GB2238965A

GB2238965A - Chipper for scrap plastic

Info

Publication number: GB2238965A
Application number: GB8928433A
Authority: GB
Inventors: King-Lung Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-12-16
Filing date: 1989-12-16
Publication date: 1991-06-19
Also published as: GB8928433D0

Abstract

A chipper includes a feed bin 50, Fig 2 for feeding a quantity of scrap plastic to a chipping mechanism which first, by means of two rotary choppers 31 operating in conjunction, pre-chops the plastic, and then by means of a single rotary chopper 312 finely chops the plastic. Each rotary chopper comprises an axle to which is coupled a plurality of rotary blades, each including a number of evenly spaced cutting teeth disposed around a perimeter thereof. The rotary blades are arranged in a cyclic pattern such that the cutting teeth form a spiral around the axle. A transmission means for rotating the choppers comprises motor 41, Fig 4, drive gears 43, 44 for rotating choppers 31, and two intermediate gears 45 for driving gear 46 to rotate the lower chopper 312. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: CHIPPER FOR PLASTIC BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a chipper for plastic, and more particularly, to a chipper for more finely chopping scrap plastic.

In a conventional chipper for plastic, the plastic, loaded into a bin, is feed to a single rotary chopper. The plastic is coarsely chopped for further utilization. However, plastic chopped according to this method is not chopped fine enough for best re-utilization so that a chipper which more finely chops scrap plastic is preferable.

SURF OF THE INVENTION Accordingly,, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a chipper for scrap plastic which more uniformly and finely chops plastic.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a chipper for scrap plastic of superior design and fiction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a chipper for scrap plastic which utilizes a triple rotary chopper configuration.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a chipper for scrap plastic which first coarsely pre-chops the plastic and then finely chops the plastic.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annesed to and forming a part of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRIGS FIG. 1 is a perspective vie of a chipper for scrap plastic in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rotary chopper in accordance with the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a transmission means of a chipping mechanism in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a chipper for scrap plastic in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 10 which houses a collecting bin 20. -On top of the base 10 is disposed a chipping mechanism 30. A transmission means 40 is disposed on the base 10 nest to the chipping mechanism 30 for driving the rotary choppers 31 of the chipping mechanism 30. Disposed over the chipping mechanism 30 is a feed bin 50 for acceptin an input of scrap plastic.

As shown in FIG. 2, a tray 51 facilitates an input of scrap plastic into the feed bin 50 via an inlet 52.

A hopper 53 disposed within the feed bin 50 feeds the plastic to the chipping mechanism 30 where the scrap plastic is first pre-chopped by a pair of rotary choppers 31. The pre-chopped plastic is then fed to a third rotary chopper 319 to be finely chopped. This finely chopped plastic is then discharged to the collection bin 20. The chopped plastic is now ready for further utilization.

The particular feature of the triple rotary chopper configuration of FIG. 2 in conjunction with the particular design of the individual rotary chopper, as shown in FIG. 3, provides for the efficient chopping of the scrap plastic into fine chips. With reference, then, to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the rotary chopper 31 comprises an axle 34 (or 35) to which is coupled a plurality of rotary blades 32. Furthermore, each rotary blade 32 includes a plurality of evenly spaced cutting teeth 33 disposed around a perimeter thereof.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blades 32 are arranged in a cyclic pattern such that cutting teeth 33 form a spiral around the axle 34.

Furthermore, the rotary choppers 31 which pre-chop the scrap plastic comprise a plurality of rotary blades 32 each of which include a pair of teeth 33, and the third rotary chopper 319 comprises a plurality of rotary blades 32 each of which include sis evenly spaced cutting teeth 33.' FIG. 4 illustrates the transmission means 40 which is powered by a single horsepower motor 41. A drive shaft 42 engages with a drive gear 43 which communicates a rotation to a first of the pre-chopping rotary chopper 31 via the asle 34 thereof.The drive gear 43 is rotationally fised to the axle 34 with an integral gear 432. Accordingly, the drive gear 43 also communicates this rotation to a second of the prechopping rotary choppers 31 by engaging the integral gear 432 with an upper gear 44 coupled with the axle 34 of the second rotary chopper 31.

The drive gear 43 further communicates this rotation with the third rotary chopper 312 by means of a pair of intermediary gears 45 one of which engages with the integral gear 432 and the other with a lower gear 46. This lower gear 46 is coupled with an axle 35 of the third rotary chopper 31 which finely chops the plastic.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus it will be appreciated that the drawings are esemplary of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A chipper for scrap plastic comprising: a base; a chipping mechanism which comprises three rotary choppers, a first pair thereof provided for operating in conjunction to pre-chop a quantity of plastic, and a third rotary chopper disposed below said first pair of rotary choppers for chopping said plastic a second time; a transmissions means for driving said three rotary choppers; and a feed bin including a hopper disposed above said chipping mechanism for feeding a quantity of plastic thereto.

2. A chipper for scrap plastic according to claim 1, wherein each said rotary chopper comprises an axle coupled with a plurality of rotary blades, each rotary blade being evenly disposed a plurality of cutting teeth around a perimeter thereof.

3. A chipper for scrap plastic according to claim 1, wherein the transmission means comprises a drive shaft for driving a drive gear, said drive gear being rotatioll fixed to an asle of a first of said first pair of rotary choppers with an integral gear, said drive gear communicating a rotation to said first rotary chopper via said axle, to a second rotary chopper by engaging with an upper gear which is coupled with the axle of the second rotary chopper, and to a third rotary chopper by means of to intermediary gears, a first intermediary gear engaging with said drive gear and a second intermediary gear engaging with a lower gear, said lower gear communicating a rotation to said third rotary chopper via an axle thereof.

4. A chipper for scrap plastic substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.