Patent ID: 7434695

Claim:
A material separation screen, comprising: multiple elongated screen members aligned along a separation screen frame that rotate in a direction causing material to move along the material separation screen, the multiple elongated screen members having a shape and spacing so that substantially rigid materials are carried over a top portion of the material separation screen while non-rigid or semi-rigid material slide down between adjacent ones of the multiple elongated screen members; at least one vacuum member aligned along the same plane of conveyance with the elongated screen members wherein the vacuum member includes a hollow elongated stationary tube having holes; a divider that inserts into the elongated tube and forms a first chamber that maintains constant alignment with a same first set of the holes in the tube while the material is carried over the material separation screen; and a vacuum attached to the first chamber formed in the elongated tube by the divider, the vacuum generating a constant negative air flow through the first set of holes sucking the non-rigid or semi-rigid material down between the vacuum member and an adjacent co-linear elongated screen member while the substantially rigid materials continue to be carried over the top portion of the material separation screen.