US3613559A

US3613559A - Installation for the compressing and evacuation of household garbage and industrial refuse

Info

Publication number: US3613559A
Application number: US33816A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marcel Buisson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-05-01
Filing date: 1970-05-01
Publication date: 1971-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-19

Abstract

An installation for processing waste material, such as household garbage and industrial refuse, includes a hatch for receiving the waste material from a disposal chute the hatch divided by a pivotally mounted shutter into a space for accumulating the material from the disposal chute and a discharge chamber aligned above a receptacle into which the waste material is packed. Positioned for movement transversely across the hatch space toward the shutter is a hydraulic piston rod which compresses the accumulated material and pivotally displaces the shutter so that the compressed material is transferred into hatch chamber and then drops into a receptacle. A collecting drum supports a plurality of receptacles and is arranged to replace filled receptacles with empty ones. A photoelectric cell senses the level of the accumulated material in the hatch space and through an electrical circuit and hydraulic circuit commences the operation of the hydraulic piston rod for compressing the material. Another member counts the number of piston strokes and actuates the controlled movement of the collecting drum for replacing the filled receptacles. When all of the receptacles are filled the operation of the installation is shut down until the filled receptacles are removed from the collecting drum and are replaced by empty ones.

Description

United States Patent [72] inventor Marcel Buisson 3, place des Halles, Chartres (Eure et Lair), France [21] Appl. No. 33,816

[22] Filed May 1, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. 19,1971

[54] INSTALLATION FOR THE COMPRESSING AND EVACUATION OF HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE AND INDUSTRIAL REFUSE 12 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.'Cl 100/49,

141/71 [51] Int. Cl B30b 15/16 [50] Field of Search 141/71, 73;

'ABSTRACT: An installation for processing waste material,

such as household garbage and industrial refuse, includes a hatch for receiving the waste material from a disposal chute the hatch divided by a pivotally mounted shutter into a space for accumulating the material from the disposal chute and a discharge chamber aligned above a receptacle into which the waste material is packed. Positioned for movement transversely across the hatch space toward the shutter is a hydraulic piston rod which compresses the accumulated material and pivotally displaces the shutter so that the compressed material is transferred into hatch chamber and then drops into a receptacle. A collecting drum supports a plurality of receptacles and is arranged to replace filled receptacles with empty ones. A photoelectric cell senses the level of the accumulated material in the hatch space and through an electrical circuit and hydraulic circuit commences the operation of the hydraulic piston rod for compressing the material. Another member counts the number of piston strokes and actuates the controlled movement of the collecting drum for replacing the filled receptacles. When all of the receptacles are filled the operation of the installation is shut down until the filled receptacles are removed from the collecting drum and are replaced by empty ones.

INSTALLATION FOR THE COMPRESSING AND EVACUATION F IIOUSEI-IOLD GARBAGE AND INDUSTRIAL REFUSE In recent years the container techniques for products and goods of all kinds have evolved in such a way that the disposal conditions for all types of refuse have been fundamentally modified.

If the problem of the disposal and elimination of wet refuse is left aside there remains that of solid refuse, and in particular the collection and evacuation of household garbage. It is to this aspect of the problem that the present invention is applicable.

For many years it sufficed that each tenant of an apartment block instructed a servant to empty every day an individual refuse bin into the collective dustbin of the block, which was in turn emptied daily by the municipal services; now the development of canned goods or products packed individually in cardboard or plastic containers has rendered this method inadequate. Moreover a sharpened sense of hygiene makes it no longer conceivable to keep perishable refuse in a comer of an apartment The use of refuse disposal systems has therefore become the rule and ceased to be a luxury.

Now it is evident that while a disposal unit is a luxury for the tenant it remains a considerable and unpleasant problem for the caretaker, for the simple reason that until recently the garbage disposal chutes emerged just above the dustbins which were thus filled in an uncontrolled manner, spilled over into the compartment reserved for them, obliging the caretaker to handle them and refill them even more inconveniently than when directly filled by the tenants.

A single attempt has been made to avoid this inconvenience, consisting in proposing an installation wherein a ram packed the garbage, at regular intervals, into a dustbin, or other receptacle such as plastic or paper bags. Unfortunately the drawback to this system was that the receptacles practically burst when incompressible or sharp-edged dry products were packed into them, e.g. oyster shells when packed against the side of the receptacle. This solution is therefore not acceptable.

Another solution, consists in compressing the waste at the base of the garbage disposal chute, and emptying the compressed masses into receptacles which are presented successively under this base. This solution would be perfectly satisfactory, if it were not for the inconvenience in. the form in which it is set out in the patent, that it requires relatively complex and costly equipment, thus limiting its application to high-class housing units, whereas it is particularly appropriate to large complexes comprising several hundred housing units distributed over several dozen floors.

' For the same reason, this type of equipment is not susceptible of being developed practically, without the addition of safety devices ensuring its operation, in spite of accidental failures, or failures due to strikes or other such causes.

The present invention is an attempt to fulfill these various conditions, and consequently consists of an installation intended to collect, pack, and evacuate household garbage or other refuse, by means of simple and cheap elements, equipped with complete safety devices at every stage.

To this end, the installation, according to the invention, consists of:

a. A compression hatch fitted to the base of the refuse disposal chute, including, on the one hand, a space in which the refuse accumulates to a given level, transversal to which travels a piston actuated by a single hydraulic jack, when this jack is operated by a photoelectric cell located in the chute above the accumulation space; and on the other hand, of a chamber, located beside this space, in which the accumulated refuse is compressed by this jack, then released so that it falls by it's own weight.

b. A collecting drum," consisting of a horizontal platform, revolving freely round a shaft fitted into the pillar supporting the above-mentioned hatch, and bearing a series of ring brackets intended to accommodate the receptacles for the mass of refuse compressed in the chamber above-the change from one receptacle to another is controlled by a device which counts the number of strokes of the above-mentioned piston.

c. A hydraulic system to feed the jack, fed from the mains water supply, and controlled by a solenoid valve triggered by the previously mentioned photoelectric cell;

d. An electrical circuit comprising essentially:

- the aforementioned photoelectric cell the jack control solenoid valve a stroke counter actuated by the jack at the end of each compressor stroke an electric motor to drive the platform a relay to control this motor, actuated by the counter a rotation contactor, limiting the intervention of the motor, to each rotation of the platform from one receptacle to the next.

More precisely, according to the invention, the jack feed control solenoid valve includes a distributor slide valve, controlled by methods sensitive to the flow of current in two circuits, each of which is established by a contactor, these two contactors being placed on a fixed part of the installation and selectively actuated by two devices fitted to the mobile pushrod assembly. One of these circuits is controlled by the photoelectric cell; while the other controls a coordinating device comprising a stroke counter, so that, after a predetermined number of closures of this circuit, and of piston compressor strokes, the drum drive motor is supplied for an amount of time corresponding to the fraction of a revolution of the drum required for the substitution of an empty receptacle for a full one, under the compression chamber, while a device fitted to the drum, at each complete revolution of the drum, acts in conjunction with a contactor which simultaneously stops the machinery entirely and actuates a horn.

This simple combination of components is a new feature, especially when compared to the former equipment, and it offers the advantages previously cited. This therefore constitutes the core of the present invention.

Further however, the invention includes two series of secondary dispositions, that is to say:

I. constructional dispositions, aiming at guaranteeing the proper functioning of the equipment under normal conditions.

2. accessory dispositions, aiming at ensuring the proper functioning of the equipment, even in the event of a failure of one of the components, for any cause whatsoever, whether mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic.

Firstly we shall enumerate the constructional details concerned with normal conditions.

In the first place we refer to the compression hatch. According to the invention, communication between the accumulation space and the compression chamber, is effected through an opening which is normally sealed by a shutter, swinging outwards around a horizontal shaft, with spring retention, and bearing on each side of the bosses acting in conjunction with the vertical cams, whose cross section is such that the shutter moves at variable speeds-lower when opening than closing, and remains open in its horizontal position for several seconds after the start of the return movement of the jack; certain devices being included to brake the movement of this shutter at the beginning, in order to allow the refuse to settle.

Furthermore this shutter is lightly lower than the opening, thus leaving a space which ensures natural ventilation of the installation, eliminating all odors in it's container.

Finally a curtain of flexible material, placed at the top of the opening, and behind the shutter, ensures that the latters shaft is watertight, and permits the passage of large objects such as bottles, above the catch.

A secondary characteristic is a water distributor, fitted in the hatch above the photoelectric cell, and therefore above the accumulated refuse, in such a way that at each passage of refuse in front of the cell, the latter triggers off a jet of water which dampens the mass of refuse, making compression easi er. V

In the second place we shall refer to the drum:

As has been explained, the receptacle platform effects a fraction of a revolution as soon as the jack has itself efiected a certain number of return compressor movements-according to the invention, this platform also carries a contractor which interrupts the operation of the installation, as soon as the total number of fractions of a revolution form a complete one, in order to avoid a full receptacle being positioned under the hatch.

This disposition may be considered as one of the safety devices described further on.

Furthermore the motor drives the platform by friction, through a rubber roller fitted to the motor-reducer set. This detail shows great progress in comparison to the chain and pinion drive proposed formerly, for it eliminates all need of precise tooling of the platform.

We will now set forth the safety devices provided, according to the invention:

In the first place it is important to note that the hydraulic system is supplied from the mains, corresponding to numerous advantages:

- complete absence of a pump thus ensuring the silence of the installation power economy almost complete certainty that there will be no failures, ex-

cept in the event of a supply cut, but with advance notice and relatively infrequent supply not only to the jack but to the dampening distribu- In the second place, in the event of failure of the jack, it is only necessary to keep the shutter in the open position to create a direct channel to the receptacles: This position of the shutter is maintained by the pushrods, with balls acting in conjunction with the ports on the flanges of the chamber. You are therefore always in complete control of the hatch system. In this context it is important to note that the apparatus is slightly inclined, to facilitate the discharge of pasty or liquid matter, in itself made possible by the fact that its bottom lining is watertight.

In as far as concerns the drum, the friction drive system is easily disengaged, enabling it to be hand driven, which was not the case with a chain drive.

Furthermore the contactor at the end of the stroke can actuate a horn or warning light; the platform can also be manually handled in order to free any particular receptacle, or the stroke cou-nter can be actuated manually so as to obtain the same result.

In as far as concerns coordination between the electric and hydraulic circuits it should be noted that all the contacts can be actuated manually, including the solenoid valve. The total or partial failure of a circuit in no way interrupts the operation of the installation.

To illustrate the foregoing, we will now describe the entire installation with reference to the drawing appended, on the which:

- FIG. 1 illustrates schematically the overall installation, the

pushrod being at rest in its far back position, and

- FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 except that the pushrod is in maximum compressor position.

On this diagram, A indicates the premises' refuse disposal chute, the compression hatch, designated by the general reference B consists of a space 1, located in its extension, comprising slanting guides 2-2' for the pushrod or piston 3, actuated by a jack 3', moving as far as an opening 4, emerging into a chamber 5, closed by a shutter 6. The pushrod 3 ends in the front by a partition 7 bearing a cam 8 acting in conjunction with a boss 9 on the shutter 6.

According to the invention, in the upper part of the hatch space 1 are fitted:

- on the one hand a photoelectric cell 10-10' on the other, a water spray distributor, II;

The pushrod 3 carries two contactors 12a -l2'b acting in conjunction with the fixed components 12a -12b, while the shutter 6, pivoting on it's shaft 13, carries the balls 14 which insert themselves into the ports 15 when in the closed position. The bottom of the shutter 6 leaves a space free in the opening 4 sufficient to create a draft, and ensure ventilation of the whole installation. The balls 14 are housed between the springs in a cylinder 30 fitted with a manual operating handle 31.

A curtain of flexible material 6' is positioned behind shutter 6 to ensure that the shaft 13 is watertight.

The chamber 5 opens, through a flexible skirt 16, over a receptacle 17, carried by one of the rings 18, on a drum, rotating through a coupling 19 round a fixed shaft 20. This drum is friction driven through a rubber roller 21 acting one disc 22, this roller being in tur'n'driven by a motor 23 and a motorreducer set 24.

The various control circuits of the installation are the following:

- from the hydraulic angle, the jack 3 is fed from mains water through a couple of ducts 101-102 selected by a solenoid valve 103, while the spray distributor II is fed by a duct 104 actuated by a solenoid valve 105.

- from the electric angle, the solenoid valve 103 is actuated in one way or the other by two solenoids, 106 and 107 in the drawing, and excited by a flow of current from a source 108 through one of the

wires

109 or 110, corresponding respectively to the closure of contactor or 12b, that is to say at one or the other end of the stroke of piston 3.

In other respects the motor 23 is supplied from the source 108 through a circuit comprising on the one hand a conductor 114, and on the other a conductor 115, closed by a couple of contacts 1 16-117, one of which is fixed, and the other carried round the platform at intervals corresponding to the receptacles 17.

Finally, a contact 26, fixed to the bracket holder 18, opens, at each complete revolution of the drum, a switch 118 inserted in a general control circuit containing the conductor 119.

The solenoid valve 103, is controlled by a contact 123 actuated by the cell 10-10', by means of a conductor 121, as will be explained in detail below.

The overall circuit thus described includes the main elements and connections required to understand it; it should, however, be clearly understood that certain components, 0bvious to the technician but not intervening in a positive manner, have been omitted for claritys sake. This is the case in particular for the details of the cell 10-10' and the contactor 120.

Under normal conditions the installation operates as follows:

The piston rod 3 being in the far back position (FIG. I), the shutter 6 is closed; and a receptacle 17 is placed under the skirt 16. The contactor 12a is closed by the fixed device 12'a; the contactor 12b is open.

When the refuse arrives via the disposal chute, it passes rapidly before the cell 10-10', and accumulates on the bottom 122 of the space 1 of the hatch B. This rapid passage before the cell, triggersthrough temporary excitation of the switch 120-the correspondingly temporary control of the solenoid valve 105, and sends a short spray of water from the distributor II. This eliminates dust and facilitates compression.

As soon as the accumulation of garbage in the hatch is such, that it reaches the level of the cell, and remains there, prolonged excitation of the contact 123 causes excitation of the solenoid 106, operating the slide valve of the solenoid valve 103 in the direction to supply the jack, in order to drive the piston 3 forward.

The piston 3 travels then along its guides from right to left (see drawing), and compresses the garbage against the shutter 6, whose opening is braked at first; as from the beginning of this stroke, the contactor 12a has been opened again, the solenoid 107 ceases to be excited, but the solenoid valve 103 remains in the position to which it was conveyed by the excitation of this solenoid; the piston thus continues it's forward stroke, and goes from the position in one extreme in FIG. 1 to the other in FIG. 2: continuing it's stroke it arrives atthe opening 4, the mass of garbage is now entirely in the chamber 5 where it undergoes maximum compression. At this moment the contactor 12b is closed (FIG. 2) and the solenoid 107 is excited, operating the return of the slide valve of the solenoid valve 103 to its other position, and consequently the return of the piston itself. As soon as it leaves the extreme forward position, the contactor 12b opens, but the slide valve remains in the same position until the extreme back position has been reached, and the cycle can then recommence, as has have just been described.

During this time, a coordinating device counter 112 has registered one unity at the extreme forward end of the piston stroke. In relation to the capacity of each receptacle 17, this device, at the end of a given number of piston compressor strokes, intervenes so as to bring about both:

- the replacement of a full receptacle 17 by the following empty one. The contact 116-117 controls this operation.

- during this replacement, the stoppage of the compressing process.

- at the end of a number of replacements corresponding to a complete revolution, controlled by the contactor 118, the total stoppage of the installation, together with functioning of a horn or warning light.

If, for any reason whatsoever, an operator has to intervene at any given point of the cycle, to deal with a failure of one of the components of the installation, this is possible in various ways:

'-the solenoid valve 103 comprises a pushrod which can be actuated by hand, in one direction or the other, thus enabling complete control of the movement of the piston the coordinating device 112 also comprises manually controlled elements, and in particular, the stroke counter can be freely actuated so as to accelerate, if necessary, the replacement of one receptacle 17 by another.

- in the same manner it is possible to operate the contactor 118 by hand, to put the whole installation at rest, or on the contrary, to keep it in service beyond the normal limit.

- besides the hydroelectric components mentioned above, the mechanical ones are equally accessible to manual operation. Thus, if necessary, the shutter 6 can be raised by means of the handle 31, and kept in the horizontal position; if the piston is then in the back position, a direct channel has been created between the disposal chute A and the receptacle 17. In the same way, by disengaging the roller 21 from the disc 22, the latter can be actuated manually.

It will be noted that this installation offers a particularly simple and inexpensive solution, of small dimensions, while at the same time perfecting the earlier, bulky installations.

Among the advantages with regard to the dimensions, it will be noted that, according to the invention, if the whole installation is borne by a metal section structure for example, the drum shaft is simply one of the feet D of the structure.

lclaim:

1. An installation for processing waste material, such as household garbage and industrial refuse, conveyed to a collection point through a disposal chute for the removal of the waste material in receptacles, comprising a hatch arranged to receive the material from the disposal chute, said hatch comprising a hatch space for receiving the material from the disposal chute and for accumulating the material to a certain level and a hatch chamber laterally contiguous to said space, a collecting assembly supporting a plurality of disposal receptacles and arranged to align the receptacles individually below said hatch chamber, said collecting assembly comprising a device including an electric motor for moving the individual receptacles under said hatch chamber, a hydraulic piston assembly comprising an axially movable piston rod positionable through said hatch space in a direction transverse to the path of the waste material into said space a pivotally mounted shutter being mounted between said {hatch space and said hatch member, biasing means to temporarily hold said shutter in a closed position in said hatch space until the biasing means is overcome, and said piston rod being displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position for compressing the waste material accumulated in said hatch space against said shutter and displacing said shutter and then displacing the compressed waste material into said hatch chamber from which the material drops into the receptacles, a photoelectric cell positioned adjacent the entrance to said hatch space for sensing both the passage of waste material into said hatch space and the level of the accumulated waste material within said hatch space, said hydraulic piston assembly comprising a hydraulic fluid supply system, a solenoid valve in operative communication with said photoelectric cell and said hydraulic fluid supply system for displacing said piston rod between its retracted and extended positions, and an electrical circuit including said photoelectric cell said electric motor for said collecting assembly and said solenoid valve and comprising a source of current for the operation of the installation, a stroke counter in communication with said hydraulic piston assembly and said source of current for counting the strokes executed in compressing the waste material and, when a given number of strokes has been executed, actuating said electric motor through said source of current for positioning an empty receptacle below said hatch chamber.

2. An installation, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a horizontally arranged shaft is positioned in the upper end of said hatch chamber, said shutter being pivotally mounted on and depending downwardly from said shaft and being located at the opening between said hatch space and said hatch chamber, said shutter being displaceable by said piston rod from a first position blocking passage of waste material from said hatch space into said hatch chamber and a second position pivotally displaced from said first position for admitting accumulated waste material from said hatch space into said hatch chamber.

3. An installation, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that a partition is affixed to the end of said piston rod movable through said hatch space, a cam secured to and extending forwardly from said partition in the direction of said hatch chamber, and a boss positioned on said shutter on the side thereof facing said hatch space and being arranged to be contacted by said cam on said partition when said piston rod is extended into said hatch space, said cam being shaped for displacing said shutter from the opening between said hatch space and hatch chamber at increasing speeds as said piston rod is extended.

4. An installation, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said biasing means for initially retaining said shutter in the opening between said hatch space and hatch chamber against the compression of the accumulated material against said shutter so that said accumulated material can be compressed before being displaced into said hatch chamber includes spring biased ball members.

5. An installation, as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that a curtain of flexible material is positioned across the top of the opening between said hatch space and hatch chamber coextensive with said shaft of said shutter for providing a watertight closure across the opening and providing for watertight operation of said shaft.

6. An installation, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the lower end of said curtain being positioned above the upper end of said partition on said piston rod in its fully extended position across said hatch space for providing an open space therebetween for the passage of large objects.

7. An installation, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said shutter being spaced closely above the lower limit of the opening between said hatch space and hatch chamber for providing a space therebetween which ensures natural ventilation of the installation.

8. An installation, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the lower surface of said hatch space slopes downwardly toward said hatch chamber, and a handle secured to said shutter for displacing said shutter from the opening between said hatch space and hatch chamber so that waste material deposited into said hatch space can pass directly into said hatch chamber and then into the receptacles.

9. An installation, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a water distributor member connected to a source of water being positioned in the upper end of said hatch space and said photoelectric cell being arranged to activate said water distributor member at each passage of waste material from the disposal chute into said hatch space for dampening the accumulated waste material and facilitating its compression.

10. An installation, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said collecting assembly comprising a rotatable disk forming a platform, a support structure extending upwardly from said disk for supporting the receptacles thereon in spaced relationship, a switch device mounted on one of said platform and support structure for interrupting operation of the installation when said platform has completed one full revolution for avoiding the placement of a full receptacle under said hatch chamber.

11. An installation, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said electric motor for moving individual receptacles under said hatch chamber comprises said motor, a motor reducer set as sociated with said motor and a rubber roller being driven through said motor-reducer set by said motor and said roller being arranged in contacting engagement with said disk for rotating said disk and placing the receptacles supported thereon under said hatch chamber.

12. An installation, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a first switch means and a second switch means arranged for controlling the operation of said hydraulic piston assembly, said first switch means comprising a first stationary contactor and a first movable contactor associated with said movable piston rod, said second switch means comprising a second stationary contactor and a second movable contactor associated with said movable piston rod, said first switch means arranged for retaining said piston rod in its retracted position and being actuated by said photoelectric cell for opening said first switch means and commencing the extension of said piston rod, said second switch means being arranged to be closed when said piston rod reaches its fully extended position for returning said piston rod to its retracted position.

Claims

1. An installation for processing waste material, such as household garbage and industrial refuse, conveyed to a collection point through a disposal chute for the removal of the waste material in receptacles, comprising a hatch arranged to receive the material from the disposal chute, said hatch comprising a hatch space for receiving the material from the disposal chute and for accumulating the material to a certain level and a hatch chamber laterally contiguous to said space, a collecting assembly supporting a plurality of disposal receptacles and arranged to align the receptacles individually below said hatch chamber, said collecting assembly comprising a device including an electric motor for moving the individual receptacles under said hatch chamber, a hydraulic piston assembly comprising an axially movable piston rod positionable through said hatch space in a direction transverse to the path of the waste material into said space a pivotally mounted shutter being mounted between said hatch space and said hatch member, biasing means to temporarily hold said shutter in a closed position in said hatch space until the biasing means is overcome, and said piston rod being displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position for compressing the waste material accumulated in said hatch space against said shutter and displacing said shutter and then displacing the compressed waste material into said hatch chamber from which the material drops into the receptacles, a photoelectric cell positioned adjacent the entrance to said hatch space for sensing both the passage of waste material into said hatch space and the level of the accumulated waste material within said hatch space, said hydraulic piston assembly comprising a hydraulic fluid supply system, a solenoid valve in operative communication with said photoelectric cell and said hydraulic fluid supply system for displacing said piston rod between its retracted and extended positions, and an electrical circuit including said photoelectric cell said electric motor for said collecting assembly and said solenoid valve and comprising a source of current for the operation of the installation, a stroke counter in communication with said hydraulic piston assembly and said source of current for counting the strokes executed in compressing the waste material and, when a given number of strokes has been executed, actuating said electric motor through said source of current for positioning an empty receptacle below said hatch chamber.

11. An installation, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said electric motor for moving individual receptacles under said hatch chamber comprises said motor, a motor reducer set associated with said motor and a rubber roller being driven through said motor-reducer set by said motor and said roller being arranged in contacting engagement with said disk for rotating said disk and placing the receptacles supported thereon uNder said hatch chamber.