System and method for reclaiming waste carpet materials

A method for separating secondary backing materials, primary backing materials, and face materials, from carpet waste pieces, the method comprising:

• selectively feeding carpet waste pieces into a component separation system, the component separation system comprising:
• a shearing infeed subsystem comprising a drawbridge conveyor that is configured to be movable about and between a substantially horizontal operation position and a substantially vertical maintenance position, and
• a shearing subsystem comprising a band blade system having an endless moving band blade that is configured to contact the incoming carpet waste pieces to separate the face materials from at least the primary backing material of the carpet waste pieces, wherein selectively feeding carpet waste pieces into a component separation system comprises positioning the drawbridge conveyor in the substantially horizontal operational position, wherein, when the drawbridge conveyor is positioned in the substantially horizontal operational position, the sheering infeed subsystem selectively feeds incoming waste carpet pieces to the shearing subsystem;
• and
• with the drawbridge conveyor in the substantially horizontal operational position, selectively positioning a distal end of the drawbridge conveyor with respect to the band blade of the band blade system to separate the face materials at a desired height from at least the primary backing material of the carpet waste pieces.