CA1107563A - Compacting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A double-acting compacting apparatus comprising a first compacting plate, a second compacting plate attached to and spaced from the first compacting plate and a third, stationary compacting plate arranged between the first and second compacting plates. The first and second compacting plates are mounted for movement relative to the third com-pacting plate. The arrangement is characterised by a free-fall aperture so arranged that compacted material, e.g. a can or drum, can automatically fall freely from the apparatus upon completion of a compaction stroke. A device can be provided for removing an end cover of the can or drum during the compacting operation.

Description

``` 11~75~3 The present invention relates to double-acting compact-ing apparatus. The term compacting apparatus as used here and in the following is meant also to include crushing apparatus such as those used to break and crush bottles and other brittle containers.
An object of the present invention is to provide a compacting apparatus in which objects, such as tin cans, bottles and like waste, can be compacted or crushed in an easy and efficient manner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a compacting apparatus in which a compacted object or objects is or are permitted to fall freely from the apparatus.
Another object of an embodiment of the present inven-tion is to provide such a compacting apparatus in which the ends of containers, such as cans and drums, comprising a metal different from the metal of the body of the container can be removed from said container during a compacting operation.
The compacting apparatus of the present invention consists of a double-acting compacting apparatus compris-ing a first compacting plate, a second compacting plate attached to and spaced from said first compacting plate; a third, stationary compacting plate arranged between said first and said second compacting plates; means for mounting said first compacting plate and said second compacting plate for movement relative to said third compacting plate;
drive means coupled to at least one of said plates for providing movement of said first and said second plates 75~;3 relative to said third plate, and means for defining a free-fall aperture arranged such that compacted material can automatically fall freely from the apparatus upon completion of a compaction stroke.
Since the end covers of many metal cans are made of a material, such as aluminium, different to that of the remainder of the can, it is desirable to be able to separ-ate these end covers from respective can bodies prior to the final compaction of said cans. The waste thus collec-ted is far more valuable than waste in which the end covers are compacted in situ with their respective can bodies.
Consequently, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, one of the opposing faces of said plates is pro-vided with a means, such as a cutting device, for removing 19 the end covers of respective cans before the compaction thereof is completed. This cutting device may have the form of a hollow tube extending through an associated compacting plate and having a diameter which is slightly smaller than the diameter of cans being compacted. The tube will project slightly beyond the plane of the face of the plate and will preferably be provided with cutting teeth at the end thereof facing a canr Alternatively, the tube may be replaced by a bore of the required diameter in the associated compacting plate and the cutting teeth or edge may be arranged to protrude in a circle around the ; mouth of said bore.
The unit may be driven by a single prime mover arranged -to co-operate with one of the said plates to cause the reciprocating movement. Alternately, a prime move may - , rk75Ç~3 be arranged to co-operate with each of said first and said second plates.
When objects are to be compacted on a large scale the compacting apparatus may be arranged to receive a relatively large number of objects in random orientation and to this end each of the compacting plates will have a substantially trapezoidal configuration wi~h the shorter of the parallel sides being located at the top of the plate, so that two adjacent plates define a downwardly flared space therebetween. Since the compacted objects may tend to be held against the sides of respective com-pacting plates subsequent to a compacting operation by, e.g. frictional forces, means may be provided for initiat-ing the free fall of the compacted objects through said free-fall orifice.
The apparatus may also be used to compact bulk waste, such as domestic waste, sewage tailings or factory waste, e.g. polystyrene waste, to a high degree of compaction, in which case the free-fall aperture will cooperate with means for automatically closing and opening the aperture at given times during a working operation. Walls provided to contain the waste in the apparatus will have drain means for the egress of liquid, or may be of a strong porous material. Means may be provided to wet the waste with a liquid substance to reduce the resistance of the waste to compaction, which wetting agent may be mixed with a binder to bind the compacted waste together.

375~3 Conveniently a plurality of such double-acting compact-ing apparatus may be arranged in line and/or in side-by-side relationship to form a compacting plant in which the respective compacting apparatus may be arranged to receive objects of the same or similar type, or may be arranged to receive objects for compaction or crushing of differing types.
