Apparatus for separating plastic film from paper particularly adapted for use in waste recycling systems

Apparatus for separating composite waste materials chiefly composed of plastic film and paper comprising means for conveying said composite material in a substantially horizontal path along a given direction, and reel means having a plurality of radial members extending therefrom, said reel means operating to move said radial members through said composite material at a portion of said horizontal path, said radial members moving in the same direction in which said composite material is moving while being passed therethrough to thereby engage plastic film contained in said composite material and to separate said plastic film therefrom, said reel means comprising a plurality of individual reel members each having a plurality of radial members extending therefrom and each moving their respective radial members through an endless path, each of said reel members being arranged to pass said respective radial members through said composite material at different points along said horizontal path spaced apart in the direction of movement of said composite material, said reel members being arranged in a mutually overlapping arrangement such that the radial members of each reel member, other than the reel member located furthermost upstream taken in the direction of movement of said composite material, deposit plastic film engaged thereon on a next adjacent upstream reel member after passage through said composite material.