GB2320673A - Wheeled refuse container with hinged lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheeled refuse container (10) comprises walls each having an upper edge (22), the upper edges (22) defining a refuse opening. One of the walls (14) carries a hinge (27) for a lid (26) for the opening, the hinge (27) being located outwardly of the upper edge (22) of the wall (14). A part (14a) of the wall (14) is positioned outwardly beyond the hinge (27). In such an arrangement the hinge (27) is positioned within an envelope defined by the container when viewed in plan so as to allow the lid (26) to seal the container (10) more effectively and the hinge (27) is protected from impact damage by the part (14a). The upper part (14a) is inclined inwardly and the upper edges (17) of the side walls are inclined upwardly as they approach the part (14a).

Description

A WHEELED REFUSE CONTAINER The invention relates to wheeled refuse containers of the kind provided for domestic and commercial waste, and particularly to the location of a hinge for such a container. Related patent application 9505208.0 is concerned with the configuration of the rear wall of such a container.

heeled refuse containers have replaced dustjins as a preferred waste container because they can be wheeled to a refuse collection vehicle and emptied by means of a vehicle mounted hoist. The dustman is thus no ionaer required to lift and car-ft a full refuse container and accordingly laxer containers can be provided. Typically a domestic wheeled refuse container or an individual household will have a capacity in the range 400-500 nitres. Larcer commercial waste containers may nave capacities in excess of 1000 litres. The smaller domestic retune containers are usually injection moulded in plastic whereas the larger containers can either be injection moulded or fabricated crom sheet steel.

The larder containers usually have a lid hinged about one edge or a roll top comprising an arcuately moving, spring-closed lid pivoted a cut the container sides. When a container with a hinged lid is lifted by the refuse vehicle hoist, the lid falls open as the container is inverted to release the contents of the container. where pivoted lids are provided the lid engages a fixed structure of the vehicle so that the lid is pushed open as the container is up-ended.

Different types of hoist mechanism are used, as are many different designs of waste container. However, generally speaking all hoists must be suitable for all containers and vice versa.

Two of the most commonly used hoists are now described below.

The comb lifter uses a horizontal bar (or comb) which engages underneath a horizontal lip at the front edge of a container.

The side lifter, on the other hand, engages trunnions which project from either side of the container. Containers may be provided with either or both kinds of lifting structure.

The requirement for Interoperabilitv of all containers and noists places constraints on the maximum dimensions of waste containers. The height of a container must allow a user to open the lid and drop refuse therein. The overall width of a container is determined by the distance between lifting points -or a side lifter whilst the overall depth is determined by te dimensions and structure of the refuse vehicle, particularly the height and depth of the opening into which the container is to be tipped.

particular, many refuse vehicles have a generally horizontal bar extending across the refuse opening and which is arranged to engage the pivoted lid of roll top containers.

That bar determines the maximum distance between the horizontal lip of comb lift containers and the rear edge of those containers since too great a distance would cause the container to hit the bar efcr It was fully inverted over the refuse opening.

Containers arranged to be lifted by como lift hoists are generally restricted by nose a@@rementioned asDects to a rectangular box having a nominal capacity of approximately 11C litrs. Such containers usually have a hinged lid with te hinge situated above ne rear eagle of the container and aligned therewith. This arrangement ensures that the hinges do not project rearwardly of the container where they might contact one refuse vehicle in use, and also ensures that the can be pivoted through 270 decrees to lIe against the bac one container.

A particular drawback with wheeled refuse containers of the type described is the positioning of the hinge for the lid which prevents adequate sealing of the opening. Liquid can leak through gaps in the hinge and into the container as the hinge is located along the top edge of the rear wall.

According to the invention there is provided a wheeled refuse container comprising walls, each wall having an upper edge, the upper edges defining a refuse opening, one of the walls carrying a hinge for a lid for the opening, the hinge being located outwardly of the upper edge of the hinge carrying wall, the hinge lying within an envelope defined by the container when viewed in plan.

In that way the hinge is mounted away from the edge of the opening so that the lid can seal the opening adequately.

Moreover the arrangement prevents the hinge from being damaged as a surface part of the container forming part of the envelope will take the force of any impact, thereby protecting the hinge.

The hinge may be protected by a part of the container which protrudes beyond the hinge.

The protruding part mav extend along the full width of the wall on which the hinge is mounted.

In that way, the whole length C the hinge is protected from Impact.

preferably the protruding part comprises part of the wall on which the hinge is mounted. The wall on which the hinge is mounted is preferably Inclined inwardly from the protruding part so as to position the hinge within the envelope.

