Patent ID: 11951705
Assignee: WINCOR NIXDORF INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B

Claim 16:
17. A method for operating a compactor arrangement comprising a compactor for compacting empty containers; an empty-container transport device for transporting empty containers to a subsequent compactor arrangement through a transport region; an anti-encroachment guard structure which laterally delimits the transport region and which is provided at least in part between the transport region and the compactor, wherein the first anti-encroachment guard structure defines a feed region through which empty containers can be fed laterally out of the transport region to the compactor; a guard device having a guard plate which is configured to move rectilinearly between a first position and a second position such that, selectively, an encroachment from a direction of the transport region into the feed region is prevented when the guard plate is in the first position;
and a selection device having a selection flap pivotally moveable between a first position and a second position such that empty containers are selectively led out of the transport region and through the feed region when the selection flap is in the first position of the selection flap and when said guard plate is the second position of the guard plate, wherein the anti-encroachment guard structure, the guard plate, and the selection flap positioned adjacent to one another, the method comprising:
operating the compactor arrangement in a first operating mode, comprising:
transporting empty containers with the empty-container transport device through the transport region, and
selectively leading the empty containers with the selection device out of the transport region and through the feed region to the compactor of the compactor arrangement; and

operating the compactor arrangement in a second operating mode comprising:
transporting empty containers by means of the empty-container transport device in the transport region through the compactor arrangement, and
safeguarding the feed region against an encroachment from the transport region with the guard plate.