GB2533716A

GB2533716A - Bin lock

Info

Publication number: GB2533716A
Application number: GB1603024.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mary Barker Pauline; Zeze Dagou
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-02-22
Filing date: 2016-02-22
Publication date: 2016-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-22
Also published as: GB2533716B; GB201603024D0

Abstract

A bin lock comprising a first catch assembly 10, preferably inside a housing 11, a second device 20 mounted inside the lid of the bin, and an associated lever 50 mounted inside a bin receptacle, wherein the said lever may be activated by pressure from outside the bin receptacle by a press pad 54 attached to a lower end 51 of the lever, to displace the or each catch element 31, 32 against spring bias so as to release the second catch device from the or each catch element of the first catch assembly to enable the lid to be opened. The first catch assembly will preferably comprise at least one catch element and spring means 41, 42 urging each catch element into an engagement position. The second catch will preferably engage with the first catch element to hold the bin lid in the closed position. The lever and pressure pad will preferably engage with the hoist mechanism on a refuse collection vehicle to facilitate opening and emptying.

Description

BIN LOCK

The present invention concerns a lock for securing the lid of a waste container. It is particularly but not exclusively applicable to a domestic wheeled bin, which is commonly referred to a "wheelie bin".

BACKGROUND

Wheelie bins are in widespread use throughout the UK. They conventionally have a rectangular lid which has one side connected by hinges to a receptacle. Refuse collection vehicles are designed to lift and invert such bins so that their lids automatically swing open to deposit the waste from the receptacles into a hold of the vehicle. The lid of a wheelie bin can sometimes be lifted open by a strong gust of wind directed towards a free edge of the lid. Some waste material may then be blown out from the top of the open receptacle causing litter in the vicinity. However a far greater problem of littering occurs when such bins topple over, namely when they are blown over by wind or pushed over. This usually results in the lid opening wide and waste material being scattered. Moreover, there is a greater tendency for bins to fall over or be pushed over when they are placed out in the open, typically out in the street, ready for collection, when they are also most likely to be relatively full of refuse, than when in a typical relatively more sheltered location between collections. The resulting litter when bins are tipped over is vexatious for local householders and business owners, it can be a health hazard, attracting vermin, and the clearing up of such litter can be a significant expenditure for local authorities or others who have responsibility for refuse removal.

Accordingly, it is desirable to install a lock or a catch assembly to keep the lid of a wheelie bin closed so that it will not be able to flap open to spread litter. However, it is also desirable that the lid will still open automatically when it is mounted to the refuse collection vehicle and inverted for emptying so that refuse collectors do not have to undertake any additional procedure. Given the speed with which refuse collectors are required to work; they will not, in all probability, be authorised or willing to carry out any additional unlocking step.

Conventional locks, whether key operated or code locked or similar, which have to be physically unlocked by action of the bin owner, are not a convenient solution. This is because the bins would have to be unlocked just as they are positioned to await refuse collection, and may be left there overnight, or at least for several hours, during which time they are vulnerable to tipping over.

Gravity actuated locks for wheelie bins have been proposed, for example in GB2446067 A, EP2769933 A and EP0716989 A. These are designed to be in a locked or lockable condition when the bin is upright, but automatically released when the bin is turned upside down, as during the emptying operation. Gravity locks which are commercially available tend to be relatively expensive and quite heavy. The lock disclosed in G32446067 has a bracket inside the lid of the bin which provides a locking pin roughly parallel to the lid. A latch mechanism inside the front of the container has a pivotal toggle plate including a catch portion which is held in engagement with the locking pin by the action of a spring. Additionally, a pivotal pendulum plate is mounted adjacent the toggle plate. When a bin fitted with the gravity lock is picked up and inverted by a refuse lorry, the force of gravity acting on the pendulum plate causes that plate to rotate and push against the toggle plate, in turn causing that to rotate, against the action of the spring, and disengage from the pin. This allows the lid of the bin to swing open to empty the bin contents. When the bin is swung back to an upright condition both the toggle plate and the pendulum plate rotate back to their natural resting positions. The bin owner can also use a key to unlock the lid with the bin in the upright position. The lock disclosed in EP0716989 A avoids spring loading by having a locking pin extending between and through a pair of slotted brackets on the underside of the bin lid. The slots are inclined and the pin moves along the slots under gravity when the bin is inverted thereby moving out of contact with a latch mounted in the container. In the lock disclosed in EP2769933 A the locking pin is mounted in the container and the latch mechanism with a weighted arm or similar is mounted to the inside of the lid.

