US2603328A - Safety means for garbage disposal - Google Patents

Description

2 SHEETS-Smm 1 H. JORDAN SAFETY MEANS FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL 'DEVICES lIl Judy 15, E952 Original Filed Jan. 8, 1946 juy l, 1952 H JORDAN 2,603,328

SAFETY MEANS FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL DEVICES Original Filed Jan. 8, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 .ZA/VENTOR.- #AA/5 JopoA/v By H/s A TToRA/svs HApp/sjf/Ec/f, F05 TERfHARR/s @/MMMX Patented July 15, 1952 SAFETY MEANS FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL DEVICES s Hans Jordan, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Given Machinery Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a copartnership Original Vapplication'January 8, 1946, Serial No.

639,753. Divided and this application Novem-v I ber 17, 1947, Serial No. 786,430 f o (Cl. 19E-133) 12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the waste disposal art and, more particularly, to a device adapted for the comminution and disposal of garbage or other Waste materials and which is suitable for home and restaurant use where only relatively small volumes of such materials are normally passed through the device. The present invention pertains'to a waste disposal device of the type disclosed in-my pending application for patent on Garbage Disposal Device, Serial No. 639,753, filed January 8, 1946, Patent No. 2,442,812, issued June 8, l1943, of which the present application is a division. Specically, this application isV concerned with a safety means embodied in the waste disposal device for guarding against injury to a human hand inserted into the device during a comminuting operation.

One object of the invention is to provide a waste disposal device, of the type referred to, having a comminuting chamber, a throat or passage leading to the chamber through which waste material may be passed to the chamber, and a safety means, in the form of a movable blocking member, disposed in the throat and adapted to be moved by a human hand thrust into the throat. It is another object of my invention to provide such a device in which the blocking member is so arranged that passage of waste materials through the throat and past the member is permissible but the insertion of a human hand through the throat duringn operation of the comminuting means is positively prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide a waste disposal device having power-operated means for actuating the comminuting means, said power-operated means preferably consisting of an electric motor, and an electrical circuit for energizing the motor. It is a further object, in this respect,to provide a normally closed electric switch in the circuit for maintaining the circuit closed but adapted to be actuated by, and in response to movement of, the blocking member when the latter is engaged by a human hand, so as to open the circuit and deenergize the motor. By this means the operation of the comminuting means is stopped by the insertion of a human lhand into the throat so that even though .the hand is lowered into the comminuting chamber, it cannot be injured by the comminuting means.

Another object is to provide a safety means for the purpose indicated which is especially simple in construction, one which is easily applied to waste disposal devices, and one which is extremely sensitive and positive in action.

Further objects will be apparent from the following descriptionand from the drawings, which are intended for the purpose of illustration only, and in which: l

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a waste disposal device embodying the novel features of the-present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram oi `the electrical I9 adaptedv to fit in tolthe drainopening I8 andy having an annular flange 2|) at the upper end.

thereof which seats on the sink I 5, the lower `end of the sleeve member being externally threaded to receive an annular plate 2 I.v The plate 2l is spaced from` the top of the flange I3 of the hopper unit I Il by anannular gasket ring 23, preferably formed of rubber onother'resilient material, and the hopper unit isolamped relative to the plate 2! by means ofvertical screws 24 passing through a lower `annular plate 25 and the upper annular plate 2|, the lower annular plate being spaced from the flange I3 by a lower gasket .ring 25.also preferably formed of rubber or other resilient material As willbe understood, the mounting structurev I4 provides means for resiliently mounting the hopper unit I0 beneath the` sink -I5 and permits the hopper unit I Il to be rotated through an arc of 360 relative to the mounting structure, in the manner and for the purpose explained in my pending application referred'to previously. e f v The outer section 1II of the hopperl unit I0 is provided with a boss 28 having'anvinletuopening 29 therein which communicates with the interior of the upper section I I, the boss beingvinternally threaded to receive the en d ofa water supply pipe 30 leading to a .suitablel source of water under pressure v(notshown). r`Disposedin the line of the water supply pipe noid actuated valve 3l, adapted to, alternatively open or close communication between thesource of water in the water supply pipe 3i) and the interior of the outer vsection I I.,y The outerfsection II is also provided with a depending tubular inner wall 32 which extends downwardly into the 30 is a conventional sole-- comminuting chamber 4I, the main inner wall' 40 being spaced from the outer section I I to form a space 39 therebetween.

Comminuting means are provided for comminuting waste material introduced into the chamber 4I by way of the throat, which includes the inner walls 32 and 40. The comminuting means is identical to that shown and described in the application referred Yto above, and, therefore, will not be described in detailherein. The

comminuting means includes a seriesrof stationary cutterelements 49 which are connected by screws 49a to ears 46 on the inner section |2. The cutter elements 49 project inwardly through openings in the section I2 and have cutting faces 52.

Disposed below the hopper unit Iiil is a lower housing 58, which is rigidly secured to the outer section II of the hopper unit by means of suitable screws 59. As shown in Fig. l, the ear elements 46 of the inner section I2 rest on the tcp face 51 of the lower housing 58 to support the inner section, and the inner section is rigidly clamped in position by the cooperation of the outer section I I and the lower housing. The lower housing 58 has an annular and substantially horizontal wall 60 which forms the bottom of an annular discharge chamber v6I which has formed integrally therewith or connected thereto a discharge pipe fitting 62 adapted to receive a suitable discharge iitting 63 which leads to a sewer or other waste material ,connection (not shown).

The lower housing 58 also has an outer tubular depending wall 65 to the lower end of which is suitably secured an electric motor 66, the wall having openings 61 therein so as to permit the discharge of air from the interior of the lower housing. The motor 66 is provided with a vertical drive shaft68 extending upwardly therefrom and havingon it a fan 69, the fan being adapted in response to rotation of the drive shaft 68 to draw air through the motor and discharge such air through the openings 61, to cool the motor windings;

To the upper end of the drive shaft 68 is f rigidly fixed a rotatable'table element 1I, which includes a rotary cutting means of the invention. The rotatable table element 1I has an upwardly projecting boss 12 in the center thereof which substantially obstructs the center of the table element and to which is rigidly xed the rotatable drive shaft BB-by means of a screw 13. The top of the rotatable table element 1I, outwardly from the'boss 12, is slightly conical in form, providing a dished upper surface-14, the outer rim of which extends into close proximity with the inner wall 40 of the inner section I2 of the hopper unit I0, beingv spaced slightly upwardly from the lower end thereof. The-clearance between the outer rim 15 and the inner wall 40 is maintained as small as possible so as to prevent the passage of comminuted material therethrough during operation of the device, which is very undesirable in my invention'.

Projecting from the outer rim15 of the `rotatable table element 1I are a plurality of cutter knives 19 which extend into the discharge chamber 6I so as to provide only a slight clearance with the fiat bottom of each of the stationary cutter elements 49. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the cutter knives 19 are relatively thin and are disposed so that the knives will not create any api preciable centrifugal pumping eiect in the annular discharge chamber 6I which might otherwise overload the motor 66. The cutter knives 19 cooperate with the flat bottom 56 of each of the stationary cutter elements 49 to form secondary cutting meansof the invention.

Provided on the dished upper surface 14 of the rotatabletable element 1I is a pair of movable cutters whichare rotatably mounted on the table element 1I by -means of pins 82, only one suchcutterbeing herein shown. The pin 82 projects from the movable cutter 80 on one side of the longitudinal center line thereof so as to place the center of gravity of the cutter on one side of the axis of-the pin, so that when the table element 1I is rotated by the drive shaft 68, centrifugal force acting on the movable cutter 8D will rotate it relative to the element 1I to the cutting position in which it engages a suitable stop pin (not shown). The movable cutter 80 is provided with an outer cutting face 86 which is adapted to cooperate with the cutting faces 52 of the stationary-cutter elements 49 to comminute garbage or other waste material therebetween. The stop pins prevent the movable cutters 80 from rotating into actual engagement with the stationary cutter elements 49. By so retaining the movable cutters 8i) in cutting position merely by centrifugal force exerted by the rotatable table element 1 I, it will be understood that the movable cutters may rotate back to retracted position in the event that a non-comminutable material, such as a metal object or glass, finds its way into the comminuting chamber 4I, thus preventing damage to the cutting faces `52 and 86.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, disposed in the upper portion of the outer section I I of the hopper unit I8 is a safety device |03 which constitutes a blocking or obstructing means of the invention, adapted to deenergize the electric motor 6B when the safety device is moved, so as to protect against the possibility of a human hand being inserted into the hopper unit during rotation of the rotatable table element 1 I. The safety device I63 includes a rod |04 having a blocking or obstructing head |05 thereon, the rod being rigidly xed to a transverse supporting rod |05 which in turn is lrotatably supported by suitable sleeve vbearings |61 formed integrally with the outer wall of the outer section I I.

One end'of the rod |06 projects out of its bear-- ing |01 and has secured rigidly thereto a sleeve |68 provided with an extending arm |09 disposed perpendicular to the sleeve and rod. Also formed on or secured to the outer wall of the outer section I I is a switch box I IIJ having a conventional electric switch I I I therein, the switch being provided with a push button II2 which is normally held in depressed position by the arm |89. The switch I I I is of a conventional type in which electrical contact is made when the push button I I2 is depressed and such electrical contact is broken when the push button is released, as by a suitable spring (not shown). The arm |89 and the switch box IID may be temporarily locked together by a soft wire II3 passing through each. It will be apparent that downward movement of the rod |84 and head |05, due to attempted insertion of a hand into the'hopper unit ID or otherwise, rotates the supporting rod |06 andthe arm |09, breaking the soft wire H3 and moving the arm out of engagement with the push button I2 to permit the latter to move outwardly to break the electrical circuit to be described hereinafter. To again close the electrical circuit requires that the push button H2 be manually depressed and the arm |09 manually rotated back to its retaining position as shown. This manual resetting operation is not difficult, but tends to -be aggravating to the operator and, consequently, acts to deter the operator from thrusting his hand into the hopper unit except when it is essential to do so. The rod |04 and head |05 are suiciently small that garbage may readily pass thereby into the hopper unit without actuating the safety device |03.

The electric circuit shown in Fig. 3 illustrates one-side of the electric motor 66 connected by a wire H through a main switch H6 to one wire H1 of the electric current main. The other side of the motor 66 is connected by a wire I i9 to the switch HI, which in turn is connected to the other wire H9 of the current main. InV parallel with the motor 66, but also controlled by the main switch H6, is a conventional solenoid |20 adapted to actuate the solenoid actuated valve 3|. The solenoid |20 and the solenoid actuated valve 3| are of any conventional type in which-the valve is maintained open by the solenoid so long as the solenoid is electrically energized so as to permit passage of fluid through the supply pipe 30. When the solenoid |20 is deenergized, suitable spring means (not shown) return the solenoid actuated valve 3| to closed position so as to a shut off the flow of fluid through the supply pipe 30.

In operation, garbage or other waste material is placed in the hopper unit I0, through the sleeve member I9, untily the chamber 4| of the hopper unit is substantially filled. The main switch H6, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, is then manually closed, which completes the electrical circuit through the electric motor 66 and energizes the same. At the same time, the solenoid |20 is similarly energized toropen the solenoid actuated valve 3| to permit a flow of water or other flushing iluid through the supply pipe 30 into the hopper unit I0 through the inlet opening 29. Energization of the electric motor 66 rotates the vertical drive shaft 68 to similarly rotate the rotatable'table element 1|.

Upon rotation of the rotatable table element 1|, centrifugal force operating on the movable cutters 80 rotates the same to their cutting positions illustrated in Fig. 1, in which position they cooperate with the stationary cutter elements 45| to comminute the garbage or other waste material disposed in the chamber 4|.

The garbage or other waste material in the chamber 4| is rotated with the rotatable table element 'H by the movable cutters 80 and is thrown to the periphery of the rotatable table element by centrifugal force so that as it passes the stationary cutter elements 49 it is comminuted by the action of the movable cutters 80 acting therewith or by the stationary cutters alone, the smaller pieces thereof being moved outwardly through vertical discharge slots (not shown) by centrifugal force and by the thrust of the movable cutters 80 and by the action of the water in the chamber 4|, the garbage or waste material then falling into the discharge chamber 6|, from which it is flushed by the flushing liquid through the discharge fitting 63.

It will be readily-apparent that if a' human hand, for example the hand of the person using the device, was inserted into the comminuting vchamber 4|, during operation of the comminuting means, the hand would be seriously injured by the relatively rotating cutters 49 and 80. Such an occasion might arise if `the person attempted to retrieve an object inadvertently placed in the disposal device. Y"Such an extremely hazardous condition is entirely avoided in my present improved waste disposal device because the safety means functions to arrest the operation of the comminuting means before the hand can reach the rotating cutters.

Assuming that the device is in operation and waste material is being comminutedin the chamber 4|, if for any reason the attendant of the device inserts his orher hand into therdevice through the open upper end thereof, .the hand will contact the obstructing or 'blocking head |05 of the safety device |03'. It will bevnoted by reference to Fig. 2 that sucient clearance is provided between the head |05 and the unit wall 32 to permit bits of waste material to pass through the throat into the comminuting chamber 4| but that such clearance is insuicient to allow a human hand to pass through the throat without engaging the head. Consequently, when a hand is inserted into the throat, it pivots the rod |04 in counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that the arm |09 is 1pivoted upwardly, breaking thelocking wire H3.

During such upward pivotal movement Aof closed switch |H is released and permitted to move outwardly to open the switch. In this man-rv ner, the electrical circuit is opened and the electric motor 66 is deenergized. Due to resistance oifered by the material inthe comminuting chamber to the rotation of the tableelement 1| andthe cutters 80, the motor 66 is promptly brought to rest. It is therefore seen that even though the hand is sliddownwardly into the comminuting chamber, injury to the hand will be avoided since the comminuting operation is completely arrested at this time. f

To subsequently close the electrical circuit, the push button |2 must be manually depressed and the arm |09 rotated back to its retaining position to maintain the button in switch closing position. While such resetting of the switch is not diicult, it tends to be aggravating to the operator and, consequently, discourages the thrusting of a hand into the hopper unit except when it is essential to do so. It will thus be seen that my improved safety means is highly ecient in guarding against injury to the operator and in no way impairs the normal insertion and comminuting of waste material.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications can be made in the present construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and, consequently, I do not intend to be limited by the specific embodiment illustrated and described herein, but desire-to be afforded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: y

1. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: hopper means having a vertical opening and defining a vertical comminuting chamber; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to compivotal movement imparted toA said blockingV member and said shaft by a human hand inserted into said opening.

2. In a waste disposal'device, theycombination of hopper means having a vertical opening and dening a vertical comminuting chamber; comminuting means in said chamber adapted tol comminute waste material therein; an electric motor for actuating said comminutingrmeans; an electrical circuit for said motor; a switch connected in said circuit and disposed outside said hopperv means; a shaft pivoted in the walls of said hoppermeans and projecting therefrom; a rod carried by said shaft within said opening Aand provided-.with a blocking member; an arm carried by said shaft outside said hopper means and normally engageable with said switch tomaintain said switch closed and said motor energized, said arm being adapted to open said switch in response to pivotal movement imparted to said blocking member and said shaft by a human hand inserted into said opening; and a releasable locking element normally engaged with said arm to locksaid arm in switch closing position. said element being released in response to aforce applied thereagainst by said arm to unlock said arm and permit movement thereof to switch opening position. v

3. In a waste disposal device, the `combination of: hopper means having a Vertical opening and defining a vertical comminuting chamber; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to corn minute waste material therein; an electric motor for actuating said comminuting means; an electrical circuit for said motor; a switch connected in said circuit and disposed outsidesaid hopper means; a shaft pivoted inthe walls of said hopper means and projecting therefrom; a rod carried by said shaft within said opening and provided with a blocking head; an arm carried by said shaft outside said hopper means and normally engageable with said switch to maintain said switch closed and said motor energized, said arm being adapted to open said switch in response to'pivotal movement imparted to said blocking head and said shaft by a human hand inserted into said opening; and a deformable locking element normally engaged with said arm to lock said arm in switch closing position, said element being adapted to be deformed inV response to a force applied thereagainst by said arm tounlock said arm and permit movement thereof to switch opening position.

4. In a waste disposal device, the combination of hopper means having a vertical opening and defining a vertical comminuting chamber; comminutingV means in said chamber adapted to comminute waste material therein; actuating means for actuating said comminuting means; movable control means for controlling the energization of said actuating means, said control means being normally active to maintain said actuating means energized; and pivoted obstructing means havingV a blocking head disposed in said opening adaptedV normally to permit waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said opening, said obstructing means normally being operatively connected to said control means to maintain the same active so as to maintain said actuating means energized,

said blocking head being engageable by a human hand inserted in said opening, pivotal movement of said obstructing means in response to engagement of the hand with said blocking head causing disconnection of said obstructing means from said control means so as to effect de-energization of said actuating means by said control means.

5. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: hopper means having a vertical opening and defining a vertical comminuting chamber; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to comminute waste material therein; actuating means for actuating said comminuting means; movable control means for controlling the energization of said actuating means, said control means being normally active to maintain said actuating means energized ;,and pivoted obstructing means having a blocking head disposed in said opening adapted normally to permit waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said open-v ing, said blocking head being engageable by a human hand inserted in said opening to cause pivotal movement of-said obstructing means, said obstructing means normally engaging said control means to cause the same to maintain said actuating means energized but adapted upon pivotal movement in response to engagement of said blocking head by the hand inserted into said opening to disengage said control meansso as to effect de-energization of said actuatingmeans.

6. In a waste disposal device, the combination of hopper means having a vertical opening and defining a vertical comminuting chamber; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to comminute waste material therein; actuating means for actuating said comminuting means; movable controlmeansfor controlling the energization o f said actuating means, said control means being normally active to maintain said actuating means energized; pivoted obstructing means having a blocking head disposed in said opening adapted normally topermit Waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said opening, said blocking head being engageable by a human hand insertedV in saidr opening to cause pivotal movementof said obstructing means, said ob-A structing means normally engaging said control means rto cause the same to maintain said actuating means energized but adapted upon pivotal movement in response to engagement of said blocking head by the hand inserted into said opening to disengage said control means so as to effect de-energization of said actuating means; and releasable locking means engageable with said obstructing means so as to normally maintain the same in position to engage said control means.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 including an electric circuit, said actuating means comprising an electric motor in said circuit, said control means comprising a switch in'said circuit and having a plunger adapted to be depressed manually to close said switch, said obstructing means normally being disposed in a first position to engage said plunger to maintain the same depressed but adapted upon pivotal movement to a second position in response to engagement of said blocking head by the hand to release said plunger so as to effect opening of said circuit.

said locking means being deformable in response to a predetermined force exerted by said obsaid obstructing y tion being prevented by said plunger in extended position and permitted only after said plunger has been manually restored to circuit closing position.

9. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: hopper means having 4a vertical opening and defining a vertical comininuting chamber, said opening being sumciently large to permit the passage of a normal adult human hand therethrough; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to comrninute waste material therein; obstructing means pivotally mounted on a substantially horizontal axis and extending into an approximately central portion of said opening and being of a size to prevent the passage of such a hand through said opening without actuating said obstructing means, said obstructing 3 means being sufficiently small to permit waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said opening and past said obstructing means without actuating said obstructing means; power means for actuating said comminuting means; control means operatively connected with said power means; and connecting means operatively connected between said control means and said obstructing means for operation of said control means upon movement of said obstructing means for de-energizing said power means.

10. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: hopper means having a vertical opening and defining a Vertical comminuting chamber below said opening, said opening being sufficiently large to permit the passage of a normal adult human hand therethrough; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to comminute waste material therein; power means for actuating said comminuting means; obstructing means pivotally mounted and extending into said opening in an exposed position within said opening and of a size to prevent the passage of such a hand through said opening without moving said obstructing means, said obstructing means being sufficiently small to permit waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said opening without moving said obstructing means; and control means for de-energizing said power means; and connecting means operatively connecting said control means to said obstructing means for operation of said control means in response to pivotal movement of said obstructing means to de-energize said power means.

11. In a waste disposal device. the combination of: hopper means having a vertical opening and a vertical comminuting chamber below said opening, said opening being su'iciently large to permit the passage of a normal adult human hand therethrough; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to comminute waste material therein; an electric motor for actuating said comminuting means; an electrical circuit for said motor; a switch in said circuit; and obstructing means extending into said opening and of a size to prevent the passage of such a hand through said opening without moving rsaid obstructing means, said obstructing means being sufficiently small to permit waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said opening without moving said obstructing means, said obstructing means being operatively connected to said switch to normally maintain said switch closed and said motor energized but adapted to open said switch to Cie-energize said motor in response to move-- ment of said obstructing means.

12. in a waste disposal device, the combination ci: hopper means having a vertical opening and a vertical comminuting chamber below said opening, said opening being sufficiently large to permit the passage of ,a normal adult human hand therethrough; comminuting means in said chamber adapted to comminute waste material therein; an electric motor for actuating said comminuting means; an electrical circuit for said motor; a switch in said circuit; and obstructing means pivotally mounted with respect to said hopper means on a substantially horizontal axis and extending into said opening and of a size to prevent the passage of such a hand through said opening without moving said obstructing means, said obstructing means being suiiciently small to permit waste material to be introduced into said chamber through said opening without moving said obstructing means, saidv obstructing means being operatively connected to said switch to normally maintain said switch closed and said motor energized but adapted to open said switch to de-energize said motor in response to movement of said obstructing means.

HANS JORDAN.

v REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

Germany Feb. 6, 1914

Images