Patent ID: 7144360

Claim:
A set of recess insert members: for use in a centrifuge bowl for use in an apparatus for separating intermixed particulate materials of different specific gravity in a slurry where the apparatus includes: a feed duct for feeding the slurry into the bowl so that during rotation of the bowl the intermixed particulate materials flow over a peripheral wall of the bowl for collection of heavier particulate materials on the peripheral wall and for discharge of the lighter particulate materials in the slurry from the open mouth; a launder for collecting the lighter particulate materials in the slurry discharged from the open mouth; a bowl; the bowl having a base and a peripheral wall surrounding an axis passing through the base and generally upstanding from the base to an open mouth; the bowl having a plurality of annular recesses on the peripheral wall at axially spaced positions over which the materials pass, when fed from the supply duct, so that the heavier particulate materials collect in the recesses; each recess being defined by an upper recess side wall on the upper side and a lower recess side wall on a lower side with each of the side walls extending generally outwardly from the axis from an open mouth of the recess toward a base of the recess at the peripheral wall; the upper side wall of each recess being connected to the lower side wall of a next adjacent recess to form a rib between the recesses such that the bowl includes a plurality of recesses and a plurality of ribs arranged alternately along the side wall; at least some of the recesses each having a fluidizing liquid injection system for fluidizing the materials in the respective recess including a liquid supply and at least one liquid entry opening extending from the supply into the recess at or closely adjacent the base of the recess; each of the recess insert members comprising an elongate body shaped to extend only over a part of the height of the peripheral wall such that the set of recess insert members can be arranged at axially spaced positions in the bowl; each of the recess insert members being shaped to extend around at least a part of the annular periphery of the peripheral wall; each of the recess insert members being formed from a resilient material: each of the recess insert members having at least one abutment element thereon for engaging a respective one of a plurality of co-operating elements of the bowl for holding the recess insert member in the bowl during rotation of the bowl; the abutment element and the cooperating element being arranged such that the recess insert member is readily removable and replaceable; each of the recess insert members being shaped to define an upper side wall of one of the recesses and a lower wall of a next adjacent one of the recesses with a rib therebetween such that, when two of the recess insert members are mounted in said axially spaced positions side by side, the recess insert members cooperate to define said one of the recesses therebetween.