Apparatus for converting a continuously supplied material flow into a single layer

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus which can simplify, expedite and enhance the segregation of undesirable particles from desirable particles in a multiple-layer flow wherein the desirable and undesirable particles are randomly intermixed with each other. This is accomplished by a stepwise reduction of the thickness of the flow to thus locate all or nearly all undesirable particles at or close to the exposed sides of the resulting relatively thin flow so that the undesirable particles can be readily detected and segregated from the thin flow. The stepwise reduction of thickness of the original flow is effected by a cascade of successive accelerating conveyors including a first conveyor which receives successive increments of the original flow from a vibratory trough, and a faster second conveyor which receives successive increments of the accelerated flow from the first conveyor and cooperates with an overhead conveyor to define a channel for advancement of the repeatedly accelerated original flow into the range of instrumentalities for detection and segregation of undesirable particles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.