U.S. patent number 3,683,796 [Application Number 05/028,445] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-15 for apparatus having an auger-compacter for reducing the volume of waste materials.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Mil-Pac Systems, Inc.. Invention is credited to Stephen Richard Collins, William Wiley Miner, Henry Gardner Scholer.
United States Patent |
3,683,796 |
Miner , et al. |
August 15, 1972 |
APPARATUS HAVING AN AUGER-COMPACTER FOR REDUCING THE VOLUME OF
WASTE MATERIALS
Abstract
Apparatus for reducing in volume waste material or garbage
comprising a pulverizer or hammermill receiving wet and dry organic
and inorganic material, comminuting this waste material and
delivering it in particle form to an auger-compacter. An air flow
is likewise developed by the pulverizer and the apparatus recycles
air to the pulverizer to assist in positively delivering waste
material to the pulverizer. The auger-compacter has a helical screw
that compacts the comminuted waste material or garbage in a
compaction zone and delivers the compacted garbage reduced in
volume as an output of the apparatus.
Inventors: |
Miner; William Wiley
(Hightstown, NJ), Scholer; Henry Gardner (Carteret, NJ),
Collins; Stephen Richard (South Amboy, NJ) |
Assignee: |
Mil-Pac Systems, Inc.
(Mountainside, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
21843486 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/028,445 |
Filed: |
April 14, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
100/145; 100/39;
100/147; 100/904; 100/97; 100/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B30B
9/3089 (20130101); B30B 11/24 (20130101); B30B
9/3082 (20130101); Y10S 100/904 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B30B
9/30 (20060101); B30B 9/00 (20060101); B30B
11/24 (20060101); B30B 11/22 (20060101); B30b
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;100/DIG.3,145,147,39,97,149 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wilhite; Billy J.
Claims
What we claim and desire to secure by letters patent is:
1. An auger-compacter for compacting organic and inorganic waste
particles randomly mixed, comprising, a tubular member, a driven
auger-compacter screw disposed axially in said tubular member,
having helices and a downstream end flight having a sector removed
therefrom for compacting said waste particles in said tubular
member, a pair of diametrically disposed blades disposed parallel
to the longitudinal axis of said compacter screw extending radially
of said compacter screw axis and next adjacent axially to said
downstream end flight, and a pair of transverse blades transverse
to the longitudinal axis of said compacter screw adjacent said
parallel blades and disposed offset relative to a common plane
transverse and normal to said axis, said transverse blades being
disposed axially spaced from said end flight with said parallel
blades intermediate said end flight and said transverse blades.
2. An auger-compacter for compacting organic and inorganic waste
particles randomly mixed according to claim 1, comprising, means to
receive particles of comminuted waste organic and inorganic
materials for delivery to said screw, said screw having a length
thereof disposed in the last-mentioned means.
3. An auger-compacter for compacting organic and inorganic waste
particles randomly mixed according to claim 1, in which each of
said blades has a radial extent corresponding to the radii of
flight of said screw.
4. An auger-compacter for compacting organic and inorganic waste
particles randomly mixed according to claim 1, in which said
helices have a similar pitch.
5. An auger-compacter for compacting organic and inorganic waste
particles randomly mixed according to claim 1, including a length
of said tubular member cooperative with said compacter screw having
axial grooves to reduce any tendency of a plug of compacted waste
material to move rotationally while advancing axially in said
tubular member.
6. An auger-compacter for compacting organic and inorganic waste
particles randomly mixed according to claim 1, in which said axial
grooves are spaced in a circumferential direction and are
downstream of said compacter screw.
Description
This invention relates generally to processing of organic and
inorganic waste materials and more particularly to a new apparatus
for processing waste material or garbage.
Apparatus and methods of processing garbage and trash are known in
which the waste material is comminuted and is then compacted to
reduce the volume thereof. Such a method and apparatus is disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,673.
The present invention is an improved apparatus for processing waste
material improving the apparatus of the above-mentioned patent.
Apparatus of the type disclosed in the patent have heretofore used
a feed chute or settling chamber communicating between a reduction
mill or pulverizer and a compacter which tends to have material
gather within the chute if the comminuted waste is in any way wet
or damp. The known apparatus also have the interior of the feed
chute material generally covered by adhering comminuted material
which adheres to the interior of the chute because of charges
carried to the particles and provision must be made for delivering
the adhered material eventually to a compacter-extruder.
Known apparatus also use an improved chute in which is mounted a
scraper or sweeper that removes comminuted material adhering to the
interior surfaces of the feed chute and positively delivers this
waste material to an extruder-compacter. These known systems are
generally hydraulically operated.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide an apparatus
for processing garbage to reduce its volume by a mechanical system
free of any hydraulically operated devices.
Another object is to provide an auger transport and compacter for
reducing the volume of a mixture of organic and inorganic particles
randomly mixed.
According to the invention, a hammermill or pulverizer receives
waste material to be comminuted and on which are mounted means that
break up the material before it passes downwardly to a second stage
where cutting hammers or flails reduce the waste material to
smaller particles. The size of the particles may be substantially
controlled by breaker plates adjustable inwardly and outwardly
relative to the interior of the hammermill or pulverizer to
controllably set the clearance between these plates and the cutting
hammers in the second stage of the mill. The comminuted material is
discharged centrifugally by a positive air flow developed by the
mill. The discharge of pulverized waste material is further
facilitated by sweep hammers positioned below the cutting
hammers.
The pulverized waste material or garbage is delivered to an
auger-compacter that comprises a helical screw mounted rotationally
within a tube. The helical screw is constructed so that the angle
of friction is such that the screw effects compaction and reduction
of volume of the comminuted garbage and discharges the compacted
garbage greatly reduced in volume.
Other features and advantages of the apparatus and method in
accordance with the present invention will be better understood as
described in the following specification and appended claims, in
conjunction with the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of apparatus embodying
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partly in section, of
the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view, on an enlarged scale and partly in
section, of an auger-compacter of the apparatus illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan sectional view, on an enlarged scale,
of a pulverizer and auger-compacter of the apparatus shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-section view taken along section line 5--5 of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section view, on an enlarged scale, taken
on line 6--6 on the apparatus shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view of another embodiment of a part
of an auger-compacter of the type shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is an end view of an auger-compacter device illustrated in
FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side view of a third embodiment of an
auger-compacter device of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 10 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side view of a fourth embodiment of a part
of an auger-compacter according to the invention;
FIG. 12 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side view of a fifth embodiment of a part
of an auger-compacter according to the invention;
FIG. 14 is an end view of the device illustrated in FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side view of a sixth embodiment of a part
of an auger-compacter according to the invention;
FIG. 16 is an end view of the device illustrated in FIG. 15;
FIG. 17 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of a nozzle
for use on an auger-compacter according to the invention; and
FIG. 18 is a cross-section view taken along section line 18--18 in
FIG. 17.
The apparatus hereinafter described reduces solid waste by greatly
reducing its volume and may be used to process, by pulverization
and reduction in volume, paper, glass, plastic, metal cans and
other wet and dry solid organic and inorganic waste. The apparatus
compresses the pulverized product to as little as a very small
fraction of its original volume extracting excess moisture as
hereinafter described and the end product or output is a
compressed, relatively dry waste. While the apparatus will be
described for processing garbage and waste of the above-described
type, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other
waste materials may be similarly processed by the apparatus of the
invention.
Apparatus according to the invention comprises a motorized inclined
conveyor 10 (FIG. 2) for receiving garbage or waste material,
delivering it to a pulverizer or reduction mill 12 which discharges
into a feed chute 14 comminuted material which is fed by the feed
chute to an auger-compacter 16 that greatly reduces the volume of
the comminuted material and discharges it as a dry output. The
motorized conveyor is provided with a hopper 20 in communication
with a lower end of a tube or housing 21 within which is housed a
transport conveyor screw 23 driven by a belt drive 24 rotationally
driven by an electric motor 25. The motorized conveyor has an
opening at an upper end thereof to which is connected or is in
communication therewith a chute or hopper 27 defining an upper
connector to the reduction mill or pulverizer 12.
Apparatus according to the invention comprises a hammermill
consisting of a tub 28 within which is mounted a flow control plate
29 connected to a rotor spindle 30 mounted on lower bearings 32 and
upper bearings, not shown, and rotationally driven by a belt drive
34 powered by an electric motor 36. Within the mill and
intermediate the rotor and the tub 28 and below the flow control
plate are mounted hammer pins 38, 39 each supported on a plate 41.
The hammer pins pivotally mount thereon eight hammer blades or
flails 50 symmetrically disposed and spaced from one another by
spacer washers 52 disposed circumferentially of the individual
hammer pins as illustrated.
The support plate 41 is integral with a support structure 51
provided with outwardly extending flanges 53 supporting the spacers
52. Beneath the lowermost flange are mounted two sweeper hammers 55
and sweeper bars 56, 57 are mounted on and below the plate 41 to
sweep the waste out of the pulverizer. Each of the hammer blades or
flails has a tip portion 50a coated with tungsten carbide or
similar hard-faced material to reduce wear. The sweeper hammers 55
are provided with a plate 55a coated with hardening material 55b of
the same composition as the hardening material on the hammer
blades.
The flow control plate 29 is mounted with a larger clearance
between it and the mill tub interior surfaces as illustrated and is
provided with cutter bars 60, 61 having end portions 61a, 60a
coated with hardening material of the type on the flails or
hammers. These cutter bars constitute a first reduction stage and
reduce the size of the waste. A second stage of the hammermill or
pulverizer is the space where the cutting hammers driven by
centrifugal force, as the flow control plate rotates, reduce the
material to comminuted material and the rotationally driven sweep
hammers centrifugally discharge the comminuted waste material
through centrifugal force outwardly through a discharge conduit 63
tangentially disposed relative to the path of the sweep hammers and
the hammer tub. The pulverizer is provided with breaker plates 65,
66 that are mounted on the mill hammer tub and may be adjusted in
their radial position relative to the tips of the hammers by adjust
screws 69, 70 so that the size of the particles may be controlled
and any wear of the hammers compensated so that the set clearance
is maintained for maintaining the proper particle size to which the
waste is reduced or comminuted.
The driven cutting hammers and sweep hammers develop an air flow
through the outlet connection 63 through which the comminuted
material is discharged. The reduced or comminuted material is
discharged into the feed chute and moves downwardly to the
auger-compacter 16 as illustrated by the directional arrows in FIG.
4. The downward movement of the material is positively assisted by
the air flow between the pulverizer and the feed chute 14. An air
return 80 is provided at the top of the feed chute 14 for returning
air to the connector 27 immediately above the pulverizer feed
control plate in order to allow an improved recirculation of the
air to better deliver the waste to the hammers and to deliver
particles carried by the air flow back into the system for
reworking and eventual delivery outwardly from the apparatus as a
dry output as later described.
The auger-compacter 16 comprises a base 90 on which is mounted the
feed chute 14 which is in communication with a compacter, a tube 93
in which is enclosed a helical screw 95 to which the comminuted
particles are delivered through the feed chute. The helical screw
is driven from a motor 96 through a chain-reduction drive 97. The
auger-compacter is provided with a thrust bearing 98 receiving the
axial thrust of the helical screw 93. The comminuted particles
enter the feed chute 14 which is in communication with the tube
upstream of an outlet 93b and are advanced axially through the tube
where compaction takes place, as later described, greatly reducing
in volume the mixture of particles of organic and inorganic
materials.
As the particles of garbage are advanced axially through the tube
93, the particles pass through a transition zone in the tube in
which each particle is pushed at an effective angle of friction,
for example 55.3.degree., because of the angle of the screw and the
friction. It is necessary for the particles to slide against the
screw in order to be compacted. It has been found that a
coefficient of friction of the particles of at least 1.73 and/or
angle of friction of 55.3.degree. is required to compact the matter
in a garbage mixture which is composed both of organic and
inorganic material. If the angle is less, as it is for example in
the center of the screw, and perhaps because various materials are
involved, slippage occurs and as soon as there is slippage within
the compaction zone the "plug" of compacted material will overheat
rapidly, which may cause jamming. A groove or two grooves 14a may
be made on the upper side of the compaction tube to keep the "plug"
from rotating. However, the principal compaction takes place at the
downstream end of the screw closest to the outlet of the compaction
tube or auger-compacter. In order to improve the compaction, it has
been found that if the flight of the screw nearest the outlet end
of the tube is constructed as illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, as a "cut
flight", the apparatus will operate better, as later described.
The compacter screw 95 has a flight 110 "cut" or terminating as
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6 and has two radial plates or blades
112, 113, of about two inches in width or axial extent, that are
disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
shaft 95a of the compacter helical screw 95 and have a radial
extent corresponding substantially to the diameter of the
individual flights of the compacter screw 95. The two radial blades
are disposed coaxially and are both in a common plane passing
through a diameter of the screw and substantially constitute an
axial extension of the "cut flight" 110.
Two other plates or blades 115, 116 are fixed on a reduced diameter
95b of the shaft 95a. The latter plates have a radial dimension
such that their radial extent is equal to that of the other two
radial blades and the diameter of the flights. These two blades are
disposed transversely of the longitudinal axis and are offset about
1/4 inch to a common plane transverse and normal to the
longitudinal axis of the helical screw so that they are disposed
offset to each other on opposite radii of the screw. These plates
are disposed next to the downstream end of the first-mentioned
plates 112, 113 which are parallel to the axis of the helical
screw. The transverse plates 115, 116 are of about the same width,
about three inches wide transversely of the screw axis, and are
each disposed transverse and next to a downstream end of a
respective one of the parallel radial blades 112, 113. The
transverse transverse end blades are each offset in opposite
directions relative to the plane in which the parallel plates 112,
113 are disposed so that the tube is not closed off, as can be seen
in FIG. 5.
