FLUID SUSPENDED PARTICLE CLASSIFIER WITH ADJUSTABLE FINGER MEANS

FLUID SUSPENDED PARTICLE CLASSIFIER WITH ADJUSTABLE FINGER MEANS An adjustable classifier for the separation of fluid-suspended solid particles in industrial processes and by which the relative proportion of acceptably fine and unacceptably coarse solid particles may be regulated. Adjustability is achieved in an otherwise static classifier structure in which a fluid stream of multi-sized particles is passed through a curved path, by the provision of interleaved fingers movable from a retracted inactive position against an outer boundary surface defining the curved path to an extended position into the stream to re-entrain all particles moved against the outer boundary surface back into the fluid stream. Fine particles so re-en-trained will pass from the classifier and relatively coarse particles will be rejected by centrifugal action. The invention also contemplates an adjustable plate member by which the velocity of the fluid stream may be regulated independently of the aforementioned fingers.