Other

Rotochopper, Inc.

Douglas G Meyer

Jamey O Brick

Todd J Marquardsen

Dennis D Finken

Nick D Lieser

The present invention regulates the delivery of feedstock to the fragmentation zone in a gravity-fed comminuting machine and reduces the ejection of feed materials by means of a rotating cylinder located at an offset position above the rotor. Rotationally mounted on an axis parallel to and above, but offset from, the axis of the rotor, this cylinder serves primarily as a striking surface, or anvil. The continual rotation of the anvil, in the opposite rotational direction as the rotor and with much slower rotational speed, assists in agitating the feed material, alleviating the problems of feed chute obstructions and feed aggregation. The cylinder forces the feed materials into contact with the rotor teeth through continuous rotation and provides a novel tooth design to improve efficacy and reduce wear.

Device and method for improving grinding efficacy in gravity-fed grinding machines

A method for reducing impact damage to a waste fragmentation machine is provided in various embodiments. In general, material that is potentially ungrindable, e.g., unacceptably dense, may be inadvertently allowed to enter into the grinding chamber within the machine where it encounters a high-speed rotor. The high-speed rotor comprises rotor teeth that impact the material to fragment or comminute it to an acceptable size. A vibration detector is placed in proximity with the rotor's bearing(s) and, after taking a daily baseline sample, monitors the fragmentation process. If the vibration level goes beyond an alert upper limit, the operator may be alerted via visual and/or audible annunciation that potentially ungrindable material may be in the grinding or fragmenting chamber. The operator may then examine the waste material and, if necessary, remove any potentially ungrindable material. Further, if the vibration level exceeds an interventional upper limit, in various embodiments the powered feed system that feeds the waste material into the grinding chamber may be stopped. Alternatively, the feed system may be reversed and/or the high-speed rotor may be disengaged. In certain embodiments, if the interventional upper limit has been exceeded, the machine may require the operator to actively intervene, e.g., entering a password, before the machine will resume fragmenting.

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Clearwater, MN, United States of America

Douglas G Meyer