Refuse compactor

Claim 2

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compactinG mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between an extended position within said receptacle and a retracted position disposed outwardly and clear of said open end of said receptacle, said mechanism comprising toggle linkage means having first pivot means fixed to said framework, second pivot means connected to said platen, and third pivot means intermediate said first and second pivot means and movable transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, said toggle linkage means comprising first and second sets of crossed-bar linkages, two crossed links of said first set being connected at one of their ends to said first pivot means and at their other ends to said third pivot means, two crossed links of said second set being connected at one of their ends to said second pivot means and at the other of their ends to said third pivot means, a motor, drive means operably interconnecting said motor and said third pivot means of said toggle means for causing movement of said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said drive means comprising a threaded shaft coupled to said third pivot means for bodily movement therewith in the direction of extension and retraction of said toggle linkage means, first connector means threadably engaged with said shaft and connected to said other ends of one of said crossed links of each of said first and second sets, second connector means connected to said other ends of the other one of said crossed links of each of said first and second sets and having said shaft mounted therein but restrained against axial movement relative thereto whereby rotation of said shaft and said first connector means relative to one another causes said first and second connector means to move relative to one another axially of said shaft to thereby articulate said linkage and thus cause said movement of said platen, and means mounting said motor on one of said first and second connector means for bodily movement therewith, said drive means operably coupling said motor to said shaft and said connector means to produce said relative rotation.

Claim 3

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compactinG mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between an extended position within said receptacle and a retracted position disposed outwardly and clear of said open end of said receptacle, said mechanism comprising toggle linkage means having first pivot means fixed to said framework, second pivot means connected to said platen, and third pivot means intermediate said first and second pivot means and movable transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, said toggle linkage means comprising first and second sets of crossed-bar linkages, two crossed links of said first set being connected at one of their ends to said first pivot means and at their other ends to said third pivot means, two crossed links of said second set being connected at one of their ends to said second pivot means and at the other of their ends to said third pivot means, a motor, drive means operably interconnecting said motor and said third pivot means of said toggle means for causing movement of said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said drive means comprising a threaded shaft coupled to said third pivot means for bodily movement therewith in the direction of extension and retraction of said toggle linkage means, first connector means threadably engaged with said shaft and connected to said other ends of one of said crossed links of each of said first and second sets, second connector means connected to said other ends of the other one of said crossed links of each of said first and second sets and having said shaft mounted therein but restrained against axial movement relative thereto whereby rotation of said shaft and said first connector means relative to one another causes said first and second connector means to move relative to one another axially of said shaft to thereby articulate said linkage and thus cause said movement of said platen, and means mounting said motor on one of said first and second connector means for bodily movement therewith, said drive means operably coupling said motor to said shaft and said connector means to produce said relative rotation.

Claim 4

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compactinG mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between an extended position within said receptacle and a retracted position disposed outwardly and clear of said open end of said receptacle, said mechanism comprising toggle linkage means having first pivot means fixed to said framework, second pivot means connected to said platen, and third pivot means intermediate said first and second pivot means and movable transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, said toggle linkage means comprising first and second sets of crossed-bar linkages, two crossed links of said first set being connected at one of their ends to said first pivot means and at their other ends to said third pivot means, two crossed links of said second set being connected at one of their ends to said second pivot means and at the other of their ends to said third pivot means, a motor, drive means operably interconnecting said motor and said third pivot means of said toggle means for causing movement of said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said drive means comprising a threaded shaft coupled to said third pivot means for bodily movement therewith in the direction of extension and retraction of said toggle linkage means, first connector means threadably engaged with said shaft and connected to said other ends of one of said crossed links of each of said first and second sets, second connector means connected to said other ends of the other one of said crossed links of each of said first and second sets and having said shaft mounted therein but restrained against axial movement relative thereto whereby rotation of said shaft and said first connector means relative to one another causes said first and second connector means to move relative to one another axially of said shaft to thereby articulate said linkage and thus cause said movement of said platen, and means mounting said motor on one of said first and second connector means for bodily movement therewith, said drive means operably coupling said motor to said shaft and said connector means to produce said relative rotation.

Claim 5

The compactor as defined in claim 1 wherein said motor mounting means comprises a rigid bracket cantilever mounted on said one connector means.

Claim 6

The compactor as defined in claim 2 wherein said motor and drive means have rotatable shaft means disposed parallel to said threaded shaft and said motor extends adjacent said threaded shaft on the side of said threaded shaft closest to said fixed pivot means.

Claim 7

The compactor as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second crossed bar linkages comprise five-bar linkages, said first pivot means serving as a fixed immobile link in said one set and said second pivot means serving as a link in said second set movable with but maintaining fixed spacing between said one ends of said two crossed links of second set, said third pivot means serving as the variable-length force-application link common to each set of said five-bar linkages.

Claim 8

The compactor as defined in claim 4 wherein said toggle linkage means comprises third and fourth five-bar linkages corresponding to said first and second five-bar linkages, said third and fourth linkages being mounted in side-by-side relationship with said first and second linkages and being spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said threaded shaft.

Claim 9

The compactor as defined in claim 5 wherein said motor is mounted on said second connector means, and said drive means includes a speed reduction torque multiplying drive train coupling an output shaft of said motor to said threaded shaft.

Claim 10

A refuse compactor as set forth in claim 6 wherein said motor is disposed in the space defined between said first and third linkages and said first and third pivot means in the extended position of said toggle linkage means.

Claim 11

The compactor as defined in claim 1 wherein said framework comprises a cabinet having at least a pair of spaced upright side walls and top and bottom walls respectively connected to the top and bottom ends of said side walls, said compacting mechanism being mounted to said side walls and said receptacle being supported on said bottom wall whereby compression force exerted by said platen on material contained in said receptacle is resisted by tensile forces taken by said side walls.

Claim 12

The compactor as defined in claim 8 wherein said cabinet includes drawer slide means mounted to the side walls of said cabinet adjacent said one end of said framework, and including a pull-out drawer having panels defining the front and bottom walls of said cabinet and adapted to receive said receptacle, said drawer being mounted on said drawer slide means for movement from a closed position wherein said cabinet bottom wall is aligned vertically beneath said platen and an open position wherein said bottom wall is disposed outwardly in front of said cabinet to permit removal of said receptacle.

Claim 13

The compactor as defined in claim 9 wherein said side walls have lateral support means at the bottom thereof, and wherein said drawer slide means comprise tracks operably connected to said side walls of said cabinet and to said drawer, said tracks being inclined downwardly and rearwardly at a slight angle from the horizontal such that said drawer bottom wall rests on said lateral support means of said side walls in the closed position of said drawer and is elevated clear of said lateral support means as said drawer is pulled outwardly toward its open position.

Claim 14

The compactor as defined in claim 1 wherein said motor and drive means are mounted adjacent said threaded shaft on the side of said threaded shaft closest to said fixed pivot means.

Claim 15

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compacting mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between extended and retracted positions thereof, said mechanism comprising an extensible toggle linkage means having first connector means operably connected to said framework, second connector means operably connected to said platen and movable therewith, and third connector means intermediate said first and second connector means and comprising first and second spaced pivot means movable relative to one another transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, and a motor mounted on and carried by said toggle linkage means for bodily movement therewith, said toggle linkage means including force transmitting means operably coupling said motor with said toggle linkage means for causing said relative movement of said spaced pivot means to thereby move said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said force transmitting means comprising a threaded shaft and nut rotatable relative to one another by said motor and mounted for bodily movement with said toggle linkage means.

Claim 16

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compacting mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between extended and retracted positions thereof, said mechanism comprising an extensible toggle linkage means having first connector means operably connected to said framework, second connector means operably connected to said platen and movable therewith, and third connector means intermediate said first and second connector means and comprising first and second spaced pivot means movable relative to one another transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, and a motor mounted on and carried by said toggle linkage means for bodily movement therewith, said toggle linkage means including force transmitting means operably coupling said motor with said toggle linkage means for causing said relative movement of said spaced pivot means to thereby move said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said force transmitting means comprising a threaded shaft and nut rotatable relative to one another by said motor and mounted for bodily movement with said toggle linkage means.

Claim 17

The compactor as defined in claim 12 wherein said compacting mechanism includes means associated with said linkage means for stabilizing motion of said platen for movement in a generally rectilinear path of travel, said stabilizing means comprising stabilizing members interconnected with said toggle linkage means and pivotable in response to extension and retraction of said linkage means to cause said linkage means to move said platen in said path whereby said linkage means is self-guiding and thus free of engagement with said framework except via said first connector means.

Claim 18

The compactor as defined in claim 13 wherein said stabilizer members comprise first and second stabilizer links respectively coupled to said first and second spaced pIvot means and extending in opposite directions therefrom to respective connections with said linkage adjacent said first and third connector means.

Claim 19

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compacting mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between extended and retracted positions thereof, said mechanism comprising an extensible toggle linkage means having first connector means operably connected to said framework, second connector means operably connected to said platen and movable therewith, and third connector means intermediate said first and second connector means and comprising first and second spaced pivot means movable relative to one another transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, and a motor mounted on and carried by said toggle linkage means for bodily movement therewith, said toggle linkage means including force transmitting means operably coupling said motor with toggle linkage means for causing said relative movement of said spaced pivot means to thereby move said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said toggle linkage means comprising first and second sets of crossed-bar linkages, two crossed links of said first set being operably connected at one of their ends to said first connector means and at their other ends to said third connector means, two crossed links of said second set being operably connected at one of their ends to said second connector means and at the other of their ends to said third connector means, said force transmitting means comprising a threaded shaft coupled to one of said movable connector means for bodily movement therewith in the direction of extension and retraction of said toggle linkage means, nut means threadably engaged with said shaft and connected to one of said crossed links of at least one of said first and second sets, shaft coupling means connected to the other one of said crossed links of said first and second sets and having said shaft mounted therein to produce axial movement thereof relative to said nut means in response to rotation of said shaft and said nut means relative to one another to thereby articulate said linkage and thus cause said movement of said platen, said force transmitting means operably coupling said motor to said shaft and nut means to produce said relative rotation.

Claim 20

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compacting mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between extended and retracted positions thereof, said mechanism comprising an extensible toggle linkage means having first connector means operably connected to said framework, second connector means operably connected to said platen and movable therewith, and third connector means intermediate said first and second connector means and comprising first and second spaced pivot means movable relative to one another transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, and a motor mounted on and carried by said toggle linkage means for bodily movement therewith, said toggle linkage means including force transmitting means operably coupling said motor with toggle linkage means for causing said relative movement of said spaced pivot means to thereby move said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said toggle linkage means comprising first and second sets of crossed-bar linkages, two crossed links of said first set being operably connected at one of their ends to said first connector means and at their other ends to said third connector means, two crossed links of said second set being operably connected at one of their ends to said second connector means and at the other of their ends to said third connector means, said force transmitting means comprising a threaded shaft coupled to one of said movable connector means for bodily movement therewith in the direction of extension and retraction of said toggle linkage means, nut means threadably engaged with said shaft and connected to one of said crossed links of at least one of said first and second sets, shaft coupling means connected to the other one of said crossed links of said first and second sets and having said shaft mounted therein to produce axial movement thereof relative to said nut means in response to rotation of said shaft and said nut means relative to one another to thereby articulate said linkage and thus cause said movement of said platen, said force transmitting means operably coupling said motor to said shaft and nut means to produce said relative rotation.

Claim 21

The compactor as set forth in claim 15 wherein said threaded shaft and said linkage means are dimensioned and positioned relative to said receptacle and said framework to clear said receptacle and move into and out of the open end thereof in response to movement of said platen between its retracted and fully extended positions.

Claim 22

The compactor as defined in claim 15 wherein said motor is mounted on one of said nut and shaft coupling means.

Claim 23

The compactor as defined in claim 17 wherein said motor means extends adjacent said threaded shaft.

Claim 24

The compactor as defined in claim 18 wherein said toggle linkage means comprises third and fourth crossed-bar linkages corresponding to said first and second crossed-bar linkages, said third and fourth linkages being mounted in side-by-side relationship with said first and second linkages and being spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said threaded shaft, said motor being disposed in the space defined between said first and second linkages and said third and fourth linkages in the extended position of said toggle linkage means.

Claim 25

The compactor as set forth in claim 19 wherein said nut means comprises a trunnion in the form of a yoke having a center section threadably receiving said threaded shaft therethrough and being pivotally connected at its ends to said one set of said crossed lInks, said center section of said yoke being disposed closer to said shaft coupling means than said ends of said yoke to thereby enable said threaded shaft to produce sufficient extension of said linkage with a length of the shaft short enough such that said threaded shaft enters said receptacle with a clearance during movement of said platen to its fully extended position.

Claim 26

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compacting mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between extended and retracted positions thereof, said mechanism comprising an extensible toggle linkage means having first connector means operably connected to said framework, second connector means operably connected to said platen and movable therewith, and third connector means intermediate said first and second connector means and comprising first and second spaced pivot means movable relative to one another transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, and a motor mounted on and carried by said toggle linkage means for bodily movement therewith, said toggle linkage means including force transmitting means operably coupling said motor with said toggle linkage means for causing said relative movement of said spaced pivot means to thereby move said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said framework comprising a cabinet having at least a pair of spaced first and second upright exterior walls and top and bottom supports respectively connected to the top and bottom ends of said upright walls, said compacting mechanism being mounted to said upright walls and said receptacle being supported on said bottom support whereby compression force exerted by said platen on material contained in said receptacle is resisted by tensile forces taken by said upright walls.

Claim 27

A refuse compactor comprising a framework, a receptacle removably received in said framework adjacent one end of said framework and having an open end facing the end of the framework opposite said one end, a compacting mechanism mounted in said framework adjacent said opposite end thereof including a presser platen movable into and out of the open end of said receptacle between extended and retracted positions thereof, said mechanism comprising an extensible toggle linkage means having first connector means operably connected to said framework, second connector means operably connected to said platen and movable therewith, and third connector means intermediate said first and second connector means and comprising first and second spaced pivot means movable relative to one another transversely of the direction of movement of said platen to extend and retract said linkage means, and a motor mounted on and carried by said toggle linkage means for bodily movement therewith, said toggle linkage means including force transmitting means operably coupling said motor with said toggle linkage means for causing said relative movement of said spaced pivot means to thereby move said platen between said extended and retracted positions thereof, said framework comprising a cabinet having at least a pair of spaced first and second upright exterior walls and top and bottom supports respectively connected to the top and bottom ends of said upright walls, said compacting mechanism being mounted to said upright walls and said receptacle being supported on said bottom support whereby compression force exerted by said platen on material contained in said receptacle is resisted by tensile forces taken by said upright walls.

Claim 28

The compactor as defined in claim 21 wherein said cabinet includes drawer slide means mounted to said upright walls of said cabinet adjacent said one end of said framework, and including a pull-out drawer having panels defining a third upright wall and bottom wall of said cabinet and adapted to receive said receptacle, said drawer being mounted on said drawer slide means for movement from a closed position wherein said cabinet bottom wall is aligned vertically beneath said platen and an open position wherein said bottom wall is disposed outwardly of said cabinet to permit removal of said receptacle, said first and second upright walls having lateral support means at the bottom thereof defining said bottom support, said drawer slide means comprising tracks operably connected to said first and second upright walls of said cabinet and to said drawer, said tracks being inclined downwardly and rearwardly at a slight angle from the horizontal such that said drawer bottom wall rests on said lateral support means of said first and second upright walls in the closed position of said drawer and is elevated clear of said lateral support means as said drawer is pulled outwardly toward its open position.

Claim 29

The compactor as defined in claim 21 wherein said receptacle is disposed in free standing relationship in said cabinet and has spaced upright walls proximate said upright cabinet walls adapted to receive support from said upright cabinet walls tending to resist bulging of the associated receptacle walls caused by compaction of refuse in said receptacle by said compacting mechanism.

Claim 30

The compactor as defined in claim 21 wherein said compacting mechanism comprises a pair of laterally spaced beams secured at the opposite ends thereof to said first and second upright walls, and wherein said toggle linkage means comprises a pair of laterally spaced duplicate sets of linkage laterally interconnected By said first, second and third connector means, one pair of said sets of linkage being operatively connected to one of said beams and the other pair of said sets of linkage being operatively connected to said other beam, and wherein said motor is adapted to move between said beams in response to movement of said platen to its fully retracted position.

Claim 31

The compactor as defined in claim 24 wherein each of said beams are secured to said spaced first and second upright walls by a pair of angle brackets, one at each of the opposite ends of the associated beam, said brackets each having a first leg detachably connected by fastener means to the side of the associated beam remote from said platen and a second leg perpendicular to said first leg and extending away from said platen and secured to the associated upright cabinet wall whereby compaction produces a load in shear on said connection of said second leg to said upright wall.