US Patent 7322285 Mechanized can crushing apparatus

An apparatus for crushing objects includes an inlet for serially feeding objects to the apparatus and a driver roller that is rotatably driven about a first axis by a power input mechanism, wherein the driver roller has a first notch. The apparatus further includes an idler roller rotatably coupled to the driver roller so as to be rotatably driven about a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis. The idler roller has a second notch wherein the first and second notches coordinate to at least partially receive the object therein throughout a portion of respective revolutions of the driver roller and the idler roller. The apparatus may further include a crushed object outlet.