APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SORTING FLAT MATERIAL FROM WASTE MATERIAL
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sorting flat material such as paper or plastic film from a stream of waste material, comprising:
- a conveyor, comprising;
a circulatable air permeable conveyor member of which a portion constitutes a sorting track, extending and inclined from a lower end to an upper end;
means for maintaining a vacuum underneath the sorting track; and
a drive for driving the circulation of the conveyor member in a sense of transport;
wherein the sorting track is arranged for entraining a portion of the material to be sorted with the conveyor member from a drop zone of the sorting track towards the upper end of the sorting track and allowing another portion of the material to be sorted to descend from the drop zone towards the lower end of the sorting track; and
further comprising a sweeper between the drop zone and the upper end for sweeping flat material entrapping non-flat material off the entrapped non-flat material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
16 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sorting flat material such as paper or plastic film from a stream of waste material, comprising:
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a conveyor, comprising; a circulatable air permeable conveyor member of which a portion constitutes a sorting track, extending and inclined from a lower end to an upper end; means for maintaining a vacuum underneath the sorting track; and a drive for driving the circulation of the conveyor member in a sense of transport; wherein the sorting track is arranged for entraining a portion of the material to be sorted with the conveyor member from a drop zone of the sorting track towards the upper end of the sorting track and allowing another portion of the material to be sorted to descend from the drop zone towards the lower end of the sorting track; and further comprising a sweeper between the drop zone and the upper end for sweeping flat material entrapping non-flat material off the entrapped non-flat material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for sorting flat material such as paper sheets or plastic film from a stream of waste material, comprising:
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feeding the stream of waste material to a drop zone of a sorting track constituted by a portion of a circulatable air permeable conveyor member, said portion extending and being inclined from a lower end to an upper end; driving circulation of the conveyor member such that its portion constituting the sorting track moves from the lower end to the upper end; generating and maintaining a vacuum underneath the inclined segment of the conveyor; entraining a portion of the material to be sorted with the conveyor member from a drop zone of the sorting track towards the upper end of the sorting track and allowing another portion of the material to be sorted to descend from the drop zone towards the lower end of the sorting track; the method further comprising sweeping flat material entrapping non-flat material off the entrapped non-flat material in a sweeping area between the drop zone and the upper end. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification