GB2520072A

GB2520072A - Handles

Info

Publication number: GB2520072A
Application number: GB1319818.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vincent Paul Ferguson
Original assignee: INCINER8 Ltd
Current assignee: INCINER8 Ltd
Priority date: 2013-11-11
Filing date: 2013-11-11
Publication date: 2015-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2033-11-11
Also published as: GB2520072B; GB201319818D0

Abstract

A handle 40 comprises a lever 42 used with a hatch 22 of a device (10, fig 1) selected from an incinerator, furnace, brazier or refrigerator. The lever is moved between a first retracted (fig 2) and a second extended position (fig 3) whereby a portion of the lever projects beyond a periphery of the device. In the extended position the lever pivots freely. First and second spaced apart pins 46 slide within slotted apertures 48 of L-shaped braces 50 welded to the hatch. When the lever is fully extended a through-pin 52 on the lever that does not engage the slotted apertures strikes a pivotable lock actuating lever 56 and engages a catch 58 rigidly fixed to the hatch. When the lever is fully extended, a hooked portion 62 of the lock actuating lever is moved clear of the body 12 of the incinerator permitting the hatch to be opened. The lock actuating lever may be spring biased closed (fig 2). An electrical interlock may switch a burner (20) on or off depending on the lever position. The hatch may have a lift assist device (28) such as a counterbalance, gas strut, pulley system, spring or over-centred cam arrangement.

Description

Title: Handles

Description:

S This invention relates to handles, and in particular, but without limitation, to handles for incinerators, furnaces, braziers and the like.

Incinerators, furnaces, braziers and the like (hereinafter "incinerators") comprise a combustion chamber within which items to be burned are placed. The combustion chamber is usually manufactured from, or lined with a refractory material, such as concrete or a high-temperature ceramic material so as to be able to withstand the elevated temperatures encountered during use.

Within the combustion chamber, there is often provided a fuel gas-, or liquid fuel-fired burner, which ignites the contents of the combustion chamber, thereby initiating and/or maintaining the burn. During the burn, the waste is converted to ash, which collects at the bottom of the combustion chamber, and gaseous combustion products that are vented to atmosphere via a flue. Often, the flue is fitted with a supplementary burner, which elevates the temperature of the flue gasses for a given amount of time, so as to convert potentially harmful flue gas products into harmless, or predominantly non-harmful, by-products that can be safely and/or legally exhausted to atmosphere.

The combustion chamber itself may additionally comprise an ash discharging mechanism, such as a push plate or an Archimedean screw, which ejects the ash, other solid by-products, or non-combustible residues, either continuously or batch-wise, depending on the configuration of the incinerator.

To operate an incinerator, one of several protocols may be adopted. In a first example, the waste can be loaded into a cold combustion chamber, which is then closed-off and the primary burner ignited to start the burn. When the burn has completed, which is often determined via visual inspection (e.g. via an inspection aperture or window through which the interior of the combustion chamber can be seen), or via a weighing process (e.g. whereby a weighing device is located in the bottom of the combustion chamber), the primary S burner is switched off and when the incinerator has cooled down, the ash and other solid residue removed either manually or automatically.

A "cold start" process, such as that described above, however, is often inefficient and slow, and so in most cases it is preferable to pre-heat the combustion chamber to a desired temperature, prior to loading the waste to be burned. By pre-heating the combustion chamber to a temperature exceeding the ignition temperature of the waste products, the waste products auto-ignite on entry into the combustion chamber, which has several main benefits. Firstly, the burn is much quicker because the time it takes to heat an empty combustion chamber is usually less than the time it takes to heat a filled combustion chamber from cold. Secondly, the "pre-heat" can be the residual heat within the combustion chamber from an earlier burn, thereby negating the need to heat the combustion chamber from cold.

Thirdly, and most critically, by pre-heating the combustion chamber, the amount of sub-optimal temperature burning is reduced, thereby reducing the incidence of incomplete combustion, which can often lead to excessive pollution and hence, increased work for the secondary burn stage in the flue. Fourthly, lead-times can be significantly reduced if the incinerator is not allowed to cool between successive burns.

As such, it is generally desirable to load an incinerator in a pre-heated state, but that introduces potential hazards for operators.

In many cases, incinerators are top-loading devices, that is to say, having an open-topped combustion chamber that is loaded with waste to be burned via an access hatch located on, or near to its top surface. The advantages of using a top-loading incinerator are many, but the main advantage is that gravity helps to distribute the waste at the bottom of the combustion chamber where the burner is usually located, and away from the flue inlet, which is usually located at, or towards, the top of the combustion chamber. In a side-loading chamber, for example, it is often necessary to rake the waste out horizontally to achieve an S even burn, which is a potentially risky and time-consuming operation. A top-loading incinerator conveniently enables an operator to spread the waste out evenly without having to place a tool into the chamber.

Usually, a top-loading incinerator comprises a hatch that closes the top of the combustion chamber from above, but which is arranged to hinge upwardly to open the combustion chamber. A counterweight system is usually provided to assist the lifting of the hatch, which is often quite heavy, and so the hatch can be opened manually by an operator.

However, where the combustion chamber has been pre-heated, there is a risk that the operator may stand too close to the opening edge of the hatch and be exposed to a blast of hot air as the combustion chamber is opened. In addition, the hatch is usually locked down using a latch arrangement, and is can be difficult to ascertain, from visual inspection alone, whether the hatch has, or has not, been locked-down at any given time. It is therefore quite common for an operator to attempt to open the hatch to ascertain whether or not it is locked-down, which can be hazardous if, say, the burner is in operation, or if a burn is in progress.

A need therefore exists for a solution to one or more of the above problems and/or an improved and/or alternative means for opening, closing and/or locking the hatch of an incinerator, in particular a top-loading incinerator.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a handle comprising a lever adapted, in use, to cooperate with the hatch of an incinerator, wherein the lever is moveable between a first position in which the lever is retracted, and a second extended position whereby a portion of the lever projects beyond a periphery of the incinerator.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an incinerator comprising a main combustion chamber, a hatch for closing the main combustion chamber and a handle for opening and closing the hatch, wherein the handle comprises a lever adapted, in use, to cooperate with the hatch and which lever is moveable between a first position in which S the lever is retracted, and a second extended position whereby a portion of the lever projects beyond a periphery of the incinerator.

By providing a telescopically-extendable lever, the hatch can be opened at a distance from the incinerator: the extension of the handle enabling an operator to stand clear of the hatch as it is opened. Additionally or alternatively, a handle comprising a telescopically-extendable lever provides a mechanical advantage to facilitate opening the hatch. By such a configuration, any counterweighting of the hatch that may be provided to facilitate its opening or closing, can be reduced, and in preferably, to such an extent that the weight of the hatch makes it difficult to open manually unless the lever has been extended. Such a configuration suitably encourages the lever to be extended during use, thereby encouraging an operator to stand further away from the hatch as it is opened.

Suitably, the lever is pivotally connected to the hatch such that when it is in a position other than a substantially fully-extended position, it pivots freely and does not positively engage the hatch in a manner that enables it to be used to open it.

In one embodiment of the invention, the lever suitably comprises a first pin and a second pin, and the hatch comprises a brace comprising a slotted aperture and a catch. In this embodiment, the first pin can be slideably receivable in the slotted aperture such that the lever can pivot about the first pin at various points along the slotted aperture, and the catch is suitably arranged to engage the second pin only when the lever is in a substantially fully extended position. As such, when the lever is in any position other than a substantially fully-extended position, the lever is free to pivot about the first pin, but when the lever is in a substantially fully-extended position, second pin engages the catch thereby preventing pivoting of the lever about the first pin and thus enabling the lever to actuate the hatch.

In another embodiment of the invention, the lever comprises a slotted aperture comprising a wide portion and a narrow portion. In this embodiment, the hatch comprises a S projection having a first narrow portion that is receivable within the narrow portion of the slotted aperture, and a second wider portion that can pass through the wider portion of the slotted aperture, but not through the narrow portion of it. As such, the projection can be configured to selectively engage the lever, i.e. when the projection is aligned with the narrow portion of the slotted aperture, or to disengage the lever, i.e. when the projection is aligned with the wider portion of the slotted aperture, depending on the relative position, i.e. the extension, of the handle relative to the hatch.

Suitably, the lever comprises a lock-actuating means for engaging a locking mechanism of the hatch. The lock-actuating means suitably comprises a projection or pin extending from the lever, which cooperates with a locking mechanism for the hatch when the lever is substantially in a fully-extended position. Suitably, the lock-actuating means cooperates with a locking mechanism for the hatch only when the lever is substantially in a fully-extended position.

In one embodiment, the locking mechanism comprises a lever arranged to pivot about an axle and comprising a first portion, such as a hook, that engages with a portion of the incinerator to lock the hatch closed. The locking lever is suitably biased, for example using a spring, to a locking position. The locking lever may additionally comprise an actuating portion, which when moved, causes the locking lever to pivot about its axle to disengage, and unlock, the first portion. The actuating portion can be moved by cooperating with the lever when the lever is substantially in the fully-extended position. Suitably, the actuating portion can be moved by cooperating with the lever only when the lever is substantially in the fully-extended position.

An electrical interlock may additionally be provided for switching the incinerator's burner on and/or off depending on the position of the lever. Suitably, the electrical interlock, S which may comprise a micro switch-actuated relay, is configured to switch off the incinerator's burner when the lock is unlocked and/or when the lever is substantially in the fully-extended position.

Preferred embodiments of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a furnace comprising a handle in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the handle of Figure 1 in a stowed position; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the handle of Figure 2 in an extended position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the handle of Figure 2 in an intermediate position; and FigureS is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a handle in accordance with the invention.

In Figure 1, an incinerator 10 comprises a main body portion 12 manufactured from welded steel sheets 14 to form an open-topped box. The interior of the box is lined with a refractory concrete material 16 to form a primary combustion chamber 18 for waste (not shown) and within the combustion chamber 18, there is provided a gas-fired burner 20.

The incinerator 10 comprises a refractory concrete-lined hatch 22 that is pivotally connected to the main body portion 12 via a pair of pintle hinges 24. An arm 26, integrally formed with the hatch 22, extends beyond one of the hinges 24 to form a lever, which is provided with a counterweight 28, in the illustrated embodiment, at its free end to counter-balance the weight of the hatch 22. In alternative embodiments (not shown), other types of lift-assist device could be used, such as one or more gas struts, a pulley system, a spring, an over-centred cam arrangement, etc. In any event, the lift-assist device is often useful because it counteracts the substantial weight of the hatch 22, thus making it easier and/or safer to S open and/or close manually. The hatch 22 can thus be raised or lowered to enable waste items (not shown) to be placed into the combustion chamber 18.

Once loaded, or prior to loading as the case may be, the burner 20 can be ignited to heat the interior of the combustion chamber 18 to burn the waste items (not shown). The waste is thus converted into ash (not shown) and flue gasses, which are exhausted from the combustion chamber 18 via an outlet 30 leading to a flue pipe 32. The hatch 22 also has a handle 40, which is described in detail below.

In Figure 2, the handle 40 comprises a lever 42 which has, at one end, curved portion forming a grip 44 that an operative can grasp, in use. The other end 41 of the lever 42 comprises a through pin 46 that is retained by the slotted apertures 48 of a pair of L-sectioned braces 50 that are affixed, e.g. by welding, to the top of the hatch 22. The lever 42 is thus free to slide along the braces 50 with the through pin 46 being held captive by the slotted apertures 48. Although not shown in the drawings for clarity, the through pin 46 carries a set of spacer tubes to centralise the lever 43 between the braces, and a nut or washer on one or both ends to prevent the lever 42 from being detached from the braces 50.

Spaced apart from the through pin 64, the lever 42 additionally comprises a second, slightly shorter through pin 52, which extends through the lever 42, but which does not engage with the slotted apertures 48 of the braces.

Turning now to Figure 3, it can be seen that when the lever 42 is moved to an extended position, the second through pin 52 engages a lock actuating lever 56 and a catch 58.

The catch 58 comprises a hooked portion and is rigidly affixed to the hatch 22 such that when the lever 42 is moved to an extended position, whereby the grip 44 projects beyond the edge of the main body 12 of the incinerator 10, the second through pin 52 engages the catch 58, whilst at the same time the first through pin 46 engages the braces 50 at spaced apart locations. This two-point engagement enables the lever 42 to be used to lift the hatch 22 by S the action of an operative acting on the grip 44. However, as can be seen from Figure 4, when the lever 42 is moved to any position other than its fully extended position, the second through pin 52 disengages the catch 58, thereby allowing the lever to pivot away from the hatch 22, thus preventing the lever 42 from being useable to open the hatch 22.

Also shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, is a lock actuating lever 56, which is pivotally connected to the hatch 22 or to the main body 12 of the incinerator 10. The lock actuating lever 56 comprises a first end 60 having a hooked portion 62 that engages a recess or other abutment located below the level of the hatch 22, and a pivot 64. The lock actuating lever 56 is biased by a spring (not shown for clarity) to a locking position whereby the hooked portion 62 engages the main body 12 of the incinerator 10 to lock the hatch 22 down.

The lock actuating lever 56 additionally comprises another end 66 which projects above the surface of the hatch 22, and which is engaged by the second through pin 52 of the lever 42 when the lever is fully extended. Thus, when the lever 43 is fully extended, the second through pin 52 cooperates with the lock actuating lever 56 to unlock the hatch 22, but when the lever 42 is in any other position (e.g. a stowed position as shown in Figure 2, or an intermediate position as shown in Figure 3), the second through pin 52 disengages the lock actuating lever 56, thereby locking the hatch 22 closed.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the lock actuating lever does not extend through an aperture in the hatch, but is rather placed on the exterior of the incinerator and engages, for example, a projection extending outwardly from the incinerator.

The invention as described above therefore ensures that the hatch 22 cannot be opened, except when the lever 42 is fully extended, and when the operative is located at a distance from the incinerator 10.

It will be appreciated that the handle can extend away from the incinerator in any direction, and not just in the direction shown in the drawings. In other embodiments of the invention, the handle extends sideward (i.e. at substantially 90 degrees to the direction shown in the drawings), and in such a situation, the height of the handle above floor level is greatly reduced (compared with the illustrated examples), even though the operator is located at a distance from the incinerator during opening and/or closing of the hatch. In fact, any angle may be employed, for example, extending at substantially 30 degrees or substantially 45 degrees from the incinerator's corner, or side edge. By angling the handle relative to the side edge of the hatch, or by making the angle adjustable, a suitable operator-incinerator distance can be obtained in combination with a desired lever ratio.

In certain embodiments of the invention (although not illustrated in the drawings for clarity), a secondary handle lock is provided, which locks the handle at an extended position, for example, to prevent it from being inadvertently retracted, such as when the hatch is in an open or ajar position. This could be achieved by way of a detent or a turn-to-lock/unlock on the handle.

Other embodiments and configurations for the handle are envisaged, for example, the embodiment shown in Figure 5. In Figure 5, the lever 40 comprises a slotted aperture 70 having a relatively wide portion 72 and a relatively narrow portion 74. The hatch 22 is provided with a projection 76 comprising a narrow shaft 78 that fits through the narrow portion 74 of the slotted aperture and which carries, at its free end, a disc 80 that passes through the relatively wide portion 72 of the slotted aperture 70, but not through the relatively narrow portion 74 thereof. Thus, the lever 40 can only engage the projection 76, and hence be used to lift the hatch 22, when the lever 40 has been moved to a position, e.g. an extended position, whereby the disc 80 overlies the relatively narrow portion 74 of the slotted aperture 72: in all other positions, the handle 40 disengages the projection 76, thereby preventing its use for opening the hatch 22 of the incinerator 10.

A further addition to the embodiments described above is the provision of a micro switch (not shown) that is adapted to cooperate with the lock actuating lever 56 or a portion of the handle 42. The micro switch can be used to trigger, the switching on/off of the burner 20, thereby preventing the burner from being ignited whilst the hatch is open.

The invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, which are exemplary of the invention, and not limiting embodiments. For example, the shape and configuration of the incinerator and/or the handle could be changed without departing from the scope of the invention, and the materials and construction methods described could be varied also without departing from the scope of the invention. Whilst the invention has been described with reference to hatches for incinerators, it could equally be used in conjunction with doors, access doors etc. of furnaces, braziers, coolers, refrigerators, machinery and the like, whereby it is desirable to position operatives away from the door/hatch during opening and/or closing thereof.

Claims

Claims: 1. A handle comprising a lever adapted, in use, to cooperate with the hatch of an incinerator, wherein the lever is moveable between a first position in which the lever is retracted, and a second extended position whereby a portion of the lever projects beyond a periphery of the incinerator.
2. A handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the hatch.
3. A handle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the hatch such that when it is in a position other than a substantially fully-extended position, it pivots freely and does not positively engage the hatch in a manner that enables it to be used to open the hatch.
4. A handle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lever comprises first and second spaced apart pins and wherein the hatch comprises a brace comprising a slotted aperture and a catch.
5. A handle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first pin is slideably receivable in the slotted aperture to permit, in use, the lever to pivot about the first pin at various points along the length of the slotted aperture, and wherein the catch is arranged to engage the second pin only when the lever is in a substantially fully extended position.
6. A handle as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lever comprises a slotted aperture comprising a wide portion and a narrow portion, and wherein the hatch comprises a projection having a first narrow portion that is receivable within the narrow portion of the slotted aperture, and a second wider portion that can pass through the wider portion of the slotted aperture, but not through the narrow portion.
7. A handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the projection is arranged to selectively engage the lever when the projection is aligned with the narrow portion of the slotted aperture, and to disengage the lever when the projection is aligned with the wider portion of the slotted aperture.
8. A handle according to any preceding claim, wherein the lever comprises lock-actuating means for engaging a locking mechanism of the hatch.
9. A handle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lock-actuating means comprises a projection or pin extending from the lever that cooperates, in use, with a locking mechanism for the hatch only when the lever is substantially in a fully-extended position.
10. A handle as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking lever arranged to pivot about an axle having a hook portion for engaging, in use, a portion of an incinerator to lock the hatch closed.
11. A handle as claimed in claim 10, wherein locking lever is biased towards a locking position.
12. A handle as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the locking lever comprises an actuating portion, which when moved, causes the locking lever to pivot about its axle to disengage, and unlock the hatch, and wherein the actuating portion is moveable, in use, by cooperating with the projection or pin of the lever.
13. A handle according to any preceding claim, further comprising an electrical interlock.
14. A handle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrical interlock is adapted to switch a burner on and/or off depending on the position of the lever.
15. A handle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrical interlock comprises a micro switch-actuated relay.
16. An incinerator comprising a main combustion chamber, a hatch for closing the main combustion chamber and a handle according to any preceding claim.
17. The incinerator of claim 16, wherein the incinerator comprises a main body portion comprising a combustion chamber, a burner at least partially located within the combustion chamber, a hatch for closing the combustion chamber, which hatch is hingedly connected to the main body portion and a flue in communication with the combustion chamber.
18. An incinerator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the hatch further comprises a lift-assist device.
19. An incinerator as claimed in claim 18, wherein the lift-assist device comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a counterbalance; a gas strut; a pulley system; a spring; and an over-centred cam arrangement.
20. A handle or incinerator substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.AMENDMENTS TO CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWSClaims: A handle comprising a lever adapted, in use, to cooperate with a hatch of an incinerator, furnace, brazier or refrigerator, wherein the lever is moveable between a first position in which the lever is retracted, and a second extended position whereby a portion of the lever projects beyond a periphery of the incinerator, wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the hatch such that when it is in a position other than a substantially fully-extended position, it pivots freely and does not positively engage the hatch in a manner that enables it to be used to open the hatch.2. A handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever comprises first and second spaced apart pins and wherein the hatch comprises a brace comprising a slotted aperture and a catch. r(Q 3. A handle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first pin is slideably receivable in the slotted aperture to permit, in use, the lever to pivot about the first pin at various points along the length of the slotted aperture, and wherein the catch is arranged to engage the second pin only when the lever is in a substantially fully extended position.4. A handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever comprises a slotted aperture comprising a wide portion and a narrow portion, and wherein the hatch comprises a projection having a first narrow portion that is receivable within the narrow portion of the slotted aperture, and a second wider portion that can pass through the wider portion of the slotted aperture, but not through the narrow portion.5. A handle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the projection is arranged to selectively engage the lever when the projection is aligned with the narrow portion of the slotted aperture, and to disengage the lever when the projection is aligned with the wider portion of the slotted aperture.6. A handle according to any preceding claim, wherein the lever comprises lock-actuating means for engaging a locking mechanism of the hatch.7. A handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lock-actuating means comprises a projection or pin extending from the lever that cooperates, in use, with a locking mechanism for the hatch only when the lever is substantially in a fully-extended position.8. A handle as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking lever arranged to pivot about an axle having a hook portion for engaging, in (0..o use, a portion of an incinerator, furnace, brazier or refrigerator to lock the hatch closed.9. A handle as claimed in claim 8, wherein locking lever is biased towards a locking position.10. A handle as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the locking lever comprises an actuating portion, which when moved, causes the locking lever to pivot about its axle to disengage, and unlock the hatch, and wherein the actuating portion is moveable, in use, by cooperating with the projection or pin of the lever.11. A handle according to any preceding claim, further comprising an electrical interlock.12. A handle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrical interlock is adapted to switch a burner on and/or off depending on the position of the lever.13. A handle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrical interlock comprises a micro switch-actuated relay.14. An incinerator, furnace or brazier comprising a main combustion chamber, a hatch for closing the main combustion chamber and a handle according to any preceding claim.15. The incinerator, furnace or brazier of claim 14, wherein the incinerator comprises a main body portion comprising a combustion chamber, a burner at least partially located within the combustion chamber, a hatch for closing the combustion chamber) which hatch is hingedly connected to the main body portion and a flue in communication with the combustion chamber. r(Q 16. An incinerator, furnace or brazier as claimed in claim 17, wherein the hatch further comprises a lift-assist device.17. An incinerator, furnace or brazier as claimed in claim 18, wherein the lift-assist device comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a counterbalance; a gas strut; a pulley system; a spring; and an over-centred cam arrangement.18. A handle or incinerator substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.