US20110297684A1

US20110297684A1 - Composter

Info

Publication number: US20110297684A1
Application number: US13/061,271
Authority: US
Inventors: Heinrich Wüster
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-08-29
Filing date: 2009-08-27
Publication date: 2011-12-08
Also published as: AT507225A1; EP2317834B1; EP2317834A1; AT507225B1; DK2317834T3; WO2010022940A1; US8656637B2; US20110209401A1

Abstract

A composter has at least one closeable filling opening on the upper side, three superimposed chambers inside, an upper intermediate base arranged between the upper chamber and the central chamber, a lower intermediate base arranged between the central chamber and the lower chamber, and at least one closeable lateral removal opening arranged in the region of the lower chamber. The lowermost chamber is downwardly open so that the ground forms the bottom. The composter also has, in the upper intermediate base, at least one compost transfer opening that can be closed by a rotatable cover, in the lower intermediate base, at least one compost transfer opening which can be closed by a rotatable cover, and in the central chamber, at least one scraper that can be displaced on the lower intermediate base for extracting compost from the central chamber.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a composter having at least one closable filling opening on the top side, having three chambers, disposed one above the other, in the inside, an upper intermediate floor between the upper and the middle chamber, a lower intermediate floor between the middle and the lower chamber, and having at least one closable lateral removal opening in the region of the lower chamber.

PRIOR ART

Composters for a private household are generally cylindrical, cubic or pyramidal downwardly open receptacles. The organic waste to be composted, such as vegetable waste and fruit waste, is introduced into the receptacle and decomposes inside the receptacle under an influx of oxygen and with the aid of soil bacteria and microorganisms. The organic waste is hereupon converted into soil matter, such as humus.
Known composters are constructed from prefabricated elements, consisting of plastic, wood or metal, and are equipped with appropriate ventilation holes in order to facilitate the composting.
In the known composters for domestic use, the problem exists that the air exchange which is enabled by the perforated wall or wall equipped with other air intake openings is possible only with the waste which lies in direct contact with the wall, while the rest of the content of the composter neither has the oxygen intake necessary for the composting, nor can it release as vapor the up to 70% moisture content contained in fresh green waste.
The result is that the composting material, without sufficient oxygen, putrefies in a foul-smelling manner, which, in addition to the odor nuisance which is known per se, also gives rise to a lower-grade compost as the end product.
In order to remedy this condition, known composters are equipped with flaps, removable walls or similar, in which case the user of the composter is obliged to turn the composting material contained in the composter in a 4 to 6 week cycle.
This turning is associated with a series of manual activities. First of all, in the composter, a flap has to be opened or a wall element removed. Then, through the formed opening, the whole of the composting material has to be removed from the composter and piled up next to the composter. This is generally done gradually with the aid of a shovel. With the aid of the shovel, the removed composting material can be thrown through a sieve in order to screen out from the composting material the smaller components, which have already turned to raw compost, and thus separate them from the rest of the composting material, which must be loaded back into the composter so that it can continue to compost there. After the screening operation and prior to the refilling of the composter, in the composter the flap must first be closed or the wall element reinserted. Only then can the rest of the composting material be loaded back into the composter with the aid of the shovel.
If it is wished to obtain a high-grade compost, then these activities must be conducted in a 4 to 6 week cycle. Based on experience, these activities are unpopular, because not only do they require manual exertion, but they can also expose the user to nuisance as a result of odors or of numerous microorganisms present in the composting material. If the composting material is not turned over a lengthy period, then there is even a risk of disease, since, under various conditions, fission fungi can form in the organic material, which can lead to diseases in persons with a reduced immune system. On the other hand, an over-frequent turning disturbs, above all, the advanced composting and leads to reduced quality of the formed compost.
EP 1 118 604 A2 discloses a composter in the form of a rectangular box, which contains three equal-sized chambers disposed one above the other and separated by sliding floors which can be withdrawn from the box. The box is closed off at the top by a hinged lid. The upper chamber, which is disposed below the hinged lid, is upwardly open. Between it and the middle chamber, an upper sliding floor is disposed. Between the middle chamber and the lower chamber, a lower sliding floor is disposed. The waste is poured into the upper chamber. When the upper sliding floor is withdrawn, the waste falls into the underlying middle chamber. When the lower sliding floor is withdrawn, the waste falls into the underlying lower chamber. The box is provided in the region of the lower chamber with a flap, through which the compost is removed from the lower chamber of the box.
In this composter, the guides for the sliding floors, which guides are disposed in the side walls of the box, are clogged up by the waste. Hence the sliding floors, after a while, can no longer be moved, or can be moved only with great difficulty. In this composter, only a part of the volume is used for the composting, since the three chambers are equal in size, while the volume of the composting material becomes increasingly small in accordance with the progression of the composting, since moisture from the composting material is separated off and a further significant volume reduction occurs in the composting process. Of the waste loaded into the upper chamber, only about 60% of the original volume is any longer contained in the middle chamber and even only about 30% of the original volume in the lower chamber. A disproportionally large share of the volume of the composter is hence unused.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a composter which avoids the abovementioned drawbacks and, with little work effort, allows rapid and intensive composting.
As the solution, a new composter is proposed.
The new composter possesses at least one closable filling opening on the top side and three chambers, disposed one above the other, in its inside, as well as an upper intermediate floor between the upper chamber and the middle chamber, a lower intermediate floor between the middle chamber and the lower chamber, and finally at least one closable, lateral removal opening in the region of the lower chamber. According to the invention, the new composter is characterized in that in the upper intermediate floor there is provided at least one transfer opening for the composting material, which transfer opening is closable by a rotatable cover plate, in that in the lower intermediate floor there is provided at least one transfer opening for the composting material, which transfer opening is closable by a rotatable cover plate, and in that in the middle chamber there is provided at least one scraper, which is disposed above the lower intermediate floor and can be moved over the lower intermediate floor in order to discharge the composting material.
This embodiment allows a simple transport of the composting material through the composter, which transport is tailored to the accrual of the waste and the progress of the composting.
When the composter is empty, the transfer openings which are disposed in the two intermediate floors and can respectively be closed by a rotatable cover plate are closed. The gradually accruing organic waste which is to be composted is introduced into the empty upper chamber via the filling opening of the composter. When the upper chamber is full, the upper chamber is emptied. To this end, at each transfer opening disposed in the upper intermediate floor, the rotatable cover plate is rotated and the transfer opening is opened. The composting material lying on the rotatable cover plate falls through the transfer opening into the middle chamber and stays on the lower intermediate floor. According to the number and size of the transfer openings disposed in the upper intermediate floor, some composting material can stay on the upper intermediate floor. Where necessary, this composting material can be displaced into the respective transfer opening by hand, or with the aid of a tool inserted in the upper chamber via the open filling opening, in order that it makes its way through this transfer opening into the middle chamber.
Following emptying of the upper chamber, the upper intermediate floor is first closed. To this end, at each transfer opening disposed in the upper intermediate floor, the rotatable cover plate is rotated and the transfer opening closed. Next, the organic waste which continues gradually to accrue and is to be composted is introduced into the empty upper chamber via the filling opening of the composter.
When the upper chamber is next full, the middle chamber is first emptied. To this end, at each transfer opening disposed in the lower intermediate floor, the rotatable cover plate is rotated and the transfer opening opened. The composting material lying on the rotatable cover plate falls through the transfer opening into the lower chamber and stays on the soil disposed under the composter. Depending on the number and size of the transfer openings disposed in the lower intermediate floor, some composting material stays on the lower intermediate floor. This composting material is displaced into the respective transfer opening, with the aid of the scraper movable over the lower intermediate floor, in order that it makes its way through this into the lower chamber.
Following emptying of the middle chamber, the lower intermediate floor is first closed. To this end, at each transfer opening disposed in the lower intermediate floor, the rotatable cover plate is rotated and the transfer opening closed. As described above, the still full upper chamber is subsequently emptied. Following emptying of the upper chamber, the upper intermediate floor is closed again. Next, the organic waste which continues gradually to accrue and is to be composted is again introduced into the now empty again upper chamber via the filling opening of the composter.
The finished compost is removed from the lower chamber via the lateral removal opening of the composter.
Once all three chambers of the composter are filled, the finished compost must first be removed from the lower chamber and the lower chamber emptied. After this, the content of the middle chamber can be transferred into the now empty lower chamber. Next, the content of the upper chamber can be transferred into the now empty middle chamber. Following closure of the upper intermediate floor, the organic waste to be composted can again be introduced into the now empty upper chamber.
The handles for actuating the rotatable cover plates can be disposed on the outer side of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, a rotary element rotatable about a vertical rotation axis can be provided, which rotary element extends from the top side of the composter into the middle chamber, is provided at its upper end with a control element and in the middle chamber bears at least one cover plate for the closure of a transfer opening disposed in the lower intermediate floor.
In this embodiment, the handle for actuating a rotatable cover plate assigned to the lower intermediate floor is disposed on the top side of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, the rotary element can in the middle chamber bear at least two cover plates protruding diametrically therefrom, which cover plates are assigned to at least one transfer opening disposed in the lower intermediate floor.
This embodiment allows two rotatable cover plates, which are assigned to two transfer openings disposed in the lower intermediate floor, to be actuated from the top side of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, a rotary element rotatable about a vertical rotation axis can be provided, which rotary element extends from the top side of the composter into the middle chamber, is provided at its upper end with a control element and in the middle chamber bears at least one scraper, which can be moved over the lower intermediate floor in order to discharge the composting material.
This embodiment allows the scraper, which is movable over the lower intermediate floor, to be actuated from the top side of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, a rotary element rotatable about a vertical rotation axis can be provided, which rotary element extends from the top side of the composter into the middle chamber, is provided at its upper end with a control element and in the middle chamber bears at least one leveling element, which is movable through the middle chamber.
This embodiment provides a leveling element movable through the middle chamber, which leveling element can be actuated from the top side of the composter in order to distribute the composting material somewhat in the middle chamber.
According to the invention, the rotary element extending from the top side of the composter into the middle chamber can bear at least one scraper, which is disposed in the upper chamber and can there be moved over the upper intermediate floor in order to discharge the composting material.
According to a further feature of the invention, a rotary element rotatable about a vertical rotation axis can be provided, which rotary element extends from the top side of the composter into the upper chamber, is provided at its upper end with a control element and in the upper chamber bears at least one cover plate for the closure of a transfer opening disposed in the upper intermediate floor.
In this embodiment, the handle for actuating a rotatable cover plate assigned to the upper intermediate floor is disposed on the top side of the composter.
According to the invention, the rotary element can in the upper chamber bear at least two cover plates protruding diametrically therefrom, which cover plates are respectively assigned to at least one transfer opening disposed in the upper intermediate floor.
This embodiment allows two rotatable cover plates, which are assigned to two transfer openings disposed in the upper intermediate floor, to be actuated from the top side of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, a rotary element rotatable about a vertical rotation axis can be provided, which rotary element extends from the top side of the composter into the upper chamber, is provided at its upper end with a control element and in the upper chamber bears at least one scraper, which can be moved over the upper intermediate floor in order to discharge the composting material.
This embodiment allows the scraper, which is movable over the upper intermediate floor, to be actuated from the top side of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, the upper intermediate floor of the composter and each rotatable cover plate assigned to a transfer opening of the upper intermediate floor, as well as that portion of the composter casing which delimits the upper chamber, can be free from air vents, while that portion of the composter casing which delimits the middle chamber and the lower chamber, and the lower intermediate floor, as well as each rotatable cover plate assigned to a transfer opening of the lower intermediate floor, is provided with air vents.
This embodiment allows the upper chamber to be left unventilated and to be closed off to the outside. In standard domestic composting, only small quantities of waste accrue day by day. Because of the small quantities, this waste, having been introduced into the composter, cannot produce warming of the composting material. If the upper chamber is unventilated, the quantity of waste which is introduced daily can neither release moisture nor can it significantly compost. A further advantage gained is that a colonization of the waste with insects is almost fully prevented.
According to a further feature of the invention, the composter can possess a downward widening casing, the volume of the upper chamber being smaller than the volume of the middle chamber and the volume of the middle chamber being smaller than the volume of the lower chamber.
According to a further feature of the invention, the volume of the middle chamber can amount to three times the volume of the upper chamber and the volume of the lower chamber can amount to double the volume of the middle chamber.
This embodiment allows the upper chamber to be emptied three times in succession into the middle chamber, before this is emptied into the lower chamber. And the middle chamber can be emptied twice in succession into the lower chamber, before finished compost is removed from the latter.
According to the invention, an upper composter portion containing the upper chamber, a middle composter portion containing the middle chamber, and a lower composter portion containing the lower chamber can be provided.
This embodiment allows simplification in the manufacture and transport of the composter.
According to a further feature of the invention, the middle composter portion can be insertable into the lower composter portion and the upper composter portion into the middle composter portion for transport purposes.
This embodiment allows the transport volume of the composter to be significantly reduced in relation to a one-piece embodiment of the composter.
The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows schematically a composter according to the invention in side view,

FIG. 2 shows the composter of FIG. 1 from above,

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the composter with a part of the upper and of the middle chamber,

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the upper intermediate floor in top view,

FIG. 5 shows a rotatable cover plate for the upper intermediate floor,

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the lower intermediate floor in top view,

FIG. 7 shows a rotatable cover plate for the lower intermediate floor,

FIG. 8 shows a composter consisting of three portions, and

FIG. 9 shows a composter in transport-ready state.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The composter has three chambers 1, 2, 3. The outer shape of the composter is a downward widening cone. The volume of the upper chamber 1 is smaller than the volume of the middle chamber 2, the volume of which is smaller than the volume of the lower chamber 3.
Extending symmetrically to a diameter of the upper face disposed on the top side of the upper chamber 1 is a crosspiece 16, which is disposed on the top side of the composter and to which lids 13, 14 for the filling openings of the composter are attached via parallel hinges.
The lower chamber 3 has a lateral removal opening, which is closed with a removal flap 12. The lower chamber 3 is open at the bottom to enable the composting material contained therein to come into contact with soil bacteria and 35 microorganisms contained in the soil 15, which advance the composting.
The casing of the composter, which encloses the middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3, is provided with air vents 17. Similarly, the lower intermediate floor 8 of the composter and the lower, rotatable cover plate 9 disposed between the middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3.
The casing of the composter, on the other hand, which surrounds the upper chamber 1, is configured without air vents. Similarly, the upper intermediate floor 4 of the composter and the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 disposed between the upper chamber 1 and the middle chamber 2. When the lids 13, 14 are closed and the upper cover plate 7 is in the closed position, no aeration of the upper chamber 1 takes place.
Arranged concentrically to the vertical longitudinal axis of the composter is a vertical hollow shaft 6. This is connected in the region of the upper intermediate floor 4 to the upper, rotatable cover plate 7, which is disposed marginally above the upper intermediate floor 4 and, for the opening and closing of the transfer opening disposed in the upper intermediate floor 4, is rotatable in relation to the upper intermediate floor 4.
In the vertical hollow shaft 6 there is disposed a vertical rotary shaft 10. The rotary shaft 10 is connected in the region of the lower intermediate floor 8 to the lower, rotatable cover plate 9, which is disposed just above the lower intermediate floor 8 and, for the opening and closing of the transfer opening disposed in the lower intermediate floor 8, is rotatable in relation to the lower intermediate floor 8.
The rotary shaft 10 and the hollow shaft 6 pass through the crosspiece 16 disposed on the top side of the composter and are provided on their upper end regions with levers 5 and 11. Via the lever 5, the hollow shaft 6, and with it the upper, rotatable cover plate 7, can be rotated. Via the lever 11, the rotary shaft 10, and with it the lower, rotatable cover plate 9, can be rotated.
In FIG. 1, the rotatable cover plates 7, 9 are represented in the transfer position, in which they free the transfer openings in the upper intermediate floor 4 and lower intermediate floor 8. In this position of the rotatable cover plates 7, 9, the levers 5 and 11 are disposed transversely to the crosspiece 16.
In FIG. 2, the levers 5 and 11 are aligned parallel to the crosspiece 16. This alignment of the levers 5 and 11 indicates that the rotatable cover plates 7, 9 located inside the composter are in their closed position and are closing off the transfer openings in the upper intermediate floor 4 and lower intermediate floor 8.
Via the position of the two levers 5 and 11 on the top side of the composter, the position of the rotatable cover plates 7, 9 inside the composter can be easily monitored. In addition, the transverse position of the levers 5 and 11 prevents opening of the lids 13, 14 which close the feed-in openings of the composter. In addition, this prevents fresh waste from being thrown into the upper chamber 1 when the transfer openings in the upper intermediate floor 4 and lower intermediate floor 8 are open.
FIG. 3 shows the upper chamber 1 and the middle chamber 2 as two separate structural parts placed one on top of the other. Between the upper chamber 1 and the middle chamber 2 is found the upper intermediate floor 4 of the composter. In this intermediate floor 4 are provided transfer openings 21, which are covered by portions of the upper, rotatable cover plate 7. The upper, rotatable cover plate 7 is connected to the hollow shaft 6. This is provided with a downward extension, which extends into the lower chamber 2. In the lower chamber 2, a finger-shaped leveling element 24 is fastened to the hollow shaft 6, which leveling element can be moved through the lower chamber 2 by rotation of the hollow shaft 6. With the leveling element 24, the composting material amassing below the transfer openings 21 can be distributed over the lower chamber 2. The rotary shaft 10 extends downward through the hollow shaft 6 and reaches as far as the lower, rotatable cover plate 9. Upon rotation of the hollow shaft 6, the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 rotates in the left half of the drawing half out of the paper plane and in the right half of the drawing half into the paper plane. In the right half of the drawing can be seen the scraper 18, which in the rotational direction of the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 lies behind the transfer opening 21 and through which passes the hollow shaft 6. Between the upper intermediate floor 4 and the scraper 18 a gap of, for example, 2 cm is provided, through which the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 can rotate. The scraper 18 has a height of 5 cm, for example. Upon rotating of the upper, rotatable cover plate 7, the scraper 18 pushes the composting material lying on the cover plate 7 into the transfer opening 21. In order not to cause damage to the composter through large, hard components in the compost, the scraper 18 is fastened resiliently in the composter, so that it can evade such components counter to the force of the spring. In that casing 20 of the composter which surrounds the middle chamber 2, air vents 17 are provided. By contrast, that casing 19 of the composter which surrounds the upper chamber 1 is completely closed.
FIG. 4 shows the upper intermediate floor 4 configured as a circular disk, which has two diametrically opposing, roughly quadrant-shaped transfer openings 21. In the middle of the upper intermediate floor 4, a pass-through opening 24 for the passage of the rotary shaft 10 is provided.
FIG. 5 shows the upper, rotatable cover plate 7, which has two diametrically opposing, circular-sector-shaped portions 23, which, in the closed position of the upper, rotatable cover plate 7, cover the two roughly quadrant-shaped transfer openings 21 in the upper intermediate floor 4. In the middle of the rotatable cover plate 7, the hollow shaft 6 is fastened. The upper intermediate floor 4 and the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 are not perforated, i.e. they have no air vents. The same applies to that casing 19 of the composter which surrounds the upper chamber 1 and also to the lids 13, 14 which close the filling openings of the composter. The upper chamber 1 is therefore delimited by structural parts none of which have air vents. The upper chamber 1 of the composter is therefore unventilated.
FIG. 6 shows the lower intermediate floor 8, which is disposed between the middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3. The lower intermediate floor 8 has two diametrically opposing, circular-sector-shaped transfer openings 21. The lower intermediate floor 8 consists of perforated material, i.e. it has air vents 17.
FIG. 7 shows the lower, rotatable cover plate 9, which is disposed between the middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3. The lower, rotatable cover plate 9 has two diametrically opposing, circular-sector-shaped portions 23, which in the closed position of the lower, rotatable cover plate 9 cover the two circular-sector-shaped transfer openings 21 in the lower intermediate floor 8. The lower, rotatable cover plate 9 consists of perforated material, i.e. it has air vents 17. The same applies to that casing 20 of the composter which surrounds the middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3. The middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3 are delimited by structural parts which all have air vents. The middle chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3 are therefore constantly ventilated and the composting in the two chambers is promoted by the ventilation.
In the use of the composter, after one of the lids 13, 14 has been opened, fresh waste is thrown into the upper chamber 1. Since the lids can only be opened when the levers 5, 11 stand parallel to the crosspiece 16, the fresh waste is unable to make its way out of the upper chamber 1 into the middle chamber 2. Since the upper chamber 1 is unventilated, the quantity of waste which is introduced daily can neither release moisture nor can it significantly compost, whereby the insect infestation is kept small. Only once the upper chamber 1 is approximately filled, for example after 2 to 3 weeks, is the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 rotated into the transfer position by rotation of the hollow shaft 6 via the lever 5, so that the content of the upper chamber 1 can fall through the transfer opening 21 in the upper intermediate floor 4 into the middle chamber 2. Through the rotation of the upper, rotatable cover plate 7, the composting material is mixed together and ventilated. A leveling element 24 fastened to the hollow shaft 6 rotates jointly with the hollow shaft 6 and distributes the composting material amassed beneath the transfer opening 21 evenly over the middle chamber 2. The scraper 18 pushes the composting material lying on the circular-sector-shaped portions 23 of the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 into the transfer opening 21. Finally, the upper, rotatable cover plate 7 is rotated back into the closed position and fresh waste can once again be gathered in the upper chamber 1, while in the middle chamber 2 the composting material which has previously fallen through can compost in peace, without the risk of fresh waste getting into the middle chamber 2.
Through the air vents 17 which are present in the casing 20 surrounding the middle chamber 2, in the lower intermediate floor 8 and in the lower, rotatable cover plate 9, oxygen now accesses the composting material in the middle chamber 2. In the composting material, a brisk composting sets in, in which the relatively large quantity of composting material warms up strongly in the first few days and a large part of the moisture is thereby separated out from the composter via the air vents 17, while at the same time, as a result of the strong warming, a hygienization of the composting material with the destruction of weed seeds is achieved. The release of moisture leads to a heavy reduction in volume, so that, up to the next emptying of the upper chamber 1, the volume in the middle chamber 2 is reduced to approximately 60%. It has proved advantageous if the volume of the middle chamber 2 is roughly three times the volume of the upper chamber 1.
Only when the middle chamber 2 is full, for example after 2 to 3 months, is the lower, rotatable cover plate 9 rotated by rotation of the rotary shaft 10 via the lever 11 and the transfer openings 21 in the lower intermediate floor 8 freed, so that the well composted waste which has meanwhile been cooled falls into the lower chamber 3. Upon the rotation, the composting material is once again mixed together and additionally ventilated. A scraper 18 over the lower, rotatable cover plate 9 in turn pushes the composting material lying on the cover plate 9 into the transfer opening 21. To one end of the rotary shaft 10 which projects into the lower chamber 3, a leveling element can likewise be fastened for the even distribution of the composting material amassed in the lower chamber 3 beneath the transfer opening 21. After this, the lower, rotatable cover plate 9 is brought back into the closed position to prevent composting material transferred from the upper chamber 1 into the middle chamber 2 from falling into the lower chamber 3.
That casing 20 of the composter which surrounds the lower chamber 3 likewise has air vents 17 and the lower chamber 3 has no floor. The composting material in the lower chamber 3 is well aerated and comes into contact with the garden soil 15 and the soil bacteria and microorganisms present therein, which complete the composting. Here, the advantage is quite clearly manifested that the composting material in the middle chamber 2, as a result of the sudden supply of air, has already largely released its thermal energy, so that the heat-sensitive bacteria and creatures which are now responsible for the further composting can better exploit the already cooled composting material.
After several months, raw compost can be removed from the lower chamber 3 through the lateral removal flap 12 without fresh waste having been intermixed, as happens in conventional composters.
As a result of the undisturbed resting and ripening of the compost, which occurs for lengthy periods in the middle chamber 2 and in the lower chamber 3, a high-grade composting takes place, which is superior to previous composters.
FIG. 8 shows a composter consisting of an upper portion 25, a middle portion 26 and a lower portion 27, in the erected state.
FIG. 9 shows the composter of FIG. 8 in the transport-ready state, in which the three portions 25, 26, 27 are turned upside down and nested one inside the other.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A composter, comprising:

a composter casing having a top side formed with at least one closable filling opening and three chambers disposed one above another inside thereof, said chambers including an upper chamber, a middle chamber below said upper chamber, and a lowermost chamber below said middle chamber, said lowermost chamber being open in a downward direction;

an upper intermediate floor disposed between said upper chamber and said middle chamber and a lower intermediate floor disposed between said middle chamber and said lower chamber;

at least one closable lateral removal opening in a region of said lower chamber;

said upper intermediate floor having at least one transfer opening for composting material formed therein, and a rotatable cover plate disposed for closing said at least one transfer opening;

said lower intermediate floor having at least one transfer opening for the composting material formed therein, and a rotatable cover plate disposed for closing said at least one transfer opening in said lower intermediate floor;

at least one scraper disposed in said middle chamber above said lower intermediate floor and mounted for movement over said lower intermediate floor in order to discharge the composting material.

17. The composter according to claim 16, which comprises a rotary element rotatably mounted about a vertical rotation axis, carrying an actuating element on a top side thereof and extending into said middle chamber, wherein said actuating element carries said rotatable cover plate for selectively closing said transfer opening formed in said lower intermediate floor.

18. The composter according to claim 17, wherein said rotary element bears at least two cover plates projecting diametrically therefrom in said middle chamber, and each of said cover plates is respectively assigned to at least one transfer opening formed in said lower intermediate floor.

19. The composter according to claim 16, which comprises a rotary element rotatably mounted about a vertical rotation axis and having an actuating element on a top side thereof, said rotary element extending from said top side of the composter into said middle chamber, and carrying at least one scraper in said middle chamber disposed to be moved over said lower intermediate floor in order to discharge the composting material.

20. The composter according to claim 16, which comprises a rotary element rotatably mounted about a vertical rotation axis and having an actuating element on a top side thereof, said rotary element extending from said top side of the composter into said middle chamber, and carrying at least one leveling element disposed to be moved through said middle chamber.

21. The composter according to claim 20, wherein said rotary element extending from said top side into said middle chamber bears at least one scraper disposed in said upper chamber and movable over said upper intermediate floor for discharging the composting material.

22. The composter according to claim 16, which comprises a rotary element rotatably supported about a vertical rotation axis and extending from said top side of the composter into said upper chamber, said rotary element carrying an actuating element at an upper end thereof and at least one cover plate disposed in said upper intermediate floor for closing a respective said transfer opening.

23. The composter according to claim 22, wherein said rotary element bears at least two cover plates projecting diametrically therefrom in said upper chamber, and wherein said cover plates are respectively assigned to at least one transfer opening formed in said upper intermediate floor.

24. The composter according to claim 22, wherein said rotary element bears at least one scraper in said upper chamber for movement over said upper intermediate floor and for discharging the composting material.

25. The composter according to claim 16, wherein said upper intermediate floor and each said rotatable cover plate assigned to a transfer opening of said upper intermediate floor, and a respective portion of said composter casing that delimits said upper chamber, are free from air vents, while a respective portion of said composter casing delimits said middle chamber and said lower chamber, and said lower intermediate floor, and each said rotatable cover plate assigned to a respective said transfer opening of said lower intermediate floor, has air vents formed therein.

26. The composter according to claim 16, wherein said composter casing is a downwardly widening casing, with a volume of said upper chamber being smaller than a volume of said middle chamber and a volume of said middle chamber being smaller than a volume of said lower chamber.

27. The composter according to claim 26, wherein the volume of said middle chamber is three times the volume of said upper chamber, and the volume of said lower chamber is double the volume of said middle chamber.

28. The composter according to claim 16, wherein an upper composter portion contains said upper chamber, a middle composter portion contains said middle chamber, and a lower composter portion contains said lower chamber.

29. The composter according to claim 28, wherein said middle composter portion is configured for insertion into said lower composter portion and said upper composter portion is configured for insertion into said middle composter portion for transport purposes.

30. The composter according to claim 16, wherein said top side is formed with a plurality of closable filling openings, and which further comprises a plurality of lids for closing said filling openings.