Abstract:
A combination thermoforming trim press and comminuting apparatus is provided. The combination includes a horizontal trim press, a comminuting apparatus, and a height-adjustable delivery chute. The trim press has an exit for downwardly delivering a scrap web of thermoformable sheet material. The comminuting apparatus is provided beneath the exit and has an entrance for receiving the scrap web. The height-adjustable delivery chute is provided between the trim press exit and the comminuting apparatus entrance and includes a first section, a second section telescopically received relative to the first section to provide height adjustment, and a fastener for securing the chute at a selected height to substantially close any gaps between the trim press exit, the comminuting apparatus entrance and the delivery chute to eliminate any need for a shielding cage to prevent internal finger and limb access by an operator.

Description:
RELATED PATENT DATA 
     This patent application is a continuation application and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/211,914, filed Aug. 24, 2005, entitled “Comminuting Apparatus and Material Receiving Duct for Comminuting Apparatus”, naming Jere F. Irwin as inventor, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,110 issued Sep. 2, 2008, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/695,964, which was filed Jul. 1, 2005, entitled “Comminuting Apparatus and Material Receiving Duct for Comminuting Apparatus”, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention pertains to apparatus for subdividing waste material from a trim press. More particularly, the present invention relates to plenums, receiving ducts, docking stations, and entrance plenums for comminuting apparatus, as well as comminuting apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A variety of comminuting apparatus are known for use with horizontal trim presses for subdividing scrap material that is generated by a trim press on a thermoforming line. More particularly, horizontal trim presses are configured to generate a scrap thermoformed web from which articles have been severed via the trim press. The web is delivered in a downward direction from the trim press and into a comminuting apparatus. Several such apparatus are sold as Chesaw® comminuting apparatus, Model Nos. Standard Series, C-Series, M-Series, and CLS, sold by Irwin Research &amp; Development, of Yakima, Wash. Such a comminuting apparatus has an entrance duct formed by a pair of guide plates that guide scrap web into the comminuting apparatus from a trim press. However, there are gaps between the exit of the trim press and the entrance duct of the comminuting apparatus sufficient for an operator to insert a limb. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a protective cage about the area between the entrance duct of the comminuting apparatus and the exit of the trim press when incorporated into a thermoforming line. It is possible to construct a trim press with a custom-sized entrance duct that perfectly matches the exit clearance beneath a particular trim press. However, comminuting apparatus are frequently removed from beneath a particular trim press in order to clean out material from the comminuting apparatus when changing the materials that are being formed by a particular thermoforming line. Oftentimes, the comminuting apparatus may be subsequently placed beneath another trim press on another thermoforming line. It is usually the case that different trim presses on different thermoforming lines have different vertical clearances, which means that comminuting apparatus with a custom-sized vertical entrance duct clearance height will not interchangeably fit between different trim presses without leaving a potentially hazardous gap between the trim press exit and the comminuting apparatus entrance duct. Accordingly, a need exists to efficiently and easily adjust the vertical clearance height for an entrance duct of a comminuting apparatus when mating the comminuting apparatus beneath each one of several trim presses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A docking station and adjustable material receiving duct, or plenum are provided for mating, respectively, with an exit end of a trim press and an entrance manifold of a comminuting apparatus. 
     According to one aspect, a material receiving duct is provided for a comminuting apparatus. The material receiving duct includes a material entrance section, a material exit section, and a telescoping section. The material entrance section has a material entrance. The material exit section is provided beneath the material entrance section with a material exit configured to mate with an entrance enclosure of a comminuting apparatus. The telescoping section is provided between the entrance section and the exit section to adjust height of the material entrance. 
     According to another aspect, a material entrance plenum is provided for a comminuting apparatus. The entrance plenum has a material entrance duct with a height-adjustable entrance and a length-adjustable delivery chute, as well as a base configured to mate the plenum with a frame of the comminuting apparatus. 
     According to yet another aspect, a comminuting apparatus is provided having an enclosure, at least two scissor rolls, a material entrance, and a height-adjustable delivery chute. The enclosure has an entrance manifold. The at least two scissor rolls are carried within the enclosure, each with scissor rings configured to intermesh to cut waste material received therebetween. The height-adjustable delivery chute is provided between the material entrance and the entrance manifold and is operative to adjust operating height of the material entrance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified perspective view of a comminuting apparatus having a material receiving duct and including a docking station that cooperates between a trim press and the comminuting apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified perspective view of a trim press, comminuting apparatus, and material receiving duct according to one aspect of the present invention, illustrating the comminuting apparatus being moved under the trim press to mate the material receiving duct with the docking station. 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified perspective view corresponding with that depicted in  FIG. 2 , but illustrating the comminuting apparatus after completion of docking of the material receiving duct of the comminuting apparatus with the docking station affixed to the trim press. 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified, vertical exit end view of the trim press, comminuting apparatus, material receiving duct and docking station of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified left end elevational view of a trim press and a comminuting apparatus having the material receiving duct and docking station of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a right end view of the trim press, comminuting apparatus, material receiving duct, and docking station of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view taken from beneath  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a vertical sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of the comminuting apparatus and material receiving duct of  FIGS. 1-7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8). 
     Reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s invention comprising a docking station for a thermoforming trim press and a material receiving duct, or plenum, for a comminuting apparatus. While the invention is described by way of a preferred embodiment, it is understood that the description is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiment, but is intended to cover alternatives, equivalents, and modifications which may be broader than the embodiment, but which are included within the scope of the appended claims. 
     In an effort to prevent obscuring the invention at hand, only details germane to implementing the invention will be described in great detail, with presently understood peripheral details being incorporated by reference, as needed, as being presently understood in the art. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a material receiving duct  10  provided on a comminuting apparatus  14  for mating and demating with a docking station  12  of a horizontal trim press  16  (see  FIGS. 2-7 ). Docking station  12  is secured to a frame  18  of a horizontal trim press  16  above a top edge of a bay, or stall,  20  in which comminuting apparatus  14  can be inserted and removed, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Material receiving duct  10  provides an entrance plenum that can be adjusted in elevational height by adjusting the vertical length of the delivery chute provided by the material receiving duct  10  such that no gap is provided between a topmost portion of material receiving duct  10  and an exit portion of a trim press provided above docking station  12 . Accordingly, an exit end of trim press  16  mates relatively close in engagement with an entrance end of receiving duct  10  for a comminuting apparatus  14  such that an operator&#39;s hands or limbs cannot be inserted into the receiving duct of the comminuting apparatus, thereby eliminating any need for extra shielding or cage components between trim press  16  and comminuting apparatus  14 . 
     In operation, material receiving duct  10  enables quick and easy change-out of comminuting apparatus  14  from beneath different trim presses  16  in different thermoforming lines. It is commonly the case that the height provided beneath an exit end of a trim press will vary between thermoforming lines and setups. It is also the case that a comminuting apparatus might be removed in order to maintain, clean, and/or repair the comminuting apparatus. Such removal can otherwise shut down a thermoforming line. Hence, it is desirable to interchange different comminuting apparatus for insertion beneath different trim presses. However, the variations in clearance height otherwise require that an operator provide caging around and between the trim press and the comminuting apparatus in order to prevent operators and users from inadvertently inserting fingers or limbs into an entrance end of the comminuting apparatus, which might cause serious harm or injury. 
     Material receiving duct  10  enables the interchange of different comminuting apparatus so they closely mate with different trim presses in a ready and easy manner by enabling quick and easy height adjustment by vertically changing the length of material receiving duct  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , comminuting apparatus  14  includes an enclosure  22 . A pair of top covers  24  and  26  are affixed onto a top end of enclosure  22 , atop which a lower entrance chute member, or material exit section,  28  is rigidly affixed via a plurality of fasteners. An upper entrance chute member, or a material entrance section  30 , is telescopically received within member  28 . Accordingly, a telescoping section  31  is provided between member  28  and chute member  30 . By adjusting the relative telescopic positions between members  28  and  30 , and locking together such positions via a plurality of fasteners placed into selected, aligned pairs of apertures, a desired vertical height can be provided for material receiving duct  10  when inserting comminuting apparatus  14  within a certain environment beneath a specific trim press. A pair of fasteners  38  is used to lock together each end of members  28  and  30 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Fasteners  38  have been omitted from  FIGS. 1-2  and  8  in order to show the apertures in each of members  28  and  30 . 
     Covers  24  and  26  are affixed atop a top wall  32  (see  FIG. 8 ) of enclosure  22 . A pair of handles  34  and  35 , shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  8 , is provided at each end of member  30  to facilitate height-adjustable positioning of member  30  relative to member  20  prior to docking comminuting apparatus  14  with docking station  12  on a particular trim press. Additionally, handles  34  and  35  facilitate the insertion and removal of comminuting apparatus  14  from bay  20  beneath trim press  16 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Typically, a trim press  14  is provided with a plurality of wheels which facilitate positioning of comminuting apparatus  14  beneath a trim press  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , material receiving duct  10  is telescopically adjusted to a desired position where it is subsequently affixed via a plurality of fasteners, such as ½″ by ½″ SHSB bolts and mating nuts, after which the comminuting apparatus is snugly inserted to be received within docking station  12  beneath a trim press  16 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , a pair of fasteners  38 , such as a bolt and nut, is inserted into one of a plurality of apertures  36  in member  28  as well as one of a plurality of apertures  37  in member  30  to affix the adjusted height of receiving duct  10  to a desired level. Optionally, a quick-release fastener, such as a ball-lock fastener, can also be utilized to affix the height-adjusted positioning of receiving duct  10 ; namely, the elevational positioning of member  30  relative to member  28 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the positioning of comminuting apparatus  14  relative to trim press  16  when comminuting apparatus  14  is fully received within docking station  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , docking station  12  comprises a pair of guide rails  44 ,  45  and a mounting plate  46  that are affixed onto a frame (such as frame  18  of  FIG. 2 ) of a trim press via a plurality of threaded fasteners (not shown). More particularly, a plurality of mounting apertures  60 - 64  are provided in plate  46  to facilitate mounting of plate  46  and rail  45  to an underside ceiling portion of a portion of a trim press above a receiving bay provided therein. Likewise, a pair of mounting brackets  58  and  59  is mounted onto rail  44  to support rail  44  onto a frame of a trim press. According to one construction, brackets  58  and  59  are secured onto rail  44  using fasteners. According to another construction, brackets  58  and  59  are welded onto rail  44 . A receiving end of tapered nose pieces  50  and  51  are inserted into a respective open end on each rail  44  and  45  to facilitate alignment and insertion of material receiving duct  10  into docking station  12  while inserting a trim press  14  for engagement within docking station  12  and beneath a trim press. According to one construction, each nose piece  50  and  51  is affixed onto and within each respective rail  44  and  45  using at least one threaded fastener. Optionally, nose pieces  50  and  51  can be integrally formed into rails  44  and  45 , respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , member  30  has been raised to a desired location relative to member  28  to present a top edge of material receiving duct  10  within and between rails  44  and  45  so as to eliminate any large gaps and prevent any operator from being able to insert their fingers into material receiving duct  10 . Accordingly, rails  44  and  45  are positioned with a gap that is nominally larger than a corresponding outer dimension of a frame  56  of material receiving duct  10 . Handles  34  and  35  are also affixed onto frame  56 , such as by welding. Frame  56  further supports a pair of end plates  54  and  55  at each end which encompass a baffle plate  52  that extends within member  30  to reduce the entrance into member  30  and member  28 . A pair of posts  40  and  41  is affixed onto a top horizontal surface of baffle plate  52 . A distal receiving end of rails  44  and  45  each support a rubber bumper  48  and  49  which limit the insertion depth of material receiving duct  10  into docking station  12  so as to properly position duct  10  at a desired aligned location beneath an exit of a trim press. 
       FIG. 8  further illustrates the mounting of baffle plate  52  relative to sheet member  30  and sheet member  28  so as to restrict the cross-sectional width of material entrance  66 . According to one construction, baffle plate  52  is affixed onto member  30  using fasteners. According to another construction, baffle plate  52  is welded onto member  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , member  28  is affixed onto top covers  24  and  25  using a plurality of threaded fasteners, such as bolts and nuts. Optionally, member  28  can be affixed onto top covers  24  and  25  via welding by welding member  28  onto covers  24  and  25 . Optionally, member  28  can be welded directly onto top wall  32  of comminuting apparatus  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , telescopic adjustment of member  30  relative to member  28  provides for alignment of a different one of apertures  70  relative to a selected one of apertures  36 . By positioning member  30  at a desired height for a selected docking station beneath a specific trim press, fasteners are subsequently inserted to a selected one of apertures  36  and apertures  37  for each of the four mounting locations provided between members  30  and  28 . In this manner, an operator can affix the adjusted telescopic position of members  28  and  30  to a desired height position that will reduce or eliminate any gap between a top end of duct  10  and a bottom surface of a trim press. As shown in  FIG. 8 , material receiving duct  10  is adjusted so as to provide a material entrance  66  that communicates with a material exit  67 . Material exit  67  of duct  10  communicates directly with an intake manifold  68  within comminuting apparatus  14 . Intake manifold section  68  feeds scrap thermoformed sheet material and waste pieces between a pair of scissor rolls  70  and  72  for comminuting therebetween. Each scissor roll  70  and  72  includes a plurality of intermeshing scissor rings  76  as presently understood in the art. As material is fed between rolls  70  and  72 , subdivided waste material is recirculated via a recirculation roll  74  having a plurality of paddles which recirculate the material for further subdividing between rolls  70  and  72 . As understood in the art, a screen is provided for separating out sufficiently small subdivided pieces of waste material which are then drawn out via an outtake pipe  78  for storage and recycling in order to form a new sheet of thermoformable material for further processing in a thermoforming line. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , a sorting screen is provided for sorting relatively small pieces of scrap material for delivery out of comminuting apparatus  16  via pipe  78 . A screen is provided along an outer periphery of recirculation wall  74 . Optionally, a screen can be provided in other locations within comminuting apparatus  14 . 
     According to one construction, the components of docking station  12  are made from pieces of steel tubing and sheet steel. For example, rails  44  and  45  can be formed from tubular sections of steel. Likewise, plates  46 ,  52 ,  54  and  55 , as well as members  28  and  30 , can be formed from sections of sheet steel. Optionally, such components can be made from stainless steel, aluminum, or any other suitable structural material. 
     In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.