Other known bin locks take the form of clips or straps and require manual intervention either to secure or to release An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative bin lock which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and straightforward to fit, which can be retrofitted to existing bins, and which will reliably open without manual intervention during a typical automated emptying operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a bin lock comprising a first catch assembly for mounting inside a bin receptacle, said first catch assembly including at least one catch element biased into an engagement position; a second catch means for mounting to a lid of the bin receptacle for engagement with the or each catch element of the first catch assembly to hold the lid in a closed condition; and a mechanism, including a lever which is capable of being actuated by pressure from outside the bin receptacle, to displace the or each catch element of the first catch assembly against bias so as to release the second catch means from the or each catch element of the first catch assembly to enable the lid to be opened.

Preferably the first catch assembly includes spring means urging the catch element into its engagement position.

In practical embodiments the first catch assembly may be mounted to a frame or a housing.

The frame or the housing may be adapted for mounting inside the bin receptacle by being suspended from a lip of the bin receptacle. Alternatively the frame or housing may be affixed to an inner surface of a wall of the bin receptacle, e.g. by bolts or adhesive, or any other suitable fastening devices.

In certain embodiments the second catch means for mounting inside the bin lid is designed as a pair of opposed catch elements, such as a pair of prongs. The first catch assembly may then, correspondingly include two first catch elements, one for engagement with each of the second catch elements and a respective spring means for biasing each of those first catch elements into its engagement position.

However, in another embodiment the second catch means for mounting inside the bin lid is designed to have a single catch element. The first catch assembly may then include only a single catch element biased, preferably by spring means, for engagement with the second catch means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures la and lb are schematic side views of a wheelie bin, in cross section, having a bin lock in accordance with the invention installed therein, in a lid locked condition and in a lid unlocked/lid lifted condition of the bin, respectively; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a practical embodiment of a bin lock of the present invention; Figure 3 is a front view of the same bin lock as shown in figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the same bin lock as shown in figure 2 from the front and one side; Figure 5 is a further front view of the bin lock shown in figures 2 to 4, the housing portions having been removed for clarity; Figure 6 is a further side elevation of the same bin lock, the housing portions again having been removed for clarity Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a central region of the bin lock shown in figures 2 to 6, the housing portions again removed for clarity; and Figure 8 is a similar view to figure 7, with various plates of the housing shown in position, and with the entire second catch means in view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring firstly to figures 2 to 6, a preferred practical embodiment of the bin lock of the present invention comprises a first, main catch assembly 10 for mounting inside a receptacle of a bin 60, at the position indicated in figures la and lb, and a second catch means 20 which is to be mounted to the inner surface of the bin lid 62. In all of figures 2 to 8 the catch means 20 is shown in a condition in which it is engaged with the catch assembly 10.

As best shown in figure 5, and also figure 8, the second catch means 20 comprises a bar 22 and a pair of catch elements in the form of elongate prongs 24, 25. These prongs 24, 25 project substantially perpendicularly from the bar 22, parallel to each other, with opposing outwardly directed catch projections 26, 27 at their free ends. In use the bar 22 is attached to the underside of the bin lid 62 by bolts or other fasteners (not shown) extending through apertures 21 and through corresponding apertures formed in the bin lid 62.

The main catch assembly 10 comprises a housing 11 in which or relative to which the other parts of the assembly and the lock as a whole are mounted. In the drawings the housing 11 is shown to be formed in sections which are connected together, but other embodiments may have a unitary housing or a different housing configuration or a different arrangement of sections. The housing may be about 30 cm long, 20 cm wide (as shown in the front view of figure 3) and about 5 -10cm deep (as shown in the side view of figure 2). As shown the housing has sloping upper and lower walls 12, 13.

In an upper region of the housing 11, a pair of opposed catch elements 31, 32 is arranged in a generally horizontal disposition. As best shown in figure 7, these elements 31, 32 are in the form of blocks which have facing chamfers 33, 34 such that the facing ends of the elements 31, 32 taper symmetrically and are closest to each other adjacent a front wall 14 of the housing 11. Each element 31, 32 is also formed with a respective cavity 35, 36 open to the top and providing an overhanging catch detent portion 37, 38 with a bevelled edge, as best shown in figure 5. Respective springs 39, 40 are arranged in the base of the cavities 35, 36. At the mutually remote ends of the catch elements 31, 32, further springs 41, 42 are mounted between plates in the housing side walls 15, 16 and the respective catch elements 31, 32 to urge the catch elements 31, 32 towards each other.

An elongate lever 50 extends from an upper end lying between the chamfers 33, 34 of the catch elements 31, 32, or at the same level as the chamfers 33,34 and a lower end 51 in the vicinity of the lower wall 13 of the housing 11. The lever 50 is mounted primarily outside the housing 11, within a recessed or shaped region of the front wall 14 of the housing 11, but has its upper end extending into the housing 11. The lever 50 acts about a fulcrum at a pivot pin 52 which is mounted horizontally to a central region of the housing. The lower end 51 of the lever 50 connects to a lateral post 53 which carries a push plate 54 at its free end, as best shown in figure 2. The upper end of the lever 50 is connected to a wedge member 55 which projects between the chamfers 33, 34 of the catch elements 31, 32. As shown in figure 7, the wedge member 55 is of a truncated pyramid shape which can slide between the chamfers 33, 34 in a direction towards the front wall 14 of the housing 11 to push the catch elements 31, 32 apart against the action of their associated springs 41, 42.

A further spring 43 is mounted, in line with the upper end of the lever 50, to a plate 44 in the front wall 14 of the housing 11. This spring 43 biases the upper end of the lever 50 to an at rest position where the lever 50 has a generally vertical disposition. When the lever 50 is caused to tilt by pressure against the push plate 54, the lower end 51 of the lever 50 moves backwards in a direction towards the front wall 14 of the housing 11, the front wall 14 being recessed to accommodate this movement. The upper end of the lever 50 moves forwards by a similar amount, depending on the exact location of the fulcrum, and thereby compresses the spring 43.

Thus, when the push plate 54 is released from pressing force, the spring 43 returns the lever 50 and the wedge member 55 to their at rest positions.

In use, the housing 11, with the catch assembly 10 inside and the lever 50 connected to the wedge assembly 55, is mounted inside the bin 60, at the position indicated in figures la and lb. It is fixed to the inner surface of the container immediately below the rim of the bin 60 at the edge opposite to the hinge connection 63 of the bin lid 62 to the container 60. In order to install the housing 11, the push plate 54 and the post 53, or at least part of the post 53, are disconnected from the lower end 51 of the lever 50. An opening (not shown) is formed in the wall of the bin at a position to correspond to the desired push plate position. The housing front wall 14 is then fastened to the inner surface of the bin wall by bolts (not shown) or other fasteners or by adhesive. In a modified embodiment the housing 11 is adapted to be suspended from the rim of the bin container 60 instead of or in addition to fastening direct to the inner surface. This facilitates correct positioning. Once the housing 11 is thus installed, the push plate is attached from outside by the post 53 being inserted through the opening in the bin and secured to the lower end 51 of the lever 50.

The second catch means 20 is attached to the underside of the bin lid by means of the bar 22, as previously described.

When the bin lid 62 is fully closed against the rim of the bin receptacle 60, the prongs 24, 25 extend into the cavities 35, 36 of the respective catch elements 31, 32, as shown in figures 3, 5 and 7. In reaching this position, the catch projections 26, 27 ride across th(not shown) e bevelled edges of the catch detent portions 37, 38, compress the springs 39, 40 mounted in the base of the cavities 35, 36, and engage behind the detent portions 37, 38, as shown. The weight of the bin lid 62, optionally with additional slight pressure thereon, is sufficient for this catch engagement to be accomplished. The bin lid 62 is thereby held closed (i.e. locked) in a secure manner.

In order to release the catches, i.e. release the prongs 24, 25 from the cavities 35, 36, so that the bin lid 62 can be opened, it is necessary to exert modest force against the push plate 54.This push plate 54 is located between 25 and 35cm below the rim of the bin 60, preferably close to 30cm below, for the specific purpose of making it susceptible to being automatically pressed by a bar or similar (not shown) of a refuse collection vehicle (not shown). Such a bar or similar is a conventional feature of the bin hoist mechanism of a refuse collection vehicle, the purpose of which is to rotate, lift and invert the bin for emptying, typically by pivoting action of the hoist assembly. The pivoting may be initiated by the bar, the hoist assembly being mounted by arms to a pivot axis. However, other arrangements are possible. The feature common to most refuse collection vehicles is the presence of some form of bar or alternative actuator member which impacts (or merely contacts) a bin, which is mounted appropriately onto the refuse collection vehicle, at a location about 30cm below the rim of the bin. This impact or contact may be to initiate rotation the bin about a front of the bin rim which rests upon a ledge at the vehicle rear or it may happen as a consequence of the rotation being initiated.

As previously described, when sufficient pressure is exerted on the push plate 54, the lever pivots about the axis of pin 52 and the upper end of the lever 50 swings towards the front of the bin 60 to compress the spring 43. At the same time, the wedge member 55 is pulled in further between the chamfers 33, 34 of the catch elements 31, 32. This forces the catch elements 31, 32 sideways, away from each other and against the bias of their respective springs 41, 42, which are compressed. Thus, the detent portions 37, 38, being parts of the catch elements 31, 32, move to respective sides, releasing the catch projections 26, 27 of the prongs 24, 25 from engagement. This is assisted by the action of the springs 39, 40 inside the cavities tending to lift the prongs 24, 25.

A bin user can manually push the plate 54 to release the lid 62 for access to the bin, e.g. when depositing rubbish into the receptacle 60.

However, it is also an important aspect of the invention that the plate 54 will be pressed against by the bar or similar actuator of the refuse collection vehicle when the bin is fitted onto the vehicle and the hoist mechanism, including the bar, is actuated to rotate, lift and invert the bin 60 in customary manner. Therefore the bin lid 62 will automatically be released from the catch arrangement shown in figures 2 to 8 as the bin 60 is lifted and rotated. Consequently, the lid 62 will swing open in the same way as that on a bin 60 which has no lock fitted so that the refuse will tumble out, as usual, into the vehicle's hold.

As the bin 60 is returned to its upright condition, the lid 62 typically drops back to a closed position. In doing so the catches 31, 32 and 25, 24 may re-engage. Otherwise modest pressure on the top of the lid 62 will serve to re-engage the prongs 25, 24 of the bin lid catch with the catch elements 31, 32 of the catch assembly in the bin container 60.

The invention is not restricted to the specific design details of the embodiment shown in figures 2 to 8 and variants which have already been mentioned. Many differences in detail are possible in other embodiments. In particular, the position of the press pad (54) can be chosen, by the length and arrangement of the lever (50), to match the position required for automatic actuation by any designated type of refuse vehicle hoist mechanism, upon operation of said mechanism, or to achieve any other position desired for actuation. Although all the springs in the illustrated embodiment are helical springs, any or all of these could be replaced by different form of spring means, such as pads of suitable resilient material. The other components of the lock may all be fabricated of suitable plastics material at relatively low cost. The upper end of the lever may be connected rigidly to the wedge member. However, in variants of the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the lever may be connected flexibly to the wedge member, for example by way of a block or washer or similar of resilient material. Additionally, it will be appreciated that there are many other possible variations which could be made to the precise design of the lock mechanism within the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A bin lock comprising a first catch assembly for mounting inside a bin receptacle, said first catch assembly including at least one catch element biased into an engagement position; a second catch means for mounting to a lid of the bin receptacle for engagement with the or each catch element of the first catch assembly to hold the lid in a closed condition; and a mechanism, including a lever which is capable of being actuated by pressure from outside the bin receptacle, to displace the or each catch element of the first catch assembly against bias so as to release the second catch means from the or each catch element of the first catch assembly to enable the lid to be opened.
2. A bin lock according to claim 1 wherein the first catch assembly includes spring means urging the catch element into its engagement position.
3. A bin lock according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first catch assembly is mounted to a frame or a housing.
4. A bin lock according to claim 3 wherein the frame or the housing is adapted for mounting inside the bin receptacle by being suspended from a lip of the bin receptacle.
5. A bin lock according to claim 2 and 3 wherein the spring means acts between the frame or housing and the at least one catch element.
6 A bin lock according to any preceding claim wherein the second catch means for mounting inside the bin lid is designed as a pair of opposed catch elements and the first catch assembly includes two first catch elements, one for engagement with each of the second catch elements and a respective spring means for biasing each of those first catch elements into its engagement position.
7 A bin lock according to claim 6 wherein the respective spring means for biasing each of the two first catch elements are arranged substantially in alignment with each other and act in mutually opposed directions.
8 A bin lock according to any preceding claim wherein the mechanism to displace the or each catch element of the first catch assembly against bias, so as to release the second catch means from the or each catch element of the first catch assembly, includes a push pad mounted at the exterior of a wall of the bin receptacle and operatively connected to the lever.
9. A bin lock according to any preceding claim wherein the or each catch element of the first catch assembly has a sloping surface and the mechanism to displace the or each catch element of the first catch assembly against bias includes a wedge element having a taper surface disposed to slide over the sloping surface under action of the lever.
10 A bin lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.
11. A bin having a bin receptacle and a bin lid and provided with a bin lock according to any preceding claim.Amendment to the claims have been filed as follows:CLAIMS1. A bin lock comprising a first catch assembly for mounting inside a bin receptacle, said first catch assembly including a pair of opposed catch elements and respective spring means biasing those catch elements into an engagement position; a second catch means for mounting to a lid of the bin receptacle, the secorwl catch means having a pair of opposed second catch elements, one for engagement with each of the catch elements of the first catch assembly to hold the lid in a closed condition; and a mechanism, including a lever which is capable of being actuated by pressure from outside the bin receptacle, to displace the catch elements of the first catch assembly against spring bias so as to release the second catch elements from the respective catch elements of the first catch assembly to enable the lid to be opened, the said lever of the release mechanism being arranged to pivot in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the catch elements of the first catch * ** assembly.* * * **** * ** 2_ A bin lock according to claim 1 wherein the first catch assembly is mounted to a frame or a housing.* * * *** * 3. A bin lock according to daim 2 wherein the frame or the housing is adapted for mounting inside the bin receptacle by being suspended from a lip of the bin receptacle. * . ** * * ** * * * 4. A bin lock according to claim 2 wherein the respective spring means for biasing each of the two first catch elements act between the frame or the housing and each of said catch elements.5. A bin lock according to any preceding daim wherein the respective spring means for biasing each of the two first catch elements are arranged substantially in alignment with each other and act in mutually opposed directions.6. A bin lock according to any preceding claim wherein the mechanism to displace the catch elements of the first catch assembly against spring bias, so as to release the second catch elements from the catch elements of the first catch assembly, includes a push pad mounted at the exterior of a wall of the bin receptacle and operatively connected to the lever.7. A bin lock according to any preceding claim wherein each catch element of the first catch assembly has a sloping surface and the mechanism to displace the catch elements of the first catch assembly against spring bias includes a wedge element having a taper surface disposed to slide over the respective sloping surfaces under action of the lever.8. A bin lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.9. A bin having a bin receptade and a bin lid and provided with a bin lock according to any preceding claim_ * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *** * * * * * * * * * * * * *