GB1177136A - Installations for Separating Solid Mixtures - Google Patents

Abstract

1,177,136. Separating solid materials. G. FERRERO. 24 Feb., 1967 [10 March, 1966; 14 Feb., 1967], No. 8871/67. Heading B2H. An installation for separating the components of a mixture of solids, e.g. garbage, according to their different co-efficients of elasticity, comprises a rotating surface against which the mixture is thrown by means of a conveyor and a number of receptacles in which the different components of the mixture are collected after rebounding from the surface. In Fig. 1, the mixture is thrown off an endless conveyor belt 1 against a rotating surface 3 which may be circular, conical, spherical or in the form of a bent arm, Fig. 7, and which may be grooved. After rebounding from the surface 3, the most inelastic components drop in a hopper 4. The more elastic components drop inside a rotating drum 5 in which the relatively less elastic components are collected in boxes 6 and returned via a connecting passage 7 to the belt 1 to be rethrown against the surface while the most elastic components are removed through slots or, as shown, in boxes 8 which transfer them to a second conveyor belt 9. The speed of the various parts can be varied as well as the distance between the surface 3 and both the belt 1 and the drum 5. The surface 3 may be mounted with its axis of rotation off-centre, oblique or slanted relative to the belt and the drum. In a modification, the mixture is thrown against the surface 3 by means of a wheel having blades or impellers around its periphery. In another modification the drum 5 is replaced by two more hoppers mounted in succession away from the hopper 4 in the direction of rebound. In Fig. 4, solid garbage is discharged from a hopper 15 on to a belt 16 which rotates around spaced coaxial rollers 17, idle rollers 18, 20 and a driving roller 21 and which is surrounded by a casing 23. The garbage is held on the belt 16 by centrifugal force and is expelled through an outlet 24 in the casing against a rotating disc 25. The most elastic material B, such as pieces of metal or glass is collected in a hopper 27 and discarded, the least elastic material is collected in a hopper 29 and may be used as a fertilizer, and the material C falling into the hopper 28 is recycled for further separation. Any material not thrown with sufficient force to strike the disc falls into the housing and is recycled. Scrapers 2b and 16<SP>1</SP> serve to clear the disc and the belt respectively. Instead of a disc, an endless belt 31 backed by rollers 34, Fig. 8 and rotating around rollers 32, 33 may be used.