Composter

A composter comprising:

• an elongated hollow drum having a substantially cylindrical wall having internal and external surfaces, said wall being symmetrical about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, and having an interior space, said drum being mounted for rotation on said axis, and having axially spaced intake and exit ends;
• an intake end wall fixed to the cylindrical wall and extending inward toward said axis from a location adjacent a part of the cylindrical wall at the intake end of the drum, said intake end wall being rotatable with the drum and having a side facing the interior space of the drum and an intake opening for the passage of material into the interior space of the drum;
• an exit end wall fixed to the cylindrical wall and extending inward toward said axis from a location adjacent a part of the cylindrical wall at the exit end of the drum said exit end wall being rotatable with the drum and having a central exit opening for delivery of material from the interior space of the drum;
• a drive mechanism for rotating said drum about said axis;
• a first external trunnion ring on the cylindrical wall of the drum adjacent its intake end and a second external trunnion ring on the cylindrical wall of the drum adjacent its exit end, said trunnion rings being coaxial with said axis of rotation;
• first and second pairs of idler rollers rotatably supporting said drum, the first pair of rollers being in rolling engagement with the first external trunnion ring, and the second pair of rollers being in rolling engagement with the second external trunnion ring;
• in which the first external trunnion ring extends axially from a first edge of said first trunnion ring to a second edge of said first trunnion ring spaced axially from said first edge;
• in which the second external trunnion ring extends axially from a first edge of said second trunnion ring to a second edge of said second trunnion ring spaced axially from said first edge;
• in which the intake end wall is surrounded by said first external trunnion ring and located at an axial location between the axial locations of the first and second edges of the first external trunnion ring, and the exit end wall is surrounded by said second external trunnion ring and located at an axial location between the axial locations of the first and second edges of the second external trunnion ring;
• and including
• a first frusto-conical ring having large and small circular edges, the large circular edge meeting the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum at a first location and the small circular edge of the first frusto-conical ring meeting the intake end wall at a location spaced radially inward toward said axis from the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum;
• a second frusto-conical ring having large and small circular edges, the large circular edge meeting the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum at a second location and the small circular edge of the second frusto-conical ring meeting the intake end wall at a location spaced radially inward toward said axis from the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum;
• a third frusto-conical ring having large and small circular edges, the large circular edge meeting the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum at a third location and the small circular edge of the first frusto-conical ring meeting the exit end wall at a location spaced radially inward toward said axis from the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum;
• and
• a fourth frusto-conical ring having large and small circular edges, the large circular edge meeting the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum at a fourth location and the small circular edge of the second frusto-conical ring meeting the exit end wall at a location spaced radially inward toward said axis from the internal surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum;
• wherein said first and second locations are on opposite sides of said intake end wall, and said third and fourth locations are on opposite sides of said exit end wall.