Patent ID: 6346221
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: B08B,B29B,B29K,B29L,C10B,C22B,Y02P,Y02W

Abstract:
An apparatus for recovering materials from waste tires, the apparatus including:(a) a reactor vessel for containing a molten reactant metal; (b) a heater for heating the reactant metal to a molten state and maintaining the reactant metal in the molten state; (c) a tire carrier for carrying at least one waste tire; (d) a carrier lift structure for positioning the tire carrier alternatively in a loading position removed from the molten reactant metal and a reaction position in which the carrier is submerged within the molten reactant metal; (e) a tire contactor member adapted to reside in a first position above the surface of the reactant metal and a second position below the surface of the reactant metal, the contactor member in the second position extending across an area directly above the tire carrier in the reaction position so as to press each waste tire carried on the tire carrier into the molten reactant metal; (f) a contactor actuator for moving the tire contactor member between the first position and the second position; and (g) a gas recovery arrangement for collecting process gases released as each waste tire reacts with the molten reactant metal.