GB2295991A - Refuse bin lid with restricted access - Google Patents

Abstract

Conventional "wheelie bins" may be abused by insertion of bulky rubbish. e.g. televisions. They may also be hazardous to children, who climb inside them. The main lid 12 of such a bin 11, which is hinged at axis 13, is therefore supplied with a gravity catch, so that it opens only when the bin is inverted. A smaller lid 18 is provided for loading of rubbish; this lid is hinged at 19, and may be opened at any time. The gravity catch works by cylindrical locking member 34 abutting against arrow head projection 26. When the bin is inverted, member 34 rolls or slides down slot 33 to clear projection 26, allowing the lid to open. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN REFUSE CONTAINERS This invention relates to an improved refuse container, and particular to the hinged lid of a wheeled refuse container.

Wheeled refuse containers have replaced the traditional dustbin both for domestic and commercial rubbish. Typically such a container is square or rectangular in section and has a lifting bar at the front edge for engagement by a lifting and tipping mechanism of a dustcart. Such containers are normally provided with lids which are hinged so as to permit opening from the front edge; usually the lid is hinged about the upper rear edge of the container or moves arcuately on opposed arms pivoted on the sides of the container.

In order to ensure efficient emptying of this kind of container, the lid usually opens over substantially the entire cross-sectional notwithstanding that a much smaller opening would usually suffice for loading the container with refuse. Container lids are heavy and thus the provision of smaller secondary openings is not uncommon, especially for where such containers are used for the collection of glass bottles or cans.

It has been realised that a restriction of the size of the loading opening has other advantages since it can prevent the dumping of unsuitable items such as televisions into the container. Furthermore small children are prevented from climbing into the container where they may injure themselves or become trapped if the lid closes over them.

Necessarily such containers require a lock for the primary lid, and hitherto refuse collectors have been required to unlock the lid prior to emptying, and to lock the lid subsequently. This procedure is time consuming and in practice is unreliable. What is required is an automatic lock suitable for use with all kinds and sizes of containers and which is not restricted to particular lifting mechanisms.

According to the invention there is provided a wheeled refuse container comprising a bin having a lid hinged thereon and movable between open and closed conditions, the lid having a secondary opening therein, and a catch between the bin and the lid, the catch comprising an abutment on one of the bin and lid, and a locking member on the other of the bin and lid, the locking member being engageable with the abutment to hold the lid in the closed condition when the container is upright, and being disengageable under the action of gravity when the container is pivoted for emptying. Such a gravity catch is automatic, and is preferably operable only after the container has been pivoted through a substantial angle. The catch may for example operate after pivoting of the container through an angle exceeding 250.

Preferably the locking member is itself a gravity element, and in the preferred embodiment the locking member is a rolling element or a sliding element.

The invention has the advantage that the catch cannot be released whilst the container is upright and thus access to chiidren and for dumping unauthorised large objects is prevented. Furthermore the lid cannot be left in the open condition and the invention thus has the further advantage that rain water is excluded, and smells are contained.

preferably the catch is adapted to engage at all stable upright conditions in use. This arrangement ensures automatic locking of the lid as the container is lowered at the end of an emptying cycle. Means may be provided whereby the catch can be released when inspection of an upright container is required, the catch automatically engaging when the lid is reclosed.

In a preferred embodiment the abutment is provided on the container and the locking member on the lid. This arrangement has the particular advantage that the locking member cannot be damaged as refuse is tipped out of the container over the loading lip since the lid hangs away from the loading lip. In a preferred embodiment the abutment comprises a plate like outwardly extending projection of the container, the plane of the projection being substantially vertical.

The locking member preferably comprises a rolling element housed in a cage attached to the lid. The rolling element is preferably relatively heavy and may comprise a metal cylinder in slots of a cage. In the preferred embodiment the cage comprises a substantially U-shaped member having a web and two flanges, the web being attached to the underside of the container lid, and the flanges defining opposite aligned slots for the cylinder.

Preferably the cylinder is retained in the cage by external enlarged heads. Alternatively the gravity element may slide.

In the preferred embodiment the slots extend inwardly and rearwardly at an angle exceeding 250 to the horizontal when the lid is in the closed condition, and the abutment extends outwardly from a secondary inner wall of the container, the secondary wall defining an enclosure for the catch.

Such an enclosure prevents damage to the catch during container filling, and also jamming of the catch should the container be filled to capacity.

In the preferred embodiment the lower surface of the protection is preferably at an angle less than the angle of said slot when the lid is in the closed condition.

Preferably the upper surface of the projection is angled downwardly, the outer edge of the projection being at least the diameter of the cylinder inward of the outer end of the slot. In the preferred embodiment the projection is in the shape of an arrow head, the apex of which is aligned with the upper end of the slot.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of a refuse container incorporating the invention showing the latch mechanism in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the sectioned portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation corresponding to Fig.

1 and showing the container partially upended.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the sectioned portion of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation corresponding to Fi7.

1 and Fig. 3 showing the container fully upended.

Fig. 6 zs an enlarged view of the sectioned portion of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an exploded isometric view of the catch from the rear and one side.

Fig. 8 is an exploded isometric view of the catch from the front and the other side.

With reference to the drawings a conventional refuse container 10 comprises an open rectangular bin 11 having a height of about 1.5 times the depth and a width slightly greater than the height. Castors (not shown) are fitted to corners so that the container can be manoeuvred. The container illustrated has a typical capacity of about 1100 litres and is of steel.

A lid 12 is hinged at the rear of bin 11 about a hinge axis 13; Fig. 1 shows the lid 12 in the closed condition.

A secondary opening to the lid comprises a cover 18 hinged about an axis 19.

As best illustrated in Fig. 2 the wall 14 of the container is stiffened at its upper edge by a split tube 15 secured in any suitable manner. The lid 12 rests on the tube 15 and has a rim 16 which overlaps the wall on the front and side edges of the container; the rim is cut away at the back to allow the lid to open. A lifting flange 17 is fixed to the front edge of the container and is engaged from above and below by jaws of a conventional dustcart lifting mechanism (not shown). The lifting mechanism may alternatively engage side mounted trunnions of the container.

With additional reference to Figs. 7 and 8, an enclosure 21 is fixed at the top of the inner front wall of the container, for example by bolts passing through the container wall and apertures 22; the enclosure may alternatively be attached by welding.

The enclosure comprises opposed side walls 23 perpendicular to the front wall of the container, a rear wall 24 parallel to the front wall, and a downwardly and outwardly sloping base 25. An arrow head projection 26 extends outwardly from the middle of the rear wall 24 and adjacent to the top edge thereof. The enclosure 21 includes a drain aperture 27 at the base thereof.

A plate 31 attached to the underside of the lid so as to fall within the enclosure 21 has depending slotted arms 32 symmetrically arranged on either side; the slots 33 extend downwards and to the rear at an angle of about 350 to the horizontal. A cylindrical locking member 34 extends somewhat loosely through the slots and has enlarged external heads 36 to prevent disengagement therewith. The cylindrical member may be a steel bar threaded at one end to receive a nut. As illustrated the plate may be secured to the lid by bolts 37 or the like extending through bolt holes 38.

In use, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the member 34 fails under gravity to the inner end of the slots 33 when the lid is in the closed condition.

In initial closure of the lid 12, the member 34 rests on the upper surface of the projection 26. The weight of the lid and the downwards slope of the upper side of the projection 26 cause the member 34 to roll towards the upper end of the slots 33 until the apex of the projection is cleared. At this point the lid drops into the fully closed condition, and the member 34 rolls under the projection 26, thus preventing the lid from being re-opened by lifting the front edge thereof.

In this condition refuse can be inserted into the container only through the secondary opening provided by lid 18.

Fig. 3 illustrates the container when partially upended for emptying. The container is at an angle at which the axis of the slots 33 are just past the horizontal, and the member 34 has rolled to the outer end of the slots. At this point the lid is in a condition to open, but does not do so until the container has rotated through 900.

Fig. 5 illustrates the container in the fully upended condition after rotation through about 1350. Both primary and secondary lids hang vertically, and in use refuse falls over the front edge of the container. The angled base 25 of the enclosure ensures that refuse is not trapped in a recess. The lid hangs away from the front edge of the container.

A removable plug 41, which extends through the lid 12 and plate 31, permits a tool to be inserted which can manually push the member 34 to the outer end of the slots 33; this permits access for inspection whilst the container is upright, and permitting a jammed latch to be released.

The plug may be screw-threaded into the plate 31 and may have a socket head adapted to be opened only by a key spanner.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS:

1. A wheeled refuse container comprising a bin having a lid hinged thereon and movable between open and closed conditions, the lid having a secondary opening therein, and a catch between the bin and the lid, the catch comprising an abutment on one of the bin and lid, and a locking member on the other of the bin and lid, the locking member being engageable with the abutment to hold the lid in the closed condition when the container is upright, and being disengageable under the action of gravity when the container is upended for emptying.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the locking member is a gravity element.

A A container according to claim 2 wherein the locking member is a rolling element.

4. A container according to claim 2 wherein the locking member is a sliding element.

5. A container according to any preceding claim wherein said abutment is on the bin.

6. A container according to claim 5 wherein the locking member is retained in a cage attached to the lid.

7. A container according to claim 6 wherein said locking member is a cylinder movable in opposite slots of said cage.

8. A container according to claim 7 wherein said slots extend inwardly and downwardly when said lid is in the closed condition and the container is upright.

9. A container according to any of claims 5-8 when said abutment comprises a planar outwardly extending projection, the plane of the projection being substantially perpendicular to the hinge axis of said lid.

10. A container according to claim 9 wherein said projection extends from the inner wall of an enclosure for the catch.

11. A container according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein said enclosure has an outwardly and downwardly sloping bottom wall.