US2885144A - Sanitary refuse disposal unit - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1959 L. E. SMITHERS SANITARY REFUSE DISPOSAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1957 INVENTQR. Law renceESmnhers ATTVJ May 5, 1959 E. SMITHERS SANITARY REFUSE. DISPOSAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1957 FIG.2

---------------- --,---a-- A-o- -+-1 INVENTOR. Lawrence E. Smithers BY W 771M.

United States Patent C) SANITARY REFUSE DISPOSAL UNIT Lawrence E. Smithers, Silver Spring, Md.

Application March 20, 1957, Serial No. 647,400

3 Claims. (Cl. 232-435) This invention relates to refuse disposal units in general and more particularly appertains to improvements therein in which the disposal unit is completely enclosed and yet is accessible both from inside the building structure with which it is associated, and from the outside of the building so that the user may deposit trash in the receptacle while in the building and a trash collector may gain access to the receptacle from outside the building.

Trash receptacles of the type having means for gaining access thereto from the inside of the building and wherein the receptacles are usually mounted exteriorly of the building are conventional. However, it is of primary concern in connection with this invention to provide a trash receptacle of this general character wherein the receptacle is normally housed within the confines of the building with which it is associated, there being an access door in the interior of the building leading to the receptacle and there being an exterior access door so that the receptacle may be pulled out of the building in drawer-like fashion and subsequently tipped to a dumping position, for the convenience both of the user and of the personnel collecting the trash or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved trash receptacle assemblage incorporating a sup porting structure within which the receptacle is normally housed and including guide means for mounting a trash receptacle and permitting the receptacle to be moved from within the confines of the supporting structure to a position at least partially projecting from the support structure, whereby in the latter position the receptacle may be tipped or tilted to a dumping position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of trash receptacle including internally mounted guide or track assemblies between which the receptacle is mounted, with there being provided means carried by the receptacle and engaged with the tracks or guides for permitting the receptacle to be moved horizontally between a normal out-of-the-way position wherein it is readily accessible from inside the building with which it is associated and a secondary position wherein it is at least partially projected outwardly of the building and wherein it can be readily and easily tilted to a dumping position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide improvements in trash receptacles incorporating a rigid open framework having a pair of spaced apart, horizontally disposed guide assemblies incorporated therein and forming a part of the framework, each of the guide assemblies including upper and lower bar members adjustably carrying a generally U-shaped track rod, with the receptacle being mounted between the guide assemblies and carrying rollers engaged with cooperating track rods on opposite sides of the receptacle, and wherein stabilizing means are incorporated in conjunction with the rollers which are engaged with the upper rail of each of the guide assemblies to normally retain the receptacle the receptacle is withdrawn from within the confines of the support assembly. to be tipped into a substantially vertical, dumping position.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial elevation illustrating de-- tails of the guide assemblies; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing the inner edge of one of the guide rails.

As is shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the trash recep-- tacle assemblage includes a pair of generally rectangular support frame members 10 and 11 interconnected on opposite sides thereof by guide assemblies 12 and 13, it being preferred that the entire supporting framework for the receptacle 14 be constructed so as to provide a unitary, rigid structure, suitable for installation as a unit into an associated building structure, such as a residence or the like.

Fig. 2 illustrates the general construction to be em-- ployed in mounting the assemblage shown in Fig. 1 and,

in this'respect it is to be noted that the trash receptacle and its associated parts are preferred to be completely enclosed. In Fig. 2, reference numeral 15 indicates an exterior wall of a building and hingedly mounted onthe outer face thereof is an access door 16 having a suitable handle 17, preferably of the type having latch means associated therewith so as to tightly hold the door'in closed position, and in this respect it is preferable to utilize some sort of seaiing means, such as rubber strips,

around the inner edge of the door to provide a goodseal. An interior side wall 18 of the building structure may be provided with an interior access door 19 having suitable latch means 20 associated therewith and permit-- ting the housewife or user to gain ready access into the interior of the enclosure and thus place trash in the re ceptacle housed therewithin. At the same time, the trash collector may gain access to the receptacle by means of the exterior door 16, as will be more clearly understood hereinafter.

Referring back to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the frame member 10 is provided with vertical side pieces 21 and 22, each of which is identically formed, although only the right hand member 22 is clearly shown in the figure. Eachsuch side member is constructed preferably of angle iron with the forward flange thereof cut away as indicated by the reference character 23 watt-- commodate for the guide assemblies 12 and 13 and for clearing the stabilizing member, hereinafter more particu'larly referred to. The vertical side pieces 24 and 25 of the inner frame member 11 are securely fastened as by in its upright position but permitting the same, when rivets 25 and 27 or other suitable fasteners to the inner ends of the upper and lower guide bars 28 and 29 of the corresponding guide assemblies 12 and 13. Adjacent their outer ends, the bars 28 and 29 are fastened a,sas,144

3 l l similarly, as at 30 and 31 to the frame member 10. Thus, the guide assemblies 12 and 13 actually form part of the framework which supports the receptacle 14, the guide serving to rigidly interconnect the two frame elements 10 and 11 and to retain the same in fixed relative position. 1

The receptacle 14 is so formed as to be open at its top and preferably its opposite side walls '31 and 33 are joined by a single sheet of material 34 which forms the front, rear and bottom walls for the receptacle. The lower front corner 35 of each of the side walls 32 and 33 is preferably rounded in the manner shown with the sheet 34 following the contour thereof and it is also preferred that the upper rear corner 36 of each of the side walls be rounded. The purpose of this construction will be more readily apparent as this description proceeds.

One ofthe side walls 33 is provided with an access opening, 31 which, when the receptacle is disposed in its normal position wherein it is substantially completely housed within the confines of the support frame assemblage, registers with the access door 19 shown in Fig. 2 so that when the accessdoor is open, trash can be placed directly into the receptacle.

Each of the side walls 32 and 33 carries a roller assembly 38 which is engaged by a corresponding guide assembly 12 and 13 and by means of which thereceptacle is supported thereby. Since only a single roller is provided on each side of the receptacle, stabilizing means such as the rollers 39 must be provided to retain the receptaclein its normal upright position, the stablizing roller or rollers, if one is provided at each sideof the assembly, being engaged against the top surface of the upper rail 28 as is most clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates theconstruction of the rollers 38 and of the stablizing rollers 39. In this figure, it will be seen that each side wall is provided on inner and out faces thereof with rigidifying plate members 40 and 41 in the region immediately adjacent the connection thereto of the roller assemblies 38, such plates and the side walls ying a suitable axle 42 which projects horizontally outwardly therefrom and upon which the corresponding guide roller is rotatably mounted. Of course, suitable spacing means 43 may be provided to precisely and accurately position the rollers with respect to their asso ciated, guide assemblies. As is also shown inFig. ,3, the stabilizing roller or rollers 39 may have a rigidityingplate 44 associated therewith on the inner side of the corresponding side walls and carrying an axle or shaft member 45 upon which the roller 39 is rotatably mounted.

Fig-13 further illustrates details of the construction of the guide assemblies 12 and 13. In this figure, it will be seen that the upper and lower rails 28 and 29 are provided with opposed arcuate edges 46 and 47 seating the upper and lower flights 48 and 49 of the track rod member 50 therein. The track rod, as can be seen, is of circular cross section and the rollers 38 are of the type having: a semi-circular peripheral groove so as to receive and be retained in engagement with the track rod. However, it is, of course, to be appreciated that it is desirable that the upper and lower flights 48 and 49 of the track rod are to be spaced apart a vertical distance slightly greater than the diameter of the rollers 38 through the bottom of the peripheral groove thereof so that the roller will rest and turn only on the lower-flight f. the track rod the top flight functioning as a guide. Each of the track rods is of generally U-shaped configuration and presents a loop 51 at its outer end which is disposed slightly beyond the outer terminal portions of the associatedbars 28 and 29 and which ispreferably on a radius corresponding to the curvature of the rollers 28 so as to nest therewith when the receptacle is pulled to its outer extreme position. Thus the loops receptacle 14. When the receptacle has been pulled out so that the rollers 38 engage the loop stops 51, the position of the receptacle will be such that its upper rear corner will clear the top horizontal frame element 52 of the outermost frame 10 and the receptacle may be tipped or tilted downwardly to dump its contents. For readily permitting the receptacle to be pulled out and tipped, a suitable handle 53 may be provided.

The track rods 50, as previously described, are of generally U-shaped configuration but the terminal portions 54 and 55 of the upper and lower flights 48 and 49 thereof are bent outwardly to extend vertically away from one another, see particularly Fig. 4. The upper and lower bars 28 and 29 of each guide means are provided with facing aligned bores 56 and 57, there being a series of such bores in each track bar and the outwardly bent ends 54 and 55 of the track rods are disposed therein so as to fix them to the track bars. In this way, the location of the loop stops 51 may be accurately determined as may be necessary to adapt the assemblage to the particular installation. Fig. 5 illustrates the disposition of the bores 56in the upper track bar 28.

It is to be noted that the provision of the tracks in the form of round members prevents their catching waste materials that might interfere with the free movement of the main support rollers. The unit may be mounted independently or in a cabinet and is readily adjustable to wall thicknesses, of either brick or frame constructions.

I claim:

1. A refuse disposalunit comprising a pair of open, rectangular frame members disposed in vertical parallel relation, guide means rigidly interconnecting opposite sides of said frame members and constituting therewith a rigid and fixed framework, an open-topped receptacle disposed between said guide means, a roller journalled on each side of said receptacle forwardly of the center of gravity of said receptacle and engaged with a corresponding guide means, said guide means including a pair of elongate horizontal bars rigidly afiixed to said frame members at each side thereof with one end portion of each of such bars projecting beyond one of said frame members and including abutment means extending between such projectingends of the bars at their extremities, said rollers being engaged between the corresponding pair of said guide bars whereby the receptacle is supported on the guide means and is movable between a stored position in which the receptacle is substantially wholly disposed within the confines of the frame members and a projecting position disposed largely outside of the frame members with said rollers being engaged against said abutment means, a stabilizing member fixed to one side of said receptacle and rearwardly of said rollers and engaged on top of the upper of the adjacent guide bars to normally support said receptacle in upright position but permitting, the rear of the receptacle carrying the stabilizing member to move arcuately upwardly away from the guide means as the front of the receptacle is rocked downwardly fordumping about the axes of the rollers when in its projected position.

2. A refuse disposal unit comprising a pair of open, rectangular frame members disposed in vertical parallel relation, guide means rigidly interconnecting opposite sides of said frame members, an open topped receptacle disposed between said guide means, a roller journalled on each side of said receptacle and engaged with a corresponding guide means whereby said receptacle is supported on said guide means and is movable between a stored position in which it is substantially wholly disposed within the confines of said frame members and a projecting position disposed substantially wholly outside said frame members, a stabilizing roller fixed to one side of said receptacle and engaged on top of the adjacent guide means to normally support said receptacle in upright position but movable away from the guide means to permit the receptacle to be rocked for dumping about the axis of the firstrollers when in the projected position,

each guide means including an upper guide bar fixed between said frame members and a lower guide bar fixed between said frame members and disposed in parallel relationship with the upper guide bar, a generally U- shaped track rod of circular cross section carried by said guide bars and having upper and lower flights extending along opposed edges of said guide bars and having a stop loop portion interconnecting such flights and disposed adjacent one end of the guide means, each of said first rollers being peripherally grooved to receive said track rod.

3. The assembly as defined in and by claim 2 wherein said guide bars are provided with a series of longitudinally spaced bores along their opposed edges, and said track v rods having outwardly and laterally bent end portions received in certain of said bores to position said stop loop portions thereof relative to the framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,621 Zimmerman May 25, 1875 870,887 Johnston Nov. 12, 1907 1,108,281 Ufiner Aug. 25, 1914 1,469,359 Craw Oct. 3, 1923 1,840,142 Vanderhoof Jan. 5, 1932 2,565,845 Frederick Aug. 28, 1951 2,749,201 Koury June 5, 1956

Images