Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02289294 1999-11-10
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING
AND TRANSFERRING REFUSE
Technical Field
This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for
collecting and transferring refuse to a transportation truck for hauling
to its ultimate disposal site.
Background
One of the challenges facing every community is the
collection and disposal of refuse, such as household and commercial
garbage. Generally, the refuse is ultimately disposed of at a perma-
nent, sanitary landfill location, although certain types of garbage may
be incinerated. It is desirable to provide for methods and systems that
tidily, efficiently and economically collect and transport the refuse to
the ultimate disposal site.
In densely populated urban areas, relatively small collec-
tion vehicles have traditionally collected refuse from individual house-
holds and dwelling-places and directly transported the collected refuse
to a nearby landfill site. This is economically inefficient because of
the relatively small capacity of the collection vehicles, resulting in a
relatively high cost of transporting a given weight of refuse.
Remote rural communities face added challenges because
they are typically nowhere near a landfill site. Accordingly, it is often
necessary for these communities to transport their collected refuse to
far-away landfill sites. In order to maximize the cost efficiency of this
added burden, the refuse transportation is often done via large transpor
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tation trucks which have a much greater capacity than the
aforementioned collection vehicles. It is thus important to provide a
location in or around remote communities where refuse can be col-
lected, temporarily stored and ultimately transferred to the large trucks
for its ultimate haul to a landfill site.
It has proven difficult to address these challenges in an
effective manner. Canadian Patent No. 1,132,329, issued September
28, 1982 to Neufeldt, represents one attempt. Neufeldt discloses a
refuse disposal method and apparatus which utilizes a transfer con-
tainer adapted to receive refuse from collection vehicles and discharge
the refuse into larger transportation vehicles. Neufeldt accomplishes
this by providing the transfer container mounted alongside a steep
embankment so that the collection vehicles can approach same via a
gentle ramp and backfill the hopper portion of the container. Ulti-
mately, Neufeldt's container is pivoted, resulting in a "tilted" dumping
of the refuse into a transportation vehicle located below the container
and adjacent the steep embankment.
Neufeldt, however, has inherent disadvantages. First, the
physical landscape required to accommodate the container assembly is
impractical. Naturally-occurring locations offering a steep embank-
ment of such a height and configuration to accommodate the Neufeldt
assembly are rare. Accordingly, it will usually be necessary to con-
struct a steep embankment through piling and shaping dirt, gravel or
the like to a suitable height and providing suitable roads to accommo-
date the collection and transportation vehicles. Not only is this pro-
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cess extremely expensive, but it is also environmentally-unfriendly
since it will be very difficult to reclaim the site should the collection
container be moved in the future.
Second, Neufeldt does not offer the users the ability to
regulate the amount of refuse "dumped" from the container to the
transportation truck. Instead, the container is simply "tilted", thereby
dumping the entirety of its contents. This is acceptable for transporta-
tion trucks which have the capacity for all of the collected refuse.
However, transportation trucks may arrive at a particular remote
community partially full because the same truck services numerous
communities in the same trip. Thus, if a transportation truck already
contains sufficient refuse so that it cannot accept the entirety of the
contents of the Neufeldt container, the user is faced with one of two
undesirable choices. First, he can bypass accepting the refuse at that
time and simply collect it on another trip. This is disadvantageous
because: (a) the transportation vehicle would be returning with less
than 100% capacity, thus descreasing the cost-effectiveness of the
operation; and (b) the remote community may not have the capacity to
store the collected refuse while awaiting a second trip sometime later.
The alternative to refusing to accept the refuse is to simply dump the
container and let the excess spill over the top of the transportation
vehicle. This is obviously disadvantageous since the spillage would
require clean-up, or if it were not cleaned up, would be unsightly and
would produce unpleasant odours and attract scavenging animals.
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Accordingly, the present invention provides an efficient,
cost-effective and self-contained apparatus and a method that allows a
user to regulate the amount of collected refuse transferred to a transpor
tation vehicle in any given dump.
Summary of Invention
The apparatus of the present invention comprises an
apparatus for collecting and transferring refuse to a transportation
truck, the apparatus comprising a refuse collection and transfer con-
tainer movable between a first, lowered position and a second, raised
position, the second position being high enough above the first position
to allow the transportation truck underneath the refuse collection and
transfer container, the refuse collection and transfer container having
bottom doors wherein when the refuse collection and transfer container
is in the second position and the bottom doors are opened the refuse is
transferred from the refuse collection and transfer container to the
transportation truck.
The bottom doors may be two doors, each being
downwardly and inwardly angled from opposite side walls of the
refuse collection and transfer container so that the bottom doors
converge at the bottom of the refuse collection and transfer container
forming a closed position, the bottom doors extending substantially the
length of the side walls of the refuse collection and transfer container.
The bottom doors may be retractable to an open position from the
closed position through slots in the side walls of the refuse transfer and
collection container. The bottom doors may be linked to a hydraulic
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system of the transportation truck, the movement of the bottom doors
between the open and closed positions being powered by the hydraulic
system.
The apparatus may also comprise four upright beams
positioned proximate to the exterior corners of the refuse collection
and transfer container, each of the upright beams including a cable
movable relative to the beam; and at least two container braces con-
necting the refuse collection and transfer container to the cables.
Vertical movement of the cables causes the movement of the refuse
collection and transfer container between the first and second posi-
tions. The cables may be linked to the hydraulic system, the move-
ment of the cables being powered by the hydraulic system.
It may also be that when the refuse collection and transfer
container is in the first position a lower portion of the refuse collection
and transfer container, including the slots in the side walls, is below
ground level. The apparatus may further comprise two retaining
walls, the retaining walls being substantially below ground level,
adjacent to the refuse collection and transfer container and extending
the length of the refuse collection and transfer container. The retain-
ing wall may extend past the upright beams and adjacent to a sloped
entrance for accepting the transportation truck at one end of said
refuse collection and transfer container and a sloped exit for allowing
the transportation truck to exit at a second end of the refuse collection
and transfer container.
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The bottom interior corners of the container may be
downwardly and inwardly angled. The container may have at least
one door for receiving the refuse, the door being in one of the side
walls or in the roof of the collection and transfer container. The
apparatus may also comprise a control panel for controlling the move-
ment of the bottom doors and the cables, the control panel being
linked to the bottom doors, the cables and capable of being linked to
the hydraulic system.
The apparatus of the present invention may comprise at
least two cylinders, each of the at least two cylinders being positioned
underneath opposite side walls of the refuse collection and transfer
container and being vertically movable to cause the movement of the
refuse collection and transfer container between the first and second
positions, wherein when the refuse collection and transfer container is
in the second position, the at least two cylinders are spaced apart by a
distance greater than the width of the transportation truck. The verti-
cal movement of the may be driven by an electric power source
internal to said apparatus.
The method of the present invention comprises the method
of collecting and transferring refuse to a transportation truck, the
method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an apparatus for collect-
ing and transferring refuse to a transportation truck, the apparatus
comprising a refuse collection and transfer container movable between
a first, lowered position and a second, raised position, the second
position being high enough above the first position to allow the trans-
~ _ ----- - _ _ .
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portation truck underneath the refuse collection and transfer container,
the refuse collection and transfer container having bottom doors and at
least one door for receiving the refuse, the door being in one of two
opposite side walls or in the roof of the refuse collection and transfer
container; (b) collecting refuse in the refuse collection and transfer
container when the container is in the first position; (c) raising the
refuse collection and transfer container to the second position; (d)
driving the transportation truck underneath the raised refuse collection
and transfer container; (e) opening the bottom doors of the refuse
collection and transfer container so that the refuse collected in the
refuse collection and transfer container is transferred to the transporta-
tion truck; (f) closing the bottom doors after at least some of the refuse
has been transferred to the transportation truck; (g) driving the trans-
portation truck from underneath the raised refuse collection and
transfer container; and (h) lowering the refuse collection and transfer
container to the first position.
The apparatus of the method of the present invention may
further comprise four upright beams positioned proximate to the
exterior corners of the refuse collection and transfer container, each of
the upright beams including a cable movable relative to said beam; at
least two container braces connecting the refuse collection and transfer
container to the cables; and a control panel linked to said cables and
said bottom doors and capable of being linked to a hydraulic system of
said transportation truck. Step (c) of the method of the present inven-
tion may comprise (i) driving the transportation truck to a location
proximate to the apparatus; (ii) establishing a linkage between the
-- ~ -_ -
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hydraulic system, the cables and the control panel when the refuse
collection and transfer container is in the first position; and (iii) using
the control panel to move the cables with the hydraulic system to raise
the refuse collection and transfer container to the second position.
