US3869979A

US3869979A - Refuse compactor receptacle

Info

Publication number: US3869979A
Application number: US419763A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles E Sulcek
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 1973-11-28
Filing date: 1973-11-28
Publication date: 1975-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-11
Also published as: CA1012939A

Abstract

A refuse compactor receptacle comprising separable portions including a first wall means defining an open side and a second wall means selectively closing the open side and removably associated with the first wall means by freely separable pivot means. In a compacting arrangement, the second wall means is nested within the first wall means. The second wall means may be pivoted to an access position wherein bagged refuse may be removed from the receptacle when desired. In the nested arrangement and the access position, the second wall means is maintained in pivotal association with the first wall means. The receptacle is arranged to permit separation of the two wall means when the second wall means is moved beyond the access position to a separation position permitting not only the bagged refuse but also the second wall means to be removed from the first wall means for facilitated disposition of the bagged refuse and for facilitated maintenance of the receptacle.

Description

atent 11 1 Sulcek [4 1 Mar. 11, 1975 [73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich.

[22] Filed: Nov. 28, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 419,763

[52] US. Cl. 100/218, 100/229 A, 220/1 T, 280/47.17, 312/322 [51] Int. Cl 1330b 15/32 [58] Field of Search... 232/432; 100/229 R, 229 A, 100/218; 53/124 B; 141/73; 280/4717; 312/322; 220/63 R, l T, 18

Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A refuse compactor receptacle comprising separable portions including a first wall means defining an open side and a second wall means selectively closing the open side and removably associated with the first wall means by freely separable pivot means. In a compacting arrangement, the second wall means is nested within the first wall means. The second wall means may be pivoted to an access position wherein bagged refuse may be removed from the receptacle when desired. In the nested arrangement and the access posi tion, the second wall means is maintained in pivotal association with the first wall means. The receptacle is arranged to permit separation of the two wall means when the second wall means is moved beyond the access position to a separation position permitting not only the bagged refuse but also the second wall means to be removed from the first wall means for facilitated dispositionof the bagged refuse and for facilitated maintenance of the receptacle.

18 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3 869 9T9 sum 2 9f 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to refuse compactors, and in particular to receptacle structures for use therein.

2. Description of the Prior Art In one excellent form of refuse compactor presently commercially available, refuse is compacted in a drawer-type receptacle which is selectively moved into a cabinet portion of the compactor to a compacting position wherein a ram compacts refuse previously deposited in the drawer. Refuse is placed in the drawer by withdrawing the drawer from the cabinet to expose the upwardly opening drawer receptacle.

To facilitate disposal of the compacted refuse, it is conventional to line the receptacle with a suitable bag permitting the compacted refuse to be removed as bagged refuse for facilitated disposal. It has been found, however, that it is difficult at times to remove such bagged compacted refuse from the conventional receptacle because of adhesion of the bag to the confronting surfaces of the receptacle. This adhesion problem is aggravated by coagulation or drying of liquids introduced between the bag and the receptacle walls, such as liquid which may leak from the bag when the bag is inadvertently torn or otherwise ruptured in the compacting operation. Further, it is desirable to minimize the frequency of removal of the bagged refuse for disposal and, thus, it, is desirable to compact a substantial amount of refuse in the bag before requiring disposal from the receptacle. This presents the further problem of relatively substantial weight making it difficult for some users, such as relatively weak housewives, to effect removal of the bagged refuse by lifting it from the receptacle.

Still further, it is desirable at times to clean the interior of the receptacle and it has been found that because of the relatively deep construction thereof, difficulty is had in completely cleaning and sanitizing the conventional receptacle.

An excellent solution to this problem is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,566 of Lloyd P. Shapleigh, Jr., et al., and owned by the assignee hereof. As disclosed in said patent, the receptacle includes a movable side wall permitting the user to remove the compacted bagged refuse by a facilitated lateral movement with the side wall extending laterally from the remainder of the receptacle in the bag removing position. The side wall is selectively latched in an upright position in the receptacle in the compacting arrangement. Detent means may be provided for providing a selective stop in the pivotal movement of the side wall. The arrangement of the side wall in the laterally angled position further permits facilitated cleaning of the drawer as desired. The side wall is hinged to the drawer by a suitable hinge, such as a piano hinge.

Another form of refuse compactor is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,107 of John A. Boyd et al. In said patent, a dolly assembly is mounted in the compactor to define a portion of the compaction chamber. A plurality of wheels are connected to the dolly assembly and a handle frame is removably mounted to the front panel thereof.

In Australian Pat. No. 163,630 of Henry Hallifield Oxley, published Nov. 19, I953, a baling machine is disclosed having a side wall generally similar to the side wall of the Boyd et a] patent in defining a wheeled dolly. The side wall is wheeled into association with the baler compacting receptacle and is cammed into retained association by a wedge-shaped cam and latch at the lower end of the dolly. The dolly is not pivotally mounted to the baler receptacle and requires swinging of the dolly on the dolly wheels to raise the dolly upwardly from the camming latch structure to disassemble'the enclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved refuse compactor receptacle structure adapted to support a refuse holding bag in a refuse receiving arrangement, have deposited refuse compacted therein, and be manually rearranged to permit facilitated removal of the bagged, compacted refuse therefrom, the receptacle structure including first wall means defining a closure for the open side and inwardly projecting portions including a bottom wall and partial side walls nested with the first wall means for partially enclosing the bag, freely separable pivot means pivotally connecting the second wall means to the first wall means for pivoting of the second wall means outwardly from the nested arrangement, means for selectively limiting the pivoting of the second wall means outwardly to an access position wherein the bagged refuse is freed from said first wall means and is readily accessible for separation from the second wall means, and retaining means arranged to maintain the pivotal connection of the second wall means to the first wall means in the nested arrangement and access position while permitting separation of the second wall means from the first wall means, upon movement of the second wall means to a separation position beyond the access position and raising the second wall means from the separation position upwardly relative to the first wall means.

The pivot means comprises a wall on the receptacle closure cooperating with an upwardly extending support on the enclosure. The retaining means illustratively comprise interlock means preventing upward movement of the horizontal wall away from the support in the nested and access positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot and retaining means comprise a U- shaped bracket on the closure and a slotted support on the first wall means.

The closure may be lifted free on the first wall means by suitable manipulation thereofin the separation position. To facilitate such separation, a suitable lever may be utilized, and in the illustrated embodiment, a wheeled lever is disclosed which may be utilized both to effect the desired separation and to permit facilitated transport of the bagged refuse carried in the closure portion of the receptacle.

Thus, the refuse compactor receptacle structure of the present invention is extremely simple and economical of construction while yet providing the highly desirable features discussed above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent'from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refuse compactor having a receptacle structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view ofthe receptacle structure;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to that of FIG. 3, but illustrating the use of a wheeled lever in effecting removal of the closure portion of the receptacle;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation illustrating the transport of bagged, compacted refuse carried by the closure portion of the receptacle on a wheeled lever; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the wheeled lever.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating an alternate embodiment of the hinge structure.

FIG. 8 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the alternate embodiment of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawings, a refuse compactor generally designated 10 is shown to include a drawer-type receptacle generally designated 11 movably carried by a cabinet 12 for selective disposition within the cabinet in a refuse compacting position (not shown) and forwardly of the cabinet (as shown in FIG. 1) in a refuse depositing position.

As best seen in FIG. 2, receptacle 11 includes a first wall means 13 defining an enclosure having an open side 14. The enclosure further includes a second wall means which defines a closure for the open side 14 of first wall means 13 and cooperates with first wall means 13 in defining a compacting receptacle with the second wall means 15 nested-in the first wall means, as shown in FIG. 1.

More specifically, first wall means 13 includes a bottom wall 16, a front wall 17, a rear wall 18, a left side wall 19, and a righthand base portion at the bottom of the open side wall 14. Second side wall 15 includes a righthand closure wall 21, a partial front wall 22, a partial rear wall 23, and a bottom wall 24. A ribbed reinforcing plate is provided on the closure wall 21. Latch means 26 and 27 are further provided thereon for cooperation with suitable cooperating catch means 28 and 29 on the first wall means 13 for selectively securing the second wall means 15 in the nested compacting arrangement, as shown in FIG. 1. The latch means 26 and 27 are simultaneously operated by rotation ofa handle 27a through the use of an interconnecting movable rod 26a.

The present invention comprehends an improved means for pivotally mounting the second wall means 15 to the first wall means 13. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, the pivot means generally designated 20 herein comprises a horizontal wall 31 carried by the closure wall 21 and an upright wall 32 carried by the base portion 20 of the first wall means 13. The wall 31 comprises an upper leg portion of a U-section bracket generally designated 33 havingits bight portion 34 secured to the closure wall 21. A retaining means including a pair of inturned tab leg portions 35 projecting outwardly from closure wall 21 parallel to top leg 31 and a slot 36 defined by the first wall means base portion 20 for selectively receiving the tabs 35, as shown in FIG. 3, prevent upward movement of the second wall means 15 from bottom wall 16 of the first wall means when the second wall means is in the nested position of FIG. 1 relative to the first wall means.

Further, cooperating pivot limiting means including a rod member 37 and a slot 38 for receiving the member 37 are provided and interconnected with latch means 27 and 29 for limiting the pivotal movement of the second wall means outwardly from the nested position to an access position shown in full lines in FIG. 4. To swing the second wall means to the access position, the user merely releases the latch means 26 and 27 by an initial rotation of handle 27a and swings the second wall means on the pivot defined by the

bracket portions

31 and 34 and upright wall 32. The pivot limiting means effectively comprises a spring biased rod member 37 which acts in slot 38 to effectively prevent overshoot in the pivotal movement of the receptacle structure. Thus, in normal use, the bagged refuse may be lifted from the receptacle for disposal as desired, the bagged refuse illustratively designated 39, having been broken free from the first side wall means 13 by the swinging action ofthe second wall means, and in particular, by the upward thrust of the bagged refuse effected by the bottom wall 24 of the second wall means.

As discussed above, the present invention further comprehends an arrangement of the enclosure 11 permitting separation of the second wall means 15 from the first wall means 13, when desired. For this purpose. further rotation of handle 27a disengages the latch means 37 from the slot 38 permitting thelatch to be released and the second wall means to be swung beyond the access position shown in full lines in FIG. 4, to a separation position shown in broken lines wherein the retaining tabs 35 are fully withdrawn from the slots 36 permitting the second wall means carrying the bagged refuse to be lifted upwardly to clear the upright wall 32 and thus permit lateral withdrawal of the second wall means from the receptacle.

Illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is an alternate embodiment of the hinge structure wherein two downwardly projecting open ended protrusions 131 and two upwardly projecting open ended protrusions are formed in the righthand closure wall 21 to respectively perform the pivoting and retaining functions of leg 31 and tabs 35. The protrusions 131 have horizontal surfaces 132 which cooperate with upright wall 32-to provide a pivot point when the second wall means 15 is swung to the access position. The protrusions 135 have horizontal surfaces 134 which cooperate with slots 36 to prevent upward movement of the second wall means when the second wall means is in the nested position of FIG. 1 or the access position of FIG. 4. The protrusions 135 are fully withdrawn from the slots 36 upon further swinging movement of the second wall means 15 to the separation position such that the second wall means 15 may be completely withdrawn from the first wall means.

While the second wall means 15 carrying the bagged refuse 39 may be manually lifted from the first wall means in the separation position of FIG. 6, it has been found desirable to provide a lever means generally designated 40 for facilitating the upward lifting of the second wall means and bagged refuse. Further as shown in FIGS. 46, the lever means 40 may be provided at one end with suitable wheels 41 so as to serve further as a wheeled transport means with control of the movement of the transport means being effected by means of a handle 42 at the upper end-of the lever. The lever may include a plurality of L-shaped

brackets

43 and 44 on its mid-portion engaging the ribbed reinforcing plate 25 for facilitating retention of the second wall means on the wheeled dolly-forming lever. As best seen in FIG. 4, the upper brackets 44 may include turned portions 45 received in suitable openings 46 in the reinforcing plate 25 to releasably interlock the lever and second wall means 15.

At the lower end of the mid-portion 47, the lever is turned to define downwardly extending legs 48 carrying the wheels 41 and permitting suitable engagement of the

brackets

43 and 44 with the reinforcing plate to initiate the separation of the second wall means from the first wall means, as shown in FIG. 4. Upon disposal of the bagged refuse 39, the second wall means may be returned to the receptacle 11 and reinstalled in pivotal association with the first wall means 13 by a reverse swinging of the second wall means from the dotted line position of FIG. 4 to the full line position thereof, and thence back to the nested arrangement of FIG. 1 with the second wall means again pivoting on the wall portion 32 in swinging to the final nested position. In the final nested position, the tabs 35 again interlock with the base by reception in the slots 36 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

During the separation of the second wall means from the first wall means, facilitated maintenance, such as cleaning and sanitizing thereof, may be effected as a result of the improved accessibility to the interior of the receptacle portions. The pivoting and retaining structures are extremely simple and economical and provide long, trouble-free life while yet affording the highly desirable controlled separability of the receptacle portions. The receptacle structure permits the use ofa simple lever means for facilitated separation and further, the use of a simple wheeled lever means to provide a dolly-type facilitated transport of the compacted refuse for facilitated disposal. The disassembly and assembly of the receptacle portions may be effected without the use of tools and the improved accessability and facilitated disposal may be effected by manual separation of the housing portions as well as by the use of the wheeled dolly-type lever structure discussed above.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

Having described the invention, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

I. A refuse compactor receptacle structure adapted to support a refuse holding bag in a refuse receiving arrangement, have deposited refuse compacted therein, and be manually rearranged to permit facilitated re moval of the bagged, compacted refuse therefrom, said receptacle structure comprising:

first wall means defining an enclosure having an open side; second wall means defining a closure for said open side and individually projecting portions including a bottom wall and partial side walls nested with said first wall means for partially enclosing the bag;

freely separable pivot means pivotally connecting said second wall means to said first wall means for pivoting of the second wall means outwardly from the nested arrangement;

limiting means for selectively limiting the pivoting of said second wall means outwardly to an access position wherein the bagged refuse is freed from said first wall means and is readily accessible for separation from said second wall means; and

retaining means arranged to maintain the pivotal connection of the second wall means to said first wall means in the nested arrangement and access position while permitting separation of said second wall means from said first wall means as an incident of release of said limiting means and further pivoting of the second wall means to a separation position beyond said access position and raising of the second wall means from said separation position upwardly relative to said first wall means.

2. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim I wherein said pivot means comprises a horizontal wall on said second wall means, an upwardly extending support in fixed association with said first wall means, and said retaining means defines interlock means preventing upwardly movement of said horizontal wall away from said support when the second wall means is in the nested position within said first wall means and permitting upward movement therebetween only when the second wall means is pivoted on said support beyond said access position to said separation position.

3. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said second wall means defines a closure wall, and said pivot means comprises a bracket secured to said closure wall adjacent said bottom wall.

4. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said pivot means comprises a bracket secured to said closure.

5. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim I wherein said retaining means comprises cooperating male and female interlock means on said first and second wall means.

6. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim I wherein said retaining means comprises male interlock means on said closure and cooperating female interlock means fixedly associated with said' first wall means.

7. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein a U-section bracket is secured to said closure having an upper leg defining a portion of said pivot means and a bottom leg defining a portion of said retaining means.

8. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim I further including lever means for raising the second'wall means in said separation position to separate it from said first wall means.

9. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 further including lever means for raising the second wall means in said separation position to separate it from said first wall means, said lever means further having retaining means carried thereby for retaining the second wall means removably in association with the lever means for transport therewith away from said first wall means.

10. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 further including lever means for raising the second wall means in said separation position to separate it from said first wall means, said lever means being provided with wheel means at one end thereof for wheeled transport of the second wall means and bagged refuse carried thereby away from said first wall means.

11. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim I wherein said first and second wall means are provided with cooperating, releasable latch means for selectively retaining said second wall means in said nested arrangement for compaction of refuse in said bag therein. 12. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said second wall means is provided with a downwardly projecting open ended protrusion defining a portion of said pivot means and an upwardly projecting open ended protrusion defining a portion of said rctaining means.

13. A refuse compactor receptacle structure adapted to support a refuse holding bag in a refuse receiving arrangement, have deposited refuse compacted therein, and be manually rearranged to permit facilitated removal of the bagged, compacted refuse therefrom, said receptacle structure comprising:

first wall means including side walls and a bottom wall defining an enclosure having an open side;

second wall means defining a closure for said open side and inwardly projecting portions including a bottom wall and partial side wall nested within said first wall means for partially enclosing the bag;

means for selectively limiting the pivoting of said second wall means outwardly to an access position wherein the bagged refuse is freed from said first wall means and is readily accessible for separation from said second wall means;

retaining means arranged to prevent separation of said second wall means from said first wall means in said access position and to permit separation of said second wall means from said first wall means as an incident of further pivoting of the second wall means to a separation position beyond said access position and raising the second wall means from said separation position upwardly relative to said first wall means; and

carrier means removably engageable with said second wall means for transporting said second wall means and bagged refuse therein from said first wall means when said second wall means is disposed in said separation position.

14. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 13 wherein said carrier is provided with wheels for rolling transport of said second wall means and bagged refuse.

15. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 13 wherein said carrier further defines a lever arranged to be manipulated to raise said second wall means from said first wall means when said second wall means is in said separation position.

16. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 13 wherein said carrier is provided with retaining means releasably retaining said second wall means thereon during transport thereof.

17. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 13 wherein said carrier defines a straight support portion, a wheeled leg portion turned downwardly from one end of said support portion, and a handle portion at the opposite end of said support portion.

18. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 13 wherein said carrier defines a straight support portion, a wheeled leg portion turned downwardly from one end of said support portion, a handle portion at the opposite end of said support portion, and retaining means on said support portion releasably retaining said second wall means thereon during transport thereof.

Claims

1. A refuse compactor receptacle structure adapted to support a refuse holding bag in a refuse receiving arrangement, have deposited refuse compacted therein, and be manually rearranged to permit facilitated removal of the bagged, compacted refuse therefrom, said receptacle structure comprising: first wall means defining an enclosure having an open side; second wall means defining a closure for said open side and individually projecting portions including a bottom wall and partial side walls nested with said first wall means for partially enclosing the bag; freely separable pivot means pivotally connecting said second wall means to said first wall means for pivoting of the second wall means outwardly from the nested arrangement; limiting means for selectively limiting the pivoting of said second wall means outwardly to an access position wherein the bagged refuse is freed from said first wall means and is readily accessible for separation from said second wall means; and retaining means arranged to maintain the pivotal connection of the second wall means to said first wall means in the nested arrangement and access position while permitting separation of said second wall means from said first wall means as an incident of release of said limiting means and further pivoting of the second wall means to a separation position beyond said access position and raising of the second wall means from said separation position upwardly relative to said first wall means.

2. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said pivot means comprises a horizontal wall on said second wall means, an upwardly extending support in fixed association with said first wall means, and said retaining means defines interlock means preventing upwardly movement of said horizontal wall away from said support when the second wall means is in the nested position within said first wall means and permitting upward movement therebetween only when the second wall means is pivoted on said support beyond said access position to said separation position.

5. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises cooperating male and female interlock means on said first and second wall means.

6. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises male interlock means on said closure and cooperating female interlock means fixedly associated with said first wall means.

8. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 further including lever means for raising the second wall means in said separation position to separate it from said first wall means.

11. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said first and second wall means are provided with cooperating, releasable latch means for selectively retaining said second wall means in said nested arrangement for compaction of refuse in said bag therein.

12. The refuse compactor receptacle of claim 1 wherein said second wall means is provided with a downwardly projecting open ended protrusion defining a portion of said pivot means and an upwardly projecting open ended protrusion defining a portion of said retaining means.

13. A refuse compactor receptacle structure adapted to support a refuse holding bag in a refuse receiving arrangement, have deposited refuse compacted therein, and be manually rearranged to permit facilitated removal of the bagged, compacted refuse therefrom, said receptacle structure comprising: first wall means including side walls and a bottom wall defining an enclosure having an open side; second wall means defining a closure for said open side and inwardly projecting portions including a bottom wall and partial side wall nested within said first wall means for partially enclosing the bag; freely separable pivot means pivotally connecting said second wall means to said first wall means for pivoting of the second wall means outwardly from the nested arrangement; means for selectively limiting the pivoting of said second wall means outwardly to an access position wherein the bagged refuse is freed from said first wall means and is readily accessible for separation from said second wall means; retaining means arranged to prevent separation of said second wall means from said first wall means in said access position and to permit separation of said second wall means from said first wall means as an incident of further pivoting of the second wall means to a separation position beyond said access position and raising the second wall means from said separation position upwardly relative to said first wall means; and carrier means removably engageable with said second wall means for transporting said second wall means and bagged refuse therein from said first wall means when said second wall means is disposed in said separation position.