Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
O WO95/16520 21~ 5 6 ~ 3 PCT~S93/11944
GLASS BOTTLE PULVERIZING METHOD AND APPARATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to waste disposal and
more particularly to the on-site disposal in bars,
restaurants and the like, of used glass beer, soda, and
other bottles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The on-site disposal of empty glass containers such as
beer bottles, soft drink bottles, and the like, has long
posed handling and storage problems for bars, restaurants
and other establishments where large numbers of glass
bottles can accumulate. Such problems have been
accentuated in recent years by the growing international
recycling movement, which encourages the recycling of glass
bottles as an alternative to discarding them at land fills
and other dump sights. Obviously, glass bottles retained
for recycling purposes must be stored until they can be
picked up for transport to a recycling site. Accordingly,
valuable floor space often must be utilized to store the
W O 9S/16S20 2 15 5 6 S 3 PCTAJS93/11944 ~
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empty bottles in crates or other containers on the premises
until such time that they can be delivered to or picked up
by a recycling center. The dedication of such storage
space can become an acute problem in bars and restaurants
where large numbers of empty glass bottles ca~l result from
even one evening's operation.
Even at non-recycling establishmen~s where glass
bottles are simply discarded with other trash in a dumpster
such that on-site storage is less of a problem, undue
amounts of time and effort still must be expended in
handling and transporting the bottles. In a bar, for
example, local trash receptacles positioned behind the bar
for receiving empty bottles tend to be filled quickly since
each empty bottle takes up a large volume in the
receptacle. Consequently, such receptacles must be carried
manually and frequently to a dumpster that is often located
in an alley behind the building. Thus, valuable time that
could be used waiting on customers often is devoted to
transporting and discarding empty glass bottles.
2 0 Furthermore, trash cans and other receptacles located
behind the bar for receiving the empty glass bottles tend
to take up valuable space and interfere with the efficient
movement of the bartender or waiter. Even where glass
bottles are stored temporarily on-site for recycling, they
still must be collected in small lots behind the bar and
transported frequently to a storage area to await delivery
to or pick up by a recycling concern.
21~5653
WO9S/16S20 PCT~S93/11944
Thus, a continuing and heretofore unaddressed need
persists for an apparatus and methodology adapted to
address effectively and economically the aforementioned and
other problems associated with the storage, disposal, and
recycling of~empty glass bottles in bars, restaurants , and
the like. It is to the provision of such a methodology and
an implementing apparatus that the present invention is
primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention, in one
preferred embodiment thereof, comprises an apparatus for
receiving empty glass bottles and pulverizing the bottles
into small fragments that are then deposited in a
receptacle. The apparatus comprises a cabinet or housing
that is separated by an interior partition into an upper
chamber and a lower chamber. The lower chamber houses a
pulverizing station that includes a heavy metal pulverizing
blade adapted to be spun rapidly in a horizontal plane just
beneath the interior partition. An inwardly tapered
annular metal cowl depends from the underside of the
partition extending about and partially enclosing the
spinning pulverizing blade. A flexible rubberized skirt
extends from the lower rim of the cowl into a removable
receptacle for receiving the small glass fragments that
result from the pulverizing process.
An opening is formed in the partition overlaying the
moving arms of the spinning pulverizing blade and a
W O 95/16S20 ~556S ~ t- PCT~US93/11944 ~
corresponding vertically aligned opening is formed in the
top of the cabinet. A metal chute communicates between
these two openings such that the op~nings and shoot
together form a passageway extending f~om the top of the
cabinet to the pulverizing station within the lower chamber
of the cabinet. The passageway is sized to pass empty
glass bottles to the pulverizing station and at least one
split rubber diaphragm is disposed in the passageway to
prevent broken glass from being ejected back up the
passageway while simultaneously allowing glass bottles to
be inserted through the passageway for smashing at the
pulverizing station. In one embodiment, an annular brush
with radially inwardly extending bristles is also disposed
along the passageway. These bristles are densely packed
but relatively flexible to allow the passage of bottles
down the passageway but to prevent the movement up the
passageway of fine glass dust that is often created during
the pulverization process.
When activated for operation, the metal pulverizing
blade of the apparatus spins at a high rate of rotation
with its arms passing just beneath the lower end of the
passageway formed by the top and partition openings and the
chute that extends therebetween. Empty glass bottles can
then be inserted into the passageway through the top of the
cabinet and pressed through the split rubber diaphragm and
annular brush that are disposed in the passageway. When
pressed through the diaphragm and brush, the bottles fall
through the passageway to the pulverizing station, where
~ WO95/16S20 215 S 6 5 3 PCT~S93/11944
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the rapidly moving arms of the spinning pulverizing blade
strike and smash the bottles into small fragments. The
annular tapered cowl that extends about and partially
underlies the pulverizing blade functions to retain larger
fragments of glass in the path of the spinning pulverizer
blade where they are struck repeatedly by the moving arms
of the blade and smashed into smaller and smaller
fragments. When these fragments become smaller than a
predetermined maximum size that is set by the size and
configuration of the cowl, they fall downwardly out of the
pulverizing station and are directed by the flexible chute
into a waiting receptacle.
When filled with pulverized glass, the receptacle can
simply be removed from the cabinet, emptied, and replaced
in the cabinet for continued operation of the apparatus.
It has been found that a relatively small lO gallon
receptacle can hold up to 220 pulverized bottles, which is
many times the number of whole empty bottles that can be
contained in a full size 30 gallon trash can. Accordingly,
the receptacle of this invention takes up much less space
and requires dumping much less often than conventional
trash cans of the prior art.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a glass bottle pulverizing method and apparatus
that greatly reduces the amount of storage space previously
required for glass bottles.
WO95116S2 2~5~$ 6~ PCT~S93/11944
Another object of the invention is to reduce greatly
the time and effort previously required in handling and
transporting empty glass bottles.
A further object of the invention i,$ -to provide an
apparatus of the type described that fit~`neatly in a bar
or other similar establishment and does not take_up
unnecessary space within the bar.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method
of producing pulverized glass from bottles with the glass
being in condition for direct recycling.
A further object of the invention is to provide a
glass bottle pulverizing method and apparatus that is
reliable, efficient, and economical with respect to prior
art methods.
A still further object of the invention is to provide
a glass pulverizer that effectively prevents glass
fragments and glass dust generated during the pulverizing
process from escaping from the pulverizing device through
its feeder chute.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of
this invention will become more apparent upon review of the
herein contained detailed description when taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating the external
appearance of an apparatus that embodies principals of this
invention in a preferred form.
~ WO95/16S20 2 1 5 5 6 ~ 3 PCT~S93/11944
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Fig. 2 is a cutaway side view as seen from the left in
Fig. l and partially in section, illustrating a preferred
configuration of functional elements of this invention.
Fig. .3 is a view of the pulverizing station of the
invention as seen from the lower chamber of the cabinet
thereof.
Fig. 4 illustrates a preferred method of constructing
the chute of this invention with split rubber diaphragms
disposed therein.
Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the top and chute of the
invention showing a chute embodiment for preventing escape
of glass dust through the chute.
Fig. 6 shows the annular brush filter for use in the
embodiment of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 illustrates a preferred fabrication of the
brush filter of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 illustrates the top portion of the invention
showing the safety door and cooling fan assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which
like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several
views, Fig. l depicts the external appearance of an
apparatus that embodies principals of the present invention
in a preferred form. The apparatus ll is seen to include
a substantially closed rectangular cabinet or housing 12
having a top 13 and a hinged access door 14. A safety
switch 30 (Fig. 2) is positioned in the cabinet to be
wo 95/16520 2~5~ 8- PCT~S93/11944 ~
activated when the door 14 is shut to allow normal
operation of the apparatus and deactivated when the door is
opened to prevent operation of the apparàtus when accessing
the interior of the cabinet for cleaning or emptying. The
cabinet 12 is preferably sized to be i~stalled in a bar or
the like with its top 13 being substantially coextensive
with the upper surface of the bar. In this way, the
cabinet becomes an installed fixture of the bar similar to
a dishwasher and does not take up valuable working space
behind the bar as trash cans often do.
The top 13 of the cabinet 12 is formed with a circular
opening 16 that preferably is forwardly displaced as shown.
The opening 16 is sized to receive empty glass bottles such
as beer bottles, soda bottles, and the like. A split
rubber diaphragm 17 having resilient flaps 18 spans the
opening 16 to allow bottles to be pressed through the
opening 16 while preventing pieces of broken glass from
being ejected out of the opening from the interior of the
cabinet as detailed more fully below. A switch 19 for
activating the apparatus is provided on the front of the
cabinet. The switch 19 is conveniently located and
preferably lighted or includes a pilot light so that the
operating status of the apparatus can easily be determined
at a glance.
Fig. 2 is a cutaway view of the present invention as
seen from the left in Fig. 1, and shown partially in
section. The cabinet 12 is seen to be formed with an
interior partition 21 that separates or segregates the
~ WO95/16S20 2 1~ 5 ~ 5 3 ` PCT~S93l11944
_g_
interior of the cabinet into an upper chamber 22 and a
lower chamber 23. In the preferred embodiment, the cabinet
12 is formed of laminate covered plywood and the partition
21 is formed of plywood 24 having a stainless steel or
other metal sheet 26 bonded to the lower surface thereof.
The metal sheet 26 forms a part of the pulverizing station
and protects the wood of partition 21 from destruction by
breaking glass bottles as detailed more fully below.
Although the preferred embodiment is constructed of
plywood because of its sound deadening characteristics and
covered with plastic laminate for appearance, it will be
understood that any other suitable construction materials,
such-as sheet metal, might also be used with comparable
results. Accordingly, the plywood construction of the
preferred embodiment should not be interpreted as a
limitation upon the scope of this invention but only
exemplary of a preferred construction material.
The upper chambe~r 22 of the cabinet 12 houses a
conventional electric motor 27 that is mounted to a rigid
bracket 28 that, in turn, is secured by means of bolts or
the like to the upper surface of partition 21. Vertically
spaced bearing blocks 29 and 31 are also mounted to the
bracket 28. Each of the bearing blocks 29 and 31
preferably house a sealed, self-aligning ball-bearing (not
shown) with the bearings together supporting a vertically
extending drive shaft 32 for rotation about its
longitudinal axis. The lower end portion of the drive
shaft 32 extends through a corresponding hole in the
WO95/16S20 2¦S565 ~ ~ PCT~S93/11944 ~
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partition 21 and into the lower chamber 23. The drive
shaft 32 is coupled at its upper end to the electric motor
27 by means of sheaves 33 and pulley belt 34. Obviously,
activation of the electric motor 27 by ~e~ans of the switch
19 causes the drive shaft 32 to rotate ~apidly about its
longitudinal axis.
Disposed just below the partition 21 in the lower
chamber 23 is the pulverizing station 36 of the apparatus
11. The pulverizing station 36 is comprised of metal plate
26 in conjunction with an elongated metal pulverizing blade
37 that is bounded and partially enclosed by a generally
annular tapered metal cowl 38. The pulverizing blade 37
preferably is fabricated of half-inch steel or other
suitably dense material and is formed in the shape of an
elongated rectangular bar as best seen in Fig. 3. The
blade 37 is securely mounted to the lower end portion of
drive shaft 32 by means of a nut 39 or other suitable
fastener. In this way, rotation of the drive shaft 32 by
electric motor 27 causes the pulverizing blade 37 to spin
rapidly in a horizontal plane just below the partition 21
as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3.
The tapered annular cowl 38 preferably is formed of
stainless steel or other suitable material to resist
corrosion. The cowl 38 is secured to the underside of
partition 21 and extends downwardly therefrom to surround
the pulverizing blade 37 as it spins beneath the partition
21. The lower peripheral rim of the cowl 38 has a diameter
that is less than the length of pulverizing blade 37 such
~ WO9S/16S20 215 ~ 6 5 3 PCT~S93/11944
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that a portion of the cowl 38 underlies and partiallyencloses the tips of the blade 37 as best seen in Fig. 3.
This configuration insures that glass fragments are
maintained in the path of the moving arms of spinning blade
37 where they can be struck repeatedly to reduce them to
small fragments that are at most a predetermined maximum
size.
While a number of suitable materials may be used in
fabricating the plate 26, blade 37, and cowl 38, it has
been found preferable that these elements be made of
stainless steel, which resists corrosion and provides
strength and durability. It has also been found desirable
to provide a suitable seal 4l that functions to prevent
fine glass particles and glass dust from migrating into the
upper chamber 22 through the hole provided for the drive
shaft 32 in the partition 21.
A flexible rubber skirt 42 is secured about the lower
peripheral rim of the cowl 36 and extends downwardly into
a suitable receptacle 43. With this configuration,
pulverized glass fragments from the pulverizing station 36
are directed by the skirt 42 into the receptacle 43. In
the preferred embodiment, the receptacle 43 is disposed in
the lower chamber 23 behind the access door 14 (Fig. l)
such that, when full, the receptacle can easily be removed,
emptied, and replaced for subsequent use of the invention.
A circular opening 44 is formed in the partition 21
and is positioned to underlie and vertically align with the
top opening 16 when the top is in place on the cabinet 12.
wo 95/16S20 2~SS 6S PCT~S93111944
A cylindrical steel sleeve 46 is mounted within the opening
44 and extends upwardly therefrom to a position
intermediate the partition 21 and the top of the cabinet
12. A corresponding chute assembly 47 is secured to the
lower side of top 13 surrounding andr~xtending downwardly
from the opening 16 formed therein. As best illustrated in
Figs. 2 and 4, the chute assembly 47 comprises split rubber
diaphragms or sheets 48 and 49 sandwiched and secured
between respective flanged chute sections 51, 52, and 53.
lo As previously discussed, a similar split rubber diaphragm
17 is sandwiched between the upper flange of chute section
51 and the lower side of cabinet top 13 as shown in Fig. 2.
The lower chute section 53 extends downwardly from
chute assembly 47 and has an outer diameter slightly less
than the inner diameter of sleeve 46. In this way, the
chute section 53 telescopes tightly and securely into the
top of sleeve 46 when the top 13 is placed on the cabinet
12 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. Accordingly, the
chute assembly 47 and sleeve 46, when coupled together,
define a passageway communicating between the cabinet top
opening 16 and the lower chamber of the cabinet 12. Glass
bottles inserted in the top opening 16 and pressed through
the split rubber diaphragms 17, 48, and 49 are thus
delivered through the passageway directly to the
pulverizing station 36 as is apparent from Fig. 2.
As best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, each of the
split rubber diaphragms has intersecting slits 54 that
define in the sheet four resilient rubber flaps 56. The
~ WO95/16S20 2 I ~5 6 ~ 3 PCT~S93/11944
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rubber diaphragms 17, 48, and 49 are preferably fabricated
of silicon rubber that is about one-half inch thick. In
this way, the flaps formed in the rubber sheets are
sufficiently flexible to allow glass bottles to be pressed
through them and t~hus through the chute assembly 47 while
at the same time exhibiting sufficient rigidity to prevent
broken glass fragments from being ejected back through the
chute assembly 47. In addition, the opening 44 in the
partition 24 is positioned to overlay the path of the
moving arms of spinning pulverizing blade 37 and partially
to overlay the metal cowl 38 as best illustrated in Fig. 3.
Figs. 5-7 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the
glass bottle chute of this invention, specifically designed
to prevent the migration of small airborne glass dust back
through the chute as bottles are pulverized in the machine.
In this embodiment, the top 61 of the device is provided
with an opening 62 for insertion of bottles through the top
and into the machine as with previous embodiments. Bolted
to the bottom of the top 61 and axially aligned with the
opening 62 is a stainless steel flanged coupler ring 63,
which depends downwardly from the top 61. Sandwiched
between the flanges of the coupler ring 63 and the top 61
is a first split rubber diaphragm 64, which functions as
previously described to allow bottles to be inserted
through the opening and prevent glass fragments from being
ejected back through the opening.
A first generally annular flanged chute section 66 is
sized to be telescopically received onto the coupling ring
~. 1 S 5 6 5 l4 PCT~S93111944
63 when the chute section 66 and coupling ring 63 are
brought together. Specifically, the inside diameter of the
chute section 66 is substantially the same as the outside
diameter of the coupling ring 63. In this way, the
coupling ring 63 slides into the ~hute section 66 when the
two are brought together.
A brush filter 67 is designed and sized to fit snugly
within the first chute section 66 and is adapted to prevent
the migration of small airborne glass dust back through the
chute and into the atmosphere. Specifically, the brush
filter 67, which is described in more detail below,
comprises an annular hard rubber support ring 68 from which
a multitude of bristles 69 inwardly extend. As best seen
in Fig. 6, the bristles 69 of the brush filter 67 extend
radially inwardly toward the axis of the support ring with
the free ends of the bristles meeting with each other at
the center of the brush filter. With this configuration,
it will be seen that the bristles 69 of the brush filter 67
define a dense barrier in the chute through which airborne
glass dust cannot pass. However, the bristle 69 of the
brush filter 67 are flexible enough to allow easy passage
of a glass bottle through the chute. As a bottle passes
through the brush filter 67, the bristles flex downwardly
to allow passage of the bottle but bear firmly against the
surface of the bottle to prevent any accidental escape of
dust through the chute as the bottle is inserted through
the brush filter.
