GB2383562A - Refuse container - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheeled domestic waste container comprises an upright skeletal frame (11) having wheels (16), a narrow foot (13) and a handle (14); wherein the frame includes protrusions for individually supporting one or more waste receptacles (20, 21, 22) above the foot. The frame may include a serpentine portion adapted to both support and to space the waste receptacles by engaging in a pocket of the waste receptacles. The frame, alternatively, may comprise a continuous tube substantia GB 2383563 <SDO ABE VER=1.0310> <DP N=2> An air bag unit (1) for a vehicle foot well comprises an air bag with an upper cover located above the air bag, such that on inflation the upper cover (8) is lifted from its initial position to an elevated position, wherein the upper cover is provided with reinforcing means extending transversely of the cover to provide the cover with substantial transverse rigidity. The reinforcing means may comprise thickened portions of the cover, or integral elements of reinforcing material located within the cover. The air bag is preferably secured to the cover by an adhesive or by means of elements provided on the air bag engaging with integrally formed tongues on the cover. The cover may either rest on the air or form part of the housing that contains the air bag. Conveniently, the air bag may be made of metal.

Description

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Refuse Container This invention relates to wheeled refuse containers for the kind used to accumulate domestic waste for collection from the roadside.

In recent years wheeled containers have replaced dustbins for roadside collection of waste. Typically such containers are box-like plastic mouldings having a hinged lid at the top, and two wheels at the rear. The capacity is usually in the range 240-360 litres.

An important feature of these containers is the flange at the upper front edge by which the container can be lifted and upended over the mouth of a refuse collection vehicle.

More recently local authorities and waste disposal contractors have sought to provide means for separating and collecting waste of different categories, for example paper, glass, and metal. The individual waste streams are collected for recycling, and it is anticipated that legislation may require compulsory schemes of this kind. Householders have variously been provided with boxes or bags in which to accumulate different waste types, but often house space is not available for such containers and/or the containers provided are used for other purposes. Furthermore householders must remember to put the containers at the roadside on the nominated collection day.

What is required is a better means of segregating different kinds of waste in a manner which better facilities accumulation and roadside collection.

According to the invention there is provided a wheeled domestic waste container comprising an upright skeletal frame having wheels at the lower end, a narrow foot, and a handle by which the frame can be manoeuvred, the frame having protrusions supporting individually one or more waste receptacles above said foot.

The invention provides a convenient means of separating and storing different waste streams, and delivering those streams to the kerbside in a tidy and efficient manner.

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In a preferred embodiment the frame includes a support for a waste receptacle substantially at ground level, and protrusions adapted to support two or more waste receptacles above ground level.

Such a frame can be adapted to relatively conventional box-like containers, be stored outside, and be easily manoeuvred to the roadside for collection. In practice it is anticipated that each container will be removed from the frame and emptied into an appropriate compartment of the refuse vehicle. The containers may be colour coded to aid identification.

The waste receptacle at ground level may be constituted by a bin permanently attached to said frame. Such a frame may be adapted to newspapers and the like. In the alternative the waste receptacle at ground level may comprise a removable bin.

The waste receptacles above ground level are preferably constituted by removable bins, for e. g. plastic, glass and metal. The waste receptacles or at least the uppermost waste receptacle, may be provided with a lid.

In a preferred embodiment, the skeletal frame includes a serpentine portion adapted to both support and to space adjacent waste receptacles. The serpentine portion may comprise a backbone of the frame, and have a handle attached adjacent the upper end thereof. The lower end of the backbone may constitute said foot and comprises a stabilizing limb adapted for ground engaging contact in the rest position of the frame.

The serpentine portion may engage in a pocket of a waste receptacle. In a preferred embodiment the waste receptacles for use with the frame may have a fore and aft divider constituted by pocket extending from the rear side thereof, the serpentine portion engaging in the pocket to support the waste receptacle on the frame.

Such a waste receptacle is preferably divided into two compartments of equal size, and the serpentine portion comprises a single backbone element of the skeletal frame.

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The serpentine portion preferably comprises a single bent member, for example of metal tubing. Each bend of the serpentine portion preferably comprises an upright spacing element extending up at about 45 to front, and a supporting element extending down at a small angle towards the rear, in the upright rest position of the frame. The supporting element preferably extends down at less than 15 to the horizontal. In such an arrangement the waste receptacles tend to remain on the supporting element, be self locating yet be easily removable.

The single bent member preferably extends to the front at the lower end to provide said foot. Two wheels are typically provided at the rear and generally having an axis of rotation at right angle to the fore and aft projection of the serpentine portion.

In another embodiment the waste receptacles for use on the frame have a peripheral lip.

Such a lip is useful for strengthening the mouth of the receptacle and may also constitute the means for engagement with protrusions of the frame. Typically protrusions may be provided for engagement on either side of a waste receptacle, for example by means of a forward facing'U'shaped member attached at its midpoint to a backbone frame. Alternatively the containers may have a lip adapted to hook onto one of an array of straight bars extending laterally and substantially horizontally of the frame.

In yet another embodiment the frame comprises a continuous tube substantially in the shape of an isosceles triangle, the base comprising a generally horizontal handle, the apex comprising said foot, and the tube being bent about a line horizontal to said handle to define a back for the frame and said foot. Horizontally extending supports may be attached to the back to receive containers along with an axle and wheels. In such an embodiment the descending tube portions taper inwardly in a symmetrical fashion, which taper continues to the tip of the foot.

