Container mounting bracket

Abstract

 A bracket for a container such as a wheeled bin is described, and method of using the bracket to stabilise the container against falling over. The bin is wedged against a hook portion of the bracket, which typically presses the bin against the surface on which it rests, thereby stabilising it.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a fixing, particularly one for securing in place a refuse bin.

[0002] Current designs of refuse bins known as wheelie bins are well known. This design of bin has a pair of wheels at adjacent corners of the base of the bin, and a handle and lid at the top of the bin. When the bin is full, it can be tilted backwards around the pivot points provided by the wheels at the base by means of the handle, and wheeled to another location for picking up by a refuse collection service.

[0003] According to the present invention there is provided a method of stabilising a container as claimed in claim 1. The invention also provides a fixing for securing a container as claimed in claim 4, and an assembly as claimed in claim 9.

[0004] Typically the hook is positioned in use over or around the portion of the container engaged by the fixing.

[0005] Typically the hook is an inverted U-shape, and it typically engages a bar or handle of the container.

[0006] Typically the container is a refuse bin, such as a wheeled bin.

[0007] Typically the fixing is attached to the wall of a building or similar structure at a height where the hook is adapted to engage the handle of the bin. Typically the container is engaged with the fixing by offering the bar or handle into the hook when the container is tilted at an angle and thereafter pivoting the container or bin optionally around the handle as it is engaged in the hook in order to force the handle into engagement with the hook and resist disengagement of these two components.

[0008] The fixing may have reinforcing protrusion to control the amount of flexing of the hook and resist movement of the hook out of engagement with the bar or handle once the two have engaged.

[0009] It is not necessary for the fixing to be attached to the wall of a building, and a separate post, fence or similar structure may also be a good attachment point.

[0010] An inverted U-shape is not essential as the bar or handle of the container can simply be held in place by the hook, but the inverted U-shape does have an advantage in that it restricts movement of the container when attached. Other shapes that achieve this by restricting movement of the bar and effectively clamping the container in position against the ground will also work well.

[0011] The fixing may be integral with the bin and may simply engage a formation on the wall.

[0012] It is preferred that the hook engages either the bin or the wall so as to force the bin downwards against the surface on which it rests and restrain it from movement. This is normally achieved by mounting the fixing onto the wall with a downwardly facing hook into which the bar or handle is engaged by pivotal movement. However, an upwardly facing hook upon which the handle is located would also function well.

[0013] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first bracket;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from a different direction of the Fig. 1 bracket;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same bracket;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a second bracket;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view from beneath the second bracket;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the second bracket;

Figs. 7, 8 & 9 are side views of a bin being attached to a wall using the second bracket; and

Figs. 10 & 11 show the sequence of attaching the bin to the wall using a third bracket.

[0014] Referring now to the drawings, a fixing is provided by a bracket 1a which has a back plate 5 with a flat rearward facing surface, through which holes 6 extend allowing the bracket 1a to be fixed to a wall W by means of screws or bolts etc. Extending at right angles from the plate 5 is an arm 10 having upper and lower braces 11 and 12 to resist flexing of the arm 10 relative to the plate 5. At the end of the arm 10 that is opposite to the plate 5, a U-shaped hook 15 is provided extending downwardly from the arm 10. The hook 15 has an outer limb 15o and an inner limb 15i which extend parallel to one another downwards from the arm 10.

[0015] The bracket 1a is typically formed of metal, but a plastics version of a similar bracket 1b is shown in Figs. 4 to 9, and has a back 5, arm 10, hook 15 and braces 11 and 12. In use, the bracket 1 is mounted on a wall with the hook limbs 15o/15i facing downwards towards the ground. The bracket 1 is mounted at a height to receive between the hook legs 15o/15i a handle or bar of a wheeled refuse bin B. In practice, the handle H of the bin B is offered to the U-shaped hook 15 while the bin B is tilted as shown in Figs. 9 and 11. When the handle H is engaged between the limbs 15o/15i of the hook 15, the base of the bin is moved towards the wall W and the bin B pivots around the handle H until it is upright as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 10. At that position, the handle H is restrained from outward movement away from the wall by the outer limb 15o of the hook, and is also restrained from moving towards the wall by the inner limb of the hook 15i. Therefore, the bin B is held securely in position and is wedged downwards against the ground G by the force of the bracket 1 pressing downwards. This restricts the bin's movements in the wind etc and prevents the bin from toppling over.

[0016] To remove the bin B from the bracket 1, the front of the bin B is simply lifted into the position shown in Fig. 11 or Fig. 9 so that the handle H can be disengaged from the hook 15 and the bin B removed from its position.

[0017] In preferred embodiments of the invention, the bracket has a degree of resilience that allows the hook 15 and arm 10 to flex up and down in order to accommodate the wedging action of the bin B as it is forced towards the wall W with the handle H between the limbs of the hook 15. Alternatively, the natural resilience of the plastic bin B or handle H can be used to prevent excessive stress on the bracket or on the fixing(s) securing it to the wall. In typical embodiments, the braces 11 and 12 can be built up or reduced in strength or size so as to permit or restrict the amount of flexing required. Typical embodiments of the invention can be made from plastics materials which incorporate a natural resilience or from appropriate metals that also have these properties.

[0018] One advantage of certain embodiments of the bracket 1 is that the lid of the bin L can be opened while the bracket 1 is in place securing the bin B to the wall W.

[0019] The brackets 1 can be mounted on the wall W as shown in the drawings or can be mounted the other way up with the limbs of the hook 15 directed upwards, and in that case the handle H can simply be hooked over the bracket to rest between the limbs 15i/15o of the hook 15 so as to secure the bin B to the wall W, without necessarily clamping it against the ground.

[0020] In certain embodiments a locking means can be provided to lock the bin or other container to the fixing or bracket. In such embodiments, the bracket 1a, 1b can optionally have holes 16 in the limbs 15 to receive a padlock (not shown). The padlock can be secured through one or more of the holes 16 once the handle H of the bin B is in place between the limbs 15 of the bracket, preventing it from being withdrawn from the bracket 1a,1b, while the padlock is in place. The padlock does not need to be linked between two of the holes 16, but can be so linked if desired.

[0021] Modifications and improvements can be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of stabilising a container, the method comprising connecting the container to a support by means of a fixing having a hook, so that the hook on the fixing engages between a portion of the container and the support.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of moving the container into a first position in which it is misaligned with respect to the support, offering the container to the support in the first position, and moving the bin from the first position to a second position that is more aligned with the support, and in which the bin is clamped between the support and the surface on which it stands.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the container is a refuse container.

4. A fixing for securing a container to a supporting, the fixing comprising a first portion adapted for attachment to the supporting structure, and a second portion for engaging a portion of the refuse bin, wherein the second portion comprises a hook.

5. A fixing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hook comprises an inverted U-shape.

6. A fixing as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, having a reinforcing protrusion to limit the amount of flexing of the hook.

7. A fixing as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the fixing is integral with the container.

8. A fixing as claimed in any one of claims 4-7, having a locking means to lock the container to the fixing.

9. An assembly comprising a container secured to a support by means of a fixing comprising a hook, wherein the fixing is attached between the supporting structure and the container, and the container is clamped between the fixing and the ground.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the container is a wheeled refuse bin.

Drawing