Step (e) of the method of the present invention may
comprise: (i) establishing a linkage between the hydraulic system, the
bottom doors and the control panel; and (ii) using the control panel to
open the bottom doors with the hydraulic system so that the refuse
collected in the refuse collection and transfer container is transferred to
the transportation truck.
Step (f) of the method of the present invention may
comprise using the control panel to close the bottom doors with the
hydraulic system.
Step (g) of the method of the present invention may
comprise: (i) disconnecting the linkage between the hydraulic system
and the bottom doors; and (ii) exiting the transportation truck from
underneath the raised refuse collection and transfer container.
Step (h) of the present invention may comprise: (i) driving
the transportation truck to a location proximate to the apparatus; (ii)
establishing a linkage between the hydraulic system, the cables and the
control panel when the refuse collection and transfer container is in the
second position; and (iii) using the control panel to move the cables
with the hydraulic system to lower the refuse collection and transfer
_ ~ -
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container to the first position; and (iv) disconnecting the linkage
between the hydraulic system, the cables and the control panel.
Brief Description of Drawings
In the drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of
the invention, but which should not be construed as restricting the
spirit or scope of the invention in any way:
FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of a refuse collec-
tion and transfer apparatus made in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of an alternative embodi-
ment of the apparatus of Figure 1;
FIGURE 3 is a side perspective view of the lifting and
retaining structure of the apparatus of Figure 1;
FIGURE 4 is a side perspective view of the apparatus of
Figure 1 illustrating the below-ground level portion of the apparatus in
dotted outline; and
FIGURES 5 - 10 are end views of the apparatus of Figure
1 illustrating the sequence of transferring collected refuse from the
refuse collection and transfer container to a transportation truck.
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Description
Referring to Figure 1, in a preferred embodiment, refuse
collection and transfer apparatus 10 comprises refuse collection and
transfer container 2 and lifting and retaining structure 18.
Refuse collection and transfer container 2 is fashioned to
receive and store household, commercial and/or industrial refuse while
awaiting transfer to a hauling transportation truck. Referring to
Figures 1 and 2, container 2 has side doors 4 through which household
refuse may be deposited. Doors 4 are at a convenient elevation for
individuals to discard their refuse by hand. Container 2 also has a
plurality of top doors 6 which are somewhat larger than side doors 4
and which are provided to receive commercial/industrial refuse
through back-dumping from a typical refuse collection vehicle. Top
doors 6 may be arranged so as to require a hydraulic linkage for
opening, thereby preventing the unauthorized and illegal dumping of
large-scale waste by other than licensed refuse collectors.
It will be appreciated that many different combinations and
arrangements of doors 4, 6 are possible within container 2. For exam
ple, Figure 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the container of
Figure 1 wherein there are two different sizes 6a, 6b of top doors 6.
Alternatively, "open" spaces could be provided in the places of either
or both of doors 4, 6. Such arrangements would facilitate the disposal
of refuse into container 2, but would also render the contents of
container 2 susceptible to weather damage and would leave it open to
scavenging animals. Generally, it is advantageous to maintain con-
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tainer 2 as closed a container as possible so as to prevent the escape
of odours and the scavenging animals. This is particularly important
in remote rural areas where animals such as bears and raccoons are
easily drawn to human refuse in search of food.
Turning to Figures 5 - 10, it will be seen that container 2
has within it sloped pieces 8, each fitted into one of the four bottom
corners (only two of which are illustrated in Figures 5 - 10) of con-
tainer 2. Container 2 also has retractable bottom doors 14, 16. The
function of sloped pieces 8 and bottom doors 14, 16 will be described
below in greater detail.
As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, lifting and retaining
structure 18 is formed by upright beams 20, 22, 24 and 26, beam
support members 28, 30 and retaining walls 32, 34. Retaining walls
32, 34 extend the length of structure 18 past beams 20, 24 and 22, 26.
Bottom bars 32b and 34b are angled slightly upwardly at their ends
(i.e. past beams 20, 22, 24 and 26) to accommodate a downwardly
sloped entrance 46 and an upwardly sloped exit 48 (see Figure 4) for
transportation truck 42. Safety railings 44 may be provided on top of
the ends of top bars 32a, 34a. For strength and durability, the compo-
nents of lifting and retaining structure 18 are preferably constructed of
steel.
To construct refuse collection and transfer apparatus 10, a
suitable grade of earth is plowed. Lifting and retaining structure 18 is
placed therein so that top bars 32a and 34a (which is not seen in
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Figure 3) of retaining walls 32, 34 are approximately even with
ground level (see Figure 1). Pre-poured concrete foundation pads 36
provide stable anchor points to maintain lifting and retaining structure
18 in position. Appropriate bolts 38, which bolt into pads 36, ensure
that structure 18 is securely positioned. The native soil, dug up to
create the location for structure 18, is utilized to "fill in" around the
lower portions of structure 18 after its placement. The soil, along
with top gravel layer 40 (see Figures 5 and 6), which is added on top,
is compacted to ensure that refuse collection and transfer apparatus 10
is secure and to support the weight of transportation truck 42. Since
this soil is utilized in close proximity to apparatus 10, reclamation of
the site is readily accomplished if it is necessary at some time in the
future to relocate apparatus 10.
Walls 32 and 34 of structure 18 thus act to retain the soil
adjacent to the lower portion of refuse collection and transfer appar-
atus 10 so that container 2 remains stable within structure 18.
Refuse collection and transfer container 2 is designed to fit
within lifting and retaining structure 18. When container 2 is in its
usual position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, it is partially below
ground level 37, but has a portion high enough above ground level 37
so that side doors 4 and top doors 6 are easily accessible for users to
dispose of household or industrial garbage.
The method of operation of apparatus 10 to transfer refuse
from container 2 to transportation truck 42 is illustrated in Figures 5-
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10. Between emptyings, container 2 sits within structure 18, collect-
ing refuse. Periodically, empty truck 42 (Figure 5) arrives at appar-
atus 10 to empty it. Truck 42 must first raise container 2 to the
elevated position illustrated in Figure 7. This is accomplished through
a standard hydraulic system 50 on truck 42 and its linkage 52 with a
control panel 54, which is connected to lifting and retaining structure
18.
Control panel 54 is connected via standard hydraulic lines
(not shown) to cables 56 which pull container 2 up beams 20, 22, 24
and 26. Cables 56 run along beams 20, 22, 24 and 26 and are mov-
able in relation thereto. Container 2 is connected to cables 56 by
container braces 58 (not shown in Figure 1, but see Figures 5 - 10).
Although container brace 58 is shown to be secured to container 2
through traditional bolts 60, it will be appreciated that any suitable
attachment means will suffice. The extremities 58a and 58b of con-
tainer brace 58 are attached to cables 56. Although not illustrated in
Figures 5 - 10, there is a second brace at the opposite end of container
2.
Returning to Figure 5, linkage 52 between truck hydraulic
system 50 and control panel 54 is established to raise container 2.
Once container 2 is lifted, an appropriate locking mechanism (not
shown) is activated to hold container 2 in its raised position. Linkage
52 is then disconnected (Figure 6) and truck 42 can be driven down
sloped entrance 46 and under raised container 2. At this point, a
hydraulic linkage 52 is re-established (Figure 7), and a signal sent to
---- , ----- - _ ---- - __ _--
I I
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control panel 54 causing bottom doors 14 and 16 of container 2 to be
retracted (Figure 8), thereby dumping, or transferring, collected refuse
62 into truck 42 (Figure 9). Sloped pieces 8 operate to prevent refuse
62 from getting lodged in the interior corners of container 8. This
prevents blockage during dumping and thus facilitates the efficiency of
apparatus 10.
Doors 14 and 16 are retractable from their closed position
of Figure 7 to their open position of Figure 8 via hydraulic system 50
of truck 42 and linkage 52 thereof with control panel 54. The
retracted, or "open", position of doors 14, 16 is shown in dotted
outline in Figures 6, 7 and 9. Side walls 2a and 2b of container 2
have slots 14a and 16a to accommodate the retraction of doors 14, 16
(see Figure 6). As seen in Figure 5, when container 2 is in its first,
lowered position, slots 14a and 16a are below ground level 37. Doors
14, 16 may overlap slightly in their closed position to provide
increased strength. Retractable doors 14, 16 allow for the regulation
of the amount of refuse 62 to be dumped from raised container 2.
Truck 42 need not always be empty to accept refuse 62, but could
instead be partially filled with refuse from a stop at a previous collec-
tion site. In such circumstances, it may not be possible for truck 42 to
accept all of refuse 62 from container 2. Rather than tilting the
collection container and fully dumping its contents, as was done in the
prior art, it is possible to slightly retract doors 14, 16 to define a less-
than-full opening therebetween, thus controlling the amount of refuse
transferred from container 2 to truck 42. Once truck 42 is filled,
doors 14, 16 can be closed and spillage is prevented. Truck 42 can
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then drive up exit 48 and haul away a full load of refuse. Apparatus
thus allows transportation trucks to run with 100% haul efficiency,
while maintaining a clean collection site at the same time.
5 Additionally, the retractable door arrangement of container
2 is preferred over a"swinging" door arrangement because such swing
ing doors can become lodged within truck 42 or between truck 42 and
beams 20, 22, 24 or 26, thereby requiring human attention to remedy
the situation. Not only is such a remedial procedure time-consuming,
10 but it is potentially dangerous to for persons to be under raised con-
tainer 2 for extended periods of time.
As mentioned, truck 42 departs from under container 2 via
sloped exit 48. Before commencing the haul, however, linkage 52 is
once again re-established so that container 2 is returned to its usual
position (Figure 10) so that it is capable of receiving "new" refuse.
It may be desirable to include a drainage system to pre-
vent moisture accumulation underneath container 2. Such a drainage
system could take the form of specialized drain tile installed under-
neath container 2 to funnel moisture to a drain pipe leading directly to
a septic tank. Alternatively, an arrangement could be employed
whereby a hose, powered by hydraulic system 50 of truck 42, is used
to draw off any accumulated moisture. The accumulated moisture
could then be taken to an appropriate disposal location, such as a
septic tank.
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As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light
of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are
possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the
spirit or scope thereof. For example, apparatus 10 has been described.
herein as utilizing hydraulic system 50 of truck 42 to raise and lower
container 2. This has been done to take advantage of the existing
hydraulic system 50 on transportation truck 42. One could also
envision an arrangement whereby the whole of the hydraulic system
for raising and lowering container 2 is self-contained to apparatus 10.
This might be necessary, for example, if hydraulic system 50 was
ineffective, for whatever reason, to raise full container 2. Alternative-
ly, it would also be possible for the raising and lowering of container
2 to be powered by an electric source, which may or may not be
internal to apparatus 10.
Similarly, the raising and lowering of container 2, as
described herein, has been effected through the combination of hydrau-
lics and cables 56. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that any suitable means of raising and lowering of container 2 to the
desired elevations, while still allowing access for truck 42 underneath
raised container 2, would fall within the inventive scope of this inven-
tion. For example, one could envision utilizing rods or cylinders
(telescoping or otherwise) underneath the periphery of container 2 to
effect the movement of container 2. In such an arrangement, the
cylinders would have to be spaced apart a distance greater than the
width of truck 42 to enable truck 42 to driver underneath container 2
when container 2 is in its raised position.
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Similarly, it will be appreciated that it is not absolutely
necessary for collection and transfer apparatus 10 to be partially
below-ground level 37. Instead, it is within the inventive scope herein
to alternatively provide apparatus 10 at ground level and adjust the
height of beams 20, 22, 24 and 26 accordingly to accommodate the
height of truck 42.
Similarly, the apparatus of the present invention need not
be limited to one refuse collection and transfer container. It is within
the inventive scope herein defined that apparatus 10 could be adapted
to have side-by-side containers, each movable independent of the
other, so that refuse 62 could be segregated, if necessary. For
example, it may be desirable to provide a container to collected
recyclables, such as cardboard or newspapers, separate from ordinary
household garbage.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed
in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
