Machine for cutting disposable containers
AssigneeJohn W. Wagner
InventorsFrank J. Lodovico, John W. Wagner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved machine for cutting into small pieces the thin wall material of disposable containers includes parallel, rotating cutting shafts having a plurality of cutting wheels thereon. The cutting wheels are separated by annular spacers which provide a rotating comber surface. There is a spacer comber partially encircling each of the annular spacers which has a lower section having a rounded surface. A cutting wheel comber partially encircles each of the cutting wheels and has a lower end with a rounded portion. The spacer combers having the rounded surface and the cutting wheel combers having the rounded portion prevent the collection of the small pieces within the improved machine.
Claims16
An improved machine capable of cutting into small pieces the thin wall material of a plurality of disposable containers such as plastic bottles or metal cans, the thin wall material having a minimum predetermined thickness, the machine being of a type which includes a pair of parallel cutting shafts mounted for rotation about central axes thereof in opposite directions, each of the cutting shafts supporting a plurality of cutting wheels mounted for rotation therewith, each of the cutting wheels on one of the cutting shafts axially separating and extending between axially adjacent cutting wheels on the other of the cutting shafts, each of the cutting wheels having a plurality of cutting teeth thereon, an annular spacer mounted on the cutting shaft between each of the adjacent cutting wheels for rotation therewith, the annular spacer having a cylindrical outer surface, the cutting teeth being capable of cutting the thin wall material to form the small pieces in a cutting area between the cutting shafts for discharge below the cutting wheels, wherein said improvement comprises:
- a spacer comber having a cylindrical inner surface;
- said spacer comber being fixedly mounted with said cylindrical inner surface aligned with the cylindrical outer surface of the annular spacer in a circumferential region thereof remote from the cutting area;
- said spacer comber having a lower section;
- said lower section being disposed below the central axis and at a side thereof remote from the cutting area;
- and
- said lower section having a convex rounded surface which begins at the cylindrical inner surface and which extends uninterrupted downwardly from said cylindrical outer surface of said annular spacer to a location remote from said cutting area.
A machine for cutting into small pieces the thin wall material of a plurality of disposable containers such as plastic bottles or metal cans, the thin wall material having a minimum predetermined thickness, said machine comprising:
- a pair of parallel cutting shafts mounted for rotation about central axes thereof in opposite directions;
- each of said cutting shafts supporting a plurality of cutting wheels mounted for rotation therewith;
- each of said cutting wheels on one of said cutting shafts extending between and axially separating axially adjacent said cutting wheels on the other of said cutting shafts;
- said each cutting wheel having a plurality of cutting teeth thereon;
- said cutting teeth being identical and evenly spaced about on outer periphery of said cutting wheel;
- said cutting teeth having an apex to form a straight edge to produce a transverse cut of said thin wall material;
- said cutting teeth having side edges to produce longitudinal cuts of said thin wall material;
- said transverse cuts and said longitudinal cuts forming said small pieces in a cutting area between said cutting shafts;
- an annular spacer mounted on said each cutting shaft between each of said adjacent cutting wheels for rotation therewith;
- said annular spacer having a cylindrical outer surface;
- a spacer comber having a cylindrical inner surface;
- said spacer comber being fixedly mounted with said cylindrical inner surface aligned with said cylindrical outer surface of said annular spacer in a circumferential region thereof remote from said cutting area;
- said spacer comber having a lower section;
- said lower section being disposed below said central axis and at a side thereof remote from said cutting area;
- and
- said lower section having a convex rounded surface which begins at the cylindrical inner surface and which extends uninterrupted downwardly from said cylindrical outer surface of said annular spacer to a location remote from said cutting area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.