GB2217182A - Rubbish bin assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A rubbish bin assembly includes a stand (1) and a bin (2) which is pivotally mounted in the region of its upper end to the stand. Releasable locking means (10, 11) are provided for locking the bin (2) in the region of its lower end to the stand, one example of such locking means being shown in Figure 5. <IMAGE>

Description

Rubbish Bin Assembly This invention relates to a rubbish bin assembly and in particular, but not exclusively, to a rubbish bin assembly suitable for use in places freely accessible to members of the public.

Many forms of rubbish bin have been proposed for use in such places. Commonly such bins are provided with liners which can be lifted out of the bin when the bin is to be emptied. The liner may be a reusable relatively rigid container or it may be a disposable bag of plastics material.

According to the invention there is provided a rubbish bin assembly including a stand and a bin which is pivotally mounted in the region of its upper end to the stand, the assembly further including releasable locking means for locking the bin in the region of its lower end to the stand.

Such a bin can be emptied by releasing the locking means and then pivoting the bin about the stand to empty rubbish from the bin through an opening in the top of the bin.

The bin may have a body moulded from a plastics material. A strengthening band may be secured around the upper end of the bin and may provide the pivotal mounting for the bin.

The stand may be made of metal.

The stand may have a "U" shaped part and the bin may be pivotally mounted on opposite limbs of the "U" shaped part, with the base of the "U" positioned beneath the bin when the bin is locked to the stand. Engaging parts of the bin and the stand which serve to lock the bin to the stand may be positioned at the centre of the base of the "U" shaped part.

The bin may be generally in the shape of an upright cylinder of circular cross-section. The bottom of the bin is preferably rounded being devoid of any corners. Such shapes of bin facilitate removal of rubbish from the bin.

Actuating means coupled to the locking means for controlling the release thereof are preferably provided on the stand at a location spaced from the locking means.

The actuating means are preferably provided in the region of a pivotal mounting of the bin to the stand. Preferably the coupling between the actuating means and the locking means is provided by a cable.

Preferably the locking means are resiliently biased into a locked position but are moveable against the bias by the actuating means.

Preferably the actuating means is arranged to be operated by a key, which may be an Allen key.

By way of example, certain illustrative embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a bin assembly including a bin in its normal position, Fig. 2 is a side view of the assembly of Fig. 1 with the bin pivoted a little to one side, Fig. 3 is a front view of the assembly of Fig. 1 with the bin in its normal position, Fig. 4 is a front sectional view of a detail of the assembly indicated by numeral IV in Fig. 3, also showing perspective views of various parts shown in the sectional view, Fig. 5 is a front sectional view of another detail of the assembly indicated by numeral V in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a front sectional view of the detail of Fig. 4 showing also a key for a lock actuator shown in the detail.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, the bin assembly includes a stand having a "U" shaped part 1 made of tubular metal, for example steel, and a bin 2 whose body is of plastics material and which is pivotally mounted on opposite limbs 3, 4 of the stand by pivots 5 in the region of the upper end of the bin. The stand has a bottom leg 6 which may be of any desired length and is fixed to the ground by suitable means (not shown). A releasable lock 7 is provided at the centre of the base of the "U" shaped stand and a wire cable 8 connects the lock 7 to an actuator 9 adjacent the pivot 5 on the limb 4 of the stand. The cable 8 passes through the tubular limb 4 of the stand.

The bin 2 is generally in the shape of an upright cylinder of circular cross-section, is open at the top and has a hemispherical bottom on the exterior of which at the centre a lug 10 having a recess 11 is provided. One or more metal bands 12 are fixed tightly around the upper end of the bin and serve to mount the bin to the pivots 5 as will now be described in more detail with reference also to Fig. 4 in which the pivot 5 on the limb 4 of the stand is shown (the other pivot being of the same construction).

The pivot 5 comprises a bracket 13, attached to the bin 2, a female screw member 14 having a rounded head 15 at one end and an internally screw threaded bore 16 at the other end, a male screw member 17 having a flat head 18 at one end and an externally screw threaded part 19 engageable in the threaded bore 16 at the other end, and a pair of washers 20. The arrangement of these parts is clearly shown in Fig. 4 and it will be seen that the head of the female screw member 14 engages the outer side of the limb 4 of the stand (with one of the washers 20 positioned between the stand and the rounded head 15), while the head 18 of the male screw member 17 holds the bracket 13 on the inner side of the limb 4 of the stand (with the other washer 20 interposed between the bracket and the stand).The metal bands 12 (not shown in Fig. 4) around the bin 2 pass through a bore 21 in the bracket 13 and thus secure the bracket to the bin.

