CA2843708A1 - Compacting assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided an assembly for compacting articles for recycling, comprising a first and second rollers with a space between the rollers that defines a pinch point, one or more drive mechanisms for rotating the rollers in opposing directions to define an input side, wherein articles may be inserted between the rollers in an uncompacted state to be compacted between the rollers and an output side wherein articles may be discharged in a compacted state and a support for supporting the first and second rollers whereby the spacing between the rollers is adjustable to selectively adjust the degree of compaction of articles fed into the input side and discharged from the output side. The assembly may be supported on a frame that accommodates a receptacle for receiving crushed articles from the assembly by gravity feed. A hopper assembly feeds uncrushed articles into the system.

Description

COMPACTING ASSEMBLY
[0001] This application claims priority based on United States Application No. 61/864,867 entitled "COMPACTING ASSEMBLY" filed August 12, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of materials handling and processing, such as for recycling of articles such as plastic bottles.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for crushing or compacting recyclable materials such as plastic bottles. The present invention also relates to methods for processing recyclable articles.
BACKGROUND

[0003] Recycling operations are a common means of waste management.
Recycling can involve curbside collection of recyclable articles and/or return depots that are capable of handing deposit-bearing articles such as certain beverage containers. Recycling operations generally require complex material handling and processing steps, including crushing or compacting articles such as plastic beverage containers. Often, due to the large-scale nature and complexity of processing equipment, processing steps are performed in a central location that receives articles from multiple depots for processing and subsequent transport to various recipients such as glass or plastics recycling plants. Processing steps that occur at the central location can include compacting/crushing articles, sorting and placing them in bulk container packs for shipment to specialized recycling facilities. This arrangement can lead to inefficiencies, for example the need to transport uncompacted articles from the depots to the central location.

[0004] A further difficulty encountered in such systems is that multiple counting steps can be required during processing of the recycled articles, particularly in operations involving deposit-bearing containers which require accurate counts. For example, an initial counting step can be performed at the depot to determine a customer refund amount, followed by subsequent counting at various downstream steps when the articles are processed.

[0005] A typical prior art depot-based recycling operation for deposit-bearing containers may operate as follows:
a) recyclable materials are collected at a depot from consumers, counted and transferred to a sorting/packaging facility, which may be remote from the depot;
b) at the sorting/packaging facility, a worker separates the recyclable materials according to type (e.g. aluminum, PET plastics, etc), counts them again and deposits the material based on type into various collection bags;
normally, at least some of the articles are crushed at this stage for more efficient transport;
c) filled bags are removed from the sorting area and shipped to a materials processing facility.

[0006] There are several ways to increase the efficiency of recycling under this model. One approach is to minimize the volume of the articles. Since many recyclable products, particularly beverage containers, are mostly empty volume, the recyclables can be packed more efficiently by compacting them before shipping with a crusher or the like.

[0007] Ideally, this would suggest that total compaction or shredding would be the most efficient form of transport. In practice, shipping contracts can impose limits on the total weight of materials being shipped per unit volume.
For example, a shipping contract may set a maximum compaction of 20% (i.e. 8o% of original volume), beyond which additional fees may be incurred owing to the excess weight of the load. In such circumstances, this creates a practical upper limit on the density of the recyclable material being shipped.

[0008] Various compaction devices are known in the art. The majority are large-scale plate-style devices in which material is held in a storage receptacle while a hydraulic ram or other means is used to press a plate firmly into the storage receptacle. One drawback of such devices is that the throughput of the compaction process is limited by the volume of the storage receptacle itself.
Other _ known devices involve opposing rollers for crushing articles between the roller surfaces. Most known compaction/crushing devices are relatively large and complex and are best suited for use in a central processing facility than at a relatively small-scale recycling depot.

[0009] Improved throughput can be achieved using roller-based compactors. For example, WO 99/61231 by Holmen et al. describes an apparatus in which recyclable materials are pressed against an angular plate as they are advanced along a conveyor toward an opposed pair of rollers, which effect the final compaction.

[0010] U.S. Patent 3,776,128 to Morris describes another precompaction approach, in which a pair of reciprocating jaws flatten aluminum cans as they are dropped into a pair of counter-rotating rollers.

[0011] Similarly, in U.S. Patent 4,987,829 to Hudson et al., an inner plate effects a precompaction as plastic bottles move along a conveyor toward a pair of opposed rollers.

[0012] The need for precompaction increases the size and complexity of these devices, particularly where conveyor belts are employed.

[0013] U.S. Patent No. 7,322,285 to Wittig describes a single-stage roller compaction device.

[0014] Complete compaction of articles may not be desirable where limits are imposed by the shipper on the total density of the recyclable materials.
Variation in the density of the recyclable material being compacted and/or the maximum compaction permitted under a particular shipping contract creates a need for control over the degree of compaction of articles. As well, known devices tend to be relatively large and complex, which reduces their suitability for use at a recycling depot. As well, known devices tend to not be suitable for directly depositing the crushed articles into shipping packs, but typically require additional handling steps for this step.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a single stage roller-style compaction or crushing device which allows the user to adjust the degree of compaction by varying the spacing between opposed counter-rotating rollers. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a system for compacting or crushing articles that is relatively simple and compact, suitable for use in a relatively small-scale recycling depot, and which discharges crushed articles directly into a shipping pack immediately upon crushing. As a result of the compactness and simplicity of the present system, a recycling depot can accommodate multiple such systems to permit operators to sort, count and crush articles directly into shipping packs in a single operation, potentially by-passing a central processing facility.

[0016] In some embodiments, the ability of the rollers to grip the article is enhanced by the relative diameters of the rollers as compared to the article in question, the presence of a traction surface, and/or projections extending radially outwards from one or more rollers. Such enhancements help increase the safety and efficiency of the compaction device by reducing the rate at which articles are rejected at the input region.

[0017] According to one aspect, the invention relates to an assembly for compacting or crushing articles comprising:
a first roller rotatably journalled about a first axis;
a second roller rotatably journalled about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis;
at least one driver such as a gearmotor or other drive mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers in opposing directions. The space between the rollers defines a pinch point where the rollers are closest together for compacting articles. The positioning of the rollers defines an input side where articles may be inserted between the rollers in an uncompacted state to be compacted as the articles are drawn through the pinch point, and an output side for discharging crushed articles; and -, , -a support for supporting the first and second rollers.
The support is configured to permit adjustment of the position of one or both of the rollers whereby the spacing between the rollers is adjustable.
Adjustment of the spacing permits the user to selectively adjust the degree of compaction of articles crushed by the rollers. The spacing between the rollers may be continuously adjustable or fixed in any one of a plurality of discrete positions.
The respective axes of rotation of the rollers define a plane which can be horizontal or non-horizontal.

[0018] According to another aspect, at least one of the rollers comprises a surface adapted to grip articles between said rollers when fed into said input side.
The surface may comprise a plurality of projections and/or a resilient high friction material such as rubber.

[0019] The positions at which the rollers are secured to the frame relative to each other may be adjusted by various means to selectively vary the inter-roller spacing to adjust the degree of compaction applied between the rollers. In one aspect, at least one of the rollers is mounted on a frame that is adjustably secured to the support to vary the spacing between the rollers. The frame may be secured in a selected position within a range of positions to provide a selected spacing between the rollers. The frame position may be either continuously adjustable or alternatively it may be non-continuously adjustable for setting the spacing between rollers in any one of a series of discrete pre-determined distances. Another means for adjusting the roller position is to independently support one or both of the rollers on carriages, such that the carriages are engaged to the support for displacement along said support to displace the position of said at least one roller relative to the other one of said rollers.

[0020] The rollers may be rotatably driven by any suitable drive mechanism known to the art. The rollers may be rotated by either a single drive means for driving one or both of said rollers, or separate drive means for each of said rollers. A suitable drive mechanism, for example, is a gearmotor that linked to a corresponding roller either directly or through a gearbox.

, , -[0021] In another aspect, the assembly includes a hopper assembly for receiving articles to be compacted and feeding said articles to the input region between the rollers. The hopper assembly may comprise multiple hopper inlets for receiving articles from different directions, for example from multiple operators situated on different sides of the system. The hopper assembly may comprise:
a first chute for receiving articles;
at least one second chute for receiving articles, wherein the second chute is displaced away from the first chute to receive articles from a different direction than the first chute ; and the first and second chutes opening to said input region for feeding articles to the input region.

[0022] In another aspect, the hopper assembly may comprise at least one floor assembly, in which the floor assembly being tillable to adjust the slope of said floor towards the rollers. Two of said floor assemblies may be provided on opposing sides of the rollers.

[0023] The hopper assembly may further comprise an upstanding deflection panel above said rollers, configured to deflect said articles towards the hopper.

[0024] The hopper assembly may be at least partially enclosed within a flexible canopy.

[0025] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a system comprising the crushing assembly as described above and a support frame configured to support said assembly. The frame is configured to retain a removable receptacle for receiving crushed articles from the crushing assembly by gravity feed. For this purpose, the frame may have a space for receiving an open-topped receptacle beneath the crushing assembly. The system may further comprise one or more removable receptacles for receiving crushed articles.

[0026] In a further aspect of the system, a carriage is provided for retaining a receptacle, such that the receptacle may be placed within the carriage when empty and removed when full. The frame and carriage are configured to retain the carriage in a position whereby the receptacle when installed in the carriage is positioned to received crushed articles from the crushing assembly by gravity feed. In one aspect, the carriage is configured to fit within a space in the frame located beneath the crushing assembly. The carriage may be withdrawn from the frame when the receptacle is full and replaced. For this purpose, the carriage may be provided with wheels or other members to permit the carriage to be easily transported by an operator.

[0027] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for processing articles at a location such as a recycling depot. The method includes the steps of positioning a receptacle to receive crushed articles by gravity feed from a crushing assembly. The receptacle may have an open top to receive the articles and be positioned beneath the crushing assembly to receive the crushed articles.
The receptacle may be installed within an interior space in said frame beneath the crusher assembly. The method involves counting and optionally sorting said articles; placing said articles in said crusher; operating said crusher to at least partially crush said articles, and discharging said articles from said crusher into said receptacle by gravity feed.

