TITLE :"Oscillating box for the feeding station of machines for the treatment of waste" DESCRIPTION The invention relates to the apparatuses or machines used for the collection and the treatment, for example the compaction, of waste produced for example by the catering activities or other activities which use trays of different dimensions. From PCT/EP 03/14947 it is known an apparatus for the compaction and the separated collection of solid and liquid waste using a continuous screw press, the initial portion of which operates in the bottom of a hopper superiorly closed by a chamber which is provided on its opposite sides with windows. In practice, said windows are intercepted by a respective oscillating box which is cradle-shaped, which in the raised position closes the window with its curved and outwardly convex wall, while in the lowered position opens the same window, to allow the partial entry of the tray on which there is deposited the waste which may be discharged on the curved and internally concave bottom of the same box. When the tray is extracted and its presence is no more detected by a sensor, the box is activated to the closing phase of the relative window and to the simultaneously discharging phase of the waste in the underlying hopper. In the practical utilization of this machine, it has been noted that certain activities of catering use trays smaller than others, so that it may happen that, incidentally or intentionally, someone inserts in the oscillating box the whole tray of small dimensions with the waste, and the sensor does not detect any projection of the small tray from the feeding window, with the consequence that the box may be activated to closure and the tray discharged in the underlying hopper and the compaction press, which treats same as a waste. Object of the present invention is to obviate to the drawbacks of the known art, with the following idea of solution. The portion of the oscillating box which is oriented toward the inside window for the waste, when the same box is in the lowered position, is structured with a shape in plan view which is converging towards the interior, in such a manner that also

the trays of small dimensions cannot completely enter in the same box and, if the same are left in the box, they project from the box for a sufficient amount which is detected by a security sensor which avoids the following closure of the box and which may be connected to means suitably to signal the drawback with the activation of optical and/or acoustic warning indicators.

Further features of the invention, and the advantages deriving therefrom, will appear better evident from the following description made with reference to the figures of the attached sheets of drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a side view with portions in section of the feeding chamber of the hopper, with the lateral windows closed by the oscillating boxes, viewed in two different working conditions; - Figure 2 is a front view of one of the windows with the relative box of closure of the chamber of figure 1; - Figure 3 shows in perspective, from the top and from the inner front with respect to the feeding chamber, one of the cradle boxes according to the invention, in the opening and waste receipt position; - Figure 4 show the box of Figure 4 in plan view from above.

In Figure 1, with reference numeral 1 there is indicated the upper portion of the hopper inferiorly connected to the loading mouth of the compaction press of the waste and which by means of a short funnel 2 with adjustable connection, is superiorly connected to the chamber 3 for the feeding of the waste, laterally provided with opposed windows 4,4', for example with rectangular shape, horizontally arranged with the major dimension and usually closed by the curved and externally convex bottom 105,105'of the respective cradle boxes 5,5', placed inside of the chamber 3 and provided with lateral walls 205, 205'connected by means of cross members 305,305'and having substantially the shape of circular sectors (see also Figures 3,4). The boxes 5,5'can be realised for example in plastics, in stainless steel, or with any material or combination of materials suitable for the purpose. The bottom-curved walls 105,105'are preferably ribbed and reinforced on the edge 405, 405'which comes to be arranged in the lower portion of the window 4,4'when the

same box is in the opening position. The same curved walls 105,105'have their bending center onto the axis which joins the lateral points of the boxes, placed at the level of one of the cross members 305,305', and upon which there are flanges 6,6', upon which there can be fixed hubs 7,7' (Figures 1,2) which are supported rotatably, for example with bearings, by corresponding body sides 103 of the frame of the chamber 3. Onto one of the body sides of the chamber 3, there are fixed in 8,8' supports 9,9'downwardly oriented and upon which there are flanged gearmotors 10, 10'of irreversible type and with motor having double direction of rotation, which by means of a prismatic shaft are connected to one of the hubs 8,8'of the boxes, in such a manner to arrange the same boxes in the closing or opening position of the respective window, as shown in the said Figure 1, respectively for the box 5'and for the box 5, with the curved bottom wall of the box which in the first case is arranged in front of the window 4 to close the same and which in the second case is arranged in low position to receive the waste and to avoid every direct connection with the hopper 2,1, for the feeding of the press. In both cases, the boxes have the important role of security means in order to avoid every direct connection between the windows 4,4'and the hoppers 2,1 with the underlying press. The two different end of stroke positions of the boxes are for example detected by couples of sensors 11,11'fixed to the frame of the chamber 3 and with which may co-operate the free ends of levers 12,12'which are integrally oscillating with the same boxes. Always from Figure 1, it appears clear how the chamber 3 is provided, in opposition to said boxes 5,5', with a transversal wall 203 with a"Y"upturned shape, which divides in two symmetrical portions the chamber 3, avoiding that the waste manipulated by a box interferes with the near box. Always from Figure 1, it appears also how with respect to the lateral walls 205, 205', the curved bottom wall 105, 105'is suitably positioned rearwards by its edge 405, 405'and how is projecting for a correct portion with the opposed portion which with the opened box is arranged under the fixed walls 203, to form with these a barrier partially opened, which permits to downwardly drain the liquids contained in the waste.

For each of the windows 4,4'there are provided sensors which detect the

presence of a body at the level of the same windows, consisting for example of photoelectric cells 13,13'and placed in the upper portion of each window, protected in the chamber 3 but able to detect what is positioned in front of the same window.

To these sensors may be attributed also the automatic control of the motion of boxes, which contemplates for example the automatic opening of the same box when at its level comes a tray with the waste to be disposed and then contemplates the automatic closing of the same box following to the displacement of the tray from the window 4 or 4'.

To obviate to the drawbacks due to the use of trays of different dimensions, the invention provides that the portion with which the boxes 5,5'are facing toward the relative windows, when in the opening position of these (as shown for the box 5' in Figure 1 and as shown in Figures 3,4) has the lateral walls 205, 205'shaped in such a manner to realise an initial portion A having a maximum width, in which there can be easily introduced the tray having a major dimension (see arrow F) and in such a manner that to said portion there follows a portion B having a width progressively decreasing towards the inside of the box, in which there can be introduced trays with minor dimensions which, in any case, do not pass over said tapered portion, so that if a tray having small dimensions is left in the box, this should be detected by the signallers 13,13'which prevent the closure of the box and which may be pre- arranged to activate detectors if this presence remains beyond the pre-established temporal limits. By way of non limitative example, the inclination Z (figure 4) of the portions of lateral walls of the boxes which delimitate the portion B of decreasing width toward the inside of said boxes, is comprised between 20° and 50°, for example about 30°-35°.