US2719071A

US2719071A - Tiltable receptacle devices and control means therefor

Info

Publication number: US2719071A
Application number: US270359A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Wheeler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-02-07
Filing date: 1952-02-07
Publication date: 1955-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-27

Description

Sept. 27, 1955 w. H. WHEELER TILTABLE RECEPTACLE DEVICES AND CONTROL MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 7, 1952 'flllll! rill!!! rllllflllllllflflf I on QM INVENTOR WlLLl HM H. WHEELER BY Maw? ATTO R N EY United States Patent TILTABLE RECEPTACLE DEVICES AND CONTROL MEANS THEREFOR William H. Wheeler, New York, N. Y.

Application February 7, 1952, Serial No. 270,359

7 Claims. (Cl. 312-327) more particularly, my invention deals with a device of the character described wherein means is provided for checking movement of the receptacle into its closed or concealed, inoperative position.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic, side View of a sink structure illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention and illustrating the parts in a tilted position in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a face view of a casing or environment having means for storage and mounting of two receptacles with parts of the construction broken away and in section; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing only the lower part of the device and showing a modification.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically illustrated at a sink structure in the lower portion of which is arranged one of my tiltable receptacle units, generally identified by the reference character 11. The unit 11 comprises a front door or closure portion 12 on the inner surface of which is a platform 13 having depending walls, one of which is shown at 14, these walls being joined near the inner portion thereof by a transverse bearing strip 15.

The walls 14 have near their forward ends and inwardly of the door front 12 downwardly opening notches, one of which is seen at 16 for reception of a transverse pivot rod or pin 17. Secured to and projecting above the platform 13, a plurality of spring clamps 18 are employed to position and hold a suitable receptacle, such as a can 19, against displacement from the platform. The upper beaded edge 20 of the can is adapted to rest upon the inner surface of the door 12 so as to sustain the load as when the receptacle unit is tilted forward in the manner illustrated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1. This forward tilted movement is checked by a spring catch device 21 suitably fixed on the sink structure 10, as for example at 22.

Constituting part of the unit, but detachable with respect thereto, is a bracket portion 23 which can be fixed to a floor or other support as by one or more screws 24, the bracket portion having two upwardly and forwardly extending bearings, one of which is shown at 25, in which the pin or rod 17 is mounted. be understood that the pin or rod 17 constitutes part of the bracket structure. Intermediate the bearing walls 25 and integral with the bracket portion 23 is an upwardly In this connection it will 2,719,071 Patented Sept. 27, 1955 extending stop strip 26 for limiting downward movement of a foot pedal or treadle 27. The pedal or treadle 27 has a pair of upwardly extending ears 28 apertured to receive the pin 17, thus providing a free swinging movement of the pedal on said pin. The pedal has a forwardly and downwardly directed tread portion 29 which is normally spaced below the lower edge portion of the door 12 and arranged above the floor or other support on which the bracket 23 is arranged in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Supported on the rear portion of the bracket 23 is a dash-pot device 30, a cylinder of which has at its lower end portion a discharge aperture 31 controlling the degree of air discharge in operation of this device. A plunger 32 is operable in the cylinder of the device, the upper end head of the plunger being positioned to engage the lower surface of the strip 15, and a spring, diagrammatically shown at 33, is employed to raise the plunger 32 as, and when, the receptacle is tilted forward by depression of the pedal 27. The inner end .27 of the pedal 27 operates upon the undersurface of the strip 15 in moving the receptacle unit into tilted position. In this connection, it will be understood that when the pedal is operated sutficiently to move the receptacle beyond the dead center position, the receptacle will continue its forward tilted movement by gravity, and this movement is controlled and checked by the catch 21. Whenever it is desired, it will be understood that the catch 21 can be raised by hand so as to tilt the unit forward sufficiently to remove the container or can 19 for discharge of the contents. On the other hand, the entire unit, comprising the door 12 and the

parts

13, 14, 15, 18 and 19, can be removed by simply raising the unit to allow the pin 17 to clear the notches 16.

In returning the unit from its tilted position, diagrammatically shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1, all that is necessary for the operator to do is to move the unit 11 inwardly until its center of gravity is shifted inwardly of the axis of the pivot 17, after which the unit will drop into closed position automatically, and in this operation the movement of the unit is checked by action of the dash-pot device 30. The final closed position of the unit 11 can be controlled by the stop 26, it being understood that the strip 15 will rest upon the end 27' of the pedal 27. It will be understood that the tiltable unit, comprising the

parts

13, 14, 15, 18 and 19, together with the bracket unit 23, having the pivot pin 17, foot treadle 27 and dash-pot device mounted therein, can be sold as an assembled unit to cabinet makers, home owners, and the like for installation into cabinet structures of various types and kinds.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a slight modification of the structure shown in Fig. 1 wherein a unit 34, generally similar to the unit 11, is employed, this unit having a receptacle portion 35 fixed to the door front portion 12 thereof; and at the lower portion of the receptacle 35 and door front 12 is a frame comprising side strips, one of which is shown at 36, and a rear cross strip 37. The side strips 36 each have a V-notch 38 therein for pivotal mounting on a contracted pivot portion 39 of a transverse strip 40, the latter constituting part of a bracket or frame having opposed side wall portions, one of which is seen at 41.

With the construction shown in Fig. 3, a pin or rod 42 similar to the pin 17 is employed and is supported in the wall portions 41. A treadle or pedal 43 is employed and this pedal has a depending bearing portion 44 adjacent its forward end, operating on the pin 42. The outer end of the pedal has a tread portion 45 spaced below the lower edge of the door front 12 and with suflicient clearance above a supporting surface to facilitate free operation thereof. Supported on at least one ofthe wall portions 41 is a stop 46 similar to the stop 26 which checks movement of the pedal and also movement of the unit 34 into closed position. The inner end 43' of the pedal 43 engages the lower surface of the strip 37 in limiting closing movement of the unit 34.

At 47, I have shown a dash-pot device generally similar to the device 30 which is mounted in connection with at least one of the wall portions 41 and operates to check closing movement of the unit 34, in the same manner as described for the device 30. The device 47 has a plunger 48 which operates upon the lower surface of the strip 37 in accomplishing the dash-pot control of the unit 34. It will be understood that the structure illustrated in part in Fig. 3 of the drawing can be applied to a sink structure such as shown in Fig. 1 or would be applicable to any type or kind of enclosure according to the showing in Fig. 2 of the drawing which will now be specifically described.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, I have shown at 49 an enclosure unit which may comprise a cabinet of any type or kind having side walls 50, 51, a suitable top wall 52, a back wall 53 and a bottom wall 54. At 55, I have shown a duplex unit comprising a front door or closure wall which is composed of door parts 56, 56', generally similar to the wall 12 of Fig. l, and being secured at the lower portion thereof to platforms '57, 57 which are similar to the platform 13. These platforms have spring clips or the like 58, 58' for detachable mounting of containers, cans or receptacles 59, 59' thereon. Each of the platforms 57, 57 have depending, grooved side wall portions 60, 60' similar in all respects to the Wall portion 14, the grooves (not shown) of which are adapted to fit over a pivot pin 61 similar to the pin 17. The complete unit 55 or the individual tiltable units thereof can thus be detached from the cabinet 49 whenever desired.

At 62 is shown a bracket generally similar to the bracket 23 with the exception that it is made considerably wider or, in other words, the raised bearing portions 63 thereof are widely spaced in support of the pin 61. At 64 and 64 are shown two pedals or treadles, again generally similar to the pedal or treadle 27, each having a pair of raised bearing

portions

65, 65 which pivotally engage the pin 61. The treads of the pedals 64, 64' extend between the pairs of bearing

portions

65, 65 as seen at 66, 66' and beyond said bearing portions so that each tread is substantially one-half the transverse dimension of the interior of the cabinet 49, and the adjacent ends of the treads are in close proximity as seen at 67, so that the

pedals

64, 64 can be depressed collectively or individually depending on the position of the foot, in pivoting the complete unit 55 or the individual tiltable units thereof into the forward tilted positions. This forward tilted position is controlled by checks or catch devices 21 similar to the device 21 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. At 68 and 68 are shown bearing strips joining the walls 60, 60 which in all respects are similar to the strip 15, and two dash-pot devices similar to the device 30 can be employed to individually check rearward or closing movement of the containers.

It will be understood that cabinets or enclosures of the type or kind shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing can be constructed of single container units or of multiple units, shown specifically in Fig. 3, and can be used for many purposes in the home and other establishments for quick storage or disposal of various articles or matter. In other words, the tiltable container units can be utilized as garbage receptacles or receptacles for disposal of products of many types or kinds, and accordingly, in constructing cabinets such as disclosed in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the cabinet can be designed and characterized in any desired manner to suit the place of use. The cabinet structure as a whole, including all of the exterior wall portions, can be produced from any type or kind of materials, or combination of materials, and in producing articles of furniture suitable for use in the home, the cabinet can be ornamented and designed to suit the intended use.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A receptacle device of the character described comprising a tiltable unit defined by a receptacle base having an upstanding door forming panel, said base having at the lower portion thereof transversely disposed pivot engaging means adjacent said door panel and a transversely disposed bearing surface remote from said panel, a pedal arranged beneath said receptacle base for pivotal movement independently of said base, said pedal having a front foot-engaging tread and an elongated part extending rearwardly from said tread terminating in an end portion operatively engaging the bearing surface of said base, a bracket unit having transversely disposed pivotal supporting means for said receptacle base and pedal, a stop member on said bracket unit rearwardly of said pivotal supporting means and operatively engaging said pedal to limit downward movement of the last named end thereof, and the pivotal supporting means on said bracket unit comprising a unitary transverse rod providing a common pivotal axis for the independently movable receptacle base and pedal.

2. In a receptacle device of the character described, a tiltable receptacle base having transversely disposed pivot engaging means at the lower front portion thereof and a transversely disposed bearing surface at the lower rear portion thereof, a pedal arranged beneath said receptacle base for pivotal movement independently of said base, the forward end of said pedal having a transverse foot engaging tread, a member on said pedal extending rearwardly from said tread for operatively engaging the bearing surface of said base, a bracket unit having a transversely disposed rod pivotally supporting both said receptacle base and pedal, and means limiting downward movement of the rear end of said pedal.

3. In a receptacle device of the character described, a tiltable receptacle base having transversely disposed pivot engaging means at the lower front portion thereof and a transversely disposed bearing surface at the lower rear portion thereof, a pedal arranged beneath said receptacle base for pivotal movement independently of said base, the forward end of said pedal having a transverse foot engaging tread, a member on said pedal extending rearwardly from said tread for operatively engaging the bearing surface of said base, a bracket unit having a transversely disposed rod pivotally supporting both said receptacle base and pedal, a stop member on said bracket unit rearwardly of said pivotal supporting means and operatively engaging said pedal to limit downward movement of the rear end thereof, and yieldable means on said bracket unit registering with the bearing surface on said receptacle base for retarding downward movement of the rear portion of said base.

4. In a receptacle device of the character described, a tiltable receptacle base having transversely disposed pivot engaging means at the lower front portion thereof and a transversely disposed bearing surface at the lower rear portion thereof, a pedal arranged beneath said receptacle base for pivotal movement independently of said base, the forward end of said pedal having a transverse foot engaging tread, a member on said pedal extending rearwardly from said tread for operatively engaging the bearing surface of said base, a bracket unit having transversely disposed pivotal supporting means for said receptacle base and pedal, a stop member on said bracket unit rearwardly of said pivotal supporting means and operatively engaging said pedal to limit downward movement of the rear end thereof, and the pivotal supporting means on said bracket unit comprising a unitary trans-: verse rod providing a common pivotal axis for the independently movable receptacle base and pedal.

5. A tiltable receptacle unit of the character described,

said unit comprising a front door, a receptacle rearward ly of the door, a bearing strip at the lower portion of the unit, said unit having at side portions thereof adjacent the door pivot notches opening through the lower portion of the unit for detachable and pivotal mounting of said unit, means for pivotally mounting and con trolling operation of said unit, said means comprising a pivot rod operating in the notches of said unit, and a pedal swingably mounted on said pivot rod, said pedal including a unitary part extending front-to-rear with respect to said unit, the front edge of said part including a transversely extending foot tread, and the rear edge of said part operatively engaging said bearing strip to control movement of the unit into tilted position.

6. A tiltable receptacle unit of the character described, said unit comprising a front door, a receptacle rearwardly of the door, a bearing strip at the lower portion of the unit, said unit having at side portions thereof adjacent the door pivot notches opening through the lower portion of the unit for detachable and pivotal mounting of said unit, means for pivotally mounting and controlling operating of said unit, said means comprising a pivot rod operating in the notches of said unit, a pedal swingably mounted on said pivot rod, said pedal including a unitary part extending front-to-rear with respect to said unit, the front edge of said part including a transversely extending foot tread, and the rear edge of said part operatively engaging said bearing strip to control movement of the unit into tilted position, and means limiting movement of the pedal in one direction and in retaining the unit in closed position.

7. A tiltable receptacle unit of the character described, said unit comprising a front door, a receptacle rearwardly of the door, a bearing strip at the lower portion of the unit, said unit having at side portions thereof adjacent the door pivot notches opening through the lower portion of the unit for detachable and pivotal mounting of said unit, means for pivotally mounting and controlling operating of said unit, said means comprising a pivot rod operating in the notches of said unit, a pedal swingably mounted on said pivot rod, said pedal including a unitary part extending front-to-rear with respect to said unit, the front edge of said part including a transversely extending foot tread, and the rear edge of said part operatively engaging said bearing strip to control movement of the unit into tilted position, means limiting movement of the pedal in one direction and in retaining the unit in closed position, and means comprising a dash-pot device operatively engaging the bearing strip of said unit to retard movement of the unit into closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 177,320 Burgett May 16, 1876 509,479 Mayer Nov. 28, 1893 1,884,637 Feehan Oct. 25, 1932 2,386,929 Brown Oct. 16, 1945 2,444,125 Wheeler June 29, 1948 2,475,495 Haag July 5, 1949 2,506,533 Winborne May 2, 1950