US3680475A

US3680475A - Trash compactor cabinet

Info

Publication number: US3680475A
Application number: US143382A
Authority: US
Inventors: Floyd R Gladwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: GLADCO VERTICAL COMPACTORS Inc
Priority date: 1971-05-14
Filing date: 1971-05-14
Publication date: 1972-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-01
Also published as: CA927464A

Abstract

A cabinet for a trash compactor having a vertically arranged open top, disposable container for receiving trash and a vertically downwardly movable ram for compressing the trash in the container, including a floor pan for supporting the container and a horizontal frame above the floor pan for supporting the ram and a means for moving the ram, with the side edges of the floor pan and frame interconnected by vertical, sheet metal side cabinet panels, each having its forward and rear edges bent into vertical tubular shapes which form the four vertical corners of the cabinet. The tubular shapes function as columns to support the frame and ram, and the panels function to receive in tension and to absorb the reaction load of the ram upon the frame and the compressive load upon the pan, which loads are transmitted to the panels by the frame and pan.

Description

United States Patent Gladwin [54] TRASH COMPACTOR CABINET [72] Floyd R. Gladwin, 14500 Eureka Road, Southgate, Mich. 48195 Filed: May 14, 1971 Appl. No.: 143,382

Inventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,438,321 4/ 1969 Gladwin ..100/221 3,495,376 2/1970 Lundgren ..100/221 X 3,589,277 6/1971 Gray et al. ..100/221 X Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney-Cullen, Settle, Sloman & Cantor 1 Aug. 1, 1972 [57] ABS I'RA A cabinet for a trash compactor having a vertically arranged open top, disposable container for receiving trash and a vertically downwardly movable ram for compressing the trash in the container, including a floor pan for supporting the container and a horizontal frame above the floor pan for supporting the ram and a means for moving the ram, with the side edges of the floor pan and frame interconnected by vertical, sheet metal side cabinet panels, each having its forward and rear edges bent into vertical tubular shapes which form the four vertical corners of the cabinet. The tubular shapes function as columns to support the frame and ram, and the panels function to receive in tension and to absorb the reaction load of the ram upon the frame and the compressive load upon the pan, which loads are transmitted to the panels by the frame and pan.

9 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PKTENTEM I I912 3.680.475

SHEET 1 UF 3 INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. GLADWIN.

CULLEN, SETTLE, SLOMAN 8 CANTER PATENTEDAus 1 m2 SHEET 2 [1F 3 FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. GLADWIN.

CULLEN, SETTLE, SLOMAN a cANTm.

ATT'YS.

PATENTEDMJ: I ma sum 3 or 3 INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. GLADWIN.

CULLEN, SETTLE, SLOMAN 8 CAN'I'OR.

TRASH COMPACTOR CABINET BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Relatively small size trash compactors of the type illustrated, for example, in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,438,321, issued Apr. 15, 1969, generally consist of a cabinet within which one or two disposable bags are mounted to receive trash, with a compressing ram mounted within the cabinet above the bags for compressing the trash within the bags. Once the trash bags are filled with compressed trash they may be removed and replaced. In such type cabinets, heavy framed cabinets have been used in order to sustain the substantial compressive loads of the ram upon the trash. For example, such cabinets have included heavy tubular steel frame members, secured together to form a load absorbing structure. Over this framework various sheet metal panels have been installed to form a sightly cabinet construction.

Such cabinets are not only heavy but also expensive and time consuming to construct. Thus, the invention herein relates to cabinets suitable for trash compactors, but which is formed of light weight sheet metal, having minimum parts, easy and inexpensive to construct, with the sheet metal parts sustaining and absorbing the heavy compactor loads imposed thereon.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention herein contemplates a compactor cabinet whose load bearing parts comprise a sheet metal floor pan upon which the trash bag or bags may be supported, an upper frame for supporting the compressor ram and its operating means, and interconnecting large sheet metal, side panels whose forward and rear edges are bent into tubular shapes to form support type columns. The sheet metal panels are secured to the frame and pan in a manner to receive, in the form of tension loads, ram reactive loads applied to the support frame and the compressive loads applied to the floor pan. Thus the panels absorb these loads and rigidly hold the compactor parts together.

More specifically, the side sheet metal panels of the cabinet are structured to provide load bearing and load absorption functions as well as appearance functions. Thus, a high strength, but relatively low cost cabinet is provided herein.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, of which the attached drawings form a part.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front and side of the compactor, with the trash loading door swung into its open position.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the compactor, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the unloading door opened for removal of the trash containing bags.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bag holding hopper member, with the bag partially removed therefrom.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken in the direction of arrows 6--6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken in the direction of arrows 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one side of the cabinet, taken as if in the direction of arrows 8- 8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, taken in the direction of arrows 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the upper and lower edges of a side panel and their connections to the upper frame and the lower pan.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view, in perspective, of a portion of the floor pan.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the load bearing parts of the cabinet, with the ram mechanism and the trash bags shown in dotted line.

FIG. 13 is a perspective, fragmentary view, of the upper portion of one side of the cabinet.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view, to a smaller scale, of a modified upper frame element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the trash compactor 10 whose improved cabinet is the subject matter of this application. The load bearing portions of the cabinet, which are illustrated in FIG. 12, comprise a bottom floor pan 11 formed of sheet metal having bent side edges, with the pan opening downwardly, large sheet metal side panels 12 and an upper frame 13. The upper frame is formed of tubular metal side members 14, with cross members 15 to which are secured cylinders 16 within which compactor rams 17 are mounted for sliding upwardly and downwardly. The cylinders may be actuated by suitable hydraulic or pneumatic mechanisms (not shown) with suitable timers for actuating the ram to move downwardly for compression and upwardly for return. The construction of the cylinder, ram and attendant hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism and timing devices form no part of this invention and hence no further details are given here regarding these members.

A pair of containers 18 in the form of large paper or plastic bags are supported upon the pan, beneath the rams 17.

The forward edges of the two sheet metal side panels 12 are bent into roughly square cross-section tubular shapes 20 to form front corner columns for the cabinet. A space or slit 21 is left between the free edge of the bent metal and the adjacent body wall, with the slit being of the approximate width of the thickness of similar sheet metal.

The rear edges of the two panels are likewise bent into roughly square cross-section tubular shapes 22 forming rear column comers for the cabinet.

Each of the panels 12 are provided with integral upper flanges 23 which are bent over into a horizontal direction (see FIG. 13), which flanges are fastened to the upper surfaces of the frame side members 14 by means of suitable welds 24 or rivets. Also, the upper edges of the panels are mechanically fastened to the side faces of the side frame members 14 by means of rivets 25 or spot welds (see FIG. 12).

The lower edges of the panels 12 are formed with integral flanges 26 which fit underneath and bear against the bottom edge ofthe floor pan 1] (see FIG. 10). The lower edges of the panels are fastened by rivets 27 or spot welds to the side edge flanges 28 of the floor pan (see FIG. 10).

The floor pan is provided with channel members 29 secured thereto and extending the full width thereof for reinforcement purposes. These are illustrated, in crosssection in FIG. 11.

Additional panels are provided to close the front face of the cabinet. Thus, an upper front panel 32 (see FIG. 1) is formed with bent side edges 33 which respectively fit into the opposite slits 21 in the forward tubular shapes. Rivets 34 (see FIG. 8) secure the edges of the panel 32 to the rear faces of the forward tubular shapes, wherein these fastening rivets are concealed.

A top cover panel 35 (see FIG. 1) fits over the upper portion of the upper panel 32 and its bent side edges 36 (see FIG. 8) are suitably fastened between the tubular shapes 20. A front lower panel 38 covers the approximately lower front face of the cabinet and its side edges are fastened to the forward tubular shapes in the same manner as panel 35.

The space between the panel 35 and the panel 38 is closed by a swinging door panel 39 pivoted to the cabinet side panels by pivots 40 (see FIG. 6), and provided with side guide flanges 41 and a bent hand grip edge 42. Thus, the door 39 can be swung into vertical position or may be swung into the position shown in FIG. 1 for insertion of trash into the compactor.

The rear face of the cabinet is provided with an upper panel 43 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) whose side edges are bent into flanges 44 (see FIG. 8) secured by rivets 45 to the rear tubular shapes for concealing the rivets.

The lower half of the rear face of the cabinet is pro vided with a large swinging, unloading door panel 46 whose lower edges are pivoted upon pivots 47 (see FIG. 6) for swinging the door panel 46 into either the vertical position shown in FIG. 2 or the forwardly tipped position shown in FIG. 3. The upper edge of the door panel 46 is provided with a bent hand grip edge 48 for grasping it.

Secured to the inside face of the swinging panel 46 are a pair of U-shaped channels or hoppers 49 (see FIGS. 3-5) which are fastened by suitable blocks 50 or similar connections to the panel rear face. These hoppers or channels each receive one of the bags 18 and support the bags on three sides. They are approximately the height of the bags. The bags are secured to these hoppers by means of bending their upper edges into a fold 51 over the upper edges of the hoppers. The free edges of the hoppers bear against vertical wedge shaped blocks 52 (see FIG. 4) secured to panel 38, to hold them against springing outwardly under pressure.

Suitable casters or rollers 53 are secured to the bottom floor pin for rollingly supporting the cabinet so that it may be easily moved about and for elevating the cabinet off the support floor.

FIG. 14 illustrates a modified upper frame 54 which is rectangularly shaped with cross-members 55 to which the cylinders may be secured.

OPERATION In operation, the rear unloading door panel 46 is swung into the position shown in FIG. 3 and a pair of large paper or plastic bags are slipped into the hoppers 49. with the upper edges of the bags folded over the upper edges of the hoppers. Then the door 46 is swung into the vertical position, at which point the bottom of the bags are supported upon the floor pan 11 over the reinforcing channels 29.

The cabinet may be pushed against a wall so that its rear surface is concealed against the wall surface.

When used, for example, in a school lunchroom or cafeteria, the loading door 42 is swung into its open position (see FIG. 1) and trash is dropped through the open doorway to land inside the bags 18.

Periodically, the cylinder 16 may be actuated, either by a manual control or by an automatically timed control, to cause the rams 17 to move downwardly into the bags for compacting or compressing the trash. Thereafter, the rams retract upwardly into the cylinders waiting their next use. This operation continues until such time as the bags are filled with compacted trash. At that time, the cabinet may be rolled away from the wall surface, its rear unloading door 46 swung into the position of FIG. 3, and the bags pulled out and replaced with fresh, empty bags.

Referring to FIG. 12, the compressive forces of the ram 17 are schematically illustrated by the arrows 57. The reactive forces of the downwardly moving rams is illustrated by the arrows 58 signifying the reactive forces applied to the frame 13.

Similarly, the compressive forces upon the trash, are indicated by the arrows 59 signifying loads applied to the floor pan supporting the bags. These

loads

58 and 59 are transmitted to the panels 12 which are then, in effect, stretched or in tension for absorbing the loads and holding the cabinet and the parts thereof rigidly together. The arrows 60 signify the tension loads upon the panels.

Thus, the forwardly and rearwardly bent edges of the panels provide columns which normally support the cabinet and the panel bodies, in the main, provide the means for absorbing and resisting the loads upon the cabinet which tend to separate the top from the bottom of the cabinet.

The cabinet described above may also be used for a single ram-single bag construction by merely omitting the second ram and bag and correspondingly narrowing the cabinet, with the construction being otherwise the same as described above. Similarly, the cabinet could be widened for three bag construction, etc.

Having fully described an operative embodiment of this invention, I now claim:

1. A cabinet for a trash compactor of the type having a vertically arranged, open top container for receiving trash and within which trash is downwardly compressed by a vertical ram member having means mounting the ram member above the container for vertical movement into and out of the container, said cabinet comprising:

a horizontal floor pan upon which the bottom of the container is supported, the pan having opposite side edges;

a horizontal frame spaced a distance above and having side edges vertically aligned with the pan side edges, the frame being formed to dependingly support the ram member mounting means;

a pair of vertically elongated, rectangular, relatively thin sheet metal side panels, each vertically extending between a pan side edge and its corresponding frame side edge, the panels extending the full length of said side edges, with the upper and lower edges of each of the panels being arranged in face to face contact with and mechanically secured to their adjacent pan and frame side edges;

the vertical edges of each of the panels being bent into integral, continuous, vertically extending tubular shapes, each offset outwardly of the frame and pan, with the tubular shapes each forming one of the four vertical corners of the cabinet;

wherein the tubular shapes form vertical columns to rigidly support the frame and wherein the reaction forces applied to the frame by the downwardly moving ram member and the compressive forces applied to the pan during compression of the trash in the container are transferred through the side edges of the frame and pan to the sheet metal body of each of the panels, placing these under tension so that said side panels thereby receive and absorb said reaction and said compressive loads.

2. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and wherein the upper and lower edges of the side panels are bent into integral horizontal flanges, with the upper flanges overlapping and arranged in face to face contact with the upper surface of their adjacent frame side edges, and the lower frames are arranged in face to face contact with the lower surfaces of their adjacent pan side edges.

3. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and said frame comprising opposite, elongated side members and cross-members spanning between and having their opposite ends connected to the side members, with the cross members being located a distance from the opposite ends of the side members for extending directly over and for connection to the ram member mounting means.

4. A cabinet as defined in claim 3, and said pan comprising a flat, rectangular sheet, having downwardly bent integral edge flanges which form its side edges, and having reinforcing channels secured to the undersurface of the sheet and extending from side edge to side edge and located directly beneath the area of the sheet upon which the container is supported.

5. A cabinet as defined in claim 4, and including roller-type supports secured to the pan for supporting the cabinet for rolling movement upon a floor surface and for supporting the pan a distance above the floor surface.

6. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and with one of square cross-section, each tubular shape extending sideways outwardly of the plane of its respective panel.

7. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and with one of the tubular shapes formed on corresponding vertical edges of the panels being formed by bending the panel edge perpendicular to the panel body towards the opposite panel, then parallel to the panel body, then perpendicular to and extending back towards its respective panel body, but with free edges spaced a short distance from its respective panel body to form a continuous vertically extending slit into the roughly square crosssection tubular shape frame thereby;

and a vertical cover plate extending between said corresponding vertical edges, with the opposite d f the cove anel bent i o fla es whic re ii is rted into the ir adjacent s its anii mechani cal fastening means securing the opposite edge portions of the cover panel to their adjacent tubular shapes.

8. A cabinet as defined in claim I, the cabinet having a forward face and a rear face, with the tubular shapes formed on the rear edges of the side panels each being formed by bending its panel rear vertical edge perpendicularly outwardly of the body of the panel, then parallel to and forwardly of the panel body and then perpendicular to and towards the panel body to form a roughly square cross-sectional shape arranged on the outer surface of and extending sidewise of the body of the panel;

and with the tubular shapes formed on each of the panel forward vertical edges being formed by bending the panel edge perpendicular of the body panel towards the opposite panel, then parallel to and rearwardly of the panel body, then perpendicular to and towards the panel body to provide a roughly square cross-section on the inner surface of the body of the panel, and forwardly of the forward edges of the frame and pan.

9. A cabinet as defined in claim 8, and with the free edges of the sheet metal bent into forward tubular shapes being spaced a short distance from their adjacent body portions to form a continuous vertical slit;

and a forward, vertically arranged cover panel extending between the forward vertical shapes and having its vertical edges bent into forwardly directed flanges, inserted into their adjacent slits, with the vertical side edge portions of the cover panel fastened by mechanical fasteners to their adjacent tubular shape surfaces.

Claims

1. A cabinet for a trash compactor of the type having a vertically arranged, open top container for receiving trash and within which trash is downwardly compressed by a vertical ram member having means mounting the ram member above the container for vertical movement into and out of the container, said cabinet comprising: a horizontal floor pan upon which the bottom of the container is supported, the pan having opposite side edges; a horizontal frame spaced a distance above and having side edges vertically aligned with the pan side edges, the frame being formed to dependingly support the ram member mounting means; a pair of vertically elongated, rectangular, relatively thin sheet metal side panels, each vertically extending between a pan side edge and its corresponding frame side edge, the panels extending the full length of said side edges, with the upper and lower edges of each of the panels being arranged in face to face contact with and mechanically secured to their adjacent pan and frame side edges; the vertical edges of each of the panels being bent into integral, continuous, vertically extending tubular shapes, each offset outwardly of the frame and pan, with the tubular shapes each forming one of the four vertical corners of the cabinet; wherein the tubular shapes form vertical columns to rigidly support the frame and wherein the reaction forces applied to the frame by the downwardly moving ram member and the compressive forces applied to the pan during compression of the trash in the container are transferred through the side edges of the frame and pan to the sheet metal body of each of the panels, placing these under tension so that said side panels thereby receive and absorb said reaction and said compressive loads.

6. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and with one of the tubular shapes formed on corresponding vertical edges of each of the panels being formed by bending its panel vertical edge normal to the panel body, then parallel to and overlapping the panel body, then normal towards the panel body again to form a generally square cross-section, each tubular shape extending sideways outwardly of the plane of its respective panel.

7. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and with one of the tubular shapes formed on corresponding vertical edges of the panels being formed by bending the panel edge perpendicular to the panel body towards the opposite panel, then parallel to the panel body, then perpendicular to and extending back towards its respective panel body, but with free edges spaced a short distance from its respective panel body to form a continuous vertically extending slit into the roughly square cross-section tubular shape frame thereby; and a vertical cover plate extending between said corresponding vertical edges, with the opposite edges of the cover panel bent into flanges which are inserted into their adjacent slits and mechanical fastening means securing the opposite edge portions of the cover panel to their adjacent tubular shapes.

8. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, the cabinet having a forward face and a rear face, with the tubular shapes formed on the rear edges of the side panels each being formed by bending its panel rear vertical edge perpendicularly outwardly of the body of the panel, then parallel to and forwardly of the panel body and then perpendicular to and towards the panel body to form a roughly square cross-sectional shape arranged on the outer surface of and extending sidewise of the body of the panel; and with the tubular shapes formed on each of the panel forward vertical edges being formed by bending the panel edge perpendicular of the body panel towards the opposite panel, then parallel to and rearwardly of the panel body, then perpendicular to and towards the panel body to provide a roughly square cross-section on the inner surface of the body of the panel, and forwardly of the forward edges of the frame and pan.

9. A cabinet as defined in claim 8, and with the free edges of the sheet metal bent into forward tubular shapes being spaced a short distance from their adjacent body portions to form a continuous vertical slit; and a forward, vertically arranged cover panel extending between the forward vertical shapes and having its vertical edges bent into forwardly directed flanges, inserted into their adjacent slits, with the vertical side edge portions of the cover panel fastened by mechanical fasteners to their adjacent tubular shape surfaces.