US2811329A - Step-on type waste receptacle unit - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. PRESS ETAL STEP-0N TYPE WASTE RECEPTACLE UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1955 INVENTOR I JOMEPTQSQ .BY flonaZdEBranIiZ, M MM M+%%@ Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. PRESS ETAL 2,811,329

STEP=ON TYPE WASTE RECEPTACLE UNIT Filed June 50. 1 95 5 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 14 J6 f lba (biz ZPreas, BY .DanZZdL/Zfimndt Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. PRESS ETAL 2,811,329

STEP-0N TYPE WASTE RECEPTACLE UNIT Filed June 30. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 25 L ZhnAPreaa 190 BY flonald ifirandifi, 1 ,fl/LQ, K-J+ 1A United States Patent 0,

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STEP-N TYPE WASTE RECEPTACLE UNIT John E. Press, Niles, and Donald R. Brandt, Arlington Heights, 111., assignors to Federal Tool Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 30, 1955, Serial No. 519,174 Claims. (Cl. 248147) This invention relates to waste receptacles and more particularly to a sanitary step-on type waste receptacle unit of highly improved and simplified construction especially useful in households, hospitals and the like, where cleanliness and sanitation are important.

An object of the invention is to provide a step-on type waste receptacle unit of the kind just stated having a con struction such that all of its parts may be easily molded of relatively inexpensive synthetic organic resin such as polystyrene, the unit being thereby inexpensive to produce while at the same time being highly resistant to the usual corrosive effects of waste which quickly render the ordinary waste receptacle unsightly and almost impossible adequately to clean. Another object of the in: vention is to provide a Waste receptacle unit that may be packed and shipped in a disassembled state and may he quickly assembled at its destination without the use of tools, the unit being thereafter easily disassembled or partially disassembled for cleaning and thorough sterilization, as and when desired. Still another object of the invention is to provide a waste receptacle unit of the character set forth above comprising an L shaped frame, including a horizontal base and a column extending upwardly from the rear thereof, the base loosely and freely supporting an open-top Waste container and the column having mounted thereon a treadle operated cover for closing and opening the container. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a Waste receptacle of this kind wherein the waste container may be lifted and removed forwardly or laterally from the base to be emptied, the base and column being fully exposed for cleaning when the waste container has been removed.

Another important object of the invention is the provision in the base of the receptacle unit of a treadle operated cover controlling lever that freely rests for pivotal movement upon a pair of sills that are so constructed and arranged as to bias the lever laterally away from a locking position in which the cover is locked in its open position. The novel lever biasing structure tends to prevent inadvertent movement of the lever into the locking position and also renders easier the removal of the lever from the locking position to its normal position. The lever operates an upstanding push-rod for opening and closing the cover for the waste container, the push-rod being protectively contained within the upright column and bearing freely and loosely against the cover. Still another object of the invention is to provide in conjunction with the push-rod, means for camming the upper portion of the rod forwardly and rearwardly during closing and opening of the cover, the upper end of the pushrod remaining in free contact with the cover and being caused by the camming means to follow the forward and rearward components of movement of the cover during its operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view-of a waste receptacle unit constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the receptacle unit with a substantial portion thereof cut away substantiallyalong. the line 2-2 in Fig. l to show, in vertical cross-section,

certain primary structural components of the unit including an upstanding column at the rear thereof, a base from which the column extends, and certain opera-tingparts enclosed within the base and the column;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the base of the unit, with the column shown in horizontal cross-section and with a fragmentary portion of a waste container resting upon the base, a treadle operated lever that is provided in the base being shown in a locked position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the central portion of the base taken substantially along the line 44 in Fig. 2, the treadle operated lever being illustrated in its normal unlocked position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken substantially along the line 66 in Fig. 3, showing the lever in its depressed and locked position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmented vertical cross-sectional view taken through the column substantially along the line 77 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken. substantially along the line 8-8 in Fig. 2, showing the means by which the treadle operated lever is freely supported in a biased and pivoted manner in the base; and 3 Fig. 9 .is a fragmentary top plan view, on a similarly enlarged scale, showing the mounting and biasing means for the lever, the lever having been removed.

As shown in the drawings, the waste receptacle unit of the present invention is "comprised of a rigid L-shaped frame including a horizontal base 11 adapted to rest on the floor or any other horizontal surface, and a column 12 extending upwardly from the rear of the base. The base freely receives and supports an open-top Waste container 13, and a cover 14 is pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of the column for closing the container,

' the cover having a closed position resting upon the upper perimeter of the container and an open position (shown by. the broken lines in Fig. 2) permitting waste to be dropped into the container.

The base 11 is of frame-like construction comprising a centrally located somewhat Y-shaped structure 15 (Fig. 3) extending from the front to the rear of the base along the center line thereof. This central structure comprises a horizontal web 16 which is provided at its forward end with an outward extension 16a and at its rearward end with a rectangularly shaped extension 16b. If desired, the web 16 may have a triangularly shaped opening therein, as best seen in Fig. 3, in order to conserve material- Integrally formed with the web 16 there. are a pair of upstanding spaced apart walls 17 and 18 which give to the central structure 15 a substantially U-shaped vertical cross-section, the rear portion of the walls 17 and 18 being divergent, as seen in Fig. 3, thereby giving to. the structure 15 the somewhat Y-shape previously mentioned. Integrally joined to the upstanding walls 17 and 18 at their opposite ends there are a pair of substantially C-shaped upstanding exterior walls 1) andZti which may have their exterior surfaces pleasinglyrounded. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the walls 19 and 20 at their front ends respectively join and extend laterally from the forwardmost portions of the walls 17 and 1S and then curve rearwardly and then inwardly where their rear ends are joined With and extend laterally from the rear portions of the Walls 17 and 18. The c-shaped walls19 and 20 give to the base its outward configuration and their lower edges are adapted to rest upon the floor or the like. The inner surfaces of the walls 19 and 20 are provided somewhat below their upper edge with an inwardly extending shoulder 21 which pro vides a horizontal ring-like surface for receiving and supporting the waste container 13. If desired, the bottom Wall 22 of the waste container may be provided at its corners with downwardly extending ribs 23 (Figs. 2 and 3) which are received within the upper portions of the upstanding walls 19 and 20 to prevent the container 13 from being inadvertently displaced from the base 11, it being understood, however, that the container rests freely upon the base.

At the rear of the base 11, and integrally formed with the extension 16b of the web 16, there are an upstanding rear wall 24 (Fig. 2) and a pair of upstanding side walls 25 and 26 (Fig. 7). The walls 25 and 26 are integrally joined along their rear edges with the rear wall 24 and at their forward edges with the peripheral walls 19 and 20 of the base. These walls 24, 25 and 26 together provide an open-top socket-like structure for receiving the lower end of the column 12. This column is preferably U- shaped in horizontal cross-section, having a back wall 27 and a pair of side walls 28 and 29 integrally joined thereto (Fig. 3). The lower portion of the rear wall 27 is recessed as shown in Fig. 2 to be received alongside the Wall 24, and the corresponding lower portions of the side walls 28 and 29 of the column are similarly recessed as seen in Fig. 7 so as to be slidably received, duringassembly of the unit, downwardly into the socketlike construction provided by the upstanding walls 24, 25 and 26 that are formed integrally with the horizontal rearward extension 16b of the web 16. The inner surfaces of the walls 25 and 26 are provided with overhanging projections 30 which slidably receive and lock in place complementary locking members 31 provided on thereon a pair of blocks 41 and 42, as best seen in Figs. 2, 3, 8 and 9. The inner faces of these blocks are provided with downwardly directed open-top slots 43 and 44 respectively, the bottom 45 of the slot 43 being sloped downwardly in the rearward direction and the bottom 46 of the slot 44 being sloped in the opposite direction (Fig. 9). Loosely received within the slots 43 and 44 and freely resting on the bottoms thereof there is a fulcrum 47 integrally formed transversely on a lever 48 which, if desired, may have a T-shaped cross-section, as best seen in Fig. 8. The fulcrum 47 preferably is provided with a rounded lower edge 49 which rides on the bottoms 45 and 46 of the slots 43 and 44, these bottoms providing sills for pivotally supporting the lever. The forward end of the lever 48 extends outwardly through an opening 50 between the adjacent ends of the upstanding walls 19 and 20 at the front of the'base 11 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) and is provided on its outermost end with a treadle 51. The opening 50 is L-shaped in contour/this shape being given to the opening by the provision of a stop extension 52 integrally formed on the end of the wall 20, as best seen in Figs. 5 and 6. The adjacent end of the horizontal flange 21 on the Wall 19 may also be provided with a stop extension 53, thepurpose of which will be presently explained.

The lever 48 is pivotable in a vertical plane or path a on the fulcrum 47, as previously explained and, because Thus, when the treadle 51 is depressed and the outer end the lower portions of the side walls 28 and 29 of the upright column.

Adjacent the upper end of the column the rear wall 27 thereof is formed in the manner shown in Fig. 2 to provide a transverse recess 32, and the side walls 28 and 29 of the column adjacent their upper ends are provided with lateral outwardly extending buttons or bosses 33 integrally formed thereon for pivotally receiving the cover 14. The cover 14 may be of the inverted dish-shape shown'in the drawings and is adapted to be received upon the upper perimeter of the container 13, the lower corners of the cover being provided with downwardly extending flanges 34 (Fig. 2), if desired, which slidably engage the upper interior of the container in order to guide the cover into its proper position on the container. If desired, the container may be provided with handles 35, and the container may be of a character such that it may be used with the complete waste receptacle unit now being described, or alternately and separately as an ordinary waste basket.

Formed integrally with the cover at the rearthereof there is an extension 36 which projects rearwardly from the cover, the extension having an inverted U-shaped vertical cross-section, as best seen in Fig. 7, and being comprised of an upper web 37 and two depending side flanges 38 and 39 having openings therein pivotally received upon the bosses 33. At the rearmost end of the extension 36 a downwardly depending wall 40 (Fig. 2) is provided integrally with the web 37 and the downwardly extending side flanges 38 and 39 which is adapted to be received within the transverse slot 32 in the back wall 27 of the columnf When the cover 14 is raised to its open position, as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 2, the lower edge of the Wall 40 bottoms in the slot and acts as a stop to determine the maximum open position of the cover.

The inner faces of the two upstanding walls 17,and 18 of the Y-shaped central structure 15 in the base of the present waste receptacle unit have integrally formed of the lever 48 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 6, slight sidewise pressure on the treadle 51 will rotate the lever horizontally or laterally to a position beneath the stop 52, thereby retaining the outer end of the lever in its lower position. In this connection the lowermost edge 54 of the stop 52 is preferably formed at an angle, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the upper surface of the lever 48 is provided with a slightly upwardly diagonally directed engaging surface 55 adapted to cooperate with the surface 54 of the stop 52 positively to retain the lever beneath the stop 52. The sloping bottoms or sills 45 and 46 of the slots in the blocks 41 and 42, on the other hand, bias and tend to cause the lever 48 to rotate in the horizontal plane away from the stop 52, as will be later explained. 1

The rear or inner end of the lever 48 extends through an opening 56 at the rear of the base defined by the spaced apart ends of the Walls 19 and 20 at that location, and has integrally formed on its extremity an opentop cup-shaped socket 57 located in the hollow base of the column. 12. 'This socket loosely receives in balland-socket fashionthe rounded lower end 58a of an upstanding push rod 58 which, if desired, may have an Lshaped cross-section, as shown in the drawings. The rounded upper en dSSb of this push-rod freely and loosely engages a downwardly directed convexly curved surface 59 provided on the lower edge of a centrally disposed, downwardly directed web 60 formed integrally with the horizontal web 37 of the rearwardly directed extension 36 of the cover 14. Thus, it will be seen that when the treadle 51 on the lever 43 is depressed, the lever will be pivoted in a vertical path from its normal position shown in the solid lines in Fig. 2, to the position shown by the broken lines therein, thereby raising the rod 58 forcefully upwardly against the curved surface 59 of the web 60 to pivot the cover 14 to the open position illustrated by the broken lines in Fig. 2.

The rod 58 is enclosed in protected position within the hollow interior of the upstanding column 12 and merely rests in the socket 57 .provided'upon the rear extremity .ofthe lever 48. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that in the opening and closing of the cover 14 the cover has rearward and forward components of movement.

Inasmuch as the upper end of the rod 58 merely loosely engages the curved undersurface 59 of the Web 60 on the cover, means are provided for positively camming the upper portion of the lever rearwardly as the rod 1s raised and forwardly as the rod is lowered, thereby causing the upper end of the rod positively to follow the rearward and forward component of movement of the cover to prevent the upper end of the rod from becoming disengaged from the downwardly directed curved surface 59. To this end the interior of the hollow column 12 is provided with a substantially horizontal transverse web 61 having an opening 62 therein through which the rod 58 loosely extends. The forward face of the rod has an outwardly extending cam member 63 formed integrally thereon having a diagonal camming surface 64 adapted slidably to engage the forward edge of the opening 62 when the rod'58 is raised by pivotation of the lever 48, thereby causing the upper portion of the rod tobe cammed rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, positively to cause the upper extremity of the rod to follow the rearward component of movement of the cover 14 during opening movement of the cover. Similarly, the rear face of the rod 53 is provided with a cam member 65 integrally formed thereon having on its lower edge a diagonal camming surface 66 which engages the rear edge of the opening 62 when the rod 58 is lowered, thereby positively camming the rod forwardly to follow the forward component of movement of the cover during the return of the cover from its open position to its closed position. By virtue of this camming means the uppermost extremity of the rod during operation remains at all times in contact with the downwardly directed curved surface 5 of the web 60 on the rearwardly directed extension 36 of the cover 14 in spite of the fact that the upper extremity of the rod 58 is in no way secured to any part of the cover.

As previously indicated, all of the component parts of the waste receptacle unit are so constructed and arranged that they may be formed of any one of a number of moldable synthetic organic resins such as polystyrene and the like. These resins are very durable and are easily cleaned, thereby rendering the present waste receptacle unit highly sanitary in use and ideally suited for employment in hospitals and kitchens and the like where immaculate cleanliness is desirable. Furthermore, it will be noted that when the cover has been raised to its upper position the container 13 may be removed upwardly, forwardly or laterally from the base for emptying and cleaning, the base and the column, as well as the lid, being thereupon completely exposed for easy cleaning.

The lever 48 normally occupies the position shown by the solid lines in Figs. 2 and 4, pressure of the foot on the treadle 51 causing the lever 48 to be pivoted in a vertical path to the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 2, thereby raising the socket 57 on the rearward extremity of the lever and raising the rod 58 to open the cover 14. Due to the fact that the fulcrum 47 is slidable longitudinally to a limited extent on the bottoms or sills 45 and 46 of the slots 43 and 44, the lever may also be rotated with respect to the sills in a horizontal plane to the laterally disposed position illustrated in Fig. 3 when the treadle has been depressed, this position of the lever being its locked position previously described, wherein one edge of the lever having the sloping surface 55 thereon is moved into locking position beneath the stop 52 shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The locking engagement between the lever 48 and the stop 52 retains the lever in its depressed position, thereby retaining the cover 14 in its open position. If desired, the upper surface of the treadle 51 may be embossed with an arrow and the word hold, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in order to indicate to the operator the direction in which he may laterally rotate the lever 48 to move the lever into the locking position to hold the cover 14 in its open position. The slope of the bottoms o-r sills 45 and 46 of the slots 43 and 44 are such that the lever 48 and the fulcrum 47 are rotatively biased from the locking or hold position toward the normal position. In this connection it will be noted, particularly in Fig. 9, that the sill or bottom 45 of the slot 43 is lower at its righthand end than at its left-hand end, and that the sill or bottom 46 of the slot 44 is provided with a slope in the opposite direction, its right-hand end being higher than its left-hand end. Thus, when the fulcrum 47 is disposed within the slot the fulcrum and the lever 48, which is integral therewith, tends to slip on the sills 45 and 46 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 9. This biasing or tendency of the lever 48 to be turned laterally in the clockwise direction permits easy release of the lever 43 from its locked position, the slightest sidewise pressure on the treadle 51 causing the lever to be disengaged from the stop 52, whereupon the weight of the cover causes the cover to move to its closed position and the lever 48 to be raised to its normal position shown by the solid lines in Fig. 2. In this normal. position the right-hand edge 48a (Fig. 6) of the lever engages ancl rides along the vertical and right-hand edge of the opening 50 as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6, this edge being one end of the upright wall 19 of the base. This same edge of the lever may be provided with a laterally extending tab 4812 which underlies the stop 53 when the lever is in its normal position and engages that stop to limit the extent of the upward motion of the treadle end of the lever. The biasing of the lever toward the right-hand edge of the opening 50 (as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6) tends to retain the lever in its normal vertical path and permits easy pivotation of the lever in the vertical plane while tending to avoid inadvertent movement of the lever into its locked position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that every part of the present waste receptacle unit may be molded from synthetic organic resin of the character referred to above and that the unit may be packed and shipped in a completely disassembled state with all of the parts stored within the waste container 13 to conserve space, if desired. When the unit has reached its destination it may be quickly set up or assembled entirely without the use of tools. The column 12 is slipped downwardly into the socket-like formation at the rear of the base where the inwardly projecting locking members 30 on the inner surfaces of the walls 25 and 26 receive the corresponding parts 31 (Fig. 7) of the column to lock the column in place in its upright position. The lever 48 is then inserted in its place in the base with the fulcrum 47 freely resting on the sills 45 and 46 in the slots 43 and 44, and the upstanding push-rod 58 is slipped downwardly through the opening 62 in the transverse web 61 within the column, the lower end 58a of the rod being received in the open-top socket 57 on the inner end of the lever 48. The cover 14 is then placed in its pivoted position at the top of the column by springing the downwardly directed flanges 38 and 39 (Fig. 7) outwardly slightly over the bosses or buttons 33 on the sides of the column, the bosses thereby being snapped intothe openings therefor in the flanges. The waste container 1.3 may then be placed on the base and the entire unit is thereupon ready for use. At any time desired, the unit may be disassembled for cleaning and sterilizing by reversing the assembling, steps just explained, it

being noted, however, that the waste container 13 may be removed at anytime merely by lifting it from the base, thereby exposing all of the remaining parts of the unit for cleaning while they are in their assembled state.

It will be understood that the above described embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative of the principles and features of the invention and that alternative embodiments and variations may be readily devised by 7 i i those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A step-on type waste receptacle unit comprising, a base, an open-top waste container freely resting on said base, a column fixed to said base at the rear thereof and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent the exterior rear wall of said container, a cover for said container pivotally mounted on the upper end of said column and movable between a closed position in contact with the upper perimeter of said container and an open position permitting waste to be dropped into said container, a downwardly directed convexly curved surface on said cover intermediate the pivotal connection of said cover to said column and the rear of said container, 8. treadle operated lever mounted on said base for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, one end of said lever extending rearwardly with respect to said container and having an open, cupshaped, upwardly directed socket thereon, and an upstanding rod having its lower end resting freely in said socket in ball-and-socket fashion and its upper end in free engagement with said downwardly directed convexly curved surface, said lever being pivotable to raise said socket and thereby lift said rod forcefully upwardly against said surface on said cover to move said cover from its closed position to its open position, said container being readily removable upwardly, forwardly and laterally from said base when said cover is in said open position, said socket, said cover, said convexly curved surface and said rod being so constructed and arranged as to cause said surface to disengage said upper end of said rod and to permit said rod to be freely lifted from engagement with said socket when said cover has been moved manually toward and beyond its said open position, thereby permitting ready removal of said rod from said waste receptacle unit.

2. A step-on type waste receptacle unit comprising, a base, an open-top waste container freely resting on said base, a column fixed to said base at the rear thereof and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent the exterior rear wall of said container, a cover for said container pivotally mounted on the upper end of said column, said cover having a closed position in contact with the upper perimeter of said container and being pivotable upwardly and rearwardly with respect thereto to an open position to permit waste to be dropped into said container, said container being readily removable upwardly, forwardly and laterally from said base when said cover is in said open position, a downwardly directed curved surface on said cover intermediate the pivotal connection of said cover to said column and the rear of said container, a treadle operated lever mounted on said base for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, one end of said lever extending rearwardly with respect to said container and having an open upwardly directed socket thereon, an upstanding rod having its lower end resting freely in said socket and its upper end in loose engagement with said downwardly directed curved surface on said cover, said lever'being pivotable to raise said socket and thereby lift said rod forcefully upwardly against said surface to move said cover from its closed position to its openposition, and means for positively camming the upper portion of said rod rearwardly during upward movement of said rod whereby said upper end of said rod will follow the rearward component of movement of said cover and .will remain in contact with said downwardly directed curved surface thereon during the opening of said cover. 3. The combination set forth in claim 2, wherein said camming means includes a cam member on said rod and a surface on said column, said cam member engaging said surface during the lifting of said rod and positively directing the upper portion of said rod rearwardly.

1 4. A step-n type waste receptacle unit comprising, an open substantially L-shaped rigid frame including a horizontal base and a column extending upwardly from the rear of said base, an open-top waste container freely resting on said base in front of said column, a cover for said container pivotally mounted on the upper end of said column, said cover having a closed position in contact with the upper perimeter of said container and being pivotable upwardly and rearwardly with respect thereto to an open position to permit waste to be dropped into said container, said container being readily removable upwardly, forwardly and laterally from said base when said cover is in said open position, a downwardly directed curved surface on said cover intermediate the pivotal connection of said cover to said column and the rear of said container, a treadle operated lever mounted on said base for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, one end of said lever extending rearwardly with respect to said container and having an open upwardly directed socket thereon, an upstanding rod having its lower end resting freely in said socket and its upper end in loose engagement with said downwardly directed curved surface on said cover, said lever being pivotable to raise said socket and thereby lift said rod forcefully upwardly against said surface to move said cover from its closed position to its open position, and means for positively camming the upper portion of said rod rearwardly during upward movement of said rod and forwardly during downward movement thereof, whereby said upper end of said rod will follow the rearward and forward components of movement of said cover respectively during the opening and closing of said cover and will be maintained in constant contact with said downwardly directed curved surface thereon.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein said camming means includes cam members on the forward and rear sides of said rod intermediate its ends and a pair of spaced apart surfaces on said column with said rod movably disposed therebetween, said cam members engaging said surfaces on said column during movement of said rod to cam said rod forwardly and rearwardly.

6. A step-on type waste receptacle unit comprising, an open substantially L-shaped rigid frame including a horizontal base and a column extending upwardly from the rear of said base, an open-top waste container freely resting on said base in front of said column, a cover for said container movably mounted on said column adjacent the upper end thereof, said cover having a closed position in contact with the upper perimeter of said container and an open position permitting waste to be dropped into said container, said container being readily removable up- Wardly, forwardly and laterally from said base when said cover is in said open position, a pair of spaced apart oppositely inclined sloping sills within said base, a longitudinally extending treadle operated lever disposed intermediate said sills, a transversely arranged fulcrum on said lever resting freely on said sills and supporting said lever thereon for normal pivotal movement in a substantially vertical path, means cooperating with said lever for opening said cover in response to pivotal movement of said lever in said path, said fulcrum being slidable on said sills to permit rotational movement of said lever out of said vertical path and into a locking position, and means preventing substantial vertical movement of said lever when said lever is in said locking position, the oppositely inclined slopes of said sills tending to cause said fulcrum to slide downwardly thereon to bias said lever rotatively away from said locking position and into said vertical path, said slopes of said sills thereby tending to prevent inadvertent movement of said lever into said locking position and also reducing the force required to return said lever from said locking position to said vertical path.

7. A waste receptacle unit comprising, a base, an opentop waste container on said base, a cover for said container movable between open and closed positions with respect thereto, a pair of spaced apart oppositely inclined sloping sills on said base, a longitudinally extending cover operating lever disposed intermediate said sills, a transversely arranged fulcrum on said lever resting freely on said sills and supporting said lever thereon for normal pivotal movement in a substantially vertical path, means cooperating with said lever for opening said cover in response to pivotal movement of said lever in said path, said fulcrum being slidable on said sills to permit rotational movement of said lever out of said vertical path and into a locking position, and means preventing substantial vertical movement of said lever when said lever is in said locking position, the oppositely inclined slopes of said sills tending to cause said fulcrum to slide downwardly thereon to bias said lever rotatively away from said locking position and into said vertical path, said slopes of said sills thereby tending to prevent inadvertent movement of said lever into said locking position and also reducing the force required to return said lever from said locking position to said vertical path.

8. A waste receptacle unit comprising, a base, an opentop waste container on said base, a cover for said container movable between open and closed positions with respect thereto, a pair of spaced apart oppositely inclined sloping sills on said base, a longitudinally extending cover operating lever disposed intermediate said sills, a transversely arranged fulcrum on said lever resting freely on said sills and supporting said lever thereon for normal pivotal movement in a substantially vertical path, a treadle on one end of said lever for pivoting said lever in said path, means cooperating with the other end of said lever for opening said cover when said treadle is depressed, said fulcrum being slidable on said sills to permit rotational movement of said lever out of said vertical path and into a locking position wherein said treadle is disposed laterally of its normal position, the oppositely inclined slopes of said sills tending to cause said fulcrum to slide downwardly thereon to bias said lever rotatively away from said locking position and into said vertical path, said slopes of said sills thereby tending to prevent inadvertent movement of said lever into said locking position and also reducing the force required to return said lever from said locking position to said vertical path.

9. A step-on type waste receptacle unit comprising, a base, an open-top Waste container freely resting on said base, a hollow column fixed to said base at the rear thereof and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent the exterior rear wall of said container, a cover for said container pivotally mounted on the upper end of said column, said cover having a closed position in contact with the upper perimeter of said container and being pivotable upwardly and rearwardly to an open position to permit waste to be dropped into said container, said container being readily removable upwardly forwardly and laterally from said base when said cover is in said open position, a downwardly directed curved surface on said cover between the pivotal connection of said cover to said column and the rear of said container, a pair of spaced apart oppositely inclined sloping sills within said base, a longitudinally extending treadle operated lever disposed intermediate said sills, a transversely arranged fulcrum on said lever resting freely on said sills and supporting said lever thereon for normal pivotal movement in a substantially vertical path, one end of said lever extending rearwardly with respect to said container and having an open upwardly directed socket thereon located within said column adjacent the lower end thereof, an upstanding rod within said column, the lower end of said rod resting freely in said socket with its upper end in loose engagement with said downwardly directed curved surface on said cover, said lever being pivotable in said vertical path on said sills to raise said socket and thereby lift said rod forcefully upwardly against said surface on said cover to move said cover from its closed position to its open position, means for positively camming the upper portion of said rod rearwardly during upward movement of said rod and forwardly during downward movement thereof to cause the upper end of said rod to follow the rearward and forward components of movement of said cover during opening and closing thereof whereby said upper end of said rod remains in contact with said downwardly directed curved surface on said cover, said fulcrum being slidable on said sills to permit rotational movement of said lever out of said vertical path and into a locking position when said lever has been pivoted to open said cover, and means preventing substantial movement of said lever when said lever is in said locking position whereby said cover will be locked in its open position, the oppositely inclined slopes of said sills tending to cause said fulcrum to slide downwardly thereon to bias said lever rotatively away from said locking position and into said vertical path, said slopes of said sills thereby tending to prevent inadvertent movement of said lever into said locking position to lock said cover in its open position and also reducing the force required to return said lever from said locking position to said vertical path to permit closing of said cover.

10. A step-on type waste receptacle unit comprising, a base having an open-top waste container thereon, a cover for said container, means pivotally mounting said cover about an axis disposed rearwardly of said container, said cover having a closed position in contact with the upper perimeter of said container and being pivotable about said axis upwardly and rearwardly with respect to said container to an open position to permit waste to be dropped into said container, a downwardly directed curved surface on said cover intermediate said axis and the rear of said container, a treadle operated lever mounted on said base for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, one end of said lever extending rearwardly with respect to said container and having an open upwardly directed socket thereon, an upstanding rod having its lower end resting freely in said socket and its upper end in loose engagement with said downwardly directed curved surface on said cover, said lever being pivotable to raise said socket and thereby lift said rod forcefully upwardly against said surface to move said cover from its closed position to its open position, and means for positively camming the upper portion of said rod rearwardly during upward movement of said rod whereby said upper end of said rod will follow the rearward component of movement of said cover and will remain in contact with said downwardly directed curved surface thereon during the opening of said cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,713 Carey Apr. 3, 1923 1,550,732 May et a1 Aug. 25, 1925,

1,948,413 Carola Feb. 20, 1934 2,460,488 Brunetti Feb. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 503,466 Germany July 26, 1930 503,467 Germany July 26, 1930

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