So that the invention will be more readily understood and optional features thereof made apparent, exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: -Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, ofa single compacting apparatus with the movable compacting plate in its starting position;
Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 with : the movable compacting plate in its final compacting position;
Figure 3 illustrates in perspective one embodiment of a device for supporting an object for compaction substan-tially centrally between the opposing faces of two compacting plates; ~ -Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of : ` ~
one embodiment of a can-piercing device; : -Figure 5 illustrates the apparatus adapted for :~ crushing bottles or like brittle objects;
Figure 6 illustrates two of the apparatus illustrated : in Figure 1 joined in tandem to form a double-acting compacting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, such apparatus having two spaced apart, :~ .

75~3 movable compacting plates and a stationary compacting plate intermediate of said spaced apart plates and common thereto; the Figure also shows the application of can-piercing means and end-cover removing means;
- 5 Figure 7 is an exploded view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 6 with the can-piercing means and end-cover removing means not included;
Figure 8 illustrates an apparatus for compacting a plurality of objects charged to the apparatus in random array; and Figure 9 illustrates diagrammatically how a plurality of double-acting compacting apparatus can be : connected together to form a compacting plant.
In Figures 1 and 2 there is illustrated a single compacting apparatus comprising a stationary compacting plate 1 and a compaction plate 2 which is arranged for reciprocating movement, towards and away from said stationary plate 1. The stationary compacting plate 1 is rigidly connected by means of ties or wall means 9 to an end wall 3 on which there is mounted a cylinder 4 in which a piston 5 is arranged for axial movement. One end of the pis~on extends through an aperture in the wall 3 and is connected to the movable compacting plate 2 in order to move said plate towards and away from said stationary plate 1. In the illustrated embodiment the movable compacting plate 2 has connected thereto an object-support means in the form of a floor . 6 having an elongate free-fall aperture 7 arranged therein adjacent the plate 2. The longitudinal axis of the aperture 7 is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the plate 2, as j~ 75~3 seen in the Figure, and the length and width of the aperture is determined by the size of the objects to be compacted and the degree of compaction to which they are to be subjected, The stationary compacting plate 1 is provided with a slot 8 through which the floor 6 can pass as the plate 2 approaches the stationary plate 1. Alternately the floor may be arranged to pass beneath the stationary plate or in a groove therein.
Figure 2 illustrates the position of the movable plate 2 relative to the stationary plate 1 at the end of a compacting stroke of the piston 5, the floor 6 having passed through slot 8 to an extent such that the aperture 7 is located immediately beneath the compacting object, thereby enabling the compacted ob~ect to fall freely through said aperture and away from said apparatus, as illustrated by the compacted can shown in ghost lines.
- Although the drawing shows the floor 6 to be connected ; to the movable plate 2, the floor may be connected in ~`
some suitable manner to the stationary plate 1, in which case the free-fall aperture 7 will be arranged adjacent the stationary plate 1. The slot 8 through which the floor 6 slides will then be disposed inthe movable plate 2 and the distance between the plate 2 and the end wall 3 will be such as to allow the floor to move through the plate 2 to an extent such that the free-fall aperture will be located beneath the compacted object.
When compacting, for example, large cylindrical cans or drums, it may be mcre convenient to compact the .

75~i3 cans or drums sideways on, i.e. with a long axis of the can or drum extending parallel to the long axis of the free-fall aperture, thereby reducing the necessary length of working stroke. Although a large can or drum can be compacted sideways on by means of the illustrated apparatus with floor 6 and free-fall aperture 7, the compacted can will, in this case, often exhibit a lip which will render uniform stacking of the can and, when the apparatus is also to be used to empty the can as hereinafter described, the complete emptying thereof more difficult. Consequently, it may be more convenient to support the can generally centrally of the plates 1 and 2, i.e. to omit the floor 6 and to support the can by some other, retractable means.
An example of alternative support means is shown in Figure 3.
This Figure shows, in perspective the stationary plate 1 connected by side walls 9 to the end wall 3. In this embodi-ment the support floor 6 has been omitted and the object ~or compaction is instead supported by a pivotable device generally shown at 10. The support device of the Figure 3 embodiment is substantially of Z-shaped configuration when seen in cross-section having a limb 11, a further limb 12 and a member 13 connecting said limbs together. The device 10 is pivotally mounted at 14, the pivot being located beneath the movable plate 2 in the starting position of said plate.
