M.a. Industries, Inc.

Michael E Stout

Bobbie Don Peacock

Jarl B Lindroos

James R Jacobs

Jeffrey H Greene

Clive E Hardy

Classifying and processing post-consumer plastic scrap materials for subsequent utilization. Post-consumer plastic scrap of various kinds, such as colored HDPE, natural HDPE, green PET and clear PET are separating into constituent fractions, and each fraction is separately reduced to flakes. At least some of the fractions are separately washed to remove fragments of labels or other foreign matter previously in place on the plastic bottles or other containers making up those scrap constituents.

Method and apparatus for separating and classifying scrap plastic

A thermal gravity classifier in which various nonferrous scrap metals are classified and separated, using a single tank containing two layers of molten media. Shredded nonferrous scrap containing metal constituents such as aluminum, zinc, lead, and copper or the like are introduced to the top of the tank containing an upper layer of molten zinc, floating on a lower layer of molten lead. Metals such as aluminum, having a specific gravity less than zinc, by a screw conveyor approximately parallel with the top surface. Heavier metals and alloys such as copper or the like, having a melting point above the temperature within the tank, fall through the zinc layer and are conveyed from the tank by a separate screw conveyor extending up a diagonal wall of the tank. Metals such as lead and zinc, having a melting point lower than the temperature maintained within the tank, melt and gravitate to the appropriate molten layer in the tank. The molten metals are separately withdrawn from the layers in the tank from time to time.

Growing community of inventors

Peachtree City, GA, United States of America

Michael E Stout