Separation devices employing forced air through conveyor belt means
AssigneeState of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture
InventorsRon Feller, Amos Mizrach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gravity separator device for field use in separating material comprising spurious matter and harvested products employing airflow through a grid-like conveyor belt moving upward while inclined to the horizontal for reducing the friction between the conveyor belt and the lighter material causing the lighter material to move downward into a collecting receptacle while the heavier material is moved upward by the conveyor belt.
Claims17
An apparatus for use in an agricultural field for at least separating particles of one agricultural product having a first specific density from particles of matter having a different specific density, comprising:
- moveable endless conveyor means inclinable with respect to a horizontal plane from a lower to an upper end and defining an upper forward portion which is moveable upwardly and a lower return portion which is moveable downwardly,
- gate means juxtaposed said forward portion near the lower end thereof and extending a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said forward portion;
- an air directing housing means below said conveyor means defining an opening of adjustable dimensions including air suction means for sucking into said housing means through said opening field air with any contaminants therein and for directing said contaminated air toward the conveyor means through a top opening of housing means, whereby the air passes through the return portion to the forward portion of said conveyor means to cause said particles thereon to be stratified with the particles of higher specific density being closest to said forward portion and travelling upwardly with it toward the upper end and the particles of lower density being stratified above the heavier particles and sliding downwardly toward said gate means, while contaminants in the air are blocked by said return portion from passing to said forward portion and are carried downwardly beyond the top opening of said housing means.
An apparatus for use in an agricultural field for separating at least particles of one agricultural product having a first specific density from particles of matter having a different specific density, comprising:
- moveable endless conveyor means inclinable with respect to a horizontal plane and defining an upper forward portion of a selected length which moves upwardly and on which the particles to be separated are loaded and an equal length lower return portion which is moveable downwardly;
- and
- air directing means located below said lower return portion and having an opening spaced apart from said lower return portion for directing air to the upper forward portion through said lower return portion, the dimension of said opening through which air flows to said lower return portion being less than the length dimension of said lower return portion, whereby contaminants in said air which are pushed by the air against said lower return portion are carried by said lower return portion as it travels downwardly beyond said opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.