Low-pollution trash incinerator

Claim 2

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a blower having an inlet connected with said flue above said inlet thereof and below said outlet thereof, discharge means within said chamber for discharging gases into the lower portion of said chamber adjacent combustionable material received on said support means, said blower also having an outlet connected to said discharge means such that at least a portion of the combustion products produced by the burning of waste material in said chamber which pass into said flue are recirculated by said blower and discharged through said discharge means into said chamber to more completely burn the combustion products and waste material whereby pollution of the atmosphere by burning the waste material is decreased, and a light source and a photoelectric cell mounted on said flue above said connection of said blower inlet with said flue and in generally opposed relation to each other so as to produce an electric signal responsive to and variable with the extent to which the combustion products escaping to the atmosphere through said flue past said photoelectric cell are completely burned.

Claim 3

The trash incinerator of claim 1 which also comprises an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower and a valve means adapted to control and vary the amount of atmospheric air flowing through said atmospheric air inlet passageway and into said blower.

Claim 4

The trash incinerator of claim 2 which also comprises an electric control motor operably connected with said valve means to open and close said valve means.

Claim 5

The trash incinerator of claim 1 which also comprises a variable speed electric motor operably connected to said blower, and control means using the electric signal from said photoelectric cell to control and vary the speed at which said electric motor drives said blower whereby the speed of said motor within predetermined limits is increased as the extent to which the escaping combustion products are completely burned decreases.

Claim 6

The trash incinerator of claim 2 which also comprises an electric control motor operably connected to said valve means, and control means using the electric signal from said photoelectric cell to operate said valve control motor whereby said valve means is opened to increase within predetermined limits the flow of air from the atmosphere through said air inlet passageway and into said blower in response to the extent to which the escaping cOmbustion products are completely burned decreases.

Claim 7

The trash incinerator of claim 2 which also comprises a variable speed electric motor operably connected to said blower, and control means using the electric signal from said photoelectric cell to control and vary the speed at which said electric motor drives said blower whereby the speed of said motor within predetermined limits is increased as the extent to which the escaping combustion products are completely burned decreases.

Claim 8

The trash incinerator of claim 6 which also comprises an electric control motor operably connected to said valve means and said control means uses said variable electric signal from said photoelectric cell to operate said valve control motor whereby said valve means is opened to increase within predetermined limits the flow of air from the atmosphere through said air inlet passageway and into said blower in response to the extent to which the escaping combustion products are completely burned decreases.

Claim 9

The trash incinerator of claim 1 which also comprises at least one gas jet within said combustion chamber and an electrically operated gas control valve connected to said jet and adapted to be connected to a supply of combustible gas for controlling the flow of the combustionable gas into said chamber through said jet, and a control means using said electric signal from said photoelectric cell to operate said gas control valve whereby said gas control valve is opened to supply a combustible gas to said chamber through said jet in response to a predetermined extent to which the escaping combustion products are only partially burned.

Claim 10

The trash incinerator of claim 4 which also comprises at least one gas jet within said combustion chamber and an electrically operated gas control valve connected to said jet and adapted to be connected to a supply of combustible gas for controlling the flow of gas into said combustion chamber through said jet, and in which said control means also uses said electric signal from said photoelectric cell to operate said gas control valve whereby said gas control valve is opened to supply a combustible gas to said chamber through said jet in response to a predetermined extent to which the escaping combustion products are only partially burned.

Claim 11

The trash incinerator of claim 7 which also comprises at least one gas jet within said combustion chamber and an electrically operated gas control valve connected to said jet and adapted to be connected to a supply of combustible gas for controlling the flow of the combustionable gas into said combustion chamber through said jet, and in which said control means also uses said electric signal from said photoelectric cell to control said gas control valve whereby said gas control valve is opened to supply a combustible gas to said chamber through said jet in response to a predetermined extent to which the escaping combustion products are only partially burned.

Claim 12

The trash incinerator of claim 1 in which said support means comprises a grate and said discharge means comprises a manifold underlying said grate with a main passageway and a plurality of branch passageways extending generally transversely to said main passageway with each of said branch passageways having at least one metering port therein opening generally upwardly.

Claim 13

The trash incinerator of claim 11 in which at least one of said branch passageways has a plurality of generally axially spaced ports with at least one of the ports adjacent the end of said one branch passageway distal from said main passageway having a larger diameter than the ports of said one branch passageway adjacent said main passageway.

Claim 14

The trash incinerator of claim 4 in which said blower inlet is connected with said flue such that when said blower is operated a downdraft of atmospheric air through the outlet of said flue and into said blower inlet is created, whereby the flow of particulate contaminants of the combustion products through the outlet of said flUe is retarded.

Claim 15

The trash incinerator of claim 7 in which said blower inlet is connected with said flue such that when said blower is operated a downdraft of atmospheric air through the outlet of said flue and into said blower inlet is created, whereby the flow of particulate contaminants of the combustion products through the outlet of said flue is retarded.

Claim 16

The trash incinerator of claim 14 which also comprises a deflector mounted in said flue below said outlet thereof and at or above said connection of said blower inlet with said flue, whereby at least a portion of the particulate contaminants of the combustion products are deflected from passing through said outlet of said flue.

Claim 17

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a blower having an inlet connected with said flue above said inlet thereof and below said outlet thereof, discharge means within said chamber for discharging gases into the lower portion of said chamber adjacent combustionable waste material received on said support means, said blower also having an outlet connected to said discharge means such that at least a portion of the combustion products produced by the burning of waste material in said chamber which pass into said flue are recirculated by said blower and discharged through said discharge means into said chamber to more completely burn the combustion products and waste material to decrease pollution of the atmosphere by burning the waste material, and said blower inlet being connected with said flue such that when said blower is operated a downdraft of atmospheric air through the outlet of said flue and into said blower inlet is created, whereby the flow of particulate contaminants of the combustion products through the outlet of said flue is retarded.

Claim 18

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a blower having an inlet connected with said flue above said inlet thereof and below said outlet thereof, discharge means within said chamber for discharging gases into the lower portion of said chamber adjacent combustionable waste material received on said support means, said blower also having an outlet connected to said discharge means such that at least a portion of the combustion products produced by the burning of waste material in said chamber which pass into said flue are recirculated by said blower and discharged through said discharge means into said chamber to more completely burn the combustion products and waste material to decrease pollution of the atmosphere by burning the waste material, and said blower inlet being connected with said flue such that when said blower is operated a downdraft of atmospheric air through the outlet of said flue and into said blower inlet is created, whereby the flow of particulate contaminants of the combustion products through the outlet of said flue is retarded.

Claim 19

The trash incinerator of claim 16 which also comprises a deflector mounted in said flue below said outlet thereof and at or above said connection of said blower inlet with said flue, whereby at least a portion of the particulate contaminants of the combustion products are deflected from passing through said outlet of said flue.

Claim 20

The trash incinerator of claim 16 which also comprises a return duct connecting said blower inlet with said flue, said return duct having a portion thereof extending generally horizontally across said flue to deflect at least a portion of the combustion products passing into said flue into said return duct for recirculaton to said chamber.

Claim 21

The trash incinerator of claim 4 wherein said valve means comprises a damper valve means which is normally closed when said blower is not operating and responsive to the operating speed of said blower to increasingly permit within predetermined limits more air to flow from the atmosphere into said blower as the operating speed of said blower increases.

Claim 22

The trash incinerator of claim 16 which also comprises an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower, whereby when said blower is operating air can flow through said inlet passageway and be discharged through said discharge means into said chamber.

Claim 23

The trash incinerator of claim 17 which also comprises an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower, whereby when said blower is operating air can flow through said inlet passageway and be discharged through said discharge means into said chamber.

Claim 24

The trash incinerator of claim 18 which also comprises an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower, whereby when said blower is operating air can flow through said inlet passageway and be discharged through said discharge means into said chamber.

Claim 25

The trash incinerator of claim 20 which also comprises a damper valve means adapted to control and vary the amount of air flOwing through said atmospheric air inlet passageway and into said blower, said damper valve means being normally closed when said blower is not operating and responsive to the operating speed of said blower to increasingly permit within predetermined limits more air to flow from the atmosphere into said blower as the operating speed of said blower increases.

Claim 26

The trash incinerator of claim 23 wherein said damper valve means comprises at least one valve plate mounted in said atmospheric air inlet passageway for movement to closed and open positions, said valve plate being counterweighted to move toward said closed position when said blower is not operating.

Claim 27

The trash incinerator of claim 24 which also comprises an adjustable counterweight carried by said valve plate to urge said valve plate toward said closed position.

Claim 28

The trash incinerator of claim 21 which also comprises a damper valve means adapted to control and vary the amount of air flowing through said atmospheric air inlet passageway and into said blower, said damper valve means being normally closed when said blower is not operating and responsive to the operating speed of said blower to increasingly permit within predetermined limits more air to flow from the atmosphere into said blower as the operating speed of said blower increases.

Claim 29

The trash incinerator of claim 22 which also comprises a variable speed electric motor operably connected to said blower, whereby the speed at which said blower is driven by said electric motor can within predetermined limits be increased as the extent to which combustion products escaping from said outlet of said flue are completely burned decreases

Claim 30

The trash incinerator of claim 23 which also comprises a variable speed electric motor operably connected to said blower, whereby the speed at which said blower is driven by said electric motor can within predetermined limits be increased as the extent to which combustion products escaping from said outlet of said flue are completely burned decreases.

Claim 31

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a blower having an inlet connected with said flue above said inlet thereof and below said outlet thereof, discharge means within said chamber for discharging gases into said chamber adjacent combustionable material received on said support means, an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower such that when said blower is operating air can pass through said inlet passageway and into said blower, damper valve means adapted to control and vary the amount of air flowing from the atmosphere through said atmospheric air inlet passageway and into said blower, said blower having an outlet connected to said discharge means such that at least a portion of the combustion products produced by the burning of waste material in said chamber which pass into said flue are recirculated by said blower and discharged from said discharge means into said chamber to more completely burn the combustion products and waste material to decrease pollution of the atmosphere by burning the waste material, a variable speed electric motor operably connected to said blower such that the speed at which said blower is driven by said electric motor can within predetermined limits be increased as the extent to which combustion products escaping from said outlet of said flue are completely burned decreases with said damper valve means being normally closed when said blower is not operating and responsive to the operating speed of said blower to increasingly permit within predetermined limits more air to flow from the atmosphere into said blower as the operating speed of said blower increases.

Claim 32

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a blower having an inlet connected with said flue above said inlet thereof and below said outlet thereof, discharge means within said chamber for discharging gases into said chamber adjacent combustionable material received on said support means, an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower such that when said blower is operating air can pass through said inlet passageway and into said blower, damper valve means adapted to control and vary the amount of air flowing from the atmosphere through said atmospheric air inlet passageway and into said blower, said blower having an outlet connected to said discharge means such that at least a portion of the combustion products produced by the burning of waste material in said chamber which pass into said flue are recirculated by said blower and discharged from said discharge means into said chamber to more completely burn the combustion products and waste material to decrease pollution of the atmosphere by burning the waste material, a variable speed electric motor operably connected to said blower such that the speed at which said blower is driven by said electric motor can within predetermined limits be increased as the extent to which combustion products escaping from said outlet of said flue are completely burned decreases with said damper valve means being normally closed when said blower is not operating and responsive to the operating speed of said blower to increasingly permit within predetermined limits more air to flow from the atmosphere into said blower as the operating speed of said blower increases.

Claim 33

The trash incinerator of claim 29 wherein said blower inlet is connected with said flue such thAt when said blower is operating a downdraft of atmospheric air through the outlet of said flue and into said blower inlet is created, whereby the flow of particulate contaminants of the combustion products through the outlet of said flue is retarded.

Claim 34

The trash incinerator of claim 4 wherein said chamber has a charging opening therein through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, and also comprises a cover adapted to open and close said charging opening to the exterior of said chamber, and outlet means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases across said charging opening toward the interior of said chamber, said outlet means being connected with said outlet of said blower at least when said cover is open for the flow of gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means, whereby shielding of the exterior of said chamber from hot gases produced by waste material being burned within said chamber is provided by the stream of gases discharged from said outlet means when said cover is open.

Claim 35

The trash incinerator of claim 6 wherein said chamber has a charging opening therein through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, and also comprises a cover adapted to open and close said charging opening to the exterior of said chamber, and outlet means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases across said charging opening toward the interior of said chamber, said outlet means being connected with said outlet of said blower at least when said cover is open for the flow of gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means, whereby shielding of the exterior of said chamber from hot gases produced by waste material being burned within said chamber is provided by the stream of gases discharged from said outlet means when said cover is open.

Claim 36

The trash incinerator of claim 16 wherein said chamber has a charging opening therein through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, and also comprises a cover adapted to open and close said charging opening to the exterior of said chamber, and outlet means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases across said charging opening toward the interior of said chamber, said outlet means being connected with said outlet of said blower at least when said cover is open for the flow of gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means, whereby shielding of the exterior of said chamber from gases produced by waste material being burned within said chamber is provided by the stream of gases discharged from said outlet means when said cover is open.

Claim 37

The trash incinerator of claim 33 wherein said charging opening is in a side wall of said chamber and interposed between said support means and said inlet of said flue connected to said chamber, and said outlet means discharges the stream of gases adjacent the bottom of said opening so that the stream of gases flows upwardly across said opening and generally toward said inlet of said flue connected to said chamber.

Claim 38

The trash incinerator of claim 34 wherein said outlet means directs the stream of gases generally toward the center of the connection of said inlet of said flue with said chamber.

Claim 39

The trash incinerator of claim 33 which also comprises a valve which in the first position directs the gases from the outlet of said blower through said discharge means into said chamber and in a second position directs the gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means and across said opening.

Claim 40

The trash incinerator of claim 36 which also comprises electric control means associated with said cover and said valve to move said valve to said first position when said cover is closed and to said second position when said cover is open.

Claim 41

The trash incinerator of claim 37 wherein said cover comprises a door having a latch releasably retaining said door in thE closed position and said control means comprises an electric solenoid operably connected with said valve and a switch with contacts changing states in response to movement of said latch to latching and releasing positions, said solenoid responding to changes of state of said switch to move said valve to said second position when said latch is moved to said released position and to said first position when said latch is moved to said latching position.

Claim 42

The trash incinerator of claim 20 wherein said chamber has a charging opening therein through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, and also comprises a cover adapted to open and close said charging opening to the exterior of said chamber, and outlet means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases across said charging opening toward the interior of said chamber, said outlet means being connected with said outlet of said blower at least when said cover is open for the flow of gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means, whereby shielding of the exterior of said chamber from hot gases produced by waste material being burned within said chamber is provided by the stream of gases discharged from said outlet means when said cover is open.

Claim 43

The trash incinerator of claim 39 which also comprises a valve which in a first position directs gases from the outlet of said blower through said discharge means into said chamber and in a second position directs gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means and across said opening.

Claim 44

The trash incinerator of claim 39 wherein said charging opening is in a side wall of said chamber and interposed between said support means and said inlet of said flue connected to said chamber, and said outlet means discharges the stream of gases adjacent the bottom of said opening so that the stream of gases flow generally upwardly across said opening and generally toward said inlet of said flue connected to said chamber.

Claim 45

The trash incinerator of claim 29 wherein said chamber has a charging opening therein through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, and also comprises a cover adapted to open and close said charging opening to the exterior of said chamber, and outlet means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases across said charging opening toward the interior of said chamber, said outlet means being connected with said outlet of said blower at least when said cover is open for the flow of gases from the outlet of said blower through said outlet means, whereby shielding of the exterior of said chamber from hot gases produced by waste material being burned within said chamber is provided by the stream of gases discharged from said outlet means when said cover is open.

Claim 46

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber having at least one generally vertically extending side wall, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a charging opening in said side wall of said chamber through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, said charging opening being positioned between said support means and said inlet of said flue connected to said chamber, a door adapted to open and close said charging opening to communication with the exterior of said combustion chamber, a first discharge means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases generally across said opening and into said chamber, a blower having an outlet connected to said first discharge means and adapted to provide a flow of gases through said first discharge means at least when said door is open, whereby the stream of gases provides a shield retarding the escape of hot gases produced by waste material burning in said chamber to the exterior of the chamber through said charging opening when said door is open.

Claim 47

A trash incinerator comprising a combustion chamber having at least one generally vertically extending side wall, support means within said chamber to receive combustionable waste material thereon, a flue having an inlet connected to said chamber above said support means and an outlet opening to the atmosphere above said chamber, a charging opening in said side wall of said chamber through which waste material can be placed in said chamber on said support means, said charging opening being positioned between said support means and said inlet of said flue connected to said chamber, a door adapted to open and close said charging opening to communication with the exterior of said combustion chamber, a first discharge means adjacent said charging opening adapted to discharge a stream of gases generally across said opening and into said chamber, a blower having an outlet connected to said first discharge means and adapted to provide a flow of gases through said first discharge means at least when said door is open, whereby the stream of gases provides a shield retarding the escape of hot gases produced by waste material burning in said chamber to the exterior of the chamber through said charging opening when said door is open.

Claim 48

The trash incinerator of claim 43 wherein said blower has an inlet connected with said flue above said inlet thereof and below said outlet thereof, and also comprises a second discharge means within said chamber for discharging gases into said chamber adjacent combustion material received on said support means, said blower outlet also being connected to said discharge means such that at least a portion of the combustion products produced by the burning of waste material in said chamber which pass into said flue can be recirculated by said blower an at least when said door is closed discharged through said second discharge means into said chamber to more completely burn the combustion products and waste material to decrease pollution of the atmosphere by burning the waste material.

Claim 49

The trash incinerator of claim 44 which also comprises an atmospheric air inlet passageway connected with said inlet of said blower and adapted to supply air from the exterior of said combustion chamber to said blower.

Claim 50

The trash incinerator of claim 44 which also comprises a valve means movable to a first position to direct gases from said outlet of said blower into said first discharge means and to a second position to direct gases from the outlet of said blower to said second discharge means.

Claim 51

The trash incinerator of claim 46 which also comprises a valve means movable to a first position to direct gases from said outlet of said blower into said first discharge means and to a second position to direct gases from the outlet of said blower to said second discharge means.

Claim 52

The trash incinerator of claim 46 which also comprises electro-mechanical control means adapted to move said valve means to said first position when said door is open and to said second position when said door is closed.

Claim 53

The trash incinerator of claim 47 which also comprises electro-mechanical control means adapted to move said valve to said first position when said door is open and to said second position when said door is closed.

Claim 54

The trash incinerator of claim 4 which also comprises a latch movable to a locked position to retain said door in said closed position and to a released position to release said door so that it can be opened and wherein said electro-mechanical control means comprises an electric switch adapted to change states when said latch is moved to and from said locked and released positions thereof and a solenoid operably connected with said valve means and responsive to changes of state of said switch to move said valve means to said first position thereof when said latch is in said released position and to said second position thereof when said latch is in said locked position.

Claim 55

The trash incinerator of claim 49 which also comprises a latch movable to a locked position to retain said door in said closed position and to a released position to release said door so that it can be opened, and wherein said electro-mechanical control means comprises an electric switch adapted to change states when said latch is moved to and from said locked and released positions thereof and a solenoid operably connected with said valve means and responsive to changes of state of said switch to move said valve means to said first position thereof when said latch is in said released position and to said second position thereof when said latch is in said locked position.