Patent US3975263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3975263A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Material separation apparatus and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-02-25
•
Granted: 1976-08-17
•
Expires: 1995-02-25
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for the aerodynamic separation of a heterogeneous mixture of materials of different weights into component parts thereof is provided which comprises a vertical separation column, means for feeding the waste material to be separated in an air suspended state into the separation column, additional air means for blowing air upwardly into the treating column from its lower end thereof to aid in the passage of waste material upwardly through the treating column, and a plurality of air jet means provided in spaced arrangement in the upper portion of the treating column for imparting jet streams of air into the column for creating and maintaining a plurality of zones of turbulence in the upper portion of the column thereby facilitating the separation of the waste material into its component parts. The present invention includes the method of separating the heterogeneous mixture of material utilizing the jets of air in a controlled manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Heikki K. Elo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:09
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07B; B07B7/00; B07B7/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A separation unit for the aerodynamic separation of a mixture of materials into at least two fractions comprising a vertically disposed separation column having substantially the same diameter throughout its vertical length, first inlet means secured to said separation column adjacent the lower end thereof for feeding a pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials into said column for upward passage therethrough, second inlet means secured to said separation column at a point below said first inlet means for passing secondary air upwardly into said column for admixture with the pneumatically fluidized air mixture, a plurality of air jet means secured in vertically spaced relationship to the upper portion of said separation column for feeding jets of high pressure air into said column at vertically spaced points to establish a plurality of vertical zones of turbulence with said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials during its upward movement through said column, bottom discharge means secured to the bottom of said separation column for receiving and discharging the heavier particles of the pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials which have dropped from said mixture of materials during its upward passage through said column and upper discharge means secured to the upper end of the column for receiving and carrying off the mixture of air and the lighter particles of said mixture of materials from said column.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
A separation unit for the aerodynamic separation of a mixture of materials into at least two fractions comprising a vertically disposed separation column having substantially the same diameter throughout its vertical length, first inlet means secured to said separation column adjacent the lower end thereof for feeding a pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials into said column for upward passage therethrough, second inlet means secured to said separation column at a point below said first inlet means for passing secondary air upwardly into said column for admixture with the pneumatically fluidized air mixture, a plurality of air jet means secured in vertically spaced relationship to the upper portion of said separation column for feeding jets of high pressure air into said column at vertically spaced points to establish a plurality of vertical zones of turbulence with said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials during its upward movement through said column, bottom discharge means secured to the bottom of said separation column for receiving and discharging the heavier particles of the pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials which have dropped from said mixture of materials during its upward passage through said column and upper discharge means secured to the upper end of the column for receiving and carrying off the mixture of air and the lighter particles of said mixture of materials from said column.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A separation unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second inlet means include valve means for varying the amount of secondary air to be fed into the column.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
251 words
A separation unit for the aerodynamic separation of a mixture of materials into at least two fractions comprising a vertically disposed separation column, first inlet means secured to said separation column adjacent the lower end thereof for feeding a pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials into said column for upward passage therethrough, second inlet means secured to said separation column at a point below said first inlet means for passing secondary air upwardly into said column for admixture with the pneumatically fluidized air mixture, a plurality of air jet means secured in vertically spaced relationship to the upper portion of said separation column for feeding jets of high pressure air into said column at vertically spaced points to establish a plurality of vertical zones of turbulence with said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials during its upward movement through said column, additional air inlet means secured to the upper portion of said separation column immediately adjacent each of said air jet means for passage of additional air into said column by the venturi effect created by said air jet means, bottom discharge means secured to the bottom of said separation column for receiving and discharging the heavier particles of the pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials which have dropped from said mixture of materials during its upward passage through said column and upper discharge means secured to the upper end of the column for receiving and carrying off the mixture of air and the lighter particles of said mixture of materials from said column.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
251 words
A separation unit for the aerodynamic separation of a mixture of materials into at least two fractions comprising a vertically disposed separation column, first inlet means secured to said separation column adjacent the lower end thereof for feeding a pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials into said column for upward passage therethrough, second inlet means secured to said separation column at a point below said first inlet means for passing secondary air upwardly into said column for admixture with the pneumatically fluidized air mixture, a plurality of air jet means secured in vertically spaced relationship to the upper portion of said separation column for feeding jets of high pressure air into said column at vertically spaced points to establish a plurality of vertical zones of turbulence with said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials during its upward movement through said column, additional air inlet means secured to the upper portion of said separation column immediately adjacent each of said air jet means for passage of additional air into said column by the venturi effect created by said air jet means, bottom discharge means secured to the bottom of said separation column for receiving and discharging the heavier particles of the pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials which have dropped from said mixture of materials during its upward passage through said column and upper discharge means secured to the upper end of the column for receiving and carrying off the mixture of air and the lighter particles of said mixture of materials from said column.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
A separation unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein at least a plurality of additional air pipe means are provided, one end of each of said air pipe means being connected to said column at a point below said first inlet means and the other end of each of said air pipe means being connected to one of said additional air inlet means for passing induced air into said column in association with the jets of high pressure air.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A separation unit in accordance with claim 4, wherein said additional air pipe means include air valve means to permit the controlled entry of air thereinto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A separation unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein said additional air inlet means passes atmospheric air into said column in association with the jets of high pressure air.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A separation unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein said additional air inlet means each includes a mounting member having a central opening therein for receiving one of said air jet means, said mounting member having openings spaced around said central opening through which said additional air will pass.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A separation unit in accordance with claim 7, wherein at least a plurality of additional air pipe means are provided, one end of each of said air pipe means being connected to said column at a point below said first inlet means and the other end of each of said air pipe means being connected to said openings spaced around said central opening.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of pneumatically separating a mixture of different materials having different specific gravities comprising forming a pneumatically fluidized mixture of said different materials having different specific gravities, passing said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials into the lower end of a vertically disposed treating zone having substantially the same diameter throughout its vertical length for upward passage therethrough, passing a stream of secondary air into said treating zone at a point below the entrance end of said fluidized mixture in an amount sufficient for admixture with said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials to maintain the upward velocity thereof, passing jets of high pressure air into the upper part of said treating zone at vertically spaced points thereralong to create a plurality of vertically spaced zones of turbulence within said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials, collecting the heavier particles of said mixture of materials that have dropped from the mixture of materials during its upward travel in the treating zone in the bottom of said treating zone to constitute the heavier fraction thereof, discharging the collected heavier fraction from the treating zone and discharging the air and the lighter fraction of the mixture of materials from the upper end of said treating zone.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of pneumatically separating a mixture of different materials having different specific gravities comprising forming a pneumatically fluidized mixture of said different materials having different specific gravities, passing said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials into the lower end of a vertically disposed treating zone having substantially the same diameter throughout its vertical length for upward passage therethrough, passing a stream of secondary air into said treating zone at a point below the entrance end of said fluidized mixture in an amount sufficient for admixture with said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials to maintain the upward velocity thereof, passing jets of high pressure air into the upper part of said treating zone at vertically spaced points thereralong to create a plurality of vertically spaced zones of turbulence within said pneumatically fluidized mixture of materials, collecting the heavier particles of said mixture of materials that have dropped from the mixture of materials during its upward travel in the treating zone in the bottom of said treating zone to constitute the heavier fraction thereof, discharging the collected heavier fraction from the treating zone and discharging the air and the lighter fraction of the mixture of materials from the upper end of said treating zone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method in accordance with claim 9, which includes the further step of passing additional air into said treating zone in close association with each jet of high pressure air.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1877861A
Cited
FR728290A
Cited
US2683685A
Cited
US3062458A
Cited
US3265209A
Cited
US3142869A
Cited
US3738483A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-17 | 1980-02-16 | 1980-08-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-17 | 1984-02-16 | 1984-08-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-17 | 1988-02-16 | 1988-08-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |