Abstract: A machine for shredding plastic container including a pressing device having a main housing having an interior space, a first opening for feeding container and a second opening for disposing the shredded pieces, a fixed plate position at one end within the housing and having slits arranged in matrix pattern, facing the interior of the housing, and having sharp edges, a movable plate having plurality of blades connected to at least one arm. The movable plate can move along a central axis within the housing and the blades have edges facing the sharp edges of the fixed plate. The containers are placed between the plates, such that when the movable plates moves along the central axis of the housing toward the fixed plate, the blades crash and cut the container into flakes. Pegs protrude from the blades, such that when the arm moves forward, the pegs punch the container.

Abstract: A food chopper includes a housing and a central shaft supported in a vertically movable configuration inside the housing. The central shaft has a lower end with at least one center blade, an upper end operably connected to a plunger, and a middle segment with two lateral arms. Two blade assemblies are rotatably connected to the two lateral arms of the central shaft. Each of the two blade assemblies includes a shaft connected to an outer blade. The vertical motion of the central shaft is converted into rotational motion of the blade assemblies using a conversion mechanism operably connected to each of the two blade assemblies. Depressing the plunger causes the at least one center blade of the central shaft to move vertically downward within the housing and the two outer blades to move vertically downward and rotate within the housing.

Abstract: A crusher includes a main body that includes a crushing structure and an adjustment structure. The adjustment structure includes an adjustment hydraulic cylinder, a slide block mechanism, which is operatively coupled to the adjustment hydraulic cylinder, and a pull bar hydraulic cylinder, which is operable in combination with the adjustment hydraulic cylinder and the slide block mechanism. The adjustment structure includes an operation control module for adjusting a crushing gap and effecting position returning after an operation problem is removed. With such an arrangement, in operation, the operation control module issues a command to actuate the adjustment hydraulic cylinder for adjusting a crushing gap of the crushing structure. When an excessively high pressure occurs due to jamming, coordination between the adjustment hydraulic cylinder and the operation control module enables fast expansion of the gap to the maximum for removing a jamming object and automatic returning to the initial gap setting.

Abstract: A system for breaking up caked materials in a hopper car having a gravity discharge outlet is shown. The system includes an agitator that is a compressible strut linked through a rod to an externally driven crank shaft and a crank arm disposed above the discharge outlet. The system further includes at least one energizing coil coupled with the strut that provides irresistible force to caked material in the vicinity of the strut to initiate crumbling when the crank shaft is rotated, and to progressively crumble caked material along the length of the coil. The system further may have scrubbing panels along slope sheets of the hopper coupled with the coil, and may have arch members coupled with the energizing coils to provide further progressive agitation of caked material in the hopper car.

Abstract: An upper plate is spaced from a lower plate by a gap. Teeth extend from a lower surface of the upper plate toward the lower plate. The gap between the upper plate and the lower plate has a first size larger than a second size with the gap adjustable in height between the first size and the second size. Media storage items can be placed within the gap. A compression force is applied to move the plates toward each other and drive the teeth into the item. Preferably, relief holes are provided in the lower plate aligned with the teeth extending from the upper plate so that the teeth can entirely penetrate the item to be destroyed within the gap. Preferably, teeth also extend up from the lower plate. Guards associated with each plate sheath the teeth until the teeth extend into the gap for item destruction.

Abstract: A pill or tablet fracturing set including a striking device, a pill support board upon which the pill or tablet is struck by the striking device using a control grip, and a supply of transparent pill retentive bags to contain the pills while being struck.

Abstract: A cheese shredding apparatus has a table top with a rolling platform that uses 2 pairs of beveled wheels. A partitioned hopper for containing blocks of cheese. A pair of cutting grids located at opposite ends of a cutting block. A pair of push cube modules. A motor powers the rolling platform by way of a cam which converts a rotational motion from the motor into a linear motion which actuates the back and fro motion of the rolling platform. The beveled wheels roll on a pair of tracks which are held within the table top frame. The beveled wheels maintain a very precise and accurate tracking motion of the rolling platform as they move back and forth as guided by the tracks.

Abstract: A crusher which can transmit energy to be applied to a piston to a silicon lump efficiently, and a silicon lump crushing apparatus which can crush a silicon lump into small pieces by suppressing the production of powders as much as possible and enables the automation of the crushing work of a silicon lump. The crusher is constituted such that a hammer head is connected to a piston. When compressed air is not applied to the piston, the hammer head is elastically urged to a standby position and when compressed air is applied to the piston, the hammer head is moved from the standby position to collide with the silicon lump. In the silicon lump crushing apparatus, a plurality of crushers having a hammer head to be collided with a silicon lump are opposed to the silicon lump supported on a support base and spaced apart from one another.

Abstract: A tissue dicing and separation device comprises a housing having an interior that receives tissue for dicing and separation. The device includes a blade assembly connected to a motor and solenoid. The solenoid reciprocates the blade assembly while the motor clocks the blade assembly during each reciprocation cycle. This reciprocating and clocking action of the blade assembly dices and/or minces the tissue. The housing is filled with a fluid and then the blade assembly is continuously rotated to create a vortex within the housing. The vortex causes the diced tissue particles to separate by particle size. Outlets at different positions along the housing permit withdrawal of a slurry of fluid and tissue particles with the tissue particles having a desired size range. The obtained slurry may be used in conjunction with a fistula plug treatment device and method.

Abstract: A comminuting device for comminuting material. The device has a frame and a shear member having a main blade, the shear member movably coupled to the frame with a shear member slide bearing located at least partially inside the frame. A supporting table is coupled to the frame, the supporting table having a counter blade, the supporting table adapted to support the scrap material. The frame has an opening forming an access way to the shear member slide bearing. The main blade and the counter blade cooperate to chop the scrap material when the shear member is moved from a first position to a second position. The shear member slide bearing is removable from inside the frame through the opening without removal of the shear member from the frame.

Abstract: A drug miller includes a first carrier, a second carrier, a base, a first motion element and a second motion element; the first motion element is coupled movably to the base; the second motion element is coupled movably to the first motion element; the base supports the first carrier; the second motion element presses the second carrier, allowing the edible first and second carriers to grind a drug into fragments; using the base, first motion element and second motion element, the drug is ground into fragments and the drug fragments are encapsulated in the edible first and second carriers more conveniently and rather not damaging the first and second carriers. Whereby, an animal rather cannot smell the odor of the drug from the outsides of the first and second carriers, and eats the drug with the drug together with the edible first and second carriers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dressing marginal areas of externally viewable surfaces of a building block. The apparatus includes at least one chipper having rotational axis and a plurality of outwardly extending teeth randomly disposed thereabout. The chipper is positioned and oriented so that its teeth may effectively work a predetermined marginal area of interest. As the predetermined marginal area of interest and the teeth of the chipper are brought into contact with each other, portions of the marginal area are randomly impacted and fractured to form an erose or jagged surface that resembles hand dressing. The apparatus may also include additional chippers, each having a rotational axis and a plurality of teeth randomly disposed thereabout.

Abstract: [Problem] A crusher which can transmit energy to be applied to a piston to a silicon lump highly efficiently, and a silicon lump crushing apparatus which can crush a silicon lump into small pieces by suppressing the production of powders as much as possible and enables the automation of the crushing work of a silicon lump. [Means for Solution] The crusher is constituted such that a hammer head is connected to a piston, when compressed air is not applied to the piston, the hammer head is elastically urged to a standby position and when compressed air is applied to the piston, the hammer head is moved from the standby position to collide with the silicon lump. In the silicon lump crushing apparatus, a plurality of crushers having a hammer head to be collided with a silicon lump are opposed to the silicon lump supported on a support base and spaced apart from one another.

Abstract: The present invention concerns apparatus for comminuting agglomerates and similar material to be comminuted, comprising a rotor (1) which is drivable in rotation and which has a plurality of blade-like comminuting tools (24) which can be brought into contact with the material in order to comminute same. In order to provide an apparatus for comminuting agglomerates and similar material as well as a corresponding method, which ensure a better comminuting effect and thereby and also by further measures substantially prevent material caking phenomena it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the comminuting tools comprise narrow knives (24) whose thickness measured in the axial direction of the rotor does not exceed 20 mm and whose repetition spacing in the axial direction is a maximum of 50 mm.

Abstract: Used tires are chopped up in a punch press which progressively punches out areas of each tire lying flat in the press. The tire fragments are conveyed from the press to a collection container. An elevator mechanism may receive four tires stacked vertically, each used tire therein successively fed into the press by a feed mechanism receiving each tire from the elevator mechanism. An on-site enclosure houses all of the components and a container of collected fragments which is accessed for removal through a door in the enclosure.

