Perforator/crusher for plastic bottles
AssigneeLummus Development Corp.
InventorsWilbur G. Hudson, Ronald F. Schley, Joseph Tehrani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A densification apparatus for use in recycling plastic containers utilizes a hopper with a movable lid to feed collected plastic containers to a continuous chain conveyor having a plurality of wedge-shape teeth which perforate the containers and urge them between a set of compression plates and rollers such that the plastics are compressed beyond their ability to resume their original shape. The vertical conveyor and hopper-closing lid prevent ballistic rejection of containers and enable iterative processing of plastic in a movable or stationary curbside apparatus.
Claims18
Apparatus for reducing resilient containers, such as plastic bottles, for recycling and the like comprising:
- (a) an elongated chain conveyor having a plurality of wedge-shaped teeth thereon for perforating and engaging resilient containers;
- (b) a compression plate mounted adjacent said chain conveyor in converging relation thereto defining a vertical wall;
- (c) means for compressing said containers subsequent to compression between said compression plate and said chain conveyor, wherein said compression means is characterized by an idler roller mounted at a fixed position relative to said chain conveyor and transversely thereto, within the rotation thereof and urging said chain conveyor toward said compression plate;
- and a driven roller mounted parallel to and proximal said idler roller with said chain conveyor passing between said idler roller and said driven roller;
- and means for selectively positioning said rollers to vary the space therebetween;
- and
- (d) means for urging a predetermined volume of resilient containers toward said chain conveyor.
Apparatus for reducing resilient containers, such as plastic bottles, for recycling and the like characterized by:
- (a) a hopper for receiving said containers for perforation in a batch or continuous mode;
- (b) an elongated chain conveyor positioned within said hopper and extending therefrom, having a plurality of wedge-shaped teeth thereon for perforating and engaging said containers within said hopper;
- (c) a compression plate mounted adjacent said chain conveyor in converging relation thereto defining a vertical wall of said hopper;
- and
- (d) means for compressing said containers subsequent to compression between said compression plate and said chain conveyor, wherein said compression means comprises an idler roller mounted at a fixed position relative to said chain conveyor and transversely thereto, within the rotation thereof and urging said chain conveyor toward said compression plate;
- and a driven roller mounted parallel to and proximal said idler roller with said chain conveyor passing between said idler roller and said chain conveyor;
- and means for selectively positioning said rollers to vary the space therebetween.
Apparatus for reducing the volume of a quantity of plastic bottles comprising:
- (a) a hopper having a lid pivotally mounted transversely of said hopper for containing said quantity of plastic bottles;
- (b) a continuous chain conveyor having a longitudinal axis extending within said hopper and positioned proximal said lid;
- (c) a plurality of teeth affixed to said chain conveyor and extending normally thereto for perforating and entraining said plastic bottles and
- (d) a pair of compression rollers each mounted adjacent said hopper with one of said compression rollers in selectively adjustable fixed relation to the other compression roller of said pair of compression rollers with said chain conveyor and associated teeth passing therebetween, with said lid being movable within said hopper to force said bottles into perforating engagement with said teeth such that said bottles are entrained by said chain conveyor and compressed between said rollers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.