Importance

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Abstract

An electrically actuated can crushing apparatus having a housing, a reversible motor mounted within the housing, a threaded shaft coupled for rotation with the output shaft of the motor, and an arm threadingly engaged to the threaded shaft. An antirotation device prohibits the arm from rotation thus permitting the arm to move upwardly and downwardly, dependent upon the direction of rotation of the threaded shaft. An uppermost pressure plate is secured to the arm at an angle skewed to the longitudial axis of the vertically disposed threaded shaft. The housing supports a lowermost pressure plate which is affixed in a horizontal plane and is adapted with an upwardly directed protrusion to accommodate the depression usually found in the base of cans to be crushed. Upon the actuation of the motor, the uppermost pressure plate, which is constantly maintained at a slight angular relationship with the longitudinal axis of the threaded shaft, approaches the lowermost pressure plate. Protusions disposed at selected locations extend downwardly from a lower surface of the uppermost plate and deform the can at the beginning of the can crushing operation. Upon the completion of crushing operation, the uppermost pressure plate returns to its uppermost position at which time the can may be removed from the apparatus preparatory to repeated operations.

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First Claim