EP0091439A1

EP0091439A1 - Collecting containers such as compost containers or compost silos

Info

Publication number: EP0091439A1
Application number: EP82901735A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jaakko Nilsson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-05-22
Filing date: 1982-05-21
Publication date: 1983-10-19
Also published as: SE8103240L; GB2119782A; GB8316480D0; WO1982004039A1; JPS58500806A; DE3246034T1

Abstract

Bloc de construction (1) qui, utilise avec d'autres blocs de construction (2) de forme analogue, peut former un recipient collecteur tel qu'un silo a compost pour les dechets de jardin. Le bloc a la forme d'un tube et est compose d'un materiau poreux, de preference un tube rectangulaire en un materiau de brique recuite de faible poids. Au moins une des extremites du bloc est en outre formee avec des supports recevant des pattes de fixation (17) servant a tenir ensemble une pile de blocs de construction et/ou a tenir ensemble des blocs de construction places cote a cote.Building block (1) which, when used with other building blocks (2) of similar shape, can form a collecting container such as a compost silo for garden waste. The block has the shape of a tube and is made of a porous material, preferably a rectangular tube of a light weight annealed brick material. At least one of the ends of the block is further formed with supports receiving fixing lugs (17) serving to hold together a stack of building blocks and / or to hold together building blocks placed side by side.

Description

COLLECTING CONTAINERS SUCH AS COMPOST CONTAINERS OR COMPOST SILO

Technical field: The invention refers to a device intended as part of a collecting container e.g. a compost silo for garden waste, whereby the device comprises at least an initial building block for placing on the ground or on a base. The building block is of mouldable material.

Background: There is a need for stationary collecting containers for domestic use and that can be transported to and assembled anywhere, and that can be adapted in size to suit the users requirements and that can be increased or reduced in size to suit changes in requirements, or that can be dismantled for transportation. A compost silo for garden waste constitutes such a collecting container.

Technical problems:

The function of known and prefabricated compost silos such as sheet metal silos or netting frames with plastic film as wall materials has been seen to be inferior due to, among other things, that the possibility for the compost to decompose is inadequate, that they have insufficient strength and are not sufficiently weatherproof and that they are difficult to handle. Furthermore the known compost containers cannot be adapted to suit various volume requirements. The strength and weatherproof quality of wooden compost containers is poor, whilst brick-built compost containers are non-porous and hinder the ventilation and air circulation necessary for good and relatively rapid decomposition of the compost.

Disclosure of the invention:

With the device according to the invention one eliminates the disadvantages with known compost containers whilst fulfilling the specified requirements. Thus the device according to the invention can be adapted in volume to suit individual requirements, it can be complemented to facilitate increased requirements and even reduced to suit thu need for a smaller container volume. The device is easy to assemble without the aid of tools or other forms of assistance. Furthermore the device is, in comparison with other devices of similar material, easily transportable. The material of the device according to the invention is of such type that the device, whilst having adequate strength, also permits the necessary air circulation through the material for the ventilation of e.g. compost for achieving a rapid breaking down and decomposition process. In addition the material of the device brings about an improved decomposition process and raises the quality of the final compost product i.e. the mould comprising the final compost product. Furthermore the device can be assembled so that fresh compost can be added to a part of the compost silo, whilst previously added compost can be retained in another part of the compost silo and there await the decomposition process. The amount of material required to produce a device in accordance with the invention is small, which together with the fact that the device is simple to produce, means that the device can be produced at relatively low cost. This in turn implies that the costs for the user of the device will be related to the user's container space requirement.

A device in accordance with the invention is characterized in that a building block included in the device is shaped as a tube of porous material such as lightweight porous ballast e.g. light- weight clinker material. Furthermore, that at least one end or end portion of the block is provided with holders for receiving brackets making it possible to join the initial block with at least one other block.

Another characteristic of the device according to the invention is that the initial block is so designed that in addition to being joinable to another block can be joined to between three and eight blocks, which in turn can be joined to further blocks, and that all the aforesaid blocks are of similar design.

A further characteristic of the device in accordance with the invention is that the holders comprise a recess for receiving brackets for two or more blocks joined to each other. Brief description of the drawings: Further characteristics of, and advantages with, the device in accordance with the invention will be apparent from the following text describing the example, whilst at the same time reference will be made to accompanying di-agararaafcic drawings of which Fig. 1 shows in perspective an example of a building block which is part of the device according to the invention. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show in perspective brackets which are part of the device according to the invention. Fig. 4 shows from above two plates placed together which can also be part of the device according to the invention. Fig. 5 shows in perspective two building blocks stacked together. Fig. 6 shows in perspective two building blocks attached to form two stacks. Fig. 7 ( a - i ) show from above and in smaller scale proposals for different collecting container stacks in accordance with the invention and Fig. 8 shows from the side and also in smaller scale a stack of building blocks forming a collecting container.

Mode for carrying out the invention: The reference designations 1 - 8 in the figures show building blocks of mouldable porous material, as the moulded block with porous walls. For the building block shown in Fig. 1 a lightweight clinker material has been used e.g. a material sold under the trade mark Leca. In accordance with the example a block of rectangular shape is shown with short side walls 11 and long side walls 12,

The building block is preferably module adapted whereby the short side wall 11 is half the length of the long side wall 12.

Furthermore the block shows holders 14 for brackets 17, 18 which are shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The holder comprise a groove or recess 15 at one end 13 of the block. The other end is preferably flat and has therefore no such end recess 15. The recess 15 goes over, at least on the exterior of the wall, to an equivalent recess 16. In accordance with the example both the interior and the exterior surfaces are provided with such side wall recesses 16. The aforementioned recesses 15, 16 are intended to recieve parts of a first bracket 17, see Fig. 2, or a second bracket 18, see Fig. 3, and show a depth, breadth and length at least equivalent to the material dimensions of the brackets. The brackets are in the form of H-shaped clamps having a waist 19 with protruding legs 20 and are made of e.g. a rigid plastic material or bent metal plate or other suitable material.

Fig. 5 shows blocks 1 and 2 stacked and joined together whereby the initial block is set upon a base or placed directly on the ground and provided with two brackets 17, whereby the waist 19 and two legs 20 are entered or inserted into the end of the block 1 and side recesses 15 and l6, thus presenting flat external and internal walls. A second block 2 is thereafter attached to the ends 13 of the initial block 1 with side wall recesses 16 entered into the open part of the brackets 17, thus joining it to the initial block and securing both blocks together with the brackets 17, whilst the end recesses of the initial block 1 and the lower edge of the second block 2 form the openings 22 which promote ventilation and air circulation to the interior of the container.

In a similar manner two blocks can be attached side by side e.g. as can be seen in Fig. 6 where by means of the bracket 18, blocks 1 and 2 are joined together. Here the bracket 19 has a wider waist in order to make it possible for the legs 20 to grip across the double side walls.

In Fig. 4 is shown two plates 9 which together are of a size for laying inside the initial block 1 to form a bottom for the container. The plates which can be of the same material as the block have recesses 10 forming handgrips.

As previously mentioned two or several blocks can be joined together to form one or several stacks of blocks. In Fig. 7 ( a - k) are shown some possible variations for joining blocks 1 - 8 whereby the proposal according to Fig. 7 (a - d) can comprise the most usual combinations as also the proposals shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 7 d is also shown that with the retention of good access in the various containers any number of containers or stacks can be joined to form a unit. The variation possibilities are inex haustible as can be seen in subsequent examples, Fig. 7 (e -k), with further stack combinations, as in Fig. 7 g it can seen that the initial block 1 can be joined to seven surrounding blocks 2 - 7 and that on the initial block 1 a block 8 can be attached to form a stack. Fig. 7 h shows that the centre stack or container 1 can be obtained without the use of a block and still form a container with encircling walls from the surrounding blocks 2 - 7.

The variations shown in Fig. 7 are possible due to each block corresponding in shape and module size. Thus as shown in the example the blocks 1 - 8 have eight recesses 15, 16 and each side of every block has a middle recess. The two long sides 12 also have two additional recesses 15, 16 situated on each side of , and at the same distance from, the middle of the block and at half the distance from the middle of the block to the inside of the. short side walls 11 i.e. that these two extra recesses on the long sides 12 of the block are situated opposite the recesses or middle recesses 15, 16 of the short side walls 11 of the adjoining block. Naturally adjacent stacks or containers can be built to different heights.

In Fig. 8 is shown a stack 21 of blocks 1 - 6.

Without exceeding the scope of the invention it should be possible to make modifications to the device example presented. The shape of the building blocks can be varied without exceeding the scope of the invention and it is therefore possible that the blocks could be in the form of square tubes or other four-sided or multisided shape, and that it should be possible even to have circular shaped blocks. Furthermore the holders and brackets can of course be of another design e.g. in the form of holes in the walls of the blocks for receiving rods, tongued joints at the ends of the blocks etc. The bottom plate can of course have larger dimensions and provide a base for the initial block. The side wall recesses do not of course need to reach across the entire side walls and can also vary in number, as with the number of end recesses. The lower edges of the blocks can be provided with end recesses or with protruding bulges or similar items for entering the end recesses. The device in accordance with the the invention is thus not limited to that shown and described but only by the following patent claims.

Claims

Patent claims

1. A device intended as part of a collecting container e.g. a compost silo for garden waste and comprising at least a primary building block (1 - 8) intended for placing on the ground or on a base, characterized in that the block (1 - 8) is shaped as a tube and being of porous material, preferably of lightweight clinker material, and that at least one end of the block (13) or end portion (13) has a holder (14) which can be provided with brackets (17, 18) in order to make possible joining of the primary block to at least a second block (2 - 8).

2. A device in accordance with patent claim 1, characterized in that the first block ( 1 ) is arranged so that in addition to being joined to the second block (2), can if necessary also be joined to a third and up to an eighth block (3 - 8) whereby the second and up to the eighth block (2 - 8) can be in turn joined to further blocks, and that such blocks are similarly shaped.

3. A device in accordance with patent claim 1, characterized in that the holders (14) comprise at least one end recess (15), whose dimensions are adapted to receive part of a bracket (17, 18) e.g. comprising an H-shaped clamp, whereby the end recess shall be capable of receiving the waist (19) of th.e clamp.

4. A device in accordance with patent claims 1 or 3, characterized in that at least the external sides of the blocks (1 - 8) and preferably even the internal sides have side recesses (16), whose dimensions are adapted to receive part of a bracket (17, 18) e.g. comprising an H-shaped clamp, whereby the end recess shall be capable of receiving one of four of the protruding flanges (20) from the waist ( 19) of a bracket.

5. A device in accordance with patent claims 1 or 3, characterized in that the holders ( 14) are made up of several end recesses (15), preferably four, six or eight recesses.

6. A device in accordance with patent claim 5, characterized in that the blocks (1 - 8) are shaped as rectangular tubes, preferably arranged with two parallel short side walls (11) and two parallel long side walls (12).

7. A device in accordance with patent claim 6, characterized in that the short side walls (11) are arranged to be half as long as the long side walls (12).

8. A device in accordance with patent claim 7_. characterized in that when the blocks ( 1 - 8) have four end recesses (15) each recess is arranged at the middle of each side wall (11, 12) end (13), when the blocks have six end recesses (15) one recess is arranged at the middle of each short side wall (ll) end (13), whilst each end (13) of the long side walls (12) is provided with two recesses, and when the blocks have eight end recesses

(15) one recess is arranged at the middle of each short side wall (11) end (13), whilst each end (13) of both long side walls (12) has three recesses of which one is arranged at the middle of the side wall's end and the other two on each side of the middle recess and at the same distance from the middle recess.

9» A device in accordance with patent claim 1, characterized in that at least one bracket (17, 18) is intended to be attached to a primary block (1), whereby a second block (2) can be joined to the end (13) of the primary block and held by brackets (17 , 18) and blocks (3 - 8) arranged in a stack, and when required two or several stacks can be joined to at least one previous block whilst raising each stack, and with the possibility when required of dismantling one or several stacks.