Compression device, system and method for screening material

Abstract

The vibratory screening machine includes a replaceable screening assembly. The compression mechanism is used to secure the replaceable screening assembly to the vibratory screening machine. Each compression mechanism applies a force to the replaceable screening assembly, the force including a horizontal component and a downward vertical component. Each replaceable screening assembly is generally substantially flat prior to installation onto a vibratory screening machine. Forces applied to the screening assembly by the one or more compression mechanisms cause the screening assembly to be pushed into engagement with an underlying concave support member such that the screening assembly itself assumes a concave shape with the center of the screening assembly lower than the side edges. The vertically downward component of the force facilitates securing the screening assembly to the screening machine.

Description

This application is a divisional application of the application with the application number 202380064839.9, the application date of July 5, 2023, and the invention title of "Compression Device, System, and Method for Screening Materials". Cross - reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 464,982, filed on May 9, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference and claims its priority. Technical field

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to material screening. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods for compressing a screening assembly onto a screening machine. Background art

[0003] Material screening involves the use of vibrating screening machines. A vibrating screening machine is capable of vibrating an installed screen to separate the materials placed on the screen to the desired levels. Oversized materials are separated from undersized materials. Over time, the screen wears out and needs to be replaced. Therefore, the screen is designed to be replaceable. Brief description of the drawings

[0004] Figure 1A A perspective view of a double - deck vibrating screening machine with a replaceable screening assembly installed in an embodiment is shown.

[0005] Figure 1B Shown in an embodiment Figure 1A A perspective view of a double - deck vibrating screening machine, in which a replaceable screening assembly has been removed.

[0006] Figure 1C Shown in an embodiment Figure 1A A side view of a vibrating screening machine.

[0007] Figure 1D A perspective view of a single - deck vibrating screening machine with a replaceable screening assembly installed in an embodiment is shown.

[0008] Figure 2A An end view of a part of an exemplary double - deck vibrating screening machine in an embodiment is shown.

[0009] Figure 2B An end view of an exemplary single - deck vibrating screening machine in an embodiment is shown.

[0010] Figure 2C Shown in an embodiment Figure 2B A close - up of a part of a vibrating screening machine.

[0011] Figure 3A A first embodiment of a support plate of a screening assembly is shown.

[0012] Figure 3B Shows a second embodiment of the support plate of the screening assembly.

[0013] Figure 3C Shows a screening assembly including a support plate as Figure 3B shown.

[0014] Figure 4A Is a top perspective view of a single-tank vibrating screening machine, which includes a side compression mounting mechanism for fixing the screening assembly to the machine.

[0015] Figure 4B Is Figure 4A Another perspective view of the vibrating screening machine shown.

[0016] Figure 4C Is Figure 4A A top view of the vibrating screening machine shown.

[0017] Figure 4D Is Figure 4A An enlarged perspective view of a part of the vibrating screening machine shown.

[0018] Figure 4E Is similar to Figure 4A A perspective view of a part of a single-tank vibrating screening machine similar to the single-tank vibrating screening machine shown, in which the support plate of the screening assembly is placed.

[0019] Figure 4F Is similar to Figure 4A An enlarged perspective view of a part of a single-tank vibrating screening machine similar to the single-tank vibrating screening machine shown, in which the support plate of the screening assembly is placed.

[0020] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C Shows the steps of the process of installing the support plate of the screening assembly onto a single-tank vibrating screening machine in an embodiment.

[0021] Fig. 6A Is a perspective view of an embodiment of the compression mounting assembly.

[0022] Figure 6B Is Fig. 6A A top perspective view of an embodiment of the compression piston of the compression mounting assembly shown.

[0023] Figure 6C Is Fig. 6A A bottom perspective view of the compression piston shown in

[0024] Fig. 7A Is a perspective view showing the support plate of the screening assembly placed in the base of the vibrating screening machine when the compression piston of the mounting assembly is in the retracted position.

[0025] Figure 7B It is a perspective view showing the support plate of the screening assembly placed in the base of the vibrating screen when the compression piston of the mounting assembly is in the extended position.

[0026] Fig. 8A It is a top perspective view of another embodiment showing the corresponding mounting holes of the compression piston and the support plate.

[0027] Figure 8B It is Fig. 8A The bottom view of the compression piston and the mounting holes shown.

[0028] Figure 8C It is a top perspective view of another embodiment of the corresponding mounting holes of the compression piston and the support plate.

[0029] Fig.8D It is Figure 8C The bottom view of the compression piston and the mounting holes shown.

[0030] Fig. 8E It is a top perspective view of another embodiment of the corresponding mounting holes and through holes of the compression piston and the support plate.

[0031] Fig.8F It is Fig. 8E The side perspective view of the compression piston and the mounting holes shown.

[0032] Figure 8G It is Fig. 8E and Fig.8F A perspective view of the end of a compression piston similar to the compression piston shown, and further including alignment fingers at its distal end.

[0033] Figure 8H It is a perspective view showing a part of the support plate of the screening assembly placed in the base of the vibrating screen when the support plate is mounted to the vibrating screen using a compression piston similar to the compression piston shown in Figure 8G .

[0034] Fig.9A It is a perspective view of the fixed compression piston assembly.

[0035] Fig. 9B It is Fig.9A The cross-sectional view of the fixed compression piston assembly shown in

[0036] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C It shows how to use a compression assembly with a compression piston to mount an injection-molded screening assembly in a vibrating screen.

[0037] Fig.11A It shows an end view of the vibrating screen in the embodiment.

[0038] Fig. 11BShows in an embodiment Fig.11A Partial end view of the vibratory screening machine.

[0039] Fig. 12A Perspective view of the screening assembly in an embodiment.

[0040] Fig. 12B Shows in an embodiment where a portion of the screening surface has been removed Fig. 12A Perspective view of the screening assembly.

[0041] Fig. 12C Top view of the support plate of the screening assembly in an embodiment.

[0042] Fig.12D Shows in an embodiment Fig. 12C Close-up view of a portion of the support plate.

[0043] Fig.12E Shows in an embodiment Fig. 12C Perspective view when a portion of the support plate is engaged by the hook of the actuator assembly.

[0044] Fig.13A And Fig. 13B Shows the first perspective view and the second perspective view of the compression assembly in an embodiment.

[0045] Fig. 13C And Fig.13D Respectively show in an embodiment Fig.13A And Fig. 13B The first side view and the second side view of the compression assembly in the retracted configuration and the extended configuration.

[0046] Fig.13E Shows in an embodiment Fig.13A And Fig. 13B Cross-sectional view of the compression assembly.

[0047] Fig.13F Shows in an embodiment Fig.13A And Fig. 13B Exploded view of the compression assembly.

[0048] Fig.14A Shows three views of the pawl in an embodiment, including: (a) rear perspective view; (b) front perspective view; and (c) side view.

[0049] Fig. 14B Shows three views of the inner compression mounting bracket in an embodiment, including: (a) cross-sectional side view; (b) front perspective view; and (c) top view.

[0050] Fig. 14CShows three views of the external compression mounting bracket in the embodiment, including: (a) side view; (b) perspective view; and (c) bottom view.

[0051] Fig.14D Shows three views of the eccentric nut in the embodiment, including: (a) first perspective view; (b) second perspective view; and (c) rear view.

[0052] Fig.14E Shows four views of the actuator bracket in the embodiment, including: (a) first side view; (b) second side view; (c) perspective view; and (d) top view.

[0053] Fig.14F and Figure 14G Show the perspective view and exploded view of the fixed hook assembly in the embodiment respectively.

[0054] Fig.15A Shows the compression assembly, fixed hook assembly and plate assembly of the vibrating screen in the embodiment where the plate assembly is not compressed.

[0055] Fig. 15B Shows in the embodiment where the plate assembly is compressed Fig.15A the compression assembly, fixed hook assembly and plate assembly.

[0056] Fig. 15C Shows in the embodiment where the plate assembly is not compressed Fig.15A and Fig. 15B partial close-up views of the compression assembly and fixed hook assembly.

[0057] Fig.15D Shows in the embodiment Fig.15A and Fig. 15B partial close-up views of the compression assembly and fixed hook assembly compressing the plate assembly of the screening assembly.

[0058] Fig.15E Shows an alternative pawl for the compression assembly and / or fixed hook assembly in the embodiment.

[0059] Fig.15F and Figure 15G Show the radius of curvature of the under-compression screening assembly and the prior art screening assembly in the embodiment respectively.

[0060] Fig.15H Shows in the embodiment Fig.15F end view of the screening assembly being pressed against the base of the under-compression screening machine.

[0061] Fig.15I Shows in the embodiment Figure 15GEnd view of the screening assembly pressed against the base of a prior art screening machine.

[0062] Fig.16A Perspective view showing a part of the vibrator in an embodiment.

[0063] Fig. 16B Showing in an embodiment where the screening surface has been removed Fig.16A A part of the vibrator.

[0064] Fig. 16C Showing in an embodiment where the screening assembly has been removed Fig.16A A part of the vibrator.

[0065] Fig.17A Showing in an embodiment Fig.16A Perspective view of a part of the vibrator.

[0066] Fig. 17B Showing in an embodiment Fig.17A Cross-sectional view of a part of the vibrator shown therein.

[0067] Fig. 17C Showing in an embodiment before compression Fig.17A The pawl and hook of a part of the vibrator shown therein.

[0068] Fig.17D Showing in an embodiment after compression Fig.17A The pawl and hook of a part of the vibrator shown therein.

[0069] Fig.17E And Fig.17F Respectively show the pawl in the uncompressed position and the compressed position in an embodiment.

[0070] Figure 17G Showing another pawl and support plate in an embodiment.

[0071] Fig.18 Showing the support plate of the screening assembly that can be used in combination with two different types of mounting components.

[0072] Fig.19A Perspective view of the screening assembly in an embodiment.

[0073] Fig.19B Showing in an embodiment where a part of the screening surface has been removed Fig. 12A Perspective view of the screening assembly.

[0074] Fig.19C Top view of the support plate of the screening assembly in an embodiment.

[0075] Fig. 20A partial perspective view of a part of the vibrator in the embodiment is shown.

[0076] Fig.21A A detachable handle that can be used to actuated the compression assembly in the embodiment is shown.

[0077] Fig. 21B The embodiment shows Fig.21A how the detachable handle shown is connected to the compression assembly to actuate the compression assembly.

[0078] Fig. 21C A detachable handle that can be used to simultaneously actuate two adjacent compression assemblies in the embodiment is shown.

[0079] Fig.21D The embodiment shows Fig. 21C how the detachable handle shown is connected to two adjacent compression assemblies to actuate the two compression assemblies.

[0080] Fig.21E The embodiment shows how two adjacent compression assemblies are connected to allow double actuation using a single handle.

[0081] Fig.21F A pneumatic compression assembly in the embodiment is shown.

[0082] Figure 21G The embodiment shows Fig.21F a cross-sectional view of the pneumatic compression assembly.

[0083] Fig.22A and Fig. 22B respectively show a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of the compression screening assembly in the embodiment.

[0084] Fig. 22C The embodiment shows a compression assembly and a fixed hook assembly pair Fig.22A and Fig. 22B compressing the screening assembly.

[0085] Fig.23A The embodiment shows a plurality of segmented base supports forming a support track along the wall of the screening machine.

[0086] Fig. 23B A segmented base support in the embodiment is shown.

[0087] Fig.24A and Fig. 24B The embodiment shows installing a base rubber or washer into the base support.

[0088] Fig.24C Two base supports forming a corner interface are shown.

[0089] Fig.24D Shows two base rubbers or gaskets forming an angle seal in an embodiment.

[0090] Fig.25A Shows a screening assembly in an embodiment.

[0091] Fig.25B Shows a screening assembly in an embodiment where a portion of the screening surface has been removed.

[0092] Fig.25C Shows a top view of the support plate of the screening assembly in an embodiment.

[0093] Fig.25D Shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a screening assembly having a multi-layer screening surface in an embodiment.

[0094] Fig.25E Shows how the various parts of the screening surface are connected or in contact with the support plate in an embodiment.

[0095] Fig.26 Is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a synthetic screening assembly having end rods with through compression points.

[0096] Fig. 27 Is a perspective view of the synthetic screening assembly of FIG. 17, showing how the end rods are attached to the screening unit.

[0097] Fig.28 Is FIG. 17 and Fig.18 A perspective view of the synthetic screening assembly shown after the end rods have been coupled to the screening unit.

[0098] FIG. 29A to FIG. 29D Shows a double-deck vibrating screening machine including a variety of different types of screening assemblies.

[0099] FIG. 30A to FIG. 30C Shows how different combinations of different types of screening assemblies are installed together on the vibrating screening machine. Detailed Description

[0100] Material screening involves the use of a vibrating screening machine. The vibrating screening machine is capable of causing the installed screen mesh to vibrate in order to separate the material placed on the screen mesh to the desired level. Oversized material is separated from undersized material. Over time, the screen mesh wears out and needs to be replaced. Therefore, the screen mesh is designed to be replaceable.

[0101] Vibrating screening machines are widely used in various industries and usually bear large vibration forces, which are transmitted to the screen and the screening assembly to make them vibrate. One industrial application is oil and gas drilling, where the screen attached to the vibrator is subjected to a compressive force of 2 - 4 k psi to fix the screen to the vibrator. Then, drill cuttings, rocks, and drilling mud are poured on top of the screen at high temperatures, and the screen is vibrated with a force of 3G to 9G.

[0102] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to various applications, including wet and dry applications, and can be applied to all walks of life. The present disclosure is not limited to the oil and gas industry and the mining industry. The disclosed embodiments can also be used in any industry that requires the use of a vibrating screening machine to separate materials, including pulp and paper, chemical, pharmaceutical, and other industries. In various embodiments, the screening assembly according to the present disclosure is designed to withstand high vibration forces (e.g., acceleration in the range of 3 - 9G), abrasive materials (e.g., fluids with abrasive solids ranging from a few percent to up to 65%), and high load requirements (e.g., fluids with a specific gravity of up to 4). The disclosed screening assembly is also designed to withstand a compressive load of up to 2000 - 4000 pounds at the edge of the screening assembly, as described, for example, in U.S. Patents 7,578,394 and 9,027,760, the entire disclosure of each patent being incorporated herein by reference.

[0103] Vibrating screening machines usually bear large vibration forces, which are transmitted to the screen and the screening assembly to make them vibrate. The screen and / or the screening assembly must be firmly attached to the vibrating screening machine to ensure that the vibration force is transmitted to the screen or the screening assembly and to ensure that the screen or the screening assembly does not fall off the vibrating screening machine. Effectively transmitting the vibration force from the machine to the attached screening assembly is crucial for screening performance. A screening assembly that is not firmly attached to the screening machine will not be able to effectively perform the screening and / or dewatering functions. In addition, when the screening assembly is not firmly fixed to the screening machine, the screening assembly and the screening machine itself will be more prone to wear and breakage.

[0104] Various methods can be used to fix the screen or the assembly to the vibrating screening machine, including clamping, tension mounting, etc. The disclosed compression devices, systems, and methods are designed such that the screening assembly can be firmly attached to the screening machine under operating conditions including the above-mentioned compressive loads, high vibration forces, and the presence of heavy fluids.

[0105] One method of installing the screening assembly to the screening machine is to place the screen or the assembly in a compressed state to fix the screen or the screening assembly in place. The screen or the screening assembly can be placed in the vibrating screening machine such that one side abuts against a part of the vibrating screening machine, while the other side faces the compression assembly. Then, the compression force can be applied to the screen or the assembly using the compression assembly. The compression assembly can be electric or manual.

[0106] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, devices, and methods for securing a screening assembly to a vibratory screening machine. In particular, although non-limiting embodiments, the present disclosure relates to systems, devices, and methods for using a compression assembly to secure a screening assembly to a vibratory screening machine, the compression assembly deflecting the screen into a concave shape / contour.

[0107] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compression assembly that can be used to compressively mount a screen and / or screening assembly to a vibratory screening machine. In some embodiments, the compression mounting mechanism can include a compression piston that bears against a side edge or side surface of the screening assembly and applies a horizontal compression force and a vertical compression force. In other embodiments, the compression mounting mechanism can include an arrangement in which one or more hook members pass through the screening assembly and apply a horizontal force to a side surface or edge surface of the screening assembly, and a downward force to the top surface of the screening assembly. Such embodiments can increase the vertical downward component of the compression force applied to the screen relative to known compression assemblies, thereby improving the attachment of the screening assembly to the screening machine and / or improving the seal between the screening assembly and the screening machine.

[0108] In a compression embodiment, a set of fixed hooks (e.g., wall members or central members) attached to the screening machine extend through a corresponding set of through-compression points (e.g., holes) that extend through the screening assembly inside the screening assembly (e.g., within the perimeter of a support plate of the screening assembly and spaced from a first edge of the support plate). Such fixed hooks can extend from the bottom surface through the screening assembly to the upper surface.

[0109] A set of movable or actuated hooks of one or more compression assemblies disposed along opposing wall members of the screening machine pass through a corresponding set of through-compression points inside the screening assembly (e.g., spaced from a second edge of the screening assembly). Actuation of the compression assembly moves the hooks from a first position (e.g., retracted) to a second position (extended) to apply a horizontal compression force to the screening assembly (e.g., the inner edge of the through-compression point). Actuation of the compression assembly can also apply a downward force to the upper surface of the screening assembly. The combination of the horizontal force and the downward vertical force can deflect the screening assembly into a concave shape and secure the screening assembly to the screening machine.

[0110] Embodiments of the present disclosure can provide a separate compression assembly for each movable or actuated hook of a vibratory screening machine. Each movable or actuated hook has an independent assembly, thereby dispersing the energy required to apply compression over multiple assemblies. In other embodiments, a single compression assembly can actuate two or more movable or actuated hooks.

[0111] The compression assembly may have a detachable handle. A single handle may be used to actuate multiple compression assemblies. The compression assemblies may be attached along the first wall and / or the second wall of the vibratory sieve. The compression assemblies may be attached to the vibratory sieve such that multiple (e.g., two, three, four or more) compression assemblies are configured to engage each sieve and / or screening assembly mounted in the vibratory sieve. By using multiple compression assemblies for a single sieve or screening assembly, the combined clamping force applied by the multiple compression assemblies to the screening assembly increases while the energy required to actuate a single compression assembly remains the same.

[0112] Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 1C FIGS. show non-limiting embodiments of a vibratory sieve 300 with a replaceable screening assembly mounted thereon. More specifically, Figure 1A FIG. shows the fully assembled sieve 300 with two rows of parallel replaceable screening assemblies 320a, 320b, Figure 1B FIG. shows the sieve 300 with the screening assembly removed to show the components below the sieve, Figure 1C FIG. shows a side view of the sieve. In the illustrated embodiment, the sieve 300 uses two sets of replaceable screening assemblies 320a, 320b that are parallel to each other along the length of the sieve 300. Each set of screening assemblies 320a and 320b includes four longitudinally aligned screening assemblies.

