US3656735A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scrap reclamation
Assignee: Thermetics Inc
•
Filing: 1969-03-03
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Granted: 1972-04-18
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Expires: 1989-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A system for removing oil, water and other adulterants from machine shop scrap cuttings. Scrap is inserted in the upper end of an inclined tumbler barrel and passed through a counterflowing stream of hot gases from a burner located at the lower end. Oxygen is inserted into the tumbler barrel at an intermediate position. The barrel is lined with refractory inserts each having contiguous connecting passages of different diameters. The scrap is raised to a temperature near its melting point and compacted into briquettes while remaining hot. Excess fuel gas flow and combustion prevent the aspiration of air into the barrel and thus prevent oxidation of the metal part of the scrap. As an alternative, the scrap can be melted as it flows from the tumbler barrel directly into a melting pot.
Inventors
- 👤 Sigdon A Eliot
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:16
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B1/00; C22B1/14; C22B1/24; C22B1/248; C22B1/005; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20; Y10; Y10S; Y10S266/00; Y10S266/901; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49751; Y10T29/49755; Y10T29/49757
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a. the exit means comprises a hopper for receiving chips from the barrel, the hopper being provided with an open bottom; b. a table is provided which the cylinder sealingly and slidably engages to close its bottom end; and c. a platform is fixed to and extends from the top edge of the cylinder and is sealingly slidably engagable with The bottom of the hopper; wherein the cylinder is alternatively positionable (1) with said platform sealingly engaging the bottom of the hopper and the bottom of cylinder closed by said table, (2) with the bottom of the cylinder sealingly engaged by the table and the cylinder beneath the bottom opening of the hopper for receiving chips therefrom; and (3) with said platform sealingly engaging the bottom of the hopper and the table removed from engagement with the bottom of the cylinder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the table has a removable panel for opening the bottom of the cylinder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the table, the platform and the open bottom of the hopper are planar and parallel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
122 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the barrel is lined with a plurality of refractory inserts each insert comprising a solid body having an exterior formed to snugly fit within the tumbler barrel and each insert having a passageway therethrough comprising cylindrical contiguous, connecting passages of different diameters and wherein the heating means comprises: a. a source of fuel under pressure; b. means for supplying fuel to the burner at a rate which causes gas to be emitted from the space between the burner and the barrel and prevents the aspiration of air through said space, the means comprising a gas burner positioned at the lower end of the barrel and spaced therefrom, the burner having a sufficiently large nozzle orifice.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein conduit means, for inserting an oxidizing agent into the barrel at a position intermediate its ends, is provided, said conduit means extending into one end of the barrel, having an outlet orifice within the barrel and there is also provided means external of the barrel for connection to a supply of said agent.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for reclaiming metal from adulterated metal chips by removing surface adhering adulterants from the chips, the apparatus comprising: a. an inclined tumbler barrel rotatably mounted to a frame; b. means for rotatably driving the barrel; c. heating means for heating and injecting gas into the lower end of the barrel; d. exit means at the lower end of the barrel for removing hot chips from the barrel; and e. means in addition to and separate from said heating means for inserting an oxidizing agent into the barrel at a position intermediate its ends wherein adulterated chips may be inserted in the upper end of the barrel while being drivingly rotated, hot gas may be passed from the lower end of the barrel to and out the higher end, and hot metal chips relatively free of surface adhering adulterants may be withdrawn through the exit means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said oxidizing agent inserting means comprises a tube entirely separate from any burner tube extending into one end of the barrel, the tube having an outlet orifice within the barrel and having means external to the barrel for connection solely to a supply of said oxidizing agent.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for reclaiming metal from adulterated metal chips by removing surface adhering adulterants from the chips, the apparatus comprising: a. an inclined tumbler barrel rotatably mounted to a frame and lined with a plurality of generally cylindrical refractory inserts: b. means for rotatably driving the barrel; c. heating means for heating and injecting gas into the lower end of the barrel; and d. exit means at the lower end of the barrel for removing hot chips from the barrel; wherein adulterated chips may be inserted in the upper end of the barrel while being drivingly rotated, hot gas may be passed from the lower end of the barrel to and out the higher end, and hot metal chips relatively free of surface adhering adulterants may be withdrawn through the exit means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the inserts comprises a solid body having an exterior formed to snugly fit within the tumbler barrel and having a passageway therethrough comprising a plurality of contiguous connecting passages, the passages being of different diameters.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein several of said inserts are each additionally provided with an off center passage communicating with the cylindrical passages, the off center passages of the inserts being misaligned to provide a tortuous path through the tumbler barrel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the passages is cylindrical and is coaxial with the barrel axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
A rotatable tumbler barrel having an interior for improved distribution of a solid material, flowing through the barrel within an envelope consisting of a counterflow of hot gaseous combustion products flowing through the barrel, the improvement which comprises: an interior wall formed by a plurality of ceramic inserts forming a passageway through the barrel, the passageway comprising a multiplicity of adjoining passages, the passages being of different diameters and the ceramic inserts each having a plurality of cylindrical interior surfaces, one cylindrical surface of each insert having a different diameter from another cylindrical surface of said insert.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A barrel according to claim 13, wherein the passages are cylindrical, contiguous, and connecting, and form a continuous although irregular passageway through the barrel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A barrel according to claim 14, wherein the passages are co-axial; whereby the solid material drops from one diameter to another during its progress through the tumbler barrel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-18 | 1975-10-18 | 1976-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-18 | 1979-10-18 | 1980-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-18 | 1983-10-18 | 1984-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |