Abstract: A method for recycling wallboard employs a tumbling barrel for receiving wallboard pieces and metal weights. The tumbling barrel is sealed and the barrel is rotated so as to drop the weights against the wallboard. Once the materials are separated into gypsum and relatively large pieces of paper, the barrel doors are opened and the materials are transferred to a vibrating conveyor including a number of filtering screens for segregating the gypsum and the paper. Reclaimed gypsum from this process then may be mixed as a large portion of the total gypsum used in the manufacture of new wallboard.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recycling wallboard employs a tumbling barrel for receiving wallboard pieces and metal weights. The tumbling barrel is sealed and the barrel is rotated so as to drop the weights against the wallboard. Once the materials are separated into gypsum and relatively large pieces of paper, the barrel doors are opened and the materials are transferred to a vibrating conveyor including a number of filtering screens for segregating the gypsum into consistently sized particles. A screen across the conveyor prevents the paper from continuing beyond a trap point. A chute transfers the paper particles to a paper collection bin while various sized gypsum particles are collected at the end of the conveyor in several bins according to size.