The present invention relates generally to recycling and waste disposal industries, and particularly to methods and apparatus used to treat materials in these industries. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus or installation or assembly that is used to cut, crush, pulverise or otherwise reduce the size of materials in general and waste or scrap materials in particular, and/or to convert materials into a more useful or useable size, such as for example, for use in further processing in the manufacture of new goods or products made from recycled materials or to make the ultimate disposal of the waste or scrap material easy. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus or installation or assembly equipped with cutting assemblies or cutting means having one or more cutting meinbers or elements for reducing the size of waste or scrap materials, which apparatus, installation or assembly is relocatable, portable, transportable or the like so that it may be moved from place to place as required. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a cutting assembly or installation which is movable with respect to a support, so as, for example, to allow easy elimination or release from the installation of material which cannot readily be cut by the cutting installation or assembly. The present invention finds particular application in the treatment of scrap materials, such as for example, tyres, or scrap iron or metals, for subsequent recycling into other useful products in which contaminants or foreign materials which interfere with the normal processing or treatment of the materials can be readily eliminated or released from the

apparatus or installation by moving a part of the apparatus or installation with respect to the support in order to eliminate the oreign material from the apparatus.

The present invention finds particular application in recycling domestic, industrial or commercial waste or rubbish by reducing such materials to small sized pieces which can then readily be recycled or disposed of, such as for example, in landfil .

Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to an assembly for reducing the size of tyres, scrap metal, domestic rubbish or the like, comprising a self-contained mobile installation of the cutting apparatus connected to an excavator or similar in which the cutting apparatus is movable with respect to the excavator, it is to be noted that the present invention is not limited in scope to the described embodiment, but rather the scope is more extensive so as to include other arrangements and installations of the cutting apparatus, other types of supports, and to their use in a variety of applications for treating a wide variety of different materials .

It is to be noted that the use of the terms "cutters", "cutting elements", "cutting assemblies", "cutting surfaces" and the like used throughout the present specification are not meant to be limiting by referring the operation of reducing the size of the materials by cutting only, but rather these terms are used merely for clarity of expression and ease of understanding. Any operation which reduces the size of material is included within the scope of these terms, such as for example, shredding, crushing, pulverising, grinding, comminuting and the like.

Concerns have been expressed over the consumption of raw materials and the disposal of products such that there is

now great impetus to recycle many goods which have outlived their usefulness or which require replacing. There have been many attempts to recycle a variety of goods. However, previous attempts have not been all that successful for a variety of reasons.

Although people are becoming more concerned about the rate of consumption of raw materials and the rate at which waste materials are being generated and discarded, they are still loathe to outlay large amounts of money and effort on recycling and on waste treatment or waste disposal units. In many instances, the amount of waste produced at a particular site is insufficient to justify the expense and effort of investing in a dedicated recycling or waste disposal unit or plant for that site. Accordingly, in such circumstances there is little or no recycling attempted at these sites. As an example, many council municipalities often cover large areas and include several disparate dump sites. It is not economical or viable to have recycling units or plants at each site because the sites are too small to justify the expense since the units would only be in use for a limited amount of time. However, if there were a portable or translocatable waste disposal unit that could be moved between the different dump sites, it would be possible to recycle more materials. Therefore, there is a need for a relocatable or transportable waste treatment plant or unit.

Another problem associated with existing recycling or waste treatment plants or units is that reduced size waste material is often used as landfill. In such cases, the waste is normally collected at one site, taken to another site where a waste disposal unit is located, the material is treated at that site, and later is transferred to a still further site where the treated material is used as landfill. It would be more efficient to transport the waste material directly to the site where it is to be used

as landfill and treat the material at the landfill site. However, often the landfill site is relatively small so that there is insufficient justification for having a waste treatment or disposal unit or plant located at that land ill site. If there was a transportable or relocatable waste unit or plant, it could be moved to the landfill site, used until it is no longer required, and then moved to a different site. Therefore, there is a need for a translocatable waste disposal unit or plant.

