Solid waste comminutor with removable bearing assembly and improved side rails

Abstract

A solid waste material comminuting system having a electric motor for providing rotary motion, a pair of cutter stacks with cutter elements of one stack interleaved with cutter elements of the other, and gear means to transmit the rotary motion of the electric motor to counter-rotate cutter elements of one stack with cutter elements of the other. Each of the cutter stacks comprise a central shaft journaled for rotation and a bearing module at each end of the central shafts. Each bearing module comprises an end housing, and a pair of insertable preassembled bearing assemblies mountable in each of said end housings. One bearing assembly has a thru-hole for journaling a first shaft for rotation and a second bearing assembly has a thru-hole for journaling a second shaft for rotation. The housing has an inspection port at the top to allow for tightening of the cutter stack. The device employs side rails having interleaved and smooth portions to guide solids to the cutter stack and to accelerate the flow of fluid around the outside of the cutters.

We claim:  
     
       1. Apparatus for comminuting solid waste material comprising: 
       drive means for providing rotary motion, a pair of cutter stacks with cutter elements of one stack interleaved with cutter elements of the other, and gear means to transmit the rotary motion of said drive means into counter-rotation of cutter elements of one stack with cutter elements of the other, each of said cutter stacks comprising a central shaft journaled for rotation proximate each end,  
       means to tighten each of said cutter stacks positioned on said stacks proximate to said gear means, and  
       an access port providing direct access to said means to tighten without disassembly of any portion of said drive means.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
       a seal-bearing assembly at each end comprising an end housing, a pair of insertable pre-assembled bearing elements mountable in each of said end housings, one bearing element having a thru-hole for journaling a first shaft for rotation and a second bearing element having a thru-hole for journaling a second shaft for rotation and a seal for each of said first and second bearing elements to provide fluid isolation between said end housing.  
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a labyrinth positioned on top of both bearing elements, said labyrinth insertable onto said end housing and having a flange conforming in shape to a portion of each end assembly proximate to said cutter stacks. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim  1   2 , wherein each of said preassembled bearing elements comprises a seal cartridge, a spring mounted on the seal cartridge, a dynamic race biased by said spring, a bearing cartridge, a static race mounted on said bearing cartridge, a bearing mounted in said bearing cartridge and means to secure said bearing in said bearing element and to urge said static race into contact with said dynamic race. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising seal means to fluid isolate said bearing from said static race. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising spring means to bias said bearing cartridge in said end housing. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 4 , further a spring to bias said static race and provide axial float for said static and dynamic races. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a side rail positioned on sides of comminutor adjacent to said cutter stacks to direct and accelerate fluid flow around said cutter elements while directing entrained solids in said flow toward said cutter stack. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each of said side rails comprise a series of generally parallel horizontal grooves and projections juxtaposed with an adjacent cutter stack at an upstream side of said comminutor and having a smooth surface at a downstream side to reduce surface friction. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein each of said side rails extends from the top of said cutter stack to the bottom of the cutter stack to stiffen said comminutor. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a labyrinth mountable on an end housing and protruding in part into an enfluent stream, said labyrinth having a bearing surface that causes said labyrinth to elastically deform and compensate for variations in cutter stack height. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a side rail positioned adjacent each of said cutter stacks, said side rails having a slotted upstream side to divert solids into said cutter stacks and smooth downstream side to accelerate the flow of water away from said cutter stacks. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a seal- bearing assembly disposed on each central shaft to isolate ends of said shafts, each of an end seals positioned in said housing . 
     
     
       14. A solid waste material comminuting system comprising: 
       an electric motor for providing rotary motion, a pair of cutter stacks with cutter elements of one stack interleaved with cutter elements of the other, and gear means to transmit the rotary motion of said electric motor to counter-rotate cutter elements of one stack with cutter elements of the other, each of said cutter stacks comprising a central shaft journaled for rotation, a seal-bearing module at each end of the central shafts, each seal-bearing module comprising an end housing, and a pair of insertable preassembled bearing assemblies mountable in each of said end housings, one bearing assembly having a thru-hole for journaling a first shaft for rotation and a second  another bearing assembly having a thru-hole for journaling a second shaft for rotation and a seal for each of said bearing assemblies to isolate it  the bearing assemblies from said end housing and, a side rail positioned outside of each cutter element to divert solids into said cutter elements at an upstream side.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus  system of  claim 14 , wherein each of said pre-assembled bearing assemblies comprises a seal cartridge, a spring mounted on the seal cartridge, a dynamic race biased by said spring, a bearing cartridge, a static race mounted on said bearing cartridge, a bearing mounted in said bearing cartridge and means to secure said bearing in said bearing assembly. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus  system of  claim 15  further comprising seal means to fluid isolate said bearing from said static race. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus  system of  claim 15  further comprising spring means to bias said bearing cartridge in said end housing. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus  system of  claim 14  further comprising a labyrinth positioned on top of both bearing assemblies to provide a wear interface between said bearing assemblies and an enfluent flow, said labyrinth conforming to a portion of each end housing to provide a removable mounting surface. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus  system of  claim 14  further comprising a top housing having an inspection port relative to said gear means for tightening each of said stacks. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus  system of  claim 14 , further comprising a spring to bias said static race and provide axial float for said static and dynamic races. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus  system of  claim 14  further comprising seal means carried by each of said shafts and positioned in each of said thru-holes to provide fluid isolation for the ends of each of said shafts. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus  system of  claim 14  wherein each side rail has a first portion interleaved  juxtaposed  with an adjacent cutter stack and a second portion downstream of the first portion to accelerate flow around said cutter stack. 
     
     
       23. Apparatus for comminuting solid waste material comprising: 
         drive means for providing rotary motion, a pair of cutter stacks with cutter elements of one stack interleaved with cutter elements of the other, and gear means to transmit the rotary motion of said drive means into counter - rotation of cutter elements of one stack with cutter elements of the other, each of said cutter stacks comprising a central shaft journaled for rotation proximate each end; and    
       
         at least one side rail adjacent a cutter stack to direct fluid flow around said cutter elements of said stack while directing entrained solids in the flow toward said cutter stack, wherein  
       
       
         said side rail comprising a series of generally parallel horizontal grooves and projections juxtaposed with the adjacent cutter stack at an upstream side of the comminuting apparatus and having a smooth surface at a downstream side to reduce surface friction. 
       
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , comprising side rails adjacent to each of said cutter stacks, said side rails each comprising a series of generally parallel horizontal grooves and projections juxtaposed with the adjacent cutter stacks at an upstream side of the comminuting apparatus and having a smooth surface at a downstream side to reduce surface friction. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
       
         means to tighten each of said cutter stacks positioned on said stacks proximate said gear means; and  
       
       
         an access port providing direct access to said means to tighten without disassembly of any portion of said drive means. 
       
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
         a seal - bearing module at each end of the central shafts, each seal - bearing module comprising an end housing, and a pair of insertable preassembled bearing assemblies mountable in each of said end housing, one bearing assembly having a thru - hole for journaling a first shaft for rotation and another bearing assembly having a thru - hole for journaling a second shaft for rotation and a seal for each of said bearing assemblies to isolate the bearing assemblies from said end housing.   
     
     
       27. A solid waste material comminuting system comprising: 
         a motor for providing rotary motion, a pair of cutter stacks with cutter elements of one stack interleaved with cutter elements of the other, and a gear to transmit the rotary motion of said motor to counter - rotate cutter elements of one stack with cutter elements of the other, each of said cutter stacks comprising a central shaft journaled for rotation; and    
       
         a side rail positioned outside of the cutter elements of one of said stacks to divert solids into said cutter elements at an upstream side, wherein  
       
       
         said side rail has a first portion juxtaposed with the stack and a second portion downstream of the first portion to direct flow around the stack. 
       
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 27 , comprising side rails positioned outside of the cutter elements of both stacks to divert solids into the cutter elements at an upstream side, said side rails each having a first portion juxtaposed with the stacks and a second portion downstream of the first portion to direct flow around the stacks. 
     
     
       29. The system of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
       
         means to tighten both cutter stacks positioned on the stacks proximate said gear; and  
       
       
         an access port providing direct access to said means to tighten without disassembly of any portion of said motor. 
       
     
     
       30. The system of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
         a seal - bearing module at each end of the central shafts, each seal - bearing module comprising an end housing, and a pair of insertable preassembled bearing assemblies mountable in each of said end housings, one bearing assembly having a thru - hole for journaling a first shaft for rotation and another bearing assembly having a thru - hole for journaling a second shaft for rotation and a seal for each of said bearing assemblies to isolate the bearing assemblies from said end housing.