Underground Refuse Collection System

Abstract

An underground refuse collection system including a tunnel extending beneath a plurality of dwellings and terminating at a common collection facility. Refuse from each dwelling is lowered to the tunnel, wherein appropriate conveyor means transports the refuse to the collection center. In a preferred embodiment, the refuse is placed on a reusable tray having a detachable connector associated therewith. The tray is lowered down a shaft to the tunnel, wherein a driven endless belt catches the detachable connector and pulls the refuse on the tray to the collection center.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an underground refuse collection system, and more particularly to a system wherein refuse from a plurality of dwellings is lowered into an underground tunnel and transported therein to a refuse collection center.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In keeping with the current emphasis on beautification and maintenance of the environment, many municipalities are requiring the underground installation not only of water, gas and sewer facilities but also of power and communications lines previously installed above ground. Indeed, builders of new housing developments are finding positive sales benefits from voluntarily placing all utilities underground. But despite such effort, little or no thought has been given to the possibility of underground refuse collection. Thus even in the most modern of neighborhoods, the streets are littered with trash cans on the once or twice weekly refuse collection days.

While various special purpose underground conveyance systems have been suggested in the past, all of these have limitations which make them inapplicable for refuse collection. For example, various systems have been suggested to transport mail underground from a collection box to the post office, or from a curbside letter box into a dwelling. Such systems usually employ a container permanently attached to an endless belt and conveyed thereby back and forth between a single inlet (e.g., a curbside mail box) and a single outlet (e.g., inside the associated dwelling). Such a system would not be applicable for refuse collection, where trash from a plurality of swellings is to be delivered to a common collection center.

Other underground conveyance systems have been used in connection with drive-in banking service. In such installations, bank books, checks and other material to be deposited are placed in a removable carrier which then is transported to the bank teller either pneumatically or via a complex mechanical drive system. Again, such mechanically or pneumatically driven carrier systems do not lend themselves to use for refuse collection.

The present invention provides a unique, underground collection system which readily may be installed at the time of construction of a housing development. Refuse may be deposited directly from each dwelling into the system, for underground transport to a collection center. The system eliminates the need for door-to-door trash collection, thus enhancing the beauty of the community. Further, by permitting trash to be disposed of on a day to day basis, the health and other problems associated with accumulating trash for a period of days in the home are eliminated. As an additional benefit, other utility lines, pipes or conduit may be situated within the refuse collection system underground tunnel, with no need to provide separate tunnels for such other utilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an underground refuse collection system including a tunnel extending beneath a plurality of dwellings and terminating at a central collection facility. Refuse from each dwelling is lowered to the tunnel, where an appropriate conveyor means transports the refuse to the collection center.

In a preferred embodiment, refuse is placed on a tray which then is lowered down a shaft extending from the dwelling to the tunnel. Within the tunnel, a driven endless belt connects to the tray and pulls the tray and rubbbish to the collection center. There, the refuse is accumulated for disposal, and the trays are collected for periodic redistribution to each dwelling.

In one embodiment, each tray may be provided with a ring connected by a short cable to the tray. As the tray is lowered down the shaft, the ring slides along a guide rod terminating adjacent the endless belt. A hook attached to the belt connects to the ring to pull the tray into and along the tunnel, the bottom of which may be provided with rollers.

In optional embodiments, refuse, possibly tied in a plastic bag, may be pulled along directly by the endless belt system. Alternatively, an endless web, or a set of containers connected in the manner of an endless moving belt may be employed to convey trash lowered into the tunnel directly to the refuse collection center.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide an underground refuse collection system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refuse collection system including a tunnel extending beneath a plurality of dwellings and terminating at a refuse collection center, means for lowering refuse from each dwelling into the tunnel, and means for conveying refuse within the tunnel to the collection center.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an underground refuse collection tunnel equipped with means for conveying rubbish placed on reusable trays to a common collection facility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Still other objects, features, and attendance advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments constructed in accordance therewith, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts in the several figures and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view, partly in section, of an underground refuse collection system in accordance with the present invention, and including an underground tunnel shown disproportionately large for purposes of illustration only;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly cut away and in section, of a portion of the underground tunnel also shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing exemplary apparatus for lowering refuse from a dwelling into the tunnel of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a plurality of dwellings 10, 10' each associated with an underground refuse collection system 11 in accordance with the present invention. System 11 includes a generally horizontal tunnel 12 situated within ground 13 and extending beneath dwellings 10, 10'. A plurality of vertical shafts 14, 14', described in detail below in connection with FIG. 3, extend between respective dwellings 10, 10' and underground tunnel 12. Shafts 14, 14' facilitate the lowering of refuse directly from each dwelling 10, 10' into tunnel 12 for conveyance to a refuse collection center 15 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1.

In a preferred embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2), a plurality of spaced rollers 17 may be provided along the bottom of tunnel 12. A conventional endless belt or chain 18 carrying a plurality of hooks 19 extends along the top of tunnel 12 for substantially the entire length thereof. One or more motors (not shown), possibly situated beneath each of dwellings 10, 10' may be used to drive endless belt 18.

In the system illustrated, the refuse 20 to be collected may be placed in a plastic bag situated atop a reusable tray 21 connected via a cable 22 to a detachable connector such as ring 23. By engaging hook 19 to ring 23, the driven endless belt 18 will pull tray 21 and refuse 20 along rollers 17 to refuse collection center 15. At the collection center, an appropriate mechanism (not shown) dumps trash 20 off of tray 21 into a common trash receptacle. Ring 23 then is detached from hook 19 and the trays 21 accumulated for subsequent redistribution to dwellings 10, 10'.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an illustrative apparatus for lowering refuse 20 and tray 21 into tunnel 12. As seen therein, shaft 14 includes a platform 25 suspended by cables 26 which loop around pulleys 27 and terminate at counterweights 28. This arrangement permits platform 25 to move up and down in shaft 14 in a manner not unlike a conventional dumb-waiter. The upper end of shaft 14 is provided with a door 29 which may be opened (as shown in FIG. 3) to permit refuse 20 on reusable tray 21 to be inserted through an opening 30 onto platform 25.

Situated within shaft 14, to one side of opening 30, is a guide rod 32 preferably fabricated of rigid metal. Only the upper end 32a of guide rail 32 is attached to shaft 14. The lower end 32b of guide rod 32 curves around into tunnel 12 and terminates adjacent endless belt 18. Preferably, ring 23 is provided with a spring-loaded split section (not shown), so as to permit ring 23 to be looped around the upper end of guide rod 32 when refuse 20 and tray 21 are placed within shaft 14. In this manner, as platform 25 is lowered, as to the position shown in solid in FIG. 3, ring 23 will slide down guide rod 32 toward endless belt 18.

A stop 33 (FIG. 3) may be provided near the bottom of shaft 14, along the wall 14' away from tunnel 12. In this manner when platform 25 reaches the bottom of its travel, one end thereof will seat on stop 33 causing platform 25 to assume the tilted orientation shown in phantom at 25'. This orientation will assist the transfer of refuse bearing tray 21 into tunnel 12. Further, when platform 25 is at the bottom of its travel, ring 23 will be situated at the end 32b of guide rail 32. In this position, the next hook 19 to come past guide rod 32 will engage ring 23 and pull the ring off of guide rod end 32b. As a result, rubbish bearing tray 21 will be pulled onto rollers 17 and on through tunnel 12 to refuse collection center 15.

In other embodiments of the invention, refuse 20 may be pulled directly by endless belt 18 (FIG. 2) without the use of a tray. Then too, tray 21 itself may be disposable, thereby eliminating the need for redistribution of the trays to dwellings 10,10'. Alternatively, rollers 17 may be driven and endless chain 18 dispensed with.

As yet another embodiment, rollers 17 may be replaced by a driven endless web, or by a large plurality of open containers linked together in the manner of an endless moving belt. With such embodiments, refuse 20 need not be placed on a tray, but could be lowered directly onto the moving web or belt of linked containers, for transport thereby to a common refuse collection facility.

As noted earlier, conventional utility pipes, lines or conduits may be installed within tunnel 12, thereby obviating the need for a separate tunnel to contain these conduits. Tunnel 12 may be sufficiently large in size to permit a person to move therethrough, perhaps lying on a carriage moved along rollers 17, for purposes of periodically cleaning out the tunnel.

While the invention has been described with respect to a preferred physical embodiment constructed in accordance therewith, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. An underground refuse collection system for a plurality of dwellings comprising:

an underground tunnel extending generally horizontally beneath said dwellings and terminating at a refuse collection center,

a vertical shaft extending from each of said dwellings downward to adjacent said tunnel and opening thereinto,

dumb-waiter means within each shaft for lowering refuse to said tunnel,

a moving endless belt within said tunnel and extending the length thereof, said belt including a plurality of spaced hooks, and

ring means, attached to said refuse or to a tray carrying said refuse, for engaging one of said hooks when said refuse is lowered to said tunnel by said dumb-waiter means, said endless belt then transporting said refuse through said tunnel to said collection center.

2. An underground refuse collection system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a guide rod extending generally vertically within said shaft and terminating adjacent said endless belt,

and wherein said ring means comprises a split ring, said ring being placed around said guide rod and being guided thereby to adjacent said endless belt, the next hook passing said guide rod engaging said ring, and pulling said ring and refuse along said tunnel.

3. A refuse collection system for a plurality of dwellings comprising:

an underground tunnel extending generally horizontally beneath said dwellings and terminating at a refuse collection center;

a vertical shaft extending from each of said dwellings downward to adjacent said tunnel and opening thereinto;

platform means for lowering refuse within said shaft to the level of said tunnel;

conveyor means for transporting said refuse in said tunnel to said collection center;

a reusable tray having a ring attached thereto, said refuse being placed on said tray; and

guide rod means extending within said shaft downward to adjacent said conveyor means, said ring being hooked to said guide rod means and guided thereby to adjacent said conveyor means said conveyor means including a plurality of spaced hooks, one of said hooks catching said ring and pulling said ring, tray, and refuse into and along said tunnel.