IES64355B2 - Compacting device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a device 10 for compacting a can 60 or the like, the device 10 comprising a means 20 for supporting a face of the can 60, and compacting means 30 movable in an axial direction for engaging an opposing face of the can 60 and compacting it towards said support means 20. The support means 20 comprises a box section having an impact wall 21 and two spaced apart, substantially parallel side walls 22. The compacting means 30 comprises a substantially flat member having an arm 35. The can 60 may be compacted along its length in two steps. In the first step, the can 60 is partially compacted by the arm 35. In the second step, the can 60 is further compacted by the substantially flat member 30 to a substantially flat state.

Description

COMPACTING DEVICE This invention relates to a compacting device.

In particular, it relates to a device for compacting used cans and the like.

According to the invention there is provided a 5 device for compacting a can or the like, which device comprises a means for supporting a face of the can, and compacting means movable in an axial direction for engaging an opposing face of the can and compacting it towards said support means.

The support means preferably comprises a box section including an impact wall and two spaced apart substantially parallel side walls extending therefrom.

The compacting means preferably comprises a substantially flat member which is substantially parallel to the impact wall of the box section.

Most preferably, the substantially flat member comprises an arm extending therefrom which is substantially parallel to the impact wall of the box section.

The invention also provides a method for compacting a can in a device comprising a means for supporting a face of the can, said support means comprising a box section having a first and second means for supporting a face of the can and an impact wall, and compacting means movable in an axial direction for engaging an opposing face of the can, the compacting means comprising a substantially flat member having an arm extending therefrom, the substantially flat member and the arm being substantially parallel to the impact wall of the box section, the method comprising the following steps:(a) placing a can on the first support means; (b) moving the compacting means from a first position of use to a second position of use whereby the arm engages a face of the can and partially compacts the can enabling it to be displaced on to a second support means; (c) returning the compacting means to its first position of use; and (d) moving the compacting means from the first 15 position of use to the second position of use whereby the substantially flat member engages the partially compacted can and compacts it further so that it is substantially flat.

Preferably, a second can is placed on the first support means following step (c), so that it may be partially compacted at the same time as the first can is being further compacted in step (d).

Preferably, the or each can is compacted along the length thereof.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a compacting device according to the invention in an open position, with a non-compacted can; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1 in a closed position, with the can partially compacted; Figure 3 is a partially sectioned side view of the device of Figure 1 in an open position, with a non-compacted and a partially compacted can; and Figure 4 is a partially sectioned side view of the device of Figure 1 in a closed position with a partially compacted and a completely compacted can.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like parts, there is shown a compacting device 10 according to the invention. The device 10 comprises a support means 20 in the form of a box section, and a movable compacting means 30. The box section 20 comprises an impact wall 21 and two spaced apart substantially parallel side walls 22 extending therefrom. The impact wall 21 is preferably mounted on a wall (not shown) with the side walls 22 tapering at the upper and lower edges 23 and 24, respectively thereof. A lower wall 25 extends between the side walls 22 and is substantially perpendicular to the impact wall 21. An opening 26 is provided between the lower wall 25 and the impact wall 21, the opening 26 being sufficiently large to allow a completely compacted can to pass therethrough. The lower wall 25 preferably has a raised edge 27 extending along each side thereof to provide reinforcement.

The compacting means 30 is preferably a substantially flat rectangular member having an inner can-facing surface 31 which is disposed substantially parallel to the impact wall 21. The compacting member 30 extends between the side walls 22 and is in slidable engagement therewith. The outer surface 32 of the compacting member 30 preferably has a flat raised edge 33 extending along each side thereof to provide reinforcement. Two parallel flanges 34 are also provided on the outer surface 32, the flanges 34 being substantially flat and rectangular.

The compacting member 30 has an arm 35 fixed to and projecting upwardly from the raised edge 33 in the direction of the upper edges 23 of the side walls 22. The arm 35, which is substantially parallel to the impact wall 21, comprises a substantially flat element 36 disposed in a channel 37 which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

Two substantially flat members 40, each having an inverted L-shape, are fixed to respective side walls 22 of the box section 20. The raised front edge 33 of the compacting member 30 is in slidable engagement with the members 40 at the inner side thereof. The members 40 are disposed such that an aperture 42 is defined between them, thereby permitting the arm 35 to project therebetween. The members 40 increase in width as they project towards the aperture 42 to provide support flanges 41. When the device 10 is in an open position, an opening 43 is presented between the members 40 and the impact wall 21. The flanges 41 are shaped in such manner that it is not possible for a non-compacted can to pass through the opening 43.

