CA1199006A - Separating device - Google Patents
Separating deviceInfo
- Publication number
- CA1199006A CA1199006A CA000427806A CA427806A CA1199006A CA 1199006 A CA1199006 A CA 1199006A CA 000427806 A CA000427806 A CA 000427806A CA 427806 A CA427806 A CA 427806A CA 1199006 A CA1199006 A CA 1199006A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- baffle
- clusters
- support
- support means
- fibrous
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B13/00—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices
- B07B13/003—Separation of articles by differences in their geometrical form or by difference in their physical properties, e.g. elasticity, compressibility, hardness
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
- B03B—SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS
- B03B9/00—General arrangement of separating plant, e.g. flow sheets
- B03B9/06—General arrangement of separating plant, e.g. flow sheets specially adapted for refuse
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B13/00—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices
- B07B13/04—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices according to size
- B07B13/05—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices according to size using material mover cooperating with retainer, deflector or discharger
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B13/00—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices
- B07B13/10—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices using momentum effects
- B07B13/11—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices using momentum effects involving travel of particles over surfaces which separate by centrifugal force or by relative friction between particles and such surfaces, e.g. helical sorters
- B07B13/113—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices using momentum effects involving travel of particles over surfaces which separate by centrifugal force or by relative friction between particles and such surfaces, e.g. helical sorters shaking tables
Landscapes
- Separation, Recovery Or Treatment Of Waste Materials Containing Plastics (AREA)
Abstract
SEPARATING DEVICE
Abstract of the Disclosure Separation of fibrous agglomerations or clusters from smaller elements by disposing a mixture on a lower part of an inclined surface and vibrating or moving the surface to feed the mixture in a general feed direction at an angle to the inclination of the surface. The agglomerations or clusters are guided by a baffle, which extends upwards along the inclination, onto an upper part of the surface while the smaller elements are allowed to proceed through a gap between baffle and surface while remaining on the lower part of the surface.
- i -
Abstract of the Disclosure Separation of fibrous agglomerations or clusters from smaller elements by disposing a mixture on a lower part of an inclined surface and vibrating or moving the surface to feed the mixture in a general feed direction at an angle to the inclination of the surface. The agglomerations or clusters are guided by a baffle, which extends upwards along the inclination, onto an upper part of the surface while the smaller elements are allowed to proceed through a gap between baffle and surface while remaining on the lower part of the surface.
- i -
Description
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This invention relates to separating devices.
In many rnanufacturing fields, recycling techniques are used to enable scrap materials to be used and thereby cut down wastage in the materials. Hence this also cuts the production costs. Dependent upon the actual materials involved, all industries have their own problems which need to be solved in recycling. In some industries nappy or downy materials in the scrap become mixed with other materials, such as smaller and more solid elements. In some cases nappy materials are formed by agglomerated fibers during build-up and mixing of the scrap. In the telecommunications or electric cable field~ for instance~ scrap materials obtained from insulated conductors include lengths of copper conductor, plastic insulation and metal shielding materials, in addition to textile fibers. The metal and plastic is usually in short lengths, possibly below 1 cm. Agglomeration of the fibers in the scrap cause the formation of clusters which are difficult to separate from the metallic or plastic elements.
It has been discovered that to separate the metallic elements from the fibrous agglomerations or clusters~ air flotation methods may be used. In use of such methods, the materials to be separated are passed through an upward air flow. The air pressure is controlled so that the lighter plastic elements become buoyant and are carried together with agglomerated fibrous material or fibrous clusters across the air flow. The metallic elements, however, as these are heavier, drop through the air flow to be carried upon a support. Hence, the metallic elements become separated for further use~ The flotation process is successful in removing some of the agglomerated fibrous material from the plastics elements, but it is clear that this particular ~9~3~
process is not suitable for obtaining an acceptable degree of separa-tion of these two materials.
I-t is an object o-f the present inven-tion to provide a separa-ting device which uses a support means For a mixture of -Fibrous agglomerations or clusters and smaller elements in which the suppor-t means is vibrated so as to enable -the clusters and -the elements to become separated and moved in diverging directions of separa-tion.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a separating device For separa-ting a mixture o-F articles which comprises fibrous agglomerations of fibrous clusters of certain size and smaller elements comprising a support means having a support surface, means to deposit a mixture of articles at a specific loca-tion or, the support surface, the surface inclined upwardly in one direction from the location, means to reciprocally move or vibrate the support means in a general feed direction at an angle to said one direction to cause movemen-t of articles, when on the surface, in the feed direction along the surfaces, and at least one separation baffle locatable in a position in which it is spaced from the surface to define a gap to enable ar-tices having a dimension below the gap size to pass beneath the baffle and in the feed direction, and extends in a downstream direction and at a bias angle to the feedpath, while extending up the inclined surface to direct fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size up the surface during movement or vibration of the support means, the baffle providing a passage spaced from its downstream end for movement o-F baffle directed fibrous agglomerations or clusters in the Feed direction and beyond the baffle.
)Q6 I-t is found that in use of the above device, the movement or vibration of the suppor-t means easily causes the fibrous agglomerations or clusters to rnove up the inclina-tion of the suppor-t surface by direction of the baf-fle. Movement o-F these materials is assisted of course by the fact tha-t the clusters or agglomerations have a low density and are easily moved in the upward direction. Other articles such as small plastic elements, because of their densi-ty and weight, tend to remain at the lower regions of the support surFace and move in these lower regions beneath the baFfle i-F the gap is of the required distance.
In a preferred arrangemen-t, there are at least two baf-Fles spaced apart along the feedpath and the upstream baffle is spaced further from the surface than the downstream baffle. With this arrangement, only the fibrous clusters which are of the largest si~e are separated from the mixture by the firs-t baffle and smaller clusters pass beneath this for removal by the second or a subsequent baffle.
In a preferred device, two inclined surfaces are provided for the support nneans~ These two surfaces preferably have a junction between them which is at the top edges of the surfaces so that the surfaces slope in opposite directions to create a peak for the sup-port means. Baf-fles on each of the support surfaces then provide passages in the peak region of the support means for movement of agglomerations or clusters alolng the feedpaths. An outlet from a downstream part of the peak region is provided for the agglomerations or clusters. Another outlet for the smaller elements which have passed beneath the baffles is ~1 provided from a downstream part of the lower regions of the inclined surfaces.
The invention also includes a method of separating articles in the form of fi~rous agglomerations or fibrous clusters from smaller elements in a mixture comprising:-(a) supporting the mixture at a lower region of a supportsurface which is inclined;
(b) vibrating or moving the support surface to cause movement of the articles in a general feed direction at an angle to the direction of inclination of the surface;
(c~ causing articles to move along diverging paths to separate them by allowing smaller elements in the mixture to pass in the general feed direction by effecting their movement through a gap beneath a baffle during vibration or movement of the support surface while fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size are guided by the baffle upwardly along the inclined surface; and (d) removing the smaller elements and the fibrous agglomerations or clusters from the support surface while retaining them separated.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is an isometric view of a separating device;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device showing vibrational movement of the device;
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Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of the device showing the method of separating articles and;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the device in the direction of arrow I~ in Figure 1 and illustrating the separation of the articles during use, As shown by Figure 1, a separating device 10 is provided for separating fibrous agglomerations or clusters in the form of textile fluff from smaller articles in the form of short plastic lengths cut from the insulation of telecommunications conductors.
The device comprises a support means 12 comprising a support member 14 having two inclined surfaces 16 and 18, which converge and join together a't an apex of the two surfaces, thus forming a peak 20. The angle of inclination of each of the surfaces is chosen to provide the most desirable separation characteristics of the device as will be described, In this particular case the angle is between 10 and 20 to the horizontal and is preferably 15.
A general feed direction for the materials to be separated extends in the direction of peak 20. The two sides of the member 14 at which the lower regions of the surfaces 16 and 18 are disposed are provided with upstanding material retaining walls 22 and an end retaining wall 24 is disposed at an upstream end of the surfaces. Material separation baffles are provided along the two surfaces 16 and 18, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4, Above the surface 16 is disposed an upstream baffle 26 and downstream baffles 28 and 30, the three baffles being in series ~ith one another. On the other side of the peak, i.e.
over the surface 18 are disposed two baffles 32 and 34. As shown by Figure 1, each of the baffles stands vertically and extends at a bias t~
angle to the general feed direction while extending up the inclined surface 1~ or 18. Each o~ the baffles is removable from its position and is also adjustable in position. For purposes of location and adjustment, each of the baffles may be disposed in position by screws through the baffle and into a supportO Alternatively, each oF the baffles rnay be frictionally held within vertical guides 36, for instance, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 and each of the baffles may be moved vertically towards and away from its respective surface 16 and 18 for a purpose to be described. At a downstream end of the support member 14, an outlet for fibrous ma~erial is disposed in a peak region of each of the members.
This outlet 38 is defined by a downstream extension 40 of the support member and two vertical side walls 42. The outlet is open at its downstream end for emptying fibrous agglomerations or clusters into a waiting receptacle (not shown). As shown by Figure 1, each of the walls 42 is mounted to one of the guides 36, which is located at the downstream ends of the baffles 30 and 34. An outlet 44 for the smaller plastics articles obtained after separation is located at the downstream surfaces 16 and 18S at each side of the outlet 38, i.e. in the lower regions of the inclined surfaces. The upstream baffle is provided with an extension 46 from its downstream end, the extension progressing down the inclined surface 18 as it moves in the general feed direction for the materials.
Means is provided for vibrating the support member 14 to give material to be separated movement in the general feed direction of the surfaces 16 and 18. This vibrating means comprises a spring means by which the support member 14 is held in position upon a rigid frame 48.
The spring means is in the form of a plurality of inclined leaf springs 50. Any required number of the springs may be used for the par~icular purpose. In this case as shown by the embodiment~ three springs are disposed a~ each end of the support member. The three springs at each end lie in d vertically inclined position and are secured at their lower ends to the frame 48 and at their upper ends, to a carrying frame 52 of -the support member 140 Means is also provided to urge the support member to move intermittently against the springs 50. This urying means comprises a driving shaft 54 driven by an electric motor (not shown), the driving shaft connectable through an eccentric assembly arrangement 56 to a connecting rod 58 which is secured at an upper end to a pivotal attachment 60 secured to the underside of the support member 14. Because of the eccentric arrangement, rotation of the driving shaft 54 causes eccentric movement of the lower end of the rod 58 around the shaft, thereby causing a reciprocating movement of the connecting rod which imparts an upwards and downwards movement to the support member 14. Because of the presence of the springs 50, this movement of the support membr-r is modified into a movement in which the downward movement of the member takes place in a slightly upstream direction, with regard to the feed direction of the materials to be separated. The spring action then returns the support member upwardly and in a downstream direction. As a result of this combined vibratory movement, any materials lying on the support surfaces 16 and 18 are caused to move towards the downstream end of the support member, i.e. towards the outlets 40 or 44. The movement of the support member as controlled by the springs 50 is shown clearly by Figure 20 In use of the separating device, a mixture of fluffy fibrous agglomerations or clusters and relatively small elements in the form of plastics insulation from electrical conductors is to be separated so that the plastics insulation may be recycled for further use. The 1~9~
separating device opera-tes effectively to separate the materials partly because of -their relative sizes, weights and densities as will be described.
To load the separating device with material to be separated, a hopper 62 or other conveyor for the materials has its outlet at the upstream end of the surface 16 and is directed at the lowest part of the surface as shown by Figure 1. The materials are emptied onto the surface 16 at a controlled rate dependent upon the rate at which the device moves and separates the materials. Upon the mixture being deposited upon the surface ~6, i.e. towards its lower inclined part, it is moved by the vibration of the support member 14 towards the upstream baffle 26. This baffle is spaoed from the support surface lS to provide a 9dp 64 beneath it and this gap is sufficiently small to prevent movement of the largest of the clusters beneath the baffle 26. Thus at the first separation step the largest of the clusters are caused to move in the feed direction, but are directed by the baffle 26 along the upwardly inclined surface 16 towards the peak 20. While this is happening the vibration of the support member is effectively shaking the plastics elements which are denser than the clusters, out from the clusters and this causes the plastics elements to settle against the surface 16. Because of their weight, they also tend to move towards the lower part of the surface. As shown by Figure 4, the large clusters 68 are shown moving diagonally in the direction of arrow 70 as they are moved along the baffle 26. Smaller clusters which are able to move through the gap 64 mere7y pass along the support surface 16 in the feed direction towards the baffle 28.
Hence the large clusters 68 are removed immediately from the mixture of materials as they are dropped onto the surface 16. Upon ~1~9~1Q6 reaching the peak 20, the larger clusters 68 move down the inclined surface 18 as controlled by the extension baffle 46 and are directed towards the upstream baffle 32 extending at a bias angle to the inclination of the surface 18. The reason for ~he extension baffle 46 is to direct the larger clusters 68 to the lower region of the surface 18, whereby they are subjected to fur-ther vibrations by the support member to separate out any plastics elements which are embedded deeply into the clusters 68. The clusters are then caused to move upwardly along the baffle 32 to enable the plastic elements to move beneath the baffle 32 as they are separated out. As shown by Figure 4, the clusters 68 then move in the peak regions of the surfaces 16 and 18 towards and through the outlet 38 into any receptacle which is placed there to receive them.
The baffles 28 and 30 are disposed a distance from the surface 16, which is progressively less from one baffle to another in the downstream direction. Thus a gap 72 beneath baffle 28 is smaller than the gap 64 and gap 74 beneath baffle 30 is srnaller than gap 72. Hence any clusters which are smaller than the clusters 68 are either engaged by the baffle 28 or the baffle 30 as they proceed in the feed direction to be urged upwardly along the inclined surface 16 and into the peak regions~
The clusters 76 separated by the baffle 28 are therefore smaller than clusters 68 and any clusters 78 passing beneath the baffle 28 and separated by the baffle 30 are again smaller than the clusters 76. On the other surface 18, baffle 34 downstream from baffle 32, is disposed closer to the surface than baffle 32 for the ,ourpose of separating clusters ~0, which are smaller than the clusters 68, have separated from clusters 68r and have passed beneath the baffle 32.
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~ s a result of -the movement of the clusters of various sizes by the baffles towards the peak regions and in combination with the vibrating movement of the separating member 14, the plastics particles 82 are shaken free from the clusters and settle towards the lower inclined regions of the surfaces 16 and 18 to be fed ou-twardly from the member 14 at the outlets 44. ~ecause of the low weights and densities of the clusters, they are maintained substantially in the peak regions with little or no tendency for them to move downwardly along the inclined surfaces. Each of the baffles provides a passage around its downstream end for movement of the clusters as can be seen from Figure 4. If the clusters tend in a downwards direction along the surfaces 16 and 18, then they are forced upwardly again into the peak regions by the next succeeding baffle, for instance, as shown at position 84 in Figure 4.
It is found that in use of this separating device, the plastics elements emerging from the outlets 44 are substantially completely separated from fibrous or textile materials, which on the whole, accurnulate or agglomerate into the clusters which have been separated. The plastics elements may then be recycled for use as insulation upon electrical conductors.
This invention relates to separating devices.
In many rnanufacturing fields, recycling techniques are used to enable scrap materials to be used and thereby cut down wastage in the materials. Hence this also cuts the production costs. Dependent upon the actual materials involved, all industries have their own problems which need to be solved in recycling. In some industries nappy or downy materials in the scrap become mixed with other materials, such as smaller and more solid elements. In some cases nappy materials are formed by agglomerated fibers during build-up and mixing of the scrap. In the telecommunications or electric cable field~ for instance~ scrap materials obtained from insulated conductors include lengths of copper conductor, plastic insulation and metal shielding materials, in addition to textile fibers. The metal and plastic is usually in short lengths, possibly below 1 cm. Agglomeration of the fibers in the scrap cause the formation of clusters which are difficult to separate from the metallic or plastic elements.
