Apparatus for compressing material

Claim 1

Apparatus for compressing material, comprising: means providing a hopper for receiving material to be compressed, said hopper provided with a circular, material discharge opening formed at one end thereof; means providing a cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber, said chamber provided with a circular, material entrance opening formed at one end thereof and provided with a circular, material discharge opening formed at the other end thereof; said circular entrance opening of said cylindrical compression and shredding chamber provided with a circular entrance shoulder which shoulder is aligned and positioned in mating engagement with said circular, material discharge opening formed in said hopper and a predetermined portion of said circular entrance shoulder provided with a predetermined entrance angle measured from the horizontal; means providing a cylindrical, material discharge chamber, said chamber provided with a circular, material entrance opening formed at one end thereof and with a material discharge opening formed at the opposite end thereof; said circular entrance opening of said cylindrical, material discharge chamber provided with a circular entrance shoulder which shoulder is aligned and positioned in mating engagement with said circular, material discharge opening formed in said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber and said entrance shoulder provided with a predetermined entrance angle measured from the horizontal; auger means including a shaft having a variable pitch screw provided therealong, said auger means received within and extending through said hopper and said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber and extending into said cylindrical, material discharge chamber, and said auger means received for rotation within said hopper, said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber and said cylindrical, material discharge chamber; said variable pitch screw increasing in pitch from said hopper toward said cylindrical, material discharge chamber; a first raised counter spiral provided in said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber and surrounding and loosely and rotatably engaging said screw extending through said cylindrical, material compression and discharge chamber and providing a bearing surface for said screw; a second raised counter spiral provided in said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber and surrounding and loosely and rotatably engaging said screw extending through said cylindrical, material compression and discharge chamber and providing a bearing surface for said screw; said first and second raised counter spirals displaced angularly with respect to each other a predetermined angular distance; drive means including a shaft pivotally connected to said auger means at that end of the hopper which is opposite to the hopper discharge opening, said drive means providing rotation to said auger means; upon rotation of said auger means said variable pitch screw engaging material received within said hopper and said screw advancing said material from said hopper through said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber and through and out of said material discharge chamber; said variable pitch screw, upon said rotation of said auger means, cooperating with said cylindrical chambers and said shoulders having said predetermined angles, to progressively compress said material upon said advancement thereof; and said first and second raised counter spirals upon rotation of said auger means, cooperating with said variable pitch screw to shred and compress said material upon said advancement of said material through said cylindrical, material compression and shredding chamber.