Abstract: A disc for releasable attachment to a shaft of a disc screen apparatus includes a hub having a bore and a single split defining a pair of opposing ends. The hub also has at least one flexible portion intermediate the opposing ends that permits the opposing ends of the hub to be separated a predetermined distance sufficient to allow the shaft of the disc screen apparatus to pass between the opposing ends into the bore. The hub has plurality of outer impacting portions configured for engaging materials to be classified and propelling the materials in a conveying direction when the hub is rotated. A mechanism is provided to secure the hub to the shaft so that the shaft extends through the bore.

Abstract: A disc for releasable attachment to a shaft of a disc screen apparatus includes a hub having a bore and a single split defining a pair of opposing ends. The hub also has at least one flexible portion intermediate the opposing ends that permits the opposing ends of the hub to be separated a predetermined distance sufficient to allow the shaft of the disc screen apparatus to pass between the opposing ends into the bore. The hub has plurality of outer impacting portions configured for engaging materials to be classified and propelling the materials in a conveying direction when the hub is rotated. A mechanism is provided to secure the hub to the shaft so that the shaft extends through the bore.

Abstract: A multi-disc assembly for releasable attachment to the shaft of a disc screen is provided. The multi-disc assembly includes a multi-disc hub of elastomeric material including multiple discs configured for use in the disc screen. The hub has a through bore configured for direct engagement over a shaft of the disc screen. A disc screen comprising the multi-disc assembly and method of using the multi-disc assembly are also provided.

Abstract: A disc for releasable attachment to a shaft of a disc screen apparatus includes a generally ring-shaped hub. The hub has a bore and a split defining a pair of opposing ends. The hub also has a hinge intermediate the opposing ends that permits the opposing ends of the hub to be separated a predetermined distance sufficient to allow the shaft of the disc screen apparatus to pass between the opposing ends into the bore. A plurality of outer impacting elements are supported on the hub and are configured for engaging materials to be classified and propelling the materials in a conveying direction when the hub is rotated. A mechanism is provided to secure the hub to the shaft so that the shaft extends through the bore.

Abstract: A disc for releasable attachment to a shaft of a disc screen apparatus includes a hub having a bore and a single split defining a pair of opposing ends. The hub also has at least one flexible portion intermediate the opposing ends that permits the opposing ends of the hub to be separated a predetermined distance sufficient to allow the shaft of the disc screen apparatus to pass between the opposing ends into the bore. The hub has plurality of outer impacting portions configured for engaging materials to be classified and propelling the materials in a conveying direction when the hub is rotated. A mechanism is provided to secure the hub to the shaft so that the shaft extends through the bore.

Abstract: A disc screen apparatus for classifying a stream of mixed recyclable materials of various sizes and shapes, including newspaper, clean mixed paper, magazines, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, cans, and the like. The apparatus has an inclined fixed first disc screen section and an inclined articulating second disc screen section whose angle of inclination can be independently adjusted via a hydraulic cylinder or other angular adjustment mechanism in order to improve the separation of newspaper and/or clean mixed paper without impairing the ability of the fixed disc screen section to separate mixed containers. The first and second disc screen sections are supported by first and second frames that carry the parallel driven shafts and discs that form the disc screen sections. The frames have complementary mating surfaces that limit the range of articulation of the second disc screen section.

Abstract: A disc screen apparatus has a V-shaped configuration with a lowermost region that provides a laterally inclined trough that receives the mixed recyclable materials. Broken glass falls downwardly between the discs of the lowermost region. Plastic milk bottles and soda pop containers tumble down the trough and eventually fall off its lower end. Newspaper is conveyed upwardly over the terminal upper ends of a pair of vertically inclined regions of the disc screen apparatus. The frame of the disc screen apparatus can incorporate ducting for connecting a source of pressurized air to one or more air manifolds the blow air toward the vertically inclined regions for helping the discs in these regions convey newspaper up the inclined regions and over their terminal upper ends. The angle of inclination of the vertically inclined regions may be adjustable to optimize the efficiency of classification.

Abstract: Air is directed downwardly from at least one laterally extending air manifold to push newspaper in a stream of mixed recyclable materials against the discs of an inclined disc screen to ensure that the newspaper is conveyed upwardly over an output end of the screen while containers and bottles in the stream tumble downwardly off a lower input end of the screen. In an alternate embodiment, the disc screen has a V-shaped configuration with a lowermost region that provides a laterally inclined trough that received the mixed recyclable materials.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of use is disclosed for a machine used for perforating and flattening or crushing containers of varying sizes and materials. The disclosed machine has a frame having an input opening and a discharge opening. A first plurality of shafts and second plurality of shafts are rotatably supported by the firame. The first plurality of shafts are disposed in a first plane and the second plurality of shafts are disposed in a second plane. The second plane is acutely angled with respect to the first plane. One or more motors rotate the first and second plurality of shafts, each shaft having perforating elements positioned along them. The perforating elements are offset between adjacent performing shafts such that adjacent perforating elements overlap but do not touch the adjacent shaft. The perforating elements have a plurality of spikes capable of perforating the container being perforated and crushed. In use, containers are introduced into the frame through the input opening.

Abstract: A machine agitates and rips scrap metal containers such as scrap aluminum cans to expose their interiors and shake out sand, dirt, and other material in the cans. Alternatively, the containers may comprise shell casings which the machine deforms by thrashing. The machine has an enclosure in which a rotatable shaft is supported. A plurality of blade sets are mounted on the shaft within the enclosure to rotate the shaft. The blade sets are distributed along the shaft and interleaved with a plurality of angled, stationary vanes that are mounted to an inside surface of the enclosure. These parts cooperate when the shaft is rotated by propelling containers on a helical path on which the blade sets batter, thrash, and rip the containers, throwing them against the vanes and the sides of the enclosure. As cans are battered and agitated by the blades, their contents are emptied and the cans are ultimately propelled to a collection point.

Abstract: A machine for sorting recyclable matter includes a trommel for conducting and screening an input flow of recyclable matter and a magnetic mechanism coupled to the trommel for extracting magnetic material from the input flow while the trommel rotates. The input flow is dropped vertically from the trommel into a positive-pressure air separator which separates the flow into a first material stream including lightweight articles and a second material stream including relatively heavy articles. The heavy articles of the second material stream drop downwardly in the air separator. Padded baffles are provided in the air separator for reducing the downward velocity of the second material stream, which substantially lowers breakage of glass articles.

Abstract: A machine agitates and rips scrap aluminum cans to expose their interiors and shake out sand, dirt, and other material in the cans. The machine has an enclosure in which a rotatable shaft is supported. A plurality of blade sets are mounted on the shaft within the enclosure to rotate the shaft. The blade sets are distributed along the shaft and interleaved with a plurality of angled, stationary vanes that are mounted to an inside surface of the enclosure. These parts cooperate when the shaft is rotated by propelling scrap cans on a helical path on which the blade sets batter and rip the cans, throwing them against the vanes and the sides of the enclosure. As the cans are battered and agitated by the blades, their contents are emptied and the cans are ultimately propelled to a collection point.

Abstract: A machine for sorting recyclable matter includes a trommel for conducting and screening an input flow of recyclable matter and a magnetic mechanism coupled to the trommel for extracting magnetic material from the input flow while the trommel rotates. The input flow is dropped vertically from the trommel into a positive-pressure air separator which separates the flow into a first material stream including lightweight articles and a second material stream including relatively heavy articles. The heavy articles of the second material stream drop downwardly in the air separator. Padded baffles are provided in the air separator for reducing the downward velocity of the second material stream, which substantially lowers breakage of glass articles.

Abstract: A machine for sorting recyclable matter includes a trommel for conducting and screening an input flow of recyclable matter and a magnetic mechanism coupled to the trommel for extracting magnetic material from the input flow while the trommel rotates. The input flow is dropped vertically from the trommel into a positive-pressure air separator which separates the flow into a first material stream including lightweight articles and a second material stream including relatively heavy articles. The heavy articles of the second material stream drop downwardly in the air separator. Padded baffles are provided in the air separator for reducing the downward velocity of the second material stream, which substantially lowers breakage of glass articles.

Abstract: A machine for sorting recyclable matter includes a trommel for conducting and screening an input flow of recyclable matter and a magnetic mechanism coupled to the trommel for extracting magnetic material from the input flow while the trommel rotates. The input flow is dropped vertically from the trommel into a positive-pressure air separator which separates the flow into a first material stream including lightweight articles and a second material stream including relatively heavy articles. The heavy articles of the second material stream drop downwardly in the air separator. Padded baffles are provided in the air separator for reducing the downward velocity of the second material stream, which substantially lowers breakage of glass articles.

Abstract: A machine for sorting recyclable matter includes a trommel for conducting and screening an input flow of recyclable matter and a magnetic mechanism coupled to the trommel for extracting magnetic material from the input flow while the trommel rotates. The input flow is dropped vertically from the trommel into a positive-pressure air separator which separates the flow into a first material stream including lightweight articles and a second material stream including relatively heavy articles. The heavy articles of the second material stream drop downwardly in the air separator. Padded baffles are provided in the air separator for reducing the downward velocity of the second material stream, which substantially lowers breakage of glass articles.

Abstract: A baling machine has an outer housing forming an elongate, rectangular main baling chamber with a discharge opening at one end and an auxiliary baling chamber intersecting the main baling chamber. An inlet opening directs cans into the chambers at the intersection. An auxiliary piston is reciprocally mounted in the auxiliary baling chamber to compress cans to a first compression pressure in an initial compaction stage, while a main piston is reciprocally mounted in the main baling chamber to compress the compacted cans to a second compression pressure in a final compaction stage in which a bale of predetermined dimensions and weight is formed without any need for pre-weighing the cans.