Refuse compactor

Abstract

The cover of a refuse container, adapted to be sealed upon the container, is internally provided with a bellows having a pressure plate to bear against the material being compacted as the plate moves downwardly in the container in response to expansion of the bellows. The plate assembly and container define a collapsible chamber from which air is evacuated by a power means to reduce the internal pressure while air at atmospheric pressure expands the inside of the bellows. Automatic means to vent the evacuated collapsible chamber to atmosphere is provided in a control system that includes the power means to evacuate air. The container may be independent of the other elements of the invention and may be supported for translatory movement in and out of operative connection to the power means and cover whereby a plurality of containers may be employed with a single power system.

I claim: 
     
       1. A refuse compactor comprising: a rigid container having a cover for closing a refuse receiving opening of said container;   an air seal means for sealing the junction of said cover with said opening when said cover is closed;   a flexible air-tight means peripherally affixed to said cover and dividing said container into two separate chambers one of which is defined, at least in part, by said cover;   means to communicate said one of said two chambers to atmospheric pressure;   and means to evacuate air from the other of said two chambers to effect movement of said flexible means by atmospheric pressure in a direction to reduce the volume of said other chamber to compact refuse within said other chamber while biasing said cover against said air seal means to prevent leakage of atmospheric pressure into said other chamber.   
     
     
       2. A refuse compactor as in claim 1 in which said flexible means comprises a rigid plate that is peripherally mounted in air-sealing engagement with an impervious sheet of a flexible material. 
     
     
       3. A refuse compactor as in claim 2 in which said sheet of flexible material comprises a tubular bellows that is closed at one end by said plate. 
     
     
       4. A refuse compactor as in claim 1 in which said means to evacuate air from the other of said chambers includes an opening formed through said flexible means. 
     
     
       5. A refuse compactor as in claim 1 in which said means to evacuate air from the other of said chambers includes an opening in a portion of said walls bounding the other of said chambers. 
     
     
       6. A refuse compactor as in claim 1 having a means to vent said other chamber to atmospheric pressure after actuation of said means to evacuate air from said other chamber. 
     
     
       7. A refuse compactor as in claim 6 in which said means to vent said other chamber comprises a valve. 
     
     
       8. A refuse compactor comprising; a rigid container means;   a rigid pressure plate;   an air-tight sheet of a flexible material having one edge fixedly sealed to the periphery of said plate and the other edge fixedly sealed to a surrounding wall of said container means to define an endless hermetic seal that movably supports said plate within said container to generally confine an enclosed volume of said container means adapted to contain refuse;   means to evacuate air from the volume of said container means that is enclosed by said plate and said sheet to move said plate by atmospheric pressure in a direction to compact refuse in said container means;   and means to vent the enclosed volume of said container means to atmosphere, after actuation of said means to evacuate air.[...]..Iadd., as a function of a desired degree of movement of said plate by atmospheric pressure in said direction to compact refuse. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       9. A refuse compactor as in claim 8 having a means to retract said pressure plate after actuation of said means to vent the enclosed volume to atmosphere. 
     
     
       10. A refuse compactor as in claim 8 in which said sheet of flexible material comprises a tubular bellows that is closed at one end by said pressure plate. 
     
     
       11. A refuse compactor as in claim 8 in which said container means comprises a separably joined pair of sealingly engageable parts. 
     
     
       12. A refuse compactor as in claim 11 in which one of said parts comprises a cover to which said other edge of said sheet material is secured. 
     
     
       13. Self-contained apparatus for compacting refuse within a plurality of containers that may be sequentially connected thereto, comprising; a cover adapted to be engaged with the openings of containers consecutively connected thereto;   a rigid pressure plate;   means extensibly and retractably supporting said plate from the inside of said cover;   flexible means carried at the periphery of said plate for defining an endless hermetic seal for the volume of a container that is covered by said plate and by said flexible means;   and power means in said cover having communication with the covered volume to evacuate air from the covered volume to extend said plate by atmospheric pressure to compact refuse in a container then connected to said cover.   
     
     
       14. Self contained apparatus as in claim 13 having a means to vent the covered volume to atmosphere after actuation of said power means. 
     
     
       15. Self contained apparatus as in claim 14 in which said means to vent includes a valve operatively associated with an opening through said plate. 
     
     
       16. Self contained apparatus as in claim 13 in which said flexible means comprises an endless sheet of material having one edge secured to the periphery of said plate and the other edge secured to said cover. 
     
     
       17. Self contained apparatus as in claim 16 in which said endless sheet comprises a tubular bellows. 
     
     
       18. Self contained apparatus as in claim 16 in which said cover is adapted to be sealingly engaged with the openings of containers consecutively connected thereto. 
     
     
       19. A refuse compactor comprising: a rigid container;   a cover for closing an opening in said container;   a rigid pressure plate;   an endless sheet of a flexible air-tight material having one edge secured to said plate and having the other edge secured to said cover;   power means connected to said cover and having communication with the volume of said container that is covered by said plate and by said endless sheet to evacuate air from the enclosed volume to move said plate by atmospheric pressure to compact refuse in the said container;   and vent means having communication with the enclosed volume of said container to vent the enclosed volume to atmosphere after actuation of said power means.   
     
     
       20. A refuse compactor as in claim 19 in which said endless sheet is arranged in a bellows configuration. 
     
     
       21. A refuse compactor as in claim 19 in which said vent means includes a valved opening through said pressure plate. 
     
     
       22. A refuse compactor as in claim 19 having a means on said cover to extensibly and retractably support said plate. 
     
     
       23. A refuse compactor as in claim 22 in which said means to extensibly and retractably support said plate, said power means, and said vent means are mounted inside said cover and said flexible sheet, said sheet comprising a tubular bellows.