Apparatus for sorting and separating discrete articles

An apparatus for sorting and separating railroad track material into a first group and a second group of material, wherein the second group includes irregularly-shaped articles such as anchors, comprising:

• a hopper for receiving the material to be sorted and separated;
• an oscillating conveyor having a sorting end, and a loading end positioned to receive material from said hopper, said conveyor adapted for moving material longitudinally from the loading end forwardly to the sorting end, the loading end including a trough whereby the material is dispersed and loose debris is removed from the material, the sorting end including a trough having a plurality of spaced substantially parallel bars extending longitudinally along the sorting end trough and having leading edges projecting a selected distance beyond a forward edge of the sorting end trough such that a zone is defined for separating the first group of material and the second group of material, whereby the first group of material is primarily conveyed on the bars;
• means, positioned a spaced distance longitudinally from the leading edges of the parallel bars, for receiving the first group of material from the bars;
• means, positioned adjacent the separating zone a distance below the tops of said parallel bars for receiving the second group of material, whereby the second group of material is conveyed primarily on the trough and separated from the first group by falling over the trough edge in the separating zone, and whereby an anchor conveyed in a potentially jammed position on the bars so that a dimension of the anchor extends below the top surface of the bars is separated from the first group by falling between the leading edges of the bars and the first group receiving means, said spaced distance between said second group receiving means and the tops of said parallel bars being at least equal to the longest dimension of the anchor extending below the top surface of the bars;
• a belt conveyor adjacent the first receiving means for transporting the first group of material away from the first receiving means;
• and
• an elevating conveyor adjacent the belt conveyor for lifting the first group of material.