Patent Application
20220315327
The present invention relates to a self-appliable and removable lid lock for a conventional residential wheeled trash container. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic gravity inforced device to impove the means of locking and unlocking the hinged lid of a wheeled trash container. An advantage of the present disclosure of the self-appliable and removable lock and unlock device is not only that it can be purchased by the general public and be self attached effortlessly to a wheeled trash container, but can help avoid damage to a commercially owned receptacle due to complicated techniques other types of gravity inforced mechanisms require to drill holes in the plastic for mounting. A user can manually unlock the present invention by pulling an arm with a counterweight outwardly therefrom the device when attached to said trash container to disengage the mechanism and/or as the device is attached to said trash container standing in an upright position, is able to release the hinged lid from a locked position using the force of gravity as it tilts forward to be emptied by a waste service collection truck.
As is known, conventional residential wheeled trash containers typically are invaded by scores of unwanted pests which selectively rummage through household bags of refuse at will because of insufficiient measures to keep the hinged lids closed, and with regard to the forgoing, giving free access also to unauthorized individuals to fill them at the costly expense to the customer. As another comparison, it is common for a customer to roll a wheeled trash container for placement in front of their residence for collection only to be struck by the hinged lid when strong winds throw it back suddenly without warning. This may be dangerous and cause injury, depending on the circumstance to the user. Most automated public utility garbage truck companies usually do not provide a means to their customers of locking the smaller wheeled trash containers for obvious reasons due to the finanical impact to supply every customer and the time involved for the drivers to manually reset each pickup if certain mechanisms used are not depenable to work properly on collection day.
The object of the present invention is to further impove the means of locking and unlocking the hinged lid of a wheeled trash container, of the type comprising a fastenable housing structure on said container with strap, hooks and two rigid pivoting arms connected by a link plate; one horizonal and the other vertical. When said device has been properly hung on the outside edge of said container and the hinged lid closed, the upper horizonal pivoting arm holds the lid down in a locked position. As the receptacle is tilted forward, lifted and turned upside down for dumping this reaction triggers the lower vertical arm with a counterweight to swing away from the housing structure releasing the upper horizonal pivoting arm to move away from the lid and give clearence for dumping.
An illustrative embodiment of the wheeled trash container for the means of locking and unlocking the hinged lid using the force of gravity with the desire to prevent unauthorized access when the trash container is on the ground in an upright position without interference during the dumping process, discloses a device comprising a housing structure that directly engages the upper rim of a trash container below its hinged lid, by an upper arm whose purpose is to rest on top of the receptacle lid when in a closed position, for a locking means to prevent the lid from opening; and a lower arm with a counterweight both spaced-apart, each with a single affixed pivot point connected respectively by a movable link plate that directly serves as a locking or unlocking means when the container hinged lid is open or closed. In addition, when the trash container is in an upright position and waiting to be emptied, the key unlocking means of the device happens when the lower pivoting arm that rests in a vertical position against the receptacle pushes the link plate therefrom the trash container while it is tilted forward using the force exerted by gravity to raise the horizonal position of the upper arm to a vertical one above the receptacle. Furthermore, both pivoting arms comprise two stop tabs that have the added advantage of reducing movement when device is geometrical ingaged.
In further embodiment, the disclosure describes a pair of hooks on the housing structure that can attach the device to a trash container by fastening it under the hinged lid onto the edge of the outside wall. As a variant, said device may include an abutment acting as a retaining wall to resist lateral movement as well as a means capable of both keeping the mechanism in a upright position or keeping adequate distance therefrom while in direct contact with the container body. Thus, according to the invention, when it is hooked on the lip edge and tightly mounted with particular ease by a strap to the trash container's front lower handle, it can readily be installed on any existing container. When the trash container is tilted to a 90 degree angle for dumping, the first arm with the counter-weight pivots outward by gravity pushing against the link and forcing the second arm from a locked position to an unlocked position giving clearence to the trash container's hinged lid for waste collection. When this object is accomplished because the trash container has been emptied and placed back on the ground after dumping, and the hinged lid is closed, the device returns to facilitate a locked position.
With regard to the foregoing, one embodiment of the disclosure provides a inexpensive locking mechanism for the general public to purchase and use without permanent alteration or damage to a privately owned commerical disposal service's property.
In a further embodiment, the disclosure describes a simple operation of a gravity operated device for locking a hinged lid to a trash container.
An advantage of the present disclosure may be that the locking device is able to automatically unlock during the process of dumping to eliminate any need for a user to manually unlock and lock during waste collection.
Additional objects and advantages of the disclosed device will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and/or can be learned by practice of the disclosed embodiments. The objects and advantages of the disclosure will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure, as claimed.
The related art of interests describes various devices for locking the hinged lids of residental trash containers that are permanently attached, intended to be unlocked when emptied by tilting into a waste collection service truck and then returned to a locked, upright position, although none discloses the present invention. There is a need for a dependable gravity inforced locking/unlocking device which permits instantaneous attachment for use to most conventional wheeled trash containers.
The related art will be discussed in order of perceived relevance to the present invention. These patents neither suggest nor do they teach the advantage of a hook and strap-on, lock and unlock mechanism offered for purchase to the general public to further improve an easily attachable and detachable means without damage to a waste receptacle by other examples shown.
