Vibratory sand reclaiming apparatus having normal and reject modes

A method of reclaiming foundry sand from deposited material having lumps of used foundry sand and included material in an attrition mill having a housing for receiving the deposited material, the housing defining a sand end for discharging reclaimed sand and a reject end for discharging included material, a vibratory drive attached to the housing, the vibratory drive including first and second motors carrying eccentric weights, and a lift frame for raising the sand end of the housing, the method comprising:

• operating the vibratory drive in a normal mode, in which the first and second motors are rotated to generate a vibratory force that advances the deposited material in a first direction generally toward the sand end and breaks up the lumps of used foundry sand;
• selectively operating the vibratory drive in a reject mode, in which at least one of the first and second motors is operated to generate a vibratory force that advances the deposited material generally in a second direction generally toward the reject end;
• and
• operating the lift frame in the reject mode to raise the sand end of the housing relative to the reject end to facilitate discharge of included material.

A vibratory separator comprising:

• a housing having a chamber to receive material deposited therein;
• a base disposed within the housing and having an elevated end defining a upstream reject outlet adjacent a reject end and a lower end;
• a discharge wall positioned adjacent the base lower end defining a downstream outlet adjacent a downstream end;
• a resilient support attached to the housing;
• a vibratory drive attached to the housing;
• a controller operably coupled to vibratory drive, the controller selectively operating the vibratory drive in a normal mode to generate a vibratory force in a first direction that advances the deposited material generally toward the downstream outlet, and in a reject mode to generate a vibratory force generally in a second direction that advances deposited material generally toward the reject outlet;
• and
• a lift attached to the housing for raising the downstream end relative to the reject end, the lift comprising an airbag.