Method and apparatus for the separation of materials having different densities

An apparatus for separating a first material from a second, less dense, material in a mixture of the materials, which comprises:

• (a) an inclined container means having a bottom and sides between spaced apart ends with one of the ends being lower than the other end wherein the lower end can contain an aqueous suspension and wherein the second less dense material overflows from the end which is lower;
• (b) screw means for dispersing the mixture and conveying the first material mounted between the ends of the container means in closely spaced relation to one of the sides and the bottom wherein the screw means comprises a shaft with conveying members and dispersing members along the shaft between the ends of the container means, the shaft of the screw means is rotatable to rotate the conveying members to convey the first material out of the other end of the container means which is higher and to rotate the dispersing members to disperse the mixture;
• (c) fluid supply means for introducing a fluid into the container means intermediate the ends wherein the fluid includes air and water;
• (d) drive means for rotating the shaft of the screw means;
• (e) spray means mounted along a segment of the container means above a water level in the container means for washing the first material conveyed by the screw means;
• and
• (f) feed means for feeding the mixture above the fluid supply means in the container.

A method for separating a first material from a second, less dense, material in a mixture having the first and second materials, which comprises:

• (a) providing an apparatus including a container means having a top and a bottom;
• dispersing means mounted on the container means between the top and the bottom of the container means to disperse and separate the mixture in the container means;
• fluid supply means positioned below the dispersing means adjacent the bottom of the container for introducing a fluid into the container means for suspending the second less dense material and for dispersing the mixture, wherein the fluid is a mixture of air and water;
• feed means for feeding the mixture above the fluid supply means in the container means;
• first removal means provided in the container means for removing the first material from the container means;
• and second removal means on the container means for removing the fluid with the second less dense material from the container means;
• (b) depositing the mixture into the feed means of the apparatus which feeds the mixture into the container means containing an aqueous suspension and into the dispersing means;
• (c) activating the dispersing means and the fluid supply means to agitate the aqueous suspension to disperse the mixture in the aqueous suspension and to separate the first material from the second material in the mixture;
• (d) removing the first material from the container means through the first removal means;
• and
• (e) removing the second material from the container means through the second removal means.

A method for separating a first material from a second, less dense, material in a mixture having the first and second materials, which comprises:

• (a) providing an inclined container means having a bottom and sides between spaced apart ends with one of the ends being lower than the other end wherein the lower end can contain an aqueous suspension and wherein the second less dense material overflows from the end which is lower;
• screw means for dispersing the mixture and conveying the first material mounted between the ends of the container means in closely spaced relation to one of the sides and the bottom wherein the screw means comprises a shaft with conveying members and dispersing members along the shaft between the ends of the container means, the shaft of the screw means is rotatable to rotate the conveying members to convey the first material out of the other end of the container means which is higher and to rotate the dispersing members to disperse the mixture;
• fluid supply means for introducing a fluid into the container means intermediate the ends for suspending the second less dense material and for dispersing the mixture wherein the fluid includes air and water;
• drive means for rotating the shaft of the screw means;
• spray means mounted along a segment of the container means above a water level in the container means for washing the first material conveyed by the screw means;
• and feed means for feeding the mixture above the fluid supply means in the container means with the fluid supply means, screw means and spray means activated;
• (b) introducing the first material and the second less dense material into the feed means which feeds the mixture into the container means containing an aqueous suspension;
• (c) activating the dispersing means and the fluid supply means to agitate the aqueous suspension to disperse the mixture in the aqueous suspension and to separate the first material from the second material in the mixture:
• (d) removing the first material through the screw means by conveying the first material out of the other end of the container means which is higher;
• and
• (e) removing the second material and the fluid by flowing the second less dense material and the fluid over the one end of the container means which is lower.