Vibratory particle separating apparatus

• US 5,904,254 A
• Filed: 06/20/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tinsley, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tinsley, Inc.
• Inventors: Tinsley, Douglas M., Gathright, Gary G., White, Lorina J., Price, Justin R., Begley, Philip E., Blank, Christofer B., Tinsley, Travis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N.
• Application Number:
  US08/670,782
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 209/243, 209/254, 209/309, 209/311, 209/314, 209/397, 209/399, 209/405, 209/409, 209/412
• US Class Current: 209/314
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4654 Corrugated Screening surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/469 Perforated sheet-like material

Abstract

A vibratory particle separating apparatus for separating a supply of particulate material into two streams according to particle size. The apparatus includes an inclined particle separating screen secured in a mount frame and characterized by multiple steps disposed perpendicular to the path of material flow. The mount frame is suspended in a support frame by resilient float mounts and vibrated by a vibratory motor mounted on the mount frame. The particulate material is loaded on the top inclined end of the vibrating screen and as the material cascades down the steps of the screen, particles smaller than a selected size fall through one of multiple, adjacent openings provided in each step and are collected or discharged for further processing in a stream below the screen, whereas larger particles are collected or discharged in a separate stream at the foot of the screen. In another embodiment the float mounts can be adjusted to vary the vibratory motion of the screen and thereby optimize particle separation according to the characteristics of the material. In still another embodiment the openings are omitted from a step or steps in the top inclined end of the screen, such that elongated particles such as sticks being loaded on the screen must lie flat and slide down to the foot of the screen instead of sliding through the openings and mixing with the smaller particles being separated from the material.

Claims

1. A vibratory particle separating apparatus for separating particles smaller than a selected size from larger particles in a supply of particulate material, comprising:

a support frame;

screen means resiliently mounted in said support frame in sloped configuration for vibration in said support frame, said screen means having;

an inclined input end for receiving the particulate material,

a discharge end spaced from said input end,

a plurality of steps transversely folded in said screen means to define a substantially horizontal step element and a substantially vertical step element joining said horizontal step element in each of said steps, said steps being disposed between said inpurt end, and said discharge end and

at least one opening having a selected size and substantially uniform width, each said at least one opening being disposed in a horizontal step element and a vertical step element of a first step and a contiguous horizontal step element of a second step, wherein each said opening extends a substantially equal distance into said horizontal step element of said first step and said horizontal step element of said second step, and wherein said second step is disposed between said first step and said discharge end; and

vibrating means for vibrating said screen means in said support frame,

whereby the particulate material cascades down said steps, the particles smaller than the selected size fall through said at least one opening and the larger particles are discharged at said discharge end of said screen means, responsive to operation of said vibrating means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said screen means comprises a mount frame and a particle separating screen mounted in said mount frame and said mount frame is resiliently mounted in said support frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said vibrating means comprises a vibratory motor mounted on said mount frame.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said at least one step comprises a plurality of steps and said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings.

8. A vibratory particle separating apparatus for separating a supply of particulate material into a first stream having particles smaller than a selected size and a second stream having larger particles, said vibratory particle separating apparatus comprising:

a support frame;

a mount frame resiliently mounted in said support frame; and

an elongated particle separating screen bolted in said mount frame in sloped configuration, said particle separating screen comprising;

an inclined input end for receiving the particulate material,

a discharge end longitudinally spaced from said input end,

at least two steps transversely folded in said particle separating screen from said input end to said discharge end, said steps having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface joining said vertical surface,

at least one opening having a selected size and a substantially uniform width arranged in a selected pattern in at least one of said steps, said opening being common to and substantially equal in length to adjacent ones of said horizontal surface and said vertical surface; and

a vibratory motor mounted on said mount frame for vibrating said mount frame in said support frame,

whereby the particulate material cascades down said steps, the particles smaller than the selected size fall through said at least one opening and are discharged in the first stream and the larger particles are discharged at said discharge end of said particle separating screen in the second stream, responsive to operation of said vibratory motor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least one of said at least one opening is omitted from the first one of said steps located at said input end of said particle separating screen.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least one of said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings and said plurality of openings is omitted from the first one of said steps located at said input end of said particle separating screen.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least one of said at least one opening is omitted from the first two of said steps located at said input end of said particle separating screen.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings.

14. A vibratory particle separating apparatus for separating a supply of particulate material into a first stream having particles smaller than a selected size and a second stream having larger particles, said vibratory particle separating apparatus comprising:

a support frame;

a mount frame resiliently mounted in said support frame; and

an elongated particle separating screen bolted in said mount frame in sloped configuration, said particle separating screen comprising;

an inclined input end for receiving the particulate material,

a discharge end longitudinally spaced from said input end;

a plurality of steps transversely folded in said particle separating screen from said input end to said discharge end, wherein the first one of said steps is located at said input end; and

a plurality of openings having a selected size and substantially uniform width, each of said openings being disposed in said horizontal surface and said vertical surface of a first step and a contiguous horizontal surface of a second step, wherein each of said openings extends a substantially equal distance into said horizontal surface of said first step and said horizontal surface of said second step; and

a vibratory motor mounted on said mount frame for rotatably vibrating at least a portion of said mount frame in said support frame,

whereby the particulate material cascades down said steps, the particles smaller than the selected size fall through said plurality of openings and are discharged in the first stream and the larger particles are discharged at said discharge end of said particle separating screen in the second stream, responsive to operation of said vibratory motor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least one of said plurality of openings is omitted from the first three of said steps located at said input end of said particle separating screen.