In recent years, the recycling of aluminum cans has become a very desirable activity. Towards this end, a number of machines have been developed which typically count the cans and crush them with rollers or wheels and thence deposit the crushed cans in a container for later transport. One problem with these machines is that this method, wherein loose cans are deposited in a container, results in a fairly inefficient use of space requiring frequent emptying of the containers and, indeed, the transport of some kind of container for the loose cans between the collection point and the recycling point. Of course it is also desirable to remove steel cans from the aluminum cans initially as they are not as valuable. The aluminum/steel separation, typically by means of a magnet, is in general well known.
It is the object of this invention to provide a device which stores as many cans as possible in as limited a space as possible as well as not requiring the use of separate containers or other devices for the transport of the cans. It is further an object of this invention to provide a device which has fairly low power requirements so that it can be located and run out of a conventional outlet and wherein the whole device is small enough to be easily transported if desired. It is further an object of this invention to provide a device which allows one person to easily unload and transport the collective cans and which requires little or no direct supervision during its use. It is further, of course, desirable to be able to count and otherwise keep track of the number or cans a customer deposits in the machine.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds