BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a fragmenting apparatus and method of fragmenting, particularly for fragmenting tyres and more specifically "off the road" (OTR) tyres, into manageable size pieces for the purposes of recycling used tyres and reducing the used tyre stockpiles around the world currently having hugely detrimental effects on the environment. Many different apparatuses and/or methods for fragmenting, shredding and/or cutting tyres for the purposes of recycling are known. Many require large and very expensive equipment, and/or large amounts of power to operate.

Some require separation of a tread portion of the tyre from the sidewalls thereof, typically due to the enormous resistance to destruction put up by steel belt reinforcement in the tread portion of the tyre. Once separated, the tread portion and the sidewalls of the tyre are typically discarded using different fragmenting, shredding and/or cutting techniques. As a result, the apparatuses and methods currently employed to fragment, shred and/or cut tyres are unnecessarily time consuming requiring multiple steps or stages.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a smaller, cheaper to operate, single-stage apparatus and method for fragmenting tyres primarily for the purposes recycling. For the purposes of describing the present invention, reference to the term "tread portion" will be taken to mean that portion of a tyre normally including the tread, the undertread, the reinforcing steel belt and the carcass. Reference to the term "inner bead" will be taken to mean that portion of a tyre directly supported on a rim of a wheel. Reference to the term "sidewaH" will be taken to mean that portion of a tyre extending between the inner bead and the tread portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a fragmenting apparatus including: a rotatable mount onto which a tyre is securable, the tyre being rotatable on the rotatable mount about a first axis of rotation and restricted from axial movement there along; a cutting wheel for cutting and/or fragmenting the tyre, the cutting wheel being rotatable about a second axis of rotation being substantially parallel to the first axis of rotation and having an axial dimension substantially the same or greater than the width of the tyre; wherein the first and second axes of rotation are movable relative to one another such that the cutting wheel and the tyre are movable into and out of cutting contact with one another such that in use and in cutting contact, the tyre is cut and/or fragmented by the cutting wheel in a radially inward direction from an outer tread portion of the tyre, through its first and second sidewalls and towards its first and second inner beads.

Typically, the rotatabale mount includes locating formations on which the tyre is centrally locatable such that a central longitudinal axis of the tyre is coaxial with the first axis of rotation about which at least a portion of the rotatable mount is rotatable. Generally, the locating formations are the outer surfaces of a mounting drum, the mounting drum being rotatably driven or supported at one end and having a free end over which the tyre is receivable to be located on the mounting drum. The mounting drum may be movable between a radially inwardly retracted postion, wherein the mounting drum comprises an outer diameter substantially the same or smaller than a normal inner diameter of the inner beads of the tyre so as to enable the positioning of the tyre thereover, and a radially outwardly extended position, wherein the diameter of the mounting drum is increased to a diameter being larger than the normal diameter of the inner beads of the tyre so as to abut and press tightly against the inner beads of the tyre thereby to releasably secure the tyre to the mounting drum.

Preferably, the mounting drum may be movable between the radially inwardly retracted and outwardly extended positions by at least one extendable and/or retractable arm acting across one or more slits defined axially along the mounting drum. More preferably, the expandable and/or retractable arm is a mechanically adjustable arm, a hydraulically actuated arm, a pneumatically actuated arm or any other means of increasing and/or decreasing a gap defined across the slits defined in the mounting drum.

Jointly with or as an alternative to the movable drum, the fragmenting apparatus may include a means for clamping the inner beads of the tyre against or in close proximity to one another, wherein the inner beads clamping means is in the form of first and second clamping formations being axially movable relative to one another along the first axis of rotation.

The first clamping formation may be a formation extending radially from and/or beyond the mounting drum, sized and shaped to abut at least a portion of the first sidewall of the tyre beyond the first inner bead thereof. Furthermore, the first clamping formation may be integral with or radially spaced from a support platform extending radially outwardly beyond the first clamping formation upon which the remaining portion of the first sidewall of the tyre is supportable. Typically, the support platform comprises an outer diameter substantially the same or similar to an outer diameter of the tyre and is located along the first axis of rotation closer to the driven or supported end of the mounting drum than to the free end thereof.

Preferably, the support platform defines a cutting slot along which the cutting wheel is movable during movement of the first and second axes of rotation relative to one another thereby in use enabling the cutting wheel to be moved into cutting contact with the tyre and cut and/or fragment the tyre from the tread portion thereof radially inwardly towards the inner beads thereof. In one alternative embodiment, the support platform includes a plurality of rollers on which the first sidewall of the tyre is supportable, the rollers extending at least partially beyond a first surface of the support platform, wherein the first surface of the support platform is a surface thereof facing the free end of the mounting drum. The rollers may be freely rotatable or alternatively, driven to impart rotary motion to the tyre. The second clamping formation may at least comprise portions thereof that are sized and shaped to abut at least portions of the second sidewall of the tyre beyond the second inner bead thereof. Typically, the second clamping formation is movable along the first axis of rotation towards the first clamping formation, thereby to clamp the inner beads of the tyre between the first and second clamping formations.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the second clamping formation may be a ring-shaped member receivable over the free end of the mounting drum. The ring- shaped member may be movable along the first axis of rotation under its own weight, via hydraulic or pneumatic force applied to the ring-shaped member or by corresponding threaded engagement between the ring-shaped member and the mounting drum.

In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the second clamping formation may be a plurality of clamping arms movable with respect to the mounting drum between first retracted position, wherein the clamping arms are retracted within the outer diameter of the mounting drum thereby to enable the tyre to be receivable over the free end of the mounting drum, and second extended position, wherein the clamping arms are extended beyond the outer diameter of the mounting drum to be positioned in use over the second side wall or the tyre, or at least that portion thereof slightly beyond the second inner bead thereof.

Preferably, the clamping arms are axially movable along the first axis of rotation between the free end of the mounting drum towards the driven or supported end thereof along slots defined axially along the mounting drum such that in use, the clamping arms abut and pull the second inner bead of the tyre towards the first inner bead thereof thereby to clamp the inner beads against or in close proximity with one another.

Generally, the clamping arms are movable between the free end and the driven or supported end of the mounting drum hydraulically or pneumatically, and further wherein the slits defined in the mounting drum across which the extendable and/or retractable arms act are the slots defined in the mounting drum along which the clamping arms are movable.

Typically, the cutting wheel and the mounting drum are rotatably driven to impart rotation to the tyre by a drive means. Furthermore, the first and second axes of rotation may be either substantially vertical or substantially horizontal axes.

The first and/or second axes of rotation may be movable with respect to one another linearly or on a non-linear path. Generally, the rotatable mount is located on a first sub- frame and the cutting wheel is located on a second sub-frame, the sub-frames being movable linearly or pivotably relative to one another. Typically, the rotatable mount and the cutting wheel are rotatable independently of one another and in the same or opposite rotary directions.

Alternatively, the rotatable mount and the cutting wheel are rotatable independently of one another but in the same rotary direction, the cutting wheel having a plurality of cutting teeth directed substantially in the direction of rotation of the cutting wheel thereby enabling at least the tread portion of the tyre to be cut and/or fragmented from an inner surface thereof radially outwardly. Furthermore, the cutting teeth cutting and/or fragmenting the tyre in use from the inner surface of the tread portion radially outwardly, cuts through a steel belt within the tread portion of the tyre and then the remaining rubber outer part thereof, wherein contact of the cutting teeth with the steel belt and then subsequently with the remaining rubber outer part of the tread portion reverses any blunting of the cutting teeth arising from the cutting of the steel belt.

Generally, the cutting teeth are configured along a helical line about the cutting wheel and are tungsten tipped. The cutting teeth may be made from material other than tungsten and/or hardened to the required hardness to carry out the cutting and/or fragmenting operation.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of cutting and/or fragmenting a tyre using a fragmenting apparatus described herein, the tyre being mounted securely on the rotatable mount of the fragmenting apparatus such that the tyre is rotatable about the first axis of rotation, the method including the steps of:

(A) with the rotatable mount and tyre maintained in a stationary rotary position, switching on the drive means of the cutting wheel such that the cutting wheel rotates about the second axis of rotation;

