Recycling tires by successively removing bead core, crushing circumferentially, cutting into strips, separating rubber and metal and reducing rubber to crumb

摘要

tires are recycled by successively removing their bead cores, crushing them gradually along their circumference, transversely cutting them into strips and separating the rubber and metal plies from the strips. The rubber is reduced to crumb. An Independent claim is included for an apparatus which has at least one station for performing each step of the above method. The operation of the stations is automatically controlled and synchronized. Preferred Features: The bead cores are removed by supporting each tire vertically between two horizontal jacks each having a rod with a grip at its free end for engaging the tire. Each jack pulls part of the tire through a slot to where a cutter severs the bead core. The cutter is pivoted and has an inverted V-shaped cutting edge. The separating station has two rows of parallel rollers turning in opposite directions to advance the strips. The rollers in the same row have different linear speeds. The mixed crumb and metal are blown out of the separating station and recovered from the airstream in a cyclone. The metal is separated from the rubber magnetically.