It has been discovered that to separate the metallic elements from the fibrous agglomerations or clusters~ air flotation methods may be used. In use of such methods, the materials to be separated are passed through an upward air flow. The air pressure is controlled so that the lighter plastic elements become buoyant and are carried together with agglomerated fibrous material or fibrous clusters across the air flow. The metallic elements, however, as these are heavier, drop through the air flow to be carried upon a support. Hence, the metallic elements become separated for further use~ The flotation process is successful in removing some of the agglomerated fibrous material from the plastics elements, but it is clear that this particular ~9~3~
process is not suitable for obtaining an acceptable degree of separa-tion of these two materials.
I-t is an object o-f the present inven-tion to provide a separa-ting device which uses a support means For a mixture of -Fibrous agglomerations or clusters and smaller elements in which the suppor-t means is vibrated so as to enable -the clusters and -the elements to become separated and moved in diverging directions of separa-tion.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a separating device For separa-ting a mixture o-F articles which comprises fibrous agglomerations of fibrous clusters of certain size and smaller elements comprising a support means having a support surface, means to deposit a mixture of articles at a specific loca-tion or, the support surface, the surface inclined upwardly in one direction from the location, means to reciprocally move or vibrate the support means in a general feed direction at an angle to said one direction to cause movemen-t of articles, when on the surface, in the feed direction along the surfaces, and at least one separation baffle locatable in a position in which it is spaced from the surface to define a gap to enable ar-tices having a dimension below the gap size to pass beneath the baffle and in the feed direction, and extends in a downstream direction and at a bias angle to the feedpath, while extending up the inclined surface to direct fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size up the surface during movement or vibration of the support means, the baffle providing a passage spaced from its downstream end for movement o-F baffle directed fibrous agglomerations or clusters in the Feed direction and beyond the baffle.
)Q6 I-t is found that in use of the above device, the movement or vibration of the suppor-t means easily causes the fibrous agglomerations or clusters to rnove up the inclina-tion of the suppor-t surface by direction of the baf-fle. Movement o-F these materials is assisted of course by the fact tha-t the clusters or agglomerations have a low density and are easily moved in the upward direction. Other articles such as small plastic elements, because of their densi-ty and weight, tend to remain at the lower regions of the support surFace and move in these lower regions beneath the baFfle i-F the gap is of the required distance.
In a preferred arrangemen-t, there are at least two baf-Fles spaced apart along the feedpath and the upstream baffle is spaced further from the surface than the downstream baffle. With this arrangement, only the fibrous clusters which are of the largest si~e are separated from the mixture by the firs-t baffle and smaller clusters pass beneath this for removal by the second or a subsequent baffle.
In a preferred device, two inclined surfaces are provided for the support nneans~ These two surfaces preferably have a junction between them which is at the top edges of the surfaces so that the surfaces slope in opposite directions to create a peak for the sup-port means. Baf-fles on each of the support surfaces then provide passages in the peak region of the support means for movement of agglomerations or clusters alolng the feedpaths. An outlet from a downstream part of the peak region is provided for the agglomerations or clusters. Another outlet for the smaller elements which have passed beneath the baffles is ~1 provided from a downstream part of the lower regions of the inclined surfaces.
The invention also includes a method of separating articles in the form of fi~rous agglomerations or fibrous clusters from smaller elements in a mixture comprising:-(a) supporting the mixture at a lower region of a supportsurface which is inclined;
(b) vibrating or moving the support surface to cause movement of the articles in a general feed direction at an angle to the direction of inclination of the surface;
(c~ causing articles to move along diverging paths to separate them by allowing smaller elements in the mixture to pass in the general feed direction by effecting their movement through a gap beneath a baffle during vibration or movement of the support surface while fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size are guided by the baffle upwardly along the inclined surface; and (d) removing the smaller elements and the fibrous agglomerations or clusters from the support surface while retaining them separated.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is an isometric view of a separating device;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device showing vibrational movement of the device;
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Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of the device showing the method of separating articles and;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the device in the direction of arrow I~ in Figure 1 and illustrating the separation of the articles during use, As shown by Figure 1, a separating device 10 is provided for separating fibrous agglomerations or clusters in the form of textile fluff from smaller articles in the form of short plastic lengths cut from the insulation of telecommunications conductors.
