Modular shear shredder

A modular shear shredder comprising:

• shear cartridge means having a shaft and a plurality of cutter elements mounted on said shaft;
• a shredder housing having a support frame, opposing end walls attached to said frame and side walls removably attached to said frame, said side walls being shaped such that removal of one of said side walls permits said shear cartridge means to be inserted into and removed from said shredder housing;
• support bearing means mounted on one of said end walls;
• and
• drive motor means mounted on the other of said end walls, wherein said shear cartridge means includes a pair of end caps mounted on ends of said shaft, each of said end caps being attachable both to said support bearing means and to said drive motor means, whereby said shear cartridge means is reversible in spatial orientation within said shredder housing.

A modular shear shredder comprising:

• shear cartridge means having a shaft and a plurality of cutter elements mounted on said shaft;
• a shredder housing having a support frame, opposing end walls attached to said frame and side walls removably attached to said frame, said side walls being shaped such that removal of one of said side walls permits said shear cartridge means to be inserted into and removed from said shredder housing;
• first and second drive motor means mounted in one of said end walls;
• third and fourth drive motor means mounted in the other of said end walls;
• and
• said shear cartridge means includes first and second shear cartridges positioned such that said first shear cartridge is connected to and extends between said first and third drive motor means, and said second shear cartridge is connected to and extends between said second and fourth drive motor means.

A shear cartridge for a modular shear shredder, said shear cartridge comprising:

• a shaft;
• a plurality of cutter elements mounted on said shaft;
• and
• end cap means removably mounted on ends of said shaft, said end cap means being shaped to attach both to associated support bearing means and to associated drive motor means,
• wherein said end cap means includes stack tightener means slidably mounted on said shaft outside of said cutter elements;
• end caps attached to said shaft ends;
• and
• adjustable bolt means extending between said end caps and said stack tightener means, said bolt means being adjustable to urge said stack tightener means inwardly to compress said cutter elements together.

A modular shear shredder comprising:

• shear cartridge means having a shaft and a plurality cutter elements mounted on said shaft;
• a shredder housing having a support frame, opposing walls attached to said frame, a top wall and side walls removably attached to said frame, said side walls being shaped such that removal of one of said side walls permits said shear cartridge means to be inserted into and removed from said shredder housing;
• and
• a plurality of comb elements mounted on said side walls and positioned to mesh with said cutter elements, whereby removal of said side walls from said housing facilitates replacement of said comb elements;
• wherein said comb elements are individually removably attached to said sidewalls and separated by spacers, said comb elements being retained on said side walls by rails.

A modular shear shredder comprising;

• shear cartridge means having a shaft and a plurality of cutter elements mounted on said shaft;
• a shredder housing having a support frame, opposing end walls attached to said frame, a top wall and side walls removably attached to said frame, said side walls being shaped such that removal of one of said side walls permits said shear cartridge means to be inserted into and removed from said shredder housing;
• wherein said shear cartridge means includes end cap means having stack tightener means slidably mounted on said shaft outside of said cutter elements;
• end caps attached to said shaft ends;
• and
• adjustable bolt means extending between said end caps and said stack tightener means, said bolt means being adjustable to urge said stack tightener means inwardly to compress said cutter elements together.