US 2015/0027935 A1Published application

Sorting Apparatus

AssigneeLakewood Process Machinery

InventorsKurt Palmbos, Dennis Schepel

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Abstract

A sorting apparatus comprising a frame, a sorting surface assembly, a roller control assembly, a first movable cam surface adjustment assembly and a drive assembly. The sorting apparatus is configured, through adjustment of the sorting surface by the roller control assembly, to separate small particles and articles, such as fruit berries, based on the relative size thereof.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A sorting apparatus comprising:

a frame having a first side and a second side spaced apart from the first side, each of the first and second sides having a first end and a second end, the frame defining an upper opening spanning between the first and second sides;
a sorting surface assembly comprising a plurality of roller members, defining alternating first roller members and second roller members, each one of the plurality of roller members consecutively positioned so as to extend between the first and second sides, and being substantially parallel to each other, and spanning across the upper cavity, each of the plurality of roller members having a first end and a second end, a first follower roller coupled to the first end and a second follower roller coupled to the second end;
a roller control assembly including a first fixed cam surface positioned along the first side of the frame, extending between the first and second ends of the frame, a second fixed cam surface positioned along the second side of the frame extending between the first and second ends of the frame, and, a first side first movable cam surface positioned along the first side of the frame, extending between the first and second ends of the frame, and a second side first movable cam surface positioned along the second side of the frame, extending between the first and second ends of the frame, the first side first movable cam surface including a first movable cam surface, and the second side first movable cam surface including a first movable cam surface, substantially corresponding to the first movable cam surface of the first side first movable cam surface;
wherein, the first follower roller of each of the plurality of first roller members is associated with the first fixed cam surface with the second follower roller of each of the plurality of first roller members being associated with the second fixed cam surface, wherein the first follower roller of each of the plurality of second roller members is associated with the first movable cam surface with the second follower roller of each of the plurality of second roller members being associated with the second movable cam surface;
a first movable cam surface adjustment assembly coupled to the first side first movable cam surface and the second side first movable cam surface, the first movable cam surface adjustment assembly configured to move the first side first movable cam surface and the second side first movable cam surface so as to alter the position of the second roller members having respective first and second followers on the first and second side first movable cam surfaces, to, in turn, alter the spacing between adjacent first and second follower members;
and
a drive assembly configured to translate the plurality of first roller members and second roller members across the upper opening from the first side to the second side.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A sorting apparatus comprising:

a frame having a first side and a second side spaced apart from the first side, each of the first and second sides having a first end and a second end, the frame defining an upper opening spanning between the first and second sides;
a sorting surface assembly comprising a plurality of roller members, defining alternating first roller members and second roller members, each one of the plurality of roller members consecutively positioned so as to extend between the first and second sides, and being substantially parallel to each other, and spanning across the upper cavity, each of the plurality of roller members having a first end and a second end, a first follower roller coupled to the first end and a second follower roller coupled to the second end;
a roller control assembly including a first fixed cam surface positioned along the first side of the frame, extending between the first and second ends of the frame, a second fixed cam surface positioned along the second side of the frame extending between the first and second ends of the frame, and, a first side first movable cam surface positioned along the first side of the frame, extending between the first and second ends of the frame, and a second side first movable cam surface positioned along the second side of the frame, extending between the first and second ends of the frame, the first side first movable cam surface including a first movable cam surface, and the second side first movable cam surface including a first movable cam surface, substantially corresponding to the first movable cam surface of the first side first movable cam surface;
wherein, the first follower roller of each of the plurality of first roller members is associated with the first fixed cam surface with the second follower roller of each of the plurality of first roller members being associated with the second fixed cam surface, wherein the first follower roller of each of the plurality of second roller members is associated with the first movable cam surface with the second follower roller of each of the plurality of second roller members being associated with the second movable cam surface;
a first movable cam surface adjustment assembly coupled to the first side first movable cam surface and the second side first movable cam surface, the first movable cam surface adjustment assembly configured to move the first side first movable cam surface and the second side first movable cam surface so as to alter the position of the second roller members having respective first and second followers on the first and second side first movable cam surfaces, to, in turn, alter the spacing between adjacent first and second follower members;
and
a drive assembly configured to translate the plurality of first roller members and second roller members across the upper opening from the first side to the second side.

4 more elements