US 6,581,858 B1 · Method and apparatus for crushing fluorescent lamps and separating components thereof

Abstract

Components of crushed fluorescent lamps are conveyed pneumatically from a lamp crusher housing to a cyclonic hopper and enter tangentially into the hopper adjacent its upper end. The components include heavy glass particles and caps which are allowed to drop by gravity into a separator housing where they are separated from each other and discharged into different storage containers. Lighter glass particles and dust are recirculated from the upper end of the hopper back to the crusher housing. A vacuum source draws dust and vapors pneumatically from the bottom of the hopper and introduces them tangentially into a cyclone filter housing where particulate matter is allowed to drop into a dust collector. This vacuum source also draws lighter dust and vapors from the upper end of the cyclone filter housing to a dust and mercury filter. Mounted in the crusher housing is a paddle element which rotates adjacent lamp crusher blades and mechanically sweeps lamp components towards the crusher housing outlet.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of crushing fluorescent lamps and separating the components thereof, comprising

feeding fluorescent lamps successively through the inlet of a crusher housing to be shattered therein into components including glass particles, dust, vapors and end caps,
applying a vacuum to an outlet of said housing to cause air to flow through the housing from said inlet to said outlet and to cause said components to be discharged from said housing through said outlet,
mechanically sweeping said components in said crusher housing toward said outlet thereof,
pneumatically conveying the discharged components from said crusher housing tangentially into a cyclonic hopper adjacent the upper end thereof,
allowing glass particles and end caps to drop by gravity in said cyclonic hopper and through an opening in the bottom thereof into a separator housing, and
separating end caps from glass particles in said separator housing and discharging the separated caps and particles into different storage containers.

3 more elements

Apparatus for crushing fluorescent lamps and separating the components thereof, comprising

a crusher housing having an inlet for accommodating lamps that are to be crushed, an outlet for discharging components of crushed lamps, and crusher means rotatable between aid inlet and outlet to crush lamps entering said housing,
paddle means rotatable in said crusher housing between said crusher means and said outlet and operative to sweep said components toward said outlet,
a cyclonic hopper spaced from said crusher housing,
means for pneumatically conveying said components of crushed lamps from said crusher housing outlet, and tangentially into said hopper adjacent the upper end thereof,
a separator housing positioned beneath said hopper and having therein a chamber communicating at its upper end with an opening in the bottom of said hopper to receive the heavier of said components which drop-by gravity through said opening and into said chamber, and
separator means in said chamber positioned in the path of said heavier components entering said chamber and operative to separate the larger of said components from the smaller thereof.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for crushing fluorescent lamps and separating components thereof

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for crushing fluorescent lamps and separating components thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22