Apparatus and method for comminuting solid materials

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the means to move the objects orbitally at least partially comprises power means to rotate the rollers conjointly in a common direction, whereby driving traction thereof against the objects contributes to said orbital motion.

Claim 4

The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said means forming an enclosure of generally upright tubular form is rotatable about a central upright axis of said enclosure such that said enclosure and said rollers are independently rotatable, and further comprising power means for driving said enclosure in rotational motion.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said rollers have a plurality of object-puncturing elements distributed over the surfaces thereof to penetrate said objects under said bearing pressure to thereby progressively comminute the objects.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein at least some of said object-puncturing elements distributed over the surfaces of said rollers comprise rings of teeth arranged in gear-like clusters spaced lengthwise along the rollers, said rollers being of reduced diameter between said clusters of teeth, with clusters of teeth of adjacent rollers being relatively offset along the rollers and said offset clusters of adjacent rollers being mutually interleaved.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said teeth are each of the configuration of an upright triangular prism including an outwardly directed cutting edge oriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of its associated roller.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 5 further including a cylindrical housing positioned coaxially around said rollers to collect comminuted material passing between said rollers, said cylindrical housing including an opening for discharging comminuted material.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said rollers and said means forming an enclosure are rotated in opposite directions.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the rollers and the means forming an upright tubular enclosure are independently driven in the same rotational direction.

Claim 11

The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said rollers have a plurality of object-puncturing elements distributed over the surfaces thereof to penetrate said objects under said bearing pressure to thereby progressively comminute the objects.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein at least some of said object-puncturing elements distributed over the surfaces of said rollers comprise rings of teeth arranged in gear-like clusters spaced lengthwise along the rollers, said rollers being of reduced diameter between said clusters of teeth, with clusters of teeth of adjacent rollers being relatively offset along the rollers and said offset clusters of adjacent rollers being mutually interleaved.

Claim 13

The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said teeth are each of the configuration of an upright triangular prism including an outwardly directed cutting edge oriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of its associated roller.

Claim 14

The apparatus defined in claim 11 or 12 further comprising a generally cylindrical upright housing coaxially enclosing said rollers and wherein said plurality of rollers includes equal numbers of first rollers and second rollers interposed in a mutually alternating sequence around said cylindrical enclosure, said rollers being journalled in a base plate including an annular recess and a plurality of cylindrical recesses centered on and aligned with said first rollers, said first rollers each including a lowermost cluster of teeth positioned over and adjacent the associated cylindrical recess in said base plate, said lowermost clusters of teeth of said first rollers each including a sweeper tooth extending downwardly into the associated cylindrical recess to slidably abut the bottom surface of the cylindrical recess, said annular recess of said base plate extending inwardly to intersect with said cylindrical recesses whereby comminuted material is passed out of the comminuter by passing into said circular recesses and being swept therefrom into said annular recess and being swept therefrom through a discharge chute connected to and opening from said housing.

Claim 15

The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein the means to move the objects orbitally at least partially comprises a power driven impeller member rotationally mounted within the enclosure to rotate about a central upright axis.

Claim 16

The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the rollers are driven conjointly in a common direction at a surface speed substantially matching the orbital speed of the objects where they bear on the rollers.

Claim 17

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said object-puncturing elements comprise teeth each having the configuration of a triangular prism including an outwardly directed cutting edge oriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of its associated roller.

Claim 18

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said object-puncturing elements comprise pyramidally shaped teeth pointed radially outwardly from said rollers.

Claim 19

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said object-puncturing elements comprise teeth bevelled in planes perpendicular to the axes of the rollers to have circumferentially curved cutting edges.

Claim 20

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said object-puncturing elements comprise horizontally oriented disc-shaped cutting elements.

Claim 21

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said object-puncturing elements comprise continuous longitudinal cutting edges running the lengths of said rollers.

Claim 22

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said rollers are substantially cylindrically shaped.

Claim 23

The apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein the means to move the objects orbitally at least partially comprises a power driven impeller member rotationally mounted within the enclosure to rotate about a central upright axis.

Claim 24

The apparatus defined in claim 22 further comprising a generally cylindrical housing coaxially enclosing said rollers and wherein said plurality of rollers includes equal numbers of first rollers and second rollers interposed in a mutually alternating sequence around said cylindrical enclosure, said rollers being journalled in a base plate including an annular recess and a plurality of cylindrical recesses centered on and aligned with said first rollers, said first rollers each including a lowermost cluster of teeth positioned over and adjacent the associated cylindrical recess in said base plate, said lowermost clusters of teeth of said first rollers each including a sweeper tooth extending downwardly into the associated cylindrical recess to slidably abut the bottom surface of the cylindrical recess, said annular recess of said base plate extending inwardly to intersect with said cylindrical recesses whereby comminuted material is passed out of the comminuter by passing into said circular recesses and being swept therefrom into said annular recess and being swept therefrom through a discharge chute connected to and opening from said housing.

Claim 25

The apparatus defined in claim 22 wherein said rollers have a plurality of object-puncturing elements distributed over the surfaces thereof to penetrate said objects under said bearing pressure to thereby progressively comminute the objects.

Claim 26

The apparatus defined in claim 24 wherein at least some of said object-puncturing elements distributed over the surfaces of said rollers comprise rings of teeth arranged in gear-like clusters spaced lengthwise along the rollers, said rollers being of reduced diameter between said clusters of teeth, with clusters of teeth of adjacent rollers being relatively offset along the rollers and said offset clusters of adjacent rollers being mutually interleaved.

Claim 27

The apparatus defined in claim 24 further comprising a generally cylindrical upright housing coaxially enclosing said rollers and wherein said plurality of rollers includes equal numbers of first rollers and second rollers interposed in a mutually alternating sequence around said cylindrical enclosure, said rollers being journalled in a base plate including an annular recess and a plurality of cylindrical recesses centered on and aligned with said first rollers, said first rollers each including a lowermost cluster of teeth positioned over and adjacent the associated cylindrical recess in said base plate, said lowermost clusters of teeth of said first rollers each including a sweeper tooth extending downwardly into the associated cylincrical recess to slidably abut the bottom surface of the cylindrical recess, said annular recess of said base plate extending inwardly to intersect with said cylindrical recesses whereby comminuted material is passed out of the comminuter by passing into said circular recesses and being swept therefrom into said annular recess and being swept therefrom through a discharge chute connected to and opening from said housing.

Claim 28

The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the means to move the objects orbitally at least partially comprises a power driven impeller member rotationally mounted coaxially within the enclosure to rotate about a central upright axis.

Claim 29

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means forming an enclosure of generally upright tubular form is rotatable about a central upright axis of said enclosure such that said enclosure and said rollers are independently rotatable.

Claim 30

The apparatus defined in claim 28 wherein the means to move the objects orbitally at least partially comprises a power driven impeller member rotationally mounted within the enclosure to rotate about a central upright axis.

Claim 31

The apparatus defined in claim 29 further comprising a generally cylindrical housing coaxially enclosing said rollers and wherein said plurality of rollers includes equal numbers of first rollers and second rollers interposed in a mutually alternating sequence around said cylindrical enclosure, said rollers being journalled in a base plate including an annular recess and a plurality of cylindrical recesses centered on and aligned with said first rollers, said first rollers each including a lowermost cluster of teeth positioned over and adjacent the associated cylindrical recess in said base plate, said lowermost clusters of teeth of said first rollers each including a sweeper tooth extending downwardly into the associated cylindrical recess to slidably abut the bottom surface of the cylindrical recess, said annular recess of said base plate extending inwardly to intersect with said cylindrical recesses whereby comminuted material is passed out of the comminuter by passing into said circular recesses and being swept therefrom into said annular recess and being swept therefrom through a discharge chute connected to and opening from said housing.

Claim 33

The apparatus defined in claim 31 wherein said rollers include screening elements coaxially set into said discharge openings for screening comminuted material passing through said discharge openings.

Claim 34

The apparatus defined in claim 28 wherein said rollers are substantially cylindrically shaped.

Claim 37

The method defined in claim 34 wherein said objects are subjected to a puncturing and avulsing action by roller surface projections.

Claim 38

The method defined in claim 35 in which the objects are orbited about an upright axis parallel to the roller axes.

Claim 39

The method defined in claim 36 wherein the rollers are maintained in rotation by the orbiting objects bearing against the same.

Claim 40

The method defined in claim 35 wherein the objects are placed in orbital motion at least partially by their contact with said rollers.

Claim 41

The method defined in claim 38 wherein the smallest particles being formed are drawn continuously from spaces between the lower ends of the rollers.

Claim 42

The method defined in claim 34 wherein the orbital motion of the objects is produced at least in part by mechanically impelling the objects about the axis of orbit.

Claim 43

The method defined in claim 34 wherein the orbital motion of the objects is produced at least in part by conjointly rotating the rollers and driving the rollers orbitally under externally applied drive power.