Abstrict An empty can crusher for crushing and flattening empty cans, comprising
an inlet, a chute, a stopper device, a pressing device and a forked
chute. Empty cans supplied in the crusher are crushed and flattened
by the pressing device and are sorted into aluminium cans and steel
cans by means of a magnet embedded in the pressing device, which
fall down into respective receptacles through the forked chute.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for crushing and sorting empty cans, comprising:
a main body frame;
a pressing device, said pressing device including a vertically
extending back pressure plate, a vertically extending pressing plate
horizontally spaced from and confronting said back pressure plate,
and means, including a hydraulic cylinder, for linearly moving said
pressing plate horizontally toward and away from said back pressure
plate between a first position horizontally spaced from said back
pressure plate a distance greater than the diameter of the empty
can to be crushed and a second position horizontally spaced from
said back pressure plate a distance substantially less than the
diameter of the empty can to be crushed;
an empty can supporting bar pivotally mounted to said frame at
said back pressure plate for vertically supporting the empty can
between said back pressure plate and said pressing plate during
movement of said pressing plate toward said back pressure plate;
a magnet embedded in said pressing plate for holding a magnetically
attractive crushed empty can to said pressure plate when said pressing
plate is moved away from said back pressure plate;
means for separating the magnetically attractive crushed empty
can from said pressing plate after said pressure plate has moved
away from said back pressure plate to a third position whereby the
magnetically attractive crushed empty can falls downward under the
influence of gravity;
an empty chute for delivering an empty can to a position between
said back pressure plate and said pressing plate when said pressing
plate is in said first position; and
a forked sorting chute located in said main body frame below said
pressing device defining a first path below said first position
and a second path below said third position, said forked sorting
chute respectively directing magnetically non-attractive and magnetically
attractive crushed empty cans falling from said pressing plate to
separate locations along first and second paths.
2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said magnet comprises an
electromagnet, said separating means comprising means for energizing
and deenergizing said electromagnet.
3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said magnet comprises a
permanent magnet, said separating means comprising a kick-out pin
slidable relative to said pressing plate for forcibly disengaging
the magnetically attractive crushed empty can from said pressing
plate against the magnetic force of said permanent magnet.
4. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising first and second
receptacles located within said frame for respectively receiving
said magnetically attractive and magnetically non-attractive crushed
empty cans.
5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said supporting bar is pivotably
mounted to said frame behind said back pressure plate, said apparatus
further comprising a push rod fixed to said pressure plate and extendable
rearward of said back pressure plate into contact with said supporting
bar rearward of said back pressure plate so as to pivot said supporting
bar rearward of said back pressure plate and out of engagement with
the empty can as said pressing plate moves toward said back pressure
plate while crushing the empty can between said pressing plate and
back pressure plate.
6. An apparatus for crushing cans comprising:
a main body frame having an inlet opening;
means for crushing empty cans inserted into said main body frame
through said inlet opening;
a chute for carrying empty cans to said crushing means from said
inlet opening; and
a shutter pivotally mounted to said chute at said inlet opening,
said shutter including a lid piece and a bottom piece together having
an L-shape cross section and having opposing vertically extending
side plates on both sides thereof;
said frame including a backboard extending inward and downward
at the back of said inlet opening so as to block entry of the empty
cans top end or bottom end first.
7. An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said frame has an inlet
which is substantially flush with said lid piece of said shutter
when said shutter is closed, said shutter having a handle extending
forward of said lid piece such that only said handle protrudes from
said frame when said shutter is closed.
8. An apparatus for crushing and sorting empty cans, comprising:
a frame having an inlet opening;
a pressing device, said pressing device including a back pressure
plate fixed to said frame and a pressing plate horizontally slidable
toward and away from said back pressure plate and means, including
a hydraulic cylinder, for hydraulically moving said pressing plate
horizontally toward and away from said back pressure plate;
an entry chute for supplying one-by-one empty cans inserted horizontally
and sideways into said inlet opening to said pressing device between
said back pressure plate and said pressing plate;
a magnet provided in the surface of said pressing plate facing
said back pressure plate for holding a magnetically attractive empty
can thereto;
a horizontally extending kick-out pin fixed to said frame behind
said pressing plate so as to extend through said pressing plate
in sliding relation thereto when said pressing plate is moved away
from said back pressure plate, whereby a crushed magnetically attractive
empty can held to said pressing plate by said magnet is forcibly
disengaged therefrom by contact with said kick-out pin; and
a sorting chute below and intermediate of said back pressure plate
for separating magnetically attractive and magnetically non-attractive
crushed empty cans.
