Abstract: A medical waste disposal system for loading, reducing, and sterilizing medical waste is disclosed. The system includes a frame supporting a generally sealed containment chamber, a lift assembly having a lifter mounted on a track assembly configured for generally vertical motion of the lifter. The system also includes a hopper mounted on the frame near the lift and in communication with a material feeder, a first grinder in communication with the material feeder, a first conveyor positioned to receive medical waste from the first grinder, and a second grinder in communication with the first conveyor. The system further includes a second conveyor positioned to receive waste from the second grinder, and an autoclave for thermally disinfecting the waste, mounted on the frame in the containment chamber and in communication with the second conveyor assembly. The autoclave includes a plurality of steam inlets, a waste inlet opening, and a waste outlet opening for discharging waste to a third conveyor assembly.

Abstract: A medical waste disposal system for loading, reducing, and sterilizing medical waste is disclosed. The system includes a frame supporting a generally sealed containment chamber, a lift assembly having a lifter mounted on a track assembly configured for generally vertical motion of the lifter. The system also includes a hopper mounted on the frame near the lift and in communication with a material feeder, a first grinder in communication with the material feeder, a first conveyor positioned to receive medical waste from the first grinder, and a second grinder in communication with the first conveyor. The system further includes a second conveyor positioned to receive waste from the second grinder, and an autoclave for thermally disinfecting the waste, mounted on the frame in the containment chamber and in communication with the second conveyor assembly. The autoclave includes a plurality of steam inlets, a waste inlet opening, and a waste outlet opening for discharging waste to a third conveyor assembly.

Abstract: A medical waste disposal system for loading, reducing, and sterilizing medical waste is disclosed. The system includes a frame supporting a generally sealed containment chamber, a lift assembly having a lifter mounted on a track assembly configured for generally vertical motion of the lifter. The system also includes a hopper mounted on the frame near the lift and in communication with a material feeder, a first grinder in communication with the material feeder, a first conveyor positioned to receive medical waste from the first grinder, and a second grinder in communication with the first conveyor. The system further includes a second conveyor positioned to receive waste from the second grinder, and an autoclave for thermally disinfecting the waste, mounted on the frame in the containment chamber and in communication with the second conveyor assembly. The autoclave includes a plurality of steam inlets, a waste inlet opening, and a waste outlet opening for discharging waste to a third conveyor assembly.

Abstract: A drum mixer for heating, mixing and drying an aggregate material, such as a mixture of recycled asphaltic pavement and virgin aggregate. The drum mixer includes an inclined drum having a first end and a second end. The drum forms a pre-heating/blending section adjacent the first end, a heating/mixing section adjacent the second end, and a heating/drying/mixing section therebetween. A feed assembly for feeding aggregate material, preferably having a high ratio of RAP material to virgin aggregate, is provided. The feed assembly feeds the aggregate material into the pre-heating/blending section of the drum for movement of the aggregate material sequentially through the pre-heating/blending section, the heating/drying/mixing section and the heating/mixing section. A burner assembly extends from the second end of the drum into the heating/drying/mixing section of the drum.

Abstract: A drum mixer for heating, mixing and drying an aggregate material, such as a mixture of recycled asphaltic pavement and virgin aggregate. The drum mixer includes an inclined drum having a first end and a second end. The drum forms a pre-heating/blending section adjacent the first end, a heating/mixing section adjacent the second end, and a heating/drying/mixing section therebetween. A feed assembly for feeding aggregate material, preferably having a high ratio of RAP material to virgin aggregate, is provided. The feed assembly feeds the aggregate material into the pre-heating/blending section of the drum for movement of the aggregate material sequentially through the pre-heating/blending section, the heating/drying/mixing section and the heating/mixing section. A burner assembly extends from the second end of the drum into the heating/drying/mixing section of the drum.

Abstract: The present invention is a decontamination plant for removing contaminates from contaminated material. The decontamination plant comprises an outer shell including a cavity therein. A drum formed of heat conductive material is rotatably mounted in the cavity defined by the outer shell so as to form an annular heating chamber between the drum and the outer shell. A plurality of heat sources are positioned to discharge heat into the annular heating chamber. The drum also has an inner surface defining a decontamination chamber. A tube is concentrically supported within the decontamination chamber formed in the drum. The tube has an inlet which is in communication with the annular heating chamber so as to receive flue gases therefrom. The outlet of the tube is positioned to exhaust gases from the drum. The drum is slightly inclined from a material receiving opening to a soil discharge end so as to cause the material which is being decontaminated to progress through the decontamination chamber as the drum rotates.

Abstract: A milling machine equipped with tires of compression-memory solid rubber. The milling machine includes a frame, a plurality of wheels supporting and propelling the machine over the paved surface and a cutting assembly rotatably mounted to the frame for removing an upper layer of paving material from a paved surface. In a typical arrangement, the milling machine has two front wheels and one rear wheel. Both front wheels and the rear wheel are typical equipped with tires made of solid rubber having a durometer rating in the range of 45 to 60. Typically, the front wheels are adapted to be turned through a 45-degree range and the rear wheel has a turning range of about 90 degrees.

Abstract: A paving machine having a sensor-controlled concrete metering screed. The machine includes hydraulic cylinders which move the metering screed to various elevations to control the depth of concrete being metered out by the screed. At least one ultrasonic sensor is slide-mounted to the machine above and behind the metering screed to provide measurements of the distance between the sensor and the surface of the concrete just behind the screed. A control system compares the sensor measurements with a tolerance range of distances corresponding to the desired depth of concrete. When the sensor measurements are out of tolerance, the control system moves the metering screed up or down to bring the distance, and the metered depth of concrete, back within tolerance.

Abstract: A drum mixer having a combined heating-mixing zone which receives aggregate from both ends. The drum mixer includes a rotatable drum having an inlet end and a discharge end. Within the drum, a drying zone extends from the inlet end to a combustion zone and a mixing zone extends from the combustion zone to the discharge end. A cylindrical, tubular combustion housing is mounted in the combustion zone to define the heating-mixing zone between the drum and the combustion housing. The inner periphery of the combustion housing defines a combustion chamber into which the flame of a burner assembly is directed. The heating-mixing zone communicates with the drying zone, the combustion chamber, and the mixing zone. Aggregate is introduced into the drying zone and is urged toward the combustion zone as the drum is rotated.

Abstract: A paving material machine having a frame with an end-to-end tunnel for paving material capacity. The machine also includes an electro-hydraulic drive system using rotary transducers. In a configuration for laying down paving material, the machine has a front hopper for receiving paving material from trucks and a conveyor to transfer paving material rearward through the tunnel. A diverter plate and feed augers are mounted at the rear of the machine to regulate the paving material out of the rear of the tunnel. A lay down screed is located behind the feed augers. In order to improve turning characteristics in a system featuring a positive traction device, the drive system is connected to rotary transducers which measure the direction and degree of wheel turn. Using the input from the rotary transducers, the drive system allows a speed differential between the inside and outside wheels in a turn.

Abstract: A paving machine having a gate control system for maintaining a target depth of paving material on the surface to be paved. The paving machine includes a wheeled frame having a lengthwise tunnel and a conveyor for moving paving material through the tunnel. A pair of gates are provided to control the volume of paving material being conveyed from the rear of the tunnel. The position of each gate is automatically adjusted by a hydraulic cylinder, a control valve, an electro-hydraulic control system, an ultrasonic sensor assembly and a cable assembly. Each sensor assembly includes a sensor which is positioned to define a target distance between the sensor and the paving material. The target distance corresponds to the target depth for the paving material. The sensor detects the actual distance between the sensor and the paving material and produces an electrical output proportional to this actual distance.

Abstract: A system for remediating soil containing contaminants. The system comprises a rotary volatilizer, a thermal dust conductor, a soil cooler, a separator and an afterburner. The rotary volatilizer includes a rotatable, counterflow volatilizer drum with a drying zone, a heating zone and a burn zone. The burn zone of the volatilizer has an outer shell and a stainless steel inner liner supported by spring brackets within the outer shell. A separator is provided to receive exhaust gases from the volatilizer and the soil cooler and to remove dust from the exhaust gases. Dust from the separator and hot soil from the volatilizer is introduced into the thermal dust conductor. Hot gases from the thermal dust conductor are returned to the volatilizer to preheat combustion air for the volatilizer and to incinerate contaminants in the returned gases. Soil is transferred from the thermal dust conductor to the soil cooler, where water injection cools the remediated soil and adds moisture to the soil.

Abstract: A fabric-filter baghouse using heated, filtered exhaust gas for reverse-flow cleaning of fabric filter bags. The baghouse includes a housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber therein, a number of fabric filter bags mounted between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber and an exhaust fan for drawing a stream of gases through the baghouse. The interior of the filter bags communicate with the outlet chamber and the exterior of the filter bags are disposed in the inlet chamber. The filter bags are constructed to prevent particulate from passing from the exterior to the interior of the filter bags, while allowing the gas stream to do so. Particulate which collects on the exterior of the filter bags is removed by passing a reverse flow of gases through the filter bags. One or more rotary valves are provided to direct a reverse flow of gases to one group of filter bags at a time.

Abstract: A paving machine having a medially located dowel bar feeder positioned in front of a dowel bar inserter. The machine has a screw or paddle for spreading the concrete and a front strike-off to allocate a proper amount of unconsolidated concrete beneath the machine. Next in line, internal vibrators are mounted to the machine to perform a preliminary consolidation of the concrete, followed by a screed to meter out a correct volume of consolidated concrete for a finished concrete slab. To the rear of the screed, the dowel bar feeder drops dowel bars in a predetermined pattern on the top surface of the consolidated concrete. The dowel bar inserted is mounted to the paving machine behind the dowel bar feeder and includes a plurality of vibrating forks which descend to engage the dropped dowel bars and insert the dowels into the unhardened concrete. In operation, the dowel bars are dropped and the paving machine is driven forward until the forks are over the dropped dowel bars.

Abstract: An asphalt production plant with a drum dryer having two burners and expanded exhaust gas exit area. The dryer has a rotatable dryer drum with an inlet end and a discharge end. A burner is positioned at each end of the dryer drum to produce a stream of hot gases both parallel with and counter to the movement of aggregate through the dryer drum. A dust chamber surrounds a medial dust section of the dryer drum. The dust section of the dryer drum communicates with the dust chamber through slots and perforated angle plates to produce an increased area for the exit of exhaust gases. In addition to the drum dryer, the plant comprises an aggregate feed system for delivering aggregate into the dryer, an exhaust system, a drum mixer, a recycle feed system, a reservoir of bituminous fluid and an asphalt bin. A drag conveyor is provided to transfer aggregate from the dryer into the drum mixer. Recycle material and dust from the exhaust system may be introduced into the drag conveyor as well.

Abstract: A closed, pressurized apparatus for introducing aggregate dust and rubber into a stream of liquid asphalt is provided. Aggregate dust and rubber are dispensed through a valve from a receiving chamber into a mixing housing. The aggregate dust and rubber enter the mixing housing at an intermediate location therein. The liquid asphalt is introduced into the mixing housing through a separate conduit at a location thereon above the point of entry of the aggregate dust and rubber. The liquid asphalt, the aggregate and the rubber combine within the mixing housing to form a slurry composition. A heating jacket substantially surrounds the mixing housing and a system for preventing liquid asphalt from backing up into the receiving chamber is also provided. The apparatus is particularly useful in an asphalt plant using a bag house.

Abstract: A vehicle with a drive train having two shock-absorbing couplings. The drive train includes an engine, a transmission, the two shock-absorbing couplings connected together, a differential, a drive assembly and a rotatable assembly, such as a cutter drum. The transmission has a transmission output shaft which is connected by a universal joint to the first shock-absorbing coupling. Similarly, the differential has a differential input shaft which is connected by another universal joint to the second shock-absorbing coupling. The increased shock-absorbing capacity provided by two couplings reduces the failure rate of the drive train. To protect the drive train, a pair of shear members joined by shear bolts are used to connect the shock-absorbing couplings together.

Abstract: A milling machine having a rotary cutter drum which is movable both horizontally and vertically into operating position. The milling machine includes a mobile frame, a cutter rack, a cutter housing, a cutter drum and a pair of cutter skids. The cutter rack is mounted for vertical sliding movement to the front end of the frame. A pair of hydraulic cylinders are provided between the frame and the cutter rack to move the cutter rack to an operating elevation. In turn, the cutter housing is mounted for horizontal sliding movement to the cutter rack. A hydraulic cylinder is provided to move the cutter housing horizontally to a milling position. The cutter skids are positioned on opposite sides of the cutter housing to bear on a surface being milled and to support the cutter housing and cutter during the milling operation. Two hydraulic cylinders are provided on each side of the cutter housing to move the cutter housing vertically to set the cutter drum to a cutting depth.