EP0069660B1 - Vehicle for washing refuse receptacles - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle is of the type which comprises a water tank and washing heads which are supplied with pressurised washing liquid, in particular water. It comprises a washing box 3 having an opening 4 for the introduction of receptacles, a loading means 13 for introducing the receptacles inside the said box through the said opening, means for the leaktight closing of the said opening, and a plurality of washing heads (6, 8, 9, 10, 11) which are arranged in the said box, at least one of the said heads (6) being arranged so as to spray pressurised water inside the receptacle(s) introduced into the box and at least one of the other washing heads (8, 9, 10, 11) being arranged so as to spray pressurised water onto the outer walls of the said container(s). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle for washing containers, in particular containers for the mechanized collection of household waste.

There is currently an important development in the mechanized collection of household waste during which the containers, in the form of wheeled bins are supported by means of front, ventral or lateral gripping mounted at the rear of a collection vehicle, lifted, and tilted so as to pour their contents into the collection vehicle, then rested. Such containers or wheeled bins exist in a number of standardized dimensions ranging from a capacity of 110 liters to a capacity of 1300 liters.

For reasons of appearance and hygiene it is necessary to ensure the maintenance of these containers. Traditionally this maintenance was left to the initiative of the caretakers of the buildings and the washing was carried out using a water jet.

A vehicle has also been proposed for this maintenance (German patent application DE-A-2 736 208) comprising washing heads supplied with washing liquid, in particular water, under pressure, the vehicle comprising for this purpose a water tank and means for supplying said heads with pressurized water.

Such vehicles are not satisfactory because they are usually a source of nuisance as a result of numerous splashes of washing water, due to the difficulty of sealing the opening for introducing the containers. In addition, these vehicles are of a large bulk often not allowing them to access in urban areas certain narrow lanes or congested parked cars.

The present invention proposes to provide a container washing vehicle avoiding the drawbacks of currently known vehicles, allowing rapid and complete washing of the containers while being of a simple and economical design allowing its use by unskilled personnel, n ' causing no nuisance during use and also being of a reduced size. By containers within the meaning of the invention means all containers capable of receiving industrial, household or public waste, in particular the collection containers mentioned above and the litter baskets. The container washing vehicle, in particular of containers for mechanized collection of household refuse according to the invention is of the type comprising a water tank, washing heads supplied with washing liquid, in particular pressurized water, arranged in a washing box comprising, at the rear of the vehicle, a container introduction opening, loading means for introducing the containers inside said box through said opening and means for closing said opening, and is characterized by the fact that the loading means consist of a structure in the shape of a bucket, acting as a door for closing the opening for introducing the containers into the box, that said door is secured to two lateral arms pivoting under the action of a mechanism with rotary actuators mounted at one end of said arms, said door being able to pivot between a low position in which its bottom wall is substantially h horizontal in the immediate vicinity of the ground and a high position in which said door is applied in correspondence of shape to the periphery of the loading opening of the washing box, and that means are provided for immobilizing the containers on said door during container loading, washing and unloading phases.

The contact face with the ground at the bottom of the loading door is advantageously provided with support pads on the ground.

In a preferred embodiment, the loading door is articulated on said arms in the vicinity of their end opposite to that linked to the pivoting mechanism relative to the chassis of the vehicle. Elastic means are advantageously provided on said arms to allow correct application of the underside of the loading door on the ground, whatever the unevenness thereof, these means being preferably elastic stops carried by a piece of end secured to the door and surrounding a corner disposed longitudinally on each of said arms, and widening in the direction of the articulation of the loading door on said arms.

The bottom wall of the bucket-shaped door advantageously comprises on its upper face guide rails in which the container rollers can engage, end stops being provided for front support of the rollers when the desired position of the container on the bottom wall of the loading door is obtained.

Advantageously, four parallel rails are provided allowing the simultaneous reception of two containers on said door in the shape of a bucket for their loading and washing.

Thus thanks to the invention it is possible to simultaneously load and wash two identical or different containers, of capacity for example of 120, 240 and 330 liters.

For larger containers, such as those of 660, 750, 1100 and 1300 liters, only one container is loaded and washed at a time.

To maintain the container or containers to be loaded on the door in the form of a bucket serving as a loading means, provision is made according to the invention for two telescopic brackets, which can be actuated separately or simultaneously, each comprising a amount substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall of the loading door comprising a slide movable under the action of an integrated jack and an upper cross member parallel to said bottom wall and provided with elastic lower stops capable of being applied from above on a container brought and positioned on the loading door when the latter is in the open position near the ground.

Naturally, the two brackets are actuated if it is desired to load and wash two containers simultaneously, or a container of large capacity, only one of the brackets being able to be used in the case of loading and washing of a single container of low capacity. .

To ensure a watertight closure of the box during washing, a peripheral seal is formed around the edge of the loading opening and the loading door is locked on the box using a cylinder locking mechanism. on the outside of the box.

To significantly reduce the size of the washing water tank, it is advantageous to provide in the vehicle according to the invention a circuit for recycling the washing water, comprising decantation and filtration means.

Advantageously, there is provided in this circuit one and preferably several successive settling tanks, cleaning hatches being provided for the evacuation of the detritus accumulated in the settling tank (s).

The water leaving the settling tank (s) is advantageously taken up by a lifting pump and brought to a separator ensuring cleaning by circulation of water and then to a self-cleaning filter allowing cleaning with air or water flowing against the current. Separation and filtration residues are also brought into tanks equipped with access hatches. The water thus decanted and filtered is returned to the reservoir from where it is taken up to supply the washing heads by a pump, in particular a high-pressure piston pump. This high-pressure piston pump, in particular at a pressure of 50 bars, is driven from the PTO of the vehicle by a conventional system with pulleys and belts, an additional safety which can be provided in the form of a clutch n 'allowing the pump to rotate only when the vehicle is stopped and at constant speed.

To ensure better internal and external washing of the containers, it is advantageous for some or all of the washing heads to have several jets and to be rotary, the rotation of the heads being ensured by water pressure or by a pneumatic motor actuated by a air compressor unit driven by the PTO of the vehicle, the latter comprising a compressed air tank.

The vehicle also includes a hydraulic control fluid reservoir for supplying an oil pump intended to drive the rotary actuators for controlling the pivoting of the loading door.

Washing can be carried out with cold water, preferably with the addition of detergent, bactericide, deodorant and dye additives, or with hot water, with or without an additive. When hot water is to be used, a heating installation is provided, advantageously composed of a boiler and an exchanger, and good insulation.

• - la figure 1 est une vue en élévation latérale schématique de gauche du véhicule selon l'invention illustrant le chargement d'un conteneur,
• - la figure 2 est une vue en élévation latérale schématique de droite du véhicule selon l'invention, la porte de chargement étant fermée,
• - la figure 3 est une vue arrière schématique illustrant des détails des moyens d'immobilisation des conteneurs sur la porte de chargement,
• - la figure 4 est une vue en élévation latérale schématique agrandie de la porte de chargement, et
• - la figure 5 est un schéma de principe du circuit de recyclage de l'eau de lavage.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be highlighted in the following description given by way of nonlimiting example of an embodiment with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view on the left of the vehicle according to the invention illustrating the loading of a container,
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation view from the right of the vehicle according to the invention, the loading door being closed,
• FIG. 3 is a schematic rear view illustrating details of the means for immobilizing the containers on the loading door,
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view of the loading door, and
• - Figure 5 is a block diagram of the washing water recycling circuit.

We now refer to the drawing which schematically represents the vehicle according to the invention illustrating only the essential characteristics necessary for understanding the invention.

The vehicle itself is a truck comprising a driving cabin 1 and a chassis 2 supporting the various elements of the washing installation.

It has been possible in practice to use a truck whose length is less than 6 meters and the overall width of approximately 2 meters.

The truck comprises at its rear part a washing box 3 provided at its rear part with a loading opening 4, the periphery of which has a peripheral seal 5.

A container C in the washing position has been illustrated in FIG. 1.

Inside the box are arranged two rotary heads 6 intended for washing the interior of the containers, each of the heads 6, only one of which is visible in the drawing being mounted at the end of one of two parallel arms 7 attached to the bottom of the housing 3.

At different points on the inner wall of the box are mounted other rotary heads intended for washing essentially the outer walls of the containers.

There is thus an upper head 8, a front head 9, a lower head 10 and two side heads 11.

Another head 12 is mounted on the loading door generally designated by 13 and which will be described in more detail below.

In the embodiment envisaged, the heads 6 each have four nozzles allowing to direct four jets in this way.

The other heads 8 to 12 are of the type with two nozzles thus producing two washing jets.

The rotation of the heads 4 with four jets is ensured by the pressure of the water; the rotation of the heads 8 to 12 with two jets is ensured by a pneumatic motor supplied with compressed air from a compressed air tank 14, the compressed air being supplied to the tank 14 by a compressor group driven by the power take-off of the vehicle .

The water necessary for washing is supplied to the heads from a reservoir 15 by means of a high-pressure piston pump, 16 (FIG. 5) driven by pulleys and belts from the PTO of the vehicle.

In the embodiment, the water tank is a stainless steel tank with a capacity of 2500 liters.

As indicated above, the container or containers are introduced into the washing box 3 while being supported by the door 13 for closing this box.

This door 13 has the shape of a bucket comprising a bottom wall 17, a wall 18 substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall and two side walls 19 of substantially triangular section.

The box-shaped door 13 is articulated at 20 with two lateral arms 21 capable of pivoting at their opposite end about a horizontal axis 22 under the action of a mechanism with rotary jacks 23 preferably comprising two coupled jacks.

The cylinders are driven by an oil pump supplied from an oil tank 24.

On the underside of the bottom wall 17 are placed pads 25 for supporting the ground.

To compensate for the unevenness of the ground and to allow in all circumstances a good application of the bottom wall of the door, a mechanism with elastic stops is provided which is best seen in FIG. 4. This mechanism includes elastic annular stops 26 carried by a part 27 integral with the door 13 and surrounding a corner 28 produced on each of the arms 21.

On the upper face of the bottom wall 17 are produced guide rails 29 for the container rollers, stops 30 being provided for the front support of the container rollers placed on the loading door in the low position as illustrated in the right part of figure 1.

To immobilize the container or containers on the loading door, there are provided according to the invention two telescopic brackets 31 each comprising a vertical post 32 and a slide 33 actuated by an integrated jack, each bracket comprising an upper cross member 34 provided with lower stops in elastomer 35.

As best seen in Figure 1 once the container brought into position in the guide rails 29 against the stops 30 the upper cross member (s) 34 are lowered until the elastomer stops 35 come into contact against the upper rim of the container tank, the cover being in the open position.

For containers of large widths the two brackets 31 are actuated simultaneously and they are also activated when it is desired to simultaneously load two containers of small width, each of the cross members 34 thus ensuring the clamping at the top of one of the containers.

To introduce the container or containers thus maintained in the washing box, it suffices to actuate the mechanism with rotary jacks 23 to bring the door against the loading opening 4, after which the door is locked on the box to the using a jack mechanism 36 (Figure 2).

The rotary heads are then supplied with pressurized water ensuring complete internal and external washing of the container (s) perfectly immobilized thanks to the brackets 31 during the washing phase. Once the washing is finished, it suffices to unlock the rear door and to actuate the jack mechanism 23 again to bring the door back to the low position, after which the container or containers are released from the clamping brackets and released from the rails. by rolling them backwards.

The operating controls for opening and closing the loading door as well as for clamping and loosening the containers are advantageously located on a control console located at the rear of the vehicle and operated by the service personnel. It also has an emergency stop button. Other orders are made from a console in the cabin.

We will now describe, with particular reference to FIG. 5, a possible circuit for recycling the washing water.

The water leaving the washing box 3 at its lower part arrives in a first settling tank 36 where the large detritus accumulates. This tank has at its lower part a hatch 37, the opening and closing of which are controlled by a mechanism 38 (FIG. 2) actuated by jacks and ensuring an arching effect in the closed position.

Following bin 36 and separated from it by a grid 39 is a second settling tank 40 for medium-sized detritus. This tank 40 is separated by a grid 41 of a tank 42 forming a tank of decanted water.

A pump 43 for recovering this decanted dirty water is provided and is driven by a pneumatic motor.

The water having passed through this pump 43 reaches a separator 44 with a centrifugal effect ensuring cleaning by circulation of water, the waste and the circulating water arriving in a solid waste tank 45 provided with a cleaning hatch 46 , the overflow of water was brought back through a conduit 47 into the tank 42.

The water leaving the separator is supplied to a self-cleaning filter 48 with air cleaning. award winning circulating against the current, the waste reaching a litter bin 49 provided with a cleaning hatch 50.

Finally, the water leaving the filter 48 is brought back to the reservoir 15 after having passed through a conventional safety filter, and where appropriate a heating installation (not shown) comprising a boiler and an exchanger, reservoir 15 from which it supplies the heads. washing using the high pressure piston pump 16 as described above.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it can be brought to many variations and modifications without departing from its scope or of his mind as defined by the claims.

Claims (11)

1. Vehicle for washing containers, particularly containers for the mechanized collection of hosehold refuse, of the type having a water tank (15), washing heads (6, 8-12) supplied with washing liquid, particularly pressurized water, arranged in a washing chamber (3) having at the rear of the vehicle an opening (4) for the introduction of containers (C), loading means for introducing the contrainers into sand chamber through sand opening and means for closing said opening, characterized in that the loading means are constituted by a skiplike structure (13), which serves as a door for closing the opening (4) for introducing the containers into the chamber (3), that said door is integral with two side arms (21) pivoting under the action of a rotary jack mechanism (23) mounted at one end of said arm, said door being able to pivot between a bottom position in which its space wall (17) is substantially horizontal in the immediate vicinity of the ground and a top position in which said door is applied in shape correspondence to the circumference of the washing chamber loading opening and that means (29, 30, 34) are provided for immobilizing the containers on said door during the container loading, washing and unloading phases.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the door (13) is articulated on said arms (21) in the vicinity of the end thereof opposite to that connected to the pivoting mechanism.

3. Vehicle according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the arms (21) have elastic means (26, 27, 28) for compensating the ground unevennesses and for permitting a correct application of the base wall (17) on the door on the ground.

4. Vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the elastic means are elastic stops (26) surrounding a wedge (28) disposed in longitudinal manner on each of said arms and widening in the direction of the articulation (22) of the door on said arms.

5. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base wall (17) of the door has on its upper face guide rails (29) for the container runners, and the end stops (30) for a frontal bearing on said runners.

6. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two telescopic beams (31), which can be actuated simultaneously or separately each comprising a post (32) substantially perpendicular to the base wall (17) of the loading wall having a slide (33) moving under the action of an integrated jack and an upper cross-member (34) parallel to said base wall and provided with lower elastic stops (35), which can be applied from the top on the container positioned on the loading door in the open position in the vicinity of the ground.

7. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer face of the chamber (3) has a mechanism (36) for locking the loading door on said chamber. 8. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a recycling circuit for the washing water (36, 40, 42, 43, 45, 48).

9. Vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that within the said circuit it comprises decanting and filtering means (36, 40, 42, 48) for the washing water.

10. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises washing water heating means.

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