Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for comminuting trash and the like, said apparatus comprising: a generally closed housing having at its top an inlet and at its bottom an outlet; a rotor in said housing rotatable about a horizontal axis and provided with at least one radially extending beater element; means for rotating said rotor about said axis in a predetermined rotational sense; an impact member in said housing generally above said axis and spaced radially from the orbit of said beater element, said inlet being upstream of said impact member relative to said sense; a crusher plate pivotally mounted in said housing generally below and downstream of said impact member; means for pivoting said crusher plate between an effective position spaced radially relatively close to said rotor and an ineffective position radially relatively far from said rotor; and a grate displaceable through a hole in a sidewall of said housing between a withdrawn position outside said housing and an operative position under and relatively closely spaced from said rotor at said outlet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for comminuting trash and the like, said apparatus comprising: a generally closed housing having at its top an inlet and at its bottom an outlet; a rotor in said housing rotatable about a horizontal axis and provided with at least one radially extending beater element; means for rotating said rotor about said axis in a predetermined rotational sense; an impact member in said housing generally above said axis and spaced radially from the orbit of said beater element, said inlet being upstream of said impact member relative to said sense; a crusher plate pivotally mounted in said housing generally below and downstream of said impact member; means for pivoting said crusher plate between an effective position spaced radially relatively close to said rotor and an ineffective position radially relatively far from said rotor; and a grate displaceable through a hole in a sidewall of said housing between a withdrawn position outside said housing and an operative position under and relatively closely spaced from said rotor at said outlet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means for closing said hole in said sidewall of said housing when said grate is in said withdrawn position and when said grate is in said operative position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said impact member is provided with a plurality of tearing teeth, said beater element being constituted by a plurality of axially spaced beater teeth engageable between said tearing teeth on rotation of said rotor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said housing has a stationary lower portion carrying said means for rotating and said rotor, and has an upper portion pivotal relative to said lower portion and carrying said impact member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said means for closing includes a flap pivoted on said sidewall and a pair of end plates on said grate, one of said end plates and said flap closing said hole in said sidewall in each of said positions of said grate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising a tearing comb in said housing between said outlet and said inlet and relative to said sense upstream of said inlet and downstream of said outlet, said means for rotating being reversible for rotating said rotor in a sense opposite the first-mentioned sense.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said rotor is provided with a plurality of such beater elements formed as a row of axially spaced teeth, said comb having a plurality of blades closely juxtaposable with the orbit of said teeth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said comb is displaceable between an inner position relatively close to said rotor and an outer position relatively far from said rotor and is provided with means for locking itself in either of said inner and outer positions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said means for closing includes a flap pivoted on said sidewall and a pair of end plates on said one of said end plates and said flap closing said hole in each of said positions of said grate and a hydraulic cylinder selectively engageable with said comb and with said flap for displacing same, one of said end plates and said flap closing said hole in said sidewall in each of said positions of said grate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said rotor is formed angularly offset from said beater element with an axially extending groove.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said crusher plate is radially closer to said rotor when in said effective position than said impact member.