total volume of space occupied by the compacted metal spring 4 when compared to the metal spring 4 being in its original equilibrium length position.

In further detail, still referring to the invention of Fig. 1A, the angles 10 and 12 may be any angles, more preferably between 0 and 45 degrees, more preferably between 0 and 30 degrees, and more preferably between 0 and 25 degrees.

The construction details of the invention as shown in Fig. 1A are that movable powered ram 2 must be of adequate strength to laterally compress metal spring 4 beyond its bending point or elastic limit and fixed resistance block 8 must be of adequate strength to sustain the lateral force of movable powered ram 2 at least up to where powered ram 2 compresses metal spring 4 beyond its bending point, more preferably resistance block 8 could be of adequate strength to sustain the lateral force of movable powered ram 2 up to complete failure of the metal in metal spring 4. The surface area of both movable powered ram 2 and fixed resistance block 8 must be adequate to hold metal spring 4 between them throughout the compacting process. Further, the various components of the movable ram 2 and the fixed resistance block 8 can be made of a plurality of different materials, more preferably metal, more preferably metal harder than the metal of metal spring 4.

In further detail, still referring to the invention of Fig. 1A, in which metal spring 4 is shown as a single spring, the number of springs is not limited to one, but rather may be a plurality of metal springs 4 positioned side by side between movable ram 2 and fixed resistance block 8, or may be a plurality of metal springs 4 positioned side by side and in vertical rows between movable ram 2 and fixed resistance block 8. Fixed resistance block 8 may be a movable ram 2 or a plurality of movable rams 2.

In further detail, still referring to the invention of Fig. 1A, the movable ram 2 and the fixed resistance bock 8 are not limited to a horizontal orientation, but rather together may be in a horizontal orientation or a vertical orientation or any angle inbetween a horizontal or a vertical orientation.

The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, that via compressing beyond its bending point or elastic limit, the metal spring 4 laterally to the metal spring 4 restoring force axis 6 the deformed metal spring 4 no longer follows Hooke’s law (that the force with which the spring pushes back is linearly proportional to the distance from its equilibrium length) along the restoring force axis 6 and thereby reduces the total volume of space occupied by metal spring 4 making its size more suitable and efficient for metal recycling.

In broad embodiment, the invention Fig. 1A is a metal spring compactor of any shape which comprises at least one powered ram and at least one resistance or opposing force between which at least one metal spring is laterally to its axis of resistance compressed beyond its bending point or elastic limit.