Method and means for segregating and recombining feed for grinding mill

Claim 1

MEANS OPERABLE TO SEGREGATE AND RECOMBINE DIFFERENT SIZES OF FRAGMENTARY MATERIAL INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT AVERAGE COMPOSITION AND COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, STORAGE MEANS HAVING A BOTTOM SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM PARTITIONS AND ARRANGED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT A PILED MASS OF SOLID FRAGMENTARY MATERIAL OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND WHICH MASS IS PILED AT A RATE TO FORM A SLOPING SURFACE TO EFFECT SEGREGATION OF SAID MATERIAL INTO ADJACENT ZONES OF RELATIVELY FINE AND COARSE MATERIALS WHICH ARE IN SIDEBY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP IN SAID MASS, SAID STORAGE MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE DISCHARGE OPENING MEANS IN SAID BOTTOM THEREOF SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND RESPECTIVELY POSITIONED BENEATH SAID ZONES OF SEGREGATED RELATIVELY COARSE AND FINE MATERIALS WHEN DEPOSITED UPON SAID BOTTOM, INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE DISCHARGE RATE CONTROL MEANS PROVIDED RESPECTIVELY FOR SAID SEPARATE DISCHARGE OPENING MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTABLE TO CONTROL AND EFFECT DISCHARGE OF SAID RELATIVELY COARSE AND FINE MATERIALS FROM SAID DISCHARGE OPENING MEANS AT RATES REGULATABLE INDEPENDENTLY RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO MAINTAIN A SLOPE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF THE PILED MASS THEREOF, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO EFFECT RECOMBINING OF SAID DISCHARGED MATERIAL TO OBTAIN A MIXTURE THEREOF HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT AVERAGE SIZE RANGES OF MATERIAL THEREIN OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.