Abstract: In rotary tire shredding machinery, cutter assemblies are built onto opposing rotary shafts timed together by meshed teeth of two gears, with spacer groups separating adjacent cutter assemblies, allowing two sets of cutter assemblies to intermesh, with cutter assemblies on one shaft interleaving with cutter assemblies on a parallel shaft in a shearing relationship. Each cutter assembly has a construction featuring a series of cutter sectors, with each sector having a separately demountable knife base, with a removable, radially outward knife top. Alternate spacers between cutter assemblies are segmented, with alignment rods running parallel to the axially rotating drive shafts, passing through both the knife bases of the cutter assemblies, spacers, retaining flanges and fixed registering spacer. The rods are secured at opposite ends and the center holding the cutter assemblies and spacers in place, but when pulled, allowing the cutter and spacer assemblies to be removed from the shaft.

Abstract: A shearing wheel, and a method of assembling the same, having individually demountable cutting segments, shear knives, and an interlock key assembly to wedge adjacent shear knives together so that each shear knife shares a mounting force of the attachment bolts present on adjacent knives. The shear knives are mounted in successive abutting relation, forming a chevron-shaped aperture into which a rectangular key is wedged. A portion of each shear knife extends radially beyond the annular member. This extending portion forms a toothlike structure for feeding and ripping waste material. A support shoulder extending axially from the annular member contacts and supports the shear knives. The shear knives may be individually removed and resharpened, whereafter shims are positioned between the shear knives and the annular member to properly space the shear knives from an adjacent shearing wheel.

Abstract: Apparatus for shearing waste material such as a discarded vehicle tire including parallel first and second rotatable shafts, each having an alternating pattern of driving rings and split sharpenable shear members along the length thereof. The driving rings and the shear members all abut the circumference of the associated shaft. The driving rings are keyed to the shafts and the shearing members are fixed to the driving rings. The shearing members of each shaft are axially aligned with the driving rings of the other shaft and are in meshing relation with the shearing members of the other shaft. The optimal edge-to-edge dimension of the shearing members is maintained after material reduction from the edges by insertion of a shim between the blades that comprise the split shearing members. After each periodic sharpening of the shear members, additional shim are added between the blades or the existing shims are replaced with larger shims.

Abstract: A secondary waste apparatus for shearing waste material such as a discarded vehicle tire which has already been reduced in size by a primary shearing process. The apparatus includes a pair of counter-rotating shafts, each shaft having a plurality of generally annular shear members extending in a unitary construction from an abutting relationship with the shaft to an outside diameter which meshes with the shear members of the other shaft. The ratio of the diameter of each shaft to the maximum radial extent of the shear members abutting the shaft being greater than 3:5. Adjacent shear members on a shaft are spaced apart by a driving spacer and one or more grind-depreciable shims. Waste material from a primary shearing process is fed into the apparatus to further reduce the maximum size of the material. The apparatus is periodically sharpened by grinding of the shear members and the shims.

Abstract: An apparatus for dividing scrap tires having a compression transport in a rotary shear station. The compression transport centers the tire and provides forces onto the treaded periphery to buckle the scrap tire. The compression transport then feeds the tire to the rotary shear station in a straight-line manner. The rotary shear station has overlapping and counter-rotating circular shears that make at least one cut along the length of the collapsed tire to produce annular tire segments. The movement of the collapsed tire relative to the rotary shear station remains a linear movement during the shearing process. Preferably, the rotary shearing station includes a pair of coaxial circular shears that are spaced apart by a third shear supported on a shaft parallel to a shaft supporting the spaced pair of shears. In this manner, the scrap tire is reduced to three segments as a pair of shearing cuts are made parallel to the flattened tread of the scrap tire.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the bead wires from a scrap tire having a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members mounted on a movable carriage. The carriage provides reciprocating motion to the shearing members between two shearing work stations. While shearing action takes place at a first work station a scrap tire is fed into the adjacent work station, whereafter the bead wires of the scrap tire are first elongated and then compressed into overlying adjacent positions. Advancement of the shearing members into the tire produces a first tire shear that is at least closely tangential to the bead wires. When the pinch point of the shearing members is proximate the bead wires forward movement of the carriage is ceased. However, the tire is caused to rotate about its axis by the shearing members to produce a second shear that is substantially concentric with the bead wires, the first and second shears being a single continuous motion.

Abstract: A shearing wheel, and a method of assembling the same, having individually demountable cutting elements or tool members side mounted to a mounting region of an annular member. The tool members are mounted in successive abutting relation so that a portion of each tool member extends radially beyond the annular member. This extending portion forms a toothlike structure for feeding and ripping waste material. A support shoulder extending axially from the annular member contacts and supports the tool members. The tool members may be individually removed and resharpened, whereafter shims are positioned between the tool members and the annular member to properly space the tool members from an adjacent shearing wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the rubber from the crown portion of a tire having a rotatably driven rasp and a linearly displaceable capture roller. The capture roller is moved from a load position distant the rasp to an engagement position closely adjacent the rasp. First and second tensioning rollers are biased to pinch a tire between each of the tensioning rollers and the capture roller. In forcing a captive tire into the area between the tensioning rollers, the capture roller presents to the rasp a work surface which is highly stressed. Traction-enhancement rollers further deform the tire by increasing the wrap angle around each of the tensioning rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compacting a scrap tire by removing the bead wires from the tire and coiling the debeaded tire casing. The debeading assembly includes a movable carriage in a plurality of rolls positioned to fit within the inside diameter of a tire. One of these rolls is a tensioning roll that is movable so as to stretch the tire and elongate the bead wires. Bead wire elongation permits accommodation of various sized tires, as elongation standardizes the arc against a bead guide roll. Compression forces provided to align the bead wires in a mutually proximate position against the bead guide roll. The carriage is advance until a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members have made a first tire shear that is at least closely tangential to the bead wires, but which does not extend beyond the radius of the bead guide roll which is perpendicular to the direction of carriage movement.

Abstract: A shearing wheel, and a method of assembling the same, having an annular carrier and having a plurality of arcuate segments side mounted to a segment receiving surface of the annular carrier. The arcuate segments are laid in an end-to-end fashion to form an annulus with the outside diameter of the annulus having a radial extent greater than the radial extent of the annular carrier. A support shoulder extends axially outward from the annular carrier to contact the surface of the arcuate segments defined by the inside diameter of the annulus. The arcuate segments may be removed and sharpened, whereafter shims are inserted between the arcuate segments and the annular carrier to properly space the segments from an adjacent shearing wheel. Optionally, arcuate segments may be mounted to both side faces of the annular carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the bead wires from a scrap tire having a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members and a movable carriage. The carriage includes a plurality of rolls positioned to fit within the inside diameter of a tire. One of these rolls is a tensioning roll that is movable so as to stretch the tire and elongate the bead wires. This elongation crowds the bead wires against a crowding bar. The crowding bar and a pair of compression rollers are mounted to a rod which is moved downwardly when the carriage is advanced toward the shearing members, said compression rollers being positioned to apply compression force to the side wall of the tire as the rollers descend. The compression force aligns the bead wires with a bead guide roll so that the crowding bar may be pivoted away from the subsequent shearing action, the bead wires then being crowded against the bead guide roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for segmenting scrap tires having a compression conveyor and three rotary shears that make perpendicular cuts into the tire. The compression conveyor centers the tire and provides forces onto the treaded periphery to buckle the tire. The compression feeds the tire to a first rotary shear having overlapping counterrotating circular shears that make at least one cut about the circumferential periphery of the tire to produce annular tire segments. The annular tire segments fall by gravity into a conveyor having a pair of auger flights which position the segments for pickup by a conveyor chain. The conveyor chain includes a number of hooks which grasp the inner circumference of the annular tire segments, whereupon they are centered for entry into a second and third rotary shear.

Abstract: A machine of modular construction having a framework onto which a plurality of removable stators is mounted. The stators are fixed relative to rotors which fit within openings in the stators. The rotors are keyed to a central axial shaft which provides rotary power so that the rotors can rotate within the fixed stators. Each rotor has a number of radially extending blades having a forward edge carrying a knife, while the stator has similar radially extending blades and knives confronting the rotor's knives in a material shearing relationship. A modular stator is jointed for disassembly allowing access to both rotor and stator knives while the apparatus is still mounted on the framework.

Abstract: A solid waste comminution machine having two pair of cutting wheels, one above the other. The upper pair is mounted on opposed lever arms which are movable relative to the lower wheel pair such that the upper wheel pair can exert leverage on solid waste between wheel members forcing the solid waste material to be worked by the lower wheel pair. The upper wheel pair has peripheral edges adapted for ripping solid waste material between the two wheels, while the lower wheel pair has smooth, hardened, peripheral edges adapted for shearing material forced against the lower wheel pair. The lever arms are pivoted about shafts supporting the lower wheel pair and the inward ends of the lever arms are connected at a joint so that motion of the lever arms can be synchronized.