System for the handling of solid waste

Claim 1

A solid waste handling system having multiple and operatively interconnected stations, each said station having a hopper unit with an opening in a side thereof for receiving such waste, a removable storage unit for such waste, and a compactor unit having a reciprocally driven compactor means, for transferring such waste from said hopper unit and compacting such waste in said storage unit, and an associated control means for actuating said compactor means, each said hopper unit having a door pivotally mounted for opening and closing movement relative to said side opening therein and an associated hopper unit control means for actuating said movement of said door, the mounting of said door including a projection oscillating between an upper position when said door is open and a down position when said door is closed, each said hopper unit further having (1) an upper limit switch operatively connected with said hopper unit control means and positioned for engagement with said mounting projection when in said upper position whereby opening movement of said door is stopped, and (2) a lower limit switch operatively connected with said hopper unit control means and said compactor unit control means and positioned for engagement with said mounting projection when in said lower position whereby closing movement of said door is stopped and said compactor means is reciprocated through said hopper unit, each said compactor unit having associated therewith a detector means responsive to the density of such accumulated waste in each said storage unit for detecting when said storage unit is packed with such waste having reached a predetermined density,