EP0671345B1 - Refuse container with locking system - Google Patents

Abstract

The dustbin has a container with a lid on whose under side is provided a locking hook (26). A locking member be optionally brought into engagement with the locking hook by a bolt (30). An operating lever is provided which engages with bearing surface on a refuse collection vehicle to allow the lid to be opened in order to empty the container. The operating bar (24) is movable by at least two sprung guide bolts (44, 46) which move parallel to one another. A locking element is positioned in the middle of the lengthwise extension of the operating bar. The guide bolt leads through holes (10a, 16a) in two wall sections (10', 16) of the barrel (10). The wall sections are spaced apart in the guide bolt's axial direction. A locking-hook (26) executes a swivel motion when the lock (30) is operated. The operating bar extends horizontally on the inside or outside of the barrel.

Description

The invention relates to a waste container with a barrel and a hinged lid, which is provided on its underside with a locking hook, a locking member on the barrel, with which the locking hook can be selectively engaged by means of a lock, and with one arranged on the barrel Operating bar, which is movable by means of a stop component of a refuse collection vehicle, in the refuse collection space of which the bin is to be emptied, so that the locking member releases the locking hook for opening the cover.

Such a waste container is known from DE 42 03 810 A1. In this known container locking system, the locking hook of the lock attached to the lid of the garbage can protrudes through a recess in the receiving pocket provided in the usual manner on the garbage can (also called bulk engagement), and a locking bolt on the barrel can be brought into engagement with the locking hook. The locking bolt is fastened to a pivotable strip which can be pivoted about a bearing by means of a stop component of the refuse vehicle to be retrofitted, in order to remove the locking bolt from the locking hook and thus release the cover for an opening.

In the garbage containers in question it is therefore provided that the lid can be closed by means of a lock, so that only the holder of a suitable key can open the lid of the garbage container. In addition, the garbage containers in question also have a second option for opening the lid, namely when the garbage container is to be emptied into the garbage collection area of a garbage truck. This second opening mechanism for the lid should automatically act when the waste container is hooked into the lifting / tilting device of the refuse collection vehicle, especially adapted to the refuse container, without requiring special intervention on the part of the refuse worker (in particular not with a key). The bin opens as soon as it is attached to the associated suspension on the waste bin. In this state of the art, the barrel is therefore already open during the lifting movement and is then converted into the tilting movement.

The closure of the garbage container to be opened by a stop on the garbage truck should be designed so that the effort is as high as possible when trying to open it without the garbage truck, so that unauthorized persons are largely prevented from putting garbage in the bin.

In the above-mentioned prior art, the pivot bar carrying the locking bolt is biased into the closed position by means of a relatively strong spring. This arrangement provides a counter bearing for the spring in the housing and thus requires a relatively massive design of the components. When the bin is attached to the assigned suspension on the waste disposal device, the bin is unlocked by its own weight, which can lead to difficulties when the bin is empty or only filled with light waste. An unauthorized user can also overcome the spring force by means of a simple lever, which can be attached, for example, to the dumping intervention of the garbage can.

The German utility model 92 08 998.4 describes a refuse container with an unlocking and locking device, in which a lock is also provided, which can be opened by a user on the one hand and by loading by means of a component of the refuse vehicle to be retrofitted. In addition, in this prior art, a retrofitting of the receiving comb is necessary since the lock is located in the area of the receiving comb. The locking device shown there can be improved with regard to the number of components, the assembly effort and the functional reliability.

The invention has for its object to design a garbage container of the type mentioned so that an unauthorized opening of the garbage container is only possible with a very high amount of tools and force with a simple, robust and compact structure and a simple assembly of the closure parts. In particular, the garbage container should be able to interact with a garbage truck without having to convert or remove the pouring devices on the conventional garbage truck.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in a refuse container of the type mentioned at the outset in that the actuating strip can be moved into an open position in the axial direction thereof by simultaneously acting on at least two spring-loaded guide bolts.

A variant of the refuse container according to the invention provides that the actuating bar can be moved by at least one guide pin which is guided through holes in two wall sections of the bin arranged at a distance in the axial direction of the guide pin. In this solution according to the invention, only a single guide pin needs to be used, but two (or more) guide pins can also be provided in order to further increase the security of the closure. With the guidance of the bolt or bolts provided here Holes in walls, the walls being provided anyway on the (conventional) garbage can, can be dispensed with elaborate mounting devices for the bolt. The arrangement gains sufficient stability on the bin without much additional effort. The spring tension of the guide bolts is such that opening the cover is practically impossible without mechanical aids. But even with tools, opening the waste bin is only possible with great effort. If two bolts are provided, both spring-loaded guide bolts must be actuated at the same time. If, on the other hand, only a single guide pin is pressed, the actuating bar jams and the lid of the waste container cannot be opened.

According to a preferred embodiment it is provided that two guide pins can be moved parallel to one another and that the actuating bar carries out a translatory movement. A "translatory" movement here means that the components do not perform a pivoting movement, but rather a straight-line movement of the parts in the same direction. With such an arrangement, if the guide bolts are not evenly applied with force, the actuating bar or the guide bolts will tilt or tilt, so that unauthorized opening of the container is prevented, since without the stop components provided anyway on the garbage truck, hardly any even loading of both guide pins is possible.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

Fig. 1 - 4

ein ersten Ausführungsbeispiel eines Müllbehälters mit Schloß, bei dem eine Betätigungsleiste gleichzeitig auch als Sperrglied für den Verriegelungshaken dient;

Fig. 5 - 8

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines Müllbehälters mit Schloß, bei dem eine Betätigungsleiste mit einem Sperrglied versehen ist;

Fig. 9 - 12

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Müllbehälters mit Schloß, bei dem die Betätigungsleiste außenseitig der Tonne angeordnet ist;

Fig. 13 - 15

ein viertes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Müllbehälters mit Schloß, bei dem ein Sicherungsschieber zusätzlich vorgesehen ist; und

Fig. 16

eine Abwandlung des Ausführungsbeispieles gemäß Fig. 1 mit einer gesonderten Montageplatte zum Abstützen der Federn und des Schlosses.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows:

1-4

a first embodiment of a garbage container with a lock, in which an actuating bar also serves as a locking member for the locking hook;

5 - 8

a second embodiment of a garbage container with a lock, in which an operating bar is provided with a locking member;

Figures 9-12

a third embodiment of a garbage container with a lock, in which the operating bar is arranged on the outside of the bin;

Figures 13-15

a fourth embodiment of a garbage container with a lock, in which a safety slide is additionally provided; and

Fig. 16

a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a separate mounting plate for supporting the springs and the lock.

Components that are functionally identical or similar to one another are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

Figures 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a garbage container with a lock. Only the parts of interest from the waste bin are shown here. Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a garbage container without a lid, namely on the upper edge of the receptacle of the garbage container on the side opposite the articulation of the lid. The wall of the bin is identified by reference number 10. The inside of the barrel is indicated by reference number 12 and the outside by reference number 14.

At the upper edge of the barrel wall 10, a so-called receiving pocket 16 is integrally formed with the wall, which is known in the prior art and also sometimes as a "fill intervention" is referred to as a comb of the garbage truck engages in the receiving pocket in a conventional manner when emptying the bin in order to carry out a lifting and tilting movement with the garbage container.

In the illustrated embodiment, webs 18 are additionally attached to the outside of the receiving pocket 16, which are integrally formed here from plastic on the wall 10 of the bin or the receiving pocket 16. By means of these webs 18, depressions are formed on the edge of the barrel, in which the guide bolts are at least partially sunk, so that they are very difficult to access for unauthorized opening. Instead of the webs, rigid ribs or projections or bolts can also be arranged.

2 and 3 show the refuse container according to FIG. 1 including a lid 20. The lid 20 is articulated on the bin 10 (not shown). With a projecting edge 20a, the cover 20 is supported on the receiving pocket 16 in the closed state. All of this is state of the art, and the waste container 20 does not require any change in this regard.

1 to 3, a cover 22 made of plastic is fastened on the inside 12 of the barrel 10, under which an actuating strip 24 is arranged in a protected manner. A locking hook 26 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) engages from the cover 20 starting from above through a recess 28 in the cover 22 in order to come into locking engagement with the actuating bar 24.

On the cover 20, a lock 30 is attached under a cover 32. In a modification of the illustrated embodiment, the cover 20 itself can be designed so that a lock can be mounted protected against dirt or mechanical damage.

4, the lock 30 has an actuating plate 34 with a ramp section 36 which cooperates with a corresponding ramp section on the locking hook 26 when a key 38 is rotated so that the locking hook 26 in FIG. 2 pivots in the plane of the drawing counterclockwise .

1, two bolts 44, 46 are guided in the barrel wall 10 and the receiving pocket 12, which are each biased to the right by a spring 48 or 50 in the figures. The springs 48, 50 are supported on the barrel wall 10 on the left and act on a head of the bolt on the right. The actuating bar 24 is fastened to the bolts 44, 46 with screw nuts 52, 54 in such a way that the actuating bar 24 can be displaced in the direction of the axis A ₂ with the aid of the bolts 44, 46.

One or more stop angles 40 on the refuse vehicle, which are known as such and are provided on the refuse vehicle anyway, are used to shift the bolts 44, 46 in order to support the bin when tipping. Furthermore, a conventional pick-up comb 42 of the refuse vehicle is used, which engages in the pick-up pocket 16 in a known manner in order to enable the garbage container to be moved and tilted.

A spring 56 biases the locking hook 26 clockwise to the closed position, i.e. the spring 46 presses the locking hook 26 in the plane of the drawing according to FIGS. 2 and 3 clockwise around its bearing 58.

Fig. 2 shows the closed position of the waste container, in which the locking hook 26 engages with its lower hook end behind the mounting bar 24. This engagement takes place approximately in the middle between the guide bolts 44, 46, that is to say at least approximately in the vertical plane which contains the axis A ₂ according to FIG. 1.

If the authorized user of the garbage can wants to enter garbage, he inserts the key 38 into the lock 30 and turns the key. The actuating plate 34 of the lock 30 causes via its ramp 36 in cooperation with a corresponding inclined ramp at the upper end of the locking hook 26 to rotate the locking hook 26 about its bearing 58 counterclockwise, so that the locking hook 26 from the operating bar 24, which also here acts as a blocking element, is released. The actuating bar 24 remains in the position shown in FIG. 2, but the locking hook 26 moves to the right, so that the cover 20 can be opened upwards.

When the refuse container is opened a second time, the lock 30 remains without actuation and the locking hook 26 does not perform any rotational or pivoting movement. For this purpose, the refuse container is hung on the comb 42 on the refuse vehicle by means of the receiving pocket 26 and raised in a known manner. Towards the end of the lifting movement, the lifting tipper begins to tip the garbage can, with stop angles 40 acting in a known manner on the edge of the garbage can 10 in order to lock the tipping garbage can on the tipper. In the described garbage container in the illustrated embodiment with webs 18, a split stop angle engages with the bolts 44, 46 and presses them according to FIG. 3 in the direction of the interior 12 of the bin 10. The two bolts moved simultaneously and in parallel through the stop angle 40 44, 46 move the actuating bar 24 under the cover 22 towards the inside of the barrel, so that the actuating bar 24 is released from the locking hook 26 and thus the lid 20 can be opened upwards. The springs 48, 50, which counteract the movement of the bolts 44, 46 described, are dimensioned so strongly that it is hardly possible to push one of the bolts 44, 46 in by hand. Even more difficult is the simultaneous pressing in of both bolts 44, 46 with an exactly parallel force and equally large forces. The bolt guides and the play of the actuating bar 24 are dimensioned such that the components tilt or tilt when uneven force is exerted on the bolts 44, 46 and an opening of the refuse container is prevented. On the other hand, the impact of the stop angle 40 of the garbage truck when the bin is suspended is always sufficiently uniform to achieve unimpeded displacement of the actuating bar 24. 5 to 8 show a modification of the previously described embodiment. The modifications consist essentially in that, on the one hand, a spring biasing the locking hook 26 into the closed position is omitted and, on the other hand, a locking member 60 is also attached to the actuating bar 24, which extends approximately centrally and parallel to the guide bolts 44, 46. In this exemplary embodiment, the actuating bar 24 is again arranged on the inside 12 of the barrel wall 10 and the locking member 60 connected to the fastening bar 24 projects through an opening in the wall 10 into the receiving pocket 16 at the barrel rim. The locking hook 26 engages from above through the recess 28 also in the receiving pocket 16 and in the closed state according to FIG. 6 behind a recess 60a in the locking member 60. To open the waste container by hand, the key 38 is turned again, and the locking hook 26 pivots on it Embodiment in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and is thus released from the locking member 60. 8 shows the details of the engagement between the locking hook 26 and the locking member 60.

If, on the other hand, the garbage can with the receiving pocket 60 is hung on the comb 42 of a garbage truck and the dump truck of the garbage truck is actuated in a known manner, the stop brackets 40 press the guide bolts 44, 46 in the manner described above, and the actuating bar 24 is shown in FIG. 7 shifted inwards. The locking hook 26 remains in its basic position, but the locking member 60 moves to the left according to FIG. 7, so that the locking hook 26 is released from the locking member 60 and the cover 20 can be opened upwards.

In this exemplary embodiment (as well as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1), the guide bolts 44, 46 can also be recessed (at least partially) into recesses between the webs 18 even when they are not actuated. This structural arrangement also helps to prevent misuse of the guide bolts.

9 to 12 show a further modified embodiment, which differs from the previously described embodiment (FIGS. 5 to 8) in that the operating bar 24 is arranged on the outside 14 of the garbage can 10. The locking member 60 is guided approximately in the middle between the guide bolts 44, 46 in the wall of the receiving pocket 16 and the barrel wall 10. When the actuating bar 24 in FIG. 9 moves to the left, the locking member 60 is moved accordingly and interacts with the locking hook 26 in exactly the same way as described above with reference to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 8. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 9 to 12, the stop angle 40 need not be positioned exactly at a certain point, rather it is sufficient if the stop angle is arranged in relation to the actuating bar 24 and the guide bolts 44, 46 in such a way that a simultaneous and uniform Force is applied to the guide bolts. The locking mechanism can also be used with chutes that are also suitable for emptying round rubbish bins.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 of a garbage container with a lock differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 8 essentially in that in addition a safety slide 66 is firmly connected to the inside of the barrel 10 fastening strip 24. In the position of the components shown in FIG. 4, the actuating bar 24 is in the rest position (also according to FIG. 13), and the safety slide 66 projects downwards over the edge 72 of a plastic housing, in which the safety slide 66 is guided by means of a guide 68 in such a way that it can only be moved vertically against the force of a spring 74. In the position shown in FIG. 14, the safety slide 66 prevents movement of the guide bolts 44, 46 due to its rigid connection to the actuating bar 24 via the pin 70. Only when a prong of the comb 42 of the refuse vehicle engages in the receiving pocket 16 and thereby according to FIG 15 presses the safety slide 66 against the force of the spring 74 upward, the safety slide 66 releases the actuating bar 24 for movement, so that when the guide bolts 44, 46 are acted upon by the stop angle 40, the actuating bar 24 together with the locking member 60 moves 15 is released from the engagement with the locking member 60 and the lid 20 can be opened upwards in order to empty the garbage can.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided in the exemplary embodiments described above that a pin fixedly attached to the lid engages in a form-fitting manner in an associated recess at the upper edge of the barrel 10 in order to prevent twisting or displacements between the lid and barrel in the horizontal direction. This stiffness can also be achieved by appropriate shaping of the lid and barrel.

The exemplary embodiments of waste containers with locks described above have a compact, simple and robust construction. They are also largely insensitive to dirt and the number of components is relatively small. There is no need to change the chute of the refuse collection vehicle and in particular not to the crest of the refuse collection vehicle, since the closure is attached to the rib area of the refuse container. In addition, no complex housing for the closure is necessary, but only a simple cover inside the container.

The bolts can also be guided directly on the barrel, and no separate guide is required.

In the garbage containers described above, the lock 30 can be designed so that it can be opened on the one hand by an individual key of the rightful user of the bin, the individual key only fitting the specific garbage container, and on the other hand by means of a so-called universal key, for example the With the garbage collector to check that the garbage cans are full. Finally, as a third opening option, it is provided in all cases that the refuse container is opened in the manner described above during the lifting / tipping process on the refuse collection vehicle. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, an additional device on the refuse collection vehicle is not required.

In a modification of the exemplary embodiments described above, if less stringent safety requirements are desired, instead of the two guide bolts 44, 46 described, only a single guide bolt can be used, which then either engages the center of the actuating bar (possibly via a fork, so as not to interfere with the Locking hook to collide), or a pivotable actuating bar can also be provided, which is then actuated by a single guide pin. The guide pin is guided at both ends in holes 10a, 16a, which are formed in wall parts of the barrel. These wall parts 10 ', 16 (Fig. 3, 4) are present anyway in a conventional garbage can, so that there is no need for complex additional components for guiding the bolt.

The resilient locking hook according to FIGS. 1 to 4 has the advantage that the waste container can be securely closed subsequently by applying a force even when it is dirty at the edge of the barrel.

FIG. 16 shows a modification of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. A plate 75, in particular made of metal, serves to support the springs 48, 50. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 16, the mounting plate 75 is arranged in the interior 12 of the barrel. It can be embedded in the plastic of the barrel (e.g. by thermoforming) or attached to the barrel by rivets. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the mounting plate 75 is screwed to the barrel 10 by means of bolts 76, 78. The plate 75 also serves as a support for the lock, i.e. the lock can be mounted on plate 75.

Claims (14)

1. A refuse container comprising a trashcan (10) and a lid (20) pivotably connected to the same and provided at its underside with a hook-shaped detent (26), a blocking member (60) at the trashcan (10) for selective engagement with the hook-shaped detent (26) by means of a lock (30), and further comprising an actuator strip (24) adapted to be moved by a striker member (40) of a garbage truck, into the trash hold of which the trashcan is to be emptied, so that the blocking member (60) will release the hook-shaped detent (26) for the lid to be opened, characterized in that the actuator strip (24) is movable into an open position by simultaneous pressurization of at least two spring-loaded, axially movable guide pins (44, 46) in their axial direction.
2. The refuse container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the guide pins (44, 46) are movable in parallel with each other, and in that the actuator strip (24) carries out translatory motion.
3. The refuse container as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the blocking member (60) is arranged approximately in the middle of the longitudinal extension of the actuator strip (24).
4. A refuse container comprising a trashcan (10) and a lid (20) pivotably connected to the same and provided at its underside with a hook-shaped detent (26), a blocking member (60) at the trashcan (10) for selective engagement with the hook-shaped detent (26) by means of a lock (30), and further comprising an actuator strip (24) adapted to be moved by a striker member (40) of a garbage truck, into the trash hold of which the trashcan is to be emptied, so that the blocking member (60) will release the hook-shaped detent (26) for the lid to be opened, the upper edge of the trashcan (10) being provided with a mounting hollow defined by inner and outer wall sections (10, 16), characterized in that the actuator strip (24) is movable into an open position by at least one guide pin (46), in that the wall sections (10, 16) have holes to guide the guide pin (46), and in that the guide pin (46) passes through the outer wall section (16) and is operable from outside in axial direction against spring pressure.
5. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hook-shaped detent (26) carries out pivoting motion when the lock (30) is actuated.
6. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator strip (24) extends horizontally at the inside (12) or outside (14) of the trashcan (10).
7. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hook-shaped detent (26) is pivotable in a plane in which the blocking member (60) is movable in translatory sense by means of the actuator strip (24).
8. The refuse container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the hook-shaped detent (26) is pivotable in a plane which is perpendicular to an axis of movement (A₁) of the blocking member (60).
9. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hook-shaped detent (26) is biased by means of a spring (56) into a closing position in which it enters into engagement with the blocking member (60) or the actuator strip (24).
10. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking member (60) is part of the actuator strip (24), especially being a plunger which is firmly connected to the actuator strip (24).
11. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking member (60) is locked in the closing position by a spring-loaded safety slide (66), the safety slide (66) being movable by a second striker member (42) of the garbage truck into a position in which it releases the actuator strip (24) for movement by the first striker member (40) of the garbage truck.
12. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lock (30) is operable, selectively, both by an individual key which matches a specific refuse container only, and by a universal key which matches a plurality of refuse containers.
13. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide pin or pins (44, 46) are countersunk in a depression at the edge of the trashcan, the depression being formed especially by ribs, webs (18), or by stationary projections, such as bolts.
14. The refuse container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spring (48, 50) providing the pressurization of the guide pin or pins (44, 46) rests on a support plate (75) disposed in the interior of the refuse container, the support plate being fastened to the trashcan, especially by screws and the support plate (75) serving especially to hold the lock.

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