The prior art reflects the need to compress the contents of a waste container, both with respect to the wish to limit the size of the container and with respect to the need to make the transport of waste more efficient.

US patent document No 630669 discloses an apparatus for pressing foodstuffs which are to be preserved in a barrel. A heavy, circular disc is placed on top of the material in the barrel. A vertical rod with a series of holes is disposed at the centre of the disc, extending up through the top of the barrel. An arm clamped to the upper edge of the barrel rests on a pin inserted into the series of holes of the rod. The

arm is locked to the opposite edge of the opening of the barrel, so that the disc is under pressure.

US patent document No. 5730047 discloses a container for a garbage bag, in which a compressing plate is secured by a vertical rod to an arm lying horizontally across the container as the contents of the container is being compressed. The arm is pivotally attached to the edge of the container, and the arm may be secured by a lock at the opposite edge of the opening of the container.

US patent document No. 6314874 B1 discloses a compressing device carefully adjusted to the shape of a waste container and placed on the top of the waste container. An upper section comprises a vertically movable compressing plate and a horizontal operating arm. The upper section may be pivoted open when waste is being filled into the container. Before compressing, the upper section is closed and the compressing plate is forced down by manual operation of the arm.

US patent document No. 3438322 discloses a stand with a compressing device connected to the top of the stand. A waste container is placed close to the stand during filling and compressing. In compressing, a compressing plate is lowered into the container by means of a manually operated arm.

US patent document No. 3919932 discloses a compressing device for a waste container, which device is mounted on a wall.

When the device is not in use, it can be swung in along the wall.

EP patent document No. 1 132 319 Al discloses a compressing device for a household waste container, which device is mounted on a wall. When the device is not in use, it is passed up against the wall, where it is locked in a bracket.

EP patent document No. 0 648 692 Al discloses a device for compressing waste in a prismatic container, wherein, after compressing is completed, the waste is flipped out of the container and is removed as a bale held together by a rope or similar.

Compressing waste by means of mechanical devices involves either. that the waste container comprises an integrated compression device, that the container is secured to a compression device or that the container is placed underneath a compression device secured to a wall surface or similar.

Individually, known solutions represent restrictions in the choice of container and the positioning of the container in use.

The invention has as its objective to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art.

The objective is achieved according to the invention through the features specified in the description below and in the following claims.

To a waste container with a rectangular base is arranged a compactor comprising a piston, a piston rod and a compression arm.

One end of the compression arm is pivotally anchored to the container, so that the reactive forces from the compacting pressure is transmitted through the container, for example through the anchoring to the collar portion of the container opening, the hinge devices of the lid, the carrying handles of the container or the bottom of the container.

Alternatively, the anchoring is carried out by means of an anchoring device adapted to the shape and size of the container. The anchoring device is arranged in such a way that the upper end portion of the anchoring device is disposed at the edge of the container opening, and the lower end portion of the anchoring device is secured to the carrying handles of the container or to the bottom edge of the container by the container resting on the lower portion of the anchoring device.

The pivoting of the compression arm takes place about a horizontal axis through one end of the compression arm. One end of the compression arm is advantageously branched in order that the compression arm can be anchored in at least two points.

The compression arm comprises a joint, which is disposed approximately to coincide with the vertical central axis of the container. In the joint the compression arm is connected to a piston rod with a toothed profile on one side edge. The toothed side edge cooperates with a corresponding sleeve and the end of the handle, by the toothed side edge of the piston rod being forced against the sleeve when the handle is pressed down. The stroke of the piston rod is fixed. The

joint is arranged in such a way that the angle between the piston rod and the handle in a plane coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the piston rod and the handle, is variable, typically 10 °.

When the handle has been lifted up, the piston rod is disengaged from the joint. It may adopt a new position before the handle is passed down again, so that the joint connection is locked. In this way the effective piston rod length is quickly adjusted to the distance between the top of the container and the surface of the waste.

At the lower end of the piston rod is disposed a piston, which is pressed against the surface of the waste. The piston is connected to the piston rod by a joint, so that the angle between the piston rod and the piston in a plane coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the piston rod and the handle, is fixed when the piston rod is pressing the piston, and is variable when the piston is hanging on the piston rod.

In its locked position, the piston rod stands approximately perpendicular on the piston. In its loose position, the piston may be pivoted up along the piston rod.

The piston is placed on the surface of the waste with the toothed side edge of the piston rod facing the rear edge of the container. The compression arm is anchored to the container, alternatively through the anchoring device adapted to the container, and the compression arm is passed down the piston rod with the handle bent upwards. At a suitable height the handle is lowered, so that the connection between the

compression arm and the piston rod is locked. The compression of the waste is then carried out by pressing the end of the handle down.

When the compression of the waste is completed, the compactor is removed from the container, separated from and stored at the container, for example hanging on an appropriate bracket or brackets fixed to a wall. The alternative anchoring device may possibly remain in its normal position on or at the container.

In the following will be described a non-limiting example of a preferred embodiment, which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a compactor in a working position in a waste container.

Fig. 2 shows the compactor and the waste container in a top view.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment, in which is used an anchoring device disposed between the bottom and top of the container.

Fig. 4 shows, on a larger scale, an open joint between the compression arm and the piston rod.

Fig. 5 shows the same joint in a closed position.

Fig. 6 shows the position of a piston relative to a piston rod when stored.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 defines a compression arm comprising a handle 3 with a rounded end 4, two branches 5, 5'with an end portion 6 provided with a cloven end 6'. A joint 7 connects the handle 3 and the branches 5, 5'by means of a pin bolt 9, a stop bolt 11 with a spacing sleeve (not shown), a stop bolt 13 and an abutment sleeve 15 with an associated bolt 16.

A piston rod 17 has been inserted through the joint 7 between the end of the handle 3 and the abutment sleeve 15. The piston rod 17 has a toothed side edge 18. The recesses between the teeth correspond to the diameter of the abutment sleeve 15. The piston rod 17 is connected to a piston 19 by means of a joint 21.

A waste container 23 of a rectangular cross-section comprises a container opening 24 with a collar 24', a lid 25, hinges 27, a pipe connection 29 between the hinges 27, carrying handles 30 and a bottom portion 31.

An alternative embodiment comprises an anchoring device 33 disposed between the bottom portion 31 of the waste container 23 and the edge of the container opening 24. The lower portion 34 of the anchoring device is arranged in such a way that the container secures the anchoring device 33.

In use, a compression arm 1 is positioned on the top of a waste container 23 of a rectangular cross-section and with a lid 25 with associated hinges 27. The two branches 5,5'of a compression arm with associated cloven ends 6'are passed onto a pipe connection 29 between the hinges 27 and form a pivotal connection between the container 23 and the compression arm 1.

In an alternative embodiment the end portion 6 of the compression arm 1 is connected to an anchoring device 33, the lower portion 34 of the anchoring device 33 being positioned under the waste container 23. The upper portion of the anchoring device 33 is arranged to form a pivotal connection with the compression arm 1. The anchoring device 33 may alternatively be arranged to the carrying handles 30 of the waste container 23.

The handle 3 of the compression arm 1 is pivotally connected to the branches 5, 5'by means of a pin bolt 9. The branches 5, 5'are held together by means of the stop bolt 11 and the bolt 16. A spacing sleeve 12 and an abutment sleeve/ are of lengths that maintain a spacing between the branches 5, so that the handle 3 can pivot on the pin bolt 9. The pivoting down of the handle 3 is limited by a stop bolt 11 with the spacing sleeve 12. The upward movement of the handle 3 is limited by a stop bolt 13.

A piston rod 17, which has been inserted into an opening in the joint 7 formed by the branches 5, the abutment sleeve

and the end 4 of the handle 3, is positioned in such a way that the toothed side edge 18 faces the abutment sleeve 15.

When the handle 3 has been passed upwards, the opening of the joint 7 is large enough for the piston rod 17 to slide freely through the joint 7. This position is brought about when the compression arm 1 is lifted for readjustment of the connection between the compression arm 1 and the piston rod 17, or when the compression arm 1 is to be removed from the container 23.

When the handle 3 has been passed downwards and rests against the stop bolt 11, the opening of the joint 7 has been reduced by the end 4 of the handle having been moved up into the opening. The piston rod 17 is forced with its toothed side edge 18 against the abutment sleeve 15 and locked by two teeth partially encompassing the abutment sleeve 15. The distance between the pivot point of the handle 3 at the pin bolt 9 and the end 4 of the handle 3 at the opening of the joint 7 is adjusted in such a manner that the angle between the piston rod 17 and the handle 3 in a plane coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the piston rod 17 and the handle 3, falls within a limited sector, typically 10 °.

This situation is brought about when the compression arm is passed downwards for compressing.

The piston rod 17 is connected to a piston 19. The connection comprises a joint 21 arranged to keep the piston approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the

piston rod as the piston rod forces the piston against the waste. When the piston 19 hangs freely under the piston rod 17, it may adopt any angle, typically lying along the piston rod 17 when the compactor is hung on its storing bracket, not shown.