DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SEPARATELY MIXED SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT FLOWABILITY

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for separating mixed substances of different flowability, comprising a frame, a circumferentially driven hollow drum with a perforated outer surface mounted on the frame, an endless press belt which can be pressed against the outer surface of the hollow drum by encircling part of its circumference and which is also circumferentially driven, a product inlet wedge formed by the press belt and the hollow drum for guiding a product stream consisting of material to be pressed between the hollow drum and the press belt in an inlet area of ​​the product stream into the device, and a support device for the press belt with at least one support element arranged on the side of the press belt opposite the hollow drum, wherein the support element is designed as a roller conveyor comprising several rollers arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction of the product stream and at least partially spring-mounted.

[0002] The invention further relates to a method for separating mixed substances of different flowability, comprising the steps of: feeding a product stream consisting of material to be pressed into a product infeed wedge formed by a hollow drum with a perforated outer surface and a press belt that rests against the outside of the hollow drum, encircling part of its circumference; rotating the hollow drum and the press belt to draw the product stream between the hollow drum and the press belt, wherein the more free-flowing components of the product stream are forced by the press belt through the perforation of the outer surface of the hollow drum into the inner cavity of the hollow drum and discharged, while the less free-flowing components of the product stream remain on the outer surface of the hollow drum and are discharged separately.wherein the press belt on the side of the press belt opposite the hollow drum is supported by a roller conveyor which comprises several rollers arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction of the product flow and which are at least partially spring-mounted.

[0003] Substances, materials, or products that differ in their flow behavior, or whose composition differs from one another, are amenable to separation. The possibility and / or necessity of separating mixed substances with different flow viscosities arises, for example, in the processing of animal carcasses (such as separating meat from skin, tendons, tendons, bones, etc.) or parts thereof, in the processing of fruits and vegetables (such as separating the pulp from peel, stems, seeds, or stones, etc.), in the processing of improperly packaged food products (such as separating butter or cheese from the packaging material), and similar applications. Specific examples include pitting dates or unwrapping cheese slices wrapped in foil.

[0004] During processing, core removal, unpacking, or any other similar separation process, a product stream is conveyed from a product feed area between the pressing element (e.g., the press belt and the hollow drum) to a product discharge area. Materials with different flow rates are separated: the more easily flowing materials, such as meat in the case of processing animal carcasses or parts thereof, are at least partially forced into the hollow drum and discharged from there. The less flowing materials, again such as bones, tendons, skin, etc., are collected in the direction of the product flow behind the hollow drum in the product discharge area and discharged. The portion of the product stream forced into the interior of the hollow drum through the perforated outer surface is discharged and sent for further processing.However, the residual product flow, including the less fluid components, that is not forced into the interior of the hollow drum through the perforated outer surface typically adheres at least partially to the outer surface of the hollow drum. This residual flow adhering to the outside of the hollow drum can be removed, for example, by a scraping agent.

[0005] Such devices and processes are therefore used in various industrial sectors, but especially in the food industry. The devices described above, also known as separators or separating units, allow for the separation of various substances. For this purpose, the substances to be separated—i.e., the material to be pressed or separated—are fed in a product stream into the area of ​​the product inlet wedge. The product inlet wedge is formed by the arrangement of the press belt and the hollow drum and creates an inlet angle in the inlet area E of the product stream entering the device. The rotating drive of the hollow drum and / or the rotating drive of the press belt draws the product stream in the conveying direction between the hollow drum and the press belt in the inlet area, creating a gap (filled with product stream) between the press belt and the hollow drum.The size of the (inlet) angle is important for the optimal intake of the product flow and should therefore be kept as constant as possible according to the selected preset.