A further problem associated with existing recycling units is that many units are not adapted to eliminate foreign material or other material that cannot be treated by the disposal unit or plant without damaging the recycling unit. In many cases, foreign material causes the waste disposal plant to be damaged or the plant must be shut down to remove the foreign material. Therefore, there is a need for a waste disposal plant or unit which has the ability to eliminate from the unit, in an easy and efficient manner and without interrupting operation of the unit, foreign materials or materials which cannot be treated in an effective and efficient manner by the unit.

Therefore, it is an aim of the present invention to alleviate at least some of the adverse effects on the environment of current methods of treatment and disposal of waste materials by providing more efficient size-reduction methods and apparatus.

Another aim of the present invention is to be able to more effectively and economically reduce the size of waste material in situations where it was previously uneconomical to treat such material by providing a mobile or transportable waste material treatment installation or apparatus.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a

material treatment plant or installation which is adapted to easily eliminate or release foreign material which cannot be treated by the material treatment plant.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cutting assembly for reducing the size of material comprising cutting means connected to a support means, said cutting means comprising cutting members housed within an enclosure, said enclosure having an inlet means for admitting material and an outlet means for discharging treated material, a passage section located intermediate the inlet means and the outlet means in which the cutting members are located for reducing the size of material admitted to the apparatus, wherein the enclosure is connected to the support means by a first arm movably connected to the enclosure at a first connection point, and a second extendable arm extending from the first arm to the enclosure and having a drive means for adjusting the length of the second arm such that extension and/or retraction of the second arm causes the enclosure to move about the first connection point thereby allowing movement of the enclosure to eliminate or release undesirable or foreign material from the apparatus.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a relocatable cutting assembly for reducing the size of material comprising a cutting means movably mounted to a support means said support means comprising a means for relocating or transporting the mobile cutting assembly said cutting means comprising cutting members contained within an enclosure said enclosure having an inlet means for admitting material and an outlet means for discharging treated material, a passage section located intermediate the inlet means and the outlet means in which the cutting members are located for reducing the size of the material admitted to the apparatus,

said enclosure connected to the support by a first arm pivotally connected to the enclosure at a first pivotal point, a second extendable arm extending from the first arm to the enclosure having a drive means to adjust the length of the arm such that extension of the second arm causes the enclosure to pivot about the first pivotal point causing the direction of the longitudinal passage to alter from a first position to a second position thereby eliminating or removing any undesired material present from the cutting means.

The support means may be fixed such as, for example, a concrete support or the like which is optionally relocatable, or it may be movable, preferably mobile. Preferably, the support means is movable and is a trailer, bob-cat, tractor, back-hoe, truck, utility, crane or the like. More preferably the support is capable of self- propulsion. More preferably the support is an excavator. Even more preferably, the enclosure is located at the end of the articulated arm of the excavator in place of the excavator bucket. The excavator is preferably provided with tracks, such as caterpillar tracks.

The cutting members may be any conventional members which operate to reduce the size of a wide variety of materials. Such size reducing cutting members include, but are not limited to shredders, crushers, pulverisers, grinders and the like. In a preferred embodiment the cutting members consists of cutters as described in PCT/AU97/00007.

The cutting means may comprise one, two, three, four or more cutting members or elements. In one embodiment the cutting means consist of three cutting members situated adjacent each other along the length of the passage section of the enclosure. In another embodiment the cutting means consists of three rows of cutters as described in PCT/AU97/00007 situated adjacent each other along the

length of the passage section of the enclosure such that the material passes through a first cutter, a second cutter and finally a third cutter, each cutting assembly further reducing the size of the material. In another embodiment, the cutting means comprises several cutting members situated adjacent each other along the length of the passage with a gap between each of the cutting members. The cutting means enclosure is such that material enters through one open end and out another open end. The cutting means enclosure is such that material enters into the passage through one transverse open end and exits through a second transverse open end. Preferably, the transverse dimensions of the enclosure are such that material can only proceed from the first transverse end to the second transverse end by passing through the cutting members.

The length of the cutting means enclosure is such that it completely contains the cutting members. Preferably the length of the cutting means enclosure is such that it can fully contain the cutting members when they are spaced apart.

The cutting means enclosure may be made of steel, aluminium or the like. Preferably the enclosure is made of a strong reinforced substance capable of withstanding the force of material as it is dropped into the enclosure.

In one embodiment of the present invention the enclosure means comprises a first portion and a second portion, said first portion in which the cutting members are situated comprising a first open transverse end and a second open transverse end said first and second ends connected by a longitudinal section having a passage running from the first transverse end to the second transverse end, the second portion comprising a tapered section for receiving the material with a first open transverse end and a second open transverse end in which the first transverse open end

is two to three times larger in area than the second transverse open end, and in which the second open transverse end of the second portion extends from the first transverse end of the first portion such that material enters through the broad first open transverse end of the second portion and subsequently feeds into the first transverse open end of the first portion from the second open transverse end of the second portion through the cutting members and out the second open transverse end of the first portion.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the enclosure consists of a first portion housing the cutting members having a back wall, a front wall and two side walls substantially perpendicular to each other, the front and back walls and the side walls being of equal length to produce two open sides at opposite ends of the same dimensions; a second portion consisting of a f nnel having a sloping front wall, a sloping back wall, a first and second sloping side wall, a first open side of the same area as the open sides of the first portion and a second open side having a larger area than the first open side of the second portion, the sloping back wall and the second sloping side wall being rigidly fixed to the first open side of the first portion, the sloping front wall and the first sloping side wall being rigidly connected to each other, the sloping front wall being hinged to the first open end of the first portion so that the first sloping side wall and the sloping front wall can move in relation to the first portion and the second sloping side wall and the sloping back wall of the second portion, the sloping front wall and the first sloping side wall being held against the sloping back wall and the second sloping side wall by an extended extendable arm having one end connected to the front sloping wall of the second portion and the other end connected to the front wall of the first portion, the arm being equipped with a drive device to control the

extension and contraction of the arm such that when the arm is contracted the first sloping side wall and the front sloping wall fall away from the back sloping wall and the second sloping wall allowing for the disposal of any undesired material present in the cutting assembly.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the first sloping side wall of the second portion of the enclosure is not flush with the open edge of the portion producing a gap through which material which does not pass through the cutting members may be disposed.

In still a further embodiment a retractable door is provided between a first and second portion of the enclosure.

In a more preferred embodiment the cutting means is elevated, the front and back walls of the first portion of the enclosure being substantially vertical and the open walls of the enclosure being at an angle of between 10 and 50 degrees or horizontal such that the first sloping wall of the second portion providing the gap is further elevated than the second sloping wall of the second portion.

The arm connecting the cutting means with the support is connected to the enclosure at a pivotal point. The pivotal point may be located at any position along the longitudinal section of the enclosure. Preferably where the enclosure consists of a first portion and a second portion the pivotal point is located at the intersection between the first portion and the second portion. The arm may be connected to the pivotal point by any conventional means of connection such as by a nut and bolt.

The drive means for pivoting the cutting means about the arm may be any drive means commonly used. Preferably the drive means is controlled by a hydraulic drive means.

The drive means pivoting the cutting means may be controlled from a control point located on the support or from a separate control point such as a second dump vehicle which dumps material into the enclosure.

The first arm connecting the enclosure to the support may consist of one or more joints. Preferably the arm consists of one joint when the material reduced in size is to be deposited over a small site. Preferably the extendable arm is controlled by a hydraulic ram.

Preferably when the material reduced in size is to be deposited over a large site the arm consists of two sections so as to obtain a greater reach, a first section pivotally connected at a first pivotal point to the enclosure and connected at a second pivotal point to a second section, an extendable arm connected at one end to the first section and at another end to the second section which when extended or contracted by a drive means causes the first section to pivot about the second section. Preferably the extendable arm is controlled by a hydraulic ram. Preferably the drive means to drive the extendable arm is a hydraulic drive means operated from a control means on the support or by a control means isolated from the cutting assembly such as a control means in a dumping vehicle dumping the material into the enclosure.

