US2800159A - Can and bottle crushing and disposal machine - Google Patents

Description

July 23, 1957 R. J. WALSH ETAL 2,800,159

m; AND BOTTLE-CRUSHING AND DISPOSAL MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. Fig.2

smgw KITCHEN 40HYDMUUC 34 crunnsn I 7 I78 I i 0 I58 'fifilv- 20 M01. mm: R0) .J. Walsh George R. Stroup INVENTOR-S y 1957 R. J. WALSH ETAL 2,800,159

CAN AND BOTTLE CRUSHING AND DISPOSAL MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

0y 22 George R. Stroup qumvroas 76 I BY y 1957 R. J. WALSH ETAL 2,800,159

CAN AND BOTTLE CRUSHING.- AND DISPOSAL MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 6

Fig. 8

y me Ray J. a/sh /a George R. Show mmvrozes July 23, 1957 R. J. WALSH EI'AL 2,800,159

CAN AND BOTTLE CRU'SHING AND DISPOSAL MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 1953 I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.7

Ra y J. Walsh Gearge R. Stroup INVENTORS GAN AND BOTTLE CRUSHlNG-AND DISPOSAL MACHINE Ray J. Walsh and George R. Stroup, South Bend, Ind.,

assignors of twenty-live percent to Henry Davenport, South Bend, Ind.

Application September 21, 1953,. Serial No. 381,206 9 Claims. (Cl.,1'53'.10.j5)

This invention relates to a structurally novel and distinctly different machine or apparatus which is. expressly designed and efiiciently constructedso that it serves as a reliable and practical means to appreciably assist one in coping withrand systematicallylhandling the every-day problem of expeditiously disposing of. used commodity and beverage containers,v that is, soup, juice, soft drink and beer cans, glasses, jars, bottles,,such as ketchup bo ttles, whiskey bottles, and so on, collapsible-cardboard milk cartons and the like, whereby to reduce the size of the same, conserve space in refuse cans, and to materially aid city collectors of trash by likewise assisting in loading and transporting the thus compactedtrash can load.

Provisions have been currently made, generally speaking, to enable home owners and others .to take advantage of available trash burning baskets, incinerators, garbage disposal units andso on. Paper is burned or compressed and bundledrin a press for better handling and modern trash collecting and hauling trucks resort to powered followers and built-in presses to simplify the loading problem. Bottle demolishing and cracking devices are usedin taverns, hotel bars and similar places of business all with the idea of mutually benefiting those who have the disposal and dumping problems .and. ditficulties to cope with. It follows, therefore, that the instant disclosure has to do with a slightly different approach to the overall, refuse and subsequent salvage requirements of the day, inthat it-proposes for use a machine. or apparatus which is such in purpose and construction that itis ever presentand handily on the scene, so to spcak, in enabling the user to crush and flatten tins and cans, bottles, and so on, that the then resulting product in vdemolished and reduced form, can be more readily conditioned for carrying from the premises to the trash plant, citydump, junk shop or elsewhere.

Keepingin mind the purport of the preceding general statements and observations and in reducing the herein revealed ideas topractice, a machine has been evolved and produced which is expressly adapted for so-called home and residential use but which, when made on a proper scale of construction, is equally well and perhaps more satisfactorily adaptable for taverns, restaurants and hotels having bar and similar facilities, and any analogous places of business where quantities of cans and bottles are necessarily disposed of, preferably .on the spot, and where storage space is often at a premium andrequires almost constant disposition of containersof the kind here tofore mentioned.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, a compact and convenient structural unit or socalled self-contained machine is provided, the same being characterized by many improvements and features but being provided, essentially speaking, with a suitable compartment having a readily openable and closable front door and into which the disposable articles are placed, oneor more ata time, there beinga pressurized crushing, demolishing and flattening plate, or equivalent head Patented July 23, 1957 "ice mounted for sliding moving toward and from a thick anvil-forming wall and movable toward and from the wall in a manner to crush and flattenthe article or articles between itself and said wall, the, bottom of the compartment having a discharge slot through which the then flattened article is discharged for disposition. An equally important object has, to do with the structural assemblage above set forth and wherein disposal chute means is appropriately utilized, said means registering with said discharge opening or slot to receive the flattened article and to deliver it into a collection receptacle, such as a trash can, or the like, which may be located eitherdirectly beneath the machine or on the exterior ofahonre so that it may be picked up and dumped 'intd'a trash transporting wagon or truck for delivery to the dump .or elsewhere.

Along the same line, novelty is predicated on a chute construction which has one duct for emptying thecans into a trash receptacle, and another, duct orpassagelfor emptying the cracked: glass into a separate col ecting recompartment, and cooperating safety-securing means betweenthe door and said meangwhereby when the door is closed and the means, is in use, said dooris, concurrently and positively lockedclosed and cannot, at'v the time, he accidentally opened by .the operator of the machine.

More specifically, the above feature involvesproviding thedoor, on its inward side with a fixed socket member,

said safety-securing means embodying a linearly straight rigid rod carried by and simultaneously movable .with the crushing plate, said rod telescoping into the socket member when. in its full operative latching positionv and moving to its released position when the plate returns to said initial starting position. a

More explicitly, novelty is predicated on a unified structure embodying a compartmentincluding a horizontal bot.-

tom wall with a discharge slot, a vertical anvileformin'g wall cooperatively aligned with said slot, a hydraulic; ram 7 embodying a fixed cylinder and a fluid actuated piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a presser plate carried by said piston and slidingly operatable in said compartment and movable toward and away from said anvilfforming wall and slot, coil springs anchored in said structure and connected with said plate for returning and retaining the latter in a givenstarting position, saidcompartment having a front entrance opening, a hinged door normally closing said entrance opening, and chute means communicatively connected with said discharge slot, afluid pump, a first pipe line affording a fluid delivery connection between the discharge side of the pump and fluid intakeend of said cylinder, a fluid back-flow checkvalye in said line, a motor for operating said pump, a control valve having a handle-equipped lever for starting and stopping the flow of fluid-between the :pumpand cylinder, electric circuit means wired to said motor, and including an oif" and on control switch which is normally off, said lever having means for engaging and opening and closing said switch, whereby said control valve and control switch are coordinated to function in timely sequence to bring about requisite cooperating functioning of the hand operated lever, motor, pump cylinder and valved pipeline between said cylinder and pump.

What is more, novelty is predicated on the aforemen tioned machine which, in addition, includes a reservoir, a supply line between said reservoir and the intakeside 3. of the pump, a fluid return line between said control valve and reservoir and the combination therewith of a second switch incorporated in said circuit and mounted in a position so that when the door is fully closed and safely locked, said switch is closed and the circuit is then ready to go into play as soon as, the principal control switch is intentionally closed by throwing said control lever to the on valve position.

Then, too, a further feature has to do with a safety line which is connected at one end with the delivery line, at its opposite end with a reservoir and which is provided with an automatic pressure actuated release valve which returns fluid to the reservoir if and when the pressure in the over-all line assembly becomes dangerously abnormal when, as for example, the operator of the machine holds the valve control lever down too long after the signal bell, which is provided, indicates that the crushing phase of the machine has been adequately completed.

Finally, nd although means otherthan a hydraulic one might beincorporated in the machine, it is, by preference, an objective to utilize a ram which is characterized by a cylinder, a piston operable in said cylinder, a rigid resser plate carried by the projecting end of the piston, a fluid delivery line communicatively connected at one end with the fluid intake end of said cylinder, a rotary fluid pump, said delivery line being communicatively joined with the discharge side of the pump and having acheck valve preventing back-flow of fluid to the pump, a fluid reservoir, a pipe line communicatively joining said reservoir to the intake side of said pump, a normally open control valve having an operating lever, a fluid return line joining said valve with said reservoir, a pressure build-up and backpressure line also connected at one end with said valve and at its other end with said first named delivery line, and a safety line connected at one endwith said delivery line, at its opposite end with said reservoir and provided with an automatic pressure actuated relief valve which returns fluid to the reservoir if and when the pressure in the over-all line assembly becomes dangerously abnormal. 7

Briefly summarized, the invention, therefore, has to do with a machine, either a small one, or a heavy duty type for business places, which permits the user or operator to simply rinse the can or bottle, open the door and place the can or bottle in the crushing compartment, to move an available selector lever to one position for bottles, or another position for cans, depending on the article being disposed of at the time, and then push the control lever down until the signalling or alarm bell rings,.then remove the hand and lever permitting the springs means to reset the machine so that the operation may be repeated for the second load in the compartment.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the machine herein under consideration and illustrating how it may be installed, for example, in a kitchen wall above a counter so that the entire operation may be performed indoors;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional and elevational view taken on the vertical line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a section on the vertical line 3-3 of Figure 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view, diagrammatic in character, showing the hydraulic ram or cylinder, the hydraulic pressurizing system, and the simple electric circuit for the motor;

Figure 5 is a front view with the front plate and door removed showing the essential parts in the main frame construction with parts in section and elevation;

plate.

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the same;

Figure 7 is a top plan view with parts removed to uncover and expose the details of construction, and with certain parts broken away to facilitate reading the view;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 3 of Figure 7 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the door and front cover panel and, in addition, an enclosing metal or equivalent shield which fits over and encloses the main parts of the machine;

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section on the line 99 of Figure 7 looking in the direction of the arrows and with certain of the details omitted for clearness of illustration;

Figure 10 is a section, fragmentarily and with parts omitted, taken on the line iii-1t of Figure 8 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure ll is a fragmentary elevational view detailing the construction. and operationof the primary control valve, lever, and associated depressible switch, which brings the motor into operation shortly after the control valve .is closed for operation.

Reference is made first to Figure 8, which taken in conjunctionwith Figure 7 and some of the other figures, discloses thatthe machine is characterized by a rectangular open-work frame structure embodying upper and lower spaced parallel angle irons i l-l4 and i616, respectively. At the right in Figure 8 there is a base plate it; which supports the motor 20. At the right there is an elevated so-called base or bottom wall 22 defining the bottom of the right-hand compartment and also the bottom, as at 24 (Figure 7) at the left in the can and bottle crushing, flattening and disposal compartments 26. The edge 28 of the bottom wall terminates short of an adjacent fixed end wall. 3% and defines a discharge opening or slot 32.. .The wall 30 is referred to here as the anvil-forming Wall and its purpose is to provide a suitable stop for the cans and other articles as the reciprocable crushing plate or head 34 of the hydraulic ram 36 moves from its initial or setposition (Figure 7, for example) to its crushing position (Figures 9 and 10). Withfurther reference to thehydraulic ram, this is characterized by a horizontal cylinder 38 and a reciprocable piston 4%) connected with the plate and operating the The right-hand end of the cylinder is fixedly mounted on the other end wall 42 as shown in Figure 9. if desired, an additional brace or support leg may be provided at 44. Any additional supports (not detailed) may be included. It follows that when the piston is operated, the plate34 isreciprocated and moved from. the position of Figure 9 tothe position in Figure 10 for results. Incidentally, in Figure 9 the numeral 46 designates a used can which is to be crushed and at the left the same can is shown at 48 after it has been crushed and is flattened and ready'todrop down through the discharge slot 32. The numerals 5t) denote upper and lower pairs of coil springs which are suitably attached at the left-hand end to the plate 34 and are anchored as at 52 at their opposite ends on the wall 42:. These springs serve to return the plate to its original starting position, as is obvious. Attached to the right-hand side of the upper portion of the plate are stabilizing braces and guides 54 which have end or shoe portions 5 which ride in the channels of the cooperating angle irons. Similar downwardly and outwardlyfinclined braces 58 are provided at the bottom and these join the lower portion of the plate and ride in the adjacent channelway against the top of the bottom wall of the cabinet. The numeral 58 designates a suitable closing panel or cover and 6t) denotes an ornamental moulding which may be used, if desired, around the front portion of the cabinet. The bottle and can compartment is, of course, open on what may be called the front side to facilitate inserting the articles to be crushed. This is provided with a door-opening to accommodate the door 62. The door is hinged in place, as at 64 and is provided with an appropriate handle 66. Suitable temporary latching means (not shown) may be provided to assist in keeping the door normally closed. It is important, of course, that when a can is placed in the compartment to be crushed, the door must stay closed to avoid accident to the user. In these circumstances a safety device is provided. In accomplishing this (see Figure 10, in particular) a horizontal open-ended socket member 68 is secured to the side of the door facing into the compartment 26. A linearly straight latching rod 70 is provided and this is telescoped into the socket member and secures the door in its closed position. This rod is bent from a complemental portion 72 which is best shown in Figure 2 and which is welded or otherwise connected as at 74 to and carried by the adjacent diagonal brace and guide member 58. Therefore, when the hydraulic ram comes into play and the plate '34 moves into its working position, the guides '54 and 58 ride in conjunction therewith and the latching rod 70 is carried and telescoped into the keeper socket "68 and locks the door so that the latter cannot he accidentally opened while the machine is in operation.

Taking up now the chute disposal means, reference is had to 'the Figures 1, 2 and 3. The vertical duct or chute is denoted by the numeral '76 and this registers with the discharge slot and empties at its lower end into a collection receptacle 78, as best shown in Figure 1. There is a diagonal duct at 80 and this is obviously for disposal of broken glass resulting from a "cracked bottle, jar, or the like. This :duct registers with the duct '70 and, of course, empties into the other glass receiving receptacle 82. It is desired to separate the 'glassfromthe tin and in accomplishing this a 'fiap or butterfly valve plate 84 is provided, which as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, is hinged at 86. This can be moved to the dotted line position of Figure 3 "for shunting the glass into theduct 80, or it may be in the vertical position to close off the duct 80 and to cause the cans to be confined for gravity movement through the duct 76. It is of incidental importance to mention that 'the structure is made in cabinet form, as shown in Figure 1, so that it can be built into a wall in a kitchen or elsewhere. The space beneath may be used as at 88 and doors "90 may be provided for convenrence if desired. Attention is directed at this time to the numeral 92 in Figure l which designates a slot having its upper end marked B for bottles and its lower end marked C for cans. An end portion of a knob-equipped operating rod works up and down in this slot, the rod being denoted at 94 in Figure 5 and being connected with afiexible shaft 96 operating through a guide 98 and then through 'aflexible casing 100 with the opposite end of the rod operatively connected as at 102 (see Figure 2) to a crank 104 on the operating end of the rocker shaft 86. This means, therefore, that a remote control knob is thus had for arranging oriadjusting the chute means to accommodate either cans or bottles and to do this selectively.

It is desirable to have signaling means and the means shown comprises a bell 106 which is suitably mounted and which is sounded by a hammer 108 which is pivoted at 110 and which is operated by a pivoted trip latch 112 having an end portion engaging the intermediate portion of the hammer and its lower portion terminating in a member 114 cooperating with a suitable trip member 116 on a push-pull or trigger rod 118 which is operatively connected to and operates with the plate 34. The numeral 120 designates a coil spring which is suitably anchored at 122 (see :Figure 9) and which serves to return the hammer to strike the bell. Obviously, in the operation of this bell which is shown to advantage in dotted lines in Figure 5, when the crushing plate moves from right to left, the trigger 118 moves therewith and the element 116 engages the end 114 of the latch and pivots the latch, thus causing the latch and the hammer to function, as shown in Figure 5 and to release it so that by the time the plate 34 reaches the end of its stroke, as

shown in Figure 10, the bell rings and notifies the user that the presser plate has completed the job of flattening the can and dropping it through the slot into the chute means. p

The hydraulic ram and hydraulic operating means therefor is best shown in Figure 4. Reference to this figure will clarify the hydraulic and electrical phases.

The hydraulic pump is denoted at 124 and the shaft 126 of the electric motor 20 cooperates therewith. In- 'cidentally, the shaft 26 is mounted in an appropriate bearing 128 (see Figures 6 and 7) provided therefor and fixedly supported. The pump and bearing casting is of the specific construction shown in Figures 6 and '7. Returning to the diagram in Figure 4, the conduit for delivering the 'fiuid from the pum to the hydraulic cylinder comprises a pipe or line section130 joined with a check valve 132 connected with a pipe section 134 into a cornlemental pipe section 136 which communicates with the right hand end of the cylinder 38. The source of fluid is the reservoir 140 and this is-connected by w y of a pipeline 142 to the intake side of the pump 124. The primary off and on control valve 144 is a simple casing containing a plug valve which is normally open '(not detailed) and which is operated by the depressible control lever 146. This lever as shown in Figure 11 has an oblique branch 1'48 which operates through a slot as shown in Figure l where it is provided with a suitable hand-grip 152 for convenience of operation. At the elbow portion in Figure 11, a depressor button 154 is provided and this serves to en age and depress the springreturned head portion 156 of the primary off and on" circuit switch 158. The numeral 160 is the return spring for the handle equipped lever 1'48 and which serves to kee the valve normally "open. With reference to Figure 4 again, "the numeral'162 designates a back pressure line or pipe between the valve 144 and the cruciform cou ling 166. The numeral 168 designates a return line which joins with the other side of the valve and is con- 'ne'c'ted hya similar four-way or cruciform coupling 170 with the reservoir 140. Then, too, there is a safety'pip'e line 172 which is connected with the cruciform coupling 166 at one end and with a safety adjustable blow-off valve or automatic relief valve "174 which is in turn connected with a coupling 170 as at 176.

The cireui'tto the motor comprises a conductor 17's with wires including the aforementioned switch 158 and an additional switch which is mounted to cooperate with the door and has a button arranged in the pathof movement of the door as at 180 so that when the door is closed -the circuit "is ready for cooperation.

In operation, the can or bottle is washed and placed in the cabinet 'or compartment 26. As the door is closed the switch button 180 is operated to set the switch and to ready the motor for starting. When the handle or lever 146 is pushed down to close the valve 144 back pressure on the pump is through the pipe line 162. When the switch 158 is closed, the machine operates to crush the can in an obvious manner and to dispose of it through the chute. The bell rings when the operation is complete. 7

From the foregoing, the construction .and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed "to'be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventionto the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in crushing and flattening cans, breaking bottles and the like, a machine for the home, places of business, and elsewhere, comprising a unified structure embodying a compartment including a horizontal bottom wall with a discharge slot, a vertical anvil-forming t 7 wall cooperatively aligned with said slot, a hydraulic ram embodying a fixed cylinder and a fluid actuated piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a presser plate carried by said piston and slidingly operatable in said compartment and movable toward and away from said anvilforming wall and slot, coil spring anchored in said structure and connected with said plate for returning and retaining the latter in a given starting position, said compartment having a front entrance opening, a hinged door normally closing said entrance opening, and chute means communicatively connected with said discharge slot, stabilizing guides carried by and simultaneously movable with said plate, said door having a socket member aflixed to that side facing into said compartment, a rigid safety latching rod carried by one of said guides and aligned with and telescoping into said socket member when the plate starts to move to its operating position, whereby said door is automatically latched and retained in closed position and cannot be accidentally opened until the plate returns again to its initial starting position.

2. For use in crushing and flattening cans, breaking bottles and the like, a machine for the home, places of business, and elsewhere, comprising a unified structure embodying a compartment including a horizontal bottom wall with a discharge slot, a vertical anvil-forming wall cooperatively aligned with said slot, a hydraulic ram embodying a fixed cylinder and a fluid actuated piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a presser plate carried by said piston and slidingly operatable in said compartment and movable toward and away from said anvilforming wall and slot, coil springs anchored in said structure and connected with said plate for returning and retaining the latter in a given starting position, said compartment having a front entrance opening, a hinged door normally closing said entrance opening, and chute means communicatively connected with said discharge slot, a fluid pump, a first pipe line affording a fluid delivery connection between the discharge side of the pump and fluid intake end of said cylinder, a fluid backflow check valve in said line, a motor for operating said pump, a control valve having athandle-equipped lever for starting and stopping the flow of fluid between the pump and cylinder, electric circuit means wired to said motor and including an ofl and on control switch which is normally off, said lever having means for engaging and opening and closing said switch, whereby said control valve and control switch are coordinated to function in timely sequence to bring about requisite cooperating functioning of the hand operated lever, motor, pump cylinder and valved pipe line between said cylinder and pump.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, and the combination therewith of a reservoir, a supply line between said reservoir and the intake side of said pump, a fluid return line between said control valve and reservoir.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and the combination therewith of a second switch incorporated in said circuit and mounted in a position so that when the door is fully closed and safely locked, said switch is closed and the circuit is then readied to go into play as soon as the principal control switch is intentionally closed by throwing said control lever to the on valve position.

5. For use in crushing, flattening and conveniently disposing of commodity cans and the like, a machine having a walled compartment in which a used can is adapted to be placed by hand and temporarily confined, said compartment having a bottom wall with a discharge opening through which the stated can, after it is sufliciently crushed, is discharged, a can disposal chute registering with said opening and functioning to deliver the crushed can to a handy place of deposit for ultimate collection, can crushing means embodying a presser plate mounted for reciprocation in said compartment and movable toward and from a relatively stationary anvilforming-wall, regulable, pressure developing means for forcibly actuating said presser plate in one direction, and spring means for returning the plate to its initial starting position, a bottle conducting and disposal chute communicatively connected with said can' disposal chute, an optionally usable butterfly valve mounted in said chutes and normally separating the can chute from the bottle chute, remote controlled selector means, and an operating connection between said selector means and said butterfly valve, whereby said chutes may be selectively and individually used forhandling either cans or bottles, as the case may be.

6. For use in crushing and flattening cans, breaking bottles and the like, a machine for the home, places of business, and elsewhere, comprising a unified structure embodying a compartment including a horizontal bottom wall with a discharge slot, a vertical anvil-forming wall cooperatively aligned with said slot, a hydraulic ram embodying a fixed cylinder and a ,fluid actuated piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a presser plate carried by said piston and slidingly operatable in said compartment and movable toward and away from said anvilforming-wall and discharge slot, coil springs anchored in said structure and connected with said plate for returning and retaining the latter in a given starting position, said compartment having a front entrance opening, a hinged door normally closing said entrance opening, and chute means communicatively connected with said discharge slot, said chute means embodying at least two ducts, one for cans only and one for bottles only, and a selectively regulable valve operatively mounted in said chute means, whereby said ducts are alternatively openable and closable and so that the broken glass can be dumped into a trash receptacle separate from the trash receptacle into which the cans are dumped.

7. For use in crushing, flattening and conveniently disposing of commodity cans and the like, a machine having a walled compartment in which a used can is adapted to be placed by hand and temporarily confined, said compartment having a bottom wall with a discharge opening through which the stated can, after it is sufficiently crushed, is discharged, a can disposal chute registering with said opening and functioning to deliver the crushed can to a handy place of deposit for ultimate collection, can crushing means embodying a presser plate mounted for reciprocation in said compartment and movable toward and from a relatively stationary anvilforming wall, regulable, pressure developing means for forcibly actuating said presser plate in one direction, and spring means for returning the plate to its initial starting position, a manually actuatable hingedly mounted door for the intake side of said compartment, cooperating safety type door securing means between the door and said can crushing means, whereby when the door is closed and the presser plate of the can crushing means is in use, said door is concurrently and positively locked closed and cannot, at the time, be inadvertently opened by the operator of the machine, said door being provided on its inward side with a fixed socket member, said safety securing means embodying a latching rod carried by and simultaneously movable with said plate, said rod telescoping into said socket member when in full operative latching position and moving to its release position when the plate returns to said initial starting position,

8. For use in crushing, flattening and conveniently disposing of commodity cans and the like, a machine having a walled compartment in which a used can is adapted to be placed by hand and temporarily confined, said compartment having a bottom wall with a discharge opening through which the stated can, after it is sufliciently crushed, is discharged, a can disposal chute registering with said opening and functioning to deliver the crushed can to a handy place of deposit for ultimate collection, can crushing means embodying a presser plate mounted for reciprocation in said compartment and movable toward and from a relatively stationary anvil forming-wall, regulable, pressure developing means for forcibly actuating said presser plate in one direction, and spring means for returning the plate to its initial starting position, a bottle conducting and disposal chute communicatively connected with said can disposal chute, an optionally usable butterfly valve mounted in said chutes and normally separating the can chute from the bottle chute, remote controlled selector means, and an operating conection between said selector means and said butterfly valve, whereby said chutes may be selectively and individually used for handling either cans or bottles, as the case may be, said crushing means comprising a fixed cylinder and a piston slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected with said plate, and said pressure developing means embodying a powered pump communicatively connected with said cylinder.

9. For use in crushing and flattening cans, breaking bottles and the like, a machine for the home, places of business, and elsewhere, comprising a unified structure embodying a compartment including a horizontal bottom wall with a discharge slot, a vertical anvil-forming wall cooperatively aligned with said slot, a hydraulic ram embodying a fixed cylinder and a fluid actuated piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a presser plate carried by said piston and slidingly operable in said compartment and movable toward and away from said anvil-forming wall and discharge slot, coil springs anchored in said structure and connected with said plate for returning and retaining the latter in a given starting position, said compartment having a front entrance opening, a hinged door normally closing said entrance opening, and chute means comrnunicatively connected with said discharge slot, said chute means embodying at least two ducts, one for cans only and one for bottles only, and a selectively regulable valve operatively mounted in said chute means, whereby said ducts are alternatively openable and closable and so that the broken glass can be dumped into a trash receptacle separate from the trash receptacle into which the cans are dumped, said valve comprising a butterfly valve having a pivoting shaft with a crank on one end, a remote control lever, and a flexible push-pull shaft affording an operating connection between said lever and crank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,426 Matejcik Dec. 31, 1935 2,125,651 Rosen Aug. 2, 1938 2,128,630 Wright Aug. 30, 1938 2,150,812 Ankerman Mar. 14, 1939 2,234,098 Wells Mar. 4, 1941 2,577,981 Stacy Dec. 11, 1951 2,615,302 Camerota Oct. 28, 1952 2,616,477 Scheer et al. Nov. 4, 1952 2,643,065 Clawson June 23, 1953 2,737,995 Jennings Mar. 13, 1956

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