Compactor with expanding and contracting nozzle
First Claim
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1. A compacting apparatus for compacting material passing therethrough, the material exerting pressure on said apparatus during compaction, said apparatus comprising:
- passage means for defining a passageway through which a material to be compacted may be conveyed, said passageway having a longitudinal axis and an outlet end;
screw conveyor means at least in part longitudinally disposed within said passageway for conveying material through said passageway at least in a downstream direction toward said outlet end, said conveyor means and said passage means cooperating to compact material passing through said passageway; and
nozzle means disposed downstream of said passage means for defining a duct which is in communication with said outlet end of said passageway to allow the material passing through said passageway to exit said outlet end of said passageway and enter said duct defined by said nozzle means, at least a portion of said duct enlarging in response to increasing pressure and contracting in response to decreasing pressure exerted by the material during conveyance through said duct, said nozzle comprising;
inner and outer members, each of said members being coaxially disposed about said longitudinal axis adjacent said outlet end of said passage means and including a plurality of longitudinally extending fingers which terminate at free ends thereof, said fingers of each of members being at least in part radially movable with respect to said axis and arranged such that each pair of adjacent fingers defines a gap therebetween when said nozzle means is in a first position and such that said fingers move relative to one another as said duct enlarges or contracts, said inner member being arranged within said outer member such that said fingers of said members cooperate to define said duct.
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Abstract
A compaction apparatus (2) has a screw conveyor (4) for conveying waste material through a passage (6) and compacting it therein. An exit nozzle (10) is arranged to communicate with the passage (6). The nozzle (10) defines a duct which enlarges and contracts response to increasing and decreasing material pressure, respectively.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A compacting apparatus for compacting material passing therethrough, the material exerting pressure on said apparatus during compaction, said apparatus comprising:
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passage means for defining a passageway through which a material to be compacted may be conveyed, said passageway having a longitudinal axis and an outlet end; screw conveyor means at least in part longitudinally disposed within said passageway for conveying material through said passageway at least in a downstream direction toward said outlet end, said conveyor means and said passage means cooperating to compact material passing through said passageway; and nozzle means disposed downstream of said passage means for defining a duct which is in communication with said outlet end of said passageway to allow the material passing through said passageway to exit said outlet end of said passageway and enter said duct defined by said nozzle means, at least a portion of said duct enlarging in response to increasing pressure and contracting in response to decreasing pressure exerted by the material during conveyance through said duct, said nozzle comprising; inner and outer members, each of said members being coaxially disposed about said longitudinal axis adjacent said outlet end of said passage means and including a plurality of longitudinally extending fingers which terminate at free ends thereof, said fingers of each of members being at least in part radially movable with respect to said axis and arranged such that each pair of adjacent fingers defines a gap therebetween when said nozzle means is in a first position and such that said fingers move relative to one another as said duct enlarges or contracts, said inner member being arranged within said outer member such that said fingers of said members cooperate to define said duct. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification