Means for operating an additional wall of a waste container

Abstract

 A container (1), embedded in the ground, has an additional vertical moving wall (3), moving between a rest position (R), in which the vertical moving wall (3) is situated close to a first lateral stationary wall (11) of the container (1), and an expulsion position (E) close to a second lateral, openable wall (12) of the container (1).
The means (5) for allowing motion of the moving wall (3), according to the invention, include a pair of straight guides (50), horizontal and parallel to each other, connected to the bottom (13) of the container (1).
Each of the guides (50) has a profile groove (51), which is made therein longitudinally and which contains, supports and guides a piece of chain (52), made integral with the moving wall (3).
Power means (53) cause horizontal translation of the moving wall (3) from its rest position (R) to the expulsion position (E) and vice-versa.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to apparatuses for collecting solid urban wastes, with particular reference to a collecting container embedded in the ground with an outer discharging turret, into which the users introduce the wastes bags.

[0002] The containers are housed in suitable seats embedded in the ground, so as the upper cover of the container is flush with the street surface.

[0003] The container is connected to lifting means, which extract it from the embedded seat, in order to empty it, discharging the wastes onto a suitably equipped truck.

[0004] The means for emptying the container have different conformations, in relation to the operation modes. Sometimes, the operation modes require a particular preparation of the truck.

[0005] According to one of known solutions currently used, the container has an inner, substantially vertical wall, suitably shaped and operated to move horizontally by mechanized means.

[0006] When the container is in the seat, in the use condition, the moving wall is kept in a rest position, against a lateral, stationary wall of the collecting container.

[0007] During the emptying, when the container is taken out from the seat, the moving wall performs an expulsion stroke toward the opposite lateral wall, which is then opened; in accordance with different possible ways, in order to allow the accumulated wastes bags, pushed by the moving wall, to leave the container and be transferred on the truck.

[0008] At the end, with a reverse movement, the moving wall returns to its rest position and the container is put back into its seat.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the moving wall is supported at its base by supporting and guiding means, connected to the container bottom, which allow the moving wall to translate horizontally between the rest position and the expulsion position.

[0010] This solution ensures high strength, since the fastening between the wall and the supporting and guiding means is situated in the maximum stress-resistant area.

[0011] However, due to the "not valuable" nature of the application and the necessity to contain the costs and the operation conditions, the wall supporting and guiding means of known solutions are usually rather coarse from the mechanical point of view.

[0012] Consequently, the wall moves with difficulty and low precision, and use of motor means with high speed reduction ratio is unavoidable, so as to obtain strong pushes and slow movements, which is in contrast with the need to reduce the time necessary to perform the expulsion and return strokes.

[0013] Moreover, the gradual accumulation of dirt and waste on the above means, as well as the missing lubricating and maintenance, worsen the operation thereof and, at worst, block them.

[0014] The commercial components having sophisticated mechanisms, e.g. using balls, rolls or the like, guided on very precise paths with very reduced clearance, are not considered suitable, not only because of the costs, but also because they require constant cleaning and regular maintenance, which are both often lacking in this case.

[0015] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to propose means for operating the moving wall, which ensure high guiding precision and excellent sliding, so that the expulsion and return strokes can be performed rapidly.

[0016] Another object is to propose operating means, which are well protected against the wastes and dirt, and which can function in an optimal way for long periods, also without lubricating and/or maintenance.

[0017] A further object is to propose wall operating means, which are simple to manufacture and particularly cheap, in accordance with the general standard of the whole construction.

[0018] The characteristic features of the invention will be described in detail in the following, in accordance with the contents of the claims and with the help of the enclosed figures, in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic vertical section view of a container with a relevant inner moving wall;
• Figure 2 is a corresponding top view;
• Figure 3 is an enlarged section view, taken along the III-III of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a top view of some means of Figure 3, dismantled and arranged beside.

[0019] With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates an embedded waste collecting container of known type, for collection of solid urban wastes.

[0020] The upper lid 10 of the container 1 is set to be flush with the ground level and usually has a discharge turret, not shown, which extends upward up to a prefixed height, so as to make it easy for a user to open a door and to introduce a bag of wastes into the turret 2.

[0021] A vertical additional wall 3, situated inside the container 1, moves horizontally between a rest position R, in which it is close to a first lateral permanent wall 11 of the container 1 (continuous line in Figures 1 and 2), and an expulsion position E, in which the moving wall 3 is situated close to a second lateral, openable wall 12 of the container 1, opposite to the first wall (broken line in Figure 1).

[0022] As it has already been said in the introductory note, when the container 1 is within its seat, in such position that it can be filled by the user, the moving wall 3 is kept in the rest position, whereas it assumes the expulsion position E at the end of a emptying stroke of the container 1, taken out of its seat for this purpose.

[0023] The moving wall 3 is predominantly vertical and it includes, in a known way, an enlarged base 3a, which extends toward the second lateral, openable wall 12, up to the end of a suitably inclined removing plate 30, formed by the lower part of the moving wall 3 for optimizing the storage of the wastes bags introduced into the container 1, as well as their discharge due to the push given to them by the moving wall 3.

[0024] According to the invention, the moving wall 3 is slidingly supported by means 5, which include a pair of straight guides 50, fastened symmetrically, horizontal and parallel to each other, to the bottom 13 of the container 1, in regions corresponding to the corners formed by the bottom 13 with the remaining stationary walls 14, 15, orthogonal to the moving wall 3.

[0025] The guides 50 are preferably made of a self-lubricating synthetic material having high hardness, low coefficient of friction, e.g. polyzene or the like.

[0026] The guides 50 have profile grooves 51, each made therein longitudinally and open along the side of the respective guide 50 turned toward the inside of the container 1. Therefore, the openings of the two grooves face each other.

[0027] Each groove 51 contains, supports and guides a piece of chain 52, which has brackets 35, situated at the side of the links, which are outer with respect to the guide 50.

[0028] A corresponding side of the base 3a of the moving wall 3 is made integral with the brackets 35.

[0029] The means 5 for moving the moving wall 3 include also power means 53, which is e.g. a pneumatic or hydraulic linear actuator, supported by the bottom 13 and situated along the longitudinal center line of the moving wall 3, and connected to the latter to make it translate horizontally from the rest position R to the expulsion position E and vice-versa.

[0030] The length of the pieces of chain 52 is almost equal to the length of the base 3a, which can protrude beyond the bottom 13 edge, at the end of the expulsion stroke (see Figure 1); consequently, likewise, a part of the pieces of chain 52 go out from the guides 50.

[0031] These pieces of chain 52, which remain inside the guides 50 are sufficient to ensure a stable attitude of the moving wall 3 and the pieces of chain, which were out of the guides, return easily during the subsequent return stroke.

[0032] One of the advantages of the proposed invention, resulting obvious from the above description, lies in the fact that it allows high guiding precision and excellent sliding of the moving wall, with simple and cheap elements.

[0033] It is to be pointed out that the proposed means are protected against the wastes and dirt.

[0034] Actually, as it is well seen in Figure 3, the only open side of the grooves 51 of the guides 50 has a very limited width and is turned to the side, therefore it is very difficult for undesired material to enter and block the regular sliding of the pieces of chain 52 within the respective grooves 51.

[0035] Possible small fragments, which could somehow enter the grooves 51, would by pushed by the chains 52 and made go out at the subsequent expulsion stroke of the moving wall 3.

[0036] Another advantage results from the fact that the correct sliding, between the pieces of chain and the guides of synthetic material made of the above mentioned type, is ensured for long periods, also without lubricating.

[0037] The above advantages allow sufficiently rapid operation of the moving wall 3, compatibly with the masses and inertias of the latter, as well as with the collection of the wastes to discharge.

Claims

1. Means for operating an additional wall of a container for collecting waste, with said additional wall being substantially vertical and moving horizontally within said container (1) between a rest position (R), in which said moving wall (3) is situated close to a first, lateral stationary wall (11) of the container (1), and an expulsion position (E), in which said moving wall (3) is situated close to a second lateral, openable wall (12) of said container (1), opposite to the first wall, with said means (5) characterized in that they include:

at least one pair of straight guides (50), horizontal and parallel to each other, connected to the bottom (13) of said container (1), with each of said guides (50) having a profile groove (51), made therein longitudinally, which contains, supports and guides a piece of chain (52), integral with said moving wall (3) ;

power means (53) supported by said container (1) and connected to said moving additional wall (3), to make it translate horizontally from said rest position ® to the expulsion position (E) and vice-versa.

2. Means, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said guides (50) are made of a self-lubricating material.

3. Means, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said guides (50) are made of a synthetic material.

4. Means, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said guides (50) are fastened symmetrically, near the corners formed by said bottom (13) with the remaining stationary walls (14, 15), orthogonal to said moving wall (3).

5. Means, as claimed in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that said guides (50) have profile grooves (51), which are open in side of the respective guide (50), which side is turned toward the inside of the container (1), so that they face each other.

Drawing