US2905354A - Trash receptacle - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 22, 1959 J. A. ERICSON.

TRASH RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 19. 1957 INVENTOR JOHN A. Emcserv ATTORNEY United States Patent M TRASH RECEPTACLE John A. Ericson, Youngstown, Ohio Application February '19, 1957, Serial Nb. 641,159 7 v 1 Claim. or. 220-205 The present invention relates to a trash receptacle of the general type having a false bottom wherein trash, such as cigarette ashes and ends, fruit cores, nut shells, etc., are placed on a supporting surface and later dumped or ejected into a hidden portion of the receptacle which is-periodically cleaned. Although trash receptacles of this general type are well known in the prior art, there are certain disadvantages inherent in such apparatus. These device sare somewhat limited in the capacity of material that can be deposited therein and are usually very hard to empty and clean. Further, the false bottom on which the material is initially supported is usually dirty since the dumping or ejecting mechanisms and means are ineffective in removing all of the material from the exposed surface of the false bottom. This is especially true when sticky substances are deposited thereon, such as the residue of fruits, and the results of the above are that after a few uses such prior art receptacles become unsanitary and unsightly in appearance.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved trash receptacle which substantially mitigates the above mentioned problems encountered in conventional apparatus.

One of the most important objects of this invention is to provide a false bottom supporting surface which is positively cleaned every time the trash is ejected to the main container whereby the receptacle is sanitary and requires less frequent cleaning and/ or emptying. As will be hereinafter more fully apparent, this is accomplished by providing a member which in efiect acts as a scraper to remove all trash from the false bottom when the same is removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trash receptacle of the general character described incorporating improved means for emptying the collected trash from the receptacle whereby the emptying operation may be completed in a minimum of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved false bottom means and spring means therefor tending to urge the same in the closed position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a trash receptacle having a removable liner element which is adapted to hold lighted cigarettes and facilitates cleaning of the receptacle. In addition, the receptacle is easily constructed from sheet metal, for example, and presents a pleasing appearance.

These, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become more readily apparent upon further consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein there is shown an illustrated embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a trash receptacle constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end sectional view taken along the section line HII of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the trash receptacle.

2,905,354 Patented Sept. 22 1959 Referring now to the drawing, the trash receptacle shown therein is essentially a 'rectangularly-shaped boxlike structure having a front Wall 10, a rear wall 11 and two side walls 12. These walls' are formed from pieces of sheet metal, for example, and along their upper edges have inturned edge portions 13 for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fully described. The'bottom edges of these walls are flared or turned outwardly to form slides 14. These slides are adaptedto be received in inturned channels 15 formed by the edges of a bottom slide cover 16 and itis noted that the'channels 15.are provided on only three sides of the bottom slide cover 16 whereby the same may be slidably removed as is readily apparent. I

The front wall 10 of .the trash receptaclehas a longitudinally extending slot 17 therein spaced from .the top edge thereof. Received in thisslot, in a manner to be further explained, is a false bottom on closure member 18, having front and rear depending leg portions 19, which effectively divides the trash receptacle into two portions. The first portion, that above the false bottom, is open for the reception of refuse while the other portion, bounded by the false bottom and the bottom slide cover 16, forms a container to receive ejected trash from the false bottom. The false bottom is supported for sliding movement on two spaced and generally parallel guide rods 20 which extend from and span the front and rear walls, 10 and 11, respectively, and are held in position by their downturned end portions 22 or other convenient attachment means. The rear leg portion of the false bottom 18 is apertured at 23 and the guide rods extend through these apertures so that this member is guided for sliding movement.

Mounted on each of the guide rods 20 between the rear leg portion of the false bottom 18 and the front wall 10 is a compression spring 24 and the arrangement is such that when the false bottom is pulled forwardly the springs 24 are compressed and tend to return the false bottom to its initial position. It will be noted that the forward depending leg portion of the false bottom is disposed on the outside of the front wall 10 and that the downturned forward ends 22 of guide rods 20 act as spacers to limit the rearward movement of the'false bottom whereby the forward depending leg portion of the false bottom is always spaced from the front wall and serves as a handle which is easily gripped. The rear downwardly depending leg portion of the false bottom serves as a stop to limit forward movement of the false bottom during ejecting and cleaning operations.

The inturned top edges 13 of the various walls act as supports for an insert 25 constructed of sheet metal, for example, and having side walls 26 of sufficient length to extend to the false bottom 18. Of particular importance is the inclined front wall 27 which is of sufficient length to rest on the top surface of the false bottom and acts as a scraper for removing refuse from the false bottom each time the same is removed. The inclination of the front wall or scraper 27 is such that when the false bottom is pulled forwardly that the edge thereof will contact the entire exposed upper surface of the false bottom.

The top edges of the insert 25 may be formed as at 28 to provide indentations for retaining lighted cigarettes whereby the trash receptacle may be used as an ashtray.

As heretofore indicated, it is contemplated that the various component parts of the trash receptacle will be made from sheet metal stock properly formed and joined, as by spot welding, for example. The trash receptacle, or various parts thereof such as the insert and false bottom may be chrome plated or otherwise coated or painted to present a pleasing appearance.

Considering now the operation and use of the improved trash receptacle, trash and residue is placed on the upper surface of the false bottom. This may be cigarette ashes and ends if the receptacle is used as an ashtray, paper, facial tissues, fruits cores, nut shells, etc. Then the user grasps the handle1'9 and pulls the false bottom forward and the soraper 27 forces the trash to fall into that portion-of the receptacle below.-the false bottom. The scraping contact between the scraper' and the false bottom insures that all trash will be removed thereby keeping thenexposed portions of the receptacle reasonably clean. The false bottom is released and is returned to its original position by the compression springs. After the receptacle becomes full it may be easily emptied by removing the bottom slide cover and emptying the ac cumulated trash.

Although I haveshowntand described an illustrated embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that many changes may be made therein and therefore reference should be had to the following appended claim in determining the true scope of the invention.

-I claim:

A generally rectangular trash receptacle of the type having elongated front and rear walls and a pair of side walls, a pair of horizontally extending and laterally spaced rods disposed in normal relation to and spanning said front and rear walls below the top thereof, a horizontally disposed slit in said front wall intermediate the top thereof and said rods and extending the full width of 2,905,354 M g s.

said front wall, a horizontally disposed sheet-like closure member slidably received in said slit and having a downturned inner edge and a continuous down-turned flange along its outer exposed portion to provide a hand-grip portion, said down-turned inner edge having a pair of laterally spaced apertures therein, said rods extending through said apertures whereby said closure member is slidably mounted on said rods, coil springs entwined about said rods intermediate saiddown-turned inner edge of said closure member and said front wall to yieldably retain said closure member in innermost closed position, a top wall for said receptacle comprising a sheet like member having'a downwardly flanged opening .in its center portion, said top wall defining a generally rectangular top edge, and thelloweredges of the flange of said top wall lying in a common plane and adapted to have scraping movement with the entire normally exposed area of the top surface of said closure member upon sliding movement of the latter in said slit when said hand-grip portion is engaged and manipulated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,283 Heatly et al Mar. 27, 1900 1,124,395 Cottrell Jan. 12, 1915 1,226,634 Briese May 22, 1917 1,574,685 Pacorek Feb. 23, 1926 2,494,979 Worthing Jan. 17, 1950

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