Method and apparatus for collecting and transferring refuse

A method and apparatus for collecting and transferring refuse to a transportation truck for hauling to its ultimate disposal site, such as a landfill. The apparatus comprises a refuse collection and transfer container movable between a first, lowered position and a second, raised position. When the container is in the raised position and the transportation truck is underneath, transfer of the collected refuse is accomplished by opening angled, retractable bottom doors on the container. The bottom doors allow for the regulation of the amount of refuse transferred to the truck, thus ensuring a full load within the truck while at the same time preventing spillage. The movement of the container and the doors may be powered by the hydraulic system of the truck and controlled by a control panel on the apparatus. The apparatus may be partially below ground level.

TECHNICAL FIELD
 This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for collecting and
 transferring refuse to a transportation truck for hauling to its ultimate
 disposal site.
 BACKGROUND
 One of the challenges facing every community is the collection and disposal
 of refuse, such as household and commercial garbage. Generally, the refuse
 is ultimately disposed of at a permanent, sanitary landfill location,
 although certain types of garbage may be incinerated. It is desirable to
 provide for methods and systems that tidily, efficiently and economically
 collect and transport the refuse to the ultimate disposal site.
 In densely populated urban areas, relatively small collection vehicles have
 traditionally collected refuse from individual house-holds and
 dwelling-places and directly transported the collected refuse to a nearby
 landfill site. This is economically inefficient because of the relatively
 small capacity of the collection vehicles, resulting in a relatively high
 cost of transporting a given weight of refuse.
 Remote rural communities face added challenges because they are typically
 nowhere near a landfill site. Accordingly, it is often necessary for these
 communities to transport their collected refuse to far-away landfill
 sites. In order to maximize the cost efficiency of this added burden, the
 refuse transportation is often done via large transportation trucks which
 have a much greater capacity than the aforementioned collection vehicles.
 It is thus important to provide a location in or around remote communities
 where refuse can be collected, temporarily stored and ultimately
 transferred to the large trucks for its ultimate haul to a landfill site.
 It has proven difficult to address these challenges in an effective manner.
 Canadian Patent No. 1,132,329, issued Sep. 28, 1982 to Neufeldt,
 represents one attempt. Neufeldt discloses a refuse disposal method and
 apparatus which utilizes a transfer container adapted to receive refuse
 from collection vehicles and discharge the refuse into larger
 transportation vehicles. Neufeldt accomplishes this by providing the
 transfer container mounted alongside a steep embankment so that the
 collection vehicles can approach same via a gentle ramp and backfill the
 hopper portion of the container. Ultimately, Neufeldt's container is
 pivoted, resulting in a "tilted" dumping of the refuse into a
 transportation vehicle located below the container and adjacent the steep
 embankment.
 Neufeldt, however, has inherent disadvantages. First, the physical
 landscape required to accommodate the container assembly is impractical.
 Naturally-occurring locations offering a steep embankment of such a height
 and configuration to accommodate the Neufeldt assembly are rare.
 Accordingly, it will usually be necessary to construct a steep embankment
 through piling and shaping dirt, gravel or the like to a suitable height
 and providing suitable roads to accommodate the collection and
 transportation vehicles. Not only is this process extremely expensive, but
 it is also environmentally-unfriendly since it will be very difficult to
 reclaim the site should the collection container be moved in the future.
 Second, Neufeldt does not offer the users the ability to regulate the
 amount of refuse "dumped" from the container to the transportation truck.
 Instead, the container is simply "tilted", thereby dumping the entirety of
 its contents. This is acceptable for transportation trucks which have the
 capacity for all of the collected refuse. However, transportation trucks
 may arrive at a particular remote community partially full because the
 same truck services numerous communities in the same trip. Thus, if a
 transportation truck already contains sufficient refuse so that it cannot
 accept the entirety of the contents of the Neufeldt container, the user is
 faced with one of two undesirable choices. First, he can bypass accepting
 the refuse at that time and simply collect it on another trip. This is
 disadvantageous because: (a) the transportation vehicle would be returning
 with less than 100% capacity, thus descreasing the cost-effectiveness of
 the operation; and (b) the remote community may not have the capacity to
 store the collected refuse while awaiting a second trip sometime later.
 The alternative to refusing to accept the refuse is to simply dump the
 container and let the excess spill over the top of the transportation
 vehicle. This is obviously disadvantageous since the spillage would
 require clean-up, or if it were not cleaned up, would be unsightly and
 would produce unpleasant odours and attract scavenging animals.
 Accordingly, the present invention provides an efficient, cost-effective
 and self-contained apparatus and a method that allows a user to regulate
 the amount of collected refuse transferred to a transportation vehicle in
 any given dump.
 SUMMARY OF INVENTION
 The apparatus of the present invention comprises an apparatus for
 collecting and transferring refuse to a transportation truck, the
 apparatus comprising a refuse collection and transfer container movable
 between a first, lowered position and a second, raised position, the
 second position being high enough above the first position to allow the
 transportation truck underneath the refuse collection and transfer
 container, the refuse collection and transfer container having bottom
 doors wherein when the refuse collection and transfer container is in the
 second position and the bottom doors are opened the refuse is transferred
 from the refuse collection and transfer container to the transportation
 truck.
 The bottom doors may be two doors, each being downwardly and inwardly
 angled from opposite side walls of the refuse collection and transfer
 container so that the bottom doors converge at the bottom of the refuse
 collection and transfer container forming a closed position, the bottom
 doors extending substantially the length of the side walls of the refuse
 collection and transfer container. The bottom doors may be retractable to
 an open position from the closed position through slots in the side walls
 of the refuse transfer and collection container. The bottom doors may be
 linked to a hydraulic system of the transportation truck, the movement of
 the bottom doors between the open and closed positions being powered by
 the hydraulic system.
 The apparatus may also comprise four upright beams positioned proximate to
 the exterior corners of the refuse collection and transfer container, each
 of the upright beams including a cable movable relative to the beam; and
 at least two container braces connecting the refuse collection and
 transfer container to the cables. Vertical movement of the cables causes
 the movement of the refuse collection and transfer container between the
 first and second positions. The cables may be linked to the hydraulic
 system, the movement of the cables being powered by the hydraulic system.
 It may also be that when the refuse collection and transfer container is in
 the first position a lower portion of the refuse collection and transfer
 container, including the slots in the side walls, is below ground level.
 The apparatus may further comprise two retaining walls, the retaining
 walls being substantially below ground level, adjacent to the refuse
 collection and transfer container and extending the length of the refuse
 collection and transfer container. The retaining wall may extend past the
 upright beams and adjacent to a sloped entrance for accepting the
 transportation truck at one end of said refuse collection and transfer
 container and a sloped exit for allowing the transportation truck to exit
 at a second end of the refuse collection and transfer container.
 The bottom interior corners of the container may be downwardly and inwardly
 angled. The container may have at least one door for receiving the refuse,
 the door being in one of the side walls or in the roof of the collection
 and transfer container. The apparatus may also comprise a control panel
 for controlling the movement of the bottom doors and the cables, the
 control panel being linked to the bottom doors, the cables and capable of
 being linked to the hydraulic system.
 The apparatus of the present invention may comprise at least two cylinders,
 each of the at least two cylinders being positioned underneath opposite
 side walls of the refuse collection and transfer container and being
 vertically movable to cause the movement of the refuse collection and
 transfer container between the first and second positions, wherein when
 the refuse collection and transfer container is in the second position,
 the at least two cylinders are spaced apart by a distance greater than the
 width of the transportation truck. The vertical movement of the may be
 driven by an electric power source internal to said apparatus.
 The method of the present invention comprises the method of collecting and
 transferring refuse to a transportation truck, the method comprising the
 steps of: (a) providing an apparatus for collecting and transferring
 refuse to a transportation truck, the apparatus comprising a refuse
 collection and transfer container movable between a first, lowered
 position and a second, raised position, the second position being high
 enough above the first position to allow the transportation truck
 underneath the refuse collection and transfer container, the refuse
 collection and transfer container having bottom doors and at least one
 door for receiving the refuse, the door being in one of two opposite side
 walls or in the roof of the refuse collection and transfer container; (b)
 collecting refuse in the refuse collection and transfer container when the
 container is in the first position; (c) raising the refuse collection and
 transfer container to the second position; (d) driving the transportation
 truck underneath the raised refuse collection and transfer container; (e)
 opening the bottom doors of the refuse collection and transfer container
 so that the refuse collected in the refuse collection and transfer
 container is transferred to the transportation truck; (f) closing the
 bottom doors after at least some of the refuse has been transferred to the
 transportation truck; (g) driving the transportation truck from underneath
 the raised refuse collection and transfer container; and (h) lowering the
 refuse collection and transfer container to the first position.
 The apparatus of the method of the present invention may further comprise
 four upright beams positioned proximate to the exterior corners of the
 refuse collection and transfer container, each of the upright beams
 including a cable movable relative to said beam; at least two container
 braces connecting the refuse collection and transfer container to the
 cables; and a control panel linked to said cables and said bottom doors
 and capable of being linked to a hydraulic system of said transportation
 truck. Step (c) of the method of the present invention may comprise (i)
 driving the transportation truck to a location proximate to the apparatus;
 (ii) establishing a linkage between the hydraulic system, the cables and
 the control panel when the refuse collection and transfer container is in
 the first position; and (iii) using the control panel to move the cables
 with the hydraulic system to raise the refuse collection and transfer
 container to the second position.
 Step (e) of the method of the present invention may comprise: (i)
 establishing a linkage between the hydraulic system, the bottom doors and
 the control panel; and (ii) using the control panel to open the bottom
 doors with the hydraulic system so that the refuse collected in the refuse
 collection and transfer container is transferred to the transportation
 truck.
 Step (f) of the method of the present invention may comprise using the
 control panel to close the bottom doors with the hydraulic system.
 Step (g) of the method of the present invention may comprise: (i)
 disconnecting the linkage between the hydraulic system and the bottom
 doors; and (ii) exiting the transportation truck from underneath the
 raised refuse collection and transfer container.
 Step (h) of the present invention may comprise: (i) driving the
 transportation truck to a location proximate to the apparatus; (ii)
 establishing a linkage between the hydraulic system, the cables and the
 control panel when the refuse collection and transfer container is in the
 second position; and (iii) using the control panel to move the cables with
 the hydraulic system to lower the refuse collection and transfer container
 to the first position; and (iv) disconnecting the linkage between the
 hydraulic system, the cables and the control panel.

DESCRIPTION
 Referring to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, refuse collection and
 transfer apparatus 10 comprises refuse collection and transfer container 2
 and lifting and retaining structure 18.
 Refuse collection and transfer container 2 is fashioned to receive and
 store household, commercial and/or industrial refuse while awaiting
 transfer to a hauling transportation truck. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2,
 container 2 has side doors 4 through which household refuse may be
 deposited. Doors 4 are at a convenient elevation for individuals to
 discard their refuse by hand. Container 2 also has a plurality of top
 doors 6 which are somewhat larger than side doors 4 and which are provided
 to receive commercial/industrial refuse through back-dumping from a
 typical refuse collection vehicle. Top doors 6 may be arranged so as to
 require a hydraulic linkage for opening, thereby preventing the
 unauthorized and illegal dumping of large-scale waste by other than
 licensed refuse collectors.
 It will be appreciated that many different combinations and arrangements of
 doors 4, 6 are possible within container 2. For example, FIG. 2
 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the container of FIG. 1 wherein
 there are two different sizes 6a, 6b of top doors 6. Alternatively, "open"
 spaces could be provided in the places of either or both of doors 4, 6.
 Such arrangements would facilitate the disposal of refuse into container
 2, but would also render the contents of container 2 susceptible to
 weather damage and would leave it open to scavenging animals. Generally,
 it is advantageous to maintain container 2 as closed a container as
 possible so as to prevent the escape of odours and the scavenging animals.
 This is particularly important in remote rural areas where animals such as
 bears and raccoons are easily drawn to human refuse in search of food.
 Turning to FIGS. 5-10, it will be seen that container 2 has within it
 sloped pieces 8, each fitted into one of the four bottom corners (only two
 of which are illustrated in FIGS. 5-10) of container 2. Container 2 also
 has retractable bottom doors 14, 16. The function of sloped pieces 8 and
 bottom doors 14, 16 will be described below in greater detail.
 As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, lifting and retaining structure 18 is
 formed by upright beams 20, 22, 24 and 26, beam support members 28, 30 and
 retaining walls 32, 34. Retaining walls 32, 34 extend the length of
 structure 18 past beams 20, 24 and 22, 26. Bottom bars 32b and 34b are
 angled slightly upwardly at their ends (i.e. past beams 20, 22, 24 and 26)
 to accommodate a downwardly sloped entrance 46 and an upwardly sloped exit
 48 (see FIG. 4) for transportation truck 42. Safety railings 44 may be
 provided on top of the ends of top bars 32a, 34a. For strength and
 durability, the components of lifting and retaining structure 18 are
 preferably constructed of steel.
 To construct refuse collection and transfer apparatus 10, a suitable grade
 of earth is plowed. Lifting and retaining structure 18 is placed therein
 so that top bars 32a and 34a (which is not seen in FIG. 3) of retaining
 walls 32, 34 are approximately even with ground level (see FIG. 1).
 Pre-poured concrete foundation pads 36 provide stable anchor points to
 maintain lifting and retaining structure 18 in position. Appropriate bolts
 38, which bolt into pads 36, ensure that structure 18 is securely
 positioned. The native soil, dug up to create the location for structure
 18, is utilized to "fill in" around the lower portions of structure 18
 after its placement. The soil, along with top gravel layer 40 (see FIGS. 5
 and 6), which is added on top, is compacted to ensure that refuse
 collection and transfer apparatus 10 is secure and to support the weight
 of transportation truck 42. Since this soil is utilized in close proximity
 to apparatus 10, reclamation of the site is readily accomplished if it is
 necessary at some time in the future to relocate apparatus 10.
 Walls 32 and 34 of structure 18 thus act to retain the soil adjacent to the
 lower portion of refuse collection and transfer apparatus 10 so that
 container 2 remains stable within structure 18.
 Refuse collection and transfer container 2 is designed to fit within
 lifting and retaining structure 18. When container 2 is in its usual
 position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, it is partially below ground
 level 37, but has a portion high enough above ground level 37 so that side
 doors 4 and top doors 6 are easily accessible for users to dispose of
 household or industrial garbage.
 The method of operation of apparatus 10 to transfer refuse from container 2
 to transportation truck 42 is illustrated in FIGS. 5-10. Between
 emptyings, container 2 sits within structure 18, collecting refuse.
 Periodically, empty truck 42 (FIG. 5) arrives at apparatus 10 to empty it.
 Truck 42 must first raise container 2 to the elevated position illustrated
 in FIG. 7. This is accomplished through a standard hydraulic system 50 on
 truck 42 and its linkage 52 with a control panel 54, which is connected to
 lifting and retaining structure 18.
 Control panel 54 is connected via standard hydraulic lines (not shown) to
 cables 56 which pull container 2 up beams 20, 22, 24 and 26. Cables 56 run
 along beams 20, 22, 24 and 26 and are movable in relation thereto.
 Container 2 is connected to cables 56 by container braces 58 (not shown in
 FIG. 1, but see FIGS. 5-10). Although container brace 58 is shown to be
 secured to container 2 through traditional bolts 60, it will be
 appreciated that any suitable attachment means will suffice. The
 extremities 58a and 58b of container brace 58 are attached to cables 56.
 Although not illustrated in FIGS. 5-10, there is a second brace at the
 opposite end of container 2.
 Returning to FIG. 5, linkage 52 between truck hydraulic system 50 and
 control panel 54 is established to raise container 2. Once container 2 is
 lifted, an appropriate locking mechanism (not shown) is activated to hold
 container 2 in its raised position. Linkage 52 is then disconnected (FIG.
 6) and truck 42 can be driven down sloped entrance 46 and under raised
 container 2. At this point, a hydraulic linkage 52 is re-established (FIG.
 7), and a signal sent to control panel 54 causing bottom doors 14 and 16
 of container 2 to be retracted (FIG. 8), thereby dumping, or transferring,
 collected refuse 62 into truck 42 (FIG. 9). Sloped pieces 8 operate to
 prevent refuse 62 from getting lodged in the interior corners of container
 8. This prevents blockage during dumping and thus facilitates the
 efficiency of apparatus 10.
 Doors 14 and 16 are retractable from their closed position of FIG. 7 to
 their open position of FIG. 8 via hydraulic system 50 of truck 42 and
 linkage 52 thereof with control panel 54. The retracted, or "open",
 position of doors 14, 16 is shown in dotted outline in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9.
 Side walls 2a and 2b of container 2 have slots 14a and 16a to accommodate
 the retraction of doors 14, 16 (see FIG. 6). As seen in FIG. 5, when
 container 2 is in its first, lowered position, slots 14a and 16a are below
 ground level 37. Doors 14, 16 may overlap slightly in their closed
 position to provide increased strength. Retractable doors 14, 16 allow for
 the regulation of the amount of refuse 62 to be dumped from raised
 container 2. Truck 42 need not always be empty to accept refuse 62, but
 could instead be partially filled with refuse from a stop at a previous
 collection site. In such circumstances, it may not be possible for truck
 42 to accept all of refuse 62 from container 2. Rather than tilting the
 collection container and fully dumping its contents, as was done in the
 prior art, it is possible to slightly retract doors 14, 16 to define a
 less-than-full opening therebetween, thus controlling the amount of refuse
 transferred from container 2 to truck 42. Once truck 42 is filled, doors
 14, 16 can be closed and spillage is prevented. Truck 42 can then drive up
 exit 48 and haul away a full load of refuse. Apparatus 10 thus allows
 transportation trucks to run with 100% haul efficiency, while maintaining
 a clean collection site at the same time.
 Additionally, the retractable door arrangement of container 2 is preferred
 over a "swinging" door arrangement because such swing doors can become
 lodged within truck 42 or between truck 42 and beams 20, 22, 24 or 26,
 thereby requiring human attention to remedy the situation. Not only is
 such a remedial procedure time-consuming, but it is potentially dangerous
 to for persons to be under raised container 2 for extended periods of
 time.
 As mentioned, truck 42 departs from under container 2 via sloped exit 48.
 Before commencing the haul, however, linkage 52 is once again
 re-established so that container 2 is returned to its usual position (FIG.
 10) so that it is capable of receiving "new" refuse.
 It may be desirable to include a drainage system to prevent moisture
 accumulation underneath container 2. Such a drainage system could take the
 form of specialized drain tile installed underneath container 2 to funnel
 moisture to a drain pipe leading directly to a septic tank. Alternatively,
 an arrangement could be employed whereby a hose, powered by hydraulic
 system 50 of truck 42, is used to draw off any accumulated moisture. The
 accumulated moisture could then be taken to an appropriate disposal
 location, such as a septic tank.
 As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the
 foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in
 the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope
 thereof. For example, apparatus 10 has been described herein as utilizing
 hydraulic system 50 of truck 42 to raise and lower container 2. This has
 been done to take advantage of the existing hydraulic system 50 on
 transportation truck 42. One could also envision an arrangement whereby
 the whole of the hydraulic system for raising and lowering container 2 is
 self-contained to apparatus 10. This might be necessary, for example, if
 hydraulic system 50 was ineffective, for whatever reason, to raise full
 container 2. Alternatively, it would also be possible for the raising and
 lowering of container 2 to be powered by an electric source, which may or
 may not be internal to apparatus 10.
 Similarly, the raising and lowering of container 2, as described herein,
 has been effected through the combination of hydraulics and cables 56. It
 will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any suitable means of
 raising and lowering of container 2 to the desired elevations, while still
 allowing access for truck 42 underneath raised container 2, would fall
 within the inventive scope of this invention. For example, one could
 envision utilizing rods or cylinders (telescoping or otherwise) underneath
 the periphery of container 2 to effect the movement of container 2. In
 such an arrangement, the cylinders would have to be spaced apart a
 distance greater than the width of truck 42 to enable truck 42 to driver
 underneath container 2 when container 2 is in its raised position.
 Similarly, it will be appreciated that it is not absolutely necessary for
 collection and transfer apparatus 10 to be partially below-ground level
 37. Instead, it is within the inventive scope herein to alternatively
 provide apparatus 10 at ground level and adjust the height of beams 20,
 22, 24 and 26 accordingly to accommodate the height of truck 42.
 Similarly, the apparatus of the present invention need not be limited to
 one refuse collection and transfer container. It is within the inventive
 scope herein defined that apparatus 10 could be adapted to have
 side-by-side containers, each movable independent of the other, so that
 refuse 62 could be segregated, if necessary. For example, it may be
 desirable to provide a container to collected recyclables, such as
 cardboard or newspapers, separate from ordinary household garbage.
 Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance
 with the substance defined by the following claims.