[0028] The method may comprise the further step of selecting a degree of compaction of said articles (eg. a value between 25% and 95% compacted, expressed as a percentage of the full compaction of an article in which "full compaction" is defined as the state in which essentially no air is entrapped within said article) and spacing said rollers relative to each other to provide said selected degree when said articles are crushed between said rollers.

[0029] The method may comprise the further step of positioning a receptacle within a moveable carriage wherein the receptacle is positioned to receive articles from the crushing assembly by gravity feed, positioning the carriage to receive the crushed articles and removing the carriage with the receptacle therein when the receptacle is sufficiently full. The carriage may be used to transport the filled receptacle to a different location for shipping or other purposes. When the filled receptacle is removed, it may be replaced by an empty receptacle for filling with crushed articles.

[0030] The method may comprise the further step of feeding said articles into the crushing assembly via a hopper comprising a tiltable hopper floor, in which the method comprises the further step of adjusting the tilt of said hopper floor to urge the articles by gravity into the pinch point between the rollers. The tilt of the floor may be selected to reduce the ejection rate of articles from said crushing assembly to a selected degree.

[0031] Descriptive references herein such as "front", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "above", "below", "level", "upright", "parallel", "perpendicular", "straight", "horizontal", "vertical", or "opposite" are for convenience of description only. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the placement of an element may depart from these configurations while still remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The detailed description and drawings illustrate by way of example non-limiting embodiments of the invention contemplated herein:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compaction device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the housing is shown with stippled lines to reveal internal structure of the device.

[0034] FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG 1, with the housing and hopper removed.

[0035] FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view showing an article entering the input side of the first and second rollers.

[0036] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a sub-frame in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0037] FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of a second roller mounted on the sub-frame depicted in FIG 4.

[0038] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the second roller and sub-frame of FIG 5 mounted on a support frame according to the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a first roller according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a first or second roller according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view of a first or second roller assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0042] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the housing, hopper, and input region of a compaction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a support frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a compaction device and rolling cart according to one embodiment of the invention, in which the housing of the compaction device is shown as transparent so as to reveal the internal components of the device.

[0045] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the invention.

[0046] FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the second embodiment, with hopper assembly removed to show underlying structure.

_ [0047] FIGS. 15A-C are top plan views of the second embodiment, with hopper structure removed, showing multiple positions of the roller assemblies.

[0048] FIGS. 16A-C are isometric views of the second embodiment showing multiple positions of the floor of the hopper assembly.

[0049] FIG. 17 is an isometric view of the second embodiment showing a bag frame in a partially removed position.

[0050] FIG. 18 is a further isometric view of the second embodiment.

[0051] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the hopper floor portion.

[0052] FIG. 20 is a perspective view, inverted, of the hopper floor portion.

[0053] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the portion of the hopper floor encircled in FIG. 20.

[0054] FIG. 22 is a further perspective view of the portion of the hopper floor encircled in FIG. 20, in the elevated position.

[0055] FIG. 23 is a further perspective view of the portion of the hopper floor encircled in FIG. 20, in the lowered position [0056] FIG. 24 is a further perspective view of the hopper floor portion in the elevated position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] FIGURES 1-12 depict a compacting system or device 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. System 100 comprises a crusher assembly 102 supported by a frame 140, which is shown in detail in FIGS. ii and 12. Frame 140 supports crusher assembly 102 in an overhead position above a bag or other receptacle which may be inserted within the frame to receive articles by gravity feed. In the present example, the receptacle may be retained within frame 140 such that assembly 102 is directly overhead of the receptacle, such that articles compacted by crusher assembly 102 may drop into an open mouth of the receptacle. As described below, the receptacle may be retained within a removable carriage 300 to provide a convenient means to replace the receptacle when full, wherein the holder with receptacle placed therein can be positioned within frame 140 and removed when full.

[0058] Turning to the crusher assembly 102, which is best seen in FIGS.
1-10, assembly 102 comprises housing 105 (shown in stippled lines in FIG. 1 and solid lines in FIG io) that surrounds a roller assembly 20 comprising spaced apart first and second rollers no and 120. A hopper assembly 130 receives articles from an operator and guides these articles towards an input region 150 (see FIG.
3) consisting of the region between the first and second rollers 110,120 where their respective surfaces converge as they are rotated so as to receive articles deposited from above. Articles placed in this region are drawn between the rollers as the roller surfaces converge during rotation of the rollers. After passing through roller assembly 20, the crushed articles exit at a discharge region 16o (see FIG. 3) consisting of a space between rollers no and 120 which is opposed to the input region wherein the roller surfaces diverge during rotation for discharging articles.
A gap d is located between the rollers at their closest point, defining a pinch region (or pinch point) where articles are maximally compressed. As discussed below, gap d may be adjusted by moving one or both rollers 110,120 to adjust the amount of compaction applied by the rollers.

[0059] Support frame 140 is shown more particularly in FIGS. ii and 12.
Frame 140 supports crusher assembly 102 in an elevated position above the floor, to allow for gravity feed of crushed articles discharged from assembly 102 into a receptacle. The elevation position also provides a convenient working height for an operator for feeding articles into the device. Frame 140 comprises upright frame members 141, an open top defined by horizontal frame members 143 and cross-bracing struts 145. The top is further defined by a pair of spaced apart rails 147 which support crusher assembly 102 as described below.

