GB2412905A

GB2412905A - Recycling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2412905A
Application number: GB0407777A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Storey
Original assignee: Trio Design & Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Trio Design & Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2004-04-06
Filing date: 2004-04-06
Publication date: 2005-10-12
Also published as: GB0407777D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the recycling of waste products such as, but not being limited to cans or bottles, that as a bulk exhibit fluid flow characteristics. A refuse collecting container is disclosed comprising a refuse collecting compartment 4, apparatus 2 at a lower end of the refuse collecting compartment 4 having an opening 22 leading to a throat, in which is located manipulation means, and an outlet 20 arranged between the apparatus 2 and the refuse collecting compartment 4. The manipulating means comprise fingers 18 and a comb 12.

Description

24 1 2905 - 1 Improvements in and relating to recycling apparatus The

present invention relates to an improved apparatus for the recycling of waste products such as, but not being limited to cans or bottles, that as a bulk exhibit fluid flow characteristics.

It is known that waste products comprising cans or bottles may be collected from either a domestic or commercial establishment for transport to a waste disposal site. The waste products may then be treated, sorted or otherwise disposed of.

However, it is in the collection of the waste products that the present invention is of particular relevance. It is increasingly common for waste products such as cans or bottles to be pre-sorted at the point of collection. A container into which, for example, glass bottles have been disposed is releasably connected to a vehicle for the collection of waste products - a refuse collection vehicle - raised to the height of the vehicle and inverted thereby allowing the waste products to fall into a refuse collecting compartment of the refuse collection vehicle. When empty the container is lowered and returned for future use. It will be understood that the sound of such containers being emptied, that is of the waste products crashing into the refuse collecting compartment, may be significant and is particularly undesirable in residential areas.

It is an advantage of the present invention that such problems are eliminated, or at least significantly reduced.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a refuse collecting container is provided comprising a refuse collecting compartment, apparatus at a lower end of the refuse collecting compartment having an opening leading to a throat, in which is located manipulation means, and an outlet arranged between the apparatus and the refuse collecting compartment. - 2

By locating the apparatus at a lower end of the refuse collecting container, advantage is taken of the fluid flow characteristics of the bulk properties of the waste products being collected.

Preferably, the opening is provided with a cover moveable between an open position and a closed position.

Preferably, the manipulation means comprises a rotatable member having a plurality of arms, each arm having a plurality of fingers, and a comb member disposed in the region of the outlet, such that upon rotation of the rotatable member the fingers pass through the comb member.

Preferably, the rotatable member is prevented from rotating when the cover is in the open position.

Preferably, each of the arms of the rotatable member comprises a leading surface and a trailing surface, the leading surface being curved. More preferably, an angle formed between the leading surface of each arm upon rotation of the rotatable member as it passes though the comb member is substantially maintained.

Preferably, the arms of the rotatable member are equidistantly spaced from one another.

Preferably, the refuse collecting compartment is a refuse collecting compartment of a refuse collecting vehicle.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a refuse collecting vehicle is provided incorporating a refuse collecting container according to the first aspect of the present invention. - 3

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a side section of a first embodiment of the present invention in a first condition; Figure 2 shows a side section of the present invention in a second condition; Figure 3 shows a side section of the present invention in a third condition; Figure 4 shows a side section of the present invention in a forth condition; Figure 5 shows a side view of a refuse collection vehicle incorporating the invention; Figure 6 shows an end view partially in section of the refuse collection vehicle shown in Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, part of a refuse collecting container is shown. An apparatus 2 is shown located in a bottom corner of a refuse collecting compartment 4. The apparatus 2 comprises a housing 6. A rotatable member 8 is mounted within the housing 6 and is adapted to rotate about an axle 10. In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 a comb member 12 extends substantially horizontally with the housing 6. The comb member 12 extends from an upright wall of the housing 6 towards the axle 10. In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 the comb member 12 extends to a point below the axle 10. The comb member 12 is provided with a plurality of tines 14 (most clearly shown in the embodiment of Figure 7).

An outlet 20 into the refuse collecting compartment 4 is provided in the wall of the housing 6 beneath the comb member 12.

An opening 22 into the housing 6 is provided. The opening 22 is disposed on the opposite side of the housing 6 to the outlet 20. The opening 22 extends to a height above the axle 10. The opening is provided with a moveable cover 24. - 4

The moveable cover 24 may take any suitable form. In the illustrated embodiments the moveable cover 24 is pivoted about a bottom edge. The moveabie cover 24 is provided with side panels 25 extending from the moveable cover 24 into the housing 6. Conveniently, the side panels 25 are provided with side flanges (not shown) to limit the pivoting movement of the moveable cover 24. This construction has as an advantage that the side panels 25 serve as guide means when the waste products are introduced into the housing 6 through the opening 22 A curved wall 26 of part circular shape extends from a region adjacent the opening 22 to a lower surface 27 of the housing 6. In the illustrated embodiments a sloping surface or lip 28 is shown connecting the curved wall 26 to the opening 22.

In the embodiment of Figure 7 (like reference numerals are use to refer to like parts), the rotatable member 8 and associated axle 10 are carried from the curved wall 28 by end bracket members 34. The comb member 12 in this embodiment comprises a tubular mounting part 36. The comb member 12 is mounted to the axle 10 between the end bracket members 34 in a substantially horizontal orientation by way of the tubular mounting part 36.

The rotatable member 8 may be driven by any suitable means. The rotatable member 8 has a plurality of arms 16. The curved wall 26 can be seen substantially to follow a path traced by a tip of arms 16 as they rotate past the bottom of the opening 22 toward the lower surface 27 of the housing 6. In the illustrated embodiments there are three equidistantly spaced arms 16. Each arm 16 is provided with a plurality of fingers 18 (most clearly shown in Figure 7). Upon rotation of the rotatable member 8 the fingers 18 pass through the tines 14 of the comb member 12. - 5

Each of the arms 16 of the rotatable member 8 may be considered to define a leading surface 30 and a trailing surface 32. The leading surface 30 is preferably curved as shown in the illustrated embodiments.

In an initial position, as shown in Figure 1, the cover 24 is in an open position.

Waste products (not shown) can be introduced into the housing 6 through the opening. It can be seen that the waste products will enter the housing in a region defined between the trailing surface 32 of an arm 18 and the curved wall 26.

Waste products can be introduced into this region until the waste products reach approximately the level of the lip 28.

It will be noted that in this position the leading surface 30 of the arm 16 as the arm 16 intersects the comb member 12 is approximately 90 degrees.

The cover 24 should then be closed (Figure 2). Preferably, the rotatable member 8 will not be permitted to rotate until the cover 24 is closed. For example, the means driving the rotatable member 8 may not be actuated until closure of the cover 24 has been detected. This may be by way of a mechanical switch or by electronic means. Any other suitable means of ensuring that the cover 24 is closed prior to actuation of the rotatable member 8 may also be used.

The rotatable member 8 is driven such that the waste products are advanced towards a region of the housing 6 defined between the comb member 12 and a lower surface of the housing 6 (Figure 3). It will be seen that the curvature of the curved wall 26 follows a path traced by tips of the arms 16 as the rotatable member turns. As the rotatable member continues to rotate, the fingers 18 pass between the tines 14 of the comb member 12. However, due to the angle formed between the leading surface 30 of the arm 16 as the arm 16 intersects the comb member 12, as the rotatable member 8 turns the waste products do not pass through the comb member 12, or become trapped between the comb member 12 and the arms 16, but instead are pushed forwards into and through the outlet 20. - 6

it will be seen that the apparatus may be considered to comprise a passage or throat through which the waste products pass encountering manipulation means that direct the waste products into the refuse collecting compartment 4.

The moveable cover 24 may be arranged such that when moved from a closed position to an open position, the means driving the rotatable member 8 are caused to stop. In this way, an operator of the apparatus is protected against a limb becoming trapped by the rotating member.

Additionally, or alternatively, the means driving the rotatable member 8 may be adapted such that when the arms 16 have been rotated through a predetermined angular displacement, the means driving the rotatable member 8 are caused to stop. The predetermined angular displacement may conveniently correspond to a complete revolution of the rotatable member or a part revolution such that the general arrangement of the arms 16 at the end of the displacement corresponds to the general arrangement of the arms at the start of the displacement (in the illustrated embodiment a one third rotation of the rotatable member 8). In such an arrangement the moveable cover 24 may be locked against opening during movement of the rotatable member 8. In Figure 4, the rotatable member 8 has assumed a position corresponding to that shown in Figure 1, such that the displaceable cover 24 may be opened to allow further waste product to be introduced into the housing 6.

Since waste products such as cans and bottles exhibit fluid flow characteristics when considered as a bulk product, the refuse collecting compartment 4 is filled from the bottom as waste products entering the refuse collecting compartment 4 through the outlet 20 displace the waste products already in the refuse collecting compartment 4. - 7

An advantage of the present invention is the reduced noise level as compared to known devices. Since the refuse collecting compartment 4 is closed during filling, the noise of the displacement of the waste products is baffled and so substantially reduced. When introduced into the apparatus of the present invention the waste products have less far to fall and fall within a largely contained space so again the there is less noise generation than previously.

As may be seen from Figures 5 and 6, a refuse collection vehicle 40 may be provided with a number of refuse collecting compartments 4, 4', 4", 4"'. In this way a single refuse collection vehicle 40 may be used to collect and maintain separate a number of different kinds of waste product, for example, aluminium cans, clear glass containers, green glass containers and brown glass containers. - 8

Claims

CLAI MS

1 A refuse collecting container comprising a refuse collecting compartment, apparatus at a lower end of the refuse collecting compartment having an opening leading to a throat, in which is located manipulation means, and an outlet arranged between the apparatus and the refuse collecting compartment.

2 A refuse collecting container according to claim 1, in which the opening is provided with a cover moveable between an open position and a closed position.

3 A refuse collecting container according to claim 1, in which the manipulation means comprises a rotatable member having a plurality of arms, each arms having a plurality of fingers, and a comb member disposed in the region of the outlet, such that upon rotation of the rotatable member the fingers pass through the comb member.

4 A refuse collecting container according to claim 2, in which the manipulation means comprises a rotatable member having a plurality of arms, each arm having a plurality of fingers, and a comb member disposed in the region of the outlet, such that upon rotation of the rotatable member the fingers pass through the comb member.

A refuse collecting container according to claim 4, in which the rotatable member is prevented from rotating when the cover is in the open position.

6 A refuse collecting container according to any of claims 3 to 5, in which each of the arms of the rotatable member comprises a leading surface and a trailing surface, the leading surface being curved.

7 A refuse collecting container according to claim 6, in which an angle formed between the leading surface of each arm upon rotation of the rotatable member as it passes though the comb member is substantially maintained. - 9 -

8 A refuse collecting container according to any of claims 3 to 7, in which the arms of the rotatable member are equidistantly spaced from one another.

9 A refuse collecting container substantially as shown herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

A refuse collecting container according to any previous claim, in which the refuse collecting compartment is a refuse collecting compartment of a refuse collecting vehicle.

11 A refuse collecting vehicle incorporating a refuse collecting container according to any of claims 1 to 9.

12 A refuse collecting vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.