Wastepaper Basket With Paper Shredder

Abstract

A rectangular wastepaper basket is provided with support tracks positioned interiorly of the basket and along longitudinal sides thereof. A paper shredder is mounted in a rectangular housing having a length comparable to the short side of the basket and a lesser width. The shredder housing is movable along the support tracks to permit equal distribution of shredded paper over the full floor area of the basket.

Description

The present invention relates to a wastepaper basket including a shredder for the shredding of paper and the like.

Paper shredders for cutting small paper sheets and the like and which are mounted on top of a wastepaper basket are known. Such wastepaper baskets include a continuous edge onto which the shredder is fitted. This requires a relatively close tolerance fit if a secure connection between the basket and the shredder is to be obtained. In addition the center of gravity of such shredder-basket combinations is relatively high so that even small horizontal forces can overthrow the wastepaper basket.

The present invention eliminates the aforementioned shortcomings of paper shredders mounted to wastepaper baskets.

It is the object of the invention to provide a wastepaper basket with a paper shredder so that all component parts can be manufactured with relatively loose tolerances while providing the finished product with a high degree of stability.

The present invention attains this object by mounting a support track having a substantially horizontal support surface on the interior of the wastepaper basket (hereinafter "basket"). Thus, the paper shredder is positioned below the upper edge of the basket and the center of gravity of the device is relatively low. Since the support surface can be of any desired width the interior dimensions of the basket can deviate substantially from the dimensions of the paper shredder and the housing mounting it.

It is particularly advantageous when the paper shredder and the opening of the basket have a rectangular shape with unequal sides. It is preferred that the long side of the paper shredder is about equal to the short side of the basket and that the shredder is mounted so that it is longitudinally movable in the basket. This permits the use of relatively large volume baskets for the receipt and storing of large quantities of shredded paper before the basket must be emptied.

Moreover, by mounting the shredder in the above fashion it can be gradually moved from one end of the support tracks mounting the shredder, to the other end thereof, so that the basket is evenly filled with shredded paper. Thus, it is particularly desirable to mount the shredder for convenient and easy movement along the supporting tracks, and it is therefore presently preferred to provide the support surfaces, or the underside of the paper shredder, with rollers or similar low friction bearing means.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the paper shredder is supported by an insert that is removably placed over the top edges of the basket. The insert also includes support tracks that are disposed interiorly of the basket and run along the longitudinal sides of the basket.

To further assure an even distribution of the shredded paper as the basket is filled, the shredder is vertically movably mounted. The invention therefore provides vertically spaced support tracks permitting such adjustment of the shredder.

To facilitate the removal of shredded paper from the basket a sack or liner manufactured of a material such as plastic is placed on top of the support tracks and retained thereon by the shredder. To remove the liner from the basket the shredder is first lifted off the tracks and the liner is then taken out and discarded.

To facilitate the temporary storage of the shredder while not disposed on the tracks, as during emptying of the basket, it preferably included hollow runners or support members onto which it is placed.

In the preferred form of the invention, the housing mounting the shredder is constructed of a bottom member, a cover, and a sheet metal frame clamped between the bottom member and the cover. This enables a relatively effortless disassembly of the housing and assures ready access to the electric motor, the transmission and the shredding mechanism for repair and the like.

The shredder, including the drive means for the shredding mechanism, is asymmetrically positioned in the housing so that its center of gravity is offset from the center line of the cover. A handle is mounted to the cover substantially vertically above the center of gravity of the shredder, that is offset from the cover center line. The unit can thus be lifted without tilting or possible jamming with the support track or the basket.

The housing cover, which comprises the major visible portion of the housing, has a particularly attractive appearance when ventilation openings provided for the electric drive are arranged in a rectangular field with a length about equal to the length of the handle and which extends past the center line of the cover. When so arranged the ventilation openings represent a balance to the asymmetrically positioned handle and optically place the handle on the center of the cover.

Electrical switches for the drive means are preferably adjacent the short sides of the rectangular field of ventilation openings. A female receptacle for electrically connecting the drive means with an electrical cord is also mounted to the cover. The need for mounting such a receptacle to the sides of the housing is thus eliminated. By placing the receptacle adjacent the rectangular field and opposite from the switches the appearance of the cover is substantially enchanced.

The electrical motor of the drive means includes a relatively large diameter drive wheel which is positioned so that its lower end extends into the hollow interior of the runners depending from the housing bottom member. The overall housing height can thus be substantially reduced. Furthermore, to reduce vibrations of the housing the shredding mechanism and the drive means therefor are preferably connected to the housing via a shock and vibration absorbing rubber mount.

The stability of the basket is enchanced by mounting it on suitable casters. Possible tilting of the basket from horizontally acting forces is thereby reduced or eliminated since the basket moves over the supporting floor under such forces and moments tending to tilt the basket do not develop. In addition, the already referred to relatively low center of gravity of the basket and the shredder mounted therein further reduces the danger of tilting the basket.

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the therein illustrated embodiments, from which additional features and advantages of the invention are apparent.

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the basket provided with a paper shredder and constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in section through the paper shredder, showing the motor drive.

Referring to FIG. 1, a wastepaper basket 1 has a rectangular cross section and an upwardly oriented rectangular opening. Longitudinally oriented support tracks 2 defining support surfaces on which a paper shredder 3 rests, are mounted to the interior of the basket. The shredder is provided with runners 4 which engage the supporting surfaces of the tracks and permit movement of the shredder along the long sides of the basket. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 runners 4 are positioned inwardly of the ends of the shredder so that the outer edges of the bottom member 5 of the shredder are in engagement with tracks 2. To facilitate the ease with which the shredder can be moved along tracks 2, the latter are provided with low friction bearing means such as intermittently spaced rollers 10.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes additional, vertically lower positioned tracks 6 to permit the vertical repositioning of the shredder and the basket.

Basket 1 is provided with legs 8 (see FIG. 2) or, as is presently preferred for the above stated reasons, with casters 7 (see FIG. 1). A collapsible liner 9 has its ends folded over the support surfaces of tracks 2 as illustrated in FIG. 2 and is retained thereon by the weight of the shredder. Shredded paper discharged by shredder 3 is collected in the liner.

The housing of shredder 3 is defined by a bottom member 5, a cover 11 and a frame 12 clamped between the cover and the bottom member. The cover includes an aperture 13 through which paper is inserted into the shredding mechanism (not separately shown). A retractable handle 14 for the lifting of shredder 3 is mounted to the cover.

A plurality of ventilation openings for an electrical motor 14 (FIG. 4) of the shredder are arranged in a rectangular field 15. A pair of electrical switches 16 for energizing and de-energizing the motor are mounted to the right of the rectangular field as seen in FIG. 1. A receptacle 17 for connecting the motor to a source of electrical power (not shown) is mounted to cover 11 to the left of the rectangular field. The motor carries a drive wheel 17' for driving the shredder mechanism.

Referring to FIG. 3, another preferred embodiment of the invention employs a removable insert 18 which includes an upper flange 19 that is placed over the top end of the basket and suspends the insert therefrom. The insert depends through the upwardly oriented basket opening into the basket interior. A pair of support tracks 20 are formed at the lower end of the insert and run along the longitudinal basket sides. The shredder (not shown in FIG. 3) rests on tracks 20 in the above described manner. To minimize vibrations of the motor 17' being transmitted to the basket 1, the motor is mounted on a pad 21 of rubber or other appropriate material.

Claims

I claim:

1. Apparatus for shredding and collecting paper comprising a container having an upwardly exposed opening, support means carried by the container below the upper edge of the container but substantially above the bottom thereof to provide space for accumulation of shredded paper, and a paper shredder disposed in a housing and removably resting on the support means, whereby said housing and included shredder is removably installed in said container and the center of gravity of the assembly is thereby lowered to enhance stability.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing has a generally rectangular configuration and the container opening is rectangularly shaped, wherein a longitudinal side of the housing is substantially equidistant with a short side of the opening, and said housing being movable along longitudinal sides of the opening.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the support means comprises tracks extending along interior longitudinal walls of the container.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 including low friction bearing means cooperating with and disposed between the support tracks and an underside of the housing for facilitating the movement of the housing along the tracks.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, including a removable insert constructed for engaging the upper end of the container, the insert including support tracks disposed interiorly of the container and extending along longitudinal walls of the container.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for use in varying the vertical position of the shredder in the container, said means including a plurality of independent support means for said shredder housing, installed at different elevations in said container and selectively usable in supporting said shredder housing.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a disposal liner placed interiorly of the container, the liner including means engaging the support means to maintain the liner in a substantially upright position below said paper shredder.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing includes runners depending from an underside of the housing for engaging the support means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a bottom member, a cover and a frame clamped between the bottom member and the cover.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including retractable handle means mounted to the cover and extending in the direction of long sides of the housing, the handle means being positioned substantially above the center of gravity of the shredder and set-off from the longitudinal center line of the housing.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the cover includes a plurality of ventillation openings, the openings being arranged in a substantially rectangular field of a length about equal to the length of the handle means and extending from side of the cover past the longitudinal center line of the cover.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 including switch means for actuating the paper shredder, the actuating means being disposed adjacent a short side of the rectangular field.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 including an electrical receptacle affixed to the cover for electrically connecting the paper shredder with a source of electrical power.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the receptacle is positioned adjacent the rectangular field.

15. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the shredder includes a drive wheel and the runners are hollow, and wherein a lower end of the drive wheel extends into the hollow interior of one of the runners.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shredder includes rubber mounts supporting the shredder on a bottom member of the housing and insulating the housing from shock and vibration.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 including casters mounted to the lower end of the container and permitting movement of the container about a supporting surface.