Refuse compactor

Claim 1

A refuse compactor unit for compressing and substantially reducing the volume of refuse which is adapted to utilize a household water pressure as a hydraulic power source comprising, in combination: compaction chamber means; removable refuse receiving means positioned within said compaction chamber means for receiving said refuse to be compacted; said compaction chamber means being tiltable relative to said unit for insertion and removal of said removable refuse receiving means and for depositing refuse in said refuse receiving means; reciprocating compaction means movable into and out of said compaction chamber means for compressing said refuse within said removable refuse receiving means; hydraulically responsive actuation means for controlling the movement of said reciprocating compaction means; valve means connecting said hydraulically responsive actuation means to said source of household water pressure, said hydraulically responsive actuation means including a cylinder having hydraulic fluid openings at the top and bottom connected to said valve means, a double-action piston positioned for sliding movement within said cylinder between said top and bottom hydraulic openings in said cylinder, and a piston rod connecting said piston to said reciprocating compaction means and said valve means including a four-way valve member adapted to interconnect said source of household water pressure, the hydraulic opening in the top of said cylinder, the hydraulic opening in the bottom of said cylinder, and a drain line; and control means for said valve means responsive to said reciprocating compaction means reaching both the top and bottom of its stroke to adjust the position of said valve to thereby control the flow of water to said hydraulically responsive actuation means, said control means including a spring-biased cam plate directly connected to said four-way valve member and including a cam detent, a freely sliding rod positioned to be moved upwardly into engagement with said cam plate by said reciprocating compaction means when said reciprocating compaction means approaches the top of its stroke to thereby rotate said cam plate and four-way valve means to a position which blocks all water flow through said four-way valve means, a latch means actuatable to engage the cam detent on said cam plate when said cam plate and four-way valve are rotated to a position which connects said source of household water pressure to said hydraulic opening in the top of said cylinder and said hydraulic opening in the bottom of said cylinder to said drain line to thereby force said piston downwardly and said compaction means into said compaction chamber means, a manual lever means connected to said cam plate and four-way valve means for manually rotating said cam plate to the position where said latch engages said detent in said cam plate, and an expandable diaphragm means responsive to increased water pressure within the top portion of said cylinder as said reciprocating compaction means reaches the bottom of its compaction stroke to remove said latch means from engagement with the detent on saId cam plate to thereby release said spring-biased cam plate so that it rotates said four-way valve to a position which connects said source of household water pressure to said hydraulic opening in the bottom of said cylinder and said hydraulic opening in the top of said cylinder to said drain line to thereby force said piston upwardly to retract said compaction means from said compaction chamber.