GB2219487A - Bin - Google Patents

Abstract

A bin comprising a body component (12) intended to be fixed to a substantially vertical surface (e.g. a telephone box), and a container component (10) pivotally mounted on the body. The body (12) comprises an upper wall (3) which defines a shelf when the body is fixed to a vertical surface, and the container defines an opening (8) through which any material deposited in the container can be discharged. The container is pivotable relative to the body between a closed position in which the opening is located beneath and at least partially obstructed by the upper wall of the body and an open position in which the open end of the container is freely accessible to enable the discharge of any material within the container. The container may be releasably locked in the closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

BIN The present invention relates to a bin, and in particular to a bin comprising two pivotally interconnected components.

Telecommunications system operators are installing public telephone boxes on a wide scale which can only be used if the intended user is in possession of a coded card which is inserted into card monitoring equipment provided by the system operator. The card in effect replaces the former requirements for the deposit of coins. Once cards have been used however they are discarded by the user and accordingly if no receptacle is provided within public telephone boxes there is a tendency for the user to simply drop the used card on the floor. The resultant litter must accordingly be cleared up. With the above in mind, it has been proposed to provide card receptacles in public telephone boxes but these receptacles must meet fairly stringent requirements. Firstly, they must be robust to resist damage by vandals.Secondly, they must be easily emptied so that the person having responsibility for emptying them does not waste time.

Thirdly, they must be easily cleaned so that if they become contaminated either deliberately or accidentally with for example a beverage the person responsible for emptying the receptacle can maintain acceptable standards of cleanliness without too much difficulty.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bin incorporating features meeting one or more of the desirable attributes outlined above.

According to the present invention, there is provided a bin comprising a body component intended to be fixed to a substantially vertical surface, and a container component pivotally mounted on the body, wherein the container has a discharge opening for material deposited therein and is pivotal relative to the body between a closed position in which the opening is located beneath and at least partially obstructed by an upper wall of the body and an open position in which the opening is freely accessible to enable the discharge of any material within the container, and means being provided to releasably lock the container in the closed position.

Preferably, the upper wall of the body defines a shelf when the body is fixed to a vertical surface.

The container may comprise front and rear walls extending between substantially vertical side walls and may be pivotally connected to the body adjacent a bottom end of the front wall of the container. The pivotable connection may be provided by interengageable hooks, one mounted on the body and one mounted on the container. The hooks may be arranged such that they are disengageable when the container assumes a predetermined orientation relative to the body. A spring may be provided to bias the container to the open position once the lock has been released.

The body may comprise two spaced apart side walls extending vertically downwards from the upper wall, the container when in the closed position being received between the body side walls. The locking means may be arranged to interengage the body side walls with the container side walls. For example, the locking means may include a lockable bolt mounted on one of the body side walls. Alternatively, the locking means may interengage the container and the upper wall of the body. As an alternative to a lockable bolt, the locking means may be in the form of a spring latch mounted on the container and releasable by inserting a plate-shaped "key" between the container and the body. The key may be arranged to engage over the edge of the upper wall of the body and to be guided along the lower surface of the upper wall in a track.Further examples of locking means which may be employed are rotary locks and a gravity latch which could be mounted on the underside of the shelf of the body so as to fall naturally into engagement with an aperture or abutment on the container.

An auxiliary opening may be provided in the container to enable discarded articles to be placed therein. For example, if the bin is to be used to receive used cards or tickets, the auxiliary opening may be a slit punched in the front wall of the container. The container and body can be arranged however so that a portion of the main opening is accessible when the container is in the closed position. For example, an edge of the main opening may be accessible adjacent the front edge of the body to enable the insertion of cards or tickets.

Preferably, the front wall of the container when in the closed position slopes downwards and backwards, that is towards the vertical surface on which the body is mounted. An upper portion of the front wall of the container may however slope upwards and backwards towards the front edge of the body upper wall so as to define an upwardly facing surface upon which suitable graphics can be supported. The provision of the downwards and backwards slope for the front wall of the container provides a number of advantages. Firstly, the front and rear walls of the container diverge upwardly to assist free discharge of the contents when the container is tipped.

Secondly, it reduces the projection of the lower part of the container from the mounting surface. Thirdly, it reduces the angle through which the container must be pivoted in order to discharge its contents.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a public telephone box in which a bin in accordance with the present invention is positioned; Fig. 2 illustrates the mounting of the body of the bin shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 to 6 illustrate the sequential steps which are performed to insert a container into the body of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 illustrates the insertion of a key between the container and body of Figs. 3 to 6 to unlock the container from the body; Fig. 8 illustrates the movement of the container after insertion of the key as shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the bin of Fig.

1 to a larger scale; Figs. 10 to 14 are respectively top, side, bottom, front and rear views of the bin of Fig. 1, lines 11-11, 13-13 and 14-14 in Fig. 10 indicating the views shown respectively in Figs. 11, 13 and 14, and lines 12-12 in Fig. 14 indicating the view of 12; Fig. 15 is a partial view of the bottom portion of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing in dotted lines the sectional shape of a hook member used to engage the container; Fig. 16 is a sectional view through the container of Fig. 1; Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are respectively top, side and end views of the keys shown in Figs. 7 and 8, lines 17-17 and 19-19 in Fig. 18 indicating the direction of the views of Figs. 17 and 19; Fig. 20 illustrates the formation at the top of a side wall of the body (with the top wall of the body removed) which is engaged by a spring latch on the container; and Fig. 21 is a plan view of a portion of a spring latch incorporated in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a conventional public telephone box in which a bin 1 in accordance with the present invention. is positioned on the rear wall of the box adjacent the basic telephone equipment 2. The bin comprises a body as shown in Fig. 2 having an upper wall 3, spaced apart vertical side walls 4, a rear wall 5, and a hook formation 6 extending between the side walls adjacent the bottom of the rear wall. The body of Fig. 2 is fixed in position by four screws 7 which pass through suitably positioned apertures.

The bin also incorporates a container as shown in Figs. 3 to 8. The container comprises spaced apart side walls 8, a rear wall 9, a front wall 10, and a spring latch 11 secured adjacent the top of the rear wall 9. The spacing between the walls 8 is such that the container fits snugly between the side walls 4 of the body (Fig. 2). A hook formation (not visible in Figs. 3 to 8 but described below) is engageable with the hook formation 6 of Fig. 2 by offering up the container to the body in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 3 and then lifting the container up in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 and pulling the container forward in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 5. The container can then be pivoted upwards as shown in Fig. 6 until the spring latch 11 engages behind a lip 12 defined beneath the upper wall 3.

Once the container has been swung upwards as far as possible in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, it assumes the position shown in Fig. 7 and is locked in that position by the engagement between the spring latch 11 and the formation 12 on the underside of the upper wall of the body. In this position, the screws 7 are concealed by the container thus preventing unauthorised removal of the screws.

The container can only be released from the closed position shown in Fig. 7 by inserting a key 13 into the space between the underside of the upper wall 3 of the body and the top edge of the front wall 10 of the container. The key 13 comprises a lower member 14 which slides beneath the underside of the wall 3 and a flared upper member 15 which slides over the upper surface of the upper wall 3 of the body. The lower member 14 is guided as described in more detail below beneath the spring latch 11, causing it to disengage from the formations 12. The container can then swing forward, leaving the key 13 engaged on the upper wall 3 of the body as shown in Fig. 8.The container can either be swung forward so as to cause its contents to pour into a suitable receptacle (not shown) or it can be moved to the angular position indicated in Figs. 3 to 5 and completely disengaged from the body by reversing the movements indicated in Figs. 3 to 5. Thus, if the container is dirty or damaged it can be removed for cleaning or replacement.

Referring to Fig. 9, this is a perspective view of the bin illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8. This shows the provision of a slit 16 in the front wall 10 of the container, the slit being provided to enable used telephone cards to be inserted into the container.

Fig. 9 also shows a gap 17 defined between the top edge of the front wall 10 of the container and the underside of the upper wall 3 of the body, the gap enabling the insertion of the lower member 14 of the key 13 (Figs. 7 and 8) to release the container from its engagement with the body. The gap 17 could also be used for the insertion of used cards into the container although it may be easier to identify the appropriate insertion point for cards into the container by providing a separate slit 16 and associated graphics as shown in Fig. 9.

It will be seen from Fig. 9 that the front wall 10 of the container comprises a lower portion which is inclined to the vertical so as to extend downwardly and rearwardly of the body when the container is in the closed position and an upper portion which is also inclined to the vertical but which extends upwardly and rearwardly to terminate beneath the front edge of the upper wall 3 of the body.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 14, these show various views of the body and container when the container is locked in the body by engagement between the spring latch 11 and the formations 12. It will be seen that the side walls 4 of the body correspond in outline to the shape of the front wall 10 of the container.

Fig. 15 is a partial view of the bottom portion of one side wall 4 of the body showing in broken lines the structure of a hook element 18 supported on the rear wall of the body. The hook element 18 is welded to a support flange 19 which in turn is welded to the rear wall 5 of the body.

Referring now to Fig. 16, this is a sectional view through the container. The front wall 10 of the container is fabricated from sheet steel and has a folded lower end defining a hook formation 19 intended to engage with the hook element 18 illustrated in Fig. 15. Welded to the front wall 10 is a rear wall 20 and a reinforcing wall 21. The ! front wall 10 and reinforcing wall 21 thus define a box section to improve the strength of the container and hence its resistance to damage. Furthermore, the reinforcing wall 21 additionally serves to guide the contents of the bin past the upper lip of the front wall 10 when the container is pivoted to discharge its contents. If the slit 16 were omitted the reinforcing wall 21 could be extended to the upper edge of the front wall 10 so as to improve the strength of that edge.

The spring latch 11 is riveted to the rear wall 20 and is formed from sheet spring steel with a central cutout portion (see Figs. 3 to 5), edges 22 which in use engage behind the formations 12 (Fig. 3) and inclined tongs 23 which are intended to be engaged by the inserted tip of the lower member 14 of the key 13 (Fig. 7).

Referring now to Figs. 17 to 19, the key shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is shown in more detail. The tip 24 of the lower member 14 of the key is inclined so as to be pressed against the underside of the upper wall 3 of the body and thereby to engage beneath the inclined tongs 23 of the spring latch 11. Thus, by pushing the key fully home the lower member 14 forces the inclined tongs 23 downwards, pulling the spring latch 11 downwards and thus pulling the edges 22 free of the underside of the upper wall 3 of the body.

The container is then free to move forward relative to the body.

Referring to Fig. 20, this shows the top sides of the two side walls 4 of the body after removal of the upper wall 3. It can be seen that the upper edges of the side walls 4 have been bent over through 900, those upper edges being welded to the underside of the upper wall 3. The upper edges thus define guide edges which project downwardly from the underside of the upper wall 3. These guide edges include tapering edges 25 which serve to guide the key into parallel edges 26 and edges 12 which correspond to the formations 12 referred to in Fig.

3. Thus the edges 22 (Fig. 16) of the spring latch engage behind the edges 12 and the inclined tongs 23 are located inwardly of the edges 12 so that they can be engaged by the tip 24 of the inserted key, the width of that tip corresponding to the spacing between the edges 26.

Referring now to Fig. 21, this is a plan view of the sheet metal member from which the spring latch 11 is fabricated before folding of the spring latch.

Thus the spaced tongs 23 are shown as being located on either side of the central cutaway portion and between the two edges 22 which in use engage with the edge 12 located beneath the upper wall of the body.

The spring latch is folded at lines 27 and 28, the folded line 28 being approximately 700 and the folded line 27 being approximately 640. The edge portions of the spring latch may also be folded in line with fold line 27 through for example 18 to 200 so as to reduce the angle of inclination between the spring latch adjacent the tips 22 and the underside of the top wall 3 of the body.

In the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the front wall 10 of the container projects forwardly relative to the front edge of the upper wall 3 of the body. It would be possible in an alternative arrangement to arrange the front wall of the container so that all of it lay behind the vertical plane extending downwards from the front edge of the upper wall 3 of the body. For example the upwardly facing upper portion of the front wall 10 could extend vertically rather upwardly backwards toward the front edge of the upper wall 3 of the body.

Claims (19)

CLAIMS:

1. A bin comprising a body component intended to be fixed to a substantially vertical surface, and a container component pivotally mounted on the body, wherein the container has a discharge opening for material deposited therein and is pivotal relative to the body between a closed position in which the opening is located beneath and at least partially obstructed by an upper wall of the body and an open position in which the opening is freely accessible to enable the discharge of any material within the container, and means being provided to releasably lock the container in the closed position.

2. A bin according to claim 1, wherein the upper wall of the body defines a shelf when the body is fixed to a vertical surface.

3. A bin according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container comprises front and rear walls extending between substantially vertical side walls and is pivotally connected to the body adjacent a bottom end of the front wall of the container.

4. A bin according to claim 3, wherein at least a lower portion of the front wall of the container when in the closed position slopes downwards and backwards. ~

5. A bin according to claim 4, wherein an upper portion of the front wall of the container slopes upwards and backwards towards the front edge of the body upper wall so as to define an upwardly facing surface.

6. A bin according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the pivotable connection is provided by interengageable hooks, one mounted on the body and one mounted on the container.

7. A bin according to claim 6, wherein the hooks are arranged such that they are disengageable when the container assumes a predetermined orientation relative to the body.

8. A bin according to any preceding claim, comprising a spring arranged to bias the container to the open position once the locking means has been released.

9. A bin according to any preceding claim, wherein the body comprises two spaced apart side walls extending vertically downwards from the upper wall, the container when in the closed position being received between the body side walls.

10. A bin according to claim 9, wherein the locking means is arranged to interengage the body side walls with the container.

11. A bin according to claim 9, wherein the locking means is arranged to interengage the container and the upper wall of the body.

12. A bin according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the locking means is in the form of at least one spring latch mounted on the container and releasable by inserting a plateshaped key between the container and the body.

13. A bin according to claim 12, wherein the key is arranged to engage over the edge of a wall of the body and to be guided along the surface of that wall in a track.

14. A bin according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the upper edges of the side walls have inwardly directed flanges defining rearwardly directed shoulders against which the or a respective spring latch engages in the closed position, the facing edges of the flanges serving for guidance of the key into engagement with the or each spring latch so as to reIease same.

15. A bin according to any preceding claim, wherein a slot is formed in the container to enable cards to be pushed through the slot into the container.

16. A bin according to any one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein a portion of the discharge opening is accessible when the container is in the closed position to enable articles to be inserted into the container.

17. A bin according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inside front surface of the container is shaped to facilitate the discharge of the contents by gravity.

18. A bin as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body has fixing locations concealed by the container in its closed position.

19. A bin substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.