Panelized drum system
OwnerRick Claypoolinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotating drum that is made from a plurality of panels that are connected to form sub-cylinders that, in turn, are connected to form a drum cylinder. Drum heads are connected at both ends of the drum cylinders. The drum may be rotated using rotational means. In one preferred embodiment the rotational means is a tangential rotational drive system that engages drive tires that are positioned between sub-cylinders. A method for fabricating rotating drums. A business method of mass production of and/or distribution of rotating drums.
Claims20
A rotating drum comprising:
- (a) a plurality of panels, each panel including a frame and a spanning skin, said frame having a first frame end, a second frame end, a first frame side, and a second frame side;
- (b) a plurality of connectors;
- (c) a sub-cylinder formed from at least two of said plurality of panels, for each panel at least one connector connecting said first frame end of said frame to said second frame end of an adjacent frame, the first frame ends of said at least two of said plurality of panels in said sub-cylinder forming a first sub-cylinder annular side, and the second frame ends of said at least two of said plurality of panels in said sub-cylinder forming a second sub-cylinder annular side;
- (d) a drum cylinder formed from at least two of said sub-cylinders, at least one connector being used to connect a first sub-cylinder annular side of a first sub-cylinder to a second sub-cylinder annular side of a second sub-cylinder, said drum cylinder having a first cylinder end with a first annular cylinder edge and a second cylinder end with a second annular cylinder edge;
- (e) a first drum head, said first drum head connectable to said first annular cylinder edge;
- (f) a second drum head, said second drum head connectable to said second annular cylinder edge;
- and
- (g) rotational means for rotating said rotating drum.
A method for fabricating a drum, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) using a plurality of fabricated panels, each panel including a frame and a spanning skin, said frame having a first frame end, a second frame end, a first frame side, and a second frame side, each panel interchangeable with any other panel;
- (b) forming a sub-cylinder from at least two of said plurality of fabricated panels and at least one baffle bar by securing said at least one baffle bar between a first frame end of a frame of a first panel and a second frame end of a frame of an adjacent second panel;
- and
- (c) forming a drum cylinder from at least two of said sub-cylinders.
A method for mass production of and/or distribution of rotating drums, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) fabricating panels, each panel interchangeable with any other panel;
- (b) painting and insulating said panels;
- (c) stacking painted and insulated panels for shipment;
- and
- (d) shipping stacked panels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.