US3050209A - Garbage receptacle - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 21, 1962 E. R. GERMAlNE ETAL 3,050,209

GARBAGE RECEPTACLE Filed May 5, 1960 INVENTORS Edward R. Germgine y Chad L. Germaine Attorneys United rates aten 95 3,050,209 GARBAGE RECEPTACLE Edward R. Germaine, 5633 Sapunor Way, Carmichael, Calif., and Chad L. Germaine, 3812 Anadale Lane,

Sacramento, Calif.

Filed May 5, 1960, Ser. No. 27,143 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-18) This invention relates to garbage receptacles and, more particularly, to garbage receptacles adapted for being sunk partially into the ground and for being in part foot-operated.

Sunken, foot-operated garbage receptacles have usually been designed with somewhat insuificient regard for one of the major features of their operation; that is, they have often been designed without suflicient regard to smoothness and quietness of operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sunken foot-operated garbage container which is particularly adapted for smooth and noiseless operation throughout.

It is another object of the invention to provide a garbage receptacle which is adapted for cushioned assembly and separation of the various separate parts.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a garbage container which is easy to keep cleaned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and generally improved sunken foot-operated garbage receptacle.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment described in the following description and shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is'a perspective view of, the garbage receptacle of the invention, with the lid in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective View of the garbage receptacle shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view, to an enlarged scale, of the receptacle in ground-mounted position.

While the device of the invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending on the environment and requirements of use, substantial numbers of the herein shown and described embodiment have been made, used and sold, and have performed in a very successful manner.

The garbage receptacle of the invention includes an outer container formed as a hollow cylindrical shell 11 having an upwardly opening mouth 12 and adapted to be sunk into the ground 13 (FIGURE 3). The shell 11 is curled outwardly at the mouth 12 to define a peripheral flange 14 for limiting the extent of insertion of the shell into the ground, the flange 14 being reversely and downwardly peripherally curled for providing an elevation of the mouth 12 above the ground level to guard against surface drainage into the mouth.

The ground 13 may be prepared with an upper structural surface, such as a layer or slab of concrete 16 or other material, the slab having an opening 17 formed therein corresponding in diameter to the greatest diameter of the body of the shell 11 but less than the maximum diameter of the flange 14. The outer lateral surface of the shell is provided with recessed portions 18 and 19, defined in part by peripheral raised portions 21 and 22, for greater strength and for receiving and engaging the material of the ground 13 after insertion of the shell downwardly through the opening 17, so as to resist withdrawal of the shell and to resist the buoyant effort of ground water on the shell.

The outer container 11 also has a cover member 23 snugly fitting over the mouth 12 and being hinged to the shell 11, as by a hinge 24, for pivotal movement, about a horizontal hinge pin 26, in a vertical plane. The cover member 23 is provided with foot-operable means, here shown as including a lever 27 extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the hinged portion of the cover member, and in a direction extending generally from the hinge pin 26, so that the cover member is opened upon downward pressure of a foot on the lever 27.

-It wil be seen that the hinge pin 26 is elevated above the surface of the surrounding concrete 16, so that the lever 27, When pressed fully downwardly, engages the concrete at an angle adapted to hold the opened cover member radially outwardly inclined with respect to the shell 11. The mouth 12 is thuscleared for unimpeded insertion or removal of the contents and when fully opened the lid will stay open until urged toward closed position.

Th device of the invention is also provided with an inner container formed as a hollow cylindrical bucket 31 having an upper rim 32 defining an opening 33. The bucket 31 fits snugly within the outer container shell 11 with the upper rim 32 formed for and snugly engaging the under side of the cover member 23, and defining with the cover member and with the shell 11 a relatively restricted air space 36 (FIGURE 3) for cushioning the closing movement of the cover member 23.

More particularly, the upper rim 32 of the bucket in inserted position is formed to extend above the upper portion of the flange 1'4, and the lid member is formed, as with a downwardly extending portion 37, to engage the rim 32. The lid also includes a portion 38 extending peripherally outwardly and downwardly to engage the flange 14 at a location remote from the mouth 12. Thus, the flange 14, the cover member portion 38, and the bucket rim 32 combine to define the air space 36, which, as may be seen in FIGURE 3, is relatively much smaller than the interior cavity of the bucket 31, and operates to trap a quantity of air when the cover member descends to closed position, and to cushion the impact of descent so as to prevent jarring and clatter.

It should be clear that the air cavity 36 is relatively more effective in producing such cushioning effect than would be the main interior cavity of the bucket 31, which has a considerably greater depth into which the entrapped air may be compresesd. However, while the main cavity produces a considerably smaller cushioning effect per uit cross-section (horizontal) area, there is a definite air-dome or air-cushion effect, particularly when the bucket becomes rather full of garbage.

The bucket 31 has an elongated curved bail 41 pivotally connected at diametrically opposite locations 42 and 43 on the upwardly extending rim 32 of the bucket and relatively above the level of the outer shell flange 14. The intermediate portion 44 of the bail is formed to overlie and to be supported by the rim 32 in the inoperative condition of the bail (FIGURE 3 Thus, the bail is located entirely above the outer shell 11 and beneath the cover member 31 so as not to interfere with these members, and is at the same time positioned for ready accessibility to a person operating the device. Ordinarily the bail is positioned at rest as shown in FIGURE 3, with the intermediate bail portion 44 oriented on' the hinged side 46 of the cover member 23; and the cover member, in turn, is spaced above the rim 32 of the bucket on the side 46 so as to provide room for and accommodate the bail. In this arrangement, therefore, the downwardly extending portion 37 of the cover member is formed only on the side 47 of the cover member, opposite the side 46.

The cover member 23 is also particularly formed in a domed shape, as shown in FIGURE 3, the portion 38 extending downwardly and outwardly to engage the flange 14 remote from the mouth 12 as above described, so that the structure provides a rain shed preventing falling and draining water from seeping into the outer shell 31.

As another important feature of the invention, the bucket 31 is formed with the upper and lower peripherally enlarged portions 51 and 52 snugly fitting the inner wall 53 of the outer shell 11 for causing a piston-like action of the bucket on insertion into the shell and for thereby cushioning the insertion action of the bucket 31 to prevent clatter. In this arrangement, the outer peripheral surface 54 of the bucket, intermediate the upper and lower portions 51 and 52, is of smaller diameter than the portions 51 and 2, and is thus spaced from the inner wall 53 of the shell for minimal frictional resistance therewith during insertion and withdrawal of the bucket 31.

Also, to reduce noise andfclatter, the bucket 31, the

, shell 11 and the cover member 23 with the associated lever 27 and hinge 24, are all preferably made of a material such as fiberglass, for ease of cleaning, resistance to chemical attack and physical shock, and may be cast or moulded to form for reducing the manufacturing costs.

What is claimed is:

I A garbage receptacle comprising:

(a) a hollow cylindrical shell having an upwardly opening mouth;

(b) a peripheral curled flange encompassing said mouth and extending outwardly therefrom, the outer margin of said flange being at an elevation below said mouth for supporting said shell at an elevation such that said mouth is above ground level;

(c) a plurality of peripherally raised portions disposed on the outer walls of said shell, said flange being in bearing engagement with the surface of the ground and said peripherally raised portions including upper radial shoulders capable of engaging the ground packed above them and of resisting the upward buoyancy of said shell in wet ground;

(d) a hollow cylindrical bucket insert-able in said shell, sad bucket including an upper annular margin defining a central opening, the elevation of said margin being at least as high as the elevation of the highest portion of said flange, said bucket further including on its outer walls aplurality of peripherally enlarged bands, .the outer periphery of each of said bands having a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of said shell for causing apiston-like action as said bucket is inserted in said mouth and released; and

(e) a foot-operated cover pivotally mounted on said flange, said cover including a downwardly extending annular portion adapted to register in closed position with said upper annular margin of said bucket, and a peripheral rim on said cover, said peripheral rim extending radially beyond said downwardly extending annular portion, said rim terminating at an annular margin engageable with said flange on said shell at an elevation above ground level, said rim defining with said flange on said shell and with the upper outer Wall of said bucket an annular air space, said space having a substantial volume capable of cushioning the fall of said cover from open position to closed position, said cover having a relatively low mass relative to said volume of said air space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,009,842 Jones Nov. 28, 1911 1,115,016 Pheils Oct. 27 1914 1,687,327 De Boer Oct. 9, 1928 1,907,775 Flook May 9, 1933 2,610,443 Carlson Sept. 16, 1952' 2 ,754,625 Rasmussen July 17, 1956 2,925,190 Littleton Feb. 16, 1960

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