Abstract: The disclosed method and apparatus for crushing material such as ice include a controller to actively control the speed, volume, temperature, and humidity of airflow to improve the crushing efficiency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for chopping long unwound items like fiber, fiber strands, yarn, etc. having an idler roll for pressing the item(s) against a backup roll for pulling the item(s) into the chopper uses an improved mount for the idler roll that maintains the outer peripheral surface of the idler roll into more consistent contact with more consistent force with the item(s) being chopped.

Abstract: An impacting body is mounted rotatably to a spindle provided on a principal plane of a rotor. The impacting body is mounted so that a predetermined fitting gap is provided between the impacting body and the spindle and a part of periphery of the impacting body can be positioned beyond a periphery of the rotor. The rotor is rotated at a high speed to allow the impacting body to impact on an object to be processed at least at its critical impact velocity. This enables only the top layer of the object to be processed at the part on which the impacting body has impacted to be broken instantaneously. When the rotor is moved while being rotated, the object to be processed can be cut. According to this cutting device, an object formed of a single member such as glass, ceramics, resin, metal, or the like, or a composite member thereof can be cut continuously with one kind of cutting tool.

Abstract: A process and product of making a tissue product is provided. For example, the method can comprise (a) providing a first papermaking furnish containing refined softwood fibers; (b) providing a second papermaking furnish containing hardwood fibers; (c) incorporating the first and second papermaking furnishes into a tissue web such that the tissue web has a hardwood layer and a softwood layer; (d) contacting the tissue web with a drying surface so that the hardwood layer is disposed adjacent thereto; and (e) removing the tissue web from the drying surface with a creping blade at a creping pocket angle of less than about 82 degrees.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying articles that has a cutter rotatably mounted adjacent a feed opening of a chamber containing articles to be destroyed. A ram is mounted in the chamber and is movable in a first direction toward the cutter. A plate forms the bottom surface of the chamber, and the plate has a plurality of grooves extending in the first direction. A wiper is mounted on the front of the ram, and the wiper has a plurality of teeth located in respective grooves in the plate. Thus, the plurality of teeth in the grooves prevent articles from sliding beneath the ram as it pushes articles into the cutter. In another embodiment, a segmented wiper is mounted on a first side wall, the segmented wiper has a length extending across an irregular upper surface of the ram, the segmented wiper further has a plurality of independently movable wiper teeth that are in substantially continuous contact with the irregular upper surface of the ram.

Abstract: A coffee grinder with a removable storage and dispensing element that has a housing and rotatable assembly in the housing. The rotatable assembly includes a distributor allows a single one of multiple open sectors to be filled in any given position. A dispensing component has an open sector angularly offset from the open sector of the distributor. When the dispensing component open sector aligns with a filled sector, the beans drop into a hopper for grinding. A grinder operates until all the beans in the hopper are ground.

Abstract: A rock crusher includes a bowl coupled to a frame and a head assembly coupled to the frame defining a crushing gap between the head assembly and the bowl. The rock crusher further includes a number of fixed displacement hydraulic motors adapted to rotate the bowl with respect to the frame and a hydraulic fluid source providing a flow rate of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motors. A hydraulic control valve is adapted to remove one of the hydraulic motors from operation, directing the hydraulic fluid to the remaining hydraulic motors. The flow rate of hydraulic fluid remains unchanged, thereby increasing the hydraulic fluid flow rate provided to and the speed of the remaining hydraulic motors.

Abstract: A method and an installation for operating a system for comminuting scrap material is provided. The installation includes a supply device (1) for the scrap material to be comminuted, and a comminuting machine (2) with at least one motor-driven (2.3) rotor (2.2) which has comminuting tools (2.2.1) and is horizontally positioned in a housing (2.1) and has an ejection door (2.1.1). The inventive installation also includes drive means for controlling the power and for protecting the installation from scrap material which is difficult to comminute or which cannot be comminuted at all, such as coarse, heavy or hard parts. For optimizing the comminuting process, the values of the motor output, of the rotation speed of the rotor, of the temperature of the motor and the motor bearings and/or of the height of the scrap material flow (3) supplied to the comminuting machine (2), are inputted in a controller (4) and used to control/regulate the scrap material supply. Technical means (4.5, 4.6, 4.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing particle size by the use of a supercritical fluid, generally carbon dioxide. The material is swollen by the supercritical carbon dioxide at a high pressure. After the material has been allowed to swell under a high pressure, the pressure is rapidly dropped. When the external pressure is rapidly dropped, the material explodes as the supercritical gas absorbed into the material rapidly expands outward.

Abstract: A continuous crushing method including at least feeding a toner block into a crusher through a screw feeder thereof having a crushing capacity while cyclically increasing and decreasing a feeding amount of the toner block; and crushing the toner block to prepare a toner, in which the feeding amount of the toner block in the increasing cycle is larger than the crushing capacity.

Abstract: Process for preparing dry broke in one of a paper, cardboard or coating machine. The process includes diluting the dry broke to a consistency of between about 15 to 60%, and slushing the dry broke with shear forces sufficient to crush filler particles in the dry broke.

Abstract: In a granulation process only a small proportion of the material being treated is at any time subjected to a wetting and collision followed by a very fast drying whereby harmful increase of moisture content in the powder is avoided. By the process the particles to be granulated are sprayed with granulation liquid, brought into mutual contact, and dried while influenced by a fast swirling- upward gas stream in a vertical pipe. The fast drying prevents excessive penetration of coating liquid into the interior of the particles. The low moisture content during the process involves operational advantages and allow for interruption and re-start of the operation at any time.

Abstract: The method and the device relate to a rotor which rotates about a vertical axis and is fitted in a streamlined mill in which the stationary collision surface is constructed as a smooth (cylindrical) collision ring and is arranged an adequate distance away from the rotor and thus makes it possible to allow the material to collide, optionally several times, in an essentially completely deterministic manner, or at an essentially predetermined collision location, at an essentially predetermined collision velocity and at an essentially predetermined collision angle; by which a high probability of breakage—and thus the degree of comminution—is achieved, the energy consumption is reduced, wear is restricted and a crushed product is produced which has a regular grain size distribution, a restricted amount of undersize and oversize and a very good cubic grain configuration, the effect—i.e.

Abstract: There is provided a method for recycling synthetic wood materials, transformed into materials through a relatively simple method without performing elimination of encrusted concrete from a previously used sheathing board for use in a concrete form having synthetic wood materials as raw materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing particle size by the use of a supercritical fluid, generally carbon dioxide. The material is swollen by the supercritical carbon dioxide at a high pressure. After the material has been allowed to swell under a high pressure, the pressure is rapidly dropped. When the external pressure is rapidly dropped, the material explodes as the supercritical gas absorbed into the material rapidly expands outward.

Abstract: A size reduction apparatus and process for reducing the size of a heterogeneous or homogeneous article or articles using variable and interchangeable interior parts for varying article output size and an air handling system for introducing air and/or fluid into the process of size-reduction. The components of a heterogeneous article are separated and used to aid in the size-reduction process.

Abstract: A method of processing recycled waste paper includes pulping waste paper in a first drum pulper. White fibers are separated from the waste paper in a first screen drum. The white fibers are then processed by screening, cleaning, deinking and bleaching. The remaining waste paper is pulped within a second drum pulper. The brown fibers are separated from the waste paper in a second screen drum. The brown fibers are processed by screening, cleaning and bleaching.

Abstract: There is provided a stock of paper nuggets for manufacturing composite building materials, wherein the stock of paper nuggets comprises a large portion of paper nuggets each having a thick mass, a twisted core and a tailed configuration. This stock of paper nuggets is advantageous for being composed of cohesive entities which can be manipulated on a construction site or sold to the public in bags, for use in backyard projects. The paper nuggets have good mold-filling and interlacing properties for manufacturing paper-based products having an homogenous structure and good mechanical properties. There are also provided a method and apparatus using one or more spherical rotors for penetrating a wet paper mulch, for pulling paper nuggets out of this wet paper mulch and for imparting in these paper nuggets their interlacing properties.

Abstract: A composition of matter for joint or texture compound used in wallboard applications which incorporates an ingredient which has been reclaimed from waste wallboard panel. A method and system for reconstituting the waste wallboard into the joint compound is also provided. Waste wallboard is thereby recycled so that the waste wallboard does not need to be disposed in a landfill.

Abstract: A pulverizer/grinder configured, its principle embodiment, to process drilling mud having cuttings utilizing a shaft on a horizontal axis having multiple rotors emanating therefrom. The rotors are surrounded by a cylindrical housing having inner walls situated near the tips of the rotors, each rotor further including first and second pulverizing members. The upper portion of housing includes input ports for the ingress of cuttings, drilling mud, and fluid, the lower portion of the housing including a cuttings screen having the desired aperture size for the egress of appropriately ground cuttings, particles, and fluid. Included with the system is a specially designed lug which emanates from the inner surface of the upper housing unit, the lug configured to securely communicate with the upper edge of the cuttings screen, securely holding same in place and preventing the buildup of debris thereabouts.

Abstract: A system for producing a suitable fuel from waste material including a dispersion tank in which a rotating impeller is positioned in the bottom of such tank in close spaced relationship above a stationary plate and the facing surfaces of the impeller and the plate include shear blocks which intermesh to grind solid materials in the tank and disperse the solid materials in a blend stock making a suitable fuel. A cylinder is connected to raise and lower the impeller to control the spacing between the impeller and the plate and thus control the spacing between the shear blocks to control the fineness of the grinding of the waste material. Means is provided for discharging metal from the dispersion tank and means is provided for circulating liquid from the dispersion tank to an accumulation tank and for recirculating the liquid from the accumulation tank to the dispersion tank.

Abstract: A process for forming a dispersion including forming a mixture including agglomerates of primary particles, a film forming binder and a solvent for the binder, the primary particles having an average size of less than about 500 nanometers, applying sufficient heat energy to the mixture while stirring to disintegrate the agglomerates into separate primary particles having an average size of less than about 500 nanometers to form a dispersion substantially free of agglomerates, and slowly cooling the dispersion to maintain separation between the primary particles in the dispersion.

Abstract: An system for treatment of infectious waste including a impactor coupled to a mixing drum that can be pressurized, infectious waste and a treatment fluid comprising a substance effective in killing pathogenic organisms being introduced directly into the impactor where the waste is pulverized forming unrecognizable particulate matter mixed with fluid, and the waste from there being introduced into the drum for mixing and subsequently pressure treatment by providing a superatmospheric pressure in the drum to drive chemicals effective in killing pathogenic organisms into voids in the solids and also into spore walls and cell membranes to provide a more speedy and effective kill.

Abstract: In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a rolling-type planetary ball mill apparatus for producing nanometer-scaled powders is disclosed, the apparatus comprising (a) a main rotary wheel comprising supporting members, (b) a plurality of mill pots which are revolvable by receiving a rotational force from the main rotary wheel through their corresponding supporting members, and are disposed around the main rotary wheel with substantially equal distance between one mill pot and another, each mill pot comprising a tiltable pivotal shaft having rotary coupling means so that the pot can also rotate about its own axis, each pivotal shaft having one end being supportably connected to its corresponding supporting member of the main rotary wheel; (c) motor means in drive relation to the main rotary wheel for providing rotational forces thereto; and (d) a non-revolvable counter-acting supporting ring disposed coaxially with the main rotary wheel and in the close, working vicinity of the mill pots; each tiltable pivot

Abstract: A process for feeding solid industrial and special waste to combustion installations. The waste materials are separated from the combustion chamber by a lock system, are comminuted and homogenized in an inert-gas atmosphere.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing continuous grinding in a pulp grinder comprising a feed chute and a piston in the feed chute moving lengthwise of the feed chute for pressing the wood in the feed chute against a grindstone. The arrangement comprises rotary feed members between the piston and the grindstone on the sides of the feed chute for pushing the compressed wood further against the grindstone. Also, the arrangement comprises a closing member that can be pushed between the compressed wood and the piston to prevent the wood from moving backward with the piston as the piston is moved to the initial position, ready for the stroke, to allow the feed of a new batch of wood.

Abstract: A waste substance is crushed and separated into a crushed waste metallic substance and a crushed waste non-metallic substance by the crushing in the fine adjustment in mm unit and striking by hammers, and then discharged out of a shredder through box-shaped spaces having an inclined plane of an inclined upper shredder damper rocking by the fine adjustment in mm unit of the shredder. Thereby the waste substance is crushed and separated securely and efficiently, and the crushed waste metallic substance in 2-5 mm unit and the crushed waste non-metallic substance can be manufactured in the state that they are valuable as articles of commerce and can be effectively utilized as resources. When the crushed waste metallic substance is supplied to a furnace, the melting speed can be improved and the fuel cost necessary for the melting can be saved. Also the invention contributes to prevention of abuses such as environmental pollution by soot and smoke and the contamination of the atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vibratory mill for grinding dental filler having a grinding chamber, preferably coated with an abrasion resistant polymer, the grinding chamber being charged with glass beads having a diameter in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 10.00 mm, and a refractive index substantially matching that of the dental filler to be ground. There is further provided a method of using this mill and media to provide substantially pure ground particles having an average particle size less than the average wavelength of visible light that, when incorporated into a dental restorative composite, impart good optical properties to the cured material.

Abstract: A mill for grinding and/or mixing a material. In one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mill includes a first container rotatably mounted at a first end of a gyration arm. The container rotates about a first axis, and the gyration arm rotates about a second axis. The mill may further include a second container mounted at a second end of the gyration arm. The second container is rotatable about a third axis. As the gyration arm rotates about the second axis, the containers move with the gyration arm. In addition, the containers themselves rotate about their own respective axes thereby greatly enhancing the forces within the containers effecting the grinding and/or mixing. A first motor may be used to rotate the gyration arm, and a second motor may be used to rotate the containers about their respective axes. The mill may be operated in a continuous mode or in a batch mode.

Abstract: A machine adapted to be towed by a tractor and powered by the PTO and hydraulic power system of the tractor for transporting, processing and blending two different types of roughage of substantial size and weight into a desired ratio for a more efficient and economical nutritional balance and better palatability as well as dispensing the ratio to livestock. This improved machine is characterized by two independently hydraulically driven floor chains that are each capable of carrying a large bale (or bales) of roughage through a series of vertically aligned shredders at different rates of speed. This produces a blend of differing types of roughage consistent with the desired nutritional component considered most economical and efficient for the particular livestock being fed. The processed ration is dropped onto a conveyor chain and immediately delivered into feed bunks for livestock consumption. The shredders and conveyor chain are mechanically driven.

Abstract: An apparatus for pulverizing a collection of pieces of materials such as vulcanized rubber to create a very fine powder. The apparatus includes a piston and a cylinder which places the material to be pulverized under extremely high pressure of at least 1,000 psi and forcing the compressed material out of one or more exit ports. These exit ports are located at the end of a smoothly narrowed channel leading to the exit ports. A rapidly moving cutter is positioned so that its path completely covers the exit port. The compressible materials are thus compressed to the point where they have no voids and provide a solid incompressible cuttable face. The rapidly moving cutter creates a fine powder at the exit port.

Abstract: A clay purification process, for removing impurities recovered with the clay, particularly a montmorillonite clay, includes the steps of separating the clay from rocks and other large non-clay impurities; dispersing the clay and smaller impurities in water, preferably at a concentration of at least about 4% by weight clay, based on the total weight of clay and water, more preferably about 6-10% by weight clay in water, to provide a clay slurry; passing the clay slurry through a series of hydrocyclones to remove the larger particles (impurities) while retaining clay particles having a size of about 100 microns or less, particularly about 80 microns or less; ion exchanging the clay to remove at least about 95% of the interlayer, multivalent (e.g.

Abstract: An apparatus for comminuting glass fibers is disclosed. Within a housing are a plurality of weighted members or hammers, flexibly connected to and spaced about a rotatable shaft. A drive member rotates the hammers about the shaft to define a rotation circumference. A glass intake opening located at the top portion of the housing is provided to introduce glass fibers and carrier material into the apparatus. A first adjustable plate is located adjacent the glass intake opening and positioned to provide a space between the first adjustable plate and the hammers' rotation circumference. A first glass suspension chamber is defined by the glass intake opening, the first adjustable plate, and the rotation circumference of the hammers. In operation, a quantity of glass fibers and carrier material is introduced into the apparatus, and spinning weighted members contact the glass, causing the glass to strike the first adjustable plate and other glass particles.

Abstract: In order to enable grinding, with the lowest possible specific energy requirement, of brittle grinding material, in particular moist ores and/or other moist minerals, with the use of an interparticle crushing high-pressure roll press in which the roll surfaces are protected against wear by means of a grid armoring by an autogenous wear protection layer, without having to accept the risk of a premature damaging of the wear protection layer given the occurrence of rough particles/oversized particles/scattered particles, a smooth roll mill is connected upstream from the interparticle crushing high-pressure roll press, in whose nip (i.e. that of the smooth roll mill), the nip width is limited to a maximum of approximately 4 mm, such that only the oversized particles (scattered particles) contained in the feed material are coarse-crushed by means of individual particle crushing.

