GB2244660A - Distributing and mixing materials - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for distributing and mixing materials, e.g. scrap plastics pieces and new plastics material comprises a distributor (3) defining a chamber with an open top and a passage having a sloping portion divided by a partition (30) into two flow ways and a pivoted (34) (Fig. 4) baffle, proportioning the flow between the flow ways. A first funnel (20) collects scrap plastics chips from the discharging end (10) of a scrap plastics chipper (1) and drops them into one of the two flow ways through the open top of the distributor and a second funnel (21) contains a material other than scrap plastics chips and directs them into the other flow way. A vacuum suction means generates an air flow through the distributor (3) for drawing the materials in the distributor through a pipe line under flow regulation of a further pivoted baffle (36) (Fig. 4). <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Apparatus for distributing and mixing materials DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a distributing and mixing apparatus.

For some reasons, scrap plastics is chopped into chips for mixing with a new plastic material at selected mixing rate for serving as a plastic material suitable for molding into products. Conventionally, chips of scrap plastics is collected from a chipper, as shown in FIG. 1 and manually poured into a mixing device, as shown in FIG. 2, for mixing with a proper amount of new plastic material. Said process for distributing and mixing materials is consuming both in time and labor.

To this end, the inventor attempt t make an improved device for a.omatically distributing and mixing scrap plastics chips and a new plastic material prior to injection operation.

The present invention provides a distriTh.ing and mixing apparatus for feeding and mixing materials by suction force which can diminish the disadvantages of the conventional mixing process.

According to the present invention, a mixing and distributing apparatus comprises a distributor defining a chamber with an open top and a passage having a slanting portion being divided into two flow ways and a flat portion downstream of the slanting portion and locating turnably with a baffle means swinging repeatedly within the flow ways, a first funnel for collecting scrap plastics chips from the discharging end of a scrap plastics chipper and dropping the into one of the two flow ways through the opening of the distriThtor and a second funnel means for containing a material other than scrap plastics chips and dropping them into another flow wan and a vacuum suction ui eas generating an air flow through the distributor for drawing the materials in the distributor through a pipe line under flow regulation of the baffle means.

The present invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG 1 is a perspective view of a known scrap plastics chipper; FIG. 2 is a perspective view o a known mixing device; FIG.3 is an exploded perspective view of a distributing apparatus operating in combination with the known scrap plastics chipper; FIG. 4 is a distributor to be used in the apparatus of this. invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of this invention operating in combination with the scrap plastic chipper ntrii in FIG.3;; and FIG. 8. shows the distributing apparatus feeding material in parallel into a erie of plastic injection machines.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 & 5, there is shown an apparatus of this invention which includes a first funnel 20 with a parameter of its wide top adapted to close an outlet or discharging end 10 of a known chipper 1. A second funnel 21 formed in a lower portion of a container 2 for accommodating new plastic material. The narrow bottoms 200, 210 of the funnels 20, 21 are led and secured to a base plate 22 with openings thereof corresponding to the outlets 200, 210 of the funnels 20, 21.

A distributor 3, as best shown in FIG. 4,. includes a casing which is formed with a rear opening 39 to be covered with a filter 390 and secured in place ç by means of screws 144. A chamber 300 defined by a slope slanting frontwardly and diagonally established, opposed portions of sidewalls of the casing and a front wall and having an open top locate in a front portion of the casing 3.The slope is divided by a partition 30 into two slopeways 31, 32 which are evenly formed with a plurality of perforations 310, 320 and the top opening of the chamber 300 is also divided by the partition 30 into two inlet in correspondence with the outlets 200, 210 of the funnels 20, 21.

A conduit 33 is connected to the front wall of the casing 3 and communicates the chamber 300 through an opening formed in te front wall. A first baffle means 34 including a baffle 34 attached to a post 340 locate at down-stream of the slope and is operable to regulate material flows in the slopeways 31, 32 before entering into the conduit 33. Said post 340 is turnably retained in opposed openings 330, 221 of a bottom plat.e of the casing and the base plate 22.A second baffle 36 secured to a rod 380 one end of which is firmly sleeved and further secured thereto by means of a screw N2 with a cam 37 and which is turnably mounted on the casing 3 at a position between open rear end 39 and the chamber 300 of the casing 3. A contact switch 38 having a lever arm 380 is attached to a side wall of the casing 3. Said distributor 3 is secured to the base plate 22 from under thereof by means of screws N1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 & .5, a rotating device 4 has means 40 for firmly receiving top end of the po 340 which protrude from the opening 220 of the base plate 22 to drive the first. baffle means 34 to rotate within 180 degrees about a vertical axis of the post 340 and covering the to slopeways so that plastic chips from the first funnel 20 and new plastic material from the second funnel 21 can be properly mixed after suction through the conduit 3. Said rotting device 4 is mounted on the tase plate 22 by means of screws H5.

As shown in FIG.6, a series of plastic injection machines each having a vacuum pump 8 for sucking the materials from the distributor 3 through conduit 33 and pipe line 80 into a mixing device Al of the machine A for further mixture treatment before injection.

In material suction operation, due to the suction force, the second baffle means 38 is swung to open an air passageway that allows an air flow streams through the filter 390 and the perforations 310, 320 of the slope. Transportation of the materials dropped from the funnels 20, 21 and further conveyed into the injection machine is thus achieved. The revolving motion of the rod 360 of the second baffle means 36 drives the cam 37 to actuate the contract switch 3.8 by contacting the lever arm 380 thereof that turns on the rotating device 4 to drive the first baffle means 34 to turn in a manner as described above.

Claims (3)

1. An apparatus for distributing materials comprising: a first funnel means having a wide top adapted to confine an outlet of a known scrap plastics chipper for collecting scrap plastics chips produced therefrom and a narrow open bottom; a second funnel means for accommodating a material other than said scrap plastics chips to be mixed therebetween having a narrow open bottom; a distribut ing means including a casing forming a chamber being defined with slope slanting from an upstreaming end to a down-streaming end and evenly formed with a plurality of perforations, a front wall downstreaming the slope and having an open top, said casing defining an air passage up-streaming the slope, a conduit connected to and corntnunicat,ina the chamber through the front wall;; a partition ember dividing the top opening of the chamber into two inlet corresponding to bottom openings cf the funnel means and the slope into two slanting flow-ways means for joining the distributing means below the funnel means with top opening of the chamber being located under the bottom openings of the funnel means; a first baffle means being located down-stream of the slope and between the partition member and the front wall and turnable within the two flow-ways; means for driving the first baffle means to turn; switch means for turning on or turning off the driving means; a second baffle means actuated to swing from a first position into a second position through air suction force; means imparted with the second baffle means for turning on the switch means as the second baffle means being swung from its first position into second position and turning off the switch means as the second baffle means being swung from its second position into first position; and vacuum pump means operable for suction said materials from the chamber through a pipe line connected to the conduit and generating air flow through the air passage to turn the second baffle means from its first position into second position.

2. An apparatus for distributing materials substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

3. An apparatus for distributing materials comprising any novel combination of features described herein.