Latch and release mechanisms for waste containers

Apparatus comprising:

• a latch including:
• a housing, wherein the housing is configured for operative attachment to one of a bin or a relatively movable lid of a waste container, wherein the other of the bin or the relatively movable lid includes a striker,
• a latch shaft, wherein the latch shaft includes an outer wall and an axially extending cavity within the latch shaft,
• a plurality of projecting members in operative connection with the latch shaft, wherein the plurality of projecting members are each radially movable between a retracted member position and an extended member position with respect to the outer wall of the latch shaft, wherein in the extended member position the plurality of projecting members are engageable with the striker,
• a latch pin, wherein a portion of the latch pin movably extends in the axially extending cavity within the latch shaft, wherein the latch pin is movable between an inward pin position and an outward pin position,
• a spring in operative connection with the latch pin, wherein the spring is operative to bias the latch pin toward the inward pin position, wherein in the inward pin position the latch pin is operative to cause each projecting member of the plurality of projecting members to be in the extended member position,
• a release weight, wherein the release weight is configured to move responsive to gravity in the housing between a first weight position and a second weight position,
• a release lever, wherein the release lever is mounted in operative connection with the housing and is configured to operatively engage the latch pin,
• a damper, wherein the damper is in operative connection with the release weight, wherein the damper substantially slows movement of the release weight in the housing from the first weight position to the second weight position when the latch is in a predetermined range of angular orientations,
• wherein in the first weight position of the release weight, the release weight does not cause a force to be applied to the latch pin sufficient to move the latch pin from the inward pin position,
• wherein in the second weight position of the release weight, the release weight is in operative connection with the release lever and is operative to apply sufficient force to cause the release lever to move the latch pin in the axially extending cavity from the inward pin position to the outward pin position, wherein in the outward pin position, each projecting member of the plurality of projecting members is enabled to move from the extended member position to the retracted member position,
• wherein when the latch is in the predetermined range of angular orientations each of the plurality of projecting members are movable to the retracted member position and are enabled to disengage from the striker.

Apparatus comprising:

• a latch, wherein the latch is configured to be in attached operative connection with a waste container including a bin and a lid,
• wherein the bin bounds a waste storage cavity and includes an opening to the waste storage cavity,
• wherein the lid is movable relative to the bin between an open position and a closed position in which the lid opens and closes the opening, respectively,
• wherein the latch includes:
• a movable projection, wherein the movable projection is movable between a latched position in which the movable projection is configured to hold the lid in the closed position, and an unlatched position wherein the lid is enabled to be moved to the open position,
• an axially elongated latch pin, wherein the latch pin is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the latch and is movable in the axial direction,
• wherein the latch pin is axially movable between a first pin position and a second pin position, wherein in the first pin position the latch pin operatively holds the movable projection in the latched position, and in the second position the movable projection is enabled to move to the unlatched position,
• a weight, wherein the weight is movable relative to the latch between a first weight position and a second weight position responsive to gravitational force and changes in orientation of the latch,
• wherein the weight is in operative connection with the movable projection via the latch pin, wherein the latch is configured such that the latch pin is moved responsive to the weight such that when the weight is in the second weight position, the latch pin is the second pin position and the movable projection is enabled to move from the latched position to the unlatched position, and wherein when the weight is not in the second weight position the latch pin is in the first pin position and the movable projection is caused to be in the latched position,
• wherein the latch is configured such that when the opening is in an angular orientation of less than 90 degrees from horizontal, the weight is disposed away from the second weight position, and wherein when the opening is in a dump angular orientation that is greater than 90 degrees from horizontal and such that the opening is directed downward, the weight is in the second weight position, whereby the movable projection is movable from the latched position to the unlatched position, the lid is enabled to move from the closed position to the open position, and the contents of the waste storage cavity can be dumped therefrom,
• a damper, wherein the damper is in operative connection with the weight and it is configured to slow movement of the weight between the first weight position and the second weight position,
• wherein the damper is operative to prevent the weight from moving to the second weight position responsive to jarring forces when the opening is in an angular range below the dump angular orientation.