A conveyor belt (36) is arranged in at least one spiral conveyor unit (32) or (34) is arranged in tiers forming at ascending spiral stack (38) and/or a descending spiral stack (40). A ceiling or top sheet (58) is positioned over the spiral stack. A circulation fan (60, 62) draws spent thermal processing medium laterally from the tiers of the spiral stack, up the exterior of the stack and across the top of the stack above the ceiling or top sheet and through a heat exchanger (64) located above the ceiling. The treated thermal processing medium is then routed across the remainder of the diameter of the spiral stack and then down the side of the spiral stack diametrically opposite to the circulating fan thereby to enter the spiral stack in a lateral direction diametrically toward the circulating fan. At least one opening (70, 100, 200) is formed in the ceiling between the heat exchanger and the diametrically distal end of the spiral stack from the circulating fan thereby to provide an alternative flow path for a portion of the thermal processing medium to enter the spiral stack from above, thereby resulting in more uniform treatment of the work product being carried by the conveyor of the spiral stack.

A separator system and method may provide a four-way separator that may separate a material and remove a hazardous material. The hazardous material may include gas and sand that may be removed by the four-way separator. The separator system and method may further provide a main unit that may include three chambers or recirculation hoppers, an auger sand extractor, and a strap tank. The separator system and method may provide a faster rig-up time and may be exclusively driven by hydraulics.

Disclosed is a screw feeder (10) comprising a pipe (3) enclosing a feed screw 4 arranged on a rotatory shaft (5) running parallel with the length direction of the pipe (3), said pipe (3) further comprising a number of dewatering holes (6). The screw feeder (10) also comprises a number of anti-rotation bars (7) provided on, and extending along, the inside of said pipe (3), said anti-rotation bars (7) protruding in a direction towards said feed screw (4), and an inlet (1) for receiving a solid-liquid mixture arranged at a first end of said pipe (3), and an outlet (2) arranged at a second end of said pipe (3) for discharging an at least partially dewatered solid from said pipe (3). The pipe (3) includes at least one longitudinal pipe section (31) having a first peripheral zone (9) provided in the vertically lower area of said longitudinal pipe section (31) and provided with dewatering holes (6) but no anti-rotation bars (7) and a second peripheral zone (90) provided in the vertically upper area of said longitudinal pipe section (3) provided with anti-rotation bars (7), the overall pipe profile of said pipe section (31) is composed of two differently shaped pipe profiles, a first pipe profile (P1) and a second pipe profile (P2), said first pipe profile (P1) defining the shape of the first peripheral zone (9) and is a profile selected from a square shaped profile, a profile having a partly circular cross-section with a squashed end or a circle segment remove or a partly elliptically shaped profile, and the second pipe profile (P2) defining the shape of the second peripheral zone (90), where the shape of said first pipe profile (P) is selected to allow the outer edges of said feed screw (4) to remove material overlying said dewatering holes (6), and where the shape of said second pipe profile (P2) is selected so as to prohibit any contact between said outer edges of said feed screw (4) and the anti-rotation bars (7). Also disclosed is a pipe for use in such a screw feeder.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an auger dip apparatus for the application of antimicrobial solution to raw food. Embodiments of the present disclosure may use an auger as a single moving part to move the food work pieces through the application area for antimicrobial solution. Embodiments of the present disclosure are simple with only one moving auger part to move the food pieces, and the bearing for the moving part, supporting the shaft of the auger, may be configured to be outside of the cabinet with the reservoir of the antimicrobial solution, so that the bearing is not in contact with the antimicrobial solution. This provides for less maintenance and downtime, particularly unscheduled downtime, than a system using more complicated exposed parts. The present disclosure also permits a more compact and lighter configuration for an assembled application unit.

Repaired combine augers are provided that can include: a central cylindrical object configured to support flighting extending about the central cylindrical object, wherein at least one portion of the flighting is damaged and defines non-linear portions, openings, and/or bent sections; and at least one semi-circular repair component bound to the portion to align with remainder of the flighting. Methods for repairing a damaged combine auger are provided. The methods can include: identifying at least one damaged portion of flighting of the auger; and coupling at least one semi-circle repair component to the damaged portion of the flighting to provide a linear edge continuous with remainder of the flighting.

Repaired combine augers are provided that can include: a central cylindrical object configured to support flighting extending about the central cylindrical object, wherein at least one portion of the flighting is damaged and defines non-linear portions, openings, and/or bent sections; and at least one semi-circular repair component bound to the portion to align with remainder of the flighting. Methods for repairing a damaged combine auger are provided. The methods can include: identifying at least one damaged portion of flighting of the auger; and coupling at least one semi-circle repair component to the damaged portion of the flighting to provide a linear edge continuous with remainder of the flighting.

A shield to prevent crop material from wrapping around the shaft of a rotary conveyor of a harvester, such as a baler, includes a body. The body is positioned between a stripper finger and a shaft of the rotary conveyor and has an end surface facing the shaft. A lug is positioned at the opposite end of the body from the end surface and is attached to the housing of the rotary conveyor. The body has opposite side surfaces positioned in spaced relation at a distance substantially equal to the width of the separation fingers of the rotary conveyor.

A shield to prevent crop material from wrapping around the shaft of a rotary conveyor of a harvester, such as a baler, includes a body. The body is positioned between a stripper finger and a shaft of the rotary conveyor and has an end surface facing the shaft. A lug is positioned at the opposite end of the body from the end surface and is attached to the housing of the rotary conveyor. The body has opposite side surfaces positioned in spaced relation at a distance substantially equal to the width of the separation fingers of the rotary conveyor.

A spreader comprises a hopper for containing sand, salt or other granular material to be spread upon snow or ice on paved surfaces, the hopper being adapted to be installed in or on a bed of a truck, the hopper having a trough, a shaftless auger positioned in the trough, an auger motor for driving the auger, a spinner positioned at one end of the auger for slinging the granular material upon the snow or ice, a spinner motor for driving the spinner, and at least one keeper supported by the trough and extending over the auger for retaining the auger in place during operation and thereby reducing flexure of the auger and resulting loss of efficiency of material transport by the auger during operation of the spreader.

A conveyor belt (36) is arranged in at least one spiral conveyor unit (32) or (34) is arranged in tiers forming at ascending spiral stack (38) and/or a descending spiral stack (40). A ceiling or top sheet (58) is positioned over the spiral stack. A circulation fan (60, 62) draws spent thermal processing medium laterally from the tiers of the spiral stack, up the exterior of the stack and across the top of the stack above the ceiling or top sheet and through a heat exchanger (64) located above the ceiling. The treated thermal processing medium is then routed across the remainder of the diameter of the spiral stack and then down the side of the spiral stack diametrically opposite to the circulating fan thereby to enter the spiral stack in a lateral direction diametrically toward the circulating fan. At least one opening (70, 100, 200) is formed in the ceiling between the heat exchanger and the diametrically distal end of the spiral stack from the circulating fan thereby to provide an alternative flow path for a portion of the thermal processing medium to enter the spiral stack from above, thereby resulting in more uniform treatment of the work product being carried by the conveyor of the spiral stack.