JPH08206887A - Empty can crushing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To easily crush empty cans to a safe shape by providing the surface of a base late with a crushing lever for pressing the intermediate parts of the empty cans and a second crushing lever for pressing both ends of the empty cans and engaging or disengaging both crushing levers. CONSTITUTION: The first crushing lever 4 and the second crushing lever 6 are freely turnably and pivotally fitted onto a base plate 1. A user holds a grip member 5, pushes an operating lever 11 downward and turns an engaging pawl to an inner side, thereby disengaging the first crushing lever 4 from the second crushing lever 6. The first crushing lever 4 is lowered to crush the central part of the empty can. The first crushing lever is risen and is brought into contact with the second crushing lever 6. The engaging pawl projects from an engaging window 10 and engages with the second crushing lever 6 when the pressing of the operating lever 11 is released. Both crushing levers 4, 6 are then connected. The second crushing lever 6 descends as well when the first crushing lever is lowered in this state. The cap parts on both sides of the empty can are then crushed to the shape as if the empty can is folded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an empty can crusher for crushing used empty cans and folding them into small pieces.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, environmental protection and effective utilization of resources have become popular, and recycling activities have been carried out as a part thereof. As one of the recycling activities,
Used cans may be collected and reused. However, it is necessary to store the collected empty cans for a certain period until they increase to some extent. If you have only one or two empty cans here, you don't take much storage space,
As the number increases, storage space becomes necessary, and there is a risk that hair will be disliked especially in ordinary households.

Therefore, a device for crushing empty cans has been developed in order to minimize the storage space. An example thereof is an empty can crusher as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. This involves crushing the center of the empty can first and then changing the orientation of the empty can to crush both ends (lids). The configuration will be described in detail below. Rotation supporting portions 102 and 103 are formed in the vicinity of both ends of the base 101 so as to project therefrom. Further, the rotary shafts 104,
Pressing levers 106 and 107 are rotatably pivoted via 105, and these pressing levers 106 and 107 intersect with each other. Further, pressing plates 108 and 109 for crushing the empty cans W are integrally formed on a part of bottom surfaces of the pressing levers 106 and 107.

Next, an example of use will be described. First, with the pressing levers 106 and 107 expanded, the used empty canister W is placed in the center of the base 101 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base 101. Next, the pressing lever 106,
107 is crossed (closed) and pressed strongly (see FIG. 7). When the central portion of the empty can W is crushed, the pressing levers 106 and 107 are opened again, the orientation of the empty can W is changed by 90 degrees, and the empty can W is placed on the base 101 again. Here, as in the previous operation, the pressing levers 106 and 107 are crossed again and pressed strongly (see FIG. 8). This crushes the empty can W.

[0005]

However, in the above prior art, it is necessary to first crush the central portion of the empty can, expand the pressing lever, change the direction of the empty can, and cross the pressing lever again. Is troublesome. With one or two empty cans, it became more and more troublesome to change the direction of the empty cans as the number increased.
Here, as shown in FIG. 9, there is a device that crushes the empty cans at a stretch by applying a pressing force from the side of the empty cans without changing the direction. However, not only a considerable crushing force is required but also the empty cans as shown in FIG. The lid part (especially from the opening) was torn and exposed, which was dangerous.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems, and a first crushing lever for pressing an axial middle portion of an empty can on an upper surface of a base and both side parts of the empty can. The second collapsing lever is rotatably pivotally attached to
The crushing lever is rotatably attached to the crushing lever, and an engaging member that can be engaged with and disengaged from the second crushing lever by rotating the operation lever is provided. It is characterized in that the lever and the lever can be operated independently or in conjunction with each other.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example will be described with reference to FIGS. Base 1
A bearing portion 2 for rotatably mounting a crushing lever described later is erected and fixed on the upper surface of the above, or is integrally formed with the base 1. A supporting shaft 3 is fixed to the bearing portion 2, and a first crushing lever 4 for crushing the substantially central portion of the empty can is rotatably attached to the central portion of the supporting shaft 3. The first crush lever 4 is a bottom surface portion 4a in the present invention.
However, it may be a square-shaped or triangular column-shaped member or a rod-shaped member having an H-shaped cross section, as long as the surface (bottom surface) contacting the empty can is a substantially flat portion. And
The flat portion is not a whole empty can, but may be a rod-shaped object having a flat portion with a width that crushes only a substantially central portion, that is, a plate-like object having a flat portion with a width smaller than the length of the empty can in the longitudinal direction. Of. Even if the width is smaller than that of the empty can, it is preferably about one third.

A grip member 5 made of plastic or a rubber member is attached to the front portion of the first crush lever 4 so that the palm or fingers are not scratched when the first crush lever 4 is operated. However, when the first crush lever 4 is formed of resin or the like, it is preferable to integrally form the grip portion.

