Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
WASTE TRANSFER SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for
transferring waste material. More particularly, the present
invention relates to containers for use in the transfer of
waste material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The predominant method for long distance transport of
municipal solid waste, as well as construction and demolition
debris (all of which is referred to herein as "waste'°) is to
deliver the waste from local garbage, dump or roll-off trucks
to a transfer station. At a transfer station, the waste is
either dumped onto a tipping floor, where it is compacted
using large cleated machines which roll over the waste and
crush the waste so as to increase its density, or .it is placed
into a mechanical compacting machine, which also compacts the
waste to increase its density. The purpose of increasing the
density of the waste is to maximize the weight of the waste
loaded into each container in order to achieve an economically
efficient method of transportation, whether by rail or by
road.
The waste is then placed into containers, walking floors,
truck trailers or dump truck trailers, which can 'travel over-
the-road. Consequently, the containers cannot measure more
than about 8 1/2° wide, and are no mare than about 32' high in
order to meet standard road clearences. Furthermore,
compacting equipment is not effective for containers which are
more than 9' high. When the containers are transported by
rail, they are placed on flat-bed rail cars for rail
transportation to distant disposal sites. It should be noted
that rail cars traveling on tracks, with what is known in the
rail industry as Plate "F'° clearance (referred to herein as a
°'standard railroad clearance") which is standard along most
1
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
rail lines in the eastern portion of the United States, can
handle containers up to about 10 1/2° °,aide and 13' high.
When taking into account the weight of rail cars and
containers, the maximum amount of waste which can be loaded
onto a standard f tat car is approximately 94 tons (net of the
weight of the container). Thus, 4 containers with 23 1/2 tons
each would achieve this goal, oz° 28 tons each on an
articulated rail car. However, even with compaction; it is
difficult to regularly achieve a weight of 23 1/2 tons per
8 1/2 foot wide container.
The transport of waste by rail is more economical, less
congesting and has lower environmental impact than is the case
with the use of trucks on public roads and highways . However,
rail heads, particularly those in urban areas, generally lack
the space to locate a transfer station with a tipping floor at
or adjacent to the rail head. Consequently~ in order to
utilize rail transport, the waste must be dumped at a distant
transfer station, compacted, loaded into a container, the
container must then be loaded onto a truck, driven to a rail
head, and then reloaded onto a rail ear. Not only does the
multiple handling and driving add to the overall cost of waste
transport by rail, but the fact that the container must travel
over the road means that it must also still fit within road
clearances, which limits the amount. of waste that can be
transported in each container and rail car, adding further to
the cost of waste transport by rail.
The New York City Department of Sanitation
('°NYCDOS°°) has
a unique system for the transloading of municipal solid waste.
NYCDOS owns and has operated eight marine transfer stations
strategically located around the New York City waterfront.
Roll-off and packer garbage trucks would pick up the waste
from curbside locations and bring it to one of these marine
transfer stations. Each such statior.~ was designed so that a
hopper barge could fit under the lip of a transfer floor. A
2
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
truck would thus drive onto the floor of the station and back
up so that it could discharge directly into a barge situated
under the overhanging lip of the twansfer floor. Each. barge
could hold up to about 70~ tons of the waste material, with
the average being around 630 tons . Wizen the barge was f filled,
it would be pulled out of the marine' transfer station and an
empty barge towed back into its place.
Several of the filled Daarges would then be towed to a
landfill location, where material handlers would dig out the
l0 waste from the barge for disposal at the landfill. With the
closing of these landfills, NYCDOS has been unable to find a
suitable location to which to bring the barges for offloading
onto trucks or rail cars.
NYCDOS has desired to continue utilizing this marine
transfer station system, and has thus sought a way to place
the waste directly into containers within the marine transfer
station itself so that the containers, in turn, could be
placed onto rail cars, deep water vessels or trucks, either at
the station or at a central intermodal transloading location.
However, because of space and logistical constraiwts, to date,
NYCDOS has been unable to find a process or mechanism to
enable it to place this waste into containers directly at the
station which meets its logistical and space constraints and
requirements.
Current proposed systems for containerized waste at such
marine transfer stations include: trucks dumping directly into
containers located on barges; truck: dumping onto a tipping
floor at the station and then loadin<~ the waste directly into
containers or into a compactor on the tipping floor; a.nd
trucks dumping into a hopper on a barge next to the tipping
floor, and using compaction equipment located on the barge to
compact the waste into containers on the same or an adjacent
barge. Each of these systems requires considerable space,
limits unloading positions at the station, requires
3
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
considerable cycle time to complete the unloading and
compaction into containers, results in smaller amounts of
waste which can be compacted into a container, results in
smaller amounts of waste which can be loaded ontc> each barge
and/or requires considerable structural modifications within
and/or physical expansion of the transfer station.
Consequently, each of these systems results in lower hourly
throughput capacity at the station and less efficient
transportation because of the lower weights per barge and/or
l0 container.
NYCDOS therefore currently is having waste trucked out of
New York City to truck based transfer stations at considerable
financial and environmental burden t.o New York City and its
residents.
On a broader national level, the crisis- faced by truck
transport of materials is becoming increasingly acute with
respect to waste materials which are generated in crowded
metropolitan areas. As landfill areas which are reasonably
accessible to trucking from these metropolitan areas are
reaching their capacity, and are soon going to have to close
or place limitations on their daily capacity, suitable truck
accessible new landfills are not likely to become available.
There is, accordingly, an, urgent need to find a new way to
transport waste to distant landfill areas, and rail is the
most suitable transport option.
Therefore, the challenge to efficient rail transportation
of waste is to design a system which can operate: (1) with
minimum space requirements; (2) minimizing mufti-handling of
the waste; (3) maximizing cycle time for a truck to dump its
waste; (4) maximize the dumping stations within a marine
transport station or at a rail head; (5) maximize the amount
of waste deposited in one container; (6) maximizing the amount
of waste deposited onto each barge, such as in. the case of the
NYCDOS marine transfer station system; and (7) minimizing the
4
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
structural modifications required within and avoid expansion
of each marine transfer station in the case of the NYCDOS
system.
One object of the present invention is to therefore
provide a waste transfer apparatus and method that facilitates
containerization of waste so that containers can travel by
rail or vessels to distant locations. Another object of the
present invention is to minimize space needs at the point of
transloading the waste from trucks to rail, minimizing the
handling and compaction of waste at the transloading location
and maximizing the weight of waste loaded onto a standard flat
rail car. Yet another object of the present invention is to
avoid adding to the traffic burdens of roadways to meet the
need for transporting waste by truck out of metropolitan areas
to distant landf ills .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, these and other
objects have now been realized by tree invention of apparatus
for the transfer of waste material comprising a frame having a
size sufficient to accept the removable container, the frame
including wall means whereby the container can be removably
placed within the frame to permit th.e container t.o be loaded
with the waste material directly from a truck, and container
removal means for removing the filled container from the frame
for transport to a transportation system.
In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the
present invention, the wall means is in direct contact with
the container so as to provide structural support for the
container during loading with the waste material. preferably,
the wall means comprises movable wall means whereby after the
container has been removably placed within the frame the wall
means can be moved into direct contact with the container.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the wall means comprises spacer means
5
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
for filling the space between the frame and the removable
container. Preferably, the spacer means are disposed below
the bottom of the removable container. In another preferred
embodiment, the spacer means are disposed between the sides of
the removable container and the frame.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the wall means comprises angled wall
means whereby the container can be snugly fit into the frame.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
1o the present invention, the frame includes an upper end and a
lower end, and is disposed below the ground level, and the
removable container includes a corresponding upper end and
lower end.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes tire stop means
adjacent to the frame for preventing the truck unloading the
waste material into the removable container from traveling
past the tire stop means.
In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the
2o present invention, the container has a width of greater than
about 9'.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the container has a height of greater
than about 12 1/2°.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the container has a width of about
10 1/2° and a height of about 13°.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the container is dimensioned to match
the height and width clearances of a common,railroad right of
way. Preferably, the container comprises a volume of about
2,300 cubic yards. However, in some areas of the U.S.
clearances can allow container heights to ever. exceed 13 feet
6
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
in height, with corresponding increases in the volumes and
maximum loads obtainable therewith.
In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the
present invention, the apparatus includes a scale disposed at
the lower end of the frame.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus includes an
air plenum disposed at the upper end of the frame and a fan
associated with the air plenum for creating a negative
l0 pressure within the container, whereby dust and odor are
eliminated therein. Preferably, the air plenum comprises' a
perforated pipe. In one embodiment, the perforated pipe runs
around the container. In another embodiment, the apparatus
includes a filter, whereby the exhaust from the fan is drawn
through the filter.
In accordance with. yet another embodiment of the
apparatus of- the present invention, the apparatus includes a
leachate system disposed. at the lower end of the frame.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus includes
spill skirt means disposed at the lower end of the frame to
assist in loading the container from the truck. Preferably
the spill skirt means includes a flexible bottom portion
whereby the spill skirt means can fit over the upper end of
the container. More preferably, the spill skirt means extends
from the top of the tire stop means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes a spreader for
lifting the container out of the frame. Preferably, the
spreader is adapted to expand to accommodate the container.,
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the upper end of the container includes
lock means for attachment to the spreader.
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the movable wall means are associated
with at least two adjacent walls of the container.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the movable wall means comprises
inflatable air bladder means.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
apparatus of the.present invention, the spill skirt means is
disposed along at least three sides of the frame, the spill
l0 skirt means including hinge means whereby the spill skirt
means can be positioned on top of the upper end of the
container when it is disposed in the frame:
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the frame is disposed above ground
level, and the apparatus include ramp means for permitting a
truck to drive to the top of the frame for unloading the waste
material.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes leveling means
for applying pressure to the waste material within the
container.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes material
handling means for removing excess waste material from the
container and transferring it into an adjacent container to
adjust the total weight thereof.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention, a method has been provided for the transfer of
waste material comprising providing a container including an
3o upper end and a. lower end, removably placing the container in
a frame to permit the container. to be loaded with the waste
material directly from a truck, loading the container with the
waste material, and removing the filled container from the
frame for transfer to a transportation system.
8
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
In accordance with one embodiment of the method of the
present invention, the method includes deploying spill skirts
to cover the upper end of the container during loading
thereof .
In accordance with another embodiment of the method of
the present invention, the method includes moving the wall
into direct contact with a containez~ after removably placing
the container in the frame.
In accordance with another embodiment of the method of
the present invention, the method includes fitting a cover
over the container after the loading of the container with the
waste material.
In accordance with another embodiment of the method of
the present invention, the method includes removing the filled
container from the frame including lifting the container by
means of a spreader.
In accordance with another aspect of the present
invention, apparatus has been discovered for the transfer of
waste material comprising a container for acceptance by a
frame for removable replacement of the container, the
container comprising a first longitudinally extending side
wall, a second longtudinally extending side wall, a first
rigid end wall attached to the first and second longitudinally
extending side walls, a second hinged end wall hingedly
attached to the first and second longitudinally extending side
walls, a base, an upper end, a lower end, and hinge means
attaching the upper end of the second end wall to the upper
end of the first and second longitudinally extending the walls
wherein the lower end of the second end wall can hingedly
swing open to permit the waste material to exit therefrom, and
a central beam extending longitudinally along the base of the
container in an intermediate position between the first and
second longitudinally extending side walls to structurally
reinforce the container.
9
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the
present invention, the central beam includes a lower portion
extending parallel to the base, and an upwardly extending
portion substantially perpendicular to the lower portion,
whereby the base is supportingly positioned above the lower
portion of the central beam. Preferably, the beam also
includes an upper portion extending parallel to the base. In
a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a protective
covering for the portion of the central beam extending above
the base. Most preferably, the base is divided into a first
base portion and a second base portion on either side of the
central beam.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes a pair of
longitudinally extending side beams extending along the lower
ends of the first and second pairs of longitudinally extending
side walls. Preferably, the pair of longitudinally extending
side beams include a lower portion extending parallel to the
base and a side portion extending along the first and second
pair of longitudinally extending side walls above the base.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes a rear beam
extending along the lower end of t:he base along the first
rigid end wall and a front beam extending along the lower end
of the base along the second hinged end wall.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention, the apparatus includes a tapered floor
portion disposed adjacent to the second end wall for diverting
the waste material from the base towards the second end wall.
The basic elements of one preferred embodiment of the
method of the present invention, is: (i) dump waste from a
truck directly into a container which meets the 13' high and.
10 1/2' wide standard railroad clearance requirements
(referred to herein as a "standard container") at a rail head;
io
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
and (ii) lift the standard container directly onto a flat rail
car.
The basic elements of one preferred embodiment of the
present invention aztilizes a bulk transfer operatioxi whereby
waste is deposited into apparatus that includes: a ground
frame; a Plate F container which is an open top container
measuring 13' higfa and 10 1/2' wide, and thus meets the
standard railroad clearance require=ments (and can be of
varying lengths, although the most common lengths are expected
l0 to be either 20' or 40' long, so that e~_ther two or. four of
the standard containers will fit onto a rail car); and a
container lifting device equipped with a suitable spreader bar
matched to fit the standard container with attachment devices
to allow the lifter to lift the standard container.
The method of operation of the present invention allows
it to achieve the foregoing objects in the following manner:
(1) multiple frames are located at a rail head, the frames
either recessed into the ground, sitting on top of the ground
with a ramp leading up to the lip of: the frame, or the frame
can be partially :recessed and partially protrude above the
ground; (2) a standard container is provided to s~..t in the
frame; (3) the walls of the frame are moved vertically
(through mechanical, hydraulic or pneumat~!c methods) to create
a tight fit against the container, c~r the walls of the frame
are designed to make a tight contact f~.tt_ing against the walls
of the container with a funnelled opening at the top of the
frame to facilitate the movement of: tl7.e~ container into the
frame, or the space between the wa3.ls of the frame and the
container are substantially filled b;r the use of spacers; (4)
3C~ at the bottom of the frame is a leachate retrieval system and
a scale to remove liquids which may collect at the bottom of
the frame, and to weigh the contents of the container as it is
filled; (5) a truck: backs up against one side of the frame and
Plate F container until the truck hits a tire stop to prevent
11
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
it from falling into the container; {6) spill skirts angle
upwards and away from the frame at the sides of the frame; (7)
a truck dumps its waste into the container; { 8 ) the container
is filled (a small: material handler may scoop excess waste
from a container to prevent excessive overloading and place it
into an adjacent container); {9) when the container is
considered to be filled, the lid is them closed to seal the
container. The material handler may also be used to level and
tamp down extra Eight weight in a container, which is not
expected given the volumes of containers per rail car, it is
then covered with a tight fitting vinyl, aluminum, steel, or
canvas cover, or it includes a cover which is hingedly
connected to one of the walls of th.e co:n.tainer; and (9) the
lifter lifts the container and places it on an nearby flat
rail car and picks an empty container off a flat rail car and
places it back into the vacated framee
In further explanation of item (3) above, as the
container is being lowered into the frame, a centering
mechanism attached to the frame can center the container into
the frame. The inside walls of the frame will provide
clearance spacing for the outside of the container side walls.
This clearance spacing will facilitate movement of the
container in and out of the frame, particularly if the walls
of the container become misshapen. Once the container is
within the frame, either a mechanism will extend from the
inside walls of the frame to make contact with the outer walls
of the container or spacers are placed t;herebetween in order
to transmit the structural mass and strength of the frame to
provide structural support and streazgth to the walls of the
container so as to prevent the walls o:E the container from
deflecting if material strikes it with sufficient horizontal
force while being discharged into they container from the truck
or if material has to be tamped dow~a within the cor~tainer to
achieve greater derisity.
12
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
Alternatively, the walls of the container and frame may
be tapered to ease the fitting of the container into the
frame, particularly in the event they walls of the container
become misshapen.
In a second alternative, the walls of the frame are
designed to fit tight against the container to achieve the
foregoing results, but the top of t:he frame is funnelled to
ease the clearances and create a °°~~hoe horn'' effect as the
container is first placed into the frame.
l0 If the top walls of the container fall too far out of
alignment, it will not match up to tape spreader attachment or
at worse may have difficulty fitting into the frame, or it may
become out of the required clearance's. Alternative, but less
desirable methods of bringing the container into alignment
would be : the use of clamps which attach f rom the top of the
frame to the top walls of the container at key locations to
hold the top of the container walls into a fixed position
relative to the rigid frame, or the use of toggles attached to
the top of the frame capable of pulling the walls of the
container at key Wocations back into proper alignment before
the spreader is lowered to attach to the container.
Each 20° long standard container will have a capacity to
handle multiple trwck loads, such ass from one to three truck
loads, for example, depending of the capa~~ity of the weight of
the truck loads.
The sizing of the container is ~.mportant because it
creates a match of container dimensions to standard rail
clearances, thus allowing the propo:~ed invention tc~ maximize
waste loading onto a single rail c<~.r. To the extent that a
rail car carries less than its maximum allowed. weight, the
rail operations becomes less efficient aIld more expensive for
the customer. For a material such a.s waste which may have a
wide range of densities, the use of there specially designed
extra-high and wide containers more regularly a:Llows for
13
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
maximum weight of material to be loaded onto the rail car,
resulting in a more efficient andl less costly operation
(without the need for space consuming crushing and compacting
operations on a tipping floor, descrilbed ~:bove, which is not a
suitable operation at a rail head).
By matchinge (1) the heavy frame, made of mater:~.als with
considerable mass, such as reinforced concrete; (2) with the
lighter weight standard container, the proposed invention
achieves the goal of allowing the :standard container to be
held in place as a local truck tips its waste into the
container, and allows for the standard container to be lighter
so as to allow more waste in each sitan.da.rd container without
exceeding the weight limits of the rail car or rail tracks.
Thus, lightweight material, such as aluminum or thinner gauges
of steel, and the like, can be i.xsed for the container,
decreasing the cost and weight thereof.
Alternatively, a stronger standard container could be
designed without the frame, but such a container may hold less
waste because more weight would go into the container
equipment itself, and be more prone to losing shape and
alignment over time. In an optimal embodiment, however, a
stronger container has been designed for use with the frame of
the present invention. This strengthened container includes a
longitudinally extending center beam partially disposed below
the base and not interfering with the overall use of the
container or significantly reducing the usable space within
the container. Indeed, most of the base of the container is
the same base floor area before inclusiora of the center beam.
The use of side beams as well as fx-ont and rear beams along
the edges of the container provides further potential support
therefor.
The spill skirts are designed so that the top of the
spill skirt is several feet above the top of the container,
and the bottom of the skirt is flexik>le or, alternatively, the
14
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
bottom portion of the skirt is on a hinge so that the bottom
of the skirt can fit over the top :Lip of the container and
deflect any waste which oversh.oo~s the container back into the
container. The spill skirt on the side of the frame at which
the local truck discharges its wasl;e runs from the top of the
tire stops and extends over the near lip of the container.
This spill skirt directs waste falling from 'the rear
compaction blade as the local truck moves forward and shakes
any remaining portions of waste from the rear compaction blade
into the container. The other spill skirt: extend several feet
above the bottom of the local truck bed, and prevent waste
from overshooting the container as it directs such waste back
into the container. The hinged lid, resting against a stop
which is located beyond the far sides of the frame, is angled
so as to act as a backstop in order to prevent waste from
falling beyond the far side of the container as it is being
discharged.
A key objective of the proposed transloading process is
to minimize the space needed for a local truck to transfer
waste into a standard container. ThE' small space requirements
allow multiple frames with standard containers to b~e located
at a given rail head, which would allow more local trucks to
transfer their waste loads per hour.
Additionally, by dumping unto the: standard container
which is recessed below the level of the truck, discharged
waste will fall free of the body of: the truck, avoiding the
need for the truck to pull forward a.;~ it discharges its waste.
Furthermore, because the waste is not: discharged onto a
tipping floor, the waste will not come ~.nto contact with the
tires of the truck as it naturally would on a tipping floor.
The Spreader is specifically designed to rnatch the
dimensions of the standard container,. which is 10 1/2° wide as
compared to the standard intermodal spreader, which are only
8 1/2' wide.
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
The proposed transloading method and apparatus is
suitable for the small and particularly narrow operations
required to fit into many rail heads, while minimizing
material handling a.nd achieving maximum permissible weight in
each standard container and onto each rail car.
Tn deploying the proposed invention with a NYCDOS marine
transfer station, the frames would be recessed in the floor of
the marine transfer station and the standard container placed
in the frame. A lifter would then lift a filled container onto
a flat barge, whereby at least 24 20 ° containers would fit on
a barge meeting the current dimensions of barges fitting into
the marine transfer station system, and the barge would be
towed to a location where the containers could be transferred
to a rail flat caz: or an ocean going vessel. Alternatively,
the lifter would lift a filled standard container onto a rail
flat car located on a rail float barge in the marine transfer
station, and the float barge would lbe towed to a rail float
bridge/rail head.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIO1~T OF THE DRAWINGS
2~ The present iravention will be more fully appreciated with.
reference to the following detailed description which in turn
refers to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a waste transfer
system in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 1A is a side; elevational view of another waste
transfer system in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the waste transfer
system shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top elevational view of the waste transfer
system shown in Figure l;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a container being
lifted out of a frame in accordance with the method of the
present invention;
16
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
Figure 5 is a side elevatio:r~al, partial, enlarged,
sectional view of a frame and container ir.~ accordance with the
present invention with the wall retracaed;
Figure 6 is a side ~levatio:nal; partial, enlarged,
sectional view of a frame and a cont.aine_r in accordance with
the present invention with the support: wall extended;
Figure 7 is a top, elevational, partially schematic view
of a marine transfer station in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure 8 is a top elevationa:l, schematic view of a
container for rail road cars in accordar~ce with the present
invention;
Figure 9 is a side, elevational, schematic view comparing
a Plate F container to a standard container;
Figure 10 is a front, elevational, sectional view of a
container of the present invention contained within a frame
with side and bottom spacers therein;
Figure 11 is a front, elevational, sectional, partially
schematic view of a standard current: container of the prior
art ;
Figure 12 is a front end, secti~anal, partially schematic
view of an improved container for ~.se in the present
invention;
Figure 13 is a side, elevatiorual, sectional, partially
schematic view of the improved contaa~ner shown in Figure 12;
and
Figure 14 is a side, eleva~tional view of another
embodiment of the container of the present inventions
DETAILED DESCRIPTIOLV
The essence of the present invention is to allow local
trucks to transfer their waste directly into a container to be
placed on a rail c~.r without first depositing that material on:
a tipping floor or into a compactor and being able to operate
in a minimum amount of space at a rail head or within a marine
17
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
transfer station. The essence of the proposed invention is a
series of operating cycles whereby: local trucks 20 back up to
the frame 1 (see Figures l, 1A, 2 a'1d 3); the truck l0 tips
its waste 11 into the standard container 2 in the frame 1; the
container 2 is Lifted out of the frame 1 (Figure 4) ;. and the
container is placed on a rail car or the like. Figures 1 and
1A show a side view of a Truck 10 backed up to the frame 1.
Figure 2 shows a rear view with. a Truck 10 backed up to the
frame 1. Figure 3 shows a top view with a partial view of
spill skirts 4 and 5 overhanging the container 2 in the frame
1. Figures 5 & 6 show a close up of the floor and corner of
the container 2 and frame 1 with the support wall 15 which
extends from the frame 1 to the cont:aine:r 2 in retracted and
extended positions, respectively. Figure 8 shows plate F
clearances with the: maximum volume found at 16 1/2 ° above the
rail at a width of 10 1/2 ° . Tn~hen the height of the bed of the
rail car at 3 1/2° is taken into account, it leaves a height
of 13' available for the standard container, and Figure 9
compares a standard container (2,'730 cubic feet exterior
dimension of 20' long container) on a rail car with the
largest standard over-the-road container. (2,040 cubic feet
exterior dimension of 20° long container) commonly utilized in
the waste industry. Figures 1 and 1A depict a local truck
backed against the tire stops 8 on th.e front of the frame 1 in
which is the standard container 2. Th.e purpose of tire stops 8
is to prevent the truck 10 from damaging the frame l or
falling into the container 2. The truck 10 discharges its
waste 11 (Figure 1) into the standard container 2 located in
the frame 1. The spill skirt, 4 and 5~P deflects waste: 11 which
overshoots the container as it is being discharged from the
local truck 10 bask into tree container 2 in Figure 1. In
Figure 1A, however, the container has a. hanged cover 4A, which
is hinged to the top of the container at :hinge 6, and can then
act as a separate spill skirt 4 shown in Figure 1. The spill
18
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
skirt 10 shown in Figure 1A includes a rigid spill skirt
section 10A, which is attached to they top of the container at
a spill hinge 11, which is, in turn, attached to a lower
hinged spill section 12, which contacts the top of the
container 2. The Lower hinged spill- section 12 can thus be
moved out of the way after the container 2 is fi.l7_ed, by
clockwise rotation about spill hinge 11. In this manner, the
spill skirt 10 and the hinged cover 4.~. car. act just as the two
spill skirts 4 and 5 do in Figure 1, and prevent any of the
waste 11 from not entering the container 2.
When one or snore local. trucks 10 discharges into the
standard container which reach the: ma;~imum volumetric or
weight capacity of the standard container as determined by the
sca7_e 14 at the bottom of the frame 1, excess waste may be
picked out of the container and locate=d into an adjacent
container. when the container is fmlly loaded (with one or
multiple truck discharges a tight fitting vinyl-, aluminum,
steel, or canvas tarp is placed on top of the container. In
Figure 4 a Lifter 13 with the Spreadex- 12 moves over the
standard container and lowers the Spreader until it makes
contacts with the ~.ntermodal Twist Locks 7 located at the top
of the container°s side walls. Figure 4 depicts a crane
(bridge or gantry crane? straddling i':.he container as a Lifter
13, but side loader, bridge, gantry, stick cranes and other
lifting devices may be employed.
The Spreader 12 is specifically designed to snatch the
dimension of the standard container, which is 10 1/2' wide as
compared to the standard intermodal spreader which are only 8
1/2° wide.
The Lifter 13 lifts the standard container out of the
frame 1 (Figure 4), with the spill skirts, 4 and 5, moving
upward to allow clearance, the lifter 13 moves the container
over the rail car and deposits it on the rail car. After a
filled container is placed on a rail car, the lifter 13
19
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
removes an empty container from a rail car and lowers it into
a frame 1. Once the container is placed within a frame l, the
inside walls of the frame 1 move inward to make contact with
the outside walls of the container (Figures 5 and 6).
Alternatively, the inside walls of the frame 1 are tight
f fitted with a funnel on top or tapered to create a tight f it
between the frame and the container. The bottom portions of
the spill skirts, ~ and 5, are then placed over the top lips
of the container. The cycle is then re=_peated.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 depict a standard container sitting
in a frame 1. The combination of the standard container and
the frame l is an essential element c~f the proposed invention.
The frame 1 provides the structural strength and support while
trucks 10 discharge their materia.L into the container 2
(Figure 1) and while the material handler may tamp form the
waste within a container. By placing added structural strength
and support in the frame, which remains stationary, while the
container is being loaded, it allows the container to be
lighter and capable of allowing more waste to be placed on a
rail car, which would not be the case: if the Plate F container
had to maintain its full structural strength and support
without the aid of the frame. Furthermore, the frame: inhibits
misshapen or misalignment of the container.
There are several ways in which th.e structural support
and strength of the frame are translated to the container. The
scale with dunnage off of the floor of the frame provides the
support directly to the bottom of tlye ccsntainer 2. The sides
of the frame 1 provide support and strength to the outside
walls of the container. The translation of support from the
walls of the frame 1 to the container 2 can be enhanced
through various devices that remain in the retracted position
as the container is lowered into the frame 1 so as to provide
clearance between the container and the frame 1 as the
container is being placed into the :Frame 1, but which become
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
deployed by extending inward from the inside walls of the
frame 1 to make contact between the :Frame 1 and the container
2 once the container is fully within the frame. These devices
26, among others, can include, moveable walls, retractable
shies or air bladders 2, or spacers 20 and/or 22 (Figure 10).
Other enhancements and/or vas°iations which may be
deployed as part of the present inve~ntio:~. to increase and/or
as an alternative means for translation o~w structural strength
and support from the frame 1 to the container 2, would
l0 include: the aforementioned centering mechanisms which could
also provide a means to translate the structural support and
strength of the frame 1 to the cont:aine:r 2. Straight inside
walls of the frame 1 which are rigid and. fit tightly against
the container, bu.t with a funnel shape at the top of the frame
to act as a shoe horn to ease the deployment of the container
2 into the frame 1.. Clamps which attach from the top of the
frame 1 to the top walls of the container 2 (Figures 3. and 2)
at key locations hold the top of th.e container walls into a
fixed position relative to the rigid frame 1. Finally, the
clamps will also be capable of acting as toggles capable of
pulling the walls of the container at key locations back into
proper alignment bef~re the Spreader is lowered to attach to
the container (Figure 4).
However, one particularly preferred embodiment of the
present invention is shown in Figures 10 hereof. Thus, while
the sides of the frame 1 may and should be larger than the
size of the container 2 to be fitted therein, the difference
in spacing can be made up with or w:ithou.t the use of movable
walls as discussed above. In particular, a bottom spacer 20
can be placed in the frame 1 below the container 2, and/or
side spacers 22 can be placed on c>ne or more sides of the
container 2 between the container 2 and t:he wall of the f tame
1. This provides for transfer of structural strength to the
side walls of the container 2 without necessarily requiring
21
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
movable walls within the frame itself:. It is also noted that
in the embodiment of container 2 shown in Figure 10 that a
container contains a hinged cover 24 hinged to the side wall
of the container 2 at 26, so that upon filling of the
container 2 the cover 29 may merely he hinged around hinge 26
to close the container itself.
After an empty container is placed back in a frame 1, the
bottom of the flexible spill skirts, 4 anal 5, are draped over
the top lip of the container 2. .~3.lternatively, the rigid
hinged bottom of a spill skirts, 4 and 5, are mowed in an
upward position while the container 2 is being placed in the
frame 1, and then deployed into a downward position after the
container 2 is located in the frame 1.
A scale 14 located at the bottom of the frame 1 measures
the amount of accumulative waste being loaded into the
container. Alternatively, a truck scale in front of the frame
can measure waste a.s it is being discharged. from the truck 10,
and a program can keep track of tlhe ae~gregate waste being
discharged into the container.
A leachate collection system 17 (Figure 1) consisting of
piping at the bottom of the frame connected to plumbing
running up and withira the wall of tlhe frame 1 and a pump at
the top of the frame 3 will retrieve leachate which may
accumulate at the bottom of the frame 1.
2~ The Spreader 13 may come in a variety of shapes not
depicted in the attached figures provided that the pick points
on the Spreader 13 match up with the inte:rmodal twist. locks on
the standard conta~.ner, which are located 20' long and 10 1/2'
wide. Thus, in order to be accommodated to the size of the
3o standard container, the Spreader must be able to be expanded
as compared to the size of smaller containers such as those
previously utilized..
22
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
Figure 7 depicts the potential placement of 10 frames 1
on the platform of: a I~1YCDOS marine transfer station with a
barge 18 located adjacent to the platiCOrm.
Figure 8 shows a diagrammatic representation of a Plate F
railroad container. This container includes a maximum
container height of about 13', which when added to the
approximately 3 1/2° from the rail bed includes a maximum
height of 16 1/2' with a width of 10 1/2°. This is compared
to a standard over-the-road-compatible container in Figure 9.
As is discussed in more detail above, the present
invention also contemplates struclturally reW forcing the
container used in connection with the present invention.
Figure 11 shows a standard current container of the prior art.
Once again, these standard waste containers designed for both
rail and highway travel are about 20' long, about 12' high,
and about 8 1/2° wide. Conventianal.ly~ they are designed to
be top loaded, but when they reach. their destination, the
container is tipped towards one end and th.e waste material
slides towards an outlet end, which includes an. open door.
Structural rigidity is generally app:Lied to the bottom of the
frame itself with support beams made of tubes, angle beams or
other such beams running along the: sides and ends of the
container bottom. The container floor itself is generally set
flush to the tops of these beams as shown in Figure 11 in a
manner so that the floor is also flush with the container end
when it is opened so that it will not impede discharge of the
waste material when that occurs. This will reduce the overall
area within the container itself.
Turning to Figure 12, it must fs.rst be realized. that even
with structural support these containers have a floor which
must span 8 1/2', covering a. total floor space of
approximately 170 square feet. This creates a flexing effect
when the container is fully loaded and during transit of the
container. This can adversely impact on the volume of weight
23
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
which can be loaded into the container, and the flexing itself
has a materially adverse effect on the structural integrity
and need for significant maintenance :Eor these containers.
In the prior art containers shown in Figure 1~., use of
these structural supports at the bottom raise the floor by
about 1', thus further limiting the available interior
container height and overall volume c~f waste material loadable
into the container.
Turning again to the improved container shown in Figure
1~ 12, this design provides a container which can be as wide as
1/2' while still maintaining structural integrity. This is
done, however, without exacerbating the flexing of the base
which is discussed above which ocacurs with the standard
container currently in use. Firstly, the container 2 shown in
Figure 12 includes a central beam :30 running longs.tudinally
along the entire length of the container and a central portion
of the base 32 thereof. The central beam 30 used in Figure 12
can be referred to as an I-beam or an H-beam in. that it
includes a lower portion 34 running parallel but below the
base 32, a central portion 36 extending s.bove the base of the
container 2 and an upper portion 38 extending parallel to the
base 32. The base 32 is thus divided into two portions 32a
and 32b on either side of the centr<~.1 beam 30, each of which
rests upon the top of the lower portion 34 of the ceratral beam
30 and is supported thereby.
Additional side angle beams 40 and 42, including a lower
portion 42 extending along the ba;je of floor portion 32a
longitudinally along the container 2 and an upwardly extending
portion 42a extending above the floor 32a, also along the edge
and providing lateral support along the entire lower portion
of the container 2, and similar beam 40 on the other side of
the container 2 including lower portion 40b and upper portion
40a thereof.
24
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
This design thus initially provides increased structural
rigidity and support to the container floor itself.
Furthermore, by using beams with flanges such as I-beams,
H-beams or angle beams on the sides, the t=lour portions can be
set at the lower portions of these structures which thereby
support same. As compared to the prior art containers such as
those of Figure ~.1, over one foot of interior height can be
added to the container while at the same time increasing the
interior container volume, less the minor amount of volume
1~ taken up by the beam itself . With the beam 30 running along
the central portion:. of the container 2, the floor portions are
essentially divided in half, so that. the maximum span across
the floor from the central beam to t:he side wall is less than
half of the total floor space in the container. This in
1S itself significantly decreases the flexing factor for the
floor. Finally, the central beam 30 does not in. any way
impede the discharge of waste material from the container,
which flows lengthwise along the container and along the
central beam out the open end of the container end wall.
20 This can be seen more particularly i.n Figure ~.3 which is
a side view of the container shown in Figure 12. Thus, the
hinged end wall 50, which can be hinged to the side walls at
the upper end 51 thereof , can swing open at its lower end 52
upon tipping so that the waste material can exit from right to
25 left in Figure 13 out of the front end 50 of the container. A
tapered portion 54 or ramp can be in<:luded at the lower end of
the hinged wall SO to assist the waste material in exiting the
container 2 if necessary. Also, the central beam extending
above the floor 32 shown in Figure 1:? can include a protective
30 covering 56 to merely cover the beam without interfering with
any of the objectives of the present invention.
As can be seen in Figure 13, :Front and rear transverse
beams 58 and 60, similar to the angles beams 40 and 42 shown in
Figure 12, can also be included running transversely at the
CA 02432928 2003-06-20
lower end of the front and rear end;s of the container 2 for
similar structural support purposes. Once again in this case,
the floor itself can rest on the lower portion of these angle
beams 58 and 60 for further support of the floor itself. It
is also apparent that the same construction shown in Figure 13
can be applied to narrower 8 1/2' containers, for example, to
obtain the same benefits of st~:uctural integrity, and
increased interior :height and volumes.. ,.
Turning to Figure 14, another e~mbod:iment of container 2
is shown therein. In this embodiment, the side walls 65 and
66 include an air plenum 68, which runs around the entire
circumference of the container wall's, and which cars be, for
example, a perforated pipe or the life. Attached to the air
plenum 68 is a duct 69, which, in turn,, leads to a fan 70
which can induce a draft within the air plenum 68, and create
a negative pressure within the container 2. A filter 71 is
affixed to the exhaust from the fare 70, and in this manner
dust and odors within the container 2 are withdrawn through
duct 69, and expelled form the container :? and/or collected in
filter 71.
Although the invention herein has been described with
reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood
that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the
principles and applications of the present invention. It is
therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be
made to the illustrative embodiments and that other
arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention ass defined by the appended
claims.
26
