Apparatus and method thermally removing coatings and/or impurities

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which the charging portion is removably attached to the oven.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, further comprising control means for controlling the temperature and oxygen levels of the stream of gases in the treatment chamber.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which the oven further comprises a first afterburner chamber, the arrangement being such that the gases can be recirculated through the treatment chamber via the first afterburner chamber.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, further comprising damper means for selectively isolating the charging portion from the treatment chamber.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which a further charging portion is provided on the opposite side of the changeover portion from the first charging portion, the apparatus having means for selectively and independently isolating each charging portion from the changeover portion.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, further comprising means to vibrate the oven or a part of the oven.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which a shredder means for shredding material to be treated in the oven is provide between the charging portion and the changeover portion.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which a means for separating non-ferrous metal from the material being treated is provided between the charging portion and the changeover portion.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which a feeding means is provided between the charging portion and the changeover portion to control the movement of material to be treated between the charging portion and the changeover portion.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which a removable cassette portion can be located between the charging portion and the changeover portion, the removable cassette being adapted to hold one or more tools for treating or controlling the material as it passes between the charging portion and the changeover portion.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, further comprising one or more gas jets adapted to emit a stream or blast of a gaseous material for stirring or agitating the material in the heat treatment chamber.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, further comprising discharge means, such as a door, located in the changeover portion through which treated material can be discharged from the oven.

Apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, in which the charging portion comprises additional tooling for treating the material such as:

• a means of spin drying the material, and/or a means for preheating the material, and/or a means of mechanically stirring the material, and/or a means for washing the material, and/or a means for pressing the material, and/or a means for bricketing the material.

Apparatus for thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, or as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 when modified as shown in FIG. 4, or as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 when modified as shown in FIG. 5, or as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 when modified as shown in FIG. 6.

A method of thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials comprising:

• providing an oven having charging portion for receiving material to be treated and a changeover portion, the changeover portion incorporating a heat treatment chamber through which a stream of hot gasses can be passed, the oven being movable between a first position in which the changeover portion is generally higher than the charging portion and a second position in which the charging box is generally higher than the changeover portion;
• placing the material the oven;
• repeatedly moving the oven between the first and second positions so that the material in the oven falls, under the influence of gravity, from the one portion to the other portion through the stream of hot gases.

A method of thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.