Mechanical screw press

Claim 2

A mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material, comprising a cage having means defininG an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end and having means defining fluid discharge openings extending through said cage, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a shaft, a series of axially aligned worms mounted on said shaft and having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights as the material is being compressed, at least one of said worms includes a plurality of said flights disposed uniformly around the circumference of the corresponding said body and passing through a common radial reference plane, each of said flights on said one worm extending circumferentially no greater than 200*, and means providing for pulling said one worm axially from said shaft.

Claim 3

A press as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said flights on said one worm extends circumferentially about 170*.

Claim 4

A press as defined in claim 1 wherein the body of said one worm has a tapered outer surface increasing in diameter toward said discharge end of said cage, and each of said flights on said one worm extends circumferentially about 170*.

Claim 5

In a mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material and including a cage having means defining an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a shaft and a series of axially aligned worms mounted on said shaft, said worms having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, and breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights as the material is being compressed, the improvement comprising at least one axially extending pulling member adapted to extend into said discharge end of said cage, means for connecting said pulling member to the final discharge worm on said screw, and means connected to said member for pulling said discharge worm axially from said shaft and through said discharge end of said cage.

Claim 6

In a mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material and including a cage having means defining an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a shaft and a series of axially aligned worms mounted on said shaft, said worms having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, and breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights as the material is being compressed, the improvement comprising at least one axially extending pulling member adapted to extend into said discharge end of said cage, means for connecting said pulling member to the final discharge worm on said screw, and means connected to said member for pulling said discharge worm axially from said shaft and through said discharge end of said cage.

Claim 7

A press as defined in claim 4 wherein said pulling member comprises an elongated rod, and said pulling means comprises a fluid cylinder.

Claim 8

A press as defined in claim 5 including a guide member axially aligned with said screw and movable by said cylinder, means for connecting said rod to said guide member, a discharge sleeve having a tapered outer surface, and means for securing said sleeve to said guide member.

Claim 9

A press as defined in claim 5 including means for connecting said cylinder to said rod at longitudinally spaced intervals along said rod.

Claim 10

A press as defined in claim 7 wherein said connecting means comprise at least one spring clamp, and means defining a plurality of axially spaced reduced neck portions on said rod for selectively receiving said clamp.

Claim 11

A press as defined in claim 4 including a shaft extension member adapted to be mounted on the discharge end of said shaft and having an outer surface smaller in diameter than said shaft for supporting said final discharge worm after being pulled from said shaft.

Claim 12

A press as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said breaker bar portions is disposed between said final discharge worm and said discharge end of said pressing chamber, said final discharge worm includes a set of circumferentially spaced said flights, and wherein said flights each extend circumferentially no greater than 180* and cooperate to define a gap for receiving said one breaker bar portion when said discharge worm is pulled from said shaft.

Claim 13

In a mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material and including a set of mating cage sections having means defining an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end and having means defining fluid discharge openings extending through said cage, means for releasably securing said cage sections and providing for opening said cage sections, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a series of axially aligned worms having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, and breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights as the material is being compressed, the improvement wherein at least one of the worms comprises a plurality of said flights disposed uniformly around the circumference of the corresponding said body and passing through a common radial reference plane, each of the latter said flights extends circumferentially no greater than 180*, and means for pulling said discharge worm axially from said chamber without requiring opening of said cage sections.

Claim 14

In a mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material and including a set of mating cage sections having means defining an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end and having means defining fluid discharge openings extending through said cage, means for releasably securing said cage sections and providing for opening said cage sections, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a series of axially aligned worms having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, and breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights as the material is being compressed, the improvement wherein at least one of the worms comprises a plurality of said flights disposed uniformly around the circumference of the corresponding said body and passing through a common radial reference plane, each of the latter said flights extends circumferentially no greater than 180*, and means for pulling said discharge worm axially from said chamber without requiring opening of said cage sections.

Claim 15

A press as defined in claim 11 wherein said pulling means comprise a set of axially extending bars, means for connecting said bars to said discharge worm, fluid cylinder means for pulling said bars, and means for connecting said fluid cylinder means to said bars.

Claim 16

A press as defined in claim 12 wherein said connecting means comprise a movable guide member having means for engaging said bars, a sleeve positioned adjacent said discharge end of said cage, and means for mounting said sleeve on said guide member to provide for utilizing said fluid cylinder means for adjusting the axial position of said sleeve in addition to removing said discharge worm.

Claim 17

A press as defined in claim 1 wherein said means providing for pulling said one worm from said shaft comprise a set of axially extending threaded holes within said one worm.

Claim 18

A mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material, comprising a cage having means defining an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end, means defining fluid drainage openings within said cage, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a shaft, a series of axially aligned worms mounted on said shaft and having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, drive means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights, at least one of said worms includes a plurality of said flights disposed uniformly around the circumference of the corresponding said body and passing through a common radial reference plane, and the spacing between adjacent ends of said flights on said one worm being sufficient to define a gap through which said breaker bar means can pass to provide for removing said one worm axially from said shaft.

Claim 19

A mechanical screw press for expressing fluid from a material, comprising a cage having means defining an elongated pressing chamber with an inlet end and a discharge end, means defining fluid drainage openings within said cage, a rotatable screw extending through said chamber and including a shaft, a series of axially aligned worms mounted on said shaft and having corresponding bodies and longitudinally spaced helical flights projecting outwardly from said bodies, drive means for rotating said screw, means for compressing material within said chamber as it moves toward said discharge end in response to rotation of said screw, breaker bar means supported by said cage and including portions projecting into said chamber between said flights, at least one of said worms includes a plurality of said flights disposed uniformly around the circumference of the corresponding said body and passing through a common radial reference plane, and the spacing between adjacent ends of said flights on said one worm being sufficient to define a gap through which said breaker bar means can pass to provide for removing said one worm axially from said shaft.