Abstract: The auger gasifier described includes, in its preferred embodiments, a vertically elongated (“oblong”) primary gasifier chamber with an auger that can move up and down, allowing for large amounts of fuel input when necessary. This improvement, in turn, requires and/or is facilitated by provision for simultaneous elevation adjustments of the auger and bed dam to assure that fuel material is processed in degrees from the top downward without sweeping massive amounts of the fluidized bed materials towards the output end of the chamber. Another improvement involves provision for pressurization of the primary gasifier chamber, allowing substantial improvements in the speed of processing materials through the gasifier. Due to issues arising from thermal expansion of the refractory material lining the chamber, provision is made for nozzle and refractory imbedded pipe hole thermal expansion capability.

Abstract: The auger gasifier described includes, in its preferred embodiments, a vertically elongated (“oblong”) primary gasifier chamber with an auger that can move up and down, allowing for large amounts of fuel input when necessary. This improvement, in turn, requires and/or is facilitated by provision for simultaneous elevation adjustments of the auger and bed dam to assure that fuel material is processed in degrees from the top downward without sweeping massive amounts of the fluidized bed materials towards the output end of the chamber. Another improvement involves provision for pressurization of the primary gasifier chamber, allowing substantial improvements in the speed of processing materials through the gasifier. Due to issues arising from thermal expansion of the refractory material lining the chamber, provision is made for nozzle and refractory imbedded pipe hole thermal expansion capability.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to an improved air-operated hammer which can utilize a pressurized air reservoir located near a pressurized air entrance of the hammer. This pressurized air reservoir can continue to receive pressurized air even when the hammerhead is failing and, preferably, can enable pressurized, air to enter the hammer at, a faster rate than the hammer's external compressed-air source can supply. The subject invention can utilize a compressed-air source with a lower flow rate and/or lower pressure in comparison with a typical air-operated hammer, in order to achieve the same hammer performance. Alternatively, the subject invention can utilize an equivalent compressed-air source in comparison with a typical air-operated hammer, in order to achieve superior hammer performance, for example shorter time periods to raise the hammer head leading to move hammer drops per time.

Abstract: A safety scale having(i) an upper section for connection to the rigging of a weight lifting device above the safety scale, which upper section has a lower extension, (ii) a lower section for connection to a weight or the rigging of a weight lifting device below the safety scale, which lower section has an upper extension, with (iii) the aforesaid sections and extensions being disposed in such a manner that the movement of the upper section away from the lower section causes the lower extension to move towards the upper extension; and (iv) force measurement means disposed between the upper extension and the lower extension such that the force, in pounds (or metric measure), exerted can be measured.

Abstract: An improved auger combustor for the incineration of refuse featuring, in its preferred embodiment, a granular substrate formed as a fluidized bed by underfire air and composed of particulate material with pollution abatement properties, an auger with expandable flights, a post combustor treatment zone comprised of particulate material with pollution abatement properties suspended in the gas stream exiting the auger combustor chamber; and in alternate embodiments, also including the ability to insert combustible fuel gases from the bottom of the combustor chamber, particularly at the input end of the combustor chamber, and/or the volumetric expansion of the combustor chamber from the input to the output end as a means of increasing retention time for gases released by the burning of refuse in the combustor chamber.

Abstract: An implement snubbing device positionable between a boom and an implement including a compressible member positioned generally between, and having a longitudinal axis extending generally between, the boom and the implement. A boom connecting mechanism connects the compressible member to the boom, and an implement connecting mechanism connects the implement to the compressible member. The compressible member has a compressing mechanism which comprises the compressible member along the longitudinal axis and is actuated by the swinging movement of the implement about a lateral axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A second compressing mechanism compresses the compressible device along the longitudinal axis and is actuated by the movement of the implement about a second lateral axis generally perpendicular to the first lateral axis.

Abstract: A tree shearing apparatus including a main frame mountable on support arms of a machine, a pair of pivot pins mounted on the main frame, a blade support arm mounted on each of the pivot pins for pivotal movement about the axis of that pivot pin, a cutting blade having a leading cutting edge mounted on each of the blade support arms, an element mounted on the main frame that pivots the blade support arm thereby moving the leading cutting edges toward and away from each other, causing the leading cutting edges to sever a tree trunk or the like positioned between them, and an element mounted on the main frame and operatively connected to at least one of the pivot pins that adjusts the attitude of the pivot pin and correspondingly adjusts the inter-relationship of the positions of the leading cutting edges of the blades.

Abstract: A feeding system for a starved-air combustor which enables the batch feeding of preselected weights of fuel into a combustion chamber of the starved-air combustor. The feeding system also blocks the entry of ambient air into the combustion chamber during the feeding of fuel to the chamber and can control the feeding of fuel into the combustion chamber in response to the orientation of a fuel-conveying auger in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An exit gas control apparatus for flame stabilization and performance tuning of a starved-air combustor includes a first air conduit communicating with the combustion chamber near the fuel inlet and a second conduit communicating with the combustion chamber near the residue outlet. A damper is provided to proportion the discharge of combustion gases entirely through the first conduit, entirely through the second conduit, or proportionately through the first conduit and the second conduit to enable the starved-air combustor to operate in full countercurrent, full co-current, or partial co-current and countercurrent modes, respectively.

Abstract: A control system for a starved-air combustor wherein a combustion chamber is divided into a plurality of combustion chamber zones with separate overfire and underfire airflows being individually provided for each zone. Fuel is fed to the combustor in selectable constant weight batches and the supply of underfire air is proportional to the rate at which an auger rotates to convey the fuel through the combustor. Overfire air is supplied to each combustion zone in an inverse relationship to the variance of a sensed temperature within the zone from a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: An incinerator having a variable speed auger to continuously feed refuse into and through a combustion chamber and into a water filled ash receptacle. Preheated combustion air is supplied through tangential openings in and along the combustion chamber walls, with the hottest air supplied at the combustion chamber inlet. The auger has a water cooled hollow shaft and a heat resistant flight concentrically spaced away from the auger shaft by support members. The pitch of the auger flight gradually decreases from the inlet end to the discharge end of the combustion chamber. The exhaust gases pass through heat exchangers and dust collectors before being emitted from the incinerator. A portion of the exhaust gas is recirculated by a blower to an air curtain in the front of the inlet unit to preheat the entering refuse.