US3822638A

US3822638A - Full level indicator for refuse compactor

Info

Publication number: US3822638A
Application number: US00298381A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Merkin
Original assignee: UNION ENVIRONMENTAL CORP
Current assignee: UNION ENVIRONMENTAL CORP
Priority date: 1972-10-17
Filing date: 1972-10-17
Publication date: 1974-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-09

Abstract

A secondary control system for indicating when the compaction chamber of a refuse compactor is filled to capacity comprises a flexible cable strung over two pulleys secured to the ceiling of the compactor. One end of the flexible cable is secured to the compactor platen while the other end is secured to a free-hanging weight, and a ''''bullet'''' is attached to the flexible cord above the weight. A sleeve is positioned above the bullet, and a conventional switch is secured to the sleeve in such a way that passage of the bullet through sleeve triggers the switch. During compaction, downward travel of the compactor platen pulls the bullet into the sleeve and thereby triggers the conventional switch. If the compaction chamber is full of compacted garbage, the bullet remains in the sleeve, and the conventional switch remains triggered when a pressure sensitive switch indicates the end of the compaction stroke. Simultaneous activation of the conventional switch and the pressure sensitive switch indicates to the apparatus control system that the compaction chamber is filled to capacity.

Description

United States Patent [191 Merkin FULL LEVEL INDICATOR FOR REFUSE COMPACTOR [75] Inventor: Eugene Merkin, Old Forge, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Union Environmental Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa.

22 Filed: on. 17, 1972 21 Appl. No.1 298,381

[52] US. Cl 100/52, 100/53, 100/99,

Primary Examiner-Billy .1. Wilhite Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fleit, Gipple & Jacobson [111 3,822,638 July 9,1974

[ ABSTRACT A secondary control system for indicating when the compaction chamber of a refuse compactor is filled to capacity comprises a flexible cable strung over two pulleys secured to the ceiling of the compactor. One end of the flexible cable is secured to the compactor platen while the other end is secured to a free-hanging weight, and a bullet is attached to the flexible cord above the weight. A sleeve is positioned above the bullet, and a conventional switch is secured to the sleeve in such a way that passage of the bullet through sleeve triggers the switch. During compaction, downward travel of the compactor platen pulls the bullet intothe sleeve and thereby triggers the conventional switch. lf the compaction chamber is full of compacted garbage, the bullet remains in the sleeve, and the conventional switch remains triggered when a pressure sensitive switch indicates the end of the compaction stroke. Simultaneous activation of the conventional switch and the pressure sensitive switch indicates to the apparatus control system that the compaction chamber is filled to capacity.

23 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FAIENIEUJUL 9:914 3,822,638

SHEET 2 BF 2 Fig.2

Hum

FULL LEVEL INDICATOR FOR REFUSE COMPACTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTlON The present invention relates to a control mechanism for a refuse compaction apparatus.

US. Patent application Ser. No. 120,296, filed Mar. 2, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,741,107 and US. Pat. application Ser. No. 224,614, filed Feb. 8, 1972, disclose a portable refuse handling apparatus for compacting refuse with a hydraulically actuated reciprocating ram. In order to automatically control the compressing action of the reciprocating ram, the apparatus is provided with a primary control system comprising a conventional pressure activated switch which senses the pressure of the hydraulic fluid powering the ram. During the compaction stroke, the hydraulic fluid pressure switch is activated when the hydraulic fluid pressure builds to a predetermined limit. In response thereto, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid is relieved and the reciprocating ram returned to its original position.

Because the compaction chamber is not open to view during the compaction cycle, it is desirable to provide the compaction apparatus with a secondary control system for determining when the compaction chamber is filled to capacity with compacted garbage. A secondary control system has been developed which takes the form of an elongated rod, attached to the upper side of the reciprocating ram platen, and a conventional switch adapted to be tripped by a metal flag secured to the rod. When the compactor is operated, the metal flag on the elongated rod moves into tripping engagement with the conventional switch. lf the compaction chamber is not filled to capacity, the ram platen continues its downward movement and the metal flag therefore moves out of tripping engagement with the conventional switch before the pressure sensitive switch is activated. Consequently, a full compaction chamber is not indicated and the operation of the apparatus left unaffected. However, if the compaction chamber is filled to capacity, the metal flag remains in tripping engagement with the conventional switch when the pressure sensitive switch is activated. This simultaneous activation of both switches indicates a full compaction chamber and hence causes the main control, mechanism of the compactor to active an appropriate light or buzzer and prevent further compaction cycles once the ram has returned to its initial position.

While the secondarycontrol system described above operates adequately most of the time, it is occasionally subject to breakdown. For example, when the compaction chamber is unevenly loaded with refuse, the reciprocating ram is oftentimes deflected from its normal path of travel. Consequently, the metal flag of the secondary control system is moved out of its normal path of travel, and as a result, the metal flag fails to trip the conventional switch when it should. The secondary control system is thereby prevented from operating properly. Moreover, depending on the type, amount and loading of the refuse in the compaction chamber, and the amount of stress placed on the hydraulic system of the assembly, the reciprocating ram may be subject to rotation, vibration and lateral displacement. These unwanted movements may also cause the metal flag of the secondary control system to be deflected from its normal path of travel and thereby prevent the secondary control system from operating properly.

A second drawback associated with the abovedescribed secondary control system occurs usually when the portable refuse handling apparatus is used in a multi-dwelling apartment building. Typically, the compactor is connected to the trash chute of an apartment'building by means of an opening in the back of the compactor so that refuse falling down the chute falls directly into the compaction chamber. Unfortunately, it has been found that newspapers placed in the trash chute often fail to fall completely into the compaction chamber. When this occurs, the newspapers, located half in the compaction chamber and half out of the compaction chamber, may not only deflect the reciprocating ram as it moves downwardly into the compaction chamber, but also completely block the further travel of the reciprocating ram. Consequently, the primary control system is activated and the reciprocating ram withdrawn without compacting the refuse. And because the ram does not travel far enough for the metal flag of the secondary control system to engage the conventional switch, this jamming is not sensed by the apparatus.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a secondary control system for the type of portable refuse handling apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned applications which is insensitive to the irregular movements and displacement of the reciprocating ram.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a secondary control system which is capable of sensing a jam of the compaction apparatus so that the repeated operation of the machine after jamming can be eliminated.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a secondary control system meeting the above .objects which is of simple construction and very easy and economic to produce.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON These and other objects are accomplished according to the present invention wherein the inventive secondary control system comprises a flexible cable attached at one end to the platen of the reciprocating ram and at the other end to a free hanging weight. The body of the cable is strung through at least one pulley located at the top of the compactor so that upward or downward movement of one end of the cable causes the other end to move in a vertically opposite direction. A bullet is secured to the cable a predetermined distance above the free hanging weight and the hanging portion of the flexible cord is strung through an appropriately shaped sleeve larger in cross section than the bullet. A conventional switch is fixedly secured to the cylindrical sleeve so. that passage of the bullet through the sleeve trips the switch.

In operation, lowering of the reciprocating ram causes the hanging portion of the flexible cable including the hanging weight and the bullet to be raised. The bullet then passes through the cylindrical sleeve and momentarily engages and trips the conventional switch. If the compaction chamber has little or no compacted garbage init, the bullet passes through the sleeve before the pressure sensitive switch of the primary control system is activated. Consequently, .a full compaction chamber is not indicated, and the operation of the apparatus is left unaffected. If the compaction chamber is relatively full of garbage, the bullet remains in the sleeve in tripping engagement with the conventional switch when the pressure sensitive switch is activated. This simultaneous activation of both switches indicates that the compaction chamber is filled to capacity, and consequently the main control box of the apparatus activates an appropriate light or buzzer and prevents further compaction cycles after the ram has returned to its initial position.

Because the portion of the flexible cable bearing the bullet is separated from the portion of the flexible cable attached to the platen by at least one pulley, the bullet is effectively insulated from various irregular move ments of the ram. Moreover, because the cord bearing the bullet is strung through a cylindrical sleeve having the conventional switch integrally associated therewith, the bullet always trips the conventional switch even if the hanging portion of the cord is inadvertently moved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention may better be understood by reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a schematic front view of a portable refuse handling apparatus equipped with the inventive secondary control system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cylindrical sleeve employed in the inventive secondary control system.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing how the time delay switch is associated with the cylindrical sleeve.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bullet which is attached to the flexible cable in the inventive secondary control system; and

FIG. 7 is a side view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a second embodiment of the inventive secondary control system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1, a portable refuse handling apparatus as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,741,107 and US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 224,614 is schematically shown at 10 to be composed ofa main body portion 12 having outer walls 14 and I5 and ceiling l6. Within the outer walls 14 and I5 and in the lower portion of the apparatus is the compaction chamber 18 defined by

compaction chamber walls

20 and 21.

Secured to an upper portion of the

compaction chamber walls

20 and 21 is a brace 22 which carries a double acting hydraulic cylinder 24. The piston 26 extending from the double acting hydraulic cylinder 24 is fixedly attached to platen 28 which is adapted to move into compaction chamber 18 to compress and thereby compact refuse contained therein.

A conventional hydraulic pump 30 is fluidly attached to double acting hydraulic cylinder 24 near its top by means of hydraulic fluid line 32 and near its bottom by hydraulic fluid line 34. The function of hydraulic pump 30 is to pump hydraulic fluid at high pressure into double acting hydraulic cylinder 24 above its piston head during the compaction stroke and to thereafter pump hydraulic fluid at a comparatively lower pressure into double acting hydraulic cylinder 24 below its piston head during the withdrawal stroke. Many hydraulic pumps accomplishing this function are known in the art, and any conventional pump can be used.

Fluidly connected to hydraulic fluid line 32 is pressure sensitive switch 36. During the compression stroke of the compactor, the pressure sensitive switch senses the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in line 32. When this pressure reaches a predetermined level, the pressure sensitive switch signals the main control box 38 by means of electrical lead 40, and consequently, the compression stroke is stopped and the return stroke initiated.

In order to prevent the machine from being filled beyond capacity, the inventive secondary control system is provided. Referring again to FIG. 1, a flexible cable 42 is attached at one end 43 thereof to the platen 28. The cord is strung over

pulleys

44 and 46 each secured to ceiling 16 of the apparatus. The other end of the flexible cable 42 is suspended from pulley 46 between outer wall 14 and compaction chamber wall 20 of the apparatus. Secured to the suspended end of the flexible cable 42 is a weight 48, and secured to flexible cable 42 a small distance above weight 48 is bullet 50. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, flexible cable 42 is strung through cylindrical sleeve 52 which is fixedly secured to compaction chamber wall 20 roughly halfway between the floor and ceiling of the apparatus. The exact structure of cylindrical sleeve 52 is clearly illustrated in FIG. 4 which shows the sleeve to be composed of a main body portion generally cylindrical in shape with each end of the sleeve formed by outwardly tapering walls. Part of the wall of the central portion of the cy lindrical sleeve 52 is cut away so that a hole 54 communicating with the inside of the sleeve is formed.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, a conventional switch 56 is secured to compaction chamber wall 20 in close proximity to cylindrical sleeve 52. Switch 56 is provided with a tripping button 58 and an arm 60 secured to a lower portion of the switch. Arm 60 carries a shaft 62 on which is rotably secured a depresser 64 and a first link 65. A second link 66 is rotably secured at one end to first link 65 by means of shaft 67 and its other end to cam roller 68. As shown in FIG. 5, cam roller 68 is positioned within hole 54 of cylindrical sleeve 52.

First link 65 and depresser 64 are so secured to shaft 62 that clockwise movement of first link 65 about shaft 62 causes depresser 64 to depress tripping button 58 of switch 56. In addition, second link 66 is rotatably mounted on shaft 67 so that it can rotate counterclockwise about shaft 67 through an angle of roughly 30, and a suitable spring (not shown) is positioned between second link 66, shaft and first link 65 to bias them in the position shown in FIG. 5.

Conventional switch 56 is electrically connected to main control box 38 by means of electrical leads 69 (FIGS. 1 and 5). When depresser 64 depresses tripping button 58 and thereby activates conventional switch 56, an electrical impulse is sent to main control box 38 by means of electrical leads 69.

As previously indicated, the suspended end of flexible cable 42 carries a bullet 50 fixedly secured thereto. The construction of this bullet is indicated in FIG. 6 which shows the bullet 50 to have a cylindrical main body 70, the diameter of which is smaller than the inside diameter of cylindrical sleeve 52, and two conically

shaped end portions

72 and 74. A hole 76 whose diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of flexible cable 42 is bored in the axis of bullet .50, and a small hole 78 communicating with hole 76 is threaded to accept a set screw for fixedly securing the bullet onto flexible cable 42.

in operation, the portable refuse handling apparatus is in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 at the beginning of each compaction cycle. When the machine is actuated, the hydraulic pump 30 pumps hydraulic fluid at high pressure into the top of double acting hydraulic cylinder 24 and the platen 28 moves downwardly into compaction chamber 18. As platen 28 begins to move, it pulls end 43 of flexible cable 42 along with it which in turn causes the suspended portion of the flexible cable to be pulled upwardly by means of

pulleys

44 and 46. As this occurs, bullet 50 is drawn into cylindrical sleeve 52. Because of its shape, bullet 50 exerts a force on cam roller 68 to the right as shown on FIG. 3, which in turn causes first link 65 and second link 66, as a unit, to rotate clockwise about shaft 62. As a result, depresser 64 depresses tripping button 58of conventional switch 56. I

If there is a comparatively little amount of compacted refuse in compaction chamber 18, platen 28 continues to travel downwardly until the pressure in hydraulic fluid line 32 reaches the predetermined limit where the compression stroke is stopped. Accordingly, bullet 50, which has moved upwardly into cylindrical sleeve 52, continues its upward movement so that it moves completely out of the cylindrical sleeve. Consequently, the force on cam roller 64 is no longer exerted by bullet 50 and links 65 and 66 therefore move counterclockwise thereby deactivating conventional switch 56. Because conventional switch 56 is deactivated before pressure sensitive switch is activated, simultaneous activation of both switches does not occur, and hence a full compaction chamber is not indicated in main control box 38.

After the pressure sensitive switch 32 is activated and the compression stroke thereby stopped, platen 28 is withdrawn upwardly so that the bullet passes downwardly through cylindrical sleeve 52. However, when bullet 50 engages cam roller 68, second link 66 and the cam roller rotate counterclockwise about shaft 67 about 30, thereby preventing first link 65 from causing depresser 64 to depress tripping button 58.

When the compaction chamber 18 is substantially full of compacted refuse and the apparatus is operated to compact an additional amount of refuse, downward travel of platen 28 again causes bullet 50 to be carried upwardly into cylindrical sleeve 52. Because of the great amount of compacted garbage in compaction chamber 18, the pressure in hydraulic fluid-line 32 builds and pressure sensitive switch is activated while bullet 50 is still in cylindrical sleeve 52. Consequently, both conventional switch 56 and pressure sensitive switch 36 are activated at the same time which indicates a full compaction chamber. In response thereto, appropriate circuitry in main control box 38 causes an indicating light or buzzer 84 to operate and prevents further compaction cycles once the ram has returned to its initial position.

As indicated above, the inventive secondary control system is insensitive to all types of irregular apparatus movement, such as lateral displacement, rotation or jamming of the platen, vibratory oscillation of the platen or vibratory oscillation of the entire machine. This result is primarily due to the fact that the free hanging portion of flexible cable 42 which carries bullet is supported by pulley 46 which is substantially the only element capable of exerting lateral forces on the bullet. Since pulley 46 is not connected to platen 28 it receives little or no irregular movements from the platen and hence transmits little or no irregular platen movements to the bullet. In other words, pulley 46 in effect insulates the free hanging end of flexible cable 42 and hence bullet 50 from all but the vertical movement of platen 28. Consequently, movement of bullet 50 which actuates the conventional switch 56 is insulated from irregular movement of the platen.

A further advantage of the inventive control system is that it is capable of operating properly even if unwanted lateral movement is imparted to the hanging portion of the cord. This is due to the fact that flexible cable 42 is strung through cylindrical sleeve 52. Consequently, any significant lateral movement of the bullet which may occur is effectively dampened by the sleeve. Moreover, because bullet 50 and cylindrical sleeve 52 are sized and shaped complimentary to one another, the bullet is drawn into the sleeve even if the bullet is moving laterally.

As mentioned above, bullet 50 is made so that its exact position on flexible cord 42 can be changed with respect to weight 48. This feature enables the operator of the refuse handling apparatus to change the height of the compacted refuse mass produced by the apparatus at will. For example, with bullet 50 secured to flexible cord 42 in the position shown in FIG. 3, the height of the compacted refuse mass produced by the assembly will be comparatively small. If, however, bullet 50 is raised on flexible cord 42, for example five inches,

the compacted refuse mass produced by the machine will be five inches higher. This follows since the platen in the latter case will be five inches higher in compaction chamber 18 when bullet 50 is in cylindrical sleeve at a time simultaneous with the triggering of pressure sensitive switch 36.

In this regard, a preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates positioning a marker 80 (FIG. 3) next to flexible cord 42 above weight 48 and below cylindrical sleeve 52. Appropriate indicia can be placed on the marker 80 so that the height of bullet 50 indicates the height of the compacted mass produced by the apparatus.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the inventive secondary control system. In this embodiment, a second bullet 82 is positioned above the first bullet 50. The second bullet is advantageously used in those refuse handling apparatus employed in apartment buildings where large quantities of newspapers in addition to other types of refuse need to be processed. Since the platen 28 occasionally jams at a particular level when newspapers are processed, second. bullet-82 is positioned so that it will cause conventional switch 56 to be activated in the event of a jam at this level. Consequently, the jam of the machine with newspapers can be readily sensed so that further operation of the machine in the event of a newspaper jam can be prevented.

The various parts of the inventive secondary control system can be made from any suitable material. Thus, all types of metals, alloys, plastics, whether thermosetting or thermoplastic, rigid or non-rigid, can be employed to make the pulleys, cylindrical sleeve, weight and bullet of the inventive system. In addition, any material known to make flexible cables, such as steel, plastics, rope, twine and so forth can be used to make the flexible cable.

While a few specific examples of the inventive secon dary control system have been described above, it should be understood that many modifications of the specifically described system can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In this regard, it should be appreciated that the operation of main control box 38 in indicating a full compaction chamber and preventing further compaction cycles can be made dependent on the secondary control system only and hence independent of the pressure sensitive switch 36. In this situation, conventional switch 56 is replaced by a time delay switch which is selected so that its tripping button must be tripped for a finite period of time, for example two seconds, before its electrical circuit is actuated. When a time delay switch is employed, the bullet travels into and out of cylindrical sleeve 52 in exactly the same manner as above described. However, when there is little compacted refuse in the compaction chamber, passage of the bullet through cylindrical sleeve trips the time delay switch only momentarily. Consequently, the electric circuitry of the time delay switch is not actuated. However, when the compaction chamber is substantially filled with compacted refuse and the bullet remains in the cylindrical sleeve for an extended period of time, the electrical circuitry of the time delay switch is actuated to indicate that the compaction chamber is filled to capacity.

It should also be understood that while the foregoing description has shown the cam roller 68 to be linked to the depresser 64 by means oflinks 65 and 66 which are moveable with respect to each other, the linking means need not be of such intricate nature. Thus, one embodiment of the invention contemplates that first link 65 and second link 66 be replaced by a single angle link composed of a single rigid piece of material. When such an angle link is employed in the inventive secondary control system, the cam roller, link and depresser 64 operate in exactly the same way as above described when the bullet passes through the cylindrical sleeve from bottom to top. However, when the bullet passes through the cylindrical sleeve from top to bottom, cam roller 68, instead of rotating out of the way, simply forces the angle link to again rotate counterclockwise about shaft 62 so that depresser 64 depresses tripping button 58. However, because pressure switch 36 is not actuated during the withdrawal stroke of the compactor, simultaneous activation of both switches does not occur and hence a full compaction chamber is not indicated. Moreover, if a time delay switch is employed in this embodiment, the bullet passing downwardly through the cylindrical sleeve trips the time delay switch only momentarily which, as indicated above, does not activate the electrical circuitry of the time delay switch.

The foregoing description and drawings have been provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. All reasonable modifications not specifically set forth are intended to be included in the present invention, which is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable refuse handling apparatus having moveable means therein for compacting refuse in a compaction chamber and a primary control means sensitive to the compaction force applied to the refuse contained in the compaction chamber, a secondary control system sensitive to the level of refiise in the compaction chamber, said secondary control system comprising:

a flexible cable attached at one end to said moveable means;

suspending means for suspending the other end of said flexible cable, said suspending means positioned between the ends of said flexible cable and non-fixedly attached to said flexible cable;

a weight attached to the suspended end of said flexible cable;

a bullet attached to said flexible cable above said weight;

guiding means positioned between said suspending means and said bullet for guiding said flexible cable, said guiding means adapted to allow the passage of said bullet therethrough; and

a switch fixedly positioned with respect to said guiding means and adapted to be tripped as the bullet passes through said guiding means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: main control means responsive to the simultaneous activation of both the primary control means and said switch for reacting when said compaction chamber is filled with compacted refuse.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said main control means is adapted to prevent further compaction cycles of the apparatus when said compaction chamber is filled with compacted refuse and after said moveable means has returned to its original position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said main control means is adapted to actuate a light or sound producing element.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said switch is a time delay switch adapted to react only when said bullet trips said switch for a predetermined period of time.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said main control means is adapted to prevent further compaction cycles of the apparatus when said compaction chamber is filled with compacted refuse and after said moveable means has returned to its original position.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said main control means is adapted to actuate a light or sound producing element.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guiding means is a sleeve and further wherein the crosssectional configuration of said sleeve is the same as the cross-sectional configuration of said bullet.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sleeve and said bullet are circular in horizontal crosssection.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said suspending means is a pulley.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said moveable means is a plunger which moves vertically downward in its compression stroke and vertically upward in its return stroke.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said suspending means is secured to a portion of said apparatus above the vertically highest point reached by said moveable means.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said suspending means comprises at least two pulleys.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bullet is movably attached to said flexible cable.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 and further comprising a marker fixedly mounted on said refuse handling apparatus for indicating the level of the moveable means in the compaction chamber at which the switch will be tripped by said bullet.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a second bullet spaced from the other bullet and attached to said flexible cable.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said second bullet is positioned on said flexible cable to trip said switch when the moveable means is jammed by a foreign body and wherein said other bullet is positioned on said flexible cable to trip said switch when the cornpac tion chamber is filled with compacted refuse.

18. In a portable refuse handling apparatus having a compaction chamber, means to feed refuse into said compaction chamber, a hydraulically powered reciprocating ram for compressing refuse in said compaction chamber, a pressure sensitive switch responsive to the pressure of the hydraulic fluid powering said reciprocating ram for determining when the refuse in said compaction chamber has been subjected to a predetermined amount of compression, a secondary control system including a second switch adapted to be activated when said reciprocating ram is at a predetermined height, and main control means responsive to the simultaneous activation of said pressure sensitive switch and said second switch when said compaction chamber is filled with compacted refuse, the improvement being that said secondary control system comprises:

a flexible cable attached at one end to said reciprocating ram; suspending means for suspending the other end of said flexible cable, said suspending means positioned between the ends of said flexible cable and non-fixedly attached to said flexible cable;

a weight attached to the suspended end of said flexible cable; a bullet attached to said flexible cable above said weight;

19. In a refuse compacting apparatus having a ram for compacting refuse in a compaction chamber, a control system comprising:

a flexible cable attached at one end to said ram for movement therewith;

support means for movably suspending said flexible cable at a height above that at which said one end of the flexible cable is attached to the ram;

triggering means attached to said flexible cable at the opposite end thereof and suspended from said support means;

guide means through which said flexible cable passes and is guided and with which said triggering means associates, said guide means being located intermediate said support means and said triggering means when the ram is in its highest noncompacting position;

switch means associated with said guide means and adapted to be switched when said triggering means is pulled by the flexible cable into association with said guide means; and

control means for reacting to the switching of said switch means in response to said ram being in a predetermined position in its stroke for a predetermined period of time.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said triggering means is adapted to pass through said guide means.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said switch means is a time delay switch, and wherein said control means reacts after said triggering means remains in association with said guide means and said switch means for the delay period of said switch means.

caused said control means to react.

Claims

1. In a portable refuse handling apparatus having moveable means therein for compacting refuse in a compaction chamber and a primary control means sensitive to the compaction force applied to the refuse contained in the compaction chamber, a secondary control system sensitive to the level of refuse in the compaction chamber, said secondary control system comprising: a flexible cable attached at one end to said moveable means; suspending means for suspending the other end of said flexible cable, said suspending means positioned between the ends of said flexible cable and non-fixedly attached to said flexible cable; a weight attached to the suspended end of said flexible cable; a bullet attached to said flexible cable above said weight; guiding means positioned between said suspending means and said bullet for guiding said flexible cable, said guiding means adapted to allow the passage of said bullet therethrough; and a switch fixedly positioned with respect to said guiding means and adapted to be tripped as the bullet passes through said guiding means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guiding means is a sleeve and further wherein the cross-sectional configuration of said sleeve is the same as the cross-sectional configuration of said bullet.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sleeve and said bullet are circular in horizontal cross-section.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said suspending means is a pulley.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said second bullet is positioned on said flexible cable to trip said switch when the moveable means is jammed by a foreign body and wherein said other bullet is positioned on said flexible cable to trip said switch when the compaction chamber is filled with compacted refuse.

18. In a portable refuse handling apparatus having a compaction chamber, means to feed refuse into said compaction chamber, a hydraulically powered reciprocating ram for compressing refuse in said compaction chamber, a pressure sensitive switch responsive to the pressure of the hydraulic fluid powering said reciprocating ram for determining when the refuse in said compaction chamber has been subjected to a predetermined amount of compression, a secondary control system including a second switch adapted to be activated when said reciprocating ram is at a predetermined height, and main control means responsive to the simultaneous activation of said pressure sensitive switch and said second switch when said compaction chamber is filled with compacted refuse, the improvement being that said secondary control system comprises: a flexible cable attached at one end to said reciprocating ram; suspending means for suspending the other end of said flexible cable, said suspending means positioned between the ends of said flexible cable and non-fixedly attached to said flexible cable; a weight attached to the suspended end of said flexible cable; a bullet attached to said flexible cable above said weight; guiding means positioned between said suspending means and said bullet for guiding said flexible cable, said guiding means adapted to allow the passage of said bullet therethrough; and a switch fixedly positioned with respect to said guiding means and adapted to be tripped as the bullet passes through said guiding means.

19. In a refuse compacting apparatus having a ram for compacting refuse in a compaction chamber, a control system comprising: a flexible cable attached at one end to said ram for movement therewith; support means for movably suspending said flexible cable at a height above that at which said one end of the flexible cable is attached to the ram; triggering means attached to said flexible cable at the opposite end thereof and suspended from said support means; guide means through which said flexible cable passes and is guided and with which said triggering means associates, said guide means being located intermediate said support means and said triggering means when the ram is in its highest noncompacting position; switch means associated with said guide means and adapted to be switched when said triggering means is pulled by the flexible cable into association with said guide means; and control means for reacting to the switching of said switch means in response to said ram being in a predetermined position in its stroke for a predetermined period of time.

22. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said control means reacts by sounding a buzzer or lighting a light.

23. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said control means reacts by preventing the apparatus from recycling until the elimination of the condition which caused said control means to react.