BINS

POUBELLES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
The invention provides a bin for household waste having
a lid which is counterweighted or spring urged so as to be
normally held in a closed position, and with catch means arranged
so as to engage the lid when it is swung to an open position and
hold the lid in the open position; release means are provided to
disengage the catch means and allow the lid to swing to the closed
position again.

Claims

The embodiment of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:-
1. A bin comprising an aperture affording access
to the bin interior, and a lid hinged to the bin for
movement between an open position and a position closing
said aperture, the lid being movable by gravity to closed
position, wherein the improvement comprises a catch
consisting of a magnet mounted on the bin, and a keeper
carried in a pocket in the lid in a position to engage said
magnet when the lid is in open position, the keeper being
free to move in the pocket to a limited extent to enable
it to conform to the opposing face of the magnet, and release
means for disengaging the keeper from the magnet to allow
the lid to close.
2. A bin according to Claim 1, wherein the release
means comprises a plunger for displacing the lid far
enough toward closed position to disengage the catch.
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Description

~his invention relates to bins for receiving
wa~te, for example for do~estic use.
In aocordance with the invention a bin comprises
an apertule affording access to the bin interior, and a
lid hinged to the bin for movement between an open position
and:a position olosing said aperture, the lid being movable
~y gravity to closed position~ wherein the improvement
comprises a oatoh consisting of a magnet mounted on the bin~
and a keeper oarried in a pooket in the lid in a position to -~
engage said magnet when the lid is in.open position, the
keeper being free to move i21 the pocket to a limited extent to
enable it to conform to the opposing face of the mQgnet, and
release means for disengaging the keeper from the magnet to
allow the lid to close
Preferably the relea~e means oomprise a plunger for
di~placing the lid far enough toward closed position to
disengage the catch.
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~ he invention is now moxe partioularly desoribed
with referenoe to the accompan~ing drawings whereins
Figo 1 is a perspective and ~omewhat diagram~atio vie~
of the upper portion of a domestio waste bin showing a lid
of tha 3ame in open position;
Figo 2 i~ a seotional elevation showing the lid in
the closed position; and ;~
Fig~ 3 is a fragmentarr perspective view showing a
portion of the lid.
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45~)97
Referring now to the drawings, the bin comprises
a co~tainer 10, a top 12 and a lid 14. The top merely rests
on the upper edge of the container 10 as beqt seen in
Figo 2, with internal strengthening webs 16 contacting the
top face or rim of the container to hold the parts in the
illustrated position. It is thus a simple matter to `
lift off the top structure when it is desired to empty
the bin or for example to cleanse the interior.
" ''
~he top stru¢ture comprises an inclined upper
~urface 18 which is apertured to receive the lido ~he
aperture is relatively large to facilitate ingress of waste
material in ordinary domestic use. ~he lid is arranged to ~ ~ -
fill the aperture 14 and has a pair of projecting lugs 22
which contact the surface 18 on the interior, see especially
Figo 2 to limit movement of the lid from the open po~ition
,.. . .
illustrated in Fig. 1 and prevent it going past the closed
position illustratedin Figo 2.
'.', ".''
The interior of the top structure is provided with
a pair of ganerally triangular lugs 24 whioh are co-axially ;
apertured, and the lid is provided with a pair of co-axial
trunnion pins 26 which can be snap-engaged in the apertures
in the said lugs after deflaction of one or other of the sameO
:,
~he lateral edge~ of the lid are provided with
strengthening flanges 28 and on the oppo~ite side of the axis
afforded by pin~ 26 to that of the lid proper 14, a lever
arm 30 is prov~ded. This has lateral fla2lge3 32 for
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~4S097 -
stiffening purposes~ and conveniently the arm is generally
at right angle~ to the lid properO
The free end of the arm 30 remote from the
pivot axi~ i8 provided with a pocket which receives a
strip of mild steel 34 forming a keeper plate. The pocket
is open over its central area to reveal the keeper and
for oontaot of the magnet (as hereinafter e~plained) with the
keeper as best seen in Fig.3. Assuming that the parts are to
be made as inJection mouldings of plastics materials, as is
preferred~ the arm 30 may be pro~ided with a projection 36
which i8 arranged so that in assembly of the keeper plate, the
latter can be pushed into the pocket in a generally downward
direction as viewed in Fig. 2, to deform or defleot the
projection 36, the latter snap-engaging behind the keeper
plate when the latter is received in the pocket.
It is to be noted that the metal
strip 36 is slightl~ shorter than the length of the pocket,
thinner than the ~idth of the pocket and narrower than -the
breadth of the pocke-t, so that in Pact it is free for
movement in all of three direotions mutually at right angles.
Permanent magnet 40 i9 looat~d in a
housing 42 on the underside of the top structure, being
held in position eOg4 by suitable adhesive between the magnet and
the top. ~he magnet is positioned so as to contact the
keeper plate when the lid is ~wung to the Figo 1 positionO
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097
Adjacent the oatoh afforded by the magnet is a r~lease
member in the form of plun$er 44 having an enlarged head 46 at
lts lower end and button 48 at its upper end. ~he wall
of the top structure is radially sli~ in the vi¢inity i-
of the plunger 90 as to en~ble the plunger to be assembled to the
top stru¢ture by deformation and subsequent snap-engagement
of the plastios material, so as to seoure the release
button assembly to the top structure. ~he spacing
between the button and the head i8 greater than the
length of the sleeve pro~ided in the plastiGs material and
through whioh the plunger stem extends~ and the geometry `
is suoh that when the lid is swung to the Figol poaition
the head 46 contacts the arm 30 and the plunger is mo~ed
axially so that the button 48 stands proud of the exterior
of the top stru¢ture.
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Pressing the button 48 to restore it to a flush
oon~ition displaoes the arm ~0 sufficiently to disengage the
keeper from the magnet, and the keeper then aots as a counter-
weight to restore the lid to the Fig. 2 position, Henoe
the lid remains olosed by ~ravity.
,....
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