US3788212A

US3788212A - Refuse compactor having a pivotally arranged ram face member

Info

Publication number: US3788212A
Application number: US00289645A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Doepke
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1972-09-18
Filing date: 1972-09-18
Publication date: 1974-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-29

Abstract

A household refuse compactor of the type having a receptacle wherein refuse is compacted by a movable ram body member. The ram body member has a ram face member normally carried in firm attachment thereto for compressing refuse in the receptacle. The ram face member is adapted to be manually released from its normal compressing position on the ram body member and swung to a more accessible position to enable removal of soil therefrom.

Description

United States Patent [191 Doepke Jan. 29, 1974 [54] REFUSE COMPACTOR HAVING A 3,537,390 11/1970 Hinkel et al. 100/295 X PIVOTALLY ARRANGED RAM FACE 3,613,568 10/1971 Bottas et a1 100/295 X MEMBER Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman [75] Inventor. li/oilslald G. H. Doepke, Greenfield, Assistant Examiner philip R- Coe Attorney, Agent, or Firm {Francis H. Boos. Jr. [73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Louisville, Ky. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1972 A household refuse compactor of the type havmg a 1 1 pp N05 289,645 receptacle wherein refuse is compacted by a movable ram body member. The ram body member has a ram 52 us. Cl. 100/229 A, 100/295 face member normally carried in firm attachmem 51 Int. Cl B30b 15/06 thereto for compressing refuse in the receptacle The [58] Field of Search 100/229 A, 295 ram face member is adapted be manually released from its normal compressing position on the ram body [56] References Cited member and swung to a more accessible position to UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1928 Menne 100/295 X enable removal of soil therefrom.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures REFUSE COMPACTOR HAVING A PIVOTALLY ARRANGED RAM FACE MEMBER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to apparatus for compacting trash and more particularly pertains to structure for compacting household refuse.

In recent years ways have been sought to improve methods and means for household refuse collection and disposal. As a result of this interest a relatively new major appliance for the home, the refuse compactor, has been commercially introduced. In US. Pat. No. 3,537,390, compacting apparatus is presented wherein a motor-driven vertically movable ram means is disposed to compress household trash into a drawer-like receptacle. The receptacle is preferably lined with a bag that can be closed after a full load of refuse has been compacted whereupon the bag of refuse is removed from the compactor and placed at a pickup point outside the home. The rarn means of this compactor utilizes a ram body member of a box-like hollow configuration having a ram face member fastened thereto. The ram face member has an undersurface that directly contacts refuse during the compacting operation. Specific means by which the ram face member may be removably latched to the ram body member is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,613,568. Permitting manual removal of the ram face member from the ram body member, as taught in this patent, facilitates cleaning of soil from the surface thereof that may collect thereon during use of the apparatus.

The present invention comprehends a departure from the concept of a completely removable ram face member in favor of a construction wherein the ram face member remains attached to the ram body member but is adapted to be manually repositioned whereby the machine owner may more easily clean the ram face member and then quickly return it to the operative compacting position on the ram body member. In the returning action the hinge also acts as a guide or pilot, thereby facilitating the positioning of the ram face to the ram body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By this invention a refuse compactor is provided having a refuse receptacle and a ram body member adapted to advance into the receptacle for compacting refuse therein and to retract from the receptacle to permit loading of more refuse therein for compacting. A ram face member is carried on the ram body member and has a surface portion for contacting refuse during compacting. The ram face member is pivotally attached to the ram body whereby it can be selectively swung from its refuse contacting position to a cleaning position while remaining attached to the ram body. The structure includes releasable means for holding the ram face member firmly to the ram body member during the compacting operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a major appliance cabinet housing compacting apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view of ram means structure for the apparatus first shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of latch means first shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of alternative ram means structure for refuse compacting apparatus in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the structure first shown in FIG. 4 but here shown positioned in accordance with the use of the apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI- MENTS In FIG. 1 there is shown a refuse compactor cabinet 10 housing a slidable removable receptacle in the form of a drawer 11. The drawer 11 has a front panel constituting a cabinet closure member 12. Above the closure member 12 is an upper access panel 13 behind which is located vertically removable ram means (not shown in detail) including a box-like ram body member 14 having an open front side 15. A ram face member or ram cover 16 is firmly attached on the under side of the ram body member 14 whereby, when the ram is caused to move downwardly into the receptacle to compress refuse therein, the undersurface or flat surface portion 17 of the ram face member 16 contacts and presses against the refuse.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the ram means structure includes a flexible wiper 18 that extends outwardly around the periphery of the ram face member. A wiper of this general type is disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,568. Here the wiper 18 is provided with a substantially large opening 19 near one end thereof to facilitate its being stretched over the ram body into the position shown in FIG. 2. The wiper 18 is also provided with a central opening to facilitate the extension of a latch member therethrough as hereafter described.

The ram face member 16 has a shallow box shape with a flat, normally downwardly facing surface portion. The ram face member is pivotally joined to the front edge of the ram body member 14 by means of a hinge 23. The hinge 23 permits the ram face member to be swung approximately from an operative compressing position, as shown in FIG. 1, to a cleaning position as shown in FIG. 2. In its operative position, the ram face member 16 is held firmly to the ram body by releasable latch means which may be a finger-like element 24 firmly fastened in a central position within the ram face member whereby it projects outwardly therefrom as shown in FIG. 2. In the presently preferred form, the latching element 24 is fonned from a piece of spring steel and has a hump or ledge portion 25 intermediate its length. The latching member, or element, is disposed to extend through an opening 27 in the bottom of the ram body member 14 when the ram face member 16 is in the operative position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the latch element 24 is formed to deflect forwardly relative to the front of the cabinet structure when the ledge portion 25 thereof strikes the undersurface of the ram body members bottom at the periphery of the opening 27. Such deflection permits the latch member to move through the opening 27 after which it springs back to its normal position so that the ledge portion 25 serves as a detent means to hold the ram face cover firmly in the operative compressing position on the ram body member. The latch means may be selectively released by applying manual force to the upper end 30 of the latch element such that the element is deflected to disengage the ledge portion 25 and permit the latch element to slip downwardly through the opening 27.

When the owner of the refuse compactor believes it is desirable to clean the ram face member 16 and/or the wiper member 18, the drawer 11 may be entirely removed from the cabinet 10. In accordance with the compactors of the general type, removal of the receptacle drawer will serve to open at least one safety interlock switch (not shown) whereby the compacting mechanism thereof is inoperable until such time that the drawer is replaced. With the drawer ll removed from the cabinet 10 the owner may then obtain access to the upper portion of the cabinet by opening the upper access panel 13. The access panel 13 is preferably hinged along one edge thereof so that it can be swung outwardly. The latch member 24 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may then be manipulated as heretofore described to release the ram face member 16 such that it will swing downwardly on the hinge 23. This action places the outer surface of the ram face member 16 at approximately the normal disposition of the closure member 12. Since the receptacle drawer 11 is out of the cabinet, the compacting mechanism is rendered inoperative as heretofore described whereby inadvertent operation will not cause damage to the ram face member while it is in its cleaning position. Once the cleaning of the surface portion of the ram face member 16 and- /or wiper member 18 is completed it can be manually swung back to its normal operative position on the ram body member 14. The latching element 24, as shown in FIG. 3, is configured to guide itself through the opening 27 and latch to the ram body member 14. Then the receptacle 11 can be returned to its position within the cabinet 10 whereby the compactor is again ready to be used to compact refuse in the receptacle.

In FIGS. 4 and an alternative embodiment for a connecting arrangement between the ram face member 16 and the ram body member 14 is illustrated which may utilize a latch means 32 as generally disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,568. The latch assembly itself is of a general purpose known type as will be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,781. This embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, includes the provision of spaced-apart parallel elongated slots 33 in the bottom wall of the ram body member 14 to accommodate respective hanger elements 34 that extend therethrough. The hanger elements are preferably flexible plastic members. Each of the hanger elements has a knob 35 at the upper end thereof to prevent the element from sliding outwardly through its accommodating slot 33 and is preferably pivotally connected at one end to the inside of the ram face member 16. In this embodiment the ram face member 16 may be conveniently cleaned by first removing the receptacle 11 and the closure member 12 from the cabinet whereby the latch 32 can be manipulated to allow the ram face member 16 to drop downwardly from the ram body member 14. The ram face member 16 may then be slid forwardly and swung upwardly through the open front side of the cabinet 10, whereby it may be made to assume a cleaning position relative to the ram body member 14 substantially as shown in FIG. 5. After the cleaning operation the ram face member 16 may be swung back into its operative position whereby upwardly pro- 10 jecting locator pin portions 36 on the ram face member 16 will engage accommodating holes 37 in the bottom wall of the ram body member 14 to assure proper alignment of the parts. Re-engagement of the latch 32 then holds the ram face member 16 in the operative compacting position on the ram body member 14.

I claim:

1. A refuse compactor having a refuse receptacle, a ram body member adapted to advance into the receptacle for compacting refuse and to withdraw from the receptacle to permit loading of refuse therein, a ram face member pivotally mounted on the ram body member for contacting refuse during compacting, the ram face member having means therewith for holding it substantially firmly attached to the ram body member and means for releasing the ram face member whereby it is allowed to pivot on the ram body member to permit cleaning.

2. The refuse compactor of claim 1 wherein the ram face member is hinged to the ram body member whereby the ram face member may be manually swung from the refuse contacting position at least to a second cleaning position.

3. The refuse compactor of claim 1 further including manually unlatchable means for holding the ram face member in the refuse contacting position on the ram body member.

4. The refuse compactor of claim 1 further including manually operable latch means for holding the ram face member in the refuse contacting position and wherein the ram body member has a hollow configuration with at least one open side, and the latch means being accessible from within the ram body through the open side.

5. A refuse compactor comprising a refuse holder, a vertically movable ram body member mounted above the holder for compacting refuse in the holder, a ram face member pivotally mounted on the ram body member with a surface portion projecting from the ram body member for compressible compacting refuse in the holder, the holder being removable from beneath the ram face member, the ram face member being pivotally movable manually relative to the ram body member when the holder is removed to permit cleaning.

k I i G

Claims

2. The refuse compactor of claim 1 wherein the ram face member is hinged to the ram body member whereby the ram face member may be manually swung from the refuse contacting position at least 90* to a second cleaning position.