Advanced Sorting Technologies, LLC

Michael R Grubbs

Garry R Kenny

Paul G Gaddis

Arthur G Doak

A paper handling system includes an acceleration conveyor having an acceleration belt operating at an acceleration speed. The system includes a pinning structure operably positioned to pin paper to the acceleration belt. The pinning structure is a rotary feeder which includes a plurality of flexible bristles extending radially from a roller into engagement with the acceleration belt. The speed of the acceleration belt is sufficiently high to create a suction phenomena such that when paper is pinned to the acceleration belt with the rotary feeder, the paper will be accelerated to a paper speed substantially equal to the acceleration speed. The system also includes a blower system operative to facilitate carrying the paper off of the acceleration belt across a transition gap between the acceleration belt and a product belt.

Acceleration conveyor

An apparatus and method for reducing the circling upward movement of a product such as waste paper entrained in a carrier stream. The invention includes a product rake placed within a discharge chute to capture and direct product within the product flow. A further aspect of the invention includes a relief valve integrated into the discharge chute to alleviate pressure in the discharge chute and allow excess air to be relieved from the discharge chute to control the product flow.

Method and apparatus for sorting utilizing a product rake and a relief valve

&ldquo;Acceleration conveyor&rdquo;

A paper handling system includes first and second inclined conveyors. The first inclined conveyor operates at a first speed and has an output end. The second inclined conveyor operates at a second speed and is operably positioned to receive paper output from the first inclined conveyor. The second speed is greater than the first speed. The inclined conveyors are preferably inclined at an angle in the range from 15&deg; to 35&deg;. By transporting the paper up the inclined conveyors, upper layers of paper are allowed to slide down over lower layers of paper thereby creating a thinner stream of paper.

Inclined conveyor

The present invention includes devices and methods for handling and sorting paper. Devices for accelerating and spreading paper from a paper input to a sensor are disclosed. Operably thin layers of paper are passed through a sensor at cost effective feed rates. One embodiment of the invention includes a spreader positioned to receive paper from the input and an inclined feed section downstream of the spreader. The inclined feed section includes first and second inclined conveyors to further accelerate and spread the paper. A feed accelerator is operably positioned to receive paper from the second inclined conveyor. The feed accelerator further accelerates and separates the paper. The feed accelerator feeds the paper to the sensor which is operably connected to an ejector downstream of the sensor. Targeted paper is ejected from the paper stream and product paper continues downstream to a product conveyor.

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Nashville, TN, United States of America

Michael R Grubbs