Abstract: A charging machine for charging a glass melting tank furnace includes a reciprocatable charging table above which a hopper is provided for the batch, at the rear side of which at least one movable scraper is provided which seals the slot between the rear wall of the batch hopper and the top surface of the loading table. In order to eliminate the wear on the lower edge of the movable scraper and the surface of the charging table which comes into engagement with the movable scraper, the movable scraper is connected to stroke elements for lifting and lowering, whose stroke is controlled in dependency on the movements of the loading table in such a manner that the movable scraper is lifted during the forward movement of the charging table and is lowered during the return movement of the charging table. In this charging machine, wear occurs only during the table return movement, but not during the table forward movement, so that the wear is cut in half, thus doubling the service life of the machine.

Abstract: An improvement for use in a coal stoker is disclosed. The improvement device is used with a common stoker generally including a hopper operatively connected to and aligned with a base box forming an ash pit. The base box, through its sides sloping downward from the hopper, supports a ramp. The lower part of the ramp is a perforated fire grate while the upper section is a plate that extends through the hopper bottom. A fan effecting a forced draft through the grate is operatively connected to a motor. The improvement comprises a linear reciprocation action carpet that overlies generally the length and width of the plate. The carpet's movement is effected by its connection to the motor. When coal is fed into the hopper and the movable carpet is activated by the motor, the carpet will move in a linear reciprocating direction. The coal falling on the carpet from the hopper will continually advance in an even flow from the carpet's leading edge onto the perforated grate.

Abstract: An incinerator is disclosed which includes apparatus for removing ash from an incinerating chamber and which comprises hydraulically operated plows that slide along the floor of the chamber to push the ash towards an ash trough. Ash removal efficiency is improved in accordance with the present invention by the hinged suspension of a brush from the plow face. An auxiliary plow is added to the waste material loading device to clear ash from the highest of several stepped floor levels even in the absence of no new load being entered. The auxiliary plow further includes a clevis assembly which pivots the brush away from the incinerator floor during reverse plow travel.

Abstract: An automatic log feeder is provided which includes a hopper for retaining a plurality of logs. The hopper includes a plurality of generally parallel and vertically arranged compartments which are adapted to each hold a single row of logs. The hopper has a chute at its lowermost portion for dispensing individual logs onto a generally vertically arranged conveyor. The vertically arranged conveyor comprises an endless chain driven by a motor and a plurality of sprocket wheels, and a plurality of pairs of brackets which are foldably connected to the chain. Each of the bracket pairs is adapted to receive a single log from the chute. Additionally, the generally horizontally arranged conveyor is positioned beneath the generally vertically arranged conveyor and is adapted to transfer logs to a wood burning apparatus. The generally horizontally arranged conveyor comprises a motor driven push log for moving the logs in a horizontal fashion.

Abstract: Apparatus for charging granular catalyst, e.g., cylindrically shaped catalyst, into a multiplicity of elongated reactor tubes is described. The apparatus comprises, in combination, a plurality of contiguously arranged storage hoppers arranged in a bundle and disposed above a substantially horizontal vibratory feeder tray having a plurality of V-shaped open troughs equal in number to the number of storage hoppers. Each trough has a discharge opening at its forward end for delivering the catalyst to a discharge spout affixed to the bottom of the feeder tray and communicating with the discharge opening in the trough. Flexible elongated tubular conduits are attached to each discharge spout and rigid nozzle means attached to the end of each flexible tubular conduit. The nozzle is adapted for insertion into the top of the reactor tube. Electrical vibrating means are mechanically connected to the feeder tray.In operation, a predetermined quantity of catalyst is charged to each of the storage hoppers.

Abstract: A loading method and loading device for feeding waste-filled containers into a rotary incinerator, wherein open topped containers are filled with liquid, pasty, or solid waste materials and are fed sequentially using a reciprocating ram via a slide onto a loading and dumping platform. This loading and dumping platform projects from the stationary incinerator inside wall into the drum of the rotary incinerator. Each container placed on the loading and dumping platform is allowed to stand for one loading time interval during which a portion of the combustible volatile components of the waste contents is gasified and burned by the heat radiating from the fire in the drum. After this initial combustion, the reciprocating ram feeds the next container in sequence onto the loading and dumping platform and, at the same time, tips the first container off the platform into the drum. The combustible waste residue of this tipped container spreads out on the lower wall of the drum and burns, releasing further heat.

Abstract: Apparatus for charging solids into a pressurized container having a tubular lock chamber thereon. The apparatus comprises a feed device for supplying solids to the inlet of the lock chamber and a housing mounted adjacent the lock chamber for movement towards and away therefrom; a displacer member is slidably mounted in the housing in axial alignment with the inlet of the lock chamber; a first seal is provided in the housing for sealingly engaging the displacer member, and a second seal is provided on one of the opposed surfaces of the lock chamber and housing. The first seal is axially located along the displacer member at a distance from the end of the housing which exceeds the stroke of the displacer member in its travel between its extended and retracted positions whereby the portion of the displacer member which penetrates into the lock chamber will not come into contact with the first seal.

Abstract: A solids feeder and method for transporting particulate solids from an elevated solids feed reservoir and introducing the solids upwardly into the bottom of a solids upflow vessel. The feeder includes a stationary feed cylinder axially aligned with a bottom solids inlet of the upflow vessel and fitted with a vertically reciprocatable piston which alternately (1) retracts to allow the feed cylinder to receive solids from the feed reservoir by gravity flow through a feed chute and (2) extends to displace the solids upwardly into the upflow vessel. Horizontally reciprocatable slide plates prevent backflow of solids during the filling of the feed cylinder.

Abstract: In the disclosed method and apparatus, an anode scrap pile is formed by piling anode scraps to be of a predetermined height. The anode scrap pile is conveyed to a substantially U-shaped inclinable chute having a rectangular bottom and parallel side walls rising from the opposed long edges of the bottom, the distance between the opposed side walls being slightly greater, preferably about 5 cm, than the height of the pile. The pile is then pushed with cylinders in toward the bottom of the above-mentioned inclinable chute which has the open side between the side walls directed in the horizontal direction and the side walls positioned horizontally so as to receive the anode scrap pile. The inclinable chute into which the anode scrap pile has been pushed is rotated with a cylinder so that the bottom of the chute is downward and the side walls of the chute are in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A method for introducing particulate solids upwardly through a bottom solids inlet of a solids upflow vessel wherein after full extension of a piston to displace solids from a feed cylinder into the solids upflow vessel, the piston is partially retracted to "relax" the bed of solids in the solids upflow vessel. The bed relaxation step reduces the piston-to-solids pressure during the pumping stroke as well as substantially reducing the solids loading pressure on the device used to prevent backflow of solids from the upflow vessel during refilling of the feed cylinder.

Abstract: A device for feeding bagged refuse into furnaces for incineration purposes has a chute defining a charging path, and ripping and/or slitting instrumentalities along this path for opening up the bags so as to permit the refuse to leave the same during travel of the bags along the charging path towards the combustion chamber.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to an economical system for the pyrolysis of municipal solid waste to recover valuable by-products while reducing the putrecibility and bulk of the residue requiring disposal. Prior to this treatment, the solid waste has been processed to remove most of the metallic components, and shredded, which steps are not part of the invention disclosed. The pyrolysis and by-product recovery technology is complicated by (a) the inherent variability of the chemical and physical characteristics of the shredded solid waste as received at the pyrolysis plant and (b) the relatively low heat value of said waste as thus received.

Abstract: A machine for charging a furnace with scrap to be incinerated comprising a hopper in which bulk scrap to be incinerated is fed and whose bottom opens into the interior of a rectilinear and horizontal tubular body connected at one extremity to the inlet of a furnace. Mounted at the other opposite extremity of the tubular body is a push member actuated by a first jack. The push member has a section corresponding to that of the interior passage in the tubular body. A first wall of the hopper is constituted by a trap door capable of being raised to uncover a crushing head articulated by a second jack of high power so that in lowered position it compresses the scrap against the bottom of the tubular body. A second wall of the hopper is disposed opposite the first wall and is pivotably connected to the base of the hopper for undergoing pivotal movement to a lowered position closing the top of the tubular body.

Abstract: A coke oven leveling bar is provided with downwardly tapered side members and cross plates to form a plurality of coal receiving pockets having a bottom opening larger than a top opening to minimize arching of coal within the coal receiving pockets.