What Is a Dempsey Dumpster?

Dempsey Dumpsters, technically called "Dempster Dumpsters," were the original large-scale trash bins. In the parlance of 2010, the term "dumpster" is used for all huge garbage bins, not only those belonging to the Dempster brand.

Patent

• In 1935, George Dempster developed a truck and trash bin to ease the removal of waste from construction sites. The truck was designed to pick up and dump a specialized bin, which he called a dumpster, and haul the trash away to the local landfill.

Manufacture

• Dempstrre and his four brothers soon organized Dempster Brothers Incorporated, located in Knoxville, Tennessee, which specialized in the manufacture of Dempster dumpsters and trucks.

Operation

• The dumpster was hooked to the back of the truck by two lengths of chain. It was then lifted and tipped by basic hydraulic cylinders and returned to the ground.

Significance

• The Dempster Dumpster system was significant because it made commercial waste removal 75 percent cheaper, according to Fountaincitytnhistory.info, a website about Dempster's hometown.