Abstract: A separation system includes an air separator that, in one embodiment, primarily receives Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) containing a mixture of relatively light MSW recyclable materials such as plastic, paper, cardboard, plastic containers, and/or metal containers and relatively heavy MSW such as textiles, food waste, yard debris, etc. The air separator blows the relatively light MSW recyclable materials up though a chamber and onto a first conveyor while the other relatively heavy MSW material drops down a chute onto a second conveyor. A separation screen receives the relatively light MSW recyclable materials from the air separator and separates the relatively flat fiber and plastic film materials from the other paper, plastic and metal containers. In another separation stage, an electrostatic emitter is positioned adjacent to a conveyor for applying an electrostatic charge to the fiber and plastic materials.

Abstract: A modular multi-disc assembly for use in material separation screens and a method of application to those screens are provided. The modular multi-disc assembly includes an inner securing hub that clamps onto the drive shaft of a material separation screen. The modular multi-disc assembly further includes an outer multi-disc module split into halves with each half mounting separately onto the inner securing hub. Multiple discs can be replaced at one time as opposed to replacing each individual disc in a typical screen. The inner securing hub spaces the outer multi-disc module away from the drive shaft so that the primary wear concern reduces to the resilient discs on the outer multi-disc module, allowing for multiple outer multi-disc module replacements before needing to replace the inner securing hub.

Abstract: Multiple shafts are aligned along a frame and configured to rotate in a direction causing paper products to move along a separation screen. The shafts are configured with a shape and spacing so that substantially rigid pieces of the paper products move along the screen while non-rigid pieces of the paper products slide down between adjacent shafts. In one embodiment, the screen includes at least one vacuum shaft that has a first set of air input holes configured to suck air and retain the non-rigid paper products. A second set of air output holes are configured to blow out air to dislodge the paper products retained by the input holes.

Abstract: A compound disc is used to eliminate a secondary slot normally formed between the outside perimeter of discs on adjacent shafts of a material separation screen. The compound disc includes a primary disc joined to an associated secondary disc. The primary disc and the secondary disc each have the same shape but the secondary disc has a smaller outside perimeter and is wider. The primary disc and associated secondary disc are formed from a unitary piece of rubber. The compound discs are interleaved with oppositely aligned compound discs on adjacent shafts. In other words, the large disc is positioned laterally on a shaft to longitudinally align with a smaller disc on an adjacent shaft. The oppositely aligned and alternating arrangement between the large discs and small discs eliminate the secondary slot that normally exists in disc screens.

Abstract: A compound disc is used to eliminate a secondary slot normally formed between adjacent shafts of a material separation screen. The compound disc includes a primary disc joined to an associated secondary disc. The primary disc and the secondary disc each have the same shape but the secondary disc has a smaller outside perimeter and is wider. The primary disc and associated secondary disc are formed from a unitary piece of rubber. The compound discs are interleaved with oppositely aligned compound discs on adjacent shafts. In other words, the large disc is positioned on a shaft to align with a smaller disc on an adjacent shaft. The oppositely aligned and alternating arrangement between the large discs and small discs reduce problems that exist in screens that use in-line multi-sided discs.

Abstract: A disc screen classifies material by size. The disc screen includes a frame, a plurality of shafts mounted on the frame parallel with one another and a first stage including discs mounted on the shafts in a substantially coplanar row. Each of the discs has a perimeter shaped to maintain the space between discs substantially constant during rotation. A second stage includes discs mounted on the shafts in a substantially coplanar row. Each of the discs has a perimeter shaped to maintain the space between discs substantially constant during rotation. A receiving section agitates debris while the debris moves at an angle up to a given elevation. A roll over section drops the materials down to a discharge position for feeding onto a discharge section. The materials are dropped from the roll over so that the debris either falls vertically or flips over further promoting separation. The discharge section again agitates the debris while moves up a second incline until the larger debris discharges out a rear end.

Abstract: A first conveyor belt has a transverse tilt from horizontal and a wall along one side. Crushed plastic containers dropped onto the belt fall against the wall and are thus aligned under gravity action. The first belt transfers aligned containers to a second belt operating at a faster rate of speed and having a width capable of supporting only a single article in the transverse direction. The second belt transfers the containers to a third belt operating at a faster rate of speed than the second belt thereby further spacing the containers one from another. A scanner checks the spacing of each adjacent pair of containers and causes an air cannon to blow containers from the third belt when spacing does not conform to a predetermined spacing criteria. Containers falling from the end of the first belt and those blown from the third belt are received by a hopper having a conveyer therein which returns such containers to the first belt.

Abstract: A system for classifying recycled debris comprising ferrous materials, fines, non-ferrous light material and non-ferrous heavy material. The classification system is made of a hopper having an inlet, including a spillway opening defining a lowermost portion of the hopper inlet, and an outlet formed along a lower portion of the hopper and contained in a plane at an angle of about 50 degrees from horizontal. A conveyor covering the outlet includes substantially rigid cleats extending into the hopper for agitating the debris and for transporting heavy material, such as glass bottles, out of the hopper outlet. Agitation of the debris causes the heavy material to drift to the lower portion of the hopper and the light material to rise to the top portion and flow over the spillway. A second conveyor positioned beneath the spillway catches the light material and carries it to another location.

Abstract: A separation system tears apart trash bags in a manner that will ensure that the trash and recyclable material inside the bag will fall out onto a conveyer while at the same time maintaining the bag in substantially one piece. The bag is dropped onto two cylinders that rotate in opposite directions. The first cylinder hooks the container with a set of fins and then presents the bag to a second set of fins protruding from the second cylinder. The second set of fins have relatively dull tips that pull the bag apart allowing the contents inside the bag to drop down onto a conveyer. A set of steel fingers are attached between adjacent fins to prevent small bags from slipping though the system without first being broken. The fins automatically push the empty bags out of the system in substantially one piece.

Abstract: A disc screen for classifying material by size. The disc screen comprises a frame, a plurality of shafts mounted on the frame parallel with one another, a first stage including discs mounted on the shafts in a substantially coplanar row, each of the discs having a perimeter shaped to maintain the space between discs substantially constant during rotation; and a second stage including discs mounted on the shafts in a substantially coplanar row, each of the discs having a perimeter shaped to maintain the space between discs substantially constant during rotation. The first stage discs are positioned to allow passage of only small fraction material and the second stage discs are positioned to allow passage of intermediate fraction material thereby classifying the material into a small fraction, an intermediate fraction and a large fraction.