Comminution machine for solid pliable material

Claim 1

A COMMINUTING MACHINE FOR CUTTING SOLID STOCK INTO THIN CHIPS HAVING A HIGH SURFACE AREA-TO-VOLUME RATIO, THE MACHINE COMPRISING: A SUPPORT PLATE HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SIDES; AN ARM MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT A FIRST END TO THE FIRST SIDE OF THE SUPPORT PLATE FOR OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST AXIS IN A PLANE GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE SUPPORT PLATE; AN ARCUATE APERTURE IN THE SUPPORT PLATE HAVING A CURVATURE THE CENTER OF WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE FIRST AXIS; A DRIVE SHAFT ROTATABLY JOURNALED IN THE SECOND END OF THE ARM MEMBER AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE ARCUATE APERTURE; A CUTTING MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE SECOND SIDE OF THE SUPPORT PLATE; FIRST DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE ARM MEMBER FOR OSCILLATING THE ARM MEMBER ABOUT THE FIRST AXIS TO OVE THE CUTTING MEMBER THROUGH AN ARCUATE PATH; AND, SECOND DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE DRIVE SHAFT FOR ROTATING THE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE CUTTING ELEMENT AS THE CUTTING ELEMENT IS MOVED THROUGH THE ARCUATE PATH, WHEREBY SOLID STOCK MOVED INTO THE PATH OF THE CUTTING ELEMENT IS CUT INTO A MULTITUDE OF THIN CHIPS.