# US 8,783,468 B2 · Apparatus and method for reclaiming abrasive blasting material and screening device for separating abrasive blasting material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,468 B2 - Document ID: US8783468B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/099,072 - Filed: 2011-05-02 - Published: 2012-11-01 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-28 - Assignees: Reco Atlantic, LLC - Applicants: John Russell Roden - Inventors: John Russell Roden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783468B2 ## CPC - B24C 9/006: {Treatment of used abrasive material} - B07B 1/10: Screens in the form of endless moving bands - B07B 9/00: Combinations of apparatus for screening or sifting or for separating solids from solids using gas currents; General arrangement of plant, e.g. flow sheets - B08B 7/02: by distortion, beating, or vibration of the surface to be cleaned {(B08B7/0007 takes precedence)} - Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working - B24C: ABRASIVE OR RELATED BLASTING WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL - B07B: SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus B03B; using liquids B03B, B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes B04; hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material B07C) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract An apparatus for reclaiming abrasive blasting material comprises a prime mover, a vacuum pump and a separator unit for separating the abrasive blasting material in the contaminated abrasive blasting material from contaminants. The vacuum pick-up draws the contaminated abrasive blasting material. The separator unit includes a screening device for separating and reclaiming the abrasive blasting material. The screening device comprises a support member having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, and an endless flexible screen belt mounted to the support member so as to be movable along an endless closed loop in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The screen belt has a plurality of openings being sized to allow particles of the abrasive blasting material of a desired size to fall therethrough by gravity and to prevent the contaminants larger than the abrasive blasting material from falling therethrough. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A screening device for separating and reclaiming abrasive blasting material from contaminants, said screening device comprising: a support member having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis; and an endless flexible screen belt mounted to said support member so as to be movable along an endless closed loop in the direction of said longitudinal axis; said screen belt having a plurality of openings, said screen openings being sized to allow particles of said abrasive blasting material of a desired size to fall therethrough by gravity and to prevent said contaminants larger than said abrasive blasting material from falling therethrough by gravity; said screen belt being in the form of an endless flexible wire mesh belt comprising a plurality of interconnected spiral wire members extending in the direction of said transverse axis and arranged parallel to each another; said wire mesh belt further comprising a plurality of connecting rod members extending in the direction of said transverse axis and being spaced from one another in the direction of said longitudinal axis; each of said connecting rod members extending through two adjacent spiral wire members so as to interconnect said two adjacent spiral wire members; open spaces formed in said spiral wire members between said spaced connecting rod members defining said screen openings of said screen belt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The screening device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism mounted to said support member for driving said screen belt along said endless closed loop. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The screening device as defined in claim 2, wherein said drive mechanism comprises an endless flexible power transmitting member attached to said screen belt so that the movement of said endless flexible power transmitting member imparts the corresponding movement of said screen belt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The screening device as defined in claim 3, wherein said endless flexible power transmitting member is an endless flexible drive chain attached to said screen belt so that the movement of said drive chain imparts the corresponding movement of said screen belt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The screening device as defined in claim 4, wherein said endless flexible drive chain extends in the direction of said longitudinal axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The screening device as defined in claim 4, wherein said drive mechanism further comprises at least one drive sprocket rotatably mounted to said support member and drivingly engaging said link drive chain. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The screening device as defined in claim 6, wherein said drive mechanism further comprises a motor provided for driving said at least one drive sprocket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The screening device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said spiral wire members has an oval configuration in the direction of said longitudinal axis. ### Claim 9 An apparatus for reclaiming abrasive blasting material, said apparatus comprising: a prime mover; a vacuum pump powered by said prime mover; and a separator unit for receiving said contaminated abrasive blasting material via a vacuum pick-up and separating said abrasive blasting material in said contaminated abrasive blasting material from contaminants larger than said abrasive blasting material; said vacuum pick-up fluidly connected to said vacuum pump to draw said contaminated abrasive blasting material into said vacuum pick-up; said separator unit including a screening device for separating and reclaiming said abrasive blasting material, said screening device comprising: a support member having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis; and an endless flexible screen belt mounted to said support member so as to be movable along an endless closed loop in the direction of said longitudinal axis; said screen belt having a plurality of openings, said screen openings being sized to allow particles of said abrasive blasting material of a desired size to fall therethrough by gravity and to prevent said contaminants larger than said abrasive blasting material from falling therethrough by gravity; said screen belt being in the form of an endless flexible wire mesh belt comprising a plurality of interconnected spiral wire members extending in the direction of said transverse axis and arranged parallel to each another; said wire mesh belt further comprising a plurality of connecting rod members extending in the direction of said transverse axis and being spaced from one another in the direction of said longitudinal axis; each of said connecting rod members extending through two adjacent spiral wire members so as to interconnect said two adjacent spiral wire members; open spaces formed in said spiral wire members between said spaced connecting rod members defining said screen openings of said screen belt. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said screening device further comprises a drive mechanism mounted to said support member for driving said screen belt along said endless closed loop. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said drive mechanism comprises an endless flexible power transmitting member attached to said screen belt so that the movement of said endless flexible power transmitting member imparts the corresponding movement of said screen belt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said endless flexible power transmitting member is an endless flexible drive chain attached to said screen belt so that the movement of said drive chain imparts the corresponding movement of said screen belt. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said endless flexible drive chain extends in the direction of said longitudinal axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said drive mechanism further comprises at least one drive sprocket rotatably mounted to said support member and drivingly engaging said link drive chain. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said drive mechanism further comprises a motor provided for driving said at least one drive sprocket. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein each of said spiral wire members has an oval configuration in the direction of said longitudinal axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising a vehicle having at least one axle assembly with wheels or at least one skid such that said prime mover, said vacuum pump and said separator unit are mounted on said vehicle.