~ WO95/16520 2 1 ~ 5 6 5 3 PCT~S93/ll944
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As illustrated in Fig. 5, the coupler ring 63 and
first chute section 66 have radii that are larger than the
radius of the opening 62 and the top 61. Specifically, the
radius of each of these elements is substantially equal to
the radius of the opening 62 plus the thickness of the
rubberized support ring 68 of the brush filter 67, as
indicated by the designation "T" in Fig. 7. Therefore,
when the assembly is brought together to form the chute,
the diameter of opening 62 substantially corresponds to the
inner diameter of the rubberized support ring 68. In this
way, the support ring 68 of the brush 67 does not constrict
the overall diameter of the chute and thus does not
restrict movement of glass bottles through the chute.
As with previous embodiments, second and third flanged
chute sections 71 and 72 respectively are adapted to be
affixed to the chute section 66 to form a unitary
continuous chute assembly. Also, as with previous
embodiments, split rubber diaphragms 73 and 74 are sized
and adapted to be sandwiched between the chute sections
when they are coupled together by means of bolts 76. The
inside diameters of chute ~section 71 and 72 correspond to
the diameter of opening 62 in the top 61 and also
correspond to the inside diameter of the rubberized support
ring 68 of the brush filter 67. In this way, the minimum
inside diameter of the chute, when assembled, is the same
throughout its length so that no obstructions to the
assage of bottles are present within the chute.
WO9S/l6S20 2 15 5 6 5 3 PCT~S93/11944 ~
Fig. 7 illustrates a preferred fabrication of the
filter brush 67 that has proven to be economical to produce
and efficient in use. Specifically~,,t~e rubberized support
ring 68 is formed as a continuous ~inear belt and bristles
69 are embedded within the belt and extend upwardly
therefrom. The ends of the ring 68 are cut at an angle as
shown in Fig. 7 so that when the brush is curled around
upon itself as indicated by arrows 77 to form the annular
configuration of Fig. 6, the ends of the belt meet in a
clean fashion forming a continuous annular support ring
from which the brushes inwardly extend to form the brush
filter.
Fig. 8 illustrates yet another embodiment of the
present invention having a hinged safety door that covers
the opening in the top of the housing and a cooling fan
that removes heat from the upper chamber of the housing.
Specifically, a door 78 is hingedly affixed to the top 61
and, when hinged downwardly to its closed position as
indicated by arrow 79, covers the opening 62 in the top 61.
The door 78 serves to prevent unwanted objects from falling
into the chute and also serves as a safety feature that
helps to prevent children and others from inserting hands
into the chute.
Also provided in the embodiment of Fig. 8 is a cooling
fan 81. The cooling fan 81 is mounted on the inside of the
housing's upper chamber adjacent to a vent 82. In
operation, the fan draws cooling air through the vent to
which it is adjacent and directs the air stream onto the
W095/16S20 ~ 21 5565 3 - PCT~S93/11944
-17 '~
electric motor within the upper chamber. This air then
cools the motor and is passed out of the upper chamber
through a second vent that is mounted on the other side of
the housing. In this way, the motor and bearings can
function continuously without associated heat stress.
OPERATION
As previously described, the apparatus of this
invention preferably is mounted in a bar or other similar
establishment with its top 13 being coextensive with the
upper surface of the bar. The invention thus becomes a
built-in appliance of the bar. When one or more empty
glass bottles 57 is to be discarded, the apparatus is
switched on by means of switch l9, which activates electric
motor 27 to rotate drive shaft 32 and thus spin pulverizing
blade 37 rapidly within the pulverizing station 36. After
a time sufficient to allow the pulverizing blade to reach
full speed, bottles 57 are simply pressed through the split
rubber diaphragms 17, 48, and 49 until they fall through
the passageway defined by chute assembly 47 and sleeve 46
and into the pulverizing station 36.
