US4919807A — Ultrasonic vibrator tray apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 200 words

Vibratory tray apparatus for the treatment of a flowable slurry of a particulate material mixed in a liquid, comprising a laterally extended and downwardly slanting elongated flat tray having upturned flange means formed along its upper end and along its lateral side edges, suspension means dependingly supporting the tray from above for unrestrained free vibratory and undulatory flexing movement, laterally extended header means positioned above said upper tray end, connected to receive the slurry and deliver it in a thin laterally extended stream substantially evenly distributed across the upper tray end, forming a shallow slurry layer confined by the upturned flanges of the tray and flowing along its downwardly slanted elongated length, transducer means securely mounted on the underside of the tray to induce vibrations in the slurry at a frequency between about 10 kHz and about 50 kHz, a generator operatively connected to energize said transducer means upon command, and conduit means positioned to receive the flowing slurry exiting from the tray at its lower end and to deliver it to separator means for further processing, whereby the shallow flowing slurry is exposed to vibratory energy produced by the transducer means during its flowing passage along the vibrator tray.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 200 words

Vibratory tray apparatus for the treatment of a flowable slurry of a particulate material mixed in a liquid, comprising a laterally extended and downwardly slanting elongated flat tray having upturned flange means formed along its upper end and along its lateral side edges, suspension means dependingly supporting the tray from above for unrestrained free vibratory and undulatory flexing movement, laterally extended header means positioned above said upper tray end, connected to receive the slurry and deliver it in a thin laterally extended stream substantially evenly distributed across the upper tray end, forming a shallow slurry layer confined by the upturned flanges of the tray and flowing along its downwardly slanted elongated length, transducer means securely mounted on the underside of the tray to induce vibrations in the slurry at a frequency between about 10 kHz and about 50 kHz, a generator operatively connected to energize said transducer means upon command, and conduit means positioned to receive the flowing slurry exiting from the tray at its lower end and to deliver it to separator means for further processing, whereby the shallow flowing slurry is exposed to vibratory energy produced by the transducer means during its flowing passage along the vibrator tray.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus defined in claim 1, further including particulate material feed means, liquid feed means, and mixing means positioned to receive and to mix together as a slurry the particulate material and liquid delivered by said feed means and to deliver the resulting slurry to said header means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said suspension means includes a plurality of flexible cables suspending the tray from a corresponding plurality of locations adjacent to the tray's periphery.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the cables are formed of stainless steel wires.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the cables are formed of nylon filaments.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 54 words

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic transducer means comprise a plurality of independent transducers arrayed transversely across the underside of the tray at an intermediate location along the length of the tray between about 10% and about 40% of the distance from the upper tray end toward the lower tray end.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein at least two transducers are employed side-by-side at a point about one-third of the distance along the length of the tray from the upper tray end toward the lower tray end.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the vibrator tray is formed of stainless steel.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said suspension means includes at least one flexible cable suspending the tray from at least one point in the central region of the tray remote from its periphery.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 244 words

Vibratory tray apparatus for the treatment of a flowable slurry of a particulate material mixed in a liquid, comprising a laterally extended and downward slanting elongated flat first tray having upturned flange means formed along its upper end and along its lateral side edges, a laterally extended and downwardly slanting elongated flat second tray superimposed over but spaced from and at least partially inside the first tray, suspension means dependingly supporting the first tray from above for unrestrained free vibratory and undulatory flexing movement, laterally extended header means positioned above said upper tray end, connected to receive the slurry and deliver it in a thin laterally extended stream substantially evenly distributed across the upper tray end, forming a shallow slurry layer completely filling the space between the first and second trays, the slurry layer confined by the upturned flanges of the first tray and flowing along its downwardly slanted elongated length, transducer means securely mounted on at least one of the first and second trays to induce vibrations in the slurry at a frequency between about 10 kHz and about 50 kHz, a generator operatively connected to energize said transducer means upon command, and conduit means positioned to receive the flowing slurry exiting from the first tray at its lower end and to deliver it to separator means for further processing, whereby the shallow flowing slurry is exposed to vibratory energy produced by the transducer means during its flowing passage along the first tray.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 244 words

Vibratory tray apparatus for the treatment of a flowable slurry of a particulate material mixed in a liquid, comprising a laterally extended and downward slanting elongated flat first tray having upturned flange means formed along its upper end and along its lateral side edges, a laterally extended and downwardly slanting elongated flat second tray superimposed over but spaced from and at least partially inside the first tray, suspension means dependingly supporting the first tray from above for unrestrained free vibratory and undulatory flexing movement, laterally extended header means positioned above said upper tray end, connected to receive the slurry and deliver it in a thin laterally extended stream substantially evenly distributed across the upper tray end, forming a shallow slurry layer completely filling the space between the first and second trays, the slurry layer confined by the upturned flanges of the first tray and flowing along its downwardly slanted elongated length, transducer means securely mounted on at least one of the first and second trays to induce vibrations in the slurry at a frequency between about 10 kHz and about 50 kHz, a generator operatively connected to energize said transducer means upon command, and conduit means positioned to receive the flowing slurry exiting from the first tray at its lower end and to deliver it to separator means for further processing, whereby the shallow flowing slurry is exposed to vibratory energy produced by the transducer means during its flowing passage along the first tray.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus defined in claim 10, further includin. particulate material feed means, liquid feed means, and mixing means positioned to receive and to mix together as a slurry the particulate material and liquid delivered by said feed means and to deliver the resulting slurry to said header means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said suspension means includes a plurality of flexible cables suspending the first tray from a corresponding plurality of locations adjacent to the first tray's periphery.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the cables are formed of stainless steel wires.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the cables are formed of nylon filaments.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the ultrasonic transducer means comprise a plurality of independent transducers arrayed transversely across the underside of the first tray at an intermediate location along the length of the first tray between about 10% and about 40% of the distance from the upper tray end toward the lower tray end.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein at least two transducers are employed side-by-side at a point about one-third of the distance along the length of the first tray from the upper tray end toward the lower tray end.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the first and second trays are formed of stainless steel.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the transducer means are a plurality of independent transducers on the first and second trays.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein the transducers are arrayed transverely across the first and second trays.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus defined in claim 10 further including second suspension means dependingly supporting the second tray for unrestrained free vibratory and undulatory flexing movement.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-04-23	1993-10-23	1994-04-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-04-23	1997-10-23	1998-04-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-04-23	2001-10-23	2002-04-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ultrasonic vibrator tray apparatus

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