Abstract: An improved machine for cutting into small pieces the thin wall material of disposable containers includes parallel, rotating cutting shafts having a plurality of cutting wheels thereon. The cutting wheels are separated by annular spacers which provide a rotating comber surface. There is a spacer comber partially encircling each of the annular spacers which has a lower section having a rounded surface. A cutting wheel comber partially encircles each of the cutting wheels and has a lower end with a rounded portion. The spacer combers having the rounded surface and the cutting wheel combers having the rounded portion prevent the collection of the small pieces within the improved machine.

Abstract: This invention comprises apparatus and methods for folding and crimping shredded strips of sheet material into preselected lengths of interlocking, decorative material and/or bulk packaging material. The apparatus generally includes an attachment for a commercial paper shredding device which shreds sheet material therein. The apparatus comprises a movable barrier against which the shredded strips of sheet material are impelled upon being expelled from cutting blades of the shredding device. The movable barrier causes the strips to become controllably jammed within a confined area between the barrier and the cutting blades. Further insertion of additional strips into the confined area causes the strips to become compacted, folded, and crimped against a remaining dam of jammed sheet material located within the confined area. This causes the strips to fold and press against themselves, and form lengths of thin sheet material having an accordion-shaped configuration.

Abstract: This invention comprises apparatus and methods for folding and crimping shredded strips of sheet material into preselected lengths of interlocking, decorative material and/or bulk packaging material. The apparatus generally includes an attachment for a commercial paper shredding device which shreds sheet material therein. The apparatus comprises a movable barrier against which the shredded strips of sheet material are impelled upon being expelled from cutting blades of the shredding device. The movable barrier causes the strips to become controllably jammed within a confined area between the barrier and the cutting blades. Further insertion of additional strips into the confined area causes the strips to become compacted, folded, and crimped against a remaining dam of jammed sheet material located within the confined area. This causes the strips to fold and press against themselves, and form lengths of thin sheet material having an accordion-shaped configuration.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus for use with a temperature controlled fluid circulating device. The apparatus is for controlling a temperature of an area of a body and includes a fluid circulating blanket having first and second sides and including fluid connection hoses extending from one edge thereof and including an extended end for being connected to the fluid circulating device. A support envelope surrounds the blanket to enclose at least the first and second sides within an interior of the envelope. The support envelope includes a waterproof inside surface adjacent the first side and waterproof outside surface adjacent the second side. The waterproof inside surface has an inward layer of plastic material and outwardly disposed material for placement against the area of the body. The waterproof outside surface has an inward layer of plastic material and includes insulation material.

Abstract: A machine is for selectively dispensing a plurality of coupons including at least two different inscriptions thereon to be respectively redeemable for at least two different promotions or bargains. The machine includes a cabinet and a display area on the cabinet indicating the different bargains capable of being acquired by redemption of the respective coupons and a specific amount of money required to obtain each respective coupon. Selection buttons mounted on the cabinet are used to select a desired one of the different bargains and the respective coupon therefor. A coin slot and collection box in the cabinet are used to receive various amounts of money. The coupons are stored in the cabinet and are aligned with a coupon dispenser which is capable of dispensing each coupon to the exterior of the cabinet through a slot.

Abstract: A shredding machine is for shredding paper or the like and includes a pair of parallel, spaced-apart shafts which rotate in opposite directions. Each of the shafts includes a plurality of cutting discs mounted thereon for rotation therewith. The cutting discs on one shaft extend between the cutting discs on the other shaft for producing cooperative longitudinal cuts of paper passing therebetween. The cutting discs include a cylindrical outer surface which is interrupted by a plurality of notches. Each of the notches has a trailing transverse surface which intersects the cylindrical outer surface at a transverse cutting edge to form a cutting angle therebetween. The cutting angle is less than forty degrees. The cutting discs on one shaft are oriented with respect to the cutting discs on the other shafts to cause the cutting angle on each of the cutting discs to be aligned with the cylindrical outer surface of the adjacent cutting discs on the outer shaft just prior to overlapping thereof.

Abstract: A vacuum box is for collecting small particles or the like. the vacuum box includes a cabinet having a front, a rear and a hollow interior. The front of the cabinet includes a substantially horizontal working surface at a lower region thereof. The working surface includes an air inlet opening therethrough. A motor and fan are disposed within the hollow interior of the cabinet at the rear thereof for the discharge of air from the hollow interior of the cabinet. A collection compartment is disposed below the working surface and the air inlet opening therethrough with a rear portion of the collection compartment being disposed within the interior of the cabinet. A filter is disposed within the interior of the cabinet between the collection compartment and the fan. The fan causes the air including the particles produced at the working surface to be drawn downwardly through the air inlet opening into the collection compartment, upwardly from the rear portion of the collection compartment, and through the filter.

Abstract: A machine is capable of cutting into small pieces the thin wall material of a plurality of disposable containers such as plastic bottles or metal cans fed in a first direction one at a time to a cutting section. The cutting section includes a pair of parallel shafts mounted for rotation in opposite directions about the center axes thereof. Each of the shafts rigidly supports a plurality of overlapping cutting wheels for rotation therewith. Each cutting wheel has a plurality of identical cutting teeth thereon having an apex at the maximum diameter and a root at a root diameter of the cutting wheel. Each cutting tooth has a leading surface and a trailing surface which meet at the apex to form a straight edge at the maximum diameter which is parallel with the center axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A device is for determining the functional push/pull capability of a human subject. The device includes a fixed walking surface for the subject. The push/pull bar for the subject extends horizontally and transversely of the walking surface and is disposed thereabove. The push/pull bar is mounted for selective horizontal movement along the walking surface by the subject. There is included selectively variable resistance to the horizontal movement of the push/pull bar. The device includes the ability to evaluate the horizontal movement as a function of the resistance to the horizontal movement. There is also included a method for determining the functional push/pull capability of a human subject.

Abstract: An improved ice measuring and dispensing machine is of the type which includes an ice supply hopper, a housing having three measuring and dispensing chambers which continuously rotate about a vertical axis, and a discharge chute. Each of the chambers rotates beneath the supply hopper to receive ice by gravity flow therefrom. Each of the chambers filled with ice from the ice supply hopper rotates over the discharge chute to discharge the ice therein by gravity flow down the discharge chute into an ice bag. The improvement includes the rotating housing having a cylindrical wall which partially defines each of the chambers. A hammer device is reciprocated toward and away from the cylindrical wall to cause the head thereof to make repeated, jarring contact with the cylindrical wall to vibrate the chambers and thus prevent the collection or bridging of ice therein.

Abstract: An apparatus is for crushing at least one of a plurality of metal cans having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length less than about twice the predetermined diameter. The apparatus includes a pair of cylindrical rollers mounted for rotation in opposite directions about parallel horizontal axes with a predetermined distance therebetween. Each of the rollers has a predetermined roller diameter greater than four times the predetermined diameter of the can. An array of extensions on the cylindrical surface of each of the rollers extends a predetermined height from the cylindrical surface and is separated from adjacent extensions on the cylindrical surface to cause the extensions of the array to cover less than ten percent of the cylindrical surface to allow general alignment of and positioning of the metal cans therebetween.

Abstract: A machine is capable of cutting into pieces disposable containers such as plastic bottles and metal cans. A first cutting section includes a pair of parallel shafts mounted for rotation in opposite directions. Each of the shafts supports a plurality of cutting wheels keyed for rotation therewith. The cutting wheels of one shaft overlap the cutting wheels on the other shaft as each cutting wheel is axially separated from axially adjacent cutting wheels thereon by one of the cutting wheels on the other shaft. A comber is aligned with each cutting wheel to provide a gap between the cutting teeth and the end of the comber. The disposable containers are cut into first pieces between the cutting wheels of one shaft and the cutting wheels of the other shaft. The first pieces from the first cutting section pass to a second cutting section to be cut into smaller, second pieces. The invention also includes the method of cutting the disposable containers in pieces.

Abstract: A machine is capable of cutting into pieces a plurality of diposable containers such as plastic bottles and metal cans. The machine includes a loading section, a cutting section and a collecting section. The cutting section includes a pair of parallel shafts mounted for rotation in opposite directions. Each of the shafts supports a plurality of cutting wheels keyed for rotation therewith. The cutting wheels of one shaft overlap the cutting wheels on the other shaft as each cutting wheel is axially separated from axially adjacent cutting wheels thereon by one of the cutting wheels on the other shaft. A plurality of combers in aligned with each cutting wheel to provide a gap between the cutting teeth and the end of the comber. The disposable containers are cut between the cutting wheels of one shaft and the cutting wheels of the other shaft with the pieces passing through the gap between the end of the comber and the cutting wheel teeth.

Abstract: An improved container feeding device is for a container cutting machine of the type which can cut any one of numerous sizes of plastic bottles and metal cans. The cutting machine has a cutting section including a plurality of cutting wheels mounted for rotation in opposite directions on a pair of parallel cutting shafts. The improvement includes a pair of parallel feeding shafts each of which are above one of the cutting shafts for rotation in the same direction thereof. Each feeding shaft includes three radially extending, evenly spaced paddles fixedly mounted thereon. The feeding shafts rotate at the same speed and are rotationally aligned to cause each paddle on one feeding shaft to generally lie within a common plane with a corresponding paddle on the other feeding shaft as they pass closely by one another. Each of the paddles has a plurality of gripping teeth on the extended end thereof.

Abstract: A machine is capable of cutting into pieces disposable containers such as plastic bottles and metal cans. A first cutting section includes a pair of parallel shafts mounted for rotation in opposite directions. Each of the shafts supports a plurality of cutting wheels keyed for rotation therewith. The cutting wheels of one shaft overlap the cutting wheels on the other shaft as each cutting wheel is axially separated from axially adjacent cutting wheels thereon by one of the cutting wheels on the other shaft. A comber is aligned with each cutting wheel to provide a gap between the cutting teeth and the end of the comber. The disposable containers are cut into first pieces between the cutting wheels of one shaft and the cutting wheels of the other shaft. The first pieces from the first cutting section pass to a second cutting section to be cut into smaller, second pieces.