SCREEN ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A VIBRATORY SHAKER

Abstract: A screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly comprising a panel (1150) with two connected pairs of spaced-apart sides including a first pair of spaced-apart sides (1151, 1152) separated by a second pair of spaced-apart sides (1153, 1154), a plurality of spaced-apart strips (1155) extending between the first pair of spaced-apart sides, each adjacent pair of the plurality of spaced-apart strips defining a space (1156) therebetween through the panel, a first mesh (1162) bonded to the spaced-apart strips, and a second mesh (1161) bonded to the first mesh, characterized in that said spaces (1156, 1157) are formed by removing elongated lengths of material from a sheet of material.

Description: SCREEN ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A VIBRATORY SHAKER This invention relates to a screen assembly for use in a vibratory separator and to a method of making the same. Screen assemblies are used for separating solids from liquids. US-A-5 417 858 discloses a corrugated screen assembly which is supported on a punched plate containing a multiplicity of rectangular apertures in a staggered grid-like arrangement. Applicants PCT publication WO 97/03765 describes a screen assembly in which the corrugated screen is supported by a plurality of separate and distinct strips which extend substantially parallel to one another. This construction is significantly different from the grid-like arrangement of US-A-5 417 858 and has significant flow advantages relative thereto. The present invention addresses inter alia the problem of constructing a screen assembly with a plurality of separate and distinct strips. The present invention provides two solutions to this problem. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly comprising a panel with two connected pairs of spaced-apart sides including a first pair of spaced-apart sides separated by a second pair of spaced-apart sides, a plurality of spaced-apart strips extending between the first pair of spaced-apart sides, each adjacent pair of the plurality of spaced-apart strips defining a space therebetween through the panel, a first mesh bonded to the spaced-apart strips, and a second mesh bonded to the first mesh, characterized in that said spaces are formed by removing elongated lengths of material from a sheet of material. Preferably, said elongate lengths of material are formed with a laser. The present invention also provides a screen assembly comprising a panel with two connected pairs of spaced-apart sides including a first pair of spaced-apart sides separated by a second pair of spaced-apart sides, a plurality of spaced-apart strips extending between the first pair of spaced-apart sides, each adjacent pair of the plurality of spaced-apart strips defining a space therebetween through the panel, a first mesh bonded to the spaced-apart strips, and a second mesh bonded to the first mesh, characterized in that each end of at least one of said strips is provided with a tongue and said spaced-apart sides are provided with at least one recess, the arrangement being such that, during construction, said tongue can be inserted in said recess when said strip, and said side are lying on a flat surface. Preferably the strips range in width between about 0.10 inches and about 3.00 inches. Advantageously the strips are about 0.22 inches wide. Preferably, the strips are spaced-apart between about 0.2 inches to about 4.00 inches. Advantageously, the strips are about 1.3 inches apart. Preferably, the panel, sides and strips are made of 14 gauge cold rolled steel. Advantageously, the panel and its sides and strips are made of material from the group consisting of iron, steel, stainless steel, zinc, zinc alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, plastic, polytetrafluoroethylene, fiberglass, cermet and composite. Preferably, the first mesh is a backup mesh ranging between 2 mesh and 30 mesh. Advantageously, the second mesh is a fine mesh ranging between 14 mesh and 500 mesh. Preferably, the first mesh is 12 mesh and the second mesh is 180 mesh. Advantageously, the screen assembly further comprises a third mesh on top of the second mesh. Preferably, the third mesh ranges between 100 mesh and 300 mesh. Advantageously, the third mesh is bonded to the second mesh. Preferably, the first mesh is made of wire of a first diameter and the second mesh is made of wire of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter and the third mesh is made of wire of a third diameter smaller than the second diameter. Advantageously, the first mesh is made of wire of a first diameter and the second mesh is made of wire of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. Preferably, the strips have at least a portion thereof curved as viewed from above. The present invention also provides a method of making a screen assembly in accordance with the present invention, characterized in that it includes the step of removing elongate length of material from a sheet of material. Preferably, said method it comprises the step of removing said elongate lengths of material with a laser. It is also within the scope of this invention to use a strip or strips which are disposed in a manner non-parallel to the two sides. In one aspect such non-parallel strips may extend diagonally from one end of one side of a panel, to a diagonally opposite end of the other side. Any strip herein may have holes through it to facilitate fluid flow. In one aspect any panel comprising a combination of strips, or pattern of strips disclosed herein may be used with a generally flat ("two-dimensional") screen. The present invention also provides a vibratory separator, for example a shale shaker, provided with a screen assembly in accordance with the present invention. For a better understanding of the present invention reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a top view of a panel for use in a screen assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front side view of the panel of Fig. 1. The back side view is like the view of Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a left end view (as in Fig. 1) of the panel of Fig. 1. The right end view is like the view of Fig. 3; Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the panel of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a screen assembly in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the screen assembly of Fig. 5; Figs. 7 - 16 are top views of alternate panels; Fig. 17 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of a screen assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 18 is a bottom view of another panel for a screen assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 19 is a top view of a further panel for a screen assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 20 is an end view of a strip of the panel of Fig. 19; and Fig. 21 is an enlargement of a portion of the panel shown in Fig. 19. Figs. 1 - 4 show a panel 1150 with two opposed spaced-apart sides 1151 and 1152 spaced apart by two opposed sides 1153, 1154 and by a plurality of strips 1155. Each pair of spaced-apart strips, with portions of the sides 1151, 1152 define an open space 1156 through the panel 1150. At each side 1153, 1154, a strip 1155 and a portion of the side 1153 and side 1154 define an open space 1157 through the panel 1150. In one aspect the panel 1150 (and/or strips and/or sides) is made of any suitable metal, e.g. but not limited to iron, steel, stainless steel, zinc, zinc alloys, aluminum, and aluminum alloys. In another aspect the panel is made of any suitable plastic, fiberglass, polytetrafluoroethylene cermet or composite. In one particular aspect the panel is made of 14 gauge cold rolled steel about 0.074 inches thick. The openings in the panel may be made by any suitable method, including, but not limited to, punching, drilling, sawing, or laser cutting. In one particular aspect a panel of 14 gauge cold rolled steel about 0.074 inches thick is laser cut with a CO 2 laser producing very precise and well-defined open spaces and very precise and well-defined strips 1155, in one aspect with strips about 0.22 inches wide, about 1.3 inches apart from each other. In other aspects, the strips 1155 may range in width between about 0.10 inches to about 3.00 inches and they may be spaced apart between about 0.2 inches to about 4.00 inches. In one particular screen with about 0.22 inch wide strips spaced about 1.3 inches apart, the panel is 14 gauge cold rolled steel about 46.75 inches long, about 35.86 inches wide, about 0.074 inches thick with end portions, as viewed from above, about 1.65 inches wide between the screen ends" outer edge and the edge of an open space. Alternatively, the strips 1155 may be vertically oriented as viewed in Fig. 1 and the panel 1150 may be corrugated. Alternatively, the outer edges of the panel 1150 may be provided and the strips, as separate pieces, connected thereto in any manner, shape, or design as described above herein. Fig. 5 shows a screen assembly 1160 according to the present invention with a panel 1150. A second mesh (in one aspect a fine mesh) 1161, e.g. 180 mesh, is bonded to a first mesh (in one aspect a backup mesh) 1162, e.g. 12 mesh which is then bonded to the panel 1150. In additional embodiments, the second (fine) mesh 1161 may range between 14 mesh and 500 mesh and the first (backup) mesh 1162 may range between 2 mesh and 30 mesh. Also, additional meshes may be used, including, but not limited to, any of the meshes and mesh combinations disclosed above herein, including the above-disclosed corrugated meshes in a flat configuration. In other embodiments a first (backup) mesh, second (middle) mesh and a third (top) mesh (in one aspect ranging between 100 mesh to 300 mesh) are used. In one aspect the first (backup) mesh was 304 stainless steel 32 mesh with wire diameter of 0.045 inches, the second (middle) mesh was 130 mesh 304 stainless steel with wire diameter of 0.0017 inches, and the third (top) mesh was 304 stainless steel 180 mesh with a wire diameter of 0.0012 inches. A panel like the panel 1150 was coated with a powder coating (e.g. such as commercially available TK NONO B ™ Powder from Tuboscope Netco) and bonded to the three meshes. In other embodiments a first (backup) mesh and a second (top) mesh are used bonded together. In one aspect the first (backup) mesh was 304 stainless steel 8 mesh with wire diameter of 0.025 inches, and the second (top) mesh was 304 stainless steel 200 mesh with a wire diameter of 0.0021 inches. A panel like the panel 1150 was coated with a powder coating and bonded to the two meshes. In other embodiments a first (backup) mesh, second (middle) mesh and a third (top) mesh are used bonded together. In one aspect the top (backup) mesh was 304 stainless steel calendared 8 mesh (with tops of ridges flattened) with wire diameter of 0.025 inches, and the top mesh was 304 stainless steel 180 mesh with a wire diameter of 0.0012 inches (or alternatively 200 mesh with a wire diameter of 0.0010 inches). A panel like the panel 1150 was coated with a powder coating and bonded to the three meshes. Figs. 7 - 16 are top views of alternate panels which have strips in various orientations and of various widths and spacing. Any panel, side, and/or strip depicted in these figures may be made of any material listed above for the panel 1150 and any strip in these figures may have the dimensions described for a strip 1155. Any mesh or meshes or mesh combination described herein may be used with any panel in Figs. 7 - 16 and these panels may be flat, corrugated, or undulating as any such shape for a frame or panel disclosed herein. Fig. 7 shows a panel PG with strips SG. Fig. 8 shows a panel PH with strips SH and one wider strip SQ. Fig. 9 shows a panel PI with vertically extending (as viewed in the figure) strips SI. Fig. 10 shows a panel PJ with vertical strips SJ and horizontally extending (as viewed in the figure) strips SS. Fig. 11 shows a panel PK with vertical strips SK and horizontal strips ST. Fig. 12 shows a panel PL with vertical strips SL and slanted (as viewed in the figure) strips SN. Fig. 13 shows a panel PM with chevron shaped (as viewed in the figure) strips SM. Fig. 14 shows a panel PΝ with slanted strips SΝ. Fig. 15 shows a panel PO with partially curved strips SO and optional horizontal strips SV. Fig. 16 shows a panel PP with undulating curved (as viewed from above) strips SP. Each panel in Figs. 7 - 16 has an outer frame FR to which some or all of the strips or attached are formed with. As in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, some of the strips are connected to other strips. Spaces between strips may be formed by cutting the strips, e.g. with a laser or other suitable tool or instrument. Fig. 17 shows a screen 1210 according to the present invention with a frame with two sides 1212 and 1214 with strips 1220 extending between the two sides 1212 and 1214; and screen material 1216 on the strips 1220 and connected to the sides 1212 and 1214. Screen material 1216 (and any other screen or screening material disclosed herein) represents any known mesh, screen, or screens, used in any combination, bonded together or unbonded. The screen material 1216 as shown is "three-dimensional," i.e., not generally flat and has undulating portions with hills 1222 and valleys 1224. (It is within the scope of this invention for the screening material 1216 and any other screening material herein to be generally flat.) Fig. 18 shows a panel 1290. A plurality of strips 1291 extend between and are secured to frame sides 1292 and 1293. In certain embodiments of a screen as in Fig. 18, the strips 1291 are between one-thirty second and one-eighth inches thick and about forty-five and a half inches long; the frame sides 1292, 1293 are about thirty six inches long; the strips 1291 are made from galvamzed steel; and the frame sides 1292, 1293 are made from 20 gauge galvanized steel. Fig. 19 shows a panel 1500 with a plurality of spaced-apart strips 1502 (made of any suitable metal or metal-like material) secured to and between spaced-apart sides 1504. A tongue 1506 on each end of each strip 1502 is received and held in a recess 1524 in a side 1504. The recess 1524 corresponds in shape to the shape of the tongue 1506 and a shoulder 1526 of each strip 1502 abuts a side 1504. The tongue 1506 may be inserted into the recess 1524 from the side (to the left in Fig.21) or from above or below. The top and bottom strips 1502 (as viewed in Fig. 20) each has two humps or ridges 1553 (see Fig. 20) which are located, sized, and configured to be received in corresponding corrugations of a corrugated plate and/or corrugated screen assembly. It is within the scope of this invention for each strip to have one, two, or a plurality of multiple humps or ridges. In one aspect there is one hump or ridge for each corrugation on a superimposed plate and/or screen assembly. It is within the scope of this invention to omit the humps and/or ridges so that the strips 502 are flat for use with flat mesh and/or screen(s).

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly comprising a panel (1150) with two connected pairs of spaced-apart sides including a first pair of spaced-apart sides (1151, 1152) separated by a second pair of spaced-apart sides (1153, 1154), a plurality of spaced-apart strips (1155) extending between the first pair of spaced-apart sides, each adjacent pair of the plurality of spaced- apart strips defining a space (1156, 1157) therebetween through the panel, a first mesh (1162) bonded to the spaced-apart strips, and a second mesh (1161) bonded to the first mesh, characterized in that said spaces (1156, 1157) are formed by removing elongated lengths of material from a sheet of material. 2. A screen assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said elongate lengths of material are formed with a laser. 3. A screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the screen assembly comprising a panel with two connected pairs of spaced-apart sides including a first pair of spaced-apart sides (1504) separated by a second pair of spaced-apart sides ( 1502), a plurality of spaced-apart strips (1502) extending between the first pair of spaced-apart sides, each adjacent pair of the plurality of spaced- apart strips defining a space therebetween through the panel, a first mesh bonded to the spaced-apart strips, and a second mesh bonded to the first mesh, characterized in that each end of at least one of said strips (1502) is provided with a tongue (1506) and said spaced-apart sides (1504) are provided with at least one recess (1524) the arrangement being such that, during construction, said tongue (1506) can be inserted in said recess (1524) when said strip, and said side (1504) are lying on a flat surface. 4. A screen assembly as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the strips range in width between about 0.10 inches and about 3.00 inches. 5. A screen assembly as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the strips are about 0.22 inches wide. 6. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the strips are spaced-apart between about 0.2 inches to about 4.00 inches. 7. A screen assembly as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the strips are about 1.3 inches apart. 8. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the panel, sides and strips are made of 14 gauge cold rolled steel. 9. A screen assembly as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the panel and its sides and strips are made of material from the group consisting of iron, steel, stainless steel, zinc, zinc alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, plastic, polytetrafluoroethylene, fiberglass, cermet and composite. 10. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first mesh is a backup mesh ranging between 2 mesh and 30 mesh. 11. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second mesh is a fine mesh ranging between 14 mesh and 500 mesh. 12. A screen assembly as claimed in claim 11 and 12, wherein the first mesh is 12 mesh and the second mesh is 180 mesh. 13. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a third mesh on top of the second mesh. 14. A screen assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the third mesh ranges between 100 mesh and 300 mesh. 15. A screen assembly as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the third mesh is bonded to the second mesh. 16. A screen assembly as claimed in Claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the first mesh is made of wire of a first diameter and the second mesh is made of wire of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter and the third mesh is made of wire of a third diameter smaller than the second diameter. 17. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first mesh is made of wire of a first diameter and the second mesh is made of wire of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. 18. A screen assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the strips have at least a portion thereof curved as viewed from above. 19. A method of making a screen assembly, as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that it includes the step of removing elongate lengths of material from a sheet of material. 20. A method according to claim 19, characterized in that it comprises the step of removing said elongate lengths of material with a laser.

Inventors: ADAMS THOMAS COLE, LARGENT DAVID WAYNE, MCCLUNG GUY LAMONT, MURRAY HECTOR M, SCHULTE DAVID LEE, SEYFFERT KENNETH WAYNE, WALKER JEFFREY EARL, ADAMS, THOMAS, COLE, LARGENT, DAVID, WAYNE, MCCLUNG, GUY, LAMONT, MURRAY, HECTOR, M., SCHULTE, DAVID, LEE, SEYFFERT, KENNETH, WAYNE, WALKER, JEFFREY, EARL
Applicants: LUCAS BRIAN RONALD, TUBOSCOPE I P INC, LUCAS, BRIAN, RONALD, TUBOSCOPE I/P INC.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B07B1
IPC codes: B01D33, B07B1