US3841214A

US3841214A - Compactor compartment arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3841214A
Application number: US00391995A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Engebretsen
Original assignee: Hobart Manfacturing Co
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 1971-10-12
Filing date: 1973-08-27
Publication date: 1974-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-15

Abstract

A trash compactor including a housing, a ram mounted for vertical movement in an upper rear portion of the housing, and an open top drawer slidable in the housing between a compacting position beneath the ram and non-compacting position wherein the open top of the drawer is not aligned with the ram. A compartment for initially receiving waste material, particularly smaller objects, is situated near the upper front of the housing in position to empty into the drawer when the latter is out of the compacting position.

Description

United States Patent [191 Engebretsen [451 Oct. 15, 1974 COMPACTOR COMPARTMENT ARRANGEMENT [75] Inventor: Einar O. Engebretsen, Troy, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Hobart Manufacturing 1 Company, Troy, Ohio 22 Filed: Aug.27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.2 391,995

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 188,295, Oct. 12,

1971, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 100/215, 100/229 A [51] Int. Cl. B30b 15/30 [58] Field of Search 100/215, 229 A, 229 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,675,669 7/1928 Snyder 100/229 A 3,285,505 11/1966 Katz 100/215 3,353,478 11/1967 Hopkins 100/229 A 3,463,079 8/1969 Corbett 100/229 3,601,953 8/1971 Boyd 53/124 B 3,659,427 5/1972 Harza 100/229 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 379,378 8/1923 Germany 100/215 Primary ExaminerBilly J. Wilhite Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Biebel, French & Bugg [5 7 ABSTRACT A trash compactor including a housing, a ram mounted for vertical movement in an upper rear portion of the housing, and an open top drawer slidable in the housing between a compacting position beneath the ram and non-compacting position wherein the open top of the drawer is not aligned with the ram. A compartment for initially receiving waste material, particularly smaller objects, is situated near the upper front of the housing in position to empty into the drawer when the latter is out of the compacting position.

17 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PMENIE BI 1 51914 sum 2 BF 2 FIG-3 llllol'll FIG-4 1 COMPACTOR COMPARTMENT ARRANGEMENT CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application entitled COMPACTOR COMPARTMENT AR- RANGEMENT Ser. No. 188,295, filed Oct. 12, 1972 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Compacting units for reducing the volume of solid waste material are gaining increasing acceptance, particularly units suitable for use in the home. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,478 discloses one type of unit in which a compacting ram is situated within the compactor housing in opposition to an open top container which is supported in the housing beneath the ram. In this unit the side walls of the trash receiving container are made low enough to provide sufficient clearance between the upper edges of the side wall and the lower surface of the ram so that solid waste materials can be deposited in the receptacle through a small hinged door located adjacent the front of the unit.

When the receptacle is filled with compacted waste material the entire front of the compactor is swung downwardly, permitting the receptacle to be removed from the interior of the housing. Obviously, in order to provide sufficient clearance between the upper edge of the receptacle wall and the lower surface of the compacting ram some sacrifice in the volume or capacity of the receptacle must be made. Additionally, it will be noted that in a unit of this type when it is desired to empty the receptacle the entire front of the compactor must be swung downwardly to gain access to the interior thereof.

Another compacting unit of the same general type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,390. In this unit the trash receiving receptacle comprises a drawer which, in its fully retracted position within the housing, has its open top positioned to receive a compacting ram mounted within the housing and vertically movable into and out of the drawer. While this type of unit does not sacrifice volume or capacity in order to provide clearance between the lower face of the ram and the upper edge of the drawer, it does necessitate sliding the drawer outwardly of the unit each time waste materials are to be placed therein, regardless of the dimensions of the objects deposited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A compactor in accordance with the present invention includes a unique arrangement of a solid waste material receiving compartment and a compaction receptacle which obviates the disadvantages of prior art constructions of this general type.

Specifically, the compactor of the present invention includes a receptacle in the form of a drawer slidable between a compacting position, in which the open top of the drawer is positioned beneath a vertically movable ram for compacting material deposited on the drawer, and non-compacting positions in which material can be deposited in the drawer or receptacle and compacted material can be removed therefrom.

The compactor in accordance with the present invention includes a compartment positioned adjacent the upper front of the compactor housing which is adapted to receive solid waste material, particularly smaller objects, without the necessity of sliding the entire drawer outwardly of the unit. Thus, the capacity of the main waste material receptacle is not sacrificed, but at the same time it is unnecessary to slide the entire drawer out of the cabinet each time it is desired to deposit waste materials in the compactor.

In two embodiments of the invention solid waste materials, particularly smaller objects, are allowed to accumulate in an initial receiving compartment until such time as the drawer is moved outwardly, as when, for example, it is desired to deposit a large object in the compactor. When this happens the materials accumulated in the compartment automatically drop down into the drawer so that when the drawer is subsequently pushed into the housing in its fully retracted position these materials may be compacted. In these embodiments it is possible to use the initial receiving compartment even while the ram is operating.

In other embodiments of the invention the drawer will normally be positioned in a non-compacting position with its open top offset with respect to the ram but accessible through the door leading into the compartment positioned above the drawer. When it is desired to compact the material deposited in the receptacle or drawer the entire drawer assembly is moved rearwardly from a non-compacting to the compacting position, aligning the open top of the receptacle with the compacting ram so that the ram may enter it and compact the waste material therein.

In all of the embodiments herein disclosed it will be seen that, regardless of the specific configuration, it is unnecessary to sacrifice capacity of the main trash receptacle in order to provide clearance for passing newly deposited trash between the upper edge of the receptacle and the ram while at the same time it is also unnecessary to open the entire drawer each time solid waste materials are to be deposited in the compactor. Furthermore in all embodiments the compartment is separated from the ram and its drive mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is another side elevational view showing a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 discloses yet another embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a drive arrangement suitable for use in any of the embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 shows a modification to FIGS. 1 or 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that a compactor in accordance with the present invention includes a housing 10 having a ram 12 mounted adjacent the upper rear thereof and driven with a vertically reciprocal movement. A drive system suitable for this purpose is disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,009, issued May 22, 1973. As described therein, three stationary jack screws 14 are disposed within the housing in a triangular pattern and receive complementarily threaded sprockets 16 rotatably mounted on the ram 12.

The ram 12 also includes a drive motor 18 having a drive shaft 20 projecting upwardly therefrom and carrying a pulley 22 at its outer end. A timing belt 24 wraps the pulley 22 and a second pulley 26 mounted on a shaft 28 rotatably mounted by suitable means, not shown, on the ram 12. Fixed to the opposite end of the shaft 28 is a sprocket 30 wrapped by a chain 32 which also is trained about each of the sprockets 16.

With the above construction it will be apparent that energization of the motor 18 will cause the internally threaded sprockets 16 mounted on the ram 12 to rotate, carrying the entire ram and drive assembly upwardly and downwardly along the three stationary jack screws 14. This particular drive arrangement does not per se form the present invention but is particularly suitable for use in each of the embodiments described herein since the motor and related mechanism is generally within the region above and surrounded by the ram structure. This allows the compacting position to be located near to the rear of the housing, and provides space for the compartment, as later described.

In the lower portion of the housing a receptacle in the form of a drawer 34 is positioned with its upper edge 36 disposed in closely spaced relationship to the lower face 38 of the ram 12. Suitable guides 40 are mounted on the interior of the housing 10, only one of which is shown in FIG. I, with the guides 40 receiving movable guides 42 which also engage guides 44 fixed to opposite sides of the drawer 34. It will also be noted that drawer 34 includes a sloping drainage shelf 46 which slopes from adjacent the front of the housing downwardly and rearwardly, terminating adjacent the lower forward end of a wall 50. This shelf can be pivotably mounted, as indicated at 51, permitting access to the drawer space below where supplies such as disposable bags used in the drawer can be stored.

Hingedly mounted near the top front of the housing 10 is a small door 48 hinged at 49 to pivot about its lower edge from the closed position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Door 48, drainage shelf 46, wall 50 and the top of the housing define a material receiving compartment 52 which, as shown, occupies a position near the upper front of the housing 10. The door 48 is provided with at least one wing 53 which cooperates with a detent 54 to hold the door closed, or in at least one open position where the inner surface of the door functions as a sloping ramp for articles dropped thereon to fall into the compartment.

With the above construction it will be seen that the majority of solid waste materials to be disposed of may be deposited in the compartment 52 by merely opening the small door 48 to gain access thereto. Since in the closed position of the receptacle there is only restricted communication between the compartment 52 and the receptacle 34, materials deposited in the compartment will accumulate until such time as the drawer 34is moved outwardly, as when, for example, relatively large object is to be deposited therein. At that time, during movement of the drawer from the compacting position toward the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, accumulated materials will dump into the receptacle 34, so that the compartment 52 is emptied before the drawer reaches the fully extended position shown in dotted lines.

An exception to retention in the compartment 52 is, of course, that liquids and finely divided materials deposited in compartment 52 may drain into the receptacle 34 without delay. Thus in preferred arrangements, although communication between the compartment and receptacle is restricted, there is no attempt made to seal the compartment from the receptacle when the receptacle is in the compacting position. In view of the restricted access between the compartment and the receptacle however, the bulk of the materials accumulated in the compartment 52 will be retained in the compartment 52 and will automatically drop into the drawer 34 as it is moved outwardly to the phantom line position shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

Thereafter, the drawer may be returned to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings and the ram 12 actuated to compress the solid waste materials deposited in the receptacle 34. Thus, it will be seen that it is unnecessary to open the entire drawer 34 each time it is desired to deposit materials in the compactor but at the same time there is no sacrifice of capacity of the receptacle 34 in order to provide clearance to gain access thereto. Wall 50 and shelf 46 shield the ram, its mechanism, and the region beneath the ram, from access hence door 48 can be safely opened at any time, even when the ram is operating.

Turning now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a second preferred embodiment is shown wherein like parts are designated by the same reference numerals used in FIG. 1. Thus, the housing 10 includes a ram 12 which, although not shown in FIG. 2 may be driven in the same manner as the embodiment of FIG. I, and a drawer or receptacle 34 slidably between the compacting position shown in solid lines and a non-compacting position shown in dotted lines. Additionally, a compartment 52 is defined adjacent the upper front of the compactor by the sloping surface 46 and the wall 50.

However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the door 55 providing access to the compartment 52 is hingedly connected along its lower edge, not to the housing 10, but to the upper surface of the front of the drawer 34. Therefore, although operation of the embodiment of FIG. 2 is otherwise the same as the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, when the drawer is slid outwardly to the dotted line position the door 55 will also move outwardly to provide greater access to the interior of the compactor.

In either embodiment (FIG. 1 or FIG. 2) it is possible to provide a flap or a flexible blade 56, (FIG. 6) to restrict further the communication between the compartment 52 and the drawer, or alternately it is possible to construct these parts with a closer clearance where it is desired to restrict the flow of liquids and small solids between the drawer and the compartment.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings a ram 12, which may be driven in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 of the drawings, it positioned adjacent the upper rear of the housing 57 and vertically reciprocal therein. A receptacle 58 having spaced front and

back walls

60 and 61, a bottom wall 62, and spaced side walls, only one of which is shown at 64, is slidably mounted within the housing 57. A door 66 is hingedly mounted along its lower edge to the housing 57 and provides access to a compartment 68 defined by door 66, wall 50, the top of the housing and the upper edge 70 of the receptacle 58.

In this embodiment it will be seen that the door 66 is swung down to the dotted line position shown in FIG.

3 of the drawings to allow the majority of the solid waste materials generated to be deposited directly into the receptacle 58. Of course, if relatively large objects are to be deposited in the receptacle 58 the entire drawer may be slid outwardly, to the left as seen in dotted lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings, to provide free access thereto.

With the drawer in the non-compacting position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings, wherein the open top of the receptacle 58 is offset with respect to the ram 12, free communication is provided between the compartment 68 and the interior of the receptacle 58. After a sufficient charge of material has been deposited in the receptacle 58 with the drawer in the solid line position of FIG. 3 the entire drawer assembly may be slid to the right as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings to the compacting position.

in the compacting position communication between the compartment 68 and the receptacle 58 is restricted and the open top of the receptacle 58 is aligned in opposition to the ram 12. Thereafter, the ram 12 may be actuated, either through a separate switch or a position responsive switch that is automatically energized by placing the drawer in the compacting positionjAgain, it will be seen that in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, as in the previous embodiments, it is unnecessary to slide the entire drawer out each time it is desired to deposit something within the receptacle 58. At the same time, there is no sacrifice in volume of capacity of the compaction receptacle 58.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings, a fourth embodiment of the invention is shown which is similar in some respects to that shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings and wherein like characters designate like parts. Thus, the housing 57 in FIG. 4 mounts, adjacent the upper rear thereof, a ram 12, preferably powered in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 of the drawings. A receptacle 58 having spaced front and

back walls

60 and 61, a bottom wall 62 and side wall, only one of which is shown at 64, is slidably received within the lower portion of the housing 57. There is also a material receiving compartment 68 defined adjacent the upper front of the housing 57 by the wall 50, the upper edge 70 of the receptacle 58, and the top of the housing 57. v

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, rather than an access door for the compartment 58 being hingedly attached directly to the housing, a door 72 is hinged directly to the front of the drawer assembly carrying the receptacle 58. This construction provides greater access to the interior of the housing when the drawer is positioned to the left, as shown in dotted lines in F IG. 4 of the drawings, although in all respects operation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 is the same as that shown in FIG. 3 and will not be repeated herein.

From the above it will be seen that the present invention provides several embodiments of compactors, each of which incorporates the unique combination of a material receiving compartment and compaction receptacle. As a result the necessity of opening the entire drawer structure each time it is desired to deposit waste materials in the compactor is obviated but at the same time there is no resulting sacrifice in capacity of the compaction receptacle.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A compactor comprising:

a. a compactor housing having a front and a rear,

b. a compaction receptacle,

c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between a compacting position in said housing adjacent the rear thereof and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position,

d. a compacting ram positioned adjacent the rear of said housing above said receptacle when in said compacting position,

e. means mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said receptacle when said receptacle is in said compacting position,

f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing adjacent said front thereof and above said receptacle and in free communication with said receptacle in a non-compacting position thereof, and

g. a door associated with said compartment for pro viding selective access thereto.

2. A compactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said door is hinged to said housing.

3. A compactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said door is hingedly mounted on said receptacle.

4. A compactor as defined in claim 1, including a detent operable on said door to retain said door in an open position.

5. A compactor comprising:

a. a compactor housing,

b. a compaction receptacle comprising a drawer,

c. means mounting said drawer for movement between a compacting position in said housing and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position,

d. a compacting ram,

e. means mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said drawer when said drawer is in said compacting position,

f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing in free communication with said drawer in a non-compacting position thereof and in restricted communication therewith in said compacting position thereof, and

g. said drawer having a portion forming a bottom wall of said compartment.

6. The compactor of claim 5 wherein:

a. said bottom wall slopes downwardly from the front of said housing toward the rear thereof, and

b. a wall in said housing cooperates with said sloping bottom wall in the compacting position of said drawer to restrict articles in said compartment from falling into said receptacle.

7. A compactor comprising:

a. a compactor housing having a front and a back,

b. a compaction receptacle,

c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between a compacting position in said housing and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position,

d. a compacting ram,

f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing in free communication with said receptacle in a non-compacting position thereof and in restricted communication therewith in said compacting position thereof,

g. said receptacle including spaced front and back walls, a bottom wall and spaced side walls defining an open top receptacle,

h. said back wall of said receptacle being positioned adjacent said back of said housing in said compacting position of said receptacle and said back wall of said receptacle being in spaced relationship to said back of said housing in non-compacting positions of said receptacle,

i. a door associated with said compartment for providing selective access thereto, and

j. means hingedly mounting said door at its bottom to form a ramp over which articles can be dropped into said compartment when said door is in an open position.

8. A compactor as defined in claim 7 further comprising:

a sloping wall at the upper front of said receptacle forming the bottom of said compartment and extending to an edge of said receptacle providing a discharge surface over which articles will fall into said receptacle when it is moved to its noncompacting position.

9. A compactor as defined in claim 7, including detent means connected to said door for retaining it in said open position extending outwardly and upwardly at an angle to the front of the compactor.

10. A compactor as defined in claim 7 wherein said door mounting is attached to said housing.

11. A compactor as defined in claim 7 wherein said door mounting is attached to said means mounting said receptacle.

12. A compactor comprising:

a. a compactor housing,

b. a compaction receptacle having spaced front, back and side walls, and a bottom wall defining an open top receptacle,

d. a compacting ram,

f. drive means located above said ram and connected to move said ram into and out of said receptacle,

g. a material receiving compartment located within said housing in front of said ram and above said receptacle and in free communication with said receptacle in a non-compacting position thereof,

h. said rear wall of said receptacle being adjacent said rear of said housing in said compacting position of said receptacle, and

i. a door providing access to said compartment from the exterior of said housing.

13. A compactor comprising:

a. a compactor housing,

b. a compaction receptacle,

c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between an inner non-compacting position and a compacting position, both in said housing, and a non-compacting position at least partially withdrawn from said housing,

d. a compacting ram,

f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing in free communication with said receptacle in said inner non-compacting position thereof,

h. said front wall of said receptacle being adjacent the front of said housing and said rear wall of said receptacle being in spaced relationship to the rear of said housing in said inner non-compacting position of said receptacle, and

i. said front wall of said receptacle being in spaced relationship to said front of said housing and said rear wall of said receptacle being adjacent said rear of said housing in said compacting position of said receptacle,

j. a door for said compartment providing selective access thereto from the exterior of said housing, and

k. hinge means supporting said door for opening and closing movement.

14. A compactor comprising:

a. a compactor housing having a front and back,

b. a horizontally-movable drawer including an opentop compaction receptacle supported thereby,

c. means mounting said drawer and receptacle for movement between a compacting position within and at the back of said housing and an extended position wherein said receptacle is beyond the front of said housing,

d. a compacting ram within said housing located in vertical alignment with and above said receptacle when the latter is in its compacting position, the horizontal cross-sectional dimensions and shapes of said ram and receptacle being such that the ram will fit into the receptacle with its sides being closely spaced relative to the sides of the receptacle when positioned therein,

e. means mounting said ram for compacting and retracting movement into and out of said receptacle respectively when said receptacle is located in said compacting position,

f. a temporary storage, material-receiving compartment located in said housing above the level of the open top of the receptacle and at that side of the ram toward the front of the compactor housing, said compartment having side walls and a bottom,

g. means providing for access to said compartment for deposition therein of material to be compacted while said drawer and receptacle are in said compacting position, and

h. means for operating the bottom of said compartment to a material-discharge position upon movement of said drawer toward its extended position, whereby materials stored in said compartment are 9 l discharged into said receptacle during movement cal wall adjacent the ram when retracted, said verof said drawer toward its extended position. tical wall terminating at its lower end close to the 15. A compactor as defined in claim 14 wherein: lower end of the inclined bottom. a. said compartment bottom is carried by and is mov- 17. A compactor as defined in claim 14 wherein said able with said drawer. means for providing access includes: 16. A compactor as defined in claim 14 wherein: a. a door on the front of said housing, and a. said bottom is inclined downwardly toward and b. means mounting said door for pivoting outwardly leads into said receptacle, and I about a horizontal axis at the bottom thereof. b. said side walls of said compartment include a verti-

Claims

1. A compactor comprising: a. a compactor housing having a front and a rear, b. a compaction receptacle, c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between a compacting position in said housing adjacent the rear thereof and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position, d. a compacting ram positioned adjacent the rear of said housing above said receptacle when in said compacting position, e. means mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said receptacle when said receptacle is in said compacting position, f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing adjacent said front thereof and above said receptacle and in free communication with said receptacle in a noncompacting position thereof, and g. a door associated with said compartment for providing selective access thereto.

5. A compactor comprising: a. a compactor housing, b. a compaction receptacle comprising a drawer, c. means mounting said drawer for movement between a compacting position in said housing and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position, d. a compacting ram, e. means mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said drawer when said drawer is in said compacting position, f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing in free communication with said drawer in a non-compacting position thEreof and in restricted communication therewith in said compacting position thereof, and g. said drawer having a portion forming a bottom wall of said compartment.

6. The compactor of claim 5 wherein: a. said bottom wall slopes downwardly from the front of said housing toward the rear thereof, and b. a wall in said housing cooperates with said sloping bottom wall in the compacting position of said drawer to restrict articles in said compartment from falling into said receptacle.

7. A compactor comprising: a. a compactor housing having a front and a back, b. a compaction receptacle, c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between a compacting position in said housing and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position, d. a compacting ram, e. means mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said receptacle when said receptacle is in said compacting position, f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing in free communication with said receptacle in a non-compacting position thereof and in restricted communication therewith in said compacting position thereof, g. said receptacle including spaced front and back walls, a bottom wall and spaced side walls defining an open top receptacle, h. said back wall of said receptacle being positioned adjacent said back of said housing in said compacting position of said receptacle and said back wall of said receptacle being in spaced relationship to said back of said housing in non-compacting positions of said receptacle, i. a door associated with said compartment for providing selective access thereto, and j. means hingedly mounting said door at its bottom to form a ramp over which articles can be dropped into said compartment when said door is in an open position.

8. A compactor as defined in claim 7 further comprising: a sloping wall at the upper front of said receptacle forming the bottom of said compartment and extending to an edge of said receptacle providing a discharge surface over which articles will fall into said receptacle when it is moved to its non-compacting position.

12. A compactor comprising: a. a compactor housing, b. a compaction receptacle having spaced front, back and side walls, and a bottom wall defining an open top receptacle, c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between a compacting position in said housing and non-compacting positions displaced from said compacting position, d. a compacting ram, e. means mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said receptacle when said receptacle is in said compacting position, f. drive means located above said ram and connected to move said ram into and out of said receptacle, g. a material receiving compartment located within said housing in front of said ram and above said receptacle and in free communication with said receptacle in a non-compacting position thereof, h. said rear wall of said receptacle being adjacent said rear of said housing in said compacting position of said receptacle, and i. a door providing access to said compartment from the exterior of said housing.

13. A compactor comprising: a. a compactor housing, b. a compaction receptacle, c. means mounting said receptacle for movement between an inner non-compacting position and a compacting position, both in said housing, and a non-compacting position at least partially withdrawn from said housing, d. a compacting ram, e. meaNs mounting said ram within said housing for movement into and out of said receptacle when said receptacle is in said compacting position, f. a material receiving compartment positioned within said housing in free communication with said receptacle in said inner non-compacting position thereof, g. said receptacle including spaced front and back walls, a bottom wall and spaced side walls defining an open top receptacle, h. said front wall of said receptacle being adjacent the front of said housing and said rear wall of said receptacle being in spaced relationship to the rear of said housing in said inner non-compacting position of said receptacle, and i. said front wall of said receptacle being in spaced relationship to said front of said housing and said rear wall of said receptacle being adjacent said rear of said housing in said compacting position of said receptacle, j. a door for said compartment providing selective access thereto from the exterior of said housing, and k. hinge means supporting said door for opening and closing movement.

14. A compactor comprising: a. a compactor housing having a front and back, b. a horizontally-movable drawer including an open-top compaction receptacle supported thereby, c. means mounting said drawer and receptacle for movement between a compacting position within and at the back of said housing and an extended position wherein said receptacle is beyond the front of said housing, d. a compacting ram within said housing located in vertical alignment with and above said receptacle when the latter is in its compacting position, the horizontal cross-sectional dimensions and shapes of said ram and receptacle being such that the ram will fit into the receptacle with its sides being closely spaced relative to the sides of the receptacle when positioned therein, e. means mounting said ram for compacting and retracting movement into and out of said receptacle respectively when said receptacle is located in said compacting position, f. a temporary storage, material-receiving compartment located in said housing above the level of the open top of the receptacle and at that side of the ram toward the front of the compactor housing, said compartment having side walls and a bottom, g. means providing for access to said compartment for deposition therein of material to be compacted while said drawer and receptacle are in said compacting position, and h. means for operating the bottom of said compartment to a material-discharge position upon movement of said drawer toward its extended position, whereby materials stored in said compartment are discharged into said receptacle during movement of said drawer toward its extended position.

15. A compactor as defined in claim 14 wherein: a. said compartment bottom is carried by and is movable with said drawer.

16. A compactor as defined in claim 14 wherein: a. said bottom is inclined downwardly toward and leads into said receptacle, and b. said side walls of said compartment include a vertical wall adjacent the ram when retracted, said vertical wall terminating at its lower end close to the lower end of the inclined bottom.

17. A compactor as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for providing access includes: a. a door on the front of said housing, and b. means mounting said door for pivoting outwardly about a horizontal axis at the bottom thereof.