(B) moving the first and second axes of rotation towards one another so as to bring the rotating cutting wheel into cutting contact with the tyre; (C) continuing moving the first and second axes of rotation towards one another at least until the attainment of a predetermined position wherein the cutting wheel has cut at least through a tread portion of the tyre;

(D) on attainment of the predetermined position, maintaining the relative distance between the first and second axes of rotation and switching on the drive means of the rotatable mount such that the rotatable mount rotates about the first axis of rotation at least through one full revolution enabling the cutting wheel to completely cut away and/or fragment the tread portion of the tyre; and (E) on the rotatable mount having passed through at least one full revolution, and with the tread portion now having been completely cut away and/or fragmented, again moving the first and second axes of rotation towards one another so as to enable the cutting wheel to continue cutting the sidewalls of the tyre towards the inner beads thereof.

Generally, the predetermined position is the position at which half of the cutting wheel has passed through the tread portion of the tyre. Typically, the rotatable mount and the cutting wheel are rotated in the same direction such that cutting teeth on the cutting wheel cut and/or fragment at least the tread portion of the tyre from an inner surface thereof radially outwardly.

Preferably, the cutting wheel cutting and/or fragmenting at least the tread portion of the tyre from the inner surface thereof radially outwardly cuts and/or fragments a steel belt within the tread portion of the tyre and then the remaining outer rubber part thereof such that the cutting teeth blunted by the cutting and/or fragmenting of the steel belt are re-sharpened by subsequently passing through the remaining outer rubber part of the tread portion of the tyre.

The fragmenting apparatus and/or method of using such apparatus may be automatic and/or computerised. Typically, the fragmenting apparatus comprises safety guards to protect persons from coming into contact with moving parts. Preferably, the fragmenting apparatus includes proximity sensors that automatically and immediately stop the operation of the fragmenting apparatus in the event of a person or object entering a predefined zone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a fragmenting apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 1 with a tyre mounted thereon;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 1 with a cutting wheel thereof cutting and/or fragmenting the tyre;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 1 with the cutting wheel having cut and/or fragmented a tread portion of the tyre;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a fragmenting apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 5 with a tyre mounted thereon and with clamping arms orientated in a first retracted position; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 5 with the tyre mounted thereon and with the clamping arms orientated in a second extended position;

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 5 with an inner bead of a second sidewall of the tyre being pulled operatively downwardly by the clamping arms to clamp against or in close proximity with an inner bead of a first sidewall of the tyre.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 5 with a cutting wheel thereof cutting and/or fragmenting the tyre;

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the fragmenting apparatus of figure 5 with the cutting wheel having cut and/or fragmented a tread portion of the tyre; and Figure 11 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a fragmenting apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A fragmenting apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is designated generally with the reference numeral 10 in figure 1. The fragmenting apparatus 10 includes a rotatable mount in the form of a mounting drum 12 rotatable about a first axis of rotation, and a cutting wheel 14 rotatable about a second axis of rotation 18.

The mounting drum 12 is rotatably mounted on a first shaft 20, and more particularly, on a first end thereof. An opposite second end of the first shaft 20 is cantilevered from a first sub-frame 22 and coupled to a drive pulley 24. A drive belt 26 passes between the drive pulley 24 and a pulley on a drive means (not shown) thereby transmitting drive from the drive means to the rotatable mounting drum 12.

It will be appreciated that although the drive means may be any form of drive means that it is preferably an electric motor. It will be further appreciated that drive may be transmitted to the mounting drum 12 in many other ways other than the way illustrated in the accompanying figures.

Referring now also to figure 2, the mounting drum 12 comprises a slit down its axial length thereby defining a gap 27 between free ends 12A.12B of the mounting drum 12. An expandable and/or retractable arm (not shown) is mounted across the gap 27 thereby to expand and/or contract the gap 27, as depicted by arrow "G", for the purposes of increasing and/or decreasing the overall diameter of the mounting drum 12.

With the mounting drum 12 in the retracted (smaller diameter) position, a tyre 300 is locatable over the free cantilevered end of the mounting drum 12 such that the inner beads 302 of the tyre 300 rest on the mounting drum 12. The expandable and/or retractable arm is then expanded, thereby expanding the gap 27 and as a result, increasing the diameter of the mounting drum 12 to a larger diameter.

The mounting drum 12, in the expanded (larger diameter) position abuts and presses tightly up against the inner beads 302 of the tyre 300, thereby securing the tyre 300 on the mounting drum 2 such that the tyre 300 is rotatable with the mounting drum 12, but restricted from moving axially with respect to the mounting drum 12 along the first axis of rotation 16. As a result, the radially expandable and/or retractable mounting drum 12 acts as a releasable securing formation for securing the tyre 300. It will be appreciated that the expandable and/or retractable arm may be a mechanical arm, for example, a threaded rod and nut system being adjustable manually. Alternatively, the expandable and/or retractable arm may be a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated ram.

The cutting wheel 14 is rotatably mounted on a second shaft 38, in turn supported at opposite ends thereof on a second sub-frame 28. A drive pulley 30 is coupled to one of the ends of the second shaft 38, with a drive belt 32 passing between the drive pulley 30 and a pulley on a drive means (not shown) thereby transmitting drive from the drive means to the rotatable cutting wheel 14. As is the case with the drive means of the mounting drum 12, it will be appreciated that although the drive means may be any form of drive means, that it is preferably an electric motor. It will be further appreciated that drive may be transmitted to the cutting wheel 14 in many other ways other than the way illustrated in the accompanying figures, for example, via a gear mechanism.

The cutting wheel 14 comprises a plurality of cutting teeth 33, preferably arranged on a helical line running along the cutting wheel 14. To enable the tyre 300 to be cut and/or fragmented by the fragmenting apparatus 10, it is important that the axial dimension "D" of the cutting wheel 14 is greater than the width "w" of the tyre 300, and more preferably greater than the axial dimension "d" of the mounting drum 12. With the axial dimension "D" of the cutting wheel 14 being greater that the axial dimension "d" of the mounting drum 12, the fragmenting apparatus 10 is capable of accommodating tyres 300 having a width "w" substantially the same or similar to the axial dimension "d" of the mounting drum 12.

Operation of the fragmenting apparatus 10 is largely enabled by the substantially parallel orientation of the first and second axes of rotation 16,18 relative to one another, and the maintaining of this parallel orientation throughout movement of the first and second axes of rotation 16,18 relative to one another. Although the movement of the first and second axes of rotation 16,18 relative to one another may be imparted in many different ways, the method employed in the first preferred embodiment of the invention is by a pivoting action "P" of the second sub- frame 28, pivotably supported on the first sub-frame 22 about pivot axis 34. The second sub-frame 28 is pivotably movable on the first sub-frame 22 by a hydraulic or pneumatic ram acting between the first and second sub-frames 22,28.

Referring now to figure 5 and turning to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, where like reference numerals designate like parts, the fragmenting apparatus 110 comprises vertically orientated parallel first and second axes of rotation 116,118 instead of the horizontally orientated parallel first and second axes of rotation 16,18 of the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

The fragmenting apparatus 110 also comprises a slightly modified rotatable mount and releasable securing formation in the form of a mounting drum 112 that may or may not be radially expandable and/or retractable for the purposes of releasably securing the tyre thereto. Whether the mounting drum 112 is expandable and/or retractable or not, it will be appreciated that the mounting drum 112, as well as the mounting drum 12 of the first embodiment of the invention, acts as a locating formation for locating the tyre 300 thereon such that a central longitudinal axis of the tyre 300 is coaxial with the first axis of rotation 116,16.

The releasably securing formation of the fragmenting apparatus 110 of the second embodiment of the invention comprises clamping means in the form of first and second clamping formations 113,115 being axially movable with respect to one another along the first axis of rotation 116 thereby to clamp the inner beads 302 of the tyre 300 against one another or in close proximity with one another therebetween.

The first clamping formation 113 is in the form of a first ring-shaped formation extending radially outwardly from the mounting drum 112, sized and shaped to abut and support at least a portion of the first sidewall 304A of the tyre 300.

The first clamping formation 113 is located on the mounting drum 112 nearer a driven end of thereof than to a free end thereof, wherein the free end thereof may comprise a tapering formation 117 to enable the tyre 300 to be easily located thereover. Furthermore, the first clamping formation 113 is positioned operatively above a support platform 119 on which the remaining portion of the sidewall 304A of the tyre 300 is supportable as illustrated in figure 6, which to a large degree reduces "bounce" in the tyre 300 during the cutting and/or fragmenting operation. To properly support the sidewall 304A of the tyre, it is preferably that the support platform 119 has an outer diameter substantially the same or greater than an outer of the tyre 300.

It will be appreciated that although not necessary, the support platform 119 may further include a plurality of rollers 121 spaced circumferentially along the support platform 119. The rollers 121 extend at least partially above an operatively upper first surface 123 of the support platform so as to better rotatably support the remaining portion of the sidewall 304A of the tyre 300.

The rollers 121 may be driven to impart rotary motion to the tyre 300. Preferably however, the rollers 121 are freely rotatable and the tyre 300 is rotated by driving the mounting drum 112, which mounting drum 112 is driven by a drive means 125 located beneath it and on a first sub-frame 122.

The support platform 119 further defines a slot 127 for accommodating the movement of the cutting wheel 114 as the first and second axes of rotation 116,118 are moved relative to one another.

With reference now also to figures 6 and 7, and with the tyre 300 located on the mounting drum 12 and/or supported on the support platform 9, the second clamping formation 115 in form of a plurality of clamping arms 115A-115D are movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position. In the first retracted position (as illustrated in figure 6), the clamping arms 115A-115D are retracted within an outer diameter of the mounting drum 112 thereby to enable the tyre 300 to be located thereover. In the second extended position (as illustrated in figure 7), the clamping arms 115A-115D are extended beyond the outer diameter of the mounting drum 112 and located over the second sidewall 304B thereof, more specifically over at least that portion of the second sidewall 304B slightly beyond the inner bead 302 of the tyre 300.

Referring now also to figure 8, the clamping arms 115A-115D positioned in the second extended position are pulled operatively downwardly along the first axis of rotation 116, along slots 131 , towards the first clamping formation 113 thereby to abut and pull the inner bead 302 on the second sidewall 304B into contact or close proximity with the inner bead 302 on the first sidewall 304A, thereby to clamp the inner beads 302 between the first and second clamping formations 113,115. It will be appreciated that the movement of the clamping arms 115A-115D is actuated hydraulically or pneumatically. It has been found through development of the fragmenting apparatus 1 10 that releasably securing the tyre 300 in this manner imparts a compressive loading on a tread portion 306 of the tyre 300, which acts to better stabilise the tyre 300 during the cutting and/or fragmenting operation. It will be appreciated that the slots 131 may be akin to the slit in the mounting drum 12 of the first embodiment of the fragmenting apparatus 10, across which the mounting drum 112 of the second embodiment of the fragmenting apparatus 110 is expandable and retractable.

The cutting wheel 114 is rotatably driven by a drive means 129, with drive being transferred from the drive mean 129 to the cutting wheel 114 through a drive pulley 13, drive belt 132 arrangement. The cutting wheel 114 and its drive means 129 are supported in a second sub-frame 128, wherein the first and second sub-frames 122,128 are movable linearly with respect to one another thereby to move the first and second axes of rotation 116,118 with respect to one another. More specifically, and with reference to figure 9, the first sub-frame 122 to moveable in direction ""L" relative to the second sub-frame 128.

A method of using the fragmenting apparatus 10; 110 for cutting and/or fragmenting the tyre 300 will now be described with specific reference to figures 2 to 4 and figures 8 to 10 in respect of the first and second preferred embodiments of the invention respectively.

With the tyre 300 securely mounted on the fragmenting apparatus 10; 110 and maintained stationary, the cutting wheel drive means is switched on thereby rotating the cutting wheel 14; 114 at high speed about the second axis of rotation 18; 118. The first and second axes of rotation 16,18; 1 6,118 are moved towards one another such that the cutting wheel 14; 114 is moved into cutting contact with the tyre 300.

The cutting wheel 14; 114 is moved further radially inwardly with respect to the tyre 300 up to a predetermined position where the cutting wheel 14; 114 has cut through the tread portion 306 of the tyre 300 and/or where half of the cutting wheel 14; 114 has passed through the tread portion 306 of the tyre 300, as illustrated in figures 3 and 9.

At this point, the inward radial movement of the cutting wheel 14; 114 relative to the tyre 300 is stopped (i.e. the distance between the first and second axes of rotation 16,18; 116,118 is maintained) and the mounting drum 12,112 drive means is switched on thereby imparting a rotary motion to the tyre 300 about the second axis of rotation 16;1 6. With the cutting wheel 14; 114 rotating at high speed and tyre 300 rotated through at least one full revolution at lower speed, the tread portion 306 is completely cut away and/or fragmented from the tyre 300 as illustrated in figures 4 and 10.

Tyres 300, especially of the OTR tyre type, include a steel belt typically located closer to an inner surface of the tread portion 306 thereof. It has been found during the development of the fragmenting apparatus 10; 110 that the tyre 300 is best cut and/or fragmented by cutting the steel belt first and then the remaining rubber part of the tread portion 306. For this reason, the tyre 300 and the cutting wheel 14; 114 are rotated independently in the same clock-wise or counter clock-wise direction, with the cutting teeth 33; 133 being directed circumferentially in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the cutting wheel 14; 14.

During operation, with the cutting wheel 14; 114 cut half way down its diameter into the tyre 300, the cutting teeth 33; 133 cut and/or fragment the tread portion 306 from an inner surface thereof radially outwardly. The cutting and/or fragmenting of the steel belt may cause the cutting teeth 33; 133, typically tungsten tipped, to become blunted. However, and at least to a small extent, the cutting and/or fragmenting of the remaining rubber part of the tread portion 306 after having passed through the steel belt has the effect of re-sharpening the cutting teeth 33; 133. As such, the cutting teeth 33; 33 are self-sharpening.

With the tread portion 306 removed, further inward radial movement of the cutting wheel 14; 1 14 relative to the tyre 300 is restored (i.e. the first and second axes of rotation 16, 18; 1 16,1 18 are once more moved closer towards one another) such that the cutting wheel 14; 1 14 continues to cut and/or fragment the sidewalls 304A,304B of the tyre 300 down to the inner beads 302 thereof. At this point, the inner beads 302 may be removed from the fragmenting apparatus 10; 1 10 to be discarded.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments and examples, it will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

A first example of such modification or variation is illustrated in figure 1 1 , illustrating a third embodiment of the fragmenting apparatus 210 where like reference numerals designate like parts. The fragmenting apparatus 210 comprises a second clamping formation in the form of a ring-shaped weight member 215 which replaces the clamping arms 115 of the second embodiment of the fragmenting apparatus 110. The ring- shaped weight member 215 is lowered onto the mounting drum 212 such that the weight of the ring-shaped weight member 215 acts on the inner bead 302 of the second sidewall 304B to force it operatively downwardly and into abutment or close proximity with the inner bead 302 on the first sidewall 304A of the tyre 300. It is envisaged that the ring-shaped weight member 215 would be raised and lowered from the mounting drum 212 using an overhead crane, as would be the case to raise and lower the tyre 300 there onto. A second example of such modification or variation could be the order in which the cutting and/or fragmenting operation happens. Before cutting the sidewalls 304A,304B of the tyre 300, further tyres may be mounted onto the fragmenting apparatus 0; 1 10 to have their tread portions 306 cut away. Thereafter, the sidewalls 304A,304B of the multiple tyres 300 can be cut and/or fragmented simultaneously. A third example of such modification or variation could be that the mounting drum 12, 112 is replaceable to accommodate different sized tyres 300. A fourth example of such modification or variation is that instead of cutting and/or fragmenting the tyre 300 in a radially outward-to-inward direction, the tyre 300 may be cut and/or fragmented in a radially inward-to-outward direction. Furthermore, instead of cutting and/or fragmenting the tread portion 306 of the tyre 300 in a radially inward-to- outward direction, the tread portion 306 may be cut and/or fragmented in a radially outward-to-inward direction.

It will be appreciated further that the fragmenting apparatus 10; 110 may be operated manually or automatically through computerised systems. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the fragmenting apparatus 10; 110 comprises of the necessary safety equipment (guards, proximity sensors, etc) to keep operators free from injury.