U.S. patent number 3,661,239 [Application Number 05/070,670] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-09 for underground refuse collection system.
Invention is credited to Robert J. Freeman.
United States Patent |
3,661,239 |
Freeman |
May 9, 1972 |
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.
Inventors: |
Freeman; Robert J. (Fullerton,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
22096687 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/070,670 |
Filed: |
September 9, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/465.1;
405/129.1; 405/129.45; 104/165 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65F
5/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65F
5/00 (20060101); B65g 047/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;198/19,20,79,80,177
;104/127,165 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
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2,049 |
|
Aug 1865 |
|
GB |
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627,543 |
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Mar 1936 |
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DD |
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Primary Examiner: Blunk; Evon C.
Assistant Examiner: Lane; Hadd S.
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.
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.
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