US 5,005,727 AGranted

Dual purpose waste receptacle

OwnerKaren L. Rothinventor

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Abstract

A dual purpose waste receptacle including a trash container having an open and a closed end and provided with a removable top, having a pair of oppositely disposed swinging doors, releasably covering the open end. The top open end of the container has a transverse divider disposed therein and provided with a pair of spaced vertically extending edges defining an elongated open channel extending the length thereof and facing the open top end of the trash container. The vertically extending divider edges receive a portion of the top of each of two trash can liners in overlapping relationship thereon and frictionally receive a crossbar carried by the removable top to assist in retaining the top and the trash can liners in position. A pair of diametrically disposed handles are carried by the removable top and engage under the overhanging lip exterior surface of the can top. The divider channel also supports at least one relatively thick sheet of plastic depending therefrom and serving to maintain the two can liners linearly separated.

Claims6

Dependent claims

Apparatus for receiving and maintaining separate recyclable and non-recyclable refuse, as accumulated, comprising in combination:

a trash container having an open top end and a closed bottom end;
divider means carried by said open top end of said trash container;
two trash can liners supported by said divider means in side-by-side relationship and serving to divide the interior of said trash container into two separate compartments;
said divider means having spaced vertically extending edges defining an elongated open channel extending the length of said divider means and facing the open top end of said trash container;
a pair of linear protrusions formed on opposite sides of said vertically extending edges;
said open channel of said divider means receiving a portion of the top of each of said two trash can liners in overlapping relationship thereon;
a removable cover for said trash container serving to selectively cover said open top end thereof;
said removable cover being provided with first and second doors;
said first door being aligned with and providing access to one of said two trash can liners and said second door being aligned with and providing access to the other of said two trash can liners;
a transverse elongated bar extending over a central portion of the open top end and supported by said removable cover;
said transverse elongated bar including a depending elongated portion;
said depending elongated portion having a pair of grooves on opposite sides of said elongated bar and disposed along the length thereof and disposed in frictional mating engagement with said linear protrusions of said divider means when said removable cover is positioned on said trash can to thereby assist in maintaining said two trash can liners releasably attached to said divider means and to releasably secure said removable cover in position on said open top end of said trash container.

9 more elements

A waste receptacle comprising:

a trash container having an open top end and a closed bottom end;
a divider transversely secured to said open top end of said container;
a pair of trash can liners disposed in side-by-side relationship within said trash container and releasably supported by said divider;
a removable top telescopingly received on said trash container to close said open top end;
handle means carried by said removable top and engaging portions of said trash container when said removable top is received thereon;
means carried by said removable top to frictionally connect with said divider and assist in maintaining said pair of trash can liners in releasably supported position on said divider;
said removable top including a pair of spaced doors each of said pair of spaced doors being aligned with and providing access to one of said two trash can liners;
indicia on said pair of spaced doors indicating the type of waste intended to be received therethrough;
said divider having solid end portions and a pair of spaced vertically extending linear edges disposed along the length and between said solid end portions of said divider to form an open channel facing the open end of said container;
said divider also including a base portion connecting said pair of spaced vertically extending linear edges and an elongated open slit extending substantially the length of said base portion;
at least one elongated separator element extending through said elongated open slit and disposed between and maintaining side-by-side separation of said pair of trash can liners;
said divider includes linear protrusions formed on opposite sides of said linear edges;
a transverse bar connected to and having an elongated portion thereof depending from said removable top and extending over a central portion of said open top end;
said elongated portion of said transverse bar having a pair of linear grooves disposed on opposite side of and along the length thereof;
and
said linear grooves matingly receiving said linear protrusions formed on said linear edges of said divider.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.