A CONTAINER FOR COLLECTING REFUSE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical sector concerning collection of solid urban refuse, with special reference to a container, for collecting refuse, of a type which can translate vertically from a lowered position, in which it is positioned hidden internally of an underground seating, to a raised position, in which it completely emerges from the underground seating to enable positioning thereof in proximity of a refuse-collecting vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

The prior art contains containers for collecting solid urban refuse which are housed in special seatings housed underground and provided with a liftable lid.

The arrangement of the containers in underground seatings, i.e. not directly accessible from the outside, means that roadsides can be left free of the usual wheeled skip, and that the onset of unpleasant smells and bacteria can be avoided, which are due to lengthy times the rubbish may be left in the skip.

To enable elimination of the refuse contained in the containers housed underground, the prior art provides devices which realise the partial or total lifting of the container from the underground seating.

Partial raising systems enable only the hooking organs associated to the container to be made accessible from the outside.

In order to empty the container it is therefore necessary for the refuse collecting vehicles to grip the container at the position of the hooking organs, to raise the container further, up to its complete emergence from the housing, and to tip it in order for the refuse contained inside to fall into the skip installed on the vehicles.

The operations are extremely complex and can be actuated only by specialist operators; they can also be considerably dangerous for the operators themselves if not done with maximum attention and caution.

The devices that completely raise the container from the relative seating in fact predispose the container for tipping over onto the skip of the refuse collection vehicles.

In this case too the operations to be performed for emptying the container are not immediately realisable, and it is always necessary to perform a tipping-over of the container.

Worthy of note is the fact that once the unloading of the refuse into the skip on the vehicle has been done, the container has to be repositioned on the raising device in order for it to be relocated in the underground housing.

Thus special coupling elements have to be included between the container and the raising device, for facilitating the repositioning operations.

This makes designing and realising these types of raising devices very difficult, with a resulting negative impact on costs.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An aim of the present invention is to provide a container for collecting refuse of the type outlined in the preamble of claim 1 , which guarantees optimal compacting of the refuse during collection thereof and an easy evacuation thereof during the emptying stage.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a container for collecting the refuse which can provide rapid and reliable emptying stages, while offering total safety to the operator at work, and without there being any need of interposed means to be coupled to the refuse collection vehicle.

The above aims are obtained in accordance with the contents of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention will emerge from the following description, in which some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention are described, with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

figures 1 and 2 are lateral views in partial section of the container, respectively in a storage configuration and a refuse emptying configuration;

figures 3A, 3B are larger scale illustrations of lateral views in partial section of the container, respectively during the compacting stage and during the evacuation stage of the refuse;

figure 4 is a partially-sectioned front view of the container;

figures 5A, 5B are enlarged -sea Ie view of detail K indicated in figure 4, in two embodiments;

figure 6 is a view along section Vl-Vl of figure 4;

figures 7, 8 are enlarged partially-sectioned lateral views of a further embodiment of the container during the stage of compacting the refuse.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the above-mentioned figures of the drawings, 1 denotes the container for collecting refuse which can translate alternatively in a vertical direction from a lowered position H1 , in which it is hidden in an underground seating 100 in the earth T in order to enable accumulation of refuse (figure 1 ), to a raised configuration H2, in which it emerges completely from the underground seating 100 in order to be positioned in proximity of the skip 150 of a refuse collection vehicle (figure 2).

In particular, the container 1 of the invention innovatively includes a lateral outlet head 3, which is mobile following activation of first actuator organs 30 from a closed configuration J1 in which it can retain the refuse internally of the container 1 to an open configuration J2 in which it enables evacuation of the refuse into the skip 150 of the vehicle, in the raised configuration H1 of the container 1 ; a pusher group 4 operated by means of second actuator organs 40 in longitudinal translation between the lateral outlet head 3 and an opposite reference wall 5, in order to enable both the compacting of the refuse during accumulation thereof and the exit thereof during the evacuation stage, with the outlet head 3 respectively in the closed configuration J1 and the open configuration J2 (figures 3A, 3B); and means for rolling 6,

bilaterally associated to the pusher group 4, for engaging in corresponding means for supporting and longitudinally guiding 7 in order to enable sliding of an active front 42 between the lateral outlet head 3 and the reference head 5 (see figures 4, 5A, 5B).

The means for rolling 6 are advantageously associated bilaterally to the pusher group 4 and below it, and extend over part of the longitudinal extension of the container 1 , between the opposite heads, the outlet head 3 and the reference head 5.

The longitudinal extension of the means for rolling 6 is such as to enable optimal sliding of the pusher group 4 during the translation stage, ensuring the stability thereof during the stage of emptying of the refuse; by way of example, the means for rolling 6 extend over the whole longitudinal development of the pusher group 4, and more precisely over the frame 41 thereof.

The means for rolling 6 and the relative means for supporting and guiding 7 are positioned above the bottom 10 of the container 1 (figure 5A); this does not mean, however, that if so required the means for rolling 6 and the corresponding means for guiding 7 cannot be advantageously positioned below the bottom 10 (see figure 5B).

