REFUSE-COLLECTION DEVICE WITH UNDERGROUND REFUSE SILOS

Abstract: Refuse-collection device, comprising a collection part (1) and a separate throw-in part (2) which is arranged above the collection part. The collection part (1) is intended to be placed in a buried housing. The collection part (1) has a number of refuse-collection compartments (7). The throw-in part (2) has, for each compartment (7), a vertical filling shaft (20), with a refuse-insertion opening (21), above a filling opening (8) of the compartment (7). Each filling shaft (20) is attached to a structure (30, 31, 32) with a vertical pivot pin (35), an axis of which extends towards between the compartments (7). Lifting and rotating means are coupled to the vertical pivot pin, which means are suitable for moving the shafts (20) vertically between low and high positions, in which the shafts (20) can or cannot be rotated above the silo (7) about the vertical pin (35) respectively.

Description: Short title: Refuse-collection device with underground refuse silos The invention relates to a refuse-collection device in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. A device of this kind is known from Dutch patent ' application 9500170. In the known device, the compartments of the collection part and the shafts of the higher throw- in part form a single unit . The compartments are in free communication, via the associated shafts and throw-in openings of the shafts, with the surroundings of the device (ambient air) . A crane hook, which is covered by a removable lid, is situated centrally on the top side of the device . When the device is to be replaced or emptied, the lid above the crane hook has to be removed and the entire device has to be lifted using the crane hook. Since it must be possible to lift the underside of the compartments until it is above a loading floor of a lorry, or even until it is above refuse which has already been deposited on the loading floor, one arm of a crane on the lorry has to be relatively long. This makes the crane relatively expensive, while a crane of this kind is of limited use for various types of lorries. The known device has no means of, and is unsuitable for, being designed with permanent means for monitoring, under certain conditions, the state of the device and whether it is permitted to deposit refuse in the device. The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawback of the known device . This object is achieved according to the invention by means of the refuse-collection device according to claim 1. As a result, all the means which are required for monitoring the state of the device and for allowing refuse to be deposited in the device can be accommodated in the independent throw-in part, which part does not have to be lifted during replacement of emptying of the silos. Since only the silos have to be lifted, while they are located substantially underground, the arm of a crane can be relatively short, with the result that the crane is relatively inexpensive and can more easily be installed on various types of lorries. Other features and advantages of the invention will be explained below with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the refuse-collection device according to the invention, in an at-rest position; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a device of Fig. 1, in a position where its silos are to be moved; Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through a bottom part of a shaft of the overground throw-in part of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows a front view of one of the shafts of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a lock (sluice) ball which is arranged in a throw-in opening of each shaft; Fig. 6 diagrammatically shows an at-rest position, or weighing position, of the ball of Fig. 5 in a shaft; Fig. 7 diagrammatically shows a throw-in position of the ball of Fig. 5 in a shaft; and Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows a tipping position of the ball of Fig. 5 in a shaft. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the refuse-collection device according to the invention comprises a collection part 1 and a throw-in part 2 which is arranged above the collection part 1. The collection part 1 is substantially buried in the ground, for example in a pavement 4. The collection part 1 is preferably placed in a concrete housing (not shown) and is covered by a cover plate 5 made of, for example, concrete. The collection part 1 comprises one or more refuse- collection compartments, which are formed in particular by a refuse silo 7. Each silo 7 is covered at the top by a fixed lid with a central filling opening 8, which is delimited by a vertical flange 9. The top sides of the silos 7 fit with a slight degree of play in openings 12 in the plate 5. The top of the plate 5 and the top of the lid of each silo 7 lie substantially in the same horizontal plane. The bottom part of the flange 9 is suitable, for example by means of a hoisting opening 10, to be engaged" on by means of an associated auxiliary component at the end of a crane (not shown) . The crane is in particular a crane of a lorry (not shown) with a loading body with an open top side. In the situation shown in Fig. 2, the crane is able to lift each silo 7 out of the housing in which they are situated. The crane can then place the hoisted silo 7 onto the loading body of the lorry. However, it is preferred for each silo 7, as is known per se, to have a base which can be opened by auxiliary means on the lorry. Refuse present in the silo 7 can then be tipped into the loading body. The emptied silo 7 can then be put back in the opening 11 of the housing with