Patent ID: 8313126

Claim:
A trash container locking apparatus comprising: a housing mounted on a side surface of a trash container, the housing having an outer wall facing away from the side surface of the trash container, an upper wall, a lower wall, and opposite end walls; a pivot member rotatably mounted in the housing and extending transverse to the outer wall of the housing and the side surface of the trash container in a direction away from the side surface of the trash container, the pivot member having an outer end portion which projects through the outer wall of the housing; a swing arm having an end secured to the projecting outer end portion of the pivot member at a location outside the housing, the swing arm and extending in a direction transverse to the pivot member; a lock bar secured to the swing arm and extending in a direction parallel to the pivot member, the lock bar configured to move on rotation of the pivot member and swing arm between an operative position in which the lock bar extends over at least one closed lid of a trash container and an inoperative position in which the lock bar is rotated in front of the container to release the lid; first and second latch members inside the housing which have interengaging formations configured to engage in a latched position to prevent rotation of the pivot member and attached swing arm and movement of the lock bar into the inoperative position; the first latch member being secured to the pivot member inside the housing and the second latch member pivotally associated with the housing for rotation relative to the housing between a first, latch-ready position and a second, latch-released position, the second latch member rotating under gravity between the first and second positions to release the first latch member automatically when the trash container is inverted to dump trash from the container; a manually operable cam member movably mounted in the housing which engages the second latch member and rotates it into the second position to release the first latch member when actuated by a user; and a manually operable locking device which locks the cam member in a fixed, inoperative position to restrict manual release of the latch by an unauthorized user.