Pulverizing apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for producing pulverized glass which is free from nonglass particles, consisting essentially of: feed means for providing a supply of glass objects which includes caps and other metallic objects therewith; first conveyor means positioned to receive said supply of said glass objects and transfer said objects to an impactor means; first magnetic means for removing metallic objects being moved on said first conveyor means; impactor means positioned adjacent said first conveyor means in operating relationship to receive said glass objects from said first conveyor means after said magnetic means and adapted to propel said objects against a striker plate to shatter said glass and free said caps and other metallic objects from said glass, said impactor means including separator means located within to separate shattered glass from said caps and other metallic objects; said impactor means comprising a pulverizing mill having a plurality of rotating hammers and a stricker plate positioned to directly intercept the pass of glass entering said impactor means, said plurality of rotating hammers rotating about an axis of rotation within said impactor means located in a predetermined horizontal plane, a hopper means having an opening positioned offset from a vertical plane passing through said axis of rotation to thereby position said glass objects in contacting relationship with at least one of said hammers, said striker plate being aligned to receive said glass objects after said objects have been contacted by said hammers, said separator means within said impactor means including an arcuate plate mounted within said impactor means to cooperate with a side wall of said impactor means to define an exit chamber for said caps and other metal objects, the opening to said exit chamber being located above said horizontal plane through the axis of rotation of said hammers, second conveyor means positioned to receive said shattered glass from said impactor means and transfer said glass to a sizing means; and sizing means having an inlet and an outlet and positioned to receive said shattered glass directly into said inlet from said second conveyor means separate those pieces of shattered glass which are within a predetermined size,and transfer said separated pieces through said outlet to a collection means.