Claims
- 1. A vibratory separator comprising
a base, vibrating apparatus, a screen container on the base, the screen container having a plurality of spaced-apart drain holes, a plurality of spaced-apart screens in the screen-container, said screens oriented vertically within the screen container, and the screens positioned so that screened fluid passes through the screens and flows from the container through the plurality of spaced-apart drain holes.
- 2. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising
screen apparatus positioned beneath the container for screening material that flows down from the container.
- 3. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising
the container having at least one bottom opening through which fluid to be treated is passable without passing through a screen of the plurality of spaced-apart screens, and selectively movable gate apparatus for selectively opening the at least one bottom opening to allow the fluid to be treated to pass through.
- 4. The vibratory separator of claim 3 further comprising
control apparatus including sensor apparatus for sensing an amount of fluid to be treated within the container that has not passed through the screens, the control apparatus for opening the selectively movable gate upon sensing of said amount.
- 5. The vibratory separator of claim 3 further comprising
screen apparatus positioned beneath the container for screening material that flows down from the container.
- 6. The vibratory separator of claim 2 wherein the screen apparatus comprises a plurality of screen assemblies placed end-to-end.
- 7. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising
a feed tank into which fluid to be treated is initially fed and from which fluid is supplied to the screen container for treatment.
- 8. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising
distributor apparatus for distributing a feed of fluid into the container.
- 9. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising
each screen of the plurality of spaced-apart screens having two spaced apart screening sides.
- 10. The vibratory separator of claim 9 further comprising
the container having a plurality of screen mounting slots with a pair of mounting slots corresponding to each screen of the plurality of spaced-apart screens, each slot of each pair of mounting slots for receiving part of a screening side.
- 11. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the screens of the plurality of spaced-apart screens when vertically oriented have a height of at least three inches.
- 12. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the screens of the plurality of spaced-apart screens when vertically oriented have a height of at least four inches.
- 13. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising
a lower receptacle for receiving screen fluid from the container.
- 14. The vibratory separator of claim 13 further comprising
direction apparatus beneath the container for directing screened fluid flowing from the container into the lower receptacle.
- 15. A screen assembly for use in a vertical orientation in a vibratory separator, the screen assembly comprising
two spaced-apart sides of screening material, each with a top edge, and a top member extending along and connected to the top edges of the two spaced-apart sides.
- 16. The screen assembly of claim 15 wherein the top member comprises screening material.
- 17. The screen assembly of claim 1 wherein the sides have a top and a bottom and the sides are wider at the top than at the bottom.
- 18. The screen assembly of claim 15 wherein the sides have side edges and two spaced-apart side openings are defined by and between the side edges.
- 19. The screen assembly of claim 15 wherein fluid to be screened is drilling fluid with solids suspended therein.
- 20. Any invention disclosed herein.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/820,179 filed Mar. 28, 2001 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/707,277 filed Nov. 6, 2000 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/696,662 filed Oct. 25, 2000 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/634,610 filed Aug. 5, 2000, a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/228,572 filed Jan. 1, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/183,005 filed Oct. 30, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/090,554 filed Jun. 4, 1998 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/895,976 filed Jul. 17, 1997 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/786,515 filed Jan. 21, 1997 and of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/598,566 filed Feb. 12, 1996 which is a continuation in part of the following co-owned applications and patents: U.S. Ser. No. 29/048,575 filed Jan. 4, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. D 377,656 issued Jan. 28, 1997 which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 29/014,571, now U.S. Patent D 366,040 issued on Jan. 9, 1996 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applications Ser. No. 08/56123 filed Apr. 30, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,669 issued on Jan. 31, 1995; and Ser. No. 08/105,696 filed Aug. 12, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,925 issued on Feb. 28, 1995; U.S. Ser. No. 08/504,495 filed Jul. 20, 1995; U.S. Ser. No. 08/598,566 filed Feb. 12, 1996 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/220,101 filed Mar. 30, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,598 issued Feb. 13, 1996. This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applications Ser. Nos. 09/517,212 filed Mar. 2, 2000; 09/544,572 filed Apr. 6, 2000; 09/228,572 filed Jan 11, 1999; and 09/183,003 filed Oct. 30, 1998. This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/090,554 filed Jun. 4, 1998 entitled “Vibratory Separator Screen” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/895,976 filed Jul. 17, 1997 entitled “Screen For Vibratory Shaker” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/786,515 filed Jan. 21, 1997 entitled “Screen For Shale Shaker” and of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/598,566 filed Feb. 12, 1996 entitled “Screen For Vibrating Separator.” U.S. application Ser. No. 08/786,515 is a continuation in part of the following co-owned applications and patents: U.S. Ser. No. 29/048,575 filed Jan. 4, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. D 377,656 issued Jan. 28, 1997 which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 29/014,571, now U.S. Pat. No. D 366,040 issued on Jan. 9, 1996 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applications: Ser. No. 08/56123 filed Apr. 30, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,669 issued on Jan. 31, 1995; and Ser. No. 08/105,696 filed Aug. 12, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,925 issued on Feb. 28, 1995; U.S. Ser. No. 08/504,495 filed Jul. 20, 1995 entitled “Shale Shaker Screen;” U.S. Ser. No. 08/598,566 filed Feb. 12, 1996 entitled “Screen For Vibrating Separator” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/220,101 filed Mar. 30, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,598 issued Feb. 13, 1996. This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/183,004 filed Oct. 30, 1998.
[0002] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/716,176 filed Nov. 17, 2000. All of these related applications and patents are incorporated herein in their entirety for all purposes.
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