Method and apparatus for sorting, counting and flattening cans

Claim 5

The method defined in claim 2 wherein one roller is configured to produce a gripping effect on the ring end of the can.

Claim 8

A flattening device for flattening brand name cans having identifying indicia printed on the ring end and returned by individual customers to a retail outlet, said device comprising, a pair of juxtaposed rollers, surface means on one roller for producing a gripping effect on one end of a can, rotating means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, said surface means being configured to cause the body of the can to be folded over the back side of said one can end to ensure that all identifying indicia provided on said one can end are peserved and are easily readable after the can has been completely flattened by said rollers.

Claim 9

A flattening device for flattening brand name cans having identifying indicia printed on the ring end and returned by individual customers to a retail outlet, said device comprising, a pair of juxtaposed rollers, surface means on one roller for producing a gripping effect on one end of a can, rotating means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, said surface means being configured to cause the body of the can to be folded over the back side of said one can end to ensure that all identifying indicia provided on said one can end are peserved and are easily readable after the can has been completely flattened by said rollers.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said surface means on said one roller comprises a series of spaced apart raised cleats located on the circumference of said one roller.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the other roller has a smooth circumferential surface.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein each cleat has a leading edge located on a radial extension of said one roller and which edge is substantially perpendicular to a tangent at the point where said leading edge is formed on said one roller.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein each cleat has a trailing edge downstream from said leading edge and which forms an angle of approximately 30° to 60° with said leading edge.

Claim 14

A can flattening device comprising, a pair of juxtaposed rollers, surface means on one roller for producing a gripping effect on one end of a can, rotating means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, said surface means being configured to cause the body of the can to be folded over the back side of said one can end to ensure that all identifying indicia provided on said one can end are easily readable after the can has been completely flattened by said rollers, and wherein said one roller has a larger outer diameter than the other roller.

Claim 15

A can flattening device comprising, a pair of juxtaposed rollers, surface means on one roller for producing a gripping effect on one end of a can, rotating means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, said surface means being configured to cause the body of the can to be folded over the back side of said one can end to ensure that all identifying indicia provided on said one can end are easily readable after the can has been completely flattened by said rollers, and wherein said one roller has a larger outer diameter than the other roller.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said other roller has a smooth circumferential surface.

Claim 17

A can flattening device comprising, a pair of juxtaposed rollers, surface means on one roller for producing a gripping effect on one end of a can, rotating means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, said surface means being configured to cause the body of the can to be folded over the back side of said one can end to ensure that all identifying indicia provided on said one can end are easily readable after the can has been completely flattened by said rollers, and wherein said rotating means rotates said one roller at slower rpm and slower surface feet per second than the other roller.

Claim 18

A can flattening device comprising, a pair of juxtaposed rollers, surface means on one roller for producing a gripping effect on one end of a can, rotating means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, said surface means being configured to cause the body of the can to be folded over the back side of said one can end to ensure that all identifying indicia provided on said one can end are easily readable after the can has been completely flattened by said rollers, and wherein said rotating means rotates said one roller at slower rpm and slower surface feet per second than the other roller.

Claim 19

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means including a pair of oppositely rotating rollers operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the back side of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; and (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans.

Claim 20

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means including a pair of oppositely rotating rollers operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the back side of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; and (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 13 wherein said sorting means comprises a plurality of branded can tubes to accommodate each of the different can brand names.

Claim 22

The invention of claim 14 wherein the counting means comprises counter activating switches operatively associated with the branded can tubes for counting a can each time a can is passed through a branded can tube.

Claim 23

The invention of claim 13 wherein said flattening means comprises, surface means provided on one roller for providing a gripping effect on one end of a can; and means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other.

Claim 24

The invention defined in claim 16 wherein said surface means on said one roller comprises a series of spaced apart raised cleats located on the circumference of said one roller.

Claim 25

The invention of claim 17 wherein each cleat has a leading edge located on a radial extension of said one roller and which edge is substantially perpendicular to a tangent at the point where said leading edge is formed on said one roller.

Claim 26

The invention of claim 18 wherein each cleat has a trailing edge downstream from said leading edge and which forms an angle of approximately 45° with said leading edge.

Claim 27

The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the other roller has a smooth circumferential surface.

Claim 28

The invention of claim 13 wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of removable containers, each container arranged to receive flattened cans from a specific branded can sorting means.

Claim 29

The invention of claim 21 wherein said storage means further comprises box guide means operatively associated with the machine for slidably receiving each box in a specific predetermined position downstream of said flattening means whereby a full box may be quickly and easily replaced with an empty box.

Claim 30

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the back side of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; and (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans, and wherein said sorting means comprises a plurality of branded can tubes to accommodate each of the different can brand names and wherein the counting means comprise counter activating switches operatively associated with the branded can tubes for counting a can each time a can is passed through a branded can tube and wherein the counting means further comprises means for selectively counting by brand name each can passing through a branded tube; and, means for simultaneously counting and totaling both the total number of each brand of cans supplied by an individual customer and the total number of cans of all brands supplied by an individual customer.

Claim 31

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the back side of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; and (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans, and wherein said sorting means comprises a plurality of branded can tubes to accommodate each of the different can brand names and wherein the counting means comprise counter activating switches operatively associated with the branded can tubes for counting a can each time a can is passed through a branded can tube and wherein the counting means further comprises means for selectively counting by brand name each can passing through a branded tube; and, means for simultaneously counting and totaling both the total number of each brand of cans supplied by an individual customer and the total number of cans of all brands supplied by an individual customer.

Claim 32

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the backside of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans, and wherein said flattening means comprise, (a) a pair of juxtaposed rollers; (b) surface means provided on one roller for providing a gripping effect on one end of a can; (c) means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, and wherein said one roller has a larger outer diameter than the other roller.

Claim 33

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the backside of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans, and wherein said flattening means comprise, (a) a pair of juxtaposed rollers; (b) surface means provided on one roller for providing a gripping effect on one end of a can; (c) means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, and wherein said one roller has a larger outer diameter than the other roller.

Claim 34

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the back side of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans, and wherein said flattening means comprise, (a) a pair of juxtaposed rollers; (b) surface means provided on one roller for providing a gripping effect on one end of a can; (c) means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, and wherein said rotating means rotate said one roller at slower rpm and slower surface feet per second than the other roller.

Claim 35

A can sorting, counting and flattening machine comprising: (a) a can bin for receiving a plurality of unsorted, uncounted and unflattened cans having various brand names thereon; (b) sorting means for receiving and sorting the cans according to brand name; (c) counting means operatively associated with the sorting means for sensing and counting the passage of each sorted can through the sorting means; (d) flattening means operatively associated with said sorting means and said counting means for flattening each sorted can in a manner whereby the body of the can is folded over the back side of the ring end of the can so that all identifying indicia on the ring end are easily readable; (e) storage means located downstream from said flattening means for storing each brand name group of sorted, counted and flattened cans, and wherein said flattening means comprise, (a) a pair of juxtaposed rollers; (b) surface means provided on one roller for providing a gripping effect on one end of a can; (c) means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions relative to each other, and wherein said rotating means rotate said one roller at slower rpm and slower surface feet per second than the other roller.