Integrated diverter and waste comminutor

Abstract

An integrated system for diverting and reducing the size of waste materials in an effluent stream comprising a frame having a bottom housing and a top housing and mountable in the stream. A grinder unit is mounted to the frame bottom housing and comprises a cutter assembly positioned in the stream and a drive mechanism coupled to the cutter assembly to rotate the cutter assembly. The drive mechanism may be electric or hydraulic. A screen unit is mounted to the frame. It may be a single screen or dual screens. The screen unit comprises a cylindrical screen rotating on a screen shaft having a screen shaft mounted on bottom housing of the frame and supporting the cylindrical screen. A drive assembly operable couples the drive mechanism to the screen shaft to rotate the cylindrical screen as the cutter assembly rotates. In operation with the screen unit positioned adjacent to the grinder unit it diverts solids in the effluent stream toward the grinder unit for size reduction. An auger-screen may be placed downstream for removal of large solids after size reduction.

We claim:  
     
       1. A system for diverting and reducing the size of waste materials in an effluent stream comprising: 
       a frame mountable in said stream;  
       a grinder unit mounted to said frame, said grinder unit comprising a cutter assembly positionable in said stream and a drive mechanism on said frame coupled to said cutter assembly to rotate said cutter assembly; and  
       a diverter unit mounted to said frame, said diverter unit comprising a waste material diverter rotatable on a shaft, said shaft mounted to said frame and positioned generally perpendicular to a direction of flow of said stream, and a drive assembly operably coupled to said drive mechanism to rotate said diverter unit as said cutler assembly rotates, wherein said diverter unit is positioned adjacent to said grinder unit to divert solids in said effluent stream toward said grinder unit for size reduction.  
     
     
       2. The system of claim  1  further comprising a side rail mounted in said frame adjacent said grinder unit, said side rail stabilizing said grinder unit in said frame and enhancing flow of liquid through said grinder unit. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim  1  wherein said drive mechanism comprises a power source producing a rotary output, a power transfer mechanism to rotate and cutler assembly and wherein said drive assembly comprises a first sprocket mounted to said shaft and a chain coupling said sprocket and said power transfer mechanism to rotate said screen  diverter unit. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim  3  wherein said grinder unit comprises a pair of cutter shafts having an array of interleaved cutter elements, said power transfer mechanism comprising a pinion on one of said shafts which is driven by said power source, the other of said shafts having a gear driven by said pinion and a second sprocket mounted on said other shaft. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim  3  wherein said power source is an electric motor. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim  3  wherein said power source is a hydraulic drive. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim  1  further comprising a second diverter unit mounted to said frame and driven by said drive mechanism, both of said diverter units positioned on adjacent sides of said grinder unit to divert solids in said effluent stream into said grinder unit. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim  1 , wherein said diverter unit comprises a screen, said screen having a cylinder with an open grid, a series of spaces to hold said cylinder to said shaft and wherein said cylinder and said cutter assembly have a common tangent defining the orientation of said diverter unit relative to said grinder unit. 
     
     
       9. The system of claim  1  wherein said shaft is journalled for rotation in said frame and a bearing assembly supporting said shaft. 
     
     
       10. The system of claim  1  wherein said grinder unit is journalled for rotation in said frame and a removable bearing and seal assembly supporting said grinder unit on said frame. 
     
     
       11. The system of claim  1  further comprising an auger-screen positioned immediately downstream of said grinder unit. 
     
     
       12. The system of claim  11 , wherein said auger-screen comprises an elongated tapered housing having a screen section and a trough at an upper end of said housing. 
     
     
       13. The system of claim  1 , wherein said diverter unit comprises a cylindrical unit having flow paths to permit fluid from said stream to pass therethrough as said cylindrical unit rotates, the periphery of said cylindrical unit having a series of diverting elements to contact and urge waste materials toward said grinder unit and not pass in said effluent stream. 
     
     
       14. An integrated system for diverting and reducing the size of waste materials in an effluent stream comprising: 
       a frame having a bottom housing and a top housing and mountable in said stream;  
       a grinder unit mounted to said frame bottom housing, said grinder unit comprising a cutter assembly positionable in said stream and a drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said cutter assembly to rotate said cutter assembly; and  
       a diverter unit mounted to said frame, said diverter unit comprising a cylindrical waste material diverter rotatable on a shaft, said shaft mounted on said bottom housing of said frame and supporting said cylindrical waste material diverter, and a drive assembly operably coupling said drive mechanism to said shaft to rotate said cylindrical waste material diverter as said cutter assembly rotates, wherein said diverter unit is positioned adjacent to said grinder unit to divert solids in said effluent stream toward said grinder unit for size reduction.  
     
     
       15. The system of claim  14  further comprising a side rail mounted in said frame adjacent said grinder unit and coupled to both said top and bottom housings, said side rail stabilizing said grinder unit in said frame and enhancing flow of liquid through said grinder unit. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim  14  wherein said drive mechanism comprises a power source producing a rotary output, a power transfer mechanism to rotate said cutter assembly and wherein said drive assembly comprises a first sprocket mounted to said shaft and a chain coupling said sprocket and said power transfer mechanism to rotate and diverter unit. 
     
     
       17. The system of claim  16  wherein said grinder unit comprises a pair of cutter shafts having an array of interleaved cutter elements, said power transfer mechanism comprising a pinion on one of said shafts which is driven by said power source, the other of said shafts having a gear driven by said pinion and a second sprocket mounted on said other shaft. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim  16  wherein said power source is an electric motor. 
     
     
       19. The system of claim  16  wherein said power source is a hydraulic drive. 
     
     
       20. The system of claim  14  further comprising a second diverter unit mounted to said frame and driven by said drive mechanism, both of said diverter units positioned on adjacent sides of said grinder unit to divert solids in said effluent stream into said grinder unit. 
     
     
       21. The system of claim  11   14 , wherein said diverter unit comprises a cylindrical screen with an open grid, a series of spaces to hold said cylindrical screen to said shaft and wherein said cylindrical screen and said cutter assembly have a common tangent defining the orientation of said diverter unit relative to said grinder unit. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim  14  wherein said shaft is journalled for rotation in said bottom housing and a bearing assembly supporting said shaft. 
     
     
       23. The system of claim  14 , wherein said grinder unit is journalled for rotation in said bottom housing, and a removable bearing and seal assembly position  is positioned in said bottom housing for supporting said grinder unit on said frame. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim  14  further comprising a guide plate mounted to said frame to channel materials in said effluent flow  stream towards said screen unit. 
     
     
       25. The system of claim  14  further comprising an auger-screen positioned immediately downstream of said grinder unit. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim  25 , wherein said auger-screen comprises an elongated tapered housing have  having a screen section and a trough at an upper end of said housing. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim  14 , wherein said cylindrical waste material diverter comprises a screening element having openings to allow liquid from said effluent stream to pass through and, on the periphery of said screening element a series of diverting elements to contact and urge waste materials towards said grinder unit and not pass in said effluent stream. 
     
     
       28. A system for diverting and reducing the size of solid waste materials in a liquid stream comprising: 
         a grinder unit positionable in the stream and comprising a cutter assembly for reduction in size of solid waste in the stream, said cutter assembly having dual shafts, and a motor operably coupled to said cutter assembly to rotate said dual shafts of said cutter assembly for counter - rotation,    
       
         a diverter unit positionable along side said grinder unit so that both said diverter unit and said grinder unit are positioned substantially transverse to the flow of fluid in said stream to independently block said solid waste material in the stream, said diverter unit having a moving diverter element, wherein solid waste in said stream contacting said diverter unit is diverted by movement of said diverter element transversely towards said grinder unit for size reduction while liquid in said stream passes through said diverter unit and solid waste in said stream directly contacting said grinder unit is also reduced in size. 
       
     
     
       29. The system of claim  28  further comprising a drive mechanism coupling said motor to said dual shafts of said cutter assembly, and a drive assembly for moving said diverter element, said drive assembly operably coupled to said drive mechanism to rotate said diverter element in the same direction as an adjacent shaft of said cutter assembly. 
     
     
       30. The system of claim  28  wherein said grinder unit comprises an array of interleaved cutter elements, said drive mechanism comprising a pinion mounted to one of said cutter shafts which is driven by said motor and the other of said cutter shafts having a gear driven by said pinion, whereby said cutter shafts counter- rotate.   
     
     
       31. The system of claim  28  further comprising a frame positioning said diverter unit and said grinder unit in said stream as an integral unit and a fixed flow path guide mounted to one side of said frame. 
     
     
       32. The system of claim  28  wherein said moving diverter element comprises a cylindrical screen. 
     
     
       33. The system of claim  28  further comprising a frame positionable in said stream, wherein said diverter unit and said grinder unit are mounted on said frame to form an integral assembly such that the axes of rotation of each shaft of said dual shaft cutter assembly lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to said flow in said stream. 
     
