GB2578505A - A device for conveniently removing one or both wheels from wheeled waste containers ("wheelie bins") - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for removing a wheel from a wheeled waste container, or wheelie bin comprises a wheel holding member 10 and a threaded drive element 20 that is mounted in a bushing 30 mounted in the wheel holding member. The wheel holding member has an aperture (11, fig 1) in one face that may be placed over the wheel to be removed and is contiguous with an aperture (12, fig 1) in a perpendicular face that may pass over the wheel hub/axle. A third aperture (13, fig 1) opposite the first aperture preferably engages the tyre of the wheel to hold it in the required position. A fourth aperture opposite the second aperture may be positioned coaxially with the wheel axle to align the threaded drive element. Preferably a crank mechanism 40 is attached to the threaded drive element. An associated method is claimed where the holding member is placed over the wheel to be removed and the crank turned causing the threaded drive element to engage the wheel hub, forcibly displacing the wheel from the axle.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A device for conveniently removing one or both wheels from wheeled waste containers

Background of the invention

It is frequently required to remove the wheels and axles from wheeled waste containers ("wheelie bins") to enable the container carcases to be stacked for convenient storage and transport and to enable effective recycling of the various materials of the container.

Typically, broken wheelie bins are transported to a central workshop location for repair and redeployment to the user. At end-of-life, wheelie bins are transported to a facility for recycling. If the wheels are not removed, the bins cannot be stacked one inside another, a large transport vehicle is required and inability to separate the plastic bin or wheels from the metal axle means that materials cannot be separately recycled, requiring that mixed materials are sent to landfill waste The usual present method of removing the wheels and axle from wheelie bins requires the use of handheld power or manual impact and / or cutting tools. The usual present method requires a degree of skilled labour, and is time consuming as well as presenting significant health and safety risk due to the normal absence of appropriate fixtures and tooling. The invention enables wheels and axles to be more easily removed from a bin carcase.

A wheelie bin wheel is constructed with a radial pin, which is radially spring loaded towards the wheel axis. A wheelie bin axle is constructed with an annular groove or recess near each end into which the radial pin engages when the wheel is properly fitted. Each end of the axle is formed as a truncated cone, forming a ramp which causes the radial pin in the wheel to retract radially outwards against the spring loading as the wheel is pushed axially onto the axle during installation. The walls of the annular groove in the axle are formed normal to the axis of the axle. When pushed into the correct position on the axle, the radial pin in the wheel is forced by spring loading into the annular groove in the axle. The walls of the annular groove prevent the wheel from being removed in normal operation of the wheelie bin. The ends of the axle are protected from ingress of foreign matter and concealed from view by a central cover which is an integral part of the plastic wheel moulding.

Summary of the Invention

This invention will enable an operator to remove wheelie bin wheels at a workshop or at the user's location as appropriate, significantly reducing a logistics challenge. Where bins do need to be transported for recycling or repair, the ability to quickly, safely and easily remove the wheels and axle from the bin carcase enables the bin carcases to be stacked inside each other, thereby reducing the size of vehicle required for transportation. The ability to completely separate the wheels, axles and bin carcasses enables each component to be recycled by material type, reducing or eliminating the need to dispose of assemblies to landfill.

Introduction to the Drawings

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a wheel holding member (10) having an aperture in a lower face (11), an aperture in a front face (12) which is contiguous with the aperture (11) and an aperture in an upper face (13). A handle (50) is provided to enable an operator to manipulate and position the device Figure 2 is a rear view of a wheel holding member showing a threaded mounting element (30), a threaded driving element (20) and a crank handle (40) Figure 3 is a rear view of a wheel holding member showing an alternative threaded driving element (21) adapted to be rotatably driven by a commonly available hand held rotating power tool Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a wheel holding member (15), being an open section and having an aperture (12) in a front face and a hole in an opposite face Figure 5 shows in section a wheel holding member (10), a typical waste container wheel (60) together with a tyre (61). A typical waste container axle (62) retaining pin (64) and loading spring (63) are also shown, as are a threaded mounting element (30), retaining nuts (31), (32), threaded driving element (20) and crank handle (40) Figure 6 shows the same arrangement as in Figure 5 with a threaded driving element (20) having been screwably rotated to pierce through or otherwise disrupt the central cover portion of a wheel (60) and to contact an end of an axle (62) Figure 7 shows the same arrangement as in Figure 6 with a threaded driving element (20) having been further screwably rotated to axially displace an axle (62) causing a retaining pin (64) to be forcibly displaced Figure 8 shows a wheel holding member (10) correctly located on a wheel (60) and tyre (61) with an aperture (12) located on a hub (65) of a wheel Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the wheel holding member (15) correctly located on a wheel (60) and tyre (61) with an aperture (12) located on a hub (65) of a wheel

Description of the Invention

The device comprises a wheel holding member which may be constructed of a rectangular hollow section (10) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or alternatively an open channel section (15) as shown in Figure 4 or other configuration which is designed to easily locate in the correct position on the wheelie bin wheel to be removed. In the case of the rectangular hollow section embodiment of the wheel holding member, apertures (11, 12, 13) in the wheel holding member are configured such that when the member is placed over the wheel to be removed, it is automatically brought into the correct position and alignment to permit the wheel removal operation. A suitable hole is provided in the face of the wheel holding member opposite the Aperture (12) of a size and location to permit the assembly and correct location and alignment of a threaded mounting element (30).

In the case of an open channel section embodiment of the wheel holding member (15) as shown in Figure 4, an aperture (12) is provided in one face of the wheel holding member and a hole in an opposite face is configured to be of a size and location to permit the assembly and correct location and alignment of a threaded mounting element (30). In this embodiment of a wheel holding member, location and alignment of a wheel holding member (15) relative to the wheel to be removed is provided both by the form of the aperture (12) and by the outer diameter of the tyre (61) on the wheel (60) to be removed in contact with an upper surface of a wheel holding member (15) as shown in Figure 9.

An internally threaded mounting element (30) may be secured to the wheel holding member (10) or (15) by means of an external thread to be engaged by the clamping action of a nut (31) and (32) bearing against each of the internal and external surfaces of the wheel holding member (10). Alternatively, a threaded mounting element (30) may be secured to a wheel holding member (10) or (15) by bonding or fusion of the mating surfaces.

A threaded driving element (20) is threadedly located in the wheel holding member (10) by means of an internally threaded mounting element (30). A rotatable crank handle (40) may be affixed to the threaded driving element (20) to enable manual rotation of the threaded driving element as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Alternatively, a threaded driving element (21) is adapted to enable it to be driven by a suitable motorised device. An embodiment of an adaptation of the threaded driving element for use with a suitable motorised device is shown in Figure 3.

A fixed handle (50) may be provided in a number of alternative positions to ease the handling of the device. One embodiment of the fixed handle (50) is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Method of Operation of the Invention During operation, the device is placed over the wheel to be removed as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The provided apertures (11, 12, 13) in the wheel holding member (10) or (15) allow for correct location and alignment of the device. Once so located, axial rotation of the threaded driving element (20) or (21) within the threaded mounting element (30) causes the end of the threaded driving element to move towards and make contact with the outer surface of a central cover of the wheel (60) to be removed. Continued rotation of the threaded driving element (20) or (21) causes the end of the threaded driving element to initially contact and then to be forced through the central cover and to contact an end of an axle (62). Further rotation of the threaded driving element (20) or (21) causes a force to be applied axially to an axle (62), which is reacted through the wheel holding member (10) onto the wheel which is to be removed. Additional rotation of the threaded driving element (20) causes sufficient axial force on the wheel to be developed relative to the axle that the radial pin (64) in the wheel is deformed or broken. This sequence is shown in Figures 5,6 and 7. Once the radial pin has been deformed or broken, the wheel may be withdrawn from the axle.

Once the wheel (60) has been withdrawn from the axle (62), rotating the threaded driving element in the opposite direction will cause the threaded driving element to be withdrawn from the wheel, allowing the wheel to be released from the device.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS1. A device for removing a wheel from a wheeled waste container (otherwise known as a wheelie bin) comprising a wheel holding member for holding a wheel which is mounted on an axle of the waste container by way of a pin located in the wheel and mechanically positively engaged in a recess in the axle end and a threaded drive element threadedly mounted in a bushing which is attached to the holding member to be movable to engage an end of the axle and under continuing movement to displace the wheel relative to the axle by forcibly displacing the pin from the groove thereby to detach the wheel from the axle 2. A wheel holding member which may be of rectangular hollow section comprising a first aperture in one face which allows it to be placed over the wheel to be removed and is contiguous with an aperture in an orthogonal face which is dimensioned to pass over the hub of the wheel and to locate on the hub in the desired position, an aperture in a face opposite the first aperture which is dimensioned to cause the member to locate on the tyre of the wheel in the desired position, and a hole in a fourth face which is positioned to be coaxial with the wheel to be removed when the member is correctly located and which is dimensioned to receive a threaded mounting element 3. A wheel holding member which may be of an open channel section comprising an aperture in a face which is dimensioned to pass over the hub of the wheel and to locate on the hub in the desired position, and a hole in an opposite face which is positioned to be coaxial with the wheel to be removed when the member is correctly located and which is dimensioned to receive a threaded mounting element, and a surface which is configured to contact and be supported by the outer diameter of the tyre of the wheel to be removed thereby locating the wheel holding member in the correct position 4. A threaded mounting element which may be cylindrical enabling it to be passed through a provided hole in the wheel holding member and which may have an external thread enabling it to be fixed to a wheel holding member by the clamping action of a threadedly engaged nut on each of the inner and outer faces of a wheel holding member and having an internal thread to receive a threaded driving element 5. A threaded driving element which can be engaged in a threaded mounting element and having a crank mechanism fixed to one end enabling the driving element to be threadedly rotated within the threaded mounting element 6. A threaded driving element which can be engaged in a threaded mounting element and having one end adapted to be rotatably driven by a commonly available hand held rotating power tool 7. A method of removing a wheel from a wheeled waste container in which a wheel holding member is positioned and located on the wheel to be removed and a threaded driving element is rotated causing the wheel retaining element or elements to be forcibly displaced and thereby enabling the wheel to be removed