Woodwaste processing system with contaminate separation

• US 5,074,992 A
• Filed: 09/29/1989
• Issued: 12/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuel Harvesters Equipment Incorporated 12759 Lomarica Drive Grass Valley CA
• Original Assignee: Fuel Harvesters Equipment Incorporated
• Inventors: Clinton, L. Powell
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Application Number:
  US07/414,950
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 209/44.1, 209/44.2, 209/44.3, 209/12, 209/38, 209/36, 209/37, 209/629, 209/632, 209/930, 209/32, 209/33, 209/215, 209/219, 209/216, 209/2, 209/261, 209/19, 209/20, 209/234
• US Class Current: 209/19
• CPC Class Codes: B03B 9/061 the refuse being industrial
• CPC Class Codes: B03B 9/065 the refuse being building rubble
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 9/00 Combinations of apparatus for screening or sifting or for separating solids from solids using gas currents; General arrangement of plant, e.g. flow sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/58 Construction or demolition [C&D] waste
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/935 Ambulant

Abstract

A system for processing wastewood. The system may be mounted on a towable chassis. The wastewood is received at one end of the system and metal contaminants are removed from the wastewood. The wastewood is then separated according to size wherein a first size of wastewood is further processed by the system and a second size is removed from the system for subsequent re-processing. Unwanted paper and plastic contaminants are removed from the wastewood, and the wastewood of the first size is subjected to a further separating step wherein it is again separated according to size into usable end products.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing wastewood, the wastewood including metal, plastic or paper material intermixed therewith, comprising:

input means for receiving the wastewood;

means for removing metal from the wastewood;

separation means for receiving the wastewood from said metal removing means and for separating the wastewood according to size wherein a first size of wastewood is further processed by the apparatus and a second size of wastewood and said plastic or paper material is removed from the apparatus;

blower means for lifting plastic or paper material from the wastewood and vacuum means for capturing the plastic or paper material and for transferring it to a collection means;

means for transferring said first size of wastewood away from said separation means; and

means for receiving said first size of wastewood from said transferring means and for further separating said first size of wastewood according to size.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said input means includes a first conveyor means for transferring wastewood from an input feed to said separation means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said metal removing means includes a magnetic head roller on said first conveyor means for separating metal from the wastewood.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a second conveyor means proximate said first conveyor means for receiving and transferring metal separated from the wastewood by said magnetic head roller, and a third conveyor means proximate said second conveyor means and having associated therewith a magnetic means for removing metal from said second conveyor means, said metal removed thereby transported by said third conveyor means to a collection location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separation means comprises a plurality of rotatable shafts having disc means mounted thereon for supporting the wastewood of said second size and plastic or paper material wherein the wastewood of said first size falls between said disc means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further including a fourth conveyor means disposed below said disc means such that the wastewood of said first size falls onto said fourth conveyor means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said transferring means includes a fifth conveyor means for transferring the wastewood of said first size from said fourth conveyor means to said receiving and further separating means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said fifth conveyor means is inclined at an angle from the horizontal.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a sixth conveyor means having a pervious construction for transferring wastewood of said second size and plastic or paper material away from a discharge end of said separation means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said blower means removes plastic or paper material from said sixth conveyor means with wastewood of second size being transferred to a location remote from the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said receiving and further separating means comprises a rotatable trommel means having at least two separate outputs.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a seventh conveyor means is disposed substantially below and along the length of said trommel means to transfer product discharged at a first one of said outputs away from said trommel means, and an eighth conveyor means is disposed adjacent a second one of said outputs from transferring product away from said trommel means.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said collection means includes a cyclone means.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vacuum means includes a hood means disposed above said sixth conveyor means and a vacuum fan connected to said hood means to establish a vacuum.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 located on a towable chassis.

16. An apparatus for processing wastewood, the wastewood including metal, plastic or paper intermixed therewith, comprising;

input means for receiving the wastewood;

means for removing metal from the wastewood;

first separation means for receiving the wastewood from said metal removing means and for separating the wastewood according to size wherein a first size of wastewood is further processed by the apparatus and a second size of wastewood is removed from the apparatus, said first separation means including a plurality of rotatable shafts having disc means mounted thereon for supporting the wastewood of said second size and plastic or paper material wherein the wastewood of said first size falls between said disc means;

a first conveyor means disposed below said disc means such that the wastewood of said first size falls onto said first conveyor means;

means for removing plastic or paper from the wastewood; and

a second conveyor means for transferring the wastewood of said first size from said first conveyor means to a second separating means for further separating said first size of wastewood according to size.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said input means includes a third conveyor means for transferring wastewood from an input feed to said first separation means.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said metal removing means includes a first stage for separating the metal from the wastewood and a second stage for further separating the wastewood from the metal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first stage of said metal removing means includes a magnetic head roller of said third conveyor means for separating metal from the wastewood on said third conveyor means.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 further including a fourth conveyor means proximate said third conveyor means for receiving and transporting metal separated from the wastewood by said magnetic head roller.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said second stage of said metal removal means include a fifth conveyor means proximate said fourth conveyor means and having associated therewith a magnetic means for removing metal on said fourth conveyor means, the metal removed by said magnetic means being transported by said fifth conveyor means to a collection location.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said second separating means comprises a rotatable trommel means having at least two separate outputs.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein a third conveyor means is disposed substantially below and along the length of said trommel means to transfer product discharged at a first one of said outputs away from said trommel means.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further including a fourth conveyor means disposed adjacent a second one of said outputs for transferring product away from said trommel means.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a fifth conveyor means for transferring product from said third conveyor means to a location remote from said trommel means.

26. The apparatus of claim 16 further including a third conveyor means of pervious construction for transferring the wastewood of said second size and plastic or paper away from a discharge end of said first separation means.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said plastic or paper removing means removes plastic or paper from said third conveyor means wherein the wastewood of second size is transferred to a location remote from the apparatus.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said plastic or paper removing means includes a blower means for lifting plastic or paper from said third conveyor means and vacuum means for capturing the plastic or paper and transferring it to a collection means.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said vacuum means includes a hood means disposed above said first conveyor means and a vacuum fan connected to said hood means to establish a vacuum.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said collection means includes a cyclone.

31. The apparatus of claim 16 located on a towable chassis.

32. A method for processing wastewood, wherein the wastewood includes plastic or paper material intermixed therewith, comprising:

receiving the wastewood at an input of an apparatus;

separating the wastewood according to size wherein a first size of wastewood is further processed by the apparatus and a second size of wastewood is removed from the apparatus;

removing plastic or paper material from the wastewood of said second size by lifting it therefrom and then capturing it by vacuum action to transfer it to a collection means;

transferring the wastewood of said second size to a location remote from the apparatus, and transferring said first size of wastewood along the apparatus; and

further separating said first size of wastewood according to size and discharging the wastewood so separated at at least two different outputs.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the wastewood includes metal and the metal is removed from the wastewood by magnetic means at a first location, the metal then being conveyed to a second location where it is again subjected to a magnetic force, and the metal then being conveyed to a third location away from the apparatus.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said step of further separating includes conveying said first size of wastewood to a rotatable trommel means and rotating said trommel means to cause a product of a first size to be discharged at a first output of said trommel means and a product of a second size at a second output of said trommel means.

35. An apparatus for processing wastewood, the wastewood including metal, plastic or paper intermixed therewith, comprising:

input means for receiving the wastewood;

screen separation means for receiving the wastewood from said input means and for separating the wastewood according to size wherein a first size of wastewood is further processed by the apparatus and a second size of wastewood is removed from the apparatus;

blower means for lifting plastic or paper from the wastewood of said second size and vacuum means for capturing the plastic or paper and for transferring it to a collection location;

means for transferring said first size of wastewood away from said separation means; and

trommel means for receiving said first size of wastewood from said transferring means and for further separating said first size of wastewood according to size.