Mobile yard waste incinerator system

A portable, yard waste incinerator system with a large burn tank located on a transport and configured for burning yard waste. Located inside the burn tank is lower primary combustion chamber and an upper secondary chamber, Located inside the primary burn housing with a burner. Propane fuel is connected to an external propane gas source which delivers propane to the burner. The primary burn housing includes a plurality of holes that allows flames and hot gases from the fire and heat from the primary combustion chamber to extend into a secondary combustion chamber. The system also includes a vacuum system which picks up small, loose combustible debris from the yard and delivers the debris and oxygen to the secondary combustion chamber. The system also includes an optional electric generator that energizes the vacuum system and an optional shredder that delivers shredded yard waste to the secondary burning chamber.

Notice is given that the following patent document contains original material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyrights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to yard waste collectors, and more particularly to yard waste collectors that incinerate the collected yard waste onsite.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Residential landscape workers prefer to work in neighborhoods, so they can sequentially work in several yards in the neighborhood. The workers not only cut lawns and prune plants, but they also pickup dead branches, pick weeds, rake flower beds and haul the collected yard waste away. If the landowner has dogs and cats, the worker is also expected to pick up animal waste from the yard and dispose of it properly.

Collecting leaves, twigs, and branches from a yard and burning them in a burn barrel is well known. Lawn clippings are normally not burned because they are usually wet. In order to burn lawn clippings, the fire must be hot and well ventilated. Unfortunately, the lawn clippings collapse into a pile and eventually smother the fire. In order to maintain combustion, an outside fuel source and a constant volume of oxygen must be delivered.

What is needed is a portable yard waste incinerator that can be quickly and easily used to burn relatively large volumes of yard waste collected from the yard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is met by a mobile yard waste incinerator system disclosed that includes a burn tank with a primary combustion chamber and a surrounding secondary combustion chamber. The primary combustion chamber is partially isolated from the secondary combustion chamber so yard waste material deposited into the burn tank does not directly fill the primary combustion chamber. The primary combustion chamber is located inside a primary burner housing that includes a top plate and vertically aligned side walls. Located inside the primary burner housing is a gas burner. The gas burner is coupled to an external propane tank. Connected to the primary burner housing is an outside air delivery system that allows outside atmospheric air to flow into the primary combustion chamber.

Formed on the top plate and side walls of the primary burner housing are optional small hot air/flame vents that allow hot gases to flow from the primary combustion chamber into the secondary combustion chamber.

Blending upward from the primary burning housing is a flue pipe. The end of flue pipe extends outside the burn tank and transports smoke and combustion gases from the primary burning housing to the atmosphere. An optional grate may be installed in die flue pipe to capture sparks and airborne ash particles.

Yard waste is deposited into the secondary combustion chamber via a vacuum exhaust port or through a large waste opening formed on the sides of the burn tank. When yard, waste is deposited in the secondary combustion chamber, it comes in contact with the top plate and side walls of the primary burner housing. Heat from the top plate and the side walls and hot gases from the vents formed thereon heat and combust the yard waste. Because the primary combustion chamber is isolated from the secondary combustion chamber, yard waste does not fill the primary combustion chamber and combustion inside the primary combustion chamber is not disturbed.

In one embodiment, the flue pipe extends through a flue opening formed on the burn tank. The flue opening extends inward and communicates with the secondary combustion hot gases to escape from the secondary combustion chamber.

The system also includes a vacuum system with an exhaust air pipe that connects to the burn tank. The vacuum system creates a vacuum configured to pick up small, loose combustible yard waste from the yard using a long vacuum tube. The long vacuum tube picks up yard waste and delivers it to a tank. The yard waste then travels from the tank via an exhaust air pipe to the exhaust air port formed on the burn tank. The yard waste is then deposited into the secondary combustion chamber.

The system may also include a propane gas tank and an electric generator used to energize the vacuum system.

The system may also include an optional wood or yard waste shredder that also connects to the burn tank.

The burn tank may also include an animal waste shoot that allows workers to deposit animal waste into the burning waste for incineration.

The entire system describe above is mounted on a transport vehicle, such as a flatbed truck or trailer so the system may be transported to the landscaping yard site and used to incinerate yard waste onsite.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

A mobile yard waste incinerator system1is disclosed that includes a truck or similar vehicle5with a burn tank10, a vacuum system44, a propane tank60, an electrical generator70, and an optional shredder80. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, all the components are shown mounted on the bed6of a transport vehicle5(i.e. truck). The system1is used to burn combustible yard waste90, such as grass clippings, fallen leaves, twigs, needles, pine cones, small scraps of paper and cigarette butts that have fallen to the ground, branches92and animal waste94.

The system1includes an insulated burn tank10containing a small primary combustion chamber21and a large secondary combustion chamber32located, around the primary combustion chamber21, The burn tank10includes a closed bottom end11, side walls12, and an upper end14. Formed on the upper end14is a flue opening15.

Located inside the burn tank10is a primary burner housing24containing at least one burner22(two burners22shown inFIG. 5). In the embodiment shown in the Figs, the primary burner housing24is cylindrical with a horizontal top plate26and vertically aligned side walls28. The primary burner housing24may be mounted directly on the bottom end11of the burn tank10or mounted on a transversely aligned lower platform17(shown inFIG. 5).

The primary burner housing24is hollow forming the primary combustion chamber21therein. Formed on the bottom edge of primary burner housing24is one or more ventilation holes25that allow outside atmospheric air to enter the primary, combustion chamber21. During operation, outside atmospheric air can travel into the lower section of the burn tank10and through the ventilation holes25and into the primary combustion chamber21. In another embodiment, a separate air conduit may be provided that extends from the side walls12of the burn tank10to the primary burner housing24.

