Classification of particles
AssigneeVacu-Blast Limited
InventorRonald John
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In order to grade or classify particles according to their sphericity, the particles are fed onto a moving surface which has a gentle slope in the direction transverse to the direction of movement so that the particles move down the slope while being carried along by the moving surface. The rate of movement down the slope depends on the particle shape so that particles of different shape reach the lower edge of the surface at different positions. This movement of the particles is facilitated by vibrating the surface or moving it intermittently. The surface is preferably a rotating disk.
Claims20
A method of classifying particles according to their sphericity which comprises placing the particles on an upper region of a smooth surface which rotates about a vertical axis and slopes downwardly from said axis, and introducing a cyclic component into the rotation of said surface effecting shaking of the particles in a circumferential direction parallel to said surface, whereby the particles are carried along on said surface in said circumferential direction and simultaneously migrate radially down the slope at rates dependent on the sphericity of the individual particles, the particles which have migrated leaving said surface respectively at different positions spaced in said direction, at least one of said positions being at a lower region of the surface.
Apparatus for classifying particles according to their sphericity comprising a rotatable disk having a smooth upper surface, the axis of rotation being vertical and the upper surface sloping downwardly from said axis, driving means for rotating said disk, feeding means for feeding particles to an upper region of said surface, a plurality of collecting means for receiving the particles from said disk at respective positions spaced from said feeding means in the direction of rotation, and shaking means for imposing a cyclic component on the rotation of said disk for agitating said particles in a circumferential direction parallel to said surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.