GB2291786A - A cover for the hinge of a lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A waste container comprising an opening for entry of waste into the container, the opening being closeable by at least one door (14), which is hinged on one side of the opening, each hinge comprising a hinge bar (32) which passes through a plurality of spaced hinge blocks (34) of the door (14), and a hinge cover (36) over substantially the entire length of the hinge bar (32). The hinge cover (36) helps prevent jamming, weathering and breakage of the hinge blocks (34). <IMAGE>

Description

A WASTE CONTAINER Field of the Invention The present invention relates to waste containers.

Background to the Invention The use of large on-site waste containers has grown over the years as the means for handling them have improved.

It is now quite common to have waste containers on-site which can be emptied by a single driver-operator.

For instance, in GB 2 207 339 there is disclosed a waste container having on opposite sides thereof holes whereby it can be engaged by forks of a front end loading refuse vehicle for emptying. The container has an upper opening for entry of refuse closable by a pair of doors, each of which is hinged on one side of the opening. In this case, the hinge comprises a hinge bar projecting through a one piece hinge block.

The principle of this design has been successful.

However, in order to improve the ease with which the operator can open and manoeuvre the doors, they are now made of a plastics material. As part of this redesign, the hinges at the sides of each of the doors again include a hinge bar, but now have a plurality of spaced hinged blocks along their length. This construction has a number of advantages in that it reduces the amount of plastics material needed in the moulding to reduce costs, it reduces the friction between the hinge bar and the hinge blocks to make the door easier to open, and it reduces the complexity of the mould again reducing costs.

Figure 1 shows an example of part of the construction of such a known front end loading waste container door.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a metal door 2 and a metal hinge bar 4. The door 2 is connected to the hinge bar 4 by the plurality (only two are shown, for convenience) of metallic hinge blocks 6 along the length of the hinge bar 4.

However, it has been found that the hinges of these improved doors encounter problems in practice. That is that the area around the hinge blocks is open. Thus, waste materials can enter the gap around the hinge bars causing interference to their opening and closing.

Furthermore, the hinge bars and blocks experience greater weathering. The hinge blocks have been found to break occasionally.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or obviate at least one of the problems, whether referred to above or not, encountered with the prior art.

Summarv of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a waste container comprising an opening for entry of waste into the container, the opening being closeable by at least one door, each of which is hinged on one side of the opening, each hinge comprising a hinge bar which passes through a plurality of spaced hinge blocks of the door, and a hinge cover over substantially the entire length of the hinge bar.

By providing a cover over the hinge bar, waste materials are less likely to find their way into the gap between the hinge bar and the body of the container or the hinge blocks. The at least one door is therefore less likely to become jammed. Furthermore, by covering the hinge bar, it is to a large extent protected from weathering.

Suitably, the hinge cover is formed as part of the hinge blocks to increase their strength. A rigid bar may be inserted in a pocket of the at least one door to provide further rigidity.

Suitably, the at least one door may be formed of a plastics material and is preferably double skinned.

Preferably, the at least one door is ribbed to increase its structural integrity.

Suitably, the waste container is a front end loading container in which means are provided for forks of a container lifting means to engage in the container.

Suitably, means are provided for locking the at least one door in an open position.

Conveniently, the at least one door comprises a pair of side opening doors.

Suitably, adjacent the upper edge of the side opening doors is a further hinged door, the hinge of which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the hinges of the side opening doors such that with the additional door open, the opening into the container is larger.

Suitably, the hinge blocks are located one at either end of the hinge bar. More suitably, there are additional hinge blocks along the length of the hinge bar between the two hinge blocks at either end of the hinge bar.

Conveniently, the hinge blocks intermediate the hinge blocks at either end of the hinge bar are spaced equally along the length of the hinge bar.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that follow; in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a door and hinge construction of the prior art.

Figure 2 is a front view of a waste container in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side view of the waste container shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front view of a door of the waste container shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a side view of the door shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged end view of a detail of the door shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged front view of the locking mechanism of the embodiment shown in Figures 2-5 with the door closed.

Figure 8 is a side view of the detail shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a front view similar to Figure 7, but with the door in its open position.

Figure 10 is an enlarged side view of the top of the waste container shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings that follow, there is shown a container 10 having a container body 12 and side hinged doors 14, 16. The container body 12 will not be described in great detail here since it is similar to that described in GB 2 207 339 the content of which is incorporated herein by reference, and is known in the art.

However, for clarity, a brief description of the container body 12 follows.

The container body 12 has a front wall 18 and side walls 20. The rear and bottom walls are not shown. Attached to each of the side walls 20 are fork engaging pockets 22 into which the forks of a vehicle for emptying the container 10 are inserted. Buffer plates 23 are provided on the front wall 18 of the container body 12 to protect the container 10 against damage when the forks are inserted into pockets 22. Additional fork pockets 24 are located at the bottom of the container body 12. The fork pockets 24 can be used to transport the container 10 using a fork lift truck (not shown).

Mounted on the front wall 18 of the container body 12 is a tip bar 26 mounted on brackets 28. Tip bar 26 is used to invert the container 10 on emptying as is well known in the art.

