A shredder includes a shredder box having first and second opposite end walls, and first and second opposite side walls that extend between the first and second end walls. The shredder further includes a shredder rotor positioned within an interior of the shredder box, an access door that is pivotally moveable, and a control system for monitoring various parameters to operate the shredder. A side access region is defined between the first and second end walls when the access door is in the open position. The side access region provides access to the shredder rotor and includes an open region defined between the first and second end walls at the second side of the shredder. The open region has an open top which is free of obstructions extending between the first and second end walls.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a plant trimming device having a removable cutting cartridge. A direct-drive motor is magnetically coupled to the cutting cartridge. The cutting cartridge houses a blade and a set of rotating blades. Plant parts are cut by the rotating blades across the razor. The cartridge is mounted on rails and has a handle to facilitate the ease of inserting and removing the cutting cartridge. Thereby, an old cutting cartridge is readily removed and replaced by a new cutting cartridge. Furthermore, the cutting cartridge can easily be removed for cleaning and later re-inserted back into the plant trimming device.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a modular plant trimming system. A number of plant trimming machines are placed side by side. These plant trimming machines trim leaves from a plant. A sensor detects when one or more of the plant trimming machines are added or removed from the system. A processor then balances a load of plants to be trimmed to be split between the currently available number of plant trimming machines.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a tiltable tumbler for use in a plant trimming machine. Plants are placed in a tumbler. As the tumbler rotates, leaves extending through slots in the tumbler by a vacuum are trimmed off. A mechanism is used to adjust the tilt of the tumbler. Thereby, the rate by which the plant material in the tumbler is processed is faster with a higher tilt or slower with a lower tilt. The degree of tilt is adjustable either manually or automatically via a computer.

Methods and apparatus for shredding cooling tower debris are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of preparing debris for disposal includes: receiving debris from a cooling tower; processing the received debris through a low RPM shredder to reduce the size of the debris; depositing the reduced size debris onto a conveyor; and moving the debris along the conveyor and depositing the debris into a receptacle.

A food processing device includes a feeding structure arranged for the transport of food objects downstream from an inlet to an outflow of a flow path. The feeding structure has a first feeder with a transport auger arranged upstream a knife, and a second feeder arranged downstream a knife, a knife configured to cut the food objects in the flow path to provide a substance of sliced lumps. The flow path defines an unhindered passage between the knife and the outflow to facilitate a free flow of the substance of sliced lumps away from the knife. An inspection unit is configured to detect undesired objects in the substance of sliced lumps. The food object could be meat, fruit, or vegetables. The processing device provides an unhindered flow of the sliced lumps away from the knife, facilitating an easier inspection and removal of undesired objects from the lumps.

A distributor device for solids-containing liquids includes a distribution chamber with an inlet opening which leads to a chamber interior space of the distribution chamber, wherein the distribution chamber has a first end wall with several connection ports and a first side wall arranged laterally to the end wall. The distributor device also includes a connecting part connecting the rotor and the blade drive shaft, which connecting part is detachably connected to the rotor and/or to the blade drive shaft, wherein a movement of the rotor is guided by the connecting part relative to the first perforated blade disk. The distribution chamber has at least one closable opening which is located in the first side wall, wherein the opening is designed at least so large that the rotor is removable from the distribution chamber through the opening.

A paper scrap pushing structure of a paper shredder, having a paper pushing unit, with a spindle having a longitudinal axis, a spindle flap coupled along the longitudinal axis to the spindle; and a paddle pushing segment, coupled to the spindle flap. The spindle is arranged under a paper outlet of the paper shredder and is in linkage with a paper shredder cutter shaft through a synchronous transmission device. When the rotating shaft rotates, the rotating shaft drives the paddle pushing segment to move in the circumferential direction along with the spindle flap, removing paper scraps at the top of a paper scrap pile in a shredded paper waste bin.

A device is disclosed for handling a sample container (13) having an open side, the device comprising a head (1) having an inner chamber (3) with an opening (4) and a substantially constant cross-sectional shape taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the inner chamber, wherein the opening extends substantially perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis, a rotor (6) part arranged within said inner chamber, rotor drive means (7) and rotor displacement means (8), a piston (5) having an edge part (9) of a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the inner chamber, and piston displacement means (8) arranged to displace the rotor along the longitudinal axis so that the edge part of the piston will scrape the wall (10) of the inner chamber, the device further comprising a holder (11) arranged for supporting a sample container so that the open side of the sample container is in connection with the opening of the inner chamber, and head drive means (2) arranged for alternating the orientation of the head between a position where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented upwards and a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented downwards.

A flywheel and paddle assembly for a chipping or shredding apparatus, including a wood chipper, a brush chipper, and a leaf shredder. The assembly has a flywheel attached coaxially to a drive shaft. The flywheel has at least one aperture extending from the front side to the back side, and carries at least one knife adjacent to the at least one aperture. The knife presents a knife edge on the front side of the flywheel. A paddle is rotatably mounted coaxially to the drive shaft adjacent to the back side of the flywheel. The paddle is configured to rotate on the drive shaft independently of the flywheel. A chipping or shredding apparatus incorporating the aforesaid flywheel and paddle assembly is also disclosed.