In a more preferred embodiment the arm is pivotally connected at a further pivot point to the support, an extendable arm connected at one end to the arm and at another end to the support which when extended or contracted by a drive means causes the arm to pivot about the support. Preferably the drive means to drive the extendable arm is a hydraulic drive means operated from a control means on the support or by a control means isolated from the cutting assembly such as a control means in a

dumping vehicle dumping the material into the enclosure.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the present invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a movable cutting assembly of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of one form of the enclosure of the cutting apparatus of the present invention but without the cutting members being shown in the enclosure;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, vertical cross- sectional view of a cutting means;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a cutting means.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated an excavator generally denoted as 1, having tracks 3 which when in operation makes it possible to relocate the cutting assembly to another site where there is material to be reduced in size or where there is a site to be filled with material reduced in size, even if the excavator is transported on the bed of another vehicle, such as a low loader or similar.

An arm 5 connecting the excavator 1 with a cutting assembly 7 consists of a lower section 9 and a upper section 11. The lower section 9 is pivotally connected to the excavator 1 at a pivotal point 13. A first extendable hydraulic ram 15 is connected at one point 17 to the excavator 1 and at another point 19 to the lower section 9 of the arm. The first extendable hydraulic ram 15 which is hydraulically extendable is controlled by a suitable control in the cabin 21 of the excavator 1. By altering the extension of the first extendable hydraulic ram 15 the arm 5, particularly

arm 9, pivots about the pivotal point 13.

The lower section 9 of the arm 5 is pivotally connected to the upper section 11 of the arm 5 at a second pivotal point 23. A second extendable hydraulic ram 25 is connected at one point 27 to the lower section 9 of the arm 5 and at a second point 29 to an extendable hydraulic ram 41 connected to the second point at pivotal point 23. The second extendable hydraulic ram 25 which is hydraulically extendable is controlled by a control in the cabin 21 of the excavator 1. By altering the extension of the second extendable hydraulic ram 25 the upper section 11 pivots about the second pivotal point 23.

The cutting assembly 7 comprises an enclosure 39 which consists of a first upper portion 35 extending from a second lower portion 37. The enclosure 39 has a back wall 33a and 33b adjacent to the excavator 1, a front wall 45a and 45b parallel to the back wall 33a and 33b of the same dimensions and a first side wall 47 and a second side wall 48. The upper portion 35 consists of an upper rectangular open end 49 approximately twice the area of the lower open end 51 of the second portion 37 and a lower open end 53 of the same area as the lower open end 51 of the second portion 37. The walls of the first portion 35 are approximately the same height as the walls of the second portion 37 of the enclosure 39.

The upper section 11 of arm 5 is pivotally connected to the cutting means 7 at a third pivotal point 31. The third pivotal point 31 is located on a plate located on the back side 33 of the cutting means 7 at the intersection of the first portion 35 of the enclosure 39 and the second portion 37 of the enclosure 39. A third extendable hydraulic ram 41 is connected at a first point 91 to the second extendable hydraulic ram 25 at a second point 93 to the enclosure 39 on the back side 33 of the cutting means 7.

The third extendable hydraulic ram 41 which is hydraulically extendable is controlled by a control in the cabin 21 of the excavator 1. By altering the extension of the third extendable hydraulic ram 41 the cutting means 7 pivots about the third pivotal point 31.

In its normal working position the cutting assembly is arranged so that the cutting means is elevated and the front 45 and back 33 walls of the enclosure are in a substantially vertical orientation, the first side wall 47 being slightly elevated in relation to the second side wall 48 so that the open end 49 of the first portion 35 of the cutting means is orientated at about 20 degrees inclination to the horizontal. In operation material is dumped into the open end 49 of the first portion 35 the material hits the second wall 48b of the second portion 35 is deflected off the wall and falls back onto the cutters 81 which cut the material .

Figure 2 illustrates enclosure 39 comprising an upper first portion 35 and a lower second portion 37. The back wall 33a and one side wall 48a of the first portion 35 are rigidly connected to each other and to the back wall 33b and one side wall 48b of the second portion 37. The side wall 47a is flush at the top with the back wall 33a and front wall 45a of the first portion 35. The first side wall 47a of the first portion 35 is not in contact with the first side wall 47b of the second portion 37 and thus a gap 51 is provided between side walls 47a and 47b through which undesired material can be ejected. The first side wall 47a of the first portion 35 is rigidly connected to the front wall 45a of the first portion 35. The front wall 45a of the first portion 35 is connected to the front wall 45b of the second portion 37 by a hinge 53 which opens outwardly away from the cutting members located in the enclosure. A fourth extendable hydraulic ram 55 is connected at a first point 57 to the front wall 45a of the first portion 35 and

at a second point 59 to the front wall 45b of the second portion 37 of the enclosure. The fourth extendable hydraulic ram 55 which is hydraulically extendable is controlled by a control in the cabin 21 of the excavator 1. In operation, by altering the extension of the third extendable hydraulic ram 55 the front wall 45a of the first portion 35 may rotate about hinge 53 outwardly from the cutting means 7 in unison with the first side wall 47a of the first portion to release any undesired material from inside the enclosure.

The second side wall 48a of the upper portion 35 has a false internal wall 61 which slopes inwardly at an angle of about 20 degrees in a direction from top to bottom. The first side wall 47a of the upper portion 35 has a false internal wall 63 which slopes inwardly at an angle of about 20 degrees in a direction from top to bottom, extending as far as the first side wall 47a so as to provide the gap 51 through which unwanted material can be ejected.

The first and second side walls 47b and 48b of the second portion 37 have attached thereto a stepped portion 47c and 48c which houses the controls for the cutting members 71.

Figure 3 illustrates the second portion 37 or lower part of enclosure 39 with three sets of cutters 81 spaced vertically across the enclosure each extending from the first side wall 47b to the second side wall 48b. Although only three sets of cutters are shown it is to be noted that there are six sets of cutters present as shown in Figure 4 since the cutter sets are arranged in pairs . Each set of cutters comprises a shaft 83 having threaded thereon a first spring 85a several cutting members or elements 101 spaced along the shaft and a second spring 85b. Drive mechanisms in the form of meshed gear wheels 87a and 87b for driving the cutters 81 are situated in the housings 47c and 48c adjacent the outer sides of the side walls 47b and

48b of the second portion 37 of the enclosure 39. The shafts 83 are driven by any suitable or convenient means such as hydraulic motors and the like.

The false walls 61 and 63 of the first portion 35 of the enclosure are inclined from the top open side 49 of the first portion of the enclosure at an angle such that the bottom end of the false wall 61 and 63 extend beyond the springs 85a and 85b of the cutters 81. A flange 91 extends from the first side wall 47b of the second portion 37 directly under the first false wall 63 to conceal the springs 85a of the cutter 81, the other springs 85b being concealed by the second false wall 61.

Figure 4 illustrates the extendable hydraulic ram 41 connected to a plate or bracket at a point 93 located towards the top of the wall 33a of the first portion 35 of the enclosure, the upper section 11 of arm 5 being connected to the back wall 33 of the enclosure at the third pivotal point 31 located below pivot point 93 so that when the hydraulic ram 41 is extended the cutting means pivots around pivotal point 31 so that the open end 49 of the first portion 35 rotates from a substantially vertical position to a more horizontally oriented position enabling the contents of the first portion 35 to be discarded which allows unsuitable or foreign material to be ejected from the apparatus.

Figure 4 also illustrates 3 pairs of cutters 81. The cutters 81 in a pair rotate in opposite directions towards each other so that the top side of the rollers meets first. Once material has passed through one set of rollers it then proceeds through the second and then third set of rollers . Material which does not pass through the first set of rollers is either discarded through gap 51 or is discarded by rotating or tilting the cutting means using hydraulic ram 41 and if necessary hingeing open the front 45a and

first side 47a walls of the first portion 35 of the enclosure thereby allowing them to drop away from the enclosure thus releasing the material being contained in the enclosure.

Figure 5 further illustrates the interrelationship of the cutting members or elements when located along the shaft 83 of the cutting means showing adjacent cutters being oppositely inclined to each other.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features hereindisclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.