the plate 5. According to the invention, the throw-in part 2 comprises a shaft 20 for each refuse compartment, in particular for each silo 7. At the top, the shaft 20 has a throw-in opening 21, which is closed off by means of a partially hollow, rotatable ball 22 which is explained below. The diameter of the shaft 20 increases slightly towards the bottom. As shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 20 is of double- walled design by means of a cylindrical inner tube 23 and a concentric outer tube 24, which has a diameter which increases towards the bottom and which extends further downwards than the inner tube 23. The cavity between the tubes 23, 24 is sealed on the underside by means of a flat ring 25. Beneath the ring 25, and between the tubes 23, 24, there is a chamber 26 which is open on the underside. The shape and dimensions of the chamber 26 are such that the flange 9 fits into the chamber 26 and the entire circumference of the ring 25 is supported on the top side of the flange 9. As a result, the flange 9 and the ring 25 form a stench seal . As shown in Fig. 1, a shaft 20 is placed on each silo 7. Each shaft 20 is attached to a central vertical pillar 32 by means of a structure 30, 31. The pillar 32 has a control panel 33 which is explained further on in the text. In the situation shown in Fig. 1, the pillar 32 'is situated in a lower position, in which the pillar 32 can rest on the plate 5. The pillar 32 is hollow and contains lifting means, of which a vertical tube 35 is shown in Fig. 2, which tube is arranged immovably with respect to the plate 5. The tube 35 is provided, for example, with a screw thread or with toothing on which an electric drive arranged in the pillar 32 engages. Since this or other suitable lifting means are known per se, no further details of these means are shown. The device according to the invention as described thus far functions as follows: When the silos 7 are to be replaced or emptied, a driver of a lorry which has been assigned this task will provide an authorization identifier, via the control panel 33, to electrical control means (not shown) which are connected to the control panel 33. The authorization identifier is situated, for example, in electronic or magnetic memory means of a card of the credit card format. After the electrical control means have found the authorization identifier to be correct, the electrical control means will, optionally after the driver has pressed a start button on the control panel 33, drive the electric drive means inside the pillar 32 in order to lift the throw-in part 2 to a height at which the bottom edge of each shaft 20 is situated above the flange 9 of the associated silo 7. The driver can then rotate the throw-in part 2 manually, so that the situation shown in Fig. 2 is reached. In this situation, the area above the silos 7 is free, so that the silos 7 can be lifted out of the underground housing using a crane on the lorry, and in order that the same silo 7, after having been emptied, or a different silo 7 can then be placed back in the housing. Although this is not shown, the underground housing of each silo 7 includes a structure with a horizontal baseplate on which the silo 7 rests and which is moved upwards by means of counterweights when the silo 7 is lifted out . The counterweights are preferably heavier than the weight of the movable support base plus the weight of two adults. This prevents the possibility of people falling into a silo-free space, which is empty for a short or relatively long time, in the underground housing. The weight of an empty silo 7 is sufficiently great to allow the assembly to sink downwards after the silo has been placed on the movable baseplate. Since the crane of the lorry only has to be able to lift the underground silos 7 until they are above the loading body of the lorry, the overall lifting arm of the crane can be shorter than if a silo has a shaft with throw- in opening attached fixedly thereto. A crane with a shorter lifting arm is easier to manoeuvre, fits more easily onto various types of lorries and is less expensive to purchase. The separate realization of the collection part 1 and of the throw-in part 2 has the further advantage that the permanent positioning of the throw-in part 2 allows cables and/or tubes for supplying power to the drive means inside the pillar 32, the control panel 33 and possibly for communication purposes to be placed in position permanently. These cables and/or tubes for power supply or communication can moreover be guided safely from the underground housing, via the stationary tube 35, into the pillar 32. The separate realization of the collection part 1 and the throw-in part 2, and the possibility of permanent installation of power supply cables and tubes, also offers the possibility of providing a further, but associated function. The further function comprises lock (sluice) means which are arranged in the throw-in opening 21 of each shaft 20 and can comprise drive means as a result of the above- mentioned advantages. According to the invention, the lock means comprise in particular a ball 22 which is shown separately in Fig. 5. The ball 22 has two parallel flat side parts 40, which each have a central journal 41 with a common axis of rotation 42. The journals 41 are coupled to drive means (not shown), which are independent for each ball 22. The ball has a chamber 44 with an access opening 45. The chamber 44 is essentially in the form of a bucket, and is intended for refuse to be deposited therein. The diameter of the ball is, for example, 60 cm and the capacity of the chamber 44 is, for example, 60 litres, with the result that the chamber 44 is suitable for a filled standard refuse sack to be deposited therein. If the refuse-collection device is out of operation or is in the at-rest position, the ball 22 is rotated about the horizontal axis 42 in such a manner that a closed ball part of the ball 22 seals off the throw-in opening 21 of the shaft 20. Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6 show this position. By selecting suitable materials, for example plastic, and by using optional extra sealing means, the ball 22 can in this position seal off the throw-in opening 21 in a largely stench-tight manner. In order to be able to deposit a refuse sack in a silo 7, the ball 22 of the associated shaft 20 is rotated to such an extent, preferably over the shortest possible route (in Fig. 6 in the clockwise direction) , that the opening 45 of the chamber 44 coincides with the throw-in opening 21 of the shaft 20. After the refuse sack has been deposited in the chamber 44, the ball 22 is rotated back into the position shown in Fig. 6. In this position, weighing means (not shown) , which are coupled to suspension means for the journals 41 of the ball 22, can weigh a substantially constant load plus the contents of the chamber 44. The ball 22 can then be rotated further into the position shown in Fig. 8, in which the opening 45 of the chamber 44 of the ball 22 faces downwards, so that refuse present in the chamber 44 is tipped down, via the shaft 20, into the silo 7 . Since the throw-in part 2 has at its disposal power-supply cables and/or tubes, electrical means may be provided for electrically driving a motor (not shown) which is coupled to the journals 41. The electrical means may be combined with the electrical means for operating the drive means for lifting the pillar 32. The electrical means may be suitable for allowing the ball 22 to be rotated only under certain circumstances. In this respect, a single switch 48, and preferably two key switches 49, is/are arranged on the top side of the shaft 20, close to the throw-in opening 21. Moreover, the control panel 33 preferably has means with which a person wishing to deposit refuse can provide an authorization identifier to the electrical means. The authorization identifier may be situated in electronic or magnetic memory means of a card, for example in the format of a credit card. The card may be a simple authorization card, a credit card, an electronic money-holder or a subscriber card. When the person wishing to deposit refuse has provided his/her authorization identifier to the electrical means via the control panel 33, and this identifier has been found to be correct by the electrical means, the switches 48, 49 or at least signals provided by these switches, are enabled. When the user activates the switch 48, the drive means will rotate the ball 22 into the throw- in position shown in Fig. 7. When the user then, optionally after having thrown in refuse, activates at least one of the switches 49, the ball 22 will be rotated, by the drive means, into the weighing position shown in Fig. 6. After the deposited refuse has been weighed, the drive means will rotate the ball 22 into the tipping position shown in Fig. 8. Then, the drive means will rotate the ball 22 into the at-rest position which is also shown in Fig. 6. If the authorization identifier of the person depositing the refuse was on a suitable card, the electrical means can be suitable for deducting a sum from the card for tipping in the refuse . The sum to be deducted may be made dependent on the measured weight of the refuse tipped in. In order to ensure that this takes place correctly, the electrical means will draw the inserted card right in, so that it is out of reach of the person depositing the refuse. After deducting the sum owed, the card is returned. Preferably, the person depositing the refuse has to activate both switches 49 simultaneously, so that neither hand is free, thus preventing the hands from accidentally being trapped when the ball 22 is rotated out of the throw- in position shown in Fig. 7 into the weighing or at-rest position shown in Fig. 6. Since the throw- in part 2 with the electrical means can be realized independently of the silos 7 of the collection part 1, it is sufficient to arrange detection means permanently in the throw- in part 2 for measuring the filling level of each silo 7. The detection means may comprise ultrasonic detection means (not shown) which are connected to the electrical means and are arranged on the inside of each shaft 20. The ultrasonic detection means transmit an ultrasonic signal, via the filling opening 8, into the silo 7 beneath them, and detect an ultrasonic signal which is reflected by the refuse in the silo. The time difference between transmitting the ultrasonic signal and receiving the reflected ultrasonic signal, and possibly the attenuation of the reflected signal, can be processed in order to determine the filling level of the silo 7. Preferably, the electrical means comprise communication means for remotely providing a manager with information about the filling level of the silos 7 and optionally with other information about the condition of the device. Depending on the circumstances, the manager can send a command, via the communication means, so as to immobilize in particular the drive means which are coupled to the balls 22.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Refuse-collection device, comprising a collection part (1) and a throw-in part (2) which is arranged above the collection part, the collection part (1) being intended to be placed substantially in a buried housing with an open top, the collection part (1) having a number of refuse- collection compartments (7) , and the throw-in part (2) having, for each compartment (7) , a substantially vertical filling shaft (20) , which is arranged above a filling opening (8) of the compartment (7) and has a refuse- insertion opening (21) , characterized in that the collection part (1) and the throw-in part (2) are separate parts, each filling shaft (20) is attached to a structure (30, 31, 32) with a vertical pivot pin (35), an axis of which extends towards between the compartments (7) , lifting and rotating means are coupled to the vertical pivot pin, which means are suitable for moving the shafts (20) vertically between low and high positions in which the shafts (20) can or cannot be rotated above the silo (7) about the vertical pin (35) respectively. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a bottom part (23) of the shaft (20) has means (24) which are suitable, in combination with a flange (9) of the filling opening (8) , to form a seal for the silo (7) . 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the compartments are separate silos (7) . 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting means comprise first drive means . 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the throw-in part (2) comprises a control panel (33) and first electrical means, which are connected to the control panel and the first drive means and, on receiving a correct authorization identifier, enable the first drive means to be operated. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the throw-in part (2) has means for determining a filling level of each compartment (7) . 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that lock (sluice) means with a lock chamber (44) are arranged in the throw-in opening (21) of each shaft (20) , which lock means are suitable for moving the lock chamber (44) between a first position, in which the lock chamber (44) is open only towards the throw-in opening (21) , for the purpose of depositing a quantity of refuse in the chamber via the throw-in opening (21) , and a second position, in which the lock chamber (44) is open only towards the shaft (20) , for the purpose of tipping refuse present in the chamber (44) into the shaft (20) . 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the lock means comprise a transport body (22) , of which a chamber (44) , which is open on one side (45) , forms the lock chamber, the transport body (22) can be rotated about a horizontal axle which is parallel to the open side (45) of the chamber (44) , so as to reach the first and second positions of the chamber, and the throw-in opening (21) has a shape which is matched to the shape of the transport body (22) , in order for the chamber (44) , in its first and second positions, to be open only towards the throw-in opening (21) or towards the shaft (20) . 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the transport body (22) is a ball-shaped. 10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the horizontal axle of the transport body (22) is coupled to weighing means for weighing refuse which is present in the lock chamber (44) . 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the first and second positions of the lock chamber (44) are situated on either side of a third position, in which the chamber (44) is inaccessible from the throw-in opening (21) and the weighing means carry out the weighing. 12. Device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the transport body (22) is coupled to second drive means and second electrical means, which are coupled to the second drive means and, on receiving a correct authorization identifier, enable the second drive means . 13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the second electrical means comprise a first switch (48) and a second switch (49) , and when the first switch (48) is activated the second electrical means operate the second drive means so as to rotate the body (22) into the first position, and as long as the second switch (49) is activated the second electrical means operate the second drive means so as to rotate the body (22) into the second position, after which the second control means, irrespec- tive of whether the second switch (49) is activated, operate the second drive means so as to rotate the body (22) successively into the third position, the second position and back into the third position. 14. Device according to one of claims 5 to 13 , characterized in that the electrical means comprise communication means for transmitting data concerning the filling level of the compartments (7) . 15. Device according to one of claims 5 to 14, characterized in that the electrical means comprise an electronic payment device. 16. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collection part (1) has two compartments (7) , a part (32) of the connecting structure (30, 31, 32) of the throw-in part (2) which is common to two associated shafts (20) is arranged centrally between and above the compartments (7) , and a space between the compartments is sufficiently large to allow the passage to the common part of the throw-in part (2) of cables and/or tubes for power supply and/or communication. 17. Device according to one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the second electrical means move the second drive means into the second or third position, and maintain them in this position, when a maximum filling level of a compartment (7) has been reached and/or a suitable remote command is received.

Inventors: VERMEER WILLEM, VERMEER, WILLEM
Applicants: EXPLOITATIEMAATSCHAPPIJ DE BER, VERMEER WILLEM, EXPLOITATIEMAATSCHAPPIJ DE BERGHAAF B.V., VERMEER, WILLEM
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65F1
IPC codes: B65F1