The device 10 comprises a handle 50 having two spaced apart substantially parallel legs 51 secured thereto and extending therefrom. The handle 50 is pivotally connected to the support means 20 and the compacting means 30 in the following manner.

A first substantially flat rectangular bridging member 52 having an angled front edge 53 extends between the side walls 22 of the support means 20 and is pivotally connected thereto via pivot pins 54. The first bridging member 52 is also mounted on the legs 51. Each leg 51 is pivotally connected to a second bridging member 55 via pivot pins 56. The second bridging member 55 is a substantially flat rectangular member having two opposing raised edges 57 which accommodate the pivot pins 56. The second bridging member 55 is also pivotally connected to the compacting member 30 via pivot pins 58 located in the intermediate projections 34 on the outer surface 32 of the compacting member 30.

Using the compacting device 10, a can 60 may be compacted to a substantially flat state in two steps.

In the first step, the device 10 is placed in the open position by moving the handle 50 to a first position of use in the direction of the arm 35, thereby drawing the compacting member 30 away from the impact wall 21. The can 60 is placed, preferably lengthwise, on the flanges 41 which form a first support means. The handle 50 is then moved in the opposite direction to a second position of use, i.e. away from the arm 35, so that the arm 35 rams the centre of the can 60 leaving it partially compacted as shown in Figure 2. The device 10 is placed in the open position again by returning the handle 50 to its first position of use and the partially compacted can 60 drops through the opening 43 so that it is disposed on the lower wall 25 which forms a second support means.

In the second step, the handle 50 is again moved to the second position of use so that the compacting member 30 is moved towards the impact wall 21. In this step, the can-facing surface 31 of the substantially flat compacting member 30 engages the partially compacted can 60 and further compacts it along its length so that it is substantially flat and can pass through the opening 26. After the first compaction step, a second can (not shown) may be placed, preferably lengthwise, on the flanges 41. The movement of the handle 50 in the second compaction step simultaneously achieves the partial compaction of the second can via the arm 35. Thus a single sliding movement of the compacting member 30 can accomplish the partial compaction of one can and the further compaction of another can to a substantially flat state at the same time.

The compacting device 10 of the invention can readily be mounted on a suitable surface so that the impact wall 21 is adjacent said surface. It will of course be appreciated that the surface on which the device 10 is mounted could act as the impact wall 21.

A hopper for non-compacted cans may also be mounted on the device 10 in known manner so that the cans to be compacted may be fed continuously into the device 10.

A receptacle may also be placed below the opening 26 to receive the compacted cans.

The device 10 according to the invention may be constructed from any suitable material, for example a metal such as mild steel, or a durable plastics material.

The compacting device 10 is particularly useful in that cans may be compacted along their length. Such compaction is made possible by the presence of the projecting arm 35 which partially compacts cans 60 in the first step of the compacting process. Cans compacted along their length are more readily recycled than end-to-end compacted cans.

The compacting device 10 according to the invention is easy to use and is designed particularly for domestic use and for use in commercial concerns such as public houses and restaurants where canned food and drinks are consumed.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A device for compacting a can or the like, which device comprises a means for supporting a face of the can, and compacting means movable in an axial direction for engaging an opposing face of the can and compacting it towards said support means, the support means preferably comprising a box section including an impact wall and two spaced apart substantially parallel side walls extending therefrom.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the compacting means comprises a substantially flat member which is substantially parallel to the impact wall of the box section, the substantially flat member preferably comprising an arm extending therefrom, which arm is also substantially parallel to the impact wall of the box section, the device preferably being formed from metal or a durable plastics material.

3. A method for compacting a can using a device comprising a means for supporting a face of the can, said support means comprising a box section having a first and second means for supporting a face of the can and an impact wall, and compacting means movable in an axial direction for engaging an opposing face of the can, the compacting means comprising a substantially flat member having an arm extending therefrom, the substantially flat member and the arm being substantially parallel to the impact wall of the box section, the method comprising the following steps:(a) placing a can on the first support means; (b) moving the compacting means from a first position of use to a second position of use whereby the arm engages a face of the can and partially compacts the can enabling it to fall on to a second support 5 means; (c) returning the compacting means to its first position of use; and (d) moving the compacting means from the first position of use to the second position of use whereby 10 the substantially flat member engages the partially compacted can and compacts it further so that it is substantially flat.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which a 15 second can is placed on the first support means following step (c), whereby the second can is partially compacted simultaneously with the further compaction in step (d), the or each can preferably being compacted along the length thereof.

5. A device for compacting a can or the like, substantially as herein described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying