| 20090084276 | Apparatus for reducing volume of a beverage container and apparatus for separating beverage containers - An apparatus for separating beverage containers according to the present invention has a vibrating screen arranged with a slope, over which an apparatus for reducing the volume of a beverage container is installed. The volume reduction apparatus has a pair of tires which have a fixed center distance therebetween and are in pressure contact with each other. A plurality of engaging members are circumferentially arranged on the outer periphery of one of the tires. Empty cans and PET bottles are fed to and crushed in the pressure contact area in the volume reduction apparatus. The separation apparatus screens out the crushed empty cans during vibration transfer, based on a difference in thickness between the crushed empty cans and the crushed PET bottles. Empty cans passed unscreened and the PET bottles are separated by a weir member, utilizing a difference in the height direction. The crushed cans are simply let through, and the crushed PET bottles are guided to either side of the vibrating screen by the weir member and discharged from outlets. | 04-02-2009 |
