Volume reduction machine

A volume reduction machine, comprising:

• a) a frame having an end, side, and bottom panels;
• b) a first feed plate disposed at one end of said frame adjacent an upper edge thereof and inclined toward the center thereof,
• c) a second feed plate disposed at an opposite end of said frame adjacent an upper edge thereof and inclined toward said first feed plate, said first and second feed plates forming an inlet therebetween;
• d) first and second feed rolls transversely and rotatively mounted above said first feed plate, each feed roll including a plurality of feed disks spaced along the length thereof and said first and second feed rolls being aligned and providing an overlap of respective feed disks;
• e) first and second crusher rolls transversely and rotatively mounted adjacent a transverse lower edge of said first feed plate, each crusher roll including a plurality of crusher plates spaced along the length thereof and said first and second crusher rolls being aligned to provide an offset between respective crusher disks and to provide a predetermined gap between said first and second crusher rolls, said first crusher roll being aligned with said second feed roll to provide an overlap between respective feed disks;
• f) first and second forks transversely disposed within said frame and adjacent said first and second crusher rolls for defining an outlet;
• g) a hopper positioned on said frame and communicating with the inlet;
• and
• h) a first pair of cap removal rolls including an upper cap removal roll and a lower cap removal roll, said first pair of cap removal rolls rotatably mounted to said frame and said upper cap removal roll adapted to rotate at a rate faster than the rate at which said lower cap removal roll rotates.