US 5,361,709 AGranted

Material transport pusher mechanism in a material processing apparatus

OwnerRoger D. Eshlemaninventor

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Abstract

A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials and a mass of refractory material disposed upon the bottom of the casing and spaced below the top thereof and extending between its sides. The refractory mass includes an upper surface defining a bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having an end spaced from a first one of the casing sides to define an ash residue collection cavity therebetween. The apparatus also includes a pusher mechanism mounted to and extending through a second one of the casing sides opposite from the first one side. The pusher mechanism is operable to engage and transport residue of materials received on the upper surface of said refractory mass and being pyrolyzed in the chamber across the upper surface of the refractory mass toward the collection cavity. Also, an arrangement for monitoring the position of the pusher mechanism is included in the apparatus.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A material processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials;
(b) a mass of refractory material contained in said casing upon said bottom thereof and spaced below said top thereof and extending between said sides thereof, said refractory mass including an upper surface defining a bottom of said pyrolysis chamber and having an end being spaced from a first one of said sides of said casing for defining an ash residue collection cavity therebetween;
and
(c) a pusher mechanism mounted to and extending through a second one of said sides of said casing being opposite from said first one of said sides thereof, said pusher mechanism being operable through first and second displaced positions to engage and transport materials received on said upper surface of said refractory mass and being pyrolyzed in said chamber across said upper surface of said refractory mass toward said end thereof;
(d) said pusher mechanism including
(i) an elongated track mounted to said second one of said sides of said casing and extending therefrom;
(ii) a carriage mounted on said track to undergo reciprocal movement therealong between said first and second displaced positions toward and away from said casing;
(iii) an actuator mounted at one end to said casing and coupled at an opposite end to said carriage and being selectively operable to cause reciprocal movement of said carriage between said first and second displaced positions toward and away from said casing;
and
(iv) pusher means connected to said carriage and extending into said pyrolysis chamber for engaging and transporting the material received on said upper surface of said refractory mass toward said end thereof as said carriage is reciprocally moved between said first and second displaced positions toward and away from said casing.

7 more elements

A material processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials;
(b) a mass of refractory material contained in said casing upon said bottom thereof and spaced below said top thereof and extending between said sides thereof, said refractory mass including an upper surface defining a bottom of said pyrolysis chamber and having an end being spaced from a first one of said sides of said casing for defining an ash residue collection cavity therebetween;
(c) a pusher mechanism mounted to and extending through a second one of said sides of said casing being opposite from said first one of said sides thereof, said pusher mechanism being operable through first and second displaced positions to engage and transport materials received on said upper surface of said refractory mass and being pyrolyzed in said chamber across said upper surface of said refractory mass toward said end thereof;
and
(d) means for monitoring the position of said pusher mechanism as said pusher mechanism operates to move between said first and second displaced positions to transport the material across said upper surface of said refractory mass.

2 more elements

A material processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials;
(b) a mass of refractory material contained in said casing upon said bottom thereof and spaced below said top thereof and extending between said sides thereof, said refractory mass including an upper surface defining a bottom of said pyrolysis chamber and having an end being spaced from a first one of said sides of said casing for defining an ash residue collection cavity therebetween;
(c) a pusher mechanism mounted to and extending through a second one of said sides of said casing being opposite from said first one of said sides thereof, said pusher mechanism being operable to engage and transport materials received on said upper surface of said refractory mass and being pyrolyzed in said chamber across said upper surface of said refractory mass toward said end thereof, said pusher mechanism including
(i) an elongated track mounted to said second one of said sides of said casing and extending therefrom,
(ii) a carriage mounted on said track to undergo reciprocal movement therealong toward and away from said casing, and
(iii) an actuator mounted at one end to said casing and coupled at an opposite end to said carriage and being selectively operable to cause reciprocal movement of said carriage toward and away from said casing, and
(iv) pusher means connected to said carriage and extending into said pyrolysis chamber for engaging and transporting the material received on said upper surface of said refractory mass toward said end thereof as said carriage is reciprocally moved toward and away from said casing;
(d) means for monitoring the position of said carriage as said carriage undergoes reciprocal movement along said track toward and away from said casing.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.