Apparatus and method for recycling plastic beverage containers

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating labels adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless belt mounted for rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said belt; a plurality of carriers secured to said belt for movement therewith, each of said carriers comprising a single piece flat plate with a notch therein oriented toward the travel direction of said belt, the notch being configured to engage the neck of a bottle; means located along the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; means located along the course beyond said heating means for separating the labels from said bottles and collecting the labels; and a portion of the course followed by said belt being angled so that each bottle slides out of the notch of its corresponding carrier under gravity.

Claim 8

A system for removing labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless belt of rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said belt; a plurality of carriers mounted serially on said belt for movement therewith, each of said carriers being adapted to receive a bottle; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels and base cups thereto; a first pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the base cup on opposite sides of each bottle and remove said base cup; a second pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the label on opposite sides of each bottle and remove said labels; and means located along the course beyond said label and base cup-removing means for removing said bottle from said carriers and collecting said bottles.

Claim 9

A system for removing labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless belt of rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said belt; a plurality of carriers mounted serially on said belt for movement therewith, each of said carriers being adapted to receive a bottle; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels and base cups thereto; a first pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the base cup on opposite sides of each bottle and remove said base cup; a second pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the label on opposite sides of each bottle and remove said labels; and means located along the course beyond said label and base cup-removing means for removing said bottle from said carriers and collecting said bottles.

Claim 15

A system for separating labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, which comprises: an endless belt; means for effecting rotation of said belt around a course; a plurality of carriers secured to said belt for movement there with, each carrier including a single piece flat plate with a notch therein oriented toward the travel direction of said belt and configured to engage the neck of a bottle; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the base cups and labels thereto; a pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the base cup on opposite sides of each bottle to remove said base cup; a receptacle for receiving the base cups; a conveyor extending from a position beneath said brushes to said receptacle; a pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the label on opposite sides of each bottle to remove said labels; a receptacle positioned to receive the removed labels; a conveyor extending from a position beneath said brushes to said receptacle; a portion of the course followed by said belt being angled so that each bottle slides out of the notch of its corresponding carrier under gravity; and a receptacle positioned to receive said bottles after said bottles slide out of the notches of their corresponding carriers.

Claim 16

A system for separating labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, which comprises: an endless belt; means for effecting rotation of said belt around a course; a plurality of carriers secured to said belt for movement there with, each carrier including a single piece flat plate with a notch therein oriented toward the travel direction of said belt and configured to engage the neck of a bottle; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the base cups and labels thereto; a pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the base cup on opposite sides of each bottle to remove said base cup; a receptacle for receiving the base cups; a conveyor extending from a position beneath said brushes to said receptacle; a pair of rotating brushes adapted to engage the label on opposite sides of each bottle to remove said labels; a receptacle positioned to receive the removed labels; a conveyor extending from a position beneath said brushes to said receptacle; a portion of the course followed by said belt being angled so that each bottle slides out of the notch of its corresponding carrier under gravity; and a receptacle positioned to receive said bottles after said bottles slide out of the notches of their corresponding carriers.

Claim 20

A system for removing the labels, base cups and caps from plastic bottles, said labels and base cups being adhesively secured to the bottles, comprising: means including an endless belt for releasably transporting the bottles around a predetermined course having an input end and an output end; means located along the course for heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels and base cups thereto; means located along the course beyond the heating means for removing the base cups from said heated bottles; means located along the course beyond said heating means for removing the labels from said heated bottles; a rotating blade adapted to cut through the cap and upper end of each bottle to remove said cap; and means located at the output end of the course for removing said bottles from said transport means.

Claim 21

A system for removing the labels, base cups and caps from plastic bottles, said labels and base cups being adhesively secured to the bottles, comprising: means including an endless belt for releasably transporting the bottles around a predetermined course having an input end and an output end; means located along the course for heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels and base cups thereto; means located along the course beyond the heating means for removing the base cups from said heated bottles; means located along the course beyond said heating means for removing the labels from said heated bottles; a rotating blade adapted to cut through the cap and upper end of each bottle to remove said cap; and means located at the output end of the course for removing said bottles from said transport means.

Claim 26

A method of separating labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the bottles along a predetermined course; (b) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels and base cups thereto; (c) contacting the heated bottles with a pair of rotating brushes positioned to engage opposite sides of each bottle to remove the base cups therefrom; (d) collecting the removed base cups; (e) contacting the heated bottle with a pair of rotating brushes positioned to engage opposite sides of each bottle to remove the labels therefrom; (f) collecting the removed labels; and (g) collecting the bottles.

Claim 27

A method of separating labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the bottles along a predetermined course; (b) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels and base cups thereto; (c) contacting the heated bottles with a pair of rotating brushes positioned to engage opposite sides of each bottle to remove the base cups therefrom; (d) collecting the removed base cups; (e) contacting the heated bottle with a pair of rotating brushes positioned to engage opposite sides of each bottle to remove the labels therefrom; (f) collecting the removed labels; and (g) collecting the bottles.

Claim 30

A method of removing the caps, labels and base cups from plastic bottles, the labels and base cups being adhesively secured to the bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) attaching the bottles to a single piece flat plate with a notch therein which is connected to an endless belt constrained for movement around a predetermined course; (b) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the base cups and labels thereto; (c) engaging the heated bottles to remove the base cups therefrom; (d) collecting the removed base cups; (e) engaging the heated bottles to remove the labels therefrom: (f) collecting the removed labels; (g) engaging the bottles with a rotating blade adapted to cut through the cap and upper end of each bottle to remove said caps; (h) collecting the removed caps; (i) detaching the bottles from the endless belt; and (j) collecting the bottles.

Claim 31

A method of removing the caps, labels and base cups from plastic bottles, the labels and base cups being adhesively secured to the bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) attaching the bottles to a single piece flat plate with a notch therein which is connected to an endless belt constrained for movement around a predetermined course; (b) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the base cups and labels thereto; (c) engaging the heated bottles to remove the base cups therefrom; (d) collecting the removed base cups; (e) engaging the heated bottles to remove the labels therefrom: (f) collecting the removed labels; (g) engaging the bottles with a rotating blade adapted to cut through the cap and upper end of each bottle to remove said caps; (h) collecting the removed caps; (i) detaching the bottles from the endless belt; and (j) collecting the bottles.

Claim 35

A system for removing labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless conveyor mounted for rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said conveyor; a plurality of carriers mounted serially on said conveyor for movement therewith, said carriers being adapted to receive the bottles in depending suspended upright relation; means located along the course for removing the base cups from said bottles; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; brushing means for engaging the label of each heated bottle to remove said label; and means located along the course beyond said label and base cup-removing means for removing said bottle from said carriers and collecting said bottles.

Claim 36

A system for removing labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless conveyor mounted for rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said conveyor; a plurality of carriers mounted serially on said conveyor for movement therewith, said carriers being adapted to receive the bottles in depending suspended upright relation; means located along the course for removing the base cups from said bottles; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; brushing means for engaging the label of each heated bottle to remove said label; and means located along the course beyond said label and base cup-removing means for removing said bottle from said carriers and collecting said bottles.

Claim 38

A system for removing labels adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless conveyor mounted for rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said conveyor; a plurality of carriers mounted serially on said conveyor for movement therewith, said carriers being adapted to receive a bottle in depending suspended upright relation; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; brushing means for simultaneously engaging the label of each bottle on opposite sides of the bottle in a downward direction to remove said label; and means located along the course beyond said label-removing means for removing said bottle from said carriers and collecting said bottles.

Claim 39

A system for removing labels adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising: an endless conveyor mounted for rotation around a course; means for effecting rotation of said conveyor; a plurality of carriers mounted serially on said conveyor for movement therewith, said carriers being adapted to receive a bottle in depending suspended upright relation; means extending along a portion of the course for heating said bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; brushing means for simultaneously engaging the label of each bottle on opposite sides of the bottle in a downward direction to remove said label; and means located along the course beyond said label-removing means for removing said bottle from said carriers and collecting said bottles.

Claim 41

A method of separating labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the bottles along a predetermined course in suspended depending upright relation; (b) contacting the bottles in a downward direction on opposite sides thereof to remove the base cups therefrom; (c) collecting the removed base cups; (d) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; (e) contacting the heated bottle with brushing means positioned to simultaneously engage each bottle from opposite sides thereof in a downward direction to remove the labels therefrom; (f) collecting the removed labels; and (g) collecting the bottles.

Claim 42

A method of separating labels and base cups adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the bottles along a predetermined course in suspended depending upright relation; (b) contacting the bottles in a downward direction on opposite sides thereof to remove the base cups therefrom; (c) collecting the removed base cups; (d) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; (e) contacting the heated bottle with brushing means positioned to simultaneously engage each bottle from opposite sides thereof in a downward direction to remove the labels therefrom; (f) collecting the removed labels; and (g) collecting the bottles.

Claim 44

A method of separating labels adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the bottles along a predetermined course in depending suspended upright relation; (b) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; (c) contacting the heated bottles with a pair of rotating brushes positioned to engage opposite sides of each bottle in a downward direction to remove the labels therefrom; (d) collecting the removed labels; and (e) collecting the bottles.

Claim 45

A method of separating labels adhesively secured to plastic bottles, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the bottles along a predetermined course in depending suspended upright relation; (b) heating the bottles to soften the adhesive securing the labels thereto; (c) contacting the heated bottles with a pair of rotating brushes positioned to engage opposite sides of each bottle in a downward direction to remove the labels therefrom; (d) collecting the removed labels; and (e) collecting the bottles.

Claim 46

A system for recycling plastic bottles of the type having a neck portion with an integral collar and a body portion having a label bonded to the exterior thereof, said system comprising a convery or unit having means for freely supporting a plastic bottle solely by the collar thereof in depending upright relation and moving said so supported bottle along a predetermined path between an entrance and an exit, heater means positioned along said path for heating a bottle moving along said path and softening the bond between the bottle and the label carried thereby, and brushing means positioned along said path downstream of said heater means and on opposite sides of said path for effecting a downward label removing action simultaneously on both sides of the bottle.

Claim 47

A system for recycling plastic bottles of the type having a neck portion with an integral collar and a body portion having a label bonded to the exterior thereof, said system comprising a convery or unit having means for freely supporting a plastic bottle solely by the collar thereof in depending upright relation and moving said so supported bottle along a predetermined path between an entrance and an exit, heater means positioned along said path for heating a bottle moving along said path and softening the bond between the bottle and the label carried thereby, and brushing means positioned along said path downstream of said heater means and on opposite sides of said path for effecting a downward label removing action simultaneously on both sides of the bottle.

Claim 52

A method of preparing plastic bottles for salvage of the bottles wherein the plastic bottles are of the type having a neck portion with an integral collar and a body portion with a label bonded thereto, said method comprising the steps of suspending each bottle by its neck portion in an upright position utilizing the collar thereof, moving each bottle in sequence along a preselected path, heating each bottle during its movement along said path to soften the bond between the label and the bottle body, and then applying a downward brushing action on said body from opposite sides of the preselected path to remove the label.

Claim 53

A method of preparing plastic bottles for salvage of the bottles wherein the plastic bottles are of the type having a neck portion with an integral collar and a body portion with a label bonded thereto, said method comprising the steps of suspending each bottle by its neck portion in an upright position utilizing the collar thereof, moving each bottle in sequence along a preselected path, heating each bottle during its movement along said path to soften the bond between the label and the bottle body, and then applying a downward brushing action on said body from opposite sides of the preselected path to remove the label.