Patent ID: 7331469

Claim:
A vibratory separator comprising a basket for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on a base and pivotable with respect thereto, vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket, screen apparatus supported by the basket, the screen apparatus having an exit end, the material flowable onto the screen apparatus to form a pool on the screen apparatus and a beach on the screen apparatus adjacent the pool, material not passing through the screen apparatus flowing off an exit end of the screen apparatus, the beach adjacent the exit end of the screen apparatus, the beach having a rear boundary line on the screen apparatus and a front boundary at or near the exit end of the screen apparatus, measurement sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator and positioned above the screen apparatus for measuring a distance from the measurement sensor apparatus to a top surface of the pool, the measurement sensor apparatus including a signal production portion for producing signals indicative of said distance and for transmitting said signals, a control system controlling and in communication with the measurement sensor apparatus for receiving signals from the measurement sensor apparatus indicative of said distance and for processing said signals to calculate a pool depth corresponding to said distance, said pool depth related to a location of an edge of said pool adjacent said beach, angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket and controlled by the control system for adjusting angle of the basket, thereby adjusting extent of the beach, the basket pivotably connected by two spaced-apart pivot members to the base beneath said rear boundary line, the basket pivotable at a pivot point beneath the rear boundary line, and a control system controlling the angle adjustment apparatus to maintain the rear boundary line above a line between the two spaced-apart pivot members and thereby maintain a desired beach extent.