Improvements in or relating to receptacles

This invention relates to receptacles and particularly receptacles adapted to receive waste and other discarded materials such as cigarette butts. There is a need for a receptacle which has a lid that will clos automatically orice an article has been inserted therein by the user.. Such a container would find application as a cigarette butt recep¬ tacle or as a rubbish container on city streets. It is an object of the present invention to prdvide a receptacl which will "go a considerable way to meeting the above mentioned desideratum or which will at least provide a useful choice over existing receptacles. • ' Accordingly the invention be said to consist in a receptacle means eomprisihjg : aContainer mesais arreusged to hold articles, a support means for said container and a lid for, said container associated with said support means in such a way so that contingent on the relative "positioning of said con- taijier anS said support means being varied the'position of said lid relative to said container is also varied, said container being movable between two positions in said support means so that when moved to a first position said lid closes said container and when moved to a second position said lid moves relative to both said con¬ tainer and said support means so as to open said container. One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the receptacle according to the present invention; . Figure 2 is a cross-section of the receptacle in its rest position; Ficrure 3 is a cross-section of the receptacle in its operated positifcaj -a-. 447,451 15,5 05m iFigure 4 is a cross-section of the receptacle at the line A-A in Figure 2, looking from above. In the preferred form pf th.e Invention the receptacle '. means consists o%f a support means 1, a container 2 and a • lid 3. The container is of any convenient size and is fab. ricated from any suitable material but preferably from stain¬ less steel* It is formed to provide a substantially rectangular container having rounded front edges and flanges 4 extending from the back side edges and the. back bottom edge. Thus a continuous flange is provided round three sides at the back of the container. The depth of the container may for ex¬ ample, be 2£ inches and the other dimensions varied to suit individual requirements providing receptacles, for example, 6 inches by 11 inches up to 8 inches by 18 inches. These dimensions are of course by way of example only and any suit¬ ably sized container may be provided. The container is supported in a suitable support means preferably formed as a wall mounting member having a lower portion folded inwardly as a lip 5 to form a recess arranged to receive the lower flange k of the container. Channel- shaped sides 6 are provided on the support stand with the in-turned arm of the channel arranged to engage with the side flanges of the container. Supported in the support means is a lid. The lid is mounted on a rod 7 extending between the side walls of the support means adjacent to the top thereof. The top of the support bracket is preferably aesthetically finished with a downwardly inclined strip of metal 8 Joining the two sides and concealing the pivotal support of the lid. The lid is - 3 - 447.451 preferably a stepped stainless steel member with the stepped- section formed at an angle slightly greater than 9.0°. The shorter section 9 of the.lid is that adjacent the hinge line. An abutment plate 10 is provided" by the under surface of the lid on the shorter section that is adjacent the hinge' line and acts as a means to minimise unauthorised removal bf the container as will be further described later. Suitable finishing caps 11 may be provided on each end of the rod supporting the lid. In a typical use of the present invention the support means 1 is mounted on a wall with suitable fixing screws passing throiigh the back thereof. The container -.2 is then slid into engagement with the support means and moved to a jifijsitian so *hat ifte bottom flange k is above the returned lower lip 5 Of the support meaps. Hie bottom Tlange is then pushed against the back, of the support means and allowed to engage behind the lip. The container .will then pivot under Its own weight forwardly uatH the flanges -engage with the inwardly ;returned side seetipns -6 of the support .bracket. The back of the contsijaer sejisgages with the stepped section 9 of'the lid adjacent the hliige line to move this forwardly and thus pivot the lid to -a position to close the container. As stated above the receptacle according to the present invention is particularly suited for use as a cigarette butt . container. The units may be fixed to the wall at a convenient height for a user, for example in the foyers of theatres, hotels and other commercial buildings and in hotel bars and other rooms where there is likely to be a gathering of people who may be smoking. When the container is fitted a component of weight of the container or a biasing means 12 is used will move the container to a position inclined slightly relative 1 447.4 51 to the support and with the lid closed. In this position there is still a space 13 above the lid which will receive articles to "be placed in the container. The user may merely drop a cigarette butt into the container on top of the lid and push the front of the container causing the container to move to a position substantially parallel to the back of the support with the lid open and any articles on the lid will fall Into the container.. It is desirable for the space below the lid when in the open position to be sufficient to receive an empty cigarette packet.. - As indicated above there is an abutment plate 10 formed by the back of the lid on the section adjacent the hinge rod. When the container is normally positioned In use, any attempt to lift the container will be prevented by the upper back edge of the container abutting against the abutment plate. When it is desired to remove the container for emptying It is necessary to push the container into a second position with the lid open and then slide the container up in this position . The back of the container 1 will move past the abutment plate and release the flange from the lower pivoting channel 5. The lower portion of the container is moved outwardly and slid down so that the container is easily removed for emptying. If so desired or it was thought necessary a locking means could be included to prevent un authorised removal of the container from the receptacle. Any live cigarette butt placed in the receptacle would be automatically extinguished because the close fitting lid ensures an enclosed chamber is provided which will cause the cigarette butt to be extinguished because of lack of oxygen for combustion. Thus a substantially smoke free cigarette butt receptacle is provided by the present inven¬ tion, 447.451 lit would be appreciated that the present unit would work on any support surface or support stand and at any convenient level, for example, the unit would operate effect¬ ively at or adjabent ground level where the user could con¬ trol the movement of the container by his foot. It Is also envisaged the unit on a larger scale could be used as a rubbish receptacle on city streets. In such.a case different materials could be used to fabricate or mould the container and support means and of course tlje container would be much larger in size. However, the lid and movement of the container to control the position of the lid would operate in a similar manner. The holding frame would in turn be mounted on any convenient support structure which could, include an appropriately positioned post. 447,451 The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. Receptacle means comprising: a container means arranged to hold articles, a support means for said container and a lid for said container associated with said support means in such a way so that contingent on the -relative positioning of said container and said support means being varied the position of said lid relative to said container is also varied said container being movable between two positions in said support means so that when moved to a first position said lid closes aid container and when moved to a second position said lid moves relative to both said container and said support means so as to open said container. 2. Receptacle means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container is"pivotally mounted about or adjacent to a lower edge thereof which in use lies substantially horizontal and backs on to or lies adjacent said support means, the construction and arrangement being such that when in use in one position said container is pivotted outwards arid is thus inclined to said support means with the lid in its closed position. 3. Receptacle means as claimed in claim 2 wherein a component of weight of the container assists in moving the container to the inclined position with the lid closed. 4. Receptacle means as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein biasing means alone or in association with the component of weight assists in .moving the container to the inclined position with the lid closed. 5. Receptacle means as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lid comprises a flap pivotally associated with the support" 447.451