Patents Assigned to Somat Corporation
  • Patent number: 5577674
    Abstract: A waste compaction and liquid extraction system and method are provided. The system includes a tank for containing liquid and solids, and a tray that seats on the tank. The tray includes a feeding mechanism for moving bags of waste across the tray, and a stuffing mechanism for pushing the bags down into the tank. A rotary disc impeller is mounted in the tank for grinding the solids to form a mixture of liquid and solids. The impeller has a rotating blade with inclined and bevelled cutting members. A stationary helical screw is horizontally mounted to the output port of the tank. The screw has a receiving end adjacent to the output port and a discharge end. The tank conducts the mixture to the receiving end of the screw. A sieve is provided having a cylindrical sieve surface surrounding the screw. The liquid drains through the sieve. The sieve is rotatably mounted to the output port of the tank. The sieve rotates about the screw to move the solids longitudinally towards the discharge end of the screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Altonji, Robert J. Cohn, Steven M. Eno, Albert Kolvites
  • Patent number: 5451004
    Abstract: A waste compaction and liquid extraction system is provided. The system includes a tank for containing liquid and solids. The tank has an input port for receiving liquid, and an output port for discharging a mixture of liquid and solids. A rotary disc impeller is mounted in the tank for grinding the solids to form the mixture. The impeller has a rotating blade with inclined and bevelled cutting members. Each cutting member has a helical leading edge. The tank conducts the mixture to the output port. A stationary helical screw is horizontally mounted to the output port of the tank. The screw has a receiving end adjacent to the output port and a discharge end. The screw has a tapered shaft that increases in diameter towards the discharge end. A sieve is provided having a cylindrical sieve surface surrounding the screw. The liquid drains through the sieve surface. The sieve is rotatably mounted to the output port of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Altonji, Robert J. Cohn, Steven M. Eno, Albert Kolvites
  • Patent number: 4651636
    Abstract: A hydra-extractor includes an extractor screw and dewatering chamber, a cone for directing dried material to a plug cutter, the plug cutter, and a discharge chute. Associated power apparatus is mounted on the hydra-extractor. A novel cone is provided which is hyberolic in shape, composed of a high density urethane, and separable into two parts. The cone is affixed to the plug cutter which is also separable into two parts. The plug cutter is affixed to and rotated by the extractor screw shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventor: Evan P. Fields
  • Patent number: 4630780
    Abstract: Waste materials are introduced into an impeller-created vortex of water and reduced to a pulp wherein the impeller is provided with one or more blades constructed and arranged to cooperate with one or more stationary blades on a sieve surrounding the impeller. The impeller blades, stationary blades, and components of the sieve comprise readily removable and changeable components. The shear blades provide edges which periodically mate upon rotation of the impeller to provide a desired shearing action for the waste pulping machine. The shear members may readily and easily be removed when they become worn or damaged. The stationary shear blades are provided with a beveled edge in order to assists the flow of debris. The beveled edge reduces the likelihood of silverware or untensil becoming wedged between the impeller blades and the stationary shear blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Immel, Evan P. Fields
  • Patent number: 4249701
    Abstract: An apparatus for the pulping of waste material is disclosed including a tank, an impeller, a slurry chamber, and a discharge pipe for removal of slurry from the chamber. A flow directing device is provided within the chamber for increasing the flow into the discharge pipe. The device is appropriately positioned and shaped so that it will deflect the slurry from its rotational flow in the chamber to the discharge pipe. If the impeller is positioned horizontally at the bottom of the tank, it is preferably positioned off-center so waste material will not directly impinge upon the cutting surfaces when added to the tank. If the impeller is vertically oriented, the tank may be mounted on shock absorbers or resilient legs to minimize vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventor: Blaine M. Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4155299
    Abstract: In a hydro-extractor, a screw is disposed with an outer concentric cylindrical sieve. The sieve is formed of sections placed lengthwise of the screw, with each section capable of having the same or different size holes so that the extractor captures solids both large and small in a controlled manner and will dewater faster or slower with various combinations of sieve sections. To increase solids capture in desired portions of the extractor, the sieve is formed with a cloth or other fibrous material disposed between two supporting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventor: Hiram A. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 4150617
    Abstract: In a hydro-extractor, a screw is disposed with an outer concentric cylindrical sieve. The sieve is formed of sections placed lengthwise of the screw, with each section capable of having the same or different size holes so that the extractor captures solids both large and small in a controlled manner and will dewater faster or slower with various combinations of sieve sections. Where a sieve section contains smaller size holes of higher density per unit area and is constructed of relatively thin gauge material, an outer back-up screen of thicker gauge material with large holes is utilized in order to support the thinner screen and cooperate in withstanding the pressures generated during dewatering. Therefore, modulation of the sieve sections may be accomplished both vertically and horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Somat Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene J. Schramm, Jacob C. Geisel, Jr.