Refuse compactor

Claim 1

In a refuse compactor including a housing, a compaction zone within said housing, reciprocal compacting means within said housing in communication with said compaction zone and discharge means connected to said compaction zone within said housing to discharge the compacted refuse therefrom, the combination comprising; said reciprocal compacting means, a horizontally disposed pivotally mounted hydraulic compaction ram having a piston, rod, and cylinder portion, said cylinder portion pivotally mounted at one end to said housing, said piston rod reciprocally carried by said cylinder for moving said piston between extended compacting and retracted positions, said piston pivotally attached to said rod and including a substantially tubular protective casing portion open at one end thereof and closed at the opposite end to define an arcuate compacting face, means defining an opening in the wall of said protective casing adjacent the pivotal attachment between said piston and said rod for access thereto, feeding means carried by said housing including a feed chute, feed opening in said housing connected to said chute, a combination hydraulic feed actuator and precompactor means mounted on said chute to feed and precompact said refuse from said chute into said housing for further compaction therein, means moving said piston between retracted and compacting positions within said housing, ejecting means carried by said housing in communication with said compaction zone including pressure-operated cylinder, piston rod, and ejection piston means selectively operable between extended ejecting and retracted positions, said ejection piston including a substantially tubular protective body open at one end thereof and closed at the opposite end to define an ejection face, means defining a discharge opening in said housing beneath said compaction zone and said ejecting means, door means complementary to said discharge opening, said door movable between open and closed positions to selectively retain or discharge a compacted quantity of refuse from within said compaction zone, and control means to selectively and sequentially actuate said feed means, said compaction means, said door means and said ejecting means.