Lid opener

A lid opener apparatus for use with a relatively large storage bin of substantial height and width, and having a peripheral sidewall portion, a top wall portion, an opening in an upper surface of said top wall portion substantially inwardly spaced from the sidewall portion, and a lid hingedly mounted to the top wall for selectively covering and exposing said opening;

• said lid opener apparatus comprising:
• handle means for gripping by an operator to operate the apparatus;
• means mounting and supporting said handle means relative to said bin at a given height convenient for manipulation thereof by an operator;
• said mounting means including elongate link means pivotally mounted at a first end thereof to said handle means and pivotally supported at said given heights relative to said bin at a second, opposite end thereof, a first elongate substantially rigid rod-like member also pivotally mounted to said first end of said link means and extending upwardly therefrom to an area adjacent said top wall portion;
• a second elongate substantially rigid rod-like member pivotally coupled at one end thereof to said lid and extending outwardly of said lid generally in a direction of a side thereof which is hingedly mounted to said top wall and to an area adjacent an uppermost end of said first rod-like member;
• bell crank means having three mounting portions thereon arranged in a generally triangular configuration, said three mounting portions being respectively pivotally coupled to the respective adjacent ends of said first and second elongate rod-like members and to said bin at a part hereof adjacent the area thereof at which said sidewall portion and said top wall portion meet, to thereby translate generally vertical motion of said first rod-like member into a generally horizontal motion of said second rod-like member for opening and closing said lid about the hingedly mounted portion thereof.