CA2116648A1

CA2116648A1 - Composting and recycling bins

Info

Publication number: CA2116648A1
Application number: CA002116648A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Thomas M. Fink
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-28
Filing date: 1994-02-28
Publication date: 1995-08-29

Abstract

ASTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Composting or recycling bin structure designed to be built from a kit by a purchaser. The hardware kit contains all the necessary hardware parts which together with a precut lumber package for a selected size model will enable a homeowner to construct either a composting bin or a recycling storage bin. The hardware items are preferably of galvanized steel. The boards to be used are designed to utilize normally waste lumber provided by a retail lumber or building supply center. The bins are rugged and yet attractive that will complement the decor of most backyards.

Description

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FIELD OF THB INVENTION
This invention relates to composting blns and storage ~ ~-bins deslgned for use ln recycllng and to kits for making ~;
each. - -BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The composting of a wide variety of organic materials, such as, leaves, grass clippings, small twigs, and certain ;~
household scraps that were previously viewed as trash has become a necessary and in some instances mandatory matter for homeowners to consider. Municipal landfills are rapidly filling with trash and waste materials of all types at an ;~
alarming rate. Many municipalities have instituted recycling programs for a wide variety of materials to reduce the volume of tra~h being hauled to landfills and to -~
conserve natural resources. A number of Jurisdictions are now refusing to accept leaves and grass clippings and ~; requiring individual homeowners to compost these organic yard waste materials which were formerly transported to landfills.
The recycling of various materials such as, glass bottles, aluminum and plastic articles is now required in many areas. Homeowners separate these materials and store them as they accumulate until they can be picked up or otherwise properly dispo3ed of. Thus, there i8 a need for storage facilities, usually to be placed out of doors, for tbese separated materials.

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, ;; ~, Composting is a natueal way of recycling organlc wastes ~ `
using a natural process in which the organic materials are - . .. : :-,.
converted by bacterla into compost which may then be used as a 80il conditioner and nutritive additive. A wide variety of composting devices have appeared on the market each designed to receive organic wastes such as leaves, grass ~ ~ -clippings, etc. therein while they are allowed to decompose, a proces~ which under normal conditions usually requires a ;
number of months and sometimes an entire season. It has been recognized in the art that the process of decomposition can be accelerated by using a variety of techniques. Such include the addition of moisture when the materials are dry, certain table scraps to stimulate bacterial growth, and certain addltives which are currently available to speed the decomposition process. Also, it is known that the bicterial decomposition can be greatly accelerated by periodically stirring the compost pile. This is because the initial ~!' phase of the decomposition process is aerobic and proceeds most rapidly if oxygen is available around the materials being decomposed. This requires some stirring or mixing of ~ --a compost pile such as with a fork or other tool to lift materlals up from the bottom and intermix them with other materlals in the plle which thereby allows oxygen to reach the bacteria. The turning and mixing the materials must be ~;
repeated every few days for optimal benefits. ~ ;-211~8 :-:

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During the initial aerobic decomposition pha~e heat is generated whlch should be retained within the materials to -keep the decomposition proceeding as rapidly as possible. ;~
Thus, the composting container fihould be substantially enclosed and the materials used to construct the composting container should have some insulating properties to restrict the rapid loss of generated heat. At the ~ame time, some air must be able to enter the composting chamber. ~- -An additional requirement for a composting device is that it be sufficiently rugged to withstand heavy loads when - `~
necessary without danger of collapsing, even while the contents are being stirred, uch as with a fork. Also, it must be sufficiently attractive in appearance so that it may be left visible in a back yard and blend with any other ~ ~-structures such as decks, steps or wooden fences.
Additlonally, the unit must be weather resistant, have an extended useful life and yet be affordable to thè ma~ority of potential users. ~ -; 20 In order to reduce the physical labor required for `~
stirring the composting materials, rotating drum type composters have been proposed. An example of this type of --~-composting container is contained in my copending appllcation Serial No. filed SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The composting and storage bin devices disclosed herein have been designed with the above in mind. They are rugged ,. . .

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yet attractlve ln appearance; weather and decay resistant;
they can be peoduced ln varying capacity; eficient in operations and are relatively inexpensive to construct. My compostlng and storage bln devices are ruggedly attractlve and will complement most homeowner backyard decor.
Materials commonly used in exposed outdoor construction, such as, back steps, decks, fences, etc. are cedar and redwood, and pressure treated plne. These materials are usually able to withstand exposure to the -weather for many years. Lumber and "do-it-yourself" builder supply type stores accumulate curved, twisted, or knotty pieces that have been "picked over" and cannot be sold.
Such lumber 1~ normally conqidered as waste and dlsposed of.
My lnvention has been designed to help such stores to ; `
utilize these otherwise waste materials. -j;~
Usually, at least some portions of such boards are usable. Thus, it 18 normally possible to cut one or more ~ short sectlons, usable to construct one of my bin models -~ from these otherwlse waste boards. Thus by removing or minimizlng undeslr~able twisted or curved parts and by cutting out and discarding sections having large open knots or other ma~or defects the majorlty of thi~ lumber can be sold. Such lumber, which has been precut to speciflc lengths accordlng to model size, may be packaged and sold along with one of my complete hardware kits ready to be assembled by a homeowner purchaser using a minimum of tools.

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As an alternative, the kit may be assembled by the retailer at his store and sold ready to use or delivered and then assembled by an store employee if such is requested.
As a further option, the hardware kit could be sold separately and the purchaser could obtain the lumber from a different source. Obviously, the lumber for the bins does not have to be cut from defective boards but could be constructed from high grade materials. Other materials such ;
as plastic or wood composition could be substituted without significant change in the operation of the bin. Initial marketing results have shown my composting and storage bins to have significant appeal to a wide variety of retailers -and potential users.
A primary object is to provide a kit or assembly of parts containing all the necessary hardware that, together with a precut lumber package for a selected size model, will enable a homeowner to construct a compo ting or recycling bin as disclosed and claimed herein. The hardware items are preferably of galvanized steel. However, plastic, aluminum and other rust and weather resistant materials can be used. ~ ;
; A further ob~ect of the invention is to provide a composting device which is able to convert organic waste materials such as leaves, grass clippings, small twigs, and .;:" . .: ;: :::
certain household scraps or the like into usable compost in an effective and efficient manner.

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A further ob~ect i3 to peovide a composting or ;~
recycling bin that can be constructed by a homeowner using a ;~
prepackaged kit of components and instructions supplied by a retaller according to the invention and a complete package of precut materials necessary to build the selected model utilizing normally waste lumber provided by the retail lumber or building supply center.
A further object is to provide an efficient, rugged and -yet attractive composting or recycling bin that will complement the decor of most backyards.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood and become apparent from the invention `
; disclosure which follows.
Brlef descrlptlon of the drawings ........... .................................................................... ... ... ~ ~ .
Fig. l is a perspective view of my single unit storage destgned as a compost bin.
Fig. 2. is a view illustrating two composting units arranged into a double bin arrangement.
Fig. 3. i8 an exploded view of the lid of one storage ~, ~ . , :.
unit.
F$g. 4 is an exploded view of the corner posts and rail members.
~ Fig. 5 is a view of the asRembled composting unit of - Fig. l wlth the lid removed.
Fig. 6 18 a perspectlve vlew of a connectlon plate and one of the upper rail members.

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2~166~8 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the connection of one of the lower rail members with a connecting plate. -~
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of how the boards can be -~
inserted and retained within the opposing channels of an upper and lower rail member.
Fig. 9. is a view illustrating a double recycling storage bin arrangement.
Detailed description of the invention Reference will now be made to the detailed description ~ -wherein numerals used in the specification are used to refer to corresponding elements in the drawings.
The composting bin 10 is comprised of four vertical corner posts 11, preferably constructed from 4"x4" pressure treated lum~er. Generally square rail brackets 12 are secured by four screws positioned holes in the corners ;~ -thereof threaded into the posts 11 near the upper and lower ends thereof a~ illustrated in Fig. 4. The rail brackets 12 `~
include a slot 13 formed by severing a strlp 18 of material and bending it outwardly from the plane of the bracket.
Each slot 13 is designed to receive a tongue 15,15' ~ - -integrally formed on each end of the top rails 16 and bottom ralls 18, respectively. Each tongue includes a through hole 18' that aligns with a hole in the bracket 12 to receive a --~
~ screw locking the rails to the posts.
;~ It can be observed that the tongues 15,15' of the upper and lower rails, respectively, extend in opposite direction~
with respect to the U-shaped channels 17 as illustrated in -~;

211~6~8 Fig~ 5-7 such that each pro~ects downward when assembled. ;~
Boards 19 are secured by screws extending through predrilled ;,~
openings in the outer flanges of the channels 17. In the ~-composting bin 10 the boards 19 of the sides and rear are of the same length whereas the front boards 20 are shorter.
Secured to the oppositely inwardly facing surfaces of the corner posts 11 are slat brackets 22. The open U-shaped ; --o brackets 22 removably secure angled slats 24. They may be removed to permit entry of a fork or shovel to remove completed compost material from the bin.
The open top of the bin is closed by a lid 30 formed by oppositely hinged panels 32, 34. The panels 32, 34 are constructed from boards 35 having their opposite ends ;~ `
retained within U-shaped channel members 36, 37 and secured by screws through predrilled holes in the outer wall of the channel members. It is to be noted that ln the embodiment illustrated in Fig 1 the channel members 37 are shorter than the channel members 36 to allow for notches 38 which fit around the posts 11. The half lid panels 32,34 are hinged along edges by hinges 40 having their lower portions secured ~ `
to the outer surface of the bin and their upper portions secured to the underside of the lid panel. Hinge locating ~;; notches (not illustrated) are placed in the upper rails to ~- assist in positioning the hinges. The lid panels are restrained in an overcenter open position by cables 42 having their ends inserted in eyelets 44 screwed into the ~1~6~48 :

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lld panels and end walls, respectively, and secured by -~
clamps 43, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 10.
In the embodiment illustrated in Fig 2, a double composting bLn is formed uæing much of the same hardware as -in the first embodiment. A single end wall provides a -~
common center wall for each bin. The lids SOa, 50b hinged along one edge only cover the entire top of a respective --~
bin. A handle may be attached to the lids for ease of opening tbem.
During use, the lids are opened and materials such as leaves, grass clippings, etc. and any additives are loaded into the bins through the open top. Every few days the lids may be opened and the contents stirred with a fork - -. : :, .: .
or other tool. The dooes otherwlse remain closed. Heat ~-generated during the aerobic bacterial decomposition which ;
may reach 160 degrees F is sub-~tantially retained due to the -~ insulating propertie~ of the wood materials and the closed ., : .,.. : ~ ~ .: -, .:
top. Air enters the bins through the bottom, around the slats 24 and the cracks between the boards to supply needed . .:
oxygen to keep the bacterial decomposition proceeding.
After the process is completed in a few weeks the slats 24 may be re~oved and the contents removed.
~ The composting device is preferably constructed from `~ cedar, pressure treated pine, or even redwood lumber. The ~ -board slze i8 preferably the type referred to as 5/4" X 6N ~ ~

and which has slightly rounded corners. The corner post~-members are preferably of conventional 4"x4" size. A -~ -, .. :.: .

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practical feature of the invention iq that sub tantially the ~ ~
same hardware packages may be used to construct different ;--size models merely by adding or substituting some part~ and selecting a different lumber package. For example, the two current models illustrated in Figs 1 and 2 are designed with capacities of 15 cubic ft and 25 cubic ft capacity, respectively, while using most of the same hardware pieces.
The rugged design i8 sturdy and long lasting and yet is attractive in appearance to blend with other backyard structures. All units are designed to utilize short lengths of lumber which might otherwise be discarded as waste permitting the conservation of valuable resources. The hardware items are preferably of galvanized steel. However, `~
plastic~ alumlnum and other rust and weather resistant ~;~
materials can be used.
Figure 9 illustrates the invention designed as a storage bin intended especially for holding separated materials to be recycled. The bin is essentially the same as the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 except that the removable slats 24 are eliminated and the front boards are ;~
the same length as those of the sides and rear. Dividers, constructed in the same manner as the end walls, may be .,: :.~: :- . .
placed in the units to subdivide the bin into additional separate containers as illustrated in Fig.9.

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Claims

Having disclosed my invention I claim:

Claim 1. A rectangular storage container comprising, a plurality of upright corner posts, a pair of endwalls and front and rear walls, each of said walls comprising upper and lower generally U-shaped oppositely facing channel rail members secured to said posts, a plurality of boards having their respective upper and lower ends retained in one of said channels.
Claim 2. The container structure of claim 1 wherein each post includes at least one pair of slotted bracket members secured at spaced locations thereon and each channel rail includes a downwardly extending tongue at each end thereof which is secured within a bracket slot.
Claim 3. The bin structure of claim 1 wherein a lid is hinged along one edge thereof and covers at least a portion of the top of the container.
Claim 4. The container of claim 1 wherein each lid includes at least one pair of oppositely facing U-shaped channel members and wherein a plurality of boards have their ends located in said channels.
Claim 5. The container of claim 1 wherein the front wall of said container includes a plurality of removable slats.
Claim 6. The container of claim 4 wherein said lid includes a pair of panels hinged along their opposite edges.
Claim 7. The container of claim 1 wherein there are at least six posts arranged with three each on the front and rear in rectangular plan and an inner wall extends between the front and rear sides to provide at least a pair of separate chambers.
Claim 8. The container of claim 1 wherein at least one divider panel extends between a pair of walls.
Claim 9. The container of claim 5 wherein the front wall of said container includes a plurality of removable slats.
Claim 10. The container of claim 1 wherein each bracket includes a slot formed by an integral portion struck from the bracket material.
Claim 11. A rectangular container comprising at least four corner posts, upper and lower horizontally extending rail members secured to said posts, a plurality of boards secured to said rails, hinged lid means to cover the open top of said container.
Claim 12. The kit of claim 11 wherein upper and lower brackets are secured to each post and each bracket includes a slot, each rail including a tongue sized to be received in one of said slots.
Claim 13. A kit foe constructing a storage bin comprising, a plurality rail members of generally U-shaped cross-section and a plurality of generally planar brackets corresponding in number to twice the number of rails, each rail having a tongue extending generally at right angles from said rail, each bracket having slot means for connecting to one of the tongues.
Claim 14. The kit of claim 13 further including a plurality of generally U-shaped channel members adapted to be placed over the ends of boards to form a lid.
Claim 15. The kit of claim 13 wherein each bracket includes a slot and each rail includes a tongue sized to be received in one of said slots.