CA1116125A - Rotating disc apparatus for selective sorting of material chips - Google Patents
Rotating disc apparatus for selective sorting of material chipsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1116125A CA1116125A CA297,826A CA297826A CA1116125A CA 1116125 A CA1116125 A CA 1116125A CA 297826 A CA297826 A CA 297826A CA 1116125 A CA1116125 A CA 1116125A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- discs
- chips
- rows
- adjacent
- disks
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
- D21B—FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS OR THEIR MECHANICAL TREATMENT
- D21B1/00—Fibrous raw materials or their mechanical treatment
- D21B1/02—Pretreatment of the raw materials by chemical or physical means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
- B07B1/12—Apparatus having only parallel elements
- B07B1/14—Roller screens
- B07B1/15—Roller screens using corrugated, grooved or ribbed rollers
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)
Abstract
Docket 6340 APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE SORTING
OF MATERIAL CHIPS
Abstract of the Disclosure Apparatus which consists of a plurality of disc members disposed in a plurality of separately rotatable rows, with each row having a plurality of disc members disposed in spaced parallel vertical planes and with the disc members in adjacent rows intermeshing with equal spaces between them.
This apparatus is distinguishable from other inventions in that the spacing between the adjacent faces of the intermeshing discs and the spacing between the peripheries of the discs and the radially closest portions of adjacent rows are fixed at a predetermined value such that when a flow of wood chips is introduced along the upper surfaces of the intermeshing discs in a turbulent state the wood chips are separated by thickness regardless of their dimensions other than thickness. This invention provides chips having a thickness no greater than a desired maximum thickness, which in turn facilitates the subsequent digestion of the chips for the manufacture of paper making pulp.
OF MATERIAL CHIPS
Abstract of the Disclosure Apparatus which consists of a plurality of disc members disposed in a plurality of separately rotatable rows, with each row having a plurality of disc members disposed in spaced parallel vertical planes and with the disc members in adjacent rows intermeshing with equal spaces between them.
This apparatus is distinguishable from other inventions in that the spacing between the adjacent faces of the intermeshing discs and the spacing between the peripheries of the discs and the radially closest portions of adjacent rows are fixed at a predetermined value such that when a flow of wood chips is introduced along the upper surfaces of the intermeshing discs in a turbulent state the wood chips are separated by thickness regardless of their dimensions other than thickness. This invention provides chips having a thickness no greater than a desired maximum thickness, which in turn facilitates the subsequent digestion of the chips for the manufacture of paper making pulp.
Description
Docket 6340 ~ Z S
Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to sorting devices and more particularly, to sorting devices for wood chips according to their thickness, to be used in the production of paper pulp.
Prior Art The great majority of devices used for sorting varying sizes for material chips generally utilize screens having an appropriate mesh that will permit chips smaller than certain dimensions in thickness, length and width to 10 pass through the screen and be collected, while the rejected ;
materi.al passes over the screen for subsequent disposal.
Other prior apparatus for this purpose utilizes a plurality of equal diameter disks disposed in a plurality of rows, over which the material to be sorted i9 fed.
The disks rotate in the same direction, which causes the material to progress along the sorting device. Such devices are intended primarily for a gross separation of chunky or elongated over sized chips from materials of a generally smaller size. The acceptable smaller sized chips pass between the disks relatively easily, while the over sized chips are held back by the disks and carried to the discharger. Long thin pieces which would be acceptable except for their length, because they are longer than the distance between disks, are transported crosswise to the direction of flow of the other chips to the discharge end of the apparatus.
Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to sorting devices and more particularly, to sorting devices for wood chips according to their thickness, to be used in the production of paper pulp.
Prior Art The great majority of devices used for sorting varying sizes for material chips generally utilize screens having an appropriate mesh that will permit chips smaller than certain dimensions in thickness, length and width to 10 pass through the screen and be collected, while the rejected ;
materi.al passes over the screen for subsequent disposal.
Other prior apparatus for this purpose utilizes a plurality of equal diameter disks disposed in a plurality of rows, over which the material to be sorted i9 fed.
The disks rotate in the same direction, which causes the material to progress along the sorting device. Such devices are intended primarily for a gross separation of chunky or elongated over sized chips from materials of a generally smaller size. The acceptable smaller sized chips pass between the disks relatively easily, while the over sized chips are held back by the disks and carried to the discharger. Long thin pieces which would be acceptable except for their length, because they are longer than the distance between disks, are transported crosswise to the direction of flow of the other chips to the discharge end of the apparatus.
-2-Docket 6340 ~ ~161Z~
When using such a device for gross sorting of wood chips, it is thus necessary that the material not be upset too much or the longer thin pieces will pass through the disks and contaminate the acceptable chips S being collected. The disks are therefore of uniform diameter so that the chips will be horizontally trans-ported along the device.
A further disadvantage associated with this latter type of prior art device is that when disks having a smooth outer peripheral edge are used, the material chips being sorted tend to slide over the disks and not be gripped thereby, and are therefore not as eff~iciently sorted as is desirable, which results in a substantial loss of otherwise usable material chips that remain with the rejected chips and are disposed of.
Another disadvantage associated with these prior art devices is that when some form of member having other than a circular disk shape'is utilized, for example,a star-shaped or other convoluted periphery, these members in adjacent rows are arranged to mesh with each other like gears while rotating at the same peripheral speeds in order to avoid upsetting the oversized chips and thereby interrup-ting their orderly travel along the tops of successive rows of disks, but this also results in carrying to the reject outlet a good number of chips which would be accepted if upset to present a different dimension to the spaces between adjacent disks.
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Summary of the Invention The present invention overcomes the above described difficulties and disadvantages associated with prior art devices by providing a material chip thickness sorting apparatus which not only sorts chips of acceptable thickness of small enough width and length to pass between adjacent discs, but upends long chips of the desired thickness so that they too will be separated into the accepted material.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention apparatus is provided for sorting selectively a mixture of chips of differing maximum thicknesses to segregate those chips hav-ing a predetermined maximum thickness from those chips having a thickness below the predetermined maximum thickness. The apparatus includes a plurality of rows of discs rotatably mounted about substantially parallel axes of rotation with adjacent rows of discs intermeshing and drive means for rotat-ing the discs. Means is also provided for feeding the mixture of chips to the tops of the discs adjacent a first row of the discs for transportation along the tops of the discs. The intermeshing rows of discs define spaces between them having a dimension parallel to the axes of rotation of the discs which is about equal to the maximum thickness referred to above.
The rotating discs have different diameters and radially contoured peripheries such that turbulence is generated in the chips as they move from the feed means along the tops of the discs to cause the chips to be continuously reoriented and their minimum dimension presented to the spaces between the discs.
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The apparatus of the invention utilizes a plurality of parallel rows of disc members with the discs in each row disposed in spaced parallel vertical relation along a common horizontal central axis of rotation. The discs of adjacent rows intermesh radially with equal axial spaces between them to permit chips of no greater thickness than such space to pass downwardly between the overlapping disc surfaces, the width of this space being controlled to correspond with the maximum desired thickness of accepted chips.
The chips to be sorted are fed into the apparatus above the first of the rows of the discs. The material leaving the infeed will then be transported over the discs, with chips whose thickness is less than the width of the space between adjacent intermeshing discs dropping therebetween.
-4a-Docket 6340 ~ ~61Z5 The remaining thicker chips are transported to the last of the rows of disks and dropped onto an output device for removal from the apparatus.
It is important to the practice of the inven-tion that adequate provision be made to develop forcestending to align the traveling chips lengthwise with the disks and also to upset them so that they present their thicknesses to the spaces between adjacent inter-meshing disks. A particularly effective way of accomplishing this result is to cause adjacent disks to rotate at dif-ferent peripheral speeds. One preferred form of the invention for this purpose has the disks in each ~ow of alternating diameters, e.g. a two-inch variation, so that even if all rows are driven at ~he same angular rate, both aligned and intermeshing disks will rotate at different peripheral speeds.
In another form of the invention, the desired difference in peripheral speeds of adjacent disks is accomplished by having the disks in each row of a different common diameter from those in the adjacent row or rows, and to drive all rows at the same angular rate. The resulted repeated changes in the rate of forward movement of the chips along the tops of the disks, and in their vertical inclinations as they pass from disks of one diameter to those of another diameter, are effective in upsetting the chips to present them in the appropriate alignment for passage between intermeshing disks if they are within the acceptable thickness range.
Docket 6340 l~ Z5 As an alternative form disks of uniform diameter can be used, in which case adjacent rows - should be driven at different angular rates to produce different peripheral speeds of disks in adjacent rows.
Other arrangements of disks and spacers in accordance with the invention,are described in detail hereinafter.
In every case, each disk has a radially contoured outer peripheral edge portion, with the depth of the contour sufficiently shallow to prevent chips of thickness greater than the predetermined thickness from passing between the outer peripheral edge of a member and an opposing spacer, the purpose of the contoured disk periphery being to avoid smooth cylindrical edges which will have minimum frictional or gripping engagement with the chips.
The contoured peripheries of tne disks provide a gripping action facilitating transport of the chips across the tops of the rows of disk members, and a plurality of forms of disk peripheries are provided by the present invention. One preferred form has a contour formed of a plurality of blending alternately reversed radii in the plane of the disk, with the radii being sufficiently small that chips of greater than the desired thickness will not pass between the outer peripheral con-toured edge portion of a disk and an opposed spacer.
An alternative form of disk periphery has a contour defining a plurality of spaced, substantially semi-circular recesses in the plane of the disk wlth Docket 6340 ~ lZ~
the depth of the semi-circular recesses being limited as with the radii mentioned above. A further alternative construction is a peripheral contour formed of a plurality of generally triangular tooth-like protrusions in the plane of the disk with the depth between protrusions being limited as with the radii mentioned above.
A still further alternative disk construction has a peripheral contour formed of a plurality of wave-like projections having a radiused leading edge portion in the direction of rotation of the disk and a generally flat portion extending radially inward toward the bottom of the radiused portion of the rearwardly adjacent projection and formed in the plane of the disk with the depth of the contour being limited as aforementioned.
Many other forms of the peripheral contour of the disks are possible, so long as the depth of the contour is such that it will prevent chips of greater than the desired thickness from passing between the edge of a disk and an opposed spacer. In addition, the pattern of different peripheral speeds of adjacent disks is preferably such that the longer chips of acceptable thickness will be oriented parallel to the flow of material over the disks rather than crosswise as with prior art devices. This assists in the up-ending of such long chips so that they can more easily pass between the disks.
A further advantage of the present invention over such mentioned prior art devices is in the possibility of an alternate construction in which rows of the disks Docket 6340 ~6~25 are provided in an inclined plane rather than in a horizontal plane as is contemplated as one alternative embodiment of the present invention. The inclined plane may be either upwardly or downwardly inclined relative S to the infeed and outfeed mechanisms, so that the rate of material feed may be increased or decreased as desired.
In addition to the use of an inclined plane, it is contemplated, as a further alternative, to use a cascading arrangement of the rows of disks wherein a plurality of rows would be in a horizontal plane adjacent the infeed mechanism, a further plurality of rows would be downwardly inclined and subsequently disposed adjacent the first set of horizontally disposed rows, and a third plurality of rows would be horizontally disposed subsequent to the inclined rows and leading to the output mechanism.
This would produce a variable rate of material flow which would assist in up-ending or otherwise reorienting the chips so that those of the desired thickness would pass between the disks of the device.
Before proceeding to description of preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be noted that while the apparatus of the invention was developed essen-tially for the sorting of wood chips for use in the manufacture of paper pulp, it is applicable to the sorting of chips of other materials in accordance with thickness, and is particularly applicable to such chips which are of a substantial range of length and width dimensions. Accor-dingly, references herein to "chips" are to be understood as correspondingly comprehensive and not limited to wood chips.
lZ5 Docket 6340 Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the emhodi-ment of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a partially cut away top plan view of the embodiment of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative construction of the disk members and opposed spacers of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the disk member arrangement shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a second alternative arrangement of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the disk member arrangment shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a third alternative arrangement of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 9 is an illustration of a fragment of a preferred contoured edge portion of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 10 is an illustration of a fragment of a second preferred form of contoured edge portion of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 11 is an illustration of a third contoured edge portion of disk members of the invention;
Fig. 12 is an illustration of a fourth alternative construction of the edge portion of a disk member of the invention;
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12~i .
Docket 6340 Fig. 13 is a partial cross sectional view of the contoured edge portion of a disk member of the invention showing a doubled edge portion;
Fig. 14 is a schematic view showing the hori-zontal positioning of a plurality of rows of disk membersof the invention;
Fig. 15 is a schematic view showing a cascading plurality of rows of disk members of the invention;
Fig. 16 is a schematic view illustrating an upwardly inclined row of disk members relative to the direction of flow of the material; and ~ ig. 17 is a schematic illustration of a plurality of rows of disk members inclined downwardly relative to the direction of flow of material.
Detailed ~escription of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figs. 1-3, the basic construction of the apparatus of the present invention includes a frame structure 10 and a plurality of disk members 12 with spacers 14 mounted between the disks, all of which ; 20 are secured for rotation to a plurality of drive shafts 16 rotatably supported in the frame structure 10. The drive shafts 16 are driven by a chain 20 through a sprocket 18 which in turn is driven by motor 22 via sprocket 24, chain 25 and a sprocket 26 on the same shaft 27 as sprocket 18.
Above the first row of disks 12 is an infeed chute 30 through which the chips to be sorted are intro-duced into the apparatus. Arrows A show the direction of Docket 6340 flow of *he material chips to be sorted, arrows B show the direction of flow of chips of the desired size which have fallen between the disks 12, and arrow C shows the direction of flow of the discarded chips which are thicker than desired.
