Particle-type shredding mechanism

Claim 1

A document shredder comprising the combination of a pair of spaced apart counter-rotating particle-type document shredder rolls forming integral cutting discs the cutting discs on one roll being interleaved with the cutting discs on the other roll for cutting documents fed between the rolls into multiple strips each disc on a respective roll being spaced from an adjacent disc on the same roll, said discs also having cutting edges extending longitudinally of the rolls for cutting said multiple strips into short segments, multiple spacers mounted along the length of each roll, a spacer extending into each space between a pair of adjacent cutting discs on the same roll and extending around only a portion of the circumference of the roll on the side thereof which is substantially opposite to the space between the rolls, and multiple diverters spaced along the length of each roll a diverter being in register with each of a respective cutting disc on the respective rolls, each of said diverters having an arcuate surface having end portions located radially outwardly of the respective cutting disc and closely adjacent to the peripheral outer surfaces respective of said disc on the side thereof which is substantially opposite to the space between the rolls for preventing the accumulation of said short segments of the cut documents adjacent said rolls.