[0113] Material is fed into a feed hopper (not shown) and then directed onto the top surfaces 8 of two sets of parallel screening assemblies 320a, 320b. The material flows towards the outlet end 4 of the vibratory sieve 300 in the flow direction 6. The material flowing in the direction 6 is contained within the parallel grooves provided by the sets of parallel screening assemblies 320 and is prevented from flowing out of the sides of the screening assemblies 320. Material that is too small in size and / or fluid passes through the parallel screening assemblies 320a, 320b (hereinafter referred to as 320 unless otherwise specified) into separate discharge material flow paths for further processing. Material that is too large in size is discharged from the outlet end 4. The screening material may be dry material, slurry, etc. The screening assemblies 320 may be inclined downward from the hopper towards the other end in the direction 6 to assist in feeding the material. Alternatively, the screening assemblies may be inclined upward to increase the pool depth and thus increase the contact between the sieve and the screening material.

[0114] The vibratory sieve 300 includes wall members 312a, 312b (hereinafter referred to as 312 unless otherwise specified), a concave support surface 314 (e.g., a partition or a longitudinal beam), a central member 316, an acceleration device 18 (e.g., one or more vibratory motors), multiple screening assemblies 320, and compression assemblies 322. The central member 316 divides the vibratory sieve 300 into two concave screening regions (e.g., double troughs).

[0115] The compression assembly 322 is attached to the outer surface of each wall member 312. However, the vibrating screen may have a concave screening area (e.g., a single trough) sized to accommodate a set of screening assemblies, where the compression assembly is arranged on one wall member. Such a single-trough machine 300A is shown in Figure 1D and uses the same reference numerals to identify like elements. This arrangement may be desirable when space is limited and maintenance and operating personnel have access to only one side of the vibrating screen. The single-trough machine may also be preferred if the screening assembly mounting arrangement benefits from having compression assemblies 322 on both sides of the machine. Although Figures 1A to 1C a vibrating screen 300 is shown having a plurality of longitudinally oriented screening assemblies, thereby forming two parallel concave material paths (e.g., a double trough), the screening assemblies are not limited to this configuration and may be oriented in other ways.

[0116] In Figures 1A to 1C the illustrated screening machine 300, a central member 316 is disposed between the wall members 312 such that the screening machine has two parallel flow paths (e.g., a double-trough design). As shown, each screening assembly 320 includes a first edge disposed adjacent the first wall member 312a or the second wall member 312b and a second edge disposed adjacent the central member 316, the first and second edges forming an abutment surface of the screening assembly. In a single-trough embodiment utilizing a single screening assembly, the central member is omitted such that a single set of screening assemblies extends between the first and second walls of the screening machine 300A. In this arrangement, one wall may include the compression assembly while the other wall forms the abutment surface. In an alternative embodiment, compression assemblies are provided on both walls. In either arrangement, the compression assembly 322 presses the screening assembly 320 against the concave support 314 to deflect the screening assembly 320 into a concave profile.

[0117] Figure 1B A screening machine 300 is shown where one screening assembly has been removed and the screening surface removed from the other screening assembly to expose the underlying porous support plate 324. The configuration of the screening assembly 320 and its support plate 324 will be discussed more fully in the following description. As Figure 1B shown, a plurality of concave support surfaces 314 extend between the first wall 312a and the central support 316. Although not shown, a plurality of concave support surfaces also extend between the second wall 312b and the central support 316. A single-trough machine (e.g., Figure 1D)Similar concave supports extending between the first and second walls can be utilized. As shown, each concave support 314 has a first end attached to the wall member and a second end attached to the central support 316. As shown, the concave supports 314 are evenly spaced and parallel. However, other spacings can also be used.

[0118] The compression assembly of the vibrating screen is typically attached to the outer surface of the wall member and includes a telescoping member that extends and contracts to apply pressure to the screening assembly supported on the base of the screen. The telescoping member can advance and retract in response to manually applied force, pneumatic force, hydraulic force, electric force, and spring force. Figure 2A A partial end view of a prior art double - slot screen 10 is shown. The double - slot screen 10 utilizes a compression assembly 22 attached to the first wall 12 of the machine to compress the screening assembly 20 located between the first wall 12 and the central member 16 of the machine. The compression assembly 20 applies a compressive force to a vertical flange 28 extending above the top surface of the screening assembly 20 using a telescoping member 32 (shown as a pin). Compression of the vertical flange 28 near the first edge of the screening assembly causes the second edge of the screening assembly to press against the central member 16 (or the second wall of a single - slot screen) and deforms the screening assembly 20 into a concave profile against one or more underlying concave support surfaces 14. That is, the screening assembly 20 deforms from a generally flat, undeformed profile (not shown) to Figure 2A the deflected concave profile shown.

[0119] Figure 2B and Figure 2C An end view of a prior art single - slot screen 10A is shown. As shown, the compression assembly 22a attached to the first wall 12a compresses the screening assembly 20a against a stop surface 26 located on the second wall 12b of the machine 10A. Although shown as a generally flat surface, it should be understood that the stop surface 26 can have other configurations, such as but not limited to channels (grooves). The compressive force applied by the compression assembly 22a to the screening assembly 20a causes the screening assembly 20a to deflect into a concave profile against one or more underlying concave support surfaces 14a. The screen and compression assembly according to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,027,760, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0120] Aspects of the present disclosure are based in part on the recognition that compressive forces applied to a vertical flange extending above the edge of a screening assembly do not provide an ideal compressive force for the screening assembly. That is, when compressed, the moment about such a vertical flange and / or the deflection of the vertical flange provide only a limited downward force (i.e., the vertical component of the compressive force) applied to the screening assembly. Additionally, the compressive force applied by the compression assembly 22a to the vertical flange tends to cause the side edges of the support plate to lift upward, away from the wall member and away from the underlying support surface 14a. As a result, fluid and aggregate often accumulate at the screen edge behind the flange, leading to maintenance and contamination issues.

[0121] The relatively small vertical downward component of the compressive force can also result in a poor seal between the screening assembly and the peripheral edge of the screening machine, which can potentially lead to contamination of the screened material. That is, unscreened oversized material may leak out from the outer peripheral edge of the screening assembly and fall into the area for collecting undersized material. Additionally, the relatively small vertical downward component of the compressive force may cause some movement (e.g., wobbling) of the screening assembly relative to the screening machine, increasing wear on the screening assembly and / or the underlying rubber seal base (e.g., gasket) and reducing screening efficiency and / or performance.

[0122] The compression assemblies, screening assemblies, and related methods disclosed herein address the above problems and provide additional benefits. Broadly speaking, the disclosed compression mounting assemblies and screening assemblies allow for an increase in the vertical component of the compressive force applied to the screening assembly while deflecting the screen into a concave profile. Among other advantages, this improves the seal of the screening assembly and / or reduces movement of the screening assembly relative to the underlying support member and seal gasket of the screening machine.

[0123] As noted above, a screening assembly mounted on a vibratory screening machine typically includes a support plate and a screening surface attached to the top of the support plate. Figure 1A Each screening assembly shown therein includes a corrugated screening surface attached to the top surface of the support plate. Figure 1B One of the screening assemblies is shown, where the corrugated screening surface has been removed to expose the underlying support plate 324. As Figure 1B shown, the support plate includes a plurality of holes that allow material that has passed through the screening surface to easily fall through the support plate 324. FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C In the prior art screening assembly shown, a vertical flange 28 extends upward from the side edges of the support plate. As noted above, the compression mechanism of a prior art screening machine bears against the upwardly extending vertical flange 28 to apply a compressive force for mounting the screening assembly to the screening machine.

[0124] The following description discloses various different embodiments of a novel screening assembly and corresponding mounting mechanisms for mounting the screening assembly onto a vibratory screening machine. One embodiment of the novel mounting mechanism applies a compressive force directly to the side edges of a support plate below the screening surface of the screening assembly. Since the compressive force is applied to the side edges of the support plate, the compressive force does not tend to rotate the side edges of the support plate upward and away from the support elements below the screening machine.

[0125] In addition, a compression piston in contact with the side edges of the support plate can apply a greater vertically downward force to the edges of the support plate. In fact, the compression surface of the compression piston abuts against the side edges of the support plate of the screening assembly, such that the compression piston provides a vertical restraint that prevents the side edges of the support plate from moving upward even under the action of high vibration acceleration forces. All of these factors contribute to firmly attaching the screening assembly to the support elements of the vibratory screening machine and help ensure a good seal is formed between the bottom surface of the support plate and a gasket or flange below the screening machine to prevent any material from bypassing the screening surface and contaminating the screened material.

[0126] Figure 3A A support plate 202 of the novel screening assembly is shown. The screening surface will be mounted on top of the support plate 202 to form the screening assembly. The support plate 202 includes a plurality of flow holes 210. Thus, any material passing through the screening surface mounted on top of the support plate 202 can fall downward through the flow holes 210.

[0127] The support plate includes a front edge 202, a rear edge 204, a first side edge 206, and a second side edge 208. A plurality of mounting holes 220 are formed in the first side edge 206 and the second side edge 208. Each mounting hole 220 includes a compression surface 222 located on opposite sides of an alignment slot 224.

[0128] Figure 3B An alternative embodiment of the support plate 202 is shown, which includes a flange 230 extending upward on the side surface of the support plate 202. Through holes 232 are formed in the upwardly extending flange 230 to allow the compression piston to move inward and engage with the mounting holes 220. The upwardly extending flange 230 can provide the benefits discussed below.

[0129] Figure 3C A screening assembly is shown, which includes a screening surface 326 mounted on top of a support 202, as Figure 3B shown. In this embodiment, the screening surface 326 has a corrugated configuration. However, in alternative embodiments, the screening surface can be substantially flat or have other configurations.

[0130] The number and distribution of the mounting holes 220 can be adjusted to achieve various purposes. The mounting holes 220 are typically provided at regular intervals along the side edges 206, 208, and the positions of the mounting holes 220 correspond to the positions of the compression assemblies of the vibrating screen machine.

[0131] 4A to 4D A single-tank vibrating screen machine is shown, which includes a first embodiment of a compression mounting mechanism for fixing the screening assembly to the screen machine. Figure 4A A first perspective view showing a plurality of concave support surfaces 314 is provided, where each concave support surface 314 extends from the first side member 312a to the second side member 312b. The concave support surfaces are arranged from the input end 311 to the output end 313. One or more vibrating motors 18 are mounted on the machine to apply a vibrating force to the machine and ultimately to the screening assembly mounted on the machine.

[0132] A plurality of screening assemblies will be mounted along the length of the vibrating screen machine. Each screening assembly will span the width of the screen machine, extending most of the distance between the first side member 312a and the second side member 312b. A plurality of compression assemblies 322 for fixing the screening assemblies of the screen machine are mounted along the length of the screen machine. In some embodiments, the compression assemblies 322 are mounted outside the first side member 312a and the second side member 312b. In other embodiments, the compression assemblies 322 can be mounted only outside one of the first side member 312a and the second side member 312b. Aspects of these two different configurations will be discussed below.

[0133] Each compression assembly includes a compression piston 240 that extends through the side member 312a / 312b on which the compression assembly is mounted. The compression assembly 322 is capable of causing the compression piston 240 to extend inwardly towards the center of the screen machine and is capable of retracting it backward, away from the center of the screen machine.

[0134] Figure 4E and Figure 4F Only a part of the large vibrating screen machine shown in 4A to 4D is shown. Figure 4E and Figure 4F helps to illustrate how to mount the screening assembly onto the vibrating screen machine. In Figure 4E , the support plate 202 of the screening assembly is shown lowered onto the concave support surface. Note that the complete screening assembly will include a screening surface attached to the top of the support plate 202. The screening surface has been removed, so only the support plate 202 is retained to help explain how to mount the screening assembly onto the vibrating screen machine. In addition, the flow holes 210 are not shown in the support plate 202.

[0135] As Figure 4EAs shown, the side edges of the support plate 202 are aligned with four compression assemblies 322 on the side walls 312a, 312b of the screening machine. Thus, each of the four compression assemblies on each side wall will cause the compression pistons to extend inwardly towards the center of the screening machine to mount and secure the support plate 202 of the screening assembly to the screening machine. The four compression pistons will interact with the corresponding mounting holes 220 of the support plate (as shown in FIG. 3).

[0136] Figure 4F is an enlarged view that provides more details of the support plate 202. As Figure 4F shown, in this embodiment, upwardly extending flanges 230 are provided on the side edges of the support plate 202. However, through holes 232 corresponding to the mounting holes 220 of the support plate 202 are provided in the upwardly extending flanges 230. The through holes 232 allow the compression pistons of the compression assemblies 322 to be pushed inwardly so that they can bear directly against the compression surfaces 222 of the mounting holes 220, as will be explained in more detail below. Thus, the compression pistons of the compression assemblies 322 do not bear against the upwardly extending flanges 230 as in the mechanism shown in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C . Figure 4F shows the temporary position of the support plate 202 before it is pushed downward into alignment with the compression pistons of the compression assemblies 322 during the mounting operation.

[0137] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C shows the screening assembly mounting operation. To assist in explaining the mounting operation, FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B only shows the support plate 202 of the screening assembly. It should be understood that the actual screening assembly will include a screening surface fixed to the top of the support plate 202.

[0138] The triangular mounting ramp 343 (as shown in Figure 4E and FIG. 5A to FIG. 5CAs shown, it is disposed on the side walls 312a, 312b of the vibrating screen. When the screening assembly is installed on the vibrating screen, the installation ramp 343 abuts against the outside of the upwardly extending flange 230 on the side edge of the support plate 220 (if such an upwardly extending flange 230 is provided). If there is no upwardly extending flange 230 on the support plate 202, the installation ramp 343 only abuts against the side edges 206, 208 of the support plate 202. The installation ramp 343 is used to push the side edges 206, 208 of the support plate inward, so that the installation holes 220 are located inside the end of the compression piston of the compression assembly 322. The inward movement of the side edges of the support plate 202 caused by the installation ramp 343 also causes the support plate 202 to bend into a concave shape. Once the support plate 202 assumes a concave shape, the compression piston can more easily cause the support plate 202 to bend further to press the support plate 202 into the installation position. The pre-bending of the support plate 202 can also ensure that when the compression piston engages with the side edge of the support plate, the support plate will continue to bend in the concave direction. In other words, the support plate 202 is pre-bent into a concave shape to eliminate the possibility that the compression piston causes the support plate to bend into a convex shape (where the center of the support plate is away from the vibrating screen).

[0139] The installation operation begins at Figure 5A the position shown in, where the right side edge of the support plate 202 has been lowered above the compression piston of the compression assembly 322, and the compression piston is located in the first side wall 312a of the vibrating screen. Fig. 7A is a partial perspective view of a right corner of the support plate 202 when the support plate 202 is positioned as Figure 5A shown. As Fig. 7A shown, the installation ramp 343 on the outer surface of the upwardly extending flange 230 abutting against the side edge of the support plate 202 pushes the side edge of the support plate 202 inward, so that the support plate 202 can be lowered to a position where the installation hole 220 is aligned and registered with the compression piston 240 of the compression assembly 322.

[0140] As Figure 5B shown, then the left side of the screening assembly is pushed downward, so that the left edge of the support plate 202 is also lowered downward, so that the installation hole 220 on the left side of the support plate 202 is aligned and registered with the compression piston 240 of the compression assembly 322 on the left side wall 312b of the vibrating screen. This involves moving the upwardly extending flange 230 on the left edge of the support plate 202 downward along the installation ramp 343 on the left side wall 312b of the vibrating screen. As a result, the support plate 202 changes from the Figure 5A substantially planar shape shown in to the Figure 5B bent shape shown in.

[0141] Figure 5A and Figure 5B show that the right side of the support plate 202 is lowered in place (as Figure 5A as shown), and then the left side of the support plate 202 is lowered into place (as Figure 5B shown). However, the order of lowering the two sides can be interchanged. Thus, the foregoing description should not be construed as limiting.

[0142] In the final installation step, the compression piston 240 of the compression assembly 322 moves inward. The inward movement of the compression piston 240 causes the compression surface 246 of the compression piston 240 to engage with the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220 on the support plate 202. As Figure 5C shown, the further inward movement of the compression piston 240 exerts a force on the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220, causing the support plate 202 to bend further and be pushed into engagement with the concave support surface 314 below the vibrating screen. Figure 7B shows the state in which the compression piston 240 moves inward and engages with the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220 on the support plate 202. Figure 7B Also shown is that the alignment fingers 244 at the ends of each compression piston 240 move into the alignment slots 224 of the corresponding mounting holes 220 on the support plate 202.

[0143] Fig. 6A shows a perspective view of some elements of an embodiment of a compression assembly 322 for mounting a screening assembly to a vibrating screen. Fig. 6A Also shown are portions of the support structure below the vibrating screen that support the side edges of the screening assembly.

[0144] The compression assembly 322 includes a compression piston 240 slidably mounted in a housing 351. A pivot arm 352 attached to a sleeve 341 is pivotally mounted to the housing 351 by a shaft bolt 353. A spring 345 surrounds the rear of the compression piston 240 and is sandwiched between the pivot arm 352 and a shoulder 245 on the compression piston 240.

[0145] As 4A to 4D shown, the housing 351 includes a mounting bracket 328 configured to be bolted to the sidewall of the vibrating screen. The sidewall of the vibrating screen is not shown in FIG. 6 so that the elements of the compression assembly 322 can be clearly depicted.

[0146] The ends of the compression pistons are configured to extend from the sidewall (not shown) of the vibrating screen and extend above the top of a washer 670 mounted on a base support 380. This allows the ends of the compression pistons 240 to bear against the mounting holes at the side edges of the support plate of the screening assembly. The side edges of the support plate of the screening assembly will rest on the washer 670. One of the functions of the compression assembly 322 is to press the support plate of the screening assembly against the top surface of the washer 670 so as to form a seal between the bottom surface of the support plate and the top surface of the washer 670.

[0147] To actuate the compression assembly 322, a rod can be inserted into the sleeve 341 and the sleeve 341 and the attached pivot arm 352 can be pivoted about the shaft bolt 353. This causes the rear end of the spring 245 to move inward, which in turn causes the front end of the spring 245 to apply an inward force to the shoulder 245 of the compression piston 240, thereby urging the compression piston to move inward. This causes the end of the compression piston 240 to abut against the mounting hole of the support plate of the screening assembly (described in more detail below) and apply a compressive force to the support plate. Once the pivot arm 352 and the sleeve 341 have rotated about the shaft bolt 353 by a sufficient amount, the locking rod 334 can be rotated downward to rest in the locking groove on the pivot arm 352, thereby preventing the pivot arm 352 from rotating in the reverse direction and releasing the pressure applied to the compression piston 240. This arrangement causes the end of the compression piston 240 to apply a compressive force to the support plate. However, the end of the compression piston 240 can remain in various different positions relative to the housing 351 and the side wall to which the housing 351 is attached.

[0148] The pivot arm 352 applies a force to the rear end of the spring 345. The front end of the spring 345 applies a force to the collar 245 of the compression piston 240.

[0149] Figure 6B is a top perspective view of one embodiment of the compression piston 240. Figure 6C is a bottom perspective view of the compression piston 240. As shown in these figures, the slanted upper surface 243 at the top of the compression piston 240 leads to a flat top surface 241. The flat top surface 241 terminates at the end face 242 of the compression piston 240, which is angled relative to the longitudinal centerline of the compression piston 240.

