Refuse Compactor With Spray Device

Abstract

A refuse compactor comprising a cabinet, a refuse receiver such as a drawer having a normally concealed access opening such as the top of the drawer for inserting loose refuse into the receiver and removing compacted refuse therefrom, a compacting ram in the cabinet movable into and out of the receiver to compact refuse therein, movable closure means on the cabinet for selectively exposing and concealing the access opening which in the case of the drawer would be the front panel, means for moving this closure to expose the opening for introduction of refuse into the receiver and to close the opening following the introduction, and means for applying a measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on closing movement of the closure means following the introduction. In the case of the drawer, the drawer would be pulled outwardly for the introduction of refuse, which is usually household refuse, for later compacting and the closing of the drawer activates the means for applying the treating agent to the refuse while the drawer is being closed.

Description

One of the features of this invention is to provide a refuse compactor having a refuse receiver that is opened and closed for the introduction of refuse in combination with an improved applicator means for applying a measured amount of treating agent to the refuse after its introduction into the compactor and before the refuse has been compacted.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refuse compactor embodying the invention and having a refuse-receiving drawer shown in extended position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the top front portion of the drawer and associated structure with the drawer in closed position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the invention as the drawer is being moved back into the cabinet toward closed position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the apparatus in elevation as viewed from the left of FIG. 3.

In the embodiment disclosed in the drawings, the refuse compactor 10 comprises a cabinet 11 that is provided with a refuse receiver 12 in the form of an open-topped drawer shown in FIG. 1 in extended refuse receiving position. This receiver or drawer 12 has a normally concealed access opening for inserting loose refuse which in the illustrated embodiment is the open top of the drawer. When in extended position as illustrated in FIG. 1, loose refuse is inserted into the open top of the drawer and compacted refuse enclosed in the disposable bag 13 is removed therefrom. This bag 13 is provided with a top cuff 14 turned over the top edge of the drawer 12 and held in position by sideplates 15.

When the drawer 12 is returned to closed position, which is the position shown in FIG. 2, the front panel 16 of the drawer is flush with the front of the cabinet and thereby comprises a movable closure means on the cabinet for selectively exposing the access opening or top of the drawer 12 when the drawer is extended and concealing the access opening when the drawer is returned to the position shown in FIG. 2.

After the drawer has been returned to its normal position within the remainder of the cabinet, a compacting ram (not shown) in the top of the cabinet is activated to operate through a cycle where it enters the top of the drawer 12 and compacts the refuse therein and then returns automatically to its concealed position in the top of the cabinet. A refuse compactor of this type is disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Hinkel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,390 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

The present invention provides improved means for applying a measured amount of treating agent to the refuse within the receiver or drawer on closing movement of the closure means following the introduction of the uncompacted refuse. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, when the drawer 12 of FIG. 1 is returned to its closed position as by the top handle 17 the treating agent applying means is activated to apply the agent during the closing movement of the drawer. By treating agent is meant an applied chemical agent such as a disinfectant and deodorizing material that destroys or greatly reduces the number of living micro-organisms that tend to cause decay and the development of offensive odors in the organic portions of the refuse introduced into the compactor.

The means for applying the treating agent as illustrated comprises a pressurized container 18 embodied in an aerosol can of a liquid agent. The container 18 incorporates a conventional metered valve system in which each actuation of the valve results in release of a metered charge of spray. Such aerosol cans are readily available commercially. The can 18 which is mounted in inverted position has extending downwardly the customary displaceable metered valve nozzle 19 which when pressed back toward the can 18 ejects a measured or metered amount of the liquid agent in the form of a spray as illustrated at 20 in FIGS. 3 and 4. The present invention is an improvement over prior art arrangements in that the precise desired amount of disinfectant and deodorant spray is released each time the valve is actuated ensuring positive elimination of micro-organisms and offensive odors.

In order that the aerosol can 18 may be easily replaced when exhausted, there is provided a spring metal holder 21 that is located within the cabinet 11 and positioned so that the can is above the drawer 12 and adjacent the front of the drawer. Since the top of the can 18 is symmetrical about a vertical axis the can is easily mounted in holder 21 without regard to orientation.

In the illustrated embodiment the holder 21 is mounted on the inner side of an access door 22 at the top of the cabinet and above the front panel 16 of the closed drawer 12. This door 22 is mounted on a bottom hinge 23 and when the drawer 12 is approximately halfway open the door 22 may be opened outwardly about this hinge by means of the top handle 24. Such a door is described more fully and claimed in the copending C. R. Difley application Ser. No. 876,399, filed Nov. 13, 1969 also assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

In order to apply the treating agent from the aerosol can 18 to the uncompacted refuse on closing movement of the closure means, there is provided a lever system 24 that is operated by one or more, here shown as two, lever-operating cams 25 on the side of the drawer 12.

As shown the lever system 24 comprises a horizontal mounting bracket 26 that is attached to the inner surface of a horizontal crossbar 27 that extends across the front of the cabinet 11 and to which the hinge 23 is also attached. As can be seen in FIG. 2, this crossbar and hinge are immediately behind the top of the drawer panel 16 when the drawer is closed.

The mounting bracket 26 is horizontally elongated and it has a pair of end ears 28 which hold the horizontal end 29 of a lever 30 for arcuate movement about the horizontal axis of this end 29. The other end of this lever 30 extends generally downwardly as illustrated at 31 and carries on its bottom end a roller 32.

The extremity of the horizontal end 29 of the lever that extends beyond the outermost ear 28 carries a trough-shaped lever end 33. As is shown most clearly in FIG. 4, this end 33 is provided with a trough-shaped recess 34 that is positioned in front of the nozzle 19 so as to receive the nozzle therein when the access door 22 is in its normal closed position as illustrated.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the lever system 24 constructed and described only displaces the nozzle 19 upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3 to activate the spray 20 when the lever system is moved in a clockwise direction as illustrated by the arrow 35. The cams 25a and 25b are arranged so that this movement of the lever system 24 in a clockwise direction only occurs as the drawer is being closed or moved from its position shown in FIG. 1 to its position shown in FIG. 2.

When the drawer is in the position shown in FIG. 2 outward movement of the drawer 12 in the direction as indicated by the arrow 36 causes the roller 32 to ride over the tops of the cams 25a and 25b and, because the lever is turned in a counterclockwise direction, there is no activating of the spray can 18. However, once the drawer is all the way out, as shown in FIG. 1, return movement of the drawer causes the first cam 25a, or the one on the left, to engage the roller 32 and depress the nozzle 19 to eject a spray 20 of treating agent on the refuse and then further closing movement causes the next cam 25b, or the one on the right, to again engage the roller 32 and again spray-treating agent on the uncompacted and freshly introduced loose refuse in the drawer 12. In the event the drawer is only partially opened to approximately the position shown in FIG. 3 the cam 25b will be contacted by roller 32 to release a single metered charge of spray.

As described above, the can 18 when exhausted can easily be removed and replaced by a fresh one by first-opening drawer 12 and then opening the door 22 outwardly about its hinge 23 by its handle 24. This, of course, raises the nozzle 19 from the recess 34 at the rear end of the lever 33. However, as soon as the fresh can has been attached to the holder 21 in the position illustrated and the access door 22 returned to its closed position, the nozzle 19 is automatically returned to the recess 34.

Although there are two-operating cams 25a and 25b illustrated, it is obvious that as many cams as desired can be used. In the illustrated embodiment each cam operates the spray can 18 once so that when two cams are used each closing of the drawer operates the aerosol can 18 twice to give two-metered sprayings on each drawer closure. If in the illustrated embodiment more than two sprayings are desired, the drawer may of course be opened and closed successively to give as many sprayings as desired. Furthermore, by utilizing a plurality of cams with one positioned adjacent the front of the drawer as illustrated, the spray is operated even if the drawer is only partially opened for introducing only a small amount of refuse. In any event, the spray only operates when the drawer is being closed and not when it is being opened. This avoids spraying the refuse after it has been compacted and ensures spraying it only before compacting where the spray will have a better opportunity to contact the refuse.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified.

Claims

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse receiver in said space and movable selectively through said wall means opening, said receiver having an access opening for inserting loose refuse into and removing compacted refuse from said receiver; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said receiver in said space to compact refuse therein; means for guiding said receiver outwardly through said wall means opening to expose said receiver access opening for introduction of refuse to the receiver and inwardly through said wall means opening to a compaction position in said space following said refuse introduction; and means for applying a desired measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on movement of said refuse receiver through said wall means opening, said means for applying the treating agent being arranged to provide said measured amount irrespective of the rate of said movement and the force applied in effecting said movement of the refuse receiver.

2. The refuse compactor of claim 1 wherein said refuse receiver comprises a drawer with a top opening comprising said access opening.

3. The refuse compactor of claim 1 wherein said means for applying said treating agent comprises a pressurized container having a displaceable metering valve, means for mounting said container within said space, and means operatively associated with said refuse container for mechanically displacing said metering valve.

4. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse receiver in said space and movable selectively through said wall means opening, said receiver having an access opening for inserting loose refuse into and removing compacted refuse from said receiver; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said receiver in said space to compact refuse therein; means for guiding said receiver outwardly through said wall means opening to expose said receiver access opening for introduction of refuse to the receiver and inwardly through said wall means opening to a compaction position in said space following said refuse introduction; and means for applying a desired measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on movement of said refuse receiver through said wall means opening, said means for applying said treating agent comprising a pressurized container having a displaceable metering valve, means for mounting said container within said space, and means operatively associated with said refuse container for displacing said metering valve, said refuse compactor further including a movable access door on said wall means, and means for mounting said container on said door and within said space, said pressurized container having a top portion which is symmetrical about a vertical axis, thereby to facilitate mounting of the container without regard to its orientation.

5. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse receiver in said space and movable selectively through said wall means opening, said receiver having an access opening for inserting loose refuse into and removing compacted refuse from said receiver; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said receiver in said space to compact refuse therein; means for guiding said receiver outwardly through said wall means opening to expose said receiver access opening for introduction of refuse to the receiver and inwardly through said wall means opening to a compaction position in said space following said refuse introduction; and means for applying a desired measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on movement of said refuse receiver through said wall means opening, said means for applying the treating agent being arranged to provide said measured amount irrespective of the force applied in effecting said movement of the refuse receiver, said means for applying said treating agent comprising a pressurized container having a displaceable metering valve, means for mounting said container within said space, and means operatively associated with said refuse container for mechanically displacing said metering valve, and said means for displacing said metering valve comprising a lever means mounted on said wall means and a lever operating cam carried by said refuse receiver.

6. The refuse compactor of claim 5 wherein said refuse receiver comprises a drawer having a front panel closing said wall means opening when said drawer is retracted into said space, and said cam is mounted on said drawer.

7. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse receiver in said space and movable selectively through said wall means opening, said receiver having an access opening for inserting loose refuse into and removing compacted refuse from said receiver; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said receiver in said space to compact refuse the rein; means for guiding said receiver outwardly through said wall means opening to expose said receiver access opening for introduction of refuse to the receiver and inwardly through said wall means opening to a compaction position in said space following said refuse introduction; and means for applying a desired measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on movement of said refuse receiver through said wall means opening, said means for applying a treating agent comprising a series of cams for applying said agent a plurality of times on each said closing movement from a fully open position.

8. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse receiver in said space and movable selectively through said wall means opening, said receiver having an access opening for inserting loose refuse into and removing compacted refuse from said receiver; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said receiver in said space to compact refuse therein; means for guiding said receiver outwardly through said wall means opening to expose said receiver access opening for introduction of refuse to the receiver and inwardly through said wall means opening to a compaction position in said space following said refuse introduction; and means for applying a desired measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on movement of said refuse receiver through said wall means opening, said means for applying said treating agent comprising a pressurized container having a displaceable metering valve, means for mounting said container within said space, and means operatively associated with said refuse container for displacing said metering valve, said means for displacing said metering valve comprising a lever means mounted on said wall means, a lever-operating cam operatively associated with said refuse receiver, and said means for applying a treating agent comprising a series of cams on said drawer for applying said agent a plurality of times on each said closing movement from a fully open position.

9. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse-receiving drawer in said space movable in an opening movement from within said space to an extended position for the introduction of loose refuse from exteriorly of said space and in a closing movement back to within said space; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said drawer to compact refuse therein; means for applying a metered amount of treating agent to the refuse on closing movement of said drawer comprising a pressurized container in said space above the drawer having a displaceable metering flow valve; and means on said drawer for displacing said flow valve upon said closing movement.

10. The refuse compactor of claim 9 wherein said means for displacing comprises a lever mounted on said wall means for engaging said flow valve, and cam means on said drawer for moving said lever.

11. The refuse compactor of claim 9 wherein said means for applying a treating agent comprises means for applying said agent in a plurality of measured quantities during a single movement of the drawer through said wall means opening.

12. The refuse compactor of claim 9 wherein said means for applying a treating agent includes a plurality of cams on said drawer and operating means associated with said metering valve actuated seriatim by said cams as an incident of said movement of the drawer.

13. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse-receiving drawer in said space movable in an opening movement from within said space to an extended position for the introduction of loose refuse from exteriorly of said space and in a closing movement back to within said space; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said drawer to compact refuse therein; means for applying a metered amount of treating agent to the refuse on closing movement of said drawer comprising a pressurized container in said space above the drawer having displaceable metering flow valve; and means on said drawer for displacing said flow valve upon said closing movement, said means for displacing comprising a lever mounted on said wall means for engaging said flow valve, and a series of spaced cams on said drawer engaging said lever successively during each said closing movement of the drawer from a fully open position.

14. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse-receiving drawer in said space movable in an opening movement from within said space to an extended position for the introduction of loose refuse from exteriorly of said space and in a closing movement back to within said space; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said drawer to compact refuse therein; means for applying a metered amount of treating agent to the refuse on closing movement of said drawer comprising a pressurized container in said space above the drawer having a displaceable metering flow valve; and means on said drawer for displacing said flow valve upon said closing movement, said means for displacing comprising a lever mounted on said wall means for engaging said flow valve, and cam means on said drawer for moving said lever, said refuse compactor further including a movable access door on said wall means above said drawer, and means for releasably mounting said container on said door and within said space.

15. A refuse compactor comprising: wall means defining the front of a compacting space and having an opening therein; a refuse receiver in said space and movable selectively through said wall means opening, said receiver having an access opening for inserting loose refuse into and removing compacted refuse from said receiver; a refuse-compacting ram in said space movable into and out of said receiver in said space to compact refuse therein; means for guiding said receiver outwardly through said wall means opening to expose said receiver access opening for introduction of refuse to the receiver and inwardly through said wall means opening to a compaction position in said space following said refuse introduction; and means for applying a desired measured amount of treating agent to the refuse on movement of said refuse receiver through said wall means opening, said means for applying the treating agent being arranged to provide said measured amount irrespective of the force applied in effecting said movement of the refuse receiver, and comprising means for applying said agent in a plurality of measured quantities during a single movement of the refuse receiver through said wall means opening.

16. The refuse compactor of claim 15 wherein said means for applying a treating agent includes a plurality of cams on said refuse receiver and operating means associated with said metering valve actuated seriatim by said cams as an incident of said movement of the refuse receiver.