Trommel with quick change screen panels

Abstract

Screen panels are arcuately distorted and wedged between lifter tubes inside of trommels for varying the orifice size, shape or distribution or repairing drum screen sections in trommel screen separators. In lieu of replacing screens on the drum framework, the drum is ordered with the largest screen opening for the anticipated application. Additional screen panels are inserted or laminated to the original drum screen to reduce or change screen openings and to produce the smaller fines. Because these small screen panels receive structural support from the drum screen, quick change screen panels can be fabricated out of many different frames, screening materials and screen opening sizes. In preferred embodiments, the smaller, lighter, framed screen panels are easily managed and quickly exchanged as required, reducing downtime and loss of production. Quick change screen panels have resilient arcuately bendable semi-rigid frames and are designed to be handled manually. These individual panels can be ordered in quantity to cover the entire trommel drum or any portion thereof, or panels may have different openings for a single drum, providing great flexibility to the operator to fine tune the screening operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.