Abstract: A plant produces electrical energy from municipal solid waste without exhausting a carbon dioxide or other carbon based gas to the atmosphere. The plant includes a source of artificial light powered by electrical energy, and a reactor into which the municipal solid waste is fed and which is operated under temperature, pressure and flow rate conditions to produced a syngas. An electrical energy generating station at which the syngas is burned produces the electrical energy and a flue gas comprising carbon dioxide and other products of combustion. At least a portion of the electrical energy is used to power the artificial light source. A carbon dioxide collector separates the carbon dioxide from the other products of combustion in the flue gas to provide a clean carbon dioxide suitable as a nutrient for microorganisms, and a farm of the microorganisms is illuminated essentially constantly, alternately with sunlight and artificial light from said source.

Abstract: A refuse collection vehicle has a lifting apparatus for lifting a refuse storage container onto and off the vehicle's flat bed body. The lifting apparatus employs a pulley apparatus including a plurality of pulleys and a pulley carrier that is moved reciprocally by a single fluid actuated cylinder. A pulley cable is connected to the pulleys in a predetermined manner to apply to the pulley carrier substantially equal forces so the carrier avoids twisting laterally as it moves reciprocally.

Abstract: A plant produces electrical energy from municipal solid waste without exhausting a carbon dioxide or other carbon based gas to the atmosphere. The plant includes a source of artificial light powered by electrical energy, and a reactor into which the municipal solid waste is fed and which is operated under temperature, pressure and flow rate conditions to produced a syngas. An electrical energy generating station at which the syngas is burned produces the electrical energy and a flue gas comprising carbon dioxide and other products of combustion. At least a portion of the electrical energy is used to power the artificial light source. A carbon dioxide collector separates the carbon dioxide from the other products of combustion in the flue gas to provide a clean carbon dioxide suitable as a nutrient for microorganisms, and a farm of the microorganisms is illuminated essentially constantly, alternately with sunlight and artificial light from said source.

Abstract: A refuse collection vehicle has a lifting apparatus for lifting a refuse storage container onto and off the vehicle's flat bed body. The lifting apparatus employs a pulley apparatus including a plurality of pulleys and a pulley carrier that is moved reciprocally by a single fluid actuated cylinder. A pulley cable is connected to the pulleys in a predetermined manner to apply to the pulley carrier substantially equal forces so the carrier avoids twisting laterally as it moves reciprocally.

Abstract: Services in the nature of a business rather than a governmental function are provided by an operating company jointly owned by a privately owned holding company and a governmental organization. The operating company provides these services in the geographical territory over which the governmental organization has jurisdiction.

Abstract: A device for packing or compressing refuse material into a container, which my be mounted on a vehicle or installed at a fixed site. The device includes a paddle mounted for oscillatory angular motion about a generally vertical axis in a hopper assembly. The paddle is oscillated by a crank arm mounted on the same axis and in a fixed angular relationship with the paddle. The crank arm, in turn, is driven by a pair of extensible devices, such as hydraulic cylinders, which are pivotally coupled to the crank arm and pivotally anchored by their other ends to selected points on the hopper frame. The selection of anchor points for the hydraulic cylinders assures that they act in unison over much of the range of oscillatory motion of the paddle, compressing the refuse repeatedly on alternate sides of the container. In one version of the device, the crank arm and the paddle are aligned in identical angular orientations and the cylinders push in unison to compress the refuse.