Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing medical waste are disclosed. Medical waste is disintegrated or shredded, disinfected with radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation and then transformed into useful material such as reclaimed plastic and refuse-derived fuel.

Abstract: In a forage harvester which has an automatically adjustable shearbar mechanism for adjusting the distance between the shearbar and a rotating cutterhead, rotation of the cutterhead is determined by the use of essentially steady state signals without substantial transient components.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing tree limbs, branches and the like to fine particles is provided which includes a frame assembly supported by wheels and having a hitch at one end thereof; a first housing affixed to the frame assembly having an infeed opening, an outfeed opening and cavity therein; a member for chipping the limbs rotatably disposed within the cavity; a feed chute affixed to the infeed opening and communicating with the cavity for guiding the limbs into the chipping means; an element for rotating the chipping member; and an outfeed chute affixed to the outfeed opening for guiding chipped particles out of the cavity.

Abstract: A horizontally oriented three sided frame is adapted to hold a round hay bale. An endless chain driven conveyor encircles the floor of the frame to cause the round bale to rotate about a longitudinal axis thereof while simultaneously urging a portion of the perimeter of the bale against a rotary drum cutter arrayed just above the floor on one side of the frame. The cutter chops the hay bale into individual strands for feeding to livestock. A spacer, commonly called a concave, is pivotably attached to the frame, and is spaced from and extends longitudinally along the top of the rotary drum. The spacing between the concave and the drum is adjustable. By adjusting this spacing, as well as the speed of rotation of the rotary drum and the speed of rotation of the round bale via the conveyor, the length of hay strands cut by the cutter is adjustable.

Abstract: An improved crushing machine comprises the following components: two bottom bases parallel to each other; two side bases fastened respectively on the two bottom bases; a spindle arranged at the center of the two side bases; a predetermined number of knife cores fastened to the spindle; a predetermined number of inner knives mounted on the knife cores so as to rotate in conjunction with the spindle to form a circular cutting track; two locking rings mounted respectively in the inner wall surfaces in such a manner that they are coaxial with the spindle; a predetermined number of knife mounts fastened to the two side bases and locked by the locking rings, with two adjacent knife mounts forming therebetween a knife inserting hole; and outer knife sets corresponding in number to the knife inserting holes.

Abstract: A fabric bag is used to be packed with shredded waste material from a shredder/compactor. During loading, the bag is confined in a close-fitting steel box and is supported on a fork lift-type ballast. Use of the box as a confining rigid jacket enables the shredder/compactor to compress and compact the shredded feed. The front wall of the box can then be removed and a fork lift-type jack used to extract the packed bag and pallet as a unit, ready for shipping.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating milling products to recover steam energy which includes a rotor having at least one pocket therein which is rotatably mounted within a housing so that the pocket is sequentially brought into open communication with a material inlet, milling product discharge opening, and steam outlet and wherein milling product received into the pocket when aligned with the material inlet is discharged through the milling product discharge opening and the steam separated therefrom thereafter discharged through the steam outlet. The discharged milling product is subsequently conveyed through a steam tight discharge device.

Abstract: A feeding device comprising a pair of oppositely driven rotational bodies is provided as an auxiliary aggregate arranged upstream of a continuously working presser belt separating machine for separating flowable and non-flowable constituents mixed with each other, one of the rotational bodies including a set of coaxially arranged circular knives spaced with regard to each other, while the other one is shaped as a prismatic body having at least one vane, the latter being provided with radial slots into which the circular knives can intrude.

Abstract: A supporting and adjusting device for a counter-cutter rail of a field chopper having a cutting element with a partially surrounding bottom, the device comprises a saddle arranged so that the countercutter rail can lie on the saddle, two levers supported outside a surface of the cutting element and adjusting a distance from the saddle to the outer surface of the cutting element, the saddle being fixedly connectable with the countercutter rail and adjustable about a stationary axis extending parallel to a circumference of the cutting elements so that the saddle together with the countercutter rail can be adjusted to be at different distances to the outer surface of the cutting element.

Abstract: In a forage harvester, a shear bar is adjusted relative to the knives of a rotating cutterhead by selectively energizing first and second motors to move one or the other end of the shear bar toward the cutterhead. A vibration sensor senses vibration of the shear bar and controls a circuit to deenergize an energized motor when vibration is induced in the shear bar. The vibration may be caused by impact of the cutterhead knives on the shear bar (a true hit) or by random noise (detected as a false hit). To discriminate between false hits and true hits, an energized motor is stopped when a first hit (true or false) is detected. A timer is set to time an interval at least as great as the time it takes the cutterhead to make one revolution, and during this interval the vibration sensor is repeatedly sampled to determine if a second hit has occurred. If a second hit is detected during the interval the first hit is assumed to be a true hit.

Abstract: A shredding machine has a rotary cutter and a fixed cutter. The rotary cutter includes a cutter part with a spiral cutting edge and a flute, and a column part for rotatably holding by a holding member for rotation of the rotary cutter. The fixed cutter has a cutting edge contacting with the cutter part of the rotary cutter. In rotating the rotary cutter, longitudinal slips of documents are fed between the cutters so that the documents enter the flute of the rotary cutter to cut the slips into chips by cooperation between the cutting edge of the rotary cutter and the cutting edge of the fixed cutter.

Abstract: An automatic forage harvester shearbar-cutterhead clearance adjusting system includes motors connected to conventional left and right shearbar adjusting mechanisms. A knock sensor senses contact between the shearbar and the rotating knives of the cutterhead. A control unit including a programmed microprocessor controls the motors and, responding to signals from the knock sensors, automatically adjusts the shearbar-cutterhead clearance. The control unit prevents machine damage by responding to various fault conditions.

Abstract: Under the control of a microprocessor first and second motors alternately drive first and second ends of a shear bar for adjusting the position of the shear bar relative to cutter head. The shear bar is adjusted so that it is substantially parallel to the cutter head even though the cutter head and shear bar may not be parallel at the time the adjustment is initiated. A knock sensor is provided for sensing impacts between the cutter head and shear bar, the knock sensor output signal being converted to a digital value for controlling the adjusting sequence. A knocker is provided for inducing vibrations in the shear bar to thereby test the operability of the knock sensor and its output circuitry. The sensitivity of the adjustment system to the output of the knock sensor is set automatically before an adjustment sequence begins to account for variations in the knock sensor, its output circuitry, and "noise" vibrations induced in the shear bar by normal machine operation.

Abstract: Improved shredding machine shredding mechanism having elongated wall and gate structure defining a chamber. The chamber walls have margins defining a material entryway at one common end and margins defining a material discharge aperture at the remote end of the chamber from the entryway. An electrically driven rotatable shredder journaled in the wall structure intermediate the entryway and discharge aperture. The gate pivotally mounted externally of the chamber for movement within the chamber at the entryway and extending from a point adjacent to one of the walls divergingly relative to the wall and terminating remote from the pivotal mounting and from the wall defining a progressively constricting chamber as to area of the chamber in latitudinal cross-sectional dimension from entryway to discharge aperture in a selected position of the gate.

Abstract: Apparatus for crushing chunks of trees and tree stumps comprising a solid cylinder having cutting elements extending from the surface. The housing containing the cylinder is provided along one side wall with stationary cutters extending out toward the surface of the cylinder between the columns of the cutting elements which are moving as the cylinder rotates. The space between the stationary cutters and the surface of the cylinder is adjustable in order to be able to select the size of particles being produced. A conveyer beneath the housing carries away the particles. The cutting elements are mounted in such away as to permit easy replacement in the event of a failure. Means are provided to drive said cylinder at no more than 50 RPM.

Abstract: A shearbar attachment and adjustment apparatus is adapted to apply clamping forces to a shearbar in a forage harvester at first locations on opposite ends of the shearbar. The clamping forces prevent the shearbar from backing away from a rotary cutterhead in the forage harvester during chopping of crop material by passing cutting edges of knives on the periphery of the cutterhead close to the cutting edge of the shearbar. Also, the apparatus is adjustable to apply pulling forces on the shearbar at second locations on its opposite ends which are offset inwardly from the first locations. Application of pulling forces at these inward locations relative to the outward locations of the clamping forces tends to compensate for the effect of the convex shape of the shearbar cutting edge by causing bowing of the shearbar at the second locations to provide a more uniform clearance between the cutting edge of the shearbar and the cutting edges of the cutterhead knives.

Abstract: A cross-beam at the front end of a vehicle body carries knives which are rotatable between a position in which they extend into a conveyor duct and an upper position for inspection and/or sharpening. A pronged pusher moves fodder material gathered by a pick-up from the knives to the duct, when the material passes to a cross-conveyor for deposition of the fodder material. The vehicle advantageously has a short wheelbase.

Abstract: In a chopper, at least one cutter rotates about an axis moving over a retaining wall of a chopper housing and past an opposing knife edge located at the inlet opening into the chopper. The opposing knife edge is adjustably supported on a support relative to the plane or circle of revolution of the cutter. An adjustment device actuatable at a location exterior of the chopper housing effects the adjustment of the opposing knife edge when a locking device is released. The locking device includes a clamping device for pressing the opposite ends of the opposing cutting edge against the support. A force accumulator provides an elastic force for maintaining the clamping action. The locking device also includes a releasing device acting against the force accumulator for releasing the clamping action.

Abstract: An adjustable shearbar apparatus for a forage harvester is disclosed wherein a pair of levers pivotally supported to effect positional adjustments of the shearbar are mounted such that the pivot axis is located in an offset relationship relative to the axis of the shearbar. An upper clamping member detachably connected to a lower support mechanism by a threaded member positioned in line with the shearbar axis to clamp the shearbar therebetween connecting apparatus detachably affixing the shearbar to each of the levers includes a threaded fastener received through an opening extending through each lever and threadably engaged with the shearbar. The connecting apparatus also includes cupped washer assemblies to create a ball joint effect to facilitate the relative movement between the levers and the corresponding fasteners, permitting the shearbar to be moved linearly by a pair of pivotally movable levers.

Abstract: Method for the manufacture of flakes from chips and apparatus for carrying out the method. The worn, in use, blade portions of a strip-steel knife are exchanged continuously or periodically with sharp strip-steel knives during the flake manufacturing operation. The feed of the strip-steel knives is preferably time-dependent and/or dependent on the energy consumption of the apparatus. Disposed longitudinally of the knife-ring are one or several magazines for supplying or/and receiving the strip-steel knives.

Abstract: A microfilm destructing apparatus with a case and with a feed shaft disposed at the case for feeding of one or possibly more film cards along a cutter plate to a rotating milling cutter, which disintegrates the film card into fine particles; and which a complete and interference free removal of the generated microfilm particles is assured. The exhaust shaft is connected near the output end of the milling cutter, and is also connected to a suction blower. An air stream passes through the air gap slot, which is formed between the milling cutter teeth and the tip of the cutter plate. A pressure air stream may be employed fed from the input side to the milling cutter or if a suction air stream is present, it functions at the output end of the milling cutter.

Abstract: In the straw chopper of a combine harvester, an array of stationary knives may be adjusted generally radially into greater or lesser intermeshing engagement with blades of the chopper rotor. Guide and mounting means ensure that the relative angularity between the stationary knives and the chopper rotor remains constant at all adjustment positions of the stationary knives. The knives are fixed to a transverse carrier and a pair of opposite releasable adjustment levers extend downwards to be rigidly joined by a transverse handle, conveniently accessible and beneath and somewhat forward of the straw chopper casing. The stationary knife mounting arrangement facilitates adjusting the knives in unison and maintaining the knife array parallel to the axis of the straw chopper rotor.

Abstract: A lawnmower reel-to-bedknife adjustment system wherein the bedknife cutting edge can be automatically positioned relative to the circumference of the cutting reel. An extendable and retractable link is connected to the pivotal bedknife at a numerical advantage relative to the pivot axis and thereby provide for a fine adjustment of clearance between the reel and the bedknife upon extension and contraction of the link. The link can be extended by fluid pressure, or the like, and it can be retracted by spring pressure, and a yielding force is arranged to establish the clearance to a pre-set condition each time. Also, a manual threaded adjustment is provided along the adjustment link so that manual adjustment can be accomplished when desired.

Abstract: A blade ring for a shaver, consisting of blade units disposed in succession in ring configuration, within which a rotor rotates, urging the chips against the cutting blades. The blade units usually constitute a conical envelope, with a similar conical rotor within. The distance between the rotor and the blades is in means of prior art adjusted by shifting the rotor in axial direction, but this is difficult and requires complicated equipment. The blade ring of the invention is characterized in that each blade unit may be turned about an axis close to the cutting blade and parallelling the blade edge, for adjustment of the thickness of the shavings. By the aid of the invention, the thickness of the shavings can be regulated by simple adjustments.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the manufacture of chips from mineral, vegetable or embrittled materials. In the method the stationary wear plates and striking plates when worn from use are replaced during ball mill operation either continuously or periodically, either with or without pressure plates for the striking bars, and with different feeding speeds. The advance, or feeding, of these plates occurs in a time-dependent and/or energy consumption dependent manner. The apparatus includes a conventional beater mill equipped with a vertical or horizontal rotating beater wheel which has arranged on one or both sides of the stationary crushing path several magazines for storing wear plates and striking bars. The replacement of the wear plates and the striking bars is done by suitably constructed slide members.

Abstract: The invention relates to a chopping arrangement for a chopper and in particular a drum chopper having a chopping drum with several cutting blades spaced apart along its periphery which cooperate with a counter blade, the latter lying at each end against an anvil and being surrounded at each end by an essentially U-shaped clamp clip which presses the counter blade against the horizontal surface of the anvil under the effect of tension screws which penetrate the clamp clip and cooperate with tension nuts. The two arms of the clamp clip are extended by articulation pieces and the insides of the articulation pieces facing the anvil have a convex design and lie against the side walls of the anvil at only one point.

Abstract: A forage harvester shear bar having a first surface across which crop material is fed for cutting by the harvester cutterhead. A cutting surface perpendicular to the first surface forms a cutting edge therewith. The shear bar is arched upwardly by clamping against an arched support to provide enhanced rigidity and strength. The cutting surface is formed with a concavity therein, prior to being worn by usage in the forage harvester, to provide enhanced ability to achieve optimum, uniform clearance from the cutterhead. The concavity in the cutting surface provides compensation for the arch formed in the shear bar.

Abstract: A method and means for adjusting a forage harvester shear bar relative to its rotating cylinder. The outer end of the shear bar, the central portion of the shear bar and the inner end of the shear bar can all be selectively adjusted while the cylinder is rotating, these adjustments being made from the outer or operator's side of the harvester and at a common location. All of the shear bar adjusting means are located at one convenient and safe area at the outer or operator's side of the machine and the operator can accurately adjust the outer, central or inner end of the bar by noting the "tick" noise created when the particular end or portion of the shear bar being adjusted touches or comes in contact with the rotating knife of the cylinder.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for cutting plant material, in particular tobacco, having a funnel-shaped press in which the charged material to be cut is compressed and fed to a mouthpiece arranged at the outlet end of the press, a knife carrier rotating about a horizontal axis in front of the mouthpiece and having circulating knives which move past the mouthpiece so as to perform a cutting action, a knife grinding device disposed in the circulation path of the knives, and counter knives disposed on the mouthpiece at the outlet end of the press projecting into the circulating path of the circulating knives. The knives are thereby sharpened on two edges by the knife grinding device and the counter knives.

Abstract: A shearbar for forage harvesters includes a lever pivotally connected to a lower elongated shearbar support member. Opposed portions of the lever support opposite sides of the shearbar. An adjustment member is movable for pivoting the lever and moving the bar. A minimum number of parts avoid undesirable tolerance buildup.

Abstract: A shredbar is used with a forage harvester cutterhead mainly for cracking kernels of corn. The problem of premature wear of the shredbar is avoided by providing a shredbar apparatus with a reversible surface for abrading crop material. The shredbar apparatus includes pivotal members to increase flexibility for quick installation and removal.

