Apparatus and method for cleaning shards for recycling
US4844106A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 6, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 6, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02W30/62
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus and a method accomplished by the apparatus is disclosed for cleaning shards, such as clay pigeon fragments, of debris and contaminant materials for recycling. The apparatus includes a reservoir containing a washing fluid and a moving conveyor partially submerged in the fluid. A screen has an outlet positioned above the submerged portion of the conveyor so that the shards may pass along the screen to the conveyor while some debris and contaminant material falls through the screen and into the reservoir away from the conveyor. The shards are washed in the fluid and are conveyed by the conveyor out of the fluid and past a bank of spray nozzles which spray the shards in a direction against the motion of the conveyor. Preferably, the screen from the bottom of a hopper and the shards are introduced by the hopper onto the conveyor under the influence of a fluid spray. A pump system circulates fluid through the various sprayers. A weir is included to trap buoyant debris. Crushing apparatus may be employed to reduce the shards to the desired particulate size for reuse.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.