WASTE MATERIAL COLLECTION APPARATUS
This invention relates to the collection of waste materials such as domestic, light industrial and agricultural refuse. It especially relates to the collection and compaction of green waste such as is generated from the domestic garden, municipal park or other recreation area, or other agricultural or horticultural environments.
The domestic 'wheeled bin' is a common sight in many towns and cities. It is the preferred form of receptacle for refuse collection for' a large number of councils. A major drawback of these bins is their capacity limitation, particularly in situations where the household generates a large volume of low-density waste. In the related area of green waste, there are issues surrounding the processing of this material. The waste tends to be bulky and difficult for the individual to transport. Some form of compaction or baling is therefore desirable.
One object of this invention is to provide apparatus that enables the compaction of waste material. A further object of the invention is to provide a method of packaging the compacted material to aid transportation and recyling/disposal.
In one aspect, therefore, the present invention provides waste material collection apparatus comprising a receptacle, means for applying compaction pressure to material in the receptacle, and means connecting together the receptacle and the pressure-applying means and adapted to cause the pressure-applying means to move in a pressure-applying direction relative to the receptacle.
The connection means preferably involves a mechanical advantage in actuation of the pressure application means and may be hand, foot or power actuated. The pressure-applying means and the connection means may be designed as a retro-fit assembly for mounting to a range of standard wheeled bins or other refuse receptacles.
In a further aspect, the invention additionally comprises means to enable the compressed material to be packaged or baled. This is especially important in the case of green waste that will be removed from the receptacle and transported for disposal or composting via other methods. Accordingly, the apparatus may additionally comprise means for dispensing a supply of bale-encircling material and guide means for retaining said material in a bale-forming position as the waste material is compacted in use. The guide means may comprise a plate which is removably engageable with the bale-encircling material and which cooperates with the pressure-applying means as compaction pressure is applied to form a bale of compacted waste material. Preferably, the apparatus also includes means to secure the bale-encircling material about the waste material in a bale-securing or bale-stabilising configuration to enable the bale to be handled on removal from the receptacle. The bale-encircling material may for example be in sheet, strip or thread, especially twisted thread, form, or may be a sack or bag deployed in the receptacle and into which the waste material may be compacted. The bale-encircling material may itself be biodegradable.
In apparatus according to the invention, the means for applying compaction pressure preferably comprises a pressure plate slidingly mounted for movement towards and away from the base or closed end of the receptacle, the plate being operatively connected to a lever means adapted to actuate the plate in either a compaction or a release direction relative to the receptacle. In most instances, the receptacle will be an upstanding bin with a closed base and the pressure plate will be journalled for movement longitudinally of the bin. The lever means may be pivotably attached to the receptacle and slidingly connected to the pressure plate, whereby arcuate movement of the lever means is translated into linear movement of the pressure plate as constrained by the journalled mounting of the pressure plate relative to the receptacle. In one embodiment, the lever means is curved and the distal or handle portion thereof, remote from the pivotable attachment end, extends in an upwards direction from the sliding connection to place it at a more user-convenient height and to enable the user to apply a greater compression force towards the end of the compaction stroke without needing to bend, stoop or squat lower than is comfortable. In another embodiment, the handle
portion extends from the pivotable attachment location on the far side from the sliding connection.
Preferably, the pressure plate has laterally-extending medial arms which extend through longitudinal slots formed in the side walls of the receptacle and slidingly engage in channels formed in the lever means, preferably via rollers or other friction-reducing means. Alternatively, the lever means may be slidingly located or journalled in bushes attached to the ends of the arms for pivoting motion as the lever means are actuated. The arms are preferably equipped with means to maintain the pressure plate substantially orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle as pressure is applied to the contents. Such means may comprise wheels, rollers or sliders which cooperate with runners formed on at least one receptacle wall, preferably on each side wall parallel with and displaced from the slots.
The receptacle may be equipped with wheels and a foot member, whereby it can be moved on the wheels and stood upright on the wheels and foot member. Conveniently, the proximal or mounting portion of the lever means, which operates the pressure plate, acts as a handle for movement purposes. However, a separate movement handle may be provided, optionally extendable and retractable to alter the height thereof. The receptacle may incorporate a removable or openable wall portion to enable material more easily to be put in and removed from the receptacle.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a waste bin embodying the invention; and
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing another design of waste bin.
With reference to Figure 1, the waste bin has a body shown generally at 10 and having a rear panel 11, side panels 12, 13 and a front panel 14 the upper part of which is
constituted by a hinged door 15, shown in the open position. The body is carried on wheels 16 and feet 17.
The side panels 12, 13 of the body are formed with central, vertical slots extending from the upper edge a little over half the height of the panels, the slots being bounded externally of the panels by respective pairs of runners 18, 19. Rotatably mounted in lugs 20 attached to the rear plate 11 is a bar 21 which is attached at its ends to a pair of arcuate arms 22 which are also joined at their upper or proximal ends by tie-bar 23 and at their lower or distal ends by tie-bar 24. The arms 22 are formed from I-section members defining inner-facing and outer-facing channels. A pressure plate 25 is welded to a carrier bar 26 the ends of which are carried in the respective inner-facing channels of the arms 22, in which they are capable of relative sliding movement. The outer ends of the bar 25 are welded to strip pieces 27 which carry, at their outer ends, wheels 28 which are disposed on either side of and rotate against the runners 19.
The arrangement as thus described is such that the wheels 28 in engagement with the runners 19 maintain the pressure plate 25 essentially horizontal while vertical movement thereof is actuated by pivotal movement of the arms 22, either downwardly to cause the pressure plate to move downwards in a pressure-applying direction or upwardly to cause the pressure plate to move upwards in a release direction. As the arms 22 are pivoted about the axis defined by the bar 21, the ends of the bar 26 slide along the inner-facing channels in which they are journalled.
For moving the bin on its wheels, the bar 23 can conveniently be used as a grab handle whereas, for applying compaction or release pressure to material contained in the bin, the bar 24 may be used as an actuation handle. In the position as shown, the handle 24 and the pressure plate 25 are at their lowermost position of maximum compaction and the panel 15 is open and hinged downwardly.
h use, the handle 24 and arms 22 are initially raised to the uppermost position, at which the bar 26 becomes disengaged from the slots between the runners 19 and, with the panel 15 closed, the bin can then be filled with material for compaction and baling.
When the bin is full, the bar 26 is re-engaged in the slots in the side panels and the handle 24 and arms 22 are drawn downwards to apply compaction pressure to the material via the pressure plate. Once the material is fully compressed, the handle is raised again and the panel 15 may then be opened to secure the baling material, if present, and to remove the compacted and optionally baled material from the lower part of the bin.
The embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 consists essentially of a body 30 carried on wheels 31, the body having a ground plate 32 for enabling it to be stood upright. An extendable handle 33 is used for transporting the waste bin on the wheels. The bin body has a drop-down front panel 34 which can be slidingly lowered in grooves 35 for enabling waste material to be loaded and to facilitate removal of compacted material. An actuation handle 36 is pivotably attached to the body at 37 and extends downwardly with arcuate side members 38 which are slidingly journalled through bushes 39 rotatably attached to the ends of a carrier bar 40 to which is attached a pressure plate similar to that described with reference to Figure 1. On the other side from the pivotable connection, the arms are formed to lie (in the position illustrated) immediately above the sides of the bin and are joined by a bridging portion above the front panel 34 which can conveniently be manually grabbed for movement as shown by the arrow for actuation purposes. The sides of the body are formed with slots 41 in which the bar 40 is slidingly engaged and the inner walls of the sides are equipped with runners which cooperate with strip pieces and wheels or rollers carried thereby and attached to the bar to maintain the pressure plate in a horizontally-disposed orientation, similar to the arrangement described with reference to Figure 1, parts 19, 27, 28.
In use and as the actuation handle is raised, the pressure plate will be lifted from its lowermost position (as illustrated) as the arcuate arms 38 slide through the bushes 39, the bushes meanwhile progressively rotating about the ends of the carrier bar 40 as the bar, and thus the pressure plate, moves upwardly in the slots 41.