1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to can crushers; and, more particularly, to an improved can crusher which is capable of crushing commercial beverage cans of all sizes up to 16 fluid ounces in a quick and efficient manner.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Beverage cans have been a continuing problem in today's ecology minded society. In recent years, it has been proposed to recycle such cans but such recycling requires temporary storage until the cans can be brought to a recycling center. Needless to say, the cans take up quite a bit of storage volume and various can crushing devices have been suggested to reduce can storage volume. Although side can crushing devices are known, cans crushed with devices of this type are dangerous to handle since the side crushing results in exposed sharp edges. Also, such side crushed cans do not store well since the ends are not as compacted as the center.
Vertical crushing is thus more desirable but great pressure is required to compress a can vertically. Heretofore, vertical can compression devices are quite bulky and expensive, e.g., the device of the Wharton patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,587. One recent patent to Belfils, U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,261, discloses a device which has a base on which the can to be crushed is placed with means for crimping one side of the can when pressure is applied to the top. The crimping is accomplished by a bead on the bottom base. However, the Belfils device requires considerable force to crush the can and, since the crimping means is provided by a bead, will result in crushed cans of varying size variations requiring differing degrees of pressure. Also, as seen in FIG. 2 of Belfils, since the upper end of the can is not restrained laterally be platen 6, tall cans, e.g. 16 oz. cans, will buckle into a wide variety of random shapes. Since the can is not restrained laterally, it may be forcibly ejected during crushing resulting in injury to the user. Also, the crushed can of Belfils must be removed manually and may have sharp edges. Since the can is not confined, the device of Belfils must be operated in a vertical orientation and the can must be carefully and properly positioned.
There is thus a need for a can crusher which is capable of uniformly crushing all commercial beverage cans up to and including 16 fluid ounces with less force than prior devices with automatic ejection of the crushed can.