Apparatus and Method for Separating Paper from Mixed Recyclable Materials

• US 20140263770A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Summit Equipment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Summit Equipment, Inc.
• Inventors: Hissong, Donald G., MacDonald, D. Scott, Peha, Darren M.
• Application Number:
  US13/830,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263770A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/24.19
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/14 Roller screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/15 using corrugated, grooved or ribbed rollers

Abstract

A paper separating apparatus is provided for mixed recyclable material. The apparatus includes a frame, an agitating roll, a first screw conveyor roll, a second screw conveyor roll, a first opening, a second opening, and at least one drive motor. Three-dimensional mixed recyclable material is delivered along the rolls from the entrance end to the exit end, and paper is dropped through one of the first opening and the second opening. A method of separating paper from three-dimensional mixed recyclable material is also provided.

Claims

1. A paper separating apparatus for mixed recyclable material, comprising:

a frame having an entrance end and an exit end;

an agitating roll carried for rotation in a prone position by the frame extending between the entrance end and the exit end, the agitating roll having an array of projections extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the agitating roll;

a first screw conveyor roll carried by the frame adjacent to and parallel with the agitating roll and having a raised helical ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the roll in one of a clockwise and a counterclockwise;

a second screw conveyor roll carried by the frame adjacent to and parallel with the first screw conveyor roll and having a raised helical ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the roll in one of a clockwise and a counterclockwise;

a first opening configured between the agitating roll and the first conveyor roll to provide a first paper withdraw slot there between;

a second opening configured between the first conveyor roll and the second conveyor roll to provide a second paper withdraw slot there between; and

at least one drive motor coupled to drive the agitator roll, the first conveyor roll, and the second conveyor roll in mutual co-rotation, a top surface of the agitating roll rotating toward the first screw conveyor roll and a top surface of the first screw conveyor roll rotating toward the second screw conveyor roll, and the helical ridges of the first conveyor roll and the second conveyor roll configured to urge mixed recyclable material above the agitating roll, the first screw conveyor roll, and the second screw conveyor roll, and delivery along the first conveyor roll and the second conveyor roll from the entrance end towards the exit end;

wherein three-dimensional mixed recyclable material is delivered along the rolls from the entrance end to the exit end, and paper is dropped through one of the first opening and the second opening.

2. The paper separating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a side plate provided adjacent and outwardly of the second conveyor roll and extending lengthwise along the second conveyor roll.

3. The paper separating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the side plate is sloped outwardly from vertical relative to the second conveyor roll.

4. The paper separating apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a third opening configured between the second conveyor roll and the side plate to provide a third paper withdraw slot there between.

5. The paper separating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second agitating roll carried for rotation in a prone position by the frame adjacent to and parallel with the first agitating roll and extending between the entrance end and the exit end, the agitating roll having an array of projections extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the agitating roll;

a recyclable material divider carried by the frame above and between the first agitating roll and the second agitating roll;

a third screw conveyor roll carried by the frame adjacent to and parallel with the second agitating roll and having a raised helical ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the roll in another of a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction;

a fourth screw conveyor roll carried by the frame adjacent to and parallel with the third screw conveyor roll and having a raised helical ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the roll in another of a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction;

a fourth opening configured between the agitating roll and the first conveyor roll to provide a first paper withdraw slot there between;

a fifth opening configured between the first conveyor roll and the second conveyor roll to provide a second paper withdraw slot there between; and

at least one drive motor coupled to drive the second agitator roll, the third conveyor roll, and the fourth conveyor roll in mutual co-rotation, a top surface of the second agitator roll rotating toward the third screw conveyor roll and a top surface of the fourth screw conveyor roll rotating toward the second screw conveyor roll, and the helical ridges of the third conveyor roll and the fourth conveyor roll configured to urge mixed recyclable material above the agitating roll, the third screw conveyor roll, and the fourth screw conveyor roll, and delivery along the third conveyor roll and the fourth conveyor roll from the entrance end towards the exit end

6. The paper separating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projections on the agitator roll comprise individual shark fin-shaped projections having an arcuate leading edge and a straight trailing edge.

7. The paper separating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agitating roll is elevated relative to the first screw conveyor roll.

8. The paper separating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second screw conveyor roll is elevated relative to the first screw conveyor roll.

9. A paper separating apparatus for mixed recyclable material, comprising:

a frame having an entrance end, an exit end, and a side plate;

an agitating roll carried for rotation in a substantially recumbent position by the frame extending between the entrance end and the exit end, the agitating roll having an array of projections extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the agitating roll;

at least one screw conveyor roll carried by the frame adjacent to and substantially parallel with the agitating roll on one side and the side plate on the other side, and having a raised helical ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the roll in one of a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction;

a first opening configured between the agitating roll and the first conveyor roll to provide a first paper withdraw slot there between;

a second opening configured alongside the first conveyor roll opposite the agitating roll; and

a drive motor coupled to drive the agitator roll and the first conveyor roll in mutual co-rotation, a top surface of the agitating roll rotating toward the first screw conveyor roll, and the helical ridges of the first conveyor roll configured to urge mixed recyclable material above the agitating roll, the first screw conveyor roll, and the second screw conveyor roll, and deliver the mixed recyclable material along the first conveyor roll and the second conveyor roll from the entrance end towards the exit end;

wherein three-dimensional mixed recyclable material is delivered along the rolls from the entrance end to the exit end, and paper is dropped through one of the first opening and the second opening.

10. The paper separating apparatus of claim 9, further comprising another screw conveyor roll carried by the frame adjacent to and parallel with the first screw conveyor roll, driven in co-rotation by the drive motor, and having a raised helical ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the roll in one of a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction and carried by the frame parallel and adjacent to the agitating roll.

11. The paper separating apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second opening is configured between the first conveyor roll and the second conveyor roll to provide a second paper withdraw slot there between.

12. The paper separating apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a third opening provided between the second conveyor roll and the side plate configured to provide a third paper withdraw slot there between.

13. The paper separating apparatus of claim 12, wherein the side plate is provided adjacent and outwardly of the second conveyor roll and extends lengthwise along the second conveyor roll.

14. The paper separating apparatus of claim 13, wherein the side plate is sloped outwardly from vertical relative to the second conveyor roll.

15. A method of separating paper from three-dimensional recyclable material, comprising:

providing an agitating roll adjacent at least one screw conveyor roll supported in a prone rotatable position by a frame with a paper withdraw slot provided there between and driven in co-rotation by a motor;

rotating the agitating roll and the at least one screw conveyor roll in co-rotation;

while rotating, delivering mixed recyclable material along the entrance end of the agitating roll and the at least one screw conveyor roll;

dropping paper between the rolls through the paper withdraw slot; and

translating three-dimensional recyclable material atop and along the rolls from an entrance end to an exit end by action of the at least one screw conveyor roll.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the agitating roll has an elevated top surface relative to an adjacent one of the at least one screw conveyor roll.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a first screw conveyor roll adjacent the agitating roll and a second screw conveyor roll adjacent the first screw conveyor roll and opposite the agitating roll, and rotating the first screw conveyor roll and the second screw conveyor roll in co-rotation with the agitating roll.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising collecting the dropped paper beneath the agitating roll and the at least one screw conveyor roll.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising collecting the three-dimensional recyclable material at the exit end.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein rotating the agitating roll comprises bouncing and realigning three-dimensional recyclable material atop and adjacent the agitating roll, enabling migration of paper beneath the three-dimensional recyclable material.