A mechanical capsule separating system for commercial use

A mechanical system for separating the recyclable casing of the capsules and/or pods used from the compostable organic material contained in said casing, the mechanical system comprising an apparatus including, in combination:

• a load-bearing structure, means for loading the capsules and/or pods used,
• a motorized separation unit comprising a containment compartment containing a perforated basket,
• means for storing and collecting the resulting products,
• an electronic and electric control part for managing the operation of the apparatus;
• a motorized selector unit provided with a selector wheel with shaped flights;
• mechanical means arranged inside said perforated basket for processing the capsules and/or pods, which are adapted to break the casing thereof to separate the organic contents from the casing, collecting the compostable organic contents and the recyclable casings in a first and in a second collection container, respectively, which are different from each other and connected to the containment compartment which can be emptied into the normal containers used for sorting waste;
• a feeding opening for feeding said used capsules and/or pods, placed in the upper part of the containment compartment for feeding the capsules and/or pods from the top directly into the perforated basket;
• means for conveying the compostable organic material, which has been separated from the rest of the processed capsules and/or pods, from the containment compartment to said first collection container;
• means for conveying the remains of the recyclable casings of the processed capsules and/or pods, which have been separated from the organic materials, from the containment compartment to a second collection container;
• said mechanical system being provided with manually-operated or motor-driven mechanical rotary cleaning means, adapted to scrape, from the outer walls and from the outer bottom of the perforated basket, as well as from the inner walls and from the inner bottom of the containment compartment, any incrustations of organic material from within the capsules and/or pods, to avoid obstructions, which would block said apparatus;
• and wherein:
• said motorized selector unit is placed at the top of the containment compartment containing the perforated basket and substantially consists of a wheel provided with special shaped “flights” configured to take a single capsule and/or pod for each seat and direct the single capsule and/or pod towards said feeding opening;
• said mechanical means for moving and tearing the capsules consist of an impeller comprising a shaft and blades, which are operable by means of an electric motor capable of being started automatically or manually;
• said impeller shaft is provided with at least one shaped fin which is integral with the blade shaft and configured to guide the entry of the capsules into the perforated basket;
• at least one outlet opening is present in the upper part of said containment compartment connected to said second container for collecting and storing the casings of the capsules and/or pods handled by said conveying means.