Thus, the supporting device 10 will be held in its object-! supporting position by the movable plate 2. As the plate 2 moves forward the object to be compacted is gripped between ' ~75~3 the plates 1 and 2 and the plate 2 will move away from .t~epivot 14 so that the limb 11 is able to pivot out of the path of the object to be compacted. The plate 2 is then advanced the full working stroke of the piston 5~ the free-fall aperture in this case being the opening defined by the mutually opposing surfaces of the plates 1 and 2. The non-supporting position of the pivotable device 10 is shown in ghost lines in Figure 3, from which it can be seen that the limb 12 has a portion 15 which projects into the rearward movement path of the plate 2. Thus, as the piston 5 is retracted and the plate 2 moved to its starting position, in readiness for a further compacting operation, an edge of ; the plate 2 bears against said portion 15, pivoting the device 10 into its object-supporting position, said device ~;
being unable to swing from this position by virtue of the : fact that the bottom of plate 2 is located immediately above the pivot 14.
As beforementioned, the compacting apparatus of the present invention can be used to drain a liquid-filléd can in conjunction with the compaction of the same.
Figure 4 shows one embodiment of a can-piercing device mounted, in this case, on the plate 2. The illustrated device comprises two spikes 21, each of which is arranged to pass through an opening 22 in the movable plate 2 and is connected to a carrier 23. Each carrier 23 is connected to the plate 2 by means of a respective stud 25 passing there-through. One end of the stud 25 is fixed to the carrier 23, as by 75~3 welding for example, while the other end of the stud has mounted thexeon ~ plate 27. ~xtending~ under slight com~ression, between the plate 27 and the opposing face of plate 2 is a coil spring 26 biasses the carrier 23 ~owards said plate 2.
~he strength of the spring 26 is sufficient to prevent its associated spike from being displaced axially to any great extent by means of a can being punctured thereby. Arranged on the plate l-are rods 28, these rods being intended to bear against respective plates 27 as the plate 2 moves towards the fixed plate l during a compaction operation, the rods pushing against plates 27 to force the carrier 23 away from the plate 2, thereby to withdraw the spikes ~1 from the can. The extent to which the springs are compressed will be sufficient to permit the spikes to be f~lly withdrawn from the can, so that the can is able to fall freely through the free fall aperture. Instead of the illustrated arrangement of spikes 21 and rods 28, the spikes may be mounted immediately behind the fixed plate 1 and the can-release mechanism comprising rods 28 carrier 23 and springs 26 may be actuated by the moving plate.
The spikes may be hollow or fluted so as to be able to conduct .liquid therealong and may be arranged to communicate with suitable suction and drain means (not shown). Instead of two spikes, as shown, the can-piercing means may comprise only one spike arranged generally centrally of a respective `; compacting plate, or may comprise a greater number of spikes ~ than shown, arranged in some suitable manner.
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Figure 5 illustrates the manner in which a compacting apparatus according to the invention can be modified to crush bottles and like brittle objects. In this embodiment of the apparatus, the surface of the movable plate 2 facing the stationary plate 1 has arranged thereon a plurality of pegs 51, each of which is arranged to be ~ -` received in a corresponding through-hole 52 in the plate 3 during a bottle crushing operation. The bottles, for example, are fed to the feed space 53 and, as the plate 2 advances, are crushed against the face of the plate 1, the fragments falling out through the aforementioned free-fall aperture ~ into a receptacle provided therefore. Any powdered glass which does not fall into the receptacle, '~! , but remains in the apparatus and tends to pack, so as to present an obstacle to the full working stroke of t~e moving plate 2, will be forced by the pegs into and through respective holes 52, to fall away from the apparatus.
The side walls 9, the fixed compaction plate 1, the end wall 3 and the floor 6 form an open top box-like structure in which the bottles are contained during a crushing operation.