The frame structure 10 is basically of tubular steel construction made sufficiently strong to carry the weight of the apparatus as well as the load of the material chips being sorted. Safety screens 32 are preferably removably secured to the sides and ends of the apparatus, over that portion which houses the drive mechanism, so as to prevent possible injury to individuals working around ' the apparatus. The screens 32 are removable so that the drive mechanism of the apparatus may be serviced.
'rhe infeed chute 30 is preferably made of sheet metal constructed to produce a chute having a rectangular cross section, but which is radiused at the bottom portion 33 so that the chips are introduced at a tangent to the first row of disks 12. The infeed chute 30 is pr,eferably secured to the top of the frame structure 10 such as by means of brackets 36 bolted to the frame structure and to the infeed chute. Sheet metal can also be used to provide sides 37 and 39 on each side of the disks 12, to provide a guide for the material chips from the infeed to the discharge.
All of the drive shafts 16 which support the disks 12 are rotatably supported in the frame structure 10, by bearings 40 which are in turn supported on suitable ' ` Docket 6340 1~161Z5 parts of the frame structure 10. At one end of each drive shaft 16 is a sprocket 44 which is in driven engagement with chain 20. At the opposite end of each drive shaft 16, a plurality of alternating disks 12 and spacersl4 are clamped between a shoulder 45 on the shaft and a nut 46 threaded on the end of the shaft inboard of the adjacent bearing 40.
As stated above, all of the sprockets 44 are in driven engagement with chain 20, which extends between drive sprocket 18 and ollower sprocket 50. In addition, two idler sprockets 51 and 52 are provided to maintain appropriate driving engagement of the chain 20 with the sprocket 44 on each drive shaft 16.
The drive motor 22 can be of any desired charac-teristics sufficient to provide the necessary power rangefor driving the disks 12 at the necessary rotational speeds for proper sorting of the material chips. By way of example only, in an apparatus constructed as shown in which six rows of generally disk members 12 of a diameter in the range of 15 to 17 inches, and with each row of disks approximately 12 inches long, a one-horsepower variable speed drive motor, which will vary the mo~or output drive shaft speed hetween 114 rpm and 1117 rpm, is satisfactory.
It is also desirahle to be able to change the diameter of drive sprocket 24, and thus the drive shaft of the motor should be provided with some means for chan~ing this sprocket as h~ell. In general, a speed ran~e of 20 to 40 rpm for the disk shaft 16 has been found satisfactory.
t~-'J ~
~ Docket 6340 l~l~lZ5 Referring now to Fig. 8, a variety of disk members 12 and spacers 14 are contemplated for use with the present invention, the preferred ones of which are shown in these figures. Fig. 4 illustrates one such pattern in which a series of first disk members 78 of relatively large diameter are disposed on drive shafts 16 with alternatively positioned relatively smaller diameter disk members 80, all of which are separated by relatively larger and smaller diameter spacers 82 and 84, respectively.
This construction provides each row of disks with a pattern of alternately relatively larger and smaller disks which intermesh with an adjacent row of disks so that in the apparatus, there will be alternate pairs of adjacent equal diameter intermeshing disks of larger and smaller diameter, while on each row there will be a repeating pattern of larger and smaller diameter disks.
The spacers 82 and 84 have outer diameters such that the distance from the edge of either size disk to the edge of the opposing spacer will be not greater than the distance between adjacent intermeshing disks. Tha*
is, in the case of a relatively larger disk 78, the corres-ponding opposed spacer 84 will be of a relatively smaller diameter than spacer 82, so that the distance between the outer peripheral edge of disk 78 and spacer 84 is not greater than the distance between two adjacent inter-meshing disks.
6i12~;
Docket 6340 The preferred relative diameters of this disk pattern is best seen in Fig. S. For example, where the larger disks 78 are approximately 17 inches in diameter, it is advantageous to utilize relatively smaller disks 80 of a diameter of 15 inches. These dimensions, however, should not be considered as limiting, and substantial variations in the relative dimensions can be made without detracting from the advantages of the invention.
Referring to another pattern which may be utilized in the present invention, Fig. 6 again illustrates the use of two different diameter disk members 78 and 80, but in this variation all of the disks on any given drive shaft 16 are of the same diameter, while the adjacent shaft or shafts will contain either the larger or smaller diameter disks. This pattern provides adjacent intermeshing disks which are alternately larger or smaller, while on any given row the disks are of the same diameter.
A third variation of disk pattern is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein the pattern of disk members in each row is such that a single, relatively larger diameter disk 78 is followed by two relatively smaller diameter disks 80, with this pattern being repeated for the width of the disposition of the disks on the drive shaft.
Adjacent drive shafts have the same pattern, but are staggered so that a larger diameter disk 78 is disposed between smaller diameter disks 80 on an adjacent drive shaft. The spacers 82 and 84 are so arranged that they Docket 6340 1~161ZS
correspond with the s~aller disk~ 80 and lar~er disks 78, respectively. The spacing between the per-ipheral edge portion of each disk and the opposing spacer should not be greater than the distance between adjacent intermeshing disks.
It will be noted in Figs. 4, 6 and 8 that above each of the spacers 14 there is a sort of pocket, which is about approximately twice as wide in axial extent as the space between intermeshing disks 12 and as long in the direction parallel with the disks as the diameter of the particular spacer. These pockets, however, cause no problem in operation, nor do they interfere with the desired results of the apparatus, as now described.
Chips do drop into these pockets, but they cannot move further downwardly unless they are within the desired thickness range for acceptance between inter-meshing disks. Chips of greater thickness which drop into a pocket will remain there only temporarily. SoDner or later, additional chips will drop into the same pocket until several will become wedged together and thrown clear, apparently by being picked up by the upwardly moving trailing edge portion of the disk in the next forward row which adjoins the pocket.
Several examples of the novel radially contoured peripheral edge portions of the disk members are basically illustrated in Figs. 9-12. One design for a contoured edge portion I
I
Docket 6340 is illustrated in Fig. 9 in which a quadrant of the contoured edge portion of the disk member 12 is illus-trated as formed of a plurality of blending alternately reversed radii 85 and 86 in the plane of the disk.
A second variation of the outer peripheral contour of each disk member 12 is illustrated in Fig. 10 in which the edge is formed of a plurality of spaced substantially semi-circular recesses 87, producing spaced lands 88 between them, also in the plane of the disk.
A third alternative form of the outer peripheral contour of a disk member is shown in Fig. 11 in which the outer edge is formed of a plurality of triangularly shaped tooth-like protrusions 90 in the plane of the disk 12.
A fourth variation of the contour of the outer peripheral edge of each disk member is shown in Fig. 12, in which it is formed of a plurality of wave-like pro-jections each having a radiused leading edge portion 92 in the direction of rotation of the disk-shaped member ; and a generally flat portion 94 extending radially inward toward the bottom of the radiused portion 92 of the rearwardly adjacent projection, and being formed in the plane of the disk.
