Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02593496 2007-07-11
TITLE
HYDRAULIC INTERFERENCE KNIVES FOR A VERTICAL AUGER
INVENTOR
Jack Hendriks
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is related to the field of interference knives for
use in mixer tubs for mixing environmental materials such as biosolids,
mortalities, wood, food, and vegetable waste, in particular, vertical mixer
tubs
having augers.
BACKGROUND
Vertical mixers are used for mixing material for agricultural and other
industrial applications. Such mixers can comprise a mixer tub containing one
or more vertical augers. Some augers can have blades mounted on the
auger flights to help cut the material during auger rotation while the auger
mixes the material.
Even with such blades, current mixers lack the ability to quickly and
efficiently cut and process certain coarse materials such as biosolids,
mortalities, wood, food and vegetable waste (herein after referred to as
"environmental materials"). It is, therefore, desirable to provide an
interference knife apparatus for use with a mixer to further aid in cutting
environmental material where the knife acts in combination with the blades to
provide a "scissor like" cutting action that is effective for cutting and
processing the material.
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SUMMARY
An interference knife apparatus for use in a vertical mixer tub is
provided. The mixer tub can comprise one or more vertical augers rotating
therein and a plurality of blades mounted on one or more flights on the
augers. The mixer tub can further comprise one or more access slots
extending through the sidewall of the mixer tub.
In one embodiment, the interference knife apparatus can comprise a
post having a longitudinal axis rotatably mounted on the outer sidewall of the
mixer. The post can comprise one or more knives disposed thereon, the
knives extending away from the post. In this embodiment, rotating the post
causes the knives to be moved into or out of the mixer tub through the access
slots depending on the direction of the post rotation. In a further
embodiment,
means to rotate the post are provided. In such embodiments, a telescoping
arm can be used to rotate the post. One end of the telescoping arm can be
mounted on the mixer tub outer sidewall whereas the other end can be
pivotally attached to a crank arm extending from the post. Extending the
length of the telescoping arm rotates the post and causes the knives to be
moved into the mixer tub through the access slots whereas contracting the
length of the telescoping arm can cause the knives to be moved out of the
mixer tub. In other embodiments, the telescoping arm can comprise a
hydraulic arm, a pneumatic ram or a screw-jack although it will be obvious to
those skilled in the art that other means for rotating the post can be used.
In
further embodiments, the knives can be oriented such that their cutting edges
face the cutting edges of the blades disposed on the auger flights. The
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position of the access slots on the mixer tub sidewall are selected whereby
the knives entering the mixer tub through the access slots are disposed
between the blades on the rotating auger. In these embodiments, the
combination of the knives with the auger blades can provide a "scissors-like"
cutting action for cutting the environmental material when the auger is
rotating
and mixing the material. The "scissors-like" cutting action is analogous to
scissor shearing can cut coarse environmental material to a more suitable
size and consistency.
The apparatus can be mounted on a mixer tub that, in turn, can be
mounted on a frame such as a trailer frame so that the mixer tub can be
hauled by a motor vehicle such as a tractor, a truck, etc. In other
embodiments, the mixer tub can be mounted on the frame of the motor
vehicle itself.
Broadly stated, an apparatus is provided for use with a vertical mixer
tub for mixing environmental material, the mixer tub comprising at least one
auger having a plurality of blades disposed thereon, the mixer tub further
comprising at least one access slot extending through the sidewall of the
mixer tub, the apparatus comprising: a post having first and second ends
defining a longitudinal axis therebetween; mounting means for rotatably
mounting the post to an outer sidewall of the mixer tub; rotation means for
rotating the post its longitudinal axis when mounted on the mixer tub; and at
least one knife extending from the post whereby the at least one knife is
configured to move through the at least one access slot into the mixer tub
when the apparatus is mounted on the outer sidewall of the mixer tub and the
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post is rotated about its longitudinal axis, the combination of the at least
one
knife and the auger blades provided a scissors-like cutting action for cutting
the livestock feed material when the auger is rotating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view depicting an interference knife apparatus
for use with a vertical mixer tub.
Figure 2 is a perspective view depicting a vertical mixer tub having the
apparatus of Figure 1 mounted on the outer sidewall of the mixer tub.
Figure 3 is a side elevation view depicting the mixer tub of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a top plan view depicting the mixer tub of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a side elevation view depicting the mixer tub of Figure 2
with the interference knives positioned outside of the access slots.
Figure 6 is a side elevation view depicting the mixer tub of Figure 2
with the interference knives extended through the access slots into the mixer
tub.
Figure 7 is a side elevation view depicting the interior of the mixer tub
of Figure 2 with the interference knives positioned outside of the access
slots.
Figure 8 is a side elevation view depicting the interior of the mixer tub
of Figure 2 with the interference knives extended through the access slots
into
the mixer tub.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figure 1, interference knife apparatus 1 for use with a
environmental material mixer is shown. In the embodiment, apparatus 1 can
comprise post 7 having a longitudinal axis. Disposed at each end of post 7
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are mounting means 8a and 8b. Mounting means 8a can comprise upper
bracket 10 and bearing pillow block 12. Mounting means 8b can comprise
lower bracket 9 and bearing pillow block 13. The pillow blocks can be
rotatably attached to post 7 to allow post 7 to rotate when brackets 10 and 9
are attached to a feed mixer. In the illustrated embodiment, pillow blocks 12
and 13 can be fastened to brackets 10 and 9 using bolts although it is obvious
to those skilled in the art that other fastening means can be used. It is also
obvious that the brackets and pillow blocks can be of unitary construction.
As shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, brackets 10 and 9 can be welded to
the outer sidewall of mixer tub 3 although brackets can be attached to mixer
tub 3 using any suitable fastening means as known to those skilled in the art.
Referring back to Figure 1, apparatus 1 can also comprise knife arms
extending from post 7. Attached at the end of each arm 15 is knife 14
having cutting edge 16. In the illustrated embodiment, two knives 14 extend
from post 7 although it is obvious to those skilled in the art that one or
more
knives 14 can be used. Apparatus 1 can also comprise means for rotating
post 7. In one embodiment, the means to rotate post 7 can comprise post
arm 19, ram 18 and ram mounting bracket 20. Post arm 19 extends from post
7 and can couple to ram 18 with pin 24. Ram 18 can be coupled to bracket
20, which can be attached to outer sidewall of a mixer tub by welding or other
suitable fastening means. Ram 18 acts as a telescoping arm that rotates post
7. In the illustrated embodiment, post 7 will rotate clockwise (when viewed
from above) when ram 18 is extended in length, and rotate counter-clockwise
ram 18 is contracted in length. Pin 21 can be secured by placing cotter pin 22
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through hole 23 after pin 21 has been inserted through holes on bracket 20
and ram 18. Pin 24 can similarly be secured although its cotter pin is not
shown in Figure 1. In the illustrated embodiment, ram 18 is a hydraulic ram
although alternatives such as pneumatic rams, screw-jacks or other similar
devices can be used to rotate post 7.
Referring to Figure 2, apparatus 1 is shown disposed on the outer
sidewall of mixer tub 3. As illustrated, discharge door 30 is raised in
opening
32 to reveal auger 4 having an auger flight 6 and a blade 5 disposed thereon.
Apparatus 1 is shown having knives 14 at the entrance of access slots 17.
Referring to Figure 3, apparatus 1 is shown having knives 14 extending into
mixer tub 3 through access slots 17 (not shown in this figure). Referring to
Figure 4, a top view of mixer tub 3 is shown with knives 14 extending through
access slots 17.
Referring to Figure 5, a representative embodiment of apparatus 1 is
shown mounted on the outer sidewall of mixer tub 3 where knives 14 are at
the entrance of access slots 17. In this embodiment, brackets 10 and 9 are
welded to the outer sidewall of mixer tub 3 with bearing pillow blocks 12 and
13 mounted to brackets 10 and 9, respectively, using bolts 11. Knives 14 are
shown attached to arms 15 using bolts 26. This allows knives 14 to be
replaced if they become worn although it should be obvious that knives 14
and arms 15 can be of unitary construction. Ram 18 is coupled to hydraulic
hoses 25 that provide a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic
fluid pump system (not shown) to extend and contract ram 18.
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Referring to Figure 6, ram 18 is shown in an extended position
whereby knives 14 are extending into mixer tub 3 through access slots 17.
Referring to Figures 7 and 8, mixer tub 3 is shown with knives 14 retracted
from and extending into the interior of mixer tub 3, respectively. When knives
14 are extended into mixer tub 3, cutting edges 16 are opposing the cutting
edges of blades 5 mounted on flights 6 of auger 4. Access slots 17 are
positioned on mixer tub 3 such that knives 14 are disposed above, below or
in-between blades 5 as auger 4 is rotating.
With this configuration of knives 4 and blades 5, the combination of
knives 14 and blades 5 provide a "scissors-like" cutting action to cut
environmental material in mixer tub 3 when auger 4 is rotating. Adjusting how
far knives 14 are extended into mixer tub 3 can affect how the environmental
material is cut. The use of a ram to control the knife movement allows the
knives to be moved to a desired position and kept in that position while auger
4 is rotating.
Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it will
be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and
modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the
invention. The terms and expressions used in the preceding specification
have been used herein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there
is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding
equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being
recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the
claims that follow.
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