Figure 6 illustrates the manner in which two of the aforedescribed compacting apparatus can be joined in tandem to form a double-acting compactor, i.e. an apparatus which will compact in both directions of movement of the movable compacting plates 2. In this embodiment , .
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i75~3 the apparatus comprises two movable compacting plates 2 which are xigidl~ connected in spaced apart relationshin by meanS of ties , which may have the form of side walls 9.
Arranged between the two movable plates 2 ~s a stationary compacting plate 1 which is connected to an end wall 3 spaced therefrom, by means of the ~ies 9, which may also have the orm of side walls. Thus, the movable walls 2 together with side walls 9 and, when ~rovided, the floor means 6 form a rigid movable compacting unit. It will be apparent from the Figure that when joining two of the aforedescribea compacting apparatus to form a tandem, or double-acting compacting apparatus only one stationary compacting plate 1 is required, this stationary compacting plate being common to both of the moving plates.
The movable compacting~unit is driven reciprocatingly by means of a piston-cylinder-arrangement 5, 4 arranged at one end of the apparatus. In this instance the movable plate shown to the left of the Figure will be pulled towards the stationary plate 1 when the piston 5 is retracted in cylinder 4, thereby to crush an object between the plates. The piston may be a differential piston or an equal-area piston.
The cylinder is sealingly connected to the outer surface of the end wall 3 an~ is connected to a source of working medium (not shown), as are also the cylinders of the afore-described embodiments. As with the single-compacting apparatus described in Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus illustrated in Figure 6 may be provided with a floor extending between ' ~
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3756`3 the movable walls 2 and having a free-fall aperture locatea adjacent respective ones of said movable walls. The stationary wall 1 will then have arranged therein slots which allow the floor means to pass therethrough, or the wall may be provided with a groove in which the floor can slide.
Alternatively the stationary wall l and the end wall 3 may be of a size such that the movable walls 2 and the floors therebetween are able to slide freely within the space defined by said fixed plate and said end wall.
`~ lO As will be understood, the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 may have the supporting means illustrated in Figure 3, with the floor omitted.
As with the aforedescribed embodiment objects to be compacted can be fed from a respective feeding device into each of the spaces defined by respective movable walls

2 and the fixed wall 1 during a compacting operation, automatically by mechanically or electrically operated feed-:..
ing and timing devices, or may be allowed to fall intosaid spaces gravitationally. An example of such a feeding device is a holding device having a mouth sufficiently large to accommodate the objects to be compacted, one at the time, and having a long axis extending parallel to the path moved by the compaction plates. In order to prevent an object from falling from one such feed device whilst the compacting unit is carrying out a compacting stroke with respect to an object fed from the other feed device, as also shown in Figure 7, each movable plate 2 has extending out-~ardly from the top thereof and at an angle thereto a tail 81 against which said object can rest whilst the compacting plate associated with said tail is making a compacting stroke.
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751~3 Thus, each tail 81 is arranged to close the space behind a respective compacting plate during a compacting stroke.
Thus, as the plate 2 to the right of Figure 7 is moved towards the fixed plate 1 its tail ~l wi~l he moved across the mouth of the holding device~ to prevent any further object fed thereto from falling into the space between the opposing faces of the movable plate 2 and the end plate 3.
Although the tandem compacting apparatus illustrated in Figure 6 is shown to be driven by means of a double-acting piston cylinder arrangement, it will be understood that the unit can equally as well be driven by a worm screw or any other suitable prime mover. Furthermore, a drive means may ; be arranged at respective ends of the movable compacting unit and connected to a respective one of the two plates 2, in a manner such as to provide a force of equal magnitude over an equal time period in the compacting direction of said plates 2.
. Figure 7 is an exploded view of a tandem compacting apparatus having a movable compacting unit comprising movable compacting plates 2, a floor 6 and walls 9, the floor 6 having arranged therein adjacent each of said plates 2 a :
free-fall aperture 7. The intermediate stationary plate 1 is rigidly connected to the end wall 3 by means of ties 9. .
Arranged in the stationary plate 1 is a U-shaped .

~7~3 slot 8, enabling the walls of the movable compacting unit and, when fitted, the floor 6 to slide thrGugh said stationary plate. However, the movable unit may be of a size which enables it to move outside the fixed plate 1.
