US3111248A

US3111248A - Cardboard disintegrating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3111248A
Application number: US37272A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman A Pierson
Original assignee: Naturizer Co
Current assignee: Naturizer Co
Priority date: 1960-06-20
Filing date: 1960-06-20
Publication date: 1963-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1963 N. A. PIERSON 3,111,248

CARDBOARD DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 15A 4 fm;

IN V EN TOR. 80 8 52 Noe/MA N A, P/E-E 50H Nov. 19, 1963 N. A. PIERSON 3,111,248

CARDBOARD DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 llw IN V EN T0 8- A/aQMA/v A, PfEQSQN A TTOPNE'Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N. A. PIERSON CARDBOARD DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS F'IGL-E FfEi-[Z Nov. 19, 1963 Filed June 20, 1960 60b em Hi L L, 5

INVENTOR. NORMAN A, Pie-250m BY f7? Arroe/vev United States Patent 3 111 248 CARDBOARD nrsnnrnnarmo APPARATUS Norman A. Pierson, Norman, Okla, assignor to Natnrizer (30., Norman, Okla, a corporation of Oklahoma Filed June 20, 19643, Ser. No. 37,272 14 Claims. (Ci. 225-93) This invention relates to apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to a device for reducing cardboard sheets and boxes to flake or chip form.

*Devices such as hammer mills and related apparatus for pulverizing or disintegrating fibrous materials and the like have long been known and are widely used for a variety of purposes. One application for which disintegrating devices are suited is the reclamation of old or used cardboard. Old cardboard or pas-teboard may be reprocessed by cardboard manufacturers to make new articles and therefore the cast-0E or damaged sheets or boxes of cardboard retain a value in excess of that arising from any possible use of the worn or damaged original articles.

Cardboard salvage dealers must, however, reduce the bulk of the old and damaged cardboard containers to a size sufiicient to permit them to be cheaply shipped to the site of reprocessing. It is also necessary that the cardboard sheets and boxes be converted to a form which will permit the cardboard to be easily packaged or baled for such shipment and which is also a form adapted to the reprocessing treatment. I have found that a form of the cardboard which meets both these requirements is that of chips or flakes. Relatively uniformly sized chips of cardboard are well adapted to the reprocessing treatment and less waste is incurred in the baling of such chips than is the case with such forms as strips or shreds.

The grinding or shredding action of existing mills is capable of reducing bulk cardboard to strips of varying dimension and configuration but such strips cannot be baled nearly so eificiently or economically as chips or flakes. Moreover, jamming or blockage tends to occur in such mills after a relatively short period of operation, resulting in time-consuming and expensive shutdowns necessary to clear the block. Also, mills which utilize rapidly rotating hammers to strike and rip or tear materials have previously required fairly frequent overhaul and maintenance due to considerable vibration developed in such machines during operation, and also due to stress in the machinery arising from the very great centrifugal forces developed by the heavy, rapidly rotating hammers.

The present invention contemplates an apparatus for disintegrating bulk cardboard to chip or flake form which is characterized in having cooperating blades and hammers. The hammers are mounted upon a very sturdy rotating framework and are themselves of relatively light and compact construction so that the centrifugal force imparted to the central shafting of the rotating mechanism is maintained within safe limits. The rotating framework which carries the hammers is designed to positively block or prevent the ingress of cardboard thereto, thus avoiding jamming or stalling of the moving parts. Additionally, the feed and discharge chutes conveying the cardboard to and from the disintegrating mechanism are oriented with respect to the cooperating blades and hammers so that positive gravitational forces constantly prevent the accumulation of cardboard at any point in the apparatus.

The present invention further contemplates a bulk cardboard disintegrating apparatus in which the disintegration is accomplished by stripper blades and rotating hammers which are arranged to cooperate with each other so as 3,1 1 1,248 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 to quickly and substantially completely convert cardboard sheets and boxes into chip or flake form. A triple shredding action occurs in which the bulk' cardboard is first subjected to a shearing and cutting action between the hammers and one set of stripper blades to slit the bulk cardboard. The slit cardboard is then subjected to a chipping or flaking action between the hammers and a second set of stripper blades wherein the initial disintegration is accomplished. A third row or set of stripper blades cooperates with the rotating hammers to effect final disintegration.

In a modified embodiment of the present invention, L-shaped hammers may be utilized in conjunction with a single row of stripper blades to achieve substantial disintegration of the cardboard to chip form. The invention is also characterized in having a helical auger-conveyor which quickly removes the cardboard chips from the disintegrating apparatus and transports them to a baling unit for baling prior to shipment.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cardboard disintegrating apparatus which is designed to obviate the accumulation of cardboard in or adjacent moving parts and thereby to avoid clogging or blockage of the apparatus requiring cessation of the disintegrating operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cardboard disintegrating apparatus which is capable of quickly and efficiently reducing large cardboard sheets or boxes to chips or flakes of cardboard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cardboard disintegrator which is ruggedly constructed for high-speed operation with a minimum of vibrational stress imparted to the structure.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a cardboard disintegrating apparatus for use in combination with a cardboard baler.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact cardboard shredding apparatus which is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and characterized by a long and trouble-free service life.

Other objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the acompanying drawings which illustrate my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the cardboard disintegrating apparatus of the present invention as it is associated with a cardboard baling unit. A portion of the housing of the disintegrating apparatus has been broken away to show the auger-type conveyor which is utilized to convey the flaked cardboard from the cardboard disintegrator to the baling unit.

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of the cardboard disintegrating apparatus of the present invention with one side of the housing removed to illustrate the relative arrangement of parts therein.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view in section taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative arrangement of the stripper blades and hammers utilized in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a detail illustrating in elevation one of the stripper blades.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the stripper blade shown in FIG. 6.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational detail view with parts broken away to show the manner in which one of the hammers is mounted in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a sheet of cardboard showing the way in which the cardboard is cut and flaked by the invention.

FIGURE is a view in elevation of a different type of hammer and its mounting employed in modified embodiments of the present invention.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which hammers of the type illustrated in FIG. 10 cooperate with a single row of stripper blades in one modified embodiment of the present invention. 1

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which hammers of the type illustrated in FIG. 10 cooperate with two rows of stripper blades in another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1-0 generally designates a housing enclosing the cardboard disintegrating apparatus of the present invention. A feed chute 11 originates at one end 12 of the housing 10 and leads to the disintegrating mechanism located inside the housing. At the opposite end 14- of the housing 10, an auger-type conveyor 16 having helical threads 18 extends transversely across the housing and into a baling unit 26. A motor 22 is mounted on the top of the housing 10 and is utilized to drive the cardboard disintegrating mechanism located therein.

FIG. 2 shows the disintegrating apparatus of the invention as it may be viewed from the side by removing one side of the housing 10. A portion of the framework supporting the housing is designated by reference numeral 23. As previously indicated, the feed chute 11 originates at one end 12 of the housing 16 and slopes inwardly and downwardly toward the bottom of the housing. At its internal end 25 the feed chute 11 is connected to one side of a horizontal drum 26 so that the feed chute 11 communicates radially with the interior of the drum. To assure a slightly radial feed of the cardboard to the drum 26, as opposed to a strictly tangential feed, the feed chute 11 has an inclined step 27a on its bottom wall 27 near its' internal end 25.

A horizontal shaft 28 passes coaxially through the drum 26 and through bushings (not shown) in the ends.

of the drum for rotation therein. A cylindrical framework designated generally by reference character 3%) is disposed inside the drum 26 and is keyed to the shaft 28 for rotation therewith. The cylindrical framework 30' carries a plurality of rotatably-mounted hammers 32 in circumferentially-spaced relation around its periphery. The diameter of the cylindrical framework 39 is such that the hammers 32 will clear the walls of the drum 26 when the framework and its supporting shaft 23 are rotated in the drum.

Three

rows

34a, 34b and 34c of stripper blades 34 (see FIG. 4) are mounted upon a plate 35 which is bolted to the wall of the drum 26 at its lower side. The stripper blades 34 pass through apertures in the wall of the drum 26 and project upwardly and inwardly into the drum.

Each of the rows 34a, 34b and 340 of blades 34 extends substantially parallel to the shaft 28.

A discharge chute 36 (FIG. 2) is connected to the opposite side of the drum 26 from that to which the feed chute 11 is connected. The discharge chute 36 is characterized by a lower or bottom wall 38 which extends generally upward and away from the drum 26 for a short portion 40 of its length and then extends downwardly for the remaining portion 42 of its length. At its end opposite that which communicates with the interior of the drum 26, the discharge chute 36 opens into a trough 44 in which the auger-type conveyor 16 having helical threads 18 is mounted.

The cylindrical framework 30 which is mounted in drum 26 for rotation with shaft 28 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, which is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. The generally cylindrical framework 30 comprises a pair of circular end plates 46 which are coam'ally secured or keyed to the shaft 23. A large tubular member 48 coaxially surrounds the shaft 28 and is located between the circular end plates 46. Four elongated bolts 50 pass at each of their ends through the end plates 46 and extend inside the tubular member 48 throughout its length. The bolts 50 are located closely adjacent the periphery of the tubular member 48 so as to bear against the inner wall (not seen) thereof. The bolts 50 are threaded adjacent their ends and carry nuts 52 which may be tightened to hold the tubular member 48 firmly between the end plates 46.

A plurality of circular intermediate plates 54 having a central aperture of suflicient size to slidingly accommodate the tubular member 43 are disposed between the end plates 56 in spaced relation therefrom and from each other. The intermediate plates 54 are substantially equal in diameter to the end plates 46. Four elongated bolts 56 extend parallel to the shaft 28 through the end plates 46 and through the intermediate plates 54 at points near their peripheries. Each of the bolts 56 is threaded adjacent its ends and carries a nut 58 at each of its ends. The four elongated bolts 56 are equally spaced from each other around the periphery of the

plates

46 and 54 in the manner most clearly illustrated in FIG. 4.

The manner in which the hammers 32 are mounted for rotation upon the bolts 56 is depicted in FIG. 8. In referring to FIG. 8, it will be perceived that the bolts 56 pass through the circular plates 54 adjacent their peripheral edges and that each bolt carries a sleeve 59 which is coaxially and slidably mounted thereon and which serves to space adjacent plates 54 from each other. When the nuts 58 are tightened, the plates 54 are forced against the ends of the sleeves 59. Coaxially mounted on each of the sleeves 59 for rotation thereabout is a short length of pipe or tubular member 6i). The tubular member 60 is of shorter length than the sleeve 59 so that it is free to rotate about the sleeve without binding against the circular plates 54. The bar-shaped hammer 32 is secured at one of its ends 32a to an end portion 60a of the tubular member 60 for rotation therewith about the sleeve 59. A series of the hammers 32 are thus mounted between adjacent pairs of the plates 54 along the length of each of the bolts 56. As shown in FIG. 3, all of the hammers 32 which are carried by one of the bolts 56 are secured to the opposite end portion 60a of their respective tubular members 6t? from the end portion to which the hammers carried by the next adjacent bolt 56 are secured. In other words, the hammers 32 carried by adjacent bolts 56 are axially offset from each other, while the hammers carried by every other bolt 56 are axially aligned with each other.

A third set of bolts 66 extends parallel to the shaft 28 through the end plates 46 and through intermediate plates 54. Each of the bolts 66 is set radially inward in the plates 4-6 and 54 from the bolts 56 and is equally spaced from the nearest adjacent pair of the peripheral bolts 56. The bolts 66 are threaded at their ends similarly to the bolts 56, and carry nuts 68. A plurality of tubular spacing members iii are mounted co-axially upon each of the bolts 66 and are equal in length to the sleeves 59- carried by the bolts 56. The function of the tubular spacing members 76 in maintaining the spacing and rigidity of the circular plates 54 and the end plates 46 is the same as is the function of the spacing members 59.

Since the cylindrical framework 39 and its coaxial shaft 28 are depicted in their at-rest status in FIGS. 3 and 4, the peripheral hammers 32 have assumed the downwardly extending position there shown. However, it will be apparent that when the shaft 28 and its associated cylindrical framework 313 are rotated at high speeds, the hammers 32 will extend outwardly from the periphery of the cylindrical framework 30 under the influence of centrifugal force. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the hammers 32 which are located adjacent the bottom of the drum 26 extend outwardly from the framework 30 under the influence ofgravity. This is the same position which is occupied by the hammers 32 as they pass over the bottom of the drum s,iii,24.s

26 during high-speed rotation of shaft 28. Thus, the relationship of the hammers 32 to the three rows 34a, 34b and 240 of stripper blades 34 may best be understood by referring to these figures in conjunction with FIG. 5. It will be seen that the hammers 32 are offset axially with respect to each of the stripper blades 34 in the three

rows

34a, 34b and 34c. The stripper blades 34 of the first row 34a are ofiset axially with respect to the stripper blades of the second row 34b. The blades 34 of the third row 340 are axially aligned with the blades in the first row 34a and are therefore axially offset with respect to the blades in the middle or second row 34b by the same amount as the first row of blades. This relationship is most clearly depicted in FIG. 5, where the hammers 32 carried by the first bolt 56 to pass over the blades 34 are represented by solid line rectangles while the projected position of those hammers carried by the next adjacent bolt 56 on the cylindrical framework 30 is represented by dashed line rectangles.

As shown in FIG. 4, the leading row 34a of stripper blades 34, which is located closer to the feed chute 11 than are the second and third rows 34b and 34c, is also located more closely adjacent the vertical plane which passes through and includes the shaft 28. The purpose of this arrangement will be more fully explained at a subsequent point in the specification.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are detail views illustrating the construction and particular configuration of the stripper blades 34. Each of the blades is a flat plate of right trapezoidal configuration, the longest side of which is beveled or sharpened to an edge 34d. Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be perceived that the stripper blades 34 are mounted at the lower side of drum 26 with the longer of their two parallel sides secured to the concave plate 35 and their sharpened edges 34d facing toward the feed chute 11. The relative arrangement of the stripper blades 34 is such that the sharpened edges 34d of the blades in the first and third rows, 34a and 340, respectively, are beveled toward the opposite end of the drum 26 from that toward which the blades in the second row 34b are beveled.

The way in which a fiat sheet of cardboard is believed to be disintegrated by the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 9. The sheet of cardboard 72 is first slit along the solid lines 74 by the action of the blades 34 located in the first row 34a. The dashed lines 76 represent slits which are made by the blades 34 of the second row 34b. Dashed lines 78 represent the transverse shear slits which are produced when the hammers strike the cardboard just in advance of the second row 34b of blades 34.

A different type of hammer 86" which is utilized in modified embodiments of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 10. Each hammer 80 is L-shaped and is secured at one end 80a to the end portion 6% of one of the tubular members 60. Also, each of the L-shaped hammers 88 has a foot portion 86b which extends parallel to the shaft 28. I In a modified embodiment of the present invention, the L-shaped hammers '80 upon each bolt 56 are axially aligned with the hammers secured to the other three bolts 56 spaced around the periphery of the framework. This differs from the axial ofiset of the hammers 32 on adjoining bolts 56 in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3. Also, in such modified embodiment only a single row 34a of stripper blades is employed, and the foot portion 89b of each hammer is of a size to extend from one of the blades 34 in row 34a nearly to the next adjacent blade 34 in that row. This relationship is illustrated in FIG. 11. The foot portions 801) of the hammers 8d are illustrated as solid line rectangles. Since the hammers 80 on any one bolt 55 follow the path of the hammers located on the other bolts 56, their positions will be coincident with the hammer position shown in FIG. 11 as they pass through the single row 34a of stripper blades 34.

The L-shaped hammers 80 which are illustrated in FIG. may also be utilized in a further modified embodiment of the present invention. This further modification comprises axially offsetting the hammers which are mounted on adjacent bolts 56 in the same way that the bar-shaped hammers .32 are offset in FIG. 3. The foot portions 80b of each row of hammers 80 extend in a direction opposite to the direction of extension of the foot portions of the next adjacent row of hammers. Moreover, the length of each of the foot portions 8% is such that the hammers can pass freely through two rows 34a and 34b of blades 34 which are axially offset from each other in the manner illustrated in FIG. 12. It will be apparent that in the modified embodiment under discussion, the arrangement of the hammers 80 and blades 34 is identical to the arrangement of the hammer and the rows 34a, 34b and 340 of blades 34 which is depicted in FIG. 5, except that the hammers 80 are L-shaped and have foot portions 80b and the third row of blades 340 is omitted. This similarity will be manifest from a comparison of FIGS. 5 and 12.

Operation To commence the operation of the cardboard disintegrating apparatus of the present invention, the electric motor 22 is energized. The shaft 28 is driven in rotation by a belt or chain (not shown) linking the shaft to the electric motor 22. As the shaft rotates, the generally cylindrical framework 31} is also caused to rotate inside the drum 26. When the operating speed of rotation of the shaft 23 and its associated framework 36 has been reached, an operator standing adjacent the end 12 of the housing It} commences to introduce cardboard slabs and boxes into the feed chute 11. The cardboard moves downwardly in the feed chute 11 under the influence of gravity and passes through the outlet of the feed chute 11 to enter the drum 26. When the cylindrical framework has een brought up to operating speed, the hammers 32 which are rotatably mounted on the periphery of the framework 39 are extended outwardly from the periphery of the framework under the influence of centrifugal force, as previously mentioned in the description of the hammers and framework. Just prior to entering the drum 26 from the feed chute 11, the cardboard is deflected into the path of the hammers 32 by the inclined step 27a on the bottom wall 27 of the feed chute 11.

As the cardboard enters the drum 26, it is forcibly contacted by the hammers 32 carried by the rotating framework 3ti. The force of impact between the hammers 32 and the cardboard which has entered the drum 26 is very great and the cardboard is crumpled and flattened to a large extent by the blows of the rotating hammers. Since the framework '30 and its associated hammers 52 are rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4, the cardboard will be driven by the hammers toward the :lower side of the drum 26 and will be forced between the wall of the drum 26 and the peripheries of the

circular plates

46 and 54. The first or leading row 34a of stripper blades 34- is set relatively close to the vertical plane which passes through the shaft 28 so that considerable momentum may be imparted to the moving cardboard by the hammers 32 before the cardboard comes in contact with the blades 34. Stated difierently, the first row 34a of blades 34 should be spaced a sufficient distance from the point of connection of the feed chute 11 with the drum 26 to allow the cardboard to achieve a high rate of forward movement before it contacts the blades'34. During the passage of the cardboard from the lower end of the feed chute 11 to a position adjacent the stripper blades 34 at the bottom of the drum 26, any ingress of cardboard to the interior of the cylindrical framework 30 is prevented by the lattice-like arrangement of the

bolts

56 and 66 and the circular plates 54. Moreover, the axially-extending sets of

bolts

56, 66 and 50, in addition to the plurality of circular plates 54 and the large tubular member 48, all cooperate in providing a rugged supporting framework for the pivoting hammers 32 so that the shock of contact of the hammers with the cardboard may be absorbed by the framework 30 without vibrational damage resulting.

As the cardboard is driven against the sharpened edges 34d of the stripper blades 34 by the rotating hammers 32, the clearance between the hammers 32 and the sharpened edges 34d of the stripper blades is such that both a cutting and shearing action occurs as the hammers pass through the first row 34a of the blades. I have undertaken to illustrate in FIG. 9 the manner in which a piece of cardboard 72 is flaked by the disintegrating apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8. The blades 34 of the first row 34a initially form a plurality of elongated parallel slits 74 in the cardboard 72. The cardboard 72 thus slits 74 in the cardboard 72. The cardboard 72 thus slit is then driven by the hammers 32 into the second row 34b of blades 34. Since the second row 34b of blades 34 is not aligned with the first row 34a, the blades in the second row will contact the leading edge of the cardboard 72 at points which are approximately midway between the slits 74 made in the cardboard by the blades of the first row. The blades 34 of the second row 34b therefore commence to form slits 76 intermediately between the slits 74 formed by the first row of blades. Simultaneously, the resistance to the forward progress of the cardboard 72 which is offered by the second row of blades 3412 causes the parallel strips of cardboard defined by the slits 74 formed by the first row of blades to buckle or raise up slightly away from the wall of the drum 26. At this time the hammers 32 afiixed to the bolt 56 which follows the bolt 56 carrying the first hammers to strike the cardboard approach and strike the buckled cardboard 72 adjacent the blades 34 in the second row 34b. This results in a severance of the parallel strips defined by the

slits

74 and 76 made by the blades 34 of the first and second rows 34a and 34b. The dashed lines 73 designate the transverse shear lines which divide the strips into flakes. By way of summary, the flattened cardboard is initially sliced into parallel strips by the first row 34a of blades 34; is then sliced into smaller strips by the second row 34b of blades 34; is simultaneously caused to buckle by the resistance offered by the blades of the second row; and finally is chipped or flaked by a transverse shearing force imparted to the buckled strips by the hammers.

Due to the axial offset of succeeding rows of hammers,

. the chipping or flaking action will be alternating in nature.

By this it is meant that the first hammers 32 to strike the cardboard will cause a transverse shearing action to take place across every other cardboard strip formed by the first two rows 34a and 34b of blades 34. The next row of hammers 32 will shear across the alternate strips of cardboard not struck by the first row of hammers 32. This flaking pattern is illustrated in FIG. 9.

The third row 340 of blades 34 performs substantially the same function as the second row 34b and is utilized to assure that no elongated strips of cardboard are permitted to pass through the disintegrator without being reduced to flake form. By virtue of their axial offset from the blades 34 of the second row 34b, the blades in the third row 34c tend to catch any strips or shreds of cardboard which manage to pass through the second row without being flaked. The same buckling action which has been attributed to the second row 34]; of blades 34 then occurs at the third row 34c, and the hammers shear across such strips as may be retarded there to complete the flaking action.

In the event that several thicknesses of cardboard should accumulate in advance of one of the hammers 32 so that a particularly high resistance is encountered by the hammer as the path of advance of the cardboard is blocked by the blades 34, the hammer is free to yield by virtue of its pivotal mounting upon the bolts 56. It will be apparent that this construction prevents the occurrence of structural damage as a result of unusually large forces being transmitted to the mechanism through rigidly mounted hammers.

After the cardboard has been driven through the three rows 34a, 34b and 340 of blades 34, it is pushed upwardly along the portion 449 of the bottom wall 38 of the discharge chute 36 by the cardboard which follows its When the flaked cardboard reaches the highest point in. the bottom wall 38 of the discharge chute 36, it passesthereover and slides down the inclined portion 42 under the influence of gravity. The purpose of this bottom- Wall configuration is to prevent the accumulation of cardboard downstream in the discharge chute 36 and the jamming or blockage of the apparatus which might result therefrom. In other words, the forces imparted to the cardboard by the hammers 32 are sufiicient to urge the. cardboard upwardly over the highest point in the bottom. wall 38 of the discharge chute 36, and then gravitational force assures the continued movement of the cardboard downwardly into the trough 44. When the flaked cardboard has reached the trough 44, it is picked up by the helical threads 18 of the auger-type conveyor 16 and is moved transversely through the housing 10 of the disintegrating apparatus and into a baling unit 20. The baling unit 20 is then employed to bale the flakedcardboard suitably for shipment.

In some instances, it may be desirable to reduce the number of rows of blades 34 which must be employed to effect disintegration. This may be accomplished by changing the shape of the hammers 32 and increasing the speed of rotation of the framework 30. In such cases the L-shaped hammers illustrated in FIG. 10 are employed. If the foot portions 80b of the hammers 80 are made of suflicient length to extend for approximately the distance between adjacent blades 34, then it is only necessary to use a single row 34a of blades and all of the hammers around the periphery of the rotating framework 30 may be axially aligned. The relationship of the hammers 80 to the blades 34 in this modified embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 11.

As the leading edge of the cardboard first comes in contact with the blades 34 in the single row, the cutting action of the blades commences in the same manner which has previously been explained in referring to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9. However, since the cardboard is moving with increased speed, it is also buckled upwardly by the blades 34 of this row at the same time that it is being slit. The L-shaped hammers 83* then strike the portion of the cardboard which is raised away from the wall of the drum 26 by the buckling action. Since the L-shaped hammers 80 are moving at a relatively high speed, and since the transverse shearing force is directly applied across the entire Width of the cardboard strips by the transversely extending foot portions 8% of the hammers 80, the cardboard will be flaked with each passage of a row of L-shaped hammers through the single row 34a of blades 34. It will be apparent that the use of this embodiment of the invention permits cardboard flakes to be produced which are approximately twice the width of the flakes produced in utilizing the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9.

By axially oflsetting the L-shaped hammers 80 about the periphery of rotating framework 30 in a manner similar to the arrangement of the bar-shaped hammers 32 shown in FIG. 3, and by using two rows 34a and 34b of stripper blades 34, it is possible to produce smaller flakes of cardboard than those produced by the single blade row embodiment just described. tilt is also possible to thereby reduce the speed at which the framework 30 must be rotated. When the L-shaped hammers 80 are thus axially offset from each other around the periphery of the framework 39, the foot portions 80b of the hammers in succeeding rows extend in opposite directions and are less than half as wide as the foot portions 80b depicted in FIG. 10. This arrangement permits the hammers 80 to pass freely through the two staggered rows 34a and 34b of stripper blades 34 without fouling. The relationship of the hammers 89 to the blades 34 in this embodi- 9 ment of the invention is diagrammatically indicated in FIG. 12.

From the foregoing discussion, it will be apparent that the cardboard disintegrating apparatus of the present invention is of rugged construction and is designed to afford maximum flaking action with a minimum tendency to become blocked or jammed by the accumulation of cardboard at undesirable locations in the disintegrating apparatus. The rotating framework 39 is ruggedly constructed to withstand the considerable vibrational and centrifugal forces which are developed during the operation of the device and also to prevent the entrance of cardboard particles into the area adjacent the shafting upon which it is mounted. The hammers and stripper blades are specifically designed and arranged relatively to each other to provide the maximum disintegration of bulk cardboard with a relatively simple and inexpensive mechanism.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts or elements as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for shredding cardboard comprising a hollow, horizontal shredding drum; a downwardly sloping feed chute connected to one side of said drum and communicating with the interior thereof; a discharge chute connected at one end of its ends to the opposite side of said drum from said feed chute, said discharge chute having a bottom wall connected at one end to the bottom of said drum and sloping upwardly therefrom for a portion of its length and then sloping downwardly for the remainder of its length; a first row of bladed plates projecting into said drum from the lower side of said drum and aligned parallel to the axis of said drum; a second row of bladed plates projecting into said drum from the lower side thereof and aligned parallel to the axis of said drum, said second row of bladed plates being axially offset from said first row of bladed plates; a third row of bladed plates projecting into said drum from the lower side thereof and aligned parallel to the axis of said drum; said first row of bladed plates being circumferentially spaced in said drum from said second and third rows of bladed plates and disposed closer to a vertical plane passing through the axis of said drum and to said feed chute than said second and third rows of plates; a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein; a pair of circular end plates coaxially keyed to said shaft in said drum and axially spaced from each other therealong; a tubular member extending coaxially around said shaft and spacing said end plates from each other; a plurality of circular intermediate plates mounted coaxially on said tubular member and spaced axially therealong from each ot er and from said end plates; said circular plates each having a diameter less than the distance from said shaft to said bladed plates; a first set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said plates in equally spaced relation to each other around the peripheries of said plates; tubular sleeves rotatably carried by each of the bolts of said first set of bolts and disposed between adjacent pairs of said circular plates; bar-shaped hammers each secured at one of their ends to a medial portion of one of said sleeves for rotation about the bolt carrying said sleeve; a second set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said circular plates and disposed radially inward in said circular plates from said first set of bolts by a distance suflicient to permit said hammers to clear the bolts of said second set during their rotation about the bolts of said first set, each bolt of said second set being equally spaced from the nearest pair of bolts of said first set of bolts; tubular spacing members surrounding each of the bolts of said second set and uniformly spacing said circular plates from each other; and a third set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said circular plates and disposed radially inward in said circular plates from said second set of bolts, each bolt of said third set of bolts being radially aligned with a bolt of said first set of bolts.

2. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like, comprising a Ihorizontal drum; a feed chute communicating with one side of the drum and having a lower wall extending substantially tangentially with respect to the drum; a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum; means for rotating the shaft; a generally cylindrical framework secured around the shaft concentrically in the drum; a plurality of hammers pivotally secured to the outer periphery portion of the framework in circumferentially-spaced axial rows; a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of the drum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers into proximity with the outer periphery of said framework; and a discharge chute communicating with the opposing side of the drum from said feed chute and having a bottom wall extending from said drum in a radial direction with respect to said cylindrical framework whereby flaked cardboard will gravitate down said bottom wall and accumulation of flaked cardboard in said drum is avoided.

3. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

a horizontal drum;

a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein;

a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drum and coaxialily keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith, said cylindrical framework comprising a pair of circular end plates coaxia'lly keyed to said shaft and axially spaced from each other therealong;

a tubular member extending coaxially around said shaft and spacing said end plates from each other;

a plurality of circular intermediate plates mounted coaxially on said tubular member and spaced axially therealong from each other and from said end plates;

a first set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said end and intermediate plates adjacent their peripheries, the bolts of said first set of bolts being equally spaced circumferentially from each other around the periphery of said plates;

a second set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said end and intermediate plates and disposed radially inward of said plates from said first set of bolts; and

a third set of bolts projected through said end plates and extending parallel to said shaft along the inside of said tubular member so as to bear against the inside surface of said tubular member;

a plurality of hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of said framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallel to said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindrical framework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spaced approximately from the next adjacent row of hammers;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner walls of the lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammers during rotation of said framework to disintegrate said cardboard; and

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side of said drum from said feed chute.

1 l 4. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of said hammers is pivotally connected at one of its ends to a bolt of said first set of bolts at a point on said bolt between said plates.

5. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

a horizontal drum;

a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein;

a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drum and coaxially keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith;

a plurality of bar-shaped hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of said framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallel to said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindrical framework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spaced approximately 90 hem the next adjacent row of hammers and the hammers in each of said rows being axially offset from the hammers in the next adjacent rows, said framework being radially recessed to permit each of said hammers to pivot through 360 about its pivotal axis;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner wall of the lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammers during rotation of said framework to disintegrate said cardboard; and

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side of said drum from said feed chute and having a bottom wall extending downwardly from said drum in a radial direction with respect to said generally cylindrical framework whereby disintegrated cardboard discharged from said drum will gravitate down said bottom wall and avoid accumulation within said drum.

6. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

a horizontal drum;

a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

a shaft extending coax-ially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein;

a plurality of L-shaped hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of said framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallel to said shaft along the periphery of said genermly cylindrical framework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spaced approximately 90 from the next adjacent row of hammers and the hammers in each of said rows being axially offset from the hammers in the next adjacent rows;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner walls of the lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammers during rotation of said framework to disintegrate the cardboard;

and

of said drum;

a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein;

a plurality of hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of said framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallel to said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindricalframework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spaced aproximately from the next adjacent rows of hammers;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner wall of the lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammers during rotation of said framework to disintegrate said card board;

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side of said drum from said feed chute and having a bottom wall connected at one end to the bottom of said drum and sloping upwardly therefrom for a portion of its length then sloping downwardly for the remainder of its length;

a helically grooved auger conveyor connected to said discharge chute for conveying said cardboard from said discharge chute; and

a motor connected to said shaft for driving said shaft and said generally cylindrical framework rotatably in said drum.

8. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) a horizontal drum;

(1;) a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

(0) a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein;

(d) a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drum and coaxially keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith;

(e) a plurality of hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of said framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallel to said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindrical framework with each row of hamrners being circumferentially spaced approximately 90 from the next adjacent row of hammers;

(1') cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the irner wall of the lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammers during rotation of said framework to disintegrate said cardboard, said cutting means comprising three circumferentially-spaced rows of blades extending parallel to the axis of said drum, each of said blades being offset axially from said hammers a sufficient distance to permit said hammers to pass between said blades during rotation of said framework, and the row of said blades which is located most proximately with respect to said feed chute being disposed closer to a vertical plane containing the axis of said drum than are the remaining rows of said blades, the blades in the centrally located of said rows being axially offset from the blades in the other of said rows; and

(g) a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side of said drum from said feed chute.

9. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard as claimed in claim 8 wherein said blades each comprise a right trapezoidal plate disposed in a plane extending normal to the axis of said drum, each of said blades having the longer of its two parallel sides attached to the inner wall of said drum and having its longest side most proximately located with respect to said feed chute and tapered to a cutting edge.

10. Apparatus for shredding cardboard as claimed in claim 9 wherein the longest side of each of said blades located in the rows disposed most proximately and most distally with respect to said feed chute is tapered to a cutting edge in a direction opposite to the direction of taper of the longest edge of each of the remainder of said blades, and wherein the axial offset of said hammers and said blades with respect to each other is such that two of said hammers pass closely adjacent the cutting edge of each of said blades during each rotation of said framework.

11. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) a horizontal drum;

(b) a feed chute communicating with one side of the drum and having a lower wall extending substantially tangentially with respect to the drum;

(c) a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum;

(d) means for rotating the shaft;

(e) a generally cylindrical framework secured around the shaft concentrically in the drum;

(f) a plurality of hammers pivotally secured to the outer peripheral portion of the framework in circumferentially-spaced, axial rows;

(g) a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of the drum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers into proximity with the outer periphery of said framework;

(11) a discharge chute communicating with the opposite side of the drum from said feed chute; and

(i) an insert across the lower wall of said feed chute adjacent the paths of movement of said hammers and having its upper surface sloping in a direction toward the paths of movement of said hammers to guide cardboard from said feed chute into contact with said hammers.

12. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) a horizontal drum;

() a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum;

(d) means for rotating the shaft;

(e) a generally cylindrical framework the shaft concentrically in the drum;

(g) a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of the drum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers into proximity with secured around 14 the outer periphery of said framework, said stripper blades being arranged in two rows extending parallel with said shaft, with the blades in said rows offset axially along the length of said drum; and

(h) a discharge chute communicating with the opposite side of the drum from said feed chute.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the hammers in alternate rows of said hammers pass closer to the blades in one of said rows of blades than the other row of blades, and wherein the hammers in the remaining rows of hammers pass closer to the blades in the other row of blades than to the blades in said one row.

14. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) ahorizontal drum;

(c) a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum;

(d) means for rotating the shaft;

(1'') a plurality of hammers pivotally secured in the outer peripheral portion of the framework in circurnferentially-spaced, axial rows, said framework having radial apertures therein to permit said hammers to rotate through 360 about their pivotal axes;

(g) a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of the drum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers into proximity with the outer periphery of said framework; and

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

2. APPARATUS FOR FLAKING CARDBOARD AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL DRUM; A FEED CHUTE COMMUNICATING WITH ONE SIDE OF THE DRUM AND HAVING A LOWER WALL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE DRUM; A SHAFT JOURNALED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE DRUM; MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SHAFT; A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL FRAMEWORK SECURED AROUND THE SHAFT CONCENTRICALLY IN THE DRUM; A PLURALITY OF HAMMERS PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY PORTION OF THE FRAMEWORK IN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-SPACED AXIAL ROWS; A PLURALITY OF STRIPPER BLADES SECURED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DRUM AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE PATHS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID HAMMERS INTO PROXIMITY WITH THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID FRAMEWORK; AND A