GB2362113A

GB2362113A - Heated agitator for crushing colloidal fermented garbage

Info

Publication number: GB2362113A
Application number: GB0111128A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pil Soon Han; Kyu Ahm Lee; Ho Il Jang; Chang Mook Lee; Byung Kyun Oh; Hyung Soo Kim
Original assignee: GAIA CO Ltd
Current assignee: GAIA CO Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-08
Filing date: 2001-05-08
Publication date: 2001-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2021-05-08
Also published as: KR20010102716A; KR100337474B1; GB0111128D0; GB2362113B

Abstract

The agitator is used for agitating and crushing garbage, rubbish, or trash so as to dry the material in garbage treatment systems. The agitator comprises two cylindrical agitating tanks 10, 20, (Fig 3) 110, 120 (Fig 7) are horizontally positioned in parallel with each other, with a rotating shaft 11, 21 (Fig 3), 111, 121 (Fig 7) installed along a central axis of each of the two agitating tanks. A heater (3, Fig 1) heats the garbage as it is agitated. Agitating rods 12, 22 (Fig 3), 112, 122 (Fig 7) are attached to each of the rotating shafts within the agitating tanks. Paddles 13, 23 or impellers (210, 220, 230, 240, Fig 6) with curved blades 131, 132 (Fig 3), 231, 232 (Fig 7) are rotatably held by the agitating rods within each tank. Fixed crushing protrusions 15, 25, (Fig 3) P, (Fig 7) are formed on the inner surfaces of the tanks at positions around the junction ridge of the two tanks, while the paddles or the impellers are notched at positions corresponding to the crushing protrusions. The notched paddles or the notched impellers pass over the crushing protrusions during a rotating action of the rotating shafts within the agitating tanks while crushing the fermented products introduced into gaps between the notches and protrusions.

Description

23621 '1 3 AGITATOR The present invention relates to agitators used for

agitating garbage to quickly dry the garbage in garbage treatment systems and, more particularly, to an agitator for such systems, designed to crush colloidal fermented products during a garbage agitating process.

A drying fermentation apparatus for treating garbage typically includes an agitator used for forcibly agitating the garbage to quick and effective dry the garbage 0 In 1t5 during its operation. A conventional drying fermentation apparatus has a heating unit at a position under an agitator, into which completely fermented garbage slurry is taken during an operation of the fermentation. The heating unit heats the garbage slurry within the agitator to dry the garbage slurry. However, the heating effect of the heating unit for the garbage slurry may be not uniform since the unit overheats the part of the garbage slurry positioned close to the unit, but fails to desirably or completely heat another part positioned away from it. Therefore, it is almost impossible for the conventional drying fermentation to uniformly or desirably dry the garbage during a garbage agitating process.

In an effort to overcome the above-mentioned problem, an agitator having a motor-operated rotating shaft axially installed therein and a plurality of agitating rods perpendicularly attached to the rotating shaft, has been proposed and used. During an operation of the agitator with the rotating shaft, the agitating rods of the shaft agitate garbage in accordance with a rotation of the motor-operated rotating shaft.

However, the above agitator having a motor-operated rotating shaft is 1 problematic as follows. That is, when the moisture content of garbage slurry within the agitator is reduced to about 50 - 60% of the original moisture content during a garbage drying and agitating process, the garbage slurry becomes a clay-like phase, thus overloading the agitating rods of the rotating shaft rotated in the garbage within the agitator. Due to such overload applied to the agitating rods of the rotating shaft, the shaft cannot be smoothly rotated, and may sometimes stop its rotating action. In such a case, it is impossible to accomplish the desired operational effect of the agitator. The overload acting on the rotating shaft also damages the operational function of the agitator.

When the garbage within the agitator is heated without being effectively or smoothly agitated, it is impossible to desirably or completely heat and dry the part of the garbage positioned away from the heating unit. The fermented garbage therefore does not accomplish a uniformly dried state. In addition, when some colloidal fermented products are dried without being sufficiently agitated, the colloidal fermented products are left within the agitator without being crushed while forming bulky lumps of fermented products. Such bulky lumps of fermented products may damage or deform the rotating shaft or the agitating rods with the impact of a variety of solid and hard impurities, such as plastic pieces included in the garbage, thus causing severe damage to the agitator.

In addition, it is necessary to use a separate crusher for crushing the bulky lumps of fermented products into powder prior to distributing the fermented products.

However, such separate crusher is very expensive, thus forcing the owner of the garbage treatment system to pay excessive money for the separate crusher in addition to the agitator.

2 0 ; 1 Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art. The present invention seeks to provide an agitator, which is used for agitating garbage to quickly dry the garbage in a garbage treating system, and which crushes colloidal fermented products during a garbage agitating 5 process.

In particular, the present invention seeks to provide an agitator used for agitating garbage to quickly dry the garbage in garbage treatment systems. In the agitator, two agitating tanks are horizontally positioned in parallel with each other, with a plurality of paddles or impellers rotationally provided within each tank to more effectively agitate the fermented garbage within each tank. In addition, a plurality of fixed crushing protrusions are formed on the inner surfaces of the agitating tanks at positions around the junction ridge of the two tanks, while the paddles or the impellers are notched at positions corresponding to the crushing protrusions. It is thus possible for the agitator of this invention to effectively crush the colloidal fermented garbage.

During an operation of the agitator, the garbage crushing action occurs at a position around the high temperature junction ridge of the two tanks, and so it is possible to effectively crush solid and hard pieces, such as plastic pieces, included in the garbage. Since the agitator of this invention is provided with a garbage crushing means, the I C) I'D agitator does not force the owner of a garbage treatment system to purchase any 20 separate garbage crusher. This agitator thus improves the operational efficier)cy of the garbage treatment systems, in addition to improving its operational performance.

In the primary embodiment of this invention, the agitator comprises first and second cylindrical agitating tanks partially opened at their side walls to form opened portions, and integrated into a single structure at the opened portions; a rotating shaft 3 axially installed along the central axis of each of the first and second agitating tanks; a plurality of agitating rods attached to each of the rotating shafts within the agitating tanks, with a paddle attached to the end of each of the agitating rods, each of the paddles positioned around the opposite ends of the first and second tanks having one or more notches at its outside edge; and a plurality of crushing protrusions provided on the inner surface of the side wall of each of the agitating tanks at positions around the junction ridge of the tanks and corresponding to the notches, with the number of the protrusions being equal to that of the notches, whereby the notched paddles pass over the crushing protrusions during a rotating action of the rotating shafts within the agitating tanks while crushing, the fermented products introduced into gaps between the notches and protrusions.

In the agitator, the rotating shafts have opposite rotating directions. The paddles of the agitating rods of the first and second agitating tanks are moved toward opposite tanks during a rotating action of the agitating rods upward from the lower portion to the upper portion of the agitating tanks. In addition, the junction ridge is positioned under the rotating shafts within the first and second agitating tanks, and so the paddles effectively feed the garbage between the first and second tanks during an operation of the agitator.

In the second embodiment of this invention, the agitator comprises a sealed housing, with the bottom wall of the housing designed to form two parallel semicircular parts defining first and second agitating tank parts within the housing; a rotating shaft axially installed along the central axis of each of the first and second agitating tank parts; a plurality of agitating rods attached to each of the rotating shafts within the agitating tank parts while being spaced apart from each other at regular intervals; two 4 helical impellers having different spiral directions, and held by ends of the agitating rods within each of the agitating tank parts, the impellers having a plurality of notches at positions around the agitating rods; and a plurality of crushing protrusions provided on the inner surface of the side wall of the sealed housing at positions around the junction ridge of the first and second tank parts and corresponding to the notches, whereby the notched impellers pass over the crushing protrusions during a rotating action of the rotating shafts within the agitating tank parts while crushing the fermented products introduced into gaps between the notches and protrusions.

In the agitator of the second embodiment, the acritating rods are perpendicularly I - attached to each of the rotating shafts, the agitating rods being formed such that they transversely penetrate the rotating shaft or are separately attached to the shaft at opposite sides, and each of the agitating rods of each rotating shaft being angularly I I spaced apart from neighboring agitating rods of the same shaft at angles of 90'.

In addition, the two impellers, provided on each of the rotating shafts, comprise I =1 1 5 a plurality of curved blades. The curved blades are held by the agitating, rods of the shaft such that two first curved blades extend from the opposite sides of the outer end of an upper rod part of each vertical rod to the ends of inside and outside rod parts of neighboring horizontal rods. Two second curved blades extend from opposite sides of the outer end of the lower rod part of each vertical rod to ends of the outside and inside rod parts of the neighboring horizontal rods.

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an agitator in accordance with the primary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a view of the agitator seen from the position 'W' of FIG. 1, and shows the internal construction of the first agitating tank of the agitator; FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion "B" of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an agitator in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the agitator according to the second embodiment of this invention; FIG. 6 is a view of the agitator seen from the position "C" of FIG. 5 and shows the internal construction of the agitator; and Zn FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion "D" of FIG. 6.

Reference now should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an agitator 1 in accordance with the primary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view of the agitator 1 seen from the position 'W' of FIG. 1, and shows the internal construction of the first agitating tank 10 of the agitator 1. This agitator 1 includes first and second agitating tanks 10 and 20. In the agitator 1, the first and second agitating tanks 10 and 20 have the same internal construction, but are different from each other in their sizes.

In a detailed description, the agitator 1 of this invention has two agitating tanks:

the first and second agitating tanks 10 and 20, which have cylindrical shapes and are set 6 within a housing 2. The second tank 20 is smaller than the first tank 10. The two agitating tanks 10 and 20 are horizontally and parallel set within the housing 2, and are open at their tops so as to receive fermented garbage slurry through the open tops.

c _n A motor-operated rotating shaft 11 or 21 is axially installed along the central axis of each of the two agitating tanks 10 and 20, with a heating unit 3 installed at a position W In under the two agitating tanks 10 and 20. The heating unit 3 is used for heating =P 1 c 1:1 fermented garbage contained within the two tanks 10 and 20 during a garbage agitating process.

The two agitating tanks 10 and 20 are partially open at their side walls, and are t> integrated into a single structure at the opened portions of the side walls as best seen in FIG. 1. Therefore, the ideal radius "R" of the first tank 10 extends to the interior of the second tank 20 through the junction of the two tanks 10 and 20. In the same manner, the ideal radius "r" of the second tank 20 extends to the interior of the first tank 10 through said junction.

A plurality of agitating rods 12 or 22 are perpendicularly attached to each of the two rotating shafts 11 or 21. A paddle 13 or 23, having a predetermined surface area, is attached to the end of each agitating rod 12 or 22. The agitator 1 of this invention is characterized in that it has the paddles 13 and 23 at the ends of the agitating rods 12 and 22, in addition to having a plurality of fixed crushing protrusions 15 or 25 on the inner surface of the side wall of each agitating tank 10 or 20. The construction of the paddles 13 and 23 and the crushing protrusions 15 and 25 are described in detail herein below with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion "B" of FIG. 1. In this drawing, the two agitating tanks 10 and 20 are partially shown, with the end walls of 7 the two tanks 10 and 20 removed from the tanks. For case of description, this drawing particularly shows the construction and arrangement of the crushing protrusions 15 and formed on the inner surfaces of the tank's side walls at positions around the ends of the tanks, and the paddles 13R and 23R provided at ends of the rods 12R and 22R corresponding to the protrusions 15 and 25. However, it should be understood that the same rods 12R and 22R and paddles 13R and 23R are provided at the other ends of the tanks 10 and 20.

As described above, the agitating rods 12 or 22 are perpendicularly attached to the rotating shaft 11 or 21 set within each of the agitating tanks 10 and 20 while being regularly spaced apart from each other. A paddle 13 or 23, used for aCritating the fermented garbage within the tanks 10 and 20, is attached to the end of each agitating rod 12 or 22.

The outside edge of each paddle 13 or 23 is spaced apart from the inner surface of the tank's side wall by a predetermined gap. In FIG. 1, the distances from the central axes of the tanks 10 and 20 to the outside edges of the paddles 13 and 23 are designated by the reference characters "R" and "r", respectively. Each of the paddles 13L, 13R, 23L and 23R of the agitating rods 12L, 12R, 22L and 22R, provided on the rotating shafts 11 and 21 at the opposite ends of the tanks 10 and 20 is slit at its outside edge to form one or more notches 14 or 24.

As shown in FIG. 3, one or more crushing protrusions 15 or 25 are provided on the inner surface of the side wall of each agitating tank 10 or 20 at positions outside the junction ridge "L" of two the tanks 10 and 20. Within the agitating tanks 10 and 20, the crushing protrusions 15 and 25 correspond to the notches 14 and 24 formed on the paddles 13L, 13R, 23L and 23R of the agitating rods 12L, 12R, 22L and 22R. Of 8 course, the number of the protrusions 15 or 25 is equal to that of the notches 14 or 24 of the paddles 13L, 13R, 23L and 23R.

Each protrusion 15 or 25 engages with an associated notch 14 or 24 of the paddles 13L, 13R. 23L and 23R, and has a size slightly smaller than that of the notch 14 or 24. Therefore, the notches 14 and 24 of the paddles 13L, 13R, 23L and 23R pass over the protrusions 15 and 25 during a rotating action of the shafts 11 and 21 having the agitatina rods 12L, 12R, 22L and 22R. Therefore, the paddles 13L, 13R, 23L and 23R do not interfere with the protrusions 15 and 25 during a rotating action of the shafts 11 and 21.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the rotating directions of the two shafts 11 and 21 within the two agitating tanks 10 and 20 are opposite to each other. In addition, it is necessary to alternately arrange the agitating rods 12 of the first shaft 11 and the agitating rods 22 of the second shaft 21 so as to prevent any interference between the paddles 13 and 23 during the rotating action of the two shafts 11 and 21. That is, the paddle of each rod 12 of the first shaft 11 is positioned in the gap between the paddles of two rods 22 of the second shaft 21. In the primary embodiment, each first crushing protrusion 15 provided in the first tank 10 is connected to an associated second crushing protrusion 25 of the second tank 20 at the junction ridge "L". However, it tn should be understood that it is also possible to provide a plurality of agitating protrusions 15 and 25 on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the tanks 10 and 20 at positions corresponding to the paddles 13 and 23.

The operational effect of the agitator 1 according to this invention will be described herein below.

When fermented garbage slurry is taken into the two agitating tanks 10 and 20, 9 the motor-operated rotating shafts 11 and 21 are rotated within the two tanks 10 and 20.

In such a case, the agitating rods 12 and 22 of the two shafts 11 and 21 are rotated together with the shafts 11 and 21. Therefore, the paddles 13 and 23 of the rods 12 and 22 actively agitate the fermented garbage slurry within the tanks 10 and 20. In such a case, the notches 14 and 24, formed on the paddles 13L, 13R, 23L and 23R of the rods 12L, 12R, 22L and 22R provided at opposite ends of the shafts 11 and 21, pass over the crushing protrusions 15 and 25, thus forcibly crushing the colloidal fermented garbage introduced into the gaps between the notches 14 and 24 and the protrusions 15 and 25.

In the present invention, the rotating directions of the two shafts 11 and 21 are very important factors, which determine the operational effect of the agitator 1. In the agitator 1, the rotating directions of the two shafts 11 and 21 are predetermined such that the paddles 13 and 23 of the agitating rods 12 and 22 are moved toward the opposite tanks 10 and 20 during a rotating action of the agitating rods 12 and 22 upward from the lower portion to the upper portion of the tanks 10 and 20. Therefore, the fermented garbage, which has been primarily agitated and crushed within, for example, the first tank 10, is fed into the second tank 20 due to the continuous rotating action of the paddles 13. That is, during the rotating action of the two shafts 11 and 21, the outside edges of the paddles 13 of the first tank 10 repeatedly pass through the interior of the second tank 20, and so the notched paddles 13 forcibly feed the fermented garbage from the first tank 10 into the second tank 20.

Within the second agitating tank 20, the rotating action of the notched paddles 23 of the second shaft 21 relative to the fixed crushing protrusions 25 of the tank 20 secondarily crushes the fermented garbage fed from the first tank 10 into the second tank 20. The secondarily crushed garbage is, thereafter, fed from the second tank 20 into the first tank 10 by means of the paddles 23 of the second tank 20. Such a garbage t> crushing and feeding action carried out by the paddles 13 and 23 is continuously repeated during an operation of the agitator 1.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the junction ridge 'V' of the two agitating tanks 10 and 20 extends at a position under the two rotating shafts 11 and 21, and so it is possible for 1 paddles 13 and 23 to more easily and smoothly move the fermented garbage between the two agitating tanks 10 and 20. It should be understood that the paddles 13 and 23 cannot easily or smoothly move the fermented garbage between the two agitating tanks Zn W and 20 when the junction ridge 'V' of the two agitating tanks 10 and 20 is positioned at the same height as or above the two rotating shafts 11 and 21.

The construction of the agitator according to this invention may be altered without affecting the functioning of this invention as will be described herein below.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an agitator in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the agitator according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a view of the agitator seen from the C position "C" of FIG. 5, and shows the internal construction of the agitator. FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion "D" of FIG. 6. As shown in the drawings, the agitator 100 of this second embodiment comprises a sealed single housing 101, and two rotating shafts 111 and 121 commonly, horizontally and parallel set with the housing 101.

An opening 102 is provided at the top of the housing 101, and allows fermented garbage slurry to be taken into the housing 101.

The bottom wall of the housing 101 is specifica!ly designed te form two semicircular parts, which are parallel arranged and define first and second agitating tank parts 110 and 120. A frame 102 supports the housing 101. A motor- operated rotating shaft 111 or 121 is axially installed along the central axis of each of the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120, with a heating unit 103 installed in the frame 102 and used for heating fermented garbage contained within the tank parts 110 and 120 during a garbage agitating process.

A plurality of agitating rods 112A, 112B, 112C and 112D, or 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D are perpendicularly attached to each of the two rotating shafts 111 or 121.

The above agitating rods are regularly spaced apart from each other. In the present invention, the agitating rods 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D, 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D are formed such that they transversely penetrate the shafts III and 121 or separately attached to the shafts 111 and 121. The length of each of the agitating rods 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D, 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D is determined such that the outside ends of the rods is close to the inner surfaces of the two tank's side walls. In addition, each agitating rod 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D, 122A, 122B, 122C, or 122D of each rotating shaft III or 121 is angularly spaced apart from neighboring agitating rods of the same shaft at angles of 90'.

As shown in FIG. 6, the attached direction of the agitating rods of the first shaft 111 is opposite to that of the corresponding rods of the second shaft 121. Therefore, if one of the rods of the first shaft III is positioned horizontally during a rotating action of the two shafts 111 and 121, a corresponding rod of the second shaft 121 is positioned vertically. Two helical impellers 210 and 220, or 230 and 240, having different spiral directions, are held by the outside ends of the rods 112A, 112B, 112C and 112D, or 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D of each rotating shaft 111 or 121.

The construction of the impellers 210 and 220, or 230 and 240 will be described 12 in detail herein below with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the first and second rotating shafts 111 and 121 at their stop positions. For ease of description, only the impellers 210 and 220 provided on the first shaft III will be described. Of course, it should be understood that the impellers of the second shaft 121 have the same construction as that of the impellers of the first shaft 111. In the following description, the technical terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "inside" and "outside" are set on the basis of the drawings for ease of description, but are not to limit the construction of the agitator. As shown in the drawings, each of the vertical rods 112B and 112D of the first shaft 111 has upper and lower rod parts, while each of the horizontal rods IIIA and 112C of the first shaft Ill has inside and outside rod parts. For example, the first vertical rod 112B has an upper rod part 112B-1 and a lower rod part 112B-2, while the first horizontal rod 112A has an outside rod part 112A I and an inside rod part 112A-2. In such a case, the upper rod part 112B- I of the first vertical rod 112B extends toward the top wall of the housing 101, while the lower rod part 112B-2 extends toward the bottom wall of the housing 101. The outside rod part 112A-1 of the first horizontal rod 112A extends toward the side wall of the housing 101, while the inside rod part 112A-22 extends toward the junction ridge 300 of the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120. In order to form the impellers 210 and 220, two curved blades 131 and 134 extend from opposite sides of the outer end of the upper rod part 112B-1 of the first vertical rod 112B. Of the two curved blades 131 and 134, the first one 131 extends to the end of the outside rod part 112A-1 of the first horizontal rod 112A, while the second one 134 extends to the end of the inside rod part 112C-2 of the second horizontal rod 112C. In addition, two curved blades 132 and 133 extend from opposite sides of the outer end of the lower rod part 112B-2 of the first vertical rod 112B. Of the two curved blades 132 and 133, the first one 132 extends to the end of the inside rod part 112A-2 of the first horizontal rod 112A, while the second one 133 extends to the end of the outside rod part 112C- 1 of the second horizontal rod 112C. Of course, the second vertical rod 112D and two horizontal rods positioned at opposite sides of the second vertical rod 112D hold four curved blades in the same manner as that described above.

The two helical impellers 210 and 220, or 230 and 240, having different spiral directions, are formed around each rotating shaft 111 or 121 as shown in FIG. 5 by holding the curved blades 131 - 134 or 231... 234 using the rods 112A, 112B, 112C and 112D, or 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D of each rotating shaft 111 or 121.

In the same manner as that described for the primary embodiment, one or more notches "R" are formed on each of the blades 131... 134 and 231... 234, while a plurality of fixed crushing protrusions "P" are formed on the inner surface of the bottom wall of the housing 101 at positions around the junction ridge 300 of the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120. The construction of the notches "R" and the crushing protrusions "P " are described in detail herein below with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the relation between the curved blades 131... 134 and 231... 234 consisting the impellers 210, 220 and 230, 240, and the crushing protrusions "P" formed on the inner surface of the housing 101. The fixed crushing protrusions "P", each having predetermined height and width, are formed on the inner surfaces of the junction ridge 300 of the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120. The crushing protrusions "P " are formed at positions corresponding to both ends of the rods 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D, 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D of the two shafts 111 and 121.

14 The notches "R" are formed at the outer edge of a fixing portion of.each of the curved blades 131... 134 and 231... 234 to which ends of the rods 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D, 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D are fixed. The number of the notches "R" of each blade is equal to that of the corresponding protrusions "P". Each protrusion "P" engages with an associated notch "P" of the curved blades 131 134 and 231 234, 1 and has a size slightly smaller than that of the notch "R". Therefore, the notches "R" of the blades 131... 134 and 231... 234 pass over the protrusions "P" during a rotating action of the two shafts 111 and 121. Therefore, the curved blades 131... 134and 231... 234 do not interfere with the protrusions "P" during a rotating action of the shafts 111 and 121.

In the agitator 100 according to the second embodiment, the rotating directions of the two shafts 111 and 121 within the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120 are opposite to each other. In addition, it is necessary to alternately arrange the agitating 1 C> rods 112A, 112B, 112C and 112D of the first shaft 111 and the agitating rods 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D of the second shaft 121 so as to prevent any interference between the rods of the two shafts 111 and 121 during the rotating action of the two shafts 111 and 121.

The operational effect of the agitator 100 according to this invention will be described herein below.

When fermented garbage slurry is taken into the two agitating tank parts 110 and of the housing 101, the motor-operated rotating shafts 111 and 121 are rotated within the two tank parts 110 and 120. In such a case, the agitating rods 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D, 122A, 122B, 122C and 122D of the two shafts 111 and 121 are rotated together with the shafts 111 and 121. Therefore, the helical impellers 210, 220, 230 and 240 comprising the curved blades 131... 134 and 231... 234 actively agitate the I fermented garbage slurry within the tank parts 110 and 120. In such a case, the notches "R", formed on the curved blades 131... 134 and 231... 234 of the rods pass over the crushing protrusions "P", thus forcibly crushing thecolloidal fermented garbage, in addition to plastic pieces, introduced into the gaps between the notches "R" and the protrusions "P".

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the rotating directions of the two shafts III and 121 are very important factors, which determine the operational effect of the agitator 100. In the agitator 100, the rotating directions of the two shafts Ill and 121 are predetermined such that the impellers 210, 220, 230 and 240 are moved toward the opposite tank parts 110 and 120 during a rotating action of the impellers 210, 220, 230 and 240 upward from the lower portion to the upper portion of the tank parts 110 and 120, Therefore, the fermented garbage, which has been primarily agitated and crushed within, for example, the first tank part I 10, is fed into the second tank part 120 while passing over the junction ridge 300 due to the continuous rotating action of the impellers 210 and 220.

Within the second agitating tank part 120, the rotating action of the notched impellers 230 and 240 of the second shaft 121 relative to the fixed crushing protrusions "P" of the tank part 120 secondarily crushes the fermented garbage fed from the first tank part 110 into the second tank part 120. The secondarily crushed garbage is, thereafter, fed from the second tank part 120 into the first tank part I 10 by means of the impellers 230 and 240 of the second tank part 120. Such a garbage crushing and feeding action carried out by the notched impellers 210, 220, 230 and 240 is continuously repeated during an operation of the agitator 100.

16 As best seen in FIG. 4, the junction ridge 300 of the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120 extends at a position under the two rotating shafts III and 121, and so it is possible for notched impellers 210, 220, 230 and 240 to more easily and smoothly move the fermented garbage between the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120. It should be understood that the impellers 210, 220, 230 and 240 cannot easily or smoothly move the fermented garbage between the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120 when the junction ridge "L" of the two agitating tank parts 110 and 120 is positioned at the same height as or above the two rotating shafts 111 and 121.

Due to the garbage crushing and feeding action continuously and repeatedly carried out by the notched impellers during an operation of the agitator according to the second embodiment, the colloidal fermented garbage is uniformly crushed, and so it is possible for the agitator to produce sufficiently agitated and crushed fermented garbage having uniform particle sizes. Particularly, since two impellers, having different spiral directions, are rotationally provided within each agitating tank part of the agitator, this agitator maximizes the garbage agitating effect.

0 As described above, the present invention provides an agitator used for agitating garbage to quickly dry the garbage in garbage treatment systems. In the agitator, two agitating tanks are horizontally positioned in parallel with each other, with a plurality of paddles or impellers rotationally provided within each tank to more effectively agitate the fermented garbage within each tank. In addition, a plurality of fixed crushing protrusions are formed on the inner surfaces of the agitating tanks at positions around the junction ridge of the two tanks, while the paddles or the impellers are notched at positions corresponding to the crushing protrusions. It is thus possible for the agitator of this invention to effectively crush the colloidal fermented garbage.

I -- 11) 1 During an operation of the agitator, the garbage crushing action occurs at a position around the high temperature junction ridge of the two tanks, and so it is possible to effectively crush solid and hard pieces, such as plastic pieces, included in the garbage. Since the agitator of this invention is provided with a garbage crushing means, the agitator does not force the owner of a garbage treatment system to purchase any separate garbage crusher. This agitator thus improves the operational efficiency of the garbage treatment systems, in addition to improving its operational performance.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Is

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An agitator for agitating fermented products, comprising: first and second cylindrical agitating tanks partially opened at their side walls to W form opened portions, and integrated into a single structure at said opened portions; a rotating shaft axially installed along a central axis of each of the first and second agitating tanks; a plurality of agitating rods attached to each of the rotating shafts within the agitating tanks, with a paddle attached to an end of each of the agitating rods, each of the paddles positioned around opposite ends of said first and second tanks having one or more notches at its outside edge; and a plurality of crushing protrusions provided on an inner surface of a side wall of each of the agitating tanks at positions around a junction ridge of the tanks and corresponding to the notches, with the number of the protrusions being equal to that of said notches; whereby the notched paddles pass over the crushing protrusions during a rotating action of the rotating shafts within the agitating tanks while crushing the fermented products introduced into gaps between the notches and protrusions.

2 An agitator according to claim 1, wherein said rotating shafts have opposite rotating directions, and the paddles of the agitating rods of the first and second agitating tanks are moved toward opposite tanks during a rotating action of the agitating rods upward from a lower portion to an upper portion of the agitating tanks.

0

3. An agitator according to claim 1 oir 2, wherein the junction ridge is positioned 19 under the rotating shafts within the first and second agitating tanks.

4. An agitator for agitating fermented products, comprising:

a sealed housing, with a bottom wall of said housing designed to form two parallel semicircular parts defining first and second agitating tank parts within the housing; a rotating shaft axially installed along a central axis of each of the first and second agitating tank parts; a plurality of agitating rods attached to each of the rotating shafts within the agitating tank parts while being spaced apart from each other at regular intervals; two helical impellers having different spiral directions, and held by ends of the agitating rods within the agitating tank parts, respectively, said impellers having a plurality of notches at positions around the agitating rods; and a plurality of crushing protrusions provided on an inner surface of a side wall of the sealed housing at positions around a junction ridge of the first and second tank parts and corresponding to the notches, whereby the notched impellers pass over the crushing protrusions during a rotating action of the rotating shafts within the agitating tank parts while crushing the fermented products introduced into gaps between the notches and protrusions.

5. An agitator according to claim 4, wherein said agitating rods are perpendicularly attached to each of the rotating shafts, said agitating rods are formed such that they transversely penetrate the rotating shaft or are separately attached to the shaft at opposite sides, each of the agitating rods of each rotating shaft is angular 1 W..

spaced apart from neighboring agitating rods of the same shaft at angles of 90', and one of the agitating rods of one rotating shaft is in horizontal state when a corresponding C ID Z. In agitating rod of the another rotating shaft is in vertical state.

6. An agitator according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said two impellers provided on each of the rotating shafts comprise a plurality of curved blades, said curved blades are held by the agitating rods of the shaft such that two first curved blades extend from opposite sides of an outer end of an upper rod part of each vertical rod to ends of inside and outside rod parts of neighboring horizontal rods, and two second curved blades extend from opposite sides of an outer end of a lower rod part of each vertical rod to ends of outside and inside rod parts of the neighboring horizontal rods.

7. An agitator according to claim 4, wherein said rotating shafts are rotated in opposite directions from each other, and the impellors of the first and second agitating tank parts are moved toward opposite tanks during a rotating action of the agitating I Z I rods upward from a lower portion to an upper portion of the agitating tanks.

Ib

8. An a itator as herein described, with reference to the accompanying 9 drawings.

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