Abstract:
An incinerator for burning waste products such as animal carcasses. The incinerator features a rotating combustion chamber with sloping side walls. The sloping side walls cause the waste product to concentrate in the center of the combustion chamber where the product is subjected to the flame of a burner. A hatch is provided in the center of the combustion chamber to allow for easy cleaning of the combustion chamber.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to the field of waste disposal. More specifically, the invention comprises an incinerator capable of incinerating biomass materials such as animal carcasses and the like. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Incinerators in general, and organic waste incinerators in particular, have been in widespread use for decades. A typical example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,335 to Przewalski (1975). The Przewalski device uses a rotary type incinerator in which waste is fed through a chute into a rotating combustion chamber. The reader will observe that the waste material tends to burn in a linear fashion (from the burner end of the combustion chamber to the end of the combustion chamber opposite the burner). 
         [0005]    While the rotation of the chamber helps move the waste material around during the combustion process, most of the waste material is gradually “pushed” away from the burner to collect on the end of the combustion chamber opposite the burner. This often results in the incomplete combustion of the waste material since waste products are moved away from the burner. It also can make it difficult to remove the combusted remains from the combustion chamber. 
         [0006]    It would therefore be desirable to provide an incinerator which is more suitable for the complete combustion of a biomass waste material. It would also be desirable to provide an incinerator providing for easier removal of the products of the combustion process. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention comprises an incinerator for burning waste products such as animal carcasses. The incinerator features a rotating combustion chamber with sloping side walls. The sloping side walls cause the waste product to concentrate in the center of the combustion chamber where the product is subjected to the flame of a burner. A hatch is provided in the center of the combustion chamber to allow for easy cleaning of the combustion chamber. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view, illustrating the main combustion chamber. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view, illustrating the afterburner assembly. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a section view, showing the rotary joint between the main burner and the main combustion chamber. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view with a cutaway, showing the position of the restrictor plate within the main combustion chamber. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a section elevation view, showing how the angles side walls concentrate the solid waste in the middle of the combustion chamber. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a section elevation view, showing how the hatch cover may be positioned for removing the contents of the combustion chamber. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view, showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       [0015]      10  incinerator 
         [0016]      12  combustion chamber 
         [0017]      14  frame 
         [0018]      16  rollers 
         [0019]      18  motor 
         [0020]      20  chain 
         [0021]      22  rib 
         [0022]      24  rib 
         [0023]      26  hatch cover 
         [0024]      28  burner receiver 
         [0025]      30  burner 
         [0026]      32  stop plate 
         [0027]      34  spring 
         [0028]      36  spring 
         [0029]      38  fuel supply line 
         [0030]      40  exhaust 
         [0031]      42  exhaust receiver 
         [0032]      44  flange 
         [0033]      46  flange 
         [0034]      48  spring 
         [0035]      50  secondary combustion chamber 
         [0036]      52  spring 
         [0037]      54  chimney 
         [0038]      56  burner mount plate 
         [0039]      58  burner 
         [0040]      60  fuel supply line 
         [0041]      62  burner mount plate 
         [0042]      64  nozzle 
         [0043]      66  insulator 
         [0044]      68  opening 
         [0045]      70  restrictor plate 
         [0046]      72  vents 
         [0047]      74  rotary joint 
         [0048]      76  flame 
         [0049]      78  rotary joint 
         [0050]      80  solid waste 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0051]    The present invention, incinerator  10 , is illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Incinerator  10  includes combustion chamber  12  which is supported by rollers  16  on frame  14 . Ribs  22  and  24  engage a groove on each roller and serve to keep combustion chamber  12  from shifting horizontally during operation. Motor  18  drives chain  20  which causes combustion chamber  12  to rotate on rollers  16 . Teeth are provided on the exterior surface of combustion chamber  12  for engagement with chain  20 . Combustion chamber  12  is generally positioned on frame  14  such that combustion chamber  12  has an axis of rotation along its central, horizontal axis. 
         [0052]    Combustion chamber  12  has a sloping interior wall which slopes away from the axis of rotation from both ends of combustion chamber  12  to the middle. Thus, the interior has a varying cross-sectional area that is greatest at the middle of combustion chamber  12 . This forces the waste product toward the middle during the combustion process. This allows the heat of burner  30  to be applied directly to the waste product as it is tumbled in combustion chamber, thereby rapidly burning the waste product. 
         [0053]    Forcing the combusted remains of the waste product to the center of combustion chamber  12  also makes it easier to clean combustion chamber  12 . To clean combustion chamber  12 , hatch cover  26  is removed to uncover the hatch opening, and combustion chamber  12  is rotated so that the hatch opening faces the ground and the contents of the chamber spill out. The contents may be captured in a container and transported to another location for disposal. 
         [0054]    Burner  30  is attached to one end of combustion chamber  12  within burner receiver  28 . Burner  30  is typically of the gas (commonly propane or methane) or fuel oil type. It features an integral blower which pulls in ambient air through an intake. Fuel is provided to burner  30  through fuel supply line  38 . Burner  30  is angled downward with respect to the axis of rotation of combustion chamber  12  such that the flame projected by burner  30  is projected at an off-axis orientation toward the bottom of combustion chamber  12 . Because the waste material concentrates in the middle portion of combustion chamber  12  (due to the sloping side walls), burner  30  targets the flame on the waste product. This dramatically reduces the amount of time it takes to burn the product to completion compared to conventional rotating combustion chambers. As the product is tumbled, the waste product is exposed to the flame from various angles. 
         [0055]    Burner  30  is mounted to stop plate  32  which is attached to frame  14  by several springs including springs  34  and  36 . As such, combustion chamber  12  rotates independently of burner  30 . Springs  34  and  36  absorb vibrations transmitted to stop plate  32  when combustion chamber  12  rotates. 
         [0056]    Exhaust  40  is provided on the end of combustion chamber  12  opposite of burner  30 . Exhaust  40  is nested in and rotates within exhaust receiver  42 . Exhaust receiver  42  mates with rotary joint  78  on combustion chamber  12  and allows combustion chamber  12  to rotate along its center axis while exhaust receiver  42  remains stationary. Flange  44  of exhaust receiver  42  is attached to flange  46  of secondary combustion chamber  50 . Secondary combustion chamber  50  is suspended from frame  14  by springs  48  and  52 . Like springs  34  and  36 , springs  48  and  52  absorb vibrations transmitted when combustion chamber  12  rotates. Secondary combustion chamber  50  has burner  58  mounted on one end by burner mount plate  56 . Burner  58  receives fuel through fuel supply line  60 . Burner  56  projects a flame into secondary combustion chamber  50  to further combust material escaping through exhaust  40 . Chimney  54  vents combustion chamber  50  to the atmosphere. 
         [0057]      FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of the interface between burner  30  and burner receiver  28 . Rotary joint  74  is provided on stop plate  32  and engages burner receiver  28  such that combustion chamber  12  can rotate along its central, horizontal axis, while stop plate  32  remains stationary. Nozzle  64  of burner  30  extends through burner mount plate  62 , stop plate  32  and insulator  66 , so that the end of burner  30  faces opening  68  of combustion chamber  12 . Nozzle  64  is angled downward with respect to the axis of rotation of combustion chamber  12 . Because combustion chamber  12  rotates independently of burner  30 , nozzle  64  remains at the same orientation while combustion chamber  12  rotates. This configuration results in the flame being directed at the bottom of combustion chamber  12  where the waste products tend to accumulate. As shown in  FIG. 2 , flame  76  follows the angled side wall along the bottom of combustion chamber  12 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 3  shows the end of combustion chamber  12  near the exhaust. Restrictor plate  70  is attached to combustion chamber  12  and prevents an undesirable amount of waste product from passing through exhaust  40  into secondary combustion chamber  50 . Vents  72  are provided in restrictor plate  70  and allow exhaust gases and small particulates from the combustion of the waste product to pass into secondary combustion chamber  50 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 4 , shows how the shape of combustion chamber  12  causes solid waste  80  to accumulate in the middle portion of the combustion chamber. The reader will recall that flame  76  produced by the main burner is directed towards this region of the combustion chamber. As combustion chamber  12  rotates, solid waste  80  tumbles but remains concentrated in the middle of combustion chamber  12 . As such, solid waste  80  is maintained in the optimal burning location. Because solid waste  80  tumbles when combustion chamber  12  rotates, the waste is exposed to the flame from many different angles. This allows the material to be combusted to completion in the shortest period of time. 
         [0060]      FIG. 6  illustrates how the concentration of solid waste  80  in the middle of combustion chamber  12  further facilitates the removal of the solid waste when burning operations are completed. To empty combustion chamber  12 , hatch cover  26  is simply moved to the open position and solid waste  80  pours out of the hatch opening. As mentioned previously, a container may be placed under the hatch opening for catching the contents of combustion chamber  12  as they spill out. The waste product may then be transported to an alternate location for disposal. 
         [0061]    An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 6 . This embodiment is much the same as the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , except that secondary combustion chamber  50  has been placed on top of the frame supporting combustion chamber  12 . Like the previous embodiment, combustion chamber  12  rotated about its central, horizontal axis. Fine waste particulates pass through a restrictor plate and are combusted in secondary combustion chamber  50 , which remains stationary. In this configuration, the waste incinerator takes up less floor space. 
         [0062]    Although the preceding description contains significant detail, it should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.