Refuse container

Claim 2

A refuse container comprising a rectangular housing having an access opening through which refuse may be introduced into the housing, a horizontally disposed member fixedly secured to a first side wall of the housing to define a channel for receiving a lifting tine, a side wall on said housing opposite said first side wall being substantialLy planar and lacking any structure to facilitate lifting the housing, a coupling bar supported by brackets on a second wall of said housing, said second wall being generally perpendicular to said first wall, said brackets supporting said bar for reciprocation in a horizontal direction, and means on the coupling bar for latching said bar to said second wall in a position wherein said bar does not obstruct said channel.

Claim 3

A refuse container in accordance with claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a latch on the coupling bar, one of said brackets including a bayonet slot for receiving the latch, said coupling bar being supported for rotation about its longitudinal axis by said brackets.

Claim 4

A refuse container in accordance with claim 2 including a pivotable cover for said opening, and said housing being mounted on wheels.

Claim 5

A refuse container in accordance with claim 1 including a second housing juxtaposed to said first-mentioned housing, a coupling bar supported by brackets on said second housing, said coupling bars being coupled together adjacent the interface between said housings, and a wall of second housing remote from said interface having thereon a horizontally disposed member to define a second channel for receiving a lifting tine, the horizontally disposed members defining channels being at the same elevation and parallel to one another.

Claim 6

A refuse container in accordance with claim 4 wherein said coupling bars are coaxial and have their juxtaposed ends in a telescopic relationship.

Claim 7

A refuse container in accordance with claim 1 including a second housing adjacent said first-mentioned housing, a coupling bar on said second housing being coupled to said first-mentioned bar, a third housing identical with said first-mentioned housing, said third housing having a coupling bar which is coupled to the bar on the second housing, and means on the second housing for cooperation with the first and third housings to prevent the second housing from pivoting relative to the first and third housings.

Claim 8

A refuse container comprising first and second rectangular housings each having an access opening at the top thereof through which refuse may be introduced into the housings, each housing having a planar side wall juxtaposed to a planar side wall of the adjacent housing at an interface, a side wall of each housing remote from and parallel to the interface having thereon an elongated horizontally disposed member for defining a channel to receive a lifting tine, said members being at the same elevation, each housing having a second wall which is perpendicular to the interface, a coupling bar supported on the second wall of each housing, each coupling bar being at the same elevation as the channel on its respective housing, means for removably interconnecting the adjacent ends of the coupling bars, means for preventing the coupling bars from being removed from their respective housings, each coupling bar being supported on its respective housing for limited reciprocal movement wherein an end portion of the bar may obstruct free passage through its adjacent channel, and means for latching said bars to their respective housings in a position wherein the bars do not obstruct the channel on their respective housing.

Claim 9

A refuse container comprising first and second rectangular housings each having an access opening at the top thereof through which refuse may be introduced into the housings, each housing having a planar side wall juxtaposed to a planar side wall of the adjacent housing at an interface, a side wall of each housing remote from and parallel to the interface having thereon an elongated horizontally disposed member for defining a channel to receive a lifting tine, said members being at the same elevation, each housing having a second wall which is perpendicular to the interface, a coupling bar supported on the second wall of each housing, each coupling bar being at the same elevation as the channel on its respective housing, means for removably interconnecting the adjacent ends of the coupling bars, means for preventing the coupling bars from being removed from their respective housings, each coupling bar being supported on its respective housing for limited reciprocal movement wherein an end portion of the bar may obstruct free passage through its adjacent channel, and means for latching said bars to their respective housings in a position wherein the bars do not obstruct the channel on their respective housing.

Claim 10

A refuse container in accordance with claim 7 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a latch on each coupling bar cooperating with mating structure on the second wall of its respective housing.

Claim 11

A refuse container in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for interconnecting the bars is integral with one bar and includes a tubular portion which extends across said interface.

Claim 12

A refuse container in accordance with claim 7 wherein the housings are square and said rods being coaxial.