US969720A

US969720A - Mechanism for crushing cans.

Info

Publication number: US969720A
Application number: US40504607A
Authority: US
Inventors: Montgomery B Pickett
Original assignee: ROBERT F PALMER
Current assignee: ROBERT F PALMER
Priority date: 1907-12-04
Filing date: 1907-12-04
Publication date: 1910-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1927-09-06

Description

M. B. PIOKETT.

MECHANISM FOR GRUSHING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.4,190'7.

969,720. Patented Sept. 6,1910.

4 SHEETS-811E111 1.

I mvemon M. B. PIGKETT.

MECHANISM FOR GRUSHING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED BBQ-1.1907.

969,720. Patented Sept. 6,1910.

4 SHEETS-831E171 2.

INV ENTOR $4M WITN ESSES M. B. PICKETT.

MECHANISM FOR GRUSHING CANS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.4.1907.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

48EEBTB-BHEBT 3.

wri'uassss INVENTOR Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

rlunu M. B. PIGKETT.

MECHANISM FOR GRUSHING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 4.1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MONTGOMERY B. PICKETT, OF HAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB. OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT F. PALMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR CBUSHING CANS.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 4, 1907. Serial No. 405,048.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, MONTGOMERY B. Pronn'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residin at Maywood, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Mechanisms for Crushing ans, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to mechanism for crushing or flattenin tin cans so that their bulk may be reduce for transportation or storage.

The invention has for its principal objects; the provision of a mechanism in which two successive operations may be conveniently performed; the provision of a crushing mechanism which may be conveniently applied to a garbage or other wagon and w iich may derive its power either from the movement of the. vehicle or from the motor means for the vehicle when the vehicle is not in motion; and the provision of a power mechanism which will operate without attention or manipulation other than the supplying of cans thereto.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a transverse section through one form of my mechanism, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a hand-operated mechanism embod ing certain features of construction found in the power operated mechanism of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a transverse section similar to that of Fig. 1, but

through a modified form of .ap aratus, Fig. 4 is a lan view of certain of the driving connections of the apparatus, which driving connections are the same in all of the various forms of apparatus used, Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section throu h still a difierent type of a paratus, Flg. 6 is a transverse section tirough the apparatus shown in Fig. 5 on the line VI-VI, Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the crank device employed in Fig. 5, Fig. 8 is an end elevation, partly in section, of a further different type of a paratus, and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of tiie type of a paratus shown in Fig. 8.

In its preferre form, the crushing mechanism is designed to be mounted on a garbage or other similar receiving wagon, and comprises a means for flattening the cans to which the cans are adapted to be fed, which flattening means is connected so as to be operated either from the motor means of the vehicle, when a motor vehicle is used and the vehicle is stationary, or from some movin' part of the vehicle when the vehicle is eit er motor driven or not motor driven and is in motion.

Referring first to the general arrangement of the arts as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, 1 is the b0 y of the vehicle employed, 2 is the axle of the vehicle upon WlllCh are mounted the rear wheels 3 of the vehicle, 4 is the axle support throu h which the rotary axle 2 carrying the w eels 3 extends, 5 is the cylinder or guide means of the crushing mechanism to which the cans to be flattened may be fed through the chute 6, 7 is the piston by means of which the cans fed into the cylinder 5 are crushed, 8 is the drive shaft for the piston to which the piston is connected by the usual crank. mechanism 9 shown in Fig. 1, 10 is the motor which may be of any desired type, and 11 (Fig. 4) is the counter-shaft from which the drive shaft 8 is driven.

Referring now more. particularly to the construction of the crushlng means as shown in Fig. 1, it will be noted that the cylinder 5 is provided with a reversible end 12' ivoted on the rod 13 which rod is provide with a turning handle 14 and a pair of holding members 15. These holding members are adapted to be held in the position shown or in positions 180 therefrom b means of pins passing through such mem ers and engaging the recesses 16 in the cylinder 5, the upper surface of the member 12 is concave as shown in Fig. 1, while the opposite side is flat. It is designed to give the can first a preliminary flattening between the piston 7 and the concave face of the member 12 which recurved face prevents the can from slipping, and then reverse the member 12 and by another 0 eration of the piston completely flatten t e can. In order to dischar e the cans-after they have been flattene the slots 17 are provided in the side of the cylinder 5 and the piston 7 is loosely mounted so that it ma be tilted sli htly to cause the cans to sli e out throng these of

opposing spur wheels

21 and 22, whichare loosely mounted respectively on the axle of the vehicle and upon the shaft 11. The wheel 21 is brought into driving connectlon with the axle of the vehicle by means of the feathered clutch member 23 mounted upon the axle 2. The gear 22 is brought, into driving connection with the shaft 11, WhlCh gear carries at its end the sprocket 24 by means of the clutch member 25, which clutch memberis feathered upon the shaft 11. The

shaft 8 carries a sprocket wheel 26 and this sprocket is driven from the sprocket 24 on the shaft 11 by means of the cham 27. The clutches 23 and 25 are operated by means of the lever 28 carried by the upwardly projecting rod 29, which rod has at its upper end in position to be conveniently operated, the handle 30. It will be seen that by the arrangement of clutches the motor of the vehicle may be used either to drive the vehicle or to drive the crushing means when the vehicle is stationary, and if desired the clutch members 23 and 25 might both be thrown into inoperative position. In the latter case the vehicle might be propelled in the usual way by the use of horses or mules, and in this case if desired, the can crushing means might still be operated by the use of the connection shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1. This connection includes the sprocket wheel 31 mounted on the end of the shaft 8, the wheel 32 carried by the axle of the vehicle, the chain 33 and the clutch member 34 feathered onto the shaft 8. The lever 35 is employed for operating the clutch member 34. In order to prevent a can from being fed through the chute 6 and into the cylinder when the piston 7 is in its upper or operative position, the cylinder is provided with a downwardly projecting guard 36 which closes the opening of the chute into the cylinder when the piston is in its up er position.

