Abstract:
This invention provides a mixing chamber that utilizes several tined cylinders to convey materials through the mixing chamber for applying liquid additives to the materials. Each of the tined cylinders includes a number of spring biased tines extending from the surface of the cylinder. The tined cylinders are arranged within the mixing chamber such that, as the tined cylinders rotate about an axis, the spring biased tines engage the materials within the mixing chamber and “sweep” them along towards a discharge opening of the mixing chamber. As the materials are conveyed through the mixing chamber, an additive liquid, typically containing various chemicals, colorants, dies, and/or paints, is sprayed onto the materials. In this manner, liquid additives are applied to materials more evenly and more thoroughly, resulting in a more consistent finished product.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to the application of liquid additives to materials.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Generally, it is known to chip, chop, cut, or grind various woods and/or herbaceous materials into small pieces, generally referred to as “wood chips”. These wood chips are often used as a decorative bedding material around shrubbery, trees, and other plants to enhance the appearance of yards and gardens. In addition to their esthetic qualities, wood chips can also be used as a ground cover to limit the growth of unwanted plants and weeds and help retain moisture within the ground.  
           [0005]    However, exposure to the ultraviolet ray of the sun and the natural process of decay quickly turns natural wood chips to a dull and unattractive, gray color. Furthermore, untreated wood chips generally tend to rot quickly, particularly in areas with a high moisture concentration.  
           [0006]    Therefore, it is generally known to treat wood chips with various chemicals, colorants, dies, and/or paints to ensure that the wood chips maintain a desired color and resist rotting.  
           [0007]    One of the known methods for applying chemicals, colorants, dies, and/or paints to wood chips involves the application of a liquid, such as, for example, a liquid colorant, to wood chips as the wood chips travel within an auger-screw conveyor. The auger-screw conveyors typically comprise one or two elongated screw(s) that are contained within a cylindrical or trough-like housing. These auger-screw conveyors are similar to those commonly used in industry and on farms for moving relatively fine particulate materials, such as, for example grains, along horizontal or upwardly angled paths.  
           [0008]    The liquid colorant is generally applied to the wood chips by one of two methods. The first method involves immersing the wood chips in a pool of the liquid colorant and then allowing the wood chips to be drawn out of the colorant pool and moved to another location by the auger-screw conveyor. The second method involves the positioning of spray nozzles within the auger-screw conveyor such that, as the wood chips travel along the conveyor, the liquid colorant is sprayed onto the wood chips.  
           [0009]    In both methods, it is important to allow the wood chips to be sufficiently coated with the liquid colorant and substantially dried before they are discharged from the auger-screw conveyor.  
           [0010]    Because the various chemicals, colorants, dies, and/or paints that are applied to the wood chips are relatively expensive, the primary goal of these known methods is to allow a sufficient amount of liquid to saturate the wood chips so that a desired color and/or preservative quality is achieved without allowing excess liquid to be used during the process. For example, any amount of liquid that is used, which exceeds the amount necessary to color and/or chemically treat each wood chip, is an amount of liquid that is wasted.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    Unfortunately, known methods fail to apply a uniform coating of liquid additives, such as, for example, chemicals, colorants, dies, and/or paints, to wood chips. In any given batch of treated wood chips, some of the wood chips are overly saturated with the liquid solution while other of the wood chips have surfaces that are not completely covered with colorant or treated sufficiently to provide adequate preservation of the wood chips.  
           [0012]    Additionally, the use of known auger-screw conveyors to mix the additives into the wood chips is relatively inefficient. For example, the wood chips are typically fed into the auger-screw conveyors by means of a hopper structure mounted directly above the auger-screw conveyor. This method has several drawbacks. First, the size and speed of the auger-screw conveyor requires a relatively high amount of horsepower in order to function, thus resulting in elevated operational costs.  
           [0013]    Second, batches of pre-processed wood chips often include varying size particles, larger than normal particles, stringing material, or foreign objects, which can cause the auger-screw conveyor to jam or stall. Each time the auger-screw conveyor jams or stalls, valuable production time is lost until the auger-screw conveyor can be cleared. Clearing an auger-screw conveyor is usually a manual process, which is dangerous and labor intensive.  
           [0014]    Third, since auger-screw conveyors operate at low rotational speeds, they do not provide much agitation for the wood chip and additive mixture. Thus, in order to provide a consistent finished product, the wood chips must be immersed in the additive over a relatively long length of the auger-screw conveyor. This, in turn, adds time to the known processes of applying the additive to the wood chips and ultimately reduces productivity levels. Furthermore, auger-screw conveyors require the use of large volumes of additive to ensure the proper coverage. This leads to higher costs and longer drying times and or higher transportation cost due to the weight of an overly saturated finished product.  
           [0015]    Fourth, auger-screw conveyors tend to tear or break down the wood chips as they are conveyed. This creates “fines” or undersized particles that are not desired in the finished product. When adding liquid additives these “fines” are very absorbent and increase the amount of additive needed for the finished product.  
           [0016]    Last, when the auger-screw conveyor is fed by a fixed hopper above the conveyor, the wood chips tend to “bridge” or become non-flowing. This, like the presence of varying size particles, can cause the auger-screw conveyor to jam or stall, requiring that the auger-screw conveyor be stopped and manually cleared. Additionally, “bridging” can cause the auger-screw conveyor to be fed in an erratic manner, which creates a finished product that is not uniformly coated.  
           [0017]    Accordingly, this invention provides systems, methods and apparatuses, which apply additives to a materials, such as, for example, wood chips, more evenly and more thoroughly mix the materials to ensure a consistent finished product.  
           [0018]    In accordance with the apparatuses, systems and methods of this invention, one exemplary embodiment of the system for applying liquid additives to materials, such as, for example wood chips, uses a mixing chamber for applying the liquid additives to the materials. Unlike prior mixing chambers, the mixing chamber of this invention does not include an auger-screw conveyor, which suffers from at least the problems described above. Instead, the mixing chamber of this invention utilizes several tined cylinders to convey the wood chips through the mixing chamber.  
           [0019]    Each of the tined cylinders includes a number of spring biased tines extending from the surface of the cylinder. The tined cylinders are arranged within the mixing chamber such that, as the tined cylinders rotate about an axis, the spring biased tines engage wood chips (which have been input into the mixing chamber via a mixing chamber input opening) within the mixing chamber and “sweep” the wood chips along towards a discharge opening of the mixing chamber.  
           [0020]    The tined cylinders are further arranged within the mixing chamber such that, as the wood chips are swept along by, for example, a first rotating tined cylinder, the wood chips are sequentially engaged and swept along by successive rotating tined cylinders until the wood chips are discharged from the discharge opening of the mixing chamber.  
           [0021]    The use of spring biased tines provide a flexible method of propelling wood chips through the mixing chamber. Thus, materials can be conveyed through the mixing chamber without being crushed, ground, or damaged.  
           [0022]    As the wood chips are conveyed through the mixing chamber, an additive liquid, typically containing various chemicals, colorants, dies, and/or paints, is sprayed onto the wood chips.  
           [0023]    In various exemplary embodiments of this invention, the system for applying liquid additives to materials includes an infeed hopper. Unlike most known systems, the infeed hopper of this invention is an independent portion of the system.  
           [0024]    During operation, the infeed hopper supplies wood chips to the mixing chamber. An adjustable flow control gate is located at a discharge end of the infeed hopper. The adjustable flow gate is used to control the amount of wood chips that leave the infeed hopper. Thus, a uniform flow of wood chips is maintained to the mixing chamber.  
           [0025]    In other exemplary embodiments, the system for applying liquid additives to materials includes a discharge conveyor. The discharge conveyor is positioned adjacent or below the mixing chamber discharge opening such that treated wood chips being discharged from the mixing chamber can be transported to a specific location, and, for example, formed into a pile.  
           [0026]    Accordingly, this invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that can process batches of wood chips that include varying size particles, larger than normal particles, stringing material, or foreign objects, without jamming or stalling.  
           [0027]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that more thoroughly mix the product to ensure a consistently coated finished product.  
           [0028]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that reduce the amount of time required to apply an additive to the wood chips and ultimately increases productivity levels.  
           [0029]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that provide a spring-tooth cylinder for improved mixing of the wood chips and the additive.  
           [0030]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that provide improved agitation for the wood chip and additive mixture.  
           [0031]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that creating less “fines” or undersized particles.  
           [0032]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that reduce the tendency of wood chips to “bridge” or become non-flowing during the additive application process.  
           [0033]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that reduce the tendency of wood chips to be fed in an erratic manner.  
           [0034]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that require a reduced volume of additive to ensure the proper coverage of additive on the wood chips.  
           [0035]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that consume less additives in order to create a finished product.  
           [0036]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that apply additives to the surfaces of wood chips, without thoroughly soaking or overly saturating the wood chips so as to reduce the amount of additive required and reduce the expense of treated wood chips.  
           [0037]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that reduce the treated wood chip drying times.  
           [0038]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that reduce transportation costs of the treated wood chips due to the reduced weight of the properly saturated finished product.  
           [0039]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that provide an independent, variable speed, infeed hopper.  
           [0040]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that provide uniform, metered flow of materials into the mixing chamber.  
           [0041]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that include a backwall extension for containing overspills.  
           [0042]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that require a reduced amount of horsepower in order to function, thus resulting in reduced operational costs.  
           [0043]    This invention separately provides systems, methods, and apparatuses that are less dangerous and labor intensive to operate.  
           [0044]    These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the apparatuses, systems, and methods of this invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0045]    Exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram outlining a first exemplary embodiment of a system for applying liquid additives to materials according to this invention;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram outlining a first exemplary embodiment of a liquid additive/materials mixing chamber according to this invention;  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram outlining a second exemplary embodiment of a liquid additive/materials mixing chamber according to this invention;  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 4 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a tined cylinder according to this invention;  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a tined cylinder according to this invention; and  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a tined cylinder according to this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0052]    For simplicity and clarification, the operating principles, design factors, and layout of the apparatuses, systems, and methods for applying liquid additives to materials according to this invention are explained with reference to various exemplary embodiments of the apparatuses, systems, and methods for applying liquid additives to materials according to this invention. The basic explanation of the operation of the apparatuses, systems, and methods for applying liquid additives to materials is applicable for the understanding and design of the constituent components employed in the apparatuses, systems, and methods for applying liquid additives to materials of this invention.  
         [0053]    Furthermore, for simplicity and clarification, the embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the application of liquid additives to wood chips. However, it should be appreciated that the terms “wood chip” and “wood chips” are for a basic explanation and understanding of certain of the constituent components of the apparatuses, systems, and methods for applying liquid additives to materials of this invention. Therefore, the terms “wood chip” and/or “wood chips” are not to be construed as limiting this invention, but should be understood to allow additional or alternative materials, such as, for example, rubber, plastic, composite, or other materials that have been reduced to appropriately sized particles, to be coated with additives using the apparatuses, systems, and methods for applying liquid additives to materials of this invention.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram outlining a first exemplary embodiment of a system for applying liquid additives to materials according to this invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first exemplary embodiment of the system for applying liquid additives to materials  100  includes an infeed hopper  110  and a mixing chamber  120 .  
         [0055]    The infeed hopper  110  includes at least some of an infeed hopper input opening  112 , an adjustable flow control gate  114 , an infeed hopper discharge opening  1   16 , and an infeed hopper discharge extension  118 . In various exemplary embodiments, the infeed hopper  110  is constructed of one quarter inch steel plate.  
         [0056]    The mixing chamber  120 , as further shown in FIG. 2, includes at least some of a mixing chamber input opening  122 , a mixing chamber backwall extension  124 , a mixing chamber discharge opening  126 , and a mixing chamber discharge opening extension  128 . The mixing chamber  120  also includes several tined cylinders  140  (as shown in FIG. 4), rotatably attached, via an attachment  150 , within the mixing chamber  120 . Each of the tined cylinders  140  includes a plurality of individual tines  142 . In various exemplary embodiments, each tined cylinder  140  is rotated by a high efficiency motor (not shown) coupled by belt to a helical gear box (not shown).  
         [0057]    Each tine  142  is permanently or removably attached to the surface of at least one cylindrical disk  141  via a tine support  148 . In various exemplary embodiments, each tine  142  is constructed of spring steel wire. Each tine  142  extends from a tine support  148  and bends, to form an end portion  146 . The tine end portion  146  allows each tine to efficiently agitate, mix, and tumble wood chips within the mixing chamber.  
         [0058]    In various exemplary embodiments, each tine  142  includes two end portions  146 , as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.  
         [0059]    Each tine  142  also includes a tine biasing portion  144 . In various exemplary embodiments, the tine biasing portion  144  is a circular bend in the tine  142  that allows the tine  142  to flex a predetermined amount in order to allow the wood chips to be swept through the mixing chamber without being broken.  
         [0060]    The mixing chamber  120  also includes at least one spray nozzle  168 . In various exemplary embodiments, the mixing chamber  120  includes a plurality of spray nozzle  168 . Each spray nozzle  168  is connected, via an additive supply line  166 , to an additive mixing/holding tank  160 . A pump  162  and a volume regulator  164  are disposed within the additive supply line  166  to control the volume at which a liquid additive is sprayed from the nozzles  168  and maintain an accurate flow rate of the liquid additive.  
