Waste aerosol container processor

• US 5,967,012 A
• Filed: 11/19/1996
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture, United States Navy (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: McCrea, Jack L., Dummer, David L., Maloney, Roy Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHLEY, BOYER DOLINGER
• Application Number:
  US08/753,051
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 30/443-449, 30/357, 30/396, 30/353, 83/54, 83/30, 83/946, 83/953, 83/636, 83/697, 83/454, 83/563, 83/467.1, 83/613, 83/631, 83/821, 83/162, 83/165, 83/167, 83/451
• US Class Current: 83/451
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 2101/02 Gases or liquids enclosed in discarded articles, e.g. aerosol cans or cooling systems of refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/00 Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste into something useful or harmless
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 21/00 Machines or devices for shearing or cutting tubes as additional equipment for deep-drawing presses B21D24/16
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/24 Hole-piercing devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/946 Container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/953 with work support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0596 Cutting wall of hollow work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2209 Guide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/748 With work immobilizer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7593 Work-stop abutment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8854 Progressively cutting

Abstract

The invention features implementation of a flat triangular blade which haswo cutting edges and a sharp point. The blade is caused to move pointwise across a cylindrical can'"'"'s diameter, with the plane of the blade perpendicular to the can'"'"'s axis, so that the point pierces the can, the two cutting edges slice through the can in both directions around the can'"'"'s circumference, and the point again, diametrically oppositely, pierces the can. The inventive removal of the residual contents and propellants from a spent aerosol can is optimally effective, because the invention divides the can into two separate parts, concomitantly subdividing the can'"'"'s internal components.

Claims

1. Apparatus for severing an object, said object having an exterior wall which is configured for effecting containment, said apparatus comprising:

means for holding said object in position;

a substantially planar blade having two equal right angled straight sides and two equal acutely angled straight sides, said two equal acutely angled straight sides each being adjacent to one said equal right angled straight side, said two equal right angled straight sides describing two equivalent blade edge regions, said two equal acutely angled straight sides describing a blade tip region, said two equivalent blade edge regions and said blade tip region having associated therewith two equal right angled straight inner blade demarcations meeting at a vertex, said two equal right angled straight inner blade demaracations each being parallel to one said equal right angled straight side, said two equal acutely angled straight sides meeting at a tip extremity, said two equal right angled straight sides approaching an imaginary point situated intermediate said vertex and said tip extremity, said blade tip region extending approximately between said tip extremity and said vertex, said two equal right angled straight sides and said two equal acutely angled straight sides all being coplanar, said two equal right angled straight sides, said two equal acutely angled straight sides and said two equal right angled straight inner blade demarcations all sharing an imaginary angle bisector which intersects said tip extremity, said imaginary point and said vertex; and

means operatively connected to said means for holding for carrying said blade transversely with respect to said object whereby said blade is initially distanced from said object with said tip directed toward said wall, said tip region successively punctures said wall at two locations, and said two equivalent blade edge regions slice said wall between said two locations.

2. Apparatus for severing an object as in claim 1, wherein:

said means for holding includes means for holding said object in an approximately horizontal position;

said means for carrying includes means for carrying said blade in an approximately vertical direction; and

said two locations are in approximate vertical alignment.

3. Apparatus for severing an object as in claim 1, further comprising drainage means for fluid substance contained by said object, said drainage means engaging said means for holding said object.

4. Apparatus for severing an object as in claim 1, wherein:

said object is cylindroid, said object having an approximate circumference and an imaginary longitudinal axis of substantial symmetry; and

said means for carrying includes means for carrying said blade so that said blade and said imaginary angle bisector are each approximately perpendicular to said axis, said two locations are approximately diametrically opposite, and said two equivalent blade edge regions approximately simultaneously slice an upper portion of said wall in one bilateral pair of opposite circumferential directions and approximately simultaneously slice a lower portion of said wall in two bilateral pairs of opposite circumferential directions.

5. Apparatus for severing an object as in claim 4, wherein:

said means for holding includes means for holding said object in an approximately horizontal position;

said means for carrying includes means for carrying said blade in an approximately vertical direction; and

said two locations are in approximate vertical alignment.

6. Apparatus for severing an object as in claim 5, further comprising drainage means for fluid substance contained by said object, said drainage means engaging said means for holding said object.

7. Apparatus for severing an object as in claim 5, wherein said blade has two equal parallel straight sides, said equal parallel straight sides each being adjacent to one said equal right angled straight side, and wherein said means for carrying said blade in an approximately vertical direction includes two parallel guides, said two parallel guides each engaging one said equal parallel straight side.

8. A device for effecting severance as in claim 1, wherein said blade has two equal parallel straight sides, said equal parallel straight sides each being adjacent to one said equal right angled straight side.

9. Apparatus for dividing a structure, said structure including a closed peripheral section, said apparatus comprising:

a holder for positioning said structure;

a substantially flat blade which includes a first blade portion, a second blade portion and a third blade portion, said first blade portion defining a rectangle, said second blade portion defining an isosceles trapezoid, said third blade portion defining an isosceles triangle, said second blade portion being intermediate said first blade portion and said third blade portion, said first blade portion having a parallel pair of equal blunt edges, said second blade portion having an orthogonally converging pair of equal knife edges, said third blade portion having an acutely connecting pair of equal knife edges, said orthogonally converging pair converging toward a first junction, said acutely connecting pair connecting at a second function situated below said first junction, said blade approximately defining an imaginary plane, said imaginary plane containing an imaginary straight line which is both bisectional and altitudinal with respect to each of said rectangle, said isosceles trapezoid and said isosceles triangle; and

a carriage mechanism for said blade, said carriage mechanism operatively connected to said holder for permitting a spacing apart of said blade and said structure whereby said blade is oriented with said acutely connecting pair directed, said second junction forward, toward said closed peripheral section, whereby there is an intersection of said closed peripheral section with said imaginary plane, and whereby an imaginary closed peripheral line is formed in said closed peripheral section by said intersection, said carriage mechanism providing approximately linear movability of said blade, said approximately linear movability being approximately within said imaginary plane, in a direction approximately coincident with said imaginary straight line, and across said closed peripheral section.

10. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 9, wherein said carriage mechanism provides approximately linear movability of said blade whereby:

said acutely connecting pair pierces said closed peripheral section at a first location which is approximately on said imaginary closed peripheral line;

in a pair of first opposite directions, said orthogonally converging pair bilaterally cut a first portion of said closed peripheral section, approximately along said imaginary closed peripheral line, said first opposite directions being divergent with respect to said first location and convergent with respect to a second location, said second location being approximately on said imaginary closed peripheral line;

said acutely connecting pair pierces said closed peripheral section at said second location;

in a pair of second opposite directions and in a pair of third opposite directions, said orthogonally converging pair bilaterally cut a second portion of said closed peripheral section, approximately along said imaginary closed peripheral line, said second opposite directions being divergent with respect to said first location and convergent with respect to said second location, said third opposite directions being divergent with respect to said second location and convergent with respect to said first location; and

said second opposite directions and said third opposite directions bilaterally meet between said first location and said second location.

11. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 10, wherein:

said structure is positioned by said holder so as to be approximately horizontal;

said imaginary straight line is approximately vertical;

said first location and said second location are in approximate vertical alignment, said first location being above said second location.

12. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 11, wherein said apparatus further comprises means, in engagement with said carriage mechanism, for draining fluid contents from said structure.

13. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 9, wherein:

said closed peripheral section is approximately cylindrical, said closed peripheral section having an imaginary axis of approximate symmetry;

said imaginary plane is approximately perpendicular to said imaginary axis; and

said imaginary closed peripheral line is approximately circumferential about said imaginary axis.

14. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 13, wherein said carriage mechanism provides approximately linear movability of said blade whereby said acutely connecting pair pierces said closed peripheral section at a first location, said acutely connecting pair pierces said closed peripheral section at a second location, and said orthogonally converging pair bilaterally cut said closed peripheral section between said first location and said second location.

15. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 14, wherein:

said imaginary axis is approximately horizontal;

said imaginary straight line is approximately vertical, said blade being oriented in an approximately vertical direction, said imaginary plane is approximately vertical, said acutely connecting pair being directed, said second junction forward, approximately downward;

said first location is an approximately top circumferential location;

said second location is an approximately bottom circumferential location; and

said first location and said second location are in approximate vertical alignment.

16. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 15, wherein said carriage mechanism provides approximately vertical movability of said blade in a direction approximately coincident with said approximately vertical imaginary straight line, wherein said approximately vertical imaginary straight line is approximately coincident with the diameter of said approximately cylindrical section and intersects said approximately horizontal imaginary axis, wherein said approximately vertical imaginary plane is approximately perpendicular to said approximately horizontal imaginary axis, wherein an imaginary approximately vertical perpendicular plane passes through said approximately vertical imaginary straight line and said approximately horizontal imaginary axis, and wherein said imaginary approximately vertical perpendicular plane bisects said closed peripheral section into two approximately semicylindrical subsections, so that in sequence:

said acutely connecting pair pierces said closed peripheral section at an approximately top location between said approximately semicylindrical subsections;

in approximate concurrence, said orthogonally converging pair cut through both said approximately semicylindrical subsections, approximately along said imaginary closed peripheral line, whereby a first one of said orthogonally converging pair cuts downwardly counterclockwise through a first said approximately semicylindrical subsection, and wherein a second one of said orthogonally converging pair cuts downwardly clockwise through a second said approximately semicylindrical subsection;

said acutely connecting pair pierces said closed peripheral section at an approximately bottom location between said approximately semicylindrical subsections; and

in approximate concurrence, said orthogonally conversing pair cut through both said approximately semicylindrical subsections, approximately along said imaginary closed peripheral line, whereby said first one of said orthogonally converging pair cuts both downwardly counterclockwise and upwardly clockwise through said first said approximately semicylindrical subsection, and wherein said second one of said orthogonally converging pair cuts both downwardly clockwise and upwardly counterclockwise through said second said approximately semicylindrical subsection, until said downwardly counterclockwise cutting and upwardly clockwise cutting meet in said first approximately semicylindrical subsection and said downwardly clockwise cutting and upwardly counterclockwise cutting meet in said second approximately semicylindrical subsection.

17. Apparatus for dividing a structure as in claim 15, wherein said carriage mechanism includes two approximately vertical guides, said guides each engaging one of said parallel pair of equal blunt edges.

18. A device for effecting severance of a container having a circumference which is substantially symmetrical about an imaginary axis, said device comprising:

a blade which includes a bottom end point and which defines a polygon having seven linear sides, said seven linear sides consisting of a dull horizontal top side, two dull vertical sides, two major slanted keen sides and two minor slanted keen sides, said two dull vertical sides being equal to each other in length, said two major slanted keen sides being equal to each other in length, said two minor slanted keen sides being equal to each other in length, said two dull vertical sides being disposed so as to be parallel with respect to each other, said two dull vertical sides each being disposed at a ninety degree angle with respect to said dull horizontal top side, said two major slanted keen sides each being disposed at a one hundred thirty-five degree angle with respect to one of said two dull vertical sides, said two minor slanted keen sides each being disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to one of said two major slanted keen sides, said two major slanted keen sides being disposed so as to not meet each other but to tend toward each other at a ninety-degree angle, said two minor slanted keen sides being disposed so as to meet each other at an acute angle at said bottom end point, said dull horizontal top side and said bottom end point being disposed in opposition with respect to each other whereby an imaginary line which intersects said bottom end point is bisectional and perpendicular with respect to said dull horizontal top side, parallel with respect to each of said two dull vertical sides, bisectional with respect to said ninety-degree angle, and bisectional with respect to said acute angle;

a housing for placing said container so that said imaginary axis is horizontal; and

mechanical means operatively connected to said housing and including a member which is coupled with said blade, said mechanical means orienting said blade so that said imaginary line is upright and said bottom end point is beneath said dull horizontal top side, said mechanical means mobilizing said member so as to cause downward motion of said blade along said imaginary line, said downward motion including a range between a first stationary blade position and a second stationary blade position, wherein;

when said blade is in said first stationary blade position, said two minor slanted keen sides are situated above said container;

when said blade is moving in said range, said two minor slanted keen sides effect an upper perforation of said container, said two major slanted keen sides downwardly and oppositely cut said container around said circumference, said two minor slanted keen sides effect a lower perforation of said container, and said two major slanted keen sides both downwardly, oppositely and upwardly, oppositely cut said container around said circumference; and

when said blade is in said second stationary blade position, said two minor slanted keen sides are situated below said container and said severance has been effected.