Abstract: A bottle decasing, breaking and separating system and method has a hopper feeder for receiving bottles and cases. The bottles and cases are supplied to a trommel by a conveyor beneath the feeder. A conveyor communicating with the trommel receives the separated and fragmented material. A chute connected to the conveyor transports the fragmented material. Lifting tubes in the trommel are for lifting, tipping and tumbling the cases and the bottles in the trommel when it rotates. Strong screens in the trommel fragment and remove the bottles tumbling in the trommel. The cases remain at upper levels above the fragmented material in the trommel. The trommel may be a drum which slopes downward and rearward from the forward to the rearward ends. A trough below the trommel receives the fragmented material from the trommel and supplies the material to a conveyor. An extension communicating with the conveyor for supplies the fragmented material from the conveyor to recycling bins.

Abstract: Screen panels are arcuately distorted and wedged between lifter tubes inside of trommels for varying the orifice size, shape or distribution or repairing drum screen sections in trommel screen separators. In lieu of replacing screens on the drum framework, the drum is ordered with the largest screen opening for the anticipated application. Additional screen panels are inserted or laminated to the original drum screen to reduce or change screen openings and to produce the smaller fines. Because these small screen panels receive structural support from the drum screen, quick change screen panels can be fabricated out of many different frames, screening materials and screen opening sizes. In preferred embodiments, the smaller, lighter, framed screen panels are easily managed and quickly exchanged as required, reducing downtime and loss of production. Quick change screen panels have resilient arcuately bendable semi-rigid frames and are designed to be handled manually.