The hinge is preferably mounted on a rear wall of the container.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a wheeled refuse container in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container of Figure I, Figure 3 is a side view of the container of Figure 1 looking in the direction of arrow III in Figure 1, the lid of the container being shown in closed and open positions, the open position being shown in broken lines, Figure 4 is a front elevation of the container of Figure 1 looking in the direction of arrow IV in Figure 1 and Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of the container of Figures 1 to 4.

In Figure 1, a container 10 has a front all 12, a rear wall 14, side walls 16, 18 and a base 20. The walls 12, 14, 16, 18 are upright and extend from the base 20.

Eac wail has a top edge 22, the top edges 22 being substantially continuous with each other and defining an upwardly facing opening 24. The opening 24 is normally closed by a lid 26 hinged to the container by means of a hinge 27 which lies adjacent the top edge 22 of the rear wall 14.

The walls 12, 14, 16, 18 curl under at their lower edges so as to define at least part of the base 20.

The container 10 is supported by four caster-like wheels 28, one at each corner of the base 20.

The top edge 22 of each side wall 16, 18, has a portion 17, 19 adjacent the rear wall 14 which is inclined upwardly toward the rear wail 14. The top edge 22 of the rear wall 14 is thus parallel with and higher than the top edge 22 of the front wall 12. The lid 26 has a lower peripheral edge 29 arranged to form a close fit with the top edges 22 of the walls 12, 14, 16, 18. Accordingly, the lower peripheral edge 29 has corresponding inclined portions 17a, 19a corresponding to the inclined portions 17, 19 on the too edge 22 of the side walls 15, 18.

The rear wall 14 has a portion, 14a adjacent its top edge 22 which is inclined inwardly of the container 10 towards the top edge 22 of the rear wall 14. Such an arrangement draws the to edge 22 of the rear wall 14 of the container 10 away from te foxed structure on a refuse collection vehicle for opening pivotally lidded containers so that the container 10 does not become jammed upon hoisting by such a vehicle.

The hinge 27 for the lid 26 s located on the rear wall 14 on the inclined portion 14a outwardly of the top edge 22 of the rear wall.

The inclined portion 14a extends downwardly and outwardly away from the hinge 27 so that the hinge 27 lies within the envelope defined by the container 10 when viewed in plan as shown in Fig.5.

n that way the rear wall 14 of he container 10 will abut any obstruction before the hinge 27, protecting the hinge.

Location of the hinge 27 outwardly of the top edge 22 of the rear wail 14 is advantageous as a complete seal can be obtained between the lid 26 and the container 10. If the flinge 27 is located along the top edge as In many conventional containers water can leak between the joins of the hinge into te container. That is undesirable from a weight and hygiene point of view.

The front wall 12 has a horizontal bar and 30 located adjacent its top edge 22 for cooperation with a comb-lift hoist of a refuse vehicle. The side walls 16, 18 may each have a trunnion (not shown) extendIng =errom for cooperation with a side-lift hoist of a reuse vehicle.

The container 10 provides increased refuse capacity without exceeding parameters of the envelope imposed by refuse collection vehicle design.

The container is preferably assembled from stamped steel sheets, welded together in a jig.

The container 10 may comprises a front section 32, an intermediate section piece and a rear section 36. Though preferably the intermediate section comprises two identical end sections 34 and a base section.

The front section 32 comprises the front wail 12 and part of each side wall 16a, 18a. The front piece 32 also curls under to define part of the base 20a.

The intermediate sections 34 comprise part of each side wall 16b, 18b and each have curved ower edge 21 which defines part of the base 20b.

The rear section 36 comprises the rear wall 14 and part of each side wall 16c, 18c. The parts 16c, 18c of each side wall defined bv the rear section 36 Include the aforesaid inclined portions. The rear wall 14 has the inclined portion 14a at an upper part thereof. The rear section 36 curls under at a lower edge thereof to define part of the base 20c.

In this embodiment standard front and rear sections 32, 36 can be combined with intermediate sections of varying width so that the final size of the assembled container 10 can be rather smaller that the maximum depth determined according to the design envelope.

Claims (6)

1. A wheeled refuse container comprising walls, each wall having an upper edge, the upper euaes cerining a refuse opening, one of the wails carrying a hinge for a lid for the opening, the hinge being located tn the wall outwardly of the upper edge thereof, the ine lying within an envelope defined cv the container when v viewed in pian.

2. A wheeled refuse container according to claim 1 in which the hinge is protected bv a tart of the container which protrudes beyond the hinge.

3 A refuse container according to claim 2 in which the protruding part extends along the full width of the wall on which the hinge is mounted

4 A refuse container according to claim 2 or 3 in which the protruding part comprises sart of he wall on which the hinge is mounted.

5. A refuse container according to any preceding claim in which the wall on which the hinge is mounted is inclined inwardly from the protruding part so as to position the hinge within the envelope.

6. A refuse container according to any preceding claim in which the hinge is mounted on a rear wall of the container.