An apparatus/system for separating a mixture of solid materials has a screening bed, an expansion chamber in gaseous communication with the screening bed, a filter in gaseous communication with the expansion chamber, an air flow producer in fluid communication with the filter. The screening bed includes a star-shaped agitators and the air flow is a vacuum from the screening bed through pathway.

A separating screen conveyor for sorting a material into fractions having different distributions of a property of the particles or items. The conveyor screen has a row of shafts mutually spaced in a conveying direction, each shaft carrying a row of axially spaced discs for intermittently urging material on the sorting conveyor upward and in the conveying direction. The discs are releasably clamped to the shafts which have strips oriented in longitudinal direction of the shafts on circumferential surfaces of the shafts. The strips have toothed surfaces. Openings of the discs each have a recess closely fitting to the strips and teeth in engagement with the teeth of the toothed surfaces of the strips. The pitch of the teeth of the strips is smaller than the maximum widths of the discs in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.

A separating screen conveyor for sorting a material into fractions having different distributions of a property of the particles or items. The conveyor screen has a row of shafts mutually spaced in a conveying direction, each shaft carrying a row of axially spaced discs for intermittently urging material on the sorting conveyor upward and in the conveying direction. The discs are releasably clamped to the shafts which have strips oriented in longitudinal direction of the shafts on circumferential surfaces of the shafts. The strips have toothed surfaces. Openings of the discs each have a recess closely fitting to the strips and teeth in engagement with the teeth of the toothed surfaces of the strips. The pitch of the teeth of the strips is smaller than the maximum widths of the discs in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.

Disc screen for the separation of solid residues, provided with a plurality of parallel rotating shafts each carrying a plurality of discs and defining a screening plane for treating residues between an input section and an output section. A movable hopper is provided for, slidable along an advancement direction of the residues, above the screening plane, provided with an outlet door which can supply the screening plane in different positions.

Disc screen for the separation of solid residues, provided with a plurality of parallel rotating shafts each carrying a plurality of discs and defining a screening plane for treating residues between an input section and an output section. A movable hopper is provided for, slidable along an advancement direction of the residues, above the screening plane, provided with an outlet door which can supply the screening plane in different positions.

The durability of sorting discs used on disc screens, e.g., star discs comprising a body and a plurality of fingers extending radially from the body, may be improved by increasing the deflection of the fingers. Provided are methods for improving the durability of sorting discs, and sorting discs with improved durability.

A disc screen for separating solid residues which comprises multiple parallel rotation shafts, each of which carrying, fixed thereto, a plurality of discs. The lateral faces of the aforesaid discs are provided with thrust wings having curved section, which are adapted to intercept components of the material to be screened, in particular light or filamentous materials, in order to expel them outside the interspaces between the discs, so as to prevent possible tangling and obstruction of such materials at the rotation shafts.

A disc screen for separating solid residues which comprises multiple parallel rotation shafts, each of which carrying, fixed thereto, a plurality of discs. The lateral faces of the aforesaid discs are provided with thrust wings having curved section, which are adapted to intercept components of the material to be screened, in particular light or filamentous materials, in order to expel them outside the interspaces between the discs, so as to prevent possible tangling and obstruction of such materials at the rotation shafts.

A modular star system for grading, cleaning, and transporting produce includes opposing, first and second hub modules with opposing, tapered surfaces, and plural finger modules separated by the first and second hub modules. Each finger module has finger members that are color-coded and the finger module and first and second hub modules are disposed on a rotatable shaft. Outer surfaces of either of the finger or hub modules are color-coded, and are substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the shaft. There is also a method of using the modular star system for grading, cleaning, and transporting produce.

A modular star system for grading, cleaning, and transporting produce includes opposing, first and second hub modules with opposing, tapered surfaces, and plural finger modules separated by the first and second hub modules. Each finger module has finger members that are color-coded and the finger module and first and second hub modules are disposed on a rotatable shaft. Outer surfaces of either of the finger or hub modules are color-coded, and are substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the shaft. There is also a method of using the modular star system for grading, cleaning, and transporting produce.