AU739538B2 - Bin with hinged wings - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: REMOVE ALL RUBBISH CO PTY LTD Actual Inventor: DANIEL BOLDEROFF Address for Service: A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys GPO Box 772, Adelaide, SA 5001 Invention Title: BIN WITH HINGED WINGS Details of Associated Provisional Application No PO8380 dated 4th August 1997 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- The invention disclosed herein relates to a bin with hinged wings. The bin in a preferred form can be used to temporarily contain refuse and that example will be used to explain the invention. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not intended to be limited to the application of refuse containing.

It is known to provide large hexahedral bins for refuse of industry and commerce. These bins are periodically emptied into large special freight vehicles. Typically these vehicles have a mechanism with projecting prongs or forks that are inserted into suitable parts of a bin. The mechanism then lifts and inverts the bin to empty it into a freight container section.

10 There are a number of problems encountered with the known bins and the application .ooo thereof.

••The refuse put into a bin can vary greatly in size and weight. Typical refuse includes scrap S items of metal ranging from swarf to larger items, masonry and bricks, bottles and i:ooo wooden boxes, paper and cardboard boxes, bags of powdered material, domestic refuse and garden waste. It will be appreciated that some of these items can be heavy and others very light.

Whilst the vehicles are often designed to minimise items falling from a bin outside of the vehicle it is a common occurrence that some items do fall not into the freight container section of a vehicle but outside thereof. Such items can be heavy in weight and pose a risk, since the items fall from a considerable height, of harming people or property near the vehicle. Other such items are light and can be carried by wind or other air currents away from the vehicle. Whilst these items in general do not pose a risk of immediate harm to people the items cause a mess.

From the above it will be appreciated that known bins and vehicles have a risk of injury to people and property, a risk of creating a mess needing cleaning up, and therefore have associated expense and concern associated with the use of such bins. Obviously, damage to a person or property can be expensive in terms of reparation as well as being unpleasant and possibly tragic. Where a mess is created cleaning up can obviously take time.

Further, should a clean up be impractical or not done the environment can be damaged which is undesirable.

The invention herein is a result of a restaurateur client of the applicant complaining of foodstuff and other organic refuse being spilt and left after emptying a bin at night. The bin in question is a large bin which is emptied using a special rubbish collection vehicle fitted with a lifting and rotating mechanism for inversion of the bin and emptying it into a container section of the vehicle. As will be appreciated the operator cannot perform a proper clean up of such spillage given the resources available and the darkness at the time of emptying the bin.

For domestic refuse and refuse bins it is well known to use a plastic bag to line a bin. This solutions, on a larger scale, was proposed to answer the mentioned problem. Whilst it was successful it had at least two draw backs. First, the time required to correctly insert a large plastic bag within the large bin. Secondly, the use of plastic bags for otherwise organic waste prevents such material being recycled in an environmentally acceptable manner. Purely organic waste will decompose.

The invention disclosed herein was found during testing to provide a solution to the •mentioned problem and to more general problems mentioned herein.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bin to obviate or minimise at least one of the aforementioned problems, or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

The invention may be said to reside, not necessarily in the broadest or only form, in a bin for emptying by inversion having a front which during inversion is lowermost, a rear which during inversion is uppermost and a top which is uppermost prior to inversion, the bin including a base, at least three substantially upright sides and at least one wing, the wing or each wing being hinged to a one or a respective one of the sides proximal to the top and the rear of the bin, and the bin being adapted such that during inversion the wing or wings hang downward below the top of the bin to reduce or substantially eliminate loose material within the bin falling substantially away from directly beneath the bin.

9999 In a preferred form, the bin is polyhedral with an open top. In one preferred form, the bin is substantially recti-polyhedral with an open top. In a further preferred form, the bin is substantially hexahedral with an open top. Without limiting the invention it will be appreciated that recti-hexahedral bins are practically convenient to make and use. Further, it will be appreciated that the term "open top" is used herein to refer to a lidless bin as exampled by a container having a base and four upright sides.

According to one preferred form, the bin is one including a lid hinged proximal to the top of a one of the sides being at the rear of the bin. A relatively close fitting lid limits access of vermin and insects. Further, a lid is convenient for minimising refuse being blown out of the bin prior to emptying.

