CA1056073A - Composting process and device - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A composting apparatus is disclosed which is directed to the composting of household and garden wastes. The invention concerns an hollow device with upstanding side walls which are impervious to fluids and with two types of adjustable, closeable, openings; for admitting air and for removal of compost. The air admitting openings are furthermore covered with mesh screens and both types of openings are arranged so that annoyance caused by insect and animal pests may be minimized.

Description

~05~3 This invention concern~ co~posting and particularly composting o~ certain household and garden wastes.
It is an ob~ect of the present inventi~n to enable reuse of material~ which otherwise would be refu~e.
It i~ another object of th~ present invention to facilitate compo~ting in circumstances which otherwise are unfavourable for composting.
~ t i8 an object o~ the present invention to provide an apparatus for compoating which is versatile in use.
It is a further object o~ the present invention to permit composting with isolation of the compost from insects and animals which are normally considered to be pest~.
Composting is a well known method Or processing decomposable ~ubstances 80 aJ to rscover material baving use from aubstances otherwise not in a condition suitable for direct rou~e. It i8 known to take veget-able wasto~ and permit these to decay ~nder conditions in which the identity of the individual wa~te item~ i9 lost and which results in a humus rich material. Such a decomposed product may be used as a soil conditioner and ao a plant growth accelerator. Theae same wa~tes if not proces~ed a~ compost m4y otherwi~e be burnt or incinerated, with pofisible e~vironmental disturbance, or maJ be disposed of in landfill operation~
and therebJ add directly to the cost3 o* garbage dispo~l. Both latter dioposal methods al~o obviate the possible beneficial effects of recycling the wa~tes.
The composting proces~ is ~nown to involve microorgan~m~ and to proceed in the absence of a~nlight or oquivalent radiation. A varioty of microorganismc may bo in~olved, the moet commonly involved are membere of the Thallophyta group of plant~ and include particularly bacteria and ~ungi. In addltlon, other microorganisms, ~uch a~ viruses and proto~oa are believed to also be lnvolved in so~e procesaes in~olv~n~
decomposltion of subst~nces.
Tho composting proces~ i8 known to involve two principal stago~.
One 8tage comprlse~ the decompoaltion proce~se~ occ~rring belo~ about 40 de8ree~ Celsiuo and the second stago concerns the proces~es occurring above about 40 degrees Cel~lus. Nbny ot ths microorganism~ which propogate most readily in these two temperature catagories are available in garden and ~egetable wastea.
; The vigor of the overall composting process depends upon ~actors wh~ch in¢lude the ~ollowlng: deBree of particle ~u W ivi~ion of the wastes, ~0 chomical compo~ition of the waste~, chemical composition of materials comb~ned with the wastes, water content of the wastes, oxygen content o~

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105i6073 the wastes, acidity-basicity balance of the wastes, temperature, nature of the microorgani~m~ a~d concentration of microorganisms.
While many factor~ are important, three in particular require special attention. These are; water content, oxygen availability and the chemical compo~ition of the decomposable matter. The chemical reactions occurring in compo~ting and the growth of the microorganisms require water. On the other hand, excess water in a mass of material will retard the imbibinB of air or other gases. A balance is need~ -whereby sufficient water i8 present to enable vigorous composting but not 80 much ~o as to undull~ interfer with oxygen transfer and the transfer of gaseous products Or composting.
In some composting proces~es the microoreanisms are those which u~e oxygen7 mainly gaseous oxygen or oxygen dissol~ed in water, and comprise the 80 called aerobic microorganismsO The products of composting with aerobic microorganisms include oxidation producta and commonly include carbon dioxide. In the absence of oxygen, the microorganisms which propogate without requi~ing oxygen, 80 called anerobic microorganisms~
will becoms dominant relative to tho aerobic microorRanisms. The products of composting wlth anerobic microorganism3 include reduction products and may include substan¢es with offensi~e odora. Such products include mercaptanc~ amine~ and their derivatives.
The present invention concerns in part the control o~ access of gaaoou~ matorial to tho compoat. Air ~ill be the most common gaseou3 material under auch control but other gases, particularly in industrial operation8, may be proce~sed by embodimeDts Or the present in~entlon.
Tho chemlcal compo dtion of the wa~tes must be such that, in additlon to the requirement for water and oxygen or other ga~ a~
heretofore noted, the composting mixture must contain a source Or carbon, a ~ource o~ nitrogen~ material providing a ~ource o~ cnergy and minerals and trace le~ls of ingredienta neceasary to support microbial activity.
In sdd~tion~ lt may be deairablo to ha~e materiala preaent ~hich contain an appreciablo variety Or chemical substance~ and thersby provide a ~ariet~ o~ sources of carbon and o~ nitrogen. ~n particular, it may be de~lrable to ha~e both inorganic and organic sources of nltrogen present in oo~po~ting proces~ec.
The principal source of onergy for composting may be the ~ub~tances providing the ~ource of carbon or the source Or nitro~en. Hydrocarbons, carbohydrates and protein~, in was~e material~ or otherwise, ~11 provide energ~ upon chemlcsl oxidation.
~0 There are known ratios Or carbon to nitrogen which are as~ociated with oompost proces~e~ per~orming more satisfactorily than other , -~056073 composting processe~ which are characterized by a di~ferent carbon to nitrogen ratio. For this reason the ratio Or carbon to nitrogen in 8 composting mixture i8 believed to be prefersbly neàr the ratio of 30 to l, respectively.
The ratio Or carbon to nitrogen within the composting container may be altered qo as to increase the nitrogen le~el by addition of nitrogenous materials. In some cases the addition of ammonium sulfate may be beneficial, although excess levels o~ this material ma~ be harmful to the sur~ival of the microorganisms. On the other hand, reduction in the o~erall percentage nitrogen content, corresponding to an increase in the ratio of carbon to nitrogen within the composting container, may be achie~ed by additio~ of carbonaceous predominating materials; such as, for example, shredded and moistened newspaper.
It is preferable for materials to be added in a homogeneous form, adequatel~ moistened and compri~ing a mi~ture of material~ with the overall carbon to nitrogen ratio near 30 to l. A preferred method Or addition lo for all wa~tes collocted at one time to bo combined together, shredded if necessar~ thoroughly ~oistened and blended together prior to being placed in the composting apparatus.
Household wastes whioh ~ay bo in¢luded in a compo~ting proceo~
includes ashes from combustion, floor sweopings, table food scrsps, kitchen rood trimmings, new~papcr, rag~, sawdust, wood sha~ing~ and animal pot wastes.
Garden and lawn wastes Or many kinds may be included lr free Or anti ~icrobial agonts. Of particular interest are: gra~ clippings, weod~, hedge clippingJ, leares, sod trimming~ and wood cbips. Animal wa~te~ may bo included for composting and addition Or minor amounts Or ~oil to a compost i~ doDirablo.
Many material~ may bs added to a compost, elther to a~sist compo~t-ing or to impro~ the quality o~ tho ~inal compost. Suc~ materisls, in addition to oo~ oludes limeeton0, ~ago ~ludg0, s~aweedJ bone meal, ro¢k dust and p~at mo~.
Mat-rialo which are not normally ~uitablo ~or composting include;
gla~9 metal~, mo~t plastic snd rubber substancee and materialo with dioin~octants or other ch~micalo wh~ch would seriously harm the mioroor~ani8m~, `~ It is known that composting of garden wastes ~ay be readil~
undertaken by preparing a composting pile, with a fract~on of the pile in a pit in tho s3il, of su~iciont height and size that gensrated heat ~0 w~-l not be readily dissapated and by con3tructing the pile with numerous layer~ o~ dif~erent type8 o~ wa~te or alternating layers of soil and .~
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1056~73 -. . ..
~aste. The pile contents should be adju~tsd for moisture content and, depending on the density of the pile, the compost process may benefit from psriodic mixing of the p;7e contents which also facilitates o~ygen transfer and tran~fer of gaseous products of the composting process.
Such a compost pile is limited to areas permitting the digging of a suitable pit and to location~ compatable wit~ the existence of such a p;le. The uncovered sides Or ~uch a compost pile allow uncontrolled addition or 10~8 of moisture and permit insectR and ani nals to have access to the decaying waste sub3tancesO The entire contents of such a 10 p~le are normally allowed to decompose before any appreciable portion i8 removed as compostO
E~y compari30n, the compost apparatus of the pre~ent invention has members rotaining the decomposable waste substances which retard excessi~re drying, protect the wastes from natural precipatation, retard heat los~, provide access Or air to the decomposing materials and protect the contents of the appatatus from insects and animals.
In addition, tho compost apparatus of said invention need not be placod in or immodiatel~ over 80il but may be placed on any substantially level surfaae and mag be decorated 80 as to be compatable with nearby 20 surroundings. Furthermore, by providing a means of ~ithdrawing material from the lowor region of the compost appsratus, material may be removed inaromentallg. Provision for remov~l Or portions Or the contents Or the oompost apparatus also peits ConYenient assessment of the de8ree Or decomposition attained st any t~a. It m~Y1ng ot the contents of the compo~t apparatus is dosired~ this may be convenientlg underta~en by removing material rrom the lower region of the compost apparatus and reu~mltting the material to the upper region ot the apparatus.
Sub~tantlal control of the compost procoss may be achieved b~
controlling tho amount Or air a~lm~tted to the interlor Or the compost 30 apparatu~.
The air in the interior oî the compost apparatus ma~r be distributed, or permitted to spontl~neoualy dl~trlbute, bg means of members provided ~or thlo purpooo. A mean~ of pro~iding air acces~ to the immediate zone Or tho oo~po~t~ng mQterisl~ aonaerns the use Or perforated, hollow, ~` ve~els open to tho air on one hand and inserted into the composting materlals, Arl embodimont of this concerns the use of perforated, hollow, v~ssels in whi¢h both, or at least two, ends Or the lressel are in sn ~ir oontaining ~paoe bu~ a substantial part o~ the vessel is within the main bod~r Or the compo~ting materials, and thereby provide a means for 40 air to haYo aacoss to the body of the composting materials.
The shape and dimensions of the compo~ting apparatus are dete~nined _1,,_ ,~

10S6~73 by ~unctional and use requirements. For sin~le family households, a compost processing capacity between ten and twenty cubic feet i~
considered desirable. Larger volume composting containers would be preferred where greater waste processing i5 to be practiced.
The present invention may be applied to spherical, tetragonal, pyrimidal, cylindrical~ conical, cubic and rhombic~l structures as well as others~ The cylindrical shape i9 suitable for the combination of two or more containers, especially for use with bUlky waste materials, such a~ leave6. In thi~ ca~e two or more compost containers may be mounted one above the other, with a common cylindrical axis of symmetr~, with only one covering top but with supports at the ~unctions of the two or more containers.
Becau~e overall composting acti~ity is retarded by low ambient temperature~, heating of the composting substance~ to maintain or to ac¢elerate compo~ting may be undertaken. Conservation Or generated heat, or heat supplied externally, ~ill be enhanced by employment of suitably insulated containers, A compo~ting process and apparatus suitable for processing of residential garden and household wastes ~ust meet requirements not required by an apparatus for use in a commercial or farm enterprise. In parti¢ular, the apparatus must be aesthetically compatable with nearby surruundings~ po~sibly require a minimum of space, be readily secured from diaturbance caused by insects and AmAll animals and po~sibly be operable on pavement or in indoor areas. The apparatu~ should preferably bo re~eable and preferably ~hould be ~uf~iciently ~ersatile to meet the requirements of users with varying capabilitio~ and ob~ectives.
It has been disoo~ered that an apparatus ~ith the heretofore noted characterisSics and meeting the heretoforo noted ob~ecti~e~ may be advantageou~l~ constructed by combination of more than one type o~
otruoture. One type of structure i8 ~elected to perform mainly the ~unotlon Or encloYing the co~postlng materials wh~le another structure per-mits acceoo to the compo~ting material~ and another controls a¢cess Or alr to tho oomposting material~ and all ~truoture~together contribute to performing the ~unction Or encloaing the composting materials. ln additlon a ~tructure is employed to enclose the top of the apparatus ~nd also~ as de~ired, another structure may be employed to confine the lowermost region o~ the appsratus.
By type o~ ~tructure ls meant an identiriable physical m0~ber which differs in dimensions from other noted types of associated structure~
~0 and perrorms a function wh$ch is different rrom functions performed by other types of as~ociated structure~.

1056a~3 In drawings which ;~lustrate embodiments of the invention, ~igure 1 is a front view of one embod~ment, Figure 2 is a side view of the same embodiment, and Figure 3 i8 a top plan view of the same embodiment with the top cover not included.
In Figure 1, 1 i~ the container top cover, 2 are two supports joined at the uppermost region contacting the top co~er and ~oined to the top cover, 3 is an upward-downward slideable door covering a screen incorpsratine opening,4 is a vertical panel without openings,5 is a ~ertical panel with openings formed therein which are covered by the door~ 3 and 6, 6 i8 a door which i8 ~lideable in an upward-downward direction covering an opening in the panel 5 which opening provides access into the interior Or the container defined by the joining of the panelts 4 and 5 into a sub~tantially cylindrical container.
In Figure 2 the Joining of two panels is denoted by 7 which is a Joining seam.
In Figure 3 the designations are as denoted for F~gure 1.
A preferred embodi~ent Or the present in~ention comprlses a cylindri¢al apparatu~ with th~ ~ide membor~ constructed of hi8h dsn~ity pol~ethylen0 sheet of about 0.050 inches in thickness. Ths sheet ~y bo cut into pieces and reas~embled or portions Or the plastic material ma~ be ~oftened with heat~ deformod and ~a~tened together. One form of the final assembly i8 shown in Fig~res 1, 2 and 3.
In Figure 1~ tho panel 5 incorporate~ two types of structures, whioh are the aa~embly with the ~creen covered opening which in turn is ¢o~ered b~ the door 3 and tho access ope~ing which in turn is eovered by the door 6. Thit3 embodiment is pro~orred partly because in this caso thefle two opening containing structure~ are associated in a func~lonal arrangoment which facilitatoJ both construction and end use and permits the re~pootive door unite to be h d d and guided by common membere. The openint~ in tho ~creen behind door 3 are less than two mlllimeterts in t~eir largo~t dim~neion, and 80 w~ll pro~ent insects mo~ing,larger than thl~ dimeneion, through thie opening. The opening behind the door 6 is about t~n inche~ ~ide snd about nine inches high, 80 as to permit a sho~el to bo lnsertod therein wlth the door 6 in a raised position. The I two doora, 3 and 6, are slidesble upward and downward while being h01d t~ within-guido mombere constructed o~ tho plastic sheet material~ as shown in Pigura 3. The doors may be hald in adJustable positions between full~ cloeed, a8 in Figure3 1 and 2~ and rull~ open by means of movement resiotin8 clampe or by employment of de~ices blocking movement in the door guiding members. Two panels o~ the ~ind denoted as 5 are praferably '''` ~
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1056C)73 employed in each compost apparatus ~lthough more or le~s may be employeddepending on the use circumstances.
The panel denoted as 4 in Figures l~ 2 ~nd 3 is substantially a structure without openings and the quantity of and dimensions of are largely influenced by use requirements. Prererably two euch panels may be incorporated in each compost apparatus but more or less may be employedO Depending on the rigidity of the plsstic sheet material, rein~orcing, rigidity conferring, members may be incorporated into the compost container me~bers. Alternately, foamed pla~tic material, corrugated plastic material or molded plastic material~ ma~ be shaped 80 as to enhance and optimize rigidity characteristics. The outer vertical member~ may be ~oined together with corrosion resistant mechanical fasteners, by heat fusing or by use Or adhes~ves.
The top cover m~mber may be constructed Or semie flexible plastic fIlm materlal and ra~tened to the outer ~ertical members by means of atrap~ on the co~er which faten to receptive members on the outer vertical members. Su¢h a co~er m~mber is supported from below by pieces of plastic material connected to the outer vertical ~embers, the supports arching dismetrically, aQ ~hown in Figure 3, from one side to another and thereby raislng the top ¢over, particularly in the center region, 80 a~ to roadily shed preoipitation.
Th- top oover member may be constructed ~n a variety of conrigurations;
with hlngos for opening and cloaing parts thereof, with guides for moYing the top oover for access to the interior of tho compost apparatus, wlth rieid interlocking compononts which combine to form a cover but movo independently for opening~ with an inflatable structure and wlth ¢ompononts ~hiah ~re intorJoined at the ~unction Or th0 co~er ~ith the uppor portion o~ tho part of the apparatus in moot immediate contact `wlth the cover. When con~tructed of flexible film material, the cover !30 ma~ incorporste a meanJ~ ~uch a~ a drawJt~tag, to enable the ¢over to bo ~itted tightl~ to tho Yertical memb~rs. In other casec, means such a~ gask-tJJretaining devices and intorlocking members may be uYod to ensure a close fit of the cover to tho vertical membere.
The top co~er 18 proferably constructed o~ black pol~ethylene of about o.oo6 inches in thickne~. The container walls may be constru¢ted o~opla~tlc ~aterlals vary~ng ~n thickness but not less than ~.001 inches ',in ~hiokne~s and not greater than a few inche~ in thicknes~ unles~
highly insulated. The conta~ner mombers may be constructed o~: plastic materlal~, metal, treated paperboard, treated textiles and composite material8 incorporating more than one of the abo~e materials.
The ~ase ~f the apparatus may be left unconfined, particularly .

when the apparatus is placed on garden soil, in which case the compost would be immediately in contact with the soil. In other case~ a layer of plastic material film ma~ be placed on the sur~ace supporting the apparatus , prior to the apparatus being placed in position.
A preferred method o~ u~ing the compost apparatus with household and garden wastes is to commence by inserting a layer, about one inch deep, of shredded, ribrous, garden vegetable wastes and on top to e~enly di~tribute a layer of soil about one inch deep, On this base may be added moistened carbonaceous and nitrogeneous wastes, pr¢ferably intermixed and compri~ing a carbon to nitrogen ratio near 30 to 1. When the compost mass has attained a depth of between two and ten inches a perforated tube i8 substantially placed in the body Or the composting material.
Preferably this tube should be cur~ed so that the two ends Or the tube extend to a height near the top of the verticP~ side members. The apparatus is filled with wa3te 3ubstances and including periodic addition of small quantltie~ of soil. Preferabl~ the soil addition should comprise one inch in ten inches of added waste substances.
Ir it i8 desired for the compo~t~ng process o~ a nearly full container to be conducted in a speedy manner and if the wa~tes tend to comprise a hlgh proportlon of nitrogenous material3~ additlonal perforated, i hollowJ tubes, as heretofore described~ 3hould be inoerted into the composting mass to faailitate aeration.
Tho air distributing vessels ma~ be constructed and instP~ed ~o as to aloo reinforce the wast~ retaining structureo, to support or reinforce the member~ contactlng the top cover and to generally reinforce tho apparatuo structurally.
Tho air dlstributing ve~sels may be constructed Or: plastic materials~ metal, paperboard or any inert composite material and preferably should hav- openings leading ~rom hollow,air ~ ed regions, to the ~terior of tho v0J~els whiah compri~es st least one half of the vessel ~ur~aoo area. For air di~tributing ~essels shaped a3 tubeo, diameters botwcen 0.25 inoh and 4 lnche~ are preferred.
Ono embodiment compri~es the use o~ a platform installed within tho lower region o~ the oompoot apparatu~ but elevated 80 that below the platform, and below the compost in contact with the platform, is an air filled spa¢e which provides air contact to the compost. The said air fllled opace may be connected through hollow members to air filled spaoe~
`~ abor~ the compost or ma~ be connected directly to opening~ admitting air from the exterior o~ the compost container. The a~oreme~tioned air admitting openings ma~ be in a base platform which extends to the exterior, the~ ma~ be located in the top co~er or in the co~tainer side msmber~.

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10560~73 The amount ef air admitted into and out of the interior of the compost apparatus may be regulated by adjustment of the doors covering the screen covered openings. The amount ~ air should be sufficie~t for vigorous composting and sufficient to avoid occurrence of offensive odors. Too much air movement into and out of the compost container may undully dry the contents and will undully remove heat from the compo~ting mass and thereby retard the compoRting process. Water must be added to the contents if in~ufficient nois~ure is with$n the apparatus, as may ~udged by examination of the contents of the apparatus.
During period~ when much waste is being composted and during warm weather, a ~ubstantial amount of air should be admitted into the apparatus. Durin~ cold periods and when microbial activity is not ~igorous, the doors may be clo3ed so as to substantially cover the air transfer openings.
After a few wee~s of composting and preferably when the apparatus i8 at least one half full, the condition of the composting substances may be as~essed by withdrawing material through the lower, door co~ered, opening. For some uses a fullg decayed compoRt is required while for other useo a les6 well decayed compost is suitable~ Preferably the compost w~ll be ¢rumbly and not undully showing e~idence of its origin. If undocayed ~ubstances may be readily identified, composting should be continued further.
It may be desired to parti~ly dry the fully composted material, in whlch case the air admitting areas may be opened fully during weather periods auitable for dr~ing. The partial~y dry compost may then be removed and ma~ b~ convbn~h~ly stored in closed container~ until required.
' Drying may bo undertaken, or accelerated, by application of heated air or oth~r gaae~ into the interior Or the compost containor.
In one embodiment of tho ~n~tant in~ention, the composted material3 aro pastourizod by insortion Or a heating de~ice into the interior of the compo~t container and preferably into the body Or the composting substances. Pasteurization tomperatures in excess of ~0 degrees Celsius ar~ preferably employed. A temperature Or 60 degrees Celslus for more th~n two hours is deemed minimal.
Paot0urisation may be undertaken by a~sembling a small fire of j; charcoal in 8 depression of the completely ~omposted materials with pro~islon for air for combustion and obser~ing the temperatures of the extremitie~ of the material mass to efisure that a sufficiently high temperature for a eu~iciont time is achie~ed for pa~teurization.
Pasteu~ization may al~o be undertaken by tranoferring a heated fluid, uch as hot air, ~ro~ an exterior heating source or by insertion of a _9_ , , .

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~0~6073 heating device, or a hot d~vice, directl~ into the interior of the composted substances so as to heat the composted substances.
In one embodIment o~ the instant invention) the number of air admitting, insect excluding, opening sections with door covering members is greater than on~ and less than thi~ty.
In another embodiment of the pre~ent invention, the number of access opening-door covering sections i~ greater than one and less than thirty.
In another embodiment, an air filled space is provided substantially around the sides of the waste substance~ within the outer enclosing structures of the compo~t apparatus.
In one embodiment, the outer protecti~e enclosing structures o~ the compost apparatus are pro~ided with heat insulating member~ or with pro~ision for heat insulating.
In one embodiment of the instant invention, the air admitting, insect exoluding, opening i8 a metallic ~ire screen covered opening.
In one embodiment, the compost apparatu~ including the top cover is fabricated of plastic sheet like materi~ between 0.003 inches and 0.2 inches in thickness.
In another embodiment, the compost apparatus is fabricated from a ~heet like metallic materi~l bet~een 0.001 inches and 0.2 inches in thickne~s.
In one embcdiment, one multipurpose opening and associatod opening olosing member are employed in p}ace Or two types o~ openings for aoceJ~ to the interior o~ the compost apparatus and for air admitting ; and the t~o opening clo~ing momber~.
In one embodlment o~ the iDstant inv0ntion, the opening closing door me_ber~ ar- guided in ~eams ~ormod ~y o~erlapping portio~ Or the struoture~ $orming tho ~eam~ and seam l~B spacers are employed to aohie~e suf~iclent spao~ fo~ the door membero to ~e functionally in the guldo~.
In one embod~m~nt, the duration o$ compoating i~ betNeon 10 and 500 da~, In one embodiment~ the composting apparatus is constructed o~
weather resista~t material-.
In another ombodiment, the co~po~ting apparatus is constructed o~ mat~rial~ 80 as to b- substantially unaffected b~ moist wastes.
In one embodiment, the top coYor member contain~ one or more grommebs and etrap~ ~ drawstrings~ hooking de~ices and ad~ustable ~0 mech$nlcal ~astener~ ono or more of each~ with associated fastener~ on the part of th~ compo~t apparatus other than the top co~er memb~r.
'" -10-The top co~er member may be a hinged structure of metal or of a plastic material, may be rigid, may be made of interlocking parts, may be moveable on guides, may be inflatable, may be pivotable about a single axis or may have part~ which are pivotable about more than one axis and the top may be constructed so that only part of the top need be opened for access to the interior of the compost apparatusD
The ;llustrations are presented primarily for the purpose of illustrating the nature of the instant invention and any specific enumeration Or detail contained therein should not be interpreted a~
a limitation except as indicated in the claims.

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Claims (12)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A composting apparatus comprising a hollow container with upstanding side walls; said side walls comprising at least one continuous substantially fluid impervious side panel and at least one apertured side panel, said side panels being in interfitted relationship so as to form a side wall defining the hollow interior of said container;
the apertured side panel having an upper, air-admitting,aperature and a lower, solids removal, aperture therein; a mesh screen extending across substantially the full area of said upper aperture; a positionally adjustable closure means for said upper aperture, movable with respect thereto so as to vary the effective air-admitting aperture thereof; a positionally adjustable closure means for said lower aperture, adapted to open and close said lower aperture for removal of solids material therefrom; and a removable top cover adapted to close the top opening of the container in substantially liquid tight manner.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the positionally adjustable closure means for said upper aperture comprises a sliding door, slidable over the area of said upper aperture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the positionally adjustable closure means for said lower aperture comprises a sliding door, alidable over the area of said lower aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mesh screen has apertures of largest dimension in the range from about 2 micrometers to about 2 millimeters.

5. The apparatus or claim 1 wherein the lateral extremities of the positionally adjustable closures for the said upper aperture and the said lower aperture, are retained in upwardly extending overlapping portions or the interfitted said side panels.

6. The apparatus or claim 1 further including air distributing members comprising perforated hollow vessels open to the sir at one of their ends and inserted into the hollow interior of the apparatus at another of their ends, to contact composting material therein.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said air distributing members comprise hollow perforated tubes with diameters between about 0.25 inches and 4 inches.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the area of the perforations in the said perforated hollow vessels comprise a proportion of the total surface of the said perforated hollow vessels of about one half.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein at least one of the said perforated hollow vessels is attached to the interior wall of at least one of the said side panels, so as to rigidly reinforce said side panel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a platform installed within the lower region of said apparatus and upon which composting substances may be supported, an air filled space below said platform, and said platform including air communication means for contacting the composting substances thereon with air of said air filled space.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the air filled space below said platform is in communication through at least one perforated hollow vessel with an air filled space above the composting substances within the said hollow container.

12. A part of a composting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising an apertured panel, said panel having an upper, air-admitting, aperture and a lower solids removal, aperture; a mesh screen extending across substantially the full area of said upper aperture; a positionally adjustable closure for said lower aperture; a positionally adjustable closure for said upper aperture; and both said closures being held and guided in use by common members.