Agitating – Stirrer within stationary mixing chamber – Rotatable stirrer
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-29
2002-05-07
Soohoo, Tony G. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Stirrer within stationary mixing chamber
Rotatable stirrer
C366S345000, C366S261000, C366S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382828
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for turning and/or mixing a flat bed compost. The apparatus can be towable by a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or self-propelled.
2. Reference to Related Art
The term flat bed compost refers to a continuous “mattress”, which is most commonly 0.8-2.5 meters in height and made up by compostable organic waste. In flat bed composting, the compostable waste is not worked into separate stacks like in traditional composts. Flat bed composting is a common practice, especially in mechanically aerated composting systems.
Flat bed composting is a common composting process used in composting carried out in special buildings or in separate silos. Thus, the turning and mixing of a compost mass is generally effected by implements which are mounted e.g. on a separate guide bridge, rails constructed alongside the bridges, or other such support structures present outside the composting mass. Such turning implements are not suitable for working large continuous flat bed composts.
The working of flat bed composts is also performed by using motor-driven or tractor-drawn turning or mixing implements which travel along the field surface and remove compostable mass from one side of the path thereof over to the other. In this case, the removal of compost is effected either by means of a separate conveyor or by centrifuging.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, which is suitable for the effective and frequently repeated turning and mixing of a shallow flat bed compost (0.8-1.5 m in thickness) in particular, and which apparatus is also effectively useful for turning and mixing large, e.g. multi-hectare outdoor flat bed composts.
In order to achieve this objective, an apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the mixer elements comprise an even number of mixing worms rotating around a vertical shaft, said mixing worms being adapted to rotate in directions opposite to each other in such a way that half of the mixing worms rotate clockwise and the other half rotate counter-clockwise, and said mixing worms being adapted to bring compost mass from the bottom upwards.
A few preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in dependent claims 2-6.
The benefits offered by an apparatus of the invention with respect to prior art methods of working a flat bed compost include, e.g. the following:
Since the apparatus of the invention travels along the surface of a composting mass, said apparatus does not require any clear passage for its working. Thus, the field area can be exploited as thoroughly as possible. It is also true that, as the work is interrupted, the composting mass will not be left with an empty furrow which, e.g. in case of abundant rains, may become drenched and turn into unmanageable mud.
Since the apparatus of the invention moves a composting mass to be treated only a short way from its original place, the relationship between the input of said apparatus and the amount of mass manageable per time unit is more favourable than what is achievable with presently available equipment.
Particularly in cold conditions, the apparatus of the invention is beneficial in terms of its operation. The apparatus primarily aerates and mixes the mass to be treated and supplies air within the mass. When using equipment designed earlier for the same purpose, the compost mass to be treated is exposed to chilling ambient air for a considerably longer period of time, whereby the mass to be composted in cold conditions may cool too much.
The aeration of a compost mass performed by an apparatus of the invention can be enhanced by using mixing elements in the form of hollow shaft mixing worms, having the shafts thereof provided with holes for supplying air more effectively into the bottom portion of a composting mass. As the mixing worms work a composting mass upward, the bottom section of the mixing worms develop inherently a negative pressure which enables the air to migrate effectively into the mass. The migration of air can be further enhanced by fitting the apparatus with a fan for blowing air into the shafts of the mixing worms.
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Haaslahti Mikko
Haaslahti Osmo
Haukioja Markku
Malkiainen Paavo
Biolan Oy
Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
Soohoo Tony G.
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