Patent US3857334A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3857334A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for crushing containers and dispensing tokens
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-10-26
•
Granted: 1974-12-31
•
Expires: 1993-10-26
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for crushing containers, such as metal cans, so that the container material may be reused; and means for dispensing a token signifying acceptance and crushing of a container having predetermined physical characteristics. Control means, including a container engaging sensing element, renders the token dispensing means inoperative to dispense a token responsive to reception in the crushing apparatus of a container having physical characteristics other than those required by the apparatus, or to the absence of a container in the crushing area of the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 E Arp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:03
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/06; G07F7/0609; B; B30; B30B; B30B9/00; B30B9/32; B30B9/321; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S100/00; Y10S100/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
Apparatus for crushing containers comprising: a. a frame structure; b. a ram including a container-engaging head mounted in said frame structure for predetermined reciprocatory movement; c. a platen facing said ram head; d. collapsible means mounting said platen in said frame structure for movement toward and away from a normal operative position facing said ram head at a predetermined distance therefrom; e. yielding means urging said collapsible means in a direction to normally hold said platen in said operative position thereof with a predetermined pressure greater than the pressure required to crush a given container, the arrangement being such that the bias of said yielding means imparted to said platen will be substantially reduced upon initial collapsing movement of said collapsible means responsive to exertion of ram pressure against said platen greater than said predetermined pressure; f. container-feeding means for feeding containers successively to the space between said platens and ram head when said ram is moved to a predetermined position remote from said platen; g. a movable gate element limiting movement of a container delivered to said space; h. and drive means for imparting movement to said containerfeeding means, ram and gate element, for successively feeding a container, moving said ram in a container-crushing direction toward said platen, and moving said gate element out of the path of movement of a container and away from said spaced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
Apparatus for crushing containers comprising: a. a frame structure; b. a ram including a container-engaging head mounted in said frame structure for predetermined reciprocatory movement; c. a platen facing said ram head; d. collapsible means mounting said platen in said frame structure for movement toward and away from a normal operative position facing said ram head at a predetermined distance therefrom; e. yielding means urging said collapsible means in a direction to normally hold said platen in said operative position thereof with a predetermined pressure greater than the pressure required to crush a given container, the arrangement being such that the bias of said yielding means imparted to said platen will be substantially reduced upon initial collapsing movement of said collapsible means responsive to exertion of ram pressure against said platen greater than said predetermined pressure; f. container-feeding means for feeding containers successively to the space between said platens and ram head when said ram is moved to a predetermined position remote from said platen; g. a movable gate element limiting movement of a container delivered to said space; h. and drive means for imparting movement to said containerfeeding means, ram and gate element, for successively feeding a container, moving said ram in a container-crushing direction toward said platen, and moving said gate element out of the path of movement of a container and away from said spaced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 in which said ram comprises a connecting rod, said drive means including a rotary crank shaft journalled in the frame structure and having a crank portion pivotally connected to one end of said connecting rod, said head being disposed at the opposite ends of said connecting rod.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, characterized by cooperating guide elements on said frame structure and ram, guiding said ram for generally rectilinear movements toward and away from said platen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 in which said yielding means comprises a spring element operatively connected to said collapsible means and angularly disposed relative to the direction of movement of the platen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 in which said collapsible means comprises a pair of cooperating toggle links having inner ends pivotally secured together and outer ends pivotally connected to respective ones of said platen and frame structure for angular movement relative to each other between operative positions, wherein said platen is in said normal operative position thereof and said links approach an aligned relationship, and collapsed positions wherein said links are pivotally moved toward an acute angular relationship therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatuS defined in claim 5, characterized by stop means limiting pivotal movement of said toggle links toward said aligned relationship.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus defined in claim 6 in which said yielding means comprises a spring having one end connected to said links at the pivotal connection therebetween and its other end connected to said frame structure and yieldingly urging said toggle links toward engagement with said stop means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 in which said container-feeding means includes, a feeding rotor journalled in the frame structure and disposed to feed containers successively to said space, and a pawl and ratchet one operatively connected to said feeding rotor and the other to said drive means for imparting intermittent rotary movement to said magazine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus defined in claim 8 characterized by rotor control mechanism operatively connected to said platen and responsive to predetermined movement of said platen in a direction aqay from said normal operative positon thereof to arrest container-feeding rotation of said magazine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus defined in claim 9 in which said control mechanism comprises a control circuit including a switch and a solenoid, and a barrier element operatively connected to said solenoid and engaging said feeding rotor responsive to energization of said solenoid, said switch being disposed to energize said solenoid responsive to said predetermined movement of the platen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 in which said gate element comprises a bail mounted in said frame structure for movement between a container-engaging positon between said ram head and platen and an inoperative container-releasing position laterally spaced from said container-engaging position, said means for moving the gate element out of said path of movement of the container comprising a cam and a cam follower one operatively connected to said ram and the other operatively engaging said bail.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus defined in claim 11, characterized by yielding means urging said bail toward its container-engaging position, and control mechanism for holding said bail in its inoperative position against bias of said yielding means responsive to predetermined movement of said platen away from said normal operative position thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, characterized by an ejector disposed to engage a container when the same is crushed between said ram head and platen and operative to move said crushed container outwardly from said space upon initial movement of said ram head away from said platen.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1967240A
Cited
US2172886A
Cited
US2665632A
Cited
US2982200A
Cited
US3062130A
Cited
US3374730A
Cited
US3659520A
Cited
US3673952A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-30 | 1978-07-01 | 1978-12-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-30 | 1982-07-01 | 1982-12-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-30 | 1986-07-01 | 1986-12-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |