Abstract:
This invention relates to an automatic domestic trash delivery system extending between chosen refuse container storage and designated pick-up site. This invention is to provide a domestic refuse delivery system that can be emptied by garbage pick-up service, more specifically the trucks with the automatic lift and dump apparatus.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    [0001]                                                               5,042,642   August 1991   Ulrich   198/750.1           5,353,887   October 1994   Putnam   180/168.                        
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    “Not Applicable” 
         REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
         [0003]    “Not Applicable” 
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    This invention relates to an automatic domestic trash delivery system extending between chosen refuse container storage and designated pick-up site. This invention is to provide a domestic refuse delivery system that can be emptied by garbage pick-up service, more specifically the trucks with the automatic lift and dump apparatus.  
           [0005]    In Ullrich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,642, for a household trash delivery system on a track, in which the cart is moved by continuous chain conveyor. Another system is described in Putnam, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,887 in which the motor is housed in the cart and has a drive wheel located on the under side of the cart drivable on a track at set times using a programmable timer.  
           [0006]    The disadvantages of the prior art for track mounted vehicles, is that vehicles do not have the support necessary for the impact of the automatic lift apparatuses which are applied to the collection vehicles to assist the collection process. Prior art of the Ullrich and Putnam patents show complex installation of the track which is a burden to the marketability. Further more, the Putnam patent provides an impractical method to overcome snow, where if the level of snow were to accumulate higher than a small mound in a short period of time, the cart would be inoperative.  
           [0007]    Another drawback of the prior art is when the owner could be vacant from the home for any amount of time and the carrier takes the container to the curbside empty causing the collection vehicle to assume there is garbage in the barrel and accumulating time, they are giving effort to save, with the new automatic lifts.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention consist of a timer controlled tracked vehicle for carrying refuse storage containers, having spring and shock action applied to the cart for durability to accommodate the automatic lifts which are progressively being applied to the garbage collection vehicles.  
           [0009]    The object of this invention is to:  
           [0010]    a) provide a controlled refuse receptacle carrier, that is compatible with the mechanical lifts on the garbage collection trucks;  
           [0011]    b) allow the carrier to endure the harsh force of the automatic vehicles;  
           [0012]    c) provide a programmable garbage carrier, which may be moved in two directions to transport receptacles between a residence and the collection site;  
           [0013]    d) to inform the driver by providing visible notification on the cart when the container is empty;  
           [0014]    e) provide safety bumpers along the sides of the carrier to pause when in contact with a an obstacle while in motion, until the obstacle has moved.  
           [0015]    f) provide predetermined controls to establish transport times of the carrier;  
           [0016]    g) have a horizontal hollow track with elongated surface to hold fixed to the ground being manufactured in to sectional pieces which are strait and curved to allow carrier to travel along any desired pattern;  
           [0017]    h) apply light materials and snap together track pieces to allow for easy assembly by any common individual;  
           [0018]    i) provide an option of heat in the track surface to avoid snow and ice build up by pipes containing boiling water being heated by a small broiler; 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 shows a side view of a timer programmable apparatus for transporting domestic refuse containers.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 shows a front view of the apparatus showing guidance through a hollow track.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the apparatus showing the drive.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 shows an under carriage view of the apparatus.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 shows an over head view of the track.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 shows a three dimensional view of the track channel.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 shows operations of mechanical parts. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 shows a timer  32  programmable apparatus  1  for transporting refuse that comprises of a delivery service that can hold a large refuse container and durable to be used with the mechanical lifts on the collection trucks. Where as the carrier  1  travels along the track beginning at a desired refuse container storage location, and ending at the refuse collection site, generally located at the curbside in front of a home. The system is made of light simple pieces to allow for box packaging for marketability and easy assembly by any individual.  
         [0027]    The carrier  1  is framed with two ninety degree angled steel pieces  50  running parallel the length of the carrier and two pieces  51  that run parallel the width of the carrier to form a rectangular shaped outer frame. One side of the angle is supporting the container storage bin  11  and mechanical parts  7  and fastened to this outer angle  50  and  51  of the frame  4 . The other side of the angle  50  and  51  will hang under the frame for attaching an endless safety bumper  13  using a tension cord wraps the sides of the frame  4 . There is a slat of steel  52  that runs along the width in the front end, on top of the angle steel  50  frame  4  for the wheels  15  to be fastened to each side under the carrier farley spaced from the edges to roll on top of the track surface  43 . There will be an additional slat of steel  53  connecting the slat  52  which the front wheels  15  are attached to the center of the front ninety degree angle steel piece  51  to fasten the guide wheels  18 . A slat  54  of the same width of the frame  4  supported on the angled steel pieces  50  will be slightly off centered in the frame  4  to support the container storage bin  11 . The box housing  27  the moving parts will be attached on top in the rear of the frame  4 . The rear wheels  15  are mounted on an axle  39  for means of motion, the axle  39  is cased  25  on either side of the sprocket  37  which is attached to the motor  34 , the sprocket  37  is also cased  24  and attached to the bottom of the motor housing  27 . A guide  17  and  18  will also be attached to the bottom of the motor housing  27  and the rear piece of angled steel  51 .  
