# US 5,325,771 A · Oil filter crushing apparatus and method

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- Number: US 5,325,771 A
- Document ID: US5325771A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/055,504
- Filed: 1993-04-29
- Granted: 1994-07-05
- Earliest claimed: 1991-07-30
- Inventors: Drew W. Morris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5325771A

## CPC

- B30B 9/3039: {Fluid removing means}
- B30B 9/321: {for consolidating empty containers, e.g. cans}
- Y10S 100/902: Can crushers
- B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)}
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An oil filter crushing apparatus and method utilizing a housing defining an interior space and a bottom surface, a crushing member fitted within the housing having a crushing surface and defining a slot opening through the crushing surface, a puncturer having a point and movably attached to the crushing member within the slot opening so that the puncturer is behind the crushing surface in a retracted position and at least the point of the puncturer is forward of the crushing surface in a puncturing position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An oil filter crushing apparatus comprising:
a housing defining an interior space for crushing an oil filter and a bottom surface;
a crushing member for crushing the oil filter fitted within said housing having a crushing surface and defining a slot opening through said crushing surface;
a puncturer having a point, said puncturer movably attached to said crushing member within said slot opening, said puncturer positioned within said slot of said crushing member behind said crushing surface when said puncturer is in a retracted position and at least said point of said puncturer being forward of said crushing surface when said puncturer is in a puncturing position;
means for forcing said crushing member through said interior space;
means for forcing said puncturer to tilt from the retracted position to the puncturing position as said crushing member moves through said interior space;
whereby an oil filter in said interior space can be punctured by said puncturer as said crushing member crushes the oil filter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said crushing member is matingly fitted within and movable through said housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for forcing said crushing member comprises an electrically controlled hydraulically driven cylinder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for forcing said puncturer comprises a blocking member pivotally attached within said housing below said bottom surface, said blocking member positioned to engage said puncturer as it moves with said crushing member through said housing to force said puncturer into the puncturing position and positioned so as to allow said puncturer to be forced over said blocking member causing said blocking member to pivot and allowing said puncturer to return to its retracted position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bottom surface defines a slotted opening slotted in the direction of movement of said crushing member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a bar is fixedly attached to said crushing member and extends through said slotted opening.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing defines an opening in said bottom surface for a crushed oil filter to pass.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising a collection chamber beneath said interior space for containing crushed oil filters.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said collection chamber defines openings to allow oil to pass.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said collection chamber is a removable drawer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a sweep arm positioned beneath said bottom surface and above a bottom of said collection chamber, said sweep arm connected to move in conjunction with said crushing member so as to engage a crushed oil filter and sweep it from beneath said opening defined in said bottom surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a sweep arm positioned beneath said bottom surface and connected to said bar by a slotted arm pivotally connected to said bar.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said puncturer is maintained in the retracted position by a compression spring.

### Claim 14 (depends on 4)

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said blocking member is maintained in position to engage said puncturer by a torsion spring.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing further includes a lid covering said interior space.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said lid is hingedly attached to said housing and includes means for preventing operation of said crushing member when said lid is open.

### Claim 17

A method for crushing oil filters comprising the steps of:
providing an oil filter crushing apparatus comprising,
a housing defining an interior space for crushing an oil filter and a bottom surface;
a crushing member for crushing the oil filter fitted within said housing having a crushing surface and defining a slot opening in said crushing surface;
a puncturer having a point, said puncturer movably attached to said crushing member within said slot, said puncturer positioned within said slot of said crushing member behind said crushing surface in a retracted position and said puncturer being in a tilted position with said point being forward of said crushing surface in a puncturing position;
means for forcing said crushing member through said interior space;
means for forcing said puncturer to tilt from the retracted position to the puncturing position as said crushing member moves through said interior space;
whereby an oil filter in said interior space can be punctured by said puncturer as said crushing member crushes the oil filter;
puncturing said oil filter with said puncturer as said crushing member crushes said oil filter;
retracting said puncturer as said oil filter is crushed;
crushing said oil filter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of crushing oil filters according to claim 17 wherein said crushing member is automatically retracted to its original position once crushing is complete.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of crushing oil filters according to claim 17 wherein the oil filter falls into a collection chamber once crushing is complete and further including the step of sweeping the oil filter to another position once inside the collection chamber.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of crushing an oil filter according to claim 17 further including the step of collecting oil draining from said oil filter as it is crushed.