Apparatus for receiving and compacting waste material

Apparatus for receiving and compacting waste material and for capturing particles generated during the receiving and compacting operations and subject to being dispersed in the surrounding atmosphere comprising:

• a main body for receiving and supporting a cylindrical waste receptacle and defining a loading chamber above said receptacle,
• means defining a cylindrical enclosure within said loading chamber, said enclosure means having a circular cross section closely corresponding to the cross section of the interior of said waste receptacle and being pivotable between an operating position within said loading chamber and a retracted position outside of said loading chamber,
• door means integral with said enclosure means to permit when open, access for loading waste material into said receptacle and said enclosure means,
• means for supporting said receptacle in a fixed compacting position, said means including a base portion in said main body contoured to correspond to the bottom of said waste receptacle and to engage and support at least a substantial portion of the area of said bottom,
• a power ram having a compacting portion reciprocable in said enclosure means and in said receptacle between a retracted position outside of said enclosure means and an extended position inside of said receptacle, for compacting material in said receptacle,
• means for expelling atmosphere from said loading chamber and receptacle and introducing replacement atmosphere to remove particles dispersed therein during the compacting operation,
• means defining an exhaust opening in the wall of said loading chamber communicating with said exhausting means, and
• filter means removably received in said exhaust opening.