Abstrict A can crusher having an upstanding stationary platen and an upstanding
movable platen, the movable platen being reciprocated with respect
to the stationary platen. Both platens are canted with their upper
ends closer together than their lower ends so that, when a can is
placed in the crusher with the can in contact with the platens,
the platens trap and hold the can in the crusher and concentrate
the crushing forces over a narrow portion of the can perimeter at
the beginning of the crushing of the can resulting in a reduction
in the total force required to crush the can.
Claims We claim:
1. A can crusher comprising:
a frame having a bottom wall including a front edge, a rear edge
and a pair of side edges, said side edges being parallel to the
principal axis of said bottom wall, said frame also having an upstanding
sidewall affixed to each of said side edges, an open front and an
open rear, each of said sidewalls being provided with an elongated
slot extending from a point adjacent said open front, said bottom
wall being provided with a can discharge opening adjacent said open
front;
a first platen affixed to said frame at said open front and in
front of said can discharge opening;
a second platen reciprocably mounted in said slots for movement
from a point adjacent said open rear to a point adjacent said first
platen;
an operating handle including a pair of operating levers each having
first and second ends;
a pivot pin swingably connecting one end of each of said levers
to said frame adjacent said first platen;
a hand grip affixed to the other end of each of said levers; and
a pair of links, each of said links having one end swingably connected
to an associated one of said operating levers intermediate its ends
and another end swingably connected to said second platen for reciprocating
said second platen.
2. In the crusher of claim 1 wherein each of said platens are offset
slightly from the vertical with the upper ends of each of said platens
being closer together than the bottom ends thereof.
3. In the crusher of claim 2 wherein each of said platens are offset
in opposite directions from each other.
4. In the crusher of claim 2 wherein said platens are offset about
one sixteenth of an inch per inch of length thereof.
5. In the crusher of claim 2 wherein said second platen includes
means cooperating with said slots for maintaining said second platen
in its offset position slightly offset from the vertical during
reciprocation thereof.
6. In a can crusher of the type having an upstanding fixed platen,
an upstanding movable platen and means for reciprocating said movable
platen with respect to said fixed platen, the improvement which
comprises:
means for maintaining said platens in canted positions with their
upper ends closer together than their lower ends, whereby, when
a can is placed in said crusher with the ends of the can in contact
with associated ones of said platens, said platens will trap and
hold said can within the crusher during the crushing operation and
will concentrate the crushing forces over a narrow portion of the
can perimeter at the onset of the can collapse resulting in a reduction
of the total maximum force required to initiate and then continue
the collapse of the can into accordian-type folds as the can is
reduced in size from its normal height to a greatly reduced height,
the final collapsed shape of said can being generally trapezoidal
in cross-section.
7. In the crusher of claim 6 wherein said means for maintaining
said platens in canted positions comprises said crusher having a
frame and said fixed platen being fixedly connected to said frame
so that a generally vertical face thereof faces said movable platen
with the generally vertical of said fixed platen being canted in
a direction with the upper edge thereof being closer to the upper
end of said movable platen than to the lower end thereof.
8. In the crusher of claim 7 wherein said frame includes a pair
of spaced upstanding side walls interconnected by a bottom wall,
a slot extending longitudinally of each of said side walls, and
a pin reciprocal in said slots, said pin being connected to said
movable platen with said movable platen having flanges extending
into said slots and movable therealong, said flanges maintaining
a generally vertical face of said movable platen during its reciprocation
in its canted position whereby the upper end thereof is closer to
the upper end of said fixed platen than the lower end thereof is
to the lower end of said fixed platen.
9. In the crusher of claim 8 wherein said pin is connected to a
pair of spaced links, said links having their free ends pivotally
connected to spaced arms intermediate their free ends, said spaced
arms interconnected at one free end by a pin passing through both
said frame and said fixed platen and at the other free end by a
handle.
10. In the crusher of claim 9 wherein each of said platens are
canted about one sixteenth of an inch per inch of length thereof
from the vertical.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to can crushers; and, more particularly,
to an improved can crusher which is capable of crushing commercial
beverage cans of all sizes up to 16 fluid ounces in a quick and
efficient manner.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Beverage cans have been a continuing problem in today's ecology
minded society. In recent years, it has been proposed to recycle
such cans but such recycling requires temporary storage until the
cans can be brought to a recycling center. Needless to say, the
cans take up quite a bit of storage volume and various can crushing
devices have been suggested to reduce can storage volume. Although
side can crushing devices are known, cans crushed with devices of
this type are dangerous to handle since the side crushing results
in exposed sharp edges. Also, such side crushed cans do not store
well since the ends are not as compacted as the center.
Vertical crushing is thus more desirable but great pressure is
required to compress a can vertically. Heretofore, vertical can
compression devices are quite bulky and expensive, e.g., the device
of the Wharton patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3889587. One recent patent
to Belfils, U.S. Pat. No. 4133261 discloses a device which has
a base on which the can to be crushed is placed with means for crimping
one side of the can when pressure is applied to the top. The crimping
is accomplished by a bead on the bottom base. However, the Belfils
device requires considerable force to crush the can and, since the
crimping means is provided by a bead, will result in crushed cans
of varying size variations requiring differing degrees of pressure.
Also, as seen in FIG. 2 of Belfils, since the upper end of the can
is not restrained laterally be platen 6 tall cans, e.g. 16 oz.
cans, will buckle into a wide variety of random shapes. Since the
can is not restrained laterally, it may be forcibly ejected during
crushing resulting in injury to the user. Also, the crushed can
of Belfils must be removed manually and may have sharp edges. Since
the can is not confined, the device of Belfils must be operated
in a vertical orientation and the can must be carefully and properly
positioned.
There is thus a need for a can crusher which is capable of uniformly
crushing all commercial beverage cans up to and including 16 fluid
ounces with less force than prior devices with automatic ejection
of the crushed can.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a can crusher which
requires less force than known devices for crushing cans.
It is further object of this invention to provide a crusher which
is operated by a lever to crush a can therebetween in a uniform
and compact manner.
It is still further an object of this invention to provide a can
crusher which securely traps a can to be crushed and holds the can
securely during crushing.
It is even further an object of this invention to eject the crushed
can automatically after crushing.
These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing
an upstanding stationary platen and an upstanding movable platen,
the movable platen being reciprocated with respect to the stationary
platen. Both platens are canted with their upper ends closer together
than their lower ends so that, when a can is placed in the crusher
with the can in contact with the platens, the platens trap and hold
the can in the crusher and concentrate the crushing forces over
a narrow portion of the can perimeter at the beginning of the crushing
of the can resulting in a reduction in the total force required
to crush the can.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a can crusher of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the can crusher of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the operation thereof;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the can crusher of FIG. 1 mounted on a
supporting surface illustrating the crushing of a can; and
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the automatic ejection
of a crushed can after crushing thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a can crusher 10 is shown
in accordance with the invention having a frame 11 formed of a planar
bottom wall 12 and a pair of spaced upstanding side walls 1314.
An elongated slot 15 is provided in side wall 14 and a like elongated
slot 16 is provided in side wall 13. An elongated rib 1718 extends
on the outside of each wall 1314 above each slot 1516 (see also
FIG. 2). Each slot 1516 terminates in an enlarged end portion (portions
1920 on slot 16 and portion 21 on slot 15-the other slot 15 not
being visible in FIG. 1).
An operating lever 22 is provided having a pair of spaced arms
2324 pivotally mounted to the outside of each side wall 1314.
A single pin 25 (FIG. 2) may be used to pivotally mount arms 2324
with nuts or other suitable locking means 2627 used to secure arms
2324 to pin 25. A handle portion 28 interconnects the free ends
of spaced arms 2324; nuts 29 (FIG. 1) being secured to threaded
ends of shaft 30 (FIG. 2).
A pair of links 3132 are interconnected intermediate the ends
of each arm 2324 by lock pins or rivets 33 or the like. The free
ends of each link 3132 is connected to a cross pin 34 passing out
of each slot 1516 (FIG. 1).
A movable platen 35 is mounted between side walls 1314 and includes
an upstanding main wall portion 36 (See FIGS. 3 and 4) having upper
and lower horizontal flanges 3738 respectively, and a pair of
generally triangularly shaped spaced side walls 3940 terminating
in ears 4142 respectively, extending generally normal to walls
3940 entering slots 1516 respectively. Pin 34 passes through
side walls 3940. As seen in FIG. 1 it can be appreciated that,
when lever 22 is actuated, links 3132 move to position pin 34 against
ears 4142. As will be discussed, ears 4142 maintain platen 35
in a position canted slightly from the vertical (see face 36 in
FIGS. 3 and 4 for reasons to be discussed.
Crusher 10 also includes a front stationary platen 43 having a
vertical face portion 44 having spaced side flanges 4546 and an
upper generally horizontal flange 47. Pin 25 (FIG. 2) passes through
suitable apertures in side flanges 4546 so that platen 43 is rotatably
mounted. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 rivets 48 may be used to mount
platen 43 to frame 11 so that it is maintained in a position whereby
face portion 44 is slightly canted from the vertical (as shown particularly
in FIGS. 3 and 4). Platen 43 also includes a bottom flange 49 (FIGS.
3 and 4) parallel to upper flange 47.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 a slot 50 is formed in bottom wall 12
adjacent platen 43.
As seen particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4 each face portion 3644
of platens 35 and 43 is canted from the vertical in opposite directions
with can 56 about to be crushed. Thus, each face portion 3644 is
offset a predetermined distance from the vertical, preferably about
1/16 th per inch of length in a manner such that the upper edges
of the platens 3543 are closer together than the lower edges thereof.
As shown in FIG. 3 a can may be placed in crusher 10 between platens
35 and 43. When handle 28 is lowered, pin 34 moves along slots 1516
(via links 3132) which thus moves platen 35 toward platen 43. Each
ear 4142 moves along its respective slot (see ear 42 in slot 15
in FIG. 4) thus maintaining face portion 36 in its canted position.
Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 crusher 10 may be screwed or otherwise
secured to a supporting surface. For example, suitable apertures
may be provided in bottom portion 12 for receiving one or more screws
51 threading into a support 52. Opening 50 in bottom wall 12 is
disposed at the end of the support 52 for reasons to be discussed.
Also, as shown in FIG. 2 cylindrical spacers 5354 may be provided
between arms 2324 and side walls 1314 to maintain the handle 22
in a centered position. Also, each link 3132 includes an arcuate
cut-out portion 55 for reasons to be discussed.
FIG. 5 illustrates the actual crushing of can 56. It can be seen
that handle 22 has been rotated to a generally horizontal position
from the FIG. 3 position (arcuate portions 55 straddling pin 25).
The upper ends of the canted face portions 3644 are closer than
the lower ends thereof crushing can 56' therebetween and forming
a tapered crushed can (wider at the bottom than at the top) adjacent
opening 50. When handle 22 is returned to the FIG. 3 position (e.g.,
rotating it in the direction of arrow 57 in FIG. 5), as shown in
FIG. 6 crushed can 56' is automatically released from engagement
with platens 3543 and ejected out of opening 50.
Any conventionally shaped beverage can of any size up to and including
16 fluid ounces can be crushed. The platens, being canted, accomplish
three things. The angular offsetting of the platens securely traps
and holds the can to be crushed safely within crusher 10 so that
the can being crushed is prevented from being expelled from the
confines of the crusher (e.g., walls 12 13 and 14) by the high
forces developed within the can and crusher 10 during crushing of
the can. The offsetting of platens 3543 forces the can being crushed
into firm engagement with the bottom wall 12 of crusher 10 during
the crushing stroke of platen 35 resulting in crushed containers
of very uniform similarity as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The offset
angle of faces 3644 of platens 3543 serves to concentrate the
crushing forces, especially at the onset of the collapse of the
can, over a narrow portion of the container perimeter resulting
in a great reduction of the total maximum force required to initiate
and continue the collapse of the can.
Each platen 3543 is offset at a small angle from the vertical,
e.g. between zero degrees to ten degrees, so that the upper edges
of the platens are closer than the lower edges as previously discussed.
There is a dramatic reduction in can volume reducing the bulk volume
for more efficient handling and storage.
The linkage system involved acts as a toggle linkage producing
a large mechanical advantage when approaching the FIG. 5 position.
This allows the operator of crusher 10 to develop the high forces
needed to complete the crush of a can to its final dimension with
modest operator effort exerted at the hand grip 28 end of the linkage
system.
It can be seen that a can crusher is disclosed which reduces the
force required to crush a can. There is no need for vent holes or
an elaborate crusher as in prior art devices. Mechanical advantage
is used to crush the cans from their original volume to a uniform
crushed configuration. The crushed cans are ejected automatically
and no handling by the operator is necessary. No precise alignment
of the can to be crushed is necessary; the can is merely casually
positioned in the crusher. A new and efficient can crusher is thus
disclosed. |