The depth of the contour on the edge of any of the above disk members should not be any greater than that which will permit chips of the desired maximum thickness to pass between the edge of the member and an opposing spacer. The exact depth for any given contour configuration l~lSlZ~
Docket 6340 and thickness of chip to be sorted can best be determined experimentally so that the combined effect of depth, pitch and peripheral speed is such that overthick chips cannot go through in this area. For example, an arrange-ment which has proven satisfactory i9 a disk with a 17 inchdiameter having a contoured edge portion of adjacent reversed radii with a distance between centers of 7.5 degrees with a depth variation of .24 inch.
In addition, all of the configurations of con-toured edge portions of disk members illustrated inFigs. 9-12 may have beveled edge portions in cross section, as illustrated at 95 in Fig. 13, or may be flat sided, whichever is desired.
In addition to varying the design of the con-lS toured outer edge portion of the disk members in orderto assist in the gripping of the chips being sorted, it is contemplated that variations in the positioning of the rows of the disks can be utilized to effect the material flow across the top of the disks. One such position is illustrated in Fig. 14, which corresponds to the position of the disks 12,as illustrated in Fig. 1.
This positioning produces an essentially horizontal plane in which the chips to be sorted will flow in the direction indicated by the arrows A in Fig. 1.
P~ second contemplated positioning~of the rows of disks 12 is illustrated in Fig. 15, in which a cascading e~fect is utilized wherein a plurality of rows 96 of disk members adjacent the infeed chute are in essentially a horizo~tal plane, a second adjacent set of rows 98 of Docket 6340 1~61~
disk members is inclined downwardly relative to the first set of rows, and a third set of rows 100 of disk members is again disposed in a horizontal plane, leading toward the reject output of the apparatus where the material is discharged. This will produce a variation in the material flow as it passes over the cascading portion of the material flow path which will assist in mixing the chips to be sorted, thus causing additional interaction that will up-end chips and expose them to the openi~gs between adjacent disks so that those of the desired thickness range will pass vertically downward between the members and be collected.
A third variation of positioning of rows of disks 12 is illustrated in Fig. 16, in which a material lS flow path is created in an upwardly inclined angle from the infeed chute, with the material flow as indicated by the arrow.
A fourth variation of the positioning of rows of disk members is illustrated in Fig. 17, where an inclined plane of material flow is created extending down-wardly from the infeed chute, with the material flow in the direction of the arrow. These last two variations will, respectively, effect a decrease and an increase in -the rate of material flow across the top of the disks.
It is to be noted that although in the description above in connection with the variations in patterns for rows of disks, such as those illustrated in Figs. 4-8, only uniform patterns were given. E~owever, when using Docket 6340 some of these patterns, some variations in the pattern will be necessary adjacent the side waIls of the device in order to keep the proper spacing between adjacent disk-shaped members. For example, the pattern illus-S trated in Fig. 6 is varied along the side rail 37 sothat a larger disk 78 is secured to the drive shaft 16 on which the remaining disks are the relatively smaller diameter disks 80.
A similar variation may exist on other pattern designs, where it is necessary to maintain the proper spacing between an outer peripheral edge portion of a disk and an opposed spacing member such that it will not be greater than the distance between adjacent intermeshing disks of the regular pattern, for the remainder of the rows.
Although the spacing of the disks can be of any desired distance between them so that a chip of any desired maximum size will be permitted to pass through, in the case of sorting of wood chips for use in producing paper pulp, for which this invention has particularly advantageous use, it is contemplated that the spacing between adjacent intermeshing disks will be nominally 7 millimeters. However, even in the use contemplated for the paper pulp industry, this may vary in the range of 3-12 millimeters or greater in order to accumulate a broader range of chips with a desirable thickness.
Docket 6340 ~ 5 Although the foregoing illustrates the preferred embodiments of the present invention, other variations are possible. All such variations as would be obvious to one skilled in this art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined hy the following claims.
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When using such a device for gross sorting of wood chips, it is thus necessary that the material not be upset too much or the longer thin pieces will pass through the disks and contaminate the acceptable chips S being collected. The disks are therefore of uniform diameter so that the chips will be horizontally trans-ported along the device.
A further disadvantage associated with this latter type of prior art device is that when disks having a smooth outer peripheral edge are used, the material chips being sorted tend to slide over the disks and not be gripped thereby, and are therefore not as eff~iciently sorted as is desirable, which results in a substantial loss of otherwise usable material chips that remain with the rejected chips and are disposed of.
Another disadvantage associated with these prior art devices is that when some form of member having other than a circular disk shape'is utilized, for example,a star-shaped or other convoluted periphery, these members in adjacent rows are arranged to mesh with each other like gears while rotating at the same peripheral speeds in order to avoid upsetting the oversized chips and thereby interrup-ting their orderly travel along the tops of successive rows of disks, but this also results in carrying to the reject outlet a good number of chips which would be accepted if upset to present a different dimension to the spaces between adjacent disks.
I~ -3-Z~
Summary of the Invention The present invention overcomes the above described difficulties and disadvantages associated with prior art devices by providing a material chip thickness sorting apparatus which not only sorts chips of acceptable thickness of small enough width and length to pass between adjacent discs, but upends long chips of the desired thickness so that they too will be separated into the accepted material.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention apparatus is provided for sorting selectively a mixture of chips of differing maximum thicknesses to segregate those chips hav-ing a predetermined maximum thickness from those chips having a thickness below the predetermined maximum thickness. The apparatus includes a plurality of rows of discs rotatably mounted about substantially parallel axes of rotation with adjacent rows of discs intermeshing and drive means for rotat-ing the discs. Means is also provided for feeding the mixture of chips to the tops of the discs adjacent a first row of the discs for transportation along the tops of the discs. The intermeshing rows of discs define spaces between them having a dimension parallel to the axes of rotation of the discs which is about equal to the maximum thickness referred to above.
The rotating discs have different diameters and radially contoured peripheries such that turbulence is generated in the chips as they move from the feed means along the tops of the discs to cause the chips to be continuously reoriented and their minimum dimension presented to the spaces between the discs.
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The apparatus of the invention utilizes a plurality of parallel rows of disc members with the discs in each row disposed in spaced parallel vertical relation along a common horizontal central axis of rotation. The discs of adjacent rows intermesh radially with equal axial spaces between them to permit chips of no greater thickness than such space to pass downwardly between the overlapping disc surfaces, the width of this space being controlled to correspond with the maximum desired thickness of accepted chips.
The chips to be sorted are fed into the apparatus above the first of the rows of the discs. The material leaving the infeed will then be transported over the discs, with chips whose thickness is less than the width of the space between adjacent intermeshing discs dropping therebetween.
-4a-Docket 6340 ~ ~61Z5 The remaining thicker chips are transported to the last of the rows of disks and dropped onto an output device for removal from the apparatus.
It is important to the practice of the inven-tion that adequate provision be made to develop forcestending to align the traveling chips lengthwise with the disks and also to upset them so that they present their thicknesses to the spaces between adjacent inter-meshing disks. A particularly effective way of accomplishing this result is to cause adjacent disks to rotate at dif-ferent peripheral speeds. One preferred form of the invention for this purpose has the disks in each ~ow of alternating diameters, e.g. a two-inch variation, so that even if all rows are driven at ~he same angular rate, both aligned and intermeshing disks will rotate at different peripheral speeds.
In another form of the invention, the desired difference in peripheral speeds of adjacent disks is accomplished by having the disks in each row of a different common diameter from those in the adjacent row or rows, and to drive all rows at the same angular rate. The resulted repeated changes in the rate of forward movement of the chips along the tops of the disks, and in their vertical inclinations as they pass from disks of one diameter to those of another diameter, are effective in upsetting the chips to present them in the appropriate alignment for passage between intermeshing disks if they are within the acceptable thickness range.
Docket 6340 l~ Z5 As an alternative form disks of uniform diameter can be used, in which case adjacent rows - should be driven at different angular rates to produce different peripheral speeds of disks in adjacent rows.
Other arrangements of disks and spacers in accordance with the invention,are described in detail hereinafter.
In every case, each disk has a radially contoured outer peripheral edge portion, with the depth of the contour sufficiently shallow to prevent chips of thickness greater than the predetermined thickness from passing between the outer peripheral edge of a member and an opposing spacer, the purpose of the contoured disk periphery being to avoid smooth cylindrical edges which will have minimum frictional or gripping engagement with the chips.
The contoured peripheries of tne disks provide a gripping action facilitating transport of the chips across the tops of the rows of disk members, and a plurality of forms of disk peripheries are provided by the present invention. One preferred form has a contour formed of a plurality of blending alternately reversed radii in the plane of the disk, with the radii being sufficiently small that chips of greater than the desired thickness will not pass between the outer peripheral con-toured edge portion of a disk and an opposed spacer.
An alternative form of disk periphery has a contour defining a plurality of spaced, substantially semi-circular recesses in the plane of the disk wlth Docket 6340 ~ lZ~
the depth of the semi-circular recesses being limited as with the radii mentioned above. A further alternative construction is a peripheral contour formed of a plurality of generally triangular tooth-like protrusions in the plane of the disk with the depth between protrusions being limited as with the radii mentioned above.
A still further alternative disk construction has a peripheral contour formed of a plurality of wave-like projections having a radiused leading edge portion in the direction of rotation of the disk and a generally flat portion extending radially inward toward the bottom of the radiused portion of the rearwardly adjacent projection and formed in the plane of the disk with the depth of the contour being limited as aforementioned.
Many other forms of the peripheral contour of the disks are possible, so long as the depth of the contour is such that it will prevent chips of greater than the desired thickness from passing between the edge of a disk and an opposed spacer. In addition, the pattern of different peripheral speeds of adjacent disks is preferably such that the longer chips of acceptable thickness will be oriented parallel to the flow of material over the disks rather than crosswise as with prior art devices. This assists in the up-ending of such long chips so that they can more easily pass between the disks.
A further advantage of the present invention over such mentioned prior art devices is in the possibility of an alternate construction in which rows of the disks Docket 6340 ~6~25 are provided in an inclined plane rather than in a horizontal plane as is contemplated as one alternative embodiment of the present invention. The inclined plane may be either upwardly or downwardly inclined relative S to the infeed and outfeed mechanisms, so that the rate of material feed may be increased or decreased as desired.
In addition to the use of an inclined plane, it is contemplated, as a further alternative, to use a cascading arrangement of the rows of disks wherein a plurality of rows would be in a horizontal plane adjacent the infeed mechanism, a further plurality of rows would be downwardly inclined and subsequently disposed adjacent the first set of horizontally disposed rows, and a third plurality of rows would be horizontally disposed subsequent to the inclined rows and leading to the output mechanism.
This would produce a variable rate of material flow which would assist in up-ending or otherwise reorienting the chips so that those of the desired thickness would pass between the disks of the device.
Before proceeding to description of preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be noted that while the apparatus of the invention was developed essen-tially for the sorting of wood chips for use in the manufacture of paper pulp, it is applicable to the sorting of chips of other materials in accordance with thickness, and is particularly applicable to such chips which are of a substantial range of length and width dimensions. Accor-dingly, references herein to "chips" are to be understood as correspondingly comprehensive and not limited to wood chips.
lZ5 Docket 6340 Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the emhodi-ment of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a partially cut away top plan view of the embodiment of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative construction of the disk members and opposed spacers of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the disk member arrangement shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a second alternative arrangement of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the disk member arrangment shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a third alternative arrangement of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 9 is an illustration of a fragment of a preferred contoured edge portion of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 10 is an illustration of a fragment of a second preferred form of contoured edge portion of the disk members of the invention;
Fig. 11 is an illustration of a third contoured edge portion of disk members of the invention;
Fig. 12 is an illustration of a fourth alternative construction of the edge portion of a disk member of the invention;
.
12~i .
Docket 6340 Fig. 13 is a partial cross sectional view of the contoured edge portion of a disk member of the invention showing a doubled edge portion;
Fig. 14 is a schematic view showing the hori-zontal positioning of a plurality of rows of disk membersof the invention;
Fig. 15 is a schematic view showing a cascading plurality of rows of disk members of the invention;
Fig. 16 is a schematic view illustrating an upwardly inclined row of disk members relative to the direction of flow of the material; and ~ ig. 17 is a schematic illustration of a plurality of rows of disk members inclined downwardly relative to the direction of flow of material.
Detailed ~escription of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figs. 1-3, the basic construction of the apparatus of the present invention includes a frame structure 10 and a plurality of disk members 12 with spacers 14 mounted between the disks, all of which ; 20 are secured for rotation to a plurality of drive shafts 16 rotatably supported in the frame structure 10. The drive shafts 16 are driven by a chain 20 through a sprocket 18 which in turn is driven by motor 22 via sprocket 24, chain 25 and a sprocket 26 on the same shaft 27 as sprocket 18.
Above the first row of disks 12 is an infeed chute 30 through which the chips to be sorted are intro-duced into the apparatus. Arrows A show the direction of Docket 6340 flow of *he material chips to be sorted, arrows B show the direction of flow of chips of the desired size which have fallen between the disks 12, and arrow C shows the direction of flow of the discarded chips which are thicker than desired.
The frame structure 10 is basically of tubular steel construction made sufficiently strong to carry the weight of the apparatus as well as the load of the material chips being sorted. Safety screens 32 are preferably removably secured to the sides and ends of the apparatus, over that portion which houses the drive mechanism, so as to prevent possible injury to individuals working around ' the apparatus. The screens 32 are removable so that the drive mechanism of the apparatus may be serviced.
'rhe infeed chute 30 is preferably made of sheet metal constructed to produce a chute having a rectangular cross section, but which is radiused at the bottom portion 33 so that the chips are introduced at a tangent to the first row of disks 12. The infeed chute 30 is pr,eferably secured to the top of the frame structure 10 such as by means of brackets 36 bolted to the frame structure and to the infeed chute. Sheet metal can also be used to provide sides 37 and 39 on each side of the disks 12, to provide a guide for the material chips from the infeed to the discharge.
All of the drive shafts 16 which support the disks 12 are rotatably supported in the frame structure 10, by bearings 40 which are in turn supported on suitable ' ` Docket 6340 1~161Z5 parts of the frame structure 10. At one end of each drive shaft 16 is a sprocket 44 which is in driven engagement with chain 20. At the opposite end of each drive shaft 16, a plurality of alternating disks 12 and spacersl4 are clamped between a shoulder 45 on the shaft and a nut 46 threaded on the end of the shaft inboard of the adjacent bearing 40.
As stated above, all of the sprockets 44 are in driven engagement with chain 20, which extends between drive sprocket 18 and ollower sprocket 50. In addition, two idler sprockets 51 and 52 are provided to maintain appropriate driving engagement of the chain 20 with the sprocket 44 on each drive shaft 16.
The drive motor 22 can be of any desired charac-teristics sufficient to provide the necessary power rangefor driving the disks 12 at the necessary rotational speeds for proper sorting of the material chips. By way of example only, in an apparatus constructed as shown in which six rows of generally disk members 12 of a diameter in the range of 15 to 17 inches, and with each row of disks approximately 12 inches long, a one-horsepower variable speed drive motor, which will vary the mo~or output drive shaft speed hetween 114 rpm and 1117 rpm, is satisfactory.
It is also desirahle to be able to change the diameter of drive sprocket 24, and thus the drive shaft of the motor should be provided with some means for chan~ing this sprocket as h~ell. In general, a speed ran~e of 20 to 40 rpm for the disk shaft 16 has been found satisfactory.
t~-'J ~
~ Docket 6340 l~l~lZ5 Referring now to Fig. 8, a variety of disk members 12 and spacers 14 are contemplated for use with the present invention, the preferred ones of which are shown in these figures. Fig. 4 illustrates one such pattern in which a series of first disk members 78 of relatively large diameter are disposed on drive shafts 16 with alternatively positioned relatively smaller diameter disk members 80, all of which are separated by relatively larger and smaller diameter spacers 82 and 84, respectively.
This construction provides each row of disks with a pattern of alternately relatively larger and smaller disks which intermesh with an adjacent row of disks so that in the apparatus, there will be alternate pairs of adjacent equal diameter intermeshing disks of larger and smaller diameter, while on each row there will be a repeating pattern of larger and smaller diameter disks.
The spacers 82 and 84 have outer diameters such that the distance from the edge of either size disk to the edge of the opposing spacer will be not greater than the distance between adjacent intermeshing disks. Tha*
is, in the case of a relatively larger disk 78, the corres-ponding opposed spacer 84 will be of a relatively smaller diameter than spacer 82, so that the distance between the outer peripheral edge of disk 78 and spacer 84 is not greater than the distance between two adjacent inter-meshing disks.
6i12~;
Docket 6340 The preferred relative diameters of this disk pattern is best seen in Fig. S. For example, where the larger disks 78 are approximately 17 inches in diameter, it is advantageous to utilize relatively smaller disks 80 of a diameter of 15 inches. These dimensions, however, should not be considered as limiting, and substantial variations in the relative dimensions can be made without detracting from the advantages of the invention.
Referring to another pattern which may be utilized in the present invention, Fig. 6 again illustrates the use of two different diameter disk members 78 and 80, but in this variation all of the disks on any given drive shaft 16 are of the same diameter, while the adjacent shaft or shafts will contain either the larger or smaller diameter disks. This pattern provides adjacent intermeshing disks which are alternately larger or smaller, while on any given row the disks are of the same diameter.
A third variation of disk pattern is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein the pattern of disk members in each row is such that a single, relatively larger diameter disk 78 is followed by two relatively smaller diameter disks 80, with this pattern being repeated for the width of the disposition of the disks on the drive shaft.
Adjacent drive shafts have the same pattern, but are staggered so that a larger diameter disk 78 is disposed between smaller diameter disks 80 on an adjacent drive shaft. The spacers 82 and 84 are so arranged that they Docket 6340 1~161ZS
correspond with the s~aller disk~ 80 and lar~er disks 78, respectively. The spacing between the per-ipheral edge portion of each disk and the opposing spacer should not be greater than the distance between adjacent intermeshing disks.
It will be noted in Figs. 4, 6 and 8 that above each of the spacers 14 there is a sort of pocket, which is about approximately twice as wide in axial extent as the space between intermeshing disks 12 and as long in the direction parallel with the disks as the diameter of the particular spacer. These pockets, however, cause no problem in operation, nor do they interfere with the desired results of the apparatus, as now described.
Chips do drop into these pockets, but they cannot move further downwardly unless they are within the desired thickness range for acceptance between inter-meshing disks. Chips of greater thickness which drop into a pocket will remain there only temporarily. SoDner or later, additional chips will drop into the same pocket until several will become wedged together and thrown clear, apparently by being picked up by the upwardly moving trailing edge portion of the disk in the next forward row which adjoins the pocket.
Several examples of the novel radially contoured peripheral edge portions of the disk members are basically illustrated in Figs. 9-12. One design for a contoured edge portion I
I
Docket 6340 is illustrated in Fig. 9 in which a quadrant of the contoured edge portion of the disk member 12 is illus-trated as formed of a plurality of blending alternately reversed radii 85 and 86 in the plane of the disk.
A second variation of the outer peripheral contour of each disk member 12 is illustrated in Fig. 10 in which the edge is formed of a plurality of spaced substantially semi-circular recesses 87, producing spaced lands 88 between them, also in the plane of the disk.
A third alternative form of the outer peripheral contour of a disk member is shown in Fig. 11 in which the outer edge is formed of a plurality of triangularly shaped tooth-like protrusions 90 in the plane of the disk 12.
A fourth variation of the contour of the outer peripheral edge of each disk member is shown in Fig. 12, in which it is formed of a plurality of wave-like pro-jections each having a radiused leading edge portion 92 in the direction of rotation of the disk-shaped member ; and a generally flat portion 94 extending radially inward toward the bottom of the radiused portion 92 of the rearwardly adjacent projection, and being formed in the plane of the disk.
The depth of the contour on the edge of any of the above disk members should not be any greater than that which will permit chips of the desired maximum thickness to pass between the edge of the member and an opposing spacer. The exact depth for any given contour configuration l~lSlZ~
Docket 6340 and thickness of chip to be sorted can best be determined experimentally so that the combined effect of depth, pitch and peripheral speed is such that overthick chips cannot go through in this area. For example, an arrange-ment which has proven satisfactory i9 a disk with a 17 inchdiameter having a contoured edge portion of adjacent reversed radii with a distance between centers of 7.5 degrees with a depth variation of .24 inch.
In addition, all of the configurations of con-toured edge portions of disk members illustrated inFigs. 9-12 may have beveled edge portions in cross section, as illustrated at 95 in Fig. 13, or may be flat sided, whichever is desired.
In addition to varying the design of the con-lS toured outer edge portion of the disk members in orderto assist in the gripping of the chips being sorted, it is contemplated that variations in the positioning of the rows of the disks can be utilized to effect the material flow across the top of the disks. One such position is illustrated in Fig. 14, which corresponds to the position of the disks 12,as illustrated in Fig. 1.
This positioning produces an essentially horizontal plane in which the chips to be sorted will flow in the direction indicated by the arrows A in Fig. 1.
P~ second contemplated positioning~of the rows of disks 12 is illustrated in Fig. 15, in which a cascading e~fect is utilized wherein a plurality of rows 96 of disk members adjacent the infeed chute are in essentially a horizo~tal plane, a second adjacent set of rows 98 of Docket 6340 1~61~
disk members is inclined downwardly relative to the first set of rows, and a third set of rows 100 of disk members is again disposed in a horizontal plane, leading toward the reject output of the apparatus where the material is discharged. This will produce a variation in the material flow as it passes over the cascading portion of the material flow path which will assist in mixing the chips to be sorted, thus causing additional interaction that will up-end chips and expose them to the openi~gs between adjacent disks so that those of the desired thickness range will pass vertically downward between the members and be collected.
A third variation of positioning of rows of disks 12 is illustrated in Fig. 16, in which a material lS flow path is created in an upwardly inclined angle from the infeed chute, with the material flow as indicated by the arrow.
A fourth variation of the positioning of rows of disk members is illustrated in Fig. 17, where an inclined plane of material flow is created extending down-wardly from the infeed chute, with the material flow in the direction of the arrow. These last two variations will, respectively, effect a decrease and an increase in -the rate of material flow across the top of the disks.
It is to be noted that although in the description above in connection with the variations in patterns for rows of disks, such as those illustrated in Figs. 4-8, only uniform patterns were given. E~owever, when using Docket 6340 some of these patterns, some variations in the pattern will be necessary adjacent the side waIls of the device in order to keep the proper spacing between adjacent disk-shaped members. For example, the pattern illus-S trated in Fig. 6 is varied along the side rail 37 sothat a larger disk 78 is secured to the drive shaft 16 on which the remaining disks are the relatively smaller diameter disks 80.
A similar variation may exist on other pattern designs, where it is necessary to maintain the proper spacing between an outer peripheral edge portion of a disk and an opposed spacing member such that it will not be greater than the distance between adjacent intermeshing disks of the regular pattern, for the remainder of the rows.
Although the spacing of the disks can be of any desired distance between them so that a chip of any desired maximum size will be permitted to pass through, in the case of sorting of wood chips for use in producing paper pulp, for which this invention has particularly advantageous use, it is contemplated that the spacing between adjacent intermeshing disks will be nominally 7 millimeters. However, even in the use contemplated for the paper pulp industry, this may vary in the range of 3-12 millimeters or greater in order to accumulate a broader range of chips with a desirable thickness.
Docket 6340 ~ 5 Although the foregoing illustrates the preferred embodiments of the present invention, other variations are possible. All such variations as would be obvious to one skilled in this art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined hy the following claims.
--~0-- '
Claims (23)
1. In apparatus for sorting selectively a mixture of chips of differing maximum thicknesses to segregage those above a predetermined maximum thickness from those below said predetermined maximum thickness, including a plurality of rows of discs mounted for rotation about substantially parallel axes of rotation with adjacent rows of said discs intermeshing, each disc having a pair of opposing faces, drive means for rotating said discs, and means for feeding said mixture of chips to the tops of said discs adjacent a first of said rows thereof for transportation along said tops of said discs, the improvement wherein:
said rows of discs define spaces located between the adjacent faces of the intermeshing discs of adjacent rows, said spaces having a generally uniform dimension parallel to said axes of rotation, which dimension is substantially equal to said maximum thickness, and said disc members being of different diameters and having radially contoured outer peripheries such that turbulence is generated in said chips as they are made to move, in operation, from said feed means along said tops of said discs to cause said chips to be continuously reoriented and their minimum dimension presented to said spaces between said discs.
said rows of discs define spaces located between the adjacent faces of the intermeshing discs of adjacent rows, said spaces having a generally uniform dimension parallel to said axes of rotation, which dimension is substantially equal to said maximum thickness, and said disc members being of different diameters and having radially contoured outer peripheries such that turbulence is generated in said chips as they are made to move, in operation, from said feed means along said tops of said discs to cause said chips to be continuously reoriented and their minimum dimension presented to said spaces between said discs.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said radially contoured outer peripheries of said disc members are formed of a plurality of blending alternatively reversed arcuate portions.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said inter-meshing disk members of adjacent rows are of said different diameters, and wherein said drive means are connected and controlled to drive said adjacent rows at substantially the same angular speed thereby to cause said intermeshing disk members of adjacent rows to rotate at different peripheral speeds.
4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive shafts are disposed in a series of planes so as to produce a cascade like effect on movement of material over said disk shaped members.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
said turbulence is further generated in said flow of chips by means causing adjacent discs to rotate uni-directionally at different peripheral speeds.
said turbulence is further generated in said flow of chips by means causing adjacent discs to rotate uni-directionally at different peripheral speeds.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
said turbulence is further generated in said flow of chips by means associated with said drive means for driving discs in adjacent rows at uni-directionally different angular speeds.
said turbulence is further generated in said flow of chips by means associated with said drive means for driving discs in adjacent rows at uni-directionally different angular speeds.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said discs in each row of said discs are of said different diameters.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
axes of rotation of said rows of discs lie in a plane inclined with respect to the horizontal.
axes of rotation of said rows of discs lie in a plane inclined with respect to the horizontal.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
said chip feeding means is positioned adjacent a lowermost row of said rows of discs lying in an inclined plane, whereby said chips flow turbulently upwardly of said rows of discs.
said chip feeding means is positioned adjacent a lowermost row of said rows of discs lying in an inclined plane, whereby said chips flow turbulently upwardly of said rows of discs.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
said chip feeding means is positioned adjacent the uppermost one of said rows of discs disposed in an inclined plane, whereby said chips flow turbulently downwardly across said rows of discs.
said chip feeding means is positioned adjacent the uppermost one of said rows of discs disposed in an inclined plane, whereby said chips flow turbulently downwardly across said rows of discs.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the radial depth of said radially contoured outer periphery being sufficiently shallow to substantially prevent chips of a thickness greater than the maximum thickness from passing between said outer peripheries and radially closest portions of an adjacent row or rows.
the radial depth of said radially contoured outer periphery being sufficiently shallow to substantially prevent chips of a thickness greater than the maximum thickness from passing between said outer peripheries and radially closest portions of an adjacent row or rows.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
said outer peripheries are formed of a plurality of blending alternately reversed semi-circular portions in the planes of said discs.
said outer peripheries are formed of a plurality of blending alternately reversed semi-circular portions in the planes of said discs.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
said outer peripheries of said discs are formed of a plurality of spaced, substantially semi-circular recesses in the planes of said discs.
said outer peripheries of said discs are formed of a plurality of spaced, substantially semi-circular recesses in the planes of said discs.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
said outer peripheries of said discs are formed of a plurality of triangularly shaped teeth in planes of said discs.
said outer peripheries of said discs are formed of a plurality of triangularly shaped teeth in planes of said discs.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
said outer peripheries of said discs are formed of a plurality of wave-like projections having radiused leading edges in the direction of rotation of said discs and generally flat portions extending radially inwardly toward the bottoms of said radiused portions of said rearwardly adjacent projections and formed in the planes of said discs.
said outer peripheries of said discs are formed of a plurality of wave-like projections having radiused leading edges in the direction of rotation of said discs and generally flat portions extending radially inwardly toward the bottoms of said radiused portions of said rearwardly adjacent projections and formed in the planes of said discs.
16. A method of sorting selectively a mixture of wood chips of differing maximum thicknesses to segregate those above a predetermined maximum thickness from those below said predetermined maximum thickness, with apparatus that includes a plurality of rows of discs mounted for rotation about substantially parallel axes of rotation with adjacent rows of said discs intermeshing, drive means for rotating said discs, and means for feeding said mixture of chips to the tops of said discs adjacent a first of said rows thereof for transportation along said tops of said discs, the improvement comprising:
spacing said intermeshing discs of said rows such that they define spaces located between the faces of discs of adjacent rows having a generally uniform dimension parallel to said axes of rotation substantially equal to said maximum thickness, feeding said mixture of chips to the tops of said discs adjacent said first row thereof for transportation along said tops of said discs, and generating turbulence in said chips as they are made to move from said feed means along said tops of said rotating discs by providing said discs with different diameters and with radially contoured outer peripheries to cause said chips to be continuously reoriented and their minimum dimension presented to said spaces between said discs.
spacing said intermeshing discs of said rows such that they define spaces located between the faces of discs of adjacent rows having a generally uniform dimension parallel to said axes of rotation substantially equal to said maximum thickness, feeding said mixture of chips to the tops of said discs adjacent said first row thereof for transportation along said tops of said discs, and generating turbulence in said chips as they are made to move from said feed means along said tops of said rotating discs by providing said discs with different diameters and with radially contoured outer peripheries to cause said chips to be continuously reoriented and their minimum dimension presented to said spaces between said discs.
17. Method as defined in claim 16 wherein said turbulence is generated by disposing said drive shafts in a series of planes so as to produce a cascade-like effect on movement of material over said disc shaped members.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein said turbulence is further generated in said flow of chips by means causing adjacent discs to rotate uni-directionally at different peripheral speeds.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein said turbulence is further generated in said flow of chips by driving discs in adjacent rows at uni-directionally different angular speeds.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein said turbulence is generated in said flow of chips by providing said discs of different diameters in the same row.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein said turbulence is generated by disposing axes of rotation of said rows of discs in a plane inclined with respect to the horizontal.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein said turbulence is generated by positioning said chip feeding means adjacent a lowermost row of said rows of discs lying in an inclined plane, and causing said chips to flow turbulently upwardly of said rows of discs.
23. Apparatus according to claim l or claim 12 wherein said generally uniform dimension is from 3 to 12 mm.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US77789877A | 1977-03-16 | 1977-03-16 | |
| US777,898 | 1977-03-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1116125A true CA1116125A (en) | 1982-01-12 |
Family
ID=25111642
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA297,826A Expired CA1116125A (en) | 1977-03-16 | 1978-02-27 | Rotating disc apparatus for selective sorting of material chips |
Country Status (8)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS53130567A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR7801589A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1116125A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2810359A1 (en) |
| FI (1) | FI780685A (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2383712A1 (en) |
| NO (1) | NO144324C (en) |
| SE (1) | SE432541B (en) |
Families Citing this family (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS61153181A (en) * | 1984-12-26 | 1986-07-11 | 三菱製紙株式会社 | Method of selecting wood chip |
| US4755286A (en) * | 1987-07-30 | 1988-07-05 | Beloit Corporation | Split flow `V` screen |
| US4836388A (en) * | 1988-04-27 | 1989-06-06 | Beloit Corporation | Apparatus for separating material by length |
| NZ240941A (en) * | 1990-12-19 | 1994-06-27 | Beloit Corp | Wood chip screening; two intermeshing horizontal grids oscillate material and allow accepts to pass therethrough |
| US5392931A (en) * | 1993-09-30 | 1995-02-28 | Beloit Technologies, Inc. | Adjustable bar screen |
| DE102006017138B4 (en) * | 2006-04-12 | 2008-04-30 | Mahrwald, Jürgen, Dr. agr. | Device for classifying a substance mixture |
| JP2018134565A (en) * | 2017-02-20 | 2018-08-30 | 株式会社栗本鐵工所 | Roller screen sorter |
| IT202200017610A1 (en) * | 2022-08-25 | 2024-02-25 | Lignum Tech Ag | IMPROVED MACHINE FOR THE SELECTION-SEPARATION OF SOLID WASTE |
| DE102023000028A1 (en) * | 2023-01-09 | 2024-07-11 | Dieffenbacher GmbH Maschinen- und Anlagenbau | Spreading head, spreading system and method for producing a multi-layer spreading mat |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE600136C (en) * | 1934-07-14 | Buckau R Wolf Akt Ges Maschf | Roller grate | |
| DE616610C (en) * | 1935-08-02 | Zeitzer Eisengiesserei Und Mas | Disc roller grate | |
| GB265461A (en) * | 1926-02-03 | 1927-02-10 | Adolf Gustav Molin | Improvements in or relating to sizing apparatus for coke and the like |
| DE607459C (en) * | 1932-01-03 | 1934-12-28 | Westfalia Dinnendahl Groeppel | Roller grate |
| US2947416A (en) * | 1958-05-27 | 1960-08-02 | Ross Edward Owen | Grain separator |
| US3870627A (en) * | 1972-11-27 | 1975-03-11 | John W Herkes | Mechanical screening device for machine-harvested sugar cane |
-
1978
- 1978-02-27 CA CA297,826A patent/CA1116125A/en not_active Expired
- 1978-02-28 FI FI780685A patent/FI780685A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1978-03-10 DE DE19782810359 patent/DE2810359A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1978-03-15 SE SE7802981A patent/SE432541B/en unknown
- 1978-03-15 NO NO780916A patent/NO144324C/en unknown
- 1978-03-15 FR FR7807509A patent/FR2383712A1/en active Pending
- 1978-03-15 BR BR7801589A patent/BR7801589A/en unknown
- 1978-03-16 JP JP3047978A patent/JPS53130567A/en active Granted
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FI780685A (en) | 1978-09-17 |
| BR7801589A (en) | 1978-10-31 |
| JPS614592B2 (en) | 1986-02-12 |
| DE2810359A1 (en) | 1978-09-21 |
| SE432541B (en) | 1984-04-09 |
| NO144324C (en) | 1981-08-19 |
| FR2383712A1 (en) | 1978-10-13 |
| SE7802981L (en) | 1978-09-17 |
| NO144324B (en) | 1981-05-04 |
| JPS53130567A (en) | 1978-11-14 |
| NO780916L (en) | 1978-09-19 |
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