US2766942A - Waste disposal device having a discharge pocket covered by a shredding screen - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1956 Filed Jan. 7, 1953 s. l.. LOCKLEY ET AL 2,766,942

WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE POCKET COVERED BY A SHREDDING SCREEN 3 Sheets-Sheet l will' BY ,4pc/fe@ M4 Pfc/maas IMM? rroeNExS Oct. 16. 1956 s. L. LocKLEY ET AL 2,766,942

WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE POCKET COVERED BY A SHREDDING SCREEN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1953 Y 5 l Donk,

T C H mom w W fm wm Oct. 16, 1956 A s. L. LocKLEY ET AL 2,766,942

WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE POCKET COVERED BV A SHREDDINC SCREEN Filed Jan. '7, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l G. '7

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United States Patent() 2,766,942V WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DIS- CHARGE POCKET COVERED BY A SHRED- DING SCREEN Sidney L. Lockley, New Castle, Pa., and Archer W. Richards, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignors to Lockley Machine Company, New Castle, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania' t Application January 7, 1953, Serial No. 329,95'4

4 Claims. A(Cl. 241-46) Another object is to provide a novel comminu-ting de` vice of this character in which'the screen is also a shredding member having shredding elements thereon adjacent the openings thereof and presented toward the grinding chamber.

Still another object is to provide a novel comminuting device having a vertical-axis grinding chamber and a disk rotor operable in the chamber adjacent the lower end thereof in a relatively closely spaced running relation .to the side wall and to a screen extending across an outlet opening in such side wall, and in which the rotor and screen have cooperating shredding elements thereon.

A further object is to provide 'a novel comminuting device of the character just mentioned in whichv portions of the outlet opening extend above and below the rotor, and in which the grinding chamber communicates with the outlet opening through an upper perforated portion of the screen and the space below the rotor communicates with the outlet opening through a lower serrated portion of the screen.

Yet another object is to provide a novel comminuting device of the kind above indicated in which the shredding screen is a curved plate and the shredding elements are inwardly projecting shoulders or shearing edges formed by inwardly otfset portions of the plate.

As a further object, this invention provides a novel comminuating device of the character above referred to in which the screen is held against seat means of the housing by a housing part which is removable to afford access to the screen from the exterior of the device.

It is also an object to prov-ide a novel comminuting device of the character mentioned above in which the rotor is mounted on the shaft of a direct-connected electric motor and in which the motor is capable of limited shifting transversely of its rotation axis for varying the operating clearance between the rotor and screen.

The invention can be further bn'ey summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, forming a part hereof: v

Fig. l is a side elevation of a comminuting'devce embodying the present invention, the device being shown I with certain portions thereof broken away;

l` ce Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken substantially as indicated by section line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and further illustrating the cooperation of the impeller means with the shredding screen;

Fig. 4 is an elevation representing a face view of theY shredding screen, with the screen in detached relation and as seen from the shredding side thereof;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the shredding screen on section line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse section of the shredding screen on an enlarged scale and taken approximately as indicated by section line 6 6 of Fig. 4; i

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the rotor showing .the same in detached relation; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rotor.

The novel comminuting device 10 represents one practi- 1 cal embodiment of the present invention, and comprises in general, a grinding unit 11 and an electric driving motor 12, preferably a reversible motor, direct-connected with the grinding unit and located at the lower end of the grinder housing 13. The comminuting device 10 is' here shown as being suspended from the bottom Wall 14 of a kitchen sink, or the like, and with which the device is connected by a coupling 15 Ahaving a-threaded connection 16 with the grinder housing 13. The coupling 15 holds the upper end of the grinder housing in clamped engagement with the sink wall 14 with a suitable` packing 17 interposed therebetween and the axial passage of the coupling provides an inlet opening 18 throughv which the garbage or other material to be comminuted is introduced into the grinding chamber 20 of the grindv ing unit.

In addition to the housing 13, the grinding unit 111 comprises a rotor 21 operable in the grinding chamber 20 and connected with the shaft 22 of the electric motor* 12. The grinding unit 11 also includes a retaining and shredding screen 23 located in the housing 13v and withY which the rotor 21 cooperates, as will be further ex? plained hereinafter. The housing 13 is an upright hollow housing such that the grinding chamber 20 defined thereby, is a substantially vertical-axis grinding chamber. At its lower end, the housing 13 is provided with a transverse wall 24 form-V ing the bottom Wall of the grinding chamber and a dejv pending annular flange or skirt 25 extending below such transverse wall. The depending flange 25 defines an up-i` wardly extending pocketV 25a in the underside of the housing 13. On one side of the vertical axis 26 of the grinding chamber 2.0, the housing 13 is-provided with an outlet opening 27 in the side wall thereof and whichv connects the grinding chamber with the delivery passage 28 of a discharge nozzle or spout 29. The outlet opening 27 is in the form of a pocket or' recess opening radially through the side wall of the housing 13 and extending arcuately of the side wall of the' housing for a substantial portion of the circumference of the grinding chamber.V Thearcuate extent of the screen 23 is shown in the drawings (Fig. 2) as being on the order of 'a 45 degree portion of the wall circumference of the' grinding chamber 20, that is to say, a minor portion lof such circumference and does not, in any case, exceed 90 degrees in arcuate extent. The outlet opening or pocket i 27 is located with its lower edge substantially ush with Fig. 2 is a partial transverse section onua somewhat larger scale and taken as indicated section 2-2 of Fig. 1, but with an impeller of the rotor shownradjacent the shredding screen; v

the top surface 24a of the transverse bottom wall 24, and extends vertically of the grinding chamber 20 for a4 distance such that a minor portion of the outlet opening f is below the rotor 21 `and a major portion of the outlet :s opening is above the rotor. The outer 4annular portion of the wall surface 24a preferably slopes downwardly and outwardly toward the side wall of the grinding chamber 20, as shown in Fig. 1 v v; vThe rotor 21 is a diskshaped member having adepend-l Y40 and 41. clamped against the seats 42 and 43 by a pair of lug proing hollow'eentral hub or shaft portion 30 extending downwardly Vthrough a substantially central opening 31 of Vthe transverse bottom wall 24 and telescopingly engaging the motorY shafty22. The rotor-,21 is connected with the Y motor -shaft by key and setscrew elements-32 and V33 provided in the hubV portion 30 and is normally drivenin a counterclockwise direction as indicatedY by the arrow 21a. The motor yshaft'22 andthe rotor 21 are disposed with their rotation axes substantially coincident with the axis 260i the grinding chamber.

Leakage of liquid out o-f the grinding chamber 2) and around'the drive shaft means for the rotor 21V is prevented byla suitable packing 34 disposed around the hubfPQrtion 30, as shown in Fig. l. Therpacking 34-has its upper end Vextending into an annular counter/bore 35 ofthe rotor 2 1 and its lower endseated in a counterbore 36 of the transverseibottomV wall V24.

The rotor 21 is located at the lower end of the grinding.

chamber and relatively close to the bottom wall 24, but with an intervening space 37 therebetween. The a`n,

. nular rim portion 38'of the rotor is in relatively closelyY VV Y `2,763,943 f Y Y' Y. if

grinding chamber 20 throughrthis clearanceV space into l adjacent the rimV portion 38 of the'rotor and serve as an impelling means which .imparts a rotary or whirling mo'- V tion to the waste material contained in thergrinding chamber and also act as shredding elements, as will be further explained hereinafter.

. The screen 23 forms ya portion of the side wall of the Y grinding chamber 20 andis preferably curved to substanrtially the same curvature such that the portionof the screen presented toward the grinding chamber will conform with,v and'constitute a `substantially flush continuation of, suchY side wall of the grinding chamber. The

screen can embody any one Yof various specific forms ofV construction and is here shown as comprising a generally rectangular metal plate having flatrnarrow vertical side flanges 40 and 41, and a body portion between the ianges andcorresponding generally as to its lateral and vertical dimensions with the lateral and vertical dimensions of the outlet opening 27. Y Y

The'screen 23 is mounted in the outlet opening. 27 lof A.'

the housing 13 by providing the housing with a pair of outwardly facing substantially parallel spaced verticalV seats 42 and 43 located on opposite sides of the outlet opening and which are engaged by the vertical side flanges The anges 40 and 41 of the screen are jections 44 and 45 of a housing section 46 which `forms a cover for the outlet opening 27 outwardly of the screen. The housing section 46 also carries the above-mentioned discharge nozzle 29 having the delivery passage 28 therein.

The housing section V46 is connected with the main housing 13 by suitable screws 47, such that this housing section will be removable for aifording access to the screen 23 and will permit removal or replacement of the screen from the Yexterior of 'the device. A suitable gasket 48 Vis interposed between the main housing 13 Vand the removable housing section 46.

The screen 23 is provided with numerous openings or perforations V50 which extend through the metal plate and are distributed over the curved body portion ofthe screen, that is, over the plate area which is exposed to the grindingchaniber 20. The openings 50 can be formed in 'the screen 23 by any suitable punching or dr' g operations and are here shown as being disposed with their axes sub-` stantially parallel to each other. These openings are of Va size suitable to the grinding YYoperation intended to be performed by the Vcomminutingdevice 10 and such that they willprevent the escaperof pieces' or" the Vwaistermaterrial from the grinding chamber until thewaste material has been reduced to particles of a desired fmeness and which particles will then'be capableof passing'freely through the screen-openings.rv Ihejopenings 50 may, Yfor example,v be on the vorder of three sixteenths of aninch in diameter although holes ofV a larger orsmaller size can be used if desired. Y v

' In addition to servingras a temporary confiningrmeans exposed or eective surface thereof and located adjacentV to the Vopenings 50 or the major portion of these openings.V Theshredding elements 51 are here shown as comprising .n

arcuate Yshearing edges or shoulders 52 located on one side of the openings 50 and extending partway around Y such openings and exposed by the openings to the contents of the grinding chamber 20.Y y

The shredding elements S1 are preferably formedby inwardly offset integral portions of the metal plate of the screen 23. These shredding elements can be formed on the screen 23 by any suitable operation carried out on the metal plate, such as a stamping or embossing op.-

eration. AsY hereY shown, the shredding elements 51.*arek in the form of forwardly Yp'rotriiding bosses which have been formedon the inner Vor front face 53 ofthe screen by the formation of recessesv S4 in the rear or outer faceV By the formation oftheserecesses inthe Y of the plate. outer face by means of suitable dies, some ofthe metal of the plate is displaced or offset inwardlyV causing the solid shredding elements 51 torbe s'wedged or embossed on the inner surface of the metal plate while leaving the openings 50 as full-'width circular openings. By locating the recesses 54 suchV that they partially overlap the openings 504 of the screen, the. shredding elements 51 will be formed Vin Vsuch locationthat they constitute a portionrof the side wall of thefopenings and such that v the arcuate or crescent-shaped shearing'edges 52 will be exposed 'to the grinding lchamber by the openings. The j screen 23V can be hardened or otherwise rendered wear resistant after the shredding elements 51 have been formed thereon. Y

The body ofthe screen containing theropen'ing'sj 50 and the shredding elements 51 constitutes the major portion of 'the'screen'anm when the screen is assembled Yin the grinding unit 11 in the positionV shown in Fig. l,

this major or perforated portionof the screen extends above the rotor 21. The lower or minor .portion of the have `a minimum width vat the lower end thereof and increase progressively in widththerealong from their lower ends to their upper ends.

In the assembled position Vof the screen 23 in the housing 13, the rounded lower ends 4084 and 4120i the sideV flanges 40and 41 ofthe screen engage laterally extending shoulders provided on the housing atrtherlower ends of the vertical ' seats 42 and 43. This engagement ofthe rounded flange portions 40a and34 1 rwitl'itlfte housing 13, positions the screen 23 vertically of the outlet opening 27 such that the lower ends of the shredding elements 56 will be separated from the lower edge 27a of the outlet opening by the intervening space 59. In this assembled position of the screen 23, the shredding elements 56 are disposed in an arcuately extending series across the lower portion of the outlet opening 27 and lie opposite the rim portion 33 of the rotor 21 in a relatively closely spaced relation to the latter, as shown in Figs. l and 3.

As shown in the drawings, the impellers 39 of the rotor 21 each comprise an upright lug formed as an integral part of the disk portion of the rotor. The lug is of a somewhat triangular shape having oppositely bowed convexly curved side walls 69 and 61 and a generally at rearwardly sloping top wall 62. rThe outer side wall 61 conforms substantially to the curvature of the peripheral surface of the rim portion 38 of the rotor. The intersection of the side walls 60 and 61 occurs at a vertical apex line dening a relatively sharp leading edge 63 located at and extending above the peripheral surface of the rim portion 38, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

By reason of the shape just described above for the impeller lugs 39, it will be seen that the side surfaces 60 will present suicient area to the waste material contained in the grinding chamber 26 that when the lugs are moved around the grinding chamber by the rotation of the rotor, the lugs will impart the above-mentioned rapid rotary or whirling movement -to the 'waste material or to a mixture of such waste material and water. During such arcuate travel of the lugs 39 around the grinding chamber adjacent the side wall thereof, the sharp vertical leading edges 63 of the lugs will act as shearing edges and will produce a comminuting eiect on the waste material.

The movement of the sharp leading edges 63 across the screen 23 will be in shearing relation to the shearing edges 52 of the shredding elements S and will thereby produce a further comminution or grinding or" the waste material. 'Ihe reverse slope of the top wall 62 of the impeller lugs 39 and the convexly curved shape of the side walls 60, render the lugs also eltective as deflecting members or plow elements for freeing the rotor from a jammed condition when a reverse rotary movement is imparted to the rotor. During such a reverse rotary movement of the rotor, the inclined top wall 62 and the curved side wall 60 will be eective in dellectlng waste material away from the screen 23 and toward the central axis 26 of the grinding chamber to thereby unload the driving motor and assist the same in correcting the jammed condition.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the rotor 2l is provided with substantially diametrically opposed edge recesses 64 which extend into the impeller lugs 39 and into the rim portion 38. These recesses serve as relier" spaces in the rotor and render the lugs 39 and the rim portion of the rotor more eliective in their comminuting cooperation with the screen 23. During this cooperation, the side edges of the recesses 64 act as comminuting elements or shearing edges as they travel across the shredding elements 51 and 56 of the screen.

The whirling motion imparted to the waste material by the rotor 21 is a very important function in the operation of the comminuting device 10, because it results in the repeated movement of the pieces of Waste Vmaterial across the screen 23 and also because it causes such pieces of waste material to be subjected to centrifugal force by which they are pressed against the screen during their movement thereacross. This movement of the pieces of waste material across the screen 23 while being pressed thereagainst by centrifugal force, causes the waste material to be subjected to a Very effective shredding or comminuting action by the shredding elements l.

When the pieces of waste material have been reduced to a suicient lineness by the comminuting or shredding action produced thereon by the rotor 21 and the shredding screen 23, the particles pass through the screen openings 50 and are discharged through the nozzle passage 28. The centrifugal force acting on the particles of waste material and the water with which they are mixed, causes the ground material to be discharged through the nozzle passage 2S as a Velocity stream without need for any mechanical pump means to be embodied in the comminuting device l0. Whatever portion of the waste material nds its way downwardly past the riin portion 38 of the rotor into the intervening space 37, will be discharged from beneath the rotor through the relatively clear open space 59 and through the slots 58 of the screen.

The electric motor 12 includes a housing 65 and is connected with the grinding unit 11 by being suspended from the depending flange 25 of the housing 13. For this purpose, an annular sheet metal bracket 67 is interposed between the grinding unit and motor and has the at annular web portion 67a thereof connected with the upper end of the motor housing by suitable screws 68. The bracket 67 includes an upturned annular ange 69 extending around and connected with the depending llange 25 by suitable screws 70. The bracket 67 also includes a frusto-conical hollow central portion 7l which extends upwardly into the pocket 25a and accommodates the upper bearing boss 72 of the motor housing.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, provision is made for Varying lthe Width of the running space or clearance between the impeller lugs 39 of the rotor 2l and the shredding screen 23. For this purpose, the holes of the at annular bracket portion 67 a of the bracket 67 are made sufficiently large to permit a limited shifting of the motor 12 in a direction transverse to the grinding chamber axis 26. Such shifting movement imparted to the motor in one transverse direction, will reduce the clearance space between impeller lugs 39 and the screen 23, and shifting of the motor in the opposite direction will increase this clearance space.

The transverse shifting of the motor l2 for adjusting this running clearance of the impeller lugs 39 can be produced by adjusting screw means, such as the adjusting screw 73, which is here shown as having a threaded engagement 74 in the depending flange 25 at a point of the latter which is on the opposite side of the axis 26 from the shredding screen 23. The screw 73 has the inner end thereof in engagement with one of the hat side faces of a nut-shaped extension 75 of the upper bearing boss 72 of the motor. While the connecting screws 68 are in a slightly loosened condition, the adjusting screw 73 is r0- tated in one direction or the other for positioning the motor in accordance with the running clearance desired between the impeller lugs 39 and the screen 23.

The connection of the motor 12 with the depending llange 25 of the grinder housing by means of the annular bracket 67, results in an intervening annular space 76 between this flange and the rounded portion 12a of the motor housing. An annular grille 77 having numerous openings therein, extends around the comminuting device in surrounding relation to the annular space 76 and with the upper and lower edges of such grille overlying the llange 25 and the motor housing 66. The grille 77 improves the general appearance of the comminuting device and also permits the passage of a ow of Ventilating air therethrough in connection with the cooling of the motor 12. The grille 77 is secured in place in any suitable manner, such as by means of one or more screws connecting the same with the flange 69 of the bracket 67.

The comminuting device it) also includes a conduit member 78, preferably of sheet metal, connected with the housing 13 and the motor 12 and extending vertically of the device externally thereof. The conduit member 7S forms a support for a control switch 79 and also provides a passage 80 to accommodate electric wires extending to the motor.

The motor 12 is preferably a reversible motor so that position opposite to its full line position.

reverse rotation can be imparted to therotor 21 when desired for the purpose of releasing asjammed condition of the rotor -and during whichrreverse rotation the imeller lugs 39 accomplish their clearing function explained above. VThe switch 79 is asreversing switch having a Y forward position in which the switch lever 79a is shown averse4aV tendingbelowsaid disk member, a shredding screen in said housing and extending across said pocket, said screen having a lower serrated portion and an upper perforated Y portion, and lug means rotatable with Vand projecting of waste material and which is of a simple construction A and does not require the use of any mechanical pump means therein. It will also be seen that this novel comminuting `device utilizesa shredding screen with which the rotor cooperates ands/vhichV performs the dual function of coniining the waste Ymaterial until it has been ground suiciently tine to pass through the opening of the screen andV also performs a comminuting orY grinding actionV on the waste material during passage of Vthe waste material thereover while'the waste Ymaterial Vis being pressed against the screen byV centrifugal force. Additionally, it will be seen that novel adjustment means providing for relative shifting of the driving motor permits adjustmentsof the operating clearance between the rotor and the shreddingscreen.

' Although the novel comminuting device has been illustrated and described herein to asomewhat detailed extent,

it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modications coming within the terms of the claims hereof. Y Y

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. in agcomminuting device, a housing having side andY bottom walls dening an upright work chamber adapted to receive material to be comminuted, saidside wall having a discharge pocket-therein facing toward said chamber, a rotor located adjacent to but-spaced above said bottomV wall and being operable to impart a-whjrling motion-to material-contained in said chamber, said pocket extending from said bottom wall to a point located a substantial distance above said rotor, and a shredding screen in said housingrand extending across said pocket, said screen having a lower serrated portion and an upper 'perforated portion, the space between said rotor and bottom vwall being in communication with said pocket through the f serrated portion of said screen and said chamber being in communication with said pocket through the perforated portion of said screen.

2. In a comminuting device, a housing having side and bottom walls dening an upright work chamber adapted to receive material to be comminuted, said side wall having a discharge pocket therein facing toward said chamber, a rotor operable to impart a whirling motion to material contained in said chamber and comprising a disk member located adjacent to but spaced above said bottom wall and having the peripheral kedge thereof in relatively close running relation to said side wall, said pocket being located'with a major portion of its height extending above said disk member and a minor portion of its height exabove said disk member in relatively close running rela;-V tion to said screen, the space between said disk member and bottom wall being in Vcommunication 'with said pocket through the serrated portion of said screen and said ,chams ber being in communication with said pocket through theV perforated portionof said screen.

3. in a comminuting device, a housing defining a work chamber adapted to receive material to be comminuted, Vsaid housing having a discharge outlet leading fromsaid work chamber, a drive shaft projecting into said chamber, f Va rotor carried by said shaft and operable in said chamber,

a screen extending across said outletiand forming a portion of the wall of said chamber, shredding elementson said'screen and presented toward said chamber, impeller Y means on said rotor andmovable thereby around said chamber and across said screen in relatively closely spaced running relation to the latter, means mounting said shaft for rotation and for shifting transversely of its Vrotation axis for varying the spacing of the running relation of said impeller means'with said screen, and adjusting means adapted to cause such transverse shifting of said shaft.

4. In a comminuting device, a housing having side and bottom walls dening a'substantially vertical-axisV grinding chamber, said side wall having an outlet opening thereinY Y on one side of the vertical axis, an electric motor `at the lower end of said housing and having a rotatable shaft Y disposed substantially on said vertical axis, a screen ,in

said housingY extending across said outlet `opening and forming av portion of said side wall, a rotor mounted on and carried by said shaft and operable in said chamber Y adjacent said bottom wall, cooperating shredding'y elements on said screen and rotor and the shreddingelements of the rotor being movable around said chamber in relatively closely spaced running relation to the shredding elements of said screen, means connecting said electric motor with the lower endV of said housing and adapted Y to permit limited shifting of said motor in a direction Y transverse to said vertical axis, and adjusting screw means( located on the opposite side of said axis and effective to cause Ysuch shifting of said motor for varying the spacing ,Y

of the running relation between said rotor and screen.

References Cited in the file Vof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,666,014 Kershner Apr. 1Y0, 1928 1,768,462 Dixon et al. Y June24, 1930 1,869,833 Williams Aug. 2, 1932 2,105,759 Stevenson Ian. 18, 1938 2,234,425 Brady Mar. 11, 1941` Y 2,391,480 Ross Dec. 25, 1945 2,534,944 Bissey Dec. 19, 1950 2,536,929 HammellV Ian. 2 1951 2,565,322 Y Powers Aug. 21, 1951 V2,619,292 Nichols Nov. 25, 1952 2,629,558 Miller Feb. 24, 1953 2,656,985 Backlund et al Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Y 482,779 France Apr. 26, 19717 Miner Jan. 12, 1926

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