US3744409A

US3744409A - Waste container and packer

Info

Publication number: US3744409A
Application number: US00232045A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Bradbury
Original assignee: Popeil Brothers Inc
Current assignee: Popeil Brothers Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-06
Filing date: 1972-03-06
Publication date: 1973-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-10
Also published as: JPS48104366A; FR2175006B1; GB1413598A; AU5296473A; FR2175006A1; DE2310436A1

Abstract

The waste container and packer includes an open top cylindrical receptacle, a plunger reciprocally movable within the receptacle, and a seat on the upper end of the plunger. A snap ring on the rim of the receptacle guides the plunger in its reciprocal movement. A disposable liner for the receptacle has the upper end thereof folded over the rim and secured to the receptacle when the snap ring is mounted in place. Waste in the liner is packed or compressed by the weight of a person supported on the seat.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Bradbury, H

11 3,744,409 July 10, 1973 [54] WASTE CONTAINER AND PACKER [75] Inventor: Roy R. Bradbury, 11, St. Louis, Mo.

[73] Assignee: Popeil Brothers, Inc., Chicago, Ill. 22 Filed: Mar. 6, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 232,045

[52] US. Cl 100/102, 100/245, 100/265,

. 297/193 [51] Int. Cl .1 B301) 1/00 [58] Field of Search 297/193, 461, 462;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 960,028 5 910 Low 100/265 2,465,839 3/1949 BlOOmfield 100/226 2,526,767 10/1950 Parker 297/193 x 2,419,163 4 1947 Pope 297/193 x 2,919,169 12/1959 Jackson 297/193 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 147,009 8/1902 Germany 100/265 809,460 12/1965 Canada 297/462 Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney-Rudolph L. Lowell [57] ABSTRACT The waste container and packer includes an open top cylindrical receptacle, a plunger reciprocally movable within the receptacle, and a seat on the upper end of the plunger. A snap ring on the rim of the receptacle guides the plunger in its reciprocal movement. A disposable liner for the receptacle has the upper end thereof folded over the rim and secured to the receptacle when the snap ring is mounted in place.- Waste in vthe liner is packed or compressed by the weight of a person supported on the seat. v

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WASTE CONTAINER AND PACKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION opening and closing of the cover the packer, after a packing operation, is automatically returned to a rest position projected upwardly through the cover. The ef fective length of the packer extendible within the container is thus necessarily reduced along with a resultant reduction in packing efficiency.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The waste container and packer is of a simple and rugged construction and efficient in operation to pack an appreciable quantity of waste into a small compact package for convenient disposal. By virtue of a seat member on the upper end of the plunger waste packing is accomplished by the weight of a person supported on the seat. An effective packing pressure is thus obtained with a complete elimination of any power operated press devices. The container and packer is of a pleasing overall appearance and may be used as a kitchen stool when the plunger is within the receptacle.Additionally, the plunger alone may be utilized as a stool at which time the receptacle would serve as anopen top waste container. The easy attachment of the disposable liner to, and positioning within, the receptacle promotes its use for providing a clean and quick disposal of the compacted trash or waste.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational 'view of the waste container and packer of this invention with parts broken away and other parts shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the waste container and packer;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plunger assembly that forms part of the waste container and packer with some parts broken awayto more clearly show its construction; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a disposable liner having one portion broken away and another portion folded over to more clearly illustrate its construction and use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the waste container and packer, indicated generally as 10, is illustrated as including a cylindrical receptacle 11 having an open upper end 12, a plunger assembly 15 including a tubudirection so that the diameter of the receptacle at its open end 12 is larger than the diameter of its bottom or base wall 23. The outer wall 21, from the rim 22, is progressively tapered in a downward and outward direction so as to be in a diverging relation with the inner wall 19. The lower end of the outer wall 21 is integrally formed with an outwardly projected annular foot section 24 that has an upper horizontal ledge or shoulder 26 and a concave outer side surface 27. As shown in FIG. 1 the bottom wall 23 and the foot section 24 function as a base to positively support the receptacle in an upright position on a floor surface or the like.

The plunger 13 of the plunger assembly 15 is of a shorter length than the receptacle 11 so that when the plunger is in a fully extended position within the receptacle there is formed between the plunger lower end 14 and the receptacle bottom wall 23 a packing compart-.

ment 28. The open upper end 16 of the plunger 13 terminates in an annular flange that extends radially outwardly over the rim 22 of the receptacle 11 when the plunger 13 is in a fully extended position. The flange 29 is secured as by screws 31 to the underside of a discshaped frame member 32 that forms part of the seat unit 17. Also secured to the frame member 32 by the screws 31 is a depending cylindrical skirt 33 arranged outwardly from and in a concentrically spaced relation with the receptacle outer wall 21. An inwardly projected annular flange 34 at the upper end of the skirt is arranged in a superimposed relation with the flange 29 of the plunger 13. Holes 36 and 37 (FIG. 2) circumferentially spaced in the

flanges

29 and 34, respectively, are positioned in alignment to receive the common holding screws 31.

A round resilient seat cushion 38, (FIGS. 1 and 2) composed of a foam rubber material, is positioned in a covering relation on the seat frame member 32 and covered with a suitable material 39 such as Naugahide. The covering material 39 extends under and is suitably secured to the frame member 32. s

As thus far described it is seen that the plunger assembly 15, comprised of. the plunger 13, seat unit 17 and skirt 33, is movable relative to the receptacle 11. It is further seen in FIG. 1, that when the plunger 13 is in a fully retracted position within the receptacle 11 the seat unit 17 is in resting engagement on the rim 22 and the lower edge 41 of the skirt 33 is adjacent the foot 24. Additionally, it will be seen that the skirt lower end 41 has its outer surface 42 corresponding in curvature with the side surface 27 of the foot 24 so as to be substantially continuous therewith. Thus, with the plunger 13 fully extended the skirt 33 and the foot section 24 give the appearance of a unit columnar support'for the seat unit 17.

With further reference to FIG. 1, it is seen that the skirt 33 is of greater length than the plunger 13. Thus, when the plunger is removed from the receptacle 11, as occurs when waste is to be placed in the receptacle, the lower end 41 of the skirt may be positioned directly on a floor surface so that the skirt functions as a standard or column support for the plunger assembly 15, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

As previously mentioned, the inner wall 19 of the receptacle 11 is tapered in an upward and outward direction while the plunger 13 is of a constant diameter over its full length. This relative construction of the plunger and receptacle provides a working clearance providing a reciprocal movement of the plunger 13 free of any i binding action with the inner peripheral surface of the bearing ring carried on the rim 22 for bearing engagement with the plunger 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The bearing ring is of a snap fastening type and of a U-shape in transverse cross section providing for a snap action fit in a superimposed position on the rim 22. The inner leg 44 of the bearing or snap ring 43 is inclined inwardly and downwardly for engagement of its free end 46 with the outer peripheral surface of the plunger 13. The outer leg 47 of the ring 43 is formed adjacent its free end with an inside circumferentially extended bead 48 that is received within an outside circumferential recess 49 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in the rim 22 to define the locked position of the snap ring 43 on the rim.

A disposable liner 51 (FIGS. 1 and 4) formed of a flexible water resistant material is of a size corresponding to the interior shapeof the receptacle l1 and of a length slightly greater than the length of the receptacle. With the liner positioned within the receptacle, as shown in FIG. 1, its open upper end 52 extends above the rim 22 and is folded over the rim in the manner indicated at 52a in FIG. 4. This installation of the liner 51 takes place with the snap ring 43 removed so that when the snap ring is assembled in position on the rim 22 it functions as a lock to securely hold the liner 51 against dropping downwardly into the receptacle 11.

The adjacent ends 56 (FIG. of the snap ring 43 are circumferentially spaced a distance apart to form an air passage or bleed 57 at the upper end of the receptacle 11 to permit the escape of air from the interior of the receptacle on downward movement of the plunger. To facilitate the insertion and removal of the liner 51 the base wall 23 of the receptacle 11 is formed at the junction of the base wall 23 and inner wall 19 with one or more air bleed openings 58.

In the use of this invention assume the liner 51 to be in place within the receptacle 11 as shown in FIG. 1. The plunger assembly is then removed from the receptacle and placed to one side thereof in a supported position on a floor surface as shown in FIG. 3. Waste material or trash is then placed within the receptacle 1 1 through its open end 12 after which the plunger assembly 15 is replaced on the receptacle 11. By then utilizing the container and packer as a stool, the weight of a person supported on the seat 17 compresses the waste material in the packing compartment 28. The packing operation thus takes place concurrently with the utility of the container as a stool.

The above procedure is repeated until the plunger 13 has about fifty percent of its length extended upwardly from the receptacle 11. At such time the plunger 13 is again removed, and on release of the snap ring 43 from the rim 22 the liner S1 with the compacted waste therein is removed for disposal purposes. A new liner 51 is then placed in the receptacle 11 and secured by the snap ring 43 prior to replacing the plunger assembly 15 on the receptacle.

In one embodiment of the invention the plunger 13 has a diameter of about 8 inches and a length of about 12 inches, for placement within a receptacle 11 having a length of about 18 inches. With this embodiment, it was found that a quantity of loose or non-compacted waste material sufficient to fill about a 30 gallon container would be progressively compacted within the receptacle 11 by a person weighing about 165 pounds.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A waste container and packer comprising: a. a receptacle having anopen top with a peripheral rim and a base section, b. a plunger reciprocably movable within said receptacle having an outer end,

c. a seat unit constituting a cover for said open top when the plunger is in an extended position within said receptacle, and

d. means for securing said seat unit to the outer end of said plunger,

e. said receptacle, when the plunger is removed therefrom, adapted to receive waste which, on replacement 'of the plunger within the receptacle, is compressed by the weight of a person supported on said seat unit.

2. A waste container according to claim 1 wherein:

a. said receptacle has a side wall, and said base section extends laterally outwardly from said side wall, and a depending skirt member on said seat unit positioned. outwardly from and in a concentrically spaced relation with said plunger to provide for the reception of said side wall therebetween,

b. said skirt member having the lower end thereof adjacent said base section when the plunger is extended within said receptacle.

3. A waste container according to claim 2, wherein:

a. said skirt member is of a greater length than said plunger so as to constitute a supporting column for said seat unit when the plunger is removed from the receptacle during a waste receiving or a waste removing operation.

4. A waste container according to claim 1 including:

a. Air vent means for said receptacle to air bleed the interior of said receptacle during reciprocal movement of the plunger therein.

5. A waste container according to claim 1 including:

a. A bearing ring on said rim having an'inner peripheral portion engageable with the outer peripheral surface of said plunger.

6. A waste container according to claim 5 wherein:

a. said bearing ring is of a split type with the ends thereof in a circumferentially spaced relation to provide an air bleed for the interior of said receptacle.

7. A waste container according to claim 1 including:

a. a bearing ring on said rim formed of a yieldable material and of an inverted U-shape in transverse cross section having leg sections in a straddling relation with said rim, and

b. a disposable liner for said receptacle having an open upper end section folded over said rim for securement thereon by said bearing ring.

8. A waste container according to claim 7 wherein: a. said leg sections are yieldably movable away from each other to receive said rim therebetween, and b. coacting means on one of said leg sections and rim for releasably locking together said bearing ring and rim on downward movement of the ring to a predetermined position on said rim.

Claims

1. A waste container and packer comprising: a. a receptacle having an open top with a peripheral rim and a base section, b. a plunger reciprocably movable within said receptacle having an outer end, c. a seat unit constituting a cover for said open top when the plunger is in an extended position within said receptacle, and d. means for securing said seat unit to the outEr end of said plunger, e. said receptacle, when the plunger is removed therefrom, adapted to receive waste which, on replacement of the plunger within the receptacle, is compressed by the weight of a person supported on said seat unit.

2. A waste container according to claim 1 wherein: a. said receptacle has a side wall, and said base section extends laterally outwardly from said side wall, and a depending skirt member on said seat unit positioned outwardly from and in a concentrically spaced relation with said plunger to provide for the reception of said side wall therebetween, b. said skirt member having the lower end thereof adjacent said base section when the plunger is extended within said receptacle.

3. A waste container according to claim 2, wherein: a. said skirt member is of a greater length than said plunger so as to constitute a supporting column for said seat unit when the plunger is removed from the receptacle during a waste receiving or a waste removing operation.

4. A waste container according to claim 1 including: a. Air vent means for said receptacle to air bleed the interior of said receptacle during reciprocal movement of the plunger therein.

5. A waste container according to claim 1 including: a. A bearing ring on said rim having an inner peripheral portion engageable with the outer peripheral surface of said plunger.

6. A waste container according to claim 5 wherein: a. said bearing ring is of a split type with the ends thereof in a circumferentially spaced relation to provide an air bleed for the interior of said receptacle.

7. A waste container according to claim 1 including: a. a bearing ring on said rim formed of a yieldable material and of an inverted U-shape in transverse cross section having leg sections in a straddling relation with said rim, and b. a disposable liner for said receptacle having an open upper end section folded over said rim for securement thereon by said bearing ring.