Patent ID: 7380672

Claim:
A separator for separating solids from liquids in a supply of materials, the separator comprising: a flow line for conveying the materials; a screen for separating the solids from liquids in the materials; an assembly for conveying the materials from the flow line to the screen, comprising: means for receiving the materials from the flow line; means for decelerating the materials received from the flow line; means for increasing the exposed surface area of the materials; means for removing vapors from the materials; and means for reversing the flow of the material and for conveying the materials onto the screen; an actuator operably coupled to the screen for imparting motion to the screen; and a controller operably coupled to the actuator for controlling the actuator, wherein the means for decelerating the materials received from the flow line; and the means for increasing the exposed surface area of the materials are combined and include a ramp in fluid communication with means for receiving the materials from the flow line and wherein the ramp has an angle of attack from about 35 to 55 degrees relative to the means for receiving the materials from the flow line, wherein the means for reversing the flow of the material and for conveying the materials onto the screen includes a half pipe in fluid communication with the means for receiving the materials from the flow line, wherein the material reversibly flows through the half pipe in a circular vortex path along an inner curved surface of the half pipe with respect to the flow of the material entering the half pipe.