The device comprises a support means 12 comprising a support member 14 having two inclined surfaces 16 and 18, which converge and join together a't an apex of the two surfaces, thus forming a peak 20. The angle of inclination of each of the surfaces is chosen to provide the most desirable separation characteristics of the device as will be described, In this particular case the angle is between 10 and 20 to the horizontal and is preferably 15.
A general feed direction for the materials to be separated extends in the direction of peak 20. The two sides of the member 14 at which the lower regions of the surfaces 16 and 18 are disposed are provided with upstanding material retaining walls 22 and an end retaining wall 24 is disposed at an upstream end of the surfaces. Material separation baffles are provided along the two surfaces 16 and 18, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4, Above the surface 16 is disposed an upstream baffle 26 and downstream baffles 28 and 30, the three baffles being in series ~ith one another. On the other side of the peak, i.e.
over the surface 18 are disposed two baffles 32 and 34. As shown by Figure 1, each of the baffles stands vertically and extends at a bias t~
angle to the general feed direction while extending up the inclined surface 1~ or 18. Each o~ the baffles is removable from its position and is also adjustable in position. For purposes of location and adjustment, each of the baffles may be disposed in position by screws through the baffle and into a supportO Alternatively, each oF the baffles rnay be frictionally held within vertical guides 36, for instance, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 and each of the baffles may be moved vertically towards and away from its respective surface 16 and 18 for a purpose to be described. At a downstream end of the support member 14, an outlet for fibrous ma~erial is disposed in a peak region of each of the members.
This outlet 38 is defined by a downstream extension 40 of the support member and two vertical side walls 42. The outlet is open at its downstream end for emptying fibrous agglomerations or clusters into a waiting receptacle (not shown). As shown by Figure 1, each of the walls 42 is mounted to one of the guides 36, which is located at the downstream ends of the baffles 30 and 34. An outlet 44 for the smaller plastics articles obtained after separation is located at the downstream surfaces 16 and 18S at each side of the outlet 38, i.e. in the lower regions of the inclined surfaces. The upstream baffle is provided with an extension 46 from its downstream end, the extension progressing down the inclined surface 18 as it moves in the general feed direction for the materials.
Means is provided for vibrating the support member 14 to give material to be separated movement in the general feed direction of the surfaces 16 and 18. This vibrating means comprises a spring means by which the support member 14 is held in position upon a rigid frame 48.
The spring means is in the form of a plurality of inclined leaf springs 50. Any required number of the springs may be used for the par~icular purpose. In this case as shown by the embodiment~ three springs are disposed a~ each end of the support member. The three springs at each end lie in d vertically inclined position and are secured at their lower ends to the frame 48 and at their upper ends, to a carrying frame 52 of -the support member 140 Means is also provided to urge the support member to move intermittently against the springs 50. This urying means comprises a driving shaft 54 driven by an electric motor (not shown), the driving shaft connectable through an eccentric assembly arrangement 56 to a connecting rod 58 which is secured at an upper end to a pivotal attachment 60 secured to the underside of the support member 14. Because of the eccentric arrangement, rotation of the driving shaft 54 causes eccentric movement of the lower end of the rod 58 around the shaft, thereby causing a reciprocating movement of the connecting rod which imparts an upwards and downwards movement to the support member 14. Because of the presence of the springs 50, this movement of the support membr-r is modified into a movement in which the downward movement of the member takes place in a slightly upstream direction, with regard to the feed direction of the materials to be separated. The spring action then returns the support member upwardly and in a downstream direction. As a result of this combined vibratory movement, any materials lying on the support surfaces 16 and 18 are caused to move towards the downstream end of the support member, i.e. towards the outlets 40 or 44. The movement of the support member as controlled by the springs 50 is shown clearly by Figure 20 In use of the separating device, a mixture of fluffy fibrous agglomerations or clusters and relatively small elements in the form of plastics insulation from electrical conductors is to be separated so that the plastics insulation may be recycled for further use. The 1~9~
separating device opera-tes effectively to separate the materials partly because of -their relative sizes, weights and densities as will be described.
To load the separating device with material to be separated, a hopper 62 or other conveyor for the materials has its outlet at the upstream end of the surface 16 and is directed at the lowest part of the surface as shown by Figure 1. The materials are emptied onto the surface 16 at a controlled rate dependent upon the rate at which the device moves and separates the materials. Upon the mixture being deposited upon the surface ~6, i.e. towards its lower inclined part, it is moved by the vibration of the support member 14 towards the upstream baffle 26. This baffle is spaoed from the support surface lS to provide a 9dp 64 beneath it and this gap is sufficiently small to prevent movement of the largest of the clusters beneath the baffle 26. Thus at the first separation step the largest of the clusters are caused to move in the feed direction, but are directed by the baffle 26 along the upwardly inclined surface 16 towards the peak 20. While this is happening the vibration of the support member is effectively shaking the plastics elements which are denser than the clusters, out from the clusters and this causes the plastics elements to settle against the surface 16. Because of their weight, they also tend to move towards the lower part of the surface. As shown by Figure 4, the large clusters 68 are shown moving diagonally in the direction of arrow 70 as they are moved along the baffle 26. Smaller clusters which are able to move through the gap 64 mere7y pass along the support surface 16 in the feed direction towards the baffle 28.
Hence the large clusters 68 are removed immediately from the mixture of materials as they are dropped onto the surface 16. Upon ~1~9~1Q6 reaching the peak 20, the larger clusters 68 move down the inclined surface 18 as controlled by the extension baffle 46 and are directed towards the upstream baffle 32 extending at a bias angle to the inclination of the surface 18. The reason for ~he extension baffle 46 is to direct the larger clusters 68 to the lower region of the surface 18, whereby they are subjected to fur-ther vibrations by the support member to separate out any plastics elements which are embedded deeply into the clusters 68. The clusters are then caused to move upwardly along the baffle 32 to enable the plastic elements to move beneath the baffle 32 as they are separated out. As shown by Figure 4, the clusters 68 then move in the peak regions of the surfaces 16 and 18 towards and through the outlet 38 into any receptacle which is placed there to receive them.
The baffles 28 and 30 are disposed a distance from the surface 16, which is progressively less from one baffle to another in the downstream direction. Thus a gap 72 beneath baffle 28 is smaller than the gap 64 and gap 74 beneath baffle 30 is srnaller than gap 72. Hence any clusters which are smaller than the clusters 68 are either engaged by the baffle 28 or the baffle 30 as they proceed in the feed direction to be urged upwardly along the inclined surface 16 and into the peak regions~
The clusters 76 separated by the baffle 28 are therefore smaller than clusters 68 and any clusters 78 passing beneath the baffle 28 and separated by the baffle 30 are again smaller than the clusters 76. On the other surface 18, baffle 34 downstream from baffle 32, is disposed closer to the surface than baffle 32 for the ,ourpose of separating clusters ~0, which are smaller than the clusters 68, have separated from clusters 68r and have passed beneath the baffle 32.
V~
~ s a result of -the movement of the clusters of various sizes by the baffles towards the peak regions and in combination with the vibrating movement of the separating member 14, the plastics particles 82 are shaken free from the clusters and settle towards the lower inclined regions of the surfaces 16 and 18 to be fed ou-twardly from the member 14 at the outlets 44. ~ecause of the low weights and densities of the clusters, they are maintained substantially in the peak regions with little or no tendency for them to move downwardly along the inclined surfaces. Each of the baffles provides a passage around its downstream end for movement of the clusters as can be seen from Figure 4. If the clusters tend in a downwards direction along the surfaces 16 and 18, then they are forced upwardly again into the peak regions by the next succeeding baffle, for instance, as shown at position 84 in Figure 4.
It is found that in use of this separating device, the plastics elements emerging from the outlets 44 are substantially completely separated from fibrous or textile materials, which on the whole, accurnulate or agglomerate into the clusters which have been separated. The plastics elements may then be recycled for use as insulation upon electrical conductors.
Claims (8)
1. A separating device for separating a mixture of articles comprising fibrous agglomerations of fibrous clusters of certain size and smaller elements comprising a support means having a support surface, means to deposit a mixture of articles at a specific location on the support surface, the surface inclined upwardly in one direction from said location, means to reciprocally move or vibrate the support means in a general feed direction at an angle to said one direction to cause movement of articles, when on the surface, in said feed direction along the surfaces, and at least one separation baffle locatable in a position in which:-a) it is spaced from the surface to define a gap to enable articles having a dimension below the gap size to pass beneath the baffle and in the feed direction; and b) extends in a downstream direction and at a bias angle to the feedpath, while extending up the inclined surface to direct fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size up said surface during movement or vibration of the support means, the baffle providing a passage spaced from its downstream end for movement of baffle directed fibrous agglomerations or clusters in the feed direction and beyond the baffle.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the baffle also extends at a bias angle to the direction of inclination of the surface.
3. A device according to claim 1 wherein guides are provided to frictionally grip the baffle, which is adjustable in position towards and away from the inclined surface.
4. A device according to claim 1 provided with at least two baffles spaced apart along the feedpath and spaced from the surface, the upstream baffle spaced further from the surface than the downstream baffle.
5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the support means has two inclined surfaces which have a junction between them and at least one baffle is provided for each surface.
6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the junction of the inclined surfaces is at the top edges of the surfaces with the surfaces sloping in opposite directions to create a peak for the support means, baffles provide passage in the peak regions for movement along the feedpaths and beyond the baffles of the fibrous agglomerations or clusters, an outlet from a downstream region of the peak region of the support means is provided for the fibrous agglomerations or clusters and an outlet for the smaller elements is provided from a downstream part of the lower regions of the inclined surfaces.
7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the means to reciprocally move or vibrate the support means comprise spring means by which the support means is carried and means to urge the support means to move intermittently against the spring means which then return the support means towards a normal position thereby vibrating the support means.
8. A method of separating articles in the form of fibrous agglomerations or clusters from smmaller elements in a mixture comprising:-a) supporting the mixture at a lower region of a support surface which is inclined;
b) vibrating or moving the support surface to cause movement of the articles in a general feed direction at an angle to the direction of inclination of the surface;
c) causing articles to move along diverging paths to separate them by allowing smaller elements in the mixture to pass in the general feed direction by effecting their movement through a gap beneath a baffle during vibration or movement of the support surface, while fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size are guided by the baffle upwardly along the inclined surface; and d) removing the smaller elements and the fibrous agglomerations or clusters from the support surface while retaining them separated.
b) vibrating or moving the support surface to cause movement of the articles in a general feed direction at an angle to the direction of inclination of the surface;
c) causing articles to move along diverging paths to separate them by allowing smaller elements in the mixture to pass in the general feed direction by effecting their movement through a gap beneath a baffle during vibration or movement of the support surface, while fibrous agglomerations or clusters larger than the gap size are guided by the baffle upwardly along the inclined surface; and d) removing the smaller elements and the fibrous agglomerations or clusters from the support surface while retaining them separated.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000427806A CA1199006A (en) | 1983-05-10 | 1983-05-10 | Separating device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000427806A CA1199006A (en) | 1983-05-10 | 1983-05-10 | Separating device |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1199006A true CA1199006A (en) | 1986-01-07 |
Family
ID=4125207
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000427806A Expired CA1199006A (en) | 1983-05-10 | 1983-05-10 | Separating device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1199006A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1997043054A1 (en) * | 1996-05-14 | 1997-11-20 | Biomass Recycling Ltd. | Material separating system |
| CN102989678A (en) * | 2012-12-19 | 2013-03-27 | 尹伟彬 | Sloping baffle type winter jujube picking apparatus |
-
1983
- 1983-05-10 CA CA000427806A patent/CA1199006A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1997043054A1 (en) * | 1996-05-14 | 1997-11-20 | Biomass Recycling Ltd. | Material separating system |
| CN102989678A (en) * | 2012-12-19 | 2013-03-27 | 尹伟彬 | Sloping baffle type winter jujube picking apparatus |
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