Apparatus for removing compost from plastic bags
OwnerLars Landeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for removing compostable materials from plastic bags. The apparatus includes a conveyor having retaining members which engage and assist the conveyor in transporting the bags of compostable materials to a discharge bin. A cutting element cooperates with the first conveyor to open the bags allowing the compostable material to be emptied from the bags at one end of the conveyor into the bin where the compostable materials are subsequently discharged onto compost piles. The bags are then removed from the retaining members and transferred into a mechanism where they are bundled for disposal or recycle.
Claims13
An apparatus for removing materials from bags comprising:
- a conveyor including a frame and having first and second ends, said conveyor also including a belt being operable for rotation in a direction about said first and second ends, said belt including a plurality of retaining tines being positioned at spaced apart intervals thereon, said retaining tines receiving said bags thereon and carrying said bags along said conveyor as said belt rotates, at least some of said retaining tines being angularly oriented generally toward and in the direction of rotation of said belt;
- a cutting element mounted to said frame of said conveyor and being positioned relative to said belt so as to cuttingly engage said bags during rotation of said belt thereby opening said bags;
- spreading means for substantially laterally spreading open said bags to expose said materials therein after said basg have been longitudinally cut open by said cutting element;
- and
- a receiving bin positioned adjacent to said second end, said materials being emptied into said receiving bin from said bags as said bags are carried about said second end, said receiving bin including a discharge portion and means for forcibly discharging said materials from said receiving bin through said discharge portion.
An apparatus for removing materials from bags as set forth in clain 1 wherein said angularly oriented retainign tines are also generally laterally oriented with respect to the direction of rotation of said belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.