IP Library Granted Patent US 7,328,863
Granted Patent B2
US 7,328,863 · App. 10/433,099 · Granted Feb 12, 2008

Counterweight and method for recycling the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,328,863
App. No.
10/433,099
Granted
Feb 12, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a counterweight and a counterweight-recycling method capable of having excellent workability, capable of reducing manufacturing costs, and capable of achieving environmental conservation. A metal portion contained in slag produced in an iron making process or in residue in a waste treatment furnace is used as a weight material of a counterweight ( 10 ). A method of recycling the counterweight ( 10 ) includes a removing step of removing an outer shell ( 15 ) of a used counterweight ( 10 ) that has used a magnetic metal portion as a weight material, a crushing/cutting step of crushing a filler containing the metal portion of the counterweight ( 10 ) from which the outer shell ( 15 ) has been removed and cutting a combined state between the metal portion and the other filler portion, and a separating step of separating processed products obtained in the crushing/cutting step into high-specific-gravity substances composed chiefly of the metal portion and into other low-specific-gravity substances, in which the high-specific-gravity substances are used as weight materials of a counterweight to be newly manufactured.

Claims (18)

1. A method of recycling a counterweight which was produced by using, as a filler, a metal recovered from slag generated from at least one of a blast furnace, a cupola furnace, a converter, and an electric furnace, or a metal contained in residue in a waste treatment furnace, and by using cement as a binder, wherein the method comprises:

a crushing/cutting step including removing an outer shell of the used counterweight,

a rough-crushing step including removing larger-sized metal portions contained in the filler from which the outer shell has been removed;

a crushing/grinding step including crushing and grinding the filler from which the larger-sized metal portions have been removed, to break a combined state between the metal portion and the cement,

a magnetic separation step including separating magnetic substances from the crushed and ground filler processed in the crushing/grinding step; and

a specific gravity separating step including separating high-specific-gravity substances from the separated magnetic substances; and

incorporating the high-specific-gravity substances as a filler in a new counterweight.

2. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, in the specific gravity separating step, the magnetic substances separated in the magnetic separation step are further separated by a magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force into the high-specific-gravity substances which are composed substantially of metal pieces, and into low-specific-gravity substances.

3. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 2 , wherein a peripheral speed of the magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force is in the range of from 300 to 500 m/min.

4. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 3 , wherein a magnetic flux density of the magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force is more than 4000 gausses.

5. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 2 , wherein a magnetic flux density of the magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force is more than 4000 gausses.

6. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, in the magnetic separating step, the filler processed in the crushing/grinding step are magnetically separated by a conventional magnetic separator, and, in the specific gravity separating step, magnetic substances separated in the magnetic separation step are further separated by a magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force into the high-specific-gravity substances which are composed substantially of a metal portion and into low-specific-gravity substances.

7. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 6 , wherein a peripheral speed of the magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force is in the range of from 300 to 500 m/min.

8. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 6 , wherein a magnetic flux density of the magnetic separator of high peripheral speed/high magnetic force is more than 4000 gausses.

9. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, in the specific gravity separating step, the magnetic substances separated in the magnetic separation step are separated by an air-blast separator into the high-specific-gravity substances which are composed substantially of a metal portion and into low-specific-gravity substances.

10. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 9 , wherein a wind power of the air-blast separator is in the range of from 12 to 20 m/s.

11. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, in the magnetic separating step, the filler processed in the crushing/grinding step are magnetically separated by a conventional magnetic separator, and, in the specific gravity separating step, magnetic substances separated in the magnetic separation step are further separated by an air-blast separator into the high-specific-gravity substances which are composed substantially of a metal portion and into low-specific-gravity substances.

12. The method of recycling a counterweight as set forth in claim 11 , wherein a wind power of the air-blast separator is in the range of from 12 to 20 m/s.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 17, 2008
From: SHIN CATERPILLAR MITSUBISHI LTD.
To: CATERPILLAR JAPAN LTD.
Reel/Frame 021531/0563 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2003
From: NAKAJIMA, NORIO; KATAOKA, SHUICHI; KUMAMOTO, HIROSHI
To: SHIN CATERPILLAR MITSUBISHI LTD.
Reel/Frame 014526/0880 →