Pre-separator for a screen separator

1. A separator system comprising:

a housing assembly defining a housing chamber, an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a housing axis;

a screen member, where

the screen member is arranged within the housing chamber to define a pre-separation portion of the housing chamber,

the screen member is symmetrical about the housing axis, and

the wall of the screen member is angled with respect to the housing axis;

a wiper assembly arranged within the pre-separation portion of the housing chamber, where

the wiper assembly defines at least one edge surface, and

the at least one edge surface is substantially parallel to the wall of the screen member;

a drive assembly supported by the housing assembly;

a coupler assembly for operably connecting the drive assembly to the wiper assembly; whereby

operation of the drive assembly causes rotation of the wiper assembly about the housing axis such that the at least one edge surface of the wiper assembly moves relative to the wall of the screen member; and

as the at least one edge surface of the wiper assembly moves relative to the wall of the screen member, the coupler assembly allows gravity to maintain the at least one edge surface in contact with the wall of the screen member.

2. A separator system as recited in claim 1 , in which the wiper assembly comprises at least one wiper member defining the at least one edge surface.

3. A separator system as recited in claim 2 , in which the wiper assembly comprises a base member for supporting the at least one wiper member.

4. A separator system as recited in claim 1 , in which the wiper assembly comprises a plurality of wiper members, where each wiper member defines one of the at least one edge surfaces.

5. A separator system as recited in claim 4 , in which the wiper assembly comprises a base member for supporting the plurality of wiper members.

6. A separator system as recited in claim 1 , in which:

the drive assembly comprises a drive shaft; and

the coupler assembly comprises a shaft connector that transfers rotational movement of the drive shaft to the wiper assembly while allowing the wiper assembly to move along the housing axis relative to the drive assembly.

7. A separator system as recited in claim 6 , in which:

the drive shaft comprises a drive socket adapted to receive a portion of the shaft connector; and

the coupler assembly defines an upper member adapted to receive a portion of the shaft connector.

8. A method of separating feed material into first and second portions, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing assembly defining a housing chamber, an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a housing axis;

arranging a screen member within the housing chamber to define a pre-separation portion of the housing chamber, where a wall of the screen member extends at a predetermined angle with respect to the housing axis;

arranging a wiper assembly within the pre-separation portion of the housing chamber such that at least one edge surface defined by the wiper assembly is substantially parallel to the wall of the screen member;

providing a drive assembly;

operably connecting the drive assembly to the wiper assembly such that

operation of the drive assembly causes rotation of the wiper assembly about the housing axis such that the at least one edge surface of the wiper assembly moves relative to the wall of the screen member; and

gravity maintains the at least one edge surface of the wiper assembly in contact with the wall of the screen member;

introducing the feed material into the inlet such that

the first portion of the feed material flows to the first outlet through the pre-separation portion of the housing chamber; and

the wiper assembly forces the second portion of the feed material to flow to the second outlet through the through the screen member.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 , in which the step of providing the wiper assembly comprises the step of providing at least one wiper member, where the at least one wiper member defines the at least one edge surface.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 , in which the step of providing the wiper assembly comprises the step of supporting the at least one wiper member from a base member.

11. A method as recited in claim 8 , in which the step of providing the wiper assembly comprises the step of providing a plurality of wiper members, where each wiper member defines one edge surface.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 , in which the step of providing the wiper assembly comprises the step of supporting the plurality of wiper members from a base member.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 , in which the step of operably connecting the drive assembly to the wiper assembly comprises the step of arranging a shaft connector to transfer rotational movement of a drive shaft of the drive assembly to the wiper assembly while allowing the wiper assembly to move along the housing axis relative to the drive assembly.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:

connecting a drive socket to the drive shaft, where the drive socket is adapted to receive a portion of the shaft connector; and

connecting an upper member to the base member, where the upper member is adapted to receive a portion of the shaft connector.

15. A separator system comprising:

a housing assembly defining a housing chamber, an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a housing axis;

a screen member, where

the screen member is arranged within the housing chamber to define a pre-separation portion of the housing chamber,

the screen member is symmetrical about the housing axis, and

the wall of the screen member is angled with respect to the housing axis;

a wiper assembly arranged within the pre-separation portion of the housing chamber, where

the wiper assembly comprises a plurality of wiper members, where each wiper member defines an edge surface, and

each edge surface is substantially parallel to the wall of the screen member;

a drive assembly supported by the housing assembly;

a coupler assembly for operably connecting the drive assembly to the wiper assembly; whereby

operation of the drive assembly causes rotation of the wiper assembly about the housing axis such that the at least one edge surface of the wiper assembly moves relative to the wall of the screen member; and

as the at least one edge surface of the moves relative to the wall of the screen member, the coupler assembly allows gravity to maintain the at least one edge surface in contact with the wall of the screen member.

16. A separator system as recited in claim 15 , in which:

the drive assembly comprises a drive shaft; and

the coupler assembly comprises a shaft connector that transfers rotational movement of the drive shaft to the wiper assembly while allowing the wiper assembly to move along the housing axis relative to the drive assembly.

17. A separator system as recited in claim 16 , in which:

the drive shaft comprises a drive socket adapted to receive a portion of the shaft connector; and

the coupler assembly defines an upper member adapted to receive a portion of the shaft connector.