AU2005202346B2

AU2005202346B2 - Fluroscent Lamp Disposer

Info

Publication number: AU2005202346B2
Application number: AU2005202346A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Henry Kasaini; Tjaart Nicolaas Lemmer; Johan George Roberts
Original assignee: North West University
Current assignee: North West University
Priority date: 2004-05-31
Filing date: 2005-05-31
Publication date: 2009-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2025-05-31
Also published as: AU2005202346A1

Description

Editorial Note There is no page 1 Feb 2009 113:37 Wrayj Bunburyd Fax 97914133 p.

4 o -2- "'IFluorescent Lamp Disposer" oField of the invention This invention relates to a method and article processing equipment for taking Va fluorescent lamps that have become inoperative, out of circulation. Although not ci so limited the invention finds particular application in the field of the disposal of C linear fluorescent lamps.

o Background of the Invention Fluorescent lamps contain mercury or other similar toxic vapour to enable their operation. Once a lamp has become inoperative it must be stored. As such lamps are often large they are conventionally crushed and then suitably disposed of.

Shattering, however, releases the toxic vapour held by a lamp. Owing to being a health hazard the toxic vapour cannot be permitted to be released to the environment. A variety of techniques are used to achieve such result. USA patent number 5,092,527 discloses a disposer that can be used on a successive single lamp continuous basis implying the possibility of toxic vapour loss to the environment during use while crushed material and adsorbed are separated during the process by way of a substantially involved procedure. USA patent application 2004/0104288A1 discloses a process in which single lamps are feedable to crushing zone but does not involve the use of adsorbing agent during operation. In both disclosures the possibility of environmental release of toxic substance remains a possibility while both are labour intensive owing to requiring the individual feeding of successive lamps for processing. It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to address these aspects.

The discussion throughout this specification, of the background and prior art to the invention is intended only to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge in Australia or anywhere in the world as at the priority date of the application.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:37 Wrag Bunburs Fax 97914133 0 -3ci Summary of the Invention oThroughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

o According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of disposing ci iof spent toxic fluorescent lamps comprising placing a plurality of lamps within a space with a quantity of particulate toxic substance capturing agent, sealing the space, subjecting the lamps to a vigorous shattering action to create fragments while simultaneously vigorously intermixing the particulate toxic agent with the fragmented lamps and the contents of the lamps, causing the fragmented lamps, their contents and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to pass to a storage zone and sealing closing the storage zone.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the method further comprises grading the fragments on their passage to the storage zone.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the method further comprises pre-combining the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent in a charging zone situated upstream of a treatment zone and progressively urging the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent into the treatment zone at which the lamps are subjected to said shattering action, said charging zone defining apart of said space.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the method involves shattering the tubing by way of a crushing process.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the shattering action is effected by a rotor which is driven to rotate within the space to impact upon said lamps COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 IG:38 Wra j Bunbur j Fax 97914133 p.G

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-4- According to another aspect the invention resides in a spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus when used with the method as described above, wherein the oapparatus comprises: a lamp charging zone and a processing zone. The processing zone having a discharge which is arranged and configured to be connected to a storage zone wherein in use the lamp charging zone, processing zone and storage zone are ocapable of being closed to jointly define a space which is isolated from the environment, the charging zone having an outlet which opens into the processing zone and the processing zone opens into the storage zone, the charging zone being configured to in use receive a plurality of said lamps and a particulate toxic substance capturing agent, the charging zone being arranged and configured to enable the lamps to move to the outlet and into the processing zone the processing zone having a lamp shattering mechanism that is arranged and configured when operating to apply a vigorous tube shattering action on the lamps entering the processing zone and a vigorous inter-mixing of the particulate toxic substance capturing agent entering the processing zone, the discharge being arranged and configured to enable the flow of fragments of the lamps generated by the shattering mechanism, the contents of the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to pass to the storage zone, said discharge being capable of being isolated from storage zone According to a preferred feature of the invention the outlet is associated with a restricted opening having dimensions less than the cross-sectional area of the charging zone and which is dimensioned to permit a number of the lamps in the charging zone to pass to the processing zone at any one time.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:38 Wra j Bunburm Fax 97914133 p.7 According to a preferred feature of the invention the opening is located at the lower portion of the outlet.

According to another aspect the invention resides in A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus comprising n a lamp charging zone and a processing zone, the processing zone having a o discharge which is arranged and configured to be connected to a storage zone in wherein in use the lamp charging zone, processing zone and storage zone are o capable of being closed to jointly define a space which is isolated from the environment, the charging zone having an outlet which opens into the processing zone and the processing zone opens into the storage zone, the outlet is associated with a restricted opening having dimensions less than the cross-sectional area of the charging zone and which is dimensioned to permit a number of the lamps in the charging zone to pass to the processing zone at any one time, said number being less than the maximum plurality of lamps receivable in the charging zone., the charging zone being configured to in use receive a plurality of said lamps and a particulate toxic substance capturing agent, the charging zone being arranged and configured to enable the lamps to move to the outlet and into the processing zone the processing zone having a lamp shattering mechanism that is arranged and configured when operating to apply a vigorous tube shattering action on the lamps entering the processing zone and a vigorous inter-mixing of the particulate toxic substance capturing agent entering the processing zone, the discharge being arranged and configured to enable the flow of fragments of the lamps generated by the shattering mechanism, the contents of the lamps and COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:38 Wra j Bunbur!d Fax 97914133 p.8 8-6the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to pass to the storage zone, said discharge being capable of being separated from the storage zone.

0 According to a preferred feature of the invention the shattering mechanism comprises a rotor which is capable of being caused to rotate within the processing

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zone to impact upon the lamps in the processing zone.

o According to a preferred feature of the invention the charging zone tfl accommodates a conveyor which is arranged and configured to cause the lamps 0 o in the charging zone to be conveyed to the outlet and thence to the processing zone.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the conveyor comprises an endless belt-like member extending between a pair of rollers art opposed ends of the charging zone and which is intended in use to be driven to carry lamps supported thereby to the outlet.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the conveyor is disposed substantially horizontally or with a slight decline in the direction of the outlet..

According to a preferred feature of the invention the belt-like member is provided with suitably spaced transversely elements formed to engage the lamps supported by the belt-like member towards the outlet.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the charging zone is provided with a lower floor that is inclined and wherein the outlet is lowermost to enable the lamps to move to the outlet under the influence of gravity.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the apparatus further comprises a transferring means to facilitate the delivery of fragments of the lamps generated by the shattering mechanism, the contents of the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to the discharge.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:30 Wra j Bunbur j Fax 97914133 p.9 07 0 According to a preferred feature of the invention the transferring means is in the form of an auger extending from below the processing zone defining means to the o discharge.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the apparatus further comprises a grading facility situated between the processing zone and the storage zone to n limit the size of the fragments passing to the discharge.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the grading facility comprises a 0 oscreen located in close proximity to the rotor to limit the possibility of a build up of fragments between the screen and the rotor.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the fluorescent lamps are elongate and said charging zone is of an elongate form, wherein in use the florescent lamps are received in the charging zone in substantially parallel relationship to the central longitudinal axis of the charging zone, said outlet located at one end of the charging zone.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the conveyor is located along the lower portion of the charging zone.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the central longitudinal axis is inclined.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the bladed rotor is mounted to rotate about an axis substantially coincidental or parallel to the central longitudinal and the screen.

According to a preferred feature of the invention in the screen has generally cylindrical form and is in close proximity to the rotation path of the outer radial edges of the rotor.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 113:38 Wrayj Bunbur!3 Fax 97914133 -8- SAccording to a preferred feature of the invention the storage zone is defined by a CT receptacle which is capable of being sealingly connected to the discharge and Sdisconnected from the discharge and sealingly closed.

Brief Description of the Drawings SThe invention is now described in more detail, by way of example, with reference o to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: SFigure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of a spent fluorescent lamp processing apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 shows the disposer along section line A-A in figure 1, Figure 3 shows the disposer in the direction of arrow B in figure 1, Figure 4 shows the disposer in the direction of arrow C in figure 1, Figure 5 shows the disposer along section line D-D in figure 1, Figure 6 shows the disposer along section line E-E in figure 1, Figure 7 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a spent fluorescent lamp processing apparatus according to the invention, Figure 8 is an isometric view of the article-destructing-mechanism holding end of the second embodiment, Figure 9 shows the disposer of Figures 7 and-8 in side elevation, and Figure 10 shows the disposer in the direction of arrow F of Figure 9.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:38 WraU Bunbur j Fax 97914133 p.11

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0 -9- Detailed Description of the Specific Embodiments oReferring to the drawings the article processing equipment according to the embodiments is in the form of a batch type fluorescent tube lamp disposer is generally indicated by reference numeral The disposer 10 of each of the embodiments comprises a spent linear fluorescent olamp charging and processing zone defining means in the form of a spent in fluorescent lamp charging tube 12 extending between an upstream charging end S16 and a downstream processing part 18 which is associated with an article destructing mechanism in the form of a bladed rotor 20 driven from a motor 22 for fragmenting spent lamps which are urged into a crushing type fragmenting relationship thereto as discussed in more detail below for the various embodiments. The downstream processing part 18 has a discharge 26 which is connected to a removable drum. The inlet to the charging tube 12 is closable via a sealing door 24 while its discharge 26 is sealably connected to a place of storage in the form of a removable drum 28 once the disposer 10 is ready for use.

The charging tube 12, downstream processing part, discharge 26 and removable drum define an enclosed space which when the sealing door of the charging tube is closed is sealingly isolated from the exterior environment and hich in iuse is to receive the lamps and a quantity of particulate toxic substance capturing agent.

To prevent oversize lamp portions from entering the storage 28 a grading facility in the form of a grading screen 30 in interposed between the rotor 20 and the discharge 26. The apertures of the screen 30 are suitably sized to also permit the passage of lamp end caps there along.

In the case of the first embodiment as shown at Figures 1 to 6 the rotor 20 is mounted to rotate about an axis 32 that is parallel to the central axis 34 of the charging tube 12 while a chute 36 forming an interface between the charging part and the processing part of the charging and processing zone connects the discharge end of the tube 12 to the processing part, which comprises the zone of operation 38 of the rotor 20. While the chute 36 slopes downward it is adequately sized to enable spent fluorescent lamps to be moved in a direction substantially parallel to their central axes from the charging tube 12 via the chute 36 into a COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 113:39 Wra j Bunburm Fax 97914133 p.12 o fragmenting relationship with the blades of the rotor 20, as clearly shown in Figure 01 The disposer 10 is fitted with legs 40 that maintain the charging tube 12 substantially horizontal once it is ready for use. The legs 40 are of suitable elevation to facilitate the manual charging of the zone 14 without the use of any stepping facility facilitating the convenient use of the disposer The urging of the lamps charged to the zone 14 into their fragmenting relationship owith the rotor 20 is achieved via an endless urging facility in the form of a conveyor in the form of an endless band 42 running along a channel shaped bottom section 44 forming part of the zone 14 between motor driven end rollers 46. The band 42 is fitted with two lamp displacers in the form of catching formations 48 spaced half the length of the band 42 apart to perform lamp end catching functions in urging lamps lying at the bottom of a stacked charge and thus onto the band 42 into a processing relationship with the rotor 20. While not shown the bottom section 44 is covered from above by way of a cover that permits the free movement of the band 42 and the formations 48 along the charging tube while minimising the possibility of the particulate toxic substance capturing agent from falling into the section 44 thereby creating a blockage.

To control the movement of lamps into engagement with the rotor 20 a constricting baffle 50 is provided at the discharging end of the charging tube 12 to ensure that the operation of the rotor is not impeded by too many lamps being delivered to it. The baffle is formed with a rotor access passage 52 opening up into the chute 36 and extending upward from the bottom section 44 such that it straddles the discharge end of the band 42 and controls access to the rotor 20 via the operation of the band 42 to only the lowermost layers of lamps stackably located in the charging zone 14. During operation of the disposer 10 the lamps being removed from the charging zone comprises those immediately supported on the conveyor and possibly some of the lamps above which are supported thereby and which are able to pass through the access passage 52. As those lamps are removed they gravitationally replaced by lamps higher up in the COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:39 Wra j Bunbur i Fax 97914133 p.13 0-11 charging zone 14 to be subsequently delivered to the processing zone until all of the lamps in the charging zone have been delivered.

To make provision for the further fragmentation of oversize pieces of lamp caught between the rotor 20 and the screen 30 which are prevented from passing through the screen 30, the rotor 20 is positioned to lie closely adjacent the screen to enable newly fragmented lamp pieces leaving the rotor 20 to be carried over othe screen by the rotor to further fragment such oversize pieces and to promote Vthe continuous flow of pieces to storage.

While the screen 30 of the first embodiment is of a co-axial nature as regards the rotor 20 it can also be in the form of a circumferentially fitted radial screen, as discussed below with reference to the second embodiment as shown at Figures 7 to 10 embodiment.

In the case of the second embodiment as shown in Figures 7 to 10 the delivery of the lamps to the rotor 20 is achieved gravitationally owing to the mounting of the charging tube 12 at a slope. This is achieved by legs 54 typically positioning the tube 12 at a slope of in the order of 30 degrees. As with the first embodiment of Figures 1 to 6 embodiment the control of the flow of lamps to the rotor 20 to ensure proper operation of the rotor, the discharge end of the zone 14 is fitted with a constricting baffle 56 formed with a rotor access passage opening up into the zone of rotor operation 58. As in the case of the first embodiment of figures 1 to 6 the lamps removed by the processing action of the rotor 20 during the operation of the dispose as a result of them being gravitationally urged into a the processing zone are gravitationally replaced by lamps still higher up in the charge.

In the case of the second embodiment the screen 30 circumferentially encompasses the rotor 20. As result the possibility of oversize fragment piece build up is prevented by the blades of the rotor 20 fully sweeping the region on the upstream side of the screen As indicated previously it will be appreciated that a similar rotor and screen configuration to that of the second embodiment can be implemented for first COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 1G:39 Wra j Bunbur!d Fax 97914133 p.14

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0-12embodiment as shown at Figures 1 to 6 embodiment discussed above. Similarly the rotor and screen arrangement of the first embodiment can be applied for the osecond embodiment.

Owing to the sloping requirement of the tube 12, in order to achieve the gravitational feed of the lamps to the rotor and in order to have the charging end 16 at a convenient height for an operator to effect the charging of the disposer, othe processing end 18 of the disposer 10 is located substantially at ground level when the disposer is in use. As processed lamps are required to be discharged to Othe drum 28 the disposer 10 is fitted with a transferring means in the form of a motor driven auger 60 extending coaxially below the tube 12 to elevate the processed product for delivery onto the removable storage drum 28. The interior of the auger 60 comprises a part of the enclosed space of the disposer once the disposer 10 is in use.

It is anticipated that the first embodiment of the Figures 1 to 6 will be able to deal with a larger charge of lamps than those of the second embodiment as shown at Figures 7 to 10 embodiment owing to the positive feeding of lamps to the rotor by the band 42.

It is an object of the disposer 10 of both embodiments is to dispose of spent fluorescent lamps in a way that limits escape of toxic substance such as mercury vapour to the environment. This is achieved in that the whole system is sealed during performance of a lamp processing procedure. The door 24 sealably fits the tube 12 while the transfer of processed lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to the drum 28 is also done under conditions of sealing via the discharge 26. In addition the charging tube 12 also serves a storage function in that spent tube lamps are stored in the charging tube 12 until it has been desirably charged at which time it is appropriate to run the disposer The disposer 10 of each of the embodiments as specifically described is employable for safely taking spent linear fluorescent lamps out of circulation.

While it is particularly useful for dealing with linearly extending lamps it will be COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 1G:39 Wra j BunburM Fax 97914133

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0-13appreciated that any shape of fluorescent lamp can be accommodated as long as it can pass through the rotor access passage.

0 In use the charging zone 14 has the spent lamps placed in it and when it is desired to operate the disposer a quantity of the particulate charging of toxic substance capturing agent is introduced into the charging zone. The particulate ctoxic substance capturing agent can comprise activated carbon or charcoal for absorbing and/or adsorbing the mercury vapour released from the lamps on their fragmentation. Once the disposer is properly sealed by closure of the door 24 and Ssealable connection is made with the drum 28, the processing operation is initiated. This simply involves the starting of the rotor 20 and in the case of the first embodiment of Figures 1 to 6 embodiment the conveyor and in the case of the second embodiment of the Figures 7 to 10 the auger 60. The lamps and particulate toxic capturing agent are thus urged into a processing relationship with the rotor 20, whether gravitationally or by the operation of the band 42. The operation of the baffle 50 plate ensures that the rate of lamp charging does not choke the rotor 20, which would otherwise cause its decreased efficiency and even its stoppage.

Spent lamps are fed continuously to the rotor 20 to be fragmented and at the same time the particulate toxic capturing agent is being vigorously circulated throughout the processing zone by the rotor. Such circulation enhances the absorption and/or adsorption of the released mercury vapour. The fragmented lamp pieces are graded by the screen 38 and together with the particulate toxic capturing agent, which will have absorbed and/or adsorbed the bulk of the released mercury vapour during the operation of the disposer 10, are continuously removed from the zone of processing part 18 and are discharged to the drum 28 for storage, either directly or via the operation of the auger The accumulation of oversize lamp fragments between the rotor 20 and the screen 38 is effectively prevented by either the inter-engagement between the rotor and the screen and/or by secondary fragmenting action of lamp pieces coming into contact with other oversize pieces andlor by the full sweeping operation the blades of the rotor 20 as in the case of the second embodiment.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:40 Wray Bunbury Fax 97914133 p.16 8-14- ^Q Once the charge of spent lamps has been disposed of the drum 28 is sealed off rT and the charging tube 12 re-opened to receive a further charge or to serve as a Splace of storage for spent lamps for a subsequent charge.

While the embodiments are directed to the disposal of linear spent fluorescent lamps it will be appreciated that the invention is not so limited and in fact the

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embodiments are not so limited since the accommodation of differently shaped o lamps can be accommodated by adjustment of the rotor access passage and the Scharging zone and delivery means.

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, formulations and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein.

COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10

Claims

8-15- SClaims 0The Claims Defining the Invention are as Follows: 1. A method of disposing of spent toxic fluorescent lamps comprising placing a plurality of lamps within a space with a quantity of particulate toxic substance c Scapturing agent, sealing the space, subjecting the lamps to a vigorous C shattering action to create fragments while simultaneously vigorously ointermixing the particulate toxic agent with the fragmented lamps and the 0 contents of the lamps, causing the fragmented lamps, their contents and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to pass to a storage zone and sealing closing the storage zone. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising grading the fragments on their passage to the storage zone. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 comprising pre-combining the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent in a charging zone situated upstream of a treatment zone and progressively urging the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent into the treatment zone at which the lamps are subjected to said shattering action, said charging zone defining apart of said space. 4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the shattering of the lamps is effected by way of a crushing process. A method as claimed at any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the shattering action is effected by a rotor which is driven to rotate within the space to impact upon said lamps 6. A methods substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 1G:40 Wra j Bunbur j Fax 97914133 p.18 O 0-16- 7. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus when used with the method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a lamp charging zone and a processing zone, the processing zone having a discharge which is arranged and configured to be connected to a storage zone wherein in use the lamp charging zone, processing zone and storage zone are capable of being closed to jointly define a space which is isolated ofrom the environment, o the charging zone having an outlet which opens into the processing zone and the processing zone opens into the storage zone, the charging zone being configured to in use receive a plurality of said lamps and a particulate toxic substance capturing agent, the charging zone being arranged and configured to enable the lamps to move to the outlet and into the processing zone the processing zone having a lamp shattering mechanism that is arranged and configured when operating to apply a vigorous tube shattering action on the lamps entering the processing zone and a vigorous inter-mixing of the particulate toxic substance capturing agent entering the processing zone, the discharge being arranged and configured to enable the flow of fragments of the lamps generated by the shattering mechanism, the contents of the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to pass to the storage zone, said discharge being capable of being separated from the storage zone. 8. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the outlet is associated with a restricted opening having dimensions less than the cross-sectional area of the charging zone and which is dimensioned to permit a number of the lamps in the charging zone to pass to the COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 1G:40 Wra j BunburU Fax 97914133 p.19 O 8-17- processing zone at any one time, said number being less than the maximum plurality of lamps receivable in the charging zone.
9. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus comprising a lamp charging zone and a processing zone, the processing zone having a discharge which is arranged and configured to be connected to a storage ozone wherein in use the lamp charging zone, processing zone and storage n zone are capable of being closed to jointly define a space which is isolated Ofrom the environment, the charging zone having an outlet which opens into the processing zone and the processing zone opens into the storage zone, the outlet is associated with a restricted opening having dimensions less than the cross-sectional area of the charging zone and which is dimensioned to permit a number of the lamps in the charging zone to pass to the processing zone at any one time, said number being less than the maximum plurality of lamps receivable in the charging zone., the charging zone being configured to in use receive a plurality of said lamps and a particulate toxic substance capturing agent, the charging zone being arranged and configured to enable the lamps to move to the outlet and into the processing zone the processing zone having a lamp shattering mechanism that is arranged and configured when operating to apply a vigorous tube shattering action on the lamps entering the processing zone and a vigorous inter-mixing of the particulate toxic substance capturing agent entering the processing zone, the discharge being arranged and configured to enable the flow of fragments of the lamps generated by the shattering mechanism, the contents of the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to pass to the COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:40 Wras Bunburm Fax 97914133 0-18- storage zone, said discharge being capable of being separated from the storage zone. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed claim 8 or 9 wherein the opening is located at the lower portion of the outlet.
11. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in any one of claims o7 to 10 wherein the shattering mechanism comprises a rotor which is capable of being caused to rotate within the processing zone to impact upon Othe lamps in the processing zone.
12. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein the charging zone accommodates a conveyor which is arranged and configured to cause the lamps in the charging zone to be conveyed to the outlet and thence to the processing zone.
13. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the conveyor comprises an endless belt-like member extending between a pair of rollers at opposed ends of the charging zone and which is intended in use to be driven to carry lamps supported thereby to the outlet.
14. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the conveyor is disposed substantially horizontally or with a slight decline in the direction of the outlet.. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the belt-like member is provided with suitably spaced transverse elements formed to engage the lamps supported by the belt-like member towards the outlet.
16. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed at claim any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein the charging zone is provided with a lower floor that is inclined and wherein the outlet is lowermost to enable the lamps to move to the outlet under the influence of gravity. COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:40 Wra j Bunbur!j Fax 97914133 p. 2 1 O 8-19-
17. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed at claim16 further comprising a transferring means to facilitate the delivery of fragments of the 0 lamps generated by the shattering mechanism, the contents of the lamps and the particulate toxic substance capturing agent to the discharge.
18. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the transferring means is in the form of an auger extending from below the 0 processing zone defining means to the discharge. S19. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 18 further comprising a grading facility situated between the processing zone and the storage zone to limit the size of the fragments passing to the discharge. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 198 as dependant from claim 11 wherein the grading facility comprises a screen located in close proximity to the rotor to limit the possibility of a build up of fragments between the screen and the rotor.
21. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the fluorescent lamps are elongate and said charging zone is of an elongate form, wherein in use the florescent lamps are received in the charging zone in substantially parallel relationship to the central longitudinal axis of the charging zone, said outlet located at one end of the charging zone.
22. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed at claim 21 as dependant from any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein the conveyor is located along the lower portion of the charging zone.
23. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed at claim 21 as dependant from claim 16 wherein the central longitudinal axis is inclined. COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10 Feb 2009 16:41 Wrayj Bunburu Fax 97914133 p.22 O
24. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in any one of claims S21 to 23 as dependant from claim 20 wherein the bladed rotor is mounted to o rotate about an axis substantially coincidental or parallel to the central longitudinal and the screen. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in claims 21 to 23 Sas dependant from claim 20 wherein the screen has generally cylindrical o form and is in close proximity to the rotation path of the outer radial edges of the rotor.
26. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 25 wherein the storage zone is defined by a receptacle which is capable of being sealingly connected to the discharge and disconnected from the discharge and sealingly closed.
27. A spent fluorescent lamp disposal apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. COMS ID No: ARCS-223089 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:52 Date 2009-02-10