US3843060A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reclamation of fabric supported thermo-plastic sheet scrap
Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc
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Filing: 1973-06-20
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-06-20
Abstract
Abstract Thermoplastic chips are produced from sheet scrap, the sheet including a layer of thermoplastic resin and a fabric backing attached thereto. The sheet is granulated into a first particulate mixture of thermoplastic chips, chopped fabric, lint and fly. That mixture is then fed into a cyclone where a major portion of the lint and fly is separated and drawn off from the first mixture leaving a second particulate mixture primarily comprising thermoplastic chips and chopped fabric. This second mixture is then fed into a specific gravity air separator wherein an air stream (1) separates substantially all of the chopped fabric from the thermoplastic chips, and (2) conveys the chopped fabric out of the air separator while the heavier thermoplastic chips fall through the air stream and are removed from the air separator, yielding essentially fiber-free thermoplastic chips, usable with or instead of virgin thermoplastic resin.
Inventors
- 👤 J Colburn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:47
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29B; B29B17/00; B29B17/02; B02; B02C; B02C18/00; B02C18/06; B02C18/14; B02C18/148; B02C23/00; B02C23/18; B02C23/20; B29B17/04; B29B17/0412; B29B2017/0213; B29B2017/0217; B29B2017/0231; B29B2017/0234; B29K; B29K2027/00; B29K2027/06; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29K2105/08; B29K2105/0809; B29K2313/00; B29K2313/02; B29L; B29L2007/00; B29L2007/008; B29L2009/00; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/52; Y02W30/62; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/911; Y10S264/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A METHOD OF PRODUCING THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS BEING OF ESSENTIALLY FIBER-FREE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL FROM A SHEET IN CLUDING A LAYER OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A FABRIC BACKING ATTACHED THERETO, THE METHOD COMPRISING: A. CHOPPING THE SHEET INTO A FIRST PARTICULATE MIXTURE COMPRISING RESPECTIVELY SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS, CHOPPED FABRIC, LINT AND FLY; B. SEPARATING A MAJOR PORTION OF SAID LINT AND FLY FROM SAID FIRST PARTICULATE MIXTURE, LEAVING A SECOND PARTICULATE MIXTURE COMPRISING PRIMARILY SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS AND SAID CHOPPED FABRIC; C. SEPARATING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID CHOPPED FABRIC FROM SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS BY MEANS OF A MOVING STREAM OF AIR; AND D. CONVEYING SAID CHOPPED FABRIC AWAY FROM SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS, SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS BEING HEAVIER AND FALLING THROUGH SAID STREAM OF AIR TO BE COLLECTED, THEREBY YIELDING A MASS OF SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS USABLE WITH AND INSTEAD OF VIRGIN THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A METHOD OF PRODUCING THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS BEING OF ESSENTIALLY FIBER-FREE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL FROM A SHEET IN CLUDING A LAYER OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A FABRIC BACKING ATTACHED THERETO, THE METHOD COMPRISING: A. CHOPPING THE SHEET INTO A FIRST PARTICULATE MIXTURE COMPRISING RESPECTIVELY SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS, CHOPPED FABRIC, LINT AND FLY; B. SEPARATING A MAJOR PORTION OF SAID LINT AND FLY FROM SAID FIRST PARTICULATE MIXTURE, LEAVING A SECOND PARTICULATE MIXTURE COMPRISING PRIMARILY SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS AND SAID CHOPPED FABRIC; C. SEPARATING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID CHOPPED FABRIC FROM SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS BY MEANS OF A MOVING STREAM OF AIR; AND D. CONVEYING SAID CHOPPED FABRIC AWAY FROM SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS, SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS BEING HEAVIER AND FALLING THROUGH SAID STREAM OF AIR TO BE COLLECTED, THEREBY YIELDING A MASS OF SAID THERMOPLASTIC CHIPS USABLE WITH AND INSTEAD OF VIRGIN THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of chopping comprises granulating the sheet in a chopping type granulator means including a screen having openings from about one-sixteenth to about three-sixteenths inches (about 1.59 mm to about 4.77 mm).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the separating of step (b) is accomplished by means of an air stream carrying said first particulate mixture and moving in a vortex pattern such that said second particulate mixture is removed from the bottom of said vortex pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the separating of step (b) is accomplished by means of a cyclone separator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of conveying is accomplished by said moving stream of air moving in a generally upward direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed by means of a specific gravity air separator, said moving stream of air moving generally upward.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the separating of step (b) is accomplished by means of an air stream carrying said first particulate mixture and moving in a vortex pattern such that said second particulate mixture is removed from the bottom of said vortex pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said step of conveying is accomplished by said moving stream of air moving in a generally upward direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the separating of step (b) is accomplished by means of a cyclone separator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 9 wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed by means of a specific gravity air separator, said moving stream of air moving generally upward.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for producing thermoplastic chips being of essentially fiber-free theRmoplastic material from a sheet including a layer of thermoplastic material having a fabric backing attached thereto, comprising: a. means for chopping the sheet into a first particulate mixture comprising respectively said thermoplastic chips, chopped fabric, lint and fly; b. means for separating a major portion of said lint and fly from said first particulate mixture to leave a second particulate mixture comprising primarily said thermoplastic chips and said chopped fabric; c. means for separating substantially all of said chopped fabric from said thermoplastic chips including means for moving a stream of air; and d. means for conveying said chopped fabric away from said thermoplastic chips with said thermoplastic chips being heavier and falling through said stream of air to be collected, such apparatus thereby yielding a mass of said thermoplastic chips usable with and instead of virgin thermoplastic material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for producing thermoplastic chips being of essentially fiber-free theRmoplastic material from a sheet including a layer of thermoplastic material having a fabric backing attached thereto, comprising: a. means for chopping the sheet into a first particulate mixture comprising respectively said thermoplastic chips, chopped fabric, lint and fly; b. means for separating a major portion of said lint and fly from said first particulate mixture to leave a second particulate mixture comprising primarily said thermoplastic chips and said chopped fabric; c. means for separating substantially all of said chopped fabric from said thermoplastic chips including means for moving a stream of air; and d. means for conveying said chopped fabric away from said thermoplastic chips with said thermoplastic chips being heavier and falling through said stream of air to be collected, such apparatus thereby yielding a mass of said thermoplastic chips usable with and instead of virgin thermoplastic material.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of calim 11 wherein the means for chopping comprises a chopping type granulator means including a screen having openings from about one-sixteenth to about three-sixteenths inches (about 1.59 mm to about 4.77 mm).
Claim 15
Independent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of calim 11 wherein the means for chopping comprises a chopping type granulator means including a screen having openings from about one-sixteenth to about three-sixteenths inches (about 1.59 mm to about 4.77 mm).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for separating comprises a cyclone separator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for separating (of (c)) and said means for conveying (of (d) includes a separator having said moving stream of air moving generally upward.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |