System and method for singulating inhomogeneous materials

A method of separating inhomogeneous materials comprising the steps of:

• a. transporting said materials along a diverter path on a diverting system;
• and
• b. diverting said transported materials at angles obtuse to said diverter path
• c. depositing said materials on a cleated conveyor;
• d. delivering said materials from said cleated conveyor to a cross conveyor;
• and
• e. providing said materials from said cross conveyor to said diverter system.

A system for singulating pieces of inhomogeneous material comprising:

• a. a bin for housing said pieces having an opening for expelling said pieces;
• b. a cleated conveyor having cleats for transporting said pieces along a cleated conveyor path, said cleated conveyor oriented below said opening to receive said pieces, said cleated conveyor having a cleated conveyor velocity;
• c. a slide attached to said cleated conveyor to receive said pieces as they travel off said cleated conveyor;
• d. a cross conveyor having a cross conveyor path oriented to receive said pieces from said slide and aligned such that said cross conveyor path is perpendicular to said cleated conveyor path, said cross conveyor having a cross conveyor velocity sufficient to receive all materials in a single file order;
• e. a diverter system for transporting said pieces along a diverter path having a right side and a left side and a receiving end and a discharge end, said diverter system having a first diverter extending across said diverter path from said right side intersecting said path at an obtuse angle to said diverter path, said diverter system having a second diverter extending across said diverter path from said left side intersecting said diverter path at an obtuse angle to said diverter path, said diverter system having a width and a middle point, said first diverter and said second diverter extend across said middle point, said diverter system having a diverter conveyor belt, a right wall attached to said system proximate said right side, a left wall attached to said system proximate said left side;
• f. an acceleration conveyor having an acceleration path receiving said material from said discharge end of said diverter path wherein said velocity of said diverter system is less than the velocity of said acceleration conveyor aligned such that said acceleration path is approximately aligned with said diverter path;
• g. a sensor conveyor having a sensor path in line with an acceleration conveyor path for receiving said pieces from said acceleration conveyor, said sensor conveyor having a sensor conveyor path;
• and
• h. a sensor attached proximate said sensor slide for reviewing said pieces passing along said sensor conveyor path;
• and
• i. a separation system communicating with said sensor to separate said material by type.

A system for singulating pieces of material comprising:

• a. said pieces of said materials having varying sizes and shapes;
• b. means for transporting said pieces along a diverter path having a right side and a left side and a receiving end and a discharge end;
• b. a first diverter extending across said diverter path from said right side intersecting said diverter path at an obtuse angle to said diverter path;
• c. a second diverter extending across said diverter path from said left side intersecting said diverter path at an obtuse angle to said diverter path such that first and second diverters do not overlap in a direction perpendicular to said diverter path;
• and
• d. an acceleration conveyor having an acceleration path receiving said material from said discharge end of said path wherein said velocity of said means for transporting said pieces along a path is less than the velocity of said acceleration conveyor.