Can flattener
OwnerJohn D. Talleyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus to flatten a container such as a can employed in the soft drink or beer industry. The apparatus is so designed so as to initially bend the can in half and following the bending of the can in half, the can is then flattened or compressed so as to present a relatively thin laminate. The apparatus is designed to operate in a timed sequence of operation of thus effect the bending of the can and subsequently flatten the same.
Claims5
An apparatus for flattening cans comprising a cabinet, a can delivery chute extending vertically downwardly from the top wall of said cabinet, a switch extending in said chute, a motorized means within said cabinet for effecting a to and fro movement of a flattening assembly, a movable gate extending in said chute to thereby prevent a can from downward travel in said chute until said switch in said chute is contacted by a can to be flattened, said flattening assembly comprising a post member and a flattener member, said switch in said chute actuating said motorized means, a solenoid switch in said cabinet, said solenoid switch responsive to the opening and closing of said switch in said chute, a solenoid mounted in said cabinet to actuate said gate, a connector means extending between said solenoid and said gate to open said gate thereby permitting downward travel of said can in said chute, a timer associated with said motorized means whereby said post member engages said can at the upper portion of said chute to bend the same and again in timed relationship the can is caused to descend into the lower portion of said chute where the same is contacted with said flattener which is also caused to travel to and fro in said cabinet to effect a flattening of said can in said chute.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.