Incinerator towable by a vehicle for burning refuse

A self-contained incinerator on wheels is designed to be towed by a vehicle such as a small truck from location to location in order to handle the garbage disposal needs of each location. The refuse can be burned in place or while the incinerator is in transit between locations. A generally rectangular incinerator housing supported on a frame mounted on wheels contains a rear section with a main firing chamber which can be loaded with refuse and a secondary reduction chamber located along the front of the housing which includes an after burner for burning the fumes that issue from the main firing chamber and a wet-scrubbing apparatus for removing particulate and other harmful material from the emissions that enter into the atmosphere. Wire mesh disposed on the outer walls of the incinerator and an interior wall construction that expands and contracts with temperature changes in the incinerator respectively prevent accidental scalding of curious onlookers and buckling or warping of the incinerator's outer walls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an incinerator, and more particularly, to an 
incinerator which can be towed by a vehicle from site to site in order to 
meet the refuse disposal needs at various dispersed locations. 
A portable self-containing incinerator apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,728,976 issued Apr. 24, 1973 in the name of Irving Domnitch, the 
Applicant herein. The subject matter of the foregoing patent is 
incorporated herein by reference. The portable incinerator of the U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,728,976 comes in a rectangularly shaped housing which includes 
a main firing chamber, an after burner chamber for secondary burning of 
emissions that emanate from the main firing chamber, a wet-scrubbing 
section for removing particulate and other harmful materials from the 
emissions and a smoke stack. All the foregoing components are arranged 
vertically one above the other. A pair of casters or rollers disposed 
along one side of the housing permits the housing to be tilted from the 
vertical and to be transported-hand truck like-from one location to 
another. Ordinarily, however, the housing is supported on leveling chucks 
which engage threaded apertures formed in several suitably located 
mounting brackets disposed on the bottom of the incinerator housing. 
Although the self-contained incinerator of the above patent provides a 
useful alternative for waste disposal, experience has shown that its 
universal usefulness is burdened with several shortcomings. For example, 
the vertical orientation of its components makes it too high and not 
particularly adaptable for pratical towing by a vehicle over common roads. 
Since it is tilted while being moved about, burning of refuse during 
travel is impossible. Moreover the exposed outer surfaces of the prior art 
device do not prevent accidental scalding or burning of curious 
individuals who might be tempted to touch it while it is in operation. 
Furthermore, the prior design has not taken into full account the 
exceedingly high temperatures in the incinerator which can cause buckling 
or warping of its walls and the advisability of making the portable 
incinerator large enough for industrial applications. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
incinerator which can be easily towed from place to place by a vehicle, 
for example a pickup truck. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable 
incinerator of the above type with internal side walls which are capable 
of expanding and contracting with the heating and cooling in the 
incinerator without transmitting the expansion or contracting to outer 
walls of the incinerator. 
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an outer 
protective covering on the portable incinerator to reduce the possibility 
of accidental scalding of curious onlookers who might touch the 
incinerator during operation. 
In accordance with a novel and unique arrangement for a portable 
incinerator system which meets the foregoing and many other objects, a 
rectangular housing is supported on a wheel assembly which permits the 
incinerator to be towed by medium-sized vehicles, for example a pick-up 
truck, over common roads and highways. the rear section of the housing 
defines a main firing chamber containing several grates and an ash pit 
under the grates. Refuse is introduced through hopper doors located at the 
rear of the housing. Upon being burned in the main firing chamber the 
refuse is converted into ash which is then removed from the ash pit. The 
front of the housing defines a secondary reduction chamber wherein the 
emissions emanating from the main firing chamber are constrained to follow 
a circuitous path. The circuitous path takes the emissions first through 
an after burner section wherein the emissions are burned again by a 
secondary burner which burns at a higher temperature and thereafter 
through a wet-scrubbing section wherein particulate and other harmful 
material contained in the emissions is further reduced. 
A tow bar disposed along the front or the rear of the housing is 
specifically adapted to permit easy connection of the towable incinerator 
to a vehicle. A leveling chuck at or near the tow bar permits the housing 
to remain level while it is disconnected from the vehicle. 
Furthermore, the interior of the main firing chamber is lined with interior 
walls comprised of several wall sections which slightly overlap one 
another in a manner that is effective for enabling relative sliding along 
the overlapped sections. This prevents buckling or warping of the wall 
sections that otherwise might ensue on account of the extreme temperature 
cycling within the incinerator. Heat insulation is disposed between the 
interior walls and the outer walls of the housing. Since the outer walls 
can still become quite hot, a protective covering, preferably in the form 
of a screen or a mesh, is spacedly located on the outer wall. 
Water for the wet-scrubbing section and natural gas or propane for the 
burners in the main firing chamber or for the after burner are contained 
in tanks that are disposed along appropriate ledges formed along one 
section of the housing on the exterior thereof. The portable incinerator 
may also be equipped with direct connection ports to external sources for 
water, propane, or natural gas which sources may optionally be located in 
tanks located on a truck or similar vehicle that will be used for towing 
the portable incinerator. 
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
from a following description of preferred embodiment of the invention, 
which refers to the following drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
FIG. 1 perspectively shows a towable incinerator 10 which is designed in 
accordance with the concepts of the present invention. The remaining FIGS. 
provide sectional views of the apparatus of FIG. 1, and are helpful in 
explaining the various features of the incinerator 10. 
Referring to FIG. 1, the portable incinerator 10 comprises a generally 
rectangular housing measuring about 6'.times.8'.times.8' having a floor 
11, a ceiling 12 and four side walls designated respectively 13, 14, 15 
and 16 which together cooperate to form a metallic outer encloser 17. 
Metallic outer enclosure 17 defines along a rear region 18 thereof a 
firing chamber 19 which is surrounded by an interior wall 20 made of fire 
resistant materials. A fireproof insulation material 22, for example 
asbestos, is disposed between interior wall 20 and outer enclosure 17. 
Free ends 28 and 30 of interior wall sections 24 and 26 overlap one another 
in a manner that allows the free ends to slide over one another in 
response to the extreme temperature cycles within firing chamber 19. The 
foregoing features provide better heat insulation capability and further 
assure that expansion and contraction due to heat variation is absorbed in 
the interior enclosure so as to protect the outer enclosure from warping 
or buckling. 
Metal enclosure 17 is supported on base frame 32 which is in turn located 
on a wheel assembly 34 which is designed for supporting substantially the 
entire weight of incinerator 10 thereon. Wheels 36 (FIG. 3) of wheel 
assembly 34 may be of rubber and adapted to allow incinerator 10 to be 
transported smoothly and at highway speeds by means of a towing vehicle 
(not shown) which most suitably may be a pickup or similar light truck. 
For towing purposes, substantially V-shaped tow bar 38 extends along a 
front region 40 of incinerator 10 and includes a connection bracket 42 of 
the known type which may include a coupler 44 for coupling incinerator 10 
to the rear of the vehicle. A foot member 46 disposed near coupler 44 
consists of a vertically disposed rod 48 threadedly received in the 
V-shaped rigid towing bar 38 and handle 50 connected to vertical rod 48 
permits the rod to be rotated for adjusting the height of the towing bar 
above ground and/or for leveling housing 17 where incinerator 10 is not 
connected to a vehicle. A roller or caster 52 may be connected near the 
bottom of rod 48 to provide local movability. 
A plurality of generally flat and horizontally extending grates 54 extend 
above floor 11 in firing chamber 19 and serve to support refuse which may 
be introduced into firing chamber 19 through hopper doors 56 located on 
rear wall 16 of metal enclosure or housing 17. Each of the grates is 
tiltable about one of pivot rods 56 into a vertical orientation that 
allows decomposed refuse to fall into ash pit 58 defined underneath metal 
grates 54. Pivoting rods 56 may be connected to suitable crank handles 
(not shown) which are accessible outside incinerator 10 to enable metal 
grates 54 to be rotated to their vertical orientation. Refuse retaining 
members 60 and 62, disposed along the sides of metal grates 54, define a 
trough which concentrates the refuse on metal grates 54 for optimal 
burning by suitable burners such as burners 64 and 66 located in firing 
chamber 19. Burners 64 and 66 emit a hot flame, for example about 
800.degree. C., which consumes the refuse, converting most of it to ash 
which drops into ash pit 58. The ash collected in ash pit 58 may be 
withdrawn periodically by opening cleaning door 68 located on rear wall 16 
and underneath hopper door 56. 
The gaseous emissions and fumes from the burning process are constrained to 
exit firing chamber 19 through opening 70 located at the bottom of firing 
chamber 19 to enter a secondary reductio apparatus 72 located along front 
region 40 of metal enclosure 17. 
Secondary reduction apparatus 72 includes conduit 74 defined by walls 76, 
78, 80 and 82 in which are housed first along a bottom region an after 
burner 84 and further upstream a wet-scrubbing section 86, for example of 
the type described in the present Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,976. 
Obliquely arranged ledge 88 directs the fumes adjacent after burner 84 
which burns at a temperature about twice as hot as the temperature of 
burners 64 and 66 of main firing chamber 19. This reduces and burns 
particulate content remaining in the fumes that exit from main firing 
chamber 19. 
In wet-scrubbing section 86, a water spray is directed at a barrier plate 
through which the fumes flow washing ash-like content out of the fumes and 
transforming the fumes into a sufficiently "clean" state that may be 
safely and legally evacuated into the atmosphere through smokestack 90 
(FIG. 2). 
Smokestack 90, about 30 inches in height, has a foldable design that allows 
it to fold over ceiling 12 of housing 17. A latching mechanism consisting 
of latch 92 and tab 94 supports smokestack 90 in an upright position. 
Propane or natural gas for main burners 64 and 66, and for after burner 84, 
are stored in gas tank 96 which is located on ledge 98 (FIG. 3) formed on 
base frame 32 outside housing 17. Oppositely, along front region 40, is 
located water tank 98 having a capacity of about 30 gallons, that is 
operatively connected to wet-scrubbing section 86. 
FIG. 4 illustrates the various hoses that direct water from water tank 98 
to wet-scrubbing section 86 including gauges 10, valves 102 and the like. 
Hose extension 104 enables incinerator 10 to be connected to an external 
water supply source that can be conveniently located on the same truck 
that is used for towing incinerator 10. Similarly, the fuel supply 
includes fuel hoses 106 regulators 108 and various valves 110 for 
regulating the flow of fuel to the burners within incinerator 10. Access 
door 112 provides to the internal structure as needed for repairing or 
inspecting after burner 84 and wet-scrubber 86. 
Fuel extension hose 114 provides that capability of connecting an external 
fuel supply, that can be located on the vehicle. In this manner the 
incinerator can have a fuel capacity that can last over a relatively 
longer period. A small tank of low-pressure gas is connected at the bottom 
of the water tank 98 to pressurize the water to a pressure needed for 
producing a fine spray in the wet-scrubbing section 86. 
As described above, a towable incinerator system is provided based on the 
novel waste disposal concept that provides a self-contained and easily 
towable incinerator that can be moved from location to location. Refuse is 
conveniently introduced through the hopper door into the incinerator and 
can be burned while on route to another location. 
Although the invention has been described in relation to a specific 
embodiment thereof, many other variations and modifications will now 
become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, 
that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure 
herein, but only by the appended claims.