Abstract: A bucket type jaw crusher comprises a hydraulic motor connected to one end of an eccentric main shaft, a flywheel connected to the other end of the eccentric main shaft, and a counterweight for balance adjustment fitted at an intermediate section of the eccentric main shaft between the hydraulic motor and the flywheel. A movable jaw teeth side load receiving section of a toggle plate is placed at an upper position than a bucket side load receiving section of the toggle plate, and while movable jaw teeth are reciprocated by rotation of the eccentric shaft, an object to be crushed is pressed against stationary jaw teeth by the movable jaw teeth via rocking motion of the toggle plate.

Abstract: A machine for dressing externally viewable surfaces of a building block. The machine includes transport section and a block modifying section. The transport section engages a building block and the block modifying section dresses the viewable surfaces of the block. The transport section and the block modifying section are moved in a linear direction, relative to each other. The block modifying section is able to dress an entire viewable surface of a block or selected portions of a block. The block modifying section includes block modifier units that have different operational characteristics and motions. One block modifier unit operates in a reciprocating fashion and another block modifier unit operates in a rotary fashion. The different block modifier units are used on different viewable surfaces of a block and may be used alone or in conjunction with each other to produce building blocks having differently dressed viewable surfaces.

Abstract: A connector is provided, which is applicable to a high frequency vibration generator of a high frequency disintegrator. The high frequency. vibration generator has an axially installed operational portion for outputting high frequency vibration energy. The connector includes a connecting portion axially connected to the high frequency vibration generator, an action portion axially extended from an end of the connecting portion, and an inlet and an outlet, which communicate with the action portion and are located on different planes from each other. A high frequency vibration device having the connector is also provided.

Abstract: A compactor (1) including: a transporter (3); an impact tool (10); a lifting mechanism (9) capable of lifting the impact tool (10) to a raised position; a substantially elongate support mast (2) coupled to the lifting mechanism (9) and capable of supporting the raised impact tool (10), and a mast stabilisation system characterised in that the stabilising system is capable of adjusting the orientation of the support mast (2) to allow the impact tool (10) to descend substantially vertically from said raised position without the transmission of any lateral force by the tool (10) to the support mast (9).

Abstract: A food slicer includes a lower container for holding sliced food items and one or more blades at the top. A pushing element is secured within a housing, with the housing being configured to slide vertically with respect to the container. A pair of pillars and a pair of guides form a path such that the pushing element follows a generally straight and vertical path as it moves downward toward the blades.

Abstract: A biomass shredder system for providing a consistent flow of fuel to a furnace or feed application. The biomass shredder system includes a conveyer unit to carry a straw bale, a separator unit attached to the conveyer unit, wherein the separator unit includes a plurality of separator members and a shredding unit slidably attached to the separator unit. The shredding unit includes a plurality of blades positioned in-between each of the plurality of separator members, wherein the plurality of blades shred the straw bale.

Abstract: The present invention is a high pressure homogenizing apparatus and a method for dividing a fine solid material or fibrous cellulose of chemical, medical, and resin products in suspension as a dispersion or emulsification, or dividing by crushing cell membranes of fungi with high efficiency. The apparatus is free from valve damages to simplify maintenance and control. The high pressure homogenizing apparatus to finely divide a raw material in suspension includes a high pressure homogenizing device having an orifice, a raw material receiving passage connected to the high pressure homogenizing device, a processing piston, and a processing recess disposed in a receiver. A front end of the processing piston is inserted into the processing recess with a pressure intensifier and a volume compression inside the processing recess pressurizes the suspension in the processing recess to lead the suspension into the raw material receiving passage for dividing the raw material.

Abstract: A machine for slicing food products, including a supported table surface with aperture for the passage therethrough of product slices; a power-driven cutting device having a horizontal blade extending above the table surface at a distance substantially corresponding to the slice thickness required; a guided horizontally sliding platform spaced above the cutting device; a power-driven reciprocating lateral thruster attached to the horizontal sliding platform for the purpose of moving the platform both to produce slices of food product and to clear the cutting device in the case it is jammed; and a vertical tube-shaped open-ended hopper rigidly supported by the horizontally sliding platform for containing a stack of food product items, the lowest item in the stack resting on the table surface and being pushed by the hopper into contact with the cutting device to produce a slice.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single shaft rotary grinder with an improved cutter and combination “comb” rotor and counter knife configuration for reducing film, fibrous material and other material which has a tendency to wrap around the rotor, rubber, solid plastics and wood. Reducing this type of material, such as plastic film, into small pieces has been problematic. This invention provides one or more comb shaped counter knives and a rotor having a plurality of geometrically shaped cutters mounted in a plurality of partial or full rows longitudinally along the rotor. The comb shaped counter knives and the rows of cutters work in cooperation to reduce film and other material into small pieces.

Abstract: A bone morselization apparatus and method according to which a cutter bit is mounted to a casing containing a motor; and the casing is manually grasped and positioned over a plurality of bone segments. When the motor is activated, the cutter bit reciprocates and the bone segments are impacted by the cutter bit to morselize the segments.

Abstract: A mechanical crushing apparatus for comminuting a polycrystalline silicon ingot, has a base and opposed comminuting and mating chisels, the chisels having longitudinal axises oriented at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the base and parallel to the surface of the base, and being movable in such a manner that a silicon ingot to be comminuted and which rests on the surface of the base can be positioned between the chisels such that all the chisels in the region of the silicon ingot are in contact with the silicon ingot, and comminution chisels in front of and behind the silicon ingot can be moved in the direction of their longitudinal axis to within a safety distance of the respective mating chisel, and the comminution chisels act on and break up the silicon ingot by means of sudden movement(s) in the direction of their longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A shredding machine includes a housing which defines a passageway through which a sheet of material to be shredded may pass, a punching mechanism comprising a plurality of punch members, a mechanism to move the punch members from a retracted position in which the punch members are spaced from the passageway to an advanced position in which the punch members extend through the passageway, and a feeding mechanism for feeding the sheet of material through the punching mechanism so that repeated movement of the punch members between the retracted and the advanced positions effects shredding of the material. A method of shredding sheet material comprises feeding a sheet of material to be shredded past a punching mechanism and repeatedly punching the sheet material so as to shred the entire sheet.

Abstract: A vehicle for breaking material is disclosed. The vehicle includes: an elongate vehicle frame; a feeder having a feed end portion and a discharge end portion, wherein the feeder is configured to convey the material from the feed end portion to the discharge end portion; and a material breaker supported via the vehicle frame with a feed end portion that is downstream from the discharge end portion of the feeder. The material breaker includes: a platform configured to support the material received from the feeder, at least one breaker element configured to move towards the platform and contact at least a portion of the material received from the feeder and supported by the platform, wherein movement of the at least one breaker element towards the platform is assisted, at least in part, by gravitational forces, and a lifting mechanism configured to move the at least one breaker element away from the platform.

Abstract: The device for packaging continuous webs of materia1, such as selvedges generated on thermoforming units, includes an input regulator of webs, driving guide for the webs, a cutting unit and, downstream thereof, a collector for bits of webs. The cutting unit has at least a blade actuated imparted with a reciprocating movement co-operating with a cutting block, and the driving guide is associated with a conveyor by air stream for the webs, preceding immediately the blade and the cutting block.

Abstract: A screening machine on a frame with a hopper having a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt discharges particulate material poured into the hopper into a rotating barrel screen or vibrating planar screen for sifting the material. A hammermill apparatus is pivotably mounted on a hood member to an arm that is pivotably mounted to the frame of the machine. The hammermill is positioned above the conveyor belt at the discharge end. The hammermill can pivot upwardly relative to the arm upon striking a large object on the conveyor belt, and a spring mounted to the arm and the hood biases the hammermill back to its original position. A hydraulic ram is drivingly linked to the arm for manually or automatically displacing the hammermill relative to the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A wooden debris compressor includes a storing tank, and a poking device under the storing tank provided with plural poking rods fixed spaced apart in a definite angle. Then alternate back-and-forth rotation of the poking rods controls the volume of wooden debris falling down, and at the same time ax-shaped knives at outer ends of the poking rods rotates also back and forth alternately to break bridged conditions of wooden debris to let wooden debris smoothly fall down through a feeding hole. Then a cutting device with a cutter is provided on a material room of a feeding device to cut wooden debris in bridged conditions in an upper portion of the material room to let it fall down in a lower portion. Then the compressor can carry out compressing operation continuously and smoothly.

