Patent ID: 7987778

Claim:
A pre-separator operatively configured to be positioned in fluid communication with a screw press separator having a flooded system, the pre-separator comprising: a. a barrel having an interior chamber portion, the barrel having an upper and lower region, an input line positioned in the upper region of the barrel, a bypass line also positioned in the upper region of the barrel, the barrel further having an effluent line positioned in the lower region thereof; b. a screen member having a central axis, being generally configured as a foraminous frustoconical shape having a screen interior surface, the screen member operatively configured to be positioned within the barrel such that an upper portion of the screen member defining an entry region is positioned below the input line and the bypass line, the screen member and the barrel defining an effluent discharge chamber which is in fluid communication with the effluent line; c. a wiper assembly comprising a plurality of wipers each comprising an edge surface configured to engage the screen interior surface, the wiper assembly operatively preconfigured to rotate about a central axis of the screen member; d. a drive system configured to rotate the wiper assembly with respect to the screen member; and e. a coupling system operatively configured to transfer torque between the drive system and the wiper assembly, the coupling system configured to allow for repositioning of the wiper assembly along the central axis of the screen member so as to maintain engagement between at least one edge surface of a wiper of the wiper assembly and the screen interior surface of the screen member.