, [0060] As seen in FIG. 2, first and second rollers no, 120 are rotatably journalled on central axles supported on frame 140. Rollers 110,120 rotate about first and second longitudinal axes 112,122 respectively that are substantially parallel. The rollers rotate in opposing directions such that the rotation of the rollers generates an input side 152 above the rollers (see FIG. 3) in which articles are drawn into the gap between the rollers and a discharge side 162 (see FIG.
3) from which crushed articles are discharged from rollers 110,120. Axes 112 and 122 are spaced to provide a selected gap width between rollers no and 120 so as to compress articles as these pass between the rollers by a selected degree.

[0061] During operation, rollers no and 120 are locked in a selected fixed position relative to each other whereby distance d does not vary during compression of articles between the rollers. The system may be adjusted to change the amount spacing between rollers no and 120 in order to adapt the system to process or accommodate different article types or different shapes or sizes or different transport requirements. For this purpose, the position of one or both of the rollers on frame 140 may be adjusted to alter distance d by a selected amount, for example by changing or adjusting the mount position of one or both of the roller axles. When positioned in a new selected position with a different spacing d, the rollers may then be fixed in this new position to provide a different degree of compaction.

[0062] FIG. 3 depicts an article 200, in this case a plastic bottle, entering input region 150. Input region 150 is located at input side 152 of rollers 110,120 and thus article 200 is drawn between the rollers 110,120 and expelled at discharge region 16o on output side 162 of the rollers 110,120. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, input region 150 is overhead of rollers 110,120, such that the article 200 is fed into the input region 150 at least partially by gravity. The surfaces of rollers no and 120 may be provided with gripping or traction means to reduce rejection of articles, as discussed below.

[0063] It will be understood by persons skilled in the art that the plane defined by the respective roller axes 112 and 122 need not be horizontal.

, [0064] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, distance d is smaller relative to articles 200, which will result in a relatively high degree of compaction (e.g.
8o% or more). In other embodiments, distance d is larger relative to the size of the article 200, and thus provides a lower average rate of compaction. The value of distance d thus allows for control over the average rate of compaction. In some embodiments the average rate of compaction is less than 8o%, such as 10 - 50%
or 20-25%.

[0065] A suitable value for distance d will depend on factors such as the physical characteristics and sizes of the recyclable materials being handled and requirements imposed by shippers or other materials handlers. In practice one may conduct empirical tests using representative samples of recyclable material in question determine an optimal distance d for a particular application.

[0066] The average degree of compaction can be determined as follows:
[(weight of compacted material for a given unit volume) / (weight of uncompacted material for the same unit volume) ¨ 1] x 100%. Depending on the variability of individual articles 200, this value may be averaged across multiple compacted bags. As most facilities use collection bags which are of a single size, this can easily be calculated by preparing a reference bag of uncompacted material for comparison against materials compacted using the device.

[0067] For example, a 20% average rate of compaction means that, on average, the materials in a collection bag have been compacted to 80% of their original volume. Some articles may be compacted more (e.g. 40%) or less (e.g.
0%), but on average, the rate of compaction for that bag will be 20%. Thus, a collection bag which would normally weigh 6o lbs uncompacted would weigh 72 lbs at a 20% average rate of compaction.

[0068] The above degree of compaction refers to the degree of compaction of individual articles, not compaction of the articles in bulk, since the degree of compaction of articles in bulk can be affected by the configurations of the compacted articles which affects the packing of articles within a space.

[0069] The position of rollers no and 120 relative to each other can be adjusted to vary distance d by an adjustment mechanism. There exist numerous ways to adjust the roller positions by mounting one or both of rollers 110,120 to frame 140 in a suitable adjustable fashion. The adjustment mechanism can be continuously variable or can provide a plurality of discrete mount positions.
The discrete spacings can be indexed to provide selected degrees of compaction of a particular container type (e.g. 2 liter beverage containers compacted (compressed) by one of 20%, 30% or 40%).

[0070] As seen in FIGS. 1-6, at least one of rollers no and/or 120 is supported within a sub-frame 170 that travels on rails 147 (see Fig. 11) to enable it to be repositioned on frame 140 to adjust the spacing d between rollers no and 120. Sub-frame 170 slidably mounts to frame 140 and can be locked in place on frame 140 to provide a selected distance d.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows sub-frame 170 in detail, with the corresponding roller removed to show structure. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the sub-frame of FIG. 4 mounted on the support frame 140. As can be seen in FIGS. 4-6, sub-frame 170 is provided with upper flanges 174a, which can be aligned with lower flanges 17413 on support frame 140. Sub-frame 170 is bolted in a selected position on frame 140 by bolts 172 that extend through the upper flange 174a and slots within lower flange 17411 Nuts 178 are then tightened onto bolts 172 to secure roller 120 to support frame 140 at a selected fore/aft position relative to roller no. If it is desired to further adjust spacing d, subframe 170 may be unbolted and re-fastened in different ones of slots 176. The opposing roller (in this case, the first roller no) is secured directly to rails 147 as shown in FIG. 7, in a non-adjustable fashion.
It will be seen that with modifications, both of rollers no and 120 may be adjustable in fore/aft position on frame 140.

[0072] FIG 8 depicts roller no in detail; roller 120 has an identical structure. Roller no is essentially a drum and consists of a tubular section 18o, the ends of which are capped by end caps 182. Roller no comprises an axle 183 rotatably journalled by bearing cartridge 185 so as rotate about longitudinal axis 112/122 defined by axle 183.

[0073] Tubular section 18o may comprise a segment of size 10 schedule 40 steel pipe, which has a diameter "e" which is larger than that of most articles 200 that this particular embodiment may be required to compact, while still being small enough to fit compactly within the confines of the support frame 140.
Various other roller diameters may also be used, depending on the size of the article 200 to be compacted. For example, size 5 pipe may provide sufficient strength to compact the same sized articles 200, despite being of a smaller diameter. However, the larger the diameter of the roller 110,120, the greater the contact patch between the roller 110,120 and the article 200 it is trying to compress, therefore the more friction force that can be applied. Thus, for certain applications, larger diameter rollers may be used to reduce the rate at which articles 200 are rejected at the input region 150.

[0074] Various ratios of roller diameter to article size are contemplated.
Preferably, the diameter of the roller 110,120 will be greater than that of the article 200 being compacted. More preferably, the roller diameter will be at least 1.5 fold greater, and most preferably, the roller diameter will be at least 3 fold greater.

[0075] One or both of rollers 110,120 may have an exterior surface adapted to grip the article more securely than a conventional smooth roller surface. For example, the surface may have a relatively high friction layer such as rubber or other grippy material or other traction-providing surface to reduce slippage of articles as these are drawn into input region 150 by rotation of the rollers. As discussed below, rollers no and/or 120 may be provided with a physical structure such as projections from the roller surface that provide a similar function.

[0076] FIG 9 is an exploded view of a roller assembly in which rollers no and 120 are provided with a rubberized layer 184 as a traction surface, which can be glued to the roller surface with an adhesive. Rollers no and 120 are independently driven by first and second gearmotors 118 and 128.

[0077] Drive mechanisms 118 and 128 apply sufficient torque to rollers no and 120 to compact a selected type of article; the appropriate amount of torque and corresponding drive mechanism parameters will vary depending on factors known to the art. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, it was found that 0.5 horsepower parallel shaft DC gearmotors from McMaster-CarrTm paired to rollers having a diameter of 10.75 inches provided sufficient torque to simultaneously crush two 591 ml PET plastic bottles to an 8o% compaction rate (i.e. 20% of original volume).

[0078] It has been found that roller rotation speeds within the range of about 10 to 100 rpm are preferable, such about 12- 50 rpm or between 15 ¨ 20 rpm. A rotation speed which is towards the lower ends of the above ranges tends to reduce the rate at which articles 200 are ejected at the input region 150, thereby increasing the efficiency of the compaction process. This increased efficiency can be balanced against the need for a sufficiently fast working speed for processing articles. It is also preferable to rotate both rollers 110,120 at essentially the same speed so as to reduce the likelihood of article 200 ejection at the input region 150.
The use of two separate drive mechanisms 118, 128 provides a convenient way to provide flexibility in the mounting positions of rollers no and 120 independently of each other to adjust the distances d which can be provided.

[0079] A dual-drive approach as described herein allows for a degree of redundancy within the unit and increases the maximum crushing force of the compaction device 100, including the number of bottles that can be simultaneously crushed at the input region 150. However, one may provide only one of rollers no or 120 with a drive mechanism such that the opposing roller passively rotates when the article 200 is drawn between the rollers.

[0080] Compaction device loo may also be provided with a plurality of projections 186 projecting from the roller surfaces of first and/or second rollers 110,120 to further aid gripping of articles 200 during the compaction process.

Projections 186 may comprise sharp edges for puncturing a plastic bottle or other article 200 when the projections are rotating on the rollers. Projections 186 may be evenly distributed (e.g. in a radial pattern) along the roller surfaces to avoid undue vibration of rollers 110,120. Projections 186 comprise bolts whose heads project radially outward from the rollers 110,120 and which are screwed into rollers 110 and 120 so as to thereby also serve to also secure the rubberized matting =

184 to the rollers 110,120. Projections 186 are secured within a plurality of apertures that are drilled and tapped into the surfaces of rollers no and 120 f.

[0081] Since articles 200 may contain residual amounts of liquid, projections 186 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2,3, 6, and 7 are made of corrosion resistant material and/or have an anti-corrosive coating. Where rubberized matting 184 is present, washers are used to prevent tearing.

[0082] Hopper assembly 130 feeds articles 200 placed therein into the input region 150 of the crusher assembly. FIG. 10 provides an isometric view of one embodiment of hopper assembly 130. Hopper assembly 130 includes first and second sloping chutes or hoppers 132 and 134 which are aligned and have open ends that face in different directions. Hoppers 132 and 134 need not be linearly aligned as shown, but may instead by be angled relative to each other or more than two hoppers may be provided for receiving articles 200 for compaction from a plurality of users. This arrangement allows for more than one user to more easily load device too. Alternatively, hopper assembly 130 may comprise a single hopper, in particular if the system is designed for a solo operator.

[0083] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-12, hopper assembly 130 comprises first and second hoppers 132, 134 that meet at a central opening 136 located over the input region 150. A vertical chute 138 extends downwardly from hopper assembly 130 to guide articles from opening 136 into input region 150 between rollers no and 120. Hoppers 132, 134 are tilted downwardly towards central opening 136 at an angle 0, which is selected to urge articles 200 within the respective hoppers by gravity feed toward opening 150. Angle 0 may be about 15 degrees, although this can vary depending on the characteristics of the articles and other factors.

[0084] Hoppers 132 and 134 have a chute-like configuration having an open top, opposed open ends and outwardly-sloping sidewalls. Articles 200 can be deposited within hoppers 132 and 134, with the tilt of hoppers 132 and 134 causing the articles to slide towards central opening 136.

[0085] FIGS. 11 and 12 show details of support frame 140, which is configured to position input region 150 of assembly 102 at a comfortable working height for an operator. Support frame 140 can be fabricated from any suitable robust material such as 1.5" 16 gauge welded square tubing and can be made from stainless steel or from mild steel treated with an anti-corrosive coating, such as paint or galvanization. Other suitable materials and constructions for the support framemo would also be apparent to those of skill in the art. Support Frame 140 is configured to retain a bag, pack or other container 151 (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 12) for holding and transporting crushed articles in bulk in a suitable position to the receive the crushed articles as these are discharged from crusher assembly 102. For this purpose, receptacle 151 is retained in a position with an opening 153 facing upwardly towards assembly 102 to receive crushed articles discharged from assembly 102 by gravity feed. Frame 140 positions assembly 102 substantially directly overhead of an open mouth of a receptacle 151.

[0086] As can be seen in FIG 12, support frame 140 can be configured to accommodate a carriage 300 such as a wheeled cart or other similar carrier which can be temporarily positioned beneath crusher assembly 102 to hold a receptacle 151. Carriage 300 is removable from frame 140, for example by being rollable.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, carriage 300 configured to accommodate a standard size retainer 151 (such as an industry-standard collection pack) and is configured to hold the pack in an open position whereby its opening 153 is directly beneath crusher assembly 102. Receptacle 151 is placed within and optionally affixed to cart 300. Carriage 300 allows for easy transport of filled receptacle 151 for further processing or handling.

[0087] A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 13-24, showing crushing/compacting system 400. System 400 includes a table-like frame 401. The upper surface of frame 401 includes rails 402 extending lengthwise between opposed ends of frame 401. Rails 402 support a crusher assembly 403 comprising rollers no and 120 supported within respective roller carriages 404 that are in turn engaged to rails 402. Carriages 404 are mounted to respective ends of rollers 110,120 to permit the respective rollers to be displaced along rails 402 for adjusting the gap d between rollers 110 and 120. As seen in FIGS 15A
to 15C, rollers 110 and 120 are independently secured to frame 401 by bolting each assembly at a selected position to frame 401. This permits one or both of rollers 110 and 120 to be displaced independently of each other on frame 401 to vary gap d between the respective rollers. Each of rollers 110,120 is operatively connected to a gearmotor 406, which rotates a corresponding roller 110,120 via gearbox 408.

[0088] Referring to figures 13 and 16-18, frame 401 supports a hopper assembly 420 comprising a tiltable floor assembly 422, a canopy 426 and a central deflection panel 428.

[0089] Floor assembly 422, shown in detail in Figures 19-24, comprises two floor members 424 and 430 supported within a rectangular floor assembly frame 450. Floor members 424 and 430 are located at opposing ends of hopper assembly 420. Each of floor members 424 and 430 comprises a flat floor panel 452, opposing side walls 454 and an arcuate end wall 456. Floor members 424 and 430 are pivotally mounted on opposing sides of frame 450 and are spaced apart to provide a gap 458 therebetween. Gap 458 communicates with crusher assembly 403 whereby articles that impinge on floor assembly 422 may enter into crusher assembly 403 for compaction. The pivotal mounting arrangements of floor members 424 and 430 are shown in detail in Figures 21-23. Sidewalls 454 are pivotally to frame 450 adjacent to gap 458, by pivot mounts 460 which permit members 424 and 430 to rotate between a lowered position wherein floor panels 452 are essentially horizontal (as seen in Figure 19) to an elevated position wherein floor panels 452 slope steeply downwardly towards gap 458, as seen in Figure 24.

[0090] Floor members 424 and 430 may be each locked in a selected tilted position. For this purpose, frame 450 is provided with an array of aligned openings 460, as see in Figure 22. Sidewall 454 is provided with a similar opening 462 that can be brought into alignment with a selected one of openings 460 and secured by a bolt or other fastener through the aligned openings, thereby positioning the floor member in a selected tilted orientation.

[0091] Figures 16a-c show the floor assembly 422 in varying degrees of tilt. It will be seen that the respective assemblies 422 and 424 tilt downwardly towards the centrally-disposed crusher assembly 403 to allow articles tossed into hopper assembly 420 to slide towards the roller assembly for compaction. The degree of tilt can be selected according to the type of article being processed.

