Abstract: A horizontally fed disk grinding system includes a tray coupled to a trailer for receiving bulk material. The system further includes a grind hub coupled to the trailer and a cutter disk coupled to the grind hub. The grind hub is structured to rotate about a grind hub axis and the cutter disk is structured to rotate about a cutter disk axis and about the grind hub axis. A grind ring is coupled to the trailer and is structured to slide to engage the grind hub during use. A plurality of plates are coupled to the tray and structured to oscillate to feed material from the tray to the grind hub and the cutter disk, where the material is reduced to particulate form. The grind hub further includes an outlet and a conveyor rotatably coupled to the trailer to convey the particulate material away from the outlet to a selected location.

Abstract: An impact cutter blade and holder system is disclosed. The impact cutter blade and holder system includes: a cutter disk, a plurality of impact holders, and a plurality of impact cutter blades. The cutter disk has a central axis about which the cutter disk is configured to rotate. The plurality of impact holders are secured to the cutter disk. The plurality of impact cutter blades is secured to the plurality of impact holders.

Abstract: An impact cutter blade and holder system is disclosed. The impact cutter blade and holder system includes: a cutter disk, a plurality of impact holders, and a plurality of impact cutter blades. The cutter disk has a central axis about which the cutter disk is configured to rotate. The plurality of impact holders are secured to the cutter disk. The plurality of impact cutter blades is secured to the plurality of impact holders.

Abstract: A refiner that reduces solid material to a particulate form includes a rotatable sidewall, a bottom, at least one exit hole, and a rotatable toothed disk. One or more baffles may be attached to the chamber sidewall to form one or more surfaces that extend into the chamber. The baffles help move the solid material toward the rotating toothed disk. The baffles also limit material from being inadvertently thrown out of the chamber. A moveable gate may be positioned to change the size of the exit hole and thus regulate the size of particulate material exiting the chamber. The position of the gate may be adjusted during the operation of the refiner chamber. A gate indicator indicates the relative position of the particle size gate. One or more attachments to the bottom of the chamber may be used to limit the amount and/or size of material engaging the toothed disk.

Abstract: A screening conveyor (10) for conveying particulate matter, such as comminuted wood fiber, in a forward direction while also screening to separate particles over a predetermined size from small particles under a predetermined size. The screening conveyor includes a frame (17, 50) and first and second conveyor bed sections (16, 30) supported by the frame. Each conveyor bed section defines a longitudinal axis and an upper surface (22) formed from a tiled series of trough shaped trays (20). Each tray defines a step including an ascending surface portion (96). The first and second conveyor bed sections are reciprocated in opposing balanced fashion along the longitudinal axis by a motor (48), cam assembly (54) and connecting rods (64, 66). The received particulate matter is carried on the stepped upper surfaces of the reciprocating conveyor bed and thrown forwardly from tray to tray. The upper surfaces further each define a plurality of apertures of predetermined size.

Abstract: A comminuting chamber (24) and attachments therefor for comminuting solid material into a particulate form is disclosed. The chamber includes a rotatable sidewall (40), a bottom (41) disposed across an end of the sidewall, and a toothed disk (32) rotatably mounted within the chamber adjacent the bottom. At least one attachment (28) is secured to the bottom of the chamber and provides a variety of surfaces which engage and reorient material being comminuted in the chamber. The attachment may include a plate (30) that extends horizontally in a plane adjacent the bottom. An edge of the plate may further have a flange (80) that extends outward and downward toward the chamber bottom. The attachment may also include a rotary scrubber (38) having a hub (56) and a plurality of arms (58) extending radially outward from the hub. The scrubber is either rotatably mounted on the plate or on the chamber bottom.

Abstract: The comminution of solid materials, such as stumps and wood waste, into particulate form is accomplished by introducing the material to be comminuted into a tub. The tub is rotated to induce a circular motion to the material. Simultaneously, a disk positioned at the bottom of the tub is rotated, preferably in the opposite direction to the tub, in a plane parallel to the tub bottom. The disk has teeth thereon that impact the material in the tub. A screening means at the bottom of the tub is sized to keep the material in the tub until it reaches a desired particle size, at which time the particles can leave the tub through the screening means and enter a collection chamber. The particles are removed from the collection chamber by being entrained in an airstream that passes adjacent an opening in the collection chamber. Preferably, the teeth in the disk are individually replaceable and are symmetric so that once one side is worn the tooth can be reversed in its mount and used again.

Abstract: A tooth for use in a comminuter roll comprises a roll of spring steel having a first end formed into a point or other abrading shape. The tooth is compressed upon insertion into a mounting hole in the roll and the inherent spring of the steel tends to force the tooth back to its original size, thereby creating forces on the interior of the mounting hole to form an interference fit that holds the tooth in place in the mounting hole. In a preferred embodiment, the tooth is formed of a roll of spring steel having a G-shaped cross section. This shape provides an opening through the length of the tooth and also leaves a solid piece in the center of the tooth to aid in tooth removal. A rod can be slipped through the lengthwise opening of the first tooth so that its end abuts the solid center portion of the second tooth that is colinearly mounted in the other end of the hole that the first tooth is mounted in. Tapping the rod will force the second tooth out of its hole without disturbing the first tooth.

Abstract: In a comminuter for solid material, which includes a plurality of upright abrasive rolls mounted in a circle to form a comminuting chamber, an improvement in the comminuting roll includes the provision of a plurality of radially directed apertures formed in the surface of the rolls to pick up product from the interior of the comminuting chamber and deposit it adjacent the outer perimeter of the comminuter as the rolls rotate. The aperture may, but need not, extend through the roll. The rolls also include a plurality of removable teeth with the apertures formed in the surface of the rolls serving an additional purpose in providing an entry point for a bolt used to pass through the roll and threadably engage a tooth-mounting bar opposite the aperture. In one embodiment of the rolls a predetermined number of threaded apertures is formed in the surface of the roll and each tooth member has a threaded mounting stud formed thereon, which threadably engages the aperture.

Abstract: An impeller for use in a comminuter of the type having a cylindrical comminuting chamber formed by a circular arrangement of free rotating vertical cutting rolls includes a circular baseplate rotatably mounted at the lowermost end of the comminuting chamber for horizontal rotation. A first planar impeller blade is affixed at a first end to the plate. The blade extends upwardly at an acute angle from the plate and terminates at a second end closely adjacent the cutting rolls. The first blade is arranged to push the material in the bottom portion of the chamber in the direction of rotation of the baseplate and also to provide a component of force downward on the material. In one embodiment, a second impeller blade is affixed to the plate at a location diametrically opposed to the location of attachment of the first blade.

Abstract: The comminution of solid materials, such as stumps and wood waste, into particulate form is accomplished by introducing the material to be comminuted into a tub. The tub is rotated to induce a circular motion to the material. Simultaneously, a disk positioned at the bottom of the tub is rotated, preferably in the opposite direction to the tub, in a plane parallel to the tub bottom. The disk has teeth thereon that impact the material in the tub. A screening means at the bottom of the tub is sized to keep the material in the tub until it reaches a desired particle size, at which time the particles can leave the tub through the screening means and enter a collection chamber. The particles are removed from the collection chamber by being entrained in an airstream that passes adjacent an opening in the collection chamber. Preferably, the teeth in the disk are individually replaceable and are symmetric so that once one side is worn the tooth can be reversed in its mount and used again.