DEVICE FOR EMPTYING AND WEIGHING OF A GARBAGE DISPOSAL CAN

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for emptying and weighing a container (102), preferably a refuse container, and/or its contents, comprising three frame sections (107, 108, 109), gripping means (116, 147) for holding a container on said frame sections, and turning means (140) for pivoting at least one of said frame sections together with the container and its contents to an emptying position. The first frame section (107) is joined with the second frame section (108) by at least one load detector (137, 144) for weighing the container (102) and/or its contents. The first and second frame sections are pivotally joined with a third frame section (109), whereby the first and second frame sections are arranged to pivot together with the container by activation of said turning means (140) to an emptying position in order to empty the contents out of the container.

Description: Device for emptying and weighing of a garbage disposal can The invention concerns a device for emptying and weighing a container, preferably a refuse container, and/or its contents according to the preamble of claim 1. The weighing of household waste is a practice which has already begun in waste disposal management. By separating different sorts of waste products for re-cycling, households will only have to pay for the weight of the domestic waste which is collected by the refuse lorry. When that happens it is necessary to weigh the domestic waste in the refuse con¬ tainer at the same time as the container is being emptied into the refuse lorry. The object of the invention is to produce a device which enables a refuse container to be emptied, with or without being weighed, without the container needing to be equipped with any special device to enable weighing. A further object is to provide a device which is so construc- ted that it should be able to fit all existing models of refuse lorry such as backloaders, sideloaders and frontloa- ders. The objects of the invention are achieved by means of a device which has the features described in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention have the features described in the subclaims. The container is grasped by means of raised gripping irons or teeth that have an intervening space which is adapted to the reinforcing edge which usually extends around the container. The gripping irons grasp the refuse container under its front edge. According to the invention the frame which the container hangs upon is designed as a weighing frame. The weighing frame can be suspended connected to a loadcell or can only have loadcells, so that the weight of the container can be registered during the operation of emptying the container. The weight of the contents of the container can be registered via a printer, PC or similar by the driver of the refuse lorry. Pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders lift up the weighing bed until it locks against a resilient stop, after which the emptying cycle follows a predetermined movement, according, amongst others, to slots in the guiding plates, which can be varied according to the desired emptying cycle for different types of refuse collection machines. The lower part of the container is preferably held in place by means of a vacuum suction cup to prevent the container tipping over. The suction cup is automatically switched on and off depending on the containers emptying position. The suction cup preferably engages when the weighing bed locks against the resilient stop. It is important that the suction cup is not activated during the weighing itself as that can influence the results of the weighing. The lower part of the container could also be held mechanically. In this case the container is equipped with a gripping means for this purpose. The invention is more closely described in the following with reference to the drawings which show preferred embodiments . Fig. 1 shows in perspective a device according to the inven¬ tion for emptying and weighing the contents of a container, preferably a refuse container. Fig. 2 shows a view similar to that in Fig. 1, where various parts have been removed for the sake of clarity. Fig. 3 shows a lateral view of the device according to the invention in the weighing position. Fig. 4 shows a partially sectioned lateral view of a resili¬ ent stop on the upper part of the device according to the in¬ vention. t 5 Fig. 5 shows in perspective the device according to the in¬ vention in an emptying position. Fig. 6 shows a view similiar to that in Fig. 1 of a modified embodiment of the device according to the invention. 