Patent ID: 7946513

Claim:
A gravity-fed fragmenting machine having a frame and comprising: a feed chute attached to the frame for feeding waste materials to the machine in a generally downward direction; an at least partially enclosed fragmenting chamber attached to the frame and in operative communication with the feed chute, the fragmenting chamber defined at least partially by fragmenting screens and housing a fixed strike plate and a fragmenting rotor therein, the fragmenting rotor further comprising an axis of rotation, a drum having an outer surface, a plurality of mounting brackets attached to the drum's outer surface in rows with varying axial distances between the brackets; and a rotor tooth releasably attached to each of the plurality of mounting brackets; a rotating anvil in operative communication with the fragmenting rotor and the feed chute, the rotating anvil further comprising an axis of rotation, a drum and more than one striking plate attached to the drum, wherein the axis of rotation of the rotating anvil is parallel to the axis of rotation of the fragmenting rotor and is located above, and offset from, the axis of rotation of the fragmenting rotor, wherein the fragmenting rotor and the rotating anvil are operatively connected to a motorized means for rotatingly driving the rotor and the anvil in opposite rotational directions, the rotational direction of the rotor being in opposition to the generally downward direction of the waste materials moving down the feed chute, and wherein the rotating anvil redirects upwardly moving feed material back into the path of rotating rotor teeth.