Waste disposal system

Claim 2

In a waste disposal system, in combination, a pair of trash compactor units each having a hopper, a compaction chamber in communication with said hopper for receiving loose trash, a container for compacted trash, a reciprocable ram effective upon reciprocation to traverse said compaction chamber and repeatedly eject trash contained therein and compress the same within said container to produce a bale and means for reciprocating said ram, a trash diverter for selectively directing trash to said hoppers and embodying a casing defining a trash inlet and a pair of trash outlets in communication with said hoppers respectively, a movable two-position trash diverter gate effective in one position to direct trash from the inlet to one of said hoppers and in another position to direct trash from the trash inlet to the other hopper, and meanS responsive to a predetermined maximum pressure of trash in either container for disabling the ramreciprocating means of the compactor unit which is associated with such container, for actuating the ram-reciprocating means of the compactor unit which is associated with the other container, and for shifting the position of said trash diverter gate to establish communication between said trash inlet and the hopper of said other compactor unit.

Claim 3

In a waste disposal system, the combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said ram-reciprocating means for each compacting unit comprises an hydraulic cylinder, and a fluid supply line leading to said cylinder, and said pressure-responsive means is responsive to the incidence of back-up pressure in said supply line when the pressure of trash in either container attains said predetermined maximum.

Claim 4

In a waste disposal system, in combination, a pair of hydraulically operable trash compactor units each of which is effective upon actuation to receive loose trash and compress the same into the form of a bale, electrically operable valve means effective when energized to supply fluid to each compactor unit to actuate the latter, a pressure switch for each valve means and effective upon closure thereof to energize the latter, a trash diverter for selectively directing trash to said compactor units, said diverter including a casing defining a trash inlet and a pair of trash outlets leading to said compactor units respectively, a movable two-position trash diverter gate effective in one position to direct trash from said inlet to one of the compactor units and in another position to direct trash from said inlet to the other compactor unit, and electrically operable control means for shifting the position of said gate, one of said pressure switches being effective upon closure thereof to actuate said control means and move said gate to one of its positions and the other pressure switch being effective upon closure thereof to actuate the control means and move the gate to its other position, said pressure switches each being responsive to the incidence of back-up pressure of fluid supplied to its respective compactor unit by its associated valve means.

Claim 5

In a waste disposal system, in combination, a pair of hydraulically operable trash compactor units each of which is effective upon actuation to receive loose trash and compress the same into the form of a bale, electrically operable valve means effective when energized to supply fluid to each compactor unit to actuate the latter, a pressure switch for each valve means and effective upon closure thereof to energize the latter, a trash diverter for selectively directing trash to said compactor units, said diverter including a casing defining a trash inlet and a pair of trash outlets leading to said compactor units respectively, a movable two-position trash diverter gate effective in one position to direct trash from said inlet to one of the compactor units and in another position to direct trash from said inlet to the other compactor unit, and electrically operable control means for shifting the position of said gate, one of said pressure switches being effective upon closure thereof to actuate said control means and move said gate to one of its positions and the other pressure switch being effective upon closure thereof to actuate the control means and move the gate to its other position, said pressure switches each being responsive to the incidence of back-up pressure of fluid supplied to its respective compactor unit by its associated valve means.

Claim 6

In a waste disposal system, the combination set forth in claim 3 including, additionally, signal rendering means effective upon closure of each pressure switch.