         [0028]    The front wheels  15  will roll on the track surface  43  and are mounted using swiveling spring supported brackets  14 . The guidance rod  17  will also be secured to the frame using smaller spring supported brackets  16 . The guide  17  and  18  will roll through a hollow track channel  46  on a pair of small wheels  18 .  
         [0029]    There are a pair heavy springs  12  mounted on top of the front steel slat  52  along the width of the carrier and another pair of heavy springs  12  mounted on the steel slat  54  along the width of the carrier. The heavy springs  12  will support the container storage bin  11  which holds the containers. The container storage bin  11  will be of size to hold large containers and will consist of a bottom and four sides. The sides will be angled to guide the barrel back into the container storage bin  11  easily. The container storage bin  11  will consist of a flat platform which will be enjoined together with eight durable slats. Hinges, will be used to secure four durable plastic slats to platform. Hinges will also secure the four additional upper slats allowing fold ability for easy packaging. The ends of the slats will be fastened with latches and two support braces attaching to angle steel exposed side and sides of slats. There is also provided a flag which can be turned up to notify the collection vehicles the container is full, and falls when the container is emptied which can be attached to a container. The box housing  27  which is attached to the end of the frame  50  and  51  will be the width of the frame  4 . The box  27  will have a lid  22  which can be opened from the rear extending toward the front, on the top. Power is received from a common source and through a transformer set with a three prong female receptacle  29 . The transformer  29  is braced to a pole  28  at the home end of the track and is lined up with the three prong male receptacle  30  mounted within a fitted indent, therefore there is a positive, negative and ground wire. The ground wire is immediately attached to frame, positive and negative wires are connected to the rechargeable battery  31  then from the battery to the control box  32 . The control box  32  which is mounted at a slant in the box  27  at the top, level with the tool tray  26 . The tool tray  26  is suspended over the motor  35  by sitting on five dowels extending from the bottom of the box  27 . The control box  32  is connected to the toggle switches  13  and  33 . The circuit breaks when toggle switches  13  and  33  are triggered. A weight switch mounted under the container can be used in place of the toggle switches  13  and  33 . The switches  13  and  33  protrude from the base of the guide rod  17  and is flipped by another protruding piece in each end of the hollow track  6 , and is reactivated by controls  32  at programmed times. The safety switch  13  consist of a soft rubber bumper housing an endless line if tension cord around the outer edge of the carrier  1 . When tension is put on the safety switch  13  the circuit between the switch  13  and the compositor  34  breaks until tension is released. The switches  13 ,  19  and  20  are connected to the controls  32  through the compositor  34  and are always in connection. When the motor  35  is in motion it will turn the piston  36  in forward and reverse motion spinning an endless chain  38  around the a sprocket  39  which is mounted on the motor piston  36  and around a sprocket mounted on the axle  39  turning the rear wheels  15  for means of motion.  
         [0030]    The track  5  lays on the ground and has a height of about two inches. The track surface  43  is as wide as the carrier  1  for the wheels  15  to roll. The track  5  has two ends starting from the storage location extending horizontally along the ground to the collection site located generally at the curb. There is a small hollow channel FIG. 6 mounted in the center of the track FIG. 5 which extends horizontally between both ends of the track. The top of the channel FIG. 6 will be flush with the top of the track surface  43  and open to allow the guide  17  to slide through. A brush  47  is attached to the length of the track FIG. 5 lined up with both sides of the opening of the channel  46  to avoid debris in the hollow channel FIG. 6. There will be drainage holes through the bottom of the body of the track FIG. 5 and the channel FIG. 6. The guide wheels  18  will roll in the hollow channel FIG. 6. The track FIG. 5 will be manufactured in various curved and strait pieces and will consist of pieces having male  44  and female  45  ends where one side is made slightly smaller than the other side for secure means of fastening to another piece of opposite male or female track piece  44  and  45 . At each parked end of the track FIG. 5 a piece will slide on and fill the channel  46  with an elongated piece protruding in the length for means to flip the switch  19  or  20 . Heat can be put in the track FIG. 5 using filoment heat in tubing  42  which is laced through the tracks body FIG. 5. The heat is only necessary in areas where snow would be an issue. The track FIG. 5 will be manufactured sections short enough for packaging and easy assembly. All pieces will be manufactured with light materials for easy handling. The outer track  43  will be made of a light plastic with little or no expansion. The channel FIG. 6 may be made of steel or aluminum.