Hinging the lid towards the rear of the bin is known to the art. As the bin undergoes inversion the lid tends to be closed until the bin is rotated over vertical when in over centre fashion the lid opens. This is illustrated in the accompanying figures. With the wing or wings hinged towards the rear of the bin then in like manner the wing or wings swing down as the lid opens.

The wing or wings can take a number of forms. In one preferred embodiment, the wing or wings are rigid; for example the wing or wings may be suitably shaped pieces of steel plate. In another preferred form, the wing or wings are flexible or compressible or telescopic. As examples but not limiting the invention hereto; a wing may have a steel rod hinged at one end with a flexible membrane or cloth between rod and respective wall; a wing may be concertinaed which expands when in use and compresses when not in use.

In a preferred form, the wing or each wing is attached to the lid. In one preferred form the lid and wing or wings are integral. In another preferred form, the wing or wings are i ••connected to the lid using a flexible means such as chain. In this form, the lid can be lifted to a certain degree before the wings are started to be lifted.

For some materials, particularly low mass, low density and compressible materials such as feathers, this is preferred as the wing or wings assist to reduce material being blown by the 15 wind from the bin during loading.

.However, where the material is or can be solid and not compressible, such as general refuse then it is preferred that the wing or wings not be attached to the lid. Having the wing or wings attached to the lid means that extra weight must be lifted when opening the bin. If the bin is large and the lid heavy manual lifting can be difficult. For an internal wing or wings, solid material can also fall under the wing or wings as the lid is opened and prevent the wing or wings falling back into place when the lid is closed. This can •result in the lid being not closed properly and therefore possibly some light weight material being blown out of the bin.

In a preferred form, the wing or each wing rotates in a plane substantially parallel to the wall to which it is hinged. In the case of a recti-hexahedral bin this is a convenient arrangement and can limit the space between the bin side and the wing or wings.

In a preferred form, the wing or each wing hangs within the bin when the top of the bin is uppermost. In an alternative preferred form, the wing or each wing hangs without the bin when the top of the bin is uppermost.

In the latter form the wing or wings do not interfere with the capacity of the bin. Further, the material put within the bin does not interfere with the wing or wings. Material can fall between wing and bin side causing the wing to be jammed and unable to rotate. However, the former has the advantage of appearance and security from vandals. As will be appreciated, refuse bins are often located in locations where vandal attacks would go unnoticed. Also, having the wing or wings internal to the bin provides protection to the wing or wings from bumps as the bin is being moved. Finally, by selecting a wing that when it is fully within the bin has a topmost edge proximal with the top of the bin then jamming of the wing by material is unlikely.

In another prefenrred form the wings may rotate into and out of housings during inversion and reversion that are respectively disposed substantially parallel to the side on which the wing is hinged. Each wing may included an upper portion for substantially closing of a housing when the wing is fully therein.

In a preferred form, the bin is one including guide means for the wing or each wing projecting from the respective wall to which the wing or wings are hinged, the guide means being adapted to guide the respective wing during its rotation as the bin undergoes °inversion or reversion. The guide means can take a number of forms such as a channel '.00 into which the wing fits or a bracket that is proximal only to a relatively small part of the 0wing. It is preferred that the guide means be open to limit the possibility of the guide °15 means becoming filled with material. In the case of refuse it is preferred that the guide means be a small bracket projecting internally from the front of the bin proximal to the top the bin. A guide means of this form restricts movement of the wing axial to the hinge of the wing but does not provide much chance of material jamming the wing.

According to one preferred form, the bin is one including engagement means adapted to permit a lifting mechanism to engage the bin and conduct the inversion of the bin. In preference the engagement means are adapted to receive projecting forks of the lifting mechanism. Fork-lift vehicles and mechanisms are well known to the art and are useful for the movement of bins.

In a preferred form, the bin is adapted to carried and emptied by a lifting mechanism mounted upon a vehicle.

The invention may also be said to reside, again not necessarily in the broadest or only form, in a bin as herein described and a vehicle having a storage container for receiving material from the bin and an opening communicating with the container into which by use of a lifting mechanism the bin is emptied into and the wing or wings reducing or substantially eliminating loose material within the bin falling out of the bin and not into the opening and the container.

To assist in the understanding of the invention preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective sketch of a bin with a lid; Figure 2 is a front view of the bin; Figure 3 is a rear view of the bin; Figure 4 is an end view of the bin; Figure 5 is a plan view of the bin; Figure 6 is a plan view of the bin with the lid open; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view along AA'; Figure 8 is a cross sectional view along BB'; Figure 9 is a series of sketches showing the bin being emptied; Figure 10 is a series of sketches showing a second embodiment of a bin with a oe10 wing joined by chain to a lid of the bin; •.Figure 11 is a series of sketches showing a third embodiment of a bin having a flexible wing hinged outside of the bin; and, Figure 12 is a series of sketches showing a fourth embodiment of a bin having a separate compartment for a wing.

15 Throughout the drawings the same numerical reference is used to refer to the same feature.

The drawings of the accompanying figures are not intended to be engineering design standard drawings. Rather, they are schematic and symbolic with the intention to assist a S:o skilled addressee in the understanding of the invention as exhibited by the preferred embodiment. Accordingly, features may not be to scale, of accurate perspective, or may be deformed or missing in some of the drawings.

The following discussion will refer to the figures in general. Specific reference to any particular figure will be used to illustrate a particular point.

In broad terms there is provided a bin having a front a rear and a top As can be seen in figure 9 the bin is for emptying by inversion during which the front is lowermost and the rear is uppermost. The top is uppermost prior to inversion as can be seen in figure 1; the top of the page being up. The bin includes a base at least three substantially upright sides 7, 8 and 9) and at least one wing (10 and 11). The wing or each wing is hinged (12 and 13) to a one or a respective one of the sides proximal to the top and the rear of the bin. The bin is adapted, as seen in figure 9, such that during inversion the wing or wings hang downward below the top of the bin to reduce or substantially eliminate loose material within the bin falling substantially away from directly beneath the bin.

In more detail, the bin is recti-hexahedral and is made of steel plate supported and strengthen with steel angle and welded together using techniques known to the art. To the base are fixed four coaster wheels (14, 15, 16 and 17) on which the bin can be wheeled about. To the sides (7 and 8) between the front and the rear are engagement means, fork channels (18 and 19), suited to accept prongs of fork-lifting mechanism. The bin has a steel lid (20) hinged to the rear side of the bin by hinges (21, 22 and 23) at the top of side The wings are substantially quarter circular in shape cut from steel plate the radius of which is slightly less than the length of sides (7 and 8) between the front and rear of the bin. The wings are hinged on bolts welded onto and through respective sides of the bin Nuts and washers secure each wing to the bolt hinge and the aperture through the wing S. with which it hinges is large enough so as to allow the wing freely swing. The wings are 15 normally within the bin substantially parallel and close to the respective sides. When within the bin the topmost edge of the wings are proximal to the top of the bin.

As the bin is emptied the bin is generally and intentionally not fully inverted but rather somewhat short of full inversion. A guide means such as brackets (24 and 25) of steel bar are welded to the internal face of the front side and proximal to the top of the bin. With the guide means in this location when the bin is emptied the wing does not exit from between the guide means and the respective side of the bin. Using a relatively small guide means permits refuse of various types and size to typically fall clear of the wing so not fouling the operation of the wing.

The process of emptying the bin is illustrated in the drawings of figure 9. The engagement means, such as fork-lift channel (18) are suited to receive a fork of fork-lift mechanism (26) of vehicle The vehicle drives towards the bin engaging the forks of the fork-lift mechanism into the engagement means. Then the bin is lifted up and rotated. As illustrated in figure 9(b) the lid (20) tends to remain shut until the bin is rotated beyond vertical. Once beyond vertical the lid and wings, such as wing become over centre and swing away from the bin as illustrated in figure As the lid opens the wings form side barriers which reduce or substantially eliminate loose material such as refuse within the bin falling substantially away from directly beneath the bin. Should a wind be blowing the likelihood of light weight material being blown away from the bin during emptying is reduced. It will be appreciated that figure 9 is schematic and symbolic and as such the vehicle may include further means to reduce spillage or escape of refuse to that shown.

The second embodiment is similar to the first excepting as hereafter explained. Figure shows bin (28) in similar form to figure 8. The bin has a lid (29) and quarter circular wing hinged to an end side of the bin. Between the lid and the wing is a chain The lid can be opened part way, to the length of the chain before the wing is lifted. In this manner only the lid need be lifted to allow access for putting small items in the bin.

Should the lid need to be more fully opened then the wing, beyond the limit of the chain length, is also lifted and acts as a shield against spillage or wind blown egress of material.

The series of sketches of figure 10 illustrate this process and of course the length of the chain can be made to suit an application. The inversion process is a previously described.

The third embodiment is illustrated in figure 11. This is again similar to the foregoing embodiments excepting that bin (32) has a flexible membrane or cloth wing (33) externally attached to an end of the bin. The wing has an elongate rod (34) which has an end bent to act as an hinge axle by passing through the end of the bin. The rod swing substantially parallel to the end of the bin. A stop (35) is provided to limit the fall of the rod when the bin is in the upright position.

Figure 12 illustrates a fourth embodiment which is similar to the previously mentioned embodiments. In figure 12(a) a bin (36) is illustrated which has at each end an internal compartment (37 and 38) parallel to the ends of the bin into and out of which wings (39 and 40) swing. In figure 12(a) wing (39) is shown partly outside of compartment (37) for illustrative purposes whilst wing (40) is fully within compartment Figure 12(b), a part cross sectional view of CC' in figure 12(a) wing (40) is illustrated within compartment (38) and is hinged by hinge 41 to permit swing movement as the bin is o.I inverted. The top (42) of the wing is wide enough to substantially block the top of compartment (38) to reduce ingress of refuse.

It will be appreciated that this disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the preferred embodiment or details thereof.

Claims (17)

1. A bin for emptying by inversion having a front which during inversion is lowermost, a rear which during inversion is uppermost and a top which is uppermost prior to inversion, the bin including a base, at least three substantially upright sides and at least one wing, the wing or each wing being hinged to a one or a respective one of the sides proximal to the top and the rear of the bin, and the bin being adapted such that during inversion the wing or wings hang downward below the top of the bin to reduce or substantially eliminate loose material within the bin falling substantially away from directly beneath the bin.

2. A bin as in claim 1 wherein the bin is substantially hexahedral.

3. A bin as in either Claim 1 or Claim 2 with an open top.

4. A bin as in either Claim 1 or Claim 2 including a lid.

A bin as in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the wing or wings are suitably shaped pieces of rigid plate.

6. A bin as in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the wing or wings are flexible or compressible or telescopic, and the wing or wings extend during inversion of the bin and contract when bin is not inverted.

7. A bin as in Claim 5 wherein the wing or each wing is attached to the lid.

8. A bin as in Claim 7 wherein the wing or wings are integral with the lid, the wing or wings hang within the bin when the bin is in a non-inverted position, and at each side of :the bin are fork receiving means adapted to receive forks of an emptying means that is adapted to lift and invert the bin.

9. A bin as in Claim 7 wherein the wing or wings are connected to the lid using a flexible means thereby permitting the lid of the bin to be lift to an extent prescribed by the length of the flexible means before the wing or wings are lifted.

A bin as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the wing or each wing rotates in a plane substantially parallel to the side to which it is hinged.

11. A bin as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the wing or each wing hangs within the bin when the top of the bin is uppermost.

12. A bin as in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the wing or each wing hangs without the bin when the top of the bin is uppermost.

13. A bin as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bin is one including guide means for the wing or each wing projecting from the respective wall to which the wing or wings are hinged, the guide means being adapted to guide the respective wing during its rotation as the bin undergoes inversion or reversion.

14. A bin as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bin is one including engagement means adapted to permit a lifting mechanism to engage the bin and conduct the inversion of the bin.

A bin as in Claim 13 wherein the bin is adapted to carried and emptied by a lifting mechanism mounted upon a vehicle.

16. The combination of a bin as in Claim 15 and a vehicle having a storage container for receiving material from the bin and an opening communicating with the container into which by use of a lifting mechanism the bin is emptied into and the wing or wings reducing or substantially eliminating loose material within the bin falling out of the bin and o•not into the opening and the container. '7-

17. A bin substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 4th day of August 1998 REMOVE ALL RUBBISH CO. PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys, A. P. T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys