Patent ID: 7162786
Filing Date: 2007-01-16
Classification: B09B,B30B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for automatically processing multiple used oil filters, for an engine using oil for lubrication, by shearing a connector plate of each filter from a canister and then crushing the canister which comprises: (a) a fixed wall mounted on a frame; (b) a movable wall mounted on the frame against which the used oil filter is positioned in a crushing zone and which movable wall is movable by a driving means in the crushing zone to crush the filter against the fixed wall, and which is retracted by the driving means from the crushing zone, wherein the walls have crushing surfaces which are at an acute angle to the horizontal and wherein a longitudinal axis of the filter is at the first acute angle to horizontal on the movable wall; (c) blade means mounted adjacent to the movable wall, which is exposed by movement of the movable wall against the filter, so as to move to shear the connector plate from the canister as the movable wall crushes the canister against the fixed wall; (d) a feed chute mounted on the frame at another acute angle to horizontal with a first escapement means for individually and automatically feeding the oil filters to the crushing zone between the walls, wherein a retaining means holds a succeeding oil filter of the multiple filters away from the crushing zone until the crushed canister and the sheared connector plate have been removed from the crushing zone of the apparatus; (e) a second escapement means for retaining the oil filter in the crushing zone during the crushing and then allowing at least the crushed canister and connector plate to be removed from the crushing zone; and (f) a tray device mounted on the frame adjacent to the crushing zone for removing and transferring at least the crushed canister from the apparatus.