9. An apparatus for crushing empty cans, comprising:
a frame;
a back pressure plate fixed to said frame;
a pressing plate movable horizontally toward said back pressure
plate to crush an empty can between said back pressure plate and
said pressing plate, and movable horizontally away from said back
pressure plate after the empty can has been crushed;
means, including a swing arm structure having an end normally between
said back pressure plate and said pressing plate pivotally mounted
to said frame, for vertically supporting from below the empty can;
a weight fixed to said swing arm structure so as to bias said end
upward and resist pivotal movement of said end behind said back
pressure plate;
and means, including a push rod mounted to said pressing plate
so as to push said swing arm in pivotal movement when said pressing
plate moves toward said back pressure plate, for pivoting said swing
arm when said pressing plate moves toward said back pressure plate
such that the speed of said end of said swing arm in the direction
of movement of said pressing plate exceeds the speed of said pressing
plate.
10. An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said swing arm structure
includes two generally L-shaped swing arms pivotally mounted to
said frame behind said back pressure plate and a support rod extending
horizontally between said swing arms at said end.
11. An apparatus for crushing and sorting empty cans, comprising:
a back pressure plate;
a pressing plate having at least one hole therein, reciprocally
horizontally movable toward and away from said back pressure plate;
a feeding chute for directing an empty can between said back pressure
plate and said pressing plate;
means for supporting only one empty can between said pressing plate
and said back pressure plate until engaged by said pressing plate
while moving toward said back pressure plate; and
means for sorting crushed magnetically attractive empty cans and
crushed magnetically non-attractive cans, including a permanent
magnet in said pressing plate and at least one kick-out pin having
a first end located outside the space between said pressing plate
and said back pressure plate, and having a second end which passes
through said pressing plate into the space between said pressing
plate and said back pressure plate while said pressing plate is
moving away from said back pressure plate so as to engage, and forcibly
disengage from said pressing plate, any magnetically attractive
empty can held thereto by said permanent magnet.
Description This invention relates to an empty can crusher which crushes and
flattens empty beer cans, empty soft drink cans or the like and
sorts them according to can material and then removes them from
the crusher.
As canned beer, canned soft drinks or the like are easy to carry
and handle, they have been used increasingly in place of bottled
ones. However, the trouble is that often such cans, when emptied,
are thrown away indiscriminantly. In order to prevent such trouble,
it is usual that an empty can receptacle is placed beside the vending
machine or beside the counter of the shop where the cans are sold
but such a receptacle is not very large in holding capacity and
is quickly filled up, with the result that empty cans overflow the
receptacle and lay scattered on the floor, road, etc. Also, in order
to collect many scattered empty cans requires much manual labor.
On the other hand, it costs fairly much to carry empty cans collected
in each receptacle to a dump and it is a fact that makers and retail
distributors pay little attention to the collection of empty cans
thrown away everywhere. Thus, the problem of so-called "empty
can pollution" has been raised in cities and at places popular
with sight-seers.
The empty can crusher according to the present invention is intended
for eliminating such "empty can pollution". The nature
and advantages of the present invention will be understood more
clearly from the following description made with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the empty can
crusher according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken along line III--III
in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view of the inlet;
FIG. 5 is a front view of the inlet shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a stopper device;
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view, taken along line VI--VI in FIG.
6 and looking in the directions of the arrows;
FIG. 8 is a detailed vertical sectional view of an empty can pressing
device;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the empty can pressing device shown in
FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a detailed view of an empty can supporting device;
FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment
of the empty can pressing device; and
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional plan view of the empty can pressing
device shown in FIG. 11.