     
       34. The system of claim  28  further comprising another diverter unit having a diverter element for diverting solid waste towards said grinder unit, said grinder unit positioned between said diverter units and, a drive assembly to move respective diverter elements to divert solid waste transversely across said liquid stream toward said grinder unit. 
     
     
       35. The system of claim  34  further comprising a frame to mount said diverter units and said grinder unit and orient said diverter units and said grinder unit in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to the direction of fluid flow in said stream. 
     
     
       36. The system of claim  34  wherein each of said diverter units comprises a rotating screen. 
     
     
       37. A system for diverting and reducing the size of waste materials in a liquid stream comprising: 
       
         a frame positionable in the liquid stream,  
       
       
         a grinder unit mounted to said frame and comprising a cutter assembly and a drive mechanism coupled to said cutter assembly to rotate said cutter assembly;  
       
       
         a waste diverter mounted to said frame so that both said waste diverter and said grinder unit are positioned substantially transverse to the flow of liquid in said stream to independently block waste materials in said stream, said waste diverter having a moving element wherein solids in said stream contacting said waste diverter are directed by movement of said moving element towards said grinder unit for size reduction and solids in said stream directly contacting said grinder unit are also reduced in size. 
       
     
     
       38. The system of claim  37  further comprising a drive assembly for moving said moving element of said waste diverter and a motor for supplying power to said drive mechanism and said drive assembly. 
     
     
       39. The system of claim  38  wherein said grinder unit comprises dual shafts, an array of interleaved cutter elements on said shafts, said drive mechanism comprising a pinion mounted to one of said shafts which is driven by said motor and the other of said shafts having a gear driven by said pinion, whereby said shafts counter- rotate.   
     
     
       40. The system of claim  37  wherein said frame positioning said waste diverter and said grinder unit in said stream further comprises a flow diverter positioned adjacent said waste diverter such that solid waste may contact and be reduced in size by direct contact with said grinder unit and, solid waste in said stream contacts said flow diverter and is deflected across said flow of liquid towards said waste diverter. 
     
     
       41. The system of claim  40  wherein said flow diverter overlaps said waste diverter. 
     
     
       42. The system of claim  37  wherein said moving element comprises a cylindrical screen. 
     
     
       43. The system of claim  37  wherein said waste diverter and said grinder unit are mounted on said frame and a single motive source is mounted on said frame to power both said grinder unit and said waste diverter. 
     
     
       44. The system of claim  37  further comprising another waste diverter mounted on said frame, said another waste diverter having a moving element for directing solid waste towards said grinder unit, said grinder unit positioned between said waste diverters and, a drive assembly to move respective moving elements in a manner such that solid waste is diverted laterally inward toward said grinder unit. 
     
     
       45. The system of claim  44  wherein said waste diverters are mounted to said frame such that the moving elements are in alignment with each other and lie in a plane that extends substantially transverse to the flow of liquid in said stream. 
     
     
       46. The system of claim  44  wherein said grinder unit is aligned with said diverter units, and said grinder unit and said diverter units are arranged symmetrically in a direction transverse to the flow of liquid in said stream. 
     
     
       47. A system for diverting and reducing the size of solid waste materials in a liquid stream, comprising: 
       
         a frame positionable in the stream,  
       
       
         a cutter assembly mounted on said frame and having at least two shafts and a motor operably coupled to said cutter assembly to rotate said shafts in opposite directions; and  
       
       
         a diverter unit mounted on said frame and positioned to one side of said cutter assembly in a direction substantially transverse to a direction of flow of said stream, said diverter unit having a motor diverter element, wherein solid waste in the stream contacting said diverter unit is diverted by movement of said diverter element transversely across said stream towards said cutter assembly while liquid in said stream passes through said diverter unit. 
       
     
     
       48. The system of claim  47  wherein said diverter element comprises a rotating member. 
     
     
       49. A system for diverting and reducing the size of waste materials in a liquid stream comprising: 
       
         a frame positionable in the stream;  
       
       
         a grinder unit mounted to the frame and comprising a cutter assembly having at least two shafts and a drive mechanism coupled to said cutter assembly to rotate said shafts; and  
       
       
         a waste diverter mounted to said frame laterally of said grinder unit so that both said waste diverter and said grinder unit directly confront the flow of the stream and independently block waste materials in said stream, said diverter unit having a moving element that diverts solids in the stream laterally across said stream toward said grinder unit. 
       
     
     
       50. The system of claim  49  wherein said moving element comprises a rotating screen.