EP0315674B1

EP0315674B1 - Device for compressing refuse, etc. in a container

Info

Publication number: EP0315674B1
Application number: EP88905256A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henry Hansen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Alvenius Industrier Te Eskilstuna Zweden AB
Priority date: 1987-06-05
Filing date: 1988-06-03
Publication date: 1991-09-25
Also published as: WO1988009757A1; DE3865177D1; SE8702368L; AU1802288A; SE8702368D0; ATE67744T1; EP0315674A1; SE461642B

Abstract

The present invention relates to an arrangement (1) for a container (3) for compressing refuse (2) and similar material by means of a number of material processing devices (7) for compressing the material and capable of being accommodated in the container (3), which devices are capable of rotating and of moving in a vertical sense relative to the material accommodating container (3). The invention permits, amongst other things, a compacting arrangement to be produced which is simple and is capable of working in a restricted space without requiring great vertical clearance. Said material processing device (7) is supported by a carrier arm (13) extending internally inside the container (3) towards the bottom (3B) of the container and displaced laterally from the centre of the container, on the lower end of which carrier arm there is supported a whirler (14) or some other hydraulic motor for causing the material processing device in question to be driven hydraulically in a rotational sense.

Description

The present invention relates to a device according the preamble of claim 1.
Such a device is disclosed in US, A, 4,524,685, comprising a carrier arm which extends towards the bottom of an accommodating container for refuse and similar material which is to be compressed by means of a compressing roller supported by the arm. Said arm extends down through the centre of the container for a considerable distance, however, which means that refuse and similar material is able to wrap itself around said long central carrier arm, and that considerable clearance is required directly above the container in order for the arm to be capable of being accommodated in its raised position when there is a large quantity of material in the container or when it is wished to replace the container.
The principal object of the present invention is thus in the first instance to make available an arrangement of the kind indicated, which amongst other things resolves said problems simply and effectively, and which is simple with regard both to its construction and to its function and is intended to function in the absence of dangerous stresses on the constituent parts of the arrangement.
Said object is achieved by the features of the characterizing portion of claim 1.
The invention is described below as two preferred illustrative embodiments, in conjunction with which reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Figs. 1-4 show a first illustrative embodiment, where
Fig. 1 shows the compressing arrangement in perspective, viewed at an angle from the front;
Fig. 2 shows the arrangement viewed from the side;
Fig. 3 shows the arrangement from above;
Fig. 4 represents a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 of the arrangement;
Figs. 5-7 show a second illustrative embodiment of a compressing arrangement, where
Fig. 5 shows a section through said second compression arrangement;
Fig. 6 shows a carrier arm viewed from the side; and
Fig. 7 shows the carrier arm viewed along the length of same.

A compression arrangement 1 arranged in accordance with the present invention, which is so adapted as to disintegrate and compact material 2 of various kinds, and in particular refuse, such as cardboard, wood and plastic, deformable metal objects, fabric and household haste, etc., comprises a container 3, which preferably exhibits a material inlet opening 4 at the upper end 3A of the container and is capable of accommodating a removable bag or some other similar and easily replaceable packaging inside a material accommodating space 5. The wall of said container 3 can exhibit a number of double-articulated wall sections 3¹, 3², 3³, 3⁴, which, thanks to the articulations 6, are so arranged as to be capable of being opened progressively, in particular in conjunction with the replacement of a bag containing the material, etc., which progressive opening is particularly advantageous in restricted spaces such as rubbish chute collection rooms, etc.
Material 2, which is introduced into the internal space 5 of the container, is so arranged as to be compressed to form an easily-handled, compact mass of material by the action of a number of roller-shaped material processing devices 7 capable of being accommodated inside the container 3, which devices are capable of rotating 8 and of moving in a vertical sense 9, 10 relative to the material accommodating container 3, and are so arranged in addition as to move in a direction 11 about the centre 12 of the container.
Said material processing device 7 is supported by a carrier arm 13 extending inside the container towards the bottom 38 of the container, which carrier arm extends laterally and is displaced laterally from the centre 12 of the container.
A whirler 14 of a previously disclosed kind for causing the material processing device 7 to be driven hydraulically in a rotational sense is supported by the carrier arm 13 at its lower end 13A.
The carrier arm 13 is preferably so arranged as to be constituted by an upper upright 16 extending vertically along the wall 15 of the container, with a boom 17 extending preferably horizontally and at an angle X, preferably an angle of 90°, from the lower end 16A of the upright towards the centre 12 of the container. Said hydraulic whirler 14 is supported at the outer free end 17A of the beam.
The upper end 16B of the upright is attached by means of a mounting part 19 extending towards the outside 18 of the container, which mounting part is so arranged as to be capable of being accommodated so as to move in a slot 20 which extends through the wall 15 and in the direction of its height. A guard 21, preferably in the form of a plate attached to the carrier arm 13, is so arranged preferably as to close said slot 20 and to prevent material falling out of the container 3.
The carrier arm 13 is supported preferably by a number of guide rails 22 extending vertically on the outside 3C of the container, with which rails guide roller devices 23 executed in the form of rollers or wheels, or similar guide devices, are so arranged as to be capable of interacting for the purpose of driving the carrier arm 13 with its associated material compressing device 7 in a vertical direction upwards 9 or downwards 10 along the wall 15 of the container.
For the purpose of driving the carrier arm 13 a hydraulically driven jack 24, for example in the form of a piston and cylinder arrangement, can be so arranged as to interact between the carrier arm 13 and a frame 25 for the arrangement 1 for the purpose of causing the carrier arm 13, together with the material compressing devices 7 supported thereon, to be displaced in a vertical sense 9, 10 between the bottom 3B and the mouth 3A of the container.
A motor 26, which is supported on the frame 25, is so arranged as to supply hydraulic fluid to said jack 24 in order to produce the desired vertical movement of the carrier arm 13, etc., and in order to supply hydraulic fluid to a driving device 27 intended for the driving of the material compressing device 7 via said whirler.
The manner of driving the arrangement 1 also differs from the prior art previously referred to. The carrier arm 13 is so arranged, by means of guide devices not shown in the drawing, as to be caused to be lowered towards the bottom 3B of the container during the compression phase and, after a certain time has elapsed, as to be raised in a direction away from the bottom 3B of the container so as to permit filling with material which is to be compressed in the container 3. A pressure sensor may be provided in order to sense the pressure on the material processing device 7 as this is lowered towards the material 2, in order to be able to influence the supply of hydraulic fluid to the drive device 27 for the purpose of initiating the driving of the material processing device 7 in a rotational sense once a certain level of pressure has been reached on same.
Material processing devices 7 are also so arranged as to be stopped from rotating as they are raised in a direction away from the compressed material 2 accommodated in the container 3.
The function of the arrangement 1 described above should have emerged from the foregoing with reference to the drawings. The material 2 is disintegrated and is compacted effectively by the one or more, for example cylindrical, material processing devices 7, which are preferably equipped with disintegrating teeth 28 and are preferably capable of rotating about an axis 29, when they are caused to rotate and to move in the direction of the arrow 11 only in a single direction, at the same time as the jack 24 forces down the material processing device 7 so that a considerable force is produced. The carrier arm 13 is not, on the other hand, affected by such dangerously high stresses, thanks amongst other things to the fact that it extends together with the upright 16 in a vertical sense 9, 10, and is laterally displaced from the centre 12 of the container and accommodated in the inside 5 of the container.
Simple engagement of the drive is also permitted thanks to the hydraulic drive, which means that only hydraulic fluid lines need run between the drive source 26 and the drive device 27 in order to permit the material compressing device 7 to be driven in a rotational sense.
The variant of the compressing arrangement illustrated in Figs. 5-7 differs somewhat from the first illustrative embodiment of the invention described above and illustrated in the drawings in Figs. 1-4 primarily with regard to its carrier arm 150, which is arranged to support a compression device 107. The carrier arm 150 is composed of a sideways-facing arm 154 extending between the centre 151 of a material accommodating container of the kind referred to here, and the wall or some other internal sleeve 115, which arm is connected to a drive arrangement 152 for causing said arm 150 to rotate about the central axis 151 of the container. For this purpose an upright 153, which extends closely along the hall, etc., 115 of the container, is so arranged as to move closely along same 115 in order, amongst other things, to reduce the risk of refuse, etc., winding itself around and becoming fast on said upright 153. The upright 153, which is supported at its upper end 153A by the sideways-facing arm 154, is attached at its lower end 153B to a boom 155 extending towards the centre 151 of the container, which boom supports a hydraulic drive motor 157 intended for driving a compression roller, etc., 107, or some other material processing device supported in bearings about a rotation shaft 156. Hydraulic lines 158 for transmitting hydraulic fluid to the drive motor 157 can be accommodated internally inside said arm 150.
The arm 150, which can exhibit a support plate 160 for the compression roller 107, is in turn supported by a mounting component 119, which is connected to a descending slide 159 equipped with rollers, which slide functions as a hoist for the arm 150 and the associated compressing roller, etc., 107 upon actuation of the similar, previously described appropriate drive means. The function of the arrangement 101 in accordance with said second embodiment may be similar to the previously described and illustrated embodiment of an arrangement 1.
The invention is not restricted to the illustrative embodiments of the invention described above and illustrated in the drawings, but may be varied within the scope of the Patent Claims without departing from the idea of invention.

Claims

1. Device for compressing refuse and similar material in a container (3) by means of a number of rotationally driven compressing rollers (7) capable of being rotated, and moved in a vertical sense (9, 10), relative to the container (3), and supported by a carrier arm (13) extending internally inside the container (3) towards the bottom (3B) of the container, characterized in that the carrier arm (13) extends excentrically to the centre (12) of the container and carries at its lower end (13A) a hydraulic motor (14) for driving the roller(s) (7), and that the carrier arm (13) is formed by an upright (16) extending closely along the wall (15) of the container and a boom (17) extending at an angle (X) from the lower end (16A) of the upright towards the centre (12) of the container.

2. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 1, characterized in that a mounting part (19) situated at the upper end (16B) of the upright and extending towards the outside (18) of the container is so arranged as to be accommodated in such a way as to move in a slot (20) extending along the wall (15) of the container.

3. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, characterized in that the carrier arm (13) is supported by rails (22) extending along the outside (3C) of the container, with which rails roller guide devices (23) or similar guide devices are capable of interacting.

4. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 3, characterized in that a hydraulically powered jack (24) is so arranged as to cause the carrier arm (13) to be displaced in a vertical direction (9, 10) between the bottom (3B) and the mouth (3A) of the container.

5. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, characterized in that the carrier arm (13) is so arranged by means of control devices as to be caused to be lowered towards the bottom (3B) of the container, and after a certain time has elapsed to be raised in a direction away from the bottom (3B) of the container.

6. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 5, characterized in that there is provided a sensor to sense the pressure on the material rollers (7) for the purpose of initiating its rotation at a certain pressure.

7. Arrangement in accordance with either of Patent Claims 5-6, characterized in that the roller (7) is so arranged as to be stopped from rotating upon being raised.

8. Arrangement in accordance with any of Patent Claims 4-7, characterized in that the carrier arm (13) is so arranged as to be actuated by a hydraulically driven piston and cylinder arrangement (24) for the purpose of pressing down the carrier arm towards the bottom (3B) of the container and the material (2) for compression capable of being accommodated and present in the container (3).

9. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, characterized in that the wall (15) of the container exhibits a number of double-articulated wall sections (3¹-3⁴) which are so arranged as to be capable of being opened progressively, in particular in conjunction with the replacement of a bag containing the material or some other similar replaceable packaging capable of being accomodated in the material accomodating space (5) of the container.

10. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, characterized in that the upright (153) is supported at its upper end by a sideways-facing arm (154) extending inwards towards the centre of the container, which arm is connected to a hydraulic drive for the purpose of driving said sideways-facing arm, and in that hydraulic lines are accommodated inside said carrier arm.