Can crushing device with rotatable casing

The device for crushing metal cans has a supporting structure and a crushing head mounted on the supporting structure and forming a region for resting the can to be crushed. The crushing head supports two presser elements arranged mutually opposite along a main axis proximate to the resting region. The device also has a mechanism for moving one of the presser elements towards the other presser element and rotating it about the main axis with respect to the other presser element, whereby to crush a can interposed between the two presser elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a device for crushing metal cans, 
particularly for crushing cylindrical aluminum-alloy cans for beverages or 
the like. 
An important known environmental problem resides in the disposal of waste 
consisting, in many cases, of the containers used to package products. 
Most of this waste, if adequately collected and segregated according to the 
material of which it is made, could be recycled almost entirely at low 
cost, thereby allowing reduced exploitation of natural resources which 
leads to economic and environmental advantages. 
This is certainly the case of cans used to contain beverages or the like. 
These cans, which are commercially very popular, are in fact generally 
made of an aluminum alloy, particularly suitable for food-related use, 
which has a high cost for its extraction from the raw material and can 
conversely be recycled at low cost. 
The main problem that has so far hindered the large-scale recycling of cans 
for beverages or the like is mainly due to the difficulties arising from 
the segregated collection of this kind of waste. 
Special containers for collecting aluminum waste have long been used for 
this purpose, but due to the low weight-volume ratio of these products, 
such containers must have a considerable capacity to make can collection 
economically convenient. On the other hand there is also the problem of 
the placement of these containers, which due to their bulk can create 
environmental impact problems that are difficult to solve. 
Containers equipped with a press that crushes the cans beforehand so as to 
reduce their volume are also known. In this case, the relatively high cost 
of these devices has limited their widespread use. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by 
providing a device for crushing cans that has extremely low purchase and 
running costs, so as to make its large-scale use convenient. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a device that can ensure a 
considerable reduction in can volume despite using a limited actuation 
force. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which despite its 
large collection capacity has a limited overall bulk so as to avoid 
creating environmental-impact problems. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which, by virtue of 
low production costs and of a limited bulk, can enjoy widespread diffusion 
even in can sales points, so as to make the collection of empty cans 
easier. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a device whose actuation can 
be considered by the user as a game as to stimulate the user to use it. 
With this aim and objects in views there is provided, according to the 
present invention, a device for crushing metal cans, particularly for 
crushing cylindrical aluminum-alloy cans for beverages or the like, which 
comprises a supporting structure and a crushing head mounted on said 
supporting structure and forming a region for resting the can to be 
crushed. The crushing head supports two presser elements arranged mutually 
opposite along a main axis proximate to the resting region, and means are 
provided for actuating at least one of the presser elements for movement 
towards the other presser element and for rotation about the main axis 
with respect to the other presser element to crush a can that is 
interposed between the two presser elements with its axis substantially 
coincident with the main axis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference to the above figures, the device according to the invention, 
generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a supporting 
structure 2 composed of a base 3 which is internally hollow, which acts as 
a container for the crushed cans, and which is surmounted by a crushing 
head 4. 
The crushing head 4 is supported by two oppositely arranged lateral 
shoulders, respectively 5a and 5b, which are part of the supporting 
structure since they are rigidly fixed directly to the base 3 or to a 
housing constituted by two half-shells 6a and 6b that enclose the crushing 
head 4 and are in turn fixed to the base 3. 
The crushing head 4 forms a region 7 for resting a can 8 to be crushed and 
supports two presser elements 9a and 9b arranged mutually opposite along a 
main axis 10 proximate to the resting region 7. Actuation means act on the 
presser elements 9a and 9b and move at least one of the presser elements, 
the presser element 9b in the illustrated case, so that it moves towards 
the other presser element 9a along an actuation direction 11 which is 
substantially parallel to the main axis 10. The presser element 9b with a 
simultaneous rotation about the main axis 10 with respect to the other 
element 9a, crushes a can 8 that is interposed between the presser 
elements 9a and 9b, and is arranged so that its axis substantially 
coincides with the main axis 10. 
More particularly, the crushing head 4 comprises a substantially 
cylindrical casing 13 which is supported by the lateral shoulders 5a and 
5b so that it can rotate about its own axis, which is horizontal and 
substantially coincides with the main axis 10. Said casing 13 accommodates 
the presser elements 9a and 9b and has, on its lateral surface, an opening 
14 which allows one to insert the can 8 to be crushed inside the crushing 
head. 
The presser element 9a is fixed to the lateral shoulder 5a by means of a 
pivot 15a which passes through one of the bases of the casing 13, 
designated by the reference numeral 16a, and is locked by an axial screw 
17a. The pivot 15a passes through a hole formed coaxially in the base 16a 
of the casing 13, and a bearing 18a is interposed between the pivot 15a 
and the base 16a of the casing 13 so that the casing 13 can rotate about 
the main axis 10 with respect to the lateral shoulder 5a and to the 
presser element 9a, which remain fixed. 
The presser element 9b is accommodated inside the casing 13 and rotates 
rigidly therewith about the main axis 10, although it can slide with 
respect to the casing 13 along the actuation direction 11. 
More particularly, the presser element 9b has at least one pin 19 extending 
from the presser element 9b in a radial direction with respect to the main 
axis 10 and coupling within an axial groove 20 formed on the inner side of 
the skirt of the casing 13. 
Conveniently, there are three pins 19 connected to the presser element 9b, 
mutually spaced, in an angular and uniform manner, about the main axis 10, 
and coupling within corresponding grooves 20 formed on the inner side of 
the casing 13 so as to uniformly distribute the stresses transmitted from 
the presser element 9b to the casing 13 and vice versa. The coupling 
between the pins 19 and the grooves 20, which is preferably performed by 
interposing bearings 21 that facilitate the sliding of the pins 19 along 
the grooves 20, allows the presser element 9b to rotate rigidly with the 
casing 13 about the axis 10 and allows the presser element 9b to move 
inside the casing 13 along the actuation direction 11, as already 
described. 
The actuation means of the device comprise first actuation means for 
rotating the casing 13, and consequently the presser element 9b, about the 
main axis 10, and second actuation means, which move the presser element 
9b along the actuation direction 11. 
Advantageously, the second actuation means are operatively connected to the 
first actuation means so that the movement of the presser element 9b along 
the actuation direction 11 occurs simultaneously with the rotation of the 
presser element 9b about the main axis 10. 
More particularly, the first actuation means comprise a lever 22a fixed to 
a substantially cylindrical lid 23a which is arranged so that its axis 
coincides with the axis 10 and externally faces the lateral shoulder 5a. 
The lever 22a protrudes radially from the lid 23a which is fixed, by means 
of connecting pins 24a that pass through circular arc-like slots 45a 
formed in the lateral shoulder 5a, to an epicyclic multiplying gearing, 
generally designated by the reference numeral 25a, that connects the lid 
23a to the casing 13. 
More particularly, the connecting pins 24a are fixed to the spider 26a of 
the epicyclic multiplying gearing 25a, and said spider is supported, so 
that it can rotate about its axis, which coincides with the main axis 10, 
by a bearing 27a interposed between said spider and the pivot 15a. The 
spider 26a supports planet gears 28a that mesh with a ring gear 29a fixed 
within an appropriate cylindrical seat formed on the side of the lateral 
shoulder 5a which is directed towards the casing 13. The planet gears 28a 
mesh not only with the fixed ring gear 29a but also with a sun gear 30a 
which is keyed on a central region of the base 16a of the casing 13. In 
this manner, a partial rotation of the lid 23a, produced by operating the 
actuation lever 22a about the main axis 10, causes a rotation of the 
casing 13 along a wider arc due to the transmission performed by the 
epicyclic multiplying gearing 25a. 
Conveniently, on the outer side of the lateral shoulder 5b there is another 
lid 23b provided with an actuation lever 22b and connected, similarly to 
what has been described for the lid 23a, to the spider 26b of an epicyclic 
multiplying gearing 25b which is in turn connected, again similarly to 
what has already been described, to the other base 16b of the casing 13. 
Due to this reason, the elements connecting the lid 23b to the base 16b of 
the casing 13, which correspond to the elements already described with 
reference to the lid 23a, have been designated by the same reference 
numerals and by the suffix "b" in replacement of the suffix "a". 
The second actuation means are constituted, for each pin 19, by a cable 32, 
one end whereof is fixed to a winding spool 33a formed on the side of the 
lateral shoulder 5a which is directed towards the casing 13. The other end 
of the cable 32 is fixed to another winding spool 33b formed on the inner 
side of the lateral shoulder 5b. The axes of the winding spools 33a and 
33b conveniently coincide with the main axis 10. The cable 32 is guided 
inside the casing 13 by sheaves or pulleys, respectively 34a and 34b, 
which are supported by the bases 16a and 16b of the casing 13. The cable 
32 is fixed to the winding spools 33a and 33b so that, by rotating the 
casing 13 about the main axis 10, the cable winds onto a winding spool 33a 
or 33b and unwinds from the other winding spool. The cable 32, inside the 
casing 13, is arranged substantially parallel to the actuation direction 
11, and one of its portions is fixed, by means of an appropriate clamp 36, 
to the related pin 19 so that a rotation of the casing 13 about the main 
axis 10 causes the cable 32 to slide parallel to the direction 11 in one 
direction or the other and thus moves the presser element 9b parallel to 
the actuation direction 11. 
Conveniently, the two actuation levers 22a and 22b are arranged, as shown 
particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, in two mutually different positions so that 
their actuation is easy for individuals of different heights. 
The return rotation of the casing 13 about the main axis 10 can be obtained 
by virtue of elastic return means constituted for example by a spring 37 
which is accommodated inside one of the lids 23a and 23b and which is 
fixed with one of its ends to one of the lateral shoulders 5a or 5b and 
with its other end to the body of the related lid 23a or 23b. 
Each presser element has a disk-like body 38a and 38b provided, on the 
face directed towards the other presser element, with studs 39 for 
engaging the can 12 interposed between the presser elements so as to 
perforate the bases of the can when compression begins, so as to prevent a 
possibly unemptied can from exploding due to the action of the presser 
elements 9a and 9b. 
The casing 13 is supported, at its base 16b, by a pivot 15b with the 
interposition of a bearing 18b fixed to the lateral shoulder 5b by means 
of a screw 17b. 
In the upper part of the base 3, on which the crushing head 4 is mounted, 
there is an opening 40 whereat the can 8 is arranged by rotation of the 
casing 13 about the main axis 10, and thus upon crushing the can 8, the 
crushed can is allowed to fall into the underlying container. 
An opening 41 is formed in the half-shell 6a which is arranged on the front 
side of the device, and the can is inserted in the casing 13 through said 
opening. 
For the sake of completeness in description, it should be noted that on the 
outer side of the base 3 it is possible to provide hooks to hang optional 
containers for carrying cans to be crushed to the device. 
The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows. 
In an inactive condition, the opening 14 of the casing 13 is arranged at 
the opening 41 of the half-shell 6a so that the can 8 to be crushed can be 
inserted into the casing 13, resting on the region 7 between the presser 
elements 9a and 9b so that its axis coincides substantially with the main 
axis 10. Then one of the actuation levers 22a or 22b is actuated, causing 
the rotation of the lids 23a, PG,11 23b about the main axis 10. The 
rotation of the lids 23a, 23b is transmitted and multiplied, by the 
epicyclic multiplying gearing 25a and 25b, to the casing 13 which by 
rotating also causes, by means of the cables 32, the translatory motion of 
the presser element 9b towards the presser element 9a. In practice, the 
can 12, interposed between the presser elements 9a and 9b, is subjected to 
an axial action due to the movement of the presser element 9b towards the 
presser element 9a and is simultaneously subjected to a torsional stress 
about the main axis 10. The combined action of these two stresses allows 
to obtain a very high compression of the can with an extremely limited 
actuation force. 
The rotation of the casing 13 about the main axis 10 also moves the opening 
14 proximate to the opening 40. When the actuation lever 22a or 22b is 
actuated in the opposite direction to return the device to the initial 
condition, or when said lever is released if the return spring 37 is 
provided, the presser element 9b starts to move away from the presser 
element 9a. During this step, the opening 14 of the casing 13 is arranged 
exactly at the opening 40, and the can thus crushed is released by the 
presser elements and drops into the underlying container. 
In practice it has been observed that the device according to the invention 
fully achieves the intended aim, since it allows to effectively perform, 
with a limited actuation force, the crushing of cans, particularly 
beverage cans, and to collect in an extremely limited space a large number 
of cans, thus making it economically convenient to perform the segregated 
collection of this waste. 
The device thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and 
variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; 
thus, for example, the levers 22a and 22b, which are used to operate the 
device, can be replaced with automatic actuation mechanisms, such as for 
example an electric motor. All the details may furthermore be replaced 
with other technically equivalent elements. 
In practice, the materials employed, as well as the contingent shapes and 
dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the 
art.