AU656394B2

AU656394B2 - Compactor for waste paper

Info

Publication number: AU656394B2
Application number: AU20515/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Benno Kurtz; Roman Schreck
Original assignee: Von Lepel Barbara Freifrau
Current assignee: Von Lepel Barbara Freifrau
Priority date: 1991-07-25
Filing date: 1992-07-24
Publication date: 1995-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-24
Also published as: ATE133633T1; EP0532848A3; EP0532848B1; DE9109168U1; JPH05277043A; EP0532848A2; AU2051592A; DE59205225D1

Abstract

A compactor for the contents (4) of waste paper baskets is described, especially paper towels being compacted via a specific small stroke movement by means of a compressing device (7, 17), which projects from the container lid into the waste paper basket (2). The compressing device is designed in a first embodiment as a rotationally driven compacting screw (7). A second embodiment provides a pivoting flap (17) which is mounted on the side of the container in a pivotable fashion as a compressing device. A third embodiment provides for a pivoting flap to be arranged on the floor region of the container, which pivoting flap acts against the floor of the refuse sack. In a fourth embodiment, provision is made for the compressing device to be arranged on the floor of the waste paper basket and to comprise a pressing plate (22) which compresses the inserted refuse sack upwards.

Description

1 65394

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant(s): Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: BARBARA FREIFRAU VON LEPEL ROMAN SCHRECK BENNO KURTZ CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

COMPACTOR FOR WASTE PAPER rr o r r r o s Isr The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: k- L 2 Another object is to provide such a device that is very effective in compacting the articles in a vertical dimension, that is much less than that of the wastebasket holding them, which results in the advantages that the device is inexpensive to manufacture and economical to use, and easy to install in paper baskets because of its light weight.

An advantage of the device of the invention results from a novel rotary driven compressor helix, operable for compressing the paper towels between itself and an associated spiral.

According to the present invention there is provided a compactor for waste paper towels comprising, a 15 basket including a lower container and an upper section ~15 positioned on the lower container, the basket having an o° opening adjacent the top thereof for receiving waste o paper towels therein, and a compacting component in the Oupper section for receiving the waste paper towels and compacting them and delivering them to the lower container, the compacting component having an operating range constituting a stroke in vertical direction less than the height of the lower container, the said .9,4 :49compacting unit including a rotary helix and a spiral adjacent the top of the upper section, the upper section 25 having an opening at the top, above the helix and an openable lid covering said opening, the helix being operable for compacting the waste paper towels between elements of the spiral and delivering them into the lower container.

Preferably, the lower container is capable of receiving non-compacted towels to the level of the lower end of the compacting component, and thereafter the compacting component is actuated for compacting any additional towels received in the lower container.

Suitably, the lower container includes a liner bag, optionally of flexible plastics material. The liner bag can have an open top with an adjacent band secured N thereto which is capable of being bent and collapsed for CIDn C1 *;L1 is 3 sealing the bag and remaining rigidly in collapsed position for holding the bag sealed. The band can be an aluminium band which is manipulable by hand to close and effectively seal the bag. Accordingly no separate bands or ties are required to close the bag or trash basket.

Additionally the use of a plastic bag will withstand the moisture of the waste paper towels being compacted.

Preferably, the connection a compactor according to claim i, wherein the connection between the lower container and the upper section includes a flange on said lower container on which said upper section is placed and hinged at one side on the lower part and fastened by toggle-type fasteners on the other side of the lower part.

15 The upper section can include a swingable, 0 0 hingedly mounted, flap covering the opening at the top of 0- 0 the upper section.

Detailed Description of the Individual Figures of the Drawing: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view, diagrammatic in nature, of the invention.

o 00o o 0 •Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a trash 0000 So.bag, of a kind that can be used in the compactor.

Detailed Description 25 Fig. 1 shows a waste paper basket 1 made up of 0 two parts, a lower container 2 which is lined with a trash bag 3, and an upper part 11ii, which is removably placed on the container 2. The connections between the container 2 and the upper part 11 are only diagrammatically illustrated. In the present case the connection between the two parts includes a flange on the lower part on which the upper part or section 11 is placed. If desired, detachable connecting means may be used between the parts. For example, the upper part may be hinged at one side on the lower part, and on the opposite side of the hinge, toggle-type fastens may be used.

N yRotatably mounted in the upper part is a helix LL B0 6- 4 or helical member 7 which engages the inner surface of the upper part 11. The helical member 7 is driven by a motor 9 acting through a gear 10, driving the member on an axle 12 here indicated diagrammatically, the gear being torsionally connected with the helical member. The upper part 11 includes a cover or flap 13 hingedly mounted, and swingable as indicated by the arrow 14, The flap 13 covers a slot or opening at the top of the upper part 11 through which paper towels are thrown.

Each paper towel thrown in, is received by the spiral 8 which cooperates with the helical member 7, and acts to perform a screw-like motion directing the towels downwardly into the interior 4 of the container 2. This action continues as the towels are thrown in, one by one, but the compacting action is not performed until the container 2 is filled with used towels, up to the height of the underside of the helical member 7, and at this

X

.step the compacting step begins. As each additional used "a paper towel is thrown into the device, it is forced downwardly by the helical member 7 over the spiral 8, and by means of this movement, those towels already present a a0 ain the container are compacted. As additional paper a 0 atowels are put in the device, the greater the compaction a action is, and this pressure is increased as the number Sa 25 of towels increases. The used paper hand towels are a a a indicated at 16, in Fig. 1.

Suitable safety devices are provided at the flap 13 to prevent a person from accidently reaching his hand into the spiral 8.

A liner bag or trash bag 3 is hung on the surrounding flange 6 of the container 2, which is bent outwardly.

The trash bag 3, Fig. 2, includes essentially a flexible plastic sack on the upper edge of which a surrounding aluminium band is secured, in any suitable manner. This aluminium band is complete in itself and it is removed from the container and the upper end of the WD~. PA I ii bag is pressed together and twisted by hand, and by this twisting action, the aluminium band is also permanently deformed and forms a closure for the bag. No further tieing or securing is required.

I 44*4 I r t I e i o I t S t 4 S o* a t c 0

Claims

2. A compactor according to Claim i, wherein the lower container is capable of receiving non-compacted towels to the level of the lower end of the compacting components, and thereafter the compacting component is actuated for compacting any additional towels received in the lower container.
3. A compactor according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the lower container includes a liner bag.
4. A compactor according to Claim 3, wherein the liner bag has an open top and includes adjacent the open top a band secured thereto capable of being bent and collapsed for sealing the liner bag and remaining rigidly in collapsed position for holding the bag sealed. A compactor according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the liner bag is of plastics material, and is flexible.
6. A compactor according to Claim 1, wherein the connection between the lower container and the upper section includes a flange on said lower container on which said upper section is placed and hinged at one side on the lower part and fastened by toggle-type fasteners on the other side of the lower part.
7. A compactor according to Claim 1, wherein the upper section includes a swingable, hingedly mounted, flap covering the opening at the top of the upper section.
8. A compactor for waste paper towels substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 19th day of October 1994 BARBARA FREIFRAU VON LEPEL By her Patent Attorneys 15 CULLEN CO. l. Lt a I' 6 i a II- I COMPACTOR FOR WASTE PAPER Abstract of the Invention: A compactor for waste paper towels, having a small vertical operating range, or stroke, less than the height of the basket with which it works. The compacting device in one form is a rotary helix and spiral; in another form, it includes a top hinged panel, in a third form it includes a hinged panel below the flexible bag in the basket; in a fourth form it includes a pressure plate at the bottom driven or lifted by a power means. The device also includes a flexible bag having a rigid metal band at the top that can be collapsed for sealing the bag. P a t 0 a a 1" I rQLCL Waste paper basket Container Trash bag Interior Aluminum band Flange Helix Spiral Motor Gear Upper part Drive axle Slot flap Arrow Paper towels Swing flap Bearing Compacting stroke Container lid Slot flap Pressure disk Arrow Rod Cam Motor Outer case Slot opening Slot flap Compression cylinder Pressure plate Spindle Spindle nut Arrow Opening Arrow Section Discharge opening II t I C *U I C itt 1 C CL CL C C *1 (1 C C C C r C C C