Trash compactor

Claim 2

A refuse compactor comprising a housing, a drawer slidably mounted in said housing for selective movement between a cLosed position within said housing and an open position at least partially withdrawn therefrom, a refuse receptacle carried by said drawer, the latter having an open bottom, means for resiliently supporting the receptacle on the drawer and normally holding the same above the bottom of the drawer for such slidable movement thereof, and a reciprocal ram in said housing adapted to move into said receptacle to compact refuse therein when the drawer is in its closed position, the ram in its compaction movement forcing the refuse-containing receptacle against the means resiliently supporting the same through the bottom of the drawer for supporting engagement thereof by the bottom portion of the housing to transfer the force of compaction to the latter, retraction of the ram and the resulting removal of the compaction force causing the receptacle to be returned to its normal relatively lifted position by said means resiliently supporting the same to permit the outward sliding movement of the drawer from the housing.

Claim 3

A compactor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receptacle has a peripheral projection, and at least one spring is interposed between said projection and the drawer, thereby resiliently to support said receptacle.

Claim 4

A compactor as set forth in claim 2, wherein said receptacle is substantially cylindrical and is supported by plural leaf springs.

Claim 5

A compactor as set forth in claim 3, wherein said ram during its compaction movement depresses said springs so that the bottom of said receptacle engages said housing.

Claim 6

A refuse compactor comprising: a housing including walls therewithin defining an upper drive chamber and a lower drawer space; a ram normally positioned at the top of said space; drive means in said chamber including screw means for vertically extending the ram into the drawer space and retracting the same to its normal elevated position; electric motor means in the housing having a driving connection with the drive means in said upper drive chamber for such actuation of the ram; drawer means including a front closure panel, inwardly extending body means, a refuse receptacle removably carried by said body means, and guide means for slidable mounting of said drawer means in said drawer space for selective movement of the former between a closed position in which said receptacle is positioned in the space beneath the ram and a withdrawn open position permitting access to and removal and replacement of the receptacle; and resilient support means for normally holding at least a portion of said drawer means resiliently vertically above the bottom of the housing; the ram when extended by the drive means entering the receptacle to compact refuse therein, with the force of compaction of the refuse by the ram acting against such resilient support means to force said drawer portion supported thereby downwardly against the bottom of the housing, thereby to transfer to the latter the force exerted by the ram in compaction of the refuse, retraction of the ram to its normal position causing return of the drawer means to its normal condition for the in and out sliding movement of the same relative to the housing.

Claim 7

A refuse compactor comprising: a housing including walls therewithin defining an upper drive chamber and a lower drawer space; a ram normally positioned at the top of said space; drive means in said chamber including screw means for vertically extending the ram into the drawer space and retracting the same to its normal elevated position; electric motor means in the housing having a driving connection with the drive means in said upper drive chamber for such actuation of the ram; drawer means including a front closure panel, inwardly extending body means, a refuse receptacle removably carried by said body means, and guide means for slidable mounting of said drawer means in said drawer space for selective movement of the former between a closed position in which said receptacle is positioned in the space beneath the ram and a withdrawn open position permitting access to and removal and replacement of the receptacle; and resilient support means for normally holding at least a portion of said drawer means resiliently vertically above the bottom of the housing; the ram when extended by the drive means entering the receptacle to compact refuse therein, with the force of compaction of the refuse by the ram acting against such resilient support means to force said drawer portion supported thereby downwardly against the bottom of the housing, thereby to transfer to the latter the force exerted by the ram in compaction of the refuse, retraction of the ram to its normal position causing return of the drawer means to its normal condition for the in and out sliding movement of the same relative to the housing.

Claim 8

A compactor as set forth in claim 5, wherein said resilient means comprises a plurality of springs.

Claim 9

A compactor as set forth in claim 5, wherein that portion of the drawer means which is resiliently mounted for relative vertical movement by the compaction force exerted by the ram is the removable refuse receptacle.

Claim 10

A compactor as set forth in claim 5, wherein the drive means includes a single screw having a large diameter driven member attached at its upper end, and the electric motor means is mounted vertically in the rear top of the housing with its output shaft having a smaller diameter drive member thereon interconnected with said driven member for direct drive of the screw means and hence the ram.

Claim 11

A compactor as set forth in claim 5, wherein the screw means is fully contained within the drive chamber throughout actuation of tHe ram and cooperates with extensible ram connecting means actuated thereby to produce extension and retraction of the ram.

Claim 12

A compactor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the resiliently mounted portion of the drawer means is the removable refuse receptacle.

Claim 13

A compactor as set forth in claim 10, wherein said resilient means comprises a plurality of springs.