Apparatus for separating the components of cellulose sanitary articles
OwnerBert Steffensinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sanitary articles formed of cellulose flock and non-flock carriers or covers are shredded by rotating entrainers, which are arranged in an enclosed housing. The cellulose flock thus separated is removed from the housing under suction through a sieve which only allow the cellulose flock through. The removal is effected before the covers have been shredded to such an extent that they pass through the sieve. The shredded cover material is then removed separately.
Claims25
Apparatus for separately recovering the flock and non-flock components in cellulose-based sanitary articles obtained as waste in the production of panties, diapers, sanitary towels, sick-bed undersheets, and the like, being a composite of cellulose flock and a non-flock carrier such as plastic, cellulose or rubber sheets, tissues, adhesive tapes, and rubber bands, comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber having at least a part of the circumferential wall thereof formed as a sieve, an inlet for the delivery of said sanitary articles to said chamber, and means located in said chamber for fragmenting said sanitary articles
- said fragmenting means comprising a rotor having a central axis about which it rotates, and entrainers mounted thereon and defining jointly a virtual body of rotation, said entrainers comprising a plurality of finger-like members spaced along the length of said rotor, each finger-like member being secured at one end to said rotor and extending outwardly therefrom, into proximity with said circumferential wall of said housing to engage said sanitary articles and fragment the same to provide a mixture of loose cellulose flock having a size smaller than the holes in said sieve and shredded non-flock carrier material having a size larger than the holes in said sieve;
- and
- means effective upon fragmentation of said sanitary articles to remove said flock and carrier material comprising, first pneumatic suction means acting through said sieve removing said loose cellulose flock from said chamber through said sieve and, second pneumatic suction means in communication with the interior of said chamber for removing said shredded carrier material therefrom.
Apparatus for separately recovering the flock and non-flock components in cellulose-based sanitary articles obtained as waste in the production of panties, diapers, sanitary towels, sick-bed undersheets, and the like, being a composite of cellulose flock and a non-flock carrier such as plastic, cellulose or rubber sheets, tissues, adhesive tapes, and rubber bands comprising,
- a housing defining a chamber in the form of a body of rotation and having at least a part of the circumferential wall thereof formed as a sieve,
- an inlet for the delivery of said sanitary articles to said chamber,
- means located in said chamber for fragmenting said sanitary articles to provide a mixture of loose cellulose flock having a size smaller than the holes in said sieve and shredded non-flock carrier material having a size larger than the holes in said sieve,
- said fragmenting means comprising a rotor having a central axis about which it rotates, and entrainers, said entrainers comprising a plurality of finger-like members spaced along the length of said rotor, each finger-like member being secured at one end to said rotor and extending outwardly therefrom, toward said circumferential wall and defining jointly by their rotation a virtual body of rotation, said entrainers being classified in at least two groups, the entrainers of each of said groups being arranged on a respective suspension mount of a plurality of suspension mounts, each said suspension mount having an axis, the entrainers of each suspension mount being mounted such that they can swing independently from one another about the axis of their suspension mount, said axes of said suspension mounts being arranged parallel to the rotational axis of said rotor;
- and,
- means effective upon fragmentation to remove said flock and carrier material from said chamber comprising first pneumatic suction means acting through said sieve for removing said loose cellulose flock from said chamber through said sieve and, second pneumatic suction means in communication with the interior of said chamber for removing said shredded carrier material therefrom.
Apparatus for separately recovering the flock and non-flock components in cellulose-based sanitary articles obtained as waste in the production of panties, diapers, sanitary towels, sick-bed undersheets, and the like, being a composite of cellulose flock and a non-flock carrier such as plastic, cellulose or rubber sheets, tissues, adhesive tapes, and rubber bands comprising,
- a housing defining a chamber in the form of a body of rotation and having at least a part of the circumferential wall thereof formed as a sieve,
- an inlet for the delivery of said sanitary articles to said chamber,
- means located in said chamber for fragmenting said sanitary articles to provide a mixture of loose cellulose flock having a size smaller than the holes in said sieve and shredded non-flock carrier material having a size larger than the holes in said sieve,
- said fragmenting means comprising a rotor having a central axis about which it rotates, and entrainers, said entrainers comprising a plurality of finger like members spaced along the length of said rotor, each finger-like member being secured at one end to said rotor and extending outwardly therefrom, toward said circumferential wall, and defining jointly by their rotation a virtual body of rotation, at least several entrainers being rigidly connected with one another, said several connected entrainers being spacedly arranged on a common suspension mount such that they can swing in unison relative to said mount;
- and means effective on the fragmentation to remove said flock and carrier material from said chamber comprising first pneumatic suction means acting through said sieve for removing said loose cellulose flock from said chamber through said sieve and, second pneumatic suction means in communication with the interior of said chamber for removing said shredded carrier material therefrom.
Apparatus for separately recovering the flock and non-flock components in cellulose-based sanitary articles obtained as waste in the production of panties, diapers, sanitary towels, sick-bed undersheets, and the like, being a composite of cellulose flock and a non-flock carrier such as plastic, cellulose or rubber sheets, tissues, adhesive tapes, and rubber bands comprising,
- a housing defining a chamber in the form of a body of rotation and having at least a part of the circumferential wall thereof formed as a sieve,
- an inlet for the delivery of said sanitary articles to said chamber,
- means located in said chamber for fragmenting said sanitary articles to provide a mixture of loose cellulose flock having a size smaller than the holes in said sieve and shredded non-flock carrier material having a size larger than the holes in said sieve,
- said fragmenting means comprising a rotor having a central axis about which it rotates, and entrainers, said entrainers comprising a plurality of finger-like members spaced along the length of said rotor, each finger-like member being secured at one end to said rotor and extending outwardly therefrom, toward said circumferential wall, and defining jointly by their rotation a virtual body of rotation, each of said entrainers being arranged apart from each other with each individual entrainers being suspended on said rotor by a universal joint;
- and
- means effective on fragmentation to remove said flock and carrier material from said chamber comprising first pneumatic suction means acting through said sieve for removing said loose cellulose flock from said chamber through said sieve and, second pneumatic suction means in communication with the interior of said chamber for removing said shredded carrier material therefrom.
Apparatus for separately recovering the flock and non-flock components in cellulose-based sanitary articles obtained as waste in the production of panties, diapers, sanitary towels, sick-bed undersheets, and the like, being a composite of cellulose flock and a non-flock carrier such as plastic, cellulose or rubber sheets, tissues, adhesive tapes, and rubber bands comprising,
- a housing defining a chamber in the form of a body of rotation and having at least a part of the circumferential wall thereof formed as a sieve,
- an inlet for the delivery of said sanitary articles to said chamber,
- means located in said chamber for fragmenting said sanitary articles to provide a mixture of loose cellulose flock having a size smaller than the holes in said sieve and shredded non-flock carrier material having a size larger than the holes in said sieve,
- said fragmenting means comprising a rotor having a central axis about which it rotates, and entrainers, said entrainers comprising a plurality of finger-like members spaced along the length of said rotor, each finger-like member being secured at one end to said rotor and extending outwardly therefrom, toward said circumferential wall, and defining by their rotation virtual body of rotation, said entrainers consisting of at least two groups, each having several entrainers, the entrainers of at least one of said groups being arranged spacedly and in alignment with one another one behind the other fixedly on a respective suspension mount of a plurality of suspension mounts, each of said suspension mounts having an axis, the axes of said suspension mounts being parallel to the rotational axis of said rotor;
- and
- means effective on fragmentation to remove said flock and carrier material from said chamber comprising first pneumatic suction means acting through said sieve for removing said loose cellulose flock from said chamber through said sieve and, second pneumatic suction means in communication with the interior of said chamber for removing said shredded carrier material therefrom.
Apparatus for separately recovering the flock and non-flock components in cellulose-based sanitary articles obtained as waste in the production of panties, diapers, sanitary towels, sick-bed undersheets, and the like, being a composite of cellulose flock and a non-flock carrier such as plastic, cellulose or rubber sheets, tissues, adhesive tapes, and rubber bands comprising:
- a housing defining a cylindrical chamber having an opening at one end and at least a part of the circumferential wall thereof formed as a sieve, an inlet for the delivery of said sanitary articles to said chamber at the end opposite said opening, and means located in said chamber for fragmenting said sanitary articles
- said fragmenting means comprising a rotor having a central axis about which it rotates, and entrainers mounted thereon and defining jointly a virtual body of rotation, said entrainers comprising a plurality of finger-like members spaced along the length of said rotor, each finger-like member being secured at one end to said rotor and extending outwardly therefrom, into proximity with said circumferential wall of said housing to engage said sanitary articles and fragmenting the same to provide a mixture of loose cellulose flock having a size smaller than the holes in said sieve and shredded non-flock carrier material having a size larger than the holes in said sieve;
- and
- means effective upon fragmentation of said sanitary articles to remove said flock and carrier material comprising, first pneumatic suction means acting through said sieve in radial communication with said chamber for removing said loose cellulose flock from said chamber through said sieve and, second pneumatic suction means acting through the opening in said one end in axial communication with the interior of said chamber for removing said shredded carrier material therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.