Refuse pelletizer

Claim 1

Apparatus capable of producing pellets of compacted refuse having a density of at least 20 lbs./ft. 3 comprising: (1) a cylindrical tube of uniform diameter comprising a ram housing section, a feed section, a compacting section, a compacted section and a restrictor section, said tube being provided in the feed section with a feed port in its side wall, (2) a feed hopper for the refuse to be compacted having an outlet port communicating with the feed port of said tube, (3) a reciprocating driven ram located in the ram housing section of said tube and axially aligned therewith, the perimeter of said ram being in sliding contact with the inner surface of said tube and capable of exerting a pressure of at least 200 psi on each forward stroke of the ram, and (4) means located in the restrictor section of said tube for variably restricting the flow of refuse in response to changes in the force required to advance the column of compacted refuse in the tube, comprising a plurality of axially elongated leaves located symmetrically around the circumference of said tube and being separated from each other by stationary portions which are an integral part of the tube, the side edge surfaces of each leaf being parallel to each other, each leaf constituting a flush section of the tube wall flexibly attached at its upstream end to the tube and provided at the downstream end with means for positively moving each of said leaves uniformly toward or away from the tube axis.