US 5,346,305 AGranted

Composting apparatus

OwnerFrancis B. Chesterinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A rotary drum-type composting apparatus is disclosed, in which the drum is of circular cross section and is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis by means of external support wheels. An access opening is provided in the sidewall of the drum for loading of compostable material, and a removable flexible, waterproof cover is applied over perforated sidewalls of the drum, enabling the interior of the drum to be closed off so that the composting processes can occur. The drum is mounted as close to the ground or supporting surface as practicable, to facilitate manual loading of compostable materials. A clearing bar is installed on the outer surface of the drum, preferably on a removable door panel provided for closing the access opening. The clearing bar operates between the outer surface of the drum and the support wheels and their mounting shafts. During sifting operations, following completion of composting, the clearing bar sweeps away a clearance space below the drum, for efficient outsifting of the composted material from the drum.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A composting apparatus which comprises

(a) a drum of substantially circular cross section,
(b) said drum having opposite end walls and a generally cylindrical sidewall,
(c) said sidewall including wall panels having perforated portions,
(d) a removable door panel forming a portion of said sidewall and providing access for loading material into said drum,
(e) a support structure for said drum, supporting said drum for rotation at a height at which the lowermost portions of said drum are above ground level while providing access to said removable door panel for manual loading of said drum with materials for composting,
(f) a drive operative to controllably rotate said drum,
(g) a removable cover operative, when installed, to cover the perforated portions of said wall panels and effectively prevent the passage of materials therethrough, and
(h) a clearing bar, secured to the exterior of said drum, projecting radially therefrom and extending generally across the width of the perforated portions of said wall panels,
(i) said clearing bar being operative, when said cover is removed and said drum is rotated, to maintain a predetermined clearance space between lower portions of said drum and upper portions of an accumulating pile of sifted composted materials passing through the perforated portions of said wall panels.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/149,044Filed 8 Nov 1993
Granted: 13 Sep 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

C05F 17/929
Devices in which the material is conveyed essentially horizontally between inlet and discharge means: cylinders or drums
B01F 29/4011
Receptacles, e.g. provided with liners: characterised by the shape or cross-section of the receptacle, e.g. of Y-, Z -, S -, or X shape
C05F 17/90
Preparation of fertilisers characterised by biological or biochemical treatment steps, e.g. composting or fermentation: apparatus therefor
Y02P 20/145
Feedstock: the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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