Referring to FIG. 1 numeral 1 is a main body of the empty can
crusher. Provided at the upper part of the main body 1 is an inlet
I through which empty cans are thrown into the main body 1. A shutter
is provided at the inlet I. A pressing device 3 which flattens empty
cans is provided at the lower end of a chute 2 which is connected
to the inlet I. Arranged below the pressing device which crushes
empty cans by a back pressure plate and a pressing plate which is
moved by a cylinder, is a forked sorting chute. By the action of
a magnet fitted in the pressing device, pressed empty cans are sorted
automatically into aluminium cans and steel cans.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show respectively an outline of the empty can
crusher according to the present invention. Details of the empty
can crusher are explained below.
A shutter 5 provided at the inlet of the main body in such a fashion
that it can be opened and closed (shown in detail in FIG. 4 and
FIG. 5) is made of a plate having the width equal to or preferably
larger than the full length of an empty can to be crushed. This
plate is bent in L-shape to form a lid piece 51 and a bottom piece
52. The shutter 5 is pivotally secured to the main body 1 at the
uppermost bottom part of the chute 2 by means of a hinge member
53. The lid piece 51 of the shutter 5 should be of such size that
it shuts the inlet I when the shutter 5 is closed. Preferably, in
order to keep the inlet I shut while the shutter is closed, it is
so adapted that the upper part of the lid piece 51 contacts with
a stopper piece 11 provided on the side of the main body 1 and the
bottom piece 52 contacts partly with a stopper piece 21 provided
on the side of the chute 2. For facilitating opening and closing
of the shutter 5 a handle 54 is fixed to the outer side of the
lid piece 51. In order to keep the shutter closed or in order to
make the shutter easy to close, a weight 55 is provided at the undersurface
of the bottom piece 52. By the action of this weight 55 the shutter
is kept closed. It is so adapted that when the inlet I is opened
by pulling the handle 54 of the shutter 5 the bottom piece 52 of
the shutter 5 jumps above the level of the bottom surface of the
chute 2 and when an empty can is inserted into the inlet with its
bottom part or its top part frontward in the horizontal direction,
insertion of the empty can is hindered by both a backboard 56 at
the back of the inlet I and the bottom piece 52 which has jumped
up and thus an empty can is allowed to slip in the chute 2 only
when it is inserted into the inlet I sideways and horizontally.
The size of the inlet, the shape and the size of the shutter, the
shape and the installing position of the inlet backboard, etc. are
so designed that an empty can can be slipped in the inlet only when
it is inserted in the inlet sideways and horizontally.
Provided on both sides of the shutter 5 are side plates 57 by which
the empty can is to be received in the opened shutter of <-shape
only when it is inserted sideways and horizontally. By closing the
shutter 5 an empty can received in the shutter of <-shape rolls
down the chute when the bottom piece 52 of the shutter coincides
with the bottom surface of the chute at its extension line, and
is supplied to the crushing device, where the desired crushing is
effected.
The chute 2 can have either a steep angle of inclination or a gentle
angle of inclination as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. It is so adapted
that empty cans inserted in the inlet I after the shutter 5 is opened
roll down the chute accurately and are led to a stopper device and
a pressing device. The chute 2 is of square trough shape, having
a bottom piece 22 and side pieces 23 on both sides of the bottom
piece 22. Preferably, it should be formed by bending a single plate
material and its bottom piece should have an inclined flat surface
so that empty cans easily roll down thereon.
A stopper device 6 is provided at the intermediate position of
the chute 2 as best shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. A window hole 24
is made in the bottom piece 22 of the chute and a stopper piece
61 of inflexed Z-shape is locked in the hole 24 and is provided
swingably at the chute 2 by means of an axle 62. The stopper piece
61 is made of sash-like plate which is bent in inflexed Z-shape
and is adapted to swing in such a manner that when its lower end
side projects above the chute bottom surface, its upper end side
positions below the chute bottom surface, namely, the stopper piece
61 swings in such a fashion that it always projects above the chute
bottom surface at either one of the lower end side 61b and the upper
end side 61a, whereby an inserted empty can is stopped by either
one of the upper end side 61a and the lower end side 61b of the
stopper piece 61. A stopper swinging device is provided at one end
or at both ends of the axle 62 which supports the chute by means
of a bearing 63. A part of a link 64 is secured to one end of the
axle 62 so that the link 64 revolves with the axle 62 as its rotational
center. Secured pivotally to one end of the link 64 is a weight
65 which forces the lower end side 61b of the stopper piece 61 to
project above the chute bottom surface, and secured pivotally to
the other end of the link 64 is one end of a link 66 by means of
a pin. The lower end of the link 66 is secured pivotally to the
main body 1 or to an electromagnet 67 provided in the main body
1 or on the side of this chute 2. An electric circuit is so arranged
that when a photoelectric switch, a limit switch or the like detects
that an empty can is supported by the lower end side 61b of the
stopper piece or when it detects that a pressing device (the following
process) is empty and an empty can was put in and held by the lower
end side 61b, the electromagnet is operated automatically.
The pressing device 3 provided at the lower end of the chute 2
is shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. This pressing device comprises a
back pressure plate 31 provided at the lower end of the chute 2
and a pressing plate 33 which slides in the directions toward and
away from the opposing back pressure plate 31 by means of a hydraulic
cylinder 32. The pressing plate 33 is secured to a top end of the
hydraulic cylinder 32. At least one kick-out pin 34 is provided
protrudingly at a frame 1F of the main body 1. This kick-out pin
34 is so adapted that when the pressing plate moves back and is
away from the back pressure plate to the maximum, it passes through
a pin hole 33a made in the pressing plate 33 and projects slightly
toward the back pressure plate. A magnet 35 is locked in the circumference
of the pin hole 33a at the side thereof closest to the back pressure
plate. The magnet is locked in such a manner that the outer circumference
of the pin hole of the pressing plate has a concavity and a rubber
plate 35a is inserted in this concavity and then the magnet 35 is
locked in and secured in the concavity. Preferably, an adhesive
is used to ensure perfect fitting of the magnet 35.
In order to prevent an empty can which has rolled down the chute
from falling off the pressing device before it is crushed, an empty
can supporting device 7 is provided on the side of the back pressure
plate as shown in FIG. 8 FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. This empty can supporting
device 7 comprises a pair of swing arms 73 of L-shape pivotally
secured, by means of an axle 72 to a bracket 71 which is provided
protrudingly at the back pressure plate or the frame fixing the
back pressure plate. This pair of swing arms 73 oppose each other
with a space larger than the full length of an empty can therebetween.
Opposing swing arms 73 are connected by an empty can support rod
74. A weight 75 is mounted on one part of the swing arm 73 and by
the action of this weight 75 the top end of the swing arms 73 is
projected toward the pressing plate of the pressing device and thus
the empty can support rod 74 supports the lower part of an empty
can C between the pressing plate 33 and the back pressure plate
31. As there is a possibility that the can support rod 74 at the
top end of the swing arms 73 can be damaged when an empty can is
crushed, when the pressing plate 33 advances toward the back pressure
plate 31 and an empty can is held between both plates, the swing
arms 73 are forced to move back so that the empty can support rod
74 is moved back from the empty can being crushed. This action is
performed by a push rod 76 provided protrudingly on one of each
side of the pressing plate 33 at such a position that it does not
hinder the empty can crushing process. The top end of this push
rod 76 is passed through the back pressure plate 31 and is opposed
to one side of the swing arms 73 with the desired space A therebetween.
This space A should be equal to or slightly larger than space B
which is the distance between the pressing plate 33 at its fully
retreated position and that at its position when it is touching
the outer circumference of an empty can C (FIG. 10).
A sorting chute 4 is arranged below the pressing device 3. At this
assorting chute 4 crushed empty cans are classified into aluminium
cans and steel cans, which fall down into receptacles T1 and T2
respectively and are accumulated there.
When the shutter 5 at the inlet I is opened, an empty can C is
thrown in sideways and horizontally and the shutter is closed, the
empty can rolls down on the bottom piece of the shutter and further
on the inclined chute 2. Then, when the rolling empty can is stopped
at the stopper device 6 the empty can is sensed by a photoelectric
switch, a limit switch or the like, whereupon the electromagnet
turns "ON" and pulls down the link 66 with the result
that the link 64 revolves around the axle 62 against the gravitational
force of the weight 65. At this time, the stopper piece 61 which
is secured to the axle 62 swings and its lower end descends, whereupon
the empty can stopper at the lower side of the stopper rolls down
the chute 2 and is led to the pressing device, where the desired
crushing of empty cans is effected. When the stopper swings, while
its lower end descends, its upper end projects above the chute,
whereby the next empty can is stopped by the upper end side 61a
of the stopper. Thus, empty cans are regularly supplied to the pressing
device one by one.
When the electromagnet is turned "OFF", the stopper is
restored to the original state by the action of the weight 65 whereby
a foremost empty can on the chute falls down from the upper end
side of the stopper to the lower end side and is stopped there.
This action is repeated and thus empty cans are supplied intermittently
one by one.
Empty cans are supplied from the stopper device 6 to the pressing
device one by one. At this time, the pressing plate moves away from
the back pressure plate and an empty can is placed on the empty
can support rod 74 projecting from the side of the back pressure
plate. Then, a detector (not shown in the drawings) conforms that
an empty can has been fed in the pressing device and the pressing
plate is advanced toward the back pressure plate by driving the
hydraulic cylinder 32. At this time, the empty can is held between
the back pressure plate and the pressing plate. When the pressing
plate advances further, the empty can is crushed and flattened between
the back pressure plate and the pressing plate and the swing arm
is pushed by the push rod, whereby the empty can support rod moves
back to the position below the back pressure plate at a speed faster
than the advancing speed of the pressing plate.
When the pressing plate advances still further, the empty can is
crushed into the desired flat shape between the back pressure plate
and the pressing plate. Since empty cans thrown in from the inlet
I are either aluminium cans or steel cans, when the pressing plate
moves back by means of the hydraulic cylinder after the crushing
process, an aluminium can Al falls down by its own weight upon releasing
of pressing between the back pressure plate and the pressing plate.
At this time, as an angle-shaped sorting chute 4 is positioned below
the center of the distance between the back pressure plate and the
pressing plate, the aluminium can falls down toward the left side
of the chute and falls into the aluminium can receptacle T1. In
the case of steel cans Fe, when the pressing plate moves back a
steel can is attracted by the magnet embedded in the pressing plate
and does not fall down when the back pressure plate and the pressing
plate are separated. The steel can is moved laterally by the moving
back of the pressing plate and when the pressing plate returns to
its waiting position, the top end of the kick-out pin projects from
the pin hole, with the result that the force of the magnet is broken
and the steel can falls down by its own weight. At this time, since
the falling steel can is on the rightward side of the sorting chute
4 it falls down into the steel can receptacle T2. Thus, crushed
empty cans are sorted automatically according to the quality of
can material. When the pressing plate begins to move back, the push
rod which was pushing the empty can supporting rod also moves back
with the pressing plate and thus the supporting rod is restored
to its original state by the action of the weight annexed thereto.
An adjusting cap 77 is screwed to the top end of the push rod for
making the space A adjustable.
FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a different embodiment of the pressing
device. In this embodiment, a back pressure plate supporting frame
F1 and a cylinder supporting frame F2 are provided oppositely to
a fixed frame F secured to the main body 1. A back pressure plate
311 is provided at the surface of the back pressure plate supporting
frame F1 opposing the pressing plate and a hydraulic cylinder 312
is supported by the cylinder supporting frame F2 by means of a pin
P. A movable frame F3 is provided opposite the back pressure plate
311 through the medium of a metal fitting 313 fixed to the top end
of the rod of the hydraulic cylinder 312 and a pressing plate 314
is provided integrally with the front face of the frame F3. Empty
cans are crushed between the opposing pressing plate 314 and back
pressure plate 311 by the operation of the hydraulic cylinder. A
cylindrical spring holder 315 is fixed to one side or both sides
of the back pressure plate supporting frame F1 opposite the movable
frame F3 and a cylindrical spring holder 316 is provided at the
movable frame F3 in such a fashion that it opposes the cylindrical
spring holder 315. Both spring holders 315 316 are interlocked
slidably and coiled springs S for restoring the cylinder are inserted
in the spring holders. This arrangement is so adapted that before
the cylinder begins to work a gap is provided between the back pressure
plate 311 and the pressing plate 314 in which an empty can is insertable.
A swingable empty can supporter 317 is provided on the side of the
back pressure plate supporting frame so that an empty can supplied
from the chute does not fall downward before it is crushed between
the pressing plate and the back pressure plate. The lower part of
this empty can supporter is horizontal and projects from the back
pressure plate by the length necessary to support the bottom part
(lower part) of an empty can between the pressing plate and the
back pressure plate. The upper part of the empty can supporter is
swingably secured to the back pressure plate supporting frame F1
by means of a pin. A balance weight 318 is provided at the top end
of the supporter which stabilizes the position of the empty can
supporter so as to project from the back pressure plate to the predetermined
extent, unless it is affected by external force. The swinging angle
of this empty can supporter is determined by the length of a through
groove 319 bored in the back pressure plate supporting frame or
by another stopper.
In crushing empty cans by an empty can crusher of the above-mentioned
construction, if an empty can is thrown in the inlet I, the empty
can rolls down on the chute 2 and its lower part is supported by
the empty can supporter 317 of the opened pressing device 3 and
the empty can is positioned between the pressing plate 314 and the
back pressure plate 311. Upon detecting of the existence of an empty
can in the pressing device 3 by a detector, a hydraulic pump in
the main body operates to supply pressurized working oil to the
hydraulic cylinder 312 of the pressing device, whereupon the movable
frame F3 advances toward the back pressure plate side by means of
the hydraulic cylinder. At this time, springs S in the cylindrical
spring holders yield by the action of the hydraulic cylinder and
the spring holder 316 merges into the spring holder 315 and by the
sliding of these two spring holders, the movable frame advances
as it is keeping parallel with the back pressure plate, whereby
an empty can is pressed and crushed between the fixed back pressure
plate and the advancing pressing plate. At the same time, the top
end of the empty can supporter is pushed by the advance of the pressing
plate and the supporter is caused to swing toward the back pressure
side against the projecting force of the balance weight, therefore
not interfering with the crushing of empty cans. The empty can in
the crushing process does not fall down because it is held firmly
between the pressing plate and the back pressure plate. Afer the
crushing is complete, if oil feeding to the hydraulic cylinder is
suspended, the movable frame and the pressing plate are caused to
move back by the action of springs S and are restored to their original
state. At this time, the crushed empty can shape falls. At this
time, the empty can supporter is also restored to its original state
by the action of the balance weight, but since the crushed and flattened
empty can is not supported by the empty can supporter, it falls
downward even though the empty can supporter is restored to its
original state with the backward movement of the pressing plate.
In sorting empty cans according to the quality of can material,
at least one magnet 320 which attracts the crushed empty can is
provided at the pressing plate and at least one kick-out pin 321
is provided at the movable frame so that a crushed empty can drawn
to the magnet 320 is separated forcibly when the pressing plate
is restored to its original state. This kick-out pin 321 is provided
so as to slide through the movable frame retreat from the front
of the pressing plate. The kick-out pin 321 is coupled with a restoring
spring 322 so that this pin is urged to disappear from the surface
of the pressing plate. A striker 323 protrudes at the cylinder supporting
frame F2 in such a fashion that it opposes the rear end of the kick-out
pin. The length of the striker 323 and the kick-out pin 321 is so
determined that when the pressing plate moves back and restores
to its waiting position, the rear end of the kick-out pin is kicked
out by the striker and the top end of the pin projects slightly
from the surface of the pressing plate 314 whereby the crushed
empty can is forcibly separated from the magnet.
The stopping of the hydraulic cylinder upon crushing of an empty
can is effected by adjusting the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder
or by stopping the hydraulic pump by detecting the pressing force
of the pressing plate.
The magnet can be either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
In the case of the electromagnet, a crushed empty can can be released
from the pressing plate simply by releasing excitation of the electromagnet,
instead of utilizing a kicking out device.
According to the present invention, since a chute bent in an L-shape
is provided at the inlet, an empty can is allowed to be thrown in
only when it is put in horizontally and sideways. Therefore, the
empty cans cannot stop up the feeding chute. Since an empty can
cannot be fed to the crusher in a longitudinal direction with its
top part or its bottom part frontward, it can be crushed into a
flat shape accurately. Since the crusher has a stopper device which
supplies empty cans thrown in through the inlet to the pressing
device on by one, there is no fear that two or more empty cans will
be supplied simultaneously to the pressing device, and therefore
empty cans are crushed one by one accurately, free from the trouble
with the crusher itself. |