Abstrict A can crusher for axially crushing an empty can of the type having
a recessed top and bottom and a pour hole in the top, the pour hole
appearing when the tab is removed to empty the can. The present
invention comprises first and second members having a hinge at one
end for connecting the members in a hinged fashion. One of the members
comprises a protrusion arranged for engaging the can bottom, preferably
by protruding into the recessed bottom of the can. The other member
comprises a pour hole protrusion for engaging the top of the can
by protruding into the pour hole. The two protrusions are positioned
on the respective members so that the can may be retained between
the two members as the can is axially crushed by moving the unhinged
ends of the members toward one another.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A can crusher for axially crushing an empty can of the type
having a recessed top and bottom and a pour hole in the top adjacent
its periphery, the hole appearing when a closure tab is opened to
empty the can, comprising:
(a) means defining first and second members each having interconnecting
hinge means at one end for connecting the members at their ends
in a hinged fashion;
(b) bottom protrusion means carried by one member and arranged
to engage a can bottom by protruding into the recessed bottom of
the can;
(c) pour hole engaging means carried by the other member for engaging
the top of a can by protruding into the pour hole; and
(d) the bottom protrusion means and the pour hole engaging means
being positioned on the respective members so that a can may be
retained between the two members as the can is axially crushed by
moving the unhinged ends of the members toward one another.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 including rim contacting means carried
by the other member for engaging the inner surface of the can rim
formed by the recessed can top so as to substantially prevent a
can from rolling out of the can crusher during the crushing operation.
3. A can crusher for axially crushing an empty can of the type
having a recessed top and bottom and a pour hole in the top adjacent
its periphery, the hole appearing when a closure tab is opened to
empty the can, comprising:
(a) means defining first and second members each having interconnecting
hinge means at one end for connecting the members at their ends
in a hinged fashion;
(b) bottom protrusion means carried by one member and arranged
to engage a can bottom by protruding into the recessed bottom of
the can;
(c) pour hole engaging means carried by the other member for engaging
the top of a can by protruding into the pour hole;
(d) rim-contacting means carried by the other member for engaging
the inner surface of the can rim formed by the recessed can top
so as to substantially prevent a can from rolling out of the can
crusher during the crushing operation;
(e) retaining tab means carried by at least one of the members
for supportively engaging the outside of a can when the top and
bottom surfaces of the can become substantially parallel as the
can is crushed; and
(f) the bottom protrusion means and the pour hole engaging means
being positioned on the respective members so that a can may be
retained between the two members as the can is axially crushed by
moving the unhinged ends of the members toward one another.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interconnecting hinge means
is so constructed and arranged as to permit the members to become
disassembled for cleaning and the like.
5. A can crusher for axially crushing an empty can of the type
having a recessed top and bottom and a pour hole in the top adjacent
its periphery, a hole appearing when a closure tab is opened to
empty the can, comprising:
(a) means defining first and second members each having interconnecting
hinge means at one end for connecting the members at their ends
in a hinged fashion; the hinge means including one or more curved
tabs carried at the end of one of the members and corresponding
apertures carried at the adjacent ends of the other member for engaging
the curved tab;
(b) bottom protrusion means carried by one of the members and arranged
to engage a can bottom by protruding into the recessed bottom of
the can;
(c) pour hole engaging means carried by the other member for engaging
the top of a can by protruding into the pour hole; and
(d) the bottom protrusion means and the pour hole engaging means
being positioned on the respective members so that a can may be
retained between the two members as the can is axially crushed by
moving the unhinged ends of the members toward one another.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the hinge means further comprises
locking means for locking the interconnecting hinge means together
so that the curved tabs remain engaged with the apertures.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the locking means comprises
locking tab means carried by one of the members and having a first
position permitting the hinge means to be assembled or disassembled
and a second position preventing the hinge from being disassembled.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the locking tab means defines
support means for engaging and supporting the first member in an
open position with respect to the second member.
9. A can crusher for axially crushing an empty can of the type
having an upper rim at its top and a pour hole in the top adjacent
the rim, comprising means defining first and second elongated members
each having interconnecting hinge means at one of their ends for
connecting the members at their ends in a hinged fashion; bottom
engaging means carried by one member for supportively engaging the
bottom of a can; pour hole engaging means carried by the other member
for engaging the top of the can and including means for protruding
into the pour hole; the bottom engaging means and pour hole engaging
means being so positioned on the respective elongated members as
to retain a can between the two members as the can is axially crushed
by moving unhinged ends of the members toward one another.
10. The can crusher of claim 9 including rim contacting means positioned
adjacent the pour hole engaging means for supportively engaging
the rim of a can on either side of its pour hole.
11. A method of axially crushing an empty can of the type having
a recessed top and bottom and a pour hole in the top adjacent its
periphery, the hole appearing when a closure tab is opened to empty
the can, comprising:
(a) providing a first member hingeably connected to a second member;
(b) inserting a pour hole engaging means carried by the first member
into the pour hole;
(c) inserting a bottom protrusion carried by the second member
into the recessed bottom of the can so that the can is retained
between the two members; and
(d) hingeably compressing the two members to axially crush the
can.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising inserting a rim contacting
means carried by the first member into the top recess of the can
to engage the can rim so as to prevent the can from rolling out
from between the members during the crushing step.
13. The method of claim 12 including the step of supportively engaging
the outside of the can when the top and bottom surfaces of the can
become substantially parallel as the can is crushed.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of disconnecting
the two members of the hinge after the can has been crushed for
cleaning and the like.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a can crusher which is particularly suited
for crushing carbonated beverage cans of the type having a removable
tab which when removed exposes a pour hole adjacent the periphery
of one end of the can for emptying the can.
The desirability, if not the necessity, of recycling extruded aluminum
and steel beverage cans as a means of conservation and environmental
control has stimulated the development of can crushing devices.
However, devices previously developed were generally complicated,
comprising many parts, and were made of relatively heavy metal material
in order to provide the strength and endurance required to perform
the can crushing job satisfactorily. Further, many of these devices
crushed the cans laterally rather than axially. Further, previously
developed can crushing devices were difficult to disassemble for
the purpose of cleaning and the like, and many required particular
mounting configurations and did not fold into a compact package
for easy storage or transportation. Typical examples of prior devices
are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2466907 (Nadolny et al.), 2905079
(Brock), 3776129 (Carlson), 3780647 (Reimers), 3853054 (Jacobsen)
and 4301722 (Balbo et al.), and in British Patent No. 1156139
(Hume).
SUMMRY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a can crusher for axially crushing an
empty can of the type having a recessed top and bottom and a pour
hole in the top of the can adjacent its periphery, the hole appearing
when a closure tab is removed to empty the can. The present invention
comprises first and second members having interconnecting hinge
means at one end for connecting the members in a hinged fashion.
One of the members carries bottom engaging means for supportively
engaging the bottom of a can. The other member carries pour hole
engaging means for engaging the top of the can by protruding into
the pour hole. The two engaging means are so positioned on the respective
members as to retain a can between the two members as the can is
axially crushed by moving the unhinged ends of the members toward
one another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention in its compact form for easy transportation and storage;
FIG. 2 is a side view, in cross section and partially broken away,
of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a broken away, cross sectional view taken along line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a broken away, cross sectional view taken along line
4--4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present can crusher
in an open, disassembled position and shown in perspective;
FIG. 6 is a broken away, top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing
a portion of the hinge structure;
FIG. 7 is a broken away cross sectional view, taken along line
7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7 and illustrating the
hinge structure in a different position; and
FIG. 9 is a broken away perspective view showing a modification
of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 2 3 4 and 5 the can crusher illustrated comprises
a first elongated member (10) and a second elongated member (12)
having a hinge (14) capable of connecting the members in a hinged
fashion.
Member (12), which is the bottom member in the drawing, is provided
with tabs (16) arranged in a semi-circular pattern, tabs (16) forming
protrusion means for engaging a can bottom by protruding into the
recessed bottom (18) of the can (20). In the drawing, a can is shown
in phantom lines as (20). The tabs (16) are formed by punching out
and bending a portion of the sheet material from which member (12)
is fabricated. Of course, tabs (16) could be secured by other ways
such as by welding tabs to member (12), although this would be more
complex and expensive. By forming tabs such as (16) and other elements
through a punching and forming operation, the preferred embodiment
of the present pressure can be entirely fabricated from two pieces
of sheet material. Another example of protrusion means is shown
in FIG. 9 as the formed and raised circular rim (17) which presents
a generally circular supporting section 17.1 engaging the recessed
bottom of a can.
Member (10) is provided with a tab (22) which forms pour hole engaging
means for engaging the top of can (20) by protruding into the pour
hole (24) of the can, the pour hole being formed when a closure
tab of the can is opened to empty the can of its contents. Closure
tabs, both the removable and the non-removable types, are well-known.
Tabs (16) and (22) are positioned on members (12) and (10), respectively,
so that can (20) may be retained between the two members as the
can is axially crushed by moving the unhinged ends (26) and (28)
of the members (10) and (12) toward one another.
In order to perform a can crushing operation, the present crusher
may be mounted to or rested upon a flat surface such as a floor
or a tabletop with or without mounting. Note that aperture (30)
and the slots (32) are provided for easy stowage and for mounting
the crusher to a wall or the like, the slots enabling the crusher
to be easily removed from the wall.
The tab (22) forming the pour hole protrusion means may include
a flanged portion (36) for engaging the inside diameter (38) of
the rim of a can (20) formed by the recessed can top (40). The flange
portion (36) provides means for engaging the rim of the can at points
on either side of and preferably spaced from the pour hole (24)
to substantially prevent the can (20) from rolling out of the can
crusher as the crushing operation proceeds.
Each member (10) and (12) of the crusher may include additional
tabs or flanges for strengthening the members and, optionally, for
engaging the outside of can (20) when the top and bottom surfaces
of the can become substantially parallel to members (10) and (12)
as the can is crushed to further prevent the can from escaping from
the crusher until the can is fully crushed. Thus, member (10) is
shown having flanges (42) and (44) located diametrically opposite
one another while member (12) is shown having opposed flanges (46)
and (48) of which the former may support, in the recess (47), the
outside diameter of the bottom of the can as it is crushed. Sidewall
portions (54) and (56) of member (12) further serve to confine the
can (20) during the crushing operation but primarily provide strength
to members (10) and (12). The cut-out or recessed portions adjacent
the flanges (42), (44), (46) and (48) reduce the weight of the crusher
without significant loss in strength, and the inwardly turned flanges
and particularly flange (26) and (42) provide a smooth surface for
palm contact.
In one embodiment of the invention, hinge (14) permits members
(10) and (12) to become unconnected for the purposes of cleaning
and the like. As illustrated, hinge (14) is formed at the two adjacent
ends of members (10) and (12), member (12) having an end formed
with curved tabs (58), and member (10) having apertures (60) for
receiving the curved tabs (58).
In the preferred embodiment, the hinge means includes locking means
for locking the halves of the hinge together so as to maintain hinged
engagement of the ends of the members. In the drawing, the locking
means is typified as including a pair of bendable tabs (62) formed
as parts of the member (12), the tabs having a first position (shown
as (64) in FIG. 6) permitting the hinge (14) to be assembled or
disassembled. The tab (62) further has a second position (shown
as (66) in FIG. 7) securing the engagement of the ends of the members
(10) and (12). In the embodiment illustrated, tabs (62) are formed
as parts of member (12) and are bent to achieve their second or
locking positions. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 the tabs (62), in
their locked position, may extend beneath the hinged end of member
(10) to support the latter in an open position (FIG. 8) when the
crusher rests in a horizontal position on a table or the like.
The tabs (16) or annular rim segment 17.1 or the like formed for
supporting a can at its bottom merely engage but do not pierce the
can bottom. In the preferred embodiment, the device of the invention
is free from protrusions or other elements capable of piercing the
bottom of the can during the crushing operation. Further, edges
of the openings adjacent especially the tabs (42) and (44) may be
bent or curved inwardly slightly to lend additional strength to
the structure.
While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations
and modifications may be made therein without departing from the
spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. For
example, although the present invention is shown as simply fabricated
from two pieces of sheet material, a more complex embodiment comprising
bar stock and other piece parts could be employed. |