         [0061]    In various exemplary embodiments, the system for applying liquid additives to materials  100  further includes a discharge conveyor  170 .  
         [0062]    During operation of the system for applying liquid additives to materials  100 , wood chips are loaded into the infeed hopper  110  via the infeed hopper input opening  112 . The wood chips are then conveyed through the infeed hopper discharge opening  116  via the adjustable flow control gate  114 . In various exemplary embodiments, the wood chips are conveyed via a drag chain  119  located on a floor of the infeed hopper  110 . In various exemplary embodiments, the drag chain is constructed of a hardened chain and is driven by a high efficiency motor coupled to a shaft mounted helical gear reducer (not shown). It should be appreciated that multiple drag chains may be included in the floor of the infeed hopper  110  to convey the wood chips. By controlling the speed of the drag chain  119  and the adjustable flow control gate  114 , an operator can control the flow rate of wood chips through the system  100 .  
         [0063]    The adjustable flow control gate  114  is used to control the amount of wood chips that are discharged from the infeed hopper  110  and to provide a uniform flow of wood chips into the mixing chamber  120 . In various exemplary embodiments, the infeed hopper discharge extensions  118  help to guide the wood chips into the mixing chamber  120 . However, it should be appreciated that the system  100  can be operated without the infeed hopper discharge extensions  118 .  
         [0064]    As the wood chips are discharged from the infeed hopper  110 , gravity and inertia cause the wood chips to fall into the mixing chamber input opening  122 . In various exemplary embodiments, the mixing chamber  120  is arranged at an upwardly inclined angle relative to the ground. However, the mixing chamber  120  may also be arranged such that the mixing chamber  120  is parallel to the ground. In various exemplary embodiments, the mixing chamber  120  includes a mixing chamber backwall extension  124  that aids in the loading of the wood chips into the mixing chamber  120 . However, it should be appreciated that the mixing chamber  120  can be operated without the mixing chamber backwall extension  124 .  
         [0065]    As the wood chips are fed into the mixing chamber  120 , each tined cylinder  140  is rotated in a counter clockwise direction. In this manner, the tines  142  sweep the wood chips toward the mixing chamber discharge opening  126 . In various exemplary embodiments, each tined cylinder  140  is rotated at a different rotational speed.  
         [0066]    As the tined cylinders  140  are rotated and the wood chips are conveyed from the mixing chamber input opening  122  toward the mixing chamber discharge opening  126 , a liquid additive such as, for example, a chemical, colorant, dye, and/or paint, is pumped, via the pump  162 , from an additive mixing/holding tank  160 . The pump  162  draws the liquid additive from the additive mixing/holding tank  160  through the additive supply line  166  and forces the liquid additive through the additive supply line  166  and the spray nozzles  168  into the mixing chamber  120 . The volume regulator  164 , disposed within the additive supply line  166 , controls the volume at which a liquid additive is sprayed from the nozzles  168  and maintains an accurate flow rate of the liquid additive.  
         [0067]    In various exemplary embodiments, the volume regulator  164  regulates the volume at which the liquid additive is sprayed from the nozzles  168 . It should be appreciated that the particular volume and/or pressure at which the liquid additive is sprayed from the nozzles  168  is dependent upon such factors as the viscosity of the liquid additive, the types of nozzles used, the volume of wood chips to which the liquid additive is to be applied, and the desired amount of liquid additive to be applied to the wood chips.  
         [0068]    As the wood chips are discharged from the mixing chamber discharge opening  126 , gravity and inertia cause the treated wood chips to fall on the optional discharge conveyor  170 . In various exemplary embodiments, the discharge conveyor  170  is a free standing 36″ belt conveyor, constructed of 6″ ship channel iron, and powered by a motor (not shown) coupled by belt to a shaft mounted helical gear box (not shown). It should be appreciated that the discharge conveyor  170  can be placed at any degree of inclination or declination as desired.  
         [0069]    The discharge conveyor  170  optionally includes a discharge conveyor backwall extension  172  that is positioned at the rear of the discharge conveyor  170  to aid in the placement of the treated wood chips on the discharge conveyor  170 . Additionally, the discharge conveyor  170  optionally includes discharge conveyor input extensions  174  that are positioned along either side of the discharge conveyor  170  for further aiding in the efficient placement of the wood chips on the discharge conveyor  170 . It should be appreciated that, as with the infeed hopper discharge extensions  118  and the mixing chamber backwall extension  124 , the discharge conveyor  170  can be operated without the discharge conveyor backwall extension  172  or the discharge conveyor input extensions  174 .  
         [0070]    [0070]FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram outlining a second exemplary embodiment of a liquid additive/materials mixing chamber according to this invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the mixing chamber  320  includes a mixing chamber input opening  322 , a mixing chamber backwall extension  324 , a mixing chamber discharge opening  326 , and tined cylinders  340 . A liquid additive is sprayed into the mixing chamber  330 , via additive supply line  366 , and spray nozzles  368 . These elements correspond to and operate similarly to the same elements discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0071]    However, the mixing chamber  320  also includes elements  330 . As shown in FIG. 3, elements  330  serve to stall the progress of the wood chips through the mixing chamber  320  so as to ensure that each of the wood chips is saturated to a desired level by the liquid additive. It should be appreciated that any number of elements  330  may be introduced into the mixing chamber  320  and that the elements  330  may vary in shape depending on the desired rate of travel of the wood chips through the mixing chamber  330 .  
         [0072]    [0072]FIG. 4 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the tined cylinder  140  according to this invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the tined cylinder  140  comprises at least one cylindrical disk  141 . A plurality of tine supports  148  are disposed along an outer circumference of the at least one cylindrical disk  141 . Multiple tines  142  are then either removably or permanently attached to each of the tine supports  148 .  
         [0073]    [0073]FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a tined cylinder  540  according to this invention. It should be appreciated that, in various exemplary embodiments of this invention, the tined cylinder  540  is the tined cylinder  140 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , and similarly numbered elements correspond to and operate similarly to the same elements discussed above with respect to FIGS.  1 - 4 .  
         [0074]    As shown in FIG. 5, the tined cylinder  540  comprises a cylindrical disk  541 . A plurality of tine supports  548  are permanently or removably disposed along an outer circumference of the cylindrical disk  541 . Multiple tines  542  are then permanently or removably attached to each of the tine supports  548 .  
         [0075]    In various exemplary embodiments, each tine  542  is constructed of spring steel wire. Each tine  542  extends from a tine support  548  and bends, to form an end portion  546 . The tine end portion  546  allows each tine to efficiently agitate, mix, and tumble wood chips within the mixing chamber.  
         [0076]    In various exemplary embodiments, each tine  542  includes two end portions  546 . However, it should be appreciated that each tine may include only one end portion  546  extending from a tine support  548 .  
         [0077]    Each tine  542  also includes a tine biasing portion  544 . In various exemplary embodiments, the tine biasing portion  544  is a circular bend in the tine  542  that allows the tine  542  to flex a predetermined amount in order to allow the wood chips to be swept through the mixing chamber without being broken.  
         [0078]    It should be appreciated that, although FIG. 5 shows the tined cylinder  540  having the tine supports  548  extending beyond the cylindrical disk  541 , in various exemplary embodiments, the tine supports  548  do not extend beyond the cylindrical disk  541 . Furthermore, in various exemplary embodiments, the cylindrical disk  541  extends beyond the tine supports  548 .  
         [0079]    Additionally, it should be understood that although the tines  542  are only shown on two of the tine supports  548 , tines  542  are included on each tine support  548 .  
         [0080]    [0080]FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a tined cylinder  640  according to this invention. It should be appreciated that, in various exemplary embodiments of this invention, the tined cylinder  640  is the tined cylinder  140 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , and similarly numbered elements correspond to and operate similarly to the same elements discussed above with respect to FIGS.  1 - 4 .  
         [0081]    As shown in FIG. 6, the tined cylinder  640  comprises multiple tines  642  (each having an end portion  646  and a tine biasing portion  644 ) and a plurality of tine supports  648 . These elements listed above correspond to and operate similarly to the same elements discussed above with respect to FIG. 5.  
         [0082]    However, the tined cylinder  640  further comprises at least two cylindrical disks  641  disposed along a common rotational access. The at least two cylindrical disks  641  correspond to and replace the cylindrical disk  541 , of FIG. 5.  
         [0083]    It should be appreciated that, in various exemplary embodiments, the tined cylinder  640  comprises more than two cylindrical disks  641  disposed along a common rotational access. It should also be appreciated that, although FIG. 6 shows the tined cylinder  640  having the tine supports  648  extending beyond the cylindrical disks  641 , in various exemplary embodiments, the tine supports  648  do not extend beyond the cylindrical disks  641 . Furthermore, in various exemplary embodiments, the cylindrical disks  641  extend beyond the tine supports  648 .  
         [0084]    Additionally, it should be understood that although the tines  642  are only shown on two of the tine supports  648 , tines  642  are included on each tine support  648 .  
         [0085]    While this invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.