Trash compactor

Claim 2

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell forming upper, middle and lower compartments in said frame, an opening in said shell providing access to the middle and lower compartments, a dolly having an open top to receive trash to be compacted, said dolly occupying the lower compartment, a door closing the middle compartment and through which trash is loaded into the open top of the dolly, and means in the upper compartment for compacting the trash in the dolly, said compacting means comprising a plate, a ram below the plate, a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected between the upper brace and plate to lower said plate with reference to the brace, and a second pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the plate and connected to the ram to lower the ram with reference to the plate.

Claim 3

A trash compactor, as described in claim 1, all of said cylinders being disposed between the plate and the upper brace, whereby to reduce the height of the upper compartment.

Claim 4

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell forming upper, middle and lower compartments in said frame, an opening in said shell providing access to the middle and lower compartments, a dolly having an open top to receive trash to be compacted, said dolly occupying the lower compartment, a door closing the middle compartment and through which trash is loaded into the open top of the dolly, and means in the upper compartment for compacting the trash in the dolly, said compacting means comprising a plate, a ram below the plate, a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected between the upper brace and plate to lower said plate with reference to the brace, and a second pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the plate and connected to the ram to lower the ram with reference to the plate, and including means for providing fluid under pressure to said hydraulic cylinders, said means comprising a pump, means for driving the pump, switch means supported from a vertical post for controlling the pump driving means and having an arm adjacent a central region of one of said upper and lower braces and adapted to be contacted by said one of said upper and lower braces when it is deflected a predetermined amount under pressure of said hydraulic cylinders, whereby to disable said pump driving means by the operation of said switch means.

Claim 5

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell forming upper, middle and lower compartments in said frame, an opening in said shell providing access to the middle and lower compartments, a dolly having an open top to receive trash to be compacted, said dolly occupying the lower compartment, a door closing the middle compartment and through which trash is loaded into the open top of the dolly, and means in the upper compartment for compacting the trash in the dolly, said compacting means comprising a plate, a ram below the plate, a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected between the upper brace and plate to lower said plate with reference to the brace, and a second pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the plate and connected to the ram to lower the ram with reference to the plate, and including means for providing fluid under pressure to said hydraulic cylinders, said means comprising a pump, means for driving the pump, switch means supported from a vertical post for controlling the pump driving means and having an arm adjacent a central region of one of said upper and lower braces and adapted to be contacted by said one of said upper and lower braces when it is deflected a predetermined amount under pressure of said hydraulic cylinders, whereby to disable said pump driving means by the operation of said switch means.

Claim 6

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell forming upper, middle and lower compartments in said frame, an opening in said shell providing access to the middle and lower compartments, an open-top dolly in which trash is to be compacted, said dolly occupying the lower compartment and having a wall closing said lower compartment when the dolly is in position to have trash compacted therein, a door closing the middle compartment, a latch for locking said door in closed position, electrically controlled means on the frame for generating compacting pressure for trash in the dolly, a first switch means operated by the latch for preventing operation of the electrically controlled means when the door is unlatched, and a second switch means independent of the latch, for preventing operation of the electrically controlled means except when the door is in closed position said electrically controlled means on the frame for generating compacting pressure for trash in the dolly comprising hydraulic cylinders, said frame including upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting the upper and lower braces, a plate, a ram below the plate, a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected between the upper brace and plate to lower said plate with reference to the brace, a second pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the plate and connected to the ram through the plate to lower the ram with reference to the plate, means for providing fluid under pressure to said hydraulic cylinders, said last named means comprising a pump, means for driving the pump, switch means supported from one of said vertical posts for controlling the pump driving means and having an arm adjacent a deflectable region of one of said upper and lower braces and adapted to be contacted by said one of said upper and lower braces when it is deflected a predetermined amount under pressure of said hydraulic cylinders, whereby to break the circuit to said pump driving means by the operation of said switch means.

Claim 7

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell forming upper, middle and lower compartments in said frame, an opening in said shell providing access to the middle and lower compartments, an open-top dolly in which trash is to be compacted, said dolly occupying the lower compartment and having a wall closing said lower compartment when the dolly is in position to have trash compacted therein, a door closing the middle compartment, a latch for locking said door in closed position, electrically controlled means on the frame for generating compacting pressure for trash in the dolly, a first switch means operated by the latch for preventing operation of the electrically controlled means when the door is unlatched, and a second switch means independent of the latch, for preventing operation of the electrically controlled means except when the door is in closed position said electrically controlled means on the frame for generating compacting pressure for trash in the dolly comprising hydraulic cylinders, said frame including upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting the upper and lower braces, a plate, a ram below the plate, a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected between the upper brace and plate to lower said plate with reference to the brace, a second pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the plate and connected to the ram through the plate to lower the ram with reference to the plate, means for providing fluid under pressure to said hydraulic cylinders, said last named means comprising a pump, means for driving the pump, switch means supported from one of said vertical posts for controlling the pump driving means and having an arm adjacent a deflectable region of one of said upper and lower braces and adapted to be contacted by said one of said upper and lower braces when it is deflected a predetermined amount under pressure of said hydraulic cylinders, whereby to break the circuit to said pump driving means by the operation of said switch means.

Claim 8

A trash compactor, as described in claim 4, and warning means operated by said switch means supported from a vertical post when said predetermined amount of deflection is reached.

Claim 9

A trash compactor, as described in claim 5, said warning means comprising a visual signal mounted on the shell.

Claim 10

A trash compactor, as described in claim 4, and means controlled by said switch means supported from a vertical post, for reversing the operation of said hydraulic cylinders when said one of said upper and lower beams is deflected said predetermined amount.

Claim 11

A trash compactor, as described in claim 4, said first and second switch means and said switch means supported from said post being connected in series.

Claim 12

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell having an opening in one side, a dolly adapted to be moved into said opening, said dolly having an open top, a bottom adapted to overlie the lower brace such that said lower brace extends under the central region of the bottom of the dolly, roller means for supporting the dolly from the floor, resilient means interposed between the roller means and dolly, and means intermediate the upper and lower braces for exerting pressure upon the dolly, whereby said resilient means is compressed until the bottom of the dolly rests upon said lower brace and thereafter increased downward pressure on the dolly is taken by the lower brace, said dolly comprising further a frame member spaced from the said bottom of the dolly and extending under the said bottom, said resilient means being secured to said dolly frame member, and rigid means connecting the said dolly frame member to said bottom of the dolly.

Claim 13

A trash compactor comprising a frame having spaced upper and lower braces, vertical posts rigidly connecting said upper and lower braces, a shell covering said frame, said shell having an opening in one side, a dolly adapted to be moved into said opening, said dolly having an open top, a bottom adapted to overlie the lower brace such that said lower brace extends under the central region of the bottom of the dolly, roller means for supporting the dolly from the floor, resilient means interposed between the roller means and dolly, and means intermediate the upper and lower braces for exerting pressure upon the dolly, whereby said resilient means is compressed until the bottom of the dolly rests upon said lower brace and thereafter increased downward pressure on the dolly is taken by the lower brace, said dolly comprising further a frame member spaced from the said bottom of the dolly and extending under the said bottom, said resilient means being secured to said dolly frame member, and rigid means connecting the said dolly frame member to said bottom of the dolly.

Claim 14

A trash compactor, as described in claim 9, said compactor frame having a bottom formed with a slot to receive the rigid means connecting the said dolly frame member to said bottom of the dolly.