Abstract:
A refuse container includes a housing having an opening for receiving refuse, a bail pivotally attached to the housing for pivotal movement between a first position in front of the opening and a second position adjacent the housing, a handle attached to the housing positioned adjacent to the bail when the bail is in the second position and an attachment member for releasably attaching the bail to the attachment member when the bail is in the second position, the attachment member positioned adjacent the handle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a refuse accumulator and container and more particularly relates to a refuse accumulator and container which permits control of the bail of the container when the contents of the container are dumped. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Containers for accumulating refuse or other materials commonly include a bail, or handle member pivotally connected to the sides of the container at diametrically opposed points enabling lifting and transporting of the container by gripping the bail. The bail is used to hold the container in an upright position with the container opening at the top to prevent discharge of the contents of the container. The bail is manually held to one side and away from the opening by the user when the container is tipped from its upright position to discharge the container contents. 
     These types of containers can also include a handle on the container itself to assist the user in pivoting the container to eject the contents thereof. Such a container is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 123,569 to Lothrop. Lothrop discloses a container having bail c pivotally connected to container A at diametrically opposed points A. Handle B is fastened to the sides of container A. Handle B also serves as a rest to prevent bail c from contacting the side of the container in order to insulate the bail from the hot surface of the container. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,205,064 to Varian depicts container 10 with bail 18 and handle 19. The patent describes the use of this type of container at column 2, lines 95-102: 
     “When it is desired to empty the receptacle, the same is carried by the bail 18 until the regular garbage receptacle is reached, whereupon the handle 19 is grasped, so as to swing the receptacle to a horizontal position, by reason of its pivotal connection with the bail 18, the front wall 11, resting upon the mouth of the larger receptacle.” 
     However none of the prior art containers comprising a bail and handle member for use in the manner described provide a simple means for retaining the bail adjacent the container when the container is rotated to dump the contents. Often the force of gravity on the bail will cause the bail to rotate into a position in front of the opening thereby partially blocking the refuse exiting through the opening from the container. This interferes with efficient dumping of the contents of the container and as well can result in dirt and other foreign materials adhering to the bail which can then be transferred to the hands of the user when the bail is used to carry the container. 
     As a result there is a need for a container having a bail pivotally connected to the container and a handle at the side of the container with an attachment member adjacent the handle which permits releasable attachment of the bail to the attachment member when the bail is adjacent the side of the container. This feature would prevent the bail from rotating to a position in front of the opening thereby preventing the bail from interfering with the dumping of refuse in the container and preventing the bail from being dirtied by the contents of that container. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A refuse container according to the invention includes a housing having an opening for receiving refuse, a bail pivotally attached to the housing for pivotal movement between a first position in front of the opening and a second position adjacent the housing, a handle attached to the housing positioned adjacent to the bail when the bail is in the second position and an attachment member for releasably attaching the bail to the attachment member when the bail is in the second position. The attachment member is positioned on the housing adjacent the handle to permit attachment of the bail to the attachment member when the bail is in the second position. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the attachment member can include a clip dimensioned to securely and releasably hold the bail within the clip. The clip may be a finger element which is dimensioned with respect to the housing to retain the bail between the element and the housing by means of friction between the element, the housing and the bail. The clip may alternatively comprise a finger element dimensioned and shaped with respect to the housing to retain the bail between the element and the housing by means of a snap fit of the bail with respect to the element and housing. 
     In another aspect of the invention the container may further include a bail rest adjacent to the attachment member positioned to contact the bail when the bail is near the second position without the bail being releasably secured by the attachment member. The bail rest may be positioned with respect to the handle to enable the thumb of a user to restrain the bail against the rest while simultaneously gripping the handle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of the refuse container of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the container of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the container of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the container of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the refuse container of FIG. 1 showing the bail releasably secured in the attachment member. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the refuse container of FIG. 1 showing the hand of a user gripping the handle and the bail in a position adjacent to but not contacting the bail rest. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the refuse container of FIG. 1 showing the thumb of the user contacting the bail and retaining the bail against the bail rest. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the refuse container of FIG. 1 showing the lifting and transporting of the container in an upright position using the bail. 
     FIG. 9 is a rear view of the container of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, container  12  includes housing  14 , bail  16  and handle  18 . 
     Housing is preferably integrally molded as a unitary article and includes opening  20  formed in housing  14 . 
     Housing  14  includes a pair of opposed parallel side members  22  connected to top member  24  and bottom member  26  of housing  14 . Side members  22  include front edges  28 . Top housing  14 . Side members  22  include front edges  28 . Top member  24  includes front edge  30  and bottom member  26  includes front edge  32 . Edges  28 ,  30  and  32  define rectangular opening  20  at the front of container  12 . 
     Housing  14  includes upper semi-circular portion  34  connected to top member  24  which slopes downwardly towards bottom member  26  toward the rear of container  12  to merge with portion  34 . 
     As seen best in FIGS. 3 and 8, edges  28  are curved rearwardly moving towards upper side  24 . This results in bottom member  26  extending further forward as compared to top member  24  facilitating use of a broom, rake or other implement to direct refuse into container  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, handle  18  extends longitudinally along an axis parallel with the central axis of housing  14  and perpendicular to bail  16 . Handle  18  includes downwardly sloping rear section  36  connected to circular portion  34  at the rearmost part of handle  18 , intermediate section  38  used to grip handle  18  and forward section  40 . Handle  18  also includes support  42  which supports intermediate and forward sections  38  and  40  and provides a spaced opening  44  to permit a user to grip handle  18  (as depicted in FIGS.  6  and  7 ). 
     As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3, bottom member  26  includes downwardly sloping section  45  which slopes downwardly to merge with bottom edge  32 . Section  45  facilitates sweeping or raking of debris into opening  20  and container  12 . 
     Bail  16  includes a pair of opposed lateral extension members  46  seen best in FIGS. 1 and 2. Extension members  46  merge with, and are joined by, cross member  48 . Cross member  48  includes resiliently deformable pad  50  to facilitate gripping of bail  16  by a user and to facilitate releasable attachment of bail  16  as described below. Extension members  46  are hingedly attached on respective opposed side members  22  of housing  14  at hinges  52 . Hinges  52  permit bail  16  to be pivoted or rotated between a first position in front of opening  20 , as depicted in FIG. 8, and a second position adjacent top member  24  as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 5. It should be understood that bail  16  may be pivotable or rotatable past the first position all the way to position with cross member  48  adjacent bottom member  26 . 
     Referring to FIG. 9, upright support section  54  is formed integrally with semi-circular portion  34  and bottom member  26 . Support section  54  permits the resting of container  12  in its upright position, as depicted in FIG. 8, with support section  54  resting on a support surface such as the ground or a floor. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, bottom member  26  includes a pair of generally bullet-shaped extensions  56  in parallel alignment positioned at a rear part of member  26 . Indent  58  conforms to downwardly sloping section  45  of bottom member  26 . Rear portions  61  of extensions  56  merge with support section  54  at the rear of extensions  56 . Extensions  56  serve to support container  12  when the container is in its side position as depicted, for example, in FIG.  1 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, forward section  40  includes resiliently deformable extension  60  in spaced parallel relation with housing contact area  62 . Extension  60  is spaced from area  62  sufficient to enable cross member  48 , with pad  50  to fit snugly in the space between extension  60  and area  62 , as depicted in FIG.  5 . Extension  60  is further spaced from area  62  in such as a manner to permit release of cross member  48  and pad  50  from between extension  60  and area  62  upon application of sufficient force to pull cross member  48  from between extension  60  and area  62 . 
     As seen in FIG. 6, and in another option of this invention, extension  60  includes bail rest  66  aligned with bail  16  when bail  16  is approaching or near its second position. Bail rest  66  does not securely retain bail  16  against housing contact area  62 . Instead bail rest  66  provides a convenient non-secured stop position to permit thumb  68  of a user to retain bail  16  against rest temporarily without releasably securing rest  66  between extension  60  and area  62 . 
     As well bail rest  66  provides a convenient guide to assist thumb  68  of a user to move the bail  16  into its second position releasably secured between extension  60  and area  62 . 
     As an alternative to the friction fit of cross member  48  and pad  50  between extension  60  and area  62 , extension  60  may be contoured in such a manner that cross member  48  and pad  50  pass through a restricted area into a larger housing area to provide a releasable snap-fit of cross member  48  and pad  50  in the space between extension  60  and area  62 . 
     As seen in FIG. 5, the other optional feature of the bail rest  66  in conjunction with the relative position of handle gripping portion  64  with respect to the position of bail  16  when contacting bail rest  66 , provides the advantage of enabling the user&#39;s thumb  68  to grip bail  16  and retain it against rest  66  while the fingers of the user simultaneously grip handle gripping portion  64 . This permits the user to dump the contents of container  12  by tilting container  12  using handle  18  to position opening  20  below housing  14 , while simultaneously restraining bail  16  against rest  66  with the user&#39;s thumb  68 , as depicted in FIG.  7 . This prevents bail  16  from rotating from its second position to a position in front of opening  20  on tilting of container  12  to dump its contents. 
     OPERATION 
     The operation of container  12  will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 1,  6 ,  7  and  8 . Container  12  is placed on the ground on its bottom member  26 , supported on a support surface, such as the ground or a floor, by extensions  56  such that edge  32  contacts that support surface. Bail  16  may either be placed near its second position resting against rest  66  (as depicted in FIG. 6) or releasably engaged by extension  60  holding cross member  48  and pad  50  in a friction fit or snap fit engagement with respect to housing contact area  62  (as depicted in FIG.  5 ). The user can then sweep or rake refuse such as dirt and other foreign materials from the floor, or rake leaves or other lawn or garden debris into housing  14  through opening  20 . Because edge  30  is set back towards the rear of housing  14 , in relation to edge  32  sweeping or raking debris into housing  14  is facilitated by enabling the rake, broom or other implement to travel partially into housing  14  through opening  20 . When housing  14  is full, or otherwise as desired by the user, the container can be lifted and moved by releasing or moving bail  16  from engagement with extension  60  or from rest  66  and lifting bail  16  upwardly. This results in the rotation of container  12  about hinges  52  with respect to bail  16  as the front of container  12  is lifted from the support surface. On further lifting, container  12  is rotated to its upright position, generally as depicted in FIG.  8 . The contents of container  12  are retained in housing  14  with opening  20  at the top. Container  12  may then be set down in its upright position on the support surface, on upright support section  54 . The container  12  may be carried by the user gripping bail  16 , as depicted in FIG.  8 . 
     When it is desired to dump the contents of container  12 , the user tilts container  12  by gripping handle  18  and bail  16 . The user rotates bail  16  towards the second position to move bail  16  away from opening  20  to prevent bail  16  from interfering with the discharge of contents from container  12 . Bail  16  is rotated to its second position where it is releasably attached between extension  60  and contact area  62  as described above. The user then continues to tilt container  12  using handle  18  until opening  20  is below housing  14  and the force of gravity causes the contents of container  12  to fall out opening  20  thereby emptying container  12  of its contents. Bail  16  is retained between extension  60  and area  62  and is prevented from rotating to a position in front of opening  20 . 
     Various changes may be made to the embodiments shown and described herein without departing from the scope of the present invention which is to be interpreted in accordance with the following claims.