Cardboard collector and compactor

A collection and compacting apparatus for cardboard refuse such as flat pieces of cardboard and broken down or collapsed cardboard boxes and a uniquely shaped coil of flexible lashing for use with the apparatus for bundling the cardboard refuse. The apparatus, preferably wall mounted, includes a rigid support frame which defines a stationary upright surface and a lower horizontal support surface extending from a lower portion or margin of the stationary surface. A movable platen defines a flat cardboard refuse crushing surface and is pivotally connected at a lower end thereof to the horizontal support surface about an axis spaced from and parallel to the stationary surface. After the storage space defined by, and lying within, the stationary and crushing surfaces and the horizontal support surface is filled with cardboard refuse gathered in upright side-by-side orientation and supported edgewise atop the horizontal support surface, the movable platen is manually forcibly pivoted from its inclined collection position wherein the upper margin of the platen is further from the stationary surface than is the pivot axis to a generally upright compaction position. While the platen is held in this compaction position, either manually or by a releasible retainer, the compressed cardboard may be lashed into a bundle. Two coils of preferably uniquely shaped flexible lashing material or twine are positioned within the support frame behind the stationary surface to facilitate expedient bundling.,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Scope of Invention 
This invention relates generally to collection and disposal of cardboard 
refuse, and more particularly to a manually operated apparatus for 
collecting and facilitating bundling of compressed cardboard refuse such 
as flat pieces of cardboard and collapsed cardboard boxes. 
2. Prior Art 
The world, and particularly the industrial world, has become considerably 
more interested in preserving our environment and in the recycling of 
various forms of refuse, rather than simply creating huge mountains or 
landfills of such refuse adjacent urban areas for long-term decay. Not 
only are important natural resources of the world being depleted, but the 
long-term effects of decaying refuse heaps are impacting upon these urban 
areas as they grow. 
One such recyclable material is in the form of cardboard formed from 
relatively stiff corrugated paper stock material. Such cardboard refuse 
may be in the form of either flat pieces of cardboard or cardboard boxes 
which are easily collapsed or knocked down into a flattened configuration. 
This cardboard refuse is highly recyclable, thus not only conserving trees 
as our source of paper, but also substantially reducing environmental 
pollution during the burning of cardboard as an alternative to refuse 
landfill decay. 
Dealing with the collection and removal of flat pieces of cardboard and 
collapsed cardboard boxes, however, is not an easy task. Typically, stacks 
of such cardboard refuse are piled high and then, when of sufficient 
height, the cardboard refuse is then bundled by lashing or banding the 
material for removal. Considerable floor space is required and such stacks 
are typically messy, requiring straightening and alignment of cardboard 
edges prior to bundling. Additionally, the lifting and removal of a 
cardboard bundle laying flat atop the ground is difficult when done by one 
person. 
Applicant is aware of a manual refuse compactor apparatus disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,218,904 and invented by Loveland. This patent teaches a compact 
home-sized refuse compactor having spaced stationary and movable 
horizontally disposed platens. However, this arrangement is not well 
suited for the collection and bundling of cardboard refuse and requires 
excessive floor space. 
The present invention provides a preferably wall-mountable apparatus for 
collecting cardboard refuse therewithin stacked edgewise on a regular or 
daily basis until such time as the storage space defined by the invention 
becomes full. At that time, a movable platen is manually forced against 
the cardboard refuse to compress and hold same until the compressed 
cardboard refuse is lashed together into a bundle for manual removal. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is directed to a collection and compacting apparatus for 
cardboard refuse such as flat pieces of cardboard and broken down or 
collapsed cardboard boxes and a uniquely shaped coil of flexible lashing 
for use therewith in bundling. The apparatus, which is preferably wall 
mounted, includes a rigid support frame defining a stationary upright 
surface and a lower horizontal support surface extending from a lower 
portion or margin of the stationary surface. A movable platen, which 
defines a flat cardboard refuse crushing surface, is pivotally connected 
at a lower end thereof to the horizontal support surface about an axis 
spaced from and parallel to the stationary surface. After the storage 
space defined by, and lying within, the stationary and crushing surfaces 
and the horizontal support surface is filled with cardboard refuse, the 
movable platen is manually forcibly pivoted from its inclined collection 
position wherein the upper margin of the platen is further from the 
stationary surface than is the pivot axis to a generally upright 
compaction position. While the platen is held in this compaction position, 
either manually or by releasible retention means, the compressed cardboard 
may be lashed into a bundle. Two coils of preferably uniquely shaped 
flexible lashing or twine are positioned within the support frame behind 
the stationary surface to facilitate expedient bundling. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an economically 
manufactured and compact apparatus for the collection, binding and removal 
of cardboard refuse such as flat pieces of cardboard and collapsed 
cardboard boxes. 
It is another object of this invention to provide an economical means for 
collecting and binding cardboard refuse for recycling. 
It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for 
the orderly collection and binding into compressed bundles of cardboard 
refuse for recycling. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for use 
in homes, businesses, garages and the like for the orderly collection, 
binding and removal of cardboard refuse. 
By being easily installable onto an interior wall of a building, the 
present invention also provides for the collection and bundling of 
cardboard refuse without the need for manual removal of pieces of 
cardboard to an outside refuse dumpster. 
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent 
hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to 
the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 5, the 
preferred embodiment of shown generally at numeral 10 and includes a rigid 
support frame 12, a rigid movable platen 30, and two coils of very long 
lashing material or twine as best seen in FIG. 6. The support frame 12 is 
fabricated of rigid tubular material having spaced upright members 14 and 
16 held together by cross members 22 and 24. Each of the upright members 
14 and 16 are arcuately bent at a lower mid portion thereof to define 
horizontal supports 18 and 20. Another cross member 26 ties the ends of 
members 18 and 20 together. 
The support frame 12 also includes an upright expanded metal or wire mesh 
panel 42 held in an upper position best seen in FIG. 2 to define, in 
combination with members 14 and 16, an upright stationary surface. A 
second expanded metal or wire mesh panel 48 having a curved flange 50 is 
connected atop members 18 and 20, again best seen in FIG. 2, to define a 
horizontal support surface. 
The movable platen 30 is formed of an inverted generally U-shaped tubular 
member defining an upper horizontal handle 35 and downwardly extending 
legs held rigidly in the position shown by cross member 34. The lower ends 
of the movable platen 30 are pivotally connected by bolts 36 (typ.) to 
adjacent the ends of members 18 and 20 and immediately adjacent cross 
member 26. Thus, the movable platen 30 is pivotable in the direction of 
arrow A about horizontal pivotal axis 38 from its open collection position 
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the lower edges of the movable platen 36 
contact and rest against cross member 26 at 58. 
The apparatus 10, through its support frame 12, is preferably connectable 
to an upright wall surface W as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 by mounting legs 28 
(typ.) and suitable fasteners or anchors (not shown). The apparatus 10 is 
thus wall mountable with the horizontal surface defined by wire mesh panel 
48 slightly above the floor surface, perhaps in the range of 6 to 10 
inches. 
Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the invention 10 is shown in its open or 
collection orientation wherein the movable platen 30 is resting against 
cross member 26 by contact at 58. In this collection position, the movable 
platen 30 is inclined away from the upright plane of the support frame 
defined in part by wire mesh panel 42 so that the upper handle 35 is 
further from the support frame 12 than is the pivotal axis 38. Pieces of 
flat cardboard and collapsed cardboard boxes shown typically at C in 
phantom are collected in side-by-side upright orientation with one (a 
lower) edge thereof resting atop at panel 48 as shown. 
When sufficient pieces of cardboard refuse C have been gathered into the 
storage space defined between a lower portion of a crushing surface 30a 
defined by movable platen 30 and the upright stationary surface defined by 
support frame 12, this collection of cardboard refuse C is then ready to 
be bundled. At that time, the movable platen 30 is pivoted forcibly in the 
direction of arrow A to the generally upright position shown in phantom in 
FIG. 4, whereupon the cardboard refuse C is tightly manually compressed by 
the force exerted through handle 35 by the operator. At this point, the 
compressed bundle of cardboard refuse C may be bound together in a 
conventional manner. 
Alternately, the present invention in its preferred embodiment 10 also 
includes convenient lashing means for use in bundling each compressed 
collection of cardboard refuse C. Two coils of preferably biodegradeable 
lashing material or twine 52 formed of 1/8 inch diameter sisal hemp are 
positioned in adjacent orientation between the wire mesh panel 42 and the 
wall W or other suitable surface to which the device 10 is connected. 
These coils 52 are supported by flange 46 of wire mesh panel 42. The free 
ends 52a and 52b of each coil 52 extend out through the wire mesh panel 42 
at 42a and 42b and downwardly as best seen in FIG. 4 along the upright 
surface of the support frame 12, then horizontally across the panel 48, 
and then upwardly along the movable platen 30 for releasible engagement 
into rope locks 40. The very ends 52c and 52d of the lashing material are 
looped and knotted as shown. 
Additional lashing material 52a and 52b is automatically withdrawn from the 
coils 52a as cardboard refuse C is gathered within the device 10. In fact, 
the lashing material actually stabilizes the first few pieces of cardboard 
uprightly by forming a "V" that is formed by the twine. When the storage 
space is filled and the movable platen 30 has been forcibly urged 
generally into its position shown in phantom in FIG. 4, each piece of 
lashing material 52a and 52b is then severed from the coils 52 and passed 
through the corresponding knotted loops 52c and 52d, respectively, after 
their removal from rope blocks 40. The free ends are drawn tightly around 
the cardboard refuse bundle and appropriately knotted. Thereafter, the 
lashed bundle is easily lifted and removed. 
To hold the movable platen 30 in its forcibly urged compressing orientation 
against the cardboard refuse C, an elongated strap 54, connected at one 
end thereof to the cross member 22, may be extended over the top of the 
cardboard bundle to be engaged around handle 35 and then drawn back and 
locked upon itself by conventional two-part hook and loop materials 
appropriately positioned and connected to the strap 54. 
The present invention is particularly conveniently operable when utilizing 
the uniquely configured coils of lashing material or twine 52 as best seen 
in FIGS. 6 and 7. The plan view configuration of each coil 52 is generally 
oval having flat side surfaces and a thickness as seen in FIG. 7 to be 
considerably smaller than either the width or the length of the coil 52 in 
FIG. 6. Two voids 70 and 72 are formed through each coil 52 centrally 
spaced along an imaginary longitudinal axis of each coil. These voids 70 
and 72 are formed when the coil itself is formed by the device shown in 
FIGS. 8 and 9. This coil forming device 60 is in the form of two spaced 
flat plates 62 and 64 releasibly connected by winding rods or shafts 66 
and 68. After one end of a very long length of lashing material has been 
tied around one of the winding rods 66 or 68, either the device 60 is 
rotated as in the direction of the arrows or the lashing length is wound 
around rods 66 and 68 and gathered to form the coil 52 of desired material 
length and overall size. After the lashing material has been wound around 
winding rods 66 and 68 between plates 62 and 64, the coiling device 60 is 
disassembled and the coil 52 removed. When wound sufficiently tightly, the 
coil 52 is thus self-sustaining in overall shape for installation into the 
apparatus 10 in the position previously described. 
While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what are 
conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is 
recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the 
invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed 
herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims so as to 
embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.