Abstract: An apparatus for roughing edges of solid concrete casted blocks that includes a block support conveyor for supporting and conveying a series of blocks and at least one roughing device disposed at a given distance from a block to be roughened; the device includes at least one impacting arm having a first end connected to a drive shaft having an axis and a second end connected to an impacting element; the shaft is connected to a drive element allowing the shaft to define an arcuate reciprocating motion causing the impacting element to impact the block and to crumble concrete from an edge of the block. The arm impacts the edge at an angle of about 45° relative to the axis of the drive shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for roughing edges of solid concrete casted blocks that includes a block support conveyor for supporting and conveying a series of blocks and at least one roughing device disposed at a given distance from a block to be roughened; the device includes at least one impacting arm having a first end connected to a drive shaft having an axis and a second end connected to an impacting element; the shaft is connected to a drive element allowing the shaft to define an arcuate reciprocating motion causing the impacting element to impact the block and to crumble concrete from an edge of the block. The arm impacts the edge at an angle of about 45° relative to the axis of the drive shaft.

Abstract: This tool comprises a cover tube (11) and a shaft (13) for driving in rotation a member for processing the products, which shaft is mounted in the cover tube (11), the cover tube (11) being provided at a first end with dismountable means (21, 25) for latching onto a machine body (3).

Abstract: A cartridge for a hand operated food processor including a blade holder holding at least one blade. A quick release lock is provided for retaining the cartridge in a casing. The cartridge preferably includes at least one series of aligned blades held by the blade holder utilizable for piercing and cutting food. The invention further includes a food processor having a housing including the above cartridge and a casing holding the cartridge. The invention also includes a food processor having a housing that has at least one blade and preferably at least one longitudinal series of blades for piercing and cutting food where each of the blades has side surface portions and a cutting tip edge portion. A base is provided with openings through which the blades can pass to pierce and cut food. The base includes a fixed base portion and a removable base portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a breaker of a reinforced glass, including a power source for driving a breaking cylinder to compress a strong spring. When the compressed strong spring is released, the strong spring may produce an instantaneous bounce force so as to drive the breaking cylinder to strongly hit and break the reinforced glass, thereby breaking the reinforced glass quickly and efficiently.

Abstract: A chopper for chopping up food has an upper portion and a push rod, displaceable therein, with an actuation head and a blade. A lower portion is connected to the upper portion, and a chopped material cup serves to receive the chopped material. Inserted in the upper portion and on the top surface of the actuation head are parts made of a material which is softer than the material of the upper portion or respectively of the actuation head. Thanks to the soft parts inserted in the upper portion, the chopper can be securely held by hand. The soft part inserted on the actuation head damps the blows exerted by hand for chopping.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for performing the method by means of which accumulations of a bunkered powdery or granular bulk material which are compacted in a silo or in the conical section (15) of a container (10) are comminuted for the discharge. A swivelling member (25) is arranged above the outlet opening (18′) in the conical section (15), and on the inner wall (16′) of the conical section (15) and on said swivelling member at least one, but preferably a plurality of elongated extraction elements (14) are arranged which are oriented in the direction of the conical wall (16) of the conical section (15) and are in engagement with the compacted accumulation of the filled bulk material in such a way that during a swivelling movement of the swivelling member (25) which is oriented about the vertical axis (Y) of the container the accumulation is comminuted for the discharge as a result of a frictional, scratching or excavating action.

Abstract: A device for supplying and discharging powder particles, wherein the amount of powder particles being supplied and discharged is controlled by holding the particles in a reserve container having an outlet with a plurality of control parts disposed on supporting parts and designed to be shaken from a shaking position so that the particles in the reserve container is supplied and discharged into the outlet from between the control parts, thereby making the device simpler and smaller and reducing powder requirements and maintenance costs. Advantageously, particle size and other properties thereof, such as cohesiveness, flushing ability, types can be adjusted for by controlling the shape of the control parts, distance spaces, and vibration. Also, the device can function as sieve to remove alien material larger than the distance between the control parts.

Abstract: This fiber chopper overcomes the disadvantages of the previous cutting rollers for chopping continuous filaments. The apparatus includes a means for feeding continuous fibers through apertures in a fixed head. End mills engage the continuous fiber and chops them into discrete fiber lengths.

Abstract: A chopper for chopping up food has an upper portion and a push rod, displaceable therein, with an actuation head and a blade. A lower portion is connected to the upper portion, and a chopped material cup serves to receive the chopped material. Inserted in the upper portion and on the top surface of the actuation head are parts made of a material which is softer than the material of the upper portion or respectively of the actuation head. Thanks to the soft parts inserted in the upper portion, the chopper can be securely held by hand. The soft part inserted on the actuation head damps the blows exerted by hand for chopping.

Abstract: A cutter-separator. Product is fluidized under pressure, forced through the bore of a spring and thence through the gaps between the coils of the spring while in its extended condition. When the spring returns to its compressed, or relaxed, condition the product which has been forced through the coils is reduced in size (i.e., cut, partially cut, or mashed, as desired) by the spring. Contaminants which are too large to pass between the coils are ultimately carried to the end of the spring, downstream from the product flow, where they are discharged.

Abstract: A candle forming kit comprises a container having a cylindrical side wall, a closed bottom, and an open top. A lid is threadably coupled to said side wall so as to cover the open top. The kit includes a shaft extending through the lid and adapted to rotate about an imaginary vertical axis extending longitudinally through the container. A first end of the shaft extends upwardly through the lid and is threadably coupled to a cylindrical handle member. A second end of the shaft is disposed within the container and includes a plurality of axially spaced apart chopper blades. The shaft is also coupled to a compression spring mounted within the lid. Placement of downward pressure by a user on the handle member biases the spring and positions the chopper blades substantially adjacent the bottom wall of the container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for decomposing articles, especially contaminated articles, by means of a decomposition device. To make it possible to the use an easily manipulated decomposition device while avoiding bulky devices, and at the same time to enable in-situ decomposition, in the tightest possible space, in a way that suits packing needs, it is proposed that the decomposition device execute an oscillating motion such that as a function of the progress and/or duration of the decomposition of the article, a varying resultant of the direction of decomposition force introduced by the decomposition device is established.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing ice from an electric cable is disclosed. This apparatus comprises an impact actuator, an impact member in the from of a rod, and a fastener to hang the apparatus from the electric cable. The apparatus can be remotely activated and can be activated many times before reloading. Triggering of the impact actuator produces an impact between the rod and the electric cable suitable to produce a shock wave that propagates along the electric cable to cause the accumulated ice to break and fall on the ground.

Abstract: A reciprocating slat conveyor (22) conveys a body of bulk material (16) to the outlet end (21) of a container (12). The body of bulk material (16) is moved against a sloughing wall (10). The sloughing wall (10) includes a plurality of slats (40) that are mounted for generally up and down reciprocation. The slats (40) carry bulk material engaging teeth (60, 62). In response to the generally up and down movement of the slats (40) the teeth (60, 62) break loose the bulk material (16). The loosened bulk material falls down onto a secondary conveyor (14) which leads it away from the container (12).

Abstract: The tire shredder includes a frame, a conveyor assembly depending from the frame defining a feed path for the tires and debris from an input end to a discharge end, a carriage supported with respect to the conveyor assembly to have a reciprocating linear travel across the linear feed path at the discharge end, and a plurality of rotary cutting elements mounted on the carriage with axes of rotation parallel to the travel of the carriage. By providing a plurality of rotary cutting elements tires coming in a wide variety of sizes can be handled.

Abstract: A cutting machine for extraction of silage from flat silos includes a frame which has an underside of straight, L-shaped or U-shaped configuration for supporting a cutter assembly, and is swingably guided upwardly and downwardly by rockers or vertical guides. At least one vibrator is secured to the frame for oscillatingly driving the cutting machine.

Abstract: The tire shredder has a frame supporting two parallel, vertically spaced rails on which are mounted a wheeled carriage. A variable speed, bi-directional motor provides reciprocating movement of the wheeled carriage on the tracks. The wheeled carriage supports a cutting assembly which includes a drive motor, a shaft and a plurality of circular saws mounted on the shaft for rotation with the shaft. The shaft is mounted with its axis of rotation parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage. Tires are fed to the circular saws by a conveyer system. A bottom conveyer carries the tires substantially parallel to the floor. A top conveyor, is positioned above the first conveyer, slanting downwardly toward the bottom conveyor from the opening for the tires to the discharge point adjacent the saws. Both conveyers are driven by a variable speed motor.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of and removing jams in a chute used for transporting a flowable material includes a jam breaking device which travels within the chute. An acoustic detector detects acoustic signals associated with movement of the material through the chute and compares the acoustic signal to a stored acoustic signature representative of an unjammed chute. If a jam is detected, the jam breaking device is operated for a fixed period of time to attempt to break up the jam. After another fixed period of time, a new acoustic signal is detected and processed to determine whether the jam is still present. If so, the jam breaking device is moved a predetermined distance along the chute and operated again. These steps are repeated as long as each new acoustic signal indicates that the jam is still present.