GB2261832A

GB2261832A - Method for treating waste and apparatus for use in the method

Info

Publication number: GB2261832A
Application number: GB9125320A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Harvey Fernihough
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-28
Filing date: 1991-11-28
Publication date: 1993-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-11-28
Also published as: GB2261832B; GB9125320D0

Abstract

Waste is compacted by means of rollers 21, 22 having projections in the form of teeth or ribs. The rollers are carried by an elevatable boom 15. The rollers are driven with a peripheral speed exceeding the speed of translation of the rollers across the heap. The heap may be on the ground or in an open-topped container. The boom 15 is mounted on a body 13 mounted on a chassis 10 having wheels 11, 12. A hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 20 is connected between body 13 and member 16 of boom 15. Drive means for rollers 21, 22 comprise an hydraulic motor incorporated in a carrier 23 and a reduction gear train - the rollers 21, 22 rotate at a speed 50 to 150 times slower than the speed of the output shaft of the motor. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Method of treating waste and apparatus for use in the method Description of Invention From one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of treating waste. The invention is primarily concerned with the reduction of the overall volume of waste. The requirement to reduce the volume of waste which is to be transported and/or dumped in the ground has been recognised for a long time.

It is known to equip waste-collection vehicles with means for compacting the waste during or after loading of the waste into a body of the vehicle.

Another, known way of treating waste to reduce the volume is to roll the waste by means of a roller having radial projections. This known treatment is similar to the compaction of waste which takes place after waste has been dumped in the ground. The roller is turned with a peripheral speed which is substantially the same as the speed of translation of the roller over the waste, which is typically within the range 5 to 20 metres per minute. The roller breaks and crushes the waste so that the volume is reduced. Waste may be rolled in an open-topped skip, in order that a greater mass of waste can be accommodated in the skip.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of treating a heap of waste wherein a roller having radial projections is rotated whilst bearing on the heap and the peripheral speed of the roller substantially exceeds the speed of translation of the roller.

The roller is preferably swivelled about an upright axis, in addition to being rotated about its axis of symmetry, which would usually be at least approximately horizontal. The upright axis is preferably remote from the roller and may be spaced substantially from the heap of waste.

During performance of a method according to the first aspect of the invention, the roller may be translated relative to the heap in a direction to increase the movement of the periphery of the roller relative to the heap. In this way, the roller can be used to spread the contents of the heap or otherwise move portions of the waste in such a manner that the displacement of the waste includes a substantial horizontal component. It will be understood that, in the known method of rolling a heap of waste, the roller presses the waste downwards only and any movement comprising a horizontal component is incidental to the downwards compaction of the waste.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a roller having radial projections, a carrier for the roller, variable speed driving means for driving the roller at a selected speed around its axis of symmetry relative to the carrier and a slewable and elevatable boom supporting the carrier.

The radial projections may be mutually spaced teeth or elongated ribs or blades. The ribs or blades may be rectilinear and parallel to the axis of symmetry of the roller or may be helical.

The preferred apparatus further comprises a mobile chassis and a propelling motor for propelling the chassis over the ground, the boom being mounted for slewing relative to the chassis.

The preferred boom has two spaced, mutually parallel pivots, one being near to the chassis and the other being approximately mid-way between the one pivot and the roller.

An example of apparatus embodying the second aspect of the invention and which is used in a method according to the first aspect will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus.

The apparatus comprises a chassis 10 having a pair of coaxial wheels 11 and a pair of steerable wheels, one of which is shown at 12, for supporting the chassis from the ground. One or both pairs of wheels is drivable to propel the chassis across the ground. It will be understood that other ground-engaging means, for example endless tracks, may be substituted for the running wheels illustrated.

A body 13 is mounted on the chassis 10 by means of a bearing which provides for swivelling of the body relative to the chassis about an upright axis 14 which passes through both the body and the chassis. On the body, there is mounted an internal combustion engine (not shown), from which power can be transmitted to the running wheels for propelling the chassis. A seat for a driver and controls for use by the driver are also provided on the body 13 and these may be enclosed by a cab for the driver.

A boom 15 is mounted on the body 13. The boom comprises a first, elongated member 16 which is connected near to one or its ends with the body for pivoting relative thereto about a substantially horizontal axis 17. A second, elongated member 18 of the boom is connected with the first member for pivoting relative thereto about a second pivot axis 19 which is parallel to the axis 17 and which is adjacent to the end of the member 16 remote from the axis 17.

Machines having the configuration and components thus far described are well known load-handling and excavation machines.

An hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 20 or other form of motor is connected between the body 13 and the first member 16 of the boom for controlling pivoting of the boom relative to the body about the axis 17. The piston and cylinder unit 20 may be a single-acting unit which can pivot the member 16 upwards relative to the body 13 but which cannot force the member 16 downwards relative to the body. The second member 18 of the boom may be free to pivot about the axis 19 relative to the member 16 under the action of gravity. Resilient buffers may be provided to limit the pivoting movement about the axis 19. Alternatively, a second piston and cylinder unit or other form of motor (not shown) may be provided for controlling relative pivoting of the members 16 and 18 about the axis 19.

The axis 19 passes through one end portion of the member 18.

Adjacent to an opposite end of the member 18, there is a pair of rollers 21 and 22. The rollers are mounted on a common carrier 23 for rotation relative thereto about a common axis 24 which coincides with the respective axes of symmetry of the rollers. The carrier 23 supports respective bearings inside the rollers 21 and 22. The carrier 23 is rigidly secured to an end portion of the boom member 18 remote from the axis 19. The axis 24 is perpendicular to the length of the member 18, which is typically rectilinear or approximately so.

Drive means is provided for rotating the rollers 21 and 22 relative to the carrier 23. The drive means of the machine illustrated comprises an hydraulic motor incorporated in the carrier 23 and a gear train for transmitting rotary drive from the hydraulic motor to both of the rollers 21 and 22. The gear train is a reduction gear which provides that the rollers are constrained to rotate together at a speed which is within the range 50 to 150 times slower than the speed of an output shaft of the hydraulic motor. Hydraulic fluid is supplied under pressure to the motor of the carrier 23 and to the piston and cylinder unit 20 from a pump drivingly associated with the propelling engine of the apparatus.The hydraulic system includes flow-control valves operable by the driver so that the driver can adjust the speed of extension or contraction of the unit 20 and can adjust the speed of rotation of the rollers 21 and 22. The driver can also control the direction of rotation of the rollers relative to the carrier 23.

The diameter of the rollers 21 and 22 is within the range 400 to 1500mm and is preferably within the range 600 to 1000mm. The hydraulic system of the apparatus is preferably arranged to rotate the rollers at any selected speed within the range 6rpm to 50rpm. The arrangement is preferably such that the rollers can be driven with a peripheral speed in excess of 100 metre per minute.

The lowest peripheral speed at which the rollers can be driven may be less than 20 metre per minute. The gear train of the carrier 23 is preferably incapable of transmitting drive from the rollers to the hydraulic motor.

The lengths of the rollers is selected according to the situation in which the rollers are to be used. Typically, each roller has a length within the range 500 to 1000mm. The gap between the rollers 21 and 22 has a width substantially less than the length of the rollers, for example a width in the region of 300mm.

The peripheral surface of each of the rollers 21 and 22 has a number of radial projections. In the example illustrated, the projections have the form of teeth 25, each tooth being spaced from adjacent teeth. Alternatively, the projections may be elongated ribs. The ribs may be rectilinear and parallel to the axis 24. Alternatively, the ribs may be helical. The projections are preferably releasably mounted on the outsides of the rollers, so that they can be replaced, if they become damaged.

The apparatus can be used for compacting a heap of waste lying on the ground, preferably confined between walls. The apparatus is driven into proximity with the heap. The chassis 10 then may be parked. The rollers 21 and 22 are driven and the boom 15 is moved by slewing of the body 13 on the chassis and by operation of the unit 20 to lower the rollers into engagement with the waste.

Generally, the unit 20 will be relieved of hydraulic pressure so that the rollers bear on the waste under the action of gravity on the rollers, on the carrier 23 and on the boom 15. The rollers are preferably massive. The teeth 25 tear the waste and the waste is compacted by the rollers.

The body 13 may be slewed relative to the chassis 10 about the axis 14 to move the rollers to various parts of the heap. The piston and cylinder unit 20 also may be used to move the rollers to different parts of the heap. It will be understood that the interaction between the rollers and the waste also will tend to translate the rollers relative to the heap of waste. This is particularly so if the rollers are driven at a slow speed. The entire heap of waste can be worked by the rollers. The rollers can be used to move some of the waste relative to the remainder of the heap, for example to uncover some of the waste and make it accessible to the rollers. Movement of the waste is facilitated by translating the rollers relative to the heap and concurrently driving the rollers in a direction to increase the movement of the peripheries of the rollers relative to the waste.

The apparatus can be used to treat waste in a number of open-topped containers which are parked or which are standing near to one another. The chassis 10 is driven into proximity to the containers, the rollers 21 and 22 are raised and then lowered into one of the containers to treat the waste therein and are then raised and moved to another of the containers. The chassis 10 may remain parked in one position during treatment of waste in several containers.

Alternatively, the chassis may be driven to each container.

If the boom member 18 is permitted to pivot freely relative to the boom member 16 about the axis 19 and the unit 20 is relieved of hydraulic pressure, so that the boom member 16 is free to pivot relative to the body 13, then translation of the rollers 21 and 22 can be effected by rotation of the rollers.

When resting on an approximately horizontal surface of the heap of waste, the rollers will roll along that surface, when rotated. However, the mass of the rollers is such that they will not roll up a substantial incline, unless the piston and cylinder unit 20 is actuated to raise the rollers.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A method of treating a heap of waste wherein a roller having radial projections is rotated whilst bearing on the heap and the peripheral speed of the roller substantially exceeds the speed of translation of the roller.

2. A method of treating a heap of waste wherein a roller is rotated about its axis of symmetry with the axis at least approximately horizontal and is swivelled about an upright axis.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the roller is translated relative to the heap of waste in a direction to increase movement of the periphery of the roller relative to the heap.

4. A method according to any preceding claim wherein material of the heap is spread by the action of the roller.

5. Apparatus comprising a roller having radial projections, a carrier for the roller, variable-speed driving means for driving the roller at a selected speed around its axis of symmetry relative to the carrier and a slewable and elevatable boom supporting the carrier.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5 further comprising a mobile chassis having a propelling motor for propelling the chassis, wherein the boom is mounted for slewing relative to the chassis.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the boom has two, spaced, mutually parallel pivots.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8 which includes a first motor for pivoting a first part of the boom at a first of said pivots.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein a second part of the boom is free to pivot relative to the first part at a second of said pivots.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 7 further comprising a body interposed between the boom and the chassis, wherein a power source is provided on the body and wherein the driving means includes transmitting means for transmitting drive from the power source to the roller.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11 wherein the transmitting means includes an hydraulic pump on the body, an hydraulic motor on the carrier and a flow-control valve to vary the flow of hydraulic fluid to the motor.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 wherein the driving means includes reduction gearing carried by the carrier.

14. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.