EP0583693B1 - Waste container - Google Patents

Abstract

The proposed waste container 1 has a lid 10 which is articulated on coupling plates 36 and is pivotable about a pivot pin 42 by means of pivoting cylinders 55. The coupling plates 36, for their part, can be lifted and lowered by means of parallel linkages comprising links 32, 33 by the action of lifting cylinder 50. For opening, the coupling plates 36 together with the horizontally held lid are raised by means of the lifting cylinders 50 (shown in the attached Fig. 1) then pivoted back by actuation of the pivoting cylinders 55 and finally laid against the rear wall of the container by oppositely directed movement of the lifting cylinders. The closure is effected, accordingly, in reverse, at the end of the lowering the lifting cylinders 50 remaining pressurised and thus pressing the lid sealingly onto the edge of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a waste container of larger dimensions, in particular for special waste. Such waste containers must be tightly closable by means of a lid, which is difficult with larger dimensions.

In the simplest case, such containers have pivotable clamping screws on their upper edge, which are pivoted into slots on the edge of the lid which are open to the outside, whereupon the lid is pressed onto the container edge by tightening wing nuts and compressing an intermediate seal. An example of this is shown in DE-OS 36 14 767. From DE-OS 34 00 559 a similar hold-down mechanism for a container lid is known, in which the force is applied in places by hooks which can be pulled down by toggle levers, which grip over the edge of the lid or attack the fittings thereof . In both cases, to ensure a sufficiently even distribution of the pressing force of the lid on the container edge, a plurality of clamping screws or toggle mechanisms must be provided, which have to be loosened before the lid can be lifted or swung back in another manual operation. This makes the handling of these known containers cumbersome and lengthy.

From DE-OS 30 33 298 a large-size waste container is known, the pivoting cover of which is held down in the closed position by a spring-loaded element which engages in the vicinity of the pivot axis is, when opening the spring element passes through a neutral position to then support the opening movement and to keep the lid in a partially open position. With this design, however, no large and, above all, no uniform pressing forces of the cover against the container edge are achieved, so that an application for special waste containers is therefore out of the question.

From DE-OS 38 30 279 a special waste container with a tightly closable lid is known, which represents a circular section in the side view, which can be pivoted into the closed position via curved upper edges of the container side walls. Swivel arms protrude downward from the lid side edges and are supported at their lower ends by a respective pivot axis arranged on the container side wall at the center of the curvature, this pivot axis projecting from a slide which can be moved up and down by a small amount by means of a toggle lever mechanism. In the upper position of the slide, the lid can be pivoted easily from the closed position to the open position and vice versa. In the closed position, the slide and thus the lid are brought down by actuating the toggle lever, so that it lowers on the edge of the container and seals it by compressing an interposed rubber-elastic seal.

However, this known design requires a cover which is simply curved along an arc of a circle, which is no longer practical with larger dimensions. In addition, such a container is not suitable for stacking from the outset.

The same applies to a garbage container known from DE-OS 33 13 172, in which the lowering of the lid also by means of vertically displaceable, the Carriage carrying articulated axles takes place, which are moved here by double-acting hydraulic cylinders. Here, however, the lowering of the lid does not serve to seal the container, but rather to compact the waste, for which purpose the dimensions of the lid are selected so that it can enter the container.

The object of the invention is to provide a waste container with a flat lid, which in the closed position is reliably pressed onto the edge of the container and which can be moved into the open position in a simple and convenient manner, in which it preferably completely releases the container opening. These operations should be possible in a confined space, so that only a small footprint is required.

Starting from an embodiment of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1, the object is achieved by the features mentioned in the characterizing part. Through the parallel swing gear, the lid carries out its movements on a circular path while maintaining its spatial position, i.e. remaining parallel to itself, the direction of movement being vertical at the beginning of the opening and at the end of the closing process, so that it is snugly placed on the edge of the container and due to the permanent pressurization remains pressed on it, or is evenly raised and can be lifted into a position which already opens a large area of the container opening and in many cases may be sufficient as an open position.

Claim 2 describes a significant further development with the effect that the lid can also be pivoted into a position that completely clears the container opening after lifting on a circular path.

Further expedient refinements are in the subclaims specified. Another important proposal is that of claim 6, because the curvature, which the lid has in the unstressed state, causes the sealing forces when the lid is pulled down on its lateral edges that the pressing forces even on its transverse edges (front and rear edges) evenly to distribute.

The measure of securing the lateral position of the lid in the closed state by means of guide bolts of the lid interacting with guide openings in the container rim makes the container particularly suitable for stacking, whereby it also tolerates rough treatment. The possibility of arranging such guide bolts arises from the fact that if the teaching of claim 3 is followed - with the cover closed, the rockers of the parallel rocker mechanism are horizontal - the direction of the initial opening movement is vertical and therefore the guide bolts emerge from the guide openings without the risk of jamming - or can enter them.

Pressurizing the actuating cylinders, which are preferably designed as hydraulic cylinders, expediently takes place via respective control valves, wherein, according to claim 13, at least the control valve of the lifting cylinder has a switching position in which the cylinder chamber and the piston rod chamber are closed, that is to say the cylinder is blocked. This switch position allows the cover to be locked in any position and in particular also in the lowered and pressed state.

According to claim 14, the spaces that must be under pressure for pressing the cover should have a connection to a pressure accumulator, for example a hydropneumatic accumulator with a membrane partition. Then at the end of the lowering movement process when pressing the Pressure build-up causing the lid to be stored in the gas space of the storage means energy, which ensures the reliable pressing of the lid even when small leakage losses occur, as can occur with aging seals or the like.

If, according to claims 16 and 17, the end of the lowering and pressing operation of the cover causes the lifting cylinder control valve to be switched into the blocking position, the operator will no longer be able to operate the handle of the hand pump and he knows that the cover is reliably closed.

According to claim 18 is a manual operation of the control valves of the control unit ensures that the pivoting process can only take place when the lid is in the raised position.

According to claims 19 to 21, both the movement processes lifting - swiveling back - applying the opening and the movement processes storing - advancing - lowering and pressing the closing can follow one another automatically, the operator only having to choose the "open" or "close" direction.

Fig. 1

die rechte Seitenansicht des beispielsgemäßen Behälters bei angehobenem Deckel in durch Weglassung von Hydraulikleitungen und -schläuchen sowie Abdeckungen vereinfachter Darstellung;

Fig. 2

die Vorderansicht des Behälters in der Stellung gemäß Fig. 1 unter zusätzlicher Weglassung der Handpumpe;

Fig. 3

die rechte Seitenansicht bei geschlossenem Deckel;

Fig. 4

den Schnitt IV-IV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

die Darstellung von Fig. 1 unter Abbildung auch der Hydraulikleitungen und -schläuche;

Fig. 6

die Seitenansicht bei angehobenem und halb zurückgeschwenktem Deckel;

Fig. 7

die Seitenansicht bei angehobenem und vollständig zurückgeschwenktem Deckel;

Fig. 8

die Seitenansicht bei vollständig zurückgeschwenktem und an die Behälterrückwand angelegtem Deckel;

Fig. 9

die Draufsicht auf den Deckel bei weggenommenem Oberblech;

Fig. 10

die Randabdichtung des Deckels im Schnitt;

Fig. 11

die Eckenausbildung des Behälters mit der Führungsöffnung im Schnitt und in der Draufsicht;

Fig. 12

einen Bodenausschnitt mit einer Fußschiene im Querschnitt;

Fig. 13

eine Entlüftungsvorrichtung im den Behälterrand übergreifenden Deckelrand.

The invention is further explained below by the description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

the right side view of the exemplary container with the lid raised in a simplified representation by omitting hydraulic lines and hoses and covers;

Fig. 2

the front view of the container in the position shown in Figure 1 with additional omission of the hand pump.

Fig. 3

the right side view with the lid closed;

Fig. 4

the section IV-IV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

the representation of Figure 1 also depicting the hydraulic lines and hoses;

Fig. 6

the side view with the lid raised and half swung back;

Fig. 7

the side view with the lid raised and fully pivoted back;

Fig. 8

the side view with the lid fully pivoted back and placed on the rear wall of the container;

Fig. 9

the top view of the lid with the top plate removed;

Fig. 10

the edge sealing of the lid in section;

Fig. 11

the corner formation of the container with the guide opening in section and in plan view;

Fig. 12

a bottom section with a foot rail in cross section;

Fig. 13

a venting device in the lid edge overlapping the container edge.

The container 1 has the basic shape of customary troughs in order to be able to be driven on conventional tipping vehicles and to be positioned and handled by their lifting devices. It is rectangular in plan; Fig. 1 shows its side view from the right and Fig. 2 shows the view from the front.

Around the upper edge of the container walls there is an externally welded container edge profile 2, at about half height a horizontal circumferential reinforcement profile 3 is welded, to which lifting fittings 7 are fastened in the area of the front wall 4 and the rear wall 5, and further vertical reinforcement profiles 8 are welded on the outside .

Under the bottom of the container, foot rails 9 are fastened, which have a trapezoidal cross section as shown in FIG. 12 and are suitable for the kinetic energy when the container falls from a limited height by deformation and to protect the container itself from damage. To facilitate replacement after such a case, they are easily detachably attached to the floor, for example screwed to it.

The cover 10 is constructed with two shells from an upper and a lower plate, between which a cover edge profile 11 runs along the edges and cover stiffening profiles 12 which intersect in the interior. In this way, the lid has smooth surfaces and is easy to clean. A closable sampling opening 13 is recessed in one of the fields between the stiffening profiles.

Below the cover 10, a rubber-elastic seal 15 is held in a U-profile which can be seen from FIG. 10 and is open at the bottom along the course of the container edge. When the lid is closed, it sits on a sealing bead 16 projecting upward from the container edge profile 2. To protect the seal 15, it is shielded on the outside by a protective sheet strip 17 covering it, which is welded to the lid edge profile 11.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the extension of the cover 10 in the transverse direction exceeds the extension of the container 1. Between the side cover edges and the side edges of the container, four guide bolts 18 protrude vertically downward in the four corners of the cover. These occur when the lid is closed in guide openings 19 of collar pieces 20 which are welded to the outside of the container edge profile 2. These are shown in detail in Fig. 11, which also shows how the container walls are rounded, even in the corners, to facilitate cleaning.

The side cover edge profiles 11 form with two bent ones projecting downward from the ends thereof Struts 25 and a support 26 connecting their lower ends have a frame-like construction on which the kinematics acts to open and close the cover. This is described below with a preferred view of FIG. 1, which is the clearest so far, which shows the assembly arranged on the right-hand side of the container. It is understood that a corresponding mirror image kinematics is available on the left side of the container.

The rockers 32, 33 of a parallel rocker mechanism are articulated on two rocker arms 30, 31 fixed to the container, the other ends of which are connected to a coupling plate 36 via the coupling joints 34, 35.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the upper rocker arm axis 30 is attached to the container in a floating manner and the upper rocker arm 32 articulated on it consists of two solid articulated bore pieces, between which webs extend at a distance from one another. Your plane of movement is close to the container wall.

The lower rocker axis 31 is fastened to a cantilever 38 attached to the container side wall in a fork 39 and the massive lower rocker 33 swings about this in a plane of movement which is further away from the container.

The coupling plate 36 consists of two spaced-apart individual plates and is connected to the rockers 32, 33 by way of axially fastened pivot pins of the coupling joints 34, 35 in such a way that their plane of movement extends even further away from the container wall next to the movement path of the lower rocker 33.

A pivot axis 42 projects laterally outward from the coupling plate 36 and extends through the bore of a bearing bracket 43 welded to the carrier 26. The cover 10 with its side frame structures 25/26 can thus be pivoted about the pivot axis 42, wherein the frame structure occupies a fourth plane of movement most distant from the side wall of the container.

Each parallel rocker gear is driven by a lifting cylinder 50, the bottom of which is articulated to a fitting 51 fastened to the rear wall 5 of the container and the piston rod 50 'of which acts on the upper rocker 32 at an articulation point 52 located between its ends. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the articulation point 52 is formed by an axis which is inserted between the webs of the upper rocker 32 and which engages through an eye at the end of the piston rod 50 ′ of the lifting cylinder 50.

The pivoting of the cover 10 with its lateral frame structures about the pivot axis 42 is controlled by pivot cylinders 55. The bottom of each pivot cylinder 55 is articulated on a fitting 56 fastened to the lower surface of the cover and its piston rod 55 'engages on a pivot pin 57 which is in a corner the coupling plate 36 is inserted between the individual plates. It is understood that the axis of the lifting cylinder 55 extends at a certain distance from the pivot axis 42, so that its action generates a pivoting moment.

A hand pump 60 is used to pressurize the cylinders and, as can be seen in FIG. 1, is seated on a cantilever structure 61 fastened to the right side wall 6 of the container. The handle handle 62 used for actuation is arranged in the vicinity of the front edge of the right side wall in order to be easily gripped by an operator, while the pump 60 itself is set back and is connected to the handle handle 62 via a coupling 63.

FIG. 5 also shows the control unit 70 with the necessary valves for the one to be described below To enable the function of the container. It is assumed that the container is closed according to FIG. 3.

When the control unit 70 is set to "open", the actuation of the pump 60 first causes a supply of pressure fluid to the piston rod space of the lifting cylinders 50. Their piston rods 50 'move in and lift the coupling plates 36 and with them the cover 10 into the position shown in FIG. 1 or 5 position. The pressure is then switched over manually or automatically to the piston rod spaces of the swivel cylinder 55, the piston rods 55 'of which thus retract and pivot the cover back about the swivel axis 42. An intermediate position of this movement process can be seen from FIG. 6 and the end position from FIG. 7.

This is followed by a further switchover of the pressurization in such a way that, when the pump is actuated further, the piston rods of the lifting cylinders 50 extend a partial distance and thereby allow the coupling plate 36 with the cover 10 pivoted back to reach the position shown in FIG. place the lid on the rear wall of the container. This concludes the opening process, consisting of the lifting, swiveling back - applying movements.

It is understood that the opening can be stopped in any intermediate position and the position reached can be locked. To do this, only the control valves of the actuating cylinders have to be placed in a blocking position, i.e. the working spaces of the cylinders are completed.

The lid is closed in the reverse order by appropriate manual or automatic control of the movement processes. Placing - swiveling - lowering / pressing.

The peculiarities of how the correct pressure can be ensured independently of the peculiarities of the operator and how it can be guaranteed over a certain period of time regardless of any leaks or leaks are explained in the introduction to the description with reference to the relevant claims.

A so far not yet described special feature of the waste container is the curvature of the cover 10 in the transverse direction, which is exaggerated in FIG. 2, which it has when it is held freely between the lateral struts 25, that is to say in the raised state. This curvature has the result that when closing at the end of the lowering movement, the center of the transverse seals 15, i.e. the front and rear edges of the lid, comes to rest against the sealing bead 16 of the container edge profile 2 and the lid with further downward movement of its lateral edges flat (in the stretched position) until the longitudinal seals under the side edges also settle. This leads to an even distribution of the pressing forces along the entire circumference.

It can be seen that without the pre-curvature of the cover in the transverse direction, in the closed state, only along the side edges, where the strut construction 25 brings about an even application of force, would be strongly pressed and the pressing force would decrease towards the center of the transverse cover edges, because the cover would become loose would bend elastically up here. The pre-curvature of the cover is dimensioned just to compensate for this effect and to ensure a uniform pressing force and thus tightness over the entire circumferential extent.

Reference list

1

container

2nd

Container edge profile

3rd

Horizontal stiffening profile

4th

Front wall

5

Back wall

6

Side wall

7

Lifting fittings

8th

Vertical stiffening profiles

9

Foot rail

10th

cover

11

Lid edge profile

12th

Lid stiffening profile

13

Sampling opening

15

poetry

16

Sealing bead

17th

Fender strips

18th

Guide pin

19th

Guide opening

20th

Cantilever

22

Vent pipe

23

filter

25th

strut

26

carrier

30th

Upper swing arm axis

31

Lower swing arm axis

32

Upper swing arm

33

Lower swing arm

34

Upper coupling joint

35

Lower coupling joint

36

Coupling plate

38

Cantilever

39

fork

42

Swivel axis

43

Bearing bracket

50

Lifting cylinder

50 '

Piston rod of the same

51

fitting

52

Hinge point

55

Swivel cylinder

55 '

Piston rod of the same

56

fitting

57

Hinge pin

60

Hand pump

61

Cantilever construction

62

Handle with handle

63

Paddock

70

Control unit

Claims (24)

1. Waste container, in particular for special waste, having a rectangular cross section and flat lid which can be pressed tightly onto the container opening, characterised in that two opposite side edges of the lid (10) are connected to a coupling element (36) of a parallel linkage transmission (32, 33, 36) and this is pivotably drivable by means of a double-action lifting cylinder (50) which, when the lid (10) is closed, produces a pressing force of the lid by means of a sustained pressure action.
2. Waste container according to claim 1, characterised in that the coupling element is a coupling plate (36) and each side edge of the lid (10) is articulated on a swivel axis (42) of said plate
   and in that a double-action swivel cylinder (55) acting between the lid (10) and the coupling plate (36) is set up to produce a 90° swivel of the lid about the coupling plate.
3. Waste container according to claims 1 and/or 2, characterised in that when the lid (10) is closed the coupling plate (36) is located approximately centrally in the container side wall (6) and the rocker arms (32, 33) of the parallel linkage transmission are oriented approximately horizontally,
   in that the rocker arm axes (30, 31) fixed in the container are arranged near or on the rear wall (5) of the container
   and in that the lifting cylinder (50) is articulated near the upper edge of the container rear wall (5) and its piston rod engages on the upper arm (32) of the parallel linkage transmission, and when the lid is closed is acted on in the sense that it is extended.
4. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by at least two bars (25) for forming the connection of each side edge of the lid (10) to the coupling element (36).
5. Waste container according to claim 4, characterised in that the lower ends of the bars (25) are secured on a support (26) and this has a bearing lug (43) enclosing the swivel axis (42).
6. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the transverse direction the lid (10) has a camber downwards between its side edges.
7. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by a rubber-elastic seal (15) which is inserted into a downwardly-open U-profile extending along the lid edges.
8. Waste container according to claim 7, characterised by a narrow sealing rim (16) extending along the upper edges of the container walls, projecting upwards and co-operating with the seal (15).
9. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that at its four corners the lid (10) has a downwardly-protruding guide pin (18) which engages in the closed position into a narrow guide aperture (19) fixed in the container.
10. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by a protective sheet metal strip (17) extending along the lid edges, protruding downwardly and shielding the seal.
11. Waste container according to one or more of claims 2 to 10, characterised in that the lifting cylinder (50) and the swivel cylinder (55) are hydraulic cylinders.
12. Waste container according to claim 11, characterised by a hand pump (60) secured on a container wall for supplying the hydraulic cylinders (50, 55).
13. Waste container according to claim 12, characterised by a control unit (70) connected between the hydraulic cylinders (50, 55) and the pump (60) supplying them, having a control valve for each cylinder, each control valve having three switch positions, in one of which the cylinder chamber has pressure applied, in the second of which the piston rod chamber has pressure applied and in the third of which the cylinder working chambers are sealed.
14. Waste container according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterised in that the chambers under sustained pressure when the lid (10) is closed (cylinder chamber of the lifting valve (50) or the connector between this and the associated control valve) are in connection with a pressure reservoir.
15. Waste container according to claim 14, characterised in that the pressure reservoir is a hydropneumatic reservoir.
16. Waste container according to one or more of claims 11 to 15, characterised by a pressure monitor which reacts when the pressure in the lifting cylinders causing the necessary closing force of the lid is reached.
17. Waste container according to claim 16, characterised in that when the pressure monitor reacts it switches the control valve of the lifting cylinder into the blocking position and/or triggers an indicating device.
18. Waste container according to one or more of claims 13 to 17, characterised in that the control valves are locked in such a way with respect to each other that the valve controlling the swivel cylinder can only be actuated when the valve controlling the lifting cylinder is in the position for lifting the lid.
19. Waste container according to one or more of claims 13 to 17, characterised in that when a respective movement procedure of opening or closing is completed, the control unit (70) switches the control valves of the lifting cylinder (50) and the swivel cylinder (55) to the respective next movement procedure.
20. Waste container according to claim 19, characterised in that the automatic switching-over is triggered by the increase in pressure in the respective pressure line occurring at the end of each movement procedure.
21. Waste container according to claim 19, characterised in that the automatic switching-over is triggered by limit switches.
22. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by at least one ventilation device, provided in the lid (10), from a ventilation pipe (22) opening into the inside of the container, which leads over the lid seal (15) to a side edge and opens into a filter (23) inside the lateral protective plate.
23. Waste container according to claim 22, characterised by an excess pressure valve in the ventilation pipe (22).
24. Waste container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by a plurality of foot rails (9) fitted below the container base which are constructed to counteract kinetic energy by deformation in the case of shock stress.

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