A modular recycling apparatus, means for and article of manufacture are disclosed. The various embodiments solve the inherent problems with recycling consumer items such as plastic bottles, aluminum cans and the like, The device enables a bottle or container to undergo a quasi-state change, thereby occupying much less space in its recycled form. As a result, the volume needed for storage is optimized and as such the energy required for transport is reduced by at least an order of magnitude.

An automatic can crusher apparatus for crushing cans for recycling includes a housing having a ram aperture extending through to a housing inside. A ram has a pneumatic cylinder body, a ram arm extending through the ram aperture, and a ram head coupled to the ram arm. The ram moves the ram head between a load position and a crush position adjacent a housing right side. A can positioner is coupled to a housing left side within the housing inside to secure a can adjacent the ram head in the load position. A feeder chute is coupled to the housing top side to receive a plurality of cans through a chute top end and dispense each can through a chute bottom end onto the can positioner when the ram head is in the load position.

A beverage capsule recycling assembly for preparing a beverage capsule for recycling, the beverage capsule recycling assembly having a body portion, a cutter portion integral with or attachable to the body portion, the cutter portion having a blade member to cut a lid of the beverage capsule, a first crush portion associated with the body portion, and a second crush portion, wherein when the first crush portion and the second crush portion are in a use condition, the beverage capsule can be located between the first crush portion and the second crush portion, and the first crush portion can be moved towards the second crush portion to compact the beverage capsule.

An automatic can crusher apparatus for crushing cans for recycling includes a housing having a ram aperture extending through to a housing inside. A ram has a pneumatic cylinder body, a ram arm extending through the ram aperture, and a ram head coupled to the ram arm. The ram moves the ram head between a load position and a crush position adjacent a housing right side. A can positioner is coupled to a housing left side within the housing inside to secure a can adjacent the ram head in the load position. A feeder chute is coupled to the housing top side to receive a plurality of cans through a chute top end and dispense each can through a chute bottom end onto the can positioner when the ram head is in the load position.

A can compression equipment is provided and belong to the field of recycling of renewable resources and environmental protection. The can compression equipment includes: a frame; a pressing block arranged at an end of an interior of the frame, an accommodating space being defined between the pressing block and a bottom of the frame and configured for accommodating the can to-be-compressed; and, a driving device connected to the pressing block and configured for driving the pressing block to move forward or backward along a lengthwise direction of the frame to change a size of the accommodating space. Instead of using manpower to compress the can, the can compression equipment can save time and manpower, and further effectively reduce a volume of the can as small as possible.

An aluminum can crushing device is provided to encourage recycling of drink and other cans. The can crushing device employing a handle engaged with a housing, provides significant mechanical advantage to a user during the crushing process. A tilting base automatically ejects crushed cans from an internal cavity into a removably engaged bag.

A can crusher (102), having: a backing plate (120); a left crush-arm (126) pivotally secured to the backing plate and having a left handle (130) and a left crush surface (128) that faces the backing plate when the can crusher is in a closed configuration (190); a right crush-arm (140) pivotally secured to the backing plate and having a right handle (144) and a right crush surface (142) that faces the backing plate when in the closed configuration; and a support plate (150). In a vertical orientation (152) the backing plate is oriented vertically; the support plate is disposed below horizontal sweeps (154, 156) of the crush surfaces; and the support plate supports a can in between the crush surfaces when the can crusher is in an open configuration (104).

A compression device allows for compressing a carbonated beverage container, for maintaining the container in a compressed state, and for releasing the container from the compressed state when desired. In one embodiment, the compression device (100) includes a first frame (101), a second frame (102), a first linking frame (103) and a second linking frame (104). The frames are joined together by hinge connectors (111, 112, 113, and 114), forming a quadrilateral enclosure or compression assembly that accepts a PET bottle. A hinge controller (119), associated with the first hinge connector (111), is operative to control compression and release of the bottle.

The invention relates to a method for handling of containers (9) and a handling machine for containers, comprising an inlet arrangement (8), an infeed arrangement (2), a compressing arrangement (20, 21), a cutting arrangement (4, 6) and an outlet arrangement (7), wherein empty containers are compacted. In one embodiment containers are also handled to at least partly be provided in shredded form in the outlet arrangement (7), wherein said cutting arrangement (4, 6) comprises a first cutting unit (4) arranged to cut a container (9) into a plurality of longitudinal, parallel stripes and preferably a second cutting unit (6) arranged to cut transversally in relation to said first cutting unit (4), whereby said longish strips will be cut into a plurality of shredded pieces.

An apparatus for crushing aluminum beverage cans, including; a containment structure with an integral crushing chamber, a pneumatic crushing cylinder with a hub type crushing head which ensures the can remains inside the crushing chamber during the crushing event, an ejection cylinder with an ejection ram, solenoid control valves, a safety interlock switch and a 3 position control switch, an air/gas supply and distribution system and an electrical control system. Two pneumatic cylinders; which are supplied air via two 3-way solenoid control valves, are used to perform the crushing and ejection work. Simultaneous two handed switch operation is required to energize either of the 3-way solenoid control valves to route air to the pneumatic cylinders. Two handed switch operation ensures that the operator's hands are free of the crushing chamber during operation.