Preferably the width of the handle is 500 mm or less, and the width of the inner end of the foot is 200 mm or less. The apex of the tube is preferably somewhat rounded, as are the bends at the ends of the handle and at the inner end of the foot.

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The foot of all embodiments is preferably as narrow as the form of construction permits. In one embodiment it comprises a single extension of tubing, typically in the diameter range 15-22 mm. In another embodiment the foot comprises a bent tube having an apex as narrow as the bending method permits, typically in the range 80-120 mm.

The foot may typically have a width of 20% or less of axle width, and most preferably 15% or less of axle width at the front tip thereof.

The containers are preferably adapted to be supported solely by said protrusions, and not by said foot.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of several preferred embodiments illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which :- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figs. 1-3, a skeletal frame 11 comprises a serpentine spine 12 having a foot 13 at the base and a handle 14 at the top. An axle 15 of any suitable kind supports a pair of wheels 16 to the rear of the foot 13.

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In the rest position, the centre of gravity of the frame 11 is forward of the axis of rotation of the wheels 16, so that the frame naturally stands on the foot 13, in the manner of a sack truck. The foot 13 can be arranged to have a point contact with the ground, so that the frame and wheels have a three point support which is highly suitable for stability on uneven ground.

As best illustrated in Fig. 2, the spine 12 has three forwardly facing spacing portions 17 at about 45 to the vertical, and three rearwardly and downwardly directed support portions 18 at a small angle to the horizontal, in the rest position of the frame.

The frame 11 is formed from e. g. metal tubing, and a T handle is attached by e. g. welding at the upper end.

The frame supports three waste receptacles 20,21, 22, one above the other. The lower receptacles 20,21 are open whereas the uppermost 22 has a lid 23 hinged at the rear edge, and a lid handle 24 at the front.

Each waste receptacle has a partition wall 25 defined by an indentation extending from the rear. This indentation in each case locates on a respective support portion 18, and the receptacle is prevented from rocking from side to side by the spacing portion 17.

As will be appreciated, each waste receptacle can be perfectly located upon a respective supporting portion 18, yet be removable by pulling forwards.

In order to stiffen the mouth of each receptacle, the mouth thereof has a peripheral lip 26 with a depending flange 27.

As illustrated each receptacle has approximately the same dimensions, and may be colour coded to suit different kinds of waste. Also as illustrated (Fig. 2) the front face 28 of each receptacle is angle downwardly and rearwardly in order to give access to the receptacle underneath.

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In this embodiment the frame may be easily manoeuvred to the roadside for emptying, yet provides a convenient means of segregating different kinds of waste.

In an alternative, not illustrated, the lowermost container 20 may be substituted by a fixed compartment or cage defining a receptacle of e. g. paper and newsprint. Such a compartment may have a back and sides only.

It is a feature of the invention that the foot performs only the function of stabilizing the frame. It is not intended that the foot bear any direct load from any container on the frame. In this way the foot can be adapted to the sole function thereof without compromise. The narrow foot also tends to make the frame unsuitable for use as a sack truck or the like.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. A frame 31 comprises a'U' shaped backbone of tubular metal, the free ends of which are linked to define an axle for wheels 32. An array of generally horizontal forks extend from the frame to support three waste containers 33, one above another. These forks (not illustrated) extended under lips 34 provided around the mouths of the waste containers. As illustrated, the containers have an inwardly sloping front face, as in the previous embodiment to allow access to the container underneath. A suitable narrow foot (not shown) is provided.

In use the containers are easily lifted onto and off the forks, and can be manoeuvred to the roadside as a unit on the frame 31. The top part 35 of the frame serves as a handle.

Fig. 6 illustrates a third embodiment comprising a continuous tubular frame 41 in the form of a bent isosceles triangle, the bends being somewhat rounded in order to substantially retain the tube strength. Any suitable form of tube bend may be used. An axle 42 and wheels 43 (shown in dot outline) are attached in any suitable manner, for example by welding ; a brace may be added if desired. An array of three horizontal container supports 44 are constituted by straight limbs and have a section suitable to engage under the lip of a container to retain the container thereon. The supports are

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also typically attached by welding, are of the same length, and symmetrically disposed on the frame 41.

The frame is bent to define a narrow foot 45 constituted by the apex of the frame. The proportions of the frame are adapted to the average user and three containers, so that stability is assured when the frame is in the upright rest condition.

The handle is typically less than 500 mm wide, and the inner end of the foot less than 200 mm wide.

Claims (9)

Claims

1. A wheeled domestic waste container comprising an upright skeletal frame having wheels at the lower end, a narrow foot and a handle by which the frame can be manoeuvred, the frame having protrusions supporting individually one or more waste receptacles above said foot.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said frame includes a protrusion for a waste receptacle substantially at ground level, and protrusions adapted to support two or more waste receptacles above ground level.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said frame includes a serpentine portion adapted to both support and to space adjacent waste receptacles.

4. A container according to claim 3 wherein the serpentine portion comprises a backbone of the frame, the lower end of the backbone constituting said foot.

5. A container according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said serpentine portion engages in a pocket of a waste receptacle.

6. A container according to claim 5 wherein said pocket comprises a fore and aft divider of a container open at the rear side thereof.

7. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said frame comprises a continuous tube substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle having a bend parallel to the base thereof, the base of the triangle constituting said handle, and the apex constituting said foot.

8. A container according to claim 7 wherein the tip of said foot has a width 25% or less than the width of said handle.

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9. A container according to claim 7 wherein at said bend the width of the frame is less than 40% of the width of said handle.