WO1994027810A1

WO1994027810A1 - Compactor

Info

Publication number: WO1994027810A1
Application number: PCT/GB1994/001078
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Anthony Shaw Abram; William Menzies Brodie; Michael John Abram; Norman John Abram
Original assignee: John W. Hannay & Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 1993-05-25
Filing date: 1994-05-19
Publication date: 1994-12-08
Also published as: GB2278311A; AU6726294A; GB9310779D0

Abstract

A compactor comprises a plurality of telescopic sections (5a, 5b, 5c), each of which has an upper flared peripheral edge (6), and one of which has a base, with a drive means operable upon said sections, said sections together cooperating to define a chamber of variable volume for receiving waste, the compactor (1) further comprises a means for supporting (7) a flexible receptacle (3) within said sections and closure means (8) for said sections to provide a closed volume, which closure means (8) is lockable in the closed position, whereby waste collected in the receptacle (3) is compactable by successive operational steps involving, locking of the closure means (8), driving of the sections (5a, 5b, 5c) to nest one within the next thereby enabling reduction of the volume of the sections confined between the base of said one section and the closure means (8), thus compacting the waste collected in the receptacle (3), the drive means being reversed whereby the volume is then increased to provide space above the compacted waste for further waste to be collected.

Description

COMPACTOR

This invention relates to a compactor for the compression of wastes and materials.

A disadvantage of some compactors for waste arises from the fact that the containers thereof are tall and often are required to have a bag contained therein. When such a bag is full it then has to be lifted out of the container which may be difficult and cumbersome due to the height of the container and the weight of the bag. In addition, at the present time when waste disposal costs, storage space availability and recycling are important issues, it is necessary to find more economic and less time consuming methods of disposing of waste material including household, industrial and commercial rubbish. Wastes and some materials are bulky and the volume thereby occupied consists mainly of air. Therefore, compactors have been produced in order to compress the wastes and materials into bales or bags. This allows greater amounts of wastes and materials to be stored before being removed thus cutting down on removal, handling and transport costs. Compacting the wastes or materials into bales or bags also has the added advantage that any material can be more efficiently handled and processed.

Entry for depositing the waste in prior art compactors is generally through an open topped receptacle or via a side entry system. A ram of one form or another presses down from the top to compress the rubbish into a bale or bag. This bale or bag is removed through the base of the receptacle or via a door either on the side or front of the compactor.

Commercially available compactors designed for use with a bag generally contain a bag or bin liner which is fitted round a metal, hollow, elongate tube of rectangular or circular cross section. The tube acts as a guard against damage to the bag by the shearing action caused by compression of the ram. Sometimes the bag is further held in place by an inner shield. Once the waste material has been compressed the inner shield is removed and the bag is pulled up over the compressed waste, tied up and then lifted out of the compactor. Alternatively the inner shield is removed leaving the bag ready to be tied up and without the need to pull the bag up over the compacted waste. Thus it will be recognised that the main problems with the prior art compactors are that they are on the whole very bulky and tall especially when the typical downward acting ram is in the raised position. Those compactors designed for use with a bag tend to be cumbersome in operation with bag placement and removal being difficult and time consuming. Further the bags do not remain intact unless an inner shield is present.

European Application No. 92112472.3 proposes a refuse compression apparatus which includes a telescopic refuse container which is covered by a bag and is housed in a cylindrical housing. A top cover box is coupled with the telescopic refuse container and the cylindrical housing so that the bag divides the inner space of the cylindrical housing into a free space inside the bag and an airtight space outside the bag. An air pump is provided to connect the airtight space and the outside of the cylindrical housing operates to pressurise the airtight space causing the bag to press the telescopic refuse container to slide up. The "bag" used cannot serve as a disposal container for the compacted refuse since that is partitioned therefrom by being contained within the telescopic container.

With a compressor of this type airtight seals or sealed fits are required.

DE 4023843 discloses a refuse bin having a bag, the bin including a waste bucket which has a base to which is attached a tubular casing the top of which is closed by a lid. The axial length of the casing can be adjusted. The casing consists of at least two interlocking parts which have telescopic guide bars outside the casing's surface. The waste is then compressed by pressure exerted onto the lid of the waste bucket. Again it is difficult to remove waste since the bag has to be lifted high out the container. DE 3639916 discloses a press for compressing waste material in distinct pressing chambers. The compression may be carried out by a single drive means. There is no facility for mounting a refuse bag inside the telescopic parts of the press. Waste is merely collected for removal into a bag or the like after compacting has taken place. Collecting the waste may be difficult or dangerous depending upon the nature of the matter which has been compacted. The aim of this invention is to provide a compactor which obviates or mitigates these disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a compactor comprising a plurality of telescopic sections, each of which has an upper flared peripheral edge, and one of which has a base, with a drive means operable upon said sections, said sections together cooperating to define a chamber of variable volume for receiving waste, the compactor further comprising a means for supporting a flexible receptacle within said sections and closure means for said sections to provide a closed volume, which closure means is lockable in the closed position, whereby waste collected in the receptacle is compactable by successive operational steps involving, locking of the closure means, driving of the sections to nest one within the next thereby enabling reduction of the volume of the sections confined between the base of said one section and the closure means, thus compacting the waste collected in the receptacle, the drive means being reversed whereby the volume is then increased to provide space above the compacted waste for further waste to be collected. Preferably the arrangement further provides for the filled receptacle to be exposed for removal by reducing the volume of the telescopic sections when the closure means is removed.

Advantageously a lid is provided as a closure means for the telescopic sections.

Furthermore it is desirable that at least one of the sections has an internal wall having a tapered configuration to facilitate removal of the receptacle from the compactor. Preferably the uppermost telescopic section is secured in a static position with respect to a casing for the compactor.

The uppermost section may be adapted to facilitate the drawing down of the receptacle and waste by having a surface liner which extends beyond or near the upper lip of that section and has an undulating flexible surface.

In another embodiment at least one of the sections is provided with means for releasably securing the receptacle thereby ensuring that the receptacle and waste is retained within the lowermost section following compaction.

In an alternative embodiment the flared peripheral edges are provided with seals of durable material, eg PTFE. A crusher device may be provided for crushing small recyclable items, said crusher device being attached to the compactor so as to operate when the chamber reduces in volume.

Preferably a can crusher is provided comprising a holder for receiving cans and a means for crushing the cans operable by movement of the compactor.

A bottle crusher for plastics bottles may be further provided comprising a holder for receiving bottles and a means for crushing the bottles.

Further a tray may be provided for mounting on an upper portion of the compactor.

This invention is described below with reference to drawings which illustrate one specific embodiment in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a compactor with the casing removed according to one embodiment of the invention

Figure 2 is a perspective view of figure 1 showing the bag retaining means

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the compactor of figure 1 showing the tapered bottom section Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the compactor of figure 1

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of an alternative bottom section Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of edges of two of the telescopic sections A compactor 1 as shown in the figures comprises a substantially cylindrical container 2 for receiving a receptacle 3 to collect waste, for example a bag. The container may be made of any suitable material e.g. metal alloy, plastic. The container is provided within an outer protective casing 4.

The container is formed of a plurality of telescopic sections (5a, 5b, 5c) all of which have upper flared peripheral edges 6. The lower section 5c telescopes into the middle section 5b and the middle section telescopes into the upper section 5a. The inside of the lowermost section 5c may have an inwardly tapered configuration as shown in figure 3 the purpose of which will be described below. The uppermost section 5a is secured to the outer casing 4 by its flared upper edge as shown in figure 2. A substantially circular ring 7 is provided to captively hold a receptacle 3 open (such as a bag) . A lid 8^* is hingedly provided on an upper surface of the compactor 1. The lid is of similar shape and size as the compactor 1 and a central portion 8a which extends slightly into the container when the lid is closed thereby sealing the container when the lid is in a closed, working condition.

Means are provided for locking the lid in the working condition.

At least one hydraulic actuator (not shown) is located around the outer periphery of the container. The or each actuator is connected at one end by a joining section to the lowermost section 5c of the container and at the other end to suitable mounting e.g. in the casing. An electric motor (not shown) is provided and is operationally connected to the or each actuator by appropriate circuitry. In this embodiment only one actuator is provided.

In use of the above compactor an empty bag is placed inside the container 2 and the open end of the bag is secured over the flared out lip 6 of the upper most section of the compactor 1. When the bag has been filled with rubbish, the lid 8 is hingedly closed and locked. On switching on the motor, power is imparted to the hydraulic actuator, and the sections of the container are.then compressed one inside the other, the bag being moved up in the container in unison with the sections. Rubbish within the bag is compressed by the force of the lowermost section 5c travelling upwards the lid 8 of the compactor. When the container is in the fully compressed condition, reverse power is imparted to the actuator and the lowermost section 5c of the container is moved downwards by the actuator to the starting position to provide a fresh space above the compacted waste for receipt of more waste. Thus more rubbish can be put in the bag and compressed, as above, until the bag is full of compressed rubbish. To empty the container, the compactor should be in the starting position shown in figures 1 and 3, the lid 8 is unlocked and opened, the edge of the bag is disengaged from the clip of the compactor allowing the bag to be tied up. The lid is left open, the motor is activated allowing the sections to telescope upwards thus exposing the full bag containing the compacted waste.

The bag can then be lifted out with ease, the tapered sides of the lower most section 5c assisting in this respect.

Where compacting is not a requirement the lid need not be lockable but may be either open or removed so that the sections telescope to reduce the volume of the chamber and the filled bag will be exposed and more easily lifted out of the compactor.

It should be understood that although the sections of the container described above are telescopic it is envisaged that the container may alternatively have a concertina, sliding or reducing configuration. This configuration allows the volume of the container to be decreased in order to compress waste held within the container. Furthermore the hydraulic actuators may be inside the walls or inside the container rather than being located on the outer periphery of the container.

It is to be understood that although the compactor has been described as having three telescopic sections it is envisaged that the compactor will have at least two sections.

With reference to figure 4 the upper section has a surface liner 9 which extends beyond or near the upper lip of that section and has an undulating flexible surface to facilitate the drawing down of the waste and the receptacle. The liner 9 is appropriately attached for example at the upper edge of the second section thereby allowing during operation said liner to be in one direction pushed upwards and in the other drawn downwards. The dimensions of the surface liner are appropriate to permit the liner to remain operatively in contact with the receptacle and waste during operation of the device.

With reference to figure 5 the lowermost section 5c has an inner surface 10 which is adapted to releasably engage the outer surface of the receptacle containing the waste by a friction fit. As shown in figure 5 the side wall of the lowermost section 5c is corrugated. Alternative forms having a similar function would include having a helical groove or a plurality of parallel ribs.

In further alternatives the hydraulic actuator may be replaced by a rack and pinion arrangement, a pulley system, a screw drive arrangement, a pneumatic air bag, a hand crank, scissors lift or other power drive all being able to increase or decrease the height or length of the container. In a further embodiment the arrangement is reversed whereby the lowermost section is secured to a base and the closed uppermos .sections telescope downwards to compact the waste material. In an alternative embodiment a can crushing facility can be employed by provision of a separate can holder adapted to receive a crushing member actuated by a mechanical linkage connected to the compactor whereby the crusher member is operable simultaneously with the compactor.

One suitable structure (not illustrated) is in the form of a substantially cylindrical holder attached by fixing means to the base of the compactor. The holder supports a hollow cylindrical body of slightly smaller diameter than the holder. The cylindrical body is provided with an axial slot which extends for at least part of the length of the body. A compression disc of slightly smaller diameter than the cylindrical body is mounted on one end of a limb which in use of the can crusher passes through the slot, the other end of the limb being attached to the uppermost section of the container.

In use of the can crusher, as previously described above, the cylindrical body is filled with cans, upon actuation of the motor, the disc is placed over the opening of the body and the limb is engaged in the axial slot. The disc mounted on the limb extends down the axial slot crushing the cans as it descends with the compactor. The can crusher can work dependently or independently of the compactor.

In an alternative embodiment the crusher may be integral with the main ram. (i.e. actuator)

It will be appreciated that the can crusher can be adapted to cooperate with the first embodiment by means of a simple motion convertor whereby the upward compacting action is converted by a mechanical linkage to a remote downward crushing action. This may simply be a mechanical arm having a fixed central pivot. Further provided is a tray which in use is attached to an upper portion of the compactor, the tray providing support for newspapers and string to allow them to be tied up easily into a bundle.

In another embodiment a plastics bottle crusher can be attached to the compactor.

In another application a compactor as described above could be mounted on a trolley device for use in public places, such as airports, hospitals and large offices wherein rubbish is put in the bag within the compactor. The compactor can then be plugged into a power point or alternatively the compactor may have its own power source. The contents of the bag are then compressed, thus enabling more rubbish to be collected before having to return to unload. This reduces the time taken going back and forth to discard the full bag and replace it with an empty one. Therefore the number of bags which need to be used is also reduced thus saving costs. The advantages offered by this invention are that the bag can be placed and compacted under pressure in the container without the need for an inner guard to protect the bag and due to the telescopic configuration of the container, the absence of an integral ram, and the fact that the bag moves with the telescopic sections there is no shearing action (which usually occurs as the ram goes down inside the compactor) .

The telescopic configuration of the compactor further allows the full bag to be exposed thus allowing for easy removal without having to lift the bag a great height. The tapered sides of the lower most section may allow the bag to slide out more easily when it is being removed from the container.

The sections themselves can be easily moulded, fabricated or metal spun.

It will be understood by those in the art that other variants may be applied and other starting materials utilised without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A compactor comprising a plurality of telescopic sections (5a, 5b, 5c) , each of which has an upper flared peripheral edge 6, and one of which has a base, with a drive means operable upon said sections, said sections together cooperating to define a chamber of variable volume for receiving waste, the compactor 1 further comprising a means 7 for supporting a flexible receptacle 3 within said sections and closure means 8 for said sections to provide a closed volume, which closure means 8 is lockable in the closed position, whereby waste collected in the receptacle 3 is compactable by successive operational steps involving, locking of the closure means 8, driving of the sections (5a, 5b, 5c) to nest one within the next thereby enabling reduction of the volume of the sections confined between the base of said one section and the closure means 8, thus compacting the waste collected in the receptacle 3, the drive means being reversed whereby the volume is then increased to provide space above the compacted waste for further waste to be collected.

2. A compactor according to Claim 1 wherein the closure means 8 for the telescopic sections (5a, 5b, 5c) is in the form of a lid.

3. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of the sections (5a, 5b,

5c) has an internal wall having a tapered configuration to facilitate removal of the receptacle 3 from the compactor 1.

4. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper most section 5a is secured in a static position with respect to a casing for the compactor.

5. A compactor according to any one of the preceeding claims wherein the uppermost section 5a is adapted to facilitate the drawing down of the receptacle and waste by having a surface liner 9 which extends beyond or near the upper lip of that section and has an undulating flexible surface.

6. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of the sections is provided with means 10 for releasably securing the receptacle 3 thereby ensuring that the receptacle and waste is retained within the lowermost section following compaction.

7. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the flared peripheral edges 6 are provided with seals of durable material.

8. A compactor according to claim 7 wherein the flared peripheral surface edges 6 are provided with PTFE seals.

9. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the filled receptacle is exposed for removal by reducing the volume of the telescopic sections (5a, 5b, 5c) , when the closure means 8 is removed.

10. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a crusher device is provided for crushing small recyclable items.

11. A compactor according to Claim 10 wherein the crusher device is attached to the compactor so as to operate when the chamber reduces in volume.

12. A compactor according to Claims 10 and 11 wherein the crusher device is provided with a holder for receiving cans and a means for crushing the cans operable by movement of the container.

13. A compactor according to Claims 10 and 11 wherein the crusher is provided with a holder for receiving bottles and a means for crushing the bottles.

14. A compactor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a tray is provided for mounting on the upper portion.

15. A compactor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.