[0092] Central deflection panel 428 comprises an upright member having flat sides that is spaced above roller assemblies no and 120 to leave a gap beneath the lower edge of panel 428. Panel 428 is configured to deflect articles that are tossed into hopper assembly 420 to generally steer such articles into roller assembly 403 or onto floor member 430. Panel 428 consists of a flexible sheet that is stretched within a frame 434 that extends from frame 401.

[0093] Canopy 426 is formed from a flexible material such as mesh fabric or the like. The flexibility and resiliency of the canopy assists in deflecting articles tossed into the hopper assembly 420 towards roller assembly 403. Canopy 426 is tautly suspended between opposing hoops 440 that extend upwardly from opposing ends of frame 401. Hoops 440 define opposing open ends of canopy 426, such that articles can be tossed into hopper assembly 420 through the respective open ends thereof. Canopy 426 also contacts and is deflected outwardly by panel 428 in a fashion similar to a central arcuate tent pole. Panel 428 thus effectively subdivides the interior of hopper assembly 420 into two spaces for receiving articles from opposing sides of device 400. The respective interior spaces of hopper 420 are in communication at the gap formed beneath panel 428.

[0094] As seen in Figure 17, frame 401 includes an interior open space and an open front side to accommodate a removable carriage 450 that can retain a removable bag or other receptacle 151 for receiving the processed articles.
Carriage 450 may be wheeled.

[0095] Referring to Figure 18, articles 200 such as plastic beverage bottles are tossed into an open end of hopper assembly 420. The articles 200 are then deflected or gravity fed into roller assembly 403. Rotation of rollers 110 and 120 in opposing directions effectively compresses the articles at the pinch point between the rollers and then discharges them into a bag or other receptacle (removed for clarity) within carriage 450 or otherwise positioned within a lower portion of frame 401.

[0096] In operation, by reference to FIGS. 1-12, articles 200 are fed into the input region 150 of crushing assembly 102, whereby they are gripped by the first and second rollers 110,120 and partially compacted to an extent dictated by the pre-determined distance d, which can be varied by an adjustment means.

[0097] The ability of rollers 110,120 to grip the article 200 can be enhanced by the relative diameters 114, 124 of the rollers as compared to the article 200, the presence of a traction surface (such as a rubberized matting 184), and/or projections (such as roller bolts 186). Such enhancements help increase the safety and efficiency of the compaction device 100 by reducing the rate at which articles 200 are rejected at the input region 150.

[0098] A compaction device according to the present invention facilitates sorting, counting and compaction of recyclable materials performed in essentially a continuous operation by a single operator. The use of multiple such devices can provide an improved ability for the single operator to sort and process multiple container types in the same operation. As a result, the operator of the compaction device can perform the following steps:
a) optionally, separate recyclable materials by article type prior to crushing;
b) count the numbers of articles 200 and optionally enter this information in a computer or other data/information storage and processing means;
c) place articles 200 for compaction into hopper assembly 130 or 420 of compaction device loco or 400;
d) compact articles 200 to a desired level of compaction; and e) collect the compacted material for transport.

[0099] If the level of compaction is incorrect or requires adjustment, the operator can vary the pre-determined distance d by adjusting the position of one of both rollers 110,120 on frame 140 or 401.

[00100] The process can further comprise collecting the compacted articles 200 in receptacle 151 retained in a carriage 300 or 450, which can be moved when full to a transfer station for shipment to the material recycler.

[00101] In a further aspect, the invention provides for operation of a recycling depot that comprises one or more of the systems loo or 400 described herein. According to this aspect, at least one system as described herein is provided at the depot. An empty receptacle 151 is installed within carriage 300 or 450, with the top opening 153 open to crusher assembly 102 or 403. Articles received from the consumer are counted and optionally sorted if multiple crushing systems are provided, for example sorting by material type. The operator then enters the count information ¨ this may comprise entering the article count and category into a computer-implemented system for subsequent information processing and optionally into the customer's account for deposit payment. The counted and optionally sorted articles are fed into system 100 or 400 where they are crushed to a selected degree and deposited directly into the receptacle 151.
When full, receptacle 151 can be removed from the system by retracting carriage 300 or 450. Carriage 300 or 450 can then be wheeled or otherwise transported, with the receptacle 151 therein, to a storage depot or other location. The receptacle can then be removed from the carriage, which can be reloaded with an empty receptacle for refilling with crushed articles.

[00102] Optionally, one or more operators can deposit articles into system loo or 400 from different directions, for example when working from stations located on opposite sides of the system. For this purpose, each operator deposits such articles into a different hopper. It will be seen that the hoppers need not be directly opposed to each other, but can instead be angled. Additionally, the tilt of one or more of the hopper floors can be adjusted to fine-tune the operation of the system. For example, if the articles that are being deposited in the hopper have a relatively high coefficient of friction on at least some of their surfaces and/or a relatively light weight, the hopper floor can be steeply angled.

