Moulded elastomeric screen mat for sieving devices

Claim 1

A screen mat having a moulded elastomeric body and an elongated substantially inextendable tensioning member extending through said body along a path remote from the side edges of the body, said member being intended to tension the screen mat in use to restrain flexibility of the body, and in which the body comprises a screen part having an upper screening surface and a lower underside surface which is substantially parallel with said screening surface; said screen part having an apertured portion in which are located an array of apertures which communicate between said surfaces, and said screen part carrying a rib which is integrally moulded therewith and is located on said underside surface of the screen part, and wherein said tensioning member extends through the body substantially parallel with said surfaces and is located in the material of the rib and is substantially parallel therewith, said tensioning member being immediately below the underside surface of the screen part, the underside surface of the screen part being substantially tangential to the peripheral surface of the tensioning member, and the tensioning member is, for its longitudinal extent which passes through the rib, substantially enclosed over its peripheral surface by the material of the rib, said rib being co-extensive with at least said apertured portion of said screen part.