Versatile lid system

Abstract

A lid for large size industrial or commercial solid waste containers is mounted to the upper rear edge of the containers by single or double linkages that permit the lid to hang down close to the rear of the container, to reduce the front to rear extent of the assembly when the lid is fully open. A plurality of prop lugs are formed on the underside of the lid and aligned with a rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for the prop lugs when the lid is in an intermediate open position.

1 . A versatile lid assembly for industrial or commercial solid waste containers, the versatile lid assembly comprising: 
 a trash container with an upper rear edge banding;    a lid for closing said trash container, said lid having an underside, front and rear edges, and two side edges, said lid being pivotally mounted to said container by a pair of linkages, one of said linkages being mounted to said lid adjacent to one side edge of said lid, and the other of said linkages being mounted adjacent to the other side edge of said lid;    at least one center prop lug formed on the underside of the lid and aligned with a rear portion of the rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for said at least one center prop lug;    a plurality of outer prop lugs formed outside of said at least one center prop lug on the underside of the lid and aligned with a forward portion of the rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for the outer lugs, whereby said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs balance the lid on the rear edge banding when the lid is in an intermediate open position.    
   
   
       2 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said linkages is a double linkage including a first link pivotally mounted to the said rear edge of said trash container, and a second link pivotally mounted to the rear edge of said lid, with said two links being pivotally coupled together, whereby said lid may be folded back to hang close to the rear of said trash container.  
   
   
       3 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said linkages is a single linkage including a link which is pivotally connected at one end to the rear edge of the trash container, and is pivotally connected at the other end to the rear edge of said lid.  
   
   
       4 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one center prop lug comprises three center prop lugs.  
   
   
       5 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of outer prop lugs comprises two outer prop lugs.  
   
   
       6 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one center prop lug have a substantially flat shoulder extending approximately parallel to a plane of the lid, so as to be angled upwardly when the lid is in an intermediate open position, and so as to rest on the rear portion of the rear edge banding.  
   
   
       7 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said outer prop lugs have a substantially flat shoulder extending at an oblique angle with respect to a plane of the lid, so as to be angled approximately downwardly when the lid is in the intermediate open position, and so as to rest on the forward portion of the rear edge banding.  
   
   
       8 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an intersection of said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs forms a balance point for the lid in the intermediate open position, whereby a downward pull on the front of the lid brings the lid forward, and releases the lid from balancing in an intermediate position, bringing said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs fully forward of the rear edge banding, allowing the lid to close.  
   
   
       9 . A versatile lid assembly for industrial or commercial solid waste containers, the versatile lid assembly comprising: 
 a trash container with an upper rear edge banding;    a lid for closing said trash container, said lid having an underside, front and rear edges, and two side edges, said lid being pivotally mounted to said container by a pair of double linkages, one of said double linkages being mounted to said lid adjacent to one side edge of said lid, and the other of said double linkages being mounted adjacent to the other side edge of said lid, each of said double linkages including a first link pivotally mounted to the said rear edge of said trash container, and a second link pivotally mounted to the rear edge of said lid, with said first and second links being pivotally coupled together, whereby said lid may be folded back to hang close to the rear of said trash container;    at least one center prop lug formed on the underside of the lid and aligned with a rear portion of the rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for said at least one center prop lug;    a plurality of outer prop lugs formed outside of said at least one center prop lug on the underside of the lid and aligned with a forward portion of the rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for the outer lugs, whereby said at least one center prop lug and the outer prop lugs balance the lid on the rear edge banding when the lid is in an intermediate open position.    
   
   
       10 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one center prop lug comprises three center prop lugs.  
   
   
       11 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of outer prop lugs comprises two outer prop lugs.  
   
   
       12 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one center prop lug has a substantially flat shoulder extending approximately parallel to a plane of the lid, so as to be angled upwardly when the lid is in an intermediate open position, and so as to rest on the rear portion of the rear edge banding.  
   
   
       13 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said outer prop lugs have a substantially flat shoulder extending at an oblique angle with respect to a plane of the lid, so as to be angled approximately downwardly when the lid is in the intermediate open position, and so as to rest on the forward portion of the rear edge banding.  
   
   
       14 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein an intersection of said at least one center prop lug and the outer prop lugs forms a balance point for the lid in the intermediate open position, whereby a downward pull on the front of the lid brings the lid forward, and releases the lid from balancing in an intermediate position, bringing said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs fully forward of the rear edge banding, allowing the lid to close.  
   
   
       15 . A versatile lid assembly for industrial or commercial solid waste containers, the versatile lid assembly comprising: 
 a trash container with an upper rear edge banding;    a lid for closing said trash container, said lid having an underside, front and rear edges, and two side edges, said lid being pivotally mounted to said container by a pair of single linkages, one of said linkages being mounted to said lid adjacent to one side edge of said lid, and the other of said linkages being mounted adjacent to the other side edge of said lid, each of said single linkages including a link which is pivotally connected at one end to the rear edge of the trash container, and which is pivotally connected ed at the other end to the rear edge of said lid;    at least one center prop lug formed on the underside of the lid and aligned with a rear portion of the rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for said at least one center prop lug;    a plurality of outer prop lugs formed outside of said at least one center prop lug on the underside of the lid and aligned with a forward portion of the rear edge banding which forms a fulcrum support for the outer lugs, whereby said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs balance the lid on the rear edge banding when the lid is in an intermediate open position.    
   
   
       16 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one center prop lug comprises three center prop lugs.  
   
   
       17 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of outer prop lugs comprises two outer prop lugs.  
   
   
       18 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one center prop lug has a substantially flat shoulder extending approximately parallel to a plane of the lid, so as to be angled upwardly when the lid is in an intermediate open position, and so as to rest on the rear portion of the rear edge banding.  
   
   
       19 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said outer prop lugs have a substantially flat shoulder extending at an oblique angle with respect to a plane of the lid, so as to be angled approximately downwardly when the lid is in the intermediate open position, and so as to rest on the forward portion of the rear edge banding.  
   
   
       20 . The versatile lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein an intersection of said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs forms a balance point for the lid in the intermediate open position, whereby a downward pull on the front of the lid brings the lid forward, and releases the lid from balancing in an intermediate position, bringing said at least one center prop lug and said outer prop lugs fully forward of the rear edge banding, allowing the lid to close.