Patent Description:
Various types of presses used for compacting urban or similar solid waste are known to the state of the art.

Said type of press is designed to solve problems arising from the storage and transport of considerable amounts of waste.

The function of this machine is in fact to compact and reduce the volume of urban and similar solid waste to facilitate the handling and storage thereof.

Said waste can be for example: paper, plastic, secondary solid fuel, etc..

Said presses generally comprise a compaction tunnel inside which a presser slides that compresses the material against an abutment, to form an agglomeration of waste generally called a "bale". Said abutment is configured to open and allow the transfer of the bale from the press to receiving means for transferring, for example, truck platforms.

The tunnel generally has a generally metallic structure having the shape of a parallelepiped supported on the ground by four legs.

The waste is normally inserted into the press by means of special conveyor belts, which unload by fall into a loading mouth of the press, for example a hopper operatively connected to the structure.

The waste is compacted by means of movable pressing means, e.g. connected to an oleodynamic compacting cylinder. The pressing means push the waste against the abutment by exerting the maximum pressure to form the compacted waste bale. Once compaction is finished, this abutment is raised, for example oleodynamically, leaving the entire internal section of the structure of the press completely free.

The pressing means then move the bale outside the structure of the press until it is completely transferred onto the means used for reception.

One problem with the step of transferring the bale from the press to the receiving means, is that between these two there might be personnel in charge of the press or other people, who would be subject to a high danger, risking being hit or crushed. In fact, the poor visibility due to the size of the receiving means could prevent the operator in charge of the means from noticing the presence of people, accidentally hitting them, or, once a receiving means is positioned, the operator in charge of the press could start the bale transfer operation, from the press to the receiving means without noticing the presence of people interposed between the two. Either way, the consequences might be disastrous.

<CIT> discloses a press for compacting waste material according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. <CIT> and <CIT> disclose safety devices.

The technical problem at the basis of the present invention is that of providing a press for compacting waste material, in particular preferably urban solids, structurally and functionally conceived to overcome one or more of the limits set out above with reference to the aforementioned prior art.

In the context of the aforementioned problem, a main object of the invention is that of developing a press for compacting waste material, in particular preferably urban solids, which allows the operations to transfer the pressed material or bale onto the receiving means to be carried out safely.

A further object of the invention is also that of providing to the art a press for compacting waste material, in particular urban solids, within a simple, rational and rather low-cost solution.

In particular, the present invention provides a press for compacting waste material, in particular urban solids, according to claim <NUM> and a method of making a bale of waste material, in particular urban solids, within a press according to claim <NUM>.

According to the invention, the structure of said tunnel is configured to cooperate with at least one anti-crushing apparatus extending away from the first end of the structure thus defining a safety area, in front of the opening, which is not accessible to the receiving means, to avoid the crushing of people possibly interposed between the press and the receiving means.

Thanks to this solution it is possible to make the unloading of the bale to receiving means safer.

The anti-crushing apparatus is movable between a safety position wherein it extends beyond the first end in the outlet direction of the bale and a clearance position wherein it does not create any encumbrance in proximity to the opening.

Said anti-crushing apparatus comprises at least one obstructing element connected to the press, via at least one arm, in proximity to said first end of the structure; said obstructing element being preferably a bar. It further comprises at least one actuator adapted to move the at least one arm so as to move the anti-crushing device between the safety position and the clearance position and vice versa.

Preferably, the anti-crushing device comprises at least one detection device adapted to detect the moving away of the receiving means, and activating the movement of the anti-crushing apparatus from the clearance position to the safety position.

Preferably, the anti-crushing apparatus comprises a control unit electrically connected to the at least one actuator and preferably to the at least one detection device, which manages the implementation of the anti-crushing device also based on the information collected by the at least one detection device.

This facilitates safety in the transfer of the bale to avoid accidents due to poor visibility at said first end.

The advantage of this solution is that it can be easily integrated into already existing presses.

Preferably said structure of the tunnel is shaped like a parallelepiped with a long side parallel to the ground.

In particular, the present invention also provides a method of making a bale of waste material, in particular preferably urban solids, within a press which provides:.

According to the invention, said method provides for extending an anti-crushing apparatus beyond the first end of the press in the outlet direction of the bale, thus defining a safety area in front of the opening which is not accessible to the receiving means.

According to the invention, it further provides for raising said abutment element defining an opening preferably located at a first end of the structure, positioning the receiving means for transferring the bale and transferring the bale onto the receiving means through said opening.

According to the invention, the method provides, prior to transferring the bale to the receiving means, for detecting the presence of people/volumes/foreign bodies interposed between the press and the receiving means approaching said first end.

According to the invention, in the absence of people, it provides for moving the anti-crushing apparatus to the clearance position to allow the coupling between the press and the receiving means, thus allowing access to the safety area and transferring the bale onto the receiving means through said opening.

In particular, after transferring the bale to the receiving means, the device also detects the absence of the receiving means and starts the movement of the anti-crushing apparatus to a safety position so as to return the press to a safety condition.

In an embodiment not forming part of the invention, the present disclosure also provides an anti-crushing apparatus connected to a first end of a press for compacting waste material, in particular preferably urban solids, configured to avoid the approach of receiving means to the press, in the presence of people and made according to the characteristics described above.

These and other objects are achieved thanks to the characteristics of the invention set forth in the independent claims <NUM> and <NUM>.

The dependent claims outline preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

These and other features will be more apparent from the following description of some embodiments illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings.

With particular reference to the figure, a press <NUM> for compacting waste material is depicted.

In particular, it is preferably urban solid waste.

In fact, said type of press is designed to compact and reduce urban and similar solid waste into bales <NUM>, reducing the volume thereof and facilitating the handling thereof.

Said bales <NUM> may have adjustable size and weight.

According to an embodiment of the invention depicted in the figures, said press comprises a compaction tunnel <NUM> configured to receive waste.

Said tunnel <NUM> is defined by a structure <NUM>, preferably metallic resting on the ground.

A preferred embodiment provides that the structure <NUM> is shaped like a parallelepiped or case.

In particular, the long side of the parallelepiped is parallel to the ground.

Preferably, said waste is inserted into the structure <NUM> of the tunnel <NUM> by means of a hopper <NUM>.

As depicted in the figure, one embodiment provides that the waste enters the structure <NUM> by falling as the hopper <NUM> is located above the structure <NUM>, on the side opposite the ground.

Thus, the tunnel <NUM> is in communication with the hopper <NUM> through which said waste material to be compacted is received.

Preferably, the waste material to be compacted arrives at the hopper <NUM> by means of special conveyor belts, not depicted in the figure, which by unloading by fall into the hopper <NUM> fill the press <NUM>.

The press <NUM> may comprise a hatch <NUM> arranged horizontally below the hopper <NUM>.

Said hatch <NUM> can be configured to translate from an open position wherein it allows the passage of waste into a closed position wherein it closes the passage between the hopper <NUM> and the tunnel <NUM>.

Before the press <NUM> starts compacting the waste, preferably said hatch <NUM>, moved for example by an oleodynamic cylinder, isolates the compaction tunnel <NUM> from the hopper <NUM>.

The press <NUM> further comprises pressing means <NUM> configured to slide within the structure <NUM> of said tunnel <NUM>.

The translation of said pressing means <NUM> pushes the waste material against an abutment element <NUM> until a sufficient pressure is exerted to compress said waste material and to form a bale <NUM>.

Said pressing means <NUM> can translate by means of drive means preferably of the hydraulic type as they are able to exert high pressures.

Alternatively, solutions in which the drive means that move the pressing means <NUM> are of an electrical, pneumatic type, etc. also fall within the scope of protection of the invention.

Said pressing means may be, for example, a metal shovel having a size preferably similar to the internal cross-section of the structure <NUM> for obtaining a bale <NUM> with maximum size for said structure <NUM>.

Said abutment element <NUM> is preferably located at a first end 111a of the structure <NUM>.

In a preferred embodiment the abutment <NUM> defines a transverse wall, i.e. on the short side of the structure <NUM>.

According to one aspect of the invention, said abutment <NUM> is movable in vertical direction to define an opening 115a that puts the tunnel <NUM> in communication with the outside.

Preferably, the size of the abutment <NUM> is such that it defines an opening 115a that leaves the entire internal section of the press <NUM> completely free.

In this way, the abutment <NUM> can pass from a closed position wherein it receives the thrust of the pressing means <NUM> during the waste compression step into an open position that allows the bale <NUM> thus formed to exit.

In fact, through the opening 115a the pressing means <NUM> push the bale <NUM> and transfer it outside the structure <NUM> of the tunnel <NUM>.

Thus, the opening 115a will be larger than the size of the pressing means <NUM> that can exit therefrom for the complete ejection of the bale.