At the pulverizing station, the glass bottles are
struck with massive momentum by the fast moving arms of the
spinning pulverizing blade 37. The bottles are thus
smashed and begin to shatter and break into fragments
within the pulverizing station 36. The configuration and
placement of the tapered annular cowl 38 in conjunction
with centrifugal forces imparted by the blade to the glass
WO9S/16S20 215 5 6 S 3 PCT~S93tll944 ~
-18-
fragments tends to maintain larger fragments of glass
inside the cowl and in the path of the rapidly moving arms
of the spinning pulverizing b.~de 37. These larger
fragments are thus struck rep~tedly by the blade and are
smashed into smaller and smaller fragments. When the
fragments are reduced to a size at most equal to a
predetermined maximum size, they are free to slide down the
sides of the cowl and through the flexible skirt into the
receptacle.
The predetermined maximum size into which bottles are
pulverized by the apparatus of this invention is determined
primarily by the speed at which the blade is spun.
Howev~r, the size is also affected by the diameter and
configuration of the cowl 38. If, for example, the cowl is
sized such that the tips of the blade 37 move in a circle
close to the interior surface of the cowl, then bottles
will be broken into relatively small fragments
corresponding roughly in size to the space between the
blade tips and the cowl surface. In general, greater
distances between the tips of the pulverizing blade 37 and
the interior surface of the cowl 38 results in
correspondingly larger maximum sizes for the final
pulverized fragments. Further, the angle of the cowl's
taper as well as the extent to which it extends beneath and
underlies the tips of the blade 37 and the opening 44 can
also effect the size of the resulting pulverized glass
fragments.
As the glass bottles are progressively pulverized at
~ WO95/16S20 215 5 6 5 3 ` PCT~S93/11944
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the pulverizing station 36, the resulting glass fragments
are directed by the skirt 42 into a removable receptacle 43
positioned in the lower chamber of the cabinet 12. In the
preferred embodiment, it has been found that a plastic ten-
gallon receptacle holds about ten cases of empty bottlesand fits neatly within the lower chamber 23 of the cabinet
12. With prior art methods, ten cases of empty bottles
would require significant storage space and numerous trips
from the bar to remove the bottles therefrom. Thus, the
present invention preserves both storage space and handling
time and effort.
The embodiment of Figs. 5-7 functions in a similar
fashion-to the previously described embodiments. However,
in this embodiment, the annular brush filter 67 is disposed
between the first split rubber diaphragm 64 and the second
split rubber diaphragm 73. As a glass bottle is inserted
through the opening 62, it passes through the first
diaphragm 64 and begins to move through the brush filter
67. As the bottle moves through the brush filter 67, the
bristles of the filter are forced downwardly to allow the
bottle to pass. However, the bristles 69 are stiff enough
so that their ends bear firmly against the surface of the
bottle as it passes through the filter. Thus, there are
virtually no gaps or openings between the bottle and the
bristles as the bottle moves through the filter.
When the bottle passes the filter 67, the bristles 69
spring back to their inwardly extending orientations as
shown in Fig. 6. The bottle then moves on down through the
WO95/16S20 2 ~ S S 6 5 3 PCT~S93111944 ~
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chute, passing split rubber diaphragm 73 and 74 before
being presented to the pulverizing station. At the
pulverizing station, the bottle is s~ashed as previously
described. The diaphragms 64, 73, and 74 effectively
prevent any larger pieces of gl~ss from being ejected back
through the chute where they could injure users of the
device. In addition, the closely packed bristles 69 of the
brush filter 67 capture and prevent the escape of any very
fine airborne glass dust that may be produced during the
pulverizing process. As a result, none of the by-products
of the pulverizing process are permitted to escape through
the chute. In addition, the oversized coupling ring 63 and
first chute 66 insures that the brush filter 67 does not
create an obstruction through the chute that can trap
bottles or fragments therein.
In addition to solving problems related to storage and
handling of glass bottles, the present invention also aids
in recycling and conservation since empty glass bottles are
reduced on-site to a granulated state highly suitable for
direct insertion into a recycling furnace. In this regard,
two or three of the devices of this invention could be used
side-by-side to pulverize and segregate clear and colored
glass bottles for direct recycling. This can be desirable
since some recycl1ng centers pay more for glass that is
pre-pulverized and separated than for mere empty glass
bottles.
The invention has been described herein in terms of
preferred embodiments and methodologies. It will be
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obvious to those of skill in the art, however, that
numerous additions, deletions, and modifications might well
be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in
the claims.
