Method and apparatus for crushing and separating metallic containers

Apparatus for crushing metallic containers and separating crushed containers of magnetic material from crushed containers of non-magnetic material, comprising:

• container crushing means for crushing containers having a pair of rotatable cone shaped members, each cone shaped member having oppositely extending conically shaped container engaging surfaces defining a pocket means between the cone shaped members for receiving containers, force transferring means on the container engaging surfaces for transferring force from the cone shaped members to containers in the pocket means, drive shaft means connected to a first cone shaped member of the pair for rotatably driving the first cone shaped member, means for driving the drive shaft means, an idler shaft means connected to a second cone shaped member of the pair for rotatably supporting the second cone shaped member, a moveable support arm means for supporting the idler shaft means and the second cone shaped member and enabling movement of the second cone shaped member relative to the first cone shaped member between a first inwardly located position of direct engagement with the first cone shaped member and variable outwardly displaced second positions of indirect engagement with the first cone shaped member through containers located therebetween, the idler shaft means and the second cone shaped member having an axis of rotation inclined in a first direction relative to a vertical plane including the axis of rotation of the drive shaft means and the first cone shaped member and inclined in a second direction relative to a horizontal plane including the axis of rotation of the drive shaft means and the first cone shaped member, the second cone shaped member being rotatably driven in the first position by direct transfer of force from the first cone shaped member to the second cone shaped member and in the variable outwardly displaced second positions by indirect transfer of force from the first cone shaped member to the second cone shaped member through containers located therebetween, and spring means for resiliently biasing the second cone shaped member toward the first cone shaped member,
• a container conveyor and separator means for receiving crushed containers from the container crushing means, conveying the crushed containers and separating crushed containers of magnetic material from crushed containers of non-magnetic material, the container conveyor and separator means having an endless belt member having first and second end portions, an upper container conveying portion and a lower return portion, a drive shaft means for driving the belt member, a roller means rotatably mounted on the drive shaft means for supporting the first end portion of the belt member, a drive means for driving the drive shaft means, a magnetic roller means for supporting the second end portion of the belt member and for generating a magnetic field about the second end portion of the belt member to retain containers of magnetic material on the belt member around and beyond the second end portion of the belt member while discharging containers of non-magnetic material at the second end portion thereof, and idler shaft means for rotatably supporting the magnetic roller means;
• and
• container collecting means for collecting separated magnetic and non-magnetic crushed container materials.

A method of crushing metallic containers comprising:

• supplying containers to a hopper means;
• feeding the containers from the hopper means to a pocket means for receiving containers in a container crushing means for crushing the containers, the pocket means being defined by a pair of rotatable cone shaped members in the crushing means, each cone shaped member having oppositely extending conically shaped container engaging surfaces and means on each of said container engaging surfaces for transferring force from the cone shaped members to the containers in the pocket means, a first cone shaped member of the pair being rotatably supported in a fixed position and a second cone shaped member of the pair being movably rotatably supported relative to the first cone shaped member between a first inwardly located position of direct engagement with the first cone shaped member and variable outwardly displaced second positions of indirect engagement with the first cone shaped member through containers located therebetween, the second cone shaped member having an axis of rotation inclined in a first direction relative to a vertical plane including the axis of rotation of the first cone shaped member and inclined in a second direction relative to a horizontal plane including the axis of rotation of the first cone shaped member;
• resiliently biasing the second cone shaped member into direct engagement with the first cone shaped member in the first position and into indirect engagement with the first cone shaped member through containers located therebetween in the variably outwardly displaced second positions with sufficient force to crush the containers as they pass between the container engaging surfaces of the cone shaped members;
• and
• rotating the first cone shaped member whereby the second cone shaped member is rotated by direct transfer of force from the first cone shaped member to the second cone shaped member, containers in the pocket means are drawn toward the portions of the cone shaped members which are in engagement by interaction of the containers and the force transferring means on the container engaging surfaces of the cone shaped members and the containers are crushed as they pass between the container engaging surfaces of the cone shaped members.

A method of crushing metallic containers and separating crushed containers of magnetic material from crushed containers of non-magnetic material, comprising:

• supplying containers to a hopper means;
• feeding the containers from the hopper means to a pocket means for receiving containers in a container crusher means for receiving the containers, the pocket means being defined by a pair of rotatable cone shaped members in the crushing means, each cone shaped member having oppositely extending conically shaped container engaging surfaces and means on each of said container engaging surfaces for transferring force from the cone shaped members to the containers in the pocket means, a first cone shaped member of the pair being rotatably supported in a fixed position and a second cone shaped member of the pair being movably rotatably supported relative to the first cone shaped member between a first inwardly located position of direct engagement with the first cone shaped member and variable outwardly displaced second positions of indirect engagement with the first cone shaped member through containers located therebetween, the second cone shaped member having an axis of rotation inclined in a first direction relative to a vertical plane including the axis of rotation of the first cone shaped member and inclined in a second direction relative to a horizontal plane including the axis of rotation of the first cone shaped member;
• resiliently biasing the second cone shaped member into direct engagement with the first cone shaped member in the first position and into indirect engagement with the first cone shaped member through containers located therebetween in the variably outwardly displaced second positions with sufficient force to crush the containers as they pass between the container engaging surfaces of the cone shaped members;
• rotating the first cone shaped member whereby the second cone shaped member is rotated by direct transfer of force from the first cone shaped member to the second cone shaped member, containers in the pocket means are drawn toward the portions of the cone shaped members which are in engagement by interaction of the containers and the force transferring means on the container engaging surfaces of the cone shaped members and the containers are crushed as they pass between the container engaging surfaces of the cone shaped members;
• receiving the crushed containers from the container crushing means on a first end portion of a moving belt member,
• conveying the crushed containers away from the container crushing means on the belt member;
• subjecting the crushed containers to a magnetic field at a second end portion of the belt member such that crushed containers of magnetic material are retained on the belt member around and beyond the second end portion of the belt member by the magnetic field and containers of non-magnetic material are not affected by the magnetic field;
• discharging crushed containers of non-magnetic material from the moving belt member at the second end portion of the belt member, thereby separating the containers of magnetic material from the containers of non-magnetic material;
• and
• discharging containers of magnetic material from the belt member at a point around and beyond the second end portion of the belt member.