Patent ID: 7438188
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: B03B,B07B

Abstract:
1. An aggregate material separating device, comprising: a) a frame; b) a trough, disposed on the frame and sized and shaped to move a slurry of aggregate material from an upstream end to a downstream end of the trough; b) a shaker mechanism coupled to the frame to vibrate the frame and trough; c) a loading hopper, disposed at the upstream end of the trough, and sized and shaped to receive a load of aggregate material and direct the aggregate material into the trough; d) a hopper wash line, disposed adjacent the loading hopper, to supply a substantially continuous flow of water into the hopper to create the slurry from the aggregate material in the hopper; e) at least one screen, disposed substantially between the trough and the loading hopper, and sized and shaped to receive slurry from the loading hopper and separate particles of a predetermined size from the slurry while allowing the remaining slurry to pass through the screen; f) a plurality of substantially longitudinal riffles rising from a bottom of the trough below the separating screens to an elevated position at the downstream end of the trough, and each riffle sized, shaped and oriented to capture minerals of a predetermined specific gravity from the slurry; g) a brush, disposed in the trough above the plurality of substantially longitudinal riffles, and sized and shaped to slow slurry movement from the upstream end of the trough to the plurality of substantially longitudinal riffles to provide additional settling time for the slurry; and h) a backwash spigot, disposed adjacent a downstream side of the brush, and having a nozzle positioned to spray a continuous flow of water toward the brush to create a standing wave and drive relatively lighter material of the slurry upstream from the plurality of substantially longitudinal riffles and allow relatively heavier material of the slurry to pass to the plurality of substantially longitudinal riffles.