Abstract:
An apparatus that allows a user to compact garbage in a waste disposal receptacle to improve economic efficiency. Preferably, the apparatus is selectively mountable to a lifting apparatus of a lift truck so that it may be alternately lowered into, or raised out of, a waste receptacle, thereby compacting garbage in that receptacle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/726,771 filed on Oct. 14, 2005, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention pertains to an apparatus that allows a user to compact garbage in a waste disposal bin to improve economic efficiency.  
         [0003]     Garbage is typically stored in dumpsters prior to collection and disposal by waste disposal businesses, who usually charge by the dumpster or trip. For that reason, it is economical to store as much garbage in a dumpster as possible. One crude method of compacting garbage in a dumpster is for a person to climb into and stomp on the garbage, but this method may be dangerous, and if used in a business, possibly violate OSHA regulations. Another method is to insert heavy objects into the dumpster last, so as to crush lighter objects beneath, but this method is neither practical nor effective.  
         [0004]     What is desired, therefore, is a method of, and apparatus for, crushing garbage in a dumpster or other similar container that is safe and efficient.  
         [0005]     The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a garbage compacting apparatus.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  shows an end view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  shows a first accessory selectively attachable to the apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a second accessory selectively attachable to the apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an apparatus  10  for compacting garbage may comprise a lower portion  12  and an upper engagement portion  14  matingly engageable with a lifting apparatus of a forklift and affixed to the top of the base portion  14 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the upper engagement portion  14  may comprise a pair of sleeves into which the forks of a lift truck may be inserted. Alternatively, the engagement portion  14  may be a member shaped to be gripped by a roll clamp of a lift truck, or may be any other member suitable to be engaged by a raisable member of a lift truck.  
         [0011]     Preferably, the lower portion  12  has sufficient weight so that, when the apparatus  10  is raised by a lift truck and lowered into a dumpster or other similar container of garbage, the garbage will be compacted so that additional garbage may be placed in the container, and possibly compacted again, etc. Preferably, the lower portion  12  weighs at least 500 lbs. In other preferred embodiments, the lower portion  12  may weigh at least 750 lbs or more preferably at least 1000 lbs. In one preferred embodiment, the weight of the lower portion weighs 2100 lbs. It will be appreciated that the optimal or preferred weight of the lower portion  12  may vary with the type and/or amount of garbage to be compacted.  
         [0012]     The lower portion  12 , to which the upper engagement portion  14  is affixed, may comprise a housing  16  of metal angle iron  17  defining an enclosure  18  into which one or more weights  20  may be inserted. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the weight  20  may be a single concrete block of the weight desired. Alternatively, the weights  20  may be bags of concrete sand, or other material, contained in any appropriate container. Still other embodiments may have lower portion  12  having an enclosure into which sand, concrete, etc., may be poured. Preferably, the housing  16  is configured to permit a user to insert a plurality of blocks  20  into the enclosure  18  to adjust the weight of the lower portion  12  to a desired amount and/or be configured to accept blocks of varying proportions and weights. In this manner, the apparatus  10  may be used in various circumstances where garbage is to be compacted at different weights. The tubes  17  of the housing  12  may be reinforced at the corners of the housing  16  by angle iron  30 .  
         [0013]     Garbage dumpsters or other receptacles have an assortment of shapes and sizes. Accordingly, to facilitate the use of the apparatus  10  with such an assortment of garbage receptacles, the apparatus  10  preferably has a lower portion  12  with a relatively small “footprint” i.e., horizontal cross section at the base, and an extended upper engagement portion  14  that has a length  22  that extends substantially beyond the length  24  of the lower portion  12 . In this manner, the footprint of the lower portion  12  is small enough to fit into a variety of garbage receptacles with differing apertures, while the extended upper engagement portion  14  permits a forklift driver to move the lower portion  12  to most, and preferably all, areas within the receptacle to compact as much garbage as possible.  
         [0014]     In a preferred embodiment, the lower portion  12  comprises a housing  16  having an approximately square transverse cross section, approximately three feet or less at each side, i.e. the length  24  and width  26  of the lower portion  12  are each three feet or less, while the upper engagement portion  14  has a length  22  of approximately five feet or more. Furthermore, the height  28  of the base portion  12  is also approximately at least three and one-half feet to permit garbage in a receptacle to be crushed by up to five feet. These dimensions are exemplary only, as dimensions of different sizes may be appropriate for receptacles having smaller or larger volumes. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the apparatus  10  includes a housing  16  made of tubes  17  each of steel and each approximately three inches in width. Alternatively, the tubes  17  may be made of aluminum, iron, composite material, or any other material suitable to support the desired weight or range of weights of the lower portion  12 . Although the preferred embodiment described herein shows a lower portion  12  comprising a housing  16  defining an enclosure  18 , it may in some circumstances be preferable to fashion a solid lower portion  12  of a desired material and weight, or other appropriate configuration.  
         [0015]     The housing  16  preferably includes a solid base member  32 , which in the preferred embodiment is four feet square. The base member  32 , being solid, facilitates the compacting of garbage in a receptacle. Furthermore, the base member  32  may preferably define a plurality of threaded openings  34  with which to selectively attach an accessory, such as those illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0016]     To secure the apparatus  10  securely to the lifting mechanism of a lift truck, such as a pair of forks, the upper engagement portion  14  may include one or more brackets  60  into which a chain  62  may be inserted and secured to the lift truck. Thus, for example, is the upper engagement portion is a pair of sleeves into which forks may be inserted, the chain  62  may prevent the apparatus  10  from sliding off of the forks and damaging property or injuring persons.  
         [0017]     Oftentimes, pallets or other wood members are placed into a garbage receptacle, which because of their size and configuration, do not utilize the space in the receptacle very efficiently, so that it is often desirable to split or otherwise break apart the pallets or other wood members. Referring to  FIG. 3 , an accessory attachable to the apparatus  10  may comprise a wood splitting accessory  36  to perform this desired function. The wood splitting accessory  34  may have an upper plate  38  that is preferably proportioned to be mounted flush to the base member  32  of the housing  16 . Like the base member  32 , the upper plate  38  may include threaded openings  34  so that the wood splitting accessory  36  may be bolted to the apparatus  10 . The wood splitting accessory may also include a splitting member  40  mounted perpendicular to the upper plate  38  with reinforcing members  42  supporting the splitting member  40  in its perpendicular position. The reinforcing members  42  preferably extend from a laterally outer position on the lower surface of the upper plate  38  to a position approximately three quarters of the length down the splitting member  40  so that, when the splitting member strikes a pallet or other wooden object, the splitting member  40  does not deform. Furthermore, such a configuration facilitates the simultaneous crushing of a stack of pallets or other wood members by pushing the split wood to the side. The plate  38 , the splitting member  40 , and the reinforcing members  42  are preferably each steel or other rigid material. The wood splitting accessory  36  may also include side caps  44  of flat steel.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a second accessory  50  may be a metal crusher, which like the wood splitting accessory  36 , may be used to crush metal objects to facilitate their efficient insertion into a garbage receptacle. The metal crusher  50  may also include an upper attachment plate  52  of metal with threaded bores  34  that facilitate selective attachment to the base  32  of the apparatus  10 . The metal crusher  50  may include an elongate crushing member  54  laterally supported by reinforcing members  56  each attached at one end to the upper attachment plate  52  and at the other end to the crushing member  54 . Unlike the wood splitting accessory  36 , the reinforcing members  56  may be affixed to the elongate crushing member  54  at a position approximately one quarter of the length along the elongate crushing member and affixed to the upper attachment plate  52  at respective lateral locations along the inner lower surface of the upper attachment plate.  
         [0019]     The terms and expressions that have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims that follow.