Abstract: A device for the destruction of microfilm and similar data carriers by shredding, the shredding cutter having a cutting edge configuration of zigzag outline with alternatingly missing teeth, offset between successive cutting edges, the data carrier feeding unit including side-by-side O-ring belts on guide rolls with forwardly biased guide pins therebetween and/or side-by-side feeding wheels on a driven shaft and separately supported forwardly biased data carrier guide tongues, for positive guidance of the data carrier material to the cutting station.

Abstract: The shearbar of a forage chopper, positioned in such a way that direct access thereto for adjustment purposes is obstructed by other adjacent structures and mechanisms, is provided with an adjuster which may be manipulated at a point remote from the shearbar itself under conditions providing free, uninhibited access to the adjuster. A cam in the nature of a wedge is shifted infinitely along a path of travel that causes responsive shifting of the shearbar assembly along a path of travel extending toward and away from the chopper when a setscrew is released to permit such shifting on the part of the assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for attachment to and propulsion by a tractor or cross country vehicle for the purpose of cutting, chopping and removing vegetation, particularly dense vegetation and small trees. The apparatus includes a pair of forward horizontal rotary cutters which rotate in opposite directions to sever vegetation and propel it through a pair of opposed guide panels onto a lateral conveyer. A pair of vertical augers disposed on opposite sides of the conveyer rotate in opposite directions to compact vegetation, especially large brush and small trees previously cut by the horizontal rotary cutters, onto the conveyer. A pair of vertical rotary cutters are positioned above the conveyer rearward of the vertical augers. The vertical rotary cutters rotate in opposite directions to further cut large brush or small trees and force them downward onto the conveyer.

Abstract: A forage harvester has a rotary cylinder type cutterhead mounted in a housing with opposite side walls, crop material being fed into the cutterhead in a generally radial direction over a shear bar adjacent the cutterhead periphery. The shear bar is mounted for fore and aft adjustment toward and away from the cutterhead periphery to maintain the optimum clearance between the cutterhead and the shear bar by means of a mechanism that includes a pair of bell cranks respectively pivotally mounted to support members on the opposite walls, with one end of each bell crank being connected to the shear bar through a fore and aft link while the other end of the bell crank threadably receives the threaded portions of a vertically elongated rod that is rotatably supported adjacent the housing side wall and has an easily accessible head adjacent the top of the housing, whereby rotation of the rod causes the bell crank to rock on its pivot to cause linear fore and aft adjustment of the shear bar.

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.

Abstract: An impact crusher has a housing; a rotor mounted in the housing for rotation in a predetermined direction about a substantially horizontal axis; a charging opening in the housing above the rotor and at one side of the axis at which the rotation of the rotor is in upward direction; impact plate arrangement at the other side of the axis at which the rotation of the rotor is in downward direction so that material admitted through the opening and falling onto the rotor is flung against the plate arrangement, the plate arrangement comprising a first impact plate at a level higher than the rotor and a second plate spaced from the first plate in the predetermined direction, each plate having an impact surface facing generally opposite to said direction; and arrangement for displacing said first plate to and from a position in which the impact surface of the first plate is proximal to and constitutes an extension of the first impact surface of the second plate.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a gap between rotary striking blades or hammers and an operating plate in a crusher without interrupting the operation thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a sensing bar provided on a slider, a shifting device for the slider, a moving device for the operating plate and a controlling device electrically connected to motors of the slider and the moving device. In operation, the sensing bar is brought into contact with the rotating striking blades or hammers by shifting the slider, whereby detecting the extent of wear of the striking blades or hammers from the total shifting distance of the slider, and the operating plate is then moved to the extent commensurate with the detected wear.

Abstract: A cutting mill for comminuting or fragmenting solid material and separating the same according to particle size is disclosed. The cutting mill comprises a housing having an upper pivotable part and a lower part, a bladed rotor rotatably mounted in the upper part and stator blades mounted in the upper part for cooperation with the rotor blades. The lower part has an opening covered by an easily replaceable sieve through with particles of a predetermined size are discharged. The particle size is determined by the spacing between the sieve and rotor blades, which spacing is determined by spacing elements mounted concentrically of the rotor at the ends thereof. The spacing elements are also provided with surfaces for setting a predetermined spacing between the rotor and stator blades.

