WO1992000903A1

WO1992000903A1 - Receptacle and cart for removal of domestic refuse

Info

Publication number: WO1992000903A1
Application number: PCT/DK1991/000190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward Hugh Mcquiston Halgreen
Original assignee: Edward Hugh Mcquiston Halgreen
Priority date: 1990-07-05
Filing date: 1991-07-04
Publication date: 1992-01-23
Also published as: DK162490D0; DK166871B1; AU8205191A; DK162490A; EP0537258A1

Abstract

A device (20) for e.g. waste sorted at source comprises at least one receptacle (21) for collection of the waste and at least one cart (6) for subsequent removal of it from the receptacle (21). This is placed so high above floor level (25) that the cart (6) can freely be positioned below the receptacle (21) for discharge. The bottom of the receptacle (21) is a pivotable trapdoor (1), which can be locked in the closed position by means of a locking mechanism (3, 17, 18), which is released when the cart (6) is run into position below the receptacle (21) so that the trapdoor (1) pivots downwardly. The receptacle (21) discharges by gravity directly into the cart (6), following which the trapdoor (1) is lifted and closed by the front edge (9) on the cart (6) when this is pulled back. The waste collectors are hereby relieved of the previous physically strenuous, back-breaking and injurious work of handling the relatively heavy waste containers or cassettes.

Description

Receptacle and cart for removal of domestic refuse.

The invention concerns a device for instance for waste sorted at source and comprising at least one receptacle for collecting the waste and at least one cart for sub¬ sequent removal of it from the receptacle.

Devices of this type generally consist of a frame or a box with a plurality of smaller containers or cassettes which, owing to considerations of place, are frequently arranged intiers above each other, and which serve to store source- sorted waste fractions until the waste is collected and driven away e.g. a waste collection company. When per- forming this work the waste collectors must manually take the filled containers or cassettes out of the frame or the box and carry them out for discharge into the waste collection vehicle and then again carry the now empty containers or cassettes back and place them in the frame or the box again. This work is physically very strenuous and can in the long run cause i.a. serious spinal in¬ juries, since the described working processes necessarily entail that the collectors have to bend repeatedly to handle the relatively heavy loads in inconvenient working positions.

Accordingly, there is a great need for a device of the type stated in the opening paragraph which can function in a more rational working procedure than known before, and which can be operated by the collectors conveniently and without great physical efforts in a manner such that the collectors will not sustain injuries in the performance of their work.

The device of the invention is novel and unique in that the receptacle is placed at a free distance from floor level at least corresponding to the height of the cart and has a bottom in the form of a trapdoor, which is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis, and which can be retained in the closed position by means of a releasable locking mechanism. The work can hereby take place rapidly and easily in a single working operation, which just com¬ prises the actual discharge and collection of the waste, the previous cumbersome and physically strenuous handling of the containers or the cassettes having been completely eliminated. By means of the new device the waste collectors merely have to push the cart inwardly below the bottom of the receptacle, release the trapdoor by means of e.g. a foot pedal or a handle at the upper side of the frame, pull out the cart and close the trapdoor again e.g. with a cord drive, and this work can be performed without the waste collectors having to bend or perform other move¬ ments which can similarly wear down the collectors and inflict physical injuries to them.

With a view to rationalizing the working process additio¬ nally, a preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism comprises a stop which is reciprocal with respect to the rear wall of the receptacle and rests against a trapdoor part positioned behind the pivot axis in the closed posi- tion and which is so adapted as to be pulled clear of the rear edge of the trapdoor by means of a downwardly extend¬ ing lever secured to the stop, said lever being pressed back in a direction toward the rear wall of the receptacle by a projection on the cart when the cart is run inwardly below the receptacle, whereby the trapdoor automatically opens and the contents of the receptacle are discharged into the cart. When being opened, the trapdoor drops and will rest against or be positioned close to the front part of the cart, which thereby advantageously moves the trapdoor back to the closed position when the cart is pulled out again. The receptacle is now ready to receive source-sorted waste again.

To obtain a structure efficient and also reliable in operation, the stop may be pivotably and/or resiliently mounted on the rear wall of the container, the stop extending obliquely downwardly and outwardly to contact the upper side of the trapdoor in the closed position, a compression spring being provided between the rear wall and the stop to safely position the stop and keep it posi- tioned in the closed position.

With a view to guiding the waste during discharge and preventing it from penetrating into the locking mechanism to render it inoperative, or from dropping down behind the rear edge of the trapdoor, a guard may be attached to the rear wall of the receptacle above the locking mechanism, said guard extending all the way between two side walls of the receptacle and being preferably also secured to these.

In an additional advantageous embodiment of the device of the invention the trapdoor is provided with one wall, upright as seen in the closed position, at the rear edge and each of the side edges, and the front wall of the receptacle may simultaneously be constructed as a flap arranged to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis, which is preferably positioned in the upper area of the receptacle. This flap is retained in the closed posi¬ tion by means of a lock so adapted as to be automatically released when the trapdoor pivots downwardly. This entails that most of the waste does not contact the rear wall and side walls of the receptacle, and that the front wall is pivoted outwardly by the pressure from the waste and leaves a large free opening through which the waste, almost instantaneously and without any risk of clogging, can drop over a relatively large section of the surface area occupied by the cart, so that the waste is automa- tically distributed satisfactorily in the cart without manual work having to be performed. This structure more¬ over entails that the waste collector or the user can conveniently close the trapdoor if this should uninten- tionally be left in an open position after e.g. discharge.

The invention will be explained more fully by the follow¬ ing description of embodiments, which just serve as examples, with reference to the drawing, in which

fig. 1 is a lateral cross-section of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention in the closed state,

fig. 2 shows the same, but in the open state,

fig. 3 is a lateral cross-section of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention in the closed state, and

fig- 4 shows the same, but in the open state.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the device of the invention in a first embodiment which is generally designated 20. The device comprises a receptacle 21 and a cart 6 pulled by hand in this case. The receptacle 21 is suspended from a frame 24, which stands on a floor 25.* The receptacle is raised so much above the floor that the cart 6 can be run inwardly below the bottom 1 of the receptacle. This bottom 1 -is constructed as a trapdoor 1, which can pivot about a hori- zontal axis 2 whose distance from the rear wall 4 of the receptacle is about 1/4 of the total extent of the recep¬ tacle in the depth.

The trapdoor 1 is present in its closed position in fig. 1, in which it is retained by a locking mechanism 3, 17, 18. This locking mechanism consists of a stop 3 in the form of a leaf spring which is secured to the rear wall 4 of the receptacle, as well as of a downwardly protruding lever 18 secured to the stop, and a compression spring 17 acting between the rear wall 4 and the stop 3. As will be seen, the stop 3 rests with its lower edge agains the rear end of the trapdoor 1, so that this cannot pivot downward¬ ly. The cart 6 has not yet been driven completely into position below the receptacle 21, but during further for¬ ward movement it hits the downwardly protruding lever 18 with a projection 7 forwardly on the cart 6. The stop 3 is hereby pulled clear of the rear edge 5 of the trapdoor, so that the trapdoor 1 automatically drops and will rest on the front part of the cart 6, while the waste in the receptacle 1 drops down into the cart.

In the shown example, a guard 8 is mounted above the lock¬ ing mechanism, said guard being secured to the rear wall 4 and extending from side to side in the receptacle. This guard serves to prevent waste from dropping down behind the rear edge 5 of the trapdoor 1, and waste from pene¬ trating into the locking mechanism with the consequent risk of locking mechanism failure. The guard 8 also faci¬ litates outflow of the waste and, as shown in fig. 2, effectively limits the angle which the trapdoor is per- mitted to pivot downwardly.

When the waste has thus been discharged into the cart 6, the cart is pulled back, whereby the front edge 9 of the cart platform presses the trapdoor 1 back to closed posi- tion, the front edge of the cart being optionally tiltable slightly upwardly in this connection such that the com¬ pression spring 17 can with certainty press the stop 3 into position above the rear part of the trapdoor 1.

The second embodiment shown in figs. 3 and 4 and generally designated 22, differs from the first embodiment shown in figs. 1 and 2 substantially in that the trapdoor 1 is pro¬ vided with one rear wall 11, upright as seen in the closed position, at the rear edge of the trapdoor and an upright side wall 12 at each of the side edges of the trapdoor, and in that the front wall 10 of the receptacle 23 is con¬ structed as a flap 10 pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis 13. The rear wall 11 and the side walls 12 are upwardly interconnected by a transverse member 16 and, in the position shown in fig. 3, are positioned closely adjacent the respective side faces in the receptacle 23. This advantageously prevents most of the waste from get¬ ting into contact with the side faces of the receptacle. Furthermore, a particularly large free opening is formed downwardly in the receptacle when, during discharge, the flap 10 is forced outwardly by the pressure from the waste. This ensures rapid discharge, and that the waste is immediately distributed satisfactorily in the cart without manual operations.

In the closed position shown in fig. 3, the trapdoor 1 is retained by the locking mechanism 3, 17, 18, while the flap 10 is retained by a lock 14, 15a, 15b. This lock consists of at least one fitting 15a, which is provided at the lower edge of the flap and has a downwardly facing pin 15b, as well as of a complementary opening 14 at the front edge of the flap 1. In the closed position shown in fig. 3, the pin 15b extends down into the opening 14, pre¬ venting the flap 10 from pivoting to any of the sides. When the trapdoor 1 is released and drops as shown in fig. 4, the pin 15b is simultaneously disengaged from the opening 14, and then the flap 10 can pivot freely out¬ wardly, as mentioned before.

If the trapdoor unintentionally remains in the open position after e.g. a discharge operation, the user can close the trapdoor easily and conveniently by pulling the cross member 16 back towards to rear wall 4 of the receptacle before dropping of the waste is initiated.

Dropping of the waste takes place via an opening 27 up- wardly in the receptacle 21 and 23, respectively. This opening may be closed by a cover 26, or dropping can take place via a chute (not shown).

Two embodiments are described above and shown in the draw- ing, which, for simplicity, just comprise a single recep¬ tacle each. In practice, several receptacles will be pro¬ vided for waste sorted at source, which are arranged side by side and serve to store their respective types of waste. Since the cart 6 will usually be made slightly broader than the actual receptacle to prevent waste from dropping outside the cart, the receptacles 21, 23 are placed at such a great mutual distance as to ensure that when a receptacle is discharged, the cart will not unin¬ tentionally contact the locking mechanisms in the adjacent receptacles.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s:

1. A device for e.g. waste sorted at source, comprising at least one receptacle for collecting the waste and at least one cart for subsequent removal of it from the receptacle, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the recep¬ tacle is placed at a free distance from floor level at least corresponding to the height of the cart and has a bottom in the form of a trapdoor, which is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis, and which can be retained in the closed position by means of a releasable locking mechanism.

2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the pivot axis of the trapdoor is spaced from the rear wall of the receptacle.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r- i z e d in that the distance of the trapdoor from the rear wall of the container is about 1/4 of the extent of the receptacle in the depth.

4. A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking mechanism comprises a stop which is reciprocal with respect to the rear wall of the receptacle and rests against a trapdoor part positioned behind the pivot axis in the closed posi¬ tion, and which is so adapted as to be pulled clear of the rear edge of the trapdoor by means of a downwardly extend¬ ing lever secured on the stop, said lever being pressed back in a direction toward the rear wall of the receptacle by a projection on the cart when said cart is run inwardly below the receptacle.

5. A device according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the stop is pivotally and/or resiliently mounted on the rear wall of the recep¬ tacle, from which the stop extends obliquely downwardly and outwardly to contact the upper side of trapdoor in the closed position, and that the locking mechanism moreover comprises at least one compression spring acting between the rear wall and the stop.

6. A device according to one or more of claims 1 - 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a guard is secured to the rear wall of the receptacle above the locking mechanism, said guard extending all the way between the two side walls of the container and being preferably also secured to these.

7. A device according to one or more of claims 1 - 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the trapdoor is pro¬ vided with a wall, upright as seen in the closed position, at the rear wall and each of the side edges.

8. A device according to one or more of claims 1 - 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the front wall of the receptacle is constructed as a flap arranged to be pivot¬ able about a substantially horizontal axis, which is preferably positioned in the upper area of the receptacle.

9. A device according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the flap is retained in the closed posi¬ tion by means of a lock so adapted as to be automatically released when the trapdoor pivots downwardly.

10. A device according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the lock consists of at least one fitting arranged at the lower edge of the flap and having a down- wardly facing tap to engage a complementary opening at the front edge of the trapdoor in the closed position.