Patent ID: 7011018

Claim:
A material compactor for compacting or separating liquid from comminuted material, the compactor comprising: a material feed apparatus adapted to transport the comminuted material into a compaction apparatus, the material feed apparatus having a bin and an auger to subject the comminuted material to a preliminary level of compaction; the compaction apparatus adapted to receive the comminuted material from the material feed apparatus, the compaction apparatus having; a compacting ram adapted to subject the comminuted material to a plurality of compacting hits; and an adjustably taperable compaction chamber having an inner cavity defined by first and second opposed compaction plates, the inner cavity having a material entry portion and a continuously open discharge port, wherein the compaction chamber further includes a longitudinal gap provided along a length of and between the first and second opposed compaction plates, and a groove provided generally transverse with respect to the longitudinal gap and extending into and across an outer surface of at least one of the first and second opposed compaction plates proximate the material entry portion, the longitudinal gap and the transverse groove together facilitating adjustment of the first and second opposed compaction plates by an external compression force to selectively adjust tapering of the inner cavity proximate the open discharge port such that the comminuted material within the inner cavity of the chamber is subject to funnelized pressure by the compacting hits of the compacting ram until the comminuted material is forced from the compaction chamber at the open discharge port.