Cover for waste container

A cover for a box-like, generally rectangular, waste storage and transport container. The cover comprises a truncated pyramid having a square base, a center of symmetry and two perpendicular axes of symmetry passing through the center. One side of the truncated pyramid is formed with a hingeable door, which automatically maintains a closed position without any load placed thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to containers for the storage and 
transportation of industrial, household, and commercial waste, in 
particular, to a cover. 
The removal of trash and similar waste materials from industrial, 
commercial, and domestic establishments has usually been accomplished by 
the daily collection of such material. The daily collection of such waste 
usually ties up large numbers of dump trucks, each having relatively large 
crew. Recently, the tendency has been to provide large containers in 
reserved spaces where the waste material is collected over a period of 
time. Each of the containers is then picked up and replaced at fixed 
intervals. In this way, one truck can transport several containers, and 
the truck can have a relatively smaller crew. Up till now, the containers 
have had the serious drawback of allowing odors and dust to escape as well 
as leaving the waste to the elements. They have also offered temptation, 
not to say an attraction, to wandering wild animals which forage on the 
waste contained therein, and thus are often carriers of serious diseases. 
It has been attempted to overcome this problem by employing plates hinged 
to the container which form lids over the opening. These plates were heavy 
metal members and were so large that frequently, once the container was 
opened, the covers were not replaced or put back into covering position. 
Further, since these lid plates were hinged to the container directly, 
they frequently interfered with the collection of the waste, particularly 
large boxes or other materials that would stick upwardly from the interior 
of the container. Therefore, the problem of maintaining proper hygienic 
conditions has not been overcome by the prior art. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide the cover for large 
waste containers which maintain the container closed at all times, i.e., 
while they are gradually being filled, and while they are being 
transported. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cover of the 
type described which has a door opening which is automatically closable so 
that once the insertion is completed, the container is sealed. 
The aforegoing objects, advantages as well as other objects and advantages 
are set forth in the following disclosure of the present invention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention there is provided a cover for a waste 
storage and transport container, comprising a truncated pyramid having a 
square base, having a center of symmetry and two perpendicular axes of 
symmetry passing throug the center. At least one side of the truncated 
pyramid is formed with a hingeable door, which automatically maintains a 
closed position without any load placed thereon. 
Preferably, at least one dimension of the square base conforms to the width 
of the container so that the truncated pyramid will at least be 
coextensive of this width. Should the length of the container be greater 
than a multiple of the width of the container, then two or more lids can 
be used to cover the container. When the length is greater than a 
multiple, then a container may be provided with spacer members extending 
across the width of the container so as to reduce the open surface of the 
container in its length to exact multiples of the width. 
Preferably the truncated pyramid cover is provided with at least two 
openings. Each of the openings are provided with doors which swing into 
the interior of the cover and are articulated at their top with respect to 
the cover. Preferably, the doors are formed in the shape of an L which is 
pivotally connected at the free end of the long leg of the L to the top of 
the cover so that the long leg normally hangs vertically with respect to 
the container, the short leg extending outwardly of the cover. In this 
manner swinging of the cover can be easily accomplished even by loading 
the horizontal leg with the waste material and the door will swing 
inwardly toward the container. The door will be automatically turned due 
to the effect of gravity on the center of gravity of the door itself. 
Full details of the present invention are set forth in the following 
description and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Turning to the drawings, a traditional dumpster container is illustrated by 
the numeral 10, comprising a generally trapezoidal box with an open 
rectangular top. The container is generally conventional in nature and is 
provided with hooks and/or brackets (not shown) by which the same may be 
grasped, engaged, and otherwise lifted onto a truck, for subsequent 
dumping of the contents. Such containers are generally placed in reserved 
areas of industrial, commercial, or household establishments so that waste 
material may be periodically fed to it and where the container over a 
period of time is loaded by maintenance persons specifically hired for 
this purpose or by persons of the general public who may have access 
thereto. 
As seen in FIG. 1, there is mounted on top of the container a cover, 
generally indicated by the numeral 12, formed as a closed top, open 
bottom, truncated pyramid having a center of symmetry and two 
perpendicular axes of symmetry passing through the center. The base of 
each of the truncated pyramids is, therefore, a square. In the embodiment 
shown, the length of each side of the square base, is equal to the width w 
of the container 10. Depending upon the length of the container, the 
container may be provided with one or more of these covers. When the ratio 
of the length to the width is not a whole number, the area of the 
container top can be divided by one or more cross-plates 14 to form an 
appropriate number of squares conforming to the base of the cover 12. In 
the illustration, a single cross-plate 14 is provided separating the 
container into two equal squares. In the event the width is of a size 
which would require the base to be too large or unwieldy, lateral plates 
can be provided along the longitudinal edges of the container. This will 
be generally unnecessary since this is rather simple to provide the length 
of the base of the truncated pyramid equal the width of the container for 
most containers. 
As seen in FIG. 2, the peripheral edge 16 of the base is provided with a 
profile lip such as a groove, a continuous bead, or one or more detents 
and recesses which permit the cover to be easily placed so as to securely 
rest on the upper edge 18 of the container which may be similarly formed 
with such conforming profile lip, beads, detents, recesses, etc. To secure 
the cover firmly to the container, locking pins, latches, or other 
fastening devices may be employed. Preferably, the simple use of a pin 20 
inserted laterally through a hole in the marginal edge of the superimposed 
cover and container will suffice. 
The cover 12 is provided on at least one of its sides with a swinging door 
22. To accommodate the door, the particular side is cut out at a height h 
above the lower base or edge and inwardly into the top by a smaller 
distance d to provide a suitable opening 24. The door 22 is itself formed 
of a plate-like member having an L shape, the longer side of which is 
pivotally mounted at its free end by a suitable hangar 26 to the top of 
the cover 12. The hangar 26 can be expediently formed of a rod or shaft 
secured on the upper edge or door and resting within an open-bearing cup 
or bearing block 28 as seen in FIG. 2. This permits the door the freedom 
of pivotal movement in the direction shown by the arrows as well as 
enabling the door to be easily removed when necessary. On the other hand, 
other more elaborate hinges and similar fastening devices may be employed. 
The shorter leg of the door extends horizontally to the vertical leg 
outwardly of the opening 24, thus establishing a center of gravity which 
acts to maintain the longer leg normally vertical and biases this leg in 
this position in the absence of a load thereon. The door, on the other 
hand, is freely moveable by the exertion of a force from the exterior such 
as manually or by placing of waste material on the short leg itself. This 
will change the center of gravity and cause the door to automatically open 
on the inward direction during the filling of the container. Thus, during 
filling of the container, the cover need not be removed or bodily lifted 
from the opening. However, once the trash is inserted through the opening, 
the door will automatically swing back into its closed position. To ensure 
that the container is closed completely, the opening 24 into the container 
is provided with a pair of swidewalls or wings against which the lateral 
edges of the door slide. If desired, the door may be provided with these 
side wings rather than the container walls. 
By forming the truncated pyramid with the square base, the cover may be 
placed in any orientation of the longitudinal or transverse sides of the 
storage container. This enables the cover to be placed with its door along 
the long side or, alternately, along the short side or end of the 
container allowing the container to be filled most easily as local 
conditions demand. Preferably, a pair of doors 22 are provided each 
located on opposite sides of the container, although placement of the 
doors on adjacent sides can also be accomplished easily by taking care in 
the construction of the opening and the dimensions of both the opening and 
the doors so that they would not interfere with each other. 
Since the dumpster containers as conventionally employed throughout the 
world are of a trapezoidal form, having a rectangular opening, the 
formation of covers having a square base provides simple and effective 
means for covering the opening of several varieties at one time. Further, 
the cover of the present invention will in no way interfere with the size, 
dimension, and construction of the container itself which is, as is well 
known, subject to all sorts of local laws and ordinances as to their size, 
weight, material, and constructional features. Unlike, the lids presently 
known, the cover of the present invention is not permanently hinged to the 
upper edge of the container and does not provide a flat, plate-like lid on 
the container, but enables the formation of an enlarged dome-like 
structure over the container, thus permitting the insertion of waste 
material of the large sizes such as boxes, cartons and the like into the 
container without any difficulty and allows these waste materials to 
extend above the upper lip of the container itself. By providing the door 
as an L-shaped articulated member freely moveable under the effect of 
gravity, automatic opening and closing of the door is effected. Brute 
strength is not required to open the door or even to close it. 
The cover, and the door itself may be formed of sheet metal or of plastic. 
In particular, plastic is preferable, since it can be easily formed or 
molded, and is perfectly resistent to corrosion. Plastic is, further, 
easier to clean. On the other hand, a steel sheet with or without 
protective coatings such as zinc, lead, or the like may also be used. 
Because the cover is not normally in contact with the waste or trash, it 
does not have to be fully protected as would the container itself. The 
pivotal attachment of the door to the cover can be simply provided. As 
shown, the use of a shaft may be simple since it may be easily welded, 
molded or otherwise adhered to the door. In addition to the shaft as 
described, the upper end of the vertical leg of the door can be provided 
with laterally extending pins which fit into collars formed in the cover 
itself, or through bearing bases or the like. 
Various embodiments and modifications have been shown and suggested in the 
foregoing disclosure. Other changes will be obvious to those skilled in 
the present art. Accordingly, the present disclosure is to be taken as 
illustrative only and not limiting of the invention.