Referring to Figures 4 to 6 of the drawings that follow, there is shown in more detail the door 14. The doors 14, 16 are substantially similar. Each of the doors 14, 16 is manufactured using a rotary moulding process of cross linked polyethylene and is of a double skinned construction. They include ribs 30 formed in their outer surfaces to increase their structural rigidity. The internal face of the door 14 may have ribs running perpendicular to the ribs 30 in the outer face.

The door 14 is attached to the sides of the container body 12 by hinge bars 32. The hinge bars 32 are secured to the container body 12 by, at one end, a washer 39 welded to the bar 32 and, at the other end, by a washer 40 held in place by a spring pin 41.

As can be seen, especially in Figures 4 and 6, for each door 14, 16, the hinge bar 32 passes through a plurality of hinge blocks 34 spaced equidistantly along their length. In this case there are four hinge blocks 34, one at either end of the door 14 and the other two spaced apart in between. The blocks 34 are of substantially similar dimensions, although this is not essential.

As can be seen most clearly, in Figure 6, over the hinge blocks 34 is a hinge cover 36 which runs the full length of one side of the door 14 (Figure 4), apart from a short break point 38 half way along. The cover 36 is moulded integrally with and links the hinge blocks 34 to increase their structural strength. The cover 36 is oriented so that when the door 14 is in position, the cover 36 lies over the blocks 34 to protect them from jamming and/or weathering. The cover 36 comprises a lip 35 which curves over at least part of the bar 32. When the door 14 is in its closed position, shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower edge 37 of the lip 35 is lower than the top of the bar 32.

That is in the closed position, no gap can be seen between the lip 35 and the bar 32. In effect, the hinge cover 36 covers the top half of the hinge bar 32.

Moulded inside the door 14 is a pocket 43, substantially perpendicular to the hinge bar 32, for receiving a steel rod lid stiffener (not shown) to further increase the structural rigidity of the door 14.

The door 14 can open by up to 870. This angle facilitates easy loading and discharge of material to and from the container 10. It also means that the door 14 will close automatically from its fully open position (unless it is locked in position, for which see below).

Referring to Figures 7 to 9 of the drawings that follow, there is shown, in more detail, the locking arrangement for the door 14. Welded to the hinge bar 32 is a first locking plate 50 comprising an eye 52 mounted by yoke 54 on the bar 34, and a stop plate 56. Welded to the front wall 18 is a second locking plate 58 including a second eye 60. Welded to the side wall 20 is a stop block 64.

Also attached to the side wall 20 by a chain 66 is a locking pin 68.

The door 14 is shown in its closed position, in Figures 7 and 8. When the door 14 is swung to the open position of Figure 9, the first locking plate 50 is rotated by the bar 34 as it turns. The door 14 can only open until the stop plate 56 abuts the stop block 64.

The second eye 62 is then aligned with eye 52 and the door 14 can be held in place, using the pin 68.

Referring to Figure 10 of the drawings that follow, there is shown an enlarged view of the top of the container 10.

The top of side door 14 is just visible. The rear of the container body 12 is indicated at 42. Between the top of the doors 14, 16 and the rear 42 of the container body 12 is a steel door 44 hinged substantially along the rear edge 42. Thus, the hinge axis of the steel door 44 is orthogonal to the hinge axis of the doors 14, 16. When the steel door 44 is closed, and the doors 14, 16 are closed subsequently, the doors 14, 16 secure the steel door 44 in place. If additional space is required to get something bulky in to or out of the container 10, the steel door 44 can be opened in addition to side doors 14, 16.

Pressed steel supports 70 can be seen in Figure 10.

This embodiment of the present invention provides a waste container with better protection the hinge bar against jamming and weathering by the provision of a cover. The cover, formed integrally with the hinge blocks increases their strength and reduces breakages.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (14)

1 A waste container comprising an opening for entry of waste into the container, the opening being closeable by at least one door, each of which is hinged on one side of the opening, each hinge comprising a hinge bar which passes through a plurality of spaced hinge blocks of the door, and a hinge cover over substantially the entire length of the hinge bar.

2 A waste container according to Claim 1, in which the hinge cover is formed as part of the hinge blocks.

3 A waste container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which there is provided a pocket within the at least one door which can receive a rigid bar.

4 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which the at least one door is formed of a plastics material.

5 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which the at least one door is double skinned.

6 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which the at least one door is ribbed.

7 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which the waste container is a front end loading container in which means are provided for forks of a container lifting means to engage in the container.

8 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which means are provided for locking the at least one door in an open position.

9 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which the at least one door comprises a pair of side opening doors.

10 A waste container according to Claim 9, in which adjacent the upper edge of the side opening doors is a further hinged door, the hinge of which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the hinges of the side opening doors such that with the additional door open, the opening into the container is larger.

11 A waste container according to any preceding Claim, in which the hinge blocks are located one at either end of the hinge bar.

12 A waste container according to Claim 11, in which there are additional hinge blocks along the length of the hinge bar between the two hinge blocks at either end of the hinge bar.

13 A waste container according to Claim 12, in which the hinge blocks intermediate the hinge blocks at either end of the hinge bar are spaced equally along the length of the hinge bar.

14 A waste container substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figures 2-10 of the accompanying drawings.