FILTER SYSTEM FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY-SAFE PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR DISPOSING OF CYLINDRICAL LIGHT BULBS

摘要

A portable unitary apparatus, preferably wheeled, is provided herein for disposing of hazardous light bulbs, e.g., fluorescent bulbs. The apparatus is in the form of a housing which includes an upper compartment, and a lower compartment. The top of the housing is provided with a cylindrical light bulb feed chute for a fluorescent light bu lb to be disposed of. A rotary, bulb-crushing device, which is powered by a motor, is disposed within an enclosed reduction chamber shroud which depends from the upper compartment. A disposable, pulverized light bulb collection bag is selectively disposed within the lowe r compartment in air-sealed relationship to the reduction chamber. A filter system is dispose d within the upper chamber. This filter system includes exhaust tube means which is connected between the reduction chamber and the light bulb feed chute, and is constructed to draw noxious vapours through a primary filter by means of vacuum generating means. The filtered vapours pas s through secondary and tertiary filters and then into the reduction chamber shroud, where a portion thereof is recycled through the filters again, while the rest accompanies the disintegrated glass into t he disposable bag. Thus, any trace amount of gases which may be discharged into the ambient environment a re environmentally- clean. Weigh means may also be provided to prevent overfilling of the disposable bags.