WO1993009937A1

WO1993009937A1 - Garbage press

Info

Publication number: WO1993009937A1
Application number: PCT/FI1991/000345
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pekka KANKAANSYRJÄ
Original assignee: Kankaansyrjae Pekka
Priority date: 1989-12-12
Filing date: 1991-11-18
Publication date: 1993-05-27
Also published as: FI895933A0; FI895933A

Abstract

The invention concerns a garbage press, comprising a garbage bin (1) and a press unit (2) for pressing the garbage into said bin, said press unit comprising a press chamber (3), a press plunger (4) movable therein and power means (5), whereby the press chamber of the press unit extends through an aperture (6) in the garbage bin (1) into the garbage bin, to a given distance from the wall of the garbage bin.

Description

GARBAGE PRESS

The present invention concerns a garbage press as defined in the preamble to Claim 1. At present, two types of garbage presses com¬ prising a garbage bin and a press unit are in use. In one type, the garbage bin and press unit constitute a single integral entity, and in this case when the bin is being emptied the press unit also moves along with it. In the other design of prior art, the garbage bin and press unit are detachably interconnectable so that when the garbage bin is going to be emptied it is de¬ tached from the press unit, which is kept stationary, and said garbage bin alone is transported to the dump, to be emptied.

The problem with existing separate devices is that wet and liquid garbage tends to run out partially through the juncture of press unit and garbage bin, and this gives rise to hygienic problems, odour detriment and equivalent, in the region where the garbage press is used. Separate devices are similarly embarrassed by the problem that when the press unit is detached from a full garbage bin, the garbage tends to well out through the aperture of the bin. Attempts have been made to eliminate this problem by introducing a guillotine¬ like, hydraulically operated shutter, but the shutter frequently fails to close properly owing to impacted garbage, and some garbage can then fall down on the road during transport. It is also a problem in connection with inte¬ gral as well as separate devices that even though the garbage is pressed comparatively far into the bin, using the press unit, the garbage will in many instan¬ ces gush back into the filling chamber of the press unit, so that the filling chamber is already partly filled and can take only little new garbage. This means that pressing cycles have to be carried out at rather short intervals. A further problem is comparatively poor compaction of the garbage, in spite of the press, which necessitates a greater number of emptying trips, or a greater bin capacity. The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above. It is particularly an object of the invention to provide a novel garbage press with the aid of which the welling back of garbage from the garbage bin is prevented, with which the garbage is compactly packed in the bin, and with which the running out of wet garbage to the outside of the bin is inhibited.

The garbage press of the invention comprises a garbage bin and a press unit for pressing the garbage into said bin. The press unit consists of a press cham¬ ber, a press plunger movable in said press chamber, and a power means for moving the plunger. As taught by the invention, the press chamber of the press unit is dis¬ posed to extend through an aperture in the garbage bin up to a certain distance within the garbage bin. Fur¬ thermore, the path over which the press plunger of the press unit moves is so dimensioned that it performs pressing and pushing of the garbage at least up to the end of the press chamber, and advantageously somewhat beyond the end of the press chamber.

When the garbage bin and press unit form an integral entity, the press chamber extending into the garbage bin is an integral part of the garbage bin.

When the garbage bin and press unit are sepa- rate units attachable to each other, the press chamber can be disposed to extend into the garbage bin through an aperture provided in the garbage bin.

Advantageously, there is provided on the gar¬ bage bin, at the aperture provided in it and around same, a support, or mantle, extending in the direction into the garbage bin, substantially consistent in shape with the part of the press chamber extending into the garbage bin, the press chamber, as it extends into the garbage bin, being disposable in said support or mantle when the garbage bin and press unit are being attached to each other. As the press chamber and the support extend, one in the other, up to a given distance within the garbage bin, the press chamber is advantageously ar¬ ranged to extend slightly farther than the support, although they may equally both extend substantially to the same length.

In an advantageous embodiment of the inven¬ tion, the cross-section of the press chamber is taper¬ ing in the direction into the bin. Its cross section may then, for instance, be one from the group; square, rectangle, circle, downward curving half-circle, oval. Hereby, when garbage is pressed into the bin along the tapering inner surfaces of the press chamber, the gar¬ bage will experience significant compression before entering the bin. Advantageously in a press chamber with rectan¬ gular shape the vertical side walls are straight, and the upper wall and lower wall converge towards each other in the direction into the bin. The press plunger which is used in this case is also rectangular in shape and consistent with the size of the end of the press chamber, so that the plunger is enabled to move partly past the end of the press chamber and into the bin.

In an embodiment of the invention, the con¬ verging regions of the press chamber are elastic, yielding as the garbage is pressed thereagainst. This may be implemented merely by an elastic structural design of the metal plates, or e.g. by using spring- loaded parts of the press chamber which are urged to¬ wards each other but which yield, resiliently, when garbage is being pressed through between them and into the bin. It is thus possible by regulating the elastic¬ ity of the structures, to regulate the degree of com- paction of the garbage being pressed.

It is equally conceivable that to the converg¬ ing regions of the press chamber are connected means for distancing them from each other and pressing them closer together. For such means can be used force means, or other members, known in themselves in the art.

The operation of the garbage press of the in¬ vention is based, firstly, on the circumstance that since the press chamber extends clearly to a distance within the garbage bin all liquid garbage introduced in the press chamber moves straight, in the press chamber, into the garbage bin without passing any junctures or gaps, through which the liquid might be able to run to the ambience of the garbage bin. Secondly, when the garbage is pressed with the plunger, advantageously, somewhat past the press chamber, the garbage can in the garbage bin expand to some extent in lateral direction before the press plunger is retracted to its rear posi- tion. Hereby the garbage clod that has been extruded from the press chamber will, after its slight expan¬ sion, catch against the rim of the press chamber and is prevented from welling back through the press chamber into the filling chamber, which thus is left completely empty of garbage after the pressing stroke. Furthermore in a separate device, when the garbage bin comprises a support encircling the press chamber, said support serves as a similar member preventing back flow of the garbage, so that the press unit can be removed from its communication with the garbage bin and the garbage present in the interior of the bin is held by the^' sup¬ port extending to a distance inside the bin, not ex¬ tending all the way to the confines of the garbage bin's aperture. Hereby the aperture is easily closed for the duration of transport with the aid of any pro¬ cedure or means known in the art.

Moreover, when the press chamber is, in part at least, conical or otherwise tapering in the direc¬ tion into the bin, higher compaction of the garbage is attained before the bin already. One ensures hereby more positively than before that the compact garbage remains in the bin, and one gains added capacity of the bin.

It is clearly understood from the preceding description of the operation of the means, that the support or mantle encircling the operating cylinder which is associated with the garbage bin us not neces¬ sarily a solid, continuous tube: it may equally be any other net or supporting structure, as long as it con¬ stitutes a support, a supporting frame or equivalent extending to a distance from the aperture and substan- tially around the press chamber and against which the somewhat expanded garbage that has come out from the press chamber can rest when the press chamber is pulled out of communication with the garbage bin, and likewise as long as it forms a mantle with a degree of tightness ensuring that no garbage can push through this mantle, into the aperture.

In the following, the invention is described in detail, with reference to the attached drawing, wherein:- Fig. 1 presents a garbage press according to the inven¬ tion and

Fig. 2 presents another garbage press according to the invention.

The garbage press depicted in Fig. 1 consists of a garbage bin 1 and a press unit 2 which can be de- tachably attached thereto. The press unit comprises an elongated, tubular press chamber 3, within which has been provided a press plunger 4, movable with the aid of a power means 5. When the press unit 2 and garbage bin 1 are interlocked with each other as shown in Fig. 1, the press chamber 3 of the press unit extends through an aperture 6 in the openable end face 8 of the garbage bin 1, to a given distance in the garbage bin. Furthermore, around the aperture 6 has been attached a mantle 7 whose cross section is substantially consis¬ tent with that of the press chamber, the inner diameter of this mantle being substantially consistent with the outer diameter of the press chamber 3, whereby these components can be placed one inside the other, with comparatively good sealing.

The press chamber 3 extends somewhat deeper into the garbage bin 1 than the mantle 7, the differ¬ ence being e.g. on the order of 50 mm. The extension into the garbage bin 1 of the press chamber 3 and mantle 7 may be on the order of 200 to 600 mm, but it may equally be more. As shown in Fig. 1 with interrupted lines, the path of travel of the press plunger 4 has been arranged to be such that the leading face which abuts on the garbage extends outside the press chamber when in its extreme pressing position, whereby the garbage abutting on it is able to well out and expand laterally, before the press plunger retreats to its rear position. As a result, the garbage cannot flow back through the press chamber as the plunger retracts? instead, it hits against the margins of the press chamber 3. ^' In the embodiment of Fig. 1 the press chamber

3 has rectangular cross section shape. Its vertical side walls are straight and spaced substantially by the width of the press plunger . The top wall 8 and bottom wall 10 of the press chamber are sloping, converging towards each other substantially on that part of the press chamber which extends into the garbage bin 1. The height dimension of the press plunger substantially equals the distance between the top and bottom walls at the extreme point of the press chamber. This conical, tapering design causes greater compaction of the gar¬ bage in the press chamber already, whereby a greater quantity of garbage can be accommodated in the bin. Advantageously, the mantle 7 is similarly tapering in the inward direction, whereby it will more efficiently prevent the garbage from welling back, although in the figure it has been depicted as a straight cylinder shell.

Moreover, as the press chamber extends into the garbage bin 1, and even farther in than the mantle 7, the end of the press chamber constitutes a spout from which wet garbage constituents can run straight down on the bottom of the garbage bin and have no chance whatsoever of flowing out into the ambience of the garbage bin.

In Fig. 2 is presented another means according to the invention, where the garbage bin 1 and the press unit 2 form a solid, unitary entity. The arrangement is here substantially the same as in the means of Fig. 1, but in this case no mantle encircling the press chamber is needed because the press chamber is never withdrawn from the garbage bin. Accordingly, the present arrange- ment only comprises a press chamber 3 extending into the garbage bin 1, this chamber tapering as of its part extending into the bin and preventing any back-welling of garbage into the filling chamber, along with the retraction step of the plunger. In the foregoing the invention has been de¬ scribed in detail, referring to certain advantageous design solutions thereof, while different embodiments of the invention are conceivable within the scope of the inventive idea delimited by the claims following below.

Claims

1. A garbage press, comprising a garbage bin (1) with a filling aperture (6) in its wall, and a press unit (2) for pressing the garbage into said bin, said press unit comprising a press chamber (3), a press plunger (4) movable therein and a power means (5), characterized in that the press chamber (3) of the press unit (2) extends through the aperture (6) in the garbage bin (1) into the garbage bin to a given dis¬ tance from the wall of the garbage bin, and the press plunger has been arranged to press the garbage at least to the end of the press chamber, whereby the garbage expands at the end of the press chamber and its access back into the press chamber is prevented.

2. Garbage press according to claim 1, char¬ acterized in that the garbage bin (1) and press unit (2) constitute a solid entity, the press chamber (3) extending into the garbage bin being an integral part of the garbage bin.

3. Garbage press according to claim 1, char¬ acterized in that the garbage bin (1) and press unit (2) are separate units attachable to each other, the press chamber (3) being disposable to extend into the garbage bin through the aperture (6) provided on the garbage bin.

4. Garbage press according to claim 3, char¬ acterized in that the garbage bin (1) comprises a man¬ tle (7) extending from around the aperture (6) into the garbage bin and inside which the press chamber (3) can be disposed.

5. Garbage press according to claim 4, char¬ acterized in that the press chamber (3) extends deeper into the garbage bin (1) than the mantle (7).

6. Garbage press according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cross section of the press chamber (3) tapers down in the direction into the bin.

7. Garbage press according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cross section of the press chamber (3) is any one from the group: square, rectangle, circle, downward curving half- circle, oval.

8. Garbage press according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the press cham¬ ber (3) with rectangular cross section the vertical side walls are straight, and the top wall and bottom wall converge towards each other in the direction into the bin.

9. Garbage press according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the tapering regions of the press chamber (3) are elastic, yielding as the garbage presses against them.

10. Garbage press according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that to the tapering regions of the press chamber (3) are connected means for distancing them from each other and for urging them towards each other.