Patent ID: 7237480

Claim:
A manual trash compactor device which fits on any trash container with components that store out of the way in normal usage of the trash container and arc readily brought into use in compacting the trash in the container, the device comprising: a trash container cover configured to fit securely and removably over a top of a trash container, the trash container cover comprising a pivot means at one edge of a top surface, an opening through the trash container cover, and a peripheral rim extending downwardly from the top surface for engaging a top of a trash container to cover the trash container; a lever arm pivotally attached at a first end to the pivot means of the cover so that the lever arm is vertically pivotable relative to the cover, the lever arm having a slot along a portion of the length of the lever arm; at least one trash compacting arm attached to the lever arm by a connection which is slidable in the slot and along the portion of the length of the lever arm, the at least one trash compacting arm extendable through the opening in the cover into a trash container and the at least one trash compacting arm movable vertically within a trash container when the lever arm is pivoted relative to the trash container cover, the at least one trash compacting arm slidable in the slot and along the portion of the length of the lever arm during a compacting activity; a compactor plate configured to slide vertically within a trash container with the compactor plate in a horizon orientation, the compactor plate having a means for connecting a bottom of the at least one trash compacting arm to a top of the compactor plate so that during a compacting activity, the lever arm is pivotable in a first vertical direction relative to the cover to move the at least one trash compacting arm downwardly into a trash container to force the compactor plate to compact a quantity of trash in a trash container and alternately after a compacting activity, the lever arm is pivotable in a second vertical direction relative to the cover to raise the at least one trash compacting arm and the compactor plate upwardly within the trash container into proximity with the cover and the at least one trash compacting arm is pivotable into parallel alignment with the compactor plate, and during use of the trash container for depositing trash in and removing trash from the trash container, the lever arm, the at least one trash compacting arm, and the compactor plate are storable together in proximity to the trash container cover so that the cover, the lever arm, the at least one trash compacting arm, and the compactor plate arc movable together to uncover the trash container to allow deposit of trash in the trash container and removal of trash from the trash container.