US3807324A

US3807324A - Refuse disposing appliance

Info

Publication number: US3807324A
Application number: US00361494A
Authority: US
Inventors: V Williamitis
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1973-05-18
Filing date: 1973-05-18
Publication date: 1974-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-30

Abstract

A total disposer for combustible and non-combustible household solid waste including an outer airtight chamber with a combination ball mill and combustion drum rotatably supported therein such that inlet air is drawn axially through the inner end wall of the rotating drum to assist in burning the combustible materials while initial drum rotation results in pulverizing frangible material such as glass and ceramic. Continued rotation of the drum at elevated temperatures allows the abrasive balls therein to grind away the oxidized portion of metallic refuse, such as cans, and expose unoxidized nascent metal surfaces for further oxidation and grinding whereby the metal is pulverized. Fan means are located at an upper venting stack for conducting the effluent gases drawn from the outer end of the drum upwardly into a gas scrubbing tower within the stack. The heavier particles in the effluent gas settle onto sloped collection surfaces beneath the drum whereupon the acidic dirty water from the scrubbing tower neutralizes and flushes the deposited particles to a collection drain for disposal.

Description

States atent Williamitis Apr. 30, 1974 REFUSE DISPOSING APPLIANCE 7] ABSTRACT lnvemol'l victor Williamifis, Dayton, OhiO A total disposer for combustible and non-combustible household solid waste including an outer airtight Ge al M t C t [73] Asslgnee D rg i orpora chamber with a comb1nat1on ball null and combustion drum rotatably supported therein such that inlet air is [22] Filed: M y 1973 drawn axially through the inner end wall of the rotating drum to assist in burning the combustible materials [21 1 Appl' 361494 while initial drum rotation results in pulverizing frangible material such as glass and ceramic. Continued re- 110/8 C,

l

14, 1 lO/ 1 l9 tation of the drum at elevated temperatures allows the [51] Int. Cl. F23g 5/12 abra ive balls therein to grind away the oxidized por- Field Of Search 110/3 8 13 tion of metallic refuse, such as cans, and expose unox- 1 10/1l9 idized nascent metal surfaces for further oxidation and grinding whereby the metal is pulverized. Fan means 1' References Cited are located at an upper venting stack for conducting UNITED STATES PATENTS the effluent gases drawn from the outer end of the 1,099,330 6/1914 Woollacott et al. 110/14 x drum upwardly into a gas scrubbing tower Within the 2,175,301 10/1939 Moreton 110 14 stack- The heavier Particles in the effluent gas Settle 3,376,833 4 1963 M h r 110/14 onto sloped collection surfaces beneath the drum 3,646,898 3/1972 Bavers 110/14 whereupon the acidic dirty water from the scrubbing tower neutralizes and flushes the deposited particles to Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague a collection drain for disposal. Attorney, Agent, or FirmEdward P. Barthel 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 11 2g 76 a 6 0 V y 615 1 v 8 z 70 0 A? 3/ 7 J .3 Z V 1 4 4 20 .57 /(7 f" 1-." 'LQI 5 95% 4 5 L 109 .5 g; 92 A 4 1 t; 17 gg 8% [03 wmm xfi #14 M 14- /0/ 1 e t 1 x h rxa :5/ 5/ f 86 M 40 27 22 1 J 52 \L 58 Z 1 57 .1?

REFUSE DISPOSING APPLIANCE This invention relates to a household refuse disposer and more particularly to a domestic disposer appliance for both combustible and solid refuse.

I-Ieretofore apparatus for disposing of household refuse have employed devices for attachment. to sinks to eliminate selected non-metal or glass refuse, by rinsing the residue after grinding for discharge to the drain-line of a sink. Also, incineration has been used for ridding the household of all combustible materials. The prior art, however, has failed to produce a single appliance capable of disposing of all the household solid combustible and non-combustiblerefuse, including food waste, glass, ceramic and metal.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a domestic appliance for disposing of household trash wherein the refuse is subjected to burning and pyrolytic ball mill grinding within a rotating drum with the resultant effluent gases directed into a stack having a scrubbing tower and wherein the dirty scrubbing water is used to flush the unburned settled-out ash and pulverized particles to a drain for collection and removal or disposal to the sewer system.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a total domestic refuse disposer wherein a combined combustion and pulverizing ball mill drum containing ceramic abrasive balls is rotated within an air-tight particle settling chamber utilizing a flue stack having fan means therein with a subjacent water scrubbing tower whereby inlet air is drawn axially through one end wall of the drum, to assist in buring the combustible materials, and wherein the effluent gases and pulverized residue are drawn through the perforated opposite end of the drum. The effluent gases are channeled to the scrubbing tower by the fan means such that the acidic scrubbing tower dirty water is used to flush the gravity settled pulverized residue particles from sloped collection surfaces beneath the drum for flow to a drain for collection or disposal to the sewer system.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the total disposer embodying one form of the invention, the cabinet front panel being broken away to disclose the mechanism therein;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional fragmentary view of the drum of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a free standing refuse disposer appliance or unit designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The unit comprises a lower cabinet 11 having a front panel 12, a rear panel 13, side panels 14 and 15, counter top panel 16 and a bottom panel 17 which encloses a cylindrical shaped housing 18 defining a heating and after-combustion chamber 19 having a rotatable combined combustion and ball mill grinding drum 20 mounted therein. The cabinet panels are preferably of a sandwich construction having inner and outer metal skins separated by suitable insulation material such as glass wool.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 18 is in the form of a tubular insulated composite shell 21 having a front panel 22 spaced from cabinet front panel 12 to provide a vertical ambient air front passage 23 therebetween including air inlets 24 in a bottom edge connecting web 25 such that the air passage 23 communicates with a horizontal air flow top passage 26 located between the counter top panel 16 and the tubular composite shell 21. The composite tubular shell 21 has a downwardly extending front insulated partition 27, the front face of which is substantially co-planar with the forward end 28 of the drum 20 which partition cooperates with downwardly converging sloped wall surfaces 29 and 30 to form funnel-like gravity settling chamber 31. The surfaces 29 and 30 are formed tangent with the inner skin of the housing 18 and lead to a vertical drain passage 32 defined in part by front panel 22 and the partition 27. The lower outlet of drain passage 32 has a closure means, which in the disclosed form is a butterfly valve 33, and is designed for connection to a drain pipe (not shown) from which particle laden dirty or waste water is directed to a screened collection sump for removal by the housewife or discharge direct into a city sewer.

The housing 18 is closed at its rearward end by means of vertical end wall 34 which includes a rearwardly extending horizontal wall segment 35 forming a junction with the cabinet rear panel 13. A machine compartment 36 is defined below the housing 18 and encloses a drive motor 37 mounted above the bottom panel 17 on a channel section box frame 38. A drive chain 40 engages with a large gear 42, concentrically mounted on a tubular drum shaft 44, extending axially through the rear wall of the drum 20, and a geared pinion 46 driven by the motor 37.

As best seen in FIG. 3 the drum shaft 44 is rotatably mounted within journal bearing 48 which in turn is affixed to annular member 50 supported from upright structural frame 51. As seen in FIG. 2 the cabinet back panel 13 has a set of louvers 52 built thereon to receive inlet air for induced upward flow in vertical rear passageway or duct 54 which in turn communicates with the inlet 55 of tubular drum shaft 44, as seen by the arrows in FIG. 2, to permit air to be drawn into the drum compartment.

In FIG. 2 it is seen that the refuse disposer cabinet 1 1 supports a combination effluent gas stack section and forwardly extending console 62 which are of the same width as the cabinet. The stack section has an upwardly extending rear vent passage 64 formed between the riser front insulated panel 65 and back panel 13 and includes an effluent gas water scrubbing or absorption tower housing 66 sealed therein. It will be noted that an upper exit space is provided in the combustion housing end wall 34 to allow passage of smoke and effluent gas from the heating chamber 19 into the rear vent passage 64. The tower housing 66 is filled with suitable fairly open packing material 68 which in the form disclosed, comprises tangled or knitted stainless wire. It will be appreciated, however, that other packing material may be used such as corrugated, loose rolled coarse stainless screen having openings approximately onehalf inch. Also ceramic fillers or bodies may be used in the shape of rings, saddle, etc., without departing from the scope of the invention. The housing 56 has a reduced lower end 70 provided with suitable opening means, such as sets of louvers 72, formed therein to allow the upward flow of smoke and effluent gas to enter the sorption tower housing 66.

A sprinkler 76 is positioned centrally at the upper open end of the tower housing 66 designed to spray water downwardly so as to impinge upon the packing material 68 resulting in a counter-current rinse or sorption water flow therethrough to absorb efiluent gases such as CO S HCI, etc., odors while trapping particles and other noxious burn products from the combustion chamber 19. As viewed in FIG. 2 the sprinkler 76 may be supplied from the household water source by piping 78 extending through rear panel 13.

A tower housing conical catch basin 80 encloses the lower end of the reduced portion 70 for collection of the sorption wash water and is drained therefrom via pipe 82 downwardly to a suitable inverted Y connection (not shown) for dividing the flow between a pair of longitudinal extending pipes passing through the rear wall 34 of the combustion chamber and positioned to straddle the drum 20, as shown by lefthand longitudinal pipe 84. With reference to FIG. 1, the pair of longitudinal pipes terminate in nozzles 86, 88 to distribute the absorption wash water downwardly in fairly uniform film on the sloped wall surfaces 29, 30 capturing and flushing unburned particles collected thereon from the particle settling chamber 31 for subsequent flushing into the drainage passage 32 for collection or discharge with dirty water into the city sewer.

The ball drum has an imperforate cylindrical shell 90 and is permanently closed at its driven end by the imperforate end wall 45 except for the air inlet passage extending through the tubular driving shaft 44. An access opening 92 is provided in the grinding and combustion drum forward end wall 28 including a concentrically positioned closure member 93 which is perforated by outflow ports at 94 and serve to permit the effluent gases and pulverized particles of trash from within the drum to exit into the heating chamber vertical passage 95 from whence the effluent gases are drawn upwardly for rearward flow in horizontally extending passage 97 to the exit 67. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, as the smoke and effluent gases travel upwardly in the passage 95 the pulverized particles are removed by gravity for deposit into the settling chamber 31. An induced draft created by fan means, which in the form disclosed comprises a centrifugal blower 96 driven by motor 98, is provided at the upper end of the stack vent 64 and operates continuously with motor 37 to withdraw smoke and effluent gases from the combustion chamber through exit 67 which communicates with the tower housing louvers 72.

As seen in FIG. 2 the total disposer is adapted to be front loaded and includes a cabinet loading door 100 hinged at 101 and an aligned combustion chamber door 102 hinged at 103 to provide a continuation of vertical air passage between the

doors

100 and 102. While suitable handle means 104 are provided for

doors

100 and 102 it will be understood that the

doors

100 and 102 could be in the form of a composite singlehinged door, is desired. The aligned perforated drum closure member 93 is shown in FIG. 3 hinged at 105 for outward pivotal movement by handle 106 and includes suitable means for being snap fastened in its closed position by suitable means such as resilient clip 107.

A ball charge preferably consisting of a quantity of ceramic grinding or abrasion balls 108 is placed in the drum cavity for the purpose of grinding the unburned refuse such as metal cans and glass bottles from a household load of trash. While in the instant form the balls 108 are shown substantially uniform in diameter, it will be noted that applicant has discovered that for larger ball charges a mixture of ball sizes having diameters in the range of 1 inch, 1% inches and 2 inches, for example, is preferable. The ceramic balls are preferably made primarily from abrasive materials such as alumina (A1 0 silicon carbide (SiC) or the like formed by a pressure sintering process into spheres. It has been determined that by the placement of a plurality of radially spaced longitudinally extending steel bars, shown at 109 in FIG. 3, about the inner periphery of the drum that an acceptable grinding action is achieved with a smaller ceramic ball charge consisting of about 10 percent of the drum volume while without the bars a charge of the order of 40 percent may be required. T l 1 e bars 109 serve to capture the ceramic balls 108 during rotational movement of the drum through a defined arc after which the ceramic balls are released providing impact forces on the unburned metal refuse to lessen the time required to reduce the metal refuse to a fine dust or powder.

As best seen in FIG. 1 the heating chamber 19 is supplied with heat by means of a plurality of sheath type longitudinally extending electric heaters 110 radially spaced about a portion of the outer periphery of the heating chamber 19 and coextensive therewith. It will be noted that the bottom portion of the housing consisting of about of arc is devoid of heaters. This arrangement prevents the settling of pulverized material on the heaters and the resultant sintering of the pulverized glass dust back to a cake or slag while also insuring that the heaters will not interfere with the rinsing of the pulverized particles to drain 32 by causing the evaporation of the dirty water from the sloped walls 30. Suitable controls are provided, such as at 112 on the console 62, whereby selective ones of the heaters are energized during portions of the disposal cycle.

It will be noted that the cooling ambient air entering at 24 to flow upwardly in front air passage 23 and top air passage 26 exits at 1 14 to mix with the effluent gases so as to be drawn into the wet scrubbing tower 66 for subsequent exit through vent duct 116 to the atmosphere.

In operation the total refuse disposal appliance will have three basic cycles: a full cycle for organics, bottles and cans; a partial cycle for organics and bottles and an incineration cycle for paper and plastic material. The cycles will be basically the same except for termination temperatures.

A refuse disposal cycle will be initiated by opening the

access doors

100, 102 and 93 and placing into the drum 20 a quantity of refuse disposed over the ceramic ball charge therein. The doors are then closed and the timer control switch 112 moved a full cycle position to start an initial heat input for drying the refuse wherein a suitable residential electrical supply may be utilized for the purpose of energizing the heaters 110 to raise the temperature within the heating chamber 19 to about 500 F. This initial drying is followed by an incineration period by raising the temperature to a range of about 800 to l,000 F. for ignition and burning of the combustible organic components of the refuse such as paper and plastic.

After the burning has subsided rotation of the drum is started, which in the instant embodiment is at a speed of about revolutions per minute, while the temperature is raised to range from 1,400 to 1,500 F. The temperature is maintained in this range for about 30 to 45 minutes such that the particles are picked up and removed by the air flow through the perforated drum door for gravity settling on surfaces 30. It will be noted that during this first stage of burning as the effluent gases are drawn through the horizontal passage 97, the heaters 110 located therein provide an after-burner effect to ignite any combustible material remaining in the gases.

As best seen in FIG. 3, heating means in the form of a central coaxial electrical resistance heater 120 of standard design is provided having an outer tubular metallic sheath 122 which encloses a coiled resistance element or coil 124 and is separated therefrom by a compact dielectric material 126, such as magnesium oxide. A suitable switching control (not shown) in a domestic power supply is provided to selectively control the energization of the resistance coil 124 as by a control knob 128 on console 62. The heater 120 provides a red hot surface for initial ignition of the combustible refuse and could serve as an additional or alternative sole heat source for the heating chamber 19.

During the pyrolytic hot grind or metal oxidation period, started automatically by the timer control switch 112, the operation of the blower 96 may be reduced to cut down the air flow while maintaining a negative pressure within the heating chamber 19. The combined ceramicball mill grinding and pyrolytic heating cycle involves the rapid oxidation of the metal because of the constant removal of the brittle oxide with resultant exposure of nascent metal surface to further oxidation. Applicants device thus achieves a more effective and rapid pulverizing of the non-combustible refuse to metal oxides within the relatively low temperature range of about l,400 to l,500 F.

The process is continued while the temperature is held within the above range for a predetermined time which in the preferred embodiment is of the order of 30 to 45 minutes. It will be noted that during the metal oxidation or hot grind" cycle certain of the heaters 110 may be deenergized to conserve electrical power without causing a significant lowering of the temperature within the drum. This is due, in part, to any exothermic reaction taking place within the drum together with the heat build-up therein because the combustion chamber is enclosed by insulating material.

After the pyrolytic heating and grinding interval for mixed disposables, the appliance is programmed such that the drum will be rotated for a predetermined glass removal cool-down period in which the temperature is allowed to fall to about l,O00 F. During this time any sintered glass which has coalesced on the ceramic balls 108 is removed by grinding so as to leave the abrasive ceramic balls clean for the next cycle.

The glass and organics cycle, which may be selected by the operator by suitable controls on the console 62, is basically the same as the full cycle except for termination temperatures. That is after the combustible phase the heat input will be terminated at 1,000 F. and the drum rotated on the order of 15 minutes to grind the ash and glass to a powder. The drum may be rotated during cool-down to remove sintered glass from the ceramic balls. The incineration or burn cycle differs in that the drum is rotated during the cool-down for a shorted time interval of about 5 minutes to grind the organic ash to powder.

An alternative method to having the acidic scrubbing tower waste water continuously flush the gravity settled particles from the sloped surfaces 30 involves diverting the water to the sewer during the incineration and hot grind period and delay the flushing of the pulverized gravity settled particles to the drain until after the cooldown portion of the cycle is complete. Such a modification avoids possible'thermal shock and corrosion of the exposed metal surfaces resulting from the steaming of the dirty water during the incineration and pyrolytic grinding operation.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

I claim:

1. In combination, an appliance for incinerating, pyrolytic grinding, effluent gas scrubbing, and scrubber water removal of pulverized residue of combustible and non-combustible household trash; said appliance including an insulated cabinet housing forming a heating chamber, a tubular drum having an air imperforate peripheral wall rotatable in said heating chamber, said drum including a charge of abrasive grinding balls therein, said drum having an access opening in its front wall closable by a perforated closure member movable for loading said drum with household trash, door means in said cabinet housing to provide access to the interior of said drum through said drum access opening, heater means located in said heating chamber, an air inlet duct communicating with said drum rear wall, an effluent gas exhaust stack communicating with the upper portion of said heating chamber, blower means in said stack operable to pull air through said drum perforations into said exhaust stack, means for igniting combustible trash within said drum whereby effluent gas and non-combustible pulverized residue resulting from the incineration and ball grinding of the trash in said drum are removed through said drum perforations, an effluent gas scrubbing tower including scrubber water spray means positioned in said stack, said heating chamber including downwardly sloping collecting wall surfaces positioned subjacent said drum front wall for collecting thereon the gravity settled pulverized particles from the air after their passage through said drum perforations, and means for directing the dirty scrubber water onto said collecting surfaces for washing the pulverized residue to drainage means.

2. In combination, an appliance for incinerating, pyrolytic grinding, effluent gas scrubbing, and scrubber water removal of pulverized particles of combustible and non-combustible household trash; said appliance including an insulated cabinet housing forming a cylindrical air-tight heating chamber, a tubular drum having an air imperforate peripheral wall rotatable in said heating chamber, said drum including a charge of ceramic grinding balls therein, said drum having an access opening in its front wall closable by a perforated closure member movable for loading said drum with household trash, door means in said cabinet housing aligned with and axially spaced from said closure member to provide access to the interior of said drum through said drum access opening, a plurality of electrical heaters located around the periphery of said heating chamber, an air inlet duct communicating with said drum rear wall, an effluent gas exhaust stack extending tions whereby the'effluent gas is drawn upwardly rearwardly through said heating chamber, the air conveying the pulverized particles resulting from the incineration and ball mill grinding of trash in said drum through said drum perforations, an effluent gas counter-flow scrubbing tower including scrubber water spray means in said stack, said heating chamber including downwardly sloping collecting wall surfaces positioned subjacent said rotating drum front wall for collecting thereon the portion of the pulverized particles gravity settled from the air after the passage of the air.through said drum perforations, and means for directing the waste scrubbing water onto said collecting surfaces for absorbing and washing the pulverized particles to a drain for subsequent collection or flushing to the city sewers.

3. In combination, an appliance for incinerating, pyrolytic grinding, effluent gas scrubbing, and scrubber water removal of pulverized residue of household trash including combustible and non-combustible refuse disposing appliance for installation in a kitchen or the like and having a cabinet enclosing an insulated housing forming a cylindrical substantially air-tight heating chamber, a tubular drum having an air imperforate cylindrical body positioned within said heating chamber, said drum including a charge of ceramic grinding balls therein, means supporting said drum within said heat ing chamber for rotation therein with said drums longitudinal axis in substantially horizontal position, said drum having an access opening in its front end closable by a perforated closure member movable for loading said drum with household trash, said drum rear wall having an inlet in continuous communication with the atmosphere, door means in said cabinet and said housing aligned with and axially spaced from said closure member to provide access to the interior of said drum through said drum access opening, heater means positioned around the periphery of said heating chamber, means for igniting the combustible trash within said drum, an effluent gas exhaust stack extending upwardly from the rear portion of said heating chamber, fan means in the upper end of said stack operative for drawing in air through said drums rear wall inlet and to exhaust the effluent gas resulting from the incineration of the trash upwardly through 'said heating chamber and thence rearwardly into said exhaust stack, an effluent gas scrubbing tower in said stack positioned below said fan means, air inlet means adjacent the lower end of said scrubbing tower, air pervious packing material in said gas scrubbing tower, said scrubbing tower having water spray means positioned thereabove for discharging sprays of scrubber water on said packing material for gravity flow downwardly therethrough so as to wash, the effluent gas entering said stack through said air inlet means, a catch basin in the lower end of said scrubbing tower for collecting the dirty scrubber water, said heating chamber inner cylindrical walls terminating at its forward end in downwardly sloping wall collecting surfaces positioned subjacent said rotating drum perforated closure member, means for rotating said ball grinding drum while said heater means maintains said heating chamber at an elevated temperature whereby the non-combustible trash is reduced to a pulverized residue, said fan means operative for maintaining the heating chamber under negative pressure thereby assisting in drawing the pulverized residue through said perforations for gravity settling on said collecting surfaces, and conduit means for directing the dirty scrubber water onto said collecting surfaces for neutralizing and washing the gravity settled pulverized residue thereon to a drain for collection or removal to the city sewers.

4. A method of disposing of solid household refuse containing combustible and non-combustible metal portions within a heating chamber, comprising the steps of incinerating the combustible portion of the refuse in a ceramic ball mill drum rotatably mounted in the heating chamber by raising the drum to a temperature between 800 and 1,000 F., introducing outside air into said drum during the incineration period to maximize combustion, conveying the effluent gas from the drum and heating chamber through a counter-flow wet gas scrubber to the atmosphere, rotating the ball mill drum for grinding the burned residue therein to particulate matter, continuing the rotation of the drum while subjecting the metal portions of the refuse therein to simultaneous pyrolytic heating and pulverizing by raising the drum to a temperature range between about l,400 and 1,500 F., the pyrolytic heating re sulting in the surface of the metal refuse being oxidized so as to be flaked-ofi' and pulverized thereby continuously exposing nascent surfaces of the metal portions of the refuse, supplying the drum with air for transporting the pulverized metal and particulate residue from the drum for gravity settling on collection surfaces within the heating chamber, and means for conveying the waste acidic scrubbing water to the collection surfaces for neutralizing and flushing the deposited pulverized metal and particulate residue to drainage means.

mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,807,324 Dated April 30, 1974 Invenw b Victor A. williamitis It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the title page, under "References Cited", add 3,381,637 5/1968 Farrell, Jr. et al 110/8 Column 1, line 32, "buring" should read burning Signed and sealed this 1st day of October 1974.

(SEAL): Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. In combination, an appliance for incinerating, pyrolytic grinding, effluent gas scrubbing, and scrubber water removal of pulverized residue of combustible and non-combustible household trash; said appliance including an insulated cabinet housing forming a heating chamber, a tubular drum having an air imperforate peripheral wall rotatable in said heating chamber, said drum including a charge of abrasive grinding balls therein, said drum having an access opening in its front wall closable by a perforated closure member movable for loading said drum with household trash, door means in said cabinet housing to provide access to the interior of said drum through said drum access opening, heater means located in said heating chamber, an air inlet duct communicating with said drum rear wall, an effluent gas exhaust stack communicating with the upper portion of said heating chamber, blower means in said stack operable to pull air through said drum perforations into said exhaust stack, means for igniting combustible trash within said drum whereby effluent gas and non-combustible pulverized residue resulting from the incineration and ball grinding of the trash in said drum are removed through said drum perforations, an effluent gas scrubbing tower including scrubber water spray means positioned in said stack, said heating chamber including downwardly sloping collecting wall surfaces positioned subjacent said drum front wall for collecting thereon the gravity settled pulverized particles from the air after their passage through said drum perforations, means for directing the dirty scrubber water onto said collecting surfaces for washing the pulverized residue to drainage means.

2. In combination, an appliance for incinerating, pyrolytic grinding, effluent gas scrubbing, and scrubber water removal of pulverized particles of combustible and non-combustible household trash; said appliance including an insulated cabinet housing forming a cylindrical air-tight heating chamber, a tubular drum having an air imperforate peripheral wall rotatable in said heating chamber, said drum including a charge of ceramic grinding balls therein, said drum having an access opening in its front wall closable by a perforated closure member movable for loading said drum with household trash, door means in said cabinet housing aligned with and axially spaced from said closure member to provide access to the interior of said drum through said drum access opening, a plurality of electrical heaters located around the periphery of said heating chamber, an air inlet duct communicating with said drum rear wall, an effluent gas exhaust stack extending from the upper portion of said heating chamber adjacent the rear wall thereof, blower means in said stack operable to pull air axially through said drum perforations whereby the effluent gas is drawn upwardly rearwardly through said heating chamber, the air conveying the pulverized particles resulting from the incineration and ball mill grinding of trash in said drum through said drum perforations, an effluent gas counter-flow scrubbing tower including scrubber water spray means in said stack, said heating chamber including downwardly sloping collecting wall surfaces positioned subjacent said rotating drum front wall for collecting thereon the portion of the pulverized particles gravity settled from the air after the passage of the air through said drum perforations, means for directing the waste scrubbing water onto said collecting surfaces for absorbing and washing the pulverized particles to a drain for subsequent collection or flushing to the city sewers.

3. In combination, an appliance for incinerating, pyrolytic grinding, effluent gas scrubbing, and scrubber water removal of pulverized residue of household trash including combustible and non-combustible refuse disposing appliance for installation in a kitchen or the like and having a cabinet enclosing an insulated housing forming a cylindrical substantially aiR-tight heating chamber, a tubular drum having an air imperforate cylindrical body positioned within said heating chamber, said drum including a charge of ceramic grinding balls therein, means supporting said drum within said heating chamber for rotation therein with said drum''s longitudinal axis in substantially horizontal position, said drum having an access opening in its front end closable by a perforated closure member movable for loading said drum with household trash, said drum rear wall having an inlet in continuous communication with the atmosphere, door means in said cabinet and said housing aligned with and axially spaced from said closure member to provide access to the interior of said drum through said drum access opening, heater means positioned around the periphery of said heating chamber, means for igniting the combustible trash within said drum, an effluent gas exhaust stack extending upwardly from the rear portion of said heating chamber, fan means in the upper end of said stack operative for drawing in air through said drum''s rear wall inlet and to exhaust the effluent gas resulting from the incineration of the trash upwardly through said heating chamber and thence rearwardly into said exhaust stack, an effluent gas scrubbing tower in said stack positioned below said fan means, air inlet means adjacent the lower end of said scrubbing tower, air pervious packing material in said gas scrubbing tower, said scrubbing tower having water spray means positioned thereabove for discharging sprays of scrubber water on said packing material for gravity flow downwardly therethrough so as to wash the effluent gas entering said stack through said air inlet means, a catch basin in the lower end of said scrubbing tower for collecting the dirty scrubber water, said heating chamber inner cylindrical walls terminating at its forward end in downwardly sloping wall collecting surfaces positioned subjacent said rotating drum perforated closure member, means for rotating said ball grinding drum while said heater means maintains said heating chamber at an elevated temperature whereby the non-combustible trash is reduced to a pulverized residue, said fan means operative for maintaining the heating chamber under negative pressure thereby assisting in drawing the pulverized residue through said perforations for gravity settling on said collecting surfaces, conduit means for directing the dirty scrubber water onto said collecting surfaces for neutralizing and washing the gravity settled pulverized residue thereon to a drain for collection or removal to the city sewers.

4. A method of disposing of solid household refuse containing combustible and non-combustible metal portions within a heating chamber, comprising the steps of incinerating the combustible portion of the refuse in a ceramic ball mill drum rotatably mounted in the heating chamber by raising the drum to a temperature between 800* and 1,000* F., introducing outside air into said drum during the incineration period to maximize combustion, conveying the effluent gas from the drum and heating chamber through a counter-flow wet gas scrubber to the atmosphere, rotating the ball mill drum for grinding the burned residue therein to particulate matter, continuing the rotation of the drum while subjecting the metal portions of the refuse therein to simultaneous pyrolytic heating and pulverizing by raising the drum to a temperature range between about 1,400* and 1,500* F., the pyrolytic heating resulting in the surface of the metal refuse being oxidized so as to be flaked-off and pulverized thereby continuously exposing nascent surfaces of the metal portions of the refuse, supplying the drum with air for transporting the pulverized metal and particulate residue from the drum for gravity settling on collection surfaces within the heating chamber, and means for conveying the waste acidic scrubbing water to the collection surfaces for neutralizing and flushing the deposited pulverIzed metal and particulate residue to drainage means.