GB2170737A

GB2170737A - Cutlery loss prevention by magnetic attraction

Info

Publication number: GB2170737A
Application number: GB08503590A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Dawson Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-02-08
Filing date: 1985-02-08
Publication date: 1986-08-13
Also published as: GB2170737B; GB8503590D0

Abstract

With a view to preventing or at least reducing loss of cutlery in catering establishments by the accidental discharging of items of cutlery of ferrous material along with waste food etc. into a waste discharge conduit under gravity from crockery from which food had been consumed, apparatus for the purpose comprises an array (1) of (preferably permanent) magnets (2), (10) mounted within a said conduit (3), the arrangement being such that items of cutlery which had inadvertently been left on the crockery are retained by said array of magnets for subsequent recovery by the establishment's personnel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cutlery loss prevention This invention relates to apparatus for preventing, or at least reducing the danger of, loss of cutlery in catering establishments by the accidental discharging of personnel of such establishments, of items of cutlery of ferrous material into a waste discharge conduit along with waste in the form of food, paper serviettes, etc, being discharged under gravity thereinto from crockery from which food had been consumed. Such apparatus will hereinafter be referred to as "apparatus as herein before specified".

In the kitchens of catering establishments, waste in the form of, for example, unconsumed food and used paper serviettes is generally discharged, viz.

tipped, through such conduits into plastic bags, the latter being subsequently removed from the premises of said establishments.

The procedure is simple and convenient, but in practice a significant amount of cutlery is accidentally also tipped through a said conduit into a said plastic bag or other waste receptacle. This amount of cutlery can be as much as 50% per annum of the total amount of cutlery in use in the establishment, which consequently has to be replaced at not inconsiderable expense.

With a view to preventing or at least reducing such loss, the present invention proposes the provision of apparatus as herein before specified which comprises a magnet or an array of magnets mounted within a said conduit, said magnet or array being of such configuration and the magnet or magnets thereof being capable of exerting such a magnetic attraction on any such items, that said waste is discharged as aforesaid whilst any such items which had inadvertently been left on the crockery with said waste are retained by said magnet or array for subsequent recovery by said personnel.

Three forms of apparatus embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the general arrangement of waste discharge equipment embodying a first said form of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the aforesaid apparatus, drawn to an enlarged scale; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of waste discharge equipment embodying a second form of said apparatus; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a third form of said apparatus.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, an array 1 of permanent magnets 2 is mounted within a waste discharge conduit 3 of waste discharge equipment 4.

The equipment 4 comprises a stainless steel table top 5 having a central circular aperture 6 of the said discharge conduit 3.

The array 1 is disposed around a lip 7 projecting downwardly from the aperture 6 and defining the said conduit 3. The refuse bin 8, lined with a disposable plastic bin bag 9, is positioned below the conduit 3.

As shown in Figure 2, the array 1 may also comprise, alternatively, or in addition a plurality of permanent magnets 10 depending from, and arranged below, the lip 7.

The form of apparatus shown in Figure 3 (in which the same reference numerals are used for integers which correspond to those of the equipment shown in Figures 1 and 2) comprises a cradle 11 of plastics material which holds the array 1 of permanent magnets 2, and which is suspended from the table top 5 within the conduit 3. Though not shown in the drawing, it will be appreciated that, if desired, the array 1 could also comprise additional magnets such as the magnets 10 shown in, and similarly arranged as those shown in, Figure 2.

In both forms of the apparatus so far described, the magnets are arranged around the entire circumference of the conduit 3.

In the apparatus shown in Figure 4 (in which the same reference numerals are used for integers which correspond to those of the apparatus shown in Figure 3), the array 1 takes the form of a plurality (two or more) of bar magnets 2 which are disposed parallel to each other and in a common plane across, so as to define a grid across, the conduit 3.

Whereas permanent magnets, such as the magnets 2 and 10, are preferred, it will be appreciated that these magnets may, if desired, take the form of electromagnets.

Provided that the array 1 is of such configuration (as exemplified in the forms of apparatus hereinbefore described) and that the magnets 2 (and, as the case may be, 10) are capable of exerting such a magnetic attraction on knives, forks and spoons of ferrous material that, when waste is discharged as aforesaid from plates on which such items of cutlery may be disposed, the latter are retained by said array whilst the waste is discharged past said array, such items of cutlery may then be removed and recovered from the said array.

The required strength of the magnets will of course depend on the parameters of the equipment, such as the configuration and cross-sectional area of the conduit 3 and the weight and magnetic properties of the cutlery.

1. Apparatus as herein before specified which comprises a magnet or an array of magnets mounted within a said conduit, said magnet or array being of such configuration and the magnet or magnets thereof being capable of exerting such a magnetic attraction on any such items, that said waste is discharged as aforesaid whilst any such items which had inadvertently been left on the crockery with said waste are retained by said magnet or array for subsequent recovery by said personnel.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said magnet or magnets is a/are permanent magnet(s).

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said magnet or array is disposed around a lip projecting downwardly from an aperture, said lip defining said conduit.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cutlery loss prevention This invention relates to apparatus for preventing, or at least reducing the danger of, loss of cutlery in catering establishments by the accidental discharging of personnel of such establishments, of items of cutlery of ferrous material into a waste discharge conduit along with waste in the form of food, paper serviettes, etc, being discharged under gravity thereinto from crockery from which food had been consumed. Such apparatus will hereinafter be referred to as "apparatus as herein before specified". In the kitchens of catering establishments, waste in the form of, for example, unconsumed food and used paper serviettes is generally discharged, viz. tipped, through such conduits into plastic bags, the latter being subsequently removed from the premises of said establishments. The procedure is simple and convenient, but in practice a significant amount of cutlery is accidentally also tipped through a said conduit into a said plastic bag or other waste receptacle. This amount of cutlery can be as much as 50% per annum of the total amount of cutlery in use in the establishment, which consequently has to be replaced at not inconsiderable expense. With a view to preventing or at least reducing such loss, the present invention proposes the provision of apparatus as herein before specified which comprises a magnet or an array of magnets mounted within a said conduit, said magnet or array being of such configuration and the magnet or magnets thereof being capable of exerting such a magnetic attraction on any such items, that said waste is discharged as aforesaid whilst any such items which had inadvertently been left on the crockery with said waste are retained by said magnet or array for subsequent recovery by said personnel. Three forms of apparatus embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the general arrangement of waste discharge equipment embodying a first said form of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the aforesaid apparatus, drawn to an enlarged scale; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of waste discharge equipment embodying a second form of said apparatus; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a third form of said apparatus. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, an array 1 of permanent magnets 2 is mounted within a waste discharge conduit 3 of waste discharge equipment 4. The equipment 4 comprises a stainless steel table top 5 having a central circular aperture 6 of the said discharge conduit 3. The array 1 is disposed around a lip 7 projecting downwardly from the aperture 6 and defining the said conduit 3. The refuse bin 8, lined with a disposable plastic bin bag 9, is positioned below the conduit 3. As shown in Figure 2, the array 1 may also comprise, alternatively, or in addition a plurality of permanent magnets 10 depending from, and arranged below, the lip 7. The form of apparatus shown in Figure 3 (in which the same reference numerals are used for integers which correspond to those of the equipment shown in Figures 1 and 2) comprises a cradle 11 of plastics material which holds the array 1 of permanent magnets 2, and which is suspended from the table top 5 within the conduit 3. Though not shown in the drawing, it will be appreciated that, if desired, the array 1 could also comprise additional magnets such as the magnets 10 shown in, and similarly arranged as those shown in, Figure 2. In both forms of the apparatus so far described, the magnets are arranged around the entire circumference of the conduit 3. In the apparatus shown in Figure 4 (in which the same reference numerals are used for integers which correspond to those of the apparatus shown in Figure 3), the array 1 takes the form of a plurality (two or more) of bar magnets 2 which are disposed parallel to each other and in a common plane across, so as to define a grid across, the conduit 3. Whereas permanent magnets, such as the magnets 2 and 10, are preferred, it will be appreciated that these magnets may, if desired, take the form of electromagnets. Provided that the array 1 is of such configuration (as exemplified in the forms of apparatus hereinbefore described) and that the magnets 2 (and, as the case may be, 10) are capable of exerting such a magnetic attraction on knives, forks and spoons of ferrous material that, when waste is discharged as aforesaid from plates on which such items of cutlery may be disposed, the latter are retained by said array whilst the waste is discharged past said array, such items of cutlery may then be removed and recovered from the said array. The required strength of the magnets will of course depend on the parameters of the equipment, such as the configuration and cross-sectional area of the conduit 3 and the weight and magnetic properties of the cutlery. CLAIMS

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said magnet or array depends from, and is arranged below, said lip.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 and constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 1 and 3 or 4 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein a cradle holds said magnet or array and defines said lip, said cradle being adapted to be suspended from said aperture.

6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said array takes the form of a plurality of bar magnets which are disposed parallel to each other and in a common plane across, so as to define a grid across, said conduit.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 and constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 1 and 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

8. Waste discharge equipment for use in catering establishments, said equipment comprising apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: (a) Claims 1,3,5,7 above have been deleted or textually amended.

(b) New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows : (c) Claims 4,6,8 above have been re-numbered as 3,4,6 and their appendancies corrected.

1.Apparatus as hereinbefore specified which comprises a magnet or an array of magnets mounted within a said conduit, said magnet or array being disposed around a lip projecting downwardly from an aperture, said lip defining said conduit and being defined by a cradle which holds said magnet or array and is adapted to be suspended within said conduit, said magnet or array being of such configuration and the magnet or magnets thereof being capable of exerting such a magnetic attraction on any such items, that said waste is discharged as aforesaid whilst any such items which had inadvertently been left on the crockery with said waste are retained by said magnet or array for subsequent recovery by said personnel.