In Fig. 2 a hand operated device is illustrated which hand operated device involves one of the features of invention as shown in the form of apparatus of Fig. 1, in that the upper crushing member 12 is rotatable about the ball joint 37 so that either the lower concaved face 38 may be used or the upper flat face, which operation corresponds to'that of the device of Fig. 1 in which the member 12 may be reversed by rotating it about its axis. The block 12 is provided face 38 and the member 42 and then finally crushed between the upper fiat face of the member 12 and the member 42.

The form of device shown in Fig. 3 is. substantially the same as that of Figs. 1 and 4 with the exception that the crushing mechanism is slightly altered. In this form of device the cylinder 5 is provided with a stationary lower end 12 and an opening is provided between the edges of such lower end and the lower edges of the cylinder for the escape of the cans after they have been crushed. The piston 7 is reciprocated by precisely the same operating mechanism as that shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and is provided with an upwardly pro ecting guard 36 corresponding to the guard employed in the device of Fig. 1.

In the form of device as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the driving means for the operating shaft 8 is just the same as that heretofore described for the forms of devices shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, but the construction of the crushing mechanism is considerably modified. In this form of device the cylinder 5 is placed horizontall v vertically, and the cans are fed to the top thereof through the chute 6 The end 12 is pivotally'mounted in a manner similar to that shown for the end 12 in Fig.- 1, but is kept" from turning by somewhat different means, such meanscomprising the bar 43 hinged at 44 and provided at its upper end with the handle 45. The bar 43 is held in the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of the instead of thumb screw 46 which passes through the bar and engages the end of the cylinder in 'the manner shown. The operating shaft 8 is provided with the crank 9 shown in plan view in Fig. 7, and also carries an eccentric 47 for operating a means to permit the cans to escape from the cylinder after crushing. The means permitting the cans to escape from the cylinder comprises a hinge door 48 connected to the eccentric by means of the

links

49, 50 and 51 in the manner shown, the parts being so arranged that the door 48 is opened as the piston of the cylinder recedes from the crushing operation.

In the form of device ,as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the driving means for the operating shaft 8* is just the same as that heretofore described for the forms of devices shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, but the crushing means is substantially different. The crushing means in this form of device comprise two oppositely arranged series of continuously moving crusher blocks 52, 53, which approach' each other at their respective lower on the shaft 60. At the end of the shaft 60 gear wheel 61 is provided for driving a like gear 62 mounted on the shaft 63 carrying the sprocket 64 which in turn drives the chains upon which are mounted the series of crusher blocks 53. At the sides of the frame 57

sheet metal guards

64, 65, are provided in order to prevent the cans from fallmg away from the crushers and, with reference to the guard 64, between the said gears. In this form of device the cans are fed into the space between the tops of the moving crushers from the side of the wagon, through one of the branches of the chute 6*, and are discharged at the lower end of the device.

Having thus described and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following 1. A can crushing means comprising a pair of relatively movable crushing members, one of which has its opposite faces of different contour and ispivotally mounted to rotate so as to bring either face in position to cooperate with the face of the other member.

2. In combination in a can crushing machine, a cylinder, a power operated piston working in the cylinder, a feed chute, and means for preventing the feeding of cans from the chute to the cylinder when the piston is in operative position.

2-3. In combination in a can crushing machine, a cylinder, a power operated piston working in the cylinder, a feed chute, and stop means on the piston for preventing any feed to the cylinder when the piston is in operative position.

4. In combination in a can crushing machine, a cylinder, a power operated piston working in the cylinder, a feed chute leading into the side of the cylinder, and a rearwardly extending guard on the piston fon:

closing the chute and preventing any feed to the cylinder when the piston is in operative position.

5. In combination in a can crushing machine, a cylinder having a reversible end with surfaces differing in contour, a power operated piston working in the cylinder and means whereby cans may be fed into the side of the cylinder.

6. In combination, a receiving vehicle, a pair of opposing relatively movable can crushing members mounted thereon and power means from a wheel of the vehicle for operating the crushing means.

7. In combination, a receiving vehicle, a

pair of opposing relatively movable can crushing members mounted thereon, power means driven from the wheel of the vehicle for operating the crushing means and automatic means for discharging the crushed cans into the vehicle.

8. In combination, a receiving vehicle, a pair of opposing relatively movable can crushing members mounted thereon, power means driven from the wheel of the vehicle for operating the crushing means, a chute for feeding the cans between the crushing means and automatic means for discharging the crushed cans into the vehicle.

9. In combination, a receiving motor vehicle, a pair of opposing relatively movable can crushing members mounted thereon, and a clutch and driving connections whereby the motor of the vehicle may be connected either to drive the vehicle or to operate the crushing members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

MONTGOMERY B. PICKETT.

Witnesses:

PAUL CARPENTER, ALFRED Y. ANDREWS.