US3797702A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scrap recovery and feed system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-03-29
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Granted: 1974-03-19
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Expires: 1991-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A scrap recovery and feed system wherein scrap plastic is recovered from a plastic manufacturing process, such as in the manufacture of sheet, film, formed or molded objects, and the scrap plastic is chopped up and fed back to the processing machine along with the base material, such as a virgin plastic material and various additives. The scrap is fed with an auger from an upper hopper toward the outlet opening of a lower hopper containing the base material. The materials are mixed just prior to entry in the extruder or other processing machine.
Inventors
- 👤 J Robertson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 04:43
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01F; B01F27/00; B01F27/05; B01F27/09; B01F27/091; B01F27/80; B01F27/92; B01F27/921; B01F27/9211; B01F35/00; B01F35/71; B01F35/717; B01F35/7173; B01F35/71731; B29; B29B; B29B17/00; B29B17/0005; B29B7/00; B29B7/80; B29C; B29C48/00; B29C48/25; B29C48/285; B29C48/286; B29C48/288; B29C48/36; B29C48/375; B29C48/385; B29C48/39; B29C48/03; B29C48/07; B29C48/08; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/26; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base material to an extruding means or the like comprising a ground scrap hopper including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet for receiving ground scrap and a separate outlet opening, a base material hopper positioned below said ground scrap hopper and including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet for receiving base material and a separate outlet opening, the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper and the outlet opening of said base material hopper being positioned in approximate vertical alignment with respect to each other, an auger conveyor assembly extending from the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper into said base material hopper and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening, and conveyor drive means connected to said auger conveyor assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base material to an extruding means or the like comprising a ground scrap hopper including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet for receiving ground scrap and a separate outlet opening, a base material hopper positioned below said ground scrap hopper and including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet for receiving base material and a separate outlet opening, the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper and the outlet opening of said base material hopper being positioned in approximate vertical alignment with respect to each other, an auger conveyor assembly extending from the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper into said base material hopper and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening, and conveyor drive means connected to said auger conveyor assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The feed system of claim 1 and further including a centrifugal separator positioned above said ground scrap hopper and arranged to receive a stream of air and ground scrap, said centrifugal separator being arranged to exhaust a major portion of the air from the stream away from the ground scrap hopper and divert a major portion of the ground scrap from the stream into the inlet of said ground scrap hopper.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The feed system of claim 1, and further including a metering means for metering a color material or the like into the lower portion of said base material hopper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
206 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base material to an extruding means or the like comprising a ground scrap hopper including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving ground scrap and an outlet opening at its lower portion, a base material hopper positioned below said ground scrap hopper and including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving base material and an outlet opening at its lower portion, an auger conveyor assembly extending from the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper into said base material hopper and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening, conveyor drive means connected to said auger conveyor assembly, and a bridge breaker assembly connected to said auger conveyor assembly and rotatable in said ground scrap hopper about a vertical axis in the vicinity of the converging lower wall portion of said ground scrap hopper, said bridge breaker assembly comprising support means extending from said auger conveyor assembly and at least one paddle member connected to said support means and oriented on an incline with its lower end positioned closer to said auger conveyor assembly than its upper end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
206 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base material to an extruding means or the like comprising a ground scrap hopper including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving ground scrap and an outlet opening at its lower portion, a base material hopper positioned below said ground scrap hopper and including a converging lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving base material and an outlet opening at its lower portion, an auger conveyor assembly extending from the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper into said base material hopper and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening, conveyor drive means connected to said auger conveyor assembly, and a bridge breaker assembly connected to said auger conveyor assembly and rotatable in said ground scrap hopper about a vertical axis in the vicinity of the converging lower wall portion of said ground scrap hopper, said bridge breaker assembly comprising support means extending from said auger conveyor assembly and at least one paddle member connected to said support means and oriented on an incline with its lower end positioned closer to said auger conveyor assembly than its upper end.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
268 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of plastic ground scrap and plastic base material to an extruding means or the like comprising a ground scrap hopper including a generally conical lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving ground scrap and an outlet opening at its lower portion, a base material hopper positioned below said ground scrap hopper and including a generally conical lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving plastic base material and an outlet opening at its lower portion, and an auger conveyor assembly comprising a tubular conveyor housing extending from the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper into said base material hopper and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening and generally in alignment with said base material hopper outlet opening, an auger extending from within said ground scrap hopper through said tubular conveyor housing, beyond the lower end of said conveyor housing and into said base material hopper outlet opening, conveyor drive means connected to said auger, a base material supply hopper and an additive material supply hopper, feed means extending between said base material supply hopper and said additive material supply hopper aNd the inlet of said base material feed hopper and arranged to feed base material and additive material at a prescribed rate from said base material supply hopper and additive material supply hopper to said base material feed hopper, said feed means including material diverting means for diverting the flow of base material and additive material away from said base material feed hopper in separate streams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
268 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of plastic ground scrap and plastic base material to an extruding means or the like comprising a ground scrap hopper including a generally conical lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving ground scrap and an outlet opening at its lower portion, a base material hopper positioned below said ground scrap hopper and including a generally conical lower wall portion and defining an inlet at its upper portion for receiving plastic base material and an outlet opening at its lower portion, and an auger conveyor assembly comprising a tubular conveyor housing extending from the outlet opening of said ground scrap hopper into said base material hopper and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening and generally in alignment with said base material hopper outlet opening, an auger extending from within said ground scrap hopper through said tubular conveyor housing, beyond the lower end of said conveyor housing and into said base material hopper outlet opening, conveyor drive means connected to said auger, a base material supply hopper and an additive material supply hopper, feed means extending between said base material supply hopper and said additive material supply hopper aNd the inlet of said base material feed hopper and arranged to feed base material and additive material at a prescribed rate from said base material supply hopper and additive material supply hopper to said base material feed hopper, said feed means including material diverting means for diverting the flow of base material and additive material away from said base material feed hopper in separate streams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of scrap and base material to a processing machine comprising a scrap hopper including a converging lower wall portion defining an outlet opening at its lower portion, a base material hopper positioned below said scrap hopper and including a converging lower wall portion defining an outlet opening at its lower portion, and an auger conveyor extending in a downward direction from the outlet opening of said scrap hopper into said base material hopper in a direction extending generally through said base material hoppers and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening for conveying scrap from the scrap hopper in a downward direction through the base material hopper to the base material hopper outlet opening and urging both the scrap and base material to the processing machine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
A feed system for feeding a mixture of scrap and base material to a processing machine comprising a scrap hopper including a converging lower wall portion defining an outlet opening at its lower portion, a base material hopper positioned below said scrap hopper and including a converging lower wall portion defining an outlet opening at its lower portion, and an auger conveyor extending in a downward direction from the outlet opening of said scrap hopper into said base material hopper in a direction extending generally through said base material hoppers and terminating generally at said base material hopper outlet opening for conveying scrap from the scrap hopper in a downward direction through the base material hopper to the base material hopper outlet opening and urging both the scrap and base material to the processing machine.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base material to an extruder or the like comprising flowing base material under the influence of gravity down an inclined hopper surface and through an outlet opening of a base material feed hopper toward the extruder, urging ground scrap from a ground scrap feed hopper in a downward direction through the base material in the base material feed hopper through the outlet opening of the base material feed hopper, and combining the ground scrap and base material and flowing the combined scrap and base material to the extruder.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base material to an extruder or the like comprising flowing base material under the influence of gravity down an inclined hopper surface and through an outlet opening of a base material feed hopper toward the extruder, urging ground scrap from a ground scrap feed hopper in a downward direction through the base material in the base material feed hopper through the outlet opening of the base material feed hopper, and combining the ground scrap and base material and flowing the combined scrap and base material to the extruder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 7 and comprising flowing the base material through the outlet opening of the base material feed hopper at a rate approximately equal to the inlet capacity of the extruder less the rate of flow of ground scrap through the outlet opening of the base material feed hopper, and varying the rate of flow of ground scrap as desired.
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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) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |