Abstract: A separator for material which includes components of different specific gravities and sizes, includes a series of spaced, parallel shafts disposed in essentially the same plane, which may be tilted upwardly. A series of non-circular discs, such as elliptical, three lobed, etc., are mounted on each shaft and interspaced with the discs on adjacent shafts. A pipe, on which the discs are mounted, or a spacer mounted on the shaft provides circular surfaces between the discs which clear the projections of the discs of adjacent shafts but when the disc surfaces between the projections come opposite the pipe or spacer, cause holes or spaces to be produced, through which material may fall, if sufficiently small. As the discs rotate, they not only cause the holes to open and close, but also propel the material both upwardly and forwardly. The discs may be mounted on a shaft in a spiral relation, so that not only is the material pushed upwardly and forwardly, but also laterally.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of treating waste material wherein after comminution, the relatively hard material such as glass, brick, and ceramic in finely divided condition together with finely divided soft material is separated and removed to a recirculating composter.Disclosed is a composter having a plurality of upright perforated pipes for discharge of the gaseous products of decomposition.

Abstract: Upper and lower rotors are offset in position, such as at an angle of 60.degree., between their centerlines, with the upper rotor having larger hammers and rotated at a lower speed than the lower rotor having smaller but a larger number of hammers. The feed is to the top of the upper rotor, and heavy interception bars extend perpendicularly to the centerline between the rotors and are disposed between the sets of hammers of the lower rotor, to prevent the entry of large objects into the lower rotor, to form an anvil against which objects on the bars are impacted by both the upper and lower hammers, with the lower hammers also "nibbling away" on the objects. A U-shaped corner formed of heavy armor plate is positioned next to the interception bars and extends between the circles of rotation of the hammer ends.