Screen Basket for a Sorting Machine

A centrifugal sorting machine comprising:

• an input hopper configured to receive material for sorting;
• a sorting chamber coupled to the input hopper;
• an agitator extending through the sorting chamber;
• and
• a screen basket disposed in the sorting chamber, surrounding the agitator, and positioned to receive material from the input hopper, wherein the screen basket comprises:
• a first screen retainer including a first support ring for securing a first end of a tubular screen and a first lateral flange that extends radially outward from the first support ring;
• a plurality of rods arranged around a perimeter of the screen basket and secured to the lateral flange of the first screen retainer, each of the rods including a threaded section spaced from the first screen retainer;
• a second screen retainer including a second support ring for securing a second end of the tubular screen and a second lateral flange that extends radially outward from the second support ring, the second screen retainer being adjustably mounted on the plurality of rods at a distance from the first screen retainer;
• and
• a plurality of elongated sleeve nuts, wherein each sleeve nut is respectively disposed on a rod of the plurality of rods between the first support ring of the first screen retainer and the second support ring of the second screen retainer, wherein each sleeve nut engages the threaded section of the respective rod and is configured to hold the second screen retainer spaced from the first retainer at a tensioned position upon tightening of the respective sleeve nut on the threaded section of the respective rod, and wherein each sleeve nut is sized and configured to enclose the threaded section of the respective rod when the second retainer is in the tensioned position.

A method of installing a tubular screen in a screen basket, the method comprising:

• securing a first end of the tubular screen to a first screen retainer that is mounted on a plurality of rods arranged around a perimeter of the screen basket;
• securing a second end of the tubular screen to a second screen retainer that is adjustably mounted on the plurality of rods at a distance from the first screen retainer;
• moving the second screen retainer to a tensioned position;
• and
• tightening a plurality of sleeve nuts disposed on the rods so as to hold the second screen retainer in the tensioned position, wherein each sleeve nut engages a threaded section of a respective rod, and wherein each sleeve nut encloses the threaded section of the respective rod when the second screen retainer is in the tensioned position.