Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Separating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2002-03-12
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Separating means
C209S695000, C209S925000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06354440
ABSTRACT:
RELTAED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 199 34 960.6 filed Jul. 26, 1999 the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference, and to German Utility Model Application No. 200 05 076.1 the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a facility for the selective separation of a stream of mixed bulk materials made up of objects of different densities and possibly different sizes.
2. The Prior Art
Sorting methods and sorting facilities of the type mentioned above are sufficiently well known in the art. They are used wherever mixtures of various materials are to be sorted into the desired classes, e.g., metal and non-metal materials. In the area of waste recycling in particular, large amounts of recoverable materials have to be separated from one another. In this context, recoverable materials represent all materials that are economical to reuse. With the known sorting methods and facilities, full use is made of the varying properties of the materials, e.g., density, size, magnetic properties, melting point, boiling point, viscosity, etc., in order to be able to separate the stream of recoverable bulk materials into the desired classes of recoverable materials using appropriate filters, generally in several stages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The primary optimization goal of any sorting process of this type is its economic viability, which is ensured by continuous and trouble-free operation of the facility being used. With regard to the media to be sorted, this involves, for example, industrial waste, which forms an extremely inhomogeneous mixture of recoverable materials. Along with solid components, the recoverable materials are loaded with industrial production materials such as oils, greases, chips, etc., which can cause substantial problems in terms of smooth operations if purely mechanical separating is used. The sorting facility has to be shut down if maintenance work is needed, and so is not productive for that period of time.
The task of the present invention consists in making available a facility for the selective separation of a stream of mixed bulk materials made up of objects of various densities and possibly various sizes, in particular, those objects made of relatively high-grade materials, which make recycling appear to be worthwhile, and which operates in a comparatively maintenance-free way.
The execution of this task provides a facility in accordance with the invention for the selective separation of a stream of mixed bulk materials of the type mentioned above. The solution in accordance with the invention takes as its starting point the idea that objects of varying densities can be separated by being struck with compressed air transversely to the conveying direction, due to the fact that they are moved varying distances from their starting point by the compressed air, so that, with the aid of suitable separating elements, the separated objects can subsequently be caught in an appropriate way, individually according to density classes.
If the objects in the stream of mixed bulk materials originally had not just different densities, but different sizes as well, it is advisable to first carry out a presorting on the basis of dimension classes so that in a stream of mixed bulk materials objects are present, which have relatively similar dimensions, and thus differ only in their density. Preferably, a presorting device with at least one screen is used for this presorting.
Preferably, the stream of mixed bulk materials is transported on a conveyor belt with adjustable conveying speed. The striking with compressed air is carried out via a nozzle, which preferably has adjustable pressure and adjustable nozzle flow velocity transversely to the conveying direction, or at least essentially transversely to the conveying direction. That way, the objects are transported varying distances across the conveyor belt, and they are separated with the aid of suitably placed separators when they subsequently move further in the conveying direction, and they can then be caught in various collection containers, whereby preferably one collection container is placed somewhat laterally to the nozzle, which will then hold the objects with the lowest density, since they are the ones transported by the compressed air furthest transversely to the conveying direction. The objects that remain on the conveyor belt can be further separated by means of appropriately placed separating plates, whereby the separating plates are preferably aligned essentially in the conveying direction of the conveyor belt so that the objects in the stream of mixed bulk materials are separated from the standpoint of how far they have moved from their original distance from the nozzle after they have been struck by the compressed air.
Those objects that exhibit the lowest volume weight and are moved by the compressed air to an extent such that they leave the conveyor belt in the transverse direction are preferably braked there by means of an impact plate placed opposite the nozzle where they bounce off and can then be caught in a collection container placed underneath.
With the use of the above-mentioned separating plates for the further separation of the objects that remain on the conveyor belt, the most important feature is that the end at the upstream side of the separating plate is located a distance from the nozzle in the transverse direction such that the desired group of separated objects can be completely collected there during the operation of the conveyor belt. By using this principle, it is thus possible to arrange a number of separating plates at varying distances in the direction transverse to the longitudinal side of the conveyor belt.
If presorting is carried out, for example, by means of a screen, in order to first separate objects of differing sizes, then a metering device placed between the presorting device and the actual sorting device for sorting out objects of varying densities is advantageous in order to act as a buffer, or even to thin out the objects to make the subsequent separation easier. In the same way, a prealignment of the objects of the stream of mixed bulk materials achieved in this way can be advantageous for the subsequent striking by the compressed air.
According to a preferred further development of the invention, a single-layer feeding of the objects of the stream of mixed bulk materials to the sorting device can be achieved by means of scrapers that can be part of the metering device, which also makes the subsequent separating easier.
According to a preferred further development of the invention, the metering device has at least one guide plate combination that is placed downstream of a scraper, preferably with one or more guide plates, which are aligned at an angle to the conveying direction of the stream of mixed bulk materials. This can also be used to delay the forward movement, i.e., a buffer, as well as a thinning out and purposefully directed metering of the objects. For example such a guide plate combination can be used to direct the objects to a closing mechanism, which is preferably located in the region of the downstream end of the metering device. In the closed position of this closing mechanism, any emerging of the stream of mixed bulk materials from the metering device is prevented. As a result, the objects to be separated can be sent from the metering device to the sorting device in batches, for example, to avoid an overloading of the sorting device, or if, for example, a change is desired in the sorting criteria, e.g., by changing the pressure and nozzle flow velocity of the compressed air, and/or changing the position of the separating elements of the sorting device. In this regard, another important variable for controlling the separating process is the feed speed of the conveyor belt. At any given conveyor belt feed speed, the speed of forward movement of the objects can be reduced through the met
Kühlkamp Michael
Thöne Carl-Stefan
Beauchaine Mark J.
Hoffman Wasson & Gitler PC
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