Apparatus for separating abrasive blasting media from debris

An apparatus for separating debris from spent abrasive in an abrasive blasting apparatus in which the debris and spent abrasive mixed in a stream of fluid are recirculated from a blast zone at high speed through a recirculating chamber comprising

• means for providing said stream of fluid through said recirculating chamber;
• means for receiving said debris and spent abrasive from said recirculating chamber and allowing a quantity of said debris and spent abrasive to collect thereby forming a pile of said debris and spent abrasive with a face of said pile exposed to substantially all of the incoming high speed debris and spent abrasive from said recirculating chamber;
• wherein said pile has an angle of repose whereby additional incoming debris and spent abrasive lose a substantial proportion of their kinetic energy upon impacting said face and fall down said face to form a substantially unobstructed, vertical, uniform curtain of falling debris and spent abrasive;
• and
• means having an opening disposed below said receiving means in direct communication with said recirculating chamber for drawing off said stream of fluid from said recirculating chamber, whereby said falling curtain is washed of debris by said stream of fluid by passing the stream of fluid from said recirculating chamber through said falling curtain and into said opening of said drawing means to thereby entrain said debris from said falling curtain in said stream of fluid.