GB2126980A

GB2126980A - Tippable material containers

Info

Publication number: GB2126980A
Application number: GB08324150A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Stanley Flowers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-09-11
Filing date: 1983-09-09
Publication date: 1984-04-04
Also published as: GB8324150D0; GB2126980B

Abstract

A tippable material container assembly having a support frame 10 and a material container or skip 11. The container is supported from the frame by a roller 12 and guide members 21 which move between guide rails 22, 23 control the position of the container relative to the frame during a tipping operation so that during tipping the maximum extent of the container in directions generally parallel to the ground and in planes at right angles to the general axis of tipping of the container does not significantly exceed the maximum dimension D of the container in planes at right angles to said general tipping axis. The spacing between the guide rails 22, 23 can be arranged to provide a squeezing action on the guide members 21 to control the rate of tipping of the container. Examples of containers used as wheelbarrows and trailer-mounted skips are also described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tippable material containers This invention relates to tippable material containers, such as skips for refuse and other similar bulky and/or heavy material. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention is concerned with containers in the quarter-ton to four-ton capacity range.

Although various designs of tippable container in the above capacity range are currently commercially available, there is a longstanding requirement, as yet unsatisfied, for a tippable material container assembly which is cheap, reliable in operation, and safe in use. In particular there is a requirement for a tippable material container assembly which is designed with the safety of the operator in mind and which provides at least some degree of control over the rate of tipping of the container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of tippable material container assembly designed with the safety of the operator in mind.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tippable material container assembly comprising a support frame, a material container, cam and follower type support means for supporting the container from the frame, and co-operating guide means on the frame and container for controlling the position of the container relative to the frame during a tipping operation, the arrangement being such that during tipping the maximum extent of the container in directions generally parallel to the ground and in planes at right angles to the general axis of tipping of the container does not significantly exceed the maximum dimension of the container in planes at right angles to said general tipping axis.

It will be appreciated that a tippable material container assembly in accordance with the present invention is of a particularly compact and safe configuration since, if the dimensions of the frame in directions generally parallel to the ground are at least equal to said maximum dimension of the container, the container will not project beyond the frame during any tipping operation.

This will obviate the danger of any person adjacent the container assembly being struck by the container during tipping.

Preferably holding means are provided for securing the container in a fully laden position and the container is shaped and the support means so positioned that when the holding means is released the container, even when empty, tips automatically solely under the action of gravity.

In a preferred construction the cam and follower support means is provided by cam means on the container and roller means of the frame.

This arrangement can also be reversed.

Conveniently the cam means may be provided by shaping the cross-section of the container to provide the required cam shape.

The guide means is conveniently provided by a guide member on the container which moves between a pair of generally parallel guide rails on the frame.

In a preferred construction the spacing between the guide rails is arranged to provide a squeezing action on the guide member to provide control over the rate of tipping of the container.

One guide rail may be fixed and the other guide rail may be movable and spring-loaded towards the fixed rail to provide the tipping rate control.

The level of spring-loading may be adjustable to provide variable tipping rates. The movable rail may be provided with a handle to enable an operator to vary the squeezing action of the spring during tipping of the container.

The invention also provides a tippable material container assembly comprising a support frame, a material container, roller support means for supporting the container from the frame, and holding means for securing the container in a fully laden position, the container being shaped and the support means positioned so that when the holding is released the container rolls to a fully tipped position solely under the action of gravity.

The invention further provides a tippable material container assembly comprising a support frame, a material container tippably supported from the frame, and tip rate control means in the form of a control member on the container and a pair of generally parallel control rails on the frame, the control member being movable between the control rails in their directions of extension during a tipping operation and the control rails being arranged to provide a squeezing action on the control member to control the rate of tipping of the container.

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show side, front, rear and perspective view of a waste material skip embodying the present invention; Figure 5 diagrammatically shows the fork lift attachment points of the skip of Figure 1 to 4; Figures 6 and 7 show the arrangement for controlling the rate of tipping of the skip in more detail; Figure 8 shows the skip in the fully tipped position; Figure 9 shows an alternative cam and roller support arrangement for a skip; Figures 10 and 11 show details of a wheelbarrow embodying the present invention, and Figures 12 and 13 show side and front views respectively of a trailer-mounted skip embodying the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 these show a tippable skip assembly in the form of a support frame 10 which support a skip 11 via a roller 12.

The frame 10 may be constructed, for example, from hollow square section material and comprises two end frames having vertical members 1 0a and horizontal members 1 Ob which are joined by an upper rear cross-piece 1 0c and a lower rear cross-piece 1 Od. The base of the frame is strengthened by hollow box members 13 which join the end frames 10 and are designed to receive fork lift tines as indicated at 14 in Figures 4 and 5.

Box members 1 3 are provided with apertures 1 5 which are joined by further box members 16 to allow the insertion of fork lift tines in the fore and aft direction as indicated at 1 7 in Figure 4. Frame 10 is also provided with lower pins 1 8 and an upper pin 19 to enable the frame to be mounted on a conventional tractor three-point linkage.

Roller 1 2 which supports skip 11 is mounted on frame 10 by two bearing assemblies 20.

Skip 11 is guided within frame 10 during a tipping operation by two guide members in the form of rollers 21 each of which moves generally vertically between vertically extending guide rails 22, 23. The front guide rails 22 are fixed but the rear guide rails 23 are pivoted at 24 and are spring-loaded towards fixed rails 22 by springs 25 (see Figure 6). Springs 25 surround rods 26 which are pinned to the lower ends of rails 23 at 27 and pass through clearance holes 28 in angle iron brackets 29. The spring force applied by each spring to the associated rail 23 is adjusted by nuts 30 which engage screw threaded portions of rods 26.

The skip is provided with spring-loaded latch 31 which is biassed into engagement with a latching formation 32 to hold the skip in its fully laden position shown in Figures 1 to 4. The latch 31 is connected via a rod 33 with a lever 34 which when moved in the direction of the arrow X of Figure 3 disengages the latch 31 from formation 32 against spring 36 to allow the skip to tip. A safety ring 35 is provided which when hooked over the end of lever 34 prevents the lever being moved sufficiently to disengage latch 31.

The skip 11 is shaped so that when latch 31 is disengaged from formation 32, the skip, even when empty, tips within the frame 10 under the action of gravity, the curved surface Y of the skip making rolling contact with roller 12 whilst the rollers 21 descend between rails 22 and 23.

Figure 8 shows the skip 11 in the fully tipped position 11'. By adjusting the level of spring loading applied to rails 23 a predetermined squeezing action can be applied to the rollers 21 as they descend between rails 22, 23 so that some degree of control over the speed of tipping of the skip is possible.

The control over the tipping operation can be further improved if a lever 36 is connected with one of the rods 26 as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

The lever 36 is welded to a plate 37 which is secured loosely to rod 26 between pairs of locking nuts 38. Rod 26 extends through an elongated hole in plate 37. Lever 36 is also welded to a rod 39 which passes through the bottom members 1 Ob of the frame and supports a further plate member 40 which is similarly secured to the other rod 26.

As will be appreciated, movement of lever 36 in the direction of arrow Z of Figures 6 and 7 moves the bottom ends of both guide members 23 towards the associated guide rails 22 to increase the squeezing action on rollers 21 and thus provide an increased and variable level of braking effect on the tipping operation.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 8, the maximum dimension of the skip 11 in plates at right angles to the general axis of tipping (i.e., an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of roller 12) is the dimension D. If the length of horizontal frame members 1 Ob is at least equal to the dimension D then the guide means provided by rollers 21 and guide members 22 and 23 ensures that the skip at no time projects beyond vertical frame members 1 Oa during tipping. This can be seen from the various positions of the skip shown in Figure 8 which demonstrate that the maximum extent of skip 11 in directions generally parallel to the ground and in planes at right angles to the axis of roller 12 does not exceed the dimension D (see position 11" of the skip).

As will be appreciated, the fact that the skip at no time projects beyond frame members 1 Oa snakes the skip a particularly safe design since it obviates the likelihood of an operator standing adjacent the skip being hit by the skip itself during tipping.

Also, the centre of mass of the skip and its load does not move far to the left of roller 1 2 during this minimises the loading on the fork lift tines.

In the arrangement described above, the cam and follower support of the skip within frame 10 is provided by a cam in the form of the curve portion Y of the skip 11 and a follower in the form of roller 1 2 on frame 10. It will be appreciated that this arrangement can be reverse, as shown in Figure 9, by providing two wheels 40 on the skip 11 and two cam profiles 41 on the frame 10 which support the wheels 40 and hence take the weight of the skip. Figure 9 shows the skip 11 in its fully laden position and in its fully tipped position 11 a.

The remaining details of the skip assembly shown in Figure 9, such as the guidance means provided by rollers 21 and guide members 22, 23 can be the same as that described above.

The two skip arrangements described above are primarily designed for a carrying capacity in the quarter to four-ton range and can be used for carrying a wide range of solid or iiquid materials such as general waste materials, building materials, and farm animal feed stuffs.

It will be appreciated that the provision of frame 10 enables skip assemblies to be stacked one-on-top of the other, either when empty or full, thus reducing the storage space required to house a given number of skip assemblies. If desired formations can be provided on the top and bottom portions of the skip assembly which inter-engage with corresponding formations on other skips when stacked to increase the safety aspect of stacking.

If desired, the skip assemblies described above can be constructed without vertical frame members 1 Oa and upper horizontal members 1 0b and 1 or. Thus the frames of the assemblies would basically comprise lower members 1 Ob and 1 Od and box members 13 and 1 6. The vertical rails 22 and 23 would be connected together at their upper ends (i.e. above pivot 24) by a small horizontal member and rails 22 would be gussetted or otherwise supported or braced from members 1 Ob. In such an arrangement the skip would again not project beyond the frame but stacking would not be possible.

The present invention is also applicable to larger and smaller carrying capacities. An example of a smaller capacity container in accordance with the invention in the form of a wheelbarrow 50 is shown in Figures 10 and 11.

The wheelbarrow 50 comprises a main frame 51 with two handles 52, two wheels 60, two legs 80 and a container 53 supported from the frame via a roller 54. The ends of the container are each provided with rollers 55. Each roller moves generally vertically between two generally parallel guide rails 56 and 57, provided by an inverted U-shaped structure 58 which is supported from the frame 51 (see Figure 11). The lower end of rail 57 is not secured to the frame and a bolt 61 bridges the rails 56 and 57 and with the aid of a nut 62 enables the lower end of rail 57 to be drawn towards rail 56 (as shown by dotted detail 57') to provide a presettable squeezing action on the associated roller 55 as it descends between rails 56 and 57 during a tipping operation. This provides some degree of control over the speed of tipping.Clearly, if 30 desired, the more sophisticated spring-loaded and/or lever controlled tipping controls described above could be used if desired.

The container 53 is held in the fully-laden position shown in Figure 7 by a spring loaded plunger 63 which engages a formation 64 on the container. The plunger is disengaged from the formation to allow the container to tip under gravity by a hand lever 65 which is connected with the plunger via a cable 66.

As will be appreciated the wheelbarrow is easily tippable and by suitable choice of the dimensions of frame 51 the container 53 can be arranged not to project beyond the front of the frame during a tipping operation.

Figures 1 2 and 13 show the invention applied to a trailer-mounted skip 70. The skip is supported on a trailer frame 71 by a roller 72 and bearing blocks 73 secured beneath the frame. Rollers 74 on the skip are received between generally vertical guide rails 75 and 76 which may provide a squeezing action in a similar manner to the rails 22 and 23 of Figures 1 to 4 or in the simpler manner of rails 56 and 57 of Figures 10 and 11.

A lever 77 is provided which operates a latch 78 which engages a formation 79 in a similar manner to the latch 31 and formation 32 of Figures 1 to 4. As will be appreciated, when lever 77 is operated to disengage latch 78, the skip 70 tips under gravity with the tip rate controlled by the rollers 74 and guide rails 75 and 76. If desired the more sophisticated lever-controlled tipping arrangement of Figures 6 and 7 can be employed.

The present invention thus provides a tippable container assembly which is capable of a wide range of applications which has been designed with the safety of the operator in mind.

Claims

1. A tippable material container assembly comprising a support frame, a material container, cam and follower type support means for supporting the container from the frame, and co-operating guide means on the frame and container for controlling the position of the container relative to the frame during a tipping operation, the arrangement being such that during tipping the maximum extent of the container in directions generally parallel to the ground and in planes at right angles to the general axis of tipping of the container does not significantly exceed the maximum dimension of the container in planes at right angles to said general tipping axis.

2. A container assembly according to claim 1 having a holding means for securing the container in a fully laden position, the container being shaped and the support means so positioned that when the holding means is released the container, even when empty, tips automatically solely under the action of gravity.

3. A container assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the cam and follower support means is provided by cam means on the container and roller means on the frame.

4. A container assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the cam means is provided by shaping the cross-section of the container to provide the required cam shape.

5. A container assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the guide means is provided by a guide member on the container which moves between a pair of generally parallel guide rails on the frame.

6. A container assembly according to claim 5 in which the spacing between the guide rails is arranged to provide a squeezing action on the guide member to provide control over the rate of tipping of the container.

7. A container assembly according to claim 6 in which one guide rail is fixed and the other guide rail is movable and spring-loaded towards the fixed tail to provide the tipping rate control.

8. A container assembly according to claim 7 in which the movable rail is provided with a handle to enable an operator to vary the squeezing action of the spring during tipping of the container.

9. A tippable material container assembly comprising a support frame, a material container, roller support means for supporting the container from the frame, and holding means for securing the container in a fully laden position, the container being shaped and the support means positioned so that when the holding is released the container rolls to a fully tipped position solely under the action of gravity.

10. A tippable material container assembly comprising a support frame, a material container tippably supported from the frame, and tip rate control means in the form of a control member on the container and a pair of generally parallel control rails on the frame, the control member being movable between the control rails in their directions of extension during a tipping operation and the control rails being arranged to provide a squeezing action on the control member to control the rate of tipping of the container.

11. A tippable material container assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 5 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A tippable material container assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A tippable material container assembly according to claim 11 or 12 when modified as shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A tippable material container assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 0 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A tippable material container assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.