A hopper with loading and compacting functions for use with garbage collecting bins

Abstract: A hopper (1) with loading and compacting functions for use with garbage collecting bins (2), which has a simple, strong, and reliable structure and high payload capabilities, comprises a bottom (3), two juxtaposed side walls (4), a rear wall (5), a front wall (6), an aperture (7) through the front wall (6), a ram plate (9) positioned between the side walls (4) and having an upper portion (10) engaged in and guided by a vertical groove (13) formed in each side wall (4), and a lower portion (11) guided along a closed-loop path (L) of upward movement from the bottom (L1), an approach movement to the rear wall (L2), a downward movement toward the bottom (L3), and an approach movement to the aperture (L4), to move past the garbage materials gathered at the bottom (3) and displace them from the hopper (1) into the bin (2).

Description: This invention relates to a hopper with loading and compacting functions for use with garbage collecting bins, as defined in the preamble of Claim 1 (see US-A-4 029 224). As is known, hoppers of the kind specified above require that the garbage materials be acted upon as they are unloaded into the hopper and gather on its bottom, such that the garbage materials can be forced toward the outlet and compacted within the bin. Several solutions have been proposed to meet the above demand. One of these provides for the garbage materials to be shifted toward, and compacted within, the bin interior by a ram plate mounted to slide at the hopper bottom and being shiftable from the rear wall to the outlet. Since during the ram plate stroke no garbage materials should leak past behind it, the ram plate is formed with a near-horizontal top wall of appropriate length. As a result, the ram plate forms a bulky assembly which occupies a non-negligible proportion of the hopper volume even at its rest or home position. In addition, this solution allows foul liquids and debris to leak pact the ram plate bottom, with consequent undesired, unsanitary residence and stagnation thereof at the hopper bottom. In another solution currently in use , the garbage materials are forced toward the outlet by a thrust arrangement forming a so-called ram-and-shovel swivel assembly , wherein the ram plate is supported on lateral ways and the shovel can be moved angularly about the ram plate by the action of oil-operated cylinders, additional oil-operated cylinders becoming necessary therein to drive the ram plate along the ways. The latter solution, while being beneficial to prevent leakage and not intolerably bulky, still is a highly complex construction which is expensive and high in maintenance requirements. The problem that underlies this invention is to provide a hopper of the type specified above, which has such construction and performance characteristics as to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks with which the prior art is beset. This problem is solved by a hopper as indicated, according to the characterizing part of Claim 1. Further features and the advantages of a hopper according to the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of illustration and not of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a rear view, taken in the direction of the arrow I, showing schematically a hopper according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic, longitudinal section view of the hopper shown in Figure 1, taken along the line II-II; and Figures 3, 4 and 5 are schematic, longitudinal section views of the hopper in Figure 1 at successive stages of its operation. With reference to the drawing views, generally shown at 1 is a hopper with garbage loading and compacting functions associated with a garbage collecting bin 2, adapted for either floor or truck-mounted installation. The hopper 1 comprises a bottom 3, two juxtaposed side walls, both indicated at 4, a rear wall 5, and a front wall 6. The front wall 6 is formed, in its lower region and starting from the bottom 3, with an aperture 7 for passing the garbage materials from the hopper 1 into the bin 2. The bottom 3 has a sectional member which slopes downwards from the rear wall 5 to the aperture 7 in the front wall 6. The side walls 4, which extend to the same height as the bin, are interconnected at the top by a crossmember 4a. The rear wall 5, whose height is reduced for convenience in pouring garbage into the hopper, is terminated at the top with a reinforced edge 5a. A thrust means 8 is provided in the hopper 1 to shift garbage materials resting on the bottom 3 from the hopper into the bin through the aperture 7. The thrust means 8 comprises a rigid ram plate 9, which is rectangular in shape and mounted between the side walls 4. On the plate 9, there are defined an upper portion 10, a lower portion 11, and an intermediate spot 12. The upper portion 10 of the plate 9 engages in and is guided by a groove 13 formed in each side wall 4, via a respective roller 14. Each groove 13 extends vertically from the top edge of each side wall 4 at a location between the crossmember 4a and the front wall 6. The lower portion 11 is guided, in a manner to be explained, along a substantially rectangular quadrilateral closed-loop path L which comprises a near-vertical side L1 for a raising movement from the bottom 3, a near-horizontal side L2 for an approaching movement to the rear wall 5, a near-vertical side L3 for a lowering movement toward the bottom 3, and a near-horizontal side L4 for an approaching movement to the aperture 7. The thrust means 8 further comprises an oil-operated cylinder 15, lying substantially vertical adjacent to each side wall 4, beside the groove 13, and being active between the crossmember 4a and the plate 9. Specifically, the cylinder 15 has opposed eye-shaped ends linked to the crossmember 4a and the intermediate spot 12 on the plate 9. A further, substantially horizontal, oil-operated cylinder 16 is adjacent to each side wall 4 and active between the rear wall 5 and the plate 9. Specifically, it has opposed eye-shaped ends linked to the edge 5a of the rear wall 5 and the plate9, at a location proximate to the lower portion 11 thereof. An oil-operated apparatus, known per se and not shown in the drawings, is associated with the hopper 1 to supply the oil-operated cylinders 15 and 16 with oil and drive them to perform retraction and extension movements sequentially in a manner to be described, whereby the lower portion 11 of the plate 9 will be driven along the closed path L. The operation of the hopper 1 according to the invention will be described next with reference to a starting condition (shown in Figures 1 and 2), whereby the cylinder 15 and cylinder 16 are both extended. Under this starting condition, the plate 9 has its portion 11 lowered to the bottom 3 and in a substantially vertical position to obstruct the aperture 7. Under this condition, garbage materials will be unloaded progressively into the hopper and allowed to gather at its bottom 3. Then they are to be moved out of the hopper and compacted within the bin. The cylinder 15 is first operated to retract and cause the lower portion 11 to be displaced along the side L1 upwards from the bottom 3. During this stage, the plate 9 is guided by the groove 13 and the extended cylinder 16 which acts as a rocker arm (Figure 3). Thereafter, the cylinder 16 is operated to retract. Thereupon, the lower portion 11 of the plate is brought closer to the rear wall 5, travelling the side L2 of the path L, while the plate is guided, additionally to the groove 13, by the retracted cylinder 15, which acts as a rocker arm (Figure 4). At this point, the cylinder 15 is operated to extend. The lower portion 11 is lowered toward the bottom 3 by completing the side L3, while the plate 9 is guided, in addition to the groove 13, by the retracted cylinder 16, which acts as a rocker arm (Figure 5). As a consequence of the displacement of the lower portion 11 along the sides L1, L2 and L3, the plate will move past the garbage materials. Now, the cylinder 16 is operated to extend. The lower portion 11 moves closer to the aperture 7 along the side L4. During this stage, the plate is guided by the extended cylinder 15 acting as a rocker arm (Figure 5) as well as by the groove 13. Thereafter, the plate will drive the garbage materials from the hopper into the bin through the aperture 7, and compact them within the bin. On completion of this stage, the situation reverts to the starting condition (see Figure 2), and the hopper made ready for a fresh working cycle. A major advantage of a hopper according to this invention resides in its simplicity, both construction- and performance-wise, whereby regular long-term performance of the hopper is to be expected, without trouble and costly maintenance. A further advantage of a hopper according to the invention is that it has a high payload potential. Understandably, the hopper described in the foregoing may be variously modified and altered by the skilled one to meet specific and contingent demands, without departing from the invention scope as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: A hopper (1) with loading and compacting functions for use with garbage collecting bins (2), comprising a bottom (3), two juxtaposed side walls (4), a crossmember (4a), a rear wall (5), a front wall (6), an aperture (7) through the front wall (6) for passing garbage materials from the hopper (1) into the bin (2), and a thrust means (8) for driving the garbage materials from the hopper (1) into the bin (2) through the aperture (7), comprising a ram plate (9) rectangular in shape and located between the side walls (4), which has an upper portion (10) engaging in and being guided by a substantially vertical groove (13) formed in each side wall (4), and a lower portion (11) being guided along a closed-loop path (L) to perform an upward movement from the bottom (L1), an approach movement to the rear wall (L2), a downward movement toward the bottom (L3), and an approach movement to the aperture (L4), characterized in that it comprises a substantially vertical cylinder (15) active on the plate (9) and lying substantially vertically adjacent to each side wall (4), beside the groove (13), and having opposed ends linked to the crossmember 4a and an intermediate spot (12) on the plate (9), and a substantially horizontal cylinder (16) active on the plate (9) and adjacent to each side wall (4) and having opposed ends linked to the rear wall (5) and the plate (9), at a location proximate to the lower portion (11) thereof, the vertical cylinder (15) being operated to retract for raising the lower portion (11) of the plate (9) from the bottom (3), while the horizontal cylinder (16) is extended and acts as a rocker arm, the horizontal cylinder (16) being operated to retract for bringing the lower portion (11) of the plate (9) closer to the rear wall (5), while the vertical cylinder (15) is retracted and acts as a rocker arm, the vertical cylinder (15) being operated to extend for lowering the lower portion (11) of the plate (9) toward the bottom (3), while the horizontal cylinder is retracted and acts as a rocker arm, and the horizontal cylinder (16) being operated to extend for bringing the lower portion (11) of the plate (9) closer to the aperture (7), while the vertical cylinder (15) is extended and acts as a rocker arm.

Inventors: GASPARINI GIORGIO, GASPARINI, GIORGIO
Applicants: BERGOMI SPA, BERGOMI S.P.A.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65F3
IPC codes: B30B9, B65F3