Abstract: A debris container of the type used on roadway and pavement sweeper and sweeping vehicles includes a hinged door through which the interior of the debris container may be inspected and through which debris is emptied when the container is elevated and rotated to its dump position. A powered actuator, which may be an electrically powered screw-rod assembly, is connected by mounting brackets between the structure of the debris container and the door. One of the mounting brackets includes slots that define a lost-motion function that allows the powered actuator to open and close the door while also allowing an operator to manually open and close the door and allowing the door to open under the influence of gravity when the container is in its “elevated and dump” position.