Said abutment <NUM> can be raised and lowered by means of movement means, for example of the oleodynamic type.

Also preferably the translation of the pressing means <NUM> is equally of the oleodynamic type. In the figure there is depicted a preferred embodiment that provides an oleodynamic cylinder with <NUM> extensions to be able to also perform the stroke that is additional to the compression stroke, to perform the ejection of the bale <NUM>.

Said transfer generally provides that the bale <NUM> is received by receiving means <NUM>.

Said receiving means <NUM> can be, for example, a truck with cases with closed structure or with a platform.

The conformation of the receiving means <NUM> generally comprises an inlet zone <NUM> through which the bale <NUM> is pushed.

The visibility of the operator of a receiving means <NUM> at said inlet zone <NUM> is generally poor, and the difficulty in the step of aligning the receiving means <NUM> with the press <NUM> could prevent the operator from noticing the presence of people interposed between the two.

Therefore, it is important that there is a safety system in place which prevents possible accidents during the step of transferring the bale <NUM> to the receiving means <NUM>.

To do this, the prior art provides for the supervision by an operator who coordinates the transfer operations, in addition to the operator in charge of the press <NUM> and of the receiving means <NUM>.

Therefore, it is the operator who guides the receiving means <NUM> for the correct position for the transfer of the bale <NUM> in total safety to be reached.

An object of the invention is a preferred embodiment that provides that the structure <NUM> of said tunnel <NUM> is configured to cooperate with at least one anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> extending away from the first end 111a thus defining an area A in front of the opening 115a which is not accessible to the receiving means <NUM> to avoid the crushing of people possibly interposed between the press <NUM> and the receiving means <NUM>.

Said anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> is movable between a safety position O wherein it extends beyond the first end 111a in the outlet direction of the bale <NUM> and a clearance position V wherein it does not create any encumbrance in proximity to the opening <NUM>°.

Said anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> is therefore adapted to avoid the approach of receiving means <NUM> to the press <NUM> when in the safety position O.

Thanks to this solution, the press <NUM> is provided with a new state-of-the-art safety system, but which can easily be integrated even on existing presses, adapted to avoid possible accidents during the step of approaching the receiving means <NUM> to the press <NUM>. Therefore, if during the manoeuvre of approach to said first end 111a by a receiving means <NUM>, there should be a person interposed between the two, the receiving means <NUM> would be stopped by the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM>, which extending away from the first end 111a defines a safety area A, in front of the opening 115a, which is not accessible to the receiving means <NUM> avoiding the crushing of people possibly interposed between the press <NUM> and the receiving means <NUM>.

Preferably, said safety area A extends away from said abutment element <NUM> and/or from the structure <NUM>, by a distance between <NUM> and <NUM>, more preferably <NUM>.

However, said safety area A has an extension which is at least sufficient to receive a person.

In the embodiment depicted in the figures, the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> is movable between a safety position O wherein it extends beyond the first end 111a in the outlet direction of the bale <NUM> and a clearance position V wherein it does not create any encumbrance in proximity to the opening 115a.

Still according to the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> comprises an obstructing element 150a, preferably a bar connected to the press <NUM>, via at least one arm 150b, in proximity to said first end 111a of the structure <NUM>.

The anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> preferably comprises at least one actuator 150c adapted to move the at least one arm 150b so as to move the obstructing element 150a between the safety position O and the clearance position V and vice versa.

Preferably the bar protrudes from the structure <NUM> and from the abutment element <NUM> by a couple of metres.

A preferred embodiment depicted in the figure provides a bar connected to the press <NUM>, through two arms 150b.

In particular, two actuators 150c, are arranged to each actuate an arm 150b, so as to move the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> between the safety position O, wherein it partially obstructs the opening 150a, and the clearance position V, wherein the bar 150a translates beyond the abutment element <NUM>, positioning itself above it, and vice versa.

Preferably, said actuators 150c are connected at a first fixed end 150d to the structure <NUM>, in proximity to said first end 111a, and at a second movable end 150e each to an arm 150b.

Said actuators 150c are preferably of the hydraulic type as they are able to exert high pressures.

Alternatively, solutions in which the actuators are of an electrical, pneumatic type, etc. fall within the scope of protection of the invention.

An advantageous aspect of the invention is that it also comprises a detection device <NUM>.

Preferably, the detection device <NUM> detects the moving away of the receiving means <NUM>, when the step of transferring the bale <NUM> has ended, and activates the movement of the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> from the clearance position V to the safety position O.

Said detection device <NUM> may be, for example, a sensor, a camera, or whatever is available to a person skilled in the art to receive information on the moving away of the receiving means <NUM> with respect to the press <NUM>.

According to the embodiment in the figures it is a proximity laser sensor.

Finally, preferably, the press <NUM> comprises a control unit electrically connected to the actuators 150c and preferably to the detection device <NUM> and/or to a possible control room of the press <NUM>.

Said detection device <NUM> can directly communicate the information to the actuators 150c to activate them by generating the displacement of the anti-crushing device <NUM> from the clearance position V to the safety position O.

Alternatively, the detection device <NUM> sends a signal to the control unit that sends an activation command or not to the actuators.

Optionally, said anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> comprises an acoustic emitter and/or a light emitter, preferably activated by the control unit, which is preferably activated during the displacement of the anti-crushing device <NUM> from the clearance position V to the safety position O.

<FIG>,<FIG>,<FIG> depict an example of positioning steps that provides for a first placement of the receiving means <NUM> with respect to the press <NUM>, at a minimum distance imposed by the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> in the safety position O, followed by the movement of the anti-crushing device <NUM> from a safety position O to a clearance position V by activating the actuators 150c by the control unit, to ensure that said opening 115a is accessible to the inlet zone <NUM>.

In <FIG> the receiving means <NUM> substantially comes into contact with the opening 115a, the abutment element <NUM> is open and the bale <NUM> can be safely transferred from the press <NUM> to the receiving means <NUM>.

<FIG> depicts an example of steps following the opening of the abutment <NUM> and in particular the steps of transferring the bale <NUM> from the press <NUM> (<FIG>) to the receiving means <NUM> (<FIG>).

Preferably said anti-crushing device <NUM> is made of steel.

An object of the invention is also the method of making a bale <NUM> of waste material, in particular preferably urban solids within a press <NUM> which provides:.

Further, the method provides, before or after bringing the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> into a safety position, to raise said abutment element <NUM> defining an opening 115a preferably located at a first end 111a of the structure <NUM>.

Said method provides for positioning the receiving means <NUM> for transferring the bale <NUM> and transferring through said opening 115a the bale <NUM> onto the receiving means <NUM>.

In this case, the receiving means <NUM> are distant from the lopening 115a due to the presence of the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM>.

Alternatively, in order to optimise the transfer of the bale <NUM>, in particular with the inlet zone <NUM> in proximity to the opening 115a of the press <NUM>, before positioning the receiving means <NUM> and transferring the bale <NUM>, the method provides for:.

A preferred form of operation further provides, after transferring the bale <NUM>, for:.

It is however understood that some of said steps of the method are not necessarily in the described sequence but can also be reversed.

An object of the disclosure is also the anti-crushing apparatus <NUM> connected to a first end 111a of a press <NUM> for compacting waste material, in particular preferably urban solids, configured to avoid the approach of receiving means <NUM> to the press <NUM>, in the presence of people and made according to the characteristics described above.

Claim 1:
Press (<NUM>) for compacting waste material in particular urban solids, comprising a compaction tunnel (<NUM>) in communication with a hopper (<NUM>) through which said waste material to be compacted is received, pressing means (<NUM>) configured to translate within a structure (<NUM>) of said tunnel (<NUM>), which are configured to compress the waste material against an abutment element (<NUM>) and to form a bale (<NUM>), said abutment element (<NUM>) preferably located at a first end (111a) of the structure (<NUM>) and movable in vertical direction to define an opening (115a) through which the pressing means (<NUM>) transfer said bale (<NUM>) onto receiving means (<NUM>), characterized in that the press (<NUM>) comprises at least one anti-crushing apparatus (<NUM>) extending away from the first end (111a), thus defining a safety area (A) in front of the opening (115a) which is not accessible to the receiving means (<NUM>) to avoid the crushing of people possibly interposed between the press (<NUM>) and the receiving means (<NUM>), the anti-crushing apparatus (<NUM>) comprises:
- at least one obstructing element (150a) connected to the press (<NUM>) via at least one arm (150b), in proximity to said first end (111a) of the structure (<NUM>);
- at least one actuator (150c) adapted to move the at least one arm (150b) so as to move the obstructing element (150a) between the safety position (O) and the clearance position (V) and vice versa.