Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Fluid suspension – Gaseous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-21
2001-09-18
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Fluid suspension
Gaseous
C209S713000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290071
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to particulate material separators and more specifically it relates to an air separator system for separating particulate material into coarse and fine particles without utilizing water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional gravel separators have been in use for years. Typically, conventional gravel separator devices require the utilization of significant amounts of water to separate the gravel into course and fine materials.
One of the main problems with conventional gravel separators is that they require significant amounts of water which is not available in all locations. Another problem is that the water within the separated gravel cools the temperature of the asphalt within an asphalt mixer thereby requiring more time and energy to heat the asphalt to the desired temperature.
Examples of separating devices designed for other uses include U.S. Pat. No. 1,457,110 to Gay; U.S. Pat. No. 2,169,680 to Crites; U.S. Pat. No. 2,070,650 to Crites; U.S. Pat. No. 1,783,357 to Cook; U.S. Pat. No. 441,372 to Morse; U.S. Pat. No. 1,779,993 to Sturtevant; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,483 to Kolacz; U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,668 to Hornbostel; U.S. Pat. No. 2,199,015 to Toensfeldt; U.S. Pat. No. 1,367,637 to Sturtevant; U.S. Pat. No. 687,266 to Raymond which are all illustrative of such prior art.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for separating particulate material into coarse and fine particles without utilizing water. Conventional gravel separators require significant amounts of water which is undesirable.
In these respects, the air separator system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of separating particulate material into coarse and fine particles without utilizing water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of gravel separators now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new air separator system construction wherein the same can be utilized for separating particulate material into coarse and fine particles without utilizing water.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new air separator system that has many of the advantages of the gravel separators mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new air separator system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art gravel separators, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a trailer, a support frame pivotally attached to the trailer, a tapering body having an outer wall and an inner wall, a motor secured to the body, a funnel connected to a center tube rotatably attached within the body, and a fan structure attached to the lower portion of the center tube for agitating and blowing upon particulate material that enters the funnel from a feed conveyor. A plurality of upper regular members are pivotally attached within the upper portion of the outer cavity created between the outer wall and the inner wall for adjusting the amount of air flow into the outer cavity. A plurality of lower regulator members are attached within the inner wall for allowing the air to return upwardly toward the fan structure during operation to lift the lighter particulate material. The fan structure is preferably comprised of a lower plate spaced below the lower opening of the center tube, a plurality of upper blades extending into the outer cavity, and a plurality of lower blades within the inner cavity. The upper blades are preferably larger in size than the lower blades. In operation, the fine material is lifted upwardly toward the outer cavity where it is eventually dispensed through a lower outer discharge nozzle. The coarse material falls into the inner cavity defined by the inner wall where it is eventually dispensed through an inner discharge nozzle separate from the fine material.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an air separator system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide an air separator system for separating particulate material into coarse and fine particles without utilizing water.
Another object is to provide an air separator system that does not utilize water to separate particulate material.
An additional object is to provide an air separator system that increases the efficiency of asphalt production.
A further object is to provide an air separator system that reduces the amount of time and energy to mix and heat asphalt.
Another object is to provide an air separator system that allows adjustment of the type of particulate material separated.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1457110 (1923-05-01), Gay
patent: 2030612 (1936-02-01), Sturtevant
patent: 3237766 (1966-03-01), Humphreys
patent: 4363725 (1982-12-01), Morita et al.
patent: 4694994 (1987-09-01), Henne et al.
patent: 5232098 (1993-08-01), St-Pierre et al.
patent: 6092748 (2000-07-01), Keyssner et al.
Fisher Gene
Schafer Greg L.
General Steel and Supply Company
Neustel Michael S.
Rodriguez Joseph
Walsh Donald P.
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