Compression apparatus for solid waste

Abstract

A compression apparatus for reducing solid waste in volume, including: a base; an axial compression mechanism for axially compressing a columnar container containing the solid waste, the axial compression mechanism including a punching mechanism having first teeth projecting radially outwards from an outer periphery thereof at equal angular intervals about an axis thereof, a bottom mold mechanism mounted on the base, and a drive mechanism for driving the punching mechanism toward the bottom mold mechanism for axial compression; and a mold adapted to be placed on the bottom mold mechanism to be concentric with the punching mechanism and having a cavity wall for coaxially receiving the container, the cavity wall including a plurality of mold projections projecting radially inwards therefrom and extending axially at equal angular intervals about the axis, each mold projection including an inclined inner face inclined to the axis and in contact with a conical plane tapering toward both the axis and the bottom mold mechanism, the cavity wall defining a radial compressing cavity at the inclined inner faces, adjacent two mold projections defining axial grooves therebetween for receiving expanded portions of the container during compression, the teeth of the punching mechanism being adapted to pass through respective axial grooves so that the punching mechanism passes through the radial compression cavity for compressing the container radially inwards.