Anti-clogging device for drywasher flow opening
OwnerRobert Rieckinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drywasher agitator is configured for use with a hopper and a recovery box. The hopper includes a flow opening formed therein to allow particulate within the hopper to pass through the flow opening and into the recovery box. The recovery box includes a main body and a panel extending from the main body. The agitator includes a wire having a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is connectable to the panel and extends along a first axis and a second segment extends along a second axis angled relative to the first axis. The wire is configured to extend from the panel and into the flow opening during use of the hopper and the recovery box to agitate particulate near the flow opening to mitigate clogging of particulate within the flow opening.
Claims20
A drywasher comprising:
- a hopper having a base and a sidewall extending from the base, the base and sidewall collectively defining a hopper reservoir, the base having a flow opening formed therein and in communication with the hopper reservoir, the hopper being configured to receive particulate within the hopper reservoir allow the particulate to pass through the flow opening formed in the base;
- a recovery box having a main body and a panel extending from the main body, the recovery box being positionable in proximity to the hopper to receive at least a portion of the particulate having passed through the flow opening, the recovery box being configured to vibrate to facilitate sorting of the at least a portion of the particulate received at the recovery box;
- and
- an agitating body connectable to the panel of the recovery box so as to move in concert with the recovery box relative to the hopper, the agitating body being configured to extend from the panel and into the flow opening when the agitating body is connected to the panel and the recovery box is in proximity to the hopper, the agitating body being moveable relative to the hopper to agitate particulate near the flow opening to mitigate clogging of particulate within the flow opening.
An agitator configured for use with a hopper and a recovery box, the hopper having a flow opening formed therein to allow particulate within the hopper to pass through the flow opening and into the recovery box, the recovery box having a main body and a panel extending from the main body, the agitator comprising:
- a wire having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being connectable to the panel and extending along a first axis and a second segment extending along a second axis angled relative to the first axis, the wire being configured to extend from the panel and into the flow opening during use of the hopper and the recovery box;
- a threaded body extending around a portion of the wire;
- and
- the wire terminating in a bulbous enlargement at an end thereof, the bulbous enlargement being sized to remain within the flow opening during vibration.
A recovery box assembly configured for use with a hopper having a flow opening formed therein to allow particulate within the hopper to pass through the flow opening, the recovery box assembly comprising:
- a recovery box having a main body and a panel extending from the main body, the recovery box being positionable in proximity to the hopper to receive at least a portion of the particulate having passed through the flow opening, the recovery box being configured to vibrate to facilitate sorting of the at least a portion of the particulate received at the recovery box;
- and
- an agitating body connectable to the panel of the recovery box so as to move in concert with the recovery box relative to the hopper, the agitating body being configured to extend from the panel and into the flow opening when the agitating body is connected to the panel and the recovery box is in proximity to the hopper, the agitating body being moveable relative to the hopper to agitate particulate near the flow opening to mitigate clogging of particulate within the flow opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.