US1779104A - Method of reclaiming waste - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 21, 1930. E. s. PEARCE I METHOD OF RECLAIMING WASTE Original Filed Dec.

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Oct. 21, 1930. E. s. PEARCE METHOD OF RECLAIMING WASTE 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec.

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Patented Oct. 21, 1930 and reclaiming the old or used oil for UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN S. PEARCE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB TO THE AMERICAN LAUN- DRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO METHOD OF BECLAIHING WASTE Original application filed December 3, 1925, Serial No. 72,977. Divided and this application fled December 27, 1927.

This invention relates to methods for re-' claiming or renovating journal box waste, the present application being a division of my co-pending application for a waste reclamation7s7ystem, filed December 3, 1925, Serial No. 7 2,9

The general object of the present invention is to provide a simple and eflicient methed for cleaning old waste, both mechanically and by separation of its oil content, reimpregnating the cleaned waste with fresh oil further use, all in a manner to conserve heat an reduce the final cost of the product.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents diagrammaticall a plan view of a system of apparatus em odying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

The journal box waste to be reclaimed is collected or received in suitable containers, such as metal drums, which are brought to the building marked generally A containing the reclamation plant or system to be described. This waste is received in various conditions, containing various amounts of oil, short or coarse fibres and foreign matter. To bring it to nearly uniform condition and open up its texture and fibre, it is first soaked or immersed in a hot oil bath, for which purpose I provide a plurality, two bein shown, of hot oil tanks 1, which are arrange adjacent and in parallel relation to each other with an aisle 2 between them, and which tanks may be of metal, concrete or other material and are shown as extending above the floor level. In said tanks are steam heating pipes or coils 3 connected to supply and return lines 4, 5 and at one end of each tank is a drain board 6. Two tanks are provided because their dimensions can be made such as to accommodate a reasonable mass of waste, capable of being conveniently poled or forked around by the workmen so as to open up the waste and secure full'fiow of oil to all of its fibres. In said tanks some of the heavier Serial No. 242,946.

opportunity to cool and but little of it gets (1 to drain back into the soaking tanks.

Adjacent each drain board is a suitable centrifugal extractor 7, comprisin a stationary outer curb or casing in whic rotates a foraminous basket or container for the waste, the centrifugal effect at high speed causin the oil to be thrown out from the basket an to be collected in the curb, from which it is conducted by drain pipes 8 to a sump or it 9, preferably below the floor level, and which serves as a reservoir for the old oil.

Said sump is heated by the steam pipes or coils 10 that also connect to supply and return lines 4 and 5. In the extractors 7 the oil content of the waste is reduced to a small amount, somethin less than the amount required for fresh o1led waste ready for 'ournal box use, so that it is necessary to ater add a proper quantity of clean oil to bring the oil content up to the required amount. More important, owever, the oil content at the conclusion of the extracting period has always been reduced to a definite or uniform standard amount, so that all extracted waste can be treated alike in later stages with assurance of a standard product.

The next step in the process is that of mechanical cleaning, to wit, the fiuifing up of the waste to open its texture and fibres and to efi'ect the removal of short or coarse fibres and foreign matter. This is performed in a drying tumbler indicated conventionallyat 11 and comprising an outer casing in which is mounted a rotatable perforated baffled or ribbed drum 11 for containing the waste, and through which drum air may be circulated by a fan or any other suitable means, which air is heated by the steam pipes or coils 12 connected to the supply and discharge mains 4, 5. As the mass of extracted waste is turned over and over in this drum, the short and coarse fibres and foreign matter, such as dirt and metal chips, pass through the openings of the drum and are collected and thereby separated, while the usable fibres are opened up and knotted masses of fibres are separated.

Experience has shown that a standard drying tumbler, such as can be obtained in the open market, will satisfactorily handle the output of two ordinary extractors, which is one of the chief reasons for using two tanks 1 and extractors 7 with a single drying tumbler. Such an arrangement keeps all machines busy and requires the minimum number of laborers.

The product of the mechanical cleaner 11 is clean fluffed waste with a known small uantit of oil therein less than that required or use le lubricating waste. It remains to bring the oil content up to standard. This is accomplished with a suitable impregnator in which a given quantity of waste is impregnated with a definite quantity of clean oil. Such an impregnator is indicated conventionally at 13 and may be of the general type shown in my prior patent for methods of and appartus for impregnating fibrous materials with liquids, granted August 6, 1929, No. 1,723,747, to which reference may be had if necessary. The impregnator conventionally shown comprises two like tanks 14 with both of which cooperates an inverted piston like cover 15 m'ovable by the swinging arm 16 into position over either tank. The cover has an upwardly projecting tubular portion 17 closed at its upper end and adapted when the cover slides down in the tank to sleeve over an upwardly pro jecting suction pipe 18, one in each tank, connected to a source 19 of suction or vacuum. In one of the empty tanks 14 is placed a proper quantity of the cleaned substantially oil free waste, the quantity being determined by suitable measurement or weight. By a measuring pump 20, hand operated if desired, a proper measured quantity of clean oil is conducted through the discharge pipe 21 and through its swinging end 22 or a hose is fed into the tank. The cover is then applied and by exhausting the air through pipe 18 by means of the suction or vacuum source 19, said cover is moved down until it compresses the waste. Further suction etl'ect removes practically all air and causes the oil to fully penetrate even the finest interstices or spaces in or between the fibres. In a short time the impregnation step is completed and the finished product may be withdrawn and packed for shipment. The clean oil charge is, of course, accurately measured so that each ound of the final waste will contain a pre etermined standard amount of i vaiee oil. Two impregnating tanks are used so that while impregnation is going on in one tank the other tank may be emptied and filled with a fresh charge of waste to he impregnated, thus keeping all apparatus busy with the minimum number of operators.

To supply oil as needed to the soaking tanks 1, I have )rovided a suitable pump 23 shown as driven y a suitable motor 24, either steam or electric, said pump having its inlet pipe 25 extending'to a low level in the sump and its discharge pipe 26 provided with branches, one for each tank. Said pump also has its discharge pipe connected to supply old oil to the renovator 27 which may be of any desired form adapted to separate solid and liquid impurities from the oil and conserve the useful lubricant tor further use. Such renovator, for example, may be of the form shown in my prior patent for apparatus for and method of treating oil, granted January 8, 1929, No. 1,698,273, to which reference may be bad if necessary. Any renovator, of course, would include in the system some storage tank, such as indicated at 28, for containing or holding the renovated oil. and would be connected to the steam lines 4, 5 for supplying steam for heating the oil, it necessary, and for maintaining the oil supply hot. The clean oil tank 28 is connected to the hand pump 20 which supplies oil to the impregnator.

With this system, all parts of the apparatus are proper] balanced and related to each other, both in size or capacity and in location. The waste progresses through the system by the shortest paths and with the least possible handling. Heat is always conserved by the storage supplies both of old and cleaned oil, because when the entire systern is in operation the regular travel of the oil from the tanks 1 to the extractors, thence to the sump, thence to either the tanks 1 or to the renovator 27, and from the latter directly to the impregnator is such that only a small amount of the original heat is wasted by radiation. Uther advantages will appear to those skilled in the art.

Sediment may gather in both tanks 1 and sump 9. and in order to keep sediment from accumulating on the heating pipes 3 and 10 respectively at the bottom of these tanks, I have provided protecting screens 30. The oil in the soaking tanks 1 is kept agitated by the movement of the waste therein, while the oil in the sump 9 is kept agitated by the supply of oil thereto from the extractors and the pump-produced removal of oil therefrom for delivery to the soaking tanks 1 or to the renovator, or to all three, as will be readily understood.

What I claim is:

1. In the art of reclaiming used journal loox waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; and the step of uniformly removing from the soaked waste, by the use of a centrifugal extractor and while the oil of the soaked waste is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil so as to leave in the remaining fibrous part of the waste a relatively low amount of uniformly distributed oil.

2. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil to thoroughly heat the oil of the waste and to add to the waste additional hot oil; and the step of subjecting said soaked waste, while it still contains practically all of its additional hot oil con-- tent, to a centrifugal extracting operation. to thereby uniformly remove from said waste as much of its oil as possible, the adding of said additional oil to the waste enabling a greater amount of hot oil to race throughthe fibers of the waste during the extracting operation so that as much ob-' jectionable matter as possible is removed from said fibers and carried away by and with the oil and the fibers themselves are left with a low amount of oil and in a highly heated condition.

3. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil to thoroughly heat the oil of the waste and to add to the waste addi tional hot oil; the step of'subjecting said soaked waste, while it still contains practically all of its additional hot oil content, to an extracting operation, to thereby uniformly remove from said waste as much of its oil as possible, the adding of said additional oil to the waste enabling a greater amount of hot oil to race through the fibers of the waste during the extracting operation so that as much objectionable matter as possible is removed from said fibers and carried away by and with the oil and the fibers themselves are left with a low amount of oil and in a highly heated condition so that any moisture therein is vaporizable; and the step of tumbling the extracted waste to permit the escape of such moisture vapor therefrom.

4. In the art of reclaiming .used journal box waste, the step of adding to the waste additional oil in a hot condition and reducing, by a centrifugal extracting operation, to a uniform and relatively low amount, the oil content of said waste, said reduction being performed while said added oil is still at substantially the temperature it was when it was added.

5. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of uniformly removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said all; and the step of delivering the oil thus removed, while it is still in a heated condition as the result of said soaking bath, to a separate oil storage reservoir.

6. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of uniformly removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil; and the step of delivering the oil thus removed, while it is still in a heated condition as the result of said soaking bath, to a separate heated oil storage reservoir, in which the oil is maintained in a heated condition.

7. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of initially heating the waste; the step of removing from said heated waste, while the oil thereof is stillat substantially the temperature to which it was heated by said initial heating, the major part of said oil; and the step of delivering the oil thus removed, while it is still in a heated condition as the result of said initial heating, to a separate heated oil storage reservoir, in which the oil is maintained in a heated condition.

8. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil; and the step of renovating the oil thus removed while it is still in a heated condition as the result of said soaking bath.

9. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil; and the steps of delivering the oil thus removed to, and renovating it in, a heated oil renovator, said delivery and renovating steps being performed while said oil is still in a heated condition as the result of said soaking bath.

10. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil; the step of delivering the oil thus removed to a heated oil renovator; and the step of renovating said oil in said renovator, said oil delivering and renovating steps being performed without allowing said oil to get cold after being heated in said soaking bath.

11. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of initially heating the waste; the step of removing from the heated waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially the temperature to which it was heated by said initial heating, the major part of said oil; the step of delivering the oil thus removed to a heated oil renovator; and the step of thereafter renovating said oil in said renovator, said oil delivery and renovating steps being performed without allowing the oil to get cold after said initial heatin v 12. n the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil; the step of delivering the heated oil thus removed from said removing means to a heated oil storage reservoir, in which said oil is maintained in a heated condition; and the step of delivering, for renovating purposes, at least a portion of said heated oil from said storage reservoir to a heated oil renovator.

13. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of initially heating the waste; the step of removing from the heated waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially the temperature to which it was heated b said initial heating, the major part of said 011; the step of delivering the heated oil thus removed from said removing means to a heated oil storage reservoir, in which said oil is maintained in a heated condition; and the step of delivering, for renovating purposes, at least a portion of said heated oil from said storage reservoir to a heated oil renovator.

14. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a bath of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially soaking bath temperature, the major part of said oil; the step of delivering the oil thus removed from said removing means to an oil storage reservoir; and the step of delivering, forrenovating purposes, at least a portion of said removed oil from said oil storage reservoir to an oil renovator, said two oil delivery steps being performed without allowing said oil to get cold after being heated in said soaking bath.

15. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a tank of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially the temperature of the oil in said soaking tank, the major part of said oil; the step of delivering the heated oil thus re moved from said removing means to a heated oil storage reservoir, in which the oil is maintained in a heated condition; and the step of delivering, when needed, hot oil from said oil storage reservoir to said soaking tank, so that a proper uantity of hot oil can always be maintaine in said soaking tank for soaking purposes.

16. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a tank of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, while the oil thereof is still at substantially the temperature of the oil in said soakin tank, the major part of said oil; the step oit delivering the heated oil thus removed from said removing means to a heated oil storage reservoir, in which the oil is maintained in a heated condition; the step of delivering, when needed, hot oil from said oil storage reservoir to said soaking tank, so that a proper quantity of hot oil can always be maintained in said soaking tank for soaking purposes; and the step of delivering, for renovating purposes, at least a portion of said hot removed oil, from said storage reservoir to an oil renovator.

17. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste,the step of soaking the waste in a tank of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, While the oil thereof is still at substantially the temperature of the oil in said soaking tank, the major part of said oil; the step of returning a portion of said hot oil thus removed to said soaking tank, so that a proper quantity of oil can be always maintained in said soaking tank for soaking purposes; and the step of delivering a portion of the hot oil thus removed to another device without such oil portion going through the soaking tank.

18. In the art of reclaiming used journal box waste, the step of soaking the waste in a tank of hot oil; the step of removing from the soaked waste, While the oil thereof is still at substantially the temperature of the oil in said soaking tank, the major part of said oil; the step of returning a portion of said hot oil thus removed to said soaking tank, so that a proper quantity of oil can be always maintained in said soaking tank for soaking purposes; and the step of delivering a portion of the hot oil thus removed to a heated oil renovator for renovating purposes.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

EDWIN S. PEARCE.

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