Vibrating screening apparatus

Claim 2

A vibratory screening apparatus comprising: means for feeding a dilute slurry mixture of particles and fluid; a screen deck defining a generally unitary separating surface having a feed end adapted for receiving said dilute slurry mixture and a discharge end for discharing a substantially concentrated slurry mixture thereover, said feed and discharge ends defining therebetween a vector flow path along which said slurry mixture will flow as it continuously moves from said feed end to said discharge end, said screen deck including downstream from said feed end an initial sieve bend portion and in a subsequent substantially contiguous downstream reaction an inclined screen portion defining a generally planar surface, said sieve bend portion having first longitudinal separating bars fixedly attached with respect to one another and spaced ajart relative to said vector flow thereby defining f.rst separating apertures between successive said f-rst bars thereof, said inclined screen portion having second longitudinal separating bars fixedly attached with respect to one another and spaced apart relative to said vector flow thereby defining second separating apertures between successive said second bars, said screen deck positioned relative to said feed means so that said slurry mixture is fed onto said feed end substantially across the entire width thereof and such that said vector flow is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said first and second separating bars; means for fixedly mounting said screen deck portions with respect to each other and for mounting said combined screen deck to permit for vibratory movement thereof; and vibrating means for vibrating said screen deck to effect substantial separation of said liquid from said particles.

Claim 3

An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said sieve bend portion generally conforms to a predetermined arc of a cylindrical surface having a predetermined radius of curvature.

Claim 4

An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said predetermined radius of curvature is between about 30 inches to about 40 inches.

Claim 5

An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises first support means fixedly attached to said screen deck for supporting said screen deck thereof; second support means for bearing the weight of said screen deck; and means disposed between said first and second support means for allowing said screen deck and said first support means to vibrate.

Claim 6

An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said vibrating means comprises an eccentric vibrating assembly.

Claim 7

An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said eccentric vibrating assembly comprises means for eccentrically weighting an elongated rod and means for rotating said rod in a predetermined direction.

Claim 10

An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said inclined screen portion is inclined in a direction opposite said vector flow path at an angle relative to horizontal which is less than the angle of repose for said slurry mixture.

Claim 14

An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said second apertures have a predetermined second width as measured in the direction of said vector flow path.

Claim 15

An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said first width is generally equal to said second width.

Claim 16

An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said first width is not greater than said second width.

Claim 17

A vibratory screening apparatus for removing fluid from a feed of dilute slurry mixture so that a concentrated slurry mixture is discharged therefrom, said apparatus comprising: means for feeding a dilute slurry mixture of particles and fluid; a screen deck defining a generally unitary separating surface having a feed end adapted for receiving said dilute slurry mixture and a discharge end of discharging a substantially concentrated slurry mixture thereover, said feed and discharge ends defining therebetween a vector flow path along which said slurry mixture will flow as it continuously moves from said feed end to said discharge end, said screen deck including downstream from said feed end an initial sieve bend portion and in a subsequent substantially contiguous downstream reaction an inclined screen portion defining a generally planar surface, said sieve bend portion having first longitudinal separating apertures between successive said first bars thereof, said inclined screen portion having second longitudinal separating bars fixedly attached with respect to one another and spaced apart relative to said vector flow thereby defining second separating apertures between successive said second bars, said screen deck positioned relative to said feed means so that said slurry mixture is fed onto said feed end substantially across the entire width thereof and such that said vector flow is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said first and second separating bars; means for fixedly mounting said screen deck portions with respect to each other and for mounting said combined screen deck to permit for vibratory movement thereof; and vibrating means operatively connected to said screen deck for imparting vibratory movement thereto such that a major vector of said vibratory movement is in a direction generally opposing said vector flow path to partially impede the flow of said slurry mixture across said inclined screen portion so as to establish a layer of concentrated slurry mixture thereon, which layer exhibits a predetermined maximum depth in the vicinity of said discharge end and gradually decreases in an upstream direction, whereby an additional amount of said fluid which remains in the slurry mixture as it initially flows onto said inclined screen portion after flowing across said sieve bend portion is removed therefrom as said slurry mixture continues to flow along said vector flow path to said discha-ge end.

Claim 18

A vibratory screening apparatus for removing fluid from a feed of dilute slurry mixture so that a concentrated slurry mixture is discharged therefrom, said apparatus comprising: means for feeding a dilute slurry mixture of particles and fluid; a screen deck defining a generally unitary separating surface having a feed end adapted for receiving said dilute slurry mixture and a discharge end of discharging a substantially concentrated slurry mixture thereover, said feed and discharge ends defining therebetween a vector flow path along which said slurry mixture will flow as it continuously moves from said feed end to said discharge end, said screen deck including downstream from said feed end an initial sieve bend portion and in a subsequent substantially contiguous downstream reaction an inclined screen portion defining a generally planar surface, said sieve bend portion having first longitudinal separating apertures between successive said first bars thereof, said inclined screen portion having second longitudinal separating bars fixedly attached with respect to one another and spaced apart relative to said vector flow thereby defining second separating apertures between successive said second bars, said screen deck positioned relative to said feed means so that said slurry mixture is fed onto said feed end substantially across the entire width thereof and such that said vector flow is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said first and second separating bars; means for fixedly mounting said screen deck portions with respect to each other and for mounting said combined screen deck to permit for vibratory movement thereof; and vibrating means operatively connected to said screen deck for imparting vibratory movement thereto such that a major vector of said vibratory movement is in a direction generally opposing said vector flow path to partially impede the flow of said slurry mixture across said inclined screen portion so as to establish a layer of concentrated slurry mixture thereon, which layer exhibits a predetermined maximum depth in the vicinity of said discharge end and gradually decreases in an upstream direction, whereby an additional amount of said fluid which remains in the slurry mixture as it initially flows onto said inclined screen portion after flowing across said sieve bend portion is removed therefrom as said slurry mixture continues to flow along said vector flow path to said discha-ge end.

Claim 19

A vibratory screening apparatus as in claim 1 or 15 further comprising means defining a surface having an upstream edge and a downstream edge and including adjusting means for mounting said upstream edge of said surface defining means adjacent to said discharge end and for permitting said surface defining means to be adjustably moved to at least one position wherein said surface is in an opposing relationship to said vector flow path.

Claim 20

A vibratory apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said inclined screen portion includes flow- impeding means disposed substantially transverse to said vector flow path for establishing at least one localized area of partial impedance to said slurry mixture as it flows along said vector flow path and for establishing, along said localized area, a mass build-up of said slurry mixture having a preselected depth for enhancing removal of said fluid from said slurry mixture.

Claim 21

A vibratory apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said inclined screen portion includes flow- impeding means disposed substantially transverse to said vector flow path for establishing at least one localized area of partial impedance to said slurry mixture as it flows along said vector flow path and for establishing, along said localized area, a mass build-up of said slurry mixture having a preselected depth for enhancing removal of said fluid from said slurry mixture.

Claim 22

A vibratory apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said inclined screen portion includes flow- impeding means disposed substantially transverse to said vector flow path for establishing at least one localized area of partial impedance to said slurry mixture as it flows along said vector flow path and for establishing, along said localized area, a mass build-up of said slurry mixture having a preselected depth for enhancing removal of said fluid from said slurry mixture.