10 Figs. 1-5 show a first embodiment of a device 101 for empty¬ ing and weighing the contents of a container, preferably a refuse container 102. The device 101 is articulately joined with cross members 103,104 on a refuse lorry or other col- 15 lection vehicle. The device is articulately fastened to projections 105 respectively 106 welded to the cross members 103, 104. The device 101 comprises three (relative to each other) first, 20 second and third frame sections 107,108 respectively 109, movable (1) . All directions and relative positions described below in connection with the description of the device accor¬ ding to the invention are related to the devices lower rest position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 25 The first frame section 107 comprises two vertical rails 110, 111 which are joined at the top by means of an upper horizon¬ tal bar 112 and at the base by means of a lower horizontal 113. Between the vertical rails 110,111 a plate 114 is faste- 30 ned upon which a suction cup 115 preferably made of rubber is attached. This suction cup can be replaced by a mechanical fastening device for the lower part of the container in the emptying position (Fig. 5) . Two teeth 116 are attached to the upper bar 112. 35 The second frame section 108 comprises a part 117 in the shape of an inverted U, between the lower ends of which a bent elongated part 119 is fastened. Guide plates 120,121 are fastened on each side of the U-shaped part 117. Each guide plate has a straight slot 122 and an L-shaped slot 123 in it. The third frame section 109 comprises at its upper end a U- shaped part 124 at the ends of which there are bearing races 125,126 which bear on an axle 127, which in turn is mounted in bearings on projection 105 on the upper member 103 on the refuse lorry. Vertical frame parts 128 and 129 are fastened at the top to each other by the shoulders of the U-shaped part 124 (see Fig. 3) and at the base by a member 130 which extends beyond the third frame section 109 in both direc¬ tions. Upper and lower studs 131 respectively 132 are faste¬ ned in holes in frame parts 128,129 and are displacably moun¬ ted in guide tracks 122,123 in guide plate 108. Nuts 133,134 and washers lock the outer ends of the studs 131 respectively 132. A bearing bracket 135 is arranged and fastened on each side of the second frame section's 108 guide plates 120,121. At the outer ends of member 130 bearing mountings 136 are arranged. Between bearing brackets 135 and the bearing moun¬ tings 136 a piston and cylinder unit 137 is arranged on each side of device 101. An L-shaped link 138 is mounted in be¬ arings at one of its ends on axle 127 and is attached to U- shaped part 124 by its other end. At its middle 139 one end of a piston and cylinder unit 140 is mounted in bearings. The unit's 140 other end is mounted in bearings in projection 106 on the lower member 104 on the refuse lorry. Both piston and cylinder units 137 and piston and cylinder unit 140 are powered pneumatically but they could also be powered hydrau- lically. In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1-5 the first frame section 107 is connected with the second frame section 108 by means of two upper load detectors 141,142, which are attached between the upper horizontal bars 112 on the first frame section 107 and a flange 143 on the guide plates 120,121 on the second frame section 108, and by means of a lower load detector 144 which is attached between the lower horizontal bar 113 on the first frame section 107 and the bent elongated part 119 on the second frame section 108. In this way the weight of the container acting on the first frame part can be measured by means of measuring equipment (not shown) . During use of the device 101 according to the invention the upper bent down edge 145 of the container hook on to the projecting teeth 116 on the first frame section 107, after which piston and cylinder unit 137 is activated and the first and second frame sections are pushed upwards and lift the refuse container 102 from the ground. In an intermediate position, which for example is shown in Fig. 3, the weighing of the refuse container and its contents takes place and is registered. The driver of the refuse lorry can receive the weight of the refuse contained in the refuse container di- rectly on a screen in the cab. It can also be registered directly in a PC installed in the refuse truck, which auto¬ matically subtracts the weight of the refuse container and registers the weight for the customer in question. By means of equipment, not shown, such as a bar-code reader (for example) , a bar-code on the container can be read and the weight of the rubbish automatically registered without any action by the driver. Specific information about the customer such as name, address and the weight of the empty container (different containers on the market can have different weights) , can be obtained from the bar-code. The refuse container 102 is next moved by further activation of the piston and cylinder unit 137 to an upper position where the upper side 146 of the upper edge 145 of the refuse container 102 comes into contact against a bent-over lip 147 on a plate 148 on a stop, which is mounted at its rear end on bearings on axle 127. Finally the bottom parts of frame sections 107,108 are displaced in relation to frame section 109 by means of the lower studs 132 sliding in into the inwardly directed part of the L-shaped track 123. This displacement of frame sections 107,108 is necessary so that in the emptying position the container takes up a suitable angle so that its contents are completely emptied into the refuse lorry. Fig. 4 shows the stop in partial section. Plate 148 is faste¬ ned on both sides to side parts 149, which in turn are moun¬ ted in bearings