Grinding apparatus
[ Apr. 15, 1975 United States Patent 1191 Harris GRINDING APPARATUS Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-E. F. Desmond .m a t n m5 2 007 2a 3 mm m. n o t n C r. nu mB .m CP n o t n e V n l 6 7 [22] Filed: Dec. 13, 1973 ABSTRACT 211 Appl. No.: 414,717  
 A driven drum having an oval configuration with a series of slots provided therein is adapted to receive ma- M 4 W8 Mk 4 :0 oam 4 2 3 &#34;c 24 &#34;02 M mmh &#34;&#34;c l 3 &#34;Ne uns new l IM k UmF Hum 555 Ill of cutter blades sequentially extend through the drum [56] References Cited slots and grind articles within the drum. The drum and UNITED STATES PATENTS gangs of blades are surrounded by an enclosure provided with an opening for directing the ground particles to a conveyor.  
 633.486 9/1899 Radcr et al. 241/85 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 682.451 2/1930 241/85 9 3 D&#39;awmg F&#39;gures PATENTEDAPR 1 519. 5  
 sum 1 p 2 GRINDING APPARATUS BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for grinding or shredding cans, paper, wood, etc. and more particularly to the grinding of vehicle tires into substantially a powdered form. The rubber can be recycled and converted into various products or the ground particles can be used as fillers in various compositions.  
  Briefly, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a driven drum for receiving tires therein. A plurality of rotary blades are mounted around the drum and upon drum rotation. the driven blades selectively pass through slots in the rotating drum periphery for grinding into small particles the tires or other material within the drum. The drum is generally oval in crosssectional configuration whereby each blade extends into a slot for cutting for a prescribed period of time and then passes outwardly of the slots, upon drum rotation, to permit the blade to cool before again projecting to the inner periphery of the drum through the slot. The gangs of blades and drums are enclosed within a housing and the ground particles pass through the drum slots or other openings and through an opening in the housing onto a conveyor.  
  One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for grinding material, particularly vehicle tires, into small particles.  
  Another object of the invention is the provision of a tire grinding apparatus capable of cutting the rubber as well as metal or other reinforcing material.  
  A further object of the invention is the provision of a grinding apparatus having a plurality of cutting blades provided with saw teeth. the cutting blades intermittently cutting the tires during drum rotation.  
  Still another object of the invention is the provision of a machine for grinding tires into powdered form quickly and efficiently.  
  Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when considered in view of the following detailed description.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating the drum and drive means therefor, selected series of cutter blades extending through slots in the drum and a conveyor for receiving the ground particles;  
  FIG. 2 is a schematic front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, illustrating the oval configuration of the rotatable drum and the location of series of cutter blades around the drum and with a predetermined number of cutter blades projecting through slots into the drums; and  
  FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the drum is generally vertically disposed.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral represents the tire grinding apparatus which includes a rotary drum l2, cutting assemblies 14, and housing 16 all mounted upon a base structure 18.  
  The drum 12 is fixedly secured to an elongated shaft 20 which extends through an opening in plate 22 and is supported by a bearing assembly 24 attached to an LII upstanding member 26 of base structure 18. The shaft 20 is coupled to and driven from a motor 28 which also is secured to a support member 30 of base structure 18. The drum 12 is generally elliptical in cross-sectional configuration, as shown most clearly by FIG. 2, having a major diameter X and a minor diameter Y. Spaced, aligned series of slots 32 are provided in the drum outer periphery for receiving rotary disk 34 of the cutter assemblies 14. Series of slots are located in diametrically opposite sections of the drum, the opposed sections defining the drum major diameter. The particular length of the slots may vary depending upon the size of the rotary cutter disk 34, the particular drum configuration, etc. However, in the embodiment illustrated approximately one-half of the drum is slotted around the periphery. The opposed slotted wall sections are spaced by integral solid wall sections. The drum includes an open end for receiving tires or other articles and the opposite end is closed by a plate 36 secured to the shaft 20.  
  While the drum illustrated is oval or elliptical, it is to be understood that various drums of non-circular or irregular configurations may be used provided that a plurality of blades are positioned within the drum slots while other blades are positioned outwardly of the drum for cooling purposes.  
  Cutting assemblies 14 are spaced at selected intervals around the drum 12. Each cutter assembly includes a gang of rotary saw blades 34, each having a series of teeth spaced about the outer periphery, which are mounted upon a shaft 38. The blades 34 are fixed for rotation with the shaft in any suitable manner and are maintained in spaced, parallel alignment by spacers 40. Each shaft 38 is rotatably mounted in bearings, not shown, and supported adjacent one end by plate 22 and adjacent the opposite end by ring 42. The shafts 38 and cutter blades 34 are individually driven by motors 44 attached to the plate 22. The spacers 40 maintain the blades 34 in alignment with the slots 32 and the drum 12. The spacing between the slots 32 and blades 34 may vary depending upon the desired results.  
  The plate 22 which supports the cutter assembly motors 44 is mounted upon base structure 18. Brace members 46 also extend between the plate 22 and the base structure 18 for rigidity.  
  In addition to the plate 22, the housing 16 includes a cylindrical hood 48 encircling the drum 12 and cutter blades 34 and having opposite ends attached to the plate 22 and to the ring 42. The outer end of the housing is closed by a door 50 hinged at 52 to the ring 42. The handle 54 is provided for locking the door in the closed position.  
  In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the housing 16 and drum 12 are mounted upon the base structure 18 and disposed at an angle of approximately 15 20 with respect to the horizontal. With the door 50 in the open, broken line position of FIG. 1, the drum serves as a ramp for facilitating the rolling of tires into the drum. As the tires are cut into small particles by the blades, the particles fall through the slots 32 in the rotating drum and onto the inner periphery of the housing hood 48. Due to the inclination of the hood, the particles move rearwardly of the apparatus and fall through a large opening 56 and onto a conveyor 58 for transporting the particles to a selected location.  
  A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated by FIG. 2 wherein the housing 60 and drum 62 are vertically disposed having the upper ends open for receiving tires therein. The drum 62 is oval and substantially identical to the drum 12 of FlGS. l and 2 having slots 63 therein for receiving the rotary blades 64 of cutter assemblies 66. The cutter assemblies 66 are substantially the same as the cutter assemblies 14, each having a plurality of spaced. rotary blades aligned with the drum slots 63 and driven by motor 68 through gearing 70. The cutter assemblies 66 are supported upon a base support structure 72.  
  The lower end of drum 62 is defined by a plate 74 having a ring gear 76 attached thereto. The drum plate 62 is supported by a bearing assembly 78 for rotation upon stationary member 80 of the base structure 72. The drum 62, having the ring gear 76 secured thereto, is driven by a motor 88 and pinion 84.  
  A series of small openings 86 are located in the rotating drum plate 74 for permitting small particles to pass therethrough for discharge onto a funnel-shaped guide 88 and subsequently to conveyor 90. Particles thrown through the slots 63 during the grinding operation are confined by the housing 60 and fall onto the funnel-like guide 88.  
  A cone-shaped member 92 is mounted within the drum 62 upon rotatable plate 74 for directing the tires and tire segments outwardly into engagement with the cutter blades 64.  
  A top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 would appear substantially as shown by FIG. 2 with the drum 62 being oval. a plurality of cutter assemblies 66 being arranged generally in a circle around the drum and with the drum and cutter assemblies being enclosed by the housing 60. The upper end of the drum 62 may be closed by a door. if required. The speed of the cutter blade motors 44, 68 and drum motors 28, 82, may be varied. In one embodiment, the cutter blades may be driven at approximately 3,000-3,5OO rpm while the drum rotates at approximately 4080 rpm. The cutter blades may be lO-l2 inches in diameter and protrude into the drum slots a maximum distance of approximately one inch.  
  During operation of the apparatus, the oval drum rotates and the slots sequentially receive the blades of each cutter assembly, the blades being rotatable about fixed axes. Such action permits intermittent cooling of the blades. For example, in FIG. 2, the blades of the uppermost and lowermost cutter assemblies adjacent the drum maximum diameter X extend through the drum slots to grind tires within the drum. The blades of the other six remaining cutter assemblies are located outwardly of the drum permitting the blades to cool. As the drum rotates. the drum slots move from the uppermost and lowermost cutter assembly blades to receive the cooled blades of the other cutter assemblies.  
 I claim:  
  1. A grinding apparatus comprising a support frame, a drum of unitary construction mounted for rotation upon said support frame. means for driving said drum. a plurality of cutter assemblies mounted in spaced, parallel relation around the outer periphery of said drum, each said cutter assembly including at least one blade. said rotatable drum having an irregular cross-sectional configuration and defining a plurality of spaced, aligned, blade-receiving slots in selected areas of the periphery, said drum slots sequentially receiving therein the blades of said cutter assemblies upon drum rotation to grind material within the drum, said drum cross-sectional configuration being irregular with slots provided therein such that the blades of selected cutter assemblies extend through said slots into said unitary drum while the blades of other cutter assemblies are positioned outwardly of said drum.  
  2. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said cutter assemblies includes a plurality of axially aligned blades maintained in spaced. parallel relationupon a shaft.  
  3. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each cutter assembly includes a motor for driving said blades.  
  4. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 1, and further including a housing encompassing said drum and said cutter assemblies.  
  5. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 4, and further including means for directing the ground material from said housing to a conveyor.  
  6. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said drum has an oval cross-sectional configuration. the drum major diameter receiving within said slots the blades of opposed cutter assemblies while the drum minor diameter does not extend to the blades of other cutter assemblies.  
  7. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of cutter assemblies includes a blade support shaft extending parallel with said drum axis, said shafts being arranged generally in a circle outwardly of said drum.  
  8. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said drum and cutter assemblies are vertically disposed, and further including a cone-shaped means within said drum for directing material to be ground to said cutter blades.  
  9. A grinding apparatus as recited in claim 1, and further including a housing encompassing the blades of said cutter assemblies and said drum, and door means for closing one end of said drum, said door means being displaceable to a selected position to facilitate loading of material into said drum.