Apparatus for cutting disposable containers

Claim 1

A machine for cutting into pieces at least one disposable container such as a plastic bottle or metal can comprising: a first cutting section having an inlet at a top thereof for receiving said disposable container; said first cutting section including a pair of parallel shafts at opposite sides of said inlet and mounted for rotation in opposite directions, said pair of shafts each supporting a plurality of cutting wheels keyed for rotation therewith, said pair of shafts being separated by a distance therebetween which is less than a diameter of each of said cutting wheels; each of said cuting wheels on one of said shafts being axially separated from axially adjacent said cutting wheels thereon by a distance greater than a width of one of said cutting wheels on the other of said shafts which extends therebetween, each of said cutting wheels having a plurality of cutting teeth thereon; said first cutting section including a plurality of combers on said shafts, each comber on one shaft being aligned with a corresponding said cutting wheel on the other shaft to provide a gap between an end thereof and said cutting teeth of said corresponding cutting wheel; said plurality of said cutting wheels on said pair of shafts being rotated to grip said disposable container therebetween to cause said disposable container to be directed between said pair of shafts and to be cut into first elongated pieces between said cutting wheels on said one shaft and said cutting wheels on said other shaft said first elongated pieces including first and second ends; a second cutting section adjacent and below said first cutting section; said second cutting section including means for cutting said first elongated pieces into smaller second pieces; said second cutting section including a fixed cutting blade and at least one rotating cutting blade generally aligned with said fixed cutting blade for cutting said first elongated pieces therebetween; and said second cutting section being located sufficiently close to said first cutting section to enable a first end of one of said first elongated pieces to be cut by said second cutting section while a second end of said one of said first elongated pieces is located in one of said gaps so that the systematic support of said first elongated pieces as they are initially being cut in said second cutting section insures that said second cutting section will be able to cut and discharge said smaller second pieces at a rate sufficient to avoid said first elongated pieces to collect or gather above said second cutting section and interfere with its cutting function.