Patent ID: 7299746

Claim:
A refuse bin comprising a refuse container having a top opening, a lid hinged relative to the container by a hinge to cover the opening, and a compacting mechanism fitted to the lid, the compacting mechanism comprising a compacting plate mounted under the lid and an actuating rod coupled to the compacting plate through an aperture in the lid such that the rod is configured to maneuver from a storage position in which the rod lies across a top surface of the lid and the plate is drawn up under the lid to an operative position in which the rod stands upright over the aperture in the lid and the rod is pushed downwardly through the aperture to push the plate down into the container, the compacting mechanism further comprising means for releasably locking the actuating rod against movement upwardly through the aperture in the lid such that refuse in the container can be compacted by force applied to an edge of the lid opposite the hinge, the means for releasably locking the actuating rod comprises a ratchet mechanism, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a set of teeth disposed along a surface of the actuating rod and a cooperating member mounted on the top surface of the lid is resiliently biased into engagement with the teeth.