Abstract: The lowermost of a plurality of vertically stacked cans, which have their longitudinal axes substantially vertical, is held at a first stop. A crush plate is advanced to have a first portion of its front wall engage a mid portion of the lowermost can to fold it about an axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. When the crush plate is withdrawn, the lowermost can falls to a second lower stop and the next stacked can is held at the first stop. The crush plate has the first portion of its front wall engage the next can to fold it and a second portion of its front wall engage the entire surface of the folded can to flatten it to enable the flattened can to exit past the second stop.

Abstract: Systems and methods for unloading wound production rolls from the shaft of a winder and for reloading the winder shaft with cores in preparation for further winding. These systems and methods may be employed with multiple turret swing-out winders of the type typically employed to wind continuous webs of sheet material, such as plastic film, onto individual rolls.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of employing a high percentage of reground polyethylene resin scrap in an extruder, wherein fluffy, low-density, polyethylene scrap resin is preferably admixed with a granular high-density polyethylene virgin resin, and the admixture fed by gravity into a first feed inlet in a screw-type conveyor, and granular polyethylene virgin resin fed by gravity into a second feed inlet generally adjacent to and downstream of the first feed inlet of the extruder. The admixture fed to the first feed inlet is insufficient to fill the volume of the extruder tube, while the virgin resin automatically fed by gravity fills up the total volume in the extruder tube, thereby preventing starvation of the resin to the extruder die in the event of blockage of the fluffy scrap resin, which technique permits high amounts of from 20 to 40% of scrap resin to be blended with virgin resin.

Abstract: Method of employing a high percentage of reground polyethylene resin scrap in an extruder, wherein fluffy, low-density, polyethylene scrap resin is preferably admixed with a granular high-density polyethylene virgin resin, and the admixture fed by gravity into a first feed inlet in a screw-type conveyor, and granular polyethylene virgin resin fed by gravity into a second feed inlet generally adjacent to and downstream or the first feed inlet of the extruder. The admixture fed to the first feed inlet is insufficient to fill the volume of the extruder tube, while the virgin resin automatically fed by gravity fills up the total volume in the extruder tube, thereby preventing starvation of the resin to the extruder die in the event of blockage of the fluffy scrap resin, which technique permits high amounts of from 20 to 40% of scrap resin to be blended with virgin resin.