[00103] The embodiments of the present application described above are intended to be examples only. Those of skill in the art may effect alterations, modifications and variations to the described embodiments without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In particular, features from one or more of the described embodiments may be selected to create alternate embodiments comprised of a subcombination of features which may not be explicitly described above. In addition, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments may be selected and combined to create alternate embodiments comprised of a combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. Features suitable for such combinations and subcombinations would be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art upon review of the present description as a whole.

Claims (33)

CLAIMS:

1. An assembly for compacting articles comprising:
a first roller rotatably journalled about a first axis;
a second roller rotatably journalled about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis, wherein the first and second rollers are spaced apart and said axes define a plane;
at least one drive mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers in opposing directions to define an input side wherein articles may be inserted between the rollers in an uncompacted state to be compacted between said rollers and an output side wherein said articles may be discharged in a compacted state; and a support for supporting the first and second rollers whereby the spacing between the rollers is adjustable to selectively adjust the degree of compaction of articles fed into said input side and discharged from said output side.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said plane is substantially horizontal.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said plane is non-horizontal.

4. The assembly of any one of claims 1-3 wherein at least one of said rollers comprises a roller surface adapted to grip said articles between said rollers when fed into said input side.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said roller surface comprises a plurality of projections.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said roller surface comprises a resilient high friction material.

7. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising at least one adjustable roller mount for mounting a corresponding one of said rollers to said support, said roller mount being engaged to said support for adjustment in a direction for varying the spacing between said rollers and for locking in a selected position on said support.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said roller mount comprises a frame for retaining said corresponding roller, said frame being engaged to said support at a selected position.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said roller mount comprises at least one carriage engaged to said support, wherein said roller is rotatably journalled to said carriage and said carriage is displaceable along said support for adjusting the position thereof relative to said support.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said carriage comprises a carriage frame engaged to said support, said carriage frame having opposed ends for engagement to opposing ends of said roller.

11. The assembly of claim 9 or 10 wherein each of said rollers is engaged to a corresponding one of said carriages.

12. The assembly of any one of claims 1-11 wherein said the spacing between said rollers is continuously adjustable.

13. The assembly of any one of claims 1- 11 wherein the spacing between said rollers is adjustable in discrete increments.

14. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 13 comprising a single one of said drive mechanisms for rotatably rotating one or both of said rollers.

15. The assembly of any one claims 1 to 14 comprising a separate one of said drive mechanisms for each of said rollers.

16. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein said drive mechanism comprises a gearmotor.

17. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 16 further comprising a hopper assembly for receiving articles to be compacted and feeding said articles to the input region between the rollers.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the hopper assembly comprises:
a first chute for receiving articles;

a second chute for receiving articles; and a common opening from the first and second chutes to said input region.

19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said hopper assembly comprises at least one hopper floor assembly, said floor assembly being tiltable to adjust the angle of a hopper floor towards said roller assembly.

20. The assembly of claim 19 comprising two of said floor assemblies located on different sides of said roller assembly for feeding said articles into said roller assembly from different sides of said roller assembly.

21. The assembly of any one of claims 17 - 20 wherein said hopper assembly further comprises an upstanding deflection panel above said roller assembly configured to deflect said articles towards said hopper.

22. The assembly of any one of claims 17-21 wherein said hopper assembly is at least partially enclosed within a flexible canopy having at least one opening to receive articles therein.

23. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said deflection panel is flexible.

24. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the spacing between said rollers is configured to produce an average rate of compaction that is less than 50%.

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the average rate of compaction is between 20-25%.

26. A system comprising the assembly of any one of claims 1-25, a support frame configured to support said assembly and a receptacle for receiving articles compacted by said assembly, wherein said receptacle is removable from the assembly and may be positioned to receive said compacted articles from said assembly by gravity feed.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising a carriage for retaining said receptacle, wherein said frame is configured to retain said carriage in a position wherein said receptacle when retained in the carriage is positioned to receive said crushed articles by gravity feed, said carriage being removable from said frame for transporting said receptacle when filled.

28. A method for processing articles comprising positioning a receptacle within in a compacting system comprising a compacting assembly mounted in an overhead position on a frame wherein the receptacle has an opening therein and is positioned to receive compacted articles from said system by gravity feed;
counting and optionally sorting said articles; placing said articles in said compacting assembly; operating said compacting assembly to at least partially compact said articles, and discharging said articles from said compacting assembly into said receptacle by gravity feed.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said compacting assembly comprises opposing rollers.

30. The method of claim 29 comprising the further step of selecting a degree of compaction of said articles and spacing said rollers relative to each other to provide said selected degree of compaction when said articles are compacted between said rollers.

31. The method of claim 28 comprising the further step of installing said receptacle within a carriage, positioning said carriage beneath said compacting assembly, and removing said carriage with the receptacle therein after said articles have been deposited within said receptacle.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said compacting system comprises a plurality of hoppers for receiving said articles and said step of placing said articles comprises placing said articles into multiple ones of said hoppers from different directions relative to said compacting system.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein said compacting assembly comprises at least one hopper for feeding said articles to said compacting assembly, said hopper comprising an adjustable hopper floor, said method comprising the further step of adjusting the tilt of said hopper floor to urge said articles from the hopper into said crushing assembly by gravity feed.