Method and apparatus for continuously dewatering sludge, fruits and vegetables and wastes of processed fruits and vegetables

• US 4,917,009 A
• Filed: 08/16/1988
• Issued: 04/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masahiko Edo
• Original Assignee: Masahiko Edo
• Inventors: Edo, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GERRITY, STEPHEN FRANCIS
• Application Number:
  US07/232,683
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 100/37, 100/98 R, 100/116, 100/118, 100/119, 100/120, 100/121, 100/153, 100/155 R, 100/176, 99/495, 99/510, 162/358, 162/314, 162/205, 162/210, 162/361, 210/400, 210/386, 210/401, 210/402
• US Class Current: 100/118
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/20 using rotary pressing members, other than worms or screws, e.g. rollers, rings, discs

Abstract

A continuous dewatering apparatus comprises left and right dewatering drum gears meshing with each other and disposed in a frame. Each of the drum gears is formed of a hollow cylindrical drum having many teeth formed on the periphery thereof. Many water passage holes are formed through the tooth crests and bottom lands of the teeth of the hollow drum. Left and right endless filter cloth belts are stretched around the drum gears and left and right roller groups disposed in the vicinity of the drum gears. The filter cloth belts may directly be adhered to the drum gears. The left and right drum gears and cloth belts are rotated together by a driving unit to mesh with each other. Objects such as sludge, fruits and vegetables and wastes of processed fruits and vegetables are continuously charged onto a meshing location of the drum gears and cloth belts to dewater the objects by pressing force of the meshing drum gears. As a result, the objects are continuously dewatered at a high dewatering rate.

Claims

1. A continuous dewatering apparatus for dewatering objects such as sludge, fruits and vegetables and wastes of processed fruits and vegetables, comprising:

first and second dewatering drum gears meshing with each other at a meshing location and rotatably disposed within a frame;

a main driving unit for driving said dewatering drum gears;

first and second roller groups disposed on said frame adjacent to said dewatering drum gears respectively for rotation with said drum gears;

first and second endless filter cloth belts stretched around respectively said first and second dewatering drum gears and said roller groups, respectively;

a charging hopper disposed above said meshing location of said said dewatering drum gears to receive said objects to be dewatered; and

collecting means disposed vertically below said dewatering drum gears for collecting water drained from said dewatering drum gears,

each of said dewatering drum gears having a plurality of teeth formed on the periphery thereof with at least some of said teeth having a crest and with bottom lands being provided between adjacent said teeth and water passages formed through the crests and bottom lands,

said objects to be dewatered being charged into said charging hopper and compressed under meshing pressure of said dewatering drum gears so that water contained in said objects is separated from said objects and drained through said endless filter cloth belts into said drum gears and then to the outside of said continuous dewatering apparatus;

said apparatus further comprising annular soft rubber members each stretched along a side edge of one of said first and second endless filter cloth belts, said annular soft rubber members elastically and inwardly tightening said one belt and rotating together with said one belt around the corresponding one of said first and second dewatering drum gears and the corresponding one group of said first and second roller groups, to prevent the dewatered cakes and separated water of said objects from flowing sideward from said dewatering drum gears meshing with each; and

contact position regulating mechanisms for regulating the contact positions of said annular soft rubber members with respect to the side edge portions of said one filter cloth belt, said contact position regulating mechanisms being provided on the traveling paths of said annular soft rubber members at least above said meshing location of said dewatering drum gears and having guide rollers rotatably contacting with said soft rubber members.