GB2284978A - A container suitable for collecting clothes to be recycled - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (1, Fig. 1) for collecting old clothes for recycling comprises a housing (2, Fig. 1) having a front access door 11. A delivery chute (20, Fig. 5) is mounted in the door for movement between an open position for receiving cloth, to a closed position. The chute (20, Fig. 5) includes a front wall which is hinged about a horizontal hinge (30, Fig. 5) downwardly inclined floor 23 and side wall portions 24, 25. A coil spring (35, Fig. 5) biasses the chute into the closed position. Blocking walls 40, 41 co-operate with the sidewall portions 24, 25 of the chute to prevent unauthorised access into the container. <IMAGE>

Description

"A Container" The invention relates to a container for use in recycling and more particularly to a container for use in collecting cloth for recycling.

According to the invention there is provided a container for collecting cloth for recycling comprising a housing having a base, a top, and sidewall means extending between the base and top to define an enclosed space for cloth, the housing having an access opening closed by an access door and a delivery chute for delivery of cloth into the cloth receiving space.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the chute is movable from an open position for receiving cloth to a closed position for delivery of cloth into the cloth receiving space.

Preferably the chute is biased by a biasing means into a normally closed position. Most preferably the biasing means comprises a spring means such as a coil spring extending between the chute and the housing.

In one embodiment of the invention the chute is pivotally mounted for movement between the open and closed positions. Preferably stop means are provided to limit the movement of the chute between the open and closed positions. Typically the stop means are provided on the chute for engagement with the housing when the chute is in the open position.

In a preferred arrangement the chute is pivotally mounted in the access door.

In one embodiment of the invention the chute includes a front wall having a handle, a chute floor and a pair of side guide walls extending rearwardly from the front wall, the floor being inclined downwardly in the closed position for delivery of cloth into the enclosed space. In this case preferably the chute and the housing have internal access prevention means to prevent unauthorised access into the housing through the chute. Preferably the access preventing means comprises restriction wall means extending from the housing to engage with and to substantially close the chute outlet when the chute is in the open position. The restriction wall means may include a rear portion and a pair of side portions extending forwardly of the rear portion to define together with the chute side wall means the access preventing means.

In another arrangement each chute side wall includes an extension wing extending upwardly from the chute side wall to define a secondary undesired access prevention means.

In a preferred arrangement spacer means is provided between the chute front wall and the access door of the housing, the spacer means defining a gap between the chute front wall and the access door when the chute is in the closed position.

Preferably the container includes a rain deflector on the housing above the chute front wall.

In one arrangement the housing side wall means comprises a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a front wall having an access opening.

Preferably the housing side wall includes an upper outwardly inclined portion extending from the top wall of the housing for water run-off. Preferably also the container top wall is inclined rearwardly from the front wall to the rear wall for water run-off.

In a preferred arrangement the housing is provided with lifting lugs.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention with a chute in an open position of use; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container with an access door open; Fig. 3 is a front view of the container; Fig. 4 is a side view of the container; Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the container in a closed position of use; and Fig. 6 is a partial side cross sectional view similar to Fig. 6 with the chute in an open position.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a container according to the invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for collecting cloth such as old clothes and the like for recycling. The container 1 comprises a housing 2 having a base 3, a top 4 and side wall means which in this case comprises a rear wall 5, a front wall 6 and a pair of side walls 7, 8 extending between the rear wall 5 and front wall 6 to define an enclosed space 10 for receiving cloth. The front wall 6 is partially defined by an access door 11 which is vertically hinged about hinges 15 to the front wall 6 and is movable from the open position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2. The door 11 is provided with a handle 12 and upper and lower locks 13, 14 which are released to open the door 11.

A delivery chute 20 is mounted in the door 11 for movement between an open position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 for receiving cloth to a closed position illustrated particularly in Fig. 5 for delivery of cloth into the enclosed space 10 defined within the housing 2.

The chute 20 comprises a front wall 21 having a handle 22, a downwardly inclined floor 23 extending from the front wall 21 and a pair of side wall portions 24, 25 for guiding the cloth into the enclosed space 10. Spacer bars 27 are provided between the front wall 21 of the chute 20 and the front face of the door 11 to prevent a user's fingers being caught in the gap between the edge of the front wall 21 of the chute and the door 11. The chute 20 is hinged about a horizontal axis defined by a hinge 30 for movement between the open and closed positions.

Biasing means for maintaining the chute in a normally closed position is illustrated in Fig. 5 in this case comprising coil springs 35 extending between mounting lugs 35a, 36b on the door 11 and the chute floor 23 respectively. Stop means for controlling the movement of the chute between the open and closed positions is in this case provided by a stop bar 36 on the underside of the floor 23 of the chute which engages the door 11 when the chute is in a desired open position illustrated in Fig. 6.

Means for preventing unauthorised access to the enclosed space 10 is in this case provided by a blocking wall 40 extending downwardly from the top wall 4 and a pair forwardly extending side blocking walls 41 which, together with the side walls 24, 25 of the chute 20 prevent unauthorised access into the open space 10. Additional access prevention means is provided by upward extensions 42, 43 on the chute side walls 24, 25 respectively.

A rain deflector 50 is provided above the chute 20 to deflect rain away from the chute. It will also be noted that the top wall 4 is inclined rearwardly downwardly to deflect rain away from the front of the container.

Similarly the container side walls 7, 8 include upper downwardly and outwardly inclined portions 7a, 8a, respectively to further assist water run-off. For ease of transport the container includes top lifting lugs 55.

In use, the door 11 and chute 20 are normally in the closed position illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. To deliver clothes into the space 10 the chute 20 is opened by pulling down on the handle 22 against the biasing of the spring 35. The chute 20 is counterweighted so that considerable force is not required to open it. As the chute opens the stop bar 36 will engage against the door 11 preventing the chute from opening beyond the desired amount. In the open position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, clothes may be readily loaded into the chute. On closing the chute 20, the clothes are delivered along the inclined floor 23 of the chute into the enclosed space 10.

When the container 1 is full the access door 11 is opened by releasing the locks 13, 14 allowing the clothes to be removed for sorting, sterilisation and onward use.

Many variations on the specific embodiment of the invention described may be readily apparent and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described but may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (21)

1. A container for collecting cloth for recycling comprising a housing having a base, a top, and sidewall means extending between the base and top to define an enclosed space for cloth, the housing having an access opening closed by an access door and a delivery chute for delivery of cloth into the cloth receiving space.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chute is movable from an open position for receiving cloth to a closed position for delivery of cloth into the cloth receiving space.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the chute is biased by a biasing means into a normally closed position.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the biasing means comprises a spring means.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the spring means comprises a coil spring means extending between the chute and the housing.

6. A container as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the chute is pivotally mounted for movement between the open and closed positions.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6 wherein stop means are provided to limit the movement of the chute between the open and closed positions.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the stop means are provided on the chute for engagement with the housing when the chute is in the open position.

9. A container as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8 wherein the chute is pivotally mounted in the access door.

10. A container as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9 wherein the chute includes a front wall having a handle, a chute floor and a pair of side guide walls extending rearwardly from the front wall, the floor being inclined downwardly in the closed position for delivery of cloth into the enclosed space.

11. A container as claimed in claim 10 wherein the chute and the housing have internal access prevention means to prevent unauthorised access into the housing through the chute.

12. A container as claimed in claim 11 wherein the access preventing means comprises restriction wall means extending from the housing to engage with and to substantially close the chute outlet when the chute is in the open position.

13. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the restriction wall means includes a rear portion and a pair of side portions extending forwardly of the rear portion to define together with the chute side wall means the access preventing means.

14. A container as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13 wherein each chute side wall includes an extension wing extending upwardly from the chute side wall to define a secondary undesired access prevention means.

15. A container as claimed in any of claims 9 to 14 wherein spacer means is provided between the chute front wall and the access door of the housing, the spacer means defining a gap between the chute front wall and the access door when the chute is in the closed position.

16. A container as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15 including a rain deflector on the housing above the chute front wall.

17. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing side wall means comprises a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a front wall having an access opening.

18. A container as claimed in claim 17 wherein each side wall includes an upper outwardly inclined portion extending from the top wall of the housing for water run-off.

19. A container as claimed in claim 17 or 18 wherein the container top wall is inclined rearwardly from the front wall to the rear wall for water run-off.

20. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing is provided with lifting lugs.

21. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.