Gravity separator

Claim 2

A high capacity gravity separator for separating particulate material as to weight and comprising a stationary base; a substantially triangular deck mounted for side-to-side and up and down oscillation on the base and having a front edge from which separated particles are received and two side edges forming with the front edge respective side vertices and converging rearwardly to form a rear vertex, the deck sloping gently downwardly from the rear vertex to the front edge and from one side vertex to the other; a discharge port spaced above the deck for dropping a stream of particles toward the deck adjacent the rear vertex; and air flow means for directing a stream of air transversely through the falling particle stream and toward the lower vertex to cause lighter particles to separate from the falling particle stream and to be preferentially conveyed by the air stream toward the lower deck vertex, whereby the separation on the deck of lighter particles from the remaining particles is largely avoided.

Claim 3

The separator of claim 1 including an upper compartment having the deck as its lower wall and including an exhaust port generally above and downstream with respect to the air stream for exhaustinG very light particles which are entrained by the air stream passing through the falling stream of particles.

Claim 4

The separator of claim 2 wherein the deck is perforate and wherein the separator includes a lower compartment having the deck as its upper wall, and means providing an air pressure differential across the deck between the upper and lower compartments to cause air from the lower compartment to flow upwardly through the deck and through a layer of particles passing thereacross.

Claim 5

The separator of claim 3 including an air duct communicating the lower and upper compartments, the air duct having an upper end directed inwardly of the upper compartment below the discharge port for directing said stream of air through the falling stream of particles.

Claim 6

The separator of claim 3 wherein the exhaust port of the upper compartment includes an exhaust fan for withdrawing air from the upper compartment to thereby create said pressure differential across the deck.

Claim 7

The separator of claim 3 wherein the discharge port generally faces the lower side deck vertex and is positioned to drop particles onto the deck at a point spaced from the rear vertex, and wherein the rear vertex defines an acute angle.

Claim 8

The separator of claim 3 wherein the deck includes upright walls along its rearwardly converging edges for bounding the flow of lighter particles toward the lower side vertex and the flow of heavier particles toward the upper side vertex, the wall bounding the flow of heavier particles being substantially straight and longer than the other bounding wall.

Claim 9

A high capacity gravity separator for separating particulate matter as to weight and comprising a stationary base; a substantially triangular, perforate deck mounted for side-to-side and up and down oscillation on the base, the deck having a front edge from which separated particles are received and two substantially straight side edges forming, with the front edge, respective side vertices, the side edges converging rearwardly to form therebetween a rear vertex and having walls arising therefrom, the deck sloping gently from the rear vertex to the front edge and from one side vertex to the other; upper and lower compartments having an exhaust port with an exhaust fan for drawing air from that compartment to produce a pressure differential across the deck and to cause air from the lower compartment to pass upwardly through the perforate deck; a particle discharge port within the upper compartment and spaced above the deck to drop unseparated particles toward the deck adjacent its rear vertex; and an air duct communicating the lower and upper compartments and having an upper end directed inwardly of the upper compartment to direct an air stream transversely through the falling particles toward the exhaust port, the air stream conveying lighter particles in the falling particle stream toward the lower side vertex and entraining very light particles for removal of the same through the exhaust port.

Claim 10

A high capacity gravity separator for separating particulate matter as to weight and comprising a stationary base; a substantially triangular, perforate deck mounted for side-to-side and up and down oscillation on the base, the deck having a front edge from which separated particles are received and two substantially straight side edges forming, with the front edge, respective side vertices, the side edges converging rearwardly to form therebetween a rear vertex and having walls arising therefrom, the deck sloping gently from the rear vertex to the front edge and from one side vertex to the other; upper and lower compartments having an exhaust port with an exhaust fan for drawing air from that compartment to produce a pressure differential across the deck and to cause air from the lower compartment to pass upwardly through the perforate deck; a particle discharge port within the upper compartment and spaced above the deck to drop unseparated particles toward the deck adjacent its rear vertex; and an air duct communicating the lower and upper compartments and having an upper end directed inwardly of the upper compartment to direct an air stream transversely through the falling particles toward the exhaust port, the air stream conveying lighter particles in the falling particle stream toward the lower side vertex and entraining very light particles for removal of the same through the exhaust port.