As is known, automated public utility garbage truck companies do not supply a means of a lid lock device to the general public to solve the problem for unauthorized parties to gain access to the smaller waste collection containers waiting to be emptied. Conventional means to typically keep a smaller wheeled trash container hinged lid closed is frustrating for the general public at times and occanionally correct the problem by drilling holes into the plastic container body to attach a make-shift contrivance to hold the lid shut.
Moreover, many locking devices for locking the lids of trash containers have been proposed to solve these problems set forth in the specifications of claims herein, however, most locking devices affixed to the container rentals for public useage are applied by means of drilling holes into plastic receptacles solely for the purpose of attachment and are gravely unexceptable as indicated by the garbage truck companies due to unnecessary damage to their property. It should be noted, that a monotary value could be placed on the customer serving an excellent reason to deviate from this standard. It will be understood that an attempt to render a broader scope of a more practical application has been considered in the present invention as it is directly attached by means of hook and strap capability. In basic concept, the related art of interest, intended for ownership specifications to the public, can manually attach quickly without damage or prolonged wear and tear to the receptacle, perform its primary function and not interfere with the waste collection operation process.
Many locking devices for wheeled trash containers range in numbers to solve the problem of entry. For example, French Patent No. 2,721,912 to the assignee describes a locking device comprising a pivoting part pivotably mounted on a large, rectangular container referred to as “dumpster” body inside a protective casing. When said dumpster is upright, this pivoting part assumes a locked position in which it keeps the lid in a closed position. When the container is tilted for emptying, the pivoting part, by force of gravity, moves from its locked position to an unlocked position. Due to a dumpster's typically bulky size, the mechanism is generally directed to company owned containers that can be attached permanently.
The dumpster shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,153 shows a huge container with hinged lids that solved the unauthorized use problem, by again, permanently attaching a self-disengaging lock between the hinged lid and the body of the dumpster, though, a key is required to release a latch. However, when locked, the latch is automatically released as the dumpster is tilted forward.
Although the smaller, residential trash containers have less problems with unauthorized entry which makes the problem seem unwarranted, smaller trash containers are prone to opening in high winds and animals have easier access. Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,395 that discloses a self-releasing latch arrangement applied to a coventional trash container having a hinged lid and being liftable and dumpable by the usual garbage truck. The latch arrangement comprises one or more keeper members, and once again, is permanently attached to the container outwardly thereof and overhanging thereform manually swinging the weight away from the keeper thereby emptying the container.
For more examples of prior art of locking devices for the hinged lid of a conventional trash container, especially gravity inforced mechanism attachments include U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,264, that discloses a gravity operated latch hook built in such a way as to incorporate a counterweight design by means of a hinge-plate and pin assembly, permitting the lid to open disengaging a striker when the container is set upright. Once again, the example of prior art is attached to the underside of the container's lid that requirers machine drilled holes into the receptacle with nut and bolt assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,744 discloses a locking piece mounted to pivot between a position assuring the locking and unlocking position releasing the cover. The operating member is a movable weight mounted for guided sliding movement arranged so that a translatory movement in one direction of the operating member produces a rotation of the locking piece in the unlocking direction. Consequently, the device again is fabricated onto the receptacle.
While the embodiments of U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,061, claim a catch that includes a sliding/rolling locking member which is also the gravity element as indicated, the method of attachment connectable to the container requires complete assembly.
The disadvantages of the prior art designs disclosed in the patents listed herein are not only the difficulties of the lack thereof to the general public to attach such assembilies onto a commerically owned small residential trash containers quickly within seconds without the need of using any tools to drill holes for nuts and bolts or cutting edge welded applications, even though these devices fit most models of small wheeled trash containers with hinged lids on the market today, nor even though they may require some expertise for complexity and adjustment to assemble them when applied, but It must be understood that while the preferred methods seen possible, the most important factor to the equation is that if trash containers are not privately owned permission to do so must be granted by the commerical disposal service company.
However, none provide a hook and strap capability to facilitate a user to manually apply said device sufficiently and instantanously to a receptacle without damage to it or provide a removable locking arm system disposed adjacent to the container lid to prevent its opening. The present invention, in comparison, comprises a leverage capability locking means by when a lower pivoting arm with a counterweight rests in a vertical position is matched vertically to a connecting link plate. This dramaticly blocks movement of the second arm that is also connected by the opposite end of the connecting link plate in a horizontally locked orientation, preventing lift, serving as a temporary lock over the closed lid of the receptacle. As the container is tilted forward by a predetermined angle, the weighted first arm moves therefrom the housing structure, exerted by gravity, pushes against the link plate and dislodges the second arm to enable movement from its locked position, clearing the path of travel for the container lid for the waste contents to be removed. Having a properly located stop post on the housing structure to control limited movement for the lock arm and the counterweight arm is essential.
It can be seen that the present invention is an improvement over these prior-art locking devices for wheeled trash containers with hingable lids for attachment assemblies providing a simple, easy to apply without damage, cost efficient, fastenable to said trash containers with hingable lids and the like which meets the criteria desired for such devices.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring initially to
It is to be understood that relative terms used herein are intended to describe relative relationships of components with respect to each other and should not be construed in a limiting sense. Therefore, the components designated by such terms may be oriented in other spatial relationships with respