GB2274050A - Waste container - Google Patents

Abstract

A collection waste container has one or more removable access openings 24, 25 through which waste is loaded into the container, the openings being adapted to selectively control loading of waste into the container in dependance upon a predefined type of waste. The openings may be of different size and/or shape and be included in detachable selection plates 29 received in an aperture 23 in the container. Alternatively slot-like openings (33, Fig. 4) may be provided in plates 29. The openings may be protected by flaps 32 and closed by cloaking means 18. In another embodiment aperture 23 is left open to receive large waste e.g. cardboard. In use, the container may be adapted to receive are type of waste, loaded, emptied and then adapted to receive another type of waste. <IMAGE>

Description

WASTE CONTAINER The invention relates to a collection waste container and method of collecting domestic/industrial waste.

It is known to provide collection waste containers at public site areas such as car parks and municipal sites to encourage the deposit of various types of domestic waste for recycling. The various predefined types of waste are, for example, cardboard, drink canisters, plastic bottles, newspapers. These waste containers are normally emptied on site at regular intervals by a reclaim vehicle which lifts and tips the contents of the container into a storage container on the vehicle. These vehicles are generally of the "front-end" or "rear-end" loading type.

Conventionally, a separate container for each type of waste is provided in order to segregate the waste at the point of collection for subsequent recycling. Thus, for collecting the four types of waste referred to above, four separate containers would normally be provided.

It is therefore desirable to provide a single container which is capable of collecting the separate types of waste and thereby avoid the expense of say four separate containers.

An additional benefit of a single container is that such a container can be sited at a location where space is too limited to accommodate four separate containers.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a collection waste container having one or more access openings through which waste is loaded into the container, the openings being adapted preferably by the appropriate choice of size and shape to selectively control loading of waste into the container in dependence upon a predefined type of waste. Preferably the container includes at least one side wall having a window aperture adapted to detachably receive one or more interchangeable waste selection plates having at least one of said openings. Preferably the window aperture also defines one of said openings.

The interchangeable selection plates are preferably coded by colour and/or indicia to indicate the predefined waste to be placed into the container through the opening(s) formed in the plate.

Preferably cloaking means are provided for covering the window aperture, the cloaking means being movable between a closed position whereat it covers the window aperture and an open position whereat it permits free access to the window apertures. Preferably the cloaking means comprises a hingeable flap which is hingedly connected to the side walls of the container at a position abive the window aperture.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of collecting waste comprising the steps 1. locating a collection waste container on a collection site; 2. adapting the waste container to receive a predefined category of waste; 3. emptying the container; 4. adapting the waste container to receive a different predefined category of waste, and 5. cyclically repeating steps (3) and (4).

Preferably the waste container is of a tippable type which can be emptied on site and steps 3 and 4 are performed on site.

Various aspects of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a front end loading collection waste container; Figure 2 is a cut-off perspective view of Figure 1 showing the cloaking means in an open state; Figure 3 is a view taken along lines A-A of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a front view of an alternative selection plate.

Figure 5 is a side view of a rear end loading collection waste container.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a tippable waste container 10, comprising opposed side walls 13,14, and front and rear walls 11,12.

The container has a base 27 and a including a closeable lid 20. The side wall 13 has a window aperture 23 provided having a cloaking means 18 for covering window aperture 23.

The container 10 is of box-like formation and sits on base 27 and is preferably fabricated of steel plate. The container has tipping means 15 comprising channels for the engagement of arms (not shown) on a front or rear loading reclaim vehicle operable to raise and tip the container 10 in direction of arrow A.

The container 10 also has elongate channels 16 situated along the base on which the base stands. The container 10 is preferably lifted onto a transport vehicle (not shown) by means of lifting pins 17.

Preferably the window aperture 23 comprises an elongate generally rectilinear aperture housed within the upper half of the wall 13 and in the embodiment shown has a pair of side-by side selection plates 29 covering the main window aperture 23. The periphery of the window aperture 23 has cross-sectionally angled flange members 36 onto which the selection plates 29 are secured. Preferably each selection plate 29 comprises a steel plate member secured to a surrounding frame 35. Preferably the frame 35 is of tubular form. Each selection plate 29 includes an opening 24 or 25 respectively which is shaped and sized so as to control the insertion therethrough of a predefined type of waste. In the illustrated embodiment aperture 24 is used for plastics bottles and aperture 25 is used for cans.

Normally, both plates 29 in the window aperture 23 would contain the same type of opening 24,25.

The window aperture is preferably defined by a frame 36 formed from angled steel strips, the plates being detachably secured to the frame 36 by securing means preferably in the form of nuts and bolts 26.

Preferably windows substantially in the same form as window aperture 23 can be situated on both side walls 13,14.

The openings 24,25 preferably include segmented flaps 32 providing weather protection to the container 10. The openings of the selection plate 29 may vary in any convenient shape or size according to the type of waste selected to be deposited in the container. In the example shown, two different size circular openings 24,25 correspond to plastic bottles and drink canisters respectively. The selection plate 29 may be coded preferably by colour and/or indicia to indicate predefined types of waste to be fed through its opening. For large waste, such as cardboard boxes, it is envisaged that the window aperture 23 be left open without any selection plates 29 to thereby provide an adequate sized opening to receive the cardboard.For newspaper the openings 33 provided in selection plate 29 could be defined by elongate slots of letter-box-like form having drop down flaps 34 for weather protection.

The cloaking means 18 preferably comprises a plastics moulded flap which is hingedly mounted to the container 10 via hinge plates 21 welded to the container 10. Figure 1 shows the cloaking means 18 in its closed position whilst Figure 2 shows the cloaking means 18 open. The cloaking means 18 when raised, is propped up by a locking stay means (not shown). When the container is not in use, for example overnight, the cloaking means 18 may be locked to its closed position by locking means 19. Accordingly when locked in the closed position access into the container, for example by vandals is prevented. Additionally, locking of the cloaking means is desirable during tipping of the container for emptying.

Preferably the locking means 19 is a conventional padlock arrangement, but any convenient alternative arrangement of locking means 19 may be provided.

The container 10 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is of the front end loading type. It is envisaged that other types of container may be modified in accordance with the present invention. For example, the container may be a rear end loading type, a roll-on/roll-off type or a skip type. The latter types are loaded onto a vehicle for transportation to an emptying site. By way of illustration, as shown in Figure 5 a rear end loading container 100 may be modified by the provision of a window 23 and removable plate 29.

In use, the container 10,100 is located at a collection site and its window apertures 23 are adapted by removal or insertion of appropriate plates to define openings for receiving a predefined type of waste.

After a pre-selected period of time the container is emptied by a reclaim vehicle, such as a front loading or rear loading vehicle.

Authorised personnel then adapt the container on site by interchanging the plates 29 so as to define openings for receiving a different predefined type of waste.

A typical routine could be:- During week 1 of the routine the container 10 is adapted on site to receive cardboard boxes. At the begining of week 2 the container 10 is emptied and adapted on site to receive plastic bottles. At the begining of week 3 the container 10 is emptied and is adapted on site to receive newspapers. The container is emptied at the begining of week 4 and adapted on site to receive drink canisters. Then the whole routine is repeated.

In a second embodiment, the waste container may be provided with side walls containing differently sized openings which define access for different pre-defined types of waste. Each opening is covered by a respective lockable cloaking means. Accordingly by selectively opening a given cloaking means it is possible to adapt the container to only receive pre-defined waste.

For containers of the non-tippable type on site, such as a rollon/roll-off container, it is envisaged that the container would be adapted one week for a predefined type of waste, collected and taken off site for emptying and then adapted either on or off site to receive a different predefined type of waste.

Claims (12)

1. A collection waste container having one or more removable access openings through which waste is loaded into the container, the openings being adapted to selectively control loading of waste into the container in dependence upon a predefined type of waste.

2. A waste container according to claim 1 wherein the container includes at least one side wall having a window aperture adapted to detachabl'i receive one or more interchangeable waste selection plates having at least one of said openings.

3. A waste container according to claim 2, wherein the window aperture defines one of said openings.

4. A waste container according to claim 2 wherein the interchangeable selection plates are coded by colour and/or indicia to indicate the predefined waste to be placed into the container through the opening(s) formed in the plate.

5. A waste container according to claim 3 or 4, wherein cloaking means are mounted on the sidewall for covering the window aperture, the cloaking means being movable between a closed position whereat it covers the window aperture and an open position whereat it permits free access to the window aperture.

6. A collection waste container having a plurality of access openings through which waste is loaded into the container, the openings being of a different size and/or shape to selectively control loading of waste into the container in dependence upon a predefined type of waste, and a plurality of cloaking means mounted on the container and covering an associated opening, each cloaking means being movable between a closed position whereat it covers the associated opening to prevent loading of waste therethrough and an open position whereat it permits free access to the associated opening to permit loading of waste therethrough.

7. A waste container according to any preceding claim which is adapted to define a front end loading container.

8. A waste container according to any of claims 1 to 6 which is adapted to define a rear end loading container.

9. A waste container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of collecting waste comprising the steps

1. locating a collection waste container on a collection site

2. adapting the waste container to receive a predefined category of waste;

3. emptying the container;

4. adapting the waste container to receive a different predefined category of waste, and

5. cyclically repeating steps (3) and (4)

11. A method of collecting waste according to claim 10, wherein steps 3 and 4 are performed on site.

12. A method of collecting waste substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.