on flanges 150 on the U-shaped part 124 of the third frame section 109. Two smaller angled plates 151 (of which only one is shown in Fig. 4) are welded to the front plate 148. On the underside of the U-shaped part 124, between its two shoulders, an elongated flat bar 152 is moun¬ ted, upon which at least two threaded bolts 153 are fastened at a distance from one another and which are led through holes in plates 151. Springs 155 are fitted between the smaller plates 151 and nuts 154 and washers mounted on the upper ends of bolts 153. When the refuse container is lifted, such that the piston and cylinder unit 137 moves the first and second frame sections 107,108 to the upper position, the upper lip 147 on the stop can yield by means of the springs 155, so that plate 148 is no longer in contact with the U- shaped part 124, and the upper lip 147 can yield in a verti¬ cal direction so as to not damage the edge 145 of the contai¬ ner, as different containers have edges which vary in materi- al thickness. In this position, suction cup 115 is first activated, in order to hold the bottom part of the container 102 against the first frame section 107, and subsequently piston and cylinder unit 140, which swing the first and second frame sections 107,108 together with the refuse container 102 to a position which is shown in Fig. 5, wherein the container's lid 156, which is pivotably mounted at 157, is automatically opened by gravity and the contents fall out into the refuse lorry. Fig. 6 shows a modified embodiment of a device 170 according to the invention in which parts, which correspond to those parts shown in the embodiment in Figs. 1-5, have the same reference number. Device 170 differs from device 102 in that the upper load detectors have been exchanged for links 171. In this way the contents of the container are only measured by the lower load detector 144 which detect the reaction for¬ ce resulting from gravity acting on the container and its contents at its contact point on the lower horizontal bar 113. The arrangement of the invention has been described above as being directly mounted on the rear cross member of a refuse lorry. It is also possible within the scope of the following claims to mount the device according to the invention on a separate frame which can be displaced and/or pivoted out of the way to uncover the rear opening of the refuse lorry. The device according to the invention can also be mounted on a side or front loader refuse lorry or on a separate slideable and/or pivotable frame on said types of refuse lorry. The apparatus according to the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. It is of course possible to modify the apparatus according to the invention within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: Claims 1. Apparatus for emptying and weighing a container (102) , preferably a refuse container, and/or its contents, com¬ prising at least two frame parts (107,108,109) , gripping means (116,147) for holding the container on said frame sections and turning means (140) for pivoting at least one of said frame sections together with the container and its contents to an emptying position, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the frame sections (107,108,109) are three in number, that the first frame section (107) is connected with the second frame section (108) by means of at least one load detecting means (137,144) for weighing the container (102) and/or its contents, and that the first and second frame sections are pivotably joined to a third frame section (109) , whereby the first and second frame sections are arranged to pivot together with the container, to an emptying position, for emptying the contents out of the container through ac¬ tivation of said turning means (140) 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that two load detecting means (137) join the first frame section (107) with the second frame section (108) at the top on both sides thereof, and that the first and second frame sections are joined at the base with each other by means of a coupling, which permits displacement of the first and second frame sections in the vertical direction. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that two load detection means (137) join the first frame section (107) with the second frame section (108) at the top on both sides thereof, and that the first and second frame sections are joined at the base with each other by means of a further load detecting means (144) . 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a load detecting means (140) joins the first frame section (107) with the second frame section (108) at the base, and that the first and second frame sections are joined to each other at the top by means of a link (171) . 5. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a suction cup is arranged on the first or second frame section (107,108) and is so placed on the frame section, that the container (102) in the emptying position is in the main held in contact against the first frame section.

Inventors: HAMILTON RAOUL, HAMILTON, RAOUL
Applicants: HAMILTON RAOUL, HAMILTON, RAOUL
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B60P5
IPC codes: B60P5, B65F3, G01G19