Composting apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for receiving and decomposing organic materials and discharging a compost, said apparatus comprising: (a) a body having a wall with exterior and interior surfaces defining a decomposition chamber, said body being fabricated from a section of corrugated metal pipe of the type having helical corrugations extending around the exterior and interior wall surfaces of the pipe, said body having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end; (b) a frame having support means for rotatively supporting said body thereon; (c) drive means including motor means for rotating said body in a predetermined rotational direction and at a predetermined rotational speed; (d) elevation means for selectively positioning said body in a predetermined position to control residence time within the decomposition chamber and to accommodate loading and unloading; and (e) baffles extending axially along the internal wall of the decomposition chamber which baffles, along with the interior helical corrugations, will mix the organic material and move the material between the inlet to the outlet as the body rotates at a predetermined speed and rotational direction as decomposition occurs.

Claim 2

An apparatus for receiving and decomposing organic materials and discharging a compost, said apparatus comprising: (a) a body having a wall with exterior and interior surfaces defining a decomposition chamber, said body being fabricated from a section of corrugated metal pipe of the type having helical corrugations extending around the exterior and interior wall surfaces of the pipe, said body having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end; (b) a frame having support means for rotatively supporting said body thereon; (c) drive means including motor means for rotating said body in a predetermined rotational direction and at a predetermined rotational speed; (d) elevation means for selectively positioning said body in a predetermined position to control residence time within the decomposition chamber and to accommodate loading and unloading; and (e) baffles extending axially along the internal wall of the decomposition chamber which baffles, along with the interior helical corrugations, will mix the organic material and move the material between the inlet to the outlet as the body rotates at a predetermined speed and rotational direction as decomposition occurs.

Claim 6

An apparatus for receiving and decomposing organic material and discharging a compost, said apparatus comprising: (a) a body defining a decomposition chamber having baffles therein, said body being comprised of a pair of synthetic containers, each container having a bottom wall, a side wall and each having an open upper end defined by a flange extending peripherally about the upper edge of the side wall, said containers being disposed in open-end-to-open-end relationship and having an annular channel member disposed therebetween to permit controlled leakage from the decomposition chamber, said channel member having flanges engaging the respective flanges of each of said containers and providing rigidity to the body, said body having an outlet at one end; (b) a base including a cradle and roller means for supporting said body for rotation; (c) drive means for rotating said body including a pair of friction wheels engaging the said channel member at locations on opposite sides of a vertical axis through said body with at least one of said wheels being driven by a motor; and (d) elevation means for selectively positioning said cradle and body in a predetermined position to control residence time within the decomposition chamber and accommodate loading and unloading.

Claim 7

An apparatus for receiving and decomposing organic material and discharging a compost, said apparatus comprising: (a) a body defining a decomposition chamber having baffles therein, said body being comprised of a pair of synthetic containers, each container having a bottom wall, a side wall and each having an open upper end defined by a flange extending peripherally about the upper edge of the side wall, said containers being disposed in open-end-to-open-end relationship and having an annular channel member disposed therebetween to permit controlled leakage from the decomposition chamber, said channel member having flanges engaging the respective flanges of each of said containers and providing rigidity to the body, said body having an outlet at one end; (b) a base including a cradle and roller means for supporting said body for rotation; (c) drive means for rotating said body including a pair of friction wheels engaging the said channel member at locations on opposite sides of a vertical axis through said body with at least one of said wheels being driven by a motor; and (d) elevation means for selectively positioning said cradle and body in a predetermined position to control residence time within the decomposition chamber and accommodate loading and unloading.