Comminution device

Claim 2

A comminution device comprising: a housing member; comminution means supported by said housing member and operable to effect size reduction of material supplied thereto to provide particles of such material; hopper means supported by said housing member downwardly adjacent said comminution means to receive said particles of such material from said comminution means subsequent to such size reduction; and said hopper means including at least a pair of hopper portions which are selectively pivotable into a closed position for receiving said particles therein and into an open position for providing access to the interior of said housing member.

Claim 3

A comminution device as specified in claim 1 additionally including mechanical conveying means disposed within a lowermost portion of said hopper means and operable to convey said particles from said hopper means.

Claim 4

A comminution device as specified in claim 2 wherein said conveying means is supported by said housing member.

Claim 5

A comminution device as specified in claim 2 wherein said comminution means includes a rotatable cutter portion; said hopper portions being pivotable about a common pivot axis; said conveying means being rotatable about an elongated axis; and the rotation axis of said cutter portion, said elongated axis and said common pivot axis being located in a common vertically extending plane.

Claim 6

A comminution device as specified in claim 1 wherein said comminution means includes a rotatable cutter portion, elongated screen means of a generally arcuate transverse cross section which when said hopper portions are closed is disposed intermediate the flow path of said particles from said cutter portion to said hopper means to limit the maximum size of said particles received within said hopper means, and said hopper portions having elongated first support portions supportively engageable with outer longitudinally extending edges of said screen means, respectively.

Claim 7

A comminution device as specified in claim 5 wherein said first support portions are laterally spaced in opposite directions from the rotation axis of said cutter portion, respectively.

Claim 8

A comminution device as specified in claim 6 wherein said hopper means includes an elongated second support portion intermediate said first support portions which supports said screen means at a location substantially equidistant from each of said longitudinally extending edges.

Claim 9

A comminution device as specified in claim 9 wherein said second support portion includes a pair of elongated members having the axial ends thereof supported by said hopper portions respectively.

Claim 10

A comminution device as specified in claim 8 wherein when said hopper portions are in the closed positions adjacent portions of said elongated members are in abutting relationship and when said hopper portions are in the open positions said adjacent portions are spaced from each other.

Claim 11

A comminution device as specified in claim 8 wherein said screen means includes a pair of screen portions with each of said screen portions being releasably secured to a respective one of said elongated members by removable fastening means.

Claim 12

A comminution device as specified in claim 10 wherein said elongated members are located to prevent access to said fastening means when said hopper portions are closed.

Claim 13

A comminution device as specified in claim 5 wherein said screen means includes a pair of screen portions supported by said hopper portions respectively.

Claim 14

A comminution device as specified in claim 5 wherein the edges of said screen means are supported by said first support portions by captive engagement with said housing member.

Claim 15

A comminution device as specified in claim 1 wherein said comminution means includes an elongated rotatable cutter portion rotatable about a central axis, and said hopper portions being pivotable about a common pivot axis parallel to said central axis and spaced downwardly from said central axis.

Claim 16

A comminution device as specified in claim 1 wherein said comminution means includes an elongated cutter portion rotatable about a central axis thereof, said hopper portions being pivotable about a common pivot axis spaced laterally and downwardly from said central axis, sizing screen means having elongated transversely contiguous and coextensive screen portions carried by said hopper portions respectively, said screen portions being located in the flow path of said particles from said cutter portion to said hopper means when said hopper portions are in the closed position, and said screen portions being spaced laterally and downwardly from said central axis.

Claim 17

A comminution device as specified in claim 15 wherein said pivot aixs is parallel to said central axis.

Claim 18

A comminution device as specified in claim 16 wherein said screen portions have adjacent longitudinally extending edges releasably secured to said hopper portions respectively.

Claim 19

A comminution device as specified in claim 17 wherein said releasable securing is by fastening means which are inaccessible when said hopper portions are in the closed position.

Claim 20

A comminution device as specified in claim 15 wherein each of said screen portions have a generally arcuate transverse cross section including uppermost transversely spaced outer longitudinally extending edges which edges are captively supported with respect to said hopper means and said housing member when said hopper portions are in the closed position.

Claim 21

A comminution device as specified in claim 15 wherein said screen portions are freely supported by said hopper portions in the open position.