As indicated in Figure 6, each of the movable walls may be provided with a can piercing arrangement, such as that illustrated in Figure 4. For the sake of clarity only the right hand side of the apparatus is shown to be provided with such can-piercing devices.
I1lustrated on the left of the Figure is a device for removing the ends of cans when said cans are compacted in their axial direction. The illustrated device comprises a tube 72 extending through the plate 2 and arranged to protrude somewhat beyond the plane of said plate.
The protruding end of said tube may be provided with a cutting edge 73 or may be serrated to provide cutting teeth. The diameter of the tube will be slightly smaller than the diameter of the tin being compacted, the removed ends of respective tins being forced through the tube by subsequently removed ends, to fall from the machine on the side of the plate 2 remote from the stationary plate 1. Severed ends of respective cans are shown at 74. Obviously, when such a cutting device is provided, the piston of the piston-cylinder arrangement must be off-set relative to the cutting device in order to allow the cut ends of the cans to be forced out by subsequently cut can-ends, as illustrated by ~ the support element 75. Instead of the illustrated cutting ; device, the movable plate 2 may be provided with a bore having arranged around the periphery thereof on the can-cutting side of said plate, a raised cutting edge or a series of cutting teeth.

` -14-1~75~3 In Figure 8 there is illustrated a double-acting or tandem compacting aPparatus intended for thein situ compaction of a large number of cans or the compaction of a mass of material such as sewage tailings, domestic waste, factory waste and like waste bulk material. The apparatus comprises a movable compacting unit having two spaced apart movable plates 2 tied together by means of ties - (not shown) and floor means 6 with free-fall apertures (not shown~ arranged therein, in the manner of the compacting aparatus hereinbefore described. ~he apparatus further comprises a stationary compacting unit, having a fixed compacting plate 1 which is spaced from and tied to a fixed end wall 3. Sealingly connected to the end wall 3 is cylinder 4 of a piston-cylinder-arrangement~ one end of the piston 5 of said arrangement being connected to ~ ;
one of the movable plates2. Side walls 81 are provided to contain the~aterial to be compacted within respective compaction spaces. These walls will extend between the movable ~lates 2 in a manner suitable to form an open-top box-like structure into which the material to be compacted can be charged, the height of the side walls depending upon the material to be compacted and, when the material will contain water, are provided with drainage means or are made of a strong, porous material. ~referably, the side walls will have the same height as the compacting plates.
-~ The unit comprising plates2 and side walls 81 is preferably ~ arranged to move within the fixed unit 1, 3, with the plate - . - . - - ~ , 7~63 1 between the movable plates 2. There is nothing to prev.en*
the unit from moving outside the fixed plate, however, with the walls 81 sliding against the outer edges of the fixed plate 1.
In the illustrated embodiment, the compacting plates have a trapezoidal configuration (not shown), with the ~ shorter of the two parallel sides of the plates at the top :. thereof in the in-use position of the plates.
As shown, each of the loading spaces formed as respective plates 2 move towards and away from the fixed plate 1 is covered by a hinged lid 82. Each of the lids is pivotable about a common pivot axis 83 arranged in the nei.ghbourhood of the top of the plate 1 and has a release - portion 84 which extends across the stationary plate, to protrude into the space covered by the other of said lids.
`` To facilitate pivoting of respective lids about the common pivot axi.s 83, the pivot edges of respective lids adjacent said axis are each provided with tongues an~ apertures.
Those of one lid are arranged to interleave with those of the other of the lids, the tongues of respective lids forming said protruding release portions 84. As with the embodiments described above, the floor 6 will be provided with free-fall aperture means arranged in a manner such as ; to be located beneath the compacted material at the end of : a compacting stroke.
