Abstract: A material handling exit section in the nature of a material extruder and mold combination for shaping the material exiting a hydrolyzer, comprising an extrusion chamber and a plunger assembly attached to the extrusion chamber and further including a working cylinder having a cylinder shaft and a ram operably connected to the shaft enabling the ram to move the material within the extrusion chamber upon actuation of the cylinder and the extension of the shaft therefrom.

Abstract: Composite material derived from municipal solid waste by a transformation process comprising the following steps: providing a quantity of municipal solid waste having a first volume and a liquid content; inserting the first volume of municipal solid waste into a hydrolizer; processing the municipal solid waste within the hydrolizer when the hydrolizer has a steam filled outer jacket at a prescribed pressure and temperature; removing the processed municipal solid waste from the interior of the hydrolizer; and wherein the composite material is at least partially comprised of the processed municipal solid waste according to the above process.

Abstract: A method of thermodynamically reducing and converting municipal solid waste into useful end products capable of being recycled and reused or otherwise transformed into useful articles. The method comprises the steps of: providing a quantity of municipal solid waste having a first volume and a liquid content; preprocessing the municipal solid waste having the first volume and liquid content into a second volume of municipal solid waste wherein the second volume is smaller than the first volume; inserting the second volume of municipal solid waste into a hydrolyzer; processing the municipal solid waste within the hydrolyzer when the hydrolyzer has a steam filled outer jacket at a prescribed pressure and temperature; and removing the processed municipal solid waste from the interior of the hydrolyzer.

Abstract: A material handling exit section in the nature of a material extruder and mold combination for shaping the material exiting a hydrolyzer, comprising an extrusion chamber and a plunger assembly attached to the extrusion chamber and further including a working cylinder having a cylinder shaft and a ram operably connected to the shaft enabling the ram to move the material within the extrusion chamber upon actuation of the cylinder and the extension of the shaft therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and batch or continuous flow method of thermodynamically reducing and converting household garbage into useful by-products capable of being recycled and reused or otherwise transformed into useful articles. The method of transforming household garbage into useful material comprises the steps of: providing a quantity of household garbage having a first volume and a liquid content; reducing the garbage having a first volume to an aggregate shard having a second volume smaller then the first volume; optionally expelling liquid from the aggregate shard; and heating the aggregate shard under pressure greater than ambient pressure to create an aggregate shard pulp.

Abstract: A motor driven grinding apparatus, and a system incorporating the inventive grinder, for reducing the size of waste material. The apparatus includes a housing having an interior, an exterior, an inlet for introducing material into the interior, and an exit for expelling material from the interior. The housing also includes a front wall, a back wall, a pair of spaced apart side walls, and a bottom grate. The apparatus also includes a substantially cylindrical, balanced, drum having a shaft, and a plurality of cutting blocks rotatably mounted thereto. The drum is rotated by a drive motor engageable with the shaft. An airfoil is attached to the front wall for establishing a static air curtain within the interior of the housing enabling air to be drawn into the housing through the inlet and expelled from the exit when the drum rotates. The drum and cutting block configuration are particularly useful for grinding, and shearing, cellulose, plastics, glass, and other solid waste materials.

Abstract: A motor driven grinding apparatus, and a system incorporating the inventive grinder, for reducing the size of waste material. The apparatus includes a housing having an interior, an exterior, an inlet for introducing material into the interior, and an exit for expelling material from the interior. The housing also includes a front wall, a back wall, a pair of spaced apart side walls, and a bottom grate. The apparatus also includes a substantially cylindrical, balanced, drum having a shaft, and a plurality of cutting blocks rotatably mounted thereto. The drum is rotated by a drive motor engageable with the shaft. An airfoil is attached to the front wall for establishing a static air curtain within the interior of the housing enabling air to be drawn into the housing through the inlet and expelled from the exit when the drum rotates. The drum and cutting block configuration are particularly useful for grinding, and sheafing, cellulose, plastics, glass, and other solid waste materials.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a flexible cover from a bale of material, such as compressed peat moss, including a pusher member adapted to move the bale lengthwise against a plurality of knives adapted to cut across the front end of the cover as well as along the sides to slit the cover and separate it from the material. The pusher member is provided with spike devices for retaining the separated cover as the material is discharged from a discharge station, to remove the split separated cover to a cover removal station. In a preferred form of the invention, a stripper mechanism is included for stripping the split cover from the pusher member.