In order to effect compaction, the length of the tube downstream of
the compacting screw must be sufficiently long to provide enough of
a "restriction" to the "plug" of material developed downstream of
the helical screw in order to obtain good compaction ratios. If it
is desired to obtain the same compaction with a shorter tube, it
has been found that the screw must either be constructed of
hardened steel so that it does not wear excessively or a
restriction may be provided as later described. Moreover, if the
tube is provided as a solid tube, the length of the compacter tube,
if too great, will cause jamming downstream of the screw because of
excessive swelling of the "plug" of material developed downstream
of the screw.
The principle relied on in the invention is that compressibility
and the coefficient of friction of the materials involved, as well
as the angular friction, permit the compaction required. However,
the compressibility and coefficient of friction of these materials
can vary considerably, for example moisture can influence the
friction factor greatly, and in order to compensate for these
variables, a "nozzle" of variable cross-section area is provided in
the invention. This nozzle automatically changes its area of
cross-section to compensate for changes in physical properties of
the "plug" and avoids jamming of the tube in the event that the
compacted material swells.
The variable cross-section changes and construction of the nozzle
are illustrated as various embodiments in the drawings. A first
embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3 in which the nozzle is
constructed as a "latch" made of a plurality of lids or sections
120, 121, 122 movable radially outwardly relative to the
longitudinal axis of the tube. Each lid section of the tube is
provided with outwardly extending flanges 125, 126 on opposite
sides thereof. The lower part of the tube is provided with
outwardly extending lugs 128, 129 spaced axially and aligned with
the respective flanges of the lids for mounting variably adjustable
means, for example spring-loaded bolt assemblies 131, 132. Each of
the spring-loaded bolt assemblies will allow the respective lids or
sections to move upwardly and substantially radially of the
corresponding lower section of the tube. Guides 135, 136, 137, 138
are provided axially spaced and paired on opposite sides of the
lower part of the tube to guide the radial movement upwardly
allowing the individual sections or lids to compensate for any
expansion or swelling of the compacted material. It can thus be
seen that the lids can be variably adjusted to in effect provide a
device for precluding jamming of the material downstream of the
screw and in effect provide a variable packer lid arrangement or
automatically variable nozzle or latch having a minimum
cross-section area changing in an increasing direction depending
upon the adjustments set on the spring-loaded assemblies of the
individual lids. This device will relieve the tensions in the
compacted material.
A packer lid variation is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 in which a
single lid 144 is constructed as a latch arrangement. A tube 145
has the upper hemispherical part thereof removed, as illustrated,
and the single, hemispherical lid section 144 is secured to the
lower hemispherical section of the tube and pivotally mounted
thereto by a hinge 147. The lower part of the tube is provided with
a lug 148 which is in registry with an outwardly extending lug or
flange 150 on the movable lid section. Two variably adjustable
spring-loaded bolt assemblies 152, 153 are provided so that the
single lid section 144 will be allowed to "swing" so that in the
event of excessive internal pressure on the lid 144 it will move
outwardly sufficiently to preclude jamming of the screw and tube
due to the "plug" of compacted material being "frozen" in the tube
145. The increase in cross-section of the tube allowed by the
pivotally mounted lid or section 144 is sufficient to compensate
for swelling that may take place in the "plug" of compacted
material without any compacted material being allowed to escape
between the lid and tube. The tube and lid section are constructed
as shown in FIG. 8 along the length of their cooperating surfaces
to that a longitudinal seam 144a is formed and compacted material
cannot escape as the lid 144 moves pivotally relative to the tube.
Moreover, an axial groove 144b formed along the length of the
nozzle will maintain the "plug" of compacted material from rotating
so that it only moves axially, thus reducing heating of the "plug"
and its consequent expansion. The other embodiments of this
variable nozzle are similarly constructed.
Another embodiment of a variable nozzle or lid construction is
illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 in which a single lid 160 is
pivotally mounted by a hinge 162 on a compacter tube 164. A
spring-loaded bolt assembly 165 is pivotally mounted on a lug 166
on the tube and an upper lug 167 on the lid 160. The upper lug is
constructed with a slot so that the bolt 165a can swing through the
slot into position, clamping the lid in a closed position so that
it completes the discharge end of the tube. A hand knob 165b is
provided for manually adjusting the pressure applied to a spring
165c for controllably setting the pressure at which the lid will
tend to open in response to any expansion of the "plug" of material
within the outlet end of the tube.
A fourth embodiment of a packer lid or automatically variable
nozzle arrangement for a compacter tube is illustrated in FIGS. 11
and 12. This embodiment, like the two embodiments last described
and two later herein described, has a compacter tube notched at the
discharge or outlet end so that a lower part thereof functions as a
"tray" on which is mounted an automatically compensating packer
lid. In this embodiment, a compacter tube 170 is provided with a
single lid 172 pivotally mounted on a pivot 173 on the tube by an
arm 174, as illustrated. The lid will move upwardly in response to
internal pressure of the compacted material. The pivot 173 is
disposed on a focal point such that as the latch opens in response
to internal pressure the internal diameter is not reduced and the
upstream end of the lid or section 172 does not offer an
obstruction in the path of the compacted material as the latch or
nozzle "opens".
In order to determine the extent of upward movement of the lid 172
and the internal pressure at which this movement is permitted,
provision is made for variably setting these parameters with two
pairs of spring-loaded bolt assemblies 175, 176, 177 on opposite
sides of the compacter tube. These bolt assemblies are mounted on
lugs or flanges 178-181, as illustrated.
The compacter packer lid can be constructed with a cantilevered
support and adjust spring-loaded bolts as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.
In this embodiment, a compacter tube 180 is provided with a section
182 which is movable upwardly and downwardly under control of two
spring-loaded bolt assemblies 185, 186 secured to the lid. The
spring-loaded bolts are axially guided by a bracket or lever 188
bolted or otherwise secured on a lug 189 on the compacter tube
180.
A construction of a packer lid using spring-loaded bolt assemblies,
as in the embodiment in FIG. 11, is illustrated in FIGS. 15, 16. In
this construction, a compacter tube 190 has a movable section or
lid 192 downstream of a helical screw, not shown, in the manner of
the apparatus first described and all the others. The lid 192 is
provided with lugs 193, 194 on opposite sides aligned with other
lugs 195, 196 on the compacter screw. Spring-loaded bolts 197-199
paired on opposite sides allow the upper lugs 193, 194 to move
relative thereto so that the springs of the bolt assemblies
adjustably control the internal pressure, and the extent of
movement, at which the lid 192 will move upwardly in response to
internal pressure developed by the compacted waste material within
this portion of the compacter tube.
The variable nozzles or latches described above relieve the
internal tension of the compacted material and still maintain a
good compaction ratio. This provision avoids jamming; however,
provision may be made for electrically protecting the apparatus in
the event the compacter screw freezes or becomes jammed because of
its inability to advance the "plug" of compacted material.
The apparatus above described requires resistance to the particles
of material for compacting. Compaction takes place in the screw and
the desired compaction can be accomplished solely by the screw
without the two sets of blades 112-116 described above. In order to
provide resistance to the material, the tube should extend at least
about four inches downstream of the compacter screw blades. The
portion of compacter tube between the downstream end of the
compacter screw and upstream of the automatically variable nozzle
is about four inches. However, the use of the two sets of
compacting blades improves the compaction ratio. The transverse
blades 115, 116 develop only axial forces that greatly compact the
material in the four inch length of tube downstream of the
compacter screw and upstream of the nozzle or latch arrangement.
This is in contrast to compacting solely with the screw where
radial forces are developed that are lost energy to the principal
compaction function.
A "starting nozzle" 210 as above described is connected to a
compacter tube 212. The starting nozzle has a length whose inner
diameter reduces the inner diameter of the compacter tube 212 by
about twenty percent. For example, if the inner diameter of the
compacter tube 212 is 10 inches, the diameter of the outlet of the
fixed nozzle is 8 inches. The resistance offered to the waste
material is sufficient to cause the apparatus to function without
temporarily blanking off the outlet as described above. This fixed
nozzle can be used in conjunction with the variable nozzle
arrangement or without such an arrangement.
The construction described above provides an apparatus free of
hydraulic systems and their attendant problems. This construction
requires considerably less power in effecting compaction than the
known systems. For example, a 7.5 H.P. electric motor rotating at
87 1/2 R.P.M. geared down in a 9.66 : 1 gear reduction to 84 1/2
R.P.M. drives a 24 : 48 sprocket ratio drive so that a compacter
screw having 9 inch diameter flights develops 1820 lbs. of thrust
and will have a cubic foot displacement of 24.9.sup.3 F.M. with a
desirable compaction ratio.
* * * * *