Refuse container

A transportable refuse container comprising:

• walls defining a tubular body having a pair of ends;
• slideable bulkhead means within the body and displaceable between the pair of ends;
• end closure means hingedly connected to one end of the body, openable for container unloading, and having an opening for filling the container;
• the other end of the body having an opening operable to receive means to operate the bulkhead means;
• frictional resistance means carried by the bulkhead means, operable to resist movement of the bulkhead means relative to the container, and releasable during movement of the bulkhead means toward the end closure means so that the force necessary to advance the bulkhead means is minimized;
• wherein the bulkhead means includes a frame means;
• wherein the walls include guide means extending between the ends thereof, the guide means having surfaces engaged by the frictional resistance means and being operable to guide the frame means during movement longitudinally between the ends of the body;
• wherein the guide means includes a pair of U-shaped channels, each channel attached to a corresponding wall, having a longitudinal opening facing the container cavity and a pair of vertically spaced apart surfaces;
• wherein the frame means includes
• spaced apart shoes on each side that are slidably supported on the lower surfaces of the channels, and
• a vertically displaceable transverse frame having laterally extending fingers projecting through the longitudinal openings of the channels;
• and
• friction pads are carried on corresponding fingers of the frame means.

A transportable refuse container comprising:

• walls defining a tubular body having a pair of ends;
• slideable bulkhead means within the body and displaceable between the pair of ends;
• end closure means hingedly connected to one end of the body, openable for container unloading, and having an opening for filling the container;
• the other end of the body having an opening operable to receive means to operate the bulkhead means;
• frictional resistance means carried by the bulkhead means, operable to resist movement of the bulkhead means relative to the container, and releasable during movement of the bulkhead means toward the end closure means so that the force necessary to advance the bulkhead means is minimized;
• and
• wherein the bulkhead means includes
• a frame structure,
• a vertically movable member having a surface and carrying the frictional resistance means,
• means constraining the vertically movable member from lateral movement relative to the frame structure,
• a lever cam pivotally mounted on the frame structure having a lever end and a cam surface engaging the surface of the vertically movable member,
• resilient means acting on the lever end and operable to cause engagement of the cam surface with the surface thereby lifting the vertically movable member, and
• linkage means pivotally connected to the lever end, operable to release the resilient means and permit movement of the cam surface thereby lowering the vertically movable member and releasing the frictional resistance means.