Apparatus for feeding solid wastes into a rotary kiln

A feed assembly kit for installation on a rotary long cement kiln wherein an opening is provided in the shell of the kiln, the feed assembly kit including a solid waste feeding assembly having a sleeve to extend through the opening and to form a passageway having a central axis with a first portion projecting into the interior of the kiln and a second portion exterior of the shell;

• the second portion of the sleeve including a substantially rectangular cross-section;
• a valve means in the second portion for closing and opening the passageway, the valve means including a gate pivotable about a first axis normal to the central axis of the passageway and including a planar wall extending in a plane including the pivot axis and a curved wall joined to the planar wall, the curved wall being generated by a straight line parallel to the pivot axis, the planar wall being perforated to allow circulation of ambient air between the walls whereby, in a valve closed position, the curved wall closes off the passage and the planar wall extends across the passage upstream of the curved wall and in a valve opened position the walls are clear of the passageway;
• the first portion of the sleeve including a mound of refractory material which is formed within the interior of the kiln, the mound tapering to an apex spaced from the shell a distance greater than the height of the feed stock in the kiln when the mound is at the 6 o'clock position and a radial passageway is defined by the sleeve from the apex of the mound through the second portion wherein the passageway has a cross-section sufficient to allow solid waste to be fed from the exterior of the shell into the kiln and a delivery system is provided to be mounted to one side of the shell coincident with the general radial plane of the opening such that upon rotation of the kiln the second portion of the sleeve will be in an aligned position with the delivery means at one point in the rotational cycle of the kiln, that one point located in the quadrant preceding 12 o'clock in the direction of rotation of the kiln when the kit is assembled and the kiln is rotating, the delivery means including a delivery tray and means for advancing the solid waste to the delivery tray, the delivery tray including a plurality of counterbalanced pivoting fingers with each finger balanced to be parallel and spaced to an adjacent finger and set at a sloped angle sufficient to deliver the solid waste by gravity;
• stop means at the end of the fingers, the feed assembly forming part of the kit including a pick up means in the form of a fork wherein the fork includes elongated elements adapted to be interdigitated with the fingers of the delivery means when the pick up means passes the one point of the rotational cycle.