Abstract: Arrangement for securing a replaceable cutting blade (1) on a rotating knife holder (2) in a cutting assembly for a meat mincing machine, the blade (1) of the rotating knife holder (2) rotating along the surface of a perforated disc (3), the arrangement comprising at least one slot (4) in the knife holder (2) adapted to the thickness of the cutting blade (1) in such a way that the replaceable cutting blade (1) can be positioned in the slot (4) and thereby partially secured in the knife holder (2). The arrangement comprises a screw (5) positioned in a threaded bore (6) provided in the knife holder (2), the threaded bore extending transversely with respect to the slot (4) in such a way that the screw (5) can be moved in the threaded bore (2) to engagement with a replaceable cutting blade (1) inserted into the slot for completely securing the blade in the knife holder (2). The threaded bore (6) is provided as a blind hole with a minor hole at the bottom for insertion of a tool for tightening the screw (5).

Abstract: A grinding and dispersing apparatus comprises a tank for storing a liquid containing a material to be treated and a container disposed in the tank for containing grinding media. The container has an inlet for receiving the liquid containing the material and a discharge outlet for discharging the liquid containing the material. A feeding mechanism is disposed at the inlet of the container for feeding the liquid containing the material into the container. A stirring mechanism extends into the container for stirring the grinding media and the liquid containing the material fed into the container to disperse the material in the liquid. A separating device is disposed at the discharge outlet of the container for separating the grinding media from the liquid containing the dispersed material and permitting the liquid containing the dispersed material but not the grinding media to be discharged from the container.

Abstract: A device for comminuting raw materials like glass, rock, rubber buffings and the like, is disclosed. Raw material is propelled outwardly towards violent impact against a circular wall and then lifted by rapidly rising air for separation and possible return for further propelling outwardly towards impact against the circular wall.

Abstract: A refiner for refining material has a refiner disc arrangement whereby the outermost opposed refiner disc annuli have a particular corresponding refiner surface arrangement. A carrier element has a mounting surface, a central axis, and defines a plane generally perpendicular to its axis of rotation. An annular first disc is carried on the mounting surface concentrically relative to the central axis and has a first refiner surface facing outward relative to the mounting surface. A plurality of refiner bars protrudes axially from and extends generally radially along the refiner surface. A second carrier element is spaced from and confronts the first carrier element and has a second mounting surface thereon. An annular second disc is carried on the second mounting surface concentrically relative to the central axis and has a second refiner surface confronting the first refiner surface. A plurality of second refiner bars protrudes axially from and extends generally radially along the second refiner surface.

Abstract: To provide a method for easily discriminating used and unused gas generators from among gas generators for air bags separated from used cars in a car scrapping process. A method for discriminating between used and unused gas generators according to the present invention is a method for discriminating used and unused gas generators from among gas generators for air bags separated from used cars in a car scrapping process, and this method comprises the steps of:a) crushing used cars mounted with gas generators each having on a surface thereof a material discoloring according to the surface temperatures in actuating the gas generator to separate the gas generators, andb) discriminating the gas generators in which surfaces are discolored and the gas generators in which surfaces are not discolored from among the separated gas generators.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mill having an agitator and grinding chamber which is coated with a non-pigmented, abrasion resistant polymer and a method of using this mill to provide substantially pure ground particles. The polymer coating is typically a thermosetting polymer such as polyurethane or an elastomer such as a fluoroelastomer. The polymer coating provides an abrasion resistant layer between the milling media and the agitator as well as between the grinding chamber and the milling media to prevent spalling, thus increasing the purity of the resultant ground material. The agitator mill may optionally include a ceramic gap separator which is typically formed of stacked plates separated a predetermined distance by shims to separate the ground particles from the milling media in the grinder chamber, thus allowing only the ground particles to pass out of the grinding chamber.

Abstract: The present recycling process is accomplished by first shredding used plastics to produce shredded plastics, separating metals and undesirable plastics from the shredded plastics to produce separated plastics, analyzing the material composition of the separated plastics, and blending the separated plastics to produce a desirable recycled plastic.

Abstract: A self-lubricating vertical shaft impact crusher having a housing, lubricating assembly, and a motor wherein the lubricant cools and lubricates the bearings of the rotating shaft and is circulated by using the hydraulic pressure associated with the height of the lubricant reservoir and propellers located on the vertical shaft itself within the shaft housing wherein the propellers provide additional driving force for the lubricant as the vertical shaft rotates.

Abstract: Process and device for decomposing fibrous material in an installation including a drum having an inner wall, a first end, and a second end, a displacer having an outer wall positioned inside the drum, and a processing channel formed between at least a portion of the outer wall and at least a portion of the inner wall. The process includes pouring fibrous material to be decomposed into the drum, relatively moving the outer wall relative to the inner wall in a peripheral direction of the drum, and mechanically processing the fibrous material in the processing channel.

Abstract: A particulating apparatus for liquid filled plastic containers in preparation for recycling produced plastic particulate. The particulating apparatus includes a container hopper for accepting a supply of plastic containers to be processed by the particulating apparatus wherein at least a portion of the containers are partially liquid filled. There is a transport for conveying the supply of plastic containers from the hopper to a pulverizer. The pulverizer has a pulverizing chamber within which a pulverizing means is housed for reducing the plastic containers to plastic particulate. The chamber includes means for draining liquid held within the containers to a liquid collector. A conveyor means is provided for transporting plastic particulate from the pulverizer to a collection bin where the particulate is retained for further processing or disposal. The conveyor means is inclined at least partially vertically upwardly from horizontal to permit drainage of additional liquid from the particulate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vibratory mill having a grinding chamber, preferably coated with an abrasion resistant polymer, the grinding chamber being charged with glass beads having a diameter in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 10.00 mm. There is further provided a method of using this mill to provide substantially pure ground dental filler particles having an average particle size less than the average wavelength of visible light.

Abstract: There is provided a new apparatus for use in the processing of a mass of material in which the mass is of any size or shape. The apparatus comprises a container which has a cutter within a space in the container. The cutter is rotationally driven about an axis. There is provided an adjustable loader for releasably engaging the mass and moving the mass into the container for engagement with the cutter. There is also provided a discharge for selectively discharging processed material from the container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to unique waste recycling machines possessing improved efficacy in recycling bulky waste materials to a recycled waste product. The feed for the machine is equipped with a floating stripper plate which scrapes adhering waste materials from a continuous metal apron feed. The device also includes a releasable cradle assembly which supports a striking bar and a screen positioned about a rotating drum equipped with impacting teeth or blades. When a damaging obstacle enters an impacting or fragmenting zone of the machine, a shear pin which maintains the cradle assembly in a fragmenting position will shear causing the cradle assembly to become dislodged to an inoperable or non-damaging position. The machine also includes impacting teeth which are dynamically balanced and positioned upon a rotating impacting drum so as to effectuate especially effective fragmentation of waste materials to a desired particle size.

Abstract: A disc refiner for thermo-mechanical pulping of wood chips or other fiber source for papermaking has annular refiner discs with a plurality of axially protruding radially extending curved refiner bars. Curved bars in the refiner zone should resist erosion and corrosion. Each disc has a region of bars which curve in the direction of rotation, and a region which curves away from the direction of rotation. Two identical refiner discs are mounted to rotate with respect to one another. Because of the bar curvature, processed stock experiences different angles of bar intersection as the pulp progresses from the inside of the refiner plate to the outside of the refiner plate, yielding a reduced hit on the pulp where opposed refiner bars curve in opposite directions. Where refiner bars on opposed plates curve in a like direction as they pass over one another there is a hold back action on the stock in that region.

Abstract: Batch mixing takes place in the gap (3) between grooved faces of counter-rotating discs (1,2) such that the spiral grooves (8) and lands (10) of each face traverse the grooves (8) and lands (10) of the other, to shear and split material drawn inwardly along the grooves (8) for distributive mixing. Modifications include plural-turn spiral, straight, and truncated spiral grooving (FIGS. 5 to 10), and batch mixing in which only one disc (28) rotates (FIG. 11). Continuous mixing involving shear is carried out within a cylindrical barrel (40 FIG. 12;57 FIG. 13) between its internal helical-grooving (43;590 and the helical grooving (44;60), of opposite hand, of a rotor (41;58). The shearing can produce mechanochemical reactions that break down the molecular structure of the material, notably in the context of mastication and solubilising of used rubber in reclaim from vehicle-tyres.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating stones from stone-laden earthen material, particularly material that has been previously discarded from stone quarries, includes a hopper having a conveyor that feeds quantities of stone-laden earthen material unto a bed of spiked rollers that separates the earthen material from the stones, allowing the earthen material to pass through interstitial spaces between the spikes on adjacent rollers and conveying the remaining stones to the discharge end of the bed. The detachably mounted spikes on adjacent spiked rollers are offset with respect to one another to permit the spikes on adjacent rollers to pass between each other as the rollers are rotated. The drive mechanism allows each respective spiked roller to be driven independently and at different rotational speeds relative to one another at least for short periods of interrupted operation.