ZA200504546B - Fluorescent lamp disposer - Google Patents

Description

. (1) TITLE OF THE INVENTION

FLUORESCENT LAMP DISPOSER

(2) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and article processing equipment for taking toxic substance containing articles releasably holding toxic substance and that have become inoperative, out of circulation. Although not so limited the invention finds particular application in the field of the disposal of linear fluorescent tube lamps. (3) BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Fluorescent tube lamps contain mercury or other similar toxic vapour to enable their operation. Once a lamp has become inoperative it must be stored. As such lamps are often large they are conventionally crushed and then suitably disposed of. Shattering, however, releases the toxic vapour held by a lamp. Owing to being a health hazard the toxic vapour cannot be permitted to be released to the environment. A variety of techniques are used to achieve such result. USA patent number 5,092,527 discloses a disposer that can be used on a successive single lamp continuous basis implying the possibility of toxic vapour loss to the environment during use while crushed material and adsorbed are separated during the process by way of a substantially involved procedure. USA patent application 2004/0104288A1 discloses a process in which single lamps are feedable to crushing zone but does not involve the use of adsorbing agent during operation. In both disclosures the possibility of environmental release of toxic substance remains a possibility while both are

) ) labour intensive owing to requiring the individual feeding of successive lamps for processing.

It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to address these aspects. (4) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of taking toxic substance 5s containing articles releasably holding toxic substance and that have become inoperative, out of circulation that comprises exposing at least one but preferably a batch of the articles and particulate toxic substance capturing agent to an environment exposure limiting toxic agent releasing article destructing process that is of adequate intensity to promote the proper mixing and accompanying capturing of at least the bulk of the released toxic substance by the capturing agent, and accumulating and storing the destructed articles and agent of which at least part has captured toxic substance against environmental exposure.

The method may comprise the accumulation and storage of the destructed articles and agent simultaneously with the performance of the process.

The method may preferably comprise exposing the articles, as of a shatterable character, to a destructing process in the form of an article fragmenting process.

The method may also comprise grading shattered article product from the fragmenting process in a way that maintains oversize fragments in fragmenting process exposure prior to product and agent accumulation and storage.

The method may preferably comprise charging at least the articles to a charging zone situated upstream of the location of performance of the fragmenting process to which location the articles and the agent are urged to pass during performance of the fragmenting, mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process, while at a rate that does not impair the efficiency of the process with the zone of charging, in the appropriate case, also serving an article storage function.

In one embodiment the method may involve urging charged articles to pass to the location of performance of the fragmenting mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process by way of a positive displacing action.

The method may preferably comprise charging both the articles and the agent to the charging zone, the agent becoming so charged at the latest just prior to commencement of the fragmenting, mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process.

In a preferred embodiment the method may comprise exposing articles in the form of fluorescent tube lamps and agent at least in the form of activated carbon or charcoal to the fragmenting, mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process for capturing toxic substance in at least the form of mercury vapour, as thus conventionally contained by fluorescent tube lamps, by way of adsorbing it to the carbon or charcoal.

In at least the case of by way of a batch process treating a number of linearly extending : fluorescent tube lamps, the method may involve urging their transfer to the location of performance of the fragmenting, mixing and substance capturing process at a rate that does not impair its efficiency in response to limiting the number of tubes simultaneously entering the process performance location.

In a specific embodiment the method may involve fragmenting the lamps by way of a rotating blade action.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided article processing equipment for taking toxic substance containing articles releasably holding toxic substance and that have become inoperative, out of circulation that comprises article charging and processing zone defining means closable to hold articles charged thereto against environmental release of toxic substance that become released from such articles during article processing by way of a batch operation, and that is formed with a discharge connectable to discharge processed product against environmental release to a processed product storage with the article charging and processing zone in the appropriate case also serving an article storage function, and a suitably powerable article destructing mechanism operative to perform an article destructing operation within the article charging and processing zone to at least the extent of releasing toxic substance from articles held in the charging and processing zone though in an adequately vigorous way to promote the capturing of released toxic substance by particulate toxic capturing agent charged to the processing zone at the latest during performance of the article destructing operation in combination with such substance capturing action thus constituting an article processing operation.

The article destructing mechanism may preferably be of a kind that performs an article fragmenting function resulting in the equipment being constituted to process articles of at least mainly fragmentable nature.

.

The article destructing mechanism may preferably be situated remote from the position of charging of the article charging and processing zone, the equipment being constituted to urge charged articles into a fragmenting relationship with the destructing mechanism at least once in use though in a way that does not impede the operation of the destructing 5 mechanism, the discharge being connected to a product storage once the equipment is so in use to permit the continuous removal of processed articles in at least the case where no provision is made for accumulation of processed articles within the article charging and processing zone defining means.

The article processing equipment may include a grading facility situated between the article destructing mechanism and the discharge to limit the size of article fragments that goes for storage once the equipment is in use, the equipment providing for the further processing of oversize article fragments that have already been exposed to fragmentation by the destructing mechanism to also enable their passage through the grading facility to limit their accumulation within the article charging and processing zone.

The grading facility may preferably be in the form of a grading sieve.

In a preferred embodiment the destructing mechanism may be in the form of a bladed rotor.

The article charging and processing zone defining means may preferably define a charging and processing zone of tubular shape for also accommodating articles in the form of linear fluorescent tube lamps, the charging end of the charging and processing zone thus being presented at one end of the zone, as closable by a lid, while the destructing mechanism is located towards the end of the zone remote from its charging end and, when in the form of a bladed rotor, thus being mounted to rotate about an axis at least parallel to the central axis of the charging and processing zone, further processing of oversize article fragments to limit their build-up within the article charging and processing zone in the case of the equipment being fitted with a grading facility while the destructing mechanism is in the form of a bladed rotor being achieved by positioning the rotor, as sized to cover substantially the full cross sectional area of the part of the charging and processing zone within which it runs, in close adjacent relationship with the grading facility resulting in the rubbing effect of newly fragmented article pieces from the rotor contributing to the further fragmentation of oversize pieces caught in the zone between the rotor and the grading facility during use of the equipment, the grading facility when so included in the equipment being formed to also permit the passage of fluorescent lamp ends caps during operation of the equipment.

In a specific embodiment the charging and processing zone defining means may in the form of a tube.

When arranged to mainly process linear fluorescent tube lamps, the article processing equipment may in one embodiment be constituted to urge charged articles into a fragmenting relationship with the destructing mechanism by way of an endless urging facility running at a low elevation within the charging and processing zone that thus extends at a shallow slope if not horizontally, once the equipment is in use, requiring the positive feeding of lamps held for processing into a processing relationship with the destructing mechanism of which impeding of the operation, at least when in the form of a bladed rotor and resulting from its being simultaneously exposed to a full charge, is limited via a constricting buffer located between the lamp holding part of the charging and processing zone and the location of bladed rotor operation that only permits the transfer of lowermost situated lamps of a charge via the operation of the urging facility to the rotor once the equipment is in use with lamps removed by the operation of the urging facility being gravitationally replaced by overhead stacked lamps of a charge until fully processed.

The urging facility may conveniently be in the form of a suitably driven endless band running between end rollers in a charging and processing zone floor formed channel that is fitted with suitably spaced transversely arranged lamp displacers that thus urge and displace the lowermost lamps of a lamp charge into a processing relationship with the bladed rotor once the equipment is in use.

When arranged to mainly process linear fluorescent tube lamps, and in another embodiment the article processing equipment my be constituted to urge charged articles into a fragmenting relationship with the destructing mechanism owing to the charging and processing zone being maintained at a suitable slope, at least once the equipment is in use, to promote the gravitational feeding of lamps held for processing into a processing relationship with the destructing mechanism of which impeding of the operation, at least when in the form of a bladed rotor and resulting from its being simultaneously exposed to a full charge, is limited via a constricting baffle located between the lamp holding part of the charging and processing zone and the location of bladed rotor operation that only permits the transfer of lowermost situated lamps of a charge via the operation of the urging facility to the rotor once the equipment is in use with lamps removed by the operation of the urging facility being gravitationally replaced by overhead stacked lamps of a charge until fully processed.

The article processing equipment of this further embodiment may incorporate transferring means via which product from the destructing mechanism during operation of the equipment becomes elevatably transferred to enable its accumulation into an upright storage to which it is transferred and in which it is held against environment release of toxic substance. 5s In a embodiment the transferring means may be in the form of an auger extending below the charging and processing zone defining means, and into the lower end of which auger : process product thus being discharged onto the lower end of the auger, during operation of the equipment, while its discharge end is in use in sealable discharge communication with a storage.

The article processing equipment may preferably be sized to enable an operator to charge articles intended for treatment via the charging opening of the container while standing on the base on which the equipment is positioned.

The article treating equipment may preferably be in form of a suitably collapsible easily manually transportable unit. (5) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is now described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of article processing equipment in the form of linear fluorescent tube lamp disposer in side elevation,

Figure 2 shows the disposer along section line A-A in figure 1,

Figure 3 shows the disposer in the direction of arrow B in figure 1,

Figure 4 shows the disposer in the direction of arrow C in figure 1,

Figure 5 shows the disposer along section line D-D in figure 1,

Figure 6 shows the disposer along section line E-E in figure 1,

Figure 7 three dimensionally shows another embodiment of the disposer of the invention,

Figure 8 shows in three-dimensional detail the article-destructing-mechanism holding end of the disposer,

Figure 9 shows the disposer of figures 7 and 8 in side elevation, and

Figure 10 shows the disposer in the direction of arrow F in figure 9.

(6) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Referring to the drawings article processing equipment in the form of a batch type fluorescent tube lamp disposer is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.

The disposer 10 comprises article charging and processing zone defining means in the form of a linear fluorescent tube lamp charging tube 12 defining a charging and processing zone 14 extending between an upstream charging end 16 and a downstream processing end 18

RN and an article destructing mechanism in the form of a bladed rotor 20 drivable by a motor 22 for fragmenting tube lamps urged into a crushing type fragmenting relationship thereto as discussed in more detail below for the various embodiments. The inlet to the charging tube 12 is closable via a sealing door 24 while its discharge 26 is sealably connected to a place of storage in the form of a removable drum 28 once the disposer 10 is ready for use. To prevent oversize lamp portions from entering the storage 28 a grading facility in the form of a grading screen 30 in interposed between the rotor 20 an the discharge 26. The apertures of the screen 30 are suitably sized to also permit the passage of lamp end caps there along.

In referring to figures 1 to 6 and in one embodiment the rotor 20 is mounted to rotate about an axis 32 that is parallel to the central axis 34 of the charging tube 12 while a chute 36 connects the discharge end of the tube 12 to the zone of operation 38 of the rotor 20.

The disposer 10 is fitted with legs 40 that maintain the charging tube 12 substantially horizontal once ready for use. The legs 40 are of suitable elevation to facilitate the manual charging of the zone 14 without the use of any stepping facility facilitating the convenient use of the disposer 10.

Urging of tubes charged to the zone 14 into their crushing relationship with the rotor 20 is achieved via an endless urging facility in the form of an endless band 42 running along a channel shaped bottom section 44 forming part of the zone 14 between motor driven end rollers 46. The band 42 is fitted with two lamp displacers in the form of catching formations 48 spaced half the length of the band 42 apart to perform lamp end catching functions in urging lamps lying at the bottom of a stacked charge and thus onto the band 42 into a crushing relationship with the rotor 20. While not shown the bottom section 44 is covered from above by way of a cover that permits the free movement of the band 42 and the formations 48 while minimising the possibility of toxic substance capturing agent from falling into the section 44 thereby creating its blockage.

To limit the extent of lamp charging to the rotor 20 to ensure maintenance of its proper operation the discharge end of the zone 14 is fitted with a constricting buffer 50 formed with a rotor access passage 52 opening up into the chute 36 and extending upward from the bottom section 44 in straddling the discharge end of the band 42 that constricts access to the rotor 20 via the operation of the band 42 to only the lowermost layers of lamps stackably held along the charging zone 14. During operation of the disposer 10 lamps removed by the } processing action of the rotor 20 on being progressively urged into a crushing relationship there with are gravitationally replaced by lamps still higher up in the charge for the disposing of all the lamps of a charge.

To make provision for the further fragmentation of oversize lamp pieces caught between the rotor 20 and the screen 30 and that are thus prevented form passing through the screen 30, it is suitably closely positioned adjacent the rotor 20 to enable newly crushed lamp pieces leaving the rotor 20 to impart a rubbing and further fragmenting effect on such caught pieces during use of the disposer 10 promoting the continuous flow of pieces to storage.

While the screen 30 of this embodiment is of co-axial nature as regards the rotor 20 it can also be in the form of a circumferentially fitted radial screen, as discussed below with reference to the figures 7 to 10 embodiment.

In referring to figures 7 to 10 and in another embodiment feeding of the rotor 20 is ) gravitationally achieved owing to the mounting of the charging tube 12 at a slope achieved by legs 54 typically positioning the tube 12 at a slope of in the order of 30 degrees. As with the figures 1 to 6 embodiment the extent of lamp charging to the rotor 20 to ensure maintenance of its proper operation, the discharge end of the zone 14 is fitted with a constricting buffer 56 formed with a rotor access passage opening up into the zone of rotor operation 58. Again during operation of the disposer 10, lamps removed by the processing action of the rotor 20 on being progressively gravitationally urged into a crushing relationship there with are gravitationally replaced by lamps still higher up in the charge. As the screen 30 of this embodiment annularly encompasses the rotor 20 the possibility of oversize fragment piece build up is prevented by the very operation of the blades of the rotor 20 fully sweeping the zone on the upstream side of the screen 30. As said above it will be appreciated that a similar rotor and screen configuration can also be implemented for the figures 1 to 6 embodiment discussed above. Alternatively a co-axial screen 30 can be used for this embodiment.

Owing to the sloping requirement of the tube 12 in achieving gravitational feeding while it is desirable to have its charging end 16 at an operator convenience elevation of charging, the processing end 18 of the disposer 10 is substantially at base level once located for use. As processed tube lamps are required to be discharged to the drum 28 the disposer 10 is fitted with transferring means in the form of a motor driven auger 60 extending below the tube 12 for suitably elevating processed product. The auger 60 is naturally arranged to result in the product from the rotor 20 discharging sealably there into once the disposer 10 is in use. it will appreciated that the figures 1 to 6 embodiment of the disposer 10 will be able to deal with a larger charge of lamps that the figures 7 to 10 embodiment owing to the positive feeding effect of the band 42.

While the object of the disposer 10 is to dispose spent fluorescent lamps in a way that limits escape of toxic substance such as mercury vapour to the environment, the whole system is sealed during performance of a lamp processing procedure. The door 24 consequently sealably fits the tube 12 while the transfer of processed lamps and accompanying substance to the drum 28 is also done under sealed conditions via the discharge 26. In addition to serving a charging function in performing a batch type lamp disposal action the tube 12 naturally also serves a storage function. Spent tube lamps are consequently stored in the tube 12 until it is desirably charged to run the disposer 10.

The disposer 10 as specifically described is employable for safely taking spent fluorescent tube lamps out of circulation. While it is particularly useful for dealing with linearly extending lamps it will be appreciated that any shape of fluorescent lamp can be accommodated as long as it can pass through the rotor access passage 52 even if pre-broken by the action of the feeding mechanism as constituted from the band 42 with its fitted formations 48.

Its process of use consequently involves the charging of toxic substance capturing agent in the form of activated carbon or charcoal for adsorbing the mercury vapour released from the lamps on their crushing to the tube 12 once desirably charged with lamps. Once the system is properly sealed by closure of the door 24 and sealable connection to the drum 28, the processing operation is initiated. This simply involves the starting of the rotor 20 and in the case of the figures 1 to 6 embodiment the band 42 or the auger 60 in the case of the figures 7 to 10 embodiment. The lamps and agent are thus urged into a processing relationship with the rotor 20, whether gravitationally or by the operation of the band 42. The operation of the buffer 50 plate ensures that the rate of lamp charging does not choke the rotor 20, which would otherwise cause its decreased efficiency and even its stoppage.

Lamps fed are accordingly continuously crushed by the rotor 20 while released mercury vapour is adsorbed by activated charcoal also fed to and circulating in the zone of fragmentation of the rotor 20. Such adsorption action is enhanced by the vigorous mixing action taking place in the zone of fragmentation by the action of the rotor 20. Crushed lamp pieces as graded by the screen 38 and conjunction with charcoal, as having adsorbed the bulk of the released mercury vapour during the operation of the disposer 10, are continuously removed from the zone of fragmentation and discharged for storage to the drum 28, whether directly or via the operation of the auger 60.

The accumulation of still oversize lamp fragments between the rotor 20 and the screen 38 is counteracted by either the rubbing and secondary fragmenting action of lamp pieces coming into contact with such oversize pieces or by the full sweeping operation the blades of the rotor 20.

Once the lamp charge has been disposed of the charging opening of the drum 28 can be closed off and the tube 12 opened again for a further charge or to serve as a place of storage for accumulating lamps for a subsequent charge.

Claims (1)

1. (7) CLAIMS (1) A method of taking toxic substance containing articles releasably holding toxic substance and that have become inoperative, out of circulation that comprises exposing at least one but preferably a batch of the articles and particulate toxic substance capturing agent to an environment exposure limiting toxic agent releasing article destructing process that is of adequate intensity to promote the proper mixing and accompanying capturing of at least the bulk of the released toxic substance by the capturing agent, and accumulating and storing the destructed articles and agent of which at least part has captured toxic substance against environmental exposure.

   (2) A method as claimed in claim 1 that comprises the accumulation and storage of the destructed articles and agent simultaneously with the performance of the process. (3) A method as claimed in claim 2 that comprises exposing the articles, as of a shatterable character, to a destructing process in the form of an article fragmenting process. (4) A method as claimed in claim 3 that comprises grading shattered article product from the fragmenting process in a way that maintains oversize fragments in fragmenting process exposure prior to product and agent accumulation and storage. (5) A method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 that comprises charging at least the articles to a charging zone situated upstream of the location of performance of the fragmenting process to which location the articles and the agent are urged to pass during performance of the fragmenting, mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process, while at a rate that does not impair the efficiency of the process with the zone of charging, in the appropriate case, also serving an article storage function. (6) A method as claimed in claim 5 that involves urging charged articles to pass to the location of performance of the fragmenting mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process by way of a positive displacing action. (7) A method as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 that comprises charging both the articles and the agent to the charging zone, the agent becoming so charged at the latest just prior to commencement of the fragmenting, mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process.

   (8) A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 that comprises exposing articles in the form of fluorescent tube lamps and agent at least in the form of activated carbon or charcoal to the fragmenting, mixing and accompanying toxic substance capturing process for capturing toxic substance in at least the form of mercury vapour, as thus conventionally contained by fluorescent tube lamps, by way of adsorbing it to the carbon or charcoal. (9) A method as claimed in claim 8 that in at least the case of by way of a batch process 5s treating a number of linearly extending fluorescent tube lamps, involves urging their transfer to the location of performance of the fragmenting, mixing and substance capturing process at a rate that does not impair its efficiency in response to limiting the number of tubes simultaneously entering the process performance location. (10) A method as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 that involves crushingly fragmenting the lamps by way of a rotating blade action. (11) Article processing equipment for taking toxic substance containing articles releasably holding toxic substance and that have become inoperative, out of circulation that comprises article charging and processing zone defining means closable to hold articles charged thereto against environmental release of toxic substance that become released from such articles during article processing by way of a batch operation, and that is formed with a discharge connectable to discharge processed product against environmental release to a processed product storage with the article charging and processing zone in the appropriate case also serving an article storage function, and a suitably powerable article destructing mechanism operative to perform an article destructing operation within the article charging and processing zone to at least the extent of releasing toxic substance from articles held in the charging and processing zone though in an adequately vigorous way to promote the capturing of released toxic substance by particulate toxic capturing agent charged to the processing zone at the latest during performance of the article destructing operation in combination with such substance capturing action thus constituting an article processing operation. (12) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 11 in which the article destructing mechanism is of a kind that performs an article fragmenting function resulting in the equipment being constituted to process articles of at least mainly fragmentable nature. (13) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 12 in which the article destructing mechanism is situated remote from the position of charging of the article charging and processing zone, the equipment being constituted to urge charged articles into a fragmenting

   : relationship with the destructing mechanism at least once in use though in a way that does not impede the operation of the destructing mechanism while the discharge is connected to a product storage once the equipment is so in use to permit the continuous removal of processed articles in at least the case where no provision is made for accumulation of processed articles within the article charging and processing zone defining means. (14) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 13 that includes a grading facility situated between the article destructing mechanism and the discharge to limit the size of

   : article fragments that goes for storage once the equipment is in use, the equipment providing for the further processing of oversize article fragments that have already been exposed to fragmentation by the destructing mechanism to also enable their passage through the grading facility to limit their accumulation within the article charging and processing zone. (15) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 14 in which the grading facility is in the form of a grading sieve.

   (16) Article processing equipment as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15 in which the -destructing mechanism is in the form of a bladed rotor for crushingly fragmenting articles.

   (17) Article processing equipment as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16 in which the article charging and processing zone defining means defines a charging and processing zone of tubular shape for also accommodating articles in the form of linear fluorescent tube lamps, the charging end of the charging and processing zone thus being presented at one end of the zone as closable by a lid while the destructing mechanism is located towards the end of the zone remote from its charging end and, when in the form of a bladed rotor, thus being mounted to rotate about an axis at least parallel to the central axis of the charging and processing zone, re-exposure of oversize article fragments to the destructing mechanism to limit its build-up within the article charging and processing zone in the case of the equipment being fitted with a grading facility while the destructing mechanism is in the form of a bladed rotor being achieved by positioning the rotor, as sized to cover substantially the full cross sectional area of the part of the charging and processing zone within which it runs, in close adjacent relationship with the grading facility resulting in the rubbing effect of newly fragmented article pieces from the rotor contributing to the further fragmentation of still oversize pieces caught in the zone between the rotor and the grading facility during use of the equipment, the grading facility when so included in the equipment being formed to also permit the passage of fluorescent lamp ends caps during operation of the equipment.

   (18) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 15 in which the charging and processing zone defining means is in the form of a tube. (19) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18 that, when arranged to mainly process linear fluorescent tube lamps, is constituted to urge charged articles into a fragmenting relationship with the destructing mechanism by way of an endless urging facility running at a low elevation within the charging and processing zone that thus extends at a shallow slope if not horizontally, once the equipment is in use, requiring the positive feeding of lamps held for processing into a processing relationship with the destructing mechanism of which impeding of the operation, at least when in the form of a bladed rotor and resulting from its being simultaneously exposed to a full charge, is limited via a constricting baffle located between the lamp holding part of the charging and processing zone and the location of bladed rotor operation that only permits the transfer of lowermost situated lamps of a charge via the operation of the urging facility to the rotor once the equipment is in use with lamps removed by the operation of the urging facility being gravitationally replaced by overhead stacked lamps of a charge until fully processed. (20) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 19 in which the urging facility is in the form of a suitably driven endless cord running between end rollers in a charging and processing zone floor formed channel that is fitted with suitably spaced transversely arranged lamp displacers that thus urge and displace the lowermost lamps of a lamp charge into a processing relationship with the bladed rotor once the equipment is in use. (21) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18 that, when arranged to mainly process linear fluorescent tube lamps, is constituted to urge charged articles into a fragmenting relationship with the destructing mechanism owing to the charging and processing zone being maintained at a suitable slope, at least once the equipment is in use, to promote the gravitational feeding of lamps held for processing into a processing relationship with the destructing mechanism of which impeding of the operation, at least when in the form of a bladed rotor and resulting from its being simultaneously exposed to a full charge, is limited via a constricting baffle located between the lamp holding part of the charging and processing zone and the location of bladed rotor operation that only permits the transfer of lowermost situated lamps of a charge via the operation of the urging facility to the rotor once the equipment is in use with lamps removed by the operation of the urging facility being gravitationally replaced by overhead stacked lamps of a charge until fully processed.

   (22) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 21 that incorporates transferring means via which product from the destructing mechanism during operation of the equipment becomes elevatably transferred to enable its accumulation into an upright storage to which it is transferred and in which it is held against environment release of toxic substance. (23) Article processing equipment as claimed in claim 22 in which the transferring means is in the form of an auger extending below the charging and processing zone defining means, and into the lower end of which auger process product thus being discharged onto the lower end of the auger, during operation of the equipment, while its discharge end is in use in sealable discharge communication with a storage. (24) Article processing equipment as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 23 that is sized to enable an operator to charge articles intended for treatment via the charging opening of the container while standing on the base on which the equipment is positioned. (25) Article treating equipment as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 24 that is in the form of a suitably collapsible easily manually transportable unit. (26) A method substantially as described. (27) Article treating equipment substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. APS van der Merwe Patent Agent for Applicant

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