Apparatus for crushing articles
AssigneeVivitar Corporation
InventorsJames A. Ballo, Charles F. Constable
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for crushing articles, such as aluminum beverage cans. The crushing apparatus comprises a rotatable, polygonal-shaped drum having blades mounted on each flat outer surface of the drum which project outwardly beyond the respective surface. The articles to be crushed are introduced into the area between the drum and a spring-loaded pressure plate, and on rotation of the drum, the blades engage the articles and move them into the nip between the drum and pressure plate to crush and flatten the articles. The apparatus also includes a quick release mechanism in which the pressure plate can be readily released to correct a jamming situation.
Claims10
An apparatus for crushing articles, comprising a housing, a polygonal-shaped drum mounted for rotation within the housing having a plurality of generally flat surfaces, adjacent surfaces being connected at junctions, means to rotate the drum about its axis, a plurality of blades, each blade connected to one of said surfaces and having a forward tip portion projecting forward in the direction of the drum rotation from the respective junction, said tip portion being spaced radially outward from the next adjacent surface to provide an overhung tip disposed to engage the articles on rotation of the drum, the rear end of each blade being spaced forwardly of the tip of the next adjacent blade to provide a recess defined by said rear end and said one surface and the tip of the next adjacent blade, a pressure member disposed adjacent the drum, and resilient means to bias the pressure member toward the drum, said articles to be crushed being introduced into the space between the pressure member and the drum and being carried toward the nip between the drum and the pressure member by said recesses, said articles being gripped and carried into the nip by said tips and thereafter being progressively compressed by the outer surfaces of said blades.
An apparatus for crushing lightweight cans, comprising a housing, a polygonal-shaped drum mounted for rotation within the housing having a plurality of generally flat surfaces, adjacent surfaces being connected at junctions, means to rotate the drum about its axis, a plurality of blades, each blade being removably connected flatwise to one of said surfaces and having a sharpened tip projecting forwardly in the direction of drum rotation from a junction, said tip being spaced radially outward of the next adjacent surface to provide an undercut tip, said blade extending rearwardly from said junction and the rear end of each blade being spaced forwardly of the tip of the next adjacent blade, the rear end of each blade being spaced forwardly of the tip of the next adjacent blade to provide a recess defined by said rear end and said one surface and the tip of the next adjacent blade, a pressure member disposed adjacent the drum, and resilient means to bias the pressure member toward the drum, said cans to be crushed being introduced into the space between the pressure member and the drum and being carried toward the nip between the drum and the pressure member by said recesses, said cans being gripped and carried into the nip by said tips and thereafter being progressively compressed by the outer surfaces of said blades.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.