Abstract: A vehicle recycling system includes an hold-down mechanism, a crane having an engine puller, a component disassembly station, a feed press, and a material press, all of which are housed within a building. A vehicle is placed onto a hold-down table where it is held in place by the hold-down mechanism while the engine and other valuable components are removed using the crane. Components not requiring further processing are placed into bins. Components requiring further disassembly are fed to the component disassembly where they are further disassembled and placed in bins. Once the high value components are removed, the crane loads the vehicle onto the feed press. The feed press then moves the vehicle onto the material press where it is compressed by the press. The back wall of the press is then raised so the crushed vehicle can be removed.

Abstract: A compaction wheel for a vehicle includes a rigid cylinder forming a single layer rim. A plurality of cleats are mounted on the outer surface of the rim. A wheel disk mounted within the drum defines a central opening for receiving an axle of the vehicle. The cleats may be removably mounted on the rim. For this purpose, the cylinder may include a plurality of cleat-mounting apertures extending between its inner and outer surfaces. The cleats include features matable with the cleat-mounting apertures. In one embodiment, threaded members carried by the cleats are sized for through the cleat-mounting apertures. Nuts thread onto the threaded members for securing the cleats to the rim. In another embodiment, bolts extend through the cleat-mounting apertures in the rim and thread into a threaded openings in the cleats for securing the cleats to the rim. In another embodiment, the cleats include tongues sized for insertion through the cleat-mounting apertures.

Abstract: A compaction wheel includes a rigid cylinder forming an outer rim. Cleats are removably mounted in cleat-receiving apertures formal on the outer rim. Each cleat has a face plate configured to engage against the outer surface of the cylinder, a working portion extending from the outer surface of the face plate, and a tongue extending from the inner surface of the face plate and being configured to extend through the tongue receiving apertures formed in the outer rim. The tongue includes an aperture positioned to be located radially inwardly of the outer rim when the cleat is mounted on the outer rim. Connection rods are configured to extend through the tongue apertures to secure the cleats to the outer rim. For this purpose, the wheel includes guide tubes that are mounted radially inwardly of the outer rim.