IE20190109U1 - Improved material teasing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved material testing apparatus comprises of an infeed transport device causing a waterfall of material light material is blown forwards. A rotating divider is located here in order to improve the separation. A chamber contains all the light material blown across a transport device to transport the settled material and create a second material waterfall where light material is blown into the air and removed by a suction fan. The material remaining then lands on a three-dimensional object remover which causes all three-dimensional objects to be removed. The residual fraction travels up the transport device passes through another suction hood to removing any remainder light fraction. All material falls to the stockpile below. <Figure 2>

Description

[001] TITLE [O02] Improved Material Teasing Apparatus

[003] FIELD OF INVENTION

[004] The invention relates to material differentiation according to physical attributes apparatus’. in particular the invention relates to improved material teasing.

[005] BACKGROUND

[006] Air separation is the most effective way of separating inert plastics, stones etc... from organic material. This situation commonly arises in most facilities processing organic material. Modern air separating machines, however, have some major limitations. The first problem is that there is potential for material to clog and block suction chambers.

The second limitation in current machines is that a pure end-product requires high dwell time thus reducing the machines’ output. The third issue is that air separation systems have a sensitivity to material orientation rather than density causing decreased cleaning efficiency. A final problem is that the material removed from the organic material has three-dimensional materials mixed with air separated materials.

[007] Thefirst issue usually occurs in suction chambers. These chambers are based on the idea that as material falls into a flow of air produced by a vacuum. These devices tend to have chutes and deflection plates to limit and direct airflow. ln heterogenous material this system can be blocked by large objects such as sticks. The small cross- sectional area of the apparatus can increase the chance for blockages to occur as well as reducing the Phtential throughput of the piece of equipment.

[008] In response "air-knife” type separators were developed. Instead of sucking light materials [e.g. plastic] from the desired product, air would be used to blow through the product to remove the light material. The air has no impact on the heavy materials which fall straight down whereas the light material is blown fon/vards.

[009] While an ”air-knife" solves the first issue, it fails to solve second problem regarding dwell time. To achieve a 100% clean product, the machine must run at a slower setting therefore reducing productivity. This is impacted further from large clumps passing through the system. Heavy items such as rocks can trap light items such as a plastic bag resulting in an improperly sorted product.

[010] Further the single air-knife concept does not function as a specific density separator but as a separator based on the ratio of weight to the cross-sectional area of the object perpendicular to the airflow. For example, a piece of slate can catch the airflow on its wide face and therefore ”magic carpet” on top of the air stream and fall with the light section. in a mixed material streams, items are extremely variable in shape thus reducing the single air-knife’s viability.

[011] Another issue with regards to the air-knife concept, current machines suffer from being unable to achieve a clean separation. For example, smaller stones might be blown as far as the light fraction. A solution is needed to increase the separation efficiency.

[012] The density-separation-th eory is effective for separating objects of different density, but current systems lack other methods of separation. When trying to separate material based on sh ape for example separating sticks from small root-balls. In a|l-air- separation machines these types of materials are generally not separated and are returned mixed together. Currently no solution for separating such materials has been incorporated into an air-separation machine.

[013] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[014] According to the invention there is provided: an infeed transport device and spreading device; an air blower located under the infeed transport device; a rotating divider, to direct any material in the direction of rotation which is at the discretion of the operator; a transport device to remove the heavy fraction located below the air blower incorporating a lodestone device to remove ferrous materials; a chamber to contain all light material, the bottom of which consists of an inclined transport device to transport the material and which causes a second waterfall of material; an air blower located under said inclined transport device; a suction fan located above this air blower,- a transport device located below this transfer point to remove any heavy objects; a transport device the angle of which is adjustable; a suction fan mounted at the end of the transport device to remove light material which bypassed the initial suction fan.

[O15] Preferably the infeed transport device creates a heterogeneous material waterfall at which the air blower is aimed to force light material forwards, heavy material falls unaffected by the air blower; wherein material falls and spreads from a rotating drum — adjustable latitudinally and longitudinally — to a crowned surface incorporating a cleaning device: the drum’s positioning in the material flow determines the degree of spread and the drum rotates against a cleaning device.

[016] Alternatively, the rotating divider, the direction with which it rotates is reversible, in one direction prevents any heavy material from contaminating the light portion of this transfer point and forces all light material forwards and if reversed to the other direction prevents the light material from contaminating the heavy portion.

[017] More preferably, the chamber consisting of an inclined transport device as its base, creates a second waterfall of material which has an air blower aimed at it forcing light materials to become airborne which subsequently are sucked up by the suction fan.

[018] Alternatively, the final transport device the angle of which is adjustable acts as a three-dimensional object remover any such objects that are in the material will roll backwards off this transport device, any two-dimensional objects will travel along this transport device at the end of which a second suction fan removes light material.

[019] BRlEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[020] Various aspects of certain example embodiments can be better understood when the following figures (1, 2 and 3) are consulted. The figures provided and components shown in the figures 1, 2 and 3 are not to scale. Emphasis has been placed on displaying clearly example aspects and features. Reference numbers are used in figures 1, 2 and 3 to designate corresponding parts throughout the views provided. it may occur that certain components and embodiments may be omitted to improve clarity.

[021] Figure 1 is a side view of the material teasing apparatus with doors, panels, chassis and internal components hidden.

[022] Figure 2 is an isometric view of a simplified model of the apparatus, everything is hidden bar the transport devices, the rotating divider, air blowers and suction fans.

[023] Figure 3 is a schematic of the apparatus showing the flow of material through it.

[024] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[025] The following is a detailed description illustrating various aspects of non-limiting example embodiments. These examples are provided to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the full scope of the invention, including different examples, without having to engage in an undue amount of experimentation. it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that further modifications and adaptions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is limited only by the claims.

[026] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding. Particular example embodiments may be implemented without some or all the disclosed features or specific details. Additionally, to improve clarity of the disclosure, some components well known to persons of skill in the art are not described in detail.

[027] 1 unsorted material transport device

[028] 2 air blower

[029] 3 rotating divider

[030] 4 heavy fraction outlet

[031] 5 medium weight out-take device

[032] 6 air blower

[033] 7 suction fan

[034] 8 th ree-dimensional fraction remover

[035] 9 medium heavy fraction outlet

[036] 10 light fraction outlet

[037] 11 expansion chamber

[038] 12 heavy fraction

[039] 13 heavy light fraction

[040] 14 light fraction

[041] 15 medium heavy fraction

[042] 16 spreading device

[043] Referring to Figure 1 which consists of a spreading device 16 onto which the material falls from a transport device feeding this machine. The position of this device is adjustable to ensure maximum spread across the width of the unsorted material transport device 1. The spreading device is biconical in shape and rotates along its longitudinal axis. Position adjustments may be made to the spreading device 16 along the horizontal axis.

[044] The spread material then travels along the unsorted material transport device 1 at the end of which it falls off creating a waterfall of matter. An air blower 2 aimed at this waterfall blows all matter, bar the heavy fraction 12, forwards onto the medium weight out-take 5. In order to increase the efficiency of this separation point a rotating divider 3 is installed. This divider, which is also rotated along its longitudinal axis and adjustable along the horizontal axis to the left and right when looking at the side profile (i.e. Figure 1 and 3), prevents heavy fraction 12 from contaminating the material blown onto the medium weight out-take device 5. The heavy fraction 12 then exits the apparatus using the heavy fraction outlet 4. On top of the medium weight out- take device 5 an expansion chamber 11 is instalied, this contains all material that is blown and directs it back to the surface of the transport device in a controlled manner.

[045] As the material falls from the medium weight out-ta ke device 5 another waterfall effect is created. A second air blower 6 is installed at this point. The light fraction 14, the heavy light fraction 13 and some medium heavy fraction 15 are blown across this transfer point. However, at this point there is also a suction fan 7 which captures most of the light fraction 14, which is floating due to the air blower 6, and removes it through the light fraction outlet 10.

[046] All matter that does not get removed via the suction fan some will fall directly onto the medium heavy fraction outlet 9 and the rest will settle on the three-dimensional fraction remover 8. This remover which consists of a moving belt with its upper end at a higher elevation than its lower end when in its working position. The extremity of the incline can be adjusted. This adjustable incline causes any three-dimensional objects to roll down the transport device against the direction with which the belt is turning. The rolling objects then fall off the end of the three-dimensional object remover 8 onto the medium heavy fraction outlet 9 and out of the machine.

[047] The remaining substances travel up the three-dimensional fraction remover at the end of which there is a second suction fan 7 which removes any light fraction 14 that bypassed the primary suction fan. This light fraction is removed as it falls off the th ree- dimensional fraction remover 8 travels through the light fraction outlet. The heavy light fraction 13 falls from the end of the three-dimensional fraction remover 8 onto a stockpile, unaffected by the suction fan 7.

Claims (1)

1. [048] CLAIMS [049] Claim 1: an apparatus for material teasing comprising: [050] an infeed transport device and spreading device; [051] an air blower located under the infeed transport device; [052] a rotating divider, to direct any material in the direction of rotation which is at the discretion of the operator; [053] a transport device to remove the heavy fraction located below the air blower incorporating a lodestone device to remove ferrous materials; [054] a chamber to contain all light material, the bottom of which consists of an inclined transport device to transport the material and which causes a second waterfall of material; [055] an air blower located under said inclined transport device; [056] a suction fan located above this air blower; [057] a transport device located below this transfer point to remove any heavy objects; [058] a transport device the angle of which is adjustable; [059] a suction fan mounted at the end of the transport device to remove light material which bypassed the initial suction fan. [060] Claim 2: the material teasing apparatus of claim 1 comprising wherein the infeed transport device creates a heterogeneous material waterfall at which the air blower is aimed to force light material forwards, heavy material falls unaffected by the air blower; wherein material falls and spreads from a rotating drum — adjustable latitudinally and longitudinally - to a crowned surface incorporating a cleaning device: the drum’s positioning in the material flow determines the degree of spread and the drum rotates against a cleaning device.