GB2323522A

GB2323522A - A garden refuse bin and compost maker

Info

Publication number: GB2323522A
Application number: GB9705975A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Savvas Papadopulos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-03-22
Filing date: 1997-03-22
Publication date: 1998-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-22
Also published as: GB9705975D0; GB2323522B

Abstract

A bottomless container for garden refuse to be composted therein comprises outer and inner walls 1, 5 and a member 11 for covering the material in the container. The outer wall 1 may be a sheet of mesh or perforated or composite material having overlapping ends secured by a rod 2 passing through projecting loops, the amount of overlap determining the size of the bin. The container may be made larger by joining more than one sheet or mounting one such enclosure on top of another. The inner sheet 5 is a liner providing thermal insulation and allowing air to pass through it. It may comprise perforated, laminated, plastics material with bubbles defined by internal layers. The cover member 11 which rests directly on the top of the contents of the container may be of similar material to the liner 5 but be weighted by being partially filled with water. The container may have a hinged door to facilitate emptying.

Description

A GARDEN REFUSE BIN AND COMPOST MAKER This invention relates to a low cost variable volume and variable plan geometry garden refuse bin and compost maker.

The Land Fill Tax is likely to discourage Borough Councils from accepting large amounts of garden waste for disposal. Garden refuse is a valuable soil conditioning and moisture retaining resource once composted and the public may be encouraged to store, and dispose of composted waste in situ making this a low cost environmentally acceptable option.

The storage needs for such bulk material tends to be seasonal. A low cost bin whose volume capacity can be modified easily and which can be changed to fit a given available space in a garden could change the public's perception regarding the recycling of garden waste, particularly if such bins were made available by Councils free of charge. A bin that can easily be adapted to optimise biological decay conditions can reduce the size of containment required. An important feature ofthe invention is that all the materials used in its construction can be rolled up into a low weight small diameter cylindrical form that allows for easy transport and minimal packaging.

According to the present invention there is provided a garden refuse or compost bin in the form of a bottomless container with a cover that may be placed on top of the fill of garden refuse. The container wall consists of at least two distinct members, one of bi-axially stable sheet to act as the containment and strength member and at least another member consisting of a sheet acting as a liner, having two functions, one of providing thermal insulation and allowing sufficient air to pass through to the garden refuse to allow its aerobic decomposition. The sheet material is chosen or formed such at to require a minimum of material and therefore weight and to be readily coilable into a small diameter for ease of packaging and transport. This means that steel or plastic sheets are suitable and these may also be in the form of a perforated sheet or wire mesh sheet. The bin walls or enclosure may be made of a single sheet fastened together releasably along the vertical axis. The main method of decreasing or increasing the capacity of the bin is by overlapping the ends ofthe containment sheet or sheets and fastening with more or less overlap. An alternative means of expanding the bin volume is by fastening more than one sheet to extend the circumference ofthe bin. Also, a duplicate sheet or set of sheets forming another enclosure may be mounted on top of the first enclosure and fastened releasably along their common circumference to increase the height of the bin. More than two layers may be fastened together to provide the necessary height. The most satisfactory bin ground plan or footprint is likely to be generally circular but the invention also provides for other shapes to fit the available ground space on which they are to be stood. The cover has a similar duty and construction as the liner but in addition may be weighted.

One specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective a metal mesh bin (for instance using a material known as Weldmesh which may be galvanised - supplied by the BRC Engineering Company in Stafford) with an openable closure, a liner and cover; Figure 2 shows the detail of a closure in perspective and in plan view; Figure 3 shows some detail of a polyethylene laminated bubble sheet with perforations used as a liner for the bin; Figure 4 shows the detail of fixing the liner to the mesh; Figure 5 shows the detail of the water weighted liner.

Referring to the drawing the body of the bin 1 consisting of a galvanised welded metal mesh assembled as a cylinder and closed by a locking device 2 comprising loops 3 pre-formed by bending the mesh and intercalating these with the squares of mesh from the opposite end; holding the two with a wire or rod 4 threaded through the loops.

The liner comprises a triple layer bubble liner 5 similar to the used for lightweight packaging except that this application may use a carbon loaded polymer or coloured polymer. Perforations 6 are included in the liner to coincide with the spaces between the bubbles 7 which act as a thermal insulation..

A method of fixing the liner, using plastic clips 8 is shown.

The cover 11 consists of a bonded five layer liner with discreet bubbles formed on one side for thermal insulation and bubbles 9 interconnected with channels 10 on the opposite side that can be filled with water in-situ and sealed to act as a weighted cover.

Claims

1 A garden refuse or compost bin in the form of a bottomless container with a cover that may be placed on top of the fill of garden refuse. The container wall consists of at least two distinct members, one of bi-axially stable sheet to act as the containment and strength member and at least another member consisting of a sheet acting as a liner, having two functions, one of providing thermal insulation and allowing sufficient air to pass through to the garden refuse to allow its aerobic decomposition. The sheet material is chosen or formed such at to require a minimum of material and therefore weight and to be readily coilable into a small diameter for ease of packaging and transport. This means that steel or plastic sheets are suitable and these may also be in the form of a perforated sheet or wire mesh sheet. The bin walls or enclosure may be made of a single sheet fastened together releasably along the vertical axis. The main method of decreasing or increasing the capacity of the bin is by overlapping the ends of the containment sheet or sheets and fastening with more or less overlap. An alternative means of expanding the bin volume is by fastening more than one sheet to extend the circumference of the bin. Also, a duplicate sheet or set of sheets forming another enclosure may be mounted on top of the first enclosure and fastened releasably along their common circumference to increase the height of the bin. More than two layers may be fastened together to provide the necessary height. The most satisfactory bin ground plan or footprint is likely to be generally circular but the invention also provides for other shapes to fit the available ground space on which they are to be stood. The cover has a similar duty and construction as the liner but in addition may be weighted.

2 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 1 where the containment sheet is a wire mesh or perforated sheet of steel or plastic or a composite material.

3 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 where the appertures in the containment mesh sheet may be chosen to have various geometries and sizes.

4 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claims 1 - 3 where the containment is made of a straight sided rolled steel sheet, extruded plastic sheet or composite material sheet such as resin bonded glass fibre.

5 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claims 1 - 4 where the containment wall sheet is made of corrosion and weather resistant material or treated to have such resistance.

6 A garden refUse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 1 - 5 where the containment sheet is corrugated to ease coiling and to provide air channels.

7 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 1 - 6 where a single or multiple containment sheet or mesh members are closed or extended releasably using loops formed by bending a sheet of mesh and intercalating and locking with a wire or rod, both to extend the height and the circumference of the bin.

8 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claims 1 - 7 where the containment sheet or sheets are closed or extended releasably using reusable fasteners such as plastic plugs.

9 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 1 - 8 which incorporates a liner of a plastic material which acts as a thermal insulation and incorporates perforations for aeration.

10 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 9 for which the liner consists of laminated plastic sheets incorporating gas bubbles and perforations.

11 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claims 9 and 10 where the liner is made of PVC or Polyethylene which may be carbon loaded or otherwise pigmented.

12 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claims 9 - 11 where the containment sheet or the liner are decorated by printing or by other means.

13 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 1 - 8 for which a cover is provided in the form of a bonded multiple layer liner with discreet bubbles formed on one side for thermal insulation and interconnected bubbles on the opposite surface that can be filled with water and sealed to act as a weighted cover.

14 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 14 for which the cover is weighted by alternative means such as loading some or all the bubbles with sand.

15 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 1 to 8 in which a hinged door is provided in the sheet containment of the bin for ease of emptying.

16 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 16 in which the door closure is the same as in Claims 7 and 8.

17 A garden refuse or compost bin as claimed in Claim 16 where the door hinge is continuous from top to bottom of the containment sheet or mesh sheet.

18 A garden refuse or compost bin substantially described herein with reference to figures 1- 5 of the accompanying drawing.