The -bracket is rotatable about the axis of the screw members 14 and 17.

Referring now also to Figs. 5 and 6, the arrangement for locking'and releasing the bin from its upright position will be described. As shown in Fig. 5, the lock 7 comprises a locking pin 22 slideably mounted in the stand and movable into and out of engagement with the recess 11 in the lug 10 of the bin 2, and a compression spring 23 which biases the locking pin into the recess 11. The cable 8 is connected to the trailing end of tne locking pin 22 and can be pulled by the actuator 9 to withdraw the locking pin 22 from the recess 11 against the bias of the spring 23, thereby allowing the pin to pivot about the stand.

The actuator 7 comprises an actuating member 24, a retaining screw 25 and a pair of washers 26. The actuating member has a head at one end having a central recess 27 suitable for engagement by an Allen key 28 (see Fig. 6) and at the other end an internally screw threaded bore which is engaged by the retaining screw 25. The washers 26 are interposed between the heads of the members 24, 25 and the stand to allow free rotation of the actuating member 24. A transverse bore 29 is provided through the centre of the actuating member 24 and the cable 8 passes through this bore and has in enlarged end 30 to prevent the cable slipping out of the bore 29.

In use, the bin will normally be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 with the locking pin 22 engaging in the recess 11 of the lug 10 of the bin 2 to prevent the bin pivoting about the stand. In such a case, the actuating member 24 will be in the position shown in Fig. 6. When it is desired to empty the bin, the key 28 is inserted into the recess 29 in the actuating member 24, the actuating member is rotated and, as a result, the pin 22 is withdrawn from the recess 11 by the cable 8 against the bias of the spring 23. The bin is then free to be pivoted through any desired angle to enable it to be emptied. The bin can be locked again in the upright position by rotating the actuating member as the bin is moved back into the upright position. Alternatively the lug 10 may be arranged so as to press the locking pin 22 into the stand with a camming action until the locking pin is aligned with the recess 11, whereupon the pin moves into the recess 11 under the bias of the spring 23; in this case the bin can be returned to the upright position without use of the key 28.

Claims (14)

Claims:

1. A rubbish bin assembly including a stand and a bin which is pivotally mounted in the region of its upper end to the stand, the assembly further including releasable locking means for locking the bin in the region of its lower end to the stand.

2. A rubbish bin assembly according to claim 1 in which the bin has a body moulded from a plastics material.

3. A rubbish bin assembly according to claim 1 or 2 in which a strengthening band is secured around the upper end of the bin and provides the pivotal mounting for the bin.

4. A rubbish bin assembly according to any preceding claim in which the stand is made of metal.

5. A rubbish bin assembly according to any preceding claim in which the stand has a "U" shaped part and the bin is pivotally mounted on opposite limbs of the "U" shaped part, with the base of the "U" positioned beneath the bin when the bin is locked to the stand.

6. A rubbish bin assembly according to claim 5 in which engaging parts of the bin and the stand which serve to lock the bin to the stand are positioned at the centre of the base of the "U" shaped part.

7. A rubbish bin assembly according to any preceding claim in which the bin is generally in the shape of an upright cylinder of circular cross-section.

8. A rubbish bin assembly according to any preceding claim in which the bottom of the bin is rounded, being devoid of any corners.

9. A rubbish bin assembly according to any preceding claim in which actuating means coupled to the locking means for controlling the release thereof are provided on the stand at a location spaced from the locking means.

10. A rubbish bin assembly according to any preceding claim in which actuating means are provided in the region of a pivotal mounting of the bin to the stand.

11. A rubbish bin assembly according to claim 9 or 10 in which the coupling between the actuating means and the locking means is provided by a cable.

12. A rubbish bin assembly according to any of claims 9 to 11 in which the locking means are resiliently biased into a locked position but are moveable against the bias by the actuating means.

13. A rubbish bin assembly according to any of claims 9 to 12 in which the actuating means is arranged to be operated by a key.

14. A rubbish bin assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.