[0006] The product flow is pressed from the outside against the perforated outer surface of the hollow drum by means of the press belt or other pressing element. Under this pressure, the less fluid components of the product flow are forced through the perforations of the outer surface into the inner cavity of the rotating hollow drum, while the less fluid components remain on the outer surface of the hollow drum and, if necessary, are discharged in the discharge area behind the hollow drum in the conveying direction. Significant pressures occur when the product flow is drawn between the hollow drum and the press belt, as well as during the actual separation process. These pressures act on the hollow drum and the pressing element, particularly on a press belt that is at least slightly elastic, and can lead to undesirable overstretching. This stress occurs throughout the entire pressure zone, i.e., in the area where the press belt encircles the hollow drum.Particular stress peaks, e.g., due to unexpectedly large pieces of material being pressed, occur in the entry area between the press belt and the hollow drum. To counteract these pressures and to at least partially prevent or minimize deflection and overstretching of the press belt, a support device is provided on the side of the press belt opposite the hollow drum.

[0007] From WO 2011 / 092087, several rollers are known as support elements that form the support device. The rollers are at least partially guided in elongated holes and spring-loaded, allowing them to deflect under increasing pressure. However, these support elements are designed for only a single application. Accordingly, the known solution is inflexible and unreliable, as it does not allow for spontaneous adjustments, either during the process or in response to anticipated loads. Consequently, despite the spring-loaded support elements, the pressure occurring between the press belt and the perforated hollow drum during the cutting process, on the one hand, and the friction occurring between the press belt and the hollow drum during the cutting process, on the other, can lead to significant wear, particularly of the press belt, which must be replaced regularly. Furthermore, the downtime results in a loss of device performance.DE 35 16 623 A1, US 4,475,453 and DE 10 2014 117 973 A1 also disclose devices of this type. DE 10 2014 117 973 A1 discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method according to the preamble of claim 10.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the objective of creating a low-wear and flexible device, namely one that can be used for different load cases, with improved performance. The objective is further to propose a corresponding method.

[0009] This task is solved by a device of the type mentioned above in that the spring force of at least individual rollers is controllable, wherein at least one proportional valve for actively adjusting the spring force is assigned to each roller and each proportional valve is connected to a control and / or regulating device, wherein a first detection device is assigned to the device, which is designed and configured to detect product-specific data of the incoming product stream as process parameters, wherein the first detection device is connected to the control and / or regulating device, wherein the spring force of the rollers is controlled and / or regulated on the basis of preset and / or process parameters determined during the process.Because at least individual rollers of the support element can be adjusted with respect to their spring force, the support element, and thus also the press belt, can be preset for different load cases and adapted to unforeseen load cases. By controlling / adjusting the spring force of at least individual rollers, unfavorable load cases can even be completely avoided. The design according to the invention thus ensures high flexibility and improved service life of the hollow drum and, in particular, the press belt, since load peaks can be compensated for or avoided.

[0010] Proportional valves allow for quick and precise control / adjustment of the spring force of, for example, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, enabling immediate responses to varying load conditions. Such a control and / or regulation device ensures that the support element adapts to the product flow being separated, guaranteeing trouble-free and wear-optimized operation of the device while simultaneously providing a yield-efficient separation process. Detecting process parameters of the product flow allows for even more flexible and customized adjustment of the spring force.

[0011] A preferred embodiment is characterized in that at least the roller(s) of the roller conveyor located in the inlet area E are controllable with respect to their spring force. This refers to the roller(s) located in the area of ​​the product inlet wedge on the side of the press belt opposite the hollow drum. The controllable spring force of precisely these roller(s) ensures that the size of the (inlet) angle, which is important for the optimal intake of the product flow, can be kept as constant as possible despite changing load conditions, thereby improving both the service life, particularly of the press belt, and the performance of the device.

[0012] An advantageous further development is characterized by the fact that all rollers of the roller conveyor are spring-mounted, with the spring force for each roller being individually controllable during operation of the device. This ensures that the press belt is supported flexibly and individually across the entire pressure zone over which the roller conveyor and its rollers extend in the circumferential area of ​​the hollow drum, providing the most uniform and even support possible.

[0013] Optionally, a second detection unit is assigned to the device, which is designed and configured to detect device-specific data as process parameters, with the second detection unit being connected to the control and / or regulation unit. By detecting process parameters of the device itself, the flexibility and individualization of the adjustment of the respective spring force can be further improved.

[0014] A particularly preferred feature of the device is that all proportional valves are connected to a common control and / or regulating unit, wherein the control and / or regulating unit comprises a data storage device and an evaluation unit for storing and / or processing preset and / or process parameters determined during the process, such that the spring force of each roller can be controlled and / or regulated based on the process parameters. With the described embodiment, the aforementioned advantages can be achieved in a particularly efficient and reliable manner.

[0015] In an advantageous further development, the first detection device for detecting product-specific data comprises at least one sensor unit for detecting the volume and / or density and / or consistency of the product stream. By determining the aforementioned data or comparable or other relevant data on the product stream, the adjustment of the spring force can be further optimized and refined to improve the flexibility and efficiency of the device.

[0016] Preferably, the second detection device for detecting device-specific data comprises at least one sensor unit for detecting the pressure applied to the proportional valves and / or the wear of the press belt and / or the gap size between the press belt and the hollow drum. By determining the aforementioned data or comparable or other relevant data concerning the device or its condition, the adjustment of the spring force can be further optimized and refined to improve the flexibility and efficiency of the device.

[0017] In a further preferred embodiment, the support device comprises, in addition to the roller conveyor as a support element, a support chain, wherein the rollers of the roller conveyor are then at least partially designed as sprockets. With the additional support chain as a further support element, the pressures occurring during the separation process can be absorbed even better, resulting in reduced wear and increased efficiency.

[0018] Advantageously, the casters are mounted on the frame using a quick-release system. This ensures quick and easy caster changes, thus reducing downtime. It also simplifies cleaning of the casters and the entire device.

[0019] The task is also solved by a method with the steps mentioned above, whereby the spring force of at least individual rollers is controlled, wherein at least one proportional valve is assigned to each roller and the proportional valves are connected to a control and / or regulating device, so that all rollers are actively adjusted with respect to their spring force, wherein product-specific data of the incoming product stream are detected as process parameters by means of a first detection device, and the spring force of the rollers is controlled and / or regulated on the basis of preset and / or process parameters determined during the process.

[0020] Preferably, a second detection device is used to detect product-specific data of the incoming product stream as process parameters and device-specific data of a device for separating mixed substances of different flowability as process parameters. Detection can be performed by separate detection devices or a single, combined detection device.

[0021] The method is particularly preferably carried out with a device according to one or more of claims 1 to 9.

[0022] The advantages resulting from the process steps have already been described in connection with the device, therefore reference is made to the above explanations to avoid repetition.

[0023] Further advantageous features and developments of the device and the method are described in the dependent claims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments of the device and the method are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention.

[0024] The device shown in the drawing is used for separating meat on the one hand and bones, bone fragments, tendons, cartilage, and the like on the other, and has a number of preferred features. Other embodiments with fewer or different features are not explicitly shown. The device can also be used in the same way for separating, for example, fruit pulp from seeds or for separating any other mixed substances of differing flowability.

[0025] The illustrated device 10 is designed and configured for separating mixed substances of different flowability and comprises a frame 11, a hollow drum 12 with a perforated outer surface M, which is driven in a circumferential direction and mounted on the frame 11, an endless press belt 13, which can be pressed against the outer surface of the hollow drum 12 by encircling a part of its circumference and is driven in a circumferential direction, a product inlet wedge 14 formed by the press belt 13 and the hollow drum 12 for guiding a product flow consisting of material to be pressed between the hollow drum 12 and the press belt 13 in an inlet area E of the product flow into the device 10, and a support device 15 for the press belt 13 with at least one support element 16, which is arranged on the side of the press belt 13 opposite the hollow drum 12, wherein the support element 16 is designed as a roller conveyor 17 comprising several rollers 18.which are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F of the product flow and are at least partially spring-mounted.

[0026] According to the invention, this device 10 is characterized in that the spring force of at least individual rollers 18 is controllable, wherein at least one proportional valve 22 is assigned to each roller 18 for actively adjusting the spring force, and each proportional valve 22 is connected to a control and / or regulating device 23 comprising a data storage unit 28 and an evaluation unit 29, wherein the device 10 is assigned a first detection device 24, which is designed and configured to detect product-specific data of the incoming product stream as process parameters, and wherein the first detection device 24 is connected to the control and / or regulating device 23.wherein the spring force of the rollers 18 is controllable and / or adjustable on the basis of process parameters determined during the process by the first detection device 24 or on the basis of preset process parameters determined during the process by the first detection device 24.

[0027] This means that at least one of the rollers 18, but preferably two or more rollers 18 of the roller conveyor 17, is designed and configured to be adjustable with respect to the spring force.

[0028] The frame 11 can be, for example, a closed or at least partially closed housing, a profile construction, or the like. Preferably, the housing is closed on all sides. The drive unit (not shown) for the hollow drum 12 and / or the press belt 13 is arranged on or in the frame 11. The drive unit can comprise a common drive or separate drive means. The axis of rotation A of the hollow drum 12 runs transversely to the conveying direction F of the product flow. Bores / openings 19 are formed in the perforated outer surface M of the hollow drum 12. These bores / openings can be arranged in different patterns and allow parts of the product flow, in particular the more free-flowing, soft, and easily squeezed parts, to pass into the interior of the hollow drum 12. The press belt 13 preferably consists of an elastic material, e.g., rubber, polyurethane, or the like, and is guided around several deflection elements 20.Preferably, a deflection element 20 is designed and configured as a drive roller 21. Particularly preferred is the deflection element 20, which is positioned behind the hollow drum 12 in the conveying direction F, acting as the drive roller 21 to guide the press belt 13, and thus the product flow, past the hollow drum 12. Particularly preferred is the drive roller 21 simultaneously designed and configured as a pressure roller and / or tension roller for the press belt 13. For this purpose, the drive roller 21 is adjustable. The conveying of the product flow in the conveying direction F can be further supported by the hollow drum 12's own drive.

[0029] Preferably, at least the roller(s) 18 of the roller conveyor 17 located in the inlet area E are controllable with respect to their spring force. In particular, load peaks occur in the inlet area E, where the product flow is "threaded" between the hollow drum 12 and the press belt, so that the press belt 13 can be individually supported by the roller(s) whose spring force is controllable / adjustable in order to maintain the (inlet) angle.

[0030] Preferably, all rollers 18 of the roller conveyor 17 are spring-mounted, with the spring force for each roller 18 being individually controllable during operation of the device 10. Compared to a common and synchronous control of all rollers 18, which is also possible, separate control of each roller 18 ensures increased flexibility. The adjustability of the spring force during operation of the device 10, i.e., virtually in real time, allows for immediate responses to load conditions, precisely in the area of ​​the pressure zone D where an adjustment of the spring force is necessary or desired.

[0031] The spring-loaded mounting of the rollers 18 can be implemented in various ways. For example, the spring force can be adjusted via pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders. Particularly preferably, each roller 18 is assigned at least one proportional valve 22 for actively adjusting the spring force. The proportional valve 22 can, for example, be assigned to the pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder to variably adjust the spring force of the roller 18. For active adjustment, each proportional valve 22 or any other means for controlling and / or regulating the spring force is connected to a control and / or regulating device 23. Several individual control and / or regulating devices 23 can be provided. Preferably, a common control and / or regulating device 23 is provided, to which other components of the device 10, e.g.,the drives for the hollow drum 12 and / or the press belt 13 as well as actuating elements for the drive roller 21 are connected.

[0032] According to the invention, the device 10 comprises a first detection device 24, which is designed and configured to detect product-specific data of the incoming product stream as process parameters, wherein the first detection device 24 is also connected to the control and / or regulation device 23. Because the device 10 has such a first detection device 24, the current operating state with respect to the product stream can be determined, so that the spring forces can be adapted not only to preset and thus expected operating states, but also to unexpected and, above all, changing operating states. Particularly preferably, the first detection device 24 for detecting product-specific data comprises at least one sensor unit 25 for detecting the volume and / or density and / or consistency of the product stream, as well as other product-specific data, such as...the product type, the composition of the product stream, etc. The sensor unit 25 can, for example, comprise optical, magnetic, mechanical, capacitive, and other sensor means. Instead of or in addition to the sensor unit 25, for example, an X-ray unit and / or a camera unit and / or any other known unit designed and configured to detect product-specific data on the product stream can also be provided.

[0033] Optionally, a second detection device 26 is assigned to the device 10, which is designed and configured to detect device-specific data as process parameters. The second detection device 26 can be, and often is, connected to the control and / or regulation device 23. Because the device 10 includes such a second detection device 26, the current operating state of the device 10 can be determined, so that the spring forces can be adjusted not only to preset and thus expected operating states, but also to unexpected and, above all, changing operating states.Particularly preferably, the second detection device 26 for detecting device-specific data comprises at least one sensor unit 27 for detecting the pressure applied to the proportional valves 22 and / or the wear of the press belt 13 and / or the gap size between the press belt 13 and the hollow drum 12, as well as other device-specific data, such as the elongation of the press belt, etc. The sensor unit 27 can, for example, comprise optical, magnetic, mechanical, capacitive, or other sensor means. Instead of or in addition to the sensor unit 25, for example, an X-ray unit and / or a camera unit and / or any other known unit designed and configured for detecting device-specific data can also be provided.

[0034] In the schematic drawing, the device 10 is preferably characterized in that all proportional valves 22 are connected to a common control and / or regulating unit 23, wherein the control and / or regulating unit 23 comprises a data storage device 28 and an evaluation unit 29 for storing and / or processing preset and / or process parameters determined during the process, such that the spring force of each roller 18 can be controlled and / or regulated based on the process parameters. The control and / or regulating unit 23 can be connected to a commercially available personal computer (PC) or any other computer unit. The control and / or regulating unit 23 and / or the PC can be designed separately and assigned to the device 10 or be an integral part of the device 10.

[0035] The device 10 is essentially made of stainless steel. This applies in particular to the frame 11 and the hollow drum 12. Of course, other materials are also possible. The press belt 13 is preferably made of a flexible material. The rollers 18 are preferably made of a material approved for use in the food processing industry, in particular plastic. However, other approved materials can also be used, especially if they are easy to clean, wear-resistant, and lightweight.

[0036] In another embodiment (not explicitly shown), the support device 15 can include a support chain as a support element 16 in addition to the roller conveyor 17, wherein the rollers 18 of the roller conveyor 17 are then at least partially designed as sprockets. The rollers 18 can be mounted on the frame 11 in a fixed but detachable manner, regardless of whether they act directly on the press belt 13 as a support element 16 or indirectly on the press belt 13 via the support chain. Preferably, the rollers 18 are mounted on the frame 11 with a quick-release system, as opposed to a fixed but detachable mounting. This allows the rollers 18 to be easily and quickly removed and reinstalled for maintenance or cleaning, preferably without the use of tools.

[0037] Optionally, scraper elements can be arranged in the infeed area, i.e., above the product infeed wedge 14, and / or in the discharge area, i.e., in the conveying direction F behind the hollow drum 12, which is also referred to as a perforated drum. These scraper elements can be rigid, i.e., with a fixed distance to the hollow drum 12 or, more precisely, to its outer surface M, or variably controllable, i.e., their distance to the hollow drum 12 or, more precisely, to its outer surface M can be varied. The hollow drum 12 and the press belt 13 can be driven at the same speed. Optionally, however, the hollow drum 12 and the press belt 13 can also be driven at different speeds. The speed difference can be controlled and / or regulated by means of the control and / or regulating device 23.

[0038] The process is described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. The process is designed and configured for separating mixed substances of different flowability. First, a product stream consisting of material to be pressed is fed into a product infeed wedge 14, which is formed by a hollow drum 12 with a perforated outer surface M and a press belt 13 that rests against the outside of the hollow drum 12, encircling part of its circumference. For the separation process, the hollow drum 12 and the press belt 13 are driven continuously to draw the product stream between the hollow drum 12 and the press belt 13. Preferably, the hollow drum 12 (in the view according to Figure 1 ) driven clockwise, while the drive roller 21 for the press belt (in the view according to Figure 1The drive is counterclockwise, so that the hollow drum 12 and the press belt 13 have the same transport direction in the area of ​​the wrap, i.e., the pressure zone D, whereby the transport speeds may be the same or different. As the product stream is transported along the pressure zone D, the more easily flowing components of the product stream are pressed by the press belt 13 through the perforations of the outer surface M of the hollow drum 12 into the inner cavity of the hollow drum 12 and discharged, while the less flowing components of the product stream remain on the outer surface M of the hollow drum 12 and are discharged separately.During the separation of the product stream into its components, the press belt 13 is supported on the side of the press belt 13 opposite the hollow drum 12 by a roller conveyor 17, which comprises several rollers 18 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction (F) of the product stream and at least partially spring-mounted, as a support element 16.

[0039] The spring force of at least individual rollers 18 is controlled. According to the invention, the method is characterized in that the spring force of the rollers 18 is controlled and / or regulated based on process parameters determined during the process by the first detection device or based on preset process parameters determined during the process by the first detection device. The spring force can be adjusted in various ways. According to the method of the invention, at least one proportional valve 22 is assigned to each roller 18, and the proportional valves 22 are connected to a control and / or regulation device 23, so that the spring force of all rollers 18 can be actively adjusted. For example, the spring pressure of one, several, or all rollers 18 can be increased if a higher-density product stream is to be separated into its components.In another example, the spring pressure of one, several, or all rollers 18 can be reduced if the elongation of the press belt 13 exceeds a limit value. The spring pressure is adjusted depending on process parameters of the product flow (and optionally also of the device 10 itself) that change during the separation process, or depending on preset process parameters of the product flow (and optionally also of the device 10 itself) that change during the separation process.

[0040] For this purpose, product-specific data of the incoming product stream are detected as process parameters using a first detection device 24. Device-specific data of a device 10 for separating mixed substances of different flowability are detected as process parameters using a second detection device 26. The results of the process parameter detection, or the corresponding data, are stored and / or processed so that the control device 23 can individually adjust the spring force of each roller 18 based on the data before commissioning the device 10 or during operation of the device 10.

[0041] The method is particularly preferably carried out with a device 10 according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, as previously described.

Claims

1. Apparatus (10) for separating materials of different flowability that are mixed together, comprising a frame structure (11); a hollow drum (12) with perforated peripheral surface (M) which is driven in rotation and mounted on the frame structure (11), a continuous compression belt (13) which can be pressed against said peripheral surface from the outside when wrapped around part of the circumference of said hollow drum and which is driven in circulation, a product intake wedge (14) formed by the compression belt and hollow drum for conducting a product stream, comprising a product to be pressed, into the apparatus between the hollow drum (12) and the compression belt (13) in an inlet area (E) of the product stream, and a support apparatus (15) for the compression belt (13), with at least one support element (16) which is arranged on the side of the compression belt (13) opposite the hollow drum (12), wherein the support element (16) is configured as a roller track (17) comprising several rollers (18) which are arranged successively in the conveying direction (F) of the product stream and at least partially spring-mounted, wherein the spring force of at least individual rollers (18) is controllable, characterized in that at least one proportional valve (22) is assigned to the or each roller (18) for active adjustment of the spring force and each proportional valve (22) is connected to a control and / or regulating device (23) comprising a data store (28) and an analysis unit (29), wherein a first detection device (24) is assigned to the apparatus (10), which detection device is configured and designed to detect product-specific data of the inflowing product stream as process parameters, wherein the first detection device (24) is connected to the control and / or regulating device (23), wherein the spring force of the rollers (18) is controllable and / or adjustable on the basis of process parameters which are determined during the process by means of the first detection device or on the basis of process parameters preset and determined during the process by means of the first detection device.

2. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring force of at least the roller(s) (18) of the roller track (17) situated in the inlet area (E) is controllable.

3. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that all rollers (18) of the roller track (17) are spring-mounted, wherein the spring force is controllable individually for each roller (18) during operation of the apparatus (10).

4. Apparatus (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a second detection device (26) is assigned to the apparatus (10), which detection device is configured and designed to detect apparatus-specific data as process parameters, wherein the second detection device (26) is connected to the control and / or regulating device (23).

5. Apparatus (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that all proportional valves (22) are connected to a common control and / or regulating device (23), wherein the control and / or regulating device (23) comprises a data store (28) and an analysis unit (29) for storing and / or processing process parameters which are determined during the process by means of the first and the second detection device or process parameters which are preset and determined during the process by means of the first and second detection device, such that the spring force of each roller (18) can be controlled and / or regulated on the basis of the process parameters.

6. Apparatus (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first detection device (24) for detecting product-specific data comprises at least one sensor unit (25) for detecting the volume and / or density and / or consistency of the product stream.

7. Apparatus (10) according to one or more of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the second detection device (26) for detecting apparatus-specific data comprises at least one sensor unit (27) for detecting the pressure present at the proportional valves (22) and / or the wear on the compression belt (13) and / or the gap size between the compression belt (13) and the hollow drum (12).

8. Apparatus (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support apparatus (15) comprises, in addition to the roller track (17), a support chain as a support element (16), wherein the rollers (18) of the roller track (17) are then formed at least partially as chain wheels.

9. Apparatus (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rollers (18) are mounted on the frame structure (11) by a quick-locking system.

10. Method for separating materials of different flowability that are mixed together, comprising the steps: - supply of a product stream, comprising a product to be pressed, into a product intake wedge (14) which is formed by a hollow drum (12) with perforated peripheral surface (M) and a compression belt (13) which lies on the hollow drum (12) from the outside, wrapped around part of the circumference, - driving the hollow drum (12) and / or the compression belt (13) in circulation in order to draw in the product stream between the hollow drum (12) and the compression belt (13), - wherein the more easily flowing constituents of the product stream are pressed into the inner hollow chamber (H) of the hollow drum (12) by means of the compression belt (13) through the perforations of the peripheral surface (M) of the hollow drum (12) and discharged, while the less easily flowing constituents of the product stream remain on the outside of the peripheral surface (M) of the hollow drum (12) and are discharged separately, - wherein on the side of the compression belt (13) opposite the hollow drum (12), the compression belt (13) is supported by a roller track (17) as a support element (16), which comprises several at least partially spring-mounted rollers (18) arranged successively in the conveying direction (F) of the product stream, wherein the spring force of at least some rollers (18) is controlled, characterized in that at least one proportional valve (22) is assigned to each roller (18), and the proportional valves (22) are connected to a control and / or regulating device (23) so that the spring force of all rollers (18) is actively adjusted, wherein by means of a first detection device (24), product-specific data of the inflowing product stream are detected as process parameters, so that the spring force of the rollers (18) is controlled and / or regulated on the basis of process parameters which are determined during the process by means of the first detection device or on the basis of process parameters which are preset and determined during the process by means of the first detection device.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that by means of a second detection device (26), apparatus-specific data of an apparatus (10) for separating materials of different flowability that are mixed together are detected as process parameters.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the spring force of the rollers (18) is controlled and / or regulated on the basis of process parameters which are determined during the process by means of the first and the second detection device or on the basis of process parameters which are preset and determined during the process by means of the first and the second detection device.

13. Method according to one or more of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it is carried out with an apparatus (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 9.