Refuse compactors
OwnerRobert A. Petersoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refuse compactor having a container with a refuse compression space on one side of a pressure plate which is movable by atmospheric pressure, upon evacuation of the refuse space, in one direction through a compression stroke to compress refuse in the space. The pressure plate is movable in the opposite direction through a return stroke by either pressurizing of the refuse space or evacuation of a space, which may be a second refuse compression space, at the opposite side of the plate. The refuse compactor is adapted to be emptied by a conventional trash collection vehicle equipped with a trash bin elevating and inverting mechanism, e.g., a fork lift. The plate includes a wiper for prolonging the life of the pressure plate seal and the compactor includes a novel vacuum pump and valve system for operating the pressure plate.
Claims34
A refuse compactor comprising:
- a refuse container including relatively rigid walls and a movable pressure plate normally disposed in mutual fluid sealing relation to form a refuse receiving space at one side of said plate;
- means providing access to said space for placement of refuse in and removal of refuse from said space;
- means supporting said pressure plate for movement relative to said walls in the direction of said space through a refuse compression stroke to compress refuse in said space and in the opposite direction through a return stroke;
- and pressure plate operating means for selectively evacuating said space to effect movement of said pressure plate through its compression stroke by atmospheric pressure and producing a pressure differential across said pressure plate to effect movement of the plate through its return stroke.
A refuse compactor comprising:
- a refuse container having a bottom wall, end walls, a side wall, and a cover hinged along its rear edge to the upper edge of the rear wall;
- a pressure plate extending lengthwise of said container between said end walls and forming with said side wall a refuse compression space between said plate and side wall;
- a hinge along the lower edge of said pressure plate supporting the latter for swinging movement towards said side wall through a refuse compression stroke and away from said side wall through a return stroke;
- said cover being cylindrically curved about the pivot axis of said pressure plate;
- means sealing said walls, cover, and pressure plate to one another when said cover is closed, whereby said refuse space is substantially air tight;
- and
- pressure plate operating means for selectively evacuating said space to effect movement of said pressure plate through its refuse compression stroke by atmospheric pressure and producing a pressure differential across said pressure plate to effect movement of the plate through its return stroke.
A refuse compactor comprising:
- a refuse container including relatively rigid walls and a movable pressure plate forming a refuse receiving space at one side of said plate, means providing access to said space for placement of refuse in and removal of refuse from said space, and means supporting said pressure plate for movement relative to said walls in the direction of said space through a refuse compression stroke to compress refuse in said space and in the opposite direction through a return stroke;
- sealing means for mutually sealing said walls and pressure plate to one another, whereby said refuse space is substantially air tight, said sealing means including a sealing element about the edge of said pressure plate disposed in sliding contact with walls of said container;
- pressure plate operating means for selectively evacuating said refuse space to effect movement of said pressure plate through its refuse compression stroke by atmospheric pressure and producing a pressure differential across said pressure plate to effect movement of the plate through its return stroke;
- and
- wiper means about said pressure plate edge located in advance of said pressure plate sealing element relative to the direction of movement of said pressure plate through its compression stroke and disposed in sliding contact with said container walls for wiping said walls free of debris which would damage said sealing element.
A refuse compactor adapted to be emptied by a refuse collection vehicle having hinged vertically swingable fork arms for elevating and inverting the compactor, comprising:
- a refuse container including a bottom wall, end walls, a side wall, a hinged cover, a pressure plate extending endwise of said container between said end walls and forming with said side wall a refuse compression space between said plate and side wall, and a hinge along the lower edge of said pressure plate supporting the plate on said bottom wall for swinging towards said side wall through a refuse compression stroke and away from said side wall through a return stroke;
- means mutually sealing said walls, cover, and pressure plate to one another, whereby said refuse space is substantially air tight when said cover is closed;
- pressure plate operating means for selectively evacuating said space to effect movement of said pressure plate through its compression stroke by atmospheric pressure and producing a pressure differential across said pressure plate to effect movement of the plate through its return stroke;
- and
- sockets on the ends of said container for slidably receiving collection vehicle fork arms, whereby said compactor may be elevated to inverted position by the fork arms to empty refuse from said refuse space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.