A second crush lever 6 is also rotatably attached to the support shaft 3, and the second crush lever 6 is also rotatably attached.
Comprises a recess 7 into which the first crush lever 4 is loosely fitted, and plate-like crush portions 8 formed on both sides of the recess 7 for actually crushing an empty can. In this embodiment, the concave portion 7 and the crushed portion 8 are integrally formed. Further, although the crushed portion 8 has a flat linear inclined surface which gradually contracts toward the concave portion 7 (see FIG. 2), it may be a curved inclined surface instead of the linear inclined surface. Further, an engaging window 10 into which an engaging claw described later is inserted is formed on the top surface of the concave portion 7 of the second crushing lever 6. In addition,
The second crush lever 6 is always urged upward by an elastic member such as a plate spring or a coil spring.

An operation lever 11 is also rotatably attached to the support shaft 3 in a state of being located at the central portion in the axial direction of the first crush lever 4. The operating lever 11 is extended to the grip member 5, and the middle portion has a generally trapezoidal shape with a wide upper surface. Further, the operation lever 11 is attached so as to be sandwiched by a pair of engaging claws 12 rotatably attached in the inner width direction of the first crush lever 4 (see FIG. 2). Reference numeral 13 denotes a mounting plate fixed to the first crush lever 4, and the engaging claw 12 is rotatably mounted on a support shaft 14 fixed to the mounting plate 13. The operating lever 11 is biased upward by an elastic member 15 such as a coil spring.

A mounting table 16 having a mountain-shaped projection is fixed to a position on the upper surface of the base 1 where an empty can is mounted. Needless to say, the mounting table 16 is a regulating member for preventing the forward movement of the empty can A, and is for ensuring the stability of the empty can during crushing.

Next, the method of use and the operation will be described. First, the first crush lever 4 and the second crush lever 6
By engaging the grip member 5 with the thumb F or the like and pressing the operation lever 11 downward (see FIG. 4), the engagement claw 12 is rotated inward to engage with the second crush lever 6. Cancel the match. In this state, the first crush lever 4 is lowered. At this time, the second crush lever 6 has the engaging claw 12
Is not engaged, only the first crush lever 4 is lowered. Further, at this time, the second crush lever 6 is released from the engagement relationship with the first crush lever 4, so that the second crush lever 6 is in a state of being raised above the elastic member. Then, the central portion of the empty can is crushed by the lowering of the first crushing lever 4.
Next, the first crush lever 4 is raised to make contact with the second crush lever 6, and then the pressing of the operation lever 11 is released (see FIG. 5). By this operation, the engaging claw 12 is moved to the engaging window 1
It projects from 0 and engages with the second crush lever 6. That is,
When the pressing of the operation lever 11 is released, the engagement claw 12 is spread and expanded by the upper end portion 11b of the trapezoidal portion 11a. Now, the first crush lever 4 and the second crush lever 6
Are linked. Then, when the first crush lever 4 is lowered in this connected state, the second crush lever 6 is also lowered and the lid portions on both sides of the empty can are crushed (see FIG. 6). It is more like a folded shape than it is crushed.

A sloping surface of the crushing portion 8 causes a gap S between the mounting table 16 and the first crushing lever 4, which is also required for a later recycling operation. It is useful. In other words, this is because the recycler collects (crushes) empty cans from ordinary households and businesses into a block. Here, when making a large number of empty cans into blocks, each crushed empty can must be engaged. A gap is formed for the engagement. In other words, if each empty can is completely crushed, it cannot be crushed further and cannot be blocked.

[0014]

According to the present invention, the first crush lever for pressing the axial middle portion of the empty can and the second crush lever for pressing both sides of the empty can are rotatably pivotally attached to the upper surface of the base. , The first crush lever is rotatably attached to the first crush lever, and the second crush lever is engaged with and disengageable from the second crush lever by rotating the operation lever. Since the second crush lever can be operated independently or in conjunction with each other, the empty can can be crushed easily and safely.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view when the operation lever of FIG. 1 is pushed down with a thumb.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view when the pressing of the thumb of FIG. 4 is released.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a crushed empty can according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a first example of a conventional empty can crusher during a first operation.

FIG. 8 is a front view of FIG. 7 in the second operation.

FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of the conventional empty can crusher when the second example of the operation is performed.

FIG. 10 is an external perspective view of an empty can crushed according to FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2 Bearing part 3 Support shaft 4 First crush lever 4a Bottom part 5 Grip member 6 Second crush lever 7 Recessed part 8 Crushed part 11 Operation lever 11a Trapezoidal part 11b Trapezoidal part upper end part 12 Engagement claw 13 Installation Plate 15 Repellent member 16 Mounting table

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first crush lever for pressing an axial middle portion of an empty can and a second crush lever for pressing both sides of the empty can are rotatably pivotally attached to an upper surface of a base, and An operation lever is rotatably attached to the crush lever, and an engaging member that can be engaged with and disengaged from the second crush lever by rotating the operation lever is provided. The first crush lever and the second crush lever An empty can crushing machine characterized in that and can be linked together or independently.