Patent ID: 7261619

Claim:
Partitioning apparatus capable of partitioning the solids of a slurry at least three ways, said apparatus comprising or including a housing having a first inlet, a first outlet, second outlet, and a collection zone a sieve disposed below said first inlet, said first outlet and said second outlet but above said collection zone, wherein said first inlet is positioned above the sieve and adapted to receive and pass a slurry at a rate and velocity into the housing above the sieve such that at least some of the liquid component(s) of the slurry will, as a flow through, entrains a first part of the solids out through said first outlet, the rate and velocity is such as to enable at least some oversize material to migrate across the sieve and pass through said second outlet, and at least some sieve passable solids of greater density than the entrained solids of the flow through to pass down through the sieve.