Air drum sorter for solid waste

Claim 2

An air drum sorter for classifying mixed solid waste into heavy waste and light waste comprising a drum having an axis inclined to the horizontal and open at both the lower and upper ends, means for admitting mixed solid waste to the longitudinally central portion of said drum, means for creating a stream of air longitudinally through said drum, and means for rotating said drum about the axis to move heavy waste toward the lower end of said drum and to cause light waste to be transported by the air stream toward the upper end of said drum.

Claim 3

An air drum sorter according to claim 1 wherein said drum includes a plurality of peripherally attached, inwardly directed vanes for tumbling the solid waste into the air stream.

Claim 4

An air drum sorter according to claim 1 wherein said means for admitting mixed solid waste is comprised by an elongated conveyance structure extending axially from beyond one end of said drum to the longitudinally central portion thereof.

Claim 5

An air drum sorter according to claim 1 further including a plenum chamber enclosing the upper end of said drum in which the light waste is collected, said means for creating a stream of air being carried by said plenum chamber.

Claim 6

An air drum sorter for classifying mixed solid waste into heavy waste and light waste comprising an elongated drum having an axis inclined to the horizontal, open at both the lower and upper ends, and having a plurality of peripherally attached, inwardly directed, longitudinally extending lifter vanes, means for admitting mixed solid waste to the longitudinally central portion of said drum, means for creating a stream of air longitudinally through said drum, and means for rotating said drum about the axis to cause said lifter vanes to tumble the mixed solid waste, thereby moving heavy waste out of the lower end of said drum and exposing light waste to the air stream to be transported out of the upper end of said drum.

Claim 7

An air drum sorter for classifying mixed solid waste into heavy waste and light waste comprising an elongated drum having an axis inclined to the horizontal, open at both the lower and upper ends, and having a plurality of peripherally attached, inwardly directed, longitudinally extending lifter vanes, means for admitting mixed solid waste to the longitudinally central portion of said drum, means for creating a stream of air longitudinally through said drum, and means for rotating said drum about the axis to cause said lifter vanes to tumble the mixed solid waste, thereby moving heavy waste out of the lower end of said drum and exposing light waste to the air stream to be transported out of the upper end of said drum.

Claim 8

An air drum sorter according to claim 5 wherein said means for admitting mixed waste comprises an elongated conveyor mechanism extending axially from beyond the lower end of said drum into the longitudinally central portion of said drum.

Claim 9

An air drum sorter according to claim 5 wherein said means for admitting mixed solid waste comprises an elongated chute structure extending axiallY from beyond the upper end of said drum into the longitudinally central portion of said drum.

Claim 10

An air drum sorter according to claim 5 wherein said drum comprises a pair of axially spaced drum sections rotating within a fixed central drum section, and said means for admitting solid waste is comprised by an admittance port formed between said rotating drum sections.

Claim 11

An air drum sorter according to claim 8 further including means located between said axially spaced rotating drum sections for moving admitted mixed solid waste to prevent pile-up beneath said admittance port.

Claim 12

An air drum sorter according to claim 5 wherein said drum further has a plurality of peripherally attached, inwardly directed, axially spaced, circumferential vanes.

Claim 13

An air drum sorter according to claim 5 wherein said longitudinally extending lifter vanes further have retaining lips at their innermost ends.

Claim 14

An air drum sorter according to claim 5 wherein said drum has a variable diameter to equalize the velocity of the air stream through said drum.

Claim 15

An air drum sorter for classifying mixed residential and commercial waste into heavy waste and light waste comprising a drum having a constant diameter, an axis inclined to the horizontal, open at both the lower and upper ends, and having a plurality of peripherally attached, inwardly directed, longitudinally extending lifter vanes, a conveyor extending axially through the lower portion of said drum for admitting mixed solid waste to the central portion of said drum, a plenum chamber enclosing the upper end of said drum, and a fan carried by said plenum chamber for creating a stream of air longitudinally through said drum, and means for rotating said drum about the axis to cause said lifter vanes to tumble the mixed waste, thereby moving heavy waste out of the lower end of said drum and dropping light waste into the air stream to be transported out of the upper end of said drum into said plenum chamber.

Claim 16

An air drum sorter for classifying mixed residential and commercial waste into heavy waste and light waste comprising a drum having a constant diameter, an axis inclined to the horizontal, open at both the lower and upper ends, and having a plurality of peripherally attached, inwardly directed, longitudinally extending lifter vanes, a conveyor extending axially through the lower portion of said drum for admitting mixed solid waste to the central portion of said drum, a plenum chamber enclosing the upper end of said drum, and a fan carried by said plenum chamber for creating a stream of air longitudinally through said drum, and means for rotating said drum about the axis to cause said lifter vanes to tumble the mixed waste, thereby moving heavy waste out of the lower end of said drum and dropping light waste into the air stream to be transported out of the upper end of said drum into said plenum chamber.

Claim 17

An air drum sorter according to claim 13 wherein the angle of inclination of the axis of said drum to the horizontal is between 7* and 10*.