Aluminum Can Crushing Device

FIG. 1 is a top view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sideview of the invention;

FIG. 2a is a sideview of the invention illustrating the crushing lever and crushing member in the crushing position including a crushed can.

FIG. 3 is a sideview of a crushing member and attached parts forming part of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5 there is shown an aluminum can crushing device, generally designated as 10, having a base member 12. The base member 12 has an aluminum can supporting surface 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 which extends between crushing member 16 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5 to approximately one and one half inches from the large end 18 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. This open area between base member 12 and large end 18 is designated final crush area 20 shown in FIG. 1 eliminates the need to remove the crushed aluminum can by hand for when released it will descend away from the aluminum can crushing device 10. Extending upwardly and running parallel to each other are sidewalls 22 and 24 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 which along with the crushing member 16 and large end 18 create an area of sufficient size to accept an uncrushed aluminum can of predetermined size. The crushing member 16 is located on top of base member 12 and slides on the aluminum can supporting surface 14 and between sidewalls 22 and 24 of the device 10. The fit between the crushing member 16 and the sidewalls 22 and 24 is such that there is little or no lateral movement of the crushing member 16. The sidewalls 22 and 24, respectively, form the left and right sides of the invention's frame with the large end 18 and the small end 26, shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, respectively, form the front and rear of the aluminum can crushing device 10. These four sides, the sidewalls 22 and 24, small end 26 and large end 18 construct the invention's frame which is mounted to the base member 12 by three frame mounts 28 and 30 shown in FIG. 2 and 32 shown in FIG. 1. The frame mounts 28, 30, and 32 are secured to the frame by welding or other suitable methods and extend past the bottom of the frame. The frame mounts 28, 30, and 32 are secured to the base member 12 by bolts or other suitable fasteners or methods such as welding. The frame mounts 28, 30, and 32 thereby hold the inventions frame above the base member 12 surface which is illustrated in FIG. 2. This forms an area in which the crushing member guide 34 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5 may only slide toward and away from the large end 18. The crushing member guide 34 is fastened to the bottom of the crushing member 16 by a suitable method such as welding and prevents the crushing member from rising up and away from the aluminum can supporting surface 14 during the crushing stroke of the invention. The crushing member 16 is fastened to two crushing member rods 36 and 38 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 by welding or other suitable methods. A crushing lever 40 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 2a, and 5 is pivotly secured at the small end 26 by means of a bolt 44 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2a or other suitable fastener. The crushing member rods 36 and 38 are also pivotly secured to the crushing lever 40 by means of a bolt 46 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2a or other suitable fastener approximately three inches away from where crushing lever 40 is pivotly secured to the small end 26.

The combination of this construction gives the invention sufficient mechanical advantage to crush an aluminum can with a minimum amount of effort. A drop stop 42 shown in FIG. 3 is secured at one end to the crushing member guide 34 while its opposite end is secured to crushing member rods 36 and 38 by a suitable means such as welding. The drop stop 42 prevents the crushing member 16 and crushing member guide 34 from falling into final crush area 20 during the final movement of the crushing stroke of the aluminum can crushing device 10. With the crush lever 40 in a non-crushing position as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 an aluminum can of predetermined size is placed horizontally on the aluminum can supporting surface 14, between sidewalls 22 and 24 and in front of the crushing member 16. The crush lever 40 may now be moved by hand in the direction of the large end 18. The crush lever 40 in turn forces the crushing member 16 by means of the crushing member rods 36 and 38 against one end of the aluminum can forcing its opposite end against the large end 18. By moving the crush lever 40 completely through its arc of approximately 140 degrees will result in the aluminum can being crushed to approximately three quarters of an inch in thickness while maintaining its original diameter for throughout the major portion of the crushing procedure the aluminum cans diameter is maintained by the sidewalls 22 and 24. As the crush lever 40 is moved in the opposite direction away from the large end 18 the now crushed aluminum can is released and will descend from final crush area 20 and leaves the aluminum can supporting surface vacant to accept another aluminum can of predetermined size to be crushed.