Abstract: A high speed stock thickener has a foraminous endless wire. The stock thickener is of the type in which an open mesh endless wire is trained over a pair of rolls and paper stock to be thickened is applied between the wire and the rolls and is carried on an inside surface of the wire for dewatering, particularly at the regions where the stock is carried between the wire and a roll. The improved wire is formed with a width greater than that of the rolls with a marginal edge of the wire extending beyond the face of the rolls. A guide belt is attached at each of the marginal edges of the wire and runs with a side wall in engagement with the end of the adjacent roll. The guide belts are attached to the wire by an adhesive bond between the backs of the belts and the adjacent wire surfaces, and by a continous thread which is sewn through each belt from the bottom of the belt and through the back thereof and into the wire.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating contaminant particles from liquid suspension stock, e.g. in the de-inking of used news print, is characterized by one or more of a plurality of features which contribute to increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the apparatus, including the provision of a cell comprising inner and outer annular chambers of substantially equal depth with the inlet and outlet connections for the stock being located adjacent the bottoms of the two chambers to force the stock to travel through the full depth of each chamber, and also the provision of a baffle of substantial width on the top of the wall between the two chambers to spread the stock overflowing that wall into a thin film.

Abstract: Apparatus for pulping paper making stock at high consistencies, e.g. 10 percent to 25 percent solids, includes a cylindrical tub and a rotor constructed and arranged to apply primarily pumping force to the stock which causes it to travel outwardly to and upwardly along the tub wall. This climbing stock is continuously subdivided and directed back into the tub, and a feed screw extending vertically upward from the rotor assures continuous circulation which develops zones of intense hydraulic sheer constituting the major force for effecting the desired defibering.

Abstract: Mixed solid waste, such particularly as municipal waste, is subjected to treatment which separates the majority of the ferrous metal pieces from the other solids, and the invention provides apparatus for separating the resulting mass into (a) flat-shaped pieces (b) chunky-shaped pieces, and (c) long thin or otherwise oversized pieces by causing all the pieces to advance along a moving conveyor surface through successive stations at which openings of predetermined size and shape accept pieces of the (a) and (b) shapes, having only the (c) category on the conveyor.

Abstract: The plastic discarded in municipal solid waste is recovered by a process wherein the waste is reduced to a particulate mass having a liquid content of 20% or more such that the paper and other absorbent constituents retain sufficient liquid to be substantially heavier than the sheet plastic pieces of comparable size. The mass is then subjected to an air separation treatment wherein the plastic pieces are blown free of the paper and other constituents of the mass. In one form, the solid waste is first pulped in water to slurry form, some of the fiber is recovered from the slurry by screening, and the reject flow from the screen is dewatered and subjected to the air separation treatment. In another form, the solid waste is dry shredded and the high specific gravity materials removed prior to pulping. In still another form, the dry material is wetted sufficiently for effective air separation of the plastic.

Abstract: Municipal refuse is treated to produce fuel particularly useful for the operation of a power generating boiler by a process which is characterized by shredding of the as-received material, separation of the light materials prior to pulping of the heavy materials, and ultimate separation from the pulped materials of the inorganic constituents, after which the remaining slurry of predominantly organic materials is dewatered to produce a particulate fuel. The light materials separated after the initial shredding operation are then directly combind with the dewatered organic residue from the pulping operation to effect further reduction in the moisture content of the resultant mixture. The invention is especially applicable to communities where the garbage and trash are collected separately, with the lights produced by shredding and air classifying the trash being added to the fuel product produced by pulping the garbage.

Abstract: Municipal refuse is treated to produce a particulate mixture consisting essentially of its organic constituents substantially free of inorganic materials, the particles in the mixture being of less than a predetermined maximum particle size, and the mixture also being characterized on a volumetric or weight unit basis by (a) substantial homogeneity of component materials, (b) substantial uniformity from the standpoint of distribution of particle sizes, (c) substantially uniform moisture content, and (d) substantially uniform fuel value. This mixture is then converted to compacted lump fuel, e.g. pellets, briquettes or cubes, by first drying to an appropriately low moisture content, e.g. 20% or less, a minor fraction of the pellets being recycled as the fuel for effecting the desired drying.

Abstract: Glass is recovered for use as cullet from mixtures of broken glass with pieces of metal and other heat resistant materials by a method wherein the mixture is thermally shocked by subjecting it to a rapid increase or decrease in temperature to induce cracks in and/or break-up of the glass particles, while the nonglass particles remain unchanged because of their nature, and the mixture is mechanically treated, by agitating or the like, so that the glass particles are broken up by further propagation of the induced cracks. Prior to the mechanical treatment, and preferably prior to the thermal shock treatment, the mixture is screened or otherwise treated to eliminate fines of all kinds. After the mechanical treatment, the mixture is further screened so that the glass particles, which have been reduced in size, can be recovered as the undersized fraction, while the nonglass particles, which have remained generally the same size, are retained on the screen. A number of modifications are disclosed.

Abstract: Mixed solid waste, such particularly as municipal waste, is subjected to a pulping action which results in fragmenting the glass and metal constitutes into particles of similar size, with the cast and foil aluminum being converted into the form of chunks and pellets respectively while the aluminum which is present as alloy, such as is used in cans and other food containers, is cut into flake-like particles, after which the mixed particles are dried and then subjected to agitation causing the flakes of aluminum to be concentrated at the top of the mix for separate removal by skimming or scalping. The remaining mixture of glass, aluminum and other materials is then subjected to high tension electrostatic treatment effecting separation of the glass from the other materials.

Abstract: A waste treatment system which is capable of handling materials of widely different physical characteristics such as glass, metal, and fibrous and plastic waste, incorporates a rotor rotatably mounted in a waste receiving vessel, the rotor being adapted to fracture brittle material, compact malleable material, and otherwise pulverize the frangible waste to a particulate form small enough to be extracted through a perforated plate. The rotor also circulates the material in a slurry form within the vessel in a vortical pattern so that the waste is repeatedly treated until it is ejected from the vessel. A series of space attrition bars are mounted outwardly of the rotor to provide an annularly shaped, discontinuous attrition surface, and hammers or flails are pivotally mounted on the rotor to reduce into smaller pieces materials which are flung upon or between the attrition bars by the rotor.

Abstract: Municipal refuse is treated to produce a particulate mixture consisting essentially of its organic constituents substantially free of inorganic materials, the particles in the mixture being of less than a predetermined maximum particle size, and the mixture also being characterized on a volumetric unit basis by (a) substantial homogeneity of component materials, (b) substantial uniformity from the standpoint of distribution of particle sizes, (c) substantially uniform moisture content, and (d) substantially uniform fuel value. This mixture has many possible uses, including directly as fuel, as raw material for conversion by pyrolysis or hydrogenation, as raw material for the production of hardboard, and as compost or landfill.