[0150] As Figure 6C shown, a flat bottom surface 248 is provided on the bottom face of the compression piston 240. Two portions of material are removed from the bottom of the end face 242 to form a center alignment finger 244. The portions removed on either side of the alignment finger 244 each include a side compression surface 246 and an upper compression surface 247, which intersect at a compression angle 250. In some embodiments, the side compression surface 246 does not form a perpendicular angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of the compression piston 240, but instead slopes downward and forward towards the end of the compression piston. Similarly, in some embodiments, the upper compression surface 247 is not parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the compression piston 240. Thus, the angle formed at the compression angle 250 can be an obtuse angle.

[0151] When the end of the compression piston 240 engages the mounting hole 220 on the side edge of the support plate 202 of the screening assembly, the alignment fingers 244 extend into the alignment slots 224 of the mounting hole 220. The compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 240 may initially contact the side compression surface 246 or the upper compression surface 247. As the compression piston 240 continues to move inward, the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220 will move along whichever surface they initially engaged until the compression surface 222 comes to rest within the compression angle 250. Then, further inward movement of the compression piston 240 causes the support plate to bend into a concave shape and be pushed into engagement with the underlying support structure on the vibrating screen.

[0152] By confining the compression surface of the mounting hole 220 of the support plate 202 within the compression angle 250 at the end of the compression piston 240, a compressive force can be applied to the mounting hole 220 that includes a horizontal inward component and a vertical downward component. If the compression piston 240 is mounted on the sidewall 312 of the vibrating screen such that its central longitudinal axis is angled downward and inward relative to the support plate 202, the inward movement of the compression piston 240 will create a downward component of the compressive force. However, even if the compression piston is mounted to move horizontally inward, the angled upper compression surface 247 at the end of the compression piston will still create a downward component of the compressive force. As described above, this vertical downward force pushes the support plate 202 into engagement with the underlying sealing gasket 670 on the vibrating screen. During screening operation, when the screening assembly is subject to significant acceleration forces, this vertical downward force can also cause the screening assembly to be firmly attached to the vibrating screen.

[0153] In addition, the upper compression surface 247 on the compression piston 240 acts on the upper edge of the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220, thereby preventing the side edges of the support plate 202 from moving upward relative to the vibrating screen. This ensures that the side edges 206, 208 of the support plate remain in engagement with the underlying sealing gasket 670 on the vibrating screen, regardless of the magnitude of the vibration or acceleration forces applied to the support plate 202.

[0154] The inward movement of the compression piston 240 also applies a compressive force to the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220 that includes a significant horizontal inward component. This inward compressive force causes the support plate 202 to bend into a concave shape. As a result, the bottom surface of the support plate 202 is pressed into engagement with the concave support element on the vibrating screen. Since the inward compressive force is substantially in the plane of the support plate 202 at the side edges, the inward compressive force also does not cause the side edges 206, 208 of the support plate 202 to rotate upward away from the underlying sealing gasket 270. This is one of the problems with prior art compression mounting mechanisms where the compressive force is applied to an upwardly extending flange located on the side of the support plate 202.

[0155] In existing compression installation schemes, when a compression force is applied to the upwardly extending flange, the upwardly extending flange on the side edge of the support plate of the screening assembly does not contain any holes. Thus, when the material to be screened finally lies behind the flange - essentially between the outer surface of the flange and the side wall of the screening machine - it is impossible for the material to re-enter the screening area. In contrast, in the above design, through holes 232 are provided in the flange 230, and any material accumulating between the outer side of the flange and the side wall of the screening machine can pass through the through holes 232 and re-enter the screening area. Additionally, in some embodiments, the upwardly extending flange 230 does not extend the entire length of the support plate or the screening assembly. This means that at the front and rear edges of the upwardly extending flange 230, the material remaining behind the upwardly extending flange 230 can re-enter the screening area. In Fig. 7A an example can be seen where the upwardly extending flange 230 does not extend the entire length of the side edge of the support plate 202 but terminates before the front edge of the support plate 202. These design features help ensure that substantially all of the material deposited on the screening assembly is screened and help prevent material buildup between the flange 230 and the side wall of the screening machine.

[0156] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B shows one side edge of the support plate 202 of the screening assembly abutted against a sealing gasket 670, while the sealing gasket 670 itself is mounted on the side wall of the vibrating screening machine through a gasket support 270. As described above, the compression piston 240 applies a compression force to the mounting hole on the side edge of the support plate 202. The compression force can include a horizontally inward component and a vertically downward component. The vertically downward component pushes the bottom surface of the support plate 202 into engagement with the top surface of the sealing gasket 670. This helps prevent any screened material from bypassing the side edge of the screening assembly and bypassing the screening assembly, thus contaminating the material that has passed through the screening assembly.

[0157] Fig. 7A shows the case where the compression piston 240 is in the retracted state, which allows the support plate 202 to be lowered to the appropriate position on the vibrating screening machine, where the side edge of the support plate 202 rests on the sealing gasket 670. Note that when the support plate 202 is lowered to the appropriate position, the triangular mounting ramp 343 on the side wall of the vibrating screening machine will push the side edge of the support plate 202 inward.

[0158] Figure 7B shows the case where the compression piston 240 moves inward to apply a compression force to the mounting hole on the side edge of the support plate 202. The alignment fingers 244 on the end of the compression piston 240 project into the corresponding alignment grooves 224 on the mounting hole.

[0159] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B An alternative embodiment of the compression piston 440 and the corresponding mounting holes in the support plate are shown. In this embodiment, the compression piston 440 includes triangular alignment fingers that include a first inclined side surface 444a and a second inclined side surface 444b extending from the end face 445. The mounting holes in the support plate include triangular alignment slots formed by a first inclined side edge 424a and a second inclined side edge 424b. When the compression piston 440 moves inward, the triangular alignment fingers are received in the triangular alignment slots.

[0160] The remaining structure of the compression piston 440 and the mounting holes is very similar to the previous example. The mounting holes in the support plate include two compression surfaces 421 located on opposite sides of the triangular alignment slot. The compression surface at the end of the compression piston 440 abuts against the compression surface 421 on the mounting hole to fix the screening assembly to the vibrating screen. The through holes 432 in the upwardly extending side flange 230 are similar in characteristics to the through holes of the previous embodiment.

[0161] Figure 8C and Fig.8D Another embodiment of the compression piston 460 and the corresponding mounting holes in the support plate of the screening assembly is shown. In this embodiment, the compression piston 460 has a circular alignment finger 463 at its distal end. The circular engagement surface 464 on the circular alignment finger 463 is received in and abuts against the circular alignment slot 465 in the mounting hole.

[0162] The remaining structure of the compression piston 460 and the mounting holes is very similar to the previous example. The mounting holes in the support plate include two compression surfaces 466 on opposite sides of the circular alignment slot 465. The compression surface at the end of the compression piston 460 abuts against the compression surface 466 on the mounting hole to fix the screening assembly to the vibrating screen. The through holes 462 in the upwardly extending side flange 230 are similar in characteristics to the through holes of the previous embodiment.

[0163] Fig. 8E and Fig.8F Another embodiment of the compression piston 470 and the corresponding mounting holes in the support plate of the screening assembly is shown. In this embodiment, the through hole in the upwardly extending side flange 230 is formed by two inclined side surfaces 473a, 473b. The portion of the compression piston passing through the through hole in the upwardly extending side flange 230 has a generally triangular cross-section. The inclined side surfaces 472a, 472b at the end of the compression piston 470 generally reflect the shape and angle of the two inclined side surfaces 473a, 473b of the through hole in the upwardly extending flange 230. The interaction between the inclined side surfaces 473a, 473b of the through hole and the inclined side portions 472a, 472b of the compression piston 470 can provide an alignment function, which enables the screening assembly to be correctly positioned on the vibrating screen.

[0164] Since the alignment function as described above can be provided, the mounting holes of the support plate of the screening assembly can include a single linear compression surface 475. In other words, in some embodiments, there is no need to form a separate alignment groove 224 in the mounting holes 220 of the support plate 202. The corresponding compression surfaces 476 and 477 at the ends of the compression piston 470 abut against the single compression surface 475 of the mounting hole to fix the screening assembly to the vibrating screen.

[0165] Figure 8G Shows the end of an alternative embodiment of the compression piston 480, which has a triangular profile similar to the triangular profile shown in Fig. 8E and Fig.8F However, in this embodiment, the end of the compression piston 480 includes alignment fingers 474. Compression surfaces 476 and 477 are formed on both sides of the alignment fingers 474. The alignment fingers 474 are configured to be received in the alignment grooves 224 of the mounting holes 220 of the support plate 202, as shown in Figure 3.

[0166] Figure 8H Shows Figure 8G how the compression piston 480 shown in Figure 8H engages with the support plate to mount the screening assembly to the vibrating screen. As

[0167] shown, each through hole in the upwardly extending side flange 230 includes two inclined side surfaces. The compression piston 480 with inclined sides extends through the through hole. The alignment fingers 474 on the end of the compression piston 480 are received in the alignment grooves 224 of the mounting holes on the support plate. The two compression surfaces on opposite sides of the alignment fingers 474 abut against the compression surface of the mounting hole to fix the support plate and the screening assembly to the vibrating screen.

[0167] In Figure 8H the embodiment shown, the alignment function can be performed jointly by: (1) the interaction between the inclined sides 472a, 472b of the compression piston 480 and the inclined side surfaces 473a, 473b of the through hole; and (2) the engagement between the alignment fingers 474 on the compression piston 480 and the alignment grooves 224 of the mounting holes on the support plate of the screening assembly.

[0168] In some embodiments, the through holes in the upwardly extending side flanges 230 may be configured to be large enough such that there is some clearance between the inclined side surfaces 473a, 473b of the through holes and the inclined sides 472a, 472b of the compression piston 480. However, even with a substantial clearance, the interaction between the compression piston 480 and the through holes will provide a rough alignment function to ensure that the screening assembly is installed in an almost correct position on the vibrating screen machine. Then, when the compression piston 480 is pushed inward, the engagement between the alignment fingers 474 on the compression piston 480 and the alignment slots 224 on the support plate will provide a fine adjustment to the position of the screening assembly on the vibrating screen machine.

[0169] In prior art machines (such as FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C the machine shown therein), the compression piston abuts against an upwardly extending flange on the side of the support plate of the screening assembly, and the screening assembly may be installed in an incorrect position on the vibrating screen machine in the length direction or the material feed direction. The screen may also be tilted or slightly misaligned, which may cause some compression pistons to exert little or no compressive force on the upwardly extending flange, thereby weakening the holding force. In addition, when the screening assembly is installed in a tilted or slightly rotated manner, the screening assembly will not present the correct concave shape, and the bottom of the screening assembly is unlikely to form an effective seal with the lower gasket on the vibrating screen machine.

[0170] In contrast, for the mounting mechanism discussed above and shown in FIGS. 3 to Figure 8H therein, the manner in which the end of the compression piston engages with the mounting hole on the side of the support plate ensures that the support plate and the screening assembly are correctly positioned on the vibrating screen machine in the length direction or the material feed direction. In addition, the engagement between the end of the compression piston and the mounting hole can prevent the screening assembly from being installed in a tilted or slightly rotated manner and ensure that each compression piston actually exerts the correct type of compressive force on the support plate. All these factors contribute to ensuring that the screening assembly is correctly positioned on the vibrating screen machine and that the support plate of the screening assembly is firmly pressed into engagement with the lower gasket of the vibrating screen machine.

[0171] In addition, in prior art machines such as FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C shown therein, the engagement between the compression piston and the upwardly extending flange may permanently deform the flange of the screening assembly. This may result in a holding force exerted by the compression piston that is less than expected. In addition, if the permanently deformed screening assembly is removed and then reinstalled on the vibrating screen machine, it is difficult for maintenance personnel to notice its deformation. Therefore, the force during reinstallation of the screening assembly may be less than expected. In contrast, for the compression assembly discussed above and shown in FIGS. 3 to Figure 8H therein, such permanent deformation is less likely to occur.

[0172] In addition, the screening assembly used in conjunction with the mounting mechanism discussed above (FIGS. 3 to Figure 8H shown) does not require a flange that extends upward, while the mounting systems of the prior art (such as FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C the mounting system shown in ) require a flange that extends upward. This reduces the manufacturing cost, speeds up the assembly process, and makes the screening assembly lighter, thus reducing the transportation cost. In addition, since there are no side flanges, there will be no problem of materials being trapped behind the side flanges, thus improving the screening operation efficiency.

[0173] In 4A to 4D the illustrated vibrating screening machine embodiment, the screening machine has a single trough, and the compression assembly 322 is located on two side walls of the screening machine. In this type of screening machine, a single screening assembly spans the width of the screening area, and a single row of screening assemblies is arranged along the length of the screening machine. This configuration is advantageous as only the compression assembly 322 on one side of the screening machine is required to mount the screening assembly to the screening machine.

[0174] For example, the compression assembly on the first side of the screening machine can be left in the locked position with the compression piston extended. The compression assembly on the second side of the screening machine is opened so that the compression piston on the second side of the screening machine is in the retracted position. Then, a new screening assembly can be installed onto the machine by pushing the first side of the screening assembly downward into the base of the screening machine such that the mounting holes on the first side edge of the support plate of the screening assembly are pushed into engagement with the extended compression piston on the first side of the screening machine. Then the second side of the screening assembly is pushed downward into the base of the screening machine. Then the compression assembly on the second side of the screening machine is actuated such that the compression piston on the second side of the screening machine extends inward, which pushes the screening assembly into engagement with the concave support surface of the screening machine and secures the screening assembly to the screening machine.

[0175] With this type of screening machine configuration, the operator only needs to access one side of the screening machine to install the screening assembly. And since compression assemblies are provided on both sides of the screening machine, the operator can install the screening assembly onto the screening machine from either side of the screening machine. On the other hand, configuring the screening machine in this way means that compression assemblies must be provided on both sides of the screening machine, which increases the cost and complexity of the machine.

[0176] The compression assembly 322 can be provided only on the first side wall of the screening machine instead of on both side walls of the screening machine. The second side wall can include a fixed stop element configured to match the end of the compression piston of the compression assembly mounted on the first side wall. In this configuration, the operator will install the screening assembly from the first side of the screening machine where the compression assembly is provided.

[0177] To install the screening assembly on a machine of this type, the screening assembly is placed on the machine and the second side of the screening assembly is pushed downward into position such that the fixed stop element on the second side wall of the screening machine is aligned with the mounting hole 220 on the second side edge of the support plate 202 of the screening assembly. Then, the first side of the screening assembly is pushed downward such that the mounting hole 220 on the first side of the support plate 202 of the screening assembly is aligned with the end of the movable compression piston 240 of the compression assembly 322 on the first side wall of the screening machine. Then, the compression assembly 322 on the first side wall of the screening machine is actuated. Actuation of the compression assembly on the first side of the screening machine causes the compression piston to be pushed into engagement with the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220 on the first side of the support plate 202. Further inward movement of the compression piston also causes the compression surface 222 of the mounting hole 220 on the second side of the support plate 202 to be pushed into engagement with the fixed stop surface. Further advancement of the compression piston will cause the support plate 202 to bend and be pressed into engagement with the support surface of the screening machine.

[0178] The fixed stop surface can be rigidly mounted to the side wall of the screening machine. Alternatively, the fixed stop surface can be configured to provide a degree of compliance. When the fixed stop surface provides a degree of compliance, an element simulating the end of the movable compression piston is able to move elastically relative to the side wall of the vibrating screening machine. Fig.9A and Fig. 9B An example of a fixed stop element providing compliance is shown.

[0179] Fig.9A A fixed compression piston assembly 239 is shown, which can be mounted outside the side wall of the vibrating screening machine. The bolt holes 269 in the housing 268 of the fixed compression piston assembly 239 can be used to attach the assembly to the side wall of the vibrating screening machine. The fixed compression piston assembly 239 includes an elastically mounted compression piston 260 that extends through a circular hole in the housing 268. When the fixed compression piston assembly 239 is mounted outside the side wall of the vibrating screening machine, the end of the compression piston 260 will extend through a hole in the side wall into the interior of the vibrating screening machine.

[0180] As Fig. 9B shown, a compression spring 261 is mounted around the rear of the compression piston 260. The first end of the spring 261 abuts against a collar 262 of the compression piston. The second end (opposite end) of the spring abuts against a flange assembly 267. The flange assembly 267 includes an external thread 269 that engages an internal thread on the inner bore of the cylindrical portion 265 of the housing 268. This secures the compression spring 261 within the cylindrical portion 265 of the housing.

[0181] The compression piston 260 can slide inwardly into the housing 268, which causes the spring 261 to be compressed. Depending on how the fixed compression piston assembly 239 is adjusted, when no force acts on the end of the compression piston 260, the compression spring 261 acting on the collar 262 can push the compression piston 260 outward until the collar 262 rests on the end of the cylindrical portion 265 of the housing 268.

[0182] The nut 266 is screwed onto the threaded rear end of the compression piston 260. The nut 266 can be rotated to adjust the position of the compression piston 260 within the housing 268. Thus, when no force is applied to the end of the compression piston 260, the collar 262 can be spaced apart from the end of the cylindrical portion 265 of the housing.

[0183] 4A to 4D The single-slot vibrating screen machine shown may include a plurality of compression assemblies 322 on a first sidewall and a plurality of fixed compression piston assemblies (as Fig.9A and Fig. 9B shown) on a second, opposite sidewall. Figure 1A and Figure 1B The double-slot vibrating screen machine shown may include a plurality of compression assemblies mounted on the first and second outer sidewalls of the screen machine, wherein the fixed compression piston assemblies are mounted on both sides of the central stop 316.

[0184] In the foregoing examples, the compression assembly 322 having a compression piston is used to mount a screening assembly that includes a support plate and a screening element mounted on top of the support plate. The same basic compression assembly can also be used to mount different types of screening assemblies to the vibrating screen machine.

[0185] An alternative type of screening assembly is formed by a plurality of individual screening units that are attached to each other to form a complete screening assembly. Each individual screening unit may include a support structure and one or more screening elements mounted on the support structure. Each support structure may include attachment elements for coupling to other support structures so that a plurality of screening units can be attached to each other to form a complete screening assembly. Both the support structure and the screening elements can be formed by injection molding plastic or synthetic materials. Examples of such screening assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Patents 9,409,209, 9,884,344, 10,046,363, 10,259,013, 10,576,502, 10,835,926, 10,843,230, 10,981,197, 10,994,306, 10,960,438, 10,974,281, 10,933,444, 10,967,401, 11,413,656, 11,161,150, 11,000,882, 11,426,766, 11,638,933, 11,417,913, 11,446,704, and 11,471,914, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0186] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C Shows how to use a compression assembly 322 (including a compression piston 240) to mount another screening assembly on a vibrating screen, the other screening assembly being formed by connecting together screening units formed of an injection-molded support structure and injection-molded screening elements. FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C Only a part of the entire screening assembly is shown to help clearly describe how the installation process proceeds. In FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C only the support elements of a part of the entire screening assembly are depicted. The screening elements will be mounted on top of the support elements shown in FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C Shown.

[0187] Fig. 10B Shows that a part of the entire screening assembly is formed by connecting together a plurality of planar support elements 281 and a plurality of pyramidal support elements 280. Fig. 10B Best shown in, each support element 280 / 281 includes an attachment member that allows the respective support elements to be attached to each other. The attachment member includes a protruding clip 284 and a clip hole 283. The clip hole 283 on the first support element receives the clip 284 of the second adjacent support element to connect the support elements together. FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C Shows a plurality of flat support elements 282 connected end to end to form an elongate strip of two flat support elements 282. A plurality of pyramidal support elements 280 are connected end to end to form an elongate strip of pyramidal support elements 280. Then, the sides of the elongate strip of pyramidal support elements 280 are connected to the sides of the elongate strip of two flat support elements 281 to form a part of the complete screening assembly. As described above, the screening elements (not shown) will be mounted on top of the support elements.

[0188] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C Also shown is that the left edge of the screening assembly includes a binder bar 282. The binder bar 282 includes the same protruding clips and clip holes as the support elements 280, 281. Thus, the clips and clip holes on the binder bar 282 can be attached to the corresponding clips and clip holes on the elongate strip of flat support elements 281 forming the left side of the screening assembly. The complete screening assembly will include another binder bar mounted along the opposite side edge of the screening assembly.

[0189] A plurality of mutually attached support elements can form a "support member" of the screening assembly. In some embodiments, the support member may also include a binder bar attached to the sides of the assembled support elements. As described above, the screening elements are attached to the top surface of the connected support elements to form a complete screening assembly.

[0190] The multiple support elements and possible clamping strips attached together are roughly equivalent to the support plate of the screening assembly in the previous example. In the following description, the terms "support plate" and "support member" are used interchangeably to refer to the part of the screening assembly that interacts with the mounting mechanism to fix the screening assembly to the vibrating screen.

[0191] As Fig. 10C shown, mounting holes 284 are formed on the outer edge of the clamping strip 282. The mounting holes 284 are configured to receive the end of the compression piston 240 of the compression assembly 322 of the vibrating screen. To mount such a screening assembly to the vibrating screen, the complete screening assembly with clamping strips on the opposite side edges is placed on the machine such that the mounting holes 284 on the clamping strips are aligned with the compression piston 240 of the compression assembly. Then the compression piston is moved inward into the mounting holes 284 of the clamping strip 282. The way the end element of the compression piston engages with the surface inside the mounting hole is substantially the same as the way of connecting the first type of screening assembly described above. This can include alignment fingers 244 on the compression piston 240 that are received in the alignment grooves 285 of the mounting holes 284. The end face of the compression piston can abut against either or both of the lower compression surface 286 and the upper compression surface 287 of the mounting hole 284. This allows the compression piston 240 to apply a horizontally inward force and a vertically downward force to the clamping strip 282 and the rest of the screening assembly. These forces push the bottom surface of the screening assembly into engagement with the support structure of the vibrating screen below the screening assembly.

[0192] Of course, compression assemblies 322 with movable compression pistons 240 can be provided on opposite sides of the vibrating screen such that the movable compression pistons 240 engage with the clamping strips on the opposite sides of the screening assembly. Alternatively, such a screening assembly can be used in a vibrating screen where a fixed compression piston assembly as Fig.9A and Fig. 9B shown is used on one side of the screening assembly.

[0193] In some embodiments, the clamping strip 282 can also be made of a synthetic material or a plastic material by injection molding or other forming techniques. In alternative embodiments, the clamping strip can be a composite structure that includes some injection-molded plastic or synthetic elements and reinforcing members made of metal or fiberglass. The reinforcing members will be configured to help distribute the compression force applied by the compression piston over the entire side of the screening assembly. Additionally, the clamping strip can be formed of a metal material.

[0194] In some embodiments, the mounting holes 284 may be configured to receive the same type of compression pistons that are used with other types of screening assemblies, such as the screening assembly including the metal support plate described above. In alternative embodiments, the mounting holes 284 may be configured to receive the ends of compression pistons of different sizes and / or shapes. For example, the mounting holes 284 of the clamping strip 282 may include larger compression surfaces 286, 287 to allow a certain amount of compression force to be distributed over a larger area. This may require the use of compression pistons with different larger surfaces to mount such screening assemblies on the vibrating screen. Alternatively, an end cap with a larger compression surface may be mounted on the end of the compression piston designed to be used with the first type of screening assembly described above. Here, the end cap mounted on the end of the compression piston will also be configured to distribute a certain amount of compression force over a larger area than in the first embodiment described above.

[0195] In some embodiments, the clamping strip 282 may be constructed such that the mounting holes 284 are made of a material that is stronger than the other parts of the clamping strip 282. This can be achieved by inserting a hard plastic or metal insert into the hole in the clamping strip to form the mounting hole 284, or the entire clamping strip 282 may be formed of metal.

[0196] The second type of screening assembly and compression mounting mechanism utilize a compression mechanism that passes through the mounting holes in the support plate from the lower side of the screening element. Fig.11A FIG. 8 shows an end view and a partial end view of a double - slot screening machine 300 including this second type of compression mounting mechanism. As described above, the double - slot screening machine 300 includes two parallel screening assemblies 320a, 320b (hereinafter referred to as 320 unless otherwise specifically mentioned), which are disposed between the inner surfaces of spaced - apart wall members 312a, 312b (hereinafter referred to as 312 unless otherwise specifically mentioned). The central member 316 divides the screening machine 300 into two parallel screening regions. Each screening assembly 320 includes a first edge disposed adjacent to the wall member 312 and a second edge disposed adjacent to the central member 316. The compression assembly 322 presses each screening assembly against the underlying concave support 314. A washer 317 (e.g., rubber or other compressible material) may be disposed on the concave upper surface of each support 314. Thus, when the compression assembly 322 compresses the screening assembly 320 into a concave profile, the bottom surface of the screening assembly (e.g., the bottom surface of the support plate 324) may bear against the washer 317 on the upper surface of the concave support 314, thereby forming a seal between the screening assembly and the screening machine. The width of the washer may allow the sealing of the interface between two longitudinally disposed screening assemblies.

[0197] As Fig.11AAs shown, one of the screening assemblies 320b has a screening surface 326 that covers a porous support plate 324 below, while the other screening assembly 320a does not have a screening surface. In use, each screening assembly will include a screening surface. Although shown as a undulating or corrugated surface, it should be understood that the screening surface can have other configurations (e.g., substantially flat). The screening surface can be made of woven mesh material, metal, and / or synthetic materials such as polyurethane, thermoplastic polymers (e.g., polyurethane), and thermosetting polymers, but is not limited thereto. Each screening assembly also includes a porous support plate 324 below.

[0198] Figures 1A to 1C , Figure 11A and Figure 11B The embodiment of the screening machine 300 in Figures 12B to 12C utilizes a so-called "compressed" arrangement to horizontally compress each screening assembly (e.g., against a central support or a second wall) and vertically press it against a concave support. In the illustrated embodiment of the compressed assembly, the compression assembly 322 on the wall member 312a includes a movable / actuated pawl 336 that extends through a set of corresponding through-compression points 350a disposed near the first edge 340 of the support plate 324 (see, for example, Figures 12B to 12C ). Each pawl 336 generally includes one or more hooks for engaging the support plate 324 of the screening assembly. More particularly, the pawl 336 and its hooks engage the through-compression points 350a inside the outer edge of the support plate 324 located below the screening assembly. The through-compression points 350a are spaced apart from the first edge 340 of the support plate 324. When the screening assembly is installed on the screening machine, the pawl 336 extends from the bottom surface of the support plate 324 through the through-compression points 350a of the support plate 324 to the upper surface of the support plate 324. Actuation of the compression assembly 322 causes the pawl 336 to move between a first position (e.g., retracted) and a second position (e.g., extended). In the extended position, the hooks supported by the pawl 336 apply a compression force that has both a horizontal component applied to the edge surface of the through-compression points 350a and a vertical downward component applied to the upper surface of the support plate 324. See also Figure 15A and Figure 15B . These forces may cause the screening assembly to deflect into a concave shape while fixing the screening assembly to the screening machine.

[0199] It is noted that the pawl 336 applies the downward component of the compression force to the top surface of the support plate 324, which is supported between its side edges 340, 342 before compression (see, for example, Figure 15A)。Applying such a force between the support side edges of the plate provides a multiplication effect for the downward force, as compared to existing systems that apply a compressive force to the edges of such a screening assembly and require the plate to "bend" to deflect into a concave profile. That is, the distance between plate edges 340 and 342 and the location where pawl 336 engages plate 324 provide a moment arm for the downward applied force.

[0200] Referring again to Figure 11A and Figure 11B , a set of fixed hook assemblies 330 (only one is shown) are attached to the central member 316, and each fixed hook assembly has a fixed pawl 336 having one or more hooks that extend through a corresponding set of through-compression points 350b disposed near the opposite edge 342 of the support plate 324. See also Figure 4C . The fixed pawl 336 passes through the through-compression point 350b of the support plate 324 and extends from the bottom surface to the upper surface of the support plate 324. Although the use of fixed pawls on the central member 316 (or a second wall in other embodiments) is discussed herein, it should be understood that in various embodiments, the second edge 342 of the support plate 324 can engage a stop or stop surface (e.g., a channel) on the central member / second wall and the screening machine, thereby omitting the fixed pawls and / or hooks.

[0201] Figure 12A , 12B12C and 12C respectively show top views of the screening assembly 320 in the embodiment, the screening assembly 320 with a portion of the screening surface 326 removed, and the support plate 324. In the embodiment, the top surface of the screening assembly 320 may include an optional handle 305 for mounting the screening assembly in a screening machine. As shown, the support plate 324 of the screening assembly 320 is generally rectangular, having a first edge 340, a second edge 342, a first end 344, and a second end 346. These edges and ends together define the perimeter of the plate. The plate 324 is typically formed of sheet metal, but other materials are possible. The support plate 324 includes a plurality of flow holes 348 that extend through the body of the plate within the support plate defined by the edges and ends (e.g., within its perimeter). The flow holes 348 are configured to allow undersized material that supports the screening surface to pass through the support plate 324. Although the flow holes 348 shown in the figure are rectangular, it is understood that the size, shape, and distribution of the flow holes on the support plate 324 can be diverse. A plurality of through compression points 350a, 350b (hereinafter 350 unless otherwise specifically mentioned) are arranged along the first edge 340 and the second edge 342 of the support plate 324 and are spaced apart from the first edge 340 and the second edge 342. As described above and herein, the through compression points 350 are used to fix the screening assembly to the screening machine. More particularly, the inner edge of each through compression point 350 (e.g., relative to the center line A-A' of the support plate 324) provides a contact or compression surface, and horizontal and / or vertical forces are applied to the inside of the plate through the contact or compression surface. The contact or compression surface can be set substantially vertically (e.g., perpendicular to the upper surface of the support plate 324) or at a predetermined angle. See, for example Figure 17G 。

[0202] As Figure 12A and Figure 12B shown, the screening surface 326 is shown as a undulating or corrugated surface. However, it should be understood that the screening surface 326 can have other configurations (e.g., substantially flat). The screening surface 326 can be made of woven mesh material, metal, and / or synthetic materials such as polyurethane, thermoplastic polymers (e.g., polyurethane), and thermosetting polymers, but is not limited thereto. When using woven mesh material, the screening surface 326 can include one or more layers of woven mesh material. Such woven mesh material can be attached to the support plate 324 by gluing, welding, and mechanical fastening. Below in connection with Figures 25A to 25EThe discussion of such multi-layer woven wire screens is provided by the discussion in

[0203] In the illustrated embodiment, the through-compression point 350 is generally T-shaped, and each through-compression point has a generally rectangular opening (e.g., a first hole portion) that has an alignment slot 354 (e.g., a second hole portion) extending from the center of the inner edge (e.g., relative to the centerline A-A of the support plate 324). See Figure 12B , 12C and 12D. The alignment slot 354 is configured to receive an alignment element or joint of the pawl 336 of the compression assembly or the fixed hook assembly.

[0204] In Figure 12E the embodiment, the engagement of the through-compression point 350 with the movable pawl 336 of the compression assembly is shown. The operation of the fixed hook assembly is substantially the same and is omitted here for simplicity. See Figure 11B and Figures 12B to 12E As shown, the alignment slot 354 receives an alignment joint 338 disposed between the two hooks 332a, 332b of the pawl 336. As shown, the support plate 324 may include a plurality of through-compression points 350, each through-compression point including an alignment slot 354. In the illustrated embodiment, each side of the support plate 324 includes four through-compression points 350, each through-compression point having an alignment slot 354. When the support plate 324 is positioned in the sieve machine, the alignment joint 338 of the pawl 336 of the compression assembly 322 is located in the alignment slot 354 of the through-compression point 350 disposed along the first edge 340 of the support plate 324, and the alignment joint 338 of the pawl 336 of the fixed hook assembly 330 is located in the alignment slot 354 of the through-compression point 350 disposed along the first edge 340 of the support plate 324.

[0205] The joint alignment slots 354 and the alignment joints 338 provide a positive positioning system for the screening assembly 320. That is, once the joint 338 is positioned through the alignment slot 354 in the screening assembly, the position of the screening assembly 320 along the longitudinal length of the screening machine (i.e., along the length of the wall) is necessarily correct, thus eliminating the need to manually position the screening assembly along the length of the screening machine as in the past. Due to the alignment means, the correct positioning of the screening assembly can prevent adjacent screening assemblies from jamming together or separating from each other during use, leaving a gap. The correct positioning also ensures that the screening assembly is not inappropriately compressed, which may cause damage. In addition, the correct positioning can better align the screening assembly with the gasket below, thus providing a better seal. Moreover, since the alignment means reduces the need for completely manual positioning of the screening assembly, the time required to install a set of screening assemblies is shortened.

[0206] The T-shaped through-compression point 350 also provides first and second contact or compression surfaces 356a, 356b, which are disposed on both sides of the alignment slot 354. In use, this allows the double hooks 332a, 332b of the movable pawl 336 of the compression assembly or the double hooks of the fixed pawl of the fixed hook assembly to engage on both sides of the alignment slot. This arrangement can provide good contact between the screening assembly and the hook / pawl, thus allowing a strong compression force to be applied.

[0207] Although each through-compression point 350 is shown as having an alignment slot 354, it is understood that a first subset of the through-compression points 350 may include the alignment slot 354, while a second subset of the through-compression points 350 does not have an alignment slot. The alignment slot 354 is shown as extending inwardly from the inner edge of the through-compression point 350. Although shown as being disposed at the center of the through-compression point 350, it is further understood that the position of the alignment slot 354 may vary along the length of the through-compression point 350. In addition, it is understood that the alignment slot 354 may extend from the outer edge of the through-compression point 350 and / or the upper and lower ends of the through-compression point 350. In this regard, the through-compression point 350 may have different shapes (e.g., shapes other than T-shaped). In any configuration, the first part of the through-compression point 350 has a first part (e.g., a first hole part) and a second part (e.g., a second hole part), the first part having one or more inner edges (e.g., relative to the center line AA of the support plate 324), so as to apply a horizontal and / or vertical compression force to the support plate 324, and the second part being capable of accommodating an alignment element. The second part of the through-compression point (e.g., the second hole part) generally has one or more side walls transverse to the inner edge of the first hole part. Based on similar principles, other shapes of through-points, such as L-shaped or cross-shaped through-points, etc., may also be employed.

[0208] Figures 13A to 13FAn embodiment of a compressed compression assembly 322 is shown. The compressed compression assembly 322 is configured to pass a mating member (e.g., a pawl and / or a hook) and an alignment member (a joint) through the bottom of a screening assembly to align the screening assembly with a screening machine, and to apply a horizontal force to a side surface or an edge surface of the screening assembly and a downward force to a top surface of the screening assembly. More particularly, Figure 13A and Figure 13B A first perspective view and a second perspective view of the compression assembly 322 in an embodiment are shown; Figure 13C and Figure 13D A first side view and a second side view of the compression assembly 322 in a retracted and an extended configuration in an embodiment are shown, respectively; Figure 13E A cross-sectional view of the compression assembly 322 in an embodiment is shown; Figure 13F An exploded view of the compression assembly 322 in an embodiment is shown.

[0209] As Figures 13A to 13F shown in various ways, the compression assembly 322 has an outer compression mounting bracket 370 configured to be attached to an outer surface of a wall member of a vibrating screening machine. The compression assembly 322 further includes an inner compression mounting bracket 372 configured to be attached to an inner surface of a wall member of the vibrating screening machine. The brackets 370, 372 are designed to be mounted face-to-face with a wall member located therebetween (not shown). The brackets 370, 372 can be bolted together through the wall member. As further discussed below, the compression mounting brackets 370, 372 together define an internal actuator rod journal that houses an actuator pin or rod 374 that passes through a hole in the wall member (not shown). A pawl 336 is attached to a front end or a distal end of the actuator rod 374. As shown, when the assembly 322 is mounted to a vibrating screening machine, the actuator rod 374 is arranged at a downward angle “α” (e.g., an inclination angle) with respect to a horizontal plane (see, for example, Figure 13E ). This inclination angle facilitates applying a downward force to the screening assembly when extending the pawl 336 of the compression assembly. In some embodiments, the inclination angle α is between about 0° and 20°. In some embodiments, the inclination angle α is between about 1° and 10°.

[0210] In Figures 13A to 13F , the actuator pin or rod 374 is shown as a cylindrical pin or rod. However, in alternative embodiments, the actuator pin or rod can have other cross-sectional shapes. For example, the actuator pin or rod can have a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape or a hexagonal cross-sectional shape, as well as various other cross-sectional shapes. Additionally, the diameter of the actuator pin or rod 374 can vary along the length of the actuator pin or rod. Thus, the description of the actuator pin or rod provided herein should not be considered limiting.

[0211] The actuator bracket 376 is attached to the outer wall compression mounting bracket 370. The attachment of the actuator bracket 376 can be accomplished by bolts, pins, or other shafts (not shown) that extend through aligned holes in the actuator bracket 376 and the outer compression mounting bracket 370. Thus, the actuator bracket 376 can rotate relative to the outer compression bracket 370 about an axis formed by the bolt connection. The actuator bracket 376 is attached to the rear end of the actuator rod 374 by an extension arm 378 that pivotally engages the rod 374 by first and second pins 371 that fit within side notches 375 in the rod 374. A compression spring 384 is disposed within a journal defined by the compression mounting bracket and around the actuator rod 374. More particularly, the spring 384 is configured to extend between the extension arm 378 of the actuator bracket 376 and a collar 377 disposed around the actuator rod 374. The spring 384 is configured to hold the actuator rod and the attached pawl in a retracted position when in an uncompressed state.

[0212] The actuator bracket 376 also includes a sleeve 379 that is configured to receive the first end of a handle (see, for example Figure 21A ). A downward and rotational force can be applied to such a handle to compress the compression spring 384 through the extension arm 378 and to advance the actuator rod 374 inwardly, thereby moving the pawl 336 that is fixedly attached to the front end of the actuator rod 374 from a retracted position to a compressed position or an extended position (see Figure 13D ). The compression assembly 322 can be locked in the compressed position by engaging the locking tab 392 of the locking latch 390 with a latch stop 394 formed in the actuator bracket 376. See also Figure 14E . That is, when the actuator bracket 376 is in the compressed configuration, the locking latch 390 can be rotated downward to engage the locking tab 392 with the latch stop 394 of the actuator bracket 376. The compression assembly 322 can be released or unlocked by applying a downward force on the handle (not shown) until the locking tab 392 of the latch 390 can freely rotate away from the latch stop 394 of the actuator bracket 376, thereby allowing the compression pawl 336 to retract.

[0213] Figure 14A Three views of the pawl 336 in an embodiment are shown, including: (a) a rear perspective view; (b) a front perspective view; and (c) a side view. The pawl 336 is configured for use in conjunction with Figures 12A to 12C the screening assembly shown, which includes a through-compression point 350 having a positioning slot 354 for receiving an alignment joint. The pawl 336 includes a first hook 332a and a second hook 332b and an alignment joint 338. In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment joint 338 is integrally formed with and disposed between the first hook 332a and the second hook 332b.

[0214] The contact surfaces (e.g., hook surfaces) 337 of each of the hooks 332a, 332b are arranged at an acute angle Θ relative to the generally flat upper surface of the screening assembly (e.g., prior to compression). The contact surface 337 can include two or more flat surfaces, each flat surface being oriented at a different angle relative to the flat upper surface of the screening assembly. The contact surface 337 can also be curved or arcuate. In one embodiment, the included angle Θ is between about 5° and 85°. In another embodiment, the included angle Θ is between about 15° and 75°. In yet another embodiment, the included angle Θ is between about 50° and 60°. The acute angle of the contact surface 337 of the pawl 336 facilitates applying a downward force to the screening assembly as the pawl 336 advances.

[0215] In the illustrated embodiment, the first hook 332a, the second hook 332b, and the joint 338 are mounted on the first leg of the L-shaped bracket 502, and the second end of the L-shaped bracket 502 is attached to the mounting element 504. The shape of the bracket 502 allows the contact surfaces 337 of the hooks 332a, 332b to extend above the compression assembly and extend through and engage the upper support plate. The bracket 502 also allows engagement of the through-compression point 350 located near the edge of the support plate 324. Although engagement inside the support plate 324 is beneficial, it has been found that an excessive spacing between the through-compression point 350 and the edges 340, 342 of the support plate 324 may result in a reduction in the compression force along the edges 340, 342 of the support plate 324.

[0216] The mounting element 504 includes a hole 506 for attaching the pawl 336 to the distal end of the actuator rod 374 via an attachment element 381 such as a bolt. See, for example Figure 13E .. This attachment allows for easy replacement of the pawl 336, which is a component that wears during machine operation. Additionally, since the compression assembly and the pawl 336 are located below the screening assembly, these components are removed from the fluid pool at the top of the screening assembly, which helps to further reduce wear on these components.

[0217] In the illustrated embodiment, joint 338 extends vertically above double hooks 332a, 332b. Additionally, the top inner edge of joint 338 forms an angled or inclined surface 362. As described above, when joint 338 engages with alignment slots 354 in the screening assembly, it ensures correct longitudinal positioning of the screening assembly along the length of the sidewall of the screening machine. The use of the inclined surface 362 on joint 338 of the compression assembly and the corresponding inclined surface on joint 338 of the relatively fixed hook assembly ensures correct lateral positioning between the sidewalls of the screening machine (or the sidewalls and the central member). More specifically, support plate 324 can be fixed to joint 338 of the compression assembly and slide downward along inclined surface 362. The same process occurs with the engagement of joint 338 of fixed hook 336. Thus, the positioning of support plate 324 between the wall members or between the sidewall and the central member is necessarily correct. This can allow edges 340, 342 of support plate 324 to be correctly positioned on gaskets 319, 329 that cover the support surfaces which support the edge surfaces 340, 342 of support plate 324. See Figure 15A and Figure 15B . This positioning can improve the seal between the screening assembly and the screening machine. Additionally, the positioning of the screening assembly provided by the alignment means reduces the time required to install a set of screening assemblies.

[0218] Figure 14B Three views of inner compression mounting bracket 372 in an embodiment are shown, including: (a) a cross-sectional side view; (b) a front perspective view; and (c) a top view. Inner compression mounting bracket 372 includes a base plate 516 configured to be attached to the inner wall of the screening machine. A hollow journal housing 518 extends from base plate 516. The size of the hollow interior 510 of journal housing 518 is designed to accommodate actuator rod 374 and surrounding spring 384. See also Figure 13E . The hollow interior 510 of journal housing 518 includes a stepped portion 512 with a reduced diameter. When assembling the actuator assembly, a collar 377 disposed around actuator rod 374 abuts against stepped portion 512.

[0219] In an embodiment, inner compression mounting bracket 372 includes a first alignment guide 514a and a second alignment guide 514b fixed to the upper surface of journal housing 518. When the compression assembly is assembled (see, for example, Figure 13A and Figure 13B ), these guides 514a, 514b are disposed on opposite sides of the L-shaped bracket 502 of pawl 336 (see, for example, Figure 14A)。The guide members 514a, 514b provide stability to the pawl 336 as it moves between the retracted and extended positions. Further note that using the L-shaped bracket 502 and the guide members 514a, 514b allows the pawl 336 to engage the screening assembly closer to its peripheral edge while the inner portion of the compression assembly is disposed below the pawl 336 and the screening assembly.

[0220] Figure 14C Three views of the outer compression mounting bracket 370 in an embodiment are shown, including: (a) a side view; (b) a perspective view; and (c) a top view. The outer compression mounting bracket 370 includes a base plate 520 configured to be attached to the outer wall of the screening machine and, in one embodiment, the base plate 520 is configured to be attached to the inner compression mounting bracket 372. The base plate 520 includes a base plate hole 522 through which the actuator rod 374 and the surrounding spring 384 can pass. When the compression assembly is assembled, a journal bearing or a rear bearing 524 receives the rear end of the actuator rod 374. See also FIG. 5E. The outer bracket 370 also includes mounting holes 526 that are transverse to the base plate hole 522 and the rear bearing 524. The mounting holes 526 provide a location for pivotally attaching the actuator bracket 376 to the outer compression mounting bracket 370. In addition, the outer compression mounting bracket 370 includes studs 528 for mounting the locking latch 390 to the outer bracket 376. The stud 528 includes a circular bottom 530 and a hexagonal portion 532. As discussed further below, the stud 528 engages an eccentric nut to which the locking latch 390 is attached. Note that when the compression assembly is assembled, adding the rear bearing 524 provides additional support for the actuator rod 374. That is, the front end of the actuator rod 374 is supported inside the inner compression mounting bracket 372 while the rear end of the actuator rod 374 is supported by the rear bearing 524. This reduces the non-linear movement of the actuator rod 374, thereby reducing wear and extending the life of the actuator rod 374.

[0221] Figure 14D Three views of the eccentric nut in an embodiment are shown, including: (a) a first perspective view; (b) a second perspective view; and (c) a rear view. The eccentric nut 540 is configured to attach the locking latch 390 to the stud 528 of the outer compression mounting bracket 370. The eccentric nut 540 includes a first cylindrical outer surface 542 sized to fit within the corresponding hole 396 of the locking latch. See also Figure 13F。During assembly, the locking latch 390 rotates about its outer surface. The eccentric nut 540 also includes a second cylindrical outer surface 544 that forms a retaining lip around the first cylindrical surface 542. When the eccentric nut 540 is fixed to the outer bracket stud 528, this retaining lip holds the locking latch 390 in place. The eccentric nut 540 includes two hollow inner portions, a circular portion 546, and a hexagonal portion 548. The circular portion 546 of the nut 540 is configured to fit over and around the circular portion 530 of the outer bracket stud 528, while the hexagonal portion 548 of the eccentric nut 540 is configured to fit over and around the hexagonal portion 532 of the outer bracket stud 528. The hollow inner portion of the eccentric nut 540 is offset from the central axis of the outer cylindrical surface of the nut 540. When the eccentric nut 540 engages with the stud 528 (see Figure 14C ), the mating hexagonal portions prevent the eccentric nut 540 from rotating. Additionally, by selecting the orientation of the eccentric nut 540 relative to the stud 528, the position of the outer surface 542 about which the locking latch 390 rotates can be adjusted. This adjustment can allow for fine-tuning of the latch and / or spring compression.

[0222] Figure 14E Four views of the actuator bracket 376 in an embodiment are shown, including: (a) a first side view; (b) a second side view; (c) a perspective view; and (d) a top view. The actuator bracket 376 is attached to the outer compression mounting bracket 370 by bolts or pins passing through holes 383 that pass through the first extension arm 378a and the second extension arm 378b. As described above, the inner surfaces of the extension arms 378a, 378b respectively include a first pin 371a and a second pin 371b, which are configured to pivotally engage side notches 375 in the actuator rod 374. See also Figure 13E and Figure 13F . The distal tips 385a, 385b of the fork-shaped extension arms 378a, 378b are configured to engage the rear end of the spring 384 during assembly of the compression assembly.

[0223] Figure 14F and Figure 14G A perspective view and an exploded view of a fixed hook assembly 330 for attaching to a wall member or a central member of a screening machine in an embodiment are shown. The fixed hook assembly 330 uses the same pawl 336 as used with the compression assembly (as described above in connection with Figure 14A ), which includes a joint 338 disposed between two hooks 332a, 332b. For the sake of brevity, further discussion of the pawl 336 is omitted. When used with the fixed hook assembly 330, the mounting element 504 of the pawl is bolted to a mounting bracket 560 that has a plate 562 configured for attachment to (e.g., bolting or welding) a wall or a central member of the screening machine.

[0224] In some embodiments, the fixed hook assembly 330 may include a biasing element, such as a spring, similar to Figure 9A and Figure 9B the fixed compression piston assembly shown therein. This will allow the fixed hooks 332a, 332b to move slightly when installing the screening assembly. This may also allow for a slight adjustment of the rest position of the fixed hooks 332a, 332b.

[0225] Figure 15A and Figure 15B show the movable pawl 336 of the compression assembly 322 engaging with the fixed pawl 336 of the fixed hook assembly 330 to compress the support plate 324 of the screening assembly from a generally flat profile ( Figure 15A ) into a generally concave profile ( Figure 15B ). Once the screening assembly is correctly positioned such that the hooks of the pawls 336 extend through the through-compression point 350 and the alignment joint 338 is set in its corresponding alignment slot 354, the compression assembly 322 can be actuated to move the movable pawl 336 from the retracted position to the extended position. As Figure 15A shown, the support plate 324 may be generally planar before actuation. Upon actuation, the movable pawl 336 of the compression assembly 322 may advance to apply a compression force that has a horizontal component applied to the edge of the through-compression point 350 and a vertically downward component applied to the top surface of the support plate 324. See Figure 15B . This causes the support plate 324 to be pushed toward the fixed pawl 336 of the fixed hook assembly 330, which extends through the through-compression point 350 near the second edge 342 of the support plate 324. The continued advancement of the movable pawl 336 causes the support plate 324 to deflect into a concave profile against the concave support surface. See Figure 15B .

[0226] Figure 15C and Figure 15D show partial close-up views of the pawls 336a, 336b of the compression assembly 322 and the fixed hook assembly 330 engaging with the support plate 324 of the screening assembly. The movable pawl or actuating pawl of the compression assembly is referred to as pawl 336a, while the fixed pawl of the fixed hook assembly 330 is referred to as pawl 336b. Initially, the movable pawl 336a of the compression assembly 322 advances to a position such that the hook contact surface 337a of the movable pawl 336a engages with the inner edge of the through-compression point 350a (e.g., measured from the centerline of the support plate 324). See also Figure 12E . The advancement of the movable pawl 336a pushes the support plate 324 until the inner edge of the opposite through-compression point 350b engages with the contact surface 337b of the fixed pawl 336b. At this time, the support plate 324 is not deflected and is fixed between the opposing pawls 336a, 336b. SeeFigure 15C After the plate is fixed between the pawls 336a and 336b, the continued advancement of the movable pawl 336a as indicated by the force vector "F" causes the support plate 324 to slide downward along the inclined contact surfaces 337a and 337b of the pawls 336a and 336b, as shown by the downward movement arrows along the pawl faces. Further inward movement of the movable pawl 336a gradually applies a greater force to the support plate. Moving downward along these opposing inclined contact surfaces 337a and 337b causes the vertical component "V" of the force vector applied to the support plate 324 to increase more than the horizontal component "H" of the force vector. As a result, the support plate 324 is compressed into a concave profile against the underlying support (not shown) and has a relatively large vertically downward force component.

[0227] It should be noted that the support plate 324 should not get stuck on the contact surfaces 337a and 337b of the pawls when the inner edge of the through-compression point 540 engages and slides down the contact surfaces 337a and 337b of the pawls. Based on a similar principle, it has been found that increasing the hardness of the hook / pawl 336 and / or the contact surfaces 337a and 337b to be higher than the hardness of the support plate 324 can prevent such sticking. That is, if the hardness of at least the contact surfaces 337a and 337b is greater than the hardness of the support plate 324, the support plate 324 will not scratch the contact surfaces 337a and 337b, and such scratching may cause the support plate 324 to get stuck with the contact surfaces 337a and 337b and prevent it from sliding smoothly along the contact surfaces 337a and 337b. In one embodiment, the hardness of the contact surfaces 337a and 337b is Rockwell C45. In a further embodiment, the hardness of the contact surfaces 337a and 337b is greater than Rockwell B100 (HRB100) or Rockwell C20 (HRC20).

[0228] In some cases, it may be beneficial to adjust the magnitude of the downward vertical component V of the force applied to the support plate 324. See Figure 15D That is, if the support plate 324 slides too far on the contact surface 337 of the pawl 336, the vertical force V may increase exponentially while the horizontal force H decreases excessively, which may result in too small a horizontal force applied to the plate, thereby reducing the concave bending of the plate and reducing the engagement of the support plate with the underlying support and / or washer in its inner region (e.g., near its centerline axis).

[0229] Figure 15E A partial view of the pawl 336 is shown, and the pawl 336 has two contact surfaces that can change or limit the movement of the support plate 324 sliding down along the contact surfaces 337 and 339 of the hook 332. As shown, the first contact surface 337 has an included angle between approximately 5° and 85° (see also Figure 14A)。In addition, the pawl 336 includes a second contact surface 339 that is disposed at an angle different from the first contact surface 337. The different angles of the first and second contact surfaces may allow for altering, restricting, or eliminating the continued downward movement of the plate along the pawl 336. In an embodiment, the first contact surface 337 may have a first angle that initially applies a primarily downward vertical force component to the support plate. Once the support plate engages the intersection between the first and second contact surfaces 337, 339, additional downward vertical force may be reduced while more horizontal force is applied to the plate. In another embodiment, the second contact surface 339 may be substantially vertical (e.g., perpendicular to a horizontal reference plane defined by the undeflected support plate 324 of the upper layer; see, for example, Figure 15A )。Alternatively, the second contact surface 339 may form a lip or step (e.g., a surface substantially parallel to the horizontal reference plane defined by the undeflected support plate 324 of the upper layer). In such an embodiment, the second contact surface 339 restricts or eliminates movement of the support plate 324 beyond the first contact surface 337. After the support plate 324 moves downward along the contact surface 337 and engages the substantially vertical second contact surface 339, continued sliding of the support plate 324 is mostly or completely prevented. Thus, any additional movement of the pawl 336 primarily results in an additional horizontal force being applied to the support plate 324. It will be appreciated that the angles, lengths, and / or positions of the first contact surface 337 and the second contact surface 339 may be selected to apply horizontal and vertical forces of a desired magnitude to the support plate 324. Additionally, it will be understood that the contact surfaces may be arcuate surfaces where the vertically and horizontally applied forces vary along the length of the arcuate or other irregular surface.

[0230] Referring again to Figure 15A and Figure 15B, the movable pawls 322 of the plurality of compression assemblies near the first side edge 340 of the support plate 324 are designed to engage with one of the corresponding through-compression points 350a along the first side edge 340 of the support plate 324. Similarly, the plurality of fixed pawls 330 mounted on the central stop or the opposite side wall of the vibrating sieve are configured to engage with one of the corresponding through-compression points 350b on the second side edge 342 of the support plate 324. Ideally, the movable pawls 322 should all be aligned with each other, and the fixed pawls 330 should all be aligned with each other. However, if the side wall on which the compression assembly is mounted is not exactly parallel to the opposite side wall or the stop on which the fixed pawl is mounted, the distance between each pair of movable and fixed pawls may be different. Similarly, if the compression assembly or the fixed pawl changes or bends over time, the distance between each pair of movable and fixed pawls may be different. When actuating the compression assembly to install the screening assembly onto the vibrating sieve, the difference in the spacing between each pair of movable and fixed pawls may cause undesirable warping or bending of the support plate.

[0231] Given the slight differences in the spacing between each pair of movable and fixed pawls, one approach is to build a certain degree of compliance into the compression assembly. For example, each compression assembly can be configured such that, before the compression assembly locks, the compression pistons or movable pawls within each compression assembly do not need to be pushed inwards by exactly the same distance. This can be achieved by spring-mounting the compression pistons or movable pawls such that their final locked positions can vary slightly.

[0232] Given the slight differences in the spacing between each pair of movable and fixed pawls, another approach is to build a certain degree of compliance into the fixed pawls 330. For example, the mounting bracket 560 of the fixed pawl (see Figure 14F and 14G ) can include spring elements that allow the fixed pawl to move slightly in the inwards / outwards direction relative to the side wall or stop to which the fixed pawl is mounted. When the screening assembly is installed onto the vibrating sieve, this will allow the fixed pawl to move slightly in the inwards / outwards direction to account for the slight differences in the spacing between the movable and fixed pawls.

[0233] Another benefit of the compression device is that the screening assembly 320 can be installed in a flatter (e.g., less concave) configuration. That is, by engaging the panel between its edges through the support plate and applying a greater downward force on the support plate 324, the screening assembly 320 can be sufficiently fixed relative to the sieve while being fixed flatter. Figure 15FShows the radius of curvature R1 of the screening assembly 320 configured to be engaged by a compression device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 157G shows the radius of curvature R2 of a prior art screening assembly 20 configured to be engaged through an edge surface (e.g., an upward flange 25 extending above the top surface of the support plate 24). In the configuration of the prior art screening assembly 20, the radius of curvature R2 is in the range of about 40 to 60 (e.g., in inches), where Figure 15G shows a screening assembly 20 having a radius of curvature of 50 inches. That is, a relatively high concavity is required to allow the screening assembly 20 to bend sufficiently and seal against the underlying gasket.

[0234] In contrast, the screening assembly 320 configured for use with the compression devices disclosed herein can form a larger radius of curvature while still sealing adequately against the underlying gasket. As Figure 15F shown, the screening assembly 320 has a radius of curvature of 100 inches and is significantly flatter compared to the prior art screening assembly. Additionally, the screening assembly 320 configured for use with the compression devices disclosed herein can have a radius of curvature R1 in the range of about 60 inches to about 140 inches. The ability to provide a flatter screening assembly provides a significant advantage for the screening machine. In particular, when material (e.g., a fluid pool) flows along the length of the screening assembly, the fluid pool spreads out a greater portion across the width (between its opposing edge surfaces) of the concave screening assembly. This results in the fluid pool contacting a greater portion of the screen surface, thereby increasing the screening capacity of each screening assembly.

[0235] Figure 15H Shows Figure 15F a front view of the screening assembly being pressed against the base of the compression screening machine 300A according to the present disclosure (see also Figure 1D ). Figure 15I Shows ​ a front view of a prior art screening assembly 20 being pressed against the base of a prior art screening machine 10A (see also ​ ). As ​ shown, the compression assembly 322 and the fixed hook assembly 330 each have a pawl 336 that extends through a through-compression point in the support plate 324 of the screening assembly 320, and the support plate 324 is disposed between the first sidewall 312a and the second sidewall 312b of the illustrated single-slot screening machine 300A.

