Patent ID: 6250575
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: B03B,B29B,B29K,B29L,Y02W

Abstract:
A system for reclaiming backing material from waste carpet formed of the backing material and carpet fibers, the system comprising:a chopper for receiving the waste carpet and chopping it into first pieces sufficiently small to be handled by an air conveyor;a first granulator for receiving the first pieces of waste carpet and grinding the first pieces into smaller second pieces, the first granulator shearing carpet fibers from the backing material during the grinding of the first pieces, the grinding causing the backing material to be broken into smaller pieces;a first separator for separating and removing carpet fibers from the second pieces of waste carpet;a second granulator for receiving the second pieces and grinding the second pieces into smaller third pieces, the second granulator shearing carpet fibers from the second pieces so that the backing material may be separated and reclaimed from the carpet fibers, the grinding of the second pieces causing the backing material to be broken into smaller pieces; anda second separator for separating carpet fibers from the third pieces of waste carpet; andwherein the first granulator includes a first screen which defines the size of the second pieces which are delivered to the first separator; the second granulator including a second screen which defines the size of the third pieces which are delivered to the second separator, the first screen having screen openings larger than openings of the second screen.