Claims
- 1. A launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material, comprising:
a frame having a front portion and a rear portion; an upper compression roller and a lower compression roller operatively attached to the front portion of the frame, the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller being constructed and arranged to rotate in opposite directions, wherein the upper compression roller rotates at a peripheral speed faster than that of the lower compression roller; and a belt for transporting the compressible and non-compressible materials toward a pinch point located between the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, wherein when the compressible and non-compressible materials enter the pinch point and the non-compressible material is projected a small distance from the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, and the compressible material is projected a significant distance away from the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, thereby separating compressible material from non-compressible material.
- 2. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, further including an adjustment mechanism and a pivot operatively cooperating with one another for tilting the frame at an angle defining a launch angle, wherein the adjustment mechanism is operatively connected to the front portion of the frame and the pivot is operatively connected to the rear portion of the frame.
- 3. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a pivoting support pad threaded and adjustable with respect to a support base, wherein the pivoting support pad extends and retracts from the support base, thereby lifting and lowering the front portion of the frame, respectively.
- 4. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 3, wherein the pivot includes a top pivot support member operatively attached to a bottom of the frame, a bottom pivot support member and a pivot pin operatively connected and rotatable between the top pivot support member and the bottom pivot support member, thereby providing a pivot point when the adjustment mechanism is extended or retracted.
- 5. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 2, wherein the launch angle is between five and twenty degrees.
- 6. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 2, wherein the launch angle is at ten degrees.
- 7. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, wherein the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller are spaced apart from one another defining a clearance gap at the pinch point.
- 8. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 7, wherein the clearance gap is adjustable.
- 9. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 7, wherein the clearance gap is between 0.125 and 4 inches.
- 10. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, wherein the clearance gap is between 0.50 and 3 inches.
- 11. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, wherein the upper compression roller rotation speed is at between one and twenty times that of the lower compression roller.
- 12. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, wherein the upper compression roller rotates at ten times the speed of the lower compression roller.
- 13. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, further including a material delivery machine operatively connected between the belt of the launcher and an automobile shredder for supplying feed materials of compressible and non-compressible materials from the automobile shredder to the launcher.
- 14. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 13, wherein the material delivery machine is a vibratory conveyor.
- 15. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, wherein the belt is positioned around a drive pulley, a tail pulley, and a snub pulley, wherein the drive pulley rotates thereby moving the belt around the drive pulley, tail pulley, and snub pulley.
- 16. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, further including sensors located prior to the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller for sensing material back-up.
- 17. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, further including sensors located before and after the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller for sensing a discrepancy in input versus output of the compressible and non-compressible materials.
- 18. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, further including an adjustable splitter hopper having a first section proximate the upper and lower compression rollers and a second section distant from the upper and lower compression rollers for receiving the non-compressible materials in the first section and the projected compressible material in the second section.
- 19. The launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material according to claim 1, further including, assist rollers located between the belt and the upper and lower compression rollers for accelerating the compressible and non-compressible materials to the pinch point of the compression rollers of the launcher.
- 20. A launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material, comprising:
a frame having a front portion and a rear portion; an upper compression roller and a lower compression roller operatively attached to the front portion of the frame, wherein the upper compression roller rotates counterclockwise and the lower compression roller rotates clockwise; and assist rollers for transporting the compressible and non-compressible materials toward a pinch point located between the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, wherein when the compressible and non-compressible materials enter the pinch point and the non-compressible material is projected a small distance from the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, and the compressible material is projected a significant distance away from the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, thereby separating compressible material from non-compressible material.
- 21. A launcher for separating compressible material from non-compressible material, comprising:
a frame having a front portion and a rear portion; an upper compression roller and a lower compression roller operatively attached to the front portion of the frame, the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller rotate in opposite directions, and the upper compression roller rotates at a speed between two and twenty times that of the lower compression roller; and means for transporting the compressible and non-compressible materials toward a pinch point located between the upper compression roller and the lower compression roller, wherein when the compressible and non-compressible materials enter the pinch point and exit the rollers, the non-compressible material is projected a small distance from the rollers, and the compressible material is projected a significant distance away from the rollers, thereby separating compressible material from non-compressible material.
- 22. A method for separating compressible material from non-compressible material in a launcher, comprising the steps of:
transporting compressible and non-compressible material toward the launcher; applying pressure onto the compressible and the non-compressible material via an upper compression roller and a lower compression roller; projecting the compressible material at a distance greater than the non-compressible material, thereby separating the compressible material from the non-compressible material; and receiving the compressible material and the non-compressible material and maintaining the separation of the compressible material from the non-compressible material.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
60303123 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional application No. 60/303,123, filed 5 Jul. 2001.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US02/22154 |
6/25/2002 |
WO |
|