GB2198926A - Container - Google Patents

Abstract

A container for materials has a support 32 fastened to the ground. The container has a spherically concave outer face and the support has a complementary, spherically convex outer face. The container and the support are fixed together, with the faces against each other, by a bolt 36 fast with the support, a nut 40, a washer 39 and a clamping disc 30. The fixing can be achieved with the container in an upright disposition even if the ground is sloping by virtue of an opening 31 through the concave face of the container which is of larger diameter than the bolt. <IMAGE>

Description

A CONTAINER The present invention relates to a container for materials, for example a litter bin.

According to the present invention, there is provided a container for materials and a support for the container, which support may be attached to a surface, wherein one of the container and the support has-a spherically concave face and the other of the container and the support has a complementary, spherically convex face, and means for adjustably fixing the container and the support together, with the support attached to a surface, with the faces opposite each other, so that the container is in an upright disposition if the surface is sloping.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a litter bin; Fig. 3 is a view from above of the litter bin; Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are side views of the litter bin; Fig. 8 is an underneath view of the litter bin; Fig. 9 shows a -form of locking arrangement which may be used in the bin; and Fig. 10 is a sectional view through the bottom of the litter bin.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, a litter bin comprises a body of sheet steel or aluminium having four sides 1, 2, 3 and 4 and a top 5.

The top 5 is moulded to have a portion 6 sloping towards the side 2, the portion 6 including a digital clock having a display 7 revealed through an opening in a stainless steel or toughened glass panel 8, which panel may, for example, carry a street map.

The sides 2 and 4 have: portions 9 and 10 respectively, on which may be printed an indication of the road or street in which the litter bin is or other matter; and portions 11 and 12 respectively, below the portions 9 and 10 and which may carry, for example, advertising material.

In the side 1, there is an opening covered by a counter-balanced pivoted flap 13 and in the side 3 there is an opening covered by a counter-balanced pivoted flap 14, whereby litter may be inserted into the bin, the flaps 13 and 14 being of sheet steel or aluminium. Below flaps 13 and 14 the sides 1 and 3 have portions 15 and 16 respectively which may carry, for example, advertising material. Above the flap 14 there is means 17 for receiving a key to unlock a locking pin, whereby side 3 is released and may be pivoted outwards about a vertical hinge at 18 to enable litter to be removed from the bin.

As an alternative to locking means locked and unlocked via a key, a locking arrangement as shown in Fig. 9 may be used. In Fig. 9, reference numeral 19 denotes a body having a first, relatively wide bore 20 which communicates with a second, relatively narrow bore 21 with a shoulder 22 in the body where the bores meet. The body 19 may be mounted with its bores vertical on the underside of top 5, with the bore 21 lowermost. Received in bore 21 is a plunger 23, retained in body 19 by a larger diameter flat head 24 which rests on shoulder 22 when the plunger 23 is in its lowermost position. Carried by side 3 on the inside of the latter is a tongue 25 having a throughhole 26 and a downwardly sloping end portion 27. When the side 3 is closed from an open position, the plunger 23 rides up portion 27 and drops into hole 26 to lock the side 3 in position.As an alternative, body 19 may be carried on the inside of side 3 and tongue 25 under the top 5. Plunger 23 is of magnetisable material and, with the side 3 in its locked position, it may be unlocked by bringing a permanent magnet, externally of the side 3, adjacent the plunger 23 which may be lifted out of the hole 26 by moving the permanent magnet upwards. Alternatively, the plunger 23 may be in the form of a permanent magnet and be lifted out of the hole 26 using an external permanent magnet. Advantages of such a locking arrangement are that it is selflocking, it is "hidden", not being visible when the side 3 is locked in position, and avoids the need for a special key.

To enable the litter bin to be mounted in an upright or substantially vertical disposition on sloping ground (rather than having merely a flat-bottom whereby it can only be mounted perpendicular to a sloping surface), the bottom of the bin is formed as will now be described with reference to Fig. 10. The base 29 of the bin is moulded to have a portion 30 which has a spherically concave outer face and is circular when viewed from above, the portion 30 having a central, circular opening 31. The portion 30 sits on a base support 32 of cast iron or cast aluminium, the support 32 being circular when viewed from above and comprising a portion 33 which has a spherically convex outer face on which the portion 30 sits and a circular rim 34 which stands on the ground in use of the bin.

The support 32 is also cast with three hollow protuberances 35 through which bolts (not shown) are forced to bolt the support 32 to the ground. Fast with the portion 33 is a bolt 36 carrying a washer 37 fast with it. To mount the litter bin, the support 32 is placed on the ground; the support 32 is bolted to the ground via bolts through the protuberances 35; the portion 30 is seated on the portion 33 of the support 32 with the bolt 36 passing through the opening 31 and is adjusted so that it is an upright or substantially vertical disposition despite the ground being sloping, this adjustment being accommodated by opening 3 ; the concave face of a disc 38 (which is circular when viewed from above and has spherically concave and convex opposite faces) is seated on to the inner (spherically convex) face of portion 30, the bolt 36 passing through a central hole in the disc 38, the latter being of sheet steel or aluminium; a washer 39 is placed over the disc 38; and a nut 40 screwed on to the bolt 36 and tightened against washer 39 to fasten the portion 30 to the support 32. Preferably, the disc 38, portion 30 and portion 33 are dished, so that nut 40 is recessed. Preferably, the bolt 36 has a "weakened" portion at the point along its length where it meets the upper face of portion 33, as a safety feature, so that it will snap if the bin is subjected to an impact greater than a certain level and the bin will be knocked away from the support 32. Also, in an alternative construction, the portion 33 could be spherically concave externally, the portion 30 being spherically convex externally.

Claims (5)

1. A container for materials and a support for the container, which support may be attached to a surface, wherein one of the container and the support has a spherically concave face and the other of the container and the support has a complementary, spherically convex face, and means for adjustably fixing the container and the support together with the support attached to a surface, with the faces opposite each other, so that the container is in an upright disposition if the surface is sloping.

2. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the said fixing means comprises a bolt which passes through a larger opening in one of the said faces and means for clamping the faces together via the bolt.

3. A container according to Claim 2, wherein the said clamping means comprises a disc at least partly overlying the said faces.

4. A container according to any preceding Claim, wherein the said container has a side which may be opened and means for locking the said side in its closed position, which locking means comprises: a plunger which is of magnetisable material or is in the form of a permanent magnet, and is carried inside the said container or on the inside of the said side; and means carried one the inside of the said side or inside the said container and having a hole for receiving the said plunger.

5. A container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.