Formed on the top plate26and side walls28on the primary burner housing24are small exhaust holes30that allow hot gas and flames from a fire created inside the primary combustion chamber21to extend through.

The primary burner housing24is coaxially aligned inside the burn tank10. It is also smaller in diameter than the burn tank10thereby forming a lower area of the secondary combustion chamber32between the inside wall of the burn tank10and the side walls28of the primary burner housing24. The primary burner housing24is also shorter than the burner tank10creating a large upper area of the secondary combustion chamber32above the primary burner housing24. During use, yard waste90, branches92and animal waste94is deposited inside the lower area of the secondary combustion chamber32. As more yard waste90, branches92and animal waste94is deposited into the burn tank10, the upper area of the secondary combustion chamber32is gradually filled. The amount of waste material added to the burn tank10depends on the type of yard waste and its wetness. The rate of deposit is also controlled so that the burn tank10is not overfilled.

When yard waste90, branches92or animal waste94are deposited in the secondary combustion chamber32, it encounters the top plate26and side walls28on the primary burner housing24and the hot gases and flames pass through the holes30formed on the top plate26and side walls28.

The primary burner housing24is connected to a flue pipe40that extends upward and extends through a flue opening15formed on the upper end14of the burn tank10. Formed inside the flue pipe40is a flue screen41configured to capture sparks and flying material that travels up the flue pipe40. The flue opening15that is larger than the flue pipe44and thereby creates a secondary flue opening42for gas, heat and small particles created in the secondary combustion chamber32to escape from the burn tank10. Disposed around the flue pipe40and extending transversely over the secondary flue opening42is an optional secondary screen43used to capture sparks and flying material from the secondary combustion chamber32. The mesh opening on the primary and secondary screens41,43are sufficiently small to capture particles larger than ½ from escaping from the burn tank10.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 6, the burn tank10includes an outer layer11made of steel. Formed along the inside surface of the outer layer11is an insulation layer13. Formed along the inside surface of the insulation layer13is a cement layer16. Located inside the cement layer16is an optional inner lining18made of steel. Located inside the inner lining18is the secondary combustion chamber32described above. The cement layer16is approximately ¾ to 2 inches think.

The system1also includes a vacuum system44with a vacuum exhaust pipe48that connects to an exhaust inlet port19formed on the burn tank10. As shown inFIG. 1, the vacuum system44includes a long, lightweight vacuum tube46that is manually moved over the yard to pick up yard waste90, such as grass clippings, branches92or animal waste94, and delivers it to a tank45. The vacuum system44includes an exhaust tube48that extends from the tank45and connects to an exhaust inlet port19formed on the side walls of the burn tank10which not only delivers the yard waste90and branches92to the burn tank20but also delivers additional outside air to the burn tank10to support combustion in the secondary combustion chambers32.

The system1also includes a portable gas or diesel fuel electric generator70used to electrically energize the vacuum system44. The system1also includes a propane tank60that connects to a gas supply line62that extends into the burn tank10and provides propane gas to the primary burner22.

The system1may also include an option wood or yard waste shredder80that also connects to the burner tank10.

Also, formed on the side of the burn tank10is an optional large waste opening29. In the preferred embodiment, the opening29is covered by an optional door that allows the opening to be selectively opened and closed by workers to deposit animal waste94into the secondary combustion chamber32inside the burn tank10.

FIG. 7is a partial perspective view of the burn tank10with an optional fork connector110attached to the exhaust inlet port19on the burn tank20, The connector110includes a first leg112that connects to a vacuum system44and a second leg114that attaches to the shredder80.

The vacuum system44, the generator55and the shredder80may be connected to a main control panel85with switches86that enable workers to easily activate and deactivate these components.

The entire system1is mounted on a truck, trailer or similar transport vehicle5enabling the system1to be easily transported to different yards and used to incinerate yard waste from the yards. In the embodiment shown in the Figs, the burn tank10is cylindrical shaped and measures approximately 36 to 50 inches in length and 20 to 30 inches in diameter. It should be understood that the burn tank10may have a different configurations and sizes. As shown in nu.1, the burn tank10may be mounted directly on the bed or mounted on an elevated support stand17. The gas conduit inlet port62is approximately ¾ inches in diameter and located 6 to 12 inches from the bottom edge of the burn tank10. The vacuum exhaust inlet port19is located above near the midline axis of the burn tank10. Located above the vacuum inlet port19is a large debris dumping opening29.

The primary burner housing22is approximately 8 to 24 inches in diameter and 8 to 16 inches in height. The holes on the top plate26and the side walls28are approximately 118 to ½ inches in dimeter and 1 to 6 inches apart. The flue pipe40is approximately 3 inches in diameter and 24 to 48 inches in length.

During use, propane fuel is delivered to the primary burner22and ignited. Yard waste90is then delivered to the secondary combustion chamber32via either the vacuum exhaust inlet port19or via the large debris opening29. When yard waste90is deposited inside the secondary combustion chamber32, it does not directly fall into the primary combustion chamber22and smother the flame located inside the primary combustion chamber22. Propane fuel and oxygen is continuously delivered to the primary combustion chamber22.

The operator monitors combustion inside the burn tank10and controls the temperature inside the primary combustion chamber22by controlling the amount of propane gas delivered to the primary combustion chamber22. When the vacuum system44is activated, additional oxygen is delivered to the secondary combustion chamber32to support additional combustion of the yard waste inside the secondary combustion chamber32.

In most instances, nearly all of the yard waste90,92, and94is combusted forming very little ash inside the burn tank10. Any remaining ash can be expelled from the burn tank10by forcing air into the burn tank via the vacuum exhaust tube48.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown, comprises the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, appropriately interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.