Abstract: For facilitating the grinding of clumps of crop material by a hammermill mechanism mounted below an opening formed in a stationary bottom wall of a tub grinder machine, an elongated plate is mounted to the bottom wall along a crop material receiving edge of the opening therein. A longitudinal marginal edge portion of the plate is bent downwardly at a slight acute angle relative to the plane of the mounting portion of the plate so as to extend into the opening generally toward the hammermill mechanism. The bent edge portion of the plate has a series of spaced apart notches or spaces formed therealong which gradually widen toward the edge of the plate so as to define a series of spaced apart, tapered and generally co-planar teeth which facilitate the ability of hammer elements of the hammermill mechanism to disintegrate crop material clumps passing through the opening over the teeth and strip disintegrated material residue from the teeth.

Abstract: A support structure for a cutter bar for use in a forage harvester, the support structure adjustably supporting the opposite ends of the cutter bar and providing a convenient readily adjustable structure for supporting the central portion of the cutter bar to prevent movement of the central portion of the cutter bar relative to the cutting cylinder of the forage harvester and to afford adjustment of the position of the central portion of the cutter bar relative to the blades of the cutting cylinder.

Abstract: A comminuting machine for trash has a generally closed housing provided at its top with an inlet and its bottom with an outlet. A rotor is provided in the housing and has at least one radially extending beater element that orbits on rotation of the rotor in a predetermined sense about a horizontal axis. An impact member is provided in the housing generally above the axis and spaced radially from the orbit of the beater element, the inlet being upstream of this impact member relative to the rotational sense of the rotor. A crusher plate is pivotally mounted in the housing generally below and downstream of the impact member and may be pivotally displaced between an effective position spaced radially relatively close to the rotor and an ineffective position radially relatively far from the rotor. A grate is displaceable through a sidewall of the housing between a withdrawn position outside the housing and an operative position under and relatively closely spaced from the rotor at the outlet.

Abstract: An impact crusher wherein hard particulate material is comminuted during travel between a rotor provided with beaters and a pivotable impact or grinding means, the latter being mounted in the housing of the crusher at a level above the rotor and tends to pivot by gravity and/or by spring force in a direction to reduce the width of the gap between its lower portion and the periphery of the circle swept by the rotor beaters. The impact or grinding means is pivotable by feed screws which are articulately connected thereto and extend upwardly through openings in the top wall of the housing. The outer portions of the feed screws are rigid with a crosshead which can be moved up and down by a double-acting hydraulic cylinder and piston unit which has an appropriate lost motion to allow the impact or grinding means to yield in direction away from the rotor.

Abstract: The shredding unit comprises a horizontal drum mounted transversely within a cage having a front feed opening. Knives are rigidly fixed on the circumference of the drum which is partially surrounded by an evacuation grid having calibrated holes. In the active or work position, backing knives placed in alignment at each end of the grid and opposite to the drum project inwards from the grid while the knives of the drum pass in the immediate vicinity. Each backing knife is mounted at the extremity of a support plate and is capable of withdrawing under excessive pressure in opposition to a jack which urges the backing knife towards the active position.

Abstract: Under the control of a microprocessor first and second motors alternately drive first and second ends of a shear bar for adjusting the position of the shear bar relative to cutter head. The shear bar is adjusted so that it is substantially parallel to the cutter head even though the cutter head and shear bar may not be parallel at the time the adjustment is initiated. A knock sensor is provided for sensing impacts between the cutter head and shear bar, the knock sensor output signal being converted to a digital value for controlling the adjusting sequence. A knocker is provided for inducing vibrations in the shear bar to thereby test the operability of the knock sensor and its output circuitry. The sensitivity of the adjustment system to the output of the knock sensor is set automatically before an adjustment sequence begins to account for variations in the knock sensor, its output circuitry, and "noise" vibrations induced in the shear bar by normal machine operation.