[0236] In contrast, as ​ shown, the screening machine utilizes a compression assembly 22 disposed on the first wall 12a of the machine to engage a vertical flange 28 extending above the edge surface of the plate 24 of the screening assembly to force the second edge surface of the screening assembly 20 against the second wall 12b (e.g., a stop surface) of the machine. In​ In the compression machine 300A, the pawl 336 engages the screening assembly 320 at a location within the support plate 324 (e.g., between the edges of the plate) and is spaced apart from the side walls 312a, 312b. As described above, compared with the compression assembly 22 shown in ​ , the location of the pawl within the screening assembly and / or the shape of the hook of the pawl (e.g., the contact surface or the hook surface) allow the compression assembly to apply a greater downward force to the screening assembly. In ​ 's screening machine, the compression assembly 22 applies a force to the edge of the screening assembly, causing most of the downward force to be used to bend the plate 24 of the screening assembly 20. In addition, ​ 's machine cannot benefit from the shape of the pawl / hook as a force multiplier that contacts the plate.

[0237] The ability to engage the screening assembly 320 to the top surface of the support plate 320 through the bottom surface also allows reducing the position of each compression assembly 322 on the outer surface of the wall member of the screening machine 300A. That is, ​ and ​ the position of the compression assembly 322 of the screening machine may be lower than ​ and ​ the position of the compression assembly 22 of the screening machine 10A, where the compression assembly 22 engages the upper surface or the vertical flange extending above the screening assembly. Reducing the position of the compression assembly can eliminate the interference between the compression assembly and the struts on the outer wall of the screening machine. This can also allow the compression assemblies to be more evenly spaced along the length of the screening machine, thus providing more uniform compression of the screening assembly. Although the reduction of the compression assembly on the single-slot machine of ​ and ​ is discussed, it should be understood that using the compression device on the double-slot machine 300 of ​ can also allow reducing the compression assemblies on the outer wall of the machine.

[0238] In use, the screening assembly 320 can be mounted on the screening machine 300. More particularly, the screening assembly 320 can be arranged between the first wall 312a and the central member 316 of the screening machine 300 (for example, in a double-slot screening machine). Alternatively, such a screening assembly 320 can be arranged between the first wall and the second wall of a single-slot screening machine. Once the screening assembly is arranged between the wall 312a and the central member, the screening assembly can be moved along the length of the screening machine 300 until the pawl 336 and the joint 338 on the first wall 312a pass through the through compression point 350a near the first edge 340 of the support plate 324, and the pawl 336 and the joint 338 on the central member 316 (or the second wall of the single-slot machine) pass through the through compression point 350b near the second edge 342 of the support plate 324. More particularly, the joint 338 will be arranged to pass through the alignment slot 354 of each through compression point 350, so that the screening assembly is correctly positioned relative to the screening machine. At this point, the actuator can be actuated to move the movable pawl 336 between the retracted position and the extended position. In the extended position, the pawl 336 applies a compressive force having a horizontal component and a vertical downward component to the through-compression point 350a near the first edge 340 of the support plate 324. The horizontal component of the force pushes the support plate 324 against the fixed pawl 336 of the fixed hook assembly 330, which extends through the through-compression point 350b near the second edge of the support plate 324. Continued advancement causes the movable pawl 336 and the vertical component of the force applied by the fixed pawl 336 to compress the plate into a concave shape (e.g., against the longitudinal beam 314 below). See FIG. ​ .

[0239] ​ , ​ and ​ Also shown is the case where the plate 324 of the screening assembly 320 is pressed against various washers extending around the perimeter of the support plate 324. That is, a first washer 319 can be disposed between a first edge 340 of the support plate 324 and the support surface below, a second washer 329 can be disposed between a second edge 342 of the support plate 324 and the support surface below, and a third washer and a fourth washer 317 (only one is shown) can be disposed on the upper surface of the concave support surface 314 below the first and second ends 344, 346 of the support plate 324 (see ​)。Since the higher vertical component (i.e., the downward force component) provided by the compression assembly provides an increased compressive force, the compressive force applied to the screening assembly and pressing against all the gaskets below the screening machine can be increased. Increasing the force / pressure on the gaskets can not only improve the seal between the screening assembly and the screening machine, but also extend the service life of the gaskets because the screening assembly moves less relative to the gaskets (e.g., swings). Therefore, less material can penetrate between the support plate and the gaskets. The reduced movement of the screening assembly relative to the screening machine also results in an improved screening effect. That is, when each screening assembly is fixed more tightly to the screening machine, the vibration provided by the screening machine can be better transmitted to the material on top of the screening assembly.

[0240] Another benefit of the disclosed embodiments is that the screening assembly can omit the upward flanges located near one or both edges of the screening assembly, which were previously used to apply compressive force to the screening assembly. Removing this flange eliminates the possibility of material getting trapped behind the flange. Removing such a flange or groove, combined with the increased compressive force, can reduce or eliminate the phenomenon of material flowing down along the edges of the screening assembly.

[0241] ​ The compression device can also produce support plates and screening assemblies without grooves and / or flanges at the edges. That is, the support plate can be formed from a flat plate. Since there is no need to attach specialized edge grooves to the edges of the support plate, the plate can be stamped or laser cut. In addition, the screening assemblies can be thinner because they do not include grooves along their edges. This can allow more screening assemblies to be packaged in a given size package. Moreover, compared to a support plate of the same width with flanges or grooves for attaching the support plate to the screening machine, eliminating the grooves or flanges from the edges of the support plate provides additional available surface area. This additional available surface area allows an additional screening surface to be covered on the upper surface of the support plate, thereby increasing the processing capacity of each screening assembly. See ​ , note that the screening surface 326 includes 11 corrugated peaks in its width. The screening assemblies of the prior art have the same width and include attachment grooves and / or flanges, and they utilize a screening surface with ten corrugated peaks of the same size. Adding additional corrugated peaks of the screening surface on the top surface of the support plate results in an increase in the screening area of about 5% to 12%. Therefore, the processing capacity of each screening assembly increases by a similar percentage. In other words, using the compression device disclosed herein to attach the screening plate to the screening machine can increase the screening area and screening capacity of the screening machine.

[0242] Another benefit of the compression system disclosed herein is that the components of the compression assembly (except for a small portion of the pawl 336) are all located below the screening assembly. Additionally, all of the internal components of the compression assembly are located below the screening assembly. This reduces wear on these components (e.g., the actuator rod) and lowers the maintenance requirements of the screening machine. In other words, by moving these components below the screening surface, these components are not exposed to materials and fluids (e.g., ponds) above the screening surface.

[0243] ​ An embodiment of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a screening machine is shown and, for ease of discussion, is referred to as screening machine 100. The cross-sectional portion can be a portion of a screening machine similar to ​ screening machine 300, although other variations are possible, of course. As shown, screening machine 100 includes two screening assemblies 120a, 120b (hereinafter referred to as 120 unless otherwise noted), which are disposed between the inner surfaces of spaced-apart wall members 112a, 112b (hereinafter referred to as 112 unless otherwise noted). A central member 116 divides screening machine 100 into two screening regions. That is, each screening assembly 120 includes a first edge disposed adjacent to wall member 112 and a second edge disposed adjacent to central member 116. Although screening machine 100 is shown as having two screening assemblies that engage central member 116 and that, when the screen is compressed, define two concave screening regions, a screening machine can have one screening assembly that defines a single concave screening region between a first wall and a second wall 312. See, for example ​ .

[0244] Compression assemblies 122 are attached to the outer surfaces of wall members 112a, 112b. Each compression assembly 122 includes a stretchable and contractible telescoping member. The compression assemblies can be similar to the compression assemblies discussed above with respect to ​ and ​ . However, the configuration of the pawls can vary. In use, compression assemblies 122 engage a first side of an adjacent screening assembly 120 and push a second side of screening assembly 120 against central member 116 (or the second wall of a single-channel screening machine), while deforming screening assembly 120 into a concave profile and pressing it against one or more underlying concave support surfaces 114 (e.g., girders). As described below, in one embodiment, central member 116 or the second wall can have hooks that engage the second side of screening assembly 120.

[0245] ​ A screening assembly 120 with a screening surface 126 is shown, while ​ a screening machine 100 is shown with the screening surface 126 removed from the screening assembly 120 to expose the underlying perforated support plate 124 of the screening assembly 120. In ​The configuration of the screening assembly 120 and the support plate 124 is discussed in more detail in the description. ​ FIG. 100 shows a screening machine 100 in which one of the screening assemblies 120 has been removed to expose the concave support surface 114 that extends between the first wall 112a and the central support 116. A single-tank machine (e.g., ​ ) may utilize a similar concave support member that extends between the first wall and the second wall. As shown, each concave support member 114 has a first end attached to the wall member and a second end attached to the central support 116. As shown, the concave support members 114 are evenly spaced and parallel. However, other spacings may also be used. Each support member 114 has a concave upper surface 115. A washer 117 (e.g., rubber or other compressible material) may be disposed on the concave upper surface 115 of each support member 114. Thus, when the compression assembly 122 compresses the screening assembly 120 into a concave profile, the bottom surface of the screening assembly (e.g., the bottom surface of the support plate 124) may bear against the washer 117 on the upper surface of the concave support member 114, thereby forming a seal between the screening assembly and the screening machine. The width of the washer may allow sealing of the interface between two longitudinally disposed screening assemblies (not shown).

[0246] ​ An embodiment of the screening machine 100 of FIG. 100 shows a "pressing" device that horizontally compresses the screening assembly (e.g., against the central support or the second wall) and presses vertically downward against the concave support member. In the pressing embodiment, the compression assembly 122 on the wall member 112 includes movable / actuating hooks or pawls 136 that extend through a set of clamping points or through-compression points 152 disposed along the edge 142 of the support plate 124. See ​ and ​ . The pawls 136 (each pawl defines a hook in the embodiment) extend from the bottom surface of the plate through the support plate 124 to the upper surface of the plate. Actuation of the compression assembly 122 causes the pawls 136 to move between a first position (e.g., retracted) and a second position (e.g., extended), in which the pawls contact the compression surface of the support plate 124.

[0247] In one embodiment, a set of fixed fingers or hooks 130 are attached to the central support 116 (or the second wall member in the single-tank machine 10A) and extend through a corresponding set of clamping / through-compression points 150 disposed along the opposite edge 140 of the support plate 124. See ​ 、 ​ and ​ . The fixed hooks 130 extend from the bottom surface of the support plate 124 to the upper surface of the support plate 124. The fixed hooks may be mounted to the central support 116 with a mounting mechanism that includes a biasing element (e.g., a spring), similar to ​ and ​The fixed compression piston assembly shown in [Fig.]. This will allow the fixed fingers or hooks 130 to move slightly when installing the screening assembly. This can also allow for a slight adjustment of the resting position of the fixed fingers or hooks 130.

[0248] When moved to the extended position, the pawl 136 applies a compression force "F" having a horizontal component "H" and a vertically downward component "V". See, for example, ​ [Fig.]. The compression force is applied to the compression surface 162 of the support plate 124. The vertical component V of the force F provides a downward force to the support plate 124, while the horizontal component H of the force F urges the plate 124 away from the wall member and against the fixed hook attached to the central member (or the second wall member in a single-chamber machine). The applied compression force may cause the screening assembly to deflect into a concave shape while securing the screening assembly to the screening machine. Although the use of a fixed hook on the central wall (or the second wall member in a single-chamber machine) is discussed herein, it should be understood that in various embodiments, the opposite edges 140 of the plate may engage a stop or stop surface 26 (e.g., a channel) on the central member / second wall, and the fixed hook may be omitted. Each of these components will be discussed further herein.

[0249] In the above embodiment, the support plate of the screening assembly is configured to interact with a movable piston that contacts the mounting holes on the side edges of the support plate, as shown in FIGS. 3 to ​ [Fig.], or to interact with a pawl extending through the through-compression points of the support plate, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 17G. In an alternative embodiment, the support plate of the screening assembly may be configured to interact with two types of mounting devices.

[0250] ​ Shown is a support plate 324 that includes mounting holes 220 located on the first side edge 340, which are configured to receive the movable piston of the mounting device shown in FIGS. 3 to ​ [Fig.]. The support plate 324 also includes a plurality of through-compression points 350b located inside the second side edge 342, and the plurality of through-compression points are configured to receive the movable or fixed pawls of the mounting device shown in FIGS. 11 to ​ [Fig.]. ​ The support plate shown in [Fig.] can be used in a vibrating screening machine that includes a compression assembly having a movable piston on one side wall, as shown in FIGS. 3 to ​ [Fig.], and a fixed pawl 330 mounted on the second side wall or the central stop of a double-chamber machine, as shown in FIGS. 6F and 6G. Conversely, the same support plate can be used with a vibrating screening machine that includes a compression assembly having a movable pawl, as shown in FIGS. 11 to ​ [Fig.], and a fixed compression piston located on the opposite side wall or the central stop of the screening machine, as shown in FIGS. 3 to ​ [Fig.].

[0251] ​ , ​ and ​ respectively show top views of the screening assembly 120 in the embodiment, the screening assembly 120 with a part of the screening surface 126 removed, and the support plate 124. As shown, the screening surface 126 is attached to the upper surface of the support plate 124. The support plate 124 is generally rectangular and has a first edge 140, a second edge 142, a first end 144, and a second end 146. The support plate 124 is typically formed of a metal sheet, but other materials are possible. The support plate 124 includes a plurality of flow holes 148 that extend through the body of the support plate 124 and are located inside the support plate, the body being defined by the edges and ends. As described above, the support plate 124 supports the screening surface on its upper surface. Such a screening surface can be attached to the support plate 124 in any suitable manner. The flow holes 148 are configured to allow the material passing through the supported screening surface to pass through the support plate 124. Although the flow holes 148 shown in the figure are rectangular, it is understood that the size, shape, and distribution of the flow holes on the support plate 124 can be diverse. As previously mentioned, a plurality of clamping or through-compression points 150, 152 are arranged along the first edge 140 and the second edge 142 of the support plate 124. In the embodiment, the through-compression points 150, 152 can be arranged outside the flow holes 148 (e.g., relative to the center line of the plate). In the illustrated embodiment, each of the through-compression points 150, 152 includes a splint 160, as further discussed below.

[0252] As ​ and ​As shown, for clarity, half of the sieve machine is removed, and the fixed hook 130 is attached to the central member 116 below the support surface 118 provided at the upper end of the central member 116. The support surface 118 supports the first edge 140 of the support plate 124. A washer 119 or other compressible seal may be provided between the first edge 140 of the support plate 124 and the support surface 118. The first end of the fixed hook 130 is attached to the central member 116 and extends away from the support surface 118 (e.g., a cantilever). The free end of each hook 130 extends upward such that when the first edge of the support plate 124 rests on the support surface 118, it can extend through the through-compression point near the first edge 140 of the sieve assembly 120. During installation, the sieve assembly 120 can be placed on the machine such that the fixed hook 130 of the central member 116 (or the second wall) passes through the through-compression point 150 on the first edge 140 of the support plate 124. Alternatively, if the central member / second wall omits the fixed hook, the first edge 140 of the support plate 124 can be placed against a stop or a stop surface. Then the sieve assembly 120 can be lowered, allowing the movable hook / ratchet 136 provided near the wall member 112 to pass through the through-compression point 152 on the second edge 142 of the support plate 124. It is worth noting that the use of through-compression points in combination with at least the ratchet on the wall member and / or the fixed hook on the central member (or the second wall member in a single-slot machine) can improve the positioning of the sieve assembly along the length of the sieve machine. That is, once the hooks 130, 136 are positioned through the sieve assembly, the position of the sieve assembly along the length of the sieve machine is necessarily correct, thus eliminating the need to manually position the sieve plate along the length of the machine as before.

[0253] Once the sieve assembly 120 is correctly positioned and the hooks and ratchets extend through the through-compression points, the compression assembly 122 can be actuated to move the movable ratchet 136 from the retracted position to the extended position. This is shown in ​ and ​ As shown in ​ each fixed hook 130 can be set through the through-compression point 150 (shown in dashed lines) on the first edge 140 of the support plate 124, while each movable ratchet 136 can initially be set through the through-compression point 152 (shown in dashed lines) on the second edge 142 of the support plate 124. At this time, the support plate 124 can be substantially planar. When actuated, the movable ratchet 136 can be advanced and / or rotated to apply a horizontal force to the support plate 124 (e.g., the side edge of the through-compression point 152) and a downward force to the top surface of the support plate 124. See ​This causes the inner edge of the through - compression point 150 along the first edge 140 of the support plate 124 to be pushed towards the fixed hook 130 extending through the through - compression point 150. The continued advancement and / or rotation of the hook / ratchet 136 causes the support plate 124 to deflect into the concave profile of the concave support surface. See ​ and ​ The downward angle of the compression rod of the compression assembly 122, in combination with the inclined surfaces of the ratchet 136 and the hook 130, contributes to deflecting the support plate 124 into a concave profile.

[0254] To improve the engagement of the hook 130 and the ratchet 136 with the upper surface of the support plate 124, each of these members may include a recessed contact surface. That is, the contact surfaces of the hook 130 and the ratchet 136 may be recessed relative to the free tips of these members (e.g., measured from the center - line axis A - A' of the plate 124). See, for example ​ Specifically, the free tip 132 of the hook 130 extends above the contact surface 134 of the hook 130 (i.e., relative to the center - line axis A - A'). Similarly, the free tip 137 of the ratchet 136 extends above the contact surface 138 of the ratchet 136 (i.e., relative to the center - line axis A - A'). The resulting undercuts (e.g., hook surfaces) of the hook 130 and the ratchet 136 allow each of these members to better engage the top surface of the support plate 124.

[0255] In ​ and ​ the illustrated embodiment, the support plate 124 further includes splints 160 attached near the inner edges (e.g., measured from the center - line axis A - A') of each through - compression point 150, 152. In this embodiment, the splints 160 extend above the upper surface of the support plate 124 and are shaped to mate with and engage the ratchet 136 and / or the hook 130. The splints 160 may be attached to the support plate 124 in any suitable manner (e.g., adhesively, bolted, riveted, welded, etc.). Alternatively, the splints 160 may be integrally formed with the support plate 124 (e.g., in a sheet - metal bending and forming process or a molding process). As ​ and ​ shown, the contact surfaces 132, 138 of the hook 130 and the ratchet 136 are angled and configured to contact the respective angled contact or compression surfaces 162 of their respective splints 160 (i.e., once the ratchet 136 is advanced to contact its splint 160). The mating inclined surfaces on the hook 130 and the ratchet 130 in combination with the use of the splints 160 allow an increase in the compression force transmitted to the plate 124.

[0256] In one embodiment, the contact surfaces 132 and / or 138 are arranged at an acute angle Θ with respect to the generally flat upper surface of the support plate 124 (i.e., before compression). In one embodiment, the included angle Θ is between about 5° and 85°. In another embodiment, the included angle Θ is between about 15° and 75°.

[0257] Although the use of the splint 160 is shown in the various figures to improve the contact between the hook 130 and the pawl 136, it is understood that the splint 160 may be omitted in other embodiments. In such embodiments, the hook 130 and the pawl 136 may directly contact the upper surface of the support plate 124. ​ and ​ An alternative embodiment of the movable pawl 136 is shown, where the pawl 136 includes a contact surface 138 that is formed as an interior angle below the free tip 137. In such an embodiment, the interior angle contact surface 138 may directly engage the inner edge of the compression hole 152. A hook (not shown) may be similarly configured. It is understood that various variations of the contact surface 138 may be utilized while still providing a horizontal force to the side surface of the screening assembly and a downward force to the top surface of the screening assembly and / or the support plate.

[0258] ​ Another alternative embodiment is shown where the movable pawl 136 engages an angled contact surface or compression surface 153 formed on the support plate 124. More particularly, the inner edge surface of the support plate 124 (e.g., the inner edge surface of the through-compression point 152 measured from the centerline of the plate) may be formed at an angle Θ2 that corresponds to the angle Θ1 of the contact surface 138 of the pawl 136. In one embodiment, these angles are equal. In other embodiments, these angles may be different.

[0259] ​ A second edge 142 of the support plate 124 is shown, which is disposed near the wall member 112 of the screening machine. As shown, the second edge 142 of the support plate 124 is supported on top of a support surface 128 attached to the inner surface of the wall member 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the support surface 128 is a horizontal flange of an angle bracket that has a vertical member attached to the inner surface of the wall member 112. Other support surface configurations are possible. A washer or other compressible seal 129 may be disposed between the second edge 142 of the support plate 124 and the support surface 128. In this regard, washers / compressible seals (hereinafter referred to as washers) may be disposed around the entire perimeter of the support plate 124 of the screening assembly. That is, a first washer 119 may be disposed between the first edge 140 of the support plate 124 and the support surface 118 (see, for example ​), a second washer 129 may be disposed between the second edge 142 of the support plate 124 and the support surface 128 of the wall member, and third and fourth washers 117 may be disposed on the upper surface of the concave support surface 114 below the first and second ends 144, 146 of the support plate 124 (see, for example ​ and ​ ). As the compressive force applied to the support plate 124 increases, the compression of all the washers can be increased. Increasing the pressure on the washers not only improves the seal but also increases the washer life because there is less movement of the screening assembly relative to the washers and less material able to penetrate between the support plate 124 and the washers.

[0260] Another benefit of the disclosed embodiments is that the screening assembly can omit the upward flange previously used to apply a compressive force to the screening assembly. Thus, removing such a flange eliminates the possibility of material becoming trapped behind the flange. By engaging the screening assembly from below, another benefit provided by this embodiment is that the screening area on the upper surface of the screening assembly can be increased. Additionally, by moving the hook and ratchet under the panel and under the screening surface, these elements are not exposed to the materials and fluids above the screening surface. This arrangement reduces wear on these compression system components.

[0261] As previously described, the compression assembly can be actuated in various ways, including manually, hydraulically, and pneumatically, but not limited thereto. Various ways for manually actuating the compression assembly are shown herein. More particularly, ​ and ​ show embodiments of compression assemblies that utilize a single detachable handle to actuate a single compression assembly, ​ and ​ show embodiments of compression assemblies that utilize a single detachable handle to actuate two adjacent compression assemblies, ​ shows the connection of adjacent compression assemblies to allow for dual actuation using a single handle. ​ The reference numerals used are consistent with the ​ components of the screening machine. However, it should be understood that these means for activating the compression assembly can be used with any of the disclosed screening machines.

[0262] As ​ and ​As shown, the detachable handle 400 may be formed with a first engagement end 402 and an elongated second end 404. The first engagement end 402 is configured to engage (e.g., be received within) a sleeve 379 of an actuator bracket of the compression assembly 322. Once the first end 402 is inserted into the sleeve 379 of the actuator bracket, the user may grasp the elongated second end 404 of the handle and use the handle 400, which is bent between its first and second ends, to rotate the actuator bracket, thereby actuating or deactivating a single compression assembly 322. A single handle 400 may be used to actuate and / or deactivate multiple compression assemblies.

[0263] ​ and ​ A two-handle 410 is shown, which may be used to actuate or deactivate adjacent compression assemblies 322a, 322b on the outer wall 312 of the screening machine 300. As described above, by lowering the compression assemblies below the screening assembly, it has been found that the compression assemblies can be more evenly spaced along the outer wall of the screening machine. Thus, due to this even spacing, a single handle may be configured to engage two (or more) adjacent compression assemblies to actuate or deactivate these adjacent assemblies. As shown, the handle 410 has two engagement ends 402a, 402b, each configured to be received within one of the sleeves 379a or 379b of two adjacent compression assemblies 322a, 322b. The user may grasp the second end 406 of the handle (which may again be bent along its length) to rotate the adjacent actuator brackets, thereby actuating or deactivating the two adjacent compression assemblies 322a, 322b.

[0264] ​ Two adjacent compression assemblies 322a, 322b are shown connected to each other by a clamping bar 412. In this embodiment, the clamping bar 412 extends between and physically couples the actuator brackets 376a, 376b of the two adjacent compression assemblies 322a, 322b. Thus, rotation of one of the brackets 376a or 376b will cause rotation of the other bracket. Based on a similar principle, two compression assemblies may be actuated by a single handle (e.g., see ​ ). Although ​ a single clamping bar 412 is shown for attaching two adjacent brackets, it is understood that two clamping bars may also be used to couple three brackets. Additionally, other ways of connecting the compression assemblies for joint operation are possible and are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0265] ​ and ​ Another embodiment of a compression assembly 422 is shown, which may be used with any of the screening machines disclosed herein. The compression assembly 422 is a fluid-operated compression assembly (pneumatic or hydraulic). The assembly 422 is associated with ​The compression assemblies disclosed herein share a common inner wall member. Based on a similar principle, a pawl 336 is attached to the end of an actuator rod 374 that passes through an inner housing bracket 372 attached to the inner surface of a wall 312 of a sifter. Instead of providing a manually operated bracket on the outer surface of the wall, the compression assembly 422 includes a pneumatic / hydraulic actuator 450 (hereinafter referred to as a pneumatic actuator) that engages the rear end of the actuator rod 374 and selectively advances and retracts the actuator rod. The pneumatic actuator 450 includes a housing 452 that engages the outer surface of the wall 312. The pneumatic actuator housing 452 can be bolted to the inner housing bracket 372 through the wall 312. The housing 452 can include various seals (e.g., O-rings) to seal the interface between the actuator rod and the journal in the housing through which the actuator rod passes. The housing 452 includes an internal cylinder bore that houses a piston 454 that engages the rear end of the actuator rod 374. The piston 454 is configured to move along the length of the cylinder bore to advance or retract the actuator rod 374 and the attached pawl 336. More particularly, a valve 456 can selectively pressurize the area of the cylinder bore in front of the piston 454 to retract the piston, the actuator rod 374, and the pawl 336. Then, a technician can insert a panel into the sifter. Then, the valve 456 (e.g., a three-way valve) can release the pressure within the cylinder bore. In this embodiment, a plurality of biasing springs 458 are compressed between the rear surface of the piston and the end cap of the cylinder bore. The biasing springs hold the actuator rod 374 and the pawl 336 in the extended position (e.g., locking the screening assembly to the base of the sifter) in the absence of applied pneumatic pressure, which causes the actuator assembly 422 to retract. That is, in the extended position, only spring force and no pneumatic pressure are required to hold the actuator rod 374 and the pawl 336 in the extended position. The size and number of the springs 458 can be selected to maintain the desired compression force on the screening assembly. However, it should be understood that variations are possible. For example, a similar pneumatic or hydraulic compression assembly can utilize pneumatic or hydraulic pressure to extend the actuator rod 374 and the pawl 336. In such an arrangement, pressure can be continuously maintained, or a mechanical lock can lock the actuator rod 374 and the pawl 336 in the actuated position.

[0266] ​ and ​ Another embodiment of a compressed screening assembly 620 is shown. More particularly, ​ a top perspective view of the screening assembly 620 is shown, ​A bottom perspective view of the screening assembly 620 is shown, and for ease of illustration, a portion of the screening surface 626 is removed from each view. As shown, the screening assembly includes a support plate 624 that is generally rectangular and has a first edge 640, a second edge 642, a first end 644, and a second end 646. The support plate 624 includes a plurality of flow holes 648 that extend through the body of the support plate 624 and are located inside the support plate. However, unlike the compressed support plates discussed above with respect to ​ and ​ the screening assembly 620 does not require through-compression points, although they may be present. Instead, the screening assembly 620 includes a plurality of brackets 650 that engage the support plate 624 of the screening assembly 620 and allow attachment to a compression assembly below. In one embodiment, each bracket 650 includes a flat portion 652 that can be attached (e.g., glued, welded, etc.) to the bottom surface of the support plate 624. The bracket 650 also includes a tab 654 that extends downward and has a hole 656 configured to engage a hook member of a movable pawl or a fixed pawl. In one embodiment, each bracket 650 optionally includes an upward tab 658 that can engage an edge surface (e.g., 640 or 642) of the support plate 624. In one embodiment, the length of the upward tab 658 can allow these tabs to engage an upward flange formed along the length of the support plate edges 640, 642.

[0267] ​ A screening assembly 620 disposed and compressed between a compression assembly 322 and a fixed hook assembly 330 is shown. The compression assembly 322 and the fixed hook assembly 330 are substantially similar to the compression assemblies described above with respect to ​ except that these components can use an improved pawl 636. As shown, the improved pawl 636 does not extend too far above the assemblies 322 and 330. That is, since the improved pawl 636 does not need to pass through the support plate 624, the improved pawl 636 can have different upward dimensions. However, each improved pawl 636 can include a hook 632 and an angled contact surface 637. As shown, the tip of each hook 632 passes through the hole 656 in its corresponding mounting bracket 650. The advancement of the movable pawl 636 of the compression assembly 322 causes the screening assembly 620 to move until the perimeter of the bracket hole 656 contacts the contact surface 637 of the opposing pawl 636. Continued advancement of the movable pawl 636 of the compression assembly 322 causes deformation of the screening assembly 620 in relation to ​ and ​The variations of the screening assemblies discussed in [reference] are substantially similar. It is noted that the use of the bracket 650 and the improved pawl 636 can allow an existing screening assembly (e.g., a screening assembly with an edge flange) to be used with the compression system of the present disclosure.

[0268] Figures 234A and ​ illustrate another component that can be incorporated into any screening machine discussed in the present disclosure. More particularly, these figures illustrate a segmented base support 380 that supports the base rubber / gasket along the edge of the screening assembly as well as the edge of the screening assembly itself. Briefly referring to ​ and ​ , in one embodiment, the edges 340, 342 of the support plate 324 are supported above the first and second gaskets 319, 329, which are themselves supported by the segmented base support 380. In existing screening machines, the edges of the screening assembly and the inserted rubber / gasket are typically supported by a single ledge or track (e.g., angle iron) that extends the length of the screening machine along its sidewalls and / or central member. Such existing track supports are often welded to the machine. Thus, if a portion of the track is damaged (e.g., bent or worn), the entire track must be replaced.

[0269] As ​ shown, a plurality of segmented base supports 380 can be attached to the inner surface of the sidewall 312 of the screening machine. Similarly, a plurality of base supports 380 can be attached to the central member of the screening machine (e.g., in a double-trough machine) or a second wall (e.g., in a single-trough machine). In the present embodiment, the segmented base supports 380 are respectively disposed above one of the compression assemblies 322. However, it should be understood that the segmented base supports 380 can have other dimensions. For example, a single base support 380 can span multiple compression assemblies 332, or span fixed hook assemblies on opposite walls / central members.

[0270] As ​ shown, the segmented base support 380 includes an upper surface 660 that can form a continuous ledge or track along the sidewall and / or central member of the screening machine when the upper surface 660 is aligned with an adjacent segmented base support 380 and after being attached to the screening machine. The body of the base support 380 can include one or more holes 668 for bolting the base support 380 to the sidewall or central member of the screening machine. Due to the segmented nature of the base support 380, if one of the multiple base supports 380 that form the track is damaged, the damaged base support 380 can be individually removed and replaced.

[0271] In the illustrated embodiment, the upper surface 660 of the base support 380 includes an optional recessed press-fit channel 662 for receiving a correspondingly shaped tab 672 formed on the bottom surface of the gasket 670, which gasket 670 is supported on the upper surface 660 of the base support. See, for example ​ and ​ . In this arrangement, the top surface is separated by the recessed channel 662 and includes a rear surface / shelf 661 that will abut against the wall surface of the sieve and a front surface / shelf 663 that extends into the interior of the sieve. The press-fit channel 662 may include first and second opposing retaining ridges 664 to engage the side edges of the tabs at the bottom of the gasket. Once the gasket is press-fitted into the channel 662, the resulting interference fit can improve the seal between the wall / central member of the sieve.

[0272] ​ and ​ Illustrated is the engagement of a piece of base rubber or gasket 670 with the base support 380, which base support 380 is bolted to the wall 312 of the sieve. A single or multiple base supports may extend along the entire length of the wall of the machine. The gasket 670 has a generally flat upper surface for engaging the bottom surface of the upper support plate when the sieve assembly is compressed onto the machine. See also ​ and 15B for gaskets 319 and 329 and the upper plate 324 therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the gasket 670 also includes a tab 672 formed on its bottom surface, which tab 672 is configured to be received within the recessed press-fit channel 662 of the base support 380. The rear or trailing edge 674 of the gasket is configured to engage the wall 312 of the sieve. First, the tail of the gasket 670 ( ​ ) is inserted first, and then tilted so that the trailing edge engages and presses against the side wall 312. Then the gasket 670 is snapped into place, placing the groove 676 at the bottom of the gasket on the front shelf 663 of the base support, with the front lip 678 of the gasket covering the front edge / lip of the base support.

[0273] ​ and ​ Illustrated is the use of a first base support 380a and a second base support 380b to form an improved corner seal for an existing design. More particularly, the first base support 380a can be continuously bolted to the side wall 312 of the machine to the corner where the side wall 312 intersects the end wall 306. A first base rubber or gasket 670a can be press-fitted into the first base support 380a. The second base support 380b can be attached to the end wall 306. A base rubber or gasket 670b can be provided in this support and can be held tightly against the first gasket 670a. In any case, the corner between the side wall 312 and the end wall 306 can be completely sealed, which was a problem in previous designs.

[0274] ​ An embodiment of the screening assembly 320 is further shown. As shown, the screening assembly 320 includes a screening surface 326 that is attached to a porous metal support plate 324 (such as steel or any other suitable metal), the porous metal support plate 324 having a first pair of opposite side edges 340 and 342 and a second pair of edges / ends 344 and 346 and upper and lower surfaces. The support plate 324 includes holes 348 that are defined by elongated metal strip-like portions or members 347 extending between the edges 340, 342 and shorter strip-like portions 349 extending longitudinally between the ends 344, 346. The holes 348 can be formed by a stamping operation and are quadrilateral with rounded corners of approximately 1 square inch, but they can also be any other desired shape or size. The strip-like portions 347 and 349 are approximately 1 / 10 inch wide, but they can be any desired width. The support plate 324 can have a width of approximately 2.5 feet and a length of approximately 3.5 feet, and its thickness can be approximately 1 / 16 inch. However, it should be understood that the dimensions of the support plate 324 can vary as needed to fit different screening machines. The width of each hole 348 is a fraction of the width of the support plate 324 between the edges 340 and 342. The same is true for the relationship between the height of the holes and the length of the plate between the ends 346 and 348. Although not shown, channel-shaped members can be formed or attached to one or both of the edges 340, 342 for attaching the support plate 324 to the screening machine. However, embodiments that omit such channel-shaped members can provide more screening area on the support plate 324 because the area that would otherwise be covered by the channel members can be covered by additional screening surface.

[0275] As ​ shown, the screening surface 326 is formed by a plurality of screens adhesively bonded face to face. Thus, the screening surface 326 includes a coarse screen 323 that serves as a support, and its size can be between 6 mesh and 20 mesh, or any other suitable size. A fine screen 325 is adhesively bonded to the coarse support screen 323, and its mesh size can be between 30 mesh and 325 mesh, or any other suitable size. An even finer screen 327 is adhesively bonded to the fine screen 325, and its mesh size can be between 40 mesh and 400 mesh, or any other suitable size. Preferably, the roughness of the intermediate fine screen 325 should be two levels coarser than the finest uppermost screen 327 in terms of American Standard Screen Sizes. The three-layer screens 323, 325, and 327 are adhesively bonded to each other by a molten plastic grid 321 that passes through all three layers of screens. As ​ shown, the screening surface 326 is in a wavy arc shape and has ridges 331 and grooves 333. The lower side of the groove 333 at 335 is adhesively bonded to the support plate 324 by a suitable adhesive (such as epoxy resin). As​ As shown, this adhesion at 335 occurs in all areas where the lower side of the groove 333 contacts the strips 347 and 349. The open end of the ridge 331 can be sealed or blocked by a lid that can be molded in place. The lid can be made of polyurethane or other plastic or synthetic materials.

[0276] In the foregoing description, the screening assembly includes a screening surface attached to the top surface of the support plate. The support plate includes a through-compression point that is engaged by a pawl of a compression mechanism to attach the screening assembly to a vibrating screen. In many cases, the screening surface is formed by a wire mesh assembly, which can include multiple layers of wire mesh and / or synthetic mesh, as well as adhesives or binders.

[0277] In an alternative embodiment, the configuration of the screening assembly can be quite different. Instead of attaching the screening surface to the top of the support plate, the screening assembly is formed by a screening panel formed by connecting together a plurality of screening units formed of synthetic or plastic materials. End rods are then fixed to opposite ends of the screening panel, and the end rods have through-compression points similar to those of the support plate in the previously described embodiments.

[0278] Various embodiments of synthetic or plastic screening units connected together to form a screening panel are described in U.S. Patents 9,409,209, 9,884,344, 10,046,363, 10,259,013, 10,576,502, 10,835,926, 10,843,230, 10,933,444, 10,960,438, 10,967,401, 10,974,281, 10,981,197, 10,994,306, 11,000,882, 11,161,150, 11,198,155, 11,413,656, 11,426,766, 11,446,704, 11,471,913, and 11,471,914, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0279] The above patents disclose screening assemblies formed by connecting together a plurality of individual screening units. Each screening unit can include a screening element having a screening surface, and the screening element is attached to a support sub-grid. The sub-grid of each screening unit can include attachment members configured to attach the sub-grids together. By attaching the sub-grids of a plurality of screening units together, a larger screening panel can be formed. End rods are then attached to the ends of the screening panel to form the screening assembly.

[0280] In some embodiments, the screening element is formed of injection molded plastic or synthetic material, such as thermoplastic. Each screening element includes a plurality of elongated holes formed between adjacent elongated screening surface elements. The sub-grid can also be formed of injection molded plastic or synthetic material, such as thermoplastic. However, the sub-grid can be formed of one or more materials different from the screening element.

[0281] As described above, each screening unit is formed by attaching a screening element to a sub-grid. Attachment members on the screening element and the sub-grid can be used to attach the screening element to the sub-grid. For example, holes on the screening element can accommodate corresponding protrusions on the sub-grid, and vice versa. Then, the screening element can be fixed to the sub-grid by fusing the protrusions and grooves together. This can be achieved by laser welding or other similar means. Of course, the screening element can be attached to the sub-grid in other ways, such as by adhesives or mechanical attachment mechanisms. In some embodiments, multiple screening elements can be mounted on a single sub-grid to form a screening unit.

[0282] Attachment members configured to attach sub-grids together on the grid can include clips and clip holes. A clip on one sub-grid is received in a clip hole on an adjacent sub-grid to attach two screening units together. Of course, various other devices for attaching screening units together can also be employed to assemble multiple screening units into a larger screening assembly.

[0283] The screening unit can have various different shapes. In some cases, each screening unit can have a flat planar shape. In other cases, the screening element can be attached to a pyramidal sub-grid to form a pyramidal screening unit. A screening assembly composed of multiple screening units can be entirely composed of the same type of screening unit. Alternatively, the screening assembly can be formed by a combination of planar screening units and pyramidal screening units.

[0284] ​ A screening assembly 700 formed by a combination of a planar screening unit 702 and a pyramidal screening unit 704 is shown. ​ Only one corner of the screening assembly 700 is shown. The larger screening assembly 700 will include multiple rows of planar screening units 702 located between rows of pyramidal screening units 704. Each row of planar screening units is formed by a plurality of planar screening units 702 arranged end to end. Similarly, the row of pyramidal screening units is formed by a plurality of pyramidal screening units 704 arranged end to end. The sub-grids of the respective screening units 702, 704 are attached to each other by an attachment mechanism, such as clips and clip holes, to form a larger screening assembly.

[0285] The end rods 710 are attached to opposite ends of the assembled planar screening unit 72 and the pyramidal screening unit 704. Each end rod includes a plurality of through-compression points 712, similar to the through-compression points of the support plates in the embodiments described previously.

[0286] In ​ the illustrated embodiment, the last row of the planar screening unit 702 and the last row of the pyramidal screening unit 704 are mounted to the top surface 714 of the receiving base 711 of the end rod 710. The end rod 710 has an attachment mechanism configured to cooperate with the corresponding attachment mechanisms of the planar screening unit 702 and the pyramidal screening unit 704. For example, the attachment protrusions 716 on the distal end of the receiving base 711 are configured to cooperate with corresponding holes in the planar screening unit 702 and / or the pyramidal screening unit 704. Similarly, clamping holes 718 are formed in the inner surface 712 of the end rail 713 of the end rod 710. The clamping holes 718 are similar to the clamping holes on the sub-grids of the planar screening unit 702 and the pyramidal screening unit 704. Thus, the clamping holes 718 are configured to cooperate with the protrusions already provided on the existing screening units 702 / 704.

[0287] ​ It is shown that the end rod 710 is installed near the side edges of the assembly of the planar screening unit 702 and the pyramidal screening unit 704. ​ It is shown the screening assembly after the end rod 710 is fixed to the screening units 702, 704. Similar end rods 710 will be installed on the other side of the assembly of the screening units 702, 704. Then the resulting screening assembly 700 can be installed on a vibrating screen having the compression mechanism described previously, in a manner substantially the same as the installation manner of the screening assembly formed by the support plates and the screening surface.

[0288] The compression mechanism will apply a compressive force to the inner edges of the through-compression points 722 of the end rods. These compressive forces will push the end rods 710 at the opposite ends of the screening assembly 700 together. Thus, the same compressive force used to fix the screening assembly 700 to the vibrating screen is also used to push the individual screening units 702, 704 together, thereby helping the screening assembly 700 maintain its structural integrity.

[0289] The end rod 710 can be formed of metal or synthetic material. Each end rod 710 can also have a composite structure including reinforcing elements such as carbon fiber or fiberglass.

[0290] In the foregoing embodiments, the end rod 710 is attached to at least some of the attachment mechanisms on the screening units 702, 704 that are used to attach the screening units 702, 704 to each other. However, alternative or additional attachment means can be used to secure the end rod 710 to components of the screening units 702, 704. For example, the end rod 710 can be attached to the screening units 702, 704 by adhesives, welding, fusing, using various different fasteners, or combinations of these attachment means.

[0291] Vibrating screening machines typically have an elongated screening area that has an inlet end and an outlet end. A plurality of screening components are mounted along the length of the screening area. In a single trough embodiment, each screening component extends across the entire width inside the screening machine, and the plurality of screening components are arranged along the length of the screening area. In a double trough embodiment, each screening component extends across a portion (e.g., half) of the width of the screening machine. In such an embodiment, groups of parallel screening components are arranged along the length of the screening area.

[0292] The material to be screened is deposited at the input end of the screening area, and the screening components vibrate to cause the material to travel along the length of the screening area to the outlet end. The screening components mounted on the screening area can be mounted to form a continuous screening surface that is at an angle to the horizontal direction (e.g., the inlet end is higher than the outlet end). The inclined screening surface may help the material to travel from the input end to the output end under the action of gravity. Other configurations are possible.

[0293] The screening components can be made of a variety of different types of materials. These different materials can impart different characteristics to the screening components. Generally, screening components made of plastic or synthetic materials may be more resistant to wear associated with the screening operation than screening components made of woven wire mesh. On the other hand, screening components made of wire mesh may have better screening and dewatering characteristics than screening components made of plastic or synthetic materials.

[0294] The conditions in the screening area of a vibrating screening machine vary along the length direction of the screening area. The entire quantity and weight of the material to be screened are deposited at the inlet end of the screening area. Therefore, the screening component or components at the inlet end bear the entire weight of all the input material to be screened and thus experience the greatest wear. As the material travels along the length of the screening area, fluids and smaller particles pass through the screening components and fall. Therefore, the quantity and weight of the material traveling along the downstream portion (e.g., the second half) of the screening area are not as great as the quantity and weight of the material traveling along the upstream portion (e.g., the first half) of the screening area. Therefore, the screening components mounted along the downstream portion of the screening area experience less wear than the screening units mounted along the upstream portion of the screening area.

[0295] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, devices, and methods for minimizing the overall wear of a set of screening components installed along the length of a vibrating screen while maintaining the desired screening and dewatering characteristics of the vibrating screen. In one embodiment, a screening system, a screening machine, and a screening method are provided in which different types of screening components are installed along the length of the screening area of the screening machine. In one embodiment, plastic or synthetic screening components are installed at the inlet end of the screening area and along an initial portion (e.g., the first half) of the length of the screening area. Such plastic or synthetic screening components are better able to withstand the greater loads experienced by the screening components located at the initial or inlet portion of the screening area as compared to screening components made of woven wire mesh. Additionally, woven wire mesh screening components are installed along the second half (e.g., the second half) of the length of the screening area. As previously mentioned, the screening components installed along the outlet portion of the screening area are not worn as much as the screening components installed at the inlet portion of the screening area. Thus, wear is not a major factor when the woven wire mesh screening elements are located at the outlet portion of the screening area.

[0296] ​ and ​ Front and rear perspective views of a screening machine 300 are shown in which different types of screening components are installed along the length of the screening area of the screening machine. In the illustrated embodiment, the screening machine has two sets of parallel screening components arranged along the length of the screening machine. For purposes of discussion, only one set of screening components will be described. The parallel sets may be substantially the same. Additionally, this description also applies to single-trough screening machines (e.g., ​ ), in which a single set of screening components extends along the screening area of the machine.

[0297] As ​ and ​As shown, the screening machine 800 uses first and second plastic or synthetic screening assemblies 810a, 810b (hereinafter referred to as 810 unless otherwise specifically mentioned), which are installed in a machine disposed between the inlet ends 801 of the screening area and extend to the first half of the screening area. In addition, the screening machine 800 uses first and second wire mesh screening assemblies 812a, 812b (hereinafter referred to as 812 unless otherwise specifically mentioned), which are disposed between the outlet end 4 of the screening area and the center of the screening area. In this embodiment, the four screening assemblies 810a, 810b, 812a, 812b together cover the screening area of each trough of the screening machine. In use, the material to be screened is input to the inlet end 801 of the machine and enters the upper surface of the first plastic / synthetic screening assembly 812a. Due to the vibration of the machine 800, the material passes through the surfaces of the first plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810a, the second plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810b, the surface of the first wire mesh screen 812a, the surface of the second wire mesh screening assembly 812b and flows out from the outlet end 804 of the machine 800. As mentioned above, the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810 is more resistant to wear at the inlet end of the screening area than the wire mesh screening assembly 812. In addition, when the material to be screened passes along the screening area, the first part of the fluid in the material passes through the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810 while the material to be screened travels along the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810. When the material passes through the wire mesh screening assembly, the second part of the fluid in the material passes through the wire mesh screening assembly 812.

[0298] A screening machine 800 (e.g., a mixer 800) using a combination of plastic / synthetic screening assemblies 810 and wire mesh screening assemblies 812 can achieve screening and dehydration at least as efficient as a screening machine using a full set of wire mesh screening assemblies. In addition, compared with a screening machine using a full set of wire mesh screening assemblies, the wear rate of the wire mesh screening assemblies 812 of the hybrid screening machine 800 is lower. Therefore, the wire mesh screening assemblies 812 of the mixer do not need to be replaced frequently, thereby further reducing the downtime of the machine and improving its overall efficiency. In addition, the average screen life is also increased.

[0299] ​ and 29D respectively show ​ and 29BEnd view and partial end view of the screening machine 800. As shown in these figures, the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810 and the wire mesh screening assembly 812 can also have different physical configurations. As shown, in one embodiment, the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810 and the wire mesh screening assembly 812 can each utilize a undulating or corrugated screening surface, where the screening surface has alternating peaks and valleys. In the illustrated embodiment, the height of the peaks of the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810 is greater than the height of the peaks of the wire mesh screening assembly 812. However, it can be understood that the screening assemblies can have a common configuration. Additionally, although the screening surfaces of the screening assemblies 810, 812 are each shown as undulating or corrugated surfaces, it can be understood that the screening surface can have other configurations (e.g., substantially flat).

[0300] The plastic / synthetic screening assembly 810 can have a screening surface made of synthetic materials such as polyurethane, thermoplastic polymers (such as polyurethane), and thermosetting polymers, but is not limited thereto. Molded polyurethane screens are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,908,150, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, thermosetting and thermoplastic polymer screens are described in U.S. Patent Publication US-20210354173, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0301] The wire mesh screening assembly 812 can include one or more layers of woven mesh material. Such woven mesh material can be attached to the underlying support plate by means of gluing, welding, and mechanical fastening. Exemplary wire mesh screening assemblies are described in U.S. Patent No. 7,228,971, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0302] ​Illustrated is an arrangement of the plastic / synthetic screening assembly 820 and the wire mesh screening assembly 830 on a double screening zone screener, as well as the arrangement of a single screening zone screener. In this arrangement, each machine includes a first synthetic screening assembly 820a disposed at the machine inlet / feed end and a second synthetic screening assembly 820b disposed immediately downstream of the first synthetic screening assembly 820a. A first wire mesh screening assembly 830a is disposed downstream of the second synthetic screening assembly 820b. Finally, a second wire mesh screening assembly 830b is disposed downstream of the first wire mesh screening assembly 830a and near the outlet end / discharge port. In this arrangement, the double screening zone machine uses two sets of parallel synthetic screening assemblies 820a, 820b and two sets of parallel wire mesh screening assemblies 830a, 830b, while the single screening zone machine uses two synthetic screening assemblies 820a, 820b and two wire mesh screening assemblies 830a, 830b. In this regard, half of the screening zone (i.e., the inlet / upstream half) is covered by synthetic screening assemblies and half of the screening zone (i.e., the outlet / downstream half) is covered by wire mesh screening assemblies.

[0303] ​ and ​ An alternative screening assembly arrangement is shown. More particularly, ​ shown is an arrangement in which the screener uses three synthetic screening assemblies 820a, 820b and 820c and a single wire mesh screening assembly 830a located at the outlet end. ​ shown is an arrangement in which the screener uses one synthetic screening assembly 820a located at the inlet end and three wire mesh screening assemblies 830a, 830b and 830c. Other variations are possible for machines with different numbers of screening assemblies.

[0304] Although the above has been mainly discussed in connection with a screener having a concave support surface (such as a longitudinal beam or a partition), where the screening assembly is compressed into a concave shape, it should be noted that aspects of various compression devices can be used with screeners of different configurations. For example, the compression device can be used with a screener having a flatter base portion (e.g., less concave or even flat).

[0305] All directional references (e.g., positive, negative, up, down, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are for identification purposes only to assist the reader in understanding the present disclosure and do not impose limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of any aspect of the present disclosure. As used herein, the phrases "configured to," "configured for," and like phrases mean that the subject device, apparatus, or system is designed and / or constructed (e.g., by appropriate hardware, software, and / or components) to achieve one or more particular objective purposes, rather than that the subject device, apparatus, or system is merely capable of performing the objective purposes. Connecting terms (e.g., "attached," "coupled," "connected," etc.) should be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between the elements and relative movement between the elements. Thus, the connecting terms do not necessarily infer that the two elements are directly connected and fixed to each other. All matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not restrictive. Changes in details or structure may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0306] Any patent, publication, or other publicly available material, if referred to as incorporated by reference herein, is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with the existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. Thus, to the extent necessary, the disclosure set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated by reference herein. Any material or portion thereof that is said to be incorporated by reference herein but conflicts with the existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material in this document is incorporated into this document only to the extent that there is no conflict between the incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

Claims

1. A method for forming a screening assembly, comprising: Providing a support member, the support member comprising: A flow-through area surrounded by a front edge and a rear edge and a first side edge and a second side edge of the support member, wherein a plurality of flow-through holes are located in the flow-through area, each flow-through hole extending through the support member from a top surface of the flow-through area to a bottom surface of the flow-through area; A first plurality of mounting holes arranged along the first side edge of the support member, each mounting hole of the first plurality of mounting holes extending inwards from the first side edge towards a center line of the support member and including at least one compression surface; A second plurality of mounting holes arranged along the second side edge of the support member, each mounting hole of the second plurality of mounting holes extending inwards from the second side edge towards the center line of the support member and including at least one compression surface; and A first upwardly extending flange and a second upwardly extending flange, the first upwardly extending flange and the second upwardly extending flange extending upwards from the first side edge of the support member and from the second side edge of the support member respectively; and Attaching a screening surface to the top surface of the flow-through area to form a screening assembly.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the support member comprises providing a support member, wherein a first plurality of through holes are provided in the first upwardly extending flange and a second plurality of through holes are provided in the second upwardly extending flange.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein providing the support member comprises providing a support member in which each through hole of the first plurality of through holes comprises an extension of a corresponding one of the first plurality of mounting holes, and each through hole of the second plurality of through holes comprises an extension of a corresponding one of the second plurality of mounting holes.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the support member comprises providing a support member in which each mounting hole of the first plurality of mounting holes and the second plurality of mounting holes further comprises an alignment groove extending inwards from the compression surface of the mounting hole towards the center line of the support member.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein providing the support member comprises providing a support member in which each compression surface of at least one compression surface of each mounting hole of the first plurality of mounting holes and the second plurality of mounting holes comprises a first compression surface and a second compression surface located on opposite sides of the alignment groove.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the support member comprises providing a support member in which the first upwardly extending flange and the second upwardly extending flange extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the flow-through area.

7. A method for forming a screening assembly, comprising: Providing a support member, which comprises: A flow-through area surrounded by a front edge and a rear edge and a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein a plurality of flow-through holes are provided in the flow-through area, each flow-through hole extending through the support member from a top surface of the flow-through area to a bottom surface of the flow-through area; A first plurality of mounting holes, the first plurality of mounting holes being arranged along a first side edge of the support member, each mounting hole of the first plurality of mounting holes including at least one compression surface and an alignment slot, the alignment slot extending inwards from the at least one compression surface towards the center line of the support member; and Attach the screening surface to the top surface of the flow-through area.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which at least one compression surface of each mounting hole of the first plurality of mounting holes is located inside the first side edge.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which at least one compression surface of each mounting hole of the first plurality of mounting holes includes a first compression surface and a second compression surface located on opposite sides of the alignment slot.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member that further includes a first upwardly extending flange arranged along the first side edge of the support member, and wherein a first plurality of through holes are provided in the first upwardly extending flange.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which each through hole of the first plurality of through holes includes an extension of a corresponding one of the first plurality of mounting holes.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member that further includes a second upwardly extending flange arranged along a second side edge of the support member.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which the first upwardly extending flange and the second upwardly extending flange extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the flow-through area.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which a second plurality of through holes are provided in the second upwardly extending flange, and the support member further includes a second plurality of compression surfaces, each compression surface of the second plurality of compression surfaces being provided in a corresponding one of the second plurality of through holes.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member that has at least one compression surface arranged along a second side edge of the support member.

16. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member that includes a second plurality of mounting holes arranged along a second side edge of the support member, each mounting hole of the second plurality of mounting holes including at least one compression surface.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member in which at least one compression surface of each of the first plurality of mounting holes is located inside the first side edge, and at least one compression surface of the second plurality of mounting holes is located inside the second side edge.

18. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member configured to preferentially bend into a concave shape when a compressive force having a component pointing to the center line of the support member is applied to the first side edge and the second side edge, such that the center of the support member is lower than the first side edge and the second side edge of the support member.

19. A method for forming a screening assembly, comprising: providing a support member, the support member including: a flow-through area surrounded by a front edge and a rear edge and a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein a plurality of flow-through holes are provided in the flow-through area, a first plurality of mounting holes in the support member, the first plurality of mounting holes being arranged along the first side of the flow-through area, each of the first plurality of holes including at least one compression surface; and attaching a screening surface to the top surface of the flow-through area.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member in which at least one compression surface of each of the first plurality of holes is a part of the bottom edge of each of the first plurality of holes.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member in which the bottom edge portion of each of the first plurality of mounting holes further includes an alignment groove extending inwardly from at least one compression surface, and at least one compression surface of each of the first plurality of holes includes a first compression surface and a second compression surface located on opposite sides of the alignment groove of the hole.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member in which at least one compression surface of each of the first plurality of holes is located inside the first side of the flow-through area.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member including a first upwardly extending flange arranged along the first side of the flow-through area, wherein the first plurality of holes extend into the first upwardly extending flange.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing the support member includes providing a support member configured to preferentially bend into a concave shape when a compressive force having a component pointing to the center line of the support member is applied to at least one compression surface of the first plurality of holes, such that the center of the support member is lower than the first side and the second side of the flow-through area.

25. A method for forming a screening assembly, comprising: providing a support member, the support member including: A flow-through area surrounded by a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, wherein a plurality of flow-through holes are provided in the flow-through area, each flow-through hole extending from the top surface of the flow-through area through the support member to the bottom surface of the flow-through area; A first upwardly extending flange located on the first side edge, wherein a first plurality of holes are provided in the first upwardly extending flange, and the bottom edge portion of each hole of the first plurality of holes includes at least one compression surface; and Attach a screening surface to the top surface of the flow-through area.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which the bottom edge portion of each hole of the first plurality of holes includes an alignment groove extending inwardly from at least one compression surface towards the center line of the support member.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which at least one compression surface of each hole of the first plurality of holes includes a first compression surface and a second compression surface located on opposite sides of the alignment groove of the hole.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which at least one compression surface of each hole of the first plurality of holes is located inside the first side edge.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein providing the support member includes providing such a support member in which the first upwardly extending flange extends substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the flow-through area.

30. The method according to claim 25, further comprising at least one compression surface located on the second side edge of the support member.

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