When compacting a multiplicity of objects, ., I

i75~3 such as cans or bottles, or a large mass of waste material, such as se~age~ the free-fall apertures should be held closed until a compaction stroke is completed or is near completion. This can be effected by shutter means arranged to open and close respectiYe aperture means in a time controlled manner. For example, each aperture may be closed by a sliding or hinged plate actuated by suitable linkage means, e.g. by arms attached to a part of the side walls 6, and to said shutters in a manner such that the arms will open and close the shutters at a given location along the path of movement of the movable plates. ~~
Thus, in operation, material to be compacted is charged to the loading space between a respective movable plate 2 and the fixed plate 3, with the free-fall aperture closed-off by the shutter means. The plate 2 is thendriven towards the plate 1, to compact said material, which may be sewage waste. As the plate nears the completion ~- of its compaction stroke or upon completion of said stroke the associated free-fall aperture is automatically uncovered by the aforesaid linkage mechanism. The compacting plate is then withdrawn slightly, e.g. a distance of 10 mm, to release the pressure on the compacted mass. ~he lid 82 of the loading space now formed between the other of the movable plates 2 and said fixed plate2 is now lifted, to permit waste to be loaded into said space. As this lid is raised, the release portion 84 of said lid will be moved down to engage the top of the material just compacted and urge it downwardly, thereby breaking any frictional forces 751~3 '~ acting between the compacting material and the faces of plates 1, 2. Since the plates are of a traoezoidal configuration, and the space in which the compacted material is confined flares outwardly at the bottom, the compacted material is able to fall quite freely through the free-fall aperture.
As a safety precaution, each of the movable walls may be provided with a support surface extending outwardly from the top thereof, as with the tails of the Figure 6 embodiment. Further, the lids may be arranged to cooperate with means for disconnecting the apparatus from its power source if a lid is lifted prior to the completion of a compaction stroke. Such means may have the form of micro switches.
The lids may also be arranged to cooperate with -automatic lid-opening and lid-closing means, such that the apparatus can be charged fully automatically. When the material to be compacted is dry and not readily compactable, a wetting agent may be added, which reduces the resistance to compaction, said agent being optionally mixed with a binder.
When compaction is to be carried out on a factory scale, for example, a multiplicity of double or single acting compactors may be connected in side-by-side and/or in-line relation. In this case the movable compacting plates of adjacent apparatus will be attached to a common beam or bar ; ` to which one end of the prime mover is connected. The arrangement will be such that as the prime mover is actuated, all the movable plates attached to said beam will be moved in ,, .

'7S6~3 one direction e.g. towards the respective fixed plates, and the other movable plates away f~o~ said fixed plates. ~hen the co~pacting apparatus are also joined in-line, i.e.
arranged one hehind the other, the movable plates of one apparatus are rigidly connected to the movable plates of the next apparatus in line, so that all said plates move in unison, with movement of the said common bar or beam.
Such an arrangement is shown schematically in Figure 9, in which two apparatus joined together are shown.
The prime mover of the illustrated embodiment is a piston-cylinder-arrangement, the cylinder 4 of which is connected to an extended end-wall means 3 extending transversally of the apparatus. The free end of the piston 5 is connected to a beam 91 which is connected in turn to each of the movable plates 2 such that movement of said beam-will cause corresponding , movement of respective plates 2. Reference 92 shows the supply lines for working medium to the piston-cylinder arrangement 4, 5.
Although the compaction plates have been shown to be of a substantially rectangular configuration, they may also be trapezoidal in shape.
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Claims (4)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A double-acting compacting apparatus comprising a first compacting plate, a second compacting plate attached to and spaced from said first compacting plate; a third, stationary compacting plate arranged between said first and said second compacting plates; means for mounting said first compacting plate and said second compacting plate for movement relative to said third compacting plate; drive means coupled to at least one of said plates for providing movement of said first and said second plates relative to said third plate, and means for defining a free-fall aper-ture arranged such that compacted material can automatic-ally fall freely from the apparatus upon completion of a compaction stroke.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the material to be compacted is a can or drum, wherein means are provided for removing an end cover of said can or drum during a compacting operation.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for removing comprises a tube extending generally centrally through the stationary plate and having a pronounced cutting surface facing said movable plate, the diameter of said tube being slightly smaller than the diameter of the can or drum being compacted.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for removing comprises a bore extending generally centrally through said stationary plate, wherein cutting means are arranged peripherally around the mouth of said bore facing said movable plate, and wherein the diameter of said bore is slightly smaller than the diameter of the can or drum being compacted.