlling the motor apparatus, sensing with the sensor apparatus acceleration of the basket and providing a signal indicative thereof to the control apparatus, and, with the control apparatus, further controlling the motor apparatus to automatically adjust acceleration of the basket, the method further comprising, clamping the screen supports to the screen by energizing the electro-magnetic clamp apparatus to a magnetized state and maintaining it in a magnetized state with a single pulse signal from a controller device and, with a second, later single pulse from the controller device, setting the electro-magnetic clamp apparatus to an un-magnetized state, releasing the screens; wherein the clamp remains in the un-magnetized state indefinitely until it is once again re-energized by another single electric pulse from the controller device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for automatically boosting acceleration of a basket of a shale shaker, the method comprising
introducing material to the shale shaker, the shale shaker comprising a base, the basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into a vibratory separator, screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material comprising a mixture of drilling fluid and solids and flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment, motor apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket and the screen apparatus, drive apparatus for selectively driving the motor apparatus at a selected speed so that a desired force is applied to the screen apparatus to facilitate treatment of the material, sensor apparatus connected to the basket for sensing basket acceleration and for providing a signal corresponding to a level of force applied by the motor apparatus corresponding to basket acceleration, control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for controlling the vibratory separator based on said signals and for automatically signaling the drive apparatus to control the speed of the motor apparatus to control said force, sensing with the sensor apparatus the basket acceleration and providing a signal indicative of a first level of said force applied by the motor apparatus corresponding to said basket acceleration to the control apparatus, and with the control apparatus determining if the first level of said force is at least at a preset level and, if said force is not at said preset level, increasing the speed of the motor apparatus to change said force to a second level so that said preset level is met or exceeded, said increasing of said force effecting a corresponding automatic increase in acceleration of the basket; - the method further comprising,
with an electro-magnetic clamp apparatus of the kind which is operated by an electric pulse, setting the clamp apparatus to a magnetized state and maintaining it in a magnetized state with a single electric pulse signal from a controller device and, with a second, later electric pulse from the controller device, setting the electro-magnetic clamp apparatus back to an un-magnetized state, thereby releasing the clamp, wherein the clamp remains released in an un-magnetized state indefinitely until it is once again re-energized by another single electric pulse from the controller device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- the method further comprising,
Specification