In the above-described latter case, the bottom 10 is provided with relative channels 10a in which the organs for connecting the means for rolling 6 with the pusher group 4 engage.

In a preferred embodiment, the means for rolling 6, associated bilaterally to the pusher group 4, comprise two idle roller groups connected to one another, which for example identify a pair of branches of an open chain 60 which engage with the guide means 7, advantageously C-shaped (figures 4, 6).

As for the pusher group 4, operated in longitudinal translation by the second actuator organs 40, it identifies an active front 42 for intercepting refuse during stages of compacting and evacuation, comprising an upper portion 44 which is substantially vertical and which connects to a lower portion 43 inclined downwards, proceeding from the reference head 5 towards the outlet head 3 (figures 3A, 3B).

In a preferred embodiment the lower portion 43 and the upper portion 44 of the active front 42 are rigidly associated (figures 3A, 3B); alternatively only the lower portion 43 can be provided with a variable inclination, with the upper portion 44 remaining vertical.

In the same way, in a further embodiment, the lower portion 43 and the upper portion 44 of the active front 42 are both capable of variable inclination, in particular freely interfering at a common end 45 and hinged at the opposite ends 43a, 44a to the frame 41 of the pusher group 4.

In this case third actuator means 70 are provided, associated to the frame 41 of the pusher group 4, acting on the lower portion 43 in order to vary the inclination of the lower portion 43 and the upper portion 44 of the active front 42 and to facilitate both the compacting of the refuse during the accumulation stage and the evacuation thereof during the emptying stage (figures 7, 8).

In particular, the third actuator means 70, constituted for example by a hydraulic jack, enable operation of the active front 42 from an inactive configuration, in which the upper portion 44 is substantially vertical and the lower portion 43 is normally inclined (for example by an angle comprised between 30° and 50°), to an active configuration in which the lower portion 43 is oriented substantially vertically, in order to facilitate compacting of the refuse in the stage of accumulation, or exit thereof

during the emptying stage.

By way of example, the second actuator organs 40 for activating the pusher group 4 comprise a pair of jacks, first jack 48 and second jack 49, positioned centrally in proximity of the bottom 10 of the container 1 , with the first jack 48 acting on the reference head 5 and the second 49 on the support frame 41 of the pusher group 40.

In particular, the jackets of the two jacks 48, 49 are mutually fixed, running on the bottom 10 with the aid of skate means, while the stems act on the reference head 5 and the frame 41.

The movement of the pusher group 4 is realised in two stages which include the preliminary activation of the first jack 48 up to the possible end of the run, for example during compacting, and the subsequent activating of the second jack 49, in order to complete the evacuation of the refuse during the emptying stage.

The lateral outlet head 3 of the container 1 is constituted by a superposing of a pair of panels, a first panel 31 and a second panel 32, infehorly and superiorly hinged to the body of the container 1 , with the lower panel 31 , which is operated to open and/or close by the first actuator organs 30, comprising, by way of example, a pair of jacks hinged externally to the container 1 (figures 1 and 2).

In particular, the pair of jacks 30 operates the active lower panel 31 to open, rendering the passive upper panel 32 freely rotatable, in order to evacuate the container 1 , and to close, enabling the simultaneous closure of the upper panel 32.

The jacks 30 act on the active lower panel 31 , causing it to rotate outwards, such as to render the passive upper panel 32 freely oscillating and rotatable.

The rotation of the active lower panel 31 creates the opening necessary for discharging refuse and for emptying the container 1 , while the passive upper panel 32, free to oscillate, slows down the emptying of the refuse, directing it towards the underlying skip 150.

Once the partial or total emptying of the container 1 has been completed, the jacks 30 recall the active lower panel 31 into the closed configuration, enabling a stable closure of the passive upper panel 32 too.

From the above, it is clear how the proposed container for the collection of refuse guarantees an optimal compacting of the refuse during the stage of accumulation and an easy stage of outlet of the refuse during the emptying stage.

The longitudinal translation of the pusher group is favoured by the special means for rolling, included inferiorly in a bilateral position, which engage in the corresponding C-shaped guide means.

It has been shown to be particularly advantageous to use means for rolling constituted by two groups of idle rollers which are interconnected, identifying a pair of open chain branches, particularly facilitating the translation.

The stages of compacting the refuse during accumulation thereof and of eliminating during emptying of the refuse are strongly enhanced by the special shape of the active front of the pusher group, normally comprising a substantially vertical upper portion which connects to a lower portion which is inclined downwards and nears the lateral outlet head.

The stages of compacting and outlet of the refuse are further facilitated by making the upper and lower portions of the active front of the pusher

group such that they have a variable inclination.

It is thus obvious how the refuse collection container of the invention is perfectly able to provide rapid and reliable emptying stages, while offering perfect safety conditions for the operator, without any recourse to interposed means for coupling with the refuse collection vehicle.

The foregoing is given by way of a non-limiting example, so that any constructional variations are considered to fall within the protective ambit of the present technical solution, as described herein above and claimed herein below.