Patent ID: 8202077

Claim:
A machine for melting and densifying waste items composed of expanded polystyrene through heat transfer, the machine comprising: a hopper for loading used expanded polystyrene material that includes a heated discharge section for heating and melting expanded polystyrene along with a heated tray compartment for collected melted expanded polystyrene; wherein the hopper includes one or more substantially vertically disposed insulated walls that are configured to form an interior volume; an upper hopper loading area within the hopper towards a top end of the hopper walls; a lower hopper section within the hopper and below the upper hopper loading area, and including one or more inclined panels disposed and supported within the hopper having a top end thereof adjacent to the upper hopper loading area; wherein the discharge section is connected to a bottom end of the lower hopper section; and the tray compartment is disposed within the hopper and includes one or more substantially vertically disposed panels spaced inward of the one or more hopper walls and connected to the inclined panels of the lower hopper section and configured to form an interior space within which the discharge section is disposed; heating pads affixed to outer surfaces of the one or more lower hopper section and tray compartment panels for heating the lower hopper section, tray compartment and/or discharge section to temperatures sufficient to melt the expanded polystyrene; a tray disposed within the tray compartment below the discharge section for collecting melted expanded polystyrene; one or more hopper lids operatively connected to hopper walls at the upper hopper loading area to open and close the hopper for loading used expanded polystyrene into the upper hopper loading area.