Patent ID: 9555445
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: B07B

Claim:
1. A rotating suction chamber apparatus for sorting a mixture of materials, wherein the mixture of materials comprises a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the apparatus comprising: a cylindrical drum having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is at a higher elevation than the lower end; an upper housing connected to the upper end, the upper housing having a material intake for receiving the mixture of materials for introduction to the upper end, wherein the upper housing comprises an outlet for the light fraction; a suction hood connected to the light fraction outlet at an elevation higher than the upper end, the suction hood further comprising a light separator shaft with a substantially vertical portion; an air blower adapted to create an airflow from the lower end, to the upper end, through the light fraction outlet and through the suction hood; the suction hood is constructed such that the airflow lifts the light fraction away from the upper end through the substantially vertical portion; a rotator constructed to rotate the drum about its longitudinal axis, whereby the heavy fraction is moved through the drum and falls out of the lower end; a separator to separate the light fraction from the airflow, the separator having an intake and an exhaust; an air recirculation shaft connected to the lower end; and wherein the light separator shaft is connected to the separator intake and the air recirculation shaft is connected to the separator exhaust, thereby allowing the airflow to circulate in a closed loop.