CA2024449A1 - Clear topped composter - Google Patents
Clear topped composterInfo
- Publication number
- CA2024449A1 CA2024449A1 CA002024449A CA2024449A CA2024449A1 CA 2024449 A1 CA2024449 A1 CA 2024449A1 CA 002024449 A CA002024449 A CA 002024449A CA 2024449 A CA2024449 A CA 2024449A CA 2024449 A1 CA2024449 A1 CA 2024449A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- enclosure
- panel
- composter
- edges
- composting
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
- C05F—ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
- C05F17/00—Preparation of fertilisers characterised by biological or biochemical treatment steps, e.g. composting or fermentation
- C05F17/90—Apparatus therefor
- C05F17/907—Small-scale devices without mechanical means for feeding or discharging material, e.g. garden compost bins
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
- Y02P20/141—Feedstock
- Y02P20/145—Feedstock the feedstock being materials of biological origin
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
- Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
- Y02W30/40—Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Biochemistry (AREA)
- Biotechnology (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Microbiology (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Fertilizers (AREA)
- Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A composting apparatus for composting yard and garden waste is provided, having a solar radiation transmissive top wall disposed at an angle of 5-45° at the horizontal, and presented towards the solar incident radiation. The rate of composting of vegetable waste materials within the composter is accelerated by the warming effect of the solar radiation through the top panel. The interior of the composting apparatus is aerated by the provision of ribs open to atmosphere at their bottom ends, so that air convection currents are developed upwardly through the composting apparatus as the composting proceeds. The unit is conveniently pyramidal in shape. A fast rate of composting is achieved in the apparatus of the invention, allowing sufficiently rapid throughputs that a modestly sized apparatus will handle a seasons vegetable wastes from an average yard.
A composting apparatus for composting yard and garden waste is provided, having a solar radiation transmissive top wall disposed at an angle of 5-45° at the horizontal, and presented towards the solar incident radiation. The rate of composting of vegetable waste materials within the composter is accelerated by the warming effect of the solar radiation through the top panel. The interior of the composting apparatus is aerated by the provision of ribs open to atmosphere at their bottom ends, so that air convection currents are developed upwardly through the composting apparatus as the composting proceeds. The unit is conveniently pyramidal in shape. A fast rate of composting is achieved in the apparatus of the invention, allowing sufficiently rapid throughputs that a modestly sized apparatus will handle a seasons vegetable wastes from an average yard.
Description
2 ~ 2 ~
This invention relates to composting apparatus, and more particularly to a composter for the decomposition of vegetable materials such as garden wastes, grass cuttings, leaves etc.
Most domestic gardens have a need for a simple and neat way of disposing of garden wastes, preferably combined with a way of making compost from such wastes, for use as a fertilizer or growing medium. Whilst this can, and often is, done by means of an open compost heap, this is a slow and unsightly way of operating.
Various types of composting apparatus have been proposed and used in the past, as improvements on the open compost heap.
To be successful, a composter must be appropriately sized to accommodate the volume of garden waste which ls to be composted. It is of course desirable that any composter be kept to as small a size as practical, for aesthetic and for space availability and convenience reasons. In order that a composter be of small size but capable of handling relatively large volumes of garden waste, it needs to have a relatively fast rate of throughput. This means that it must be capable of acceleratlng the rate of microbiological degradation of the waste materials, to reduce them to low-volume compost in a short period of time. At the same tlme, it must be kept as a low cost item.
The prssent invention meets these requirements by providing a composter which is solar heated, in a manner which can provide the optimum or close to optimum temperatures therein for the microbial activity to convert the garden wastes to compost. This is accomplished by the-provision -of a -top panel for the composting enclosure which is transparent to solar .,. . . . , . , , , , . . :
.: . . , .~ , ,, , ~ 2 ~ ~ L~
radiation, and is disposed at an angle to the -horizontal. It is disposed so that the slanted top ;-~
panel faces towards the incident sunlight. In this way, an accelerated rate of composting is achieved, with consequential increases in throughput and utilization of large volumes of garden wastes.
. , . ~: ..... :
Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a composter for microbiological decomposition of biodegradable waste comprising: ~-an enclosure defined by upstanding side walls;
. . . ~ ::, i.
a bottom adapted for communication~ with ,,~
outside earth; ~ ~ ;
access means providing access to the interior ~; - ;
of said enclosure, - ` ~
: '; ':;',''' and a top wall comprised of a solar radiation transmlsslve panel, sald panel having a surface dlsposed at an angle of from 5-45 to the horizontal when said slde walls are arranged in their upstanding posltion.
Preferably, the enclosure of the composter is square or rectangular as viewed in horizontal cross section and is adapted to be placed in a shallow hole in ; ;~, the ground, such that the bottom of the enclosure is disposed a few inches below ground surface. The solar radiation transmissive top panel is suitably of clear, ;, transparent plastic material such as acrylic plastic. ~;
The slanted top of the solar transmissive top panel allows for the most efficient utilization of sunlight incident thereon, so that the interior of the enclosure where the composting process takes place can reach the ~
, :' :: .,, ;
.. ::-,: -, .. ,,.,,,~ ,", ::~.., ' ' 7J ~ 2 `~
optimum temperature for fast microbial degradation of the vegetable waste, eg 50-60C.
Preferably also, aeration means is provided for the enclosure, whereby outside air can be supplied to the composting medium, to speed the process of composting. Thus, the preferred apparatus according to the present invention is provided with air inlets near the bottom of the enclosure, providing for a flow of air from outside to the interior of the enclosure, and an air outlet near the top of the enclosur~. Because of the heat generated within the enclosure, a relatively slow moving convection current of air is thereby provided through the enclosure, which speeds up the aerobic fermentation process to accelerate the rate of production of compost. Such air inlet means are conveniently provided by apertures in the bottom ends of ribs outstanding from the side, front and rear walls of the enclosure, and the air outlet means is conveniently provlded by small space~ in the top wall surrounding the solar transmissive panel. Thus, the solar transmissive panel, which i~ also conveniently removable to serve as a top loading opening, is preferably made to be a loose, non-sealing fit with the rest of the enclosure.
In the most preferred embodiment, the enclosure is of square or rectangular cross section, with upwardly converging side walls, front wall and back wall to form a tru~cated pyramidal shape of the enclosure as a whole. Such a shape of enclosure provides significant advantages. When the vegetable waste such as grass cuttings is loaded into the enclosure, it naturally forms a pyramidal shape of mass conforming to and contacting the inner walls of the container. As composting proceeds, however, the volume of the vegetable contents shrinks, but the same shape thereof is maintained, conforming to the shape of the interior of the enclosure, but spacing itself away from the interior walls thereof. In this way, air space is i developed between the interior of the walls and the mass of composting material, facilitating the convection airflow from the air inlets to the top air outlet, thereby further enhancing the rate of the composting process. ~;
The apparatus according to the invention is also conveniently provided with a large access opening, in the form of a removable front wall. This allows the , gardener access to the interior of the apparatus for agitating the contents, eg with a gardening spade or fork, and for removing the compost when eventually formed. The whole apparatus is conveniently manufactured and supplied to the householder as a kit of parts, in a flat box or other container, with simple assembling and securing means to allow its construction by the householder in a simple and efficient manner. ~ ~
', . :' ':
When the composter according to the invention has been assembled, it is placed in a pre-dug shallow pit in the earth, so that its side walls project from 2-6 inches below the surface of the earth. When mounted upright in the earth in this manner, the top, solar transmissive panel makes an angle of 5-45, preferably ;
10-20 to the horizontal, and the device is oriented so that the slanted top panel is presented towards the sun ~;
,, . :
for maximum solar radiation to be incident thereon.
Optionally, the device can be provided with a depending wire or plastic mesh screen skirt, or wire or plastic mesh bottom wall to hindPr the access of small rodents into the interior of the enclosure. When the apparatus is being used for the decomposition of vegetable yard wastes, however, this is less important than situations ''. '' f';~
where it is intended to use the composter also for food waste decomposition.
A typical composter according to the present lnvention is manufactured from sturdy, weather resistant materials such as galvanized or painted metals, plastics eg. high density polyethylene, etc. Economy and ease of manufacture commonly dictate the cholce of materials.
The domestic gardener finds it convenient to use it during the summer months only, when the gardening activity is at its maximum. A unit conveniently stands about 3-5' tall, and has a square bottom of which each side is about 2-4' long. The apparatus can be loaded periodically with vegetable waste, complete generation of compost from one addition of material being unnecessary prior to the addition of further amounts.
The highly active microbes present in the composting material accelerate the start of the composting process on the newly added material. The rate of degradation achieved by an apparatus according to the present invention is fast enough that from 200-250 kilograms of garden waste can be reduced to compost in the space of three months, so that a single unit is adequate to handle all of the waste material conventionally generated by the average domestic garden during the course of a growing season.
A specific, illustrative preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a composting apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a view of a side panel of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
' .
?.~
FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;
FIGURE 4 is a view of the back panel of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;
, , ' FIGURE 6 is a detail, in cross section, of the ~-edge securing means of the various panels; , ;
,. . ..
FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the assembled apparatus in use.
In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.
' ' . "
With reference to Figs. l, 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, the composter 10 as illustrated comprises a front panel 12, a pair of similar side panels 14, 16, a back panel 18 and a top lid 20, all arranged and connected together, when lid 20 is closed, to define a composting enclosure. Each panel has a respective, downwardly extending bottom s~irt 22 which, when the composter lO is constructed and mounted in position, protrudes into the earth a distance of about 4 inches, to provide the necessary stability to the unit in an outdoor environment. The composter lO is open at the bottom, for free communication with earth in which it is mounted.
The lid or top wall 20 is of transparent acrylic plastic, to constitute a solar radiation transmissive panel. It has a short depending peripheral ... ,. ... .. . . ,.. . . .,, , ~ ., . - , .. : ,- ,. - .
skirt 24 which fits loosely and removably over the top edge of the panels. Upwardly extending blips 25 on the top edges 28, 30 of respective side panels 14, 16 bear against the undersurface of lid 20 when it is closed, providing air spaces to constitute an air outlet near the top of the enclosure. A latch 26 is provided to secure the lid 20 releasably to the front panel 12. T~e lid 20 is wholly removable from the top edges of the panels, to provide a closable loading opening to the enclosure.
. .
The front panel 12 and the back panel 18 are trapezoidal in shape, with parallel top and bottom edges and mutually converging side edges. The back panel 18 is taller than the front panel 12. The side panels 14, 16 have a similar shape to that of the back and front panels, except that their top edges 28, 30 make an angle of 16 to their bottom edges. The varlous panels are appropriately sized to fit together to define an enclosure of truncated pyramidal shape, with the top wall 20 fitted thereon and slanting at an angle of 16 to the horizontal when the unit 10 is mounted upright on the ground.
Each of the front panel 12, the side panels 14, 16 and the back panel 18 are provided with ribs 32 extendlng vertically and mutually parallel up the ma~or portlon of the height of the panels. As shown in the cross sectional views Figure 3 and Figure 5, the ribs 32 are formed as rectangular section indentations molded or pressed ln the slde panel~, so that they are open to the lnterlor of the enclosure of the composter 10 along thelr full lengths. At their bottom extremities 34 they are open to the outside, thus constituting air inlets in the assembled composter 10. They are closed at their top ends.
?~
.,.:
, '~
The side edges of each of the panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 terminate in integral angularly disposed flanges 36, 38 with respective lips 40, 42 outturned therefrom, as best seen in Fig. 6. When the panels are erected to form the pyramidal unit, the outer faces of flanges 36, 38 of each panel abut against each other along their longitudinal lengths. A resilient cylindrical split tube 44 is then slid endwise over the flanges 36, 38 and lips 40, 42, to extend substantially the full length thereof and to act as securing means.
The connections between the side panels 14, 16 and back panel 18, in addition to the split tube 44, can be supplemented by nuts and bolts or screw fasteners.
However, the connection between side panels 14, 16 and front panel 12, in the illustrated embodiment, is solely by means of split tubes 44, so that these can be removed by endwise sliding of the tubes 44 in an upward direction, with the top wall 20 opened, to provide for removal of front panel 12 to provide an access opening.
Thus the illustrated apparatus can be supplied to the consumer as a kit of parts comprising substantially flat panels to form the side, front and rear panels, and a plastic transparent cover to form the top, solar radiation transmissive wall, together with the illustrated securing means. Such a kit is readily packaged and transported as a flat package. The consumer is merely required to dig a shallow hole in the ..
earth at the desired location of installation, and assemble the unit as shown, in the hole, in a simple and ~
expeditious manner. .;.''! ' '', , In operation, the unit as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, is loaded periodically with grass cuttings and other garden vegetable waste, through the ~"~ 2P~
top opening with transparent top wall or lid 20 removed.
Initially a heap 46 of waste material conforming to the sides of the enclosure, and indicated by the broken line is formed. Then the top wall 20 ls replaced. Solar radiation through top wall 20 warms up the heap 46 of compostible material to allow for maximum activity of the mlcrobes in the heap and derived from the soil in which the unit 10 is seated. Air flow in through bottom extremities 34 of ribs 32 feeds the aerobic activity of the microbes. As the temperature rises, convection flow of air upwardly through the unit to exit under lid 20 is promoted. This increases aeration of the heap 46 and accelerates the rate of composting. As the composting process proceeds, the volume of heap 46 shrinks and moves away from the side walls of the enclosure, to the position indicated by full line 48. Now more air space i9 provided between the side walls of the unit and the composting material, further enhancing the aeration process under convection and further promoting the composting process. Additional compostible material can ~e added periodically, through the top opening.
An actual operation of a composter according to the invention and as illustrated is described in the following specific example.
EXAMPLE
The unit was as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of square cross section with a base 2 3~ feet square, a front wall height of 34 inches, a total internal volume of 308 litres and an angle of 16 for the top wall .
- ~The exper~:ment was stàrted in - early spring .
Wet grass cuttings, with a water content of anywhere , ~, . .
_ 9 _ :, ~.:
: .
' ~ :, - 2~
from 42-75 parts per hundred parts of dry grass, were used as the compostible material, and added periodically to the composter. Measurements were taken of the composting heap height and volume, the temperature at S the centre of the composting heap and the outside air temperature, on a frequent basis. Periodically, the composter contents were removed and weighed.
Periodically also, water was added to the composting heap to ensure activity of the microbes.
The results are given in the following table.
During a 91 day period of operation, the apparatus composted 395 kilograms of grass cuttings, reducing them to 67.4 kilograms of compost.
'~ , , ':
, '' ~'': '' - 10 - ' ~ ' - ` 2 ~
T A B L E
DAY WEIGHT HEAP HEAP OUTSIDE
OF WET HEIGHT TEMP C AIR
GRASS ADDED (INCHES) TEMP C
(KG) 0 7.5 9 2 4.2 12
This invention relates to composting apparatus, and more particularly to a composter for the decomposition of vegetable materials such as garden wastes, grass cuttings, leaves etc.
Most domestic gardens have a need for a simple and neat way of disposing of garden wastes, preferably combined with a way of making compost from such wastes, for use as a fertilizer or growing medium. Whilst this can, and often is, done by means of an open compost heap, this is a slow and unsightly way of operating.
Various types of composting apparatus have been proposed and used in the past, as improvements on the open compost heap.
To be successful, a composter must be appropriately sized to accommodate the volume of garden waste which ls to be composted. It is of course desirable that any composter be kept to as small a size as practical, for aesthetic and for space availability and convenience reasons. In order that a composter be of small size but capable of handling relatively large volumes of garden waste, it needs to have a relatively fast rate of throughput. This means that it must be capable of acceleratlng the rate of microbiological degradation of the waste materials, to reduce them to low-volume compost in a short period of time. At the same tlme, it must be kept as a low cost item.
The prssent invention meets these requirements by providing a composter which is solar heated, in a manner which can provide the optimum or close to optimum temperatures therein for the microbial activity to convert the garden wastes to compost. This is accomplished by the-provision -of a -top panel for the composting enclosure which is transparent to solar .,. . . . , . , , , , . . :
.: . . , .~ , ,, , ~ 2 ~ ~ L~
radiation, and is disposed at an angle to the -horizontal. It is disposed so that the slanted top ;-~
panel faces towards the incident sunlight. In this way, an accelerated rate of composting is achieved, with consequential increases in throughput and utilization of large volumes of garden wastes.
. , . ~: ..... :
Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a composter for microbiological decomposition of biodegradable waste comprising: ~-an enclosure defined by upstanding side walls;
. . . ~ ::, i.
a bottom adapted for communication~ with ,,~
outside earth; ~ ~ ;
access means providing access to the interior ~; - ;
of said enclosure, - ` ~
: '; ':;',''' and a top wall comprised of a solar radiation transmlsslve panel, sald panel having a surface dlsposed at an angle of from 5-45 to the horizontal when said slde walls are arranged in their upstanding posltion.
Preferably, the enclosure of the composter is square or rectangular as viewed in horizontal cross section and is adapted to be placed in a shallow hole in ; ;~, the ground, such that the bottom of the enclosure is disposed a few inches below ground surface. The solar radiation transmissive top panel is suitably of clear, ;, transparent plastic material such as acrylic plastic. ~;
The slanted top of the solar transmissive top panel allows for the most efficient utilization of sunlight incident thereon, so that the interior of the enclosure where the composting process takes place can reach the ~
, :' :: .,, ;
.. ::-,: -, .. ,,.,,,~ ,", ::~.., ' ' 7J ~ 2 `~
optimum temperature for fast microbial degradation of the vegetable waste, eg 50-60C.
Preferably also, aeration means is provided for the enclosure, whereby outside air can be supplied to the composting medium, to speed the process of composting. Thus, the preferred apparatus according to the present invention is provided with air inlets near the bottom of the enclosure, providing for a flow of air from outside to the interior of the enclosure, and an air outlet near the top of the enclosur~. Because of the heat generated within the enclosure, a relatively slow moving convection current of air is thereby provided through the enclosure, which speeds up the aerobic fermentation process to accelerate the rate of production of compost. Such air inlet means are conveniently provided by apertures in the bottom ends of ribs outstanding from the side, front and rear walls of the enclosure, and the air outlet means is conveniently provlded by small space~ in the top wall surrounding the solar transmissive panel. Thus, the solar transmissive panel, which i~ also conveniently removable to serve as a top loading opening, is preferably made to be a loose, non-sealing fit with the rest of the enclosure.
In the most preferred embodiment, the enclosure is of square or rectangular cross section, with upwardly converging side walls, front wall and back wall to form a tru~cated pyramidal shape of the enclosure as a whole. Such a shape of enclosure provides significant advantages. When the vegetable waste such as grass cuttings is loaded into the enclosure, it naturally forms a pyramidal shape of mass conforming to and contacting the inner walls of the container. As composting proceeds, however, the volume of the vegetable contents shrinks, but the same shape thereof is maintained, conforming to the shape of the interior of the enclosure, but spacing itself away from the interior walls thereof. In this way, air space is i developed between the interior of the walls and the mass of composting material, facilitating the convection airflow from the air inlets to the top air outlet, thereby further enhancing the rate of the composting process. ~;
The apparatus according to the invention is also conveniently provided with a large access opening, in the form of a removable front wall. This allows the , gardener access to the interior of the apparatus for agitating the contents, eg with a gardening spade or fork, and for removing the compost when eventually formed. The whole apparatus is conveniently manufactured and supplied to the householder as a kit of parts, in a flat box or other container, with simple assembling and securing means to allow its construction by the householder in a simple and efficient manner. ~ ~
', . :' ':
When the composter according to the invention has been assembled, it is placed in a pre-dug shallow pit in the earth, so that its side walls project from 2-6 inches below the surface of the earth. When mounted upright in the earth in this manner, the top, solar transmissive panel makes an angle of 5-45, preferably ;
10-20 to the horizontal, and the device is oriented so that the slanted top panel is presented towards the sun ~;
,, . :
for maximum solar radiation to be incident thereon.
Optionally, the device can be provided with a depending wire or plastic mesh screen skirt, or wire or plastic mesh bottom wall to hindPr the access of small rodents into the interior of the enclosure. When the apparatus is being used for the decomposition of vegetable yard wastes, however, this is less important than situations ''. '' f';~
where it is intended to use the composter also for food waste decomposition.
A typical composter according to the present lnvention is manufactured from sturdy, weather resistant materials such as galvanized or painted metals, plastics eg. high density polyethylene, etc. Economy and ease of manufacture commonly dictate the cholce of materials.
The domestic gardener finds it convenient to use it during the summer months only, when the gardening activity is at its maximum. A unit conveniently stands about 3-5' tall, and has a square bottom of which each side is about 2-4' long. The apparatus can be loaded periodically with vegetable waste, complete generation of compost from one addition of material being unnecessary prior to the addition of further amounts.
The highly active microbes present in the composting material accelerate the start of the composting process on the newly added material. The rate of degradation achieved by an apparatus according to the present invention is fast enough that from 200-250 kilograms of garden waste can be reduced to compost in the space of three months, so that a single unit is adequate to handle all of the waste material conventionally generated by the average domestic garden during the course of a growing season.
A specific, illustrative preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a composting apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a view of a side panel of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
' .
?.~
FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;
FIGURE 4 is a view of the back panel of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;
, , ' FIGURE 6 is a detail, in cross section, of the ~-edge securing means of the various panels; , ;
,. . ..
FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the assembled apparatus in use.
In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.
' ' . "
With reference to Figs. l, 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, the composter 10 as illustrated comprises a front panel 12, a pair of similar side panels 14, 16, a back panel 18 and a top lid 20, all arranged and connected together, when lid 20 is closed, to define a composting enclosure. Each panel has a respective, downwardly extending bottom s~irt 22 which, when the composter lO is constructed and mounted in position, protrudes into the earth a distance of about 4 inches, to provide the necessary stability to the unit in an outdoor environment. The composter lO is open at the bottom, for free communication with earth in which it is mounted.
The lid or top wall 20 is of transparent acrylic plastic, to constitute a solar radiation transmissive panel. It has a short depending peripheral ... ,. ... .. . . ,.. . . .,, , ~ ., . - , .. : ,- ,. - .
skirt 24 which fits loosely and removably over the top edge of the panels. Upwardly extending blips 25 on the top edges 28, 30 of respective side panels 14, 16 bear against the undersurface of lid 20 when it is closed, providing air spaces to constitute an air outlet near the top of the enclosure. A latch 26 is provided to secure the lid 20 releasably to the front panel 12. T~e lid 20 is wholly removable from the top edges of the panels, to provide a closable loading opening to the enclosure.
. .
The front panel 12 and the back panel 18 are trapezoidal in shape, with parallel top and bottom edges and mutually converging side edges. The back panel 18 is taller than the front panel 12. The side panels 14, 16 have a similar shape to that of the back and front panels, except that their top edges 28, 30 make an angle of 16 to their bottom edges. The varlous panels are appropriately sized to fit together to define an enclosure of truncated pyramidal shape, with the top wall 20 fitted thereon and slanting at an angle of 16 to the horizontal when the unit 10 is mounted upright on the ground.
Each of the front panel 12, the side panels 14, 16 and the back panel 18 are provided with ribs 32 extendlng vertically and mutually parallel up the ma~or portlon of the height of the panels. As shown in the cross sectional views Figure 3 and Figure 5, the ribs 32 are formed as rectangular section indentations molded or pressed ln the slde panel~, so that they are open to the lnterlor of the enclosure of the composter 10 along thelr full lengths. At their bottom extremities 34 they are open to the outside, thus constituting air inlets in the assembled composter 10. They are closed at their top ends.
?~
.,.:
, '~
The side edges of each of the panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 terminate in integral angularly disposed flanges 36, 38 with respective lips 40, 42 outturned therefrom, as best seen in Fig. 6. When the panels are erected to form the pyramidal unit, the outer faces of flanges 36, 38 of each panel abut against each other along their longitudinal lengths. A resilient cylindrical split tube 44 is then slid endwise over the flanges 36, 38 and lips 40, 42, to extend substantially the full length thereof and to act as securing means.
The connections between the side panels 14, 16 and back panel 18, in addition to the split tube 44, can be supplemented by nuts and bolts or screw fasteners.
However, the connection between side panels 14, 16 and front panel 12, in the illustrated embodiment, is solely by means of split tubes 44, so that these can be removed by endwise sliding of the tubes 44 in an upward direction, with the top wall 20 opened, to provide for removal of front panel 12 to provide an access opening.
Thus the illustrated apparatus can be supplied to the consumer as a kit of parts comprising substantially flat panels to form the side, front and rear panels, and a plastic transparent cover to form the top, solar radiation transmissive wall, together with the illustrated securing means. Such a kit is readily packaged and transported as a flat package. The consumer is merely required to dig a shallow hole in the ..
earth at the desired location of installation, and assemble the unit as shown, in the hole, in a simple and ~
expeditious manner. .;.''! ' '', , In operation, the unit as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, is loaded periodically with grass cuttings and other garden vegetable waste, through the ~"~ 2P~
top opening with transparent top wall or lid 20 removed.
Initially a heap 46 of waste material conforming to the sides of the enclosure, and indicated by the broken line is formed. Then the top wall 20 ls replaced. Solar radiation through top wall 20 warms up the heap 46 of compostible material to allow for maximum activity of the mlcrobes in the heap and derived from the soil in which the unit 10 is seated. Air flow in through bottom extremities 34 of ribs 32 feeds the aerobic activity of the microbes. As the temperature rises, convection flow of air upwardly through the unit to exit under lid 20 is promoted. This increases aeration of the heap 46 and accelerates the rate of composting. As the composting process proceeds, the volume of heap 46 shrinks and moves away from the side walls of the enclosure, to the position indicated by full line 48. Now more air space i9 provided between the side walls of the unit and the composting material, further enhancing the aeration process under convection and further promoting the composting process. Additional compostible material can ~e added periodically, through the top opening.
An actual operation of a composter according to the invention and as illustrated is described in the following specific example.
EXAMPLE
The unit was as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of square cross section with a base 2 3~ feet square, a front wall height of 34 inches, a total internal volume of 308 litres and an angle of 16 for the top wall .
- ~The exper~:ment was stàrted in - early spring .
Wet grass cuttings, with a water content of anywhere , ~, . .
_ 9 _ :, ~.:
: .
' ~ :, - 2~
from 42-75 parts per hundred parts of dry grass, were used as the compostible material, and added periodically to the composter. Measurements were taken of the composting heap height and volume, the temperature at S the centre of the composting heap and the outside air temperature, on a frequent basis. Periodically, the composter contents were removed and weighed.
Periodically also, water was added to the composting heap to ensure activity of the microbes.
The results are given in the following table.
During a 91 day period of operation, the apparatus composted 395 kilograms of grass cuttings, reducing them to 67.4 kilograms of compost.
'~ , , ':
, '' ~'': '' - 10 - ' ~ ' - ` 2 ~
T A B L E
DAY WEIGHT HEAP HEAP OUTSIDE
OF WET HEIGHT TEMP C AIR
GRASS ADDED (INCHES) TEMP C
(KG) 0 7.5 9 2 4.2 12
3 12 40 17
4 6.2 18 16 24.6 25 27 22.5 23 34 ' 22.1 24 41 25.9 31 49 19.5 30 -56 25.0 31 58 25 69 22 ~;~
63 15.8 29 16.7 28 ;
76 16 57 28 ;
77 10.9 21 86 14.2 22 91 14.6 25 ~ :-:.: . ',: ,.
* Contents weighed and replaced into unit before addition of ~. ~
~`',''''",~, ,: ", . ", "~
: ,',",,, :,: .,::., .~;
.~';'"'~'"""
. :,.-. ::: .:
'',:,~ ~;', '.,'"'~
: ~ .;. ..
', :, : :. ', ,:., . ." ~ ~ .
' ' . : . :: ~
63 15.8 29 16.7 28 ;
76 16 57 28 ;
77 10.9 21 86 14.2 22 91 14.6 25 ~ :-:.: . ',: ,.
* Contents weighed and replaced into unit before addition of ~. ~
~`',''''",~, ,: ", . ", "~
: ,',",,, :,: .,::., .~;
.~';'"'~'"""
. :,.-. ::: .:
'',:,~ ~;', '.,'"'~
: ~ .;. ..
', :, : :. ', ,:., . ." ~ ~ .
' ' . : . :: ~
Claims (16)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A composter for microbiological decomposition of biodegradable wastes comprising:
an enclosure defined by upstanding walls;
a bottom adapted for communication with outside earth, access means providing access to the interior of said enclosure;
and a top wall comprised of a solar radiation transmissive panel, said panel having a surface disposed at an angle of from 5-45° to the horizontal when said side walls are arranged in their upstanding position.
an enclosure defined by upstanding walls;
a bottom adapted for communication with outside earth, access means providing access to the interior of said enclosure;
and a top wall comprised of a solar radiation transmissive panel, said panel having a surface disposed at an angle of from 5-45° to the horizontal when said side walls are arranged in their upstanding position.
2. A composter according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure is square or rectangular as viewed in horizontal cross-section.
3. A composter according to claim 2 wherein the angle of disposition of said panel surface is from 10-25° to the horizontal.
4. A composter according to claim 3 wherein said access means comprises a removable front wall.
5. A composter according to claim 4 further including a plurality of air inlets near the bottom of said enclosure, providing for a flow of air from outside to the interior of said enclosure, and an air outlet near the top of said enclosure.
6. A composter according to claim 5 further including a plurality of ribs projecting outwardly from said side walls and extending upwardly therealong, the bottom of said ribs being open to outside air to provide said air inlets.
7. A composter according to claim 6 wherein the air outlet is constituted by spaces at the sides of said solar radiation transmissive panel.
8. A composter according to claim 7 wherein said enclosure has downwardly diverging side walls to form a truncated pyramidal shape thereof.
9. A composter according to claim 8 wherein the solar radiation transmissive panel is removable to provide a top loading opening to said enclosure.
10. A composter according to claim 9 wherein said solar radiation transmissive panel is of transparent plastic material.
11. A composter according to claim 10 further including a depending skirt of mesh material extending downwardly from the bottom edge periphery of said enclosure.
12. A composter according to claim 10 further including a bottom mesh screen wall for said enclosure.
13. A kit of parts for constructing a composter according to claim 2, and including:
two essentially similar trapezoidal flat side panels with top edges forming an angle of from 5-45°
with respect to the opposed bottom edges;
a trapezoidal flat front panel with parallel top and bottom edges, a trapezoidal flat back panel with parallel top and bottom edges;
securing means for securing respective side edges of said side panels to respective side edges of said front and back panels;
and a top wall comprising a solar radiation transmissive panel, adapted to fit removably and loosely on the top edges of said side panels, front panel and back panel when the side edges thereof are appropriately secured together.
two essentially similar trapezoidal flat side panels with top edges forming an angle of from 5-45°
with respect to the opposed bottom edges;
a trapezoidal flat front panel with parallel top and bottom edges, a trapezoidal flat back panel with parallel top and bottom edges;
securing means for securing respective side edges of said side panels to respective side edges of said front and back panels;
and a top wall comprising a solar radiation transmissive panel, adapted to fit removably and loosely on the top edges of said side panels, front panel and back panel when the side edges thereof are appropriately secured together.
14. The kit of claim 13 wherein the side panels, the front panel and the back panel all have a plurality of ribs formed therein, extending substantially perpendicularly to their top and bottom edges, the ribs being aperture at their ends nearest to said bottom edges.
15. The kit of claim 14 wherein the top edges of said side panels form an angle of from about 10-20° with respect to the bottom edges thereof.
16. The kit of claim 15 further including a mesh screen basket adapted to fit around the bottom periphery of the side panels, front panel and back panel when the side edges thereof are appropriately secured together.
Priority Applications (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002024449A CA2024449A1 (en) | 1990-08-31 | 1990-08-31 | Clear topped composter |
| PCT/CA1991/000312 WO1992004303A1 (en) | 1990-08-31 | 1991-09-03 | Clear topped composter |
| AU84439/91A AU8443991A (en) | 1990-08-31 | 1991-09-03 | Clear topped composter |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002024449A CA2024449A1 (en) | 1990-08-31 | 1990-08-31 | Clear topped composter |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2024449A1 true CA2024449A1 (en) | 1992-03-01 |
Family
ID=4145873
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002024449A Abandoned CA2024449A1 (en) | 1990-08-31 | 1990-08-31 | Clear topped composter |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU8443991A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2024449A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1992004303A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK170211B1 (en) * | 1992-08-18 | 1995-06-19 | Joergen Fischer | compost bin |
| AT403578B (en) * | 1993-09-03 | 1998-03-25 | Wuester Heinrich | DEVICE FOR PRODUCING COMPOST |
| GB2342915A (en) * | 1998-10-24 | 2000-04-26 | Warwickshire County Council | A compost bin |
| US6576462B2 (en) * | 2001-02-16 | 2003-06-10 | J. Michael Thompson | Vermiculture composting device |
| US20130074556A1 (en) * | 2009-06-02 | 2013-03-28 | Kishorilal Ramnath Dhoot | Tetra vermi bed and a process for composting agricultural waste |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT338839B (en) * | 1974-05-20 | 1977-09-12 | Posostron Ag | COMPOSTER FOR HOUSE TRUB AND GARDEN WASTE |
| DE7933123U1 (en) * | 1979-11-23 | 1980-04-10 | Doering, Erich, Berneck, St. Gallen (Schweiz) | COMPOSTER FOR HOUSEHOLD AND GARDEN WASTE |
| US4352888A (en) * | 1981-12-23 | 1982-10-05 | Custom Plastics, Inc. | Container for holding organic matter during decomposition |
| DE8424780U1 (en) * | 1984-08-21 | 1984-11-15 | Döring, Erich, Berneck, St. Gallen | PYRAMID BLUNTED COMPOSTER |
-
1990
- 1990-08-31 CA CA002024449A patent/CA2024449A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
1991
- 1991-09-03 AU AU84439/91A patent/AU8443991A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1991-09-03 WO PCT/CA1991/000312 patent/WO1992004303A1/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU8443991A (en) | 1992-03-30 |
| WO1992004303A1 (en) | 1992-03-19 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 19930228 |