Method and apparatus for separating bottle caps from plastic bottles

A method of separating bottle caps from plastic bottles using an apparatus of a type including:

• a first roller rotatable about a first axis having a plurality of projections thereon;
• a second roller rotatable about a second axis substantially parallel to said first axis, said second roller having a plurality of projections thereon, said second roller being adjacent to said first roller and defining a space between said first and second rollers;
• an input hopper means for receiving and guiding bottles;
• plastic bottles having caps thereon disposed in said input hopper means, said bottles being substantially wider than the space between said rollers;
• means for turning said first roller so that a top portion thereof moves toward said second roller;
• means for turning said second roller so that a top portion thereof moves toward said first roller, whereby turning of said first and second rollers forces said bottles between said first and second rollers and forces said cap off of said bottle as it is brushed between said rollers;
• screen means for receiving said bottle and caps and having openings therein larger than said caps and smaller than said bottle whereby said caps will pass through said openings but said bottle will not;
• an means disposed downwardly from said screen means for receiving said crushed bottle whereby the bottle caps will be separated from said bottles;
• said method comprising:
• placing beverage bottles constructed entirely of flexible non-frangible plastic and having caps disposed thereon in said hopper means;
• crushing said bottles to cause the air disposed within each of said bottles to blow the respective caps off of said bottles by turning said first and second rollers and thereby forcing said bottles to pass between said first and second rollers;
• and
• using said screen means to collect said caps in one area and said crushed bottles in another area.