Patent ID: 7975950

Claim:
An apparatus for destroying electronic memory media apparatus at least partially by compression, said apparatus including: a support assembly; a drive apparatus carried by the support assembly having a linearly movable ram; a control system operably coupled to the drive apparatus and operable to selectively control movement of the ram; a first plate mounted to the first member and movable therewith and having an exposed first face with at least one outwardly opening cavity, said cavity having at least one side being at least partially defined by at least one rib projecting from the first plate; a second plate carried by the support assembly and having an exposed second face facing generally toward the first face, said second plate having at least one protuberance projecting therefrom and sized and shaped to fit within a respective said first cavity; a stripper mechanism carried by the support assembly and operably associated with the first plate whereby when the first plate moves thereby during movement away from the second plate the stripper mechanism having a portion movable inwardly to engage a portion of a memory device carried by the first plate and release a memory device from the first plate, said stripper mechanism includes a stripper plate carried by the support assembly, said stripper plate having a distal portion engaging the first plate and movable by said first plate to a retracted position during movement of the first plate toward the second plate and movable toward an extended position during movement of the first plate away from the second plate; and wherein the at least one said rib and the protuberance being constructed and arranged to retain a crushed memory device on the first plate during retraction of the first plate by movement of the ram.