CA2259822A1 - Vehicle, bin and system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables - Google Patents
Vehicle, bin and system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2259822A1 CA2259822A1 CA 2259822 CA2259822A CA2259822A1 CA 2259822 A1 CA2259822 A1 CA 2259822A1 CA 2259822 CA2259822 CA 2259822 CA 2259822 A CA2259822 A CA 2259822A CA 2259822 A1 CA2259822 A1 CA 2259822A1
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- Prior art keywords
- bin
- internal
- recyclables
- trailer box
- side walls
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- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
- B65F3/24—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for unloading the tank of a refuse vehicle
- B65F3/28—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for unloading the tank of a refuse vehicle by a lengthwise movement of a wall, e.g. a plate, a piston, or the like
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
- B65F1/0033—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor specially adapted for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. receptacles with several compartments; Combination of receptacles
- B65F1/004—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor specially adapted for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. receptacles with several compartments; Combination of receptacles the receptacles being divided in compartments by partitions
- B65F1/0046—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor specially adapted for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. receptacles with several compartments; Combination of receptacles the receptacles being divided in compartments by partitions the partitions being movable, e.g. for varying the volume of the compartments
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
- B65F1/12—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor with devices facilitating emptying
- B65F1/122—Features allowing the receptacle to be lifted and subsequently tipped by associated means on a vehicle
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
- B65F1/14—Other constructional features; Accessories
- B65F1/1426—Housings, cabinets or enclosures for refuse receptacles
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
- B65F1/14—Other constructional features; Accessories
- B65F1/16—Lids or covers
- B65F1/1615—Lids or covers with means for locking, fastening or permanently closing thereof
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
- B65F3/001—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. vehicles with several compartments
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
- B65F3/14—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle
- B65F3/20—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle with charging pistons, plates, or the like
- B65F3/201—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle with charging pistons, plates, or the like the charging pistons, plates or the like moving rectilinearly
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
- B65F3/02—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto
- B65F2003/0263—Constructional features relating to discharging means
- B65F2003/0279—Constructional features relating to discharging means the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
Abstract
A vehicle for the collection, compacting and unloading of source-separated recyclables. The trailer box of the vehicle is longitudinally divided into three internal compartments, each of which has a compacting packer blade which is also utilized to unload the collected recyclables from the vehicle. Loading is accomplished by lifting and inverting a recyclables collection bin, having three internal compartments similar to the trailer box internal compartments, over the hopper portions of the trailer box internal compartments. Separated recyclables are guided during dumping by hinged bin lids which facilitate communication between the internal compartments of the bin and trailer box. Alternatively, an open-front adapter bin capable of containing recyclables tote containers may be used in the place the above-described recyclables collection bin. The collected recyclables are vertically compacted by a movable hopper top cover and horizontally compacted by the packer blades. Unloading is accomplished in one trailer box internal compartment independently of the others by fully moving the packer blade contained therein the length of that internal compartment while simultaneously opening one of three upwardly lifting rear unloading doors.
Description
VEHICLE, BIN AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING, COMPACTING AND UNLOADING SOURCE- SEPARATED
RECYCLABLES
Technical Field This invention relates to a vehicle, bin and the system of use thereof for the collection, compacting and unloading of source-separated recyclables.
io Back rg ound Increased environmental awareness has been accompanied by the desire to recycle materials which are capable of re-use, such as plastics, glass, aluminum, mixed paper, newspaper and cardboard.
Traditionally, recyclables have been commingled upon collection.
i5 Commingled collection of recyclables allows use of a conventional mechanically-loading and compacting garbage truck, which lowers collection costs. However, this method is not economical because of the resultant increased sorting costs and the devaluation of the commingled material. Accordingly, it is of great benefit to collect materials which are ao source-separated.
Collection of the materials is, however, but the first of many steps in the recycling process. The storage and transport of collected recycling materials are also important. Akin to the concerns of waste a 5 collection, it is inefficient to store and transport recyclables in the same form as that in which they are collected. This is particularly important with regard to recyclables such as plastic bottles, which are oddly shaped and hardly conducive to efficient space management within a collection vehicle. Thus, it is desirable to equip a collection vehicle with means to compact the collected recyclables. This allows a collection vehicle to maximize the amount of recyclables in a particular load, thereby decreasing the number of trips to collect and transport an equivalent s amount of recyclables.
Efficient and "clean" unloading of the collected recyclables is also important. Commingling or contaminating a load of a particular recyclable with another upon unloading destroys the benefit of collecting materials which are source-separated. Further, it is becoming increasingly frequent for municipal authorities to insist that contracts for the collection and disposal of recyclables contain requirements for full separation on the disposal of the recyclables.
Accordingly, there is a great need for a vehicle and system to collect, compact and unload source-separated recyclables.
It has proven difficult to conceive a system to accomplish these tasks efficiently and feasibly. The concept of employing a multi-ao compartmented vehicle to collect, store and discaxd different recyclables and other waste materials is known. Prior art references for such mechanisms include U.S. Patent Nos. 5,205,698, 5,163,805, 5,303,841 and 5,035,563 to Mezey; 5,288,196 to Horning et al., 5,078,567 to Lombardo; 5,035,564 to Matsumoto; 4,979, 866 to Croy and 5,681,140 to 2 5 Christenson.
RECYCLABLES
Technical Field This invention relates to a vehicle, bin and the system of use thereof for the collection, compacting and unloading of source-separated recyclables.
io Back rg ound Increased environmental awareness has been accompanied by the desire to recycle materials which are capable of re-use, such as plastics, glass, aluminum, mixed paper, newspaper and cardboard.
Traditionally, recyclables have been commingled upon collection.
i5 Commingled collection of recyclables allows use of a conventional mechanically-loading and compacting garbage truck, which lowers collection costs. However, this method is not economical because of the resultant increased sorting costs and the devaluation of the commingled material. Accordingly, it is of great benefit to collect materials which are ao source-separated.
Collection of the materials is, however, but the first of many steps in the recycling process. The storage and transport of collected recycling materials are also important. Akin to the concerns of waste a 5 collection, it is inefficient to store and transport recyclables in the same form as that in which they are collected. This is particularly important with regard to recyclables such as plastic bottles, which are oddly shaped and hardly conducive to efficient space management within a collection vehicle. Thus, it is desirable to equip a collection vehicle with means to compact the collected recyclables. This allows a collection vehicle to maximize the amount of recyclables in a particular load, thereby decreasing the number of trips to collect and transport an equivalent s amount of recyclables.
Efficient and "clean" unloading of the collected recyclables is also important. Commingling or contaminating a load of a particular recyclable with another upon unloading destroys the benefit of collecting materials which are source-separated. Further, it is becoming increasingly frequent for municipal authorities to insist that contracts for the collection and disposal of recyclables contain requirements for full separation on the disposal of the recyclables.
Accordingly, there is a great need for a vehicle and system to collect, compact and unload source-separated recyclables.
It has proven difficult to conceive a system to accomplish these tasks efficiently and feasibly. The concept of employing a multi-ao compartmented vehicle to collect, store and discaxd different recyclables and other waste materials is known. Prior art references for such mechanisms include U.S. Patent Nos. 5,205,698, 5,163,805, 5,303,841 and 5,035,563 to Mezey; 5,288,196 to Horning et al., 5,078,567 to Lombardo; 5,035,564 to Matsumoto; 4,979, 866 to Croy and 5,681,140 to 2 5 Christenson.
Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned prior art references suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, some vehicles require manual transferral of the contents from a ground-level collection bin to the collection vehicle. Croy and Lombardo are such references.
s This may allow for source-separation of recyclables, but doing so by hand is slow by comparison to mechanical means. Additionally, it may not be possible to manually lift larger sized commercial collection bins.
Other devices suffer from the limitation that the movement of io the collected materials from the receiving portion of the truck trailer box to the storage portion is accomplished through the upward lifting and tilting of the box, causing rearward shifting of the materials. Matsumoto is such a reference. While this may shift the materials, this mechanism does not address the above-noted concern about the compaction of space-consuming recyclables such as plastic bottles.
Other devices unload the collected materials by using a similar upward-lifting action of the trailer box. The Mezey patents, Horning et al. and Lombardo are such references. Unloading by gravity ao alone may be ineffective for certain materials which do not slide smoothly in the trailer box. Thus, ejection by mechanical or other means will be required. Even when unloading can be adequately accomplished by tilting of the trailer box, such vehicles will be limited to recycling depots and areas which can accommodate the height of the extended box necessary to 2 s accomplish this manner of unloading.
s This may allow for source-separation of recyclables, but doing so by hand is slow by comparison to mechanical means. Additionally, it may not be possible to manually lift larger sized commercial collection bins.
Other devices suffer from the limitation that the movement of io the collected materials from the receiving portion of the truck trailer box to the storage portion is accomplished through the upward lifting and tilting of the box, causing rearward shifting of the materials. Matsumoto is such a reference. While this may shift the materials, this mechanism does not address the above-noted concern about the compaction of space-consuming recyclables such as plastic bottles.
Other devices unload the collected materials by using a similar upward-lifting action of the trailer box. The Mezey patents, Horning et al. and Lombardo are such references. Unloading by gravity ao alone may be ineffective for certain materials which do not slide smoothly in the trailer box. Thus, ejection by mechanical or other means will be required. Even when unloading can be adequately accomplished by tilting of the trailer box, such vehicles will be limited to recycling depots and areas which can accommodate the height of the extended box necessary to 2 s accomplish this manner of unloading.
A final problematic feature of the prior art is that some of the above-noted references disclose an opening on the upper portion of the truck trailer box, but do not cover the opening. The Mezey references, for example, suffer from this deficiency. When the capacity of the trailer box is reached, the absence of such a lid will permit the spillage or loss of collected materials.
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies and provides a vehicle, bin and system which allows for the efficient and cost-io effective collection, compacting and unloading of source-separated recyclables.
Summary of Invention The source-separated recyclables collection, compacting and i5 unloading vehicle of the present invention comprises a loader apparatus and a trailer box. The trailer box is itself comprised of two side walls, a front wall and a plurality of divider walls which divide the trailer box into a plurality of internal compartments. Each trailer box internal compartment is further comprised of a hopper portion, a storage portion, a a o rear unloading door and a movable, cylinder driven packer blade which is capable of moving the entire length of the trailer box internal compartment.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are two internal divider walls dividing the trailer box into three internal compartments .
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies and provides a vehicle, bin and system which allows for the efficient and cost-io effective collection, compacting and unloading of source-separated recyclables.
Summary of Invention The source-separated recyclables collection, compacting and i5 unloading vehicle of the present invention comprises a loader apparatus and a trailer box. The trailer box is itself comprised of two side walls, a front wall and a plurality of divider walls which divide the trailer box into a plurality of internal compartments. Each trailer box internal compartment is further comprised of a hopper portion, a storage portion, a a o rear unloading door and a movable, cylinder driven packer blade which is capable of moving the entire length of the trailer box internal compartment.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are two internal divider walls dividing the trailer box into three internal compartments .
The trailer box also has two top covers. Firstly, there is a top cover for the storage portions of the trailer box internal compartments.
Secondly, there is a top cover for the hopper portions of the trailer box internal compartments. The hopper top cover is movable from an open position to a closed position. In the preferred embodiment, this movement is actuated by a cylinder attached to the storage portion top cover and along two tracks attached to the top edges of the trailer box side walls.
The hopper top cover also provides vertical compaction of recyclables in the trailer box internal compartments.
io The rear unloading doors are upwardly openable by the actuation of rear door cylinders. While all of the packer blades travel together while compacting, each is capable of moving independently of the others during unloading. Accordingly, each of rear doors is openable i5 independently of the other rear doors. In a preferred embodiment, the rear doors are arcuately shaped.
The present invention also comprises a recyclables collection bin. The bin is comprised of a bottom, two opposed side walls, a front 2o wall and a rear wall, both of which are substantially perpendicular to the side walls, and a plurality of internal divider walls which divide the bin into a plurality of internal compartments. In the preferred embodiment, the bin has two internal divider walls dividing the bin into three bin internal compartments.
The bin further comprises a top cover member which covers the bin internal compartments. The top cover member has a plurality of apertures for accommodating the disposal of different types of recyclables into the different bin internal compartments.
The collection bin of the present invention further comprises a plurality of lids which are hingedly attached to the bin top cover member and movable between an open and a closed position. When the bin is inverted, the lids allow for guided recyclables unloading by becoming substantial vertical extensions of the side walls and the internal divider io walls. In a preferred embodiment, there are six lids.
The present invention also comprises a recyclables adapter bin. The adapter bin is comprised of a bottom, two opposed side walls, a rear wall, which is substantially perpendicular to the side walls and a i s plurality of internal divider walls which divide the bin into a plurality of internal compartments. In the preferred embodiment, the adapter bin has two internal divider walls dividing the bin into three internal bin compartments. Each of the adapter bin internal compartments is capable of containing a recyclables tote container, which may be inserted into the a o adapter bin through its open front.
The adapter bin further comprises a retainer member which is attached to the top edges of the side walls, rear wall, internal divider walls and extending the width of the bin across the top of the frontward edges of 25 the side walls and divider walls. In this way, the retainer member defines a perimeter frame above each of the adapter bin internal _7-compartments. The perimeter frame of the retainer member is smaller than the perimeter of the recyclables tote containers.
The side walls of both the collection and adapter bins each have a bracket attached to allow for engagement by the loader apparatus of a recyclables collection vehicle.
The present invention further comprises a method of collecting compacting and unloading recyclables. A collection bin, as io described above, is provided to a site for the depositing of recyclables by users. The loader apparatus of the above-described vehicle engages the brackets of the bin side walls and thus lifts the bin over the hopper portions of the trailer box of the vehicle. Eventually the bin becomes inverted, and by gravity, the recyclables contained therein, are dumped into the hopper portions of the vehicle.
The extension of the above-described bin lids, when inverted, allows alignment between the trailer box side walls and bin side walls and between the trailer box internal divider walls and the bin internal divider 2o walls. This allows the trailer box internal compartments to be in communication with the bin internal compartments during dumping.
Simultaneously, the above-described hopper top cover is in the open position and the packer blades are in a position that prevents the dumping of the recyclables between them and the front wall of the trailer box.
When the adapter bins are employed, the system of the _g_ present invention instead involves inserting the recyclables tote containers into the adapter bin internal compartments. The loader apparatus of the above-described vehicle engages the rear of the adapter bin at the brackets on the adapter bin side walls, resulting in lifting and dumping into the s vehicle as described above. The alignment of the adapter bin lids with the trailer box side and internal divider walls is similar to the collection bin.
The tote containers are held captive inside the adapter bin during dumping by the retainer member.
io After dumping, the recyclables are compacted in the trailer box internal compartments by moving the hopper top cover to the closed position and by moving the packer blades towards the rear doors. These collection and dumping steps may be repeated before the vehicle unloads.
15 When unloading is desired, the vehicle transports the recyclables to a recycling depot, plant or other location. One of the rear doors is opened through actuation of its corresponding rear door cylinder and the packer blade in that trailer box internal compartment is moved the length of that trailer box internal compartment, thus unloading the contents a o of that trailer box internal compartment. The remaining internal compartments can then be subsequently, and independently, emptied at the same or a different location.
The present invention further comprises a system for collecting, a 5 compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprised of the the above-mentioned vehicle with each of the above-mentioned collection bin and adapter bin.
Brief Description of Drawings FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of the recyclables collection, compacting and unloading vehicle of the present invention.
FIGURE 2A is a partially fragmented side elevation view of the vehicle of Figure 1 illustrating one packer blade in a receiving position.
to FIGURE 2B is a partially fragmented side elevation view of the vehicle of Figure 1 illustrating the unloading positions of one packer blade and rear door.
FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation view of the vehicle.
FIGURE 4A is a side perspective view of the hopper top cover of the vehicle in the open receiving position.
FIGURE 4B is a side perspective view of the hopper top ao cover of the vehicle in the closed position.
Figure SA is a front elevation view of the recyclables collection bin of the present invention with the lids in their closed position.
z5 FIGURE 5B is a front elevation view of the bin of Figure 6A
with the lids removed.
FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the bin of Figure 6A.
FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of an inverted bin of Figures SA, SB and 6 illustrating the lids in an open position.
FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle illustrating the bin lids aligning with the vehicle trailer box internal divider walls.
FIGURE 9 is a front perspective view of the adapter bins of io the present invention containing three tote containers, with the adapter bin lids in their closed position.
FIGURE 10 is a front perspective view of an inverted adapter bin of Figure 9 illustrating how the adapter bin retainer member holds the i5 tote containers captive during dumping.
FIGURE 11 is a top view of the adapter bin retainer member absent the adapter bin, tote containers and adapter bin lids.
2 o Description The present invention provides for a recyclables collection bin 10, a recyclables collection, compacting and unloading vehicle 12 and a system for using these two apparatuses to collect and unload source-separated recyclables.
Figure 1 illustrates recyclables collection, compacting and unloading vehicle 12. Generally, vehicle 12 is comprised of a truck cab 14, a loader apparatus 16 and a trailer box 18.
Trailer box 18 is generally comprised of opposed side walls 20, 22, an upright front wall 24 and two internal divider walls 26, 28, which extend substantially the length and height of trailer box 18. Trailer box internal divider walls 26, 28 are partially illustrated in dotted outline in Figure 1. Trailer box 18 is internally divided into 3 longitudinal compartments 30, 32, 34, although it will be appreciated that the number to of compartments may be varied to coincide with different needs. Each of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 has a hopper portion, 40, 42, 44, respectively, and a storage portion, 50, 52, 54, respectively. Storage portion top cover 56 covers storage portions 50, 52, 54, respectively.
is Each of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 has a movable packer blade 60, 62, 64, respectively, contained therein. The following discussion relates to trailer box internal compartment 30, though it will be appreciated from the view of Figure 1 that identical arrangements and movements thereof axe found in trailer box internal compartments 32 2 o and 34. As best illustrated in Figure 2A, packer blade 60 is comprised of a generally vertical lower portion 66 and an upper portion 68, which is angled to accommodate the inclusion of a packer blade telescoping cylinder 70, and to prevent recyclable material from being dumped between packer blade 60 and front wall 24 during the dumping of bin 10 a s over hopper 40. Packer blade cylinder 70 is pivotally attached to a lower portion 66 of packer blade 60 and to front wall 24, and is responsible for actuating the movement of packer blade 60 within trailer box internal compartment 30. Packer blade cylinder 70 is powered by a hydraulic pump 76, found at the front portion of truck cab 14 in the preferred embodiment of the invention.
Packer blade 60 is substantially the same height as trailer box internal compartment 30 so that recyclables 8 will not escape over upper portion 68 and become lodged between packer blade 60 and front wall 24.
Additionally, packer blade 60 is movable, upon actuation by packer blade ~o cylinder 70, the substantial length of trailer box internal compartment 30 (see Figure 2B).
The receiving position of packer blade 60 is best illustrated by Figure 2A. Packer blade cylinder 70 is retracted so that packer blade i5 60 nears front wall 24, leaving the hopper portion 40 of trailer box internal compartment 30 available to receive recyclables 8 from inverted bin 10.
After recyclables 8 have been dumped into hopper 40, packer blade cylinder 70 can be extended to move packer blade 60 away from front wall 24 towards rear door 80. Compaction of recyclables 8 is thus ao accomplished, maximizing the amount of recyclables 8 that trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, and consequently vehicle 12, can collect, store and transport.
Each of trailer box internal compartments has a rear door 80, z 5 82, 84, respectively. In the preferred embodiment, rear doors 80, 82, 84 are arcuately shaped to allow for increased storage capacity of vehicle 12.
Opening of rear doors 80, 82, 84 is accomplished through the retraction of rear doors cylinders 90, 92, 94. Rear doors cylinders 90, 92, 94 are attached at a first end to storage portion top cover 56 and at a second end to the upper portions of rear doors 80, 82, 84.
Figure 2B illustrates that the unloading of recyclables is accomplished by the full extension of packer blade cylinder 70 inside trailer box internal compartment 30. Simultaneous actuation of rear door cylinder 90 opens rear door 80 upwardly to allow recyclables 8 in trailer io box internal compartment 30 to be unloaded. No upward lifting of the whole of trailer box 18 is necessary to achieve the compaction or unloading of recyclables 8 within vehicle 12. This allows for the unloading of recyclables 8 in height-restricted locations, and avoids the problems encountered in gravity-unloading of materials that do not slide ~5 smoothly out of a truck trailer box.
Hoppers 40, 42, 44 of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, respectively, may be covered by a hopper top cover 96. Hopper top cover 96 is movable between an open, receiving position (Figure 4A) Zo and a closed position (Figure 4B). Reference can also be made to Figure 1 to show that hopper top cover 96 (illustrated in open, receiving position above storage portion top cover 56) is substantially the width of trailer box 18 and is of a length sufficient to cover the top of the hopper portions 40, 42, 44, respectively, when in the closed position. In this way, hopper top a 5 cover 96 prevents the spillage of recyclables 8 from one trailer box internal compartment to another or spillage over packer blades 60, 62, 64 or the loss of recyclables 8 from trailer box 18 generally. Hopper top cover 96 also brings any loose recyclable materials down to a level lower than storage portion top cover 56, preventing binding of recylables 8 in internal compartments 30, 32, 34 once compaction has commenced.
Hopper top cover 96 is movable from the open, receiving position of Figure 4A to the closed position of Figure 4B by the actuation of a hopper top cover cylinder 98. Hopper top cover cylinder 98 is attached at a first end to storage portion top cover 56 and attached at a second end to hopper top cover 96. Hopper top cover cylinder 98 is retracted when hopper top cover 96 is in the open, receiving position.
Extension of hopper top cover cylinder 98 causes hopper top cover 96 to move to the closed position of Figure 4B.
i5 Hopper top cover 96 is fitted with rollers 100, 102, 104, 106 (rollers 104, 106, on the opposite side of hopper top cover 96, correspond to rollers 100, 102, respectively, but are not shown) on the outward, side edges of hopper top cover 96. Rollers 100, 102, 104, 106 are rotatably connected to hopper top cover 96 and are designed to fit inside two tracks ao 110, 120 (track 120, opposite track 110, is also not shown), which are attached on the top edges of trailer box side walls 20, 22.
Tracks 110, 120 are comprised of a substantially horizontal portion 112, 122, respectively, and four shorter, angled portions 114, 116, 2 5 124, 126, respectively (horizontal portion 122 and angled portions 124, 126 correspond to horizontal portion 112 and angled portions 114, 116, respectively, but are not shown). Portions 114, 116, 124, 126 angle downwards and towards front wall 24. When cylinder 98 is retracted and hopper top cover 96 is in the open receiving position of Figure 5A, roller 102 is positioned on track 110 at a location between angled portions and s 114 and 116, while roller 100 is positioned on track 110 at a location which is on the rear door side of angled portion 114. Full retraction of cylinder 98 will not pull hopper top cover 96 far enough rearward to allow roller 102 into angled portion 114.
Hopper top cover 96 not only prevents spillage or loss of recyclables 8 from trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, but also achieves further compaction of recyclables 8. When rollers 100, 102 fall into angled portions 114, 116, respectively, of track 110, hopper top cover 96 achieves vertical compaction of recyclables 8. This vertical i5 compaction is of such a nature as allowed by the length of angled portions 114, 116 and facilitates the compaction of recyclables 8 in trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, particularly oddly shaped materials such as plastic bottles, by containing them within hoppers 40, 42, 44.
ao Loader apparatus 16 is of the front-loading variety and well known in the art. Similar loader apparatuses are disclosed in Christenson and the Mezey patents. Loader apparatus 16 comprises a pair of arching loader arms 130, 132 and a pair of forwardly extending fork members 134, 136. Loader arms 130, 132 are pivotally connected to fork members 134, 25 136. This pivotal connection, and the actuation of fork member cylinders 135, 137 allow loader apparatus 16 to maintain bin 10 in a generally horizontal position while it is being raised from ground level, over truck cab 14, to a position above hopper portions 40, 42, 44 of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34. Maintaining a generally horizontal position of bin 10 during lifting thus prevents inadvertent spillage of recyclables on truck cab 14. In operation the lifting of bin 10 by loader apparatus 16 is achieved through the actuation of loader arm cylinders 131, 133.
Vehicle 12 is wired to prevent the actuation of packer blade to cylinders 70, 72, 74 or hopper top cover cylinder 98 when loader apparatus 16 is engaged. This ensures that hopper top cover 96 is in the open, receiving position of Figure 4A. and packer blades 60, 62, 64 are in the receiving positions, as illustrated in Figure 2A, when bin 10 is being lifted for dumping.
Figures 5A, 5B, 6 and 7 illustrate recyclables collection bin 10, which is comprised, generally, of a bottom 146, two opposed side walls 148, 150, a front wall 152, a rear wall 154, bin internal divider walls 156, 158 (illustrated in dotted outline in Figures 5A and 5B) and a bin top 2o cover member 159, which lies across the top of side walls 148, 150, front wall 152, rear wall 154 and bin internal divider walls 156, 158. Bin internal divider walls 156, 158 divide bin 10 into three bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164, although it will be appreciated that the number of compartments may be varied to coincide with different needs.
Bin top cover member 159 contains apertures 166, 168, 170 of differing shapes and sizes to accommodate the disposal of different types of recyclables into certain of bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164. For example, apertures 166 allow disposal of plastic bottles into bin internal compartment 162, while aperture 168 allows the disposal of some other recyclable, such as cardboard or mixed paper. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modification of the apertures of bin top cover member 159 is possible to suit a particular need in relation to a particular recyclable. Thus, source-separation of recyclable materials is achieved through the use of bin 10.
Bin 10 is equipped with lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, which are hingedly attached to bin 10 by suitable means such as lid tabs 187. Lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 prevent the weathering of the contents of bin 10, prevent entry by animals such as raccoons and i5 discourage persons from contaminating recyclables in one bin internal compartments with recyclables which should be properly discarded in another bin internal compartment. Lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 are movable between open and closed positions by hinging on lid rods 188, which also serve as the attachment points between lids 181, 182, 183, 184, a o 185, 186 and lid tabs 187.
As illustrated in Figures SA, 6 and 7, bin 10 may also be fitted with a locking bar 189, which is hingedly attached to bin 10. Locking bar 189, well-known in the art, extends the width of bin 10 and is movable between 25 locked and unlocked positions. In the locked position of Figure 6, locking bar 189 prevents the opening of lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186. Pulling locking bar 189 slightly frontwards (i.e. away from bin 10) moves it to the unlocked position and allows the opening of lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 as shown in Figure 7.
s Lids 181, 182, 183 ,184, 185, 186 lie flat over the face of bin top cover member 159 in their closed position. As shown in Figure 5A, each portion of top cover member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164 is covered by two overlapping lids in their closed position. Lids 181, 182 fold down over the portion of bin top cover io member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartment 160 to cover aperture 168. Similarly, lids 183, 184 fold down over the portion of bin top cover member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartment 162 to cover apertures 166. Finally, lids 185, 186 fold down over the portion of bin top cover member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartment 164 is to cover aperture 170.
Two loader apparatus receiving brackets 202, 204 are attached to bin side walls 148, 150 and are included for engagement by loader apparatus 16 of vehicle 12, as described above.
It will also be appreciated that the design or shape of the upper receiving portion 206 of bin 10 may be varied. In the preferred embodiment, upper receiving portion 206 of bin 10 is angled to allow easy deposit access for users of bin 10. Rain hood 208 is also provided.
However, alternative shapes, including generally vertical or horizontal upper portions, are within the inventive scope of the invention.
In operation, a system for collecting, compacting and unloading of recyclables is provided. Bin 10 is provided to a strategic site for the collection of recyclables. Vehicle 12 is utilized once bin 10 has collected a certain volume of filled recyclables, or on a pre-determined s periodic interval.
Fork members 134, 136 of loader apparatus 16 engage loader apparatus receiving brackets 202, 204. Once engaged, actuation of arching loader arm cylinders 131, 133 causes bin 10 to be front-loaded over truck cab 14 of vehicle 12. As noted above, the pivotal connection between fork members 134, 136 and arching loader arms 130, 132, and the actuation of fork member cylinders 135, 137 allow for the maintenance of a horizontal position of bin 10 during lifting. As explained above, once loader apparatus 16 is engaged, hopper top cover 96 moves into the open, i5 receiving position of Figure 4A and packer blades 60, 62, 64 return to the receiving position of Figure 2A to await the dump of recyclables 8 into hoppers 40, 42, 44. EvenW ally loader apparatus 16 lifts and inverts bin 10, over hopper portions 40, 42, 44 of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 and dumping is accomplished by gravity.
When bin 10 is inverted over truck box 18, bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164 are in substantial alignment with trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34. The communication of these compartments is effectuated by the operation of bin lids 181, 182, 183, 2 5 184, 185, 186 as illustrated in Figure 8. When bin 10 is inverted, lids and 186 extends downwardly as substantial extensions of bin side walls 148, 150, respectively, and become substantially aligned with trailer side walls 20, 22, respectively. Extension and alignment are achieved on inversion by lids 182 and 183 with bin internal divider wall 156 and on either side of trailer box internal divider wall 26. Extension and alignment are achieved on inversion by lids 184 and 185 with bin internal divider wall 158 and on either side of trailer box internal divider wall 28. Thus, when bin 10 is inverted above trailer box 18 of vehicle 12, lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 guide the separated recyclables into the corresponding trailer box internal compartments. This prevents commingling or spillage between compartments when recyclables 8 are being dumped from bin 10 to trailer box 18.
Once recyclables 8 are received, bin 10 is returned to its ground-level position and compaction of the received recyclables 8 in i5 trailer box 18 commences. Vertical compaction is provided by moving hopper top cover 96 from the open position of Figure 4A to the closed position of Figure 4B as described above. This is not required if hoppers 40, 42, 44 are not full. Simultaneously, packer blade cylinders 70, 72, 74 are actuated causing horizontal compaction of recyclables 8 by packer 2o blades 60, 62, 64 in trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34. Packer blades 60, 62, 64 travel together within internal compartments 30, 32, 34, respectively, during compaction to provide support for internal divider walls 26, 28 and for improved balance of vehicle 12. Packer blades 60, 62, 64 remain compacting during the transport of recyclables 8 by vehicle 25 12.
Packer blades 60, 62, 64 may encounter unequal levels of pressure during compaction. For example, if one or more trailer box internal compartment has substantially more recyclables than the others, the packer blade in that internal compartment will encounter greater pressure during compaction. Control means are provided to retard the movement of the packer blade encountering greater pressure, while the packer blade or blades encountering less pressure move to a position which is rearward of or adjacent to the retarded packer blade. In this way, packer blades 60, 62, 64 provide reinforcement for trailer box internal divider walls 26, 28 io during compaction in significant pressure differential situations.
The loading procedure described above will be repeated until one or all of trailer box internal divider compartments 30, 32, 34 is full.
Once the loader apparatus 16 is actuated to engage another bin, hopper top i5 cover 96 and packer blades 60, 62, 64 return to their open and receiving positions as described above to receive the next dump.
Vehicle 12 may also be used with an open-front adapter bin 210, rather than collection bin 12. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate that, similar ao to collection bin 12, adapter bin 212 is comprised of a bottom 214, opposed side walls 216, 218, a rear wall 220, adapter bin internal divider walls 222, 224. Adapter bin internal divider walls 222, 224 divide adapter bin 210 into three adapter bin internal compartments, 230, 232, 234.
2 s In contrast to collection bin 12, adapter bin 212 is open-fronted.
Specifically, adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 do not have a front wall similar to front wall 152 of collection bin 12, but are instead "open". This allows the insertion of recyclables tote container 236, which is well known and used in the recycling industry, inside adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234. Tote containers 236 may be s manually placed, for example by means of wheels 238, into internal compartments 230, 232, 234.
The communication of adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 with trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 during ~o dumping, as accomplished by adapter bin lids, is identical to that described above in relation to collection bin 12. The lifting and dumping of adapter bin 210 over trailer box 18 of vehicle 18 is also essentially identical to that described in relation to collection bin 12 above, except that, in contrast to bin 12 where loader apparatus 16 engages the front of collection bin 12, ~s loader apparatus 16 must engage the rear of adapter bin 210 before lifting.
This is done so that tote containers 236 do not fall out of open-front adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 during lifting of adapter bin 210 over truck cab 14. Thus, tote containers 236 "falls back" within adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 against rear wall 220 2 o during lifting of adapter bin 210 .
Square tubing 240 is attached to the top edges of rear wall 220, internal divider walls 222, 224 and side walls 216, 218 and across the top, front edge of adapter bin 210. That is, tubing 240 extends across the 2 s width of adapter bin 210 as if on top of a top edge of a front wall, had adapter bin 210 been built with one. Square tubing 240 thus defines a top frame for each of internal compartments 230, 232, 234, as illustrated in Figure 11, which has a perimeter smaller than the top-edge perimeter of tote container 236. Square tubing 240 thus holds tote containers 236 captive inside adapter bin 210 when adapter bin 210 is completely inverted s over hopper portions 40, 42, 44 of trailer box 18.
It will be appreciated that as an alternative to square tubing 240, any material that retains tote container 236 within adapter bin 212 during dumping over trailer box 18, such as angled bars having apertures therein to for lid attachment, can be used.
Vehicle 12 can thus utilize adapter bin 210 to collect recyclables from tote containers 236. Adapter bin 210 is carried on fork members 134, 136 of loader apparatus 16 during transport of vehicle 12 is between sites. When vehicle 12 reaches a site utilizing collection bin 12, adapter bin 210 is dropped from loader apparatus 16 and collection bin 12 can be engaged, as described above. After dumping is complete, adapter bin 210 is again lifted and carried as vehicle 12 proceeds to the next site.
ao Once one or all of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 is full, unloading of the collected recyclables 8 from vehicle 12 is necessary. Vehicle 12 proceeds to a recycling depot, plant or other location. When vehicle 12 is appropriately positioned, the unloading of one of the trailer box internal compartments, independent of the other a 5 compartments, is possible. The following discussion relates to packer blade 60 in trailer box internal compartment 30, though the identical procedure is employed for trailer box internal compartments 32, 34.
Rear door 80 is opened through the actuation of rear door cylinder 90. Once opened, packer blade cylinder 70 becomes fully s extended, thereby causing rearward movement of packer blade 60 of the length of trailer box internal compartment 30. This movement pushes recyclables 8 out the rear of trailer box internal compartment 30 and, consequently, vehicle 12. In contrast to the compacting mode where all three packer blades 60, 62, 64 travel together, packer blade 60 moves ~o independently of packer blades 62, 64 during the unloading of internal compartment 30. This allows the unloading of one of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 independent of the others.
After trailer box internal compartment 30 is emptied, rear i5 door cylinder 90 is expanded and rear door 80 is accordingly closed.
Vehicle 12 can then, if necessary, drive to a different depot, or a different location within the same depot, and unload the contents of another trailer box internal compartment. This procedure will be repeated until all (if desired) of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 are emptied.
Zo As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in 25 accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
Secondly, there is a top cover for the hopper portions of the trailer box internal compartments. The hopper top cover is movable from an open position to a closed position. In the preferred embodiment, this movement is actuated by a cylinder attached to the storage portion top cover and along two tracks attached to the top edges of the trailer box side walls.
The hopper top cover also provides vertical compaction of recyclables in the trailer box internal compartments.
io The rear unloading doors are upwardly openable by the actuation of rear door cylinders. While all of the packer blades travel together while compacting, each is capable of moving independently of the others during unloading. Accordingly, each of rear doors is openable i5 independently of the other rear doors. In a preferred embodiment, the rear doors are arcuately shaped.
The present invention also comprises a recyclables collection bin. The bin is comprised of a bottom, two opposed side walls, a front 2o wall and a rear wall, both of which are substantially perpendicular to the side walls, and a plurality of internal divider walls which divide the bin into a plurality of internal compartments. In the preferred embodiment, the bin has two internal divider walls dividing the bin into three bin internal compartments.
The bin further comprises a top cover member which covers the bin internal compartments. The top cover member has a plurality of apertures for accommodating the disposal of different types of recyclables into the different bin internal compartments.
The collection bin of the present invention further comprises a plurality of lids which are hingedly attached to the bin top cover member and movable between an open and a closed position. When the bin is inverted, the lids allow for guided recyclables unloading by becoming substantial vertical extensions of the side walls and the internal divider io walls. In a preferred embodiment, there are six lids.
The present invention also comprises a recyclables adapter bin. The adapter bin is comprised of a bottom, two opposed side walls, a rear wall, which is substantially perpendicular to the side walls and a i s plurality of internal divider walls which divide the bin into a plurality of internal compartments. In the preferred embodiment, the adapter bin has two internal divider walls dividing the bin into three internal bin compartments. Each of the adapter bin internal compartments is capable of containing a recyclables tote container, which may be inserted into the a o adapter bin through its open front.
The adapter bin further comprises a retainer member which is attached to the top edges of the side walls, rear wall, internal divider walls and extending the width of the bin across the top of the frontward edges of 25 the side walls and divider walls. In this way, the retainer member defines a perimeter frame above each of the adapter bin internal _7-compartments. The perimeter frame of the retainer member is smaller than the perimeter of the recyclables tote containers.
The side walls of both the collection and adapter bins each have a bracket attached to allow for engagement by the loader apparatus of a recyclables collection vehicle.
The present invention further comprises a method of collecting compacting and unloading recyclables. A collection bin, as io described above, is provided to a site for the depositing of recyclables by users. The loader apparatus of the above-described vehicle engages the brackets of the bin side walls and thus lifts the bin over the hopper portions of the trailer box of the vehicle. Eventually the bin becomes inverted, and by gravity, the recyclables contained therein, are dumped into the hopper portions of the vehicle.
The extension of the above-described bin lids, when inverted, allows alignment between the trailer box side walls and bin side walls and between the trailer box internal divider walls and the bin internal divider 2o walls. This allows the trailer box internal compartments to be in communication with the bin internal compartments during dumping.
Simultaneously, the above-described hopper top cover is in the open position and the packer blades are in a position that prevents the dumping of the recyclables between them and the front wall of the trailer box.
When the adapter bins are employed, the system of the _g_ present invention instead involves inserting the recyclables tote containers into the adapter bin internal compartments. The loader apparatus of the above-described vehicle engages the rear of the adapter bin at the brackets on the adapter bin side walls, resulting in lifting and dumping into the s vehicle as described above. The alignment of the adapter bin lids with the trailer box side and internal divider walls is similar to the collection bin.
The tote containers are held captive inside the adapter bin during dumping by the retainer member.
io After dumping, the recyclables are compacted in the trailer box internal compartments by moving the hopper top cover to the closed position and by moving the packer blades towards the rear doors. These collection and dumping steps may be repeated before the vehicle unloads.
15 When unloading is desired, the vehicle transports the recyclables to a recycling depot, plant or other location. One of the rear doors is opened through actuation of its corresponding rear door cylinder and the packer blade in that trailer box internal compartment is moved the length of that trailer box internal compartment, thus unloading the contents a o of that trailer box internal compartment. The remaining internal compartments can then be subsequently, and independently, emptied at the same or a different location.
The present invention further comprises a system for collecting, a 5 compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprised of the the above-mentioned vehicle with each of the above-mentioned collection bin and adapter bin.
Brief Description of Drawings FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of the recyclables collection, compacting and unloading vehicle of the present invention.
FIGURE 2A is a partially fragmented side elevation view of the vehicle of Figure 1 illustrating one packer blade in a receiving position.
to FIGURE 2B is a partially fragmented side elevation view of the vehicle of Figure 1 illustrating the unloading positions of one packer blade and rear door.
FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation view of the vehicle.
FIGURE 4A is a side perspective view of the hopper top cover of the vehicle in the open receiving position.
FIGURE 4B is a side perspective view of the hopper top ao cover of the vehicle in the closed position.
Figure SA is a front elevation view of the recyclables collection bin of the present invention with the lids in their closed position.
z5 FIGURE 5B is a front elevation view of the bin of Figure 6A
with the lids removed.
FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the bin of Figure 6A.
FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of an inverted bin of Figures SA, SB and 6 illustrating the lids in an open position.
FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle illustrating the bin lids aligning with the vehicle trailer box internal divider walls.
FIGURE 9 is a front perspective view of the adapter bins of io the present invention containing three tote containers, with the adapter bin lids in their closed position.
FIGURE 10 is a front perspective view of an inverted adapter bin of Figure 9 illustrating how the adapter bin retainer member holds the i5 tote containers captive during dumping.
FIGURE 11 is a top view of the adapter bin retainer member absent the adapter bin, tote containers and adapter bin lids.
2 o Description The present invention provides for a recyclables collection bin 10, a recyclables collection, compacting and unloading vehicle 12 and a system for using these two apparatuses to collect and unload source-separated recyclables.
Figure 1 illustrates recyclables collection, compacting and unloading vehicle 12. Generally, vehicle 12 is comprised of a truck cab 14, a loader apparatus 16 and a trailer box 18.
Trailer box 18 is generally comprised of opposed side walls 20, 22, an upright front wall 24 and two internal divider walls 26, 28, which extend substantially the length and height of trailer box 18. Trailer box internal divider walls 26, 28 are partially illustrated in dotted outline in Figure 1. Trailer box 18 is internally divided into 3 longitudinal compartments 30, 32, 34, although it will be appreciated that the number to of compartments may be varied to coincide with different needs. Each of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 has a hopper portion, 40, 42, 44, respectively, and a storage portion, 50, 52, 54, respectively. Storage portion top cover 56 covers storage portions 50, 52, 54, respectively.
is Each of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 has a movable packer blade 60, 62, 64, respectively, contained therein. The following discussion relates to trailer box internal compartment 30, though it will be appreciated from the view of Figure 1 that identical arrangements and movements thereof axe found in trailer box internal compartments 32 2 o and 34. As best illustrated in Figure 2A, packer blade 60 is comprised of a generally vertical lower portion 66 and an upper portion 68, which is angled to accommodate the inclusion of a packer blade telescoping cylinder 70, and to prevent recyclable material from being dumped between packer blade 60 and front wall 24 during the dumping of bin 10 a s over hopper 40. Packer blade cylinder 70 is pivotally attached to a lower portion 66 of packer blade 60 and to front wall 24, and is responsible for actuating the movement of packer blade 60 within trailer box internal compartment 30. Packer blade cylinder 70 is powered by a hydraulic pump 76, found at the front portion of truck cab 14 in the preferred embodiment of the invention.
Packer blade 60 is substantially the same height as trailer box internal compartment 30 so that recyclables 8 will not escape over upper portion 68 and become lodged between packer blade 60 and front wall 24.
Additionally, packer blade 60 is movable, upon actuation by packer blade ~o cylinder 70, the substantial length of trailer box internal compartment 30 (see Figure 2B).
The receiving position of packer blade 60 is best illustrated by Figure 2A. Packer blade cylinder 70 is retracted so that packer blade i5 60 nears front wall 24, leaving the hopper portion 40 of trailer box internal compartment 30 available to receive recyclables 8 from inverted bin 10.
After recyclables 8 have been dumped into hopper 40, packer blade cylinder 70 can be extended to move packer blade 60 away from front wall 24 towards rear door 80. Compaction of recyclables 8 is thus ao accomplished, maximizing the amount of recyclables 8 that trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, and consequently vehicle 12, can collect, store and transport.
Each of trailer box internal compartments has a rear door 80, z 5 82, 84, respectively. In the preferred embodiment, rear doors 80, 82, 84 are arcuately shaped to allow for increased storage capacity of vehicle 12.
Opening of rear doors 80, 82, 84 is accomplished through the retraction of rear doors cylinders 90, 92, 94. Rear doors cylinders 90, 92, 94 are attached at a first end to storage portion top cover 56 and at a second end to the upper portions of rear doors 80, 82, 84.
Figure 2B illustrates that the unloading of recyclables is accomplished by the full extension of packer blade cylinder 70 inside trailer box internal compartment 30. Simultaneous actuation of rear door cylinder 90 opens rear door 80 upwardly to allow recyclables 8 in trailer io box internal compartment 30 to be unloaded. No upward lifting of the whole of trailer box 18 is necessary to achieve the compaction or unloading of recyclables 8 within vehicle 12. This allows for the unloading of recyclables 8 in height-restricted locations, and avoids the problems encountered in gravity-unloading of materials that do not slide ~5 smoothly out of a truck trailer box.
Hoppers 40, 42, 44 of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, respectively, may be covered by a hopper top cover 96. Hopper top cover 96 is movable between an open, receiving position (Figure 4A) Zo and a closed position (Figure 4B). Reference can also be made to Figure 1 to show that hopper top cover 96 (illustrated in open, receiving position above storage portion top cover 56) is substantially the width of trailer box 18 and is of a length sufficient to cover the top of the hopper portions 40, 42, 44, respectively, when in the closed position. In this way, hopper top a 5 cover 96 prevents the spillage of recyclables 8 from one trailer box internal compartment to another or spillage over packer blades 60, 62, 64 or the loss of recyclables 8 from trailer box 18 generally. Hopper top cover 96 also brings any loose recyclable materials down to a level lower than storage portion top cover 56, preventing binding of recylables 8 in internal compartments 30, 32, 34 once compaction has commenced.
Hopper top cover 96 is movable from the open, receiving position of Figure 4A to the closed position of Figure 4B by the actuation of a hopper top cover cylinder 98. Hopper top cover cylinder 98 is attached at a first end to storage portion top cover 56 and attached at a second end to hopper top cover 96. Hopper top cover cylinder 98 is retracted when hopper top cover 96 is in the open, receiving position.
Extension of hopper top cover cylinder 98 causes hopper top cover 96 to move to the closed position of Figure 4B.
i5 Hopper top cover 96 is fitted with rollers 100, 102, 104, 106 (rollers 104, 106, on the opposite side of hopper top cover 96, correspond to rollers 100, 102, respectively, but are not shown) on the outward, side edges of hopper top cover 96. Rollers 100, 102, 104, 106 are rotatably connected to hopper top cover 96 and are designed to fit inside two tracks ao 110, 120 (track 120, opposite track 110, is also not shown), which are attached on the top edges of trailer box side walls 20, 22.
Tracks 110, 120 are comprised of a substantially horizontal portion 112, 122, respectively, and four shorter, angled portions 114, 116, 2 5 124, 126, respectively (horizontal portion 122 and angled portions 124, 126 correspond to horizontal portion 112 and angled portions 114, 116, respectively, but are not shown). Portions 114, 116, 124, 126 angle downwards and towards front wall 24. When cylinder 98 is retracted and hopper top cover 96 is in the open receiving position of Figure 5A, roller 102 is positioned on track 110 at a location between angled portions and s 114 and 116, while roller 100 is positioned on track 110 at a location which is on the rear door side of angled portion 114. Full retraction of cylinder 98 will not pull hopper top cover 96 far enough rearward to allow roller 102 into angled portion 114.
Hopper top cover 96 not only prevents spillage or loss of recyclables 8 from trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, but also achieves further compaction of recyclables 8. When rollers 100, 102 fall into angled portions 114, 116, respectively, of track 110, hopper top cover 96 achieves vertical compaction of recyclables 8. This vertical i5 compaction is of such a nature as allowed by the length of angled portions 114, 116 and facilitates the compaction of recyclables 8 in trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34, particularly oddly shaped materials such as plastic bottles, by containing them within hoppers 40, 42, 44.
ao Loader apparatus 16 is of the front-loading variety and well known in the art. Similar loader apparatuses are disclosed in Christenson and the Mezey patents. Loader apparatus 16 comprises a pair of arching loader arms 130, 132 and a pair of forwardly extending fork members 134, 136. Loader arms 130, 132 are pivotally connected to fork members 134, 25 136. This pivotal connection, and the actuation of fork member cylinders 135, 137 allow loader apparatus 16 to maintain bin 10 in a generally horizontal position while it is being raised from ground level, over truck cab 14, to a position above hopper portions 40, 42, 44 of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34. Maintaining a generally horizontal position of bin 10 during lifting thus prevents inadvertent spillage of recyclables on truck cab 14. In operation the lifting of bin 10 by loader apparatus 16 is achieved through the actuation of loader arm cylinders 131, 133.
Vehicle 12 is wired to prevent the actuation of packer blade to cylinders 70, 72, 74 or hopper top cover cylinder 98 when loader apparatus 16 is engaged. This ensures that hopper top cover 96 is in the open, receiving position of Figure 4A. and packer blades 60, 62, 64 are in the receiving positions, as illustrated in Figure 2A, when bin 10 is being lifted for dumping.
Figures 5A, 5B, 6 and 7 illustrate recyclables collection bin 10, which is comprised, generally, of a bottom 146, two opposed side walls 148, 150, a front wall 152, a rear wall 154, bin internal divider walls 156, 158 (illustrated in dotted outline in Figures 5A and 5B) and a bin top 2o cover member 159, which lies across the top of side walls 148, 150, front wall 152, rear wall 154 and bin internal divider walls 156, 158. Bin internal divider walls 156, 158 divide bin 10 into three bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164, although it will be appreciated that the number of compartments may be varied to coincide with different needs.
Bin top cover member 159 contains apertures 166, 168, 170 of differing shapes and sizes to accommodate the disposal of different types of recyclables into certain of bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164. For example, apertures 166 allow disposal of plastic bottles into bin internal compartment 162, while aperture 168 allows the disposal of some other recyclable, such as cardboard or mixed paper. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modification of the apertures of bin top cover member 159 is possible to suit a particular need in relation to a particular recyclable. Thus, source-separation of recyclable materials is achieved through the use of bin 10.
Bin 10 is equipped with lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, which are hingedly attached to bin 10 by suitable means such as lid tabs 187. Lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 prevent the weathering of the contents of bin 10, prevent entry by animals such as raccoons and i5 discourage persons from contaminating recyclables in one bin internal compartments with recyclables which should be properly discarded in another bin internal compartment. Lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 are movable between open and closed positions by hinging on lid rods 188, which also serve as the attachment points between lids 181, 182, 183, 184, a o 185, 186 and lid tabs 187.
As illustrated in Figures SA, 6 and 7, bin 10 may also be fitted with a locking bar 189, which is hingedly attached to bin 10. Locking bar 189, well-known in the art, extends the width of bin 10 and is movable between 25 locked and unlocked positions. In the locked position of Figure 6, locking bar 189 prevents the opening of lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186. Pulling locking bar 189 slightly frontwards (i.e. away from bin 10) moves it to the unlocked position and allows the opening of lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 as shown in Figure 7.
s Lids 181, 182, 183 ,184, 185, 186 lie flat over the face of bin top cover member 159 in their closed position. As shown in Figure 5A, each portion of top cover member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164 is covered by two overlapping lids in their closed position. Lids 181, 182 fold down over the portion of bin top cover io member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartment 160 to cover aperture 168. Similarly, lids 183, 184 fold down over the portion of bin top cover member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartment 162 to cover apertures 166. Finally, lids 185, 186 fold down over the portion of bin top cover member 159 corresponding to bin internal compartment 164 is to cover aperture 170.
Two loader apparatus receiving brackets 202, 204 are attached to bin side walls 148, 150 and are included for engagement by loader apparatus 16 of vehicle 12, as described above.
It will also be appreciated that the design or shape of the upper receiving portion 206 of bin 10 may be varied. In the preferred embodiment, upper receiving portion 206 of bin 10 is angled to allow easy deposit access for users of bin 10. Rain hood 208 is also provided.
However, alternative shapes, including generally vertical or horizontal upper portions, are within the inventive scope of the invention.
In operation, a system for collecting, compacting and unloading of recyclables is provided. Bin 10 is provided to a strategic site for the collection of recyclables. Vehicle 12 is utilized once bin 10 has collected a certain volume of filled recyclables, or on a pre-determined s periodic interval.
Fork members 134, 136 of loader apparatus 16 engage loader apparatus receiving brackets 202, 204. Once engaged, actuation of arching loader arm cylinders 131, 133 causes bin 10 to be front-loaded over truck cab 14 of vehicle 12. As noted above, the pivotal connection between fork members 134, 136 and arching loader arms 130, 132, and the actuation of fork member cylinders 135, 137 allow for the maintenance of a horizontal position of bin 10 during lifting. As explained above, once loader apparatus 16 is engaged, hopper top cover 96 moves into the open, i5 receiving position of Figure 4A and packer blades 60, 62, 64 return to the receiving position of Figure 2A to await the dump of recyclables 8 into hoppers 40, 42, 44. EvenW ally loader apparatus 16 lifts and inverts bin 10, over hopper portions 40, 42, 44 of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 and dumping is accomplished by gravity.
When bin 10 is inverted over truck box 18, bin internal compartments 160, 162, 164 are in substantial alignment with trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34. The communication of these compartments is effectuated by the operation of bin lids 181, 182, 183, 2 5 184, 185, 186 as illustrated in Figure 8. When bin 10 is inverted, lids and 186 extends downwardly as substantial extensions of bin side walls 148, 150, respectively, and become substantially aligned with trailer side walls 20, 22, respectively. Extension and alignment are achieved on inversion by lids 182 and 183 with bin internal divider wall 156 and on either side of trailer box internal divider wall 26. Extension and alignment are achieved on inversion by lids 184 and 185 with bin internal divider wall 158 and on either side of trailer box internal divider wall 28. Thus, when bin 10 is inverted above trailer box 18 of vehicle 12, lids 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 guide the separated recyclables into the corresponding trailer box internal compartments. This prevents commingling or spillage between compartments when recyclables 8 are being dumped from bin 10 to trailer box 18.
Once recyclables 8 are received, bin 10 is returned to its ground-level position and compaction of the received recyclables 8 in i5 trailer box 18 commences. Vertical compaction is provided by moving hopper top cover 96 from the open position of Figure 4A to the closed position of Figure 4B as described above. This is not required if hoppers 40, 42, 44 are not full. Simultaneously, packer blade cylinders 70, 72, 74 are actuated causing horizontal compaction of recyclables 8 by packer 2o blades 60, 62, 64 in trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34. Packer blades 60, 62, 64 travel together within internal compartments 30, 32, 34, respectively, during compaction to provide support for internal divider walls 26, 28 and for improved balance of vehicle 12. Packer blades 60, 62, 64 remain compacting during the transport of recyclables 8 by vehicle 25 12.
Packer blades 60, 62, 64 may encounter unequal levels of pressure during compaction. For example, if one or more trailer box internal compartment has substantially more recyclables than the others, the packer blade in that internal compartment will encounter greater pressure during compaction. Control means are provided to retard the movement of the packer blade encountering greater pressure, while the packer blade or blades encountering less pressure move to a position which is rearward of or adjacent to the retarded packer blade. In this way, packer blades 60, 62, 64 provide reinforcement for trailer box internal divider walls 26, 28 io during compaction in significant pressure differential situations.
The loading procedure described above will be repeated until one or all of trailer box internal divider compartments 30, 32, 34 is full.
Once the loader apparatus 16 is actuated to engage another bin, hopper top i5 cover 96 and packer blades 60, 62, 64 return to their open and receiving positions as described above to receive the next dump.
Vehicle 12 may also be used with an open-front adapter bin 210, rather than collection bin 12. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate that, similar ao to collection bin 12, adapter bin 212 is comprised of a bottom 214, opposed side walls 216, 218, a rear wall 220, adapter bin internal divider walls 222, 224. Adapter bin internal divider walls 222, 224 divide adapter bin 210 into three adapter bin internal compartments, 230, 232, 234.
2 s In contrast to collection bin 12, adapter bin 212 is open-fronted.
Specifically, adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 do not have a front wall similar to front wall 152 of collection bin 12, but are instead "open". This allows the insertion of recyclables tote container 236, which is well known and used in the recycling industry, inside adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234. Tote containers 236 may be s manually placed, for example by means of wheels 238, into internal compartments 230, 232, 234.
The communication of adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 with trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 during ~o dumping, as accomplished by adapter bin lids, is identical to that described above in relation to collection bin 12. The lifting and dumping of adapter bin 210 over trailer box 18 of vehicle 18 is also essentially identical to that described in relation to collection bin 12 above, except that, in contrast to bin 12 where loader apparatus 16 engages the front of collection bin 12, ~s loader apparatus 16 must engage the rear of adapter bin 210 before lifting.
This is done so that tote containers 236 do not fall out of open-front adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 during lifting of adapter bin 210 over truck cab 14. Thus, tote containers 236 "falls back" within adapter bin internal compartments 230, 232, 234 against rear wall 220 2 o during lifting of adapter bin 210 .
Square tubing 240 is attached to the top edges of rear wall 220, internal divider walls 222, 224 and side walls 216, 218 and across the top, front edge of adapter bin 210. That is, tubing 240 extends across the 2 s width of adapter bin 210 as if on top of a top edge of a front wall, had adapter bin 210 been built with one. Square tubing 240 thus defines a top frame for each of internal compartments 230, 232, 234, as illustrated in Figure 11, which has a perimeter smaller than the top-edge perimeter of tote container 236. Square tubing 240 thus holds tote containers 236 captive inside adapter bin 210 when adapter bin 210 is completely inverted s over hopper portions 40, 42, 44 of trailer box 18.
It will be appreciated that as an alternative to square tubing 240, any material that retains tote container 236 within adapter bin 212 during dumping over trailer box 18, such as angled bars having apertures therein to for lid attachment, can be used.
Vehicle 12 can thus utilize adapter bin 210 to collect recyclables from tote containers 236. Adapter bin 210 is carried on fork members 134, 136 of loader apparatus 16 during transport of vehicle 12 is between sites. When vehicle 12 reaches a site utilizing collection bin 12, adapter bin 210 is dropped from loader apparatus 16 and collection bin 12 can be engaged, as described above. After dumping is complete, adapter bin 210 is again lifted and carried as vehicle 12 proceeds to the next site.
ao Once one or all of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 is full, unloading of the collected recyclables 8 from vehicle 12 is necessary. Vehicle 12 proceeds to a recycling depot, plant or other location. When vehicle 12 is appropriately positioned, the unloading of one of the trailer box internal compartments, independent of the other a 5 compartments, is possible. The following discussion relates to packer blade 60 in trailer box internal compartment 30, though the identical procedure is employed for trailer box internal compartments 32, 34.
Rear door 80 is opened through the actuation of rear door cylinder 90. Once opened, packer blade cylinder 70 becomes fully s extended, thereby causing rearward movement of packer blade 60 of the length of trailer box internal compartment 30. This movement pushes recyclables 8 out the rear of trailer box internal compartment 30 and, consequently, vehicle 12. In contrast to the compacting mode where all three packer blades 60, 62, 64 travel together, packer blade 60 moves ~o independently of packer blades 62, 64 during the unloading of internal compartment 30. This allows the unloading of one of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 independent of the others.
After trailer box internal compartment 30 is emptied, rear i5 door cylinder 90 is expanded and rear door 80 is accordingly closed.
Vehicle 12 can then, if necessary, drive to a different depot, or a different location within the same depot, and unload the contents of another trailer box internal compartment. This procedure will be repeated until all (if desired) of trailer box internal compartments 30, 32, 34 are emptied.
Zo As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in 25 accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
Claims (31)
1. A vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box comprising:
a) two opposite side walls;
b) a front wall;
c) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
i) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
ii) a rear unloading door;
ii) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment; and d) a top cover for said storage portions; and e) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position.
a) two opposite side walls;
b) a front wall;
c) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
i) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
ii) a rear unloading door;
ii) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment; and d) a top cover for said storage portions; and e) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein there are two internal divider walls, three internal compartments and three rear doors.
3. The vehicle of claim 1 or 2 wherein said hopper top cover is capable of vertically compacting said recyclables when in said closed position.
4. The vehicle of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said hopper top cover is movable between said open receiving position and said closed position on two tracks attached to said trailer box side walls.
5. The vehicle of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said movement of said hopper top cover is actuated by a cylinder attached to said storage portion top cover.
6. The vehicle of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said packer blades are a height substantially equal to that of said trailer box internal compartments.
7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein all of said packer blades travel together during compacting of said recyclables in said trailer box internal compartments.
8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein said packer blades support said internal divider walls during compaction whereby when one or more of said packer blades encounters greater compaction pressure than the other of said packer blades, the movement of said packer blade or blades encountering the greater pressure becomes retarded and said remaining blade or blades moves to a position which is adjacent to or rearward of said retarded packer blade or blades.
9. The vehicle of claim 6, 7, or 8 wherein each of said packer blades travels independently of the other of said packer blades during unloading of said recyclables from said trailer box internal compartment.
10. The vehicle of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 wherein each of said rear doors is upwardly openable by the actuation of a cylinder and independently of the other of said rear doors.
11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said rear doors are arcuate.
12. A recyclables collection bin comprising:
a) a bottom;
b) two opposed side walls;
c) a front wall, said front wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
d) a rear wall, said rear wall being opposed to and substantially parallel with said front wall;
e) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls;
f) a top cover member for said internal compartments, said top cover member further comprising a plurality of apertures for accommodating disposal of different types of recyclables into said bin internal compartments;
g) loader apparatus receiving means; and h) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said top cover and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
a) a bottom;
b) two opposed side walls;
c) a front wall, said front wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
d) a rear wall, said rear wall being opposed to and substantially parallel with said front wall;
e) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls;
f) a top cover member for said internal compartments, said top cover member further comprising a plurality of apertures for accommodating disposal of different types of recyclables into said bin internal compartments;
g) loader apparatus receiving means; and h) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said top cover and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
13. The bin of claim 12 wherein said loader apparatus receiving means are two brackets attached to said side walls.
14. The bin of claim 12 or 13 wherein there are two internal divider walls and three internal compartments.
15. The bin of claim 14 wherein there are six said lids.
16. An open-front recyclables adapter bin comprising:
a) a bottom;
b) two opposed side walls;
c) a rear wall, said rear wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
d) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said adapter bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said adapter bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls, wherein said internal compartments are capable of containing a tote container therein;
e) a retainer member attached to the top edges of said side walls, said rear wall and said internal divider walls and extending the width of said bin across the top of the frontward edges of said side walls and said divider walls, wherein said retainer member defines a top frame above each of said internal compartments having a smaller perimeter than that of said tote containers;
f) loader apparatus receiving means; and g) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said retainer member and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
a) a bottom;
b) two opposed side walls;
c) a rear wall, said rear wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
d) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said adapter bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said adapter bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls, wherein said internal compartments are capable of containing a tote container therein;
e) a retainer member attached to the top edges of said side walls, said rear wall and said internal divider walls and extending the width of said bin across the top of the frontward edges of said side walls and said divider walls, wherein said retainer member defines a top frame above each of said internal compartments having a smaller perimeter than that of said tote containers;
f) loader apparatus receiving means; and g) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said retainer member and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
17. The adapter bin of claim 16 wherein said loader apparatus receiving means are two brackets attached to said side walls.
18. The adapter bin of claim 16 or 17 wherein there are two internal divider walls and three internal compartments.
19. The adapter bin of claim 16, 17 or 18 wherein there are six said lids.
20. A method of collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising the steps of:
a) providing a recyclables collection bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a front wall, said front wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a rear wall, said rear wall being opposed to and substantially parallel with said front wall;
v) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls;
vi) a top cover member for said internal compartments, said top cover member further comprising a plurality of apertures for accommodating disposal of different types of recyclables into said bin internal compartments;
vii) loader apparatus receiving means; and viii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said top cover and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
b) providing a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box further comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said trailer box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) a rear unloading door, wherein each of said rear doors is upwardly openable by the actuation of a cylinder independently of the other of said rear doors; and C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position, said movable hopper top cover being capable of providing vertical compacting of said recyclables in said hopper portions;
c) unloading said recyclables from said collection bin to said vehicle, wherein:
i) said loader apparatus of said vehicle lifts and inverts said collection bin above said hopper portions of said trailer box internal compartments by engaging said loader apparatus receiving means of said collection bin;
ii) said bin lids become substantially aligned with said trailer box side walls and trailer box internal divider walls when said bin is inverted above said hopper portions so that said bin internal compartments are in communication with said trailer box internal compartments when said bin is inverted above said hopper portions; and iii) said hopper top cover is in said open position and said packer blades are in a position that prevents the dumping of said recyclables between said front wall and said packer blades;
d) compacting said recyclables in said trailer box internal compartments by moving said hopper top cover to said closed position and by moving said packer blades toward said rear doors; and e) unloading said recyclables from one of said trailer box internal compartments by opening the rear door of one of said trailer box internal compartments and moving the packer blade of that trailer box internal compartment the length of said trailer box internal compartment.
a) providing a recyclables collection bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a front wall, said front wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a rear wall, said rear wall being opposed to and substantially parallel with said front wall;
v) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls;
vi) a top cover member for said internal compartments, said top cover member further comprising a plurality of apertures for accommodating disposal of different types of recyclables into said bin internal compartments;
vii) loader apparatus receiving means; and viii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said top cover and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
b) providing a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box further comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said trailer box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) a rear unloading door, wherein each of said rear doors is upwardly openable by the actuation of a cylinder independently of the other of said rear doors; and C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position, said movable hopper top cover being capable of providing vertical compacting of said recyclables in said hopper portions;
c) unloading said recyclables from said collection bin to said vehicle, wherein:
i) said loader apparatus of said vehicle lifts and inverts said collection bin above said hopper portions of said trailer box internal compartments by engaging said loader apparatus receiving means of said collection bin;
ii) said bin lids become substantially aligned with said trailer box side walls and trailer box internal divider walls when said bin is inverted above said hopper portions so that said bin internal compartments are in communication with said trailer box internal compartments when said bin is inverted above said hopper portions; and iii) said hopper top cover is in said open position and said packer blades are in a position that prevents the dumping of said recyclables between said front wall and said packer blades;
d) compacting said recyclables in said trailer box internal compartments by moving said hopper top cover to said closed position and by moving said packer blades toward said rear doors; and e) unloading said recyclables from one of said trailer box internal compartments by opening the rear door of one of said trailer box internal compartments and moving the packer blade of that trailer box internal compartment the length of said trailer box internal compartment.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein there are two collection bin internal divider walls, two trailer box internal divider walls, three collection bin internal compartments, three trailer box internal compartments and six lids.
22. The method of claim 20 or 21 wherein steps (c) and (d) are repeated more than once before step (e).
23. The method of claim 20, 21 or 22 wherein step (e) is repeated until all of said trailer box internal compartments are unloaded.
24. A method of collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising the steps of:
a) providing at least one recyclables tote container;
b) providing a recyclables adapter bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a rear upright wall, said rear wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said adapter bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said adapter bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls, wherein each of said internal compartments is capable of containing one said tote container;
v) a retainer member attached to the top edges of said side walls, said rear wall and said internal divider walls and extending the width of said bin across the top of the frontward edges of said side walls and said divider walls, wherein said retainer member defines a top frame above each of said internal compartments having a smaller perimeter than that of said tote containers;
vi) loader apparatus receiving means; and viii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said retainer member and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted;
c) providing a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box further comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said trailer box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) a rear unloading door, wherein each of said rear doors is upwardly openable by the actuation of a cylinder independently of the other of said rear doors; and C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position, said movable hopper top cover being capable of providing vertical compacting of said recyclables in said hopper portions;
d) placing at least one said recyclables tote container in one of said adapter bin internal compartments;
e) unloading said recyclables from said adapter bin to said vehicle, wherein:
i) said loader apparatus of said vehicle engages the rear of said adapter bin at said loader apparatus receiving means and lifts and inverts said adapter bin above said hopper portions of said trailer box internal compartments;
ii) said adapter bin lids become substantially aligned with said trailer box side walls and said trailer box internal divider walls when said adapter bin is inverted above said hopper portions so that said adapter bin internal compartments are in communication with said trailer box internal compartments when said adapter bin is inverted above said hopper portions, said tote container being held captive inside said adapter bin by said retainer member; and iii) said hopper top cover is in said open position and said packer blades are in a position that prevents the dumping of said recyclables between said front wall and said packer blades;
f) compacting said recyclables in said trailer box internal compartments by moving said hopper top cover to said closed position and by moving said packer blades toward said rear doors; and g) unloading said recyclables from one of said trailer box internal compartments by opening the rear door of one of said trailer box internal compartments and moving the packer blade of that trailer box internal compartment the length of said trailer box internal compartment.
a) providing at least one recyclables tote container;
b) providing a recyclables adapter bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a rear upright wall, said rear wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said adapter bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said adapter bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls, wherein each of said internal compartments is capable of containing one said tote container;
v) a retainer member attached to the top edges of said side walls, said rear wall and said internal divider walls and extending the width of said bin across the top of the frontward edges of said side walls and said divider walls, wherein said retainer member defines a top frame above each of said internal compartments having a smaller perimeter than that of said tote containers;
vi) loader apparatus receiving means; and viii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said retainer member and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted;
c) providing a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box further comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said trailer box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) a rear unloading door, wherein each of said rear doors is upwardly openable by the actuation of a cylinder independently of the other of said rear doors; and C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position, said movable hopper top cover being capable of providing vertical compacting of said recyclables in said hopper portions;
d) placing at least one said recyclables tote container in one of said adapter bin internal compartments;
e) unloading said recyclables from said adapter bin to said vehicle, wherein:
i) said loader apparatus of said vehicle engages the rear of said adapter bin at said loader apparatus receiving means and lifts and inverts said adapter bin above said hopper portions of said trailer box internal compartments;
ii) said adapter bin lids become substantially aligned with said trailer box side walls and said trailer box internal divider walls when said adapter bin is inverted above said hopper portions so that said adapter bin internal compartments are in communication with said trailer box internal compartments when said adapter bin is inverted above said hopper portions, said tote container being held captive inside said adapter bin by said retainer member; and iii) said hopper top cover is in said open position and said packer blades are in a position that prevents the dumping of said recyclables between said front wall and said packer blades;
f) compacting said recyclables in said trailer box internal compartments by moving said hopper top cover to said closed position and by moving said packer blades toward said rear doors; and g) unloading said recyclables from one of said trailer box internal compartments by opening the rear door of one of said trailer box internal compartments and moving the packer blade of that trailer box internal compartment the length of said trailer box internal compartment.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein there are two collection bin internal divider walls, two trailer box internal divider walls, three collection bin internal compartments, three trailer box internal compartments and six lids.
26. The method of claim 24 or 25 wherein steps (e) and (f) are repeated more than once before step (g).
27. The method of claim 24, 25 or 26 wherein step (g) is repeated until all of said trailer box internal compartments are unloaded.
28. A system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising:
(a) a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) an rear unloading door;
C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position; and b) a recyclables collection bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a front wall, said front wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a rear wall, said rear wall being opposed to and substantially parallel with said front wall;
v) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls;
vi) a top cover member for said internal compartments, said top cover member further comprising a plurality of apertures for accommodating disposal of different types of recyclables into said bin internal compartments;
vii) loader apparatus receiving means; and viii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said top cover and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
(a) a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) an rear unloading door;
C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position; and b) a recyclables collection bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a front wall, said front wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a rear wall, said rear wall being opposed to and substantially parallel with said front wall;
v) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls;
vi) a top cover member for said internal compartments, said top cover member further comprising a plurality of apertures for accommodating disposal of different types of recyclables into said bin internal compartments;
vii) loader apparatus receiving means; and viii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said top cover and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein there are two collection bin internal divider walls, two trailer box internal divider walls, three collection bin internal compartments, three trailer box internal compartments and six lids.
30. A system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising:
a) at least one recyclables tote container b) a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) an rear unloading door;
C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position; and c) an open-front recyclables adapter bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a rear wall, said rear wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said adapter bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said adapter bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls, wherein said internal compartments are capable of containing a tote container therein;
v) a retainer member attached to the top edges of said side walls, said rear wall and said internal divider walls and extending the width of said bin across the top of the frontward edges of said side walls and said divider walls, wherein said retainer member defines a top frame above each of said internal compartments having a smaller perimeter than that of said tote containers;
vi) loader apparatus receiving means; and vii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said retainer member and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
a) at least one recyclables tote container b) a vehicle for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables comprising a loader apparatus and a trailer box, said trailer box comprising:
i) two opposite side walls;
ii) a front wall;
iii) a plurality of internal divider walls, said divider walls being substantially parallel to said side walls and dividing said box into a plurality of internal compartments, each of said internal compartments further comprising:
A) a hopper portion and a storage portion;
B) an rear unloading door;
C) a packer blade movable the substantial length of said internal compartment;
iv) a top cover for said storage portions; and v) a top cover for said hopper portions movable between an open receiving position and a closed position; and c) an open-front recyclables adapter bin comprising:
i) a bottom;
ii) two opposed side walls;
iii) a rear wall, said rear wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls;
iv) a plurality of internal divider walls dividing said adapter bin into a plurality of internal compartments, said adapter bin divider walls being substantially parallel with and substantially the same height as said side walls, wherein said internal compartments are capable of containing a tote container therein;
v) a retainer member attached to the top edges of said side walls, said rear wall and said internal divider walls and extending the width of said bin across the top of the frontward edges of said side walls and said divider walls, wherein said retainer member defines a top frame above each of said internal compartments having a smaller perimeter than that of said tote containers;
vi) loader apparatus receiving means; and vii) a plurality of lids movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein said lids are hingedly attached to said retainer member and allow for guided recyclables unloading whereby said lids are substantial vertical extensions of said side walls and said internal divider walls when said bin is inverted.
31. The system of claim 30 wherein there are two adapter bin internal divider walls, two trailer box internal divider walls, three adapter bin internal compartments, three trailer box internal compartments and six lids.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2259822 CA2259822A1 (en) | 1999-01-20 | 1999-01-20 | Vehicle, bin and system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2259822 CA2259822A1 (en) | 1999-01-20 | 1999-01-20 | Vehicle, bin and system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2259822A1 true CA2259822A1 (en) | 2000-07-20 |
Family
ID=29555010
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2259822 Abandoned CA2259822A1 (en) | 1999-01-20 | 1999-01-20 | Vehicle, bin and system for collecting, compacting and unloading source-separated recyclables |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2259822A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009127806A1 (en) * | 2008-04-15 | 2009-10-22 | Giles Timothy Sergant | System for collecting refuse in a segregated manner |
| CN112357415A (en) * | 2020-12-02 | 2021-02-12 | 徐州徐工环境技术有限公司 | Automatic shaking feeding control device and control method for kitchen vehicle |
| WO2022082266A1 (en) * | 2020-10-20 | 2022-04-28 | Troy Andison | Location-based collection and transport of recyclable or reusable items |
-
1999
- 1999-01-20 CA CA 2259822 patent/CA2259822A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009127806A1 (en) * | 2008-04-15 | 2009-10-22 | Giles Timothy Sergant | System for collecting refuse in a segregated manner |
| GB2471038A (en) * | 2008-04-15 | 2010-12-15 | Timothy Giles Sergant | System for collecting refuse in a segregated manner |
| GB2471038B (en) * | 2008-04-15 | 2011-10-05 | Giles Timothy Sergant | System for collecting refuse in a segregated manner |
| WO2022082266A1 (en) * | 2020-10-20 | 2022-04-28 | Troy Andison | Location-based collection and transport of recyclable or reusable items |
| CN112357415A (en) * | 2020-12-02 | 2021-02-12 | 徐州徐工环境技术有限公司 | Automatic shaking feeding control device and control method for kitchen vehicle |
| CN112357415B (en) * | 2020-12-02 | 2022-06-24 | 徐州徐工环境技术有限公司 | Automatic shaking feeding control device and control method for kitchen vehicle |
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