Material Separators With Two-Stage Rocking Shift Bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rock/soil separators require complex adjustments and manual effort to free trapped materials, compromising operator efficiency and safety due to fixed bar configurations and limited adjustability.
Innovation Solution
The material separator features a two-stage 'rocking' movement mechanism for shift bars, allowing vertical displacement of upper ends followed by pivoting of lower ends, combined with adjustable lateral spacing and a pivotable shift bar actuator for enhanced ease of use and safety, along with T-supports for structural integrity and adjustability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If shift bars are raised with a two-stage rocking movement, then trapped material is more easily freed from the screening surface, but the device complexity increases due to the additional movement mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The shift bars transition from a static fixed position to a dynamic two-stage movement system. The upper ends can translate vertically along guide plates while the lower ends pivot upward about the upper ends, creating a rocking motion that effectively frees trapped material. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling easy operation through controlled movement while managing complexity through structured mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The shift bar system is segmented into movable upper ends and fixed lower ends, with the upper ends capable of independent vertical translation along guide plates. This segmentation allows the upper portion to move for freeing material while the lower portion remains anchored, resolving the contradiction by dividing the bar into functional zones that address both ease of operation and controlled complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the spacing between bars is made adjustable, then the separator can adapt to different material sizes, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to additional adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The bar spacing system transitions from a static fixed configuration to a dynamic adjustable mechanism. The attach plates can be repositioned along the frame members and secured at different locations, allowing the spacing between shift bars and fixed bars to be modified. This dynamic adjustability resolves the contradiction by enabling adaptation to different material sizes while using a relatively simple repositioning mechanism rather than a complex adjustable system.
3Ease of operation
If the shift bar actuator is positioned closer to the upper ends of the shift bars, then the two-stage movement is achieved, but the leverage for lifting the lower ends is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator positioning problem is resolved by introducing a vertical dimension to the movement sequence. Instead of a single pivoting motion, the system first translates the upper ends vertically upward, then pivots the lower ends upward about the upper ends. This two-stage sequence in different dimensions achieves the desired rocking motion while managing the leverage requirement through the vertical translation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical translation of the upper ends along the guide plates serves as a preliminary action that prepares the shift bar for the subsequent pivoting motion. By first moving the upper ends upward to a predetermined position, the system creates the necessary geometric conditions for the second-stage pivoting, effectively resolving the force leverage issue through sequential preparatory movement.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure features material separators for screening excavated material (e.g., rocks from soil.) In some implementations the materials separators include (a) a supporting frame; (b) a screening surface mounted at an incline on the supporting frame, the screening surface comprising a plurality of fixed bars that are attached to the frame in a manner to resist upward movement, and a plurality of shift bars that are attached to the frame at their upper and lower ends, in a manner to allow upward movement; and (c) a shift bar actuator, positioned between the upper and lower ends of the shift bars, the shift bar actuator being configured to impart a two-stage movement to the shift bars, whereby during a first stage the upper ends are first displaced vertically, and during a second stage the lower ends pivot upward about the upper ends.