Incinerator ash removal systems

An incinerator wherein combustible material is reduced to ash, comprising:

• an incinerating chamber of substantially uniform width having first and second substantially opposite chamber ends;
• said chamber including a plurality of floor levels of substantially the width of said chamber descending stepwise between said first and second chamber ends;
• means for loading said combustible material at said first chamber end onto the highest floor level of said chamber;
• means for receiving said ash at said second chamber end from the lowest floor level of said chamber;
• a separate plow positioned on each of said floor levels adapted to travel the full length of each step in sliding contact with the corresponding floor level, each of said plows including a plow face spanning substantially said chamber width;
• and
• a brush comprising metalic bristle positioned on each plow face, each of said brushes being substantially coextensive with its corresponding plow face in the direction of said chamber width and being normally in contact with its corresponding floor level, each of said brushes being adapted to sweep floor debris ahead of the corresponding plow face during forward plow travel toward said second chamber end and to prevent said debris from being carried back during reverse plow travel;
• whereby said ash in said chamber is moved down successive floor levels toward said ash receiving means.

An incinerator wherein combustible material is reduced to ash, comprising:

• an incinerating chamber of substantially uniform width having first and second substantially opposite chamber ends;
• means for loading said combustible material into said chamber at said first chamber end including a selectively closable input port at said first chamber end for receiving said combustible material;
• means for receiving said ash from said chamber at said second chamber end including a selectively closable exit port at said second chamber end;
• means for receiving ash comprising an ash enclosure substantially completely enclosing said exit port externally of said chamber and being adapted to communicate with said chamber through said exit port, said ash enclosure terminating in an ash trough positioned to collect ash swept out through said exit port;
• at least one plow positioned inside said chamber adapted to travel at least a portion of the distance between said opposite chamber ends in sliding contact with the chamber floor, said plow including a plow face substantially spanning said chamber width and having means for hydraulically moving said plow in the direction of plow travel;
• and
• a metallic bristled brush hingedly suspended on said plow face so as to normally make contact with said floor, said brush being substantially coextensive with said plow face in the direction of said chamber width, said brush being adapted to sweep floor debris ahead of said plow face during forward plow travel toward said second chamber end and to pivot upward from the chamber floor during reverse plow travel to prevent said debris from being carried back during reverse plow travel;
• whereby said ash in said chamber is moved substantially only toward said ash receiving means.

An incinerator wherein combustible material is reduced to ash, comprising:

• an incinerating chamber of substantially uniform width having first and second substantially opposite chamber ends;
• said chamber including a plurality of floor levels of substantially the width of said chamber descending stepwise between said first and second chamber ends;
• means for loading said combustible material at said first chamber end onto the highest floor level of said chamber;
• means for receiving said ash at said second chamber end from the lowest floor level of said chamber;
• a separate plow positioned on each of said floor levels adapted to travel the full length of each step in sliding contact with the corresponding floor level, each of said plows including a plow face spanning substantially said chamber width and having means for hydraulically moving in the direction of plow travel, all of said plows below the highest floor level being positioned inside the chamber;
• a metallic bristled brush positioned on each plow face, each of said brushes being substantially coextensive with its corresponding plow face in the direction of said chamber width and being normally in contact with its corresponding floor level, each of said brushes being adapted to sweep floor debris ahead of the corresponding plow face during forward plow travel toward said second chamber end and to prevent said debris from being carried back during reverse plow travel whereby said ash in said chamber is moved down successive floor levels toward said ash receiving means;
• and
• said loading means including an auxiliary plow being adapted to travel through said input port into said chamber to sweep said highest floor level and means for tilting said auxiliary plow so as to raise said brush off its floor level during reverse travel of said auxiliary plow.