WO1995032134A1

WO1995032134A1 - Ecological covering over containers for collection of city refuse

Info

Publication number: WO1995032134A1
Application number: PCT/IT1995/000085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Rinaudo
Original assignee: Roberto Rinaudo
Priority date: 1994-05-20
Filing date: 1995-05-19
Publication date: 1995-11-30
Also published as: ITMI941029A1; ITMI941029A0

Abstract

Ecological covering (10) for one or more refuse containers (cassonetti) (90, 95) used for collection of city refuse, placed side by side lengthwise, said covering having a portal type substantially parallelepid structure opening at the front by horizontally automatically closed doors (70, 80) to give access to the refuse containers (cassonetti) (90, 95) and a rear aperture covered by strip curtaining of plastic material for removal and emptying of the refuse containers (cassonetti), and having lateral flower boxes (50) for decorating both the sides and top of the covering by climbing plants (52).

Description

ECOLOGICAL COVERING OVER CONTAINERS FOR COLLECTION OF CITY REFUSE

The invention concerns equipment used in city streets. Among the best known systems for removal of city refuse one of the most widely used adopts capacious containers of metal with balanced hinged lids, called "cassonetti". These containers are placed on sidewalks or in the road¬ way up against the sidewalk and are easily moved on wheels. The user periodically deposits waste material, done up in some kind of disposable bag, in the containers which in turn are periodically raised and emptied, usually by automatic means, into special vehicles owned by organi¬ zations that deal with city waste. Clearly the presence of such containers creates both aesthetic and practical problems partly on account of their size and partly because of the unpleasant and also noxious smells connected with their use.

But because they are also both useful and necessary they are accepted by the community as a "lesser evil" in spite of their rather indecent and unpleasant appearance.

Purpose of the above invention is to use the space occupied - 2- by the refuse containers to create decorative and plea¬ sing objects for the community by adding to their functions of utility others of embellishment and salubrity. Subject of the invention is an ecological covering for city refuse containers, said covering having a substan¬ tially parallelepiped structure of a size able to cover one or more "cassonetti" placed one against another in the longitudinal direction. On the front is an aperture giving access to the contain- ers while at the back an aperture permits them to be re¬ moved and emptied by the city waste service. Laterally are flower boxes for decorating the sides and top of the covering by climbing plants growing in these boxes . The front opening is rectangular its lower edge being substantially flush with the top of the containers, and is sufficiently high to allow users to place their rub¬ bish inside after raising the lid. The internal height of the covering corresponds to the level reached by the lid of the cassonetto when open. The aperture is provided with a means that allows the user to open it when required.

Preferably this means takes the form of one or more sliding doors connected by a cord to a counterweight. Pulling the door to open it raises the counterweight and when the door is left free the counterweight falls back to its original position automatically closing the door. The aperture at the back is closed by curtaining formed of strips of plastic material or rubber hung from the upper edge of said aperture.

By raising these strips the cassonetti can be taken out for emptyin . On the front, above and below the rectangular aperture, are vertical panels.

Similarly there is an external vertical panel above the rear aperture with the curtaining. Preferably the flower boxes are as long as the width of the covering so as to allow the climbing plants put into them to grow right across the sides of the covering and all over its top surface.

The plants are best chosen among those with perfumed flowers for the greater benefit of the inhabitants.

In one preferred execution the covering structure will contain two cassonetti.

Similarly there are two sliding doors aligned horizontally translating freely on parallel vertical planes. Access to the area of aperture can therefore be gained by moving the first door behind or in front of the second or moving the second door behind or in front of the first.

The rear aperture is closed by curtaining formed of strips of plastic material or rubber. It is of advantage if the boxes contain flowering plants that repel insects, while inside there is a container to hold an insect-repelling liquid.

In one preferred execution the structure of the covering consists of two lateral frames, one horizontal covering frame, a rectangular frame on the front face about as high as the top of the cassonetto, and a rectangular frame on said front face at a level higher than the upper edge of the lid of the cassonetto when open.

The frames are constructed of longitudinal and transversa shaped bars and are put together by male-female joints.

The side pieces have feet that fit into vertical slots made on the inward-facing sides of the flower boxes. Spacers are fixed to the sides for carrying vertical panels, said spacers allowing sufficient space between said sides and said panels for passage of the climbing plants . Preferably the structure is made of aluminium or other metal painted in a shade of leaf green. In a preferred execution, internal dimensions of the covering in metres are approximately: 3.00 x 1.00 x 1.80. Approximate dimensions of the flower boxes are: m. I .30 x 0.30 x 0.40.

The portal is joined to the side piers by a curve of about m.0. 0. In one advantageous execution, the rear aperture of the covering structure is closed by a pair of shutters that can translate horizontally when pulled by hand on handles and the like, said shutters being hung on upper runners that extend, through a curve at 90°, from the front face of the structure to the spaces that are created be- tween the lateral internal sides of the structure and the cassonetti .

In this ay the rear aperture can be either entirely shut or completely open, said shutters disappearing within said lateral spaces and making possible extraction of the cassonetti for emptying.

High up on their sides the cassonetti have one or more doors hinged horizontally at the bottom.

The hinges allow users to pull, by means of a handle or the like, said doors open and insert glass, batteries, and other polluting objects and products.

The structure of the covering may include horizontal transversal floor runners, perferably U-shaped opening - 5-

upwards and placed to take the wheels of the cassonetti. This facilitates insertion of the cassonetti inside the structure and also facilitates their extraction even if the place where they stand is on a slope. In one execution, at the bottom of the structure of the covering, there may be one or more horizontally and trans- versally translatable platforms towards the rear aperture to allow room for one or more containers of loose bags or at any rate of heterogeneous material. These containers are made so that they can be lifted up centrally .

These containers can therefore be placed on said platforms when the latter are outside the covering structure and when these translate horizontally the bags can be moved inside it', also similarly, the bags can be placed inside the covering and then, translating in the opposite direc¬ tion, the full containers can be moved outside. In this way they can be hauled up and transferred inside the refuse collecting means. The platforms can rest on telescopic supporting shelves. In one execution the containers are buckets having sub¬ stantially a quadrangular bottom, two longitudinal tra¬ pezoidal sides and two inclined transversal sides that meet at the bottom with the trapezoidal sides. The longitudinal edges of the buckets are reinforced to carry lateral external pins to which chains for raising the buckets can be attached.

One side of the containers can be moveable so that they can be tipped over for automatic emptying and, in the upper area of their sides that will lie at the front aperture of the covering, there can be one or more doors of easy access to users who want to put in glass, batteries and other. pollut ing objects or products. The invention offers evident advantages.

The space occupied by the cassonetti becomes not only of use but also ornamental and at the same time a source of comfort and wellbeing for the users and for the community generally because of the presence of the plants. Plants are both salubrious and decorative while their pleasing appearance gives beneficial effects. The spaces available for advertising and for information of general interest can pay for costs of construction and installation of the covering structures subject of the invention which therefore cease to be an item of cost. Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures.

Fig. 1 The covering structure subject of the invention installed on a town sidewalk, perspective view. Fig. 2 Perspective view of the covering from above show- automatically closing doors, from the sidewalk. Fig. 3 The same as Fig. 2, from the side of the roadway. Fig. 4 Detail in perspective of the automatic closure device . Fig. 5 An exploded perspective view of the cover structure Fig. 6 Perspective of the covering structure from above, seen from the sidewalk showing the automatic doors open and the cassonetto lid open. Fig. 7 Perspective of the covering structure from above from the roadway side with a cassonetto pulled halfway out . Fig. 8 Frontal back view of the covering closed at the rear with shutters. Fig. 9 Plan view of Fig. 8. Fig.10 Front view of a cassonetto with side door. Fig.11 Side vie of Fig.10.

Fig.12 Structure of the cover with slide runners for sloping ground, front view. Fig.13 The same structure as Fig.12 containing cassonetti, a lateral section. Fig.14 Structure of the cover with platform for carrying and moving containers for loose bags, plan view. Fig.15 The same as Fig. 14, side view. Fig.16 Front view of the container in Figs. 14 and 15. The covering 10 is made from a portal structure I I that comprises two sides 12 and a horizontal frame 20. The sides 12 comprise two uprights 13 and cross bars 14. The upper ends of the uprights 13 are arched with hori- zontal pins 17.

The long bar 20 is made of two sections 21 and. these are connected by cross pieces 22 with open ends 23 into which fit the pins 17 on the uprights.

The lower ends of the uprights 13 are finished with verti- cal pins 16.

At the base of the uprights are parallel flower boxes 50 on whose inner edges are vertical seats 5! to receive the lower pins 16 at the bottom of the piers 12. At the front the structure is completed by substantially rectangular frames 30 and 40 respectively mounted at the top and bottom of the structure, as shown in the figures, between which is the front rectangular aperture "A". The frame 30 comprises the upper 32 and lower 31 bars connected by the uprights 33. The frame 40 comprises the upper 41 and lower 42 bars connected by the uprights 43. Panels 34 and 44 are mounted on frames 30 and 40 respec¬ tively and to these panels advertisements and posters generally can be applied.

C-shaped runners 60 and 61 are mounted one above the other inside the lower bar 31 of the- frame 30.

U-shaped ruHBers 62 and 63 are mounted horizontally side by side and parallel to runners 60 and 6! on the upper bar 41 of the frame 40. Rollers 71 can freely slide in the runners 60 on pins 72 that support the rectangular sliding door 70 whose lower edge in turn freely slides inside the lower runner 62. Rollers 81 can freely slide in the runner 61, underneath the runner 60, on pins 82 that support the rectangular sliding door 80 whose lower edge will slide freely along the lower runner 63.

As seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, said doors 70 and 80 are aligned, respectively comprising the two longitudinal halves of the aperture left free on the front side of the covering structure 10 by the upper frame 30 and by the lower frame 40.

The sliding door 70 is attached, by the eyehole 74 and cord 75 supported by the pulley 76, to a weight 77 that slides freely inside the tube 78 fixed to one upright of a pier 12. The sliding door 80 is attached, by the cord 85 supported by the pulley 86, to a weight that freely slides inside the tube 87 fixed to the other pier 12.

As will be clear, the weights 77 suspended to cords 75 and 85 attached to the sliding doors 70 and 80 keep them closed as seen in Figs. 2, 4, 6.

By pushing on the handles 73 and 83, the doors can be pushed horizontally outwards overcoming the pull by the weights, as seen in Fig. 6 where the open door 80 makes possible access to the inside of the cassonetto 95 whsose lid 96 has also been raised.

The cassonetto 90 with its lid 91 is placed to the left of the cassonetto 95.

The rear face of the covering structure is completed at the top by the rectangular panel 25 seen in Figs. 2, 7. At the lower edge of this panel is a bar 88 to which are hung the strips of plastic material placed side by side that fall down to close said rear face (Fig.3).

By pushing aside these strips, as seen in Fig. 7, the cassonetti 90 and 95 can be pulled out by personnel of the city's refuse removal service. The cassonetto 90, on its wheels 92, has been almost com- pletely extracted from the covering structure and is ready for emptying.

Brackets 28 are mounted on the piers to carry panels 29, these also serving for application of advertisements or posters of other kinds. Figures 6 and 7 show how climbing perfumed jasmine 52 can be planted in the flower boxes 50 to grow right over the top of the covering structure 10.

The illustration in Fig. 1 shows the covering structure 10 installed in the roadway 56 along the sidewalk 55 so that the cassonetti 90 and 95 can be pulled out by rais¬ ing the strips 86, while from.the sidewalk 55 there is access to the containers by the refuse removal service. From the sidewalk users can gain access to the containers by pulling aside the doors 70, 80 and lifting the lids 91 and 96 of the cassonetti.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a type of closing means for the rear face of the covering structure 100 by a pair of vertical shutters 101 and 102 that can translate horizon¬ tally to be in their closed position, as seen in these figures, or in their open position by sliding into the lateral spaces 103 and 104 adjacent to the cassonetti 110 and 111.

These shutters are hung from an internal runner fixed to the bar 105.

Handles 106 and 107 are placed on the front for opening and closing said shutters. Inside the front face of the cover is a horizontal bar 108 to which are fixed pads of rubber 109 to deaden collision with the cassonetti 110 and 111.

Figures 10 and 11 show an improved type of cassonetto 115 which has a handle 116 to an upper lateral door 117 fitted with a hinge 118, this being convenient for putting in glass, batteries and other objects that might cause pollu¬ ion.

This door has two positions, 117 when shut and 117' when open. Where the invented covering is used on sloping roads 120 there are U-shaped runners 122 fixed to the uprights 123 connected to the cross bar 124 of the structure 121. Spacers of different heights 125 stabilize these runners 122 as required. The rubber pads 126 fixed to the cross bar 124 serve to cushion the container 127 with wheels 128.

The invented covering structure can also house containers 140 that are lifted up from above as in Figures 14-16. At the base of said structure 130 is a platform 131 on slides 132, 133, 134 that move horizontally on telescopic means so that the platform can be either inside or outside the structure as seen by 131' . The sides of these containers 140 are trapezoidal and are reinforced with ribbing 141 and with a strong edge 142 on which are four pegs 143 to which chains 144 for lifting the container centrally are attached. The rubber pads 135 deaden collision of the container 140 against the structure.

Figure 14 illustrates the shutters 101 and 102 that close the rear face of the structure 130. As the above invention has been described and explained merely as an example of its use not limited to this, and to show its essential features, numerous variations can be made to it according to industrial, commercial or other requirements, and other systems and means may be added to it without thereby causing departure from its sphere of operation .

It is therefore understood that the request to patent the invention comprises any equivalent application of the concepts and any equivalent product executed or in use according to any one or more of the characteristics set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. Ecological covering ( 10) placed over "cassonetti" (90) for collection of city refuse characterized in that it exhibits a portal-type substan- tially parallelepiped structure ( 11) whose inner dimensions are equivalent to those of one or more "cassonetti" (90,95) placed one next to another lengthwise ,having an aperture on the front face to permit access to the cassonetti ( 90, 95) by users and an aperture on rhe rear face for movement of the cassonetti (90,95) and for emptying them by the refuse removal service, and exhibits flower boxes (50) at each end for decorating both the sides ( 12) and the top of the cover¬ ing ( 10) by plants (52) growing in the flower boxes (50).

2. Ecological covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the front aperture is rectangular its lower edge being substantially on the level of the top of the cassonetto (90,95) and exhibiting sufficient height to permit users to put their refuse inside the cassonetto(90 , 95) having first lifted its lid (91,96), internal height of the covering ( 10) being such as to allow the lid (91,96) of the cassonetto (90,95) to be freely raised, said aperture being provided with a means of closing it at the user's will.

3. Covering ( 10) as in claim 2 characterized in that the closing means consists of one or more longitudinally translating doors (70,80).

4. Covering ( 10) as in claim 2 characterized in that the closing means consists of one or more translating doors (70,80) connected to a cord (75) from which hangs a counterweight (77) which, when raised by a pull on the cord (75) to open the door ( 70, 80),determines, when the door is released, its automatic return, by gravity, to the closed position.

5. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the rear aperture is closed by a curtain of strips (89) of plastic material or rubber hung at the top from the upper edge of said aperture, thus making possible movement of the cassonetti (90,95) for emptying by raising said strips (89).

6. Covering ( 10) as in claims I and 2 characterized in that on the front face in the areas above and below the front rectangular aperture, there are ver- tical panels (33,34).

7. Covering ( 10) as in claim 5 characterized in that the area above the aperture covered by curtaining (89) exhibits a vertical external panel(44).

8. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the length of the flower boxes (50) is the same as the width of the covering ( 10) so as to allow the climbing plants (52) planted in the boxes (50) to grow up over the sides ( 12) and all over the top of the covering ( 10) .

9. Covering ( 10) as in claim 8 characterized in that the plants .(52) give off a perfume.

10. Covering ( 10) as in claims 1 and 4 characterized in that it contains two cassonetti (90,95), there being similarly two sliding doors (70,80) horizon- tally aligned and free to translate horizontally on parallel vertical planes so as to permit access to one area of the aperture by moving the first door (70) backwards or for¬ wards over the second door (80), or the second door (80) backwards or forwards over the first door (70).

11. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the rear aperture is closed by cur^¬ taining of strips (89) of plastic or rubber.

12. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the flower boxes (50) contain plants (52) whose flowers repel insects.

13. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that inside it is a container of liquid repellent to insects.

14. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that its structure ( 11) consists of two sides ( 12), a horizontal covering frame (20), a first (40) rectangular lower frame on the front face about as high as a cassonetto (90,95), a second rectangular frame (30) on said front face at a level higher than that of the upper edge of the open lid (91,96) of a cassonetto (90,95).

15. Covering ( 10) as in claim 14 characterized in that the frames (20,30,40) are formed of longitudinal (21,31,32,41, 2) and transversal (22,33,43) shaped bars and are assembled by mal-female fitting joints.

16. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the sides ( 12) have feet (16) to be inserted within vertical recesses (51) made on the inner edges of the flower boxes (52).

17. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that on the sides ( 12) there are spacers (28) suitable for supporting vertical panels (29) so as to leave sufficient space between the sides ( 12) and said panels (29) for passage of the climbing plants (52).

18. Covering ( 10) as in claim 14 characterized in that the structure ( 11) is of aluminium or some other metal, painted leaf green.

19. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that its internal dimensions in metres are approxima ely 3.00 x 1.00 x 1.80.

20. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the external dimensions of the flower boxes (50) are approximately m.1.30x0.30x0.40.

21. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the horizontal frame (20) is joined to the sides ( 12) by an arch of approximately m.0.40.

22. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the rear aperture is closed by a pair of shutters ( 101, 102) that can translate horizontally by manual pressure on handles ( 106, 107) and the like, said shutters being suspended on upper runners ( 105) extending by a 90° curve from the front face of the structure to the lateral spaces ( 103, 104) formed between the internal sides (12) of the structure (11) and the cassonetti ( 110, 111) so that, as preferred, the rear aperture can be en¬ tirely closed or entirely open, said shutters ( 101, 102) disappearing within said lateral spaces ( 103, 104) leaving the cassonetti free for extraction and emptying.

23. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the cassonetti ( 115) exhibit, in the uppermost part of their sides ( 114) that will face towards the front aperture of the covering ( 10), one or more doors ( 117) with lower horizontal hinges ( 118) whereby said doors ( 117) can be pulled outwards by a handle (116) or other means permitting easy access for the user who wishes to put in glass, batteries, polluting objects or products.

24. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that the structure ( 121) is fitted with horizontal transversal floor runners ( 122) preferably U- shaped opening upwards placed to match with the wheels( 128) of the cassonetti ( 127) to facilitate both their entry into the structure ( 121) and their easy extraction if the roadway ( 12.0) or ground surface generally is sloping.

25. Covering ( 10) as in claim 1 characterized in that its structure ( 130) comprises at the bottom one or more platforms ( 131) translatable horizontally and transversely towards the rear aperture to permit placing of one or more containers ( 140) of loose bags or heterogenous material, said containers ( 140) being lifted by a central pulling movement, it be¬ ing thus possible to place them on said platforms ( 131) when these are outside the covering structure ( 10) and therefore, by horizontal translation of said platforms ( 131), to move them back inside the covering ( 10), and similarly by translation in the opposite direction, trans- fer of said full containers ( 140) entirely outside the covering ( 10) where they can be raised up and deposited in the means for refuse collection.

26. Covering ( 10) as in claim 25 characterized in that the platforms (131) are supported by telescopic sliding means ( 132-134).

27. Covering (10) as in claim 25 characterized in that the containers ( 140) are buckets subs antially formed of a quadrangular bottom, two lon¬ gitudinal trapezoidal sides and two inclined transversal sides that join with the bottom at the trapezoidal sides, the longitudinal edges of these buckets ( 140) having reinforcing strips ( 141) to support external lateral pegs ( 143) to which chains ( 144) for lifting can be attached.

28. Covering ( 10) as in claim 25 characterized in that one side of the containers ( 140) can be tipped back for automatic emptying.

29. Covering ( 10) as in claim 25 characterized in that in the upper part of the sides of hese containers ( 140) that will face the front aperture of the covering, there will be one or more doors easily openable by users for introduction of glass, batteries and polluting objects or products.