AU773208B2

AU773208B2 - Screening equipment

Info

Publication number: AU773208B2
Application number: AU40937/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Martin Olsen
Original assignee: Weatherford Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: FLSmidth AS
Priority date: 1999-05-03
Filing date: 2000-05-01
Publication date: 2004-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-01
Also published as: AU4093700A; AU773208C

Description

"SCREENING EQUIPMENT" Field of the Invention This invention relates to screening equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to a screening panel assembly and to a component for a screening panel assembly.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided a component for a screening panel assembly, the component including a screening panel having a plurality of generally boomerang-shaped or arcuate openings defined through it.

The openings may be in the form of slots extending, in use, in a direction of flow of material over the panel, each slot having a major, longer axis extending in the direction of flow of the material. The slots may be arranged in rows in the panel with each row having an interrupted saw-tooth wave pattern extending, in use, in a direction of flow of the material.

The slots in each row may be oriented in the same direction such that apices or "elbows" of the slots point in the same direction.

The slots in one row may be staggered with respect to the slots in an adjacent row and the slots in said one row may have their apices pointing in an opposite 20 direction to the slots in the adjacent row.

Each slot may flare outwardly from an operatively top surface to a bottom surface of the screening panel.

The invention extends also to a screening panel assembly including a component as described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the •o accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a screening panel assembly, in accordance with the 30 invention; Fig. 2 shows a sectional side view of the assembly taken along line II-II in Fig.

1; and Fig. 3 shows a sectional end view of the assembly taken along line III-III in Fig.

1.

Specific Description of The Preferred Embodiment In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates a screening panel assembly in accordance with the invention. The assembly 10 includes a support structure in the form of a frame 12 on which a screening panel 14 is supported. Both the frame 12 and the panel 14 are of a synthetic plastics material, such as polyurethane.

The frame 12 and the panel 14 are both moulded or cast and the panel 14 is bonded to the frame 12 for use.

The frame 12 comprises a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinal members 16 and a pair of longitudinally spaced, transverse members 18. In addition, the frame 12 comprises a plurality of intermediate support members or struts 20 extending parallel to the longitudinal members 16 and between the NEXT PAGE: 4 oe °*o.e eooe* o•* o*oo o *oo* WO 00/66281 PCT/AUO/00400 4 transverse members 18. Thus, the struts 20 support the span of the panel 14 and the panel 14 rests thereon, in use.

However, the panel 14 is bonded only to the frame members 16 and 18 and is not bonded to the struts 20. In other words, the panel 14 only rests on the struts 20 and is not secured in any way to the struts The members 16 and 18 and the struts 20 of the frame 12 include reinforcing elements 22 therein to improve the rigidity of the frame 12.

The panel 14 has openings or slots 24 defined through it from an operatively top surface 26 to a bottom surface 28 of the panel 14.

Each slot 24 is substantially boomerang-shaped having a major axis or length dimension L extending parallel to a direction of flow of material over the assembly 10, as illustrated by arrow A in Fig.1. Further, the slots 24 are arranged in rows 30. The slots 24 in each row 30 have their apices or "elbows" 32 pointing in the same direction. Further, the slots 24 in one row 30.1 have their "elbows" 32 pointing in an opposite direction to the slots 24 in an adjacent row 30.2. The slots 24 in the row 30.2 are offset or staggered with respect to the slots 24 in the adjacent rows 30.1 and 30.3.

Due to the fact that the panel 14 is unsecured with respect to the struts of the frame 12, when the assembly 10 is operated in use and is caused to vibrate, the panel 14 reciprocates in the direction of arrows B (Figs. 2 and 3).

Each time the panel 14 comes into contact with the struts 20, it is jolted which assists in displacing material which may have lodged in the slots 24. Due to the presence of bridging material 34 between adjacent slots 24 in each row the panel 14 is sufficiently rigid to inhibit the passage of oversized material through the assembly It is to be noted that each slot 24 has a width dimension W which is selected to determine the discriminating capacity of the panel 14 of the assembly 10. It is also to be noted that each row 30 of slots 24 effectively forms an interrupted sawtooth wave-like pattern of a predetermined amplitude and wavelength.

WO 00/66281 PCT/AUOO/00400 The amplitude and wavelength of the wave pattern of each row 30 is selected in dependence on the required use of the assembly In addition, the shape of each slot 24 inhibits the likelihood of elongate oversized particles passing through the slots 24.

It is also to be noted in Figs.2 and 3 of the drawings that the slots 24 taper or flare outwardly from the top surface 26 to the bottom surface 28 of the panel 14 to enhance the passage of material through the panel 14 and to inhibit blockage or blinding of the slots 24 by the material.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A component for a screening panel assembly, the component including a screening panel having a plurality of generally boomerang-shaped or arcuate openings defined through it.

2. The component as claimed in Claim 1 in which the openings are in the form of slots extending, in use, in a direction of flow of material over the panel, each slot having a major, longer axis extending in the direction of flow of the material.

3. The component as claimed in Claim 2 in which the slots are arranged in rows in the panel with each row having an interrupted sawtooth wave pattern extending, in use, in a direction of flow of the material.

4. The component as claimed in Claim 3 in which the slots in each row are oriented in the same direction such that apices of the slots point in the same direction.

The component as claimed in Claim 4 in which the slots in one row are staggered with respect to the slots in an adjacent row and the slots in said one row have their apices pointing in an opposite direction to the slots in the adjacent row.

6. The component as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5 inclusive in which each slot flares outwardly from an operatively top surface to a bottom surface of the screening panel.

7. A screening panel assembly including a component as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6. .i

8. A component for a screening panel assembly substantiallyas described herein 0..:with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this eighteenth day of February 2004 Weatherford Australia Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F.B. RICE CO. oo. 0 0 0 0