Rotary drum type litter separating apparatus

Abstract

In a rotary drum type litter separating apparatus including a cylindrical unit supported rotatably and having a peripheral surface formed in a mesh form as a part of the cylindrical unit, the cylindrical unit includes a bottomed part which closes one end of the cylindrical unit and a loaning/unloading port which opens the other end of the cylindrical unit, and a mesh part which is a detachable separate member is further attached to an outer periphery of the cylindrical unit. The litter separating apparatus is capable of separating various kinds of litter of different sizes from sand, thereby reliably collecting the litter. Moreover, the mesh part can be replaced easily. Thus, the workability is improved, and the man-hour is reduced. Such litter separating apparatus is capable of efficiently collecting various kinds and different sizes of litter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary drum type litter separating apparatus, comprising:
 a cylindrical unit having a peripheral surface thereof formed in a mesh form, said cylindrical unit including a bottomed part which closes one end of the cylindrical unit and a loading/unloading port which opens the other end of the cylindrical unit; and   a mesh part attached to an outer periphery of the cylindrical unit;   wherein said mesh part is a detachable separate member.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said mesh part comprises hooks provided on opposite end sides thereof;   the mesh part is arranged such that said mesh part wraps around the cylindrical unit; and   the opposite end sides of the mesh part are connected by using said hooks.   
     
     
         3 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a mesh size of the mesh part is finer than a mesh size of the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a mesh size of the mesh part is finer than a mesh size of the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rotational drive mechanism provided on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit around a central portion in a height direction of the cylindrical unit;
 wherein the mesh part is detachably attached to a portion of an outer periphery of the cylindrical unit excluding the rotational drive mechanism.   
     
     
         6 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a rotational drive mechanism provided on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit around a central portion in a height direction of the cylindrical unit;
 wherein the mesh part is detachably attached to a portion of an outer periphery of the cylindrical unit excluding the rotational drive mechanism.   
     
     
         7 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising a rotational drive mechanism provided on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit around a central portion in a height direction of the cylindrical unit;
 wherein the mesh part is detachably attached to a portion of an outer periphery of the cylindrical unit excluding the rotational drive mechanism.   
     
     
         8 . The rotary drum type litter separating apparatus according  claim 1 , further comprising a support frame;
 wherein said cylinder unit is rotatably supported on said support frame.   
     
     
         9 . A litter separating apparatus comprising:
 a support frame;   a cylindrical unit rotatably supported on said frame member, said cylindrical unit having a peripheral surface thereof formed in a mesh form; and   a mesh part formed separately from the cylindrical unit, and arranged such that said mesh part wraps around the cylindrical unit, said mesh part being formed in a mesh form having a mesh size different from a mesh size of the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit.   
     
     
         10 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said cylindrical unit comprises a bottomed part which closes one end of the cylindrical unit, and a loading/unloading port which opens the other end of the cylindrical unit. 
     
     
         11 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 said mesh part comprises a plurality of hooks provided on opposite end sides thereof;   opposite end sides of the mesh part are connected to each other by using said hooks.   
     
     
         12 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein a mesh size of the mesh part is finer than a mesh size of the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit. 
     
     
         13 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a rotational drive mechanism arranged substantially around a peripheral central portion of the cylindrical unit;
 wherein the mesh part is arranged around an outer periphery of the cylindrical unit excluding said peripheral central portion of the cylindrical unit.   
     
     
         14 . A litter separating apparatus, comprising
 a cylindrical unit having an outer periphery thereof formed in a mesh form;   a blade arranged inside said cylindrical unit; and   a mesh part formed in a mesh form and arranged around the outer periphery of the cylindrical unit;   wherein said blade has a spiral shape.   
     
     
         15 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said mesh part is formed separately from said cylindrical unit. 
     
     
         16 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said blade includes
 a first flat portion;   a first bent portion connected to the first flat portion;   a second flat portion connected to the first bent portion; and   a second bent portion connected to the second flat portion.   
     
     
         17 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said cylindrical unit comprises a bottomed part which closes one end of the cylindrical unit, and a loading/unloading port which opens the other end of the cylindrical unit; and   said blade is arranged inside the cylindrical unit such that the first flat portion and the second bent portion of said blade are disposed on the loading/unloading port side and the bottomed part side, respectively.   
     
     
         18 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said blade is configured such that the first flat portion and the second flat portion form an acute angle therebetween; and
 the second flat portion and a tangent line of the second bent portion at its tip also form an acute angle therebetween.   
     
     
         19 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising another blade;
 wherein said blades are arranged symmetrically with respect to a rotation axis of the cylindrical unit, and are arranged obliquely with respect to a height direction of the cylindrical unit.   
     
     
         20 . The litter separating apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said first bent portion is bent from the first flat portion to the second flat portion; and   a length of the first flat portion and the first bent portion in a height direction of the cylindrical unit is less than a length of the second flat portion and the second bent portion.