Particle separator

Claim 2

A particle separator for physically separating a mixture of small and large particles suspended in a stream of air comprising: a. a chamber having a bottom and including an inverted truncated cone having an upper skirt forming a seal with the inner wall of said chamber and an aperture in the lower end of said cone for dividing said chamber into upper and lower compartments; b. an inlet duct extending through the wall of said chamber into the upper compartment of said chamber for receiving the mixture; c. filter means positioned within the lower compartment of said chamber and having a first side surface forming a seal with the inner wall of said chamber and a second side surface forming a seal with the wall of said cone, said filter means defining an intermediate compartment in the upper portion of said lower compartment; d. an outlet duct extending through the wall of said chamber into said intermediate compartment; e. blower means coupled to said separator for producing a flow of air from said inlet duct through said upper compartment and through the aperture in said cone into said lower compartment, through said filter means into said intermediate compartment and out through said outlet duct; and f. means coupled to the bottom of said chamber for removing large particles from said chamber; whereby large particles settle to the bottom of said chamber and are removed by said removing means and whereby small particles remain suspended in the flow of air, pass through said filter means and are discharged through said outlet duct.

Claim 3

The separator of claim 1 wherein the large and small particles are of approximately the same density.

Claim 4

The separator of claim 1 wherein said chamber has a circular cross section.

Claim 5

The separator of claim 3 wherein said chamber includes a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and wherein said chamber is symmetrical with respect to said longitudinal axis.

Claim 6

The separator of claim 1 wherein said filter means comprises a horizontally oriented doughnut shaped circular plate including a plurality of perforations.

Claim 7

The separator of claim 5 wherein the total cross-sectional area of said perforations in said circular plate is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of said inlet duct.

Claim 8

The separator of claim 5 wherein said perforations include circular perforations having a diameter less than the diameter of the large particles.

Claim 9

The separator of claim 1 wherein said inlet duct is vertically oriented and extends vertically upward from the point where said inlet ducts penetrates the wall of said chamber.

Claim 10

The separator of claim 8 wherein said inlet duct extends through the wall of the lower compartment of said chamber.

Claim 11

The separator of claim 9 wherein said inlet duct extends through the interior of the intermediate compartment of said chamber.

Claim 12

The separator of claim 1 wherein said stream of air includes metal particles and wherein said inlet duct includes means for separating metal particles from said mixture of small and large particles.

Claim 13

The separator of claim 11 wherein said inlet duct extends vertically downward from the point at which it penetrates the wall of said chamber and wherein the vertically downward extending section of said inlet duct includes a venturi.

Claim 14

The separator of claim 11 wherein said blower means is coupled to said outlet duct.

Claim 15

The separator of claim 13 wherein said blower means produces a flow of air vertically upward through said venturi.

Claim 16

The separator of claim 14 wherein a particle inlet duct is coupled to said inlet duct at a point above said venturi and introduces the mixture of small and large particles and metal particles into the flow of air produced by said blower means, whereby the heavier metal particles descend downward through the venturi section of said inlet duct and are discharged therefrom and wherein the less dense small and large particles are translated upward in said inlet duct and are discharged into the upper compartment of said chamber.

Claim 17

The separator of claim 1 wherein said removing means includes an air lock valve having first and second valve openings and a body, said first and second valve openings being actuated to sequentially transfer the large particles from the bottom of said chamber into the body of said valve and said second valve opening being actuated following the closure of said first valve opening to discharge the large particles from the body of said air lock valve.

Claim 18

The separator of claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a multi-chamber rotary valve having a first opening in the upper section thereof and a second opening in the lower section thereof for transferring the large particles from the bottom of said chamber into the body of said rotary valve and out the second opening in said valve while preventing air flow between said first and second openings of said valve.

Claim 19

The separator of claim 1 wherein said small and large particles are cooled and elevated during the separating process.

Claim 20

The separator of claim 1 wherein a cyclone separator is coupled between said outlet duct and said blower means for removing the small particles from the stream of air.

Claim 21

A particle separator for physically separating a mixture of high density particles and small and large particles of lower density wherein all of said particles are suspended in a stream of air, said separator comprising: a. a chamber having a bottom and including an inverted truncated cone having an upper skirt forming a seal with the inner wall of said chamber and an aperture in the lower end of said cone for dividing said chamber into upper and lower compartments; b. an inlet duct extending through the wall of said chamber into the upper compartment of said chamber and extending vertically downward from said chamber and including a venturi in the vertical section of said inlet duct for permitting said high density particles to be discharged downwardly through said venturi; c. means coupled to said inlet duct at a point above said venturi for discharging the mixture into said inlet duct; d. filter means positioned within the lower compartment of said chamber and having a first side surface forming a seal with the inner wall of said chamber and a second side surface for forming a seal with the wall of said cone, said filter means defining an intermediate compartment in the upper portion of said lower compartment; e. an outlet duct extending through the wall of said chamber into the wall of said intermediate compartment; f. blower means coupled to said separator for producing a flow of air through said inlet duct, through said upper compartment and through the aperture in said cone into said lower department, through said filter means into said intermediate compartment and out through said outlet duct; and g. an air lock valve coupled to the bottom of said chamber for removing large particles from said chamber and discharging the large particles from said air lock valve while simultaneously preventing a flow of air through said valve into the lower compartment of said chamber; whereby large particles settle to the bottom of said chamber and are removed by said air lock valve and whereby small particles remain suspended in the flow of air, pass through said filter means and are discharged through said outlet duct.

Claim 22

A particle separator for physically separating a mixture of high density particles and small and large particles of lower density wherein all of said particles are suspended in a stream of air, said separator comprising: a. a chamber having a bottom and including an inverted truncated cone having an upper skirt forming a seal with the inner wall of said chamber and an aperture in the lower end of said cone for dividing said chamber into upper and lower compartments; b. an inlet duct extending through the wall of said chamber into the upper compartment of said chamber and extending vertically downward from said chamber and including a venturi in the vertical section of said inlet duct for permitting said high density particles to be discharged downwardly through said venturi; c. means coupled to said inlet duct at a point above said venturi for discharging the mixture into said inlet duct; d. filter means positioned within the lower compartment of said chamber and having a first side surface forming a seal with the inner wall of said chamber and a second side surface for forming a seal with the wall of said cone, said filter means defining an intermediate compartment in the upper portion of said lower compartment; e. an outlet duct extending through the wall of said chamber into the wall of said intermediate compartment; f. blower means coupled to said separator for producing a flow of air through said inlet duct, through said upper compartment and through the aperture in said cone into said lower department, through said filter means into said intermediate compartment and out through said outlet duct; and g. an air lock valve coupled to the bottom of said chamber for removing large particles from said chamber and discharging the large particles from said air lock valve while simultaneously preventing a flow of air through said valve into the lower compartment of said chamber; whereby large particles settle to the bottom of said chamber and are removed by said air lock valve and whereby small particles remain suspended in the flow of air, pass through said filter means and are discharged through said outlet duct.

Claim 23

The separator of claim 20 further including a cyclone separator coupled between said blower means and said outlet duct for removing the small particles from the stream of air.