Abstract: A continuous cylindrical wood pulp refiner comprising a rotor disposed in a housing having a plurality of structural members. At least one refining plate is mounted to a holder portion of each member such that the entire periphery of the rotor is exposed to refining plates. The pulp to be refined continuously flows axially along the periphery of the rotor. The members define two shells which are pivotally mounted to the refiner base such that the shells may be pivoted away from each other to provide access to the interior surface for changing the refiner plates. Each holder portion has a pair of bores which are parallel to the axis of the rotor. A cam portion of a cam shaft is disposed in each bore. Rotating the cam shaft causes the cam portion to engage the surface of the bore thereby moving the holder portion radially towards or away from the rotor whereby the gap between the refining plates and the rotor can be adjusted.

Abstract: The comminution apparatus comprises a drive shaft having a roller bearing which is disposed in a housing. A temperature detector mounted in the housing monitors the temperature of the roller bearing. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to a circumferential groove in the housing to apply hydraulic pressure to the outer raceway. The hydraulic fluid pressure is monitored by a pressure detector and gage and may be vented by a manually operated relief valve. The drive shaft is rotated at normal operating speed and normal load with the bearing clearance at maximum until the bearing reaches an equilibrium temperature. Raising the hydraulic pressure develops a force on the rear surface of the outer raceway, biasing the outer raceway towards the shaft and reducing the bearing clearance. Reducing the bearing clearance reduces waste heat generated by skidding between the rollers and the raceway.

Abstract: A hammermill (10) comprises a casing (12) having a longitudinal axis (18) and a sidewall (20) such that an enclosed grinding space (24) is defined within the casing. A rotor assembly (26) is situated within the casing for rotation about the axis, and includes hammer elements each having a radially outer tip (34) which defines a hammer rotation diameter. At least one grinding plate at the inside of the sidewall defines a grinding surface (38) in the grinding space having a radius of curvature centered on the axis, a length dimension parallel to the axis, and a width dimension defined by an arc about the axis. The grinding plate has a plurality of spaced apart edges such that each hammer tip (34) passes along the width dimension of the grinding plate with a clearance from the edges which defines a grinding gap. The sidewall other than at the grinding plate has a non-uniform curvature which defines a non-uniform clearance from the hammer rotation diameter that is greater than the grinding gap clearance.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for recycling scrap film. The apparatus includes a washer-shredder upstream from a film cutter in order to remove impurities from the film. The scrap film is rinsed in a rinse loop which uses screen sieves for removing additional impurities, particularly paper fiber. The apparatus and method substantially reduce conventional problems with the film cutter caused by impurities which customarily are present in unwashed film. The invention is particularly useful for recycling very thin scrap film.

Abstract: A storage bin for handling and discharging plug flow material uses shrouds to prevent wedging of plug flow material such as refuse derived fuel between vertical screws and the end walls of the bin. The bin is divided into two separate sections by the vertical screws. Wedging of plug flow material in both bin sections and material discharge is then stopped. The shrouds force the plug flow material into the active surface area of vertical screws and continuous discharge through an elongated discharge aperture is assured. Two horizontal screws are used to further augment material discharge beneath the elongated discharge aperture. The two horizontal screws are parallel and the bottom of vertical screws are between the two horizontal screws.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing the screw flight section of a screw conveyor is disclosed. The apparatus includes two horizontal arms which extend from a vertical support and at the terminal end of these arms there are dies for engaging the inner and outer peripheral edges of a flat, sheet metal, annulus-shaped blank with a radial slit. One die is turned on its longitudinal axis while the other remains stationary so that the blank is twisted. After the blank is circumferentially displaced relative to the dies, it is again twisted in the above described manner. This procedure is repeated around the entire circumference of the blank with the result that a helical form is applied to the blank.

Abstract: A hog granulator for plastic material in which a plurality of longitudinal knives are arranged on a rotor inside a cutting chamber to engage in a cooperative cutting action with bed knives on the cutting chamber walls. A plurality of spaced, longitudinal pockets in the peripheral surface of the rotor bring cooling air to the cutting surfaces, and ribs are arranged across these pockets to reduce power requirements by preventing excessively large pieces of plastic material to be reduced from being received into and taking up residence in these pockets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mixing granular, particulate or pulverant material is disclosed. An unhomogenous mixture of two or more such materials is introduced into and moved through a preferably inclined trough structure having rigid side walls and a flexible floor member. At one or more isolated positions on this floor member it is subjected to relatively intense vibrational motion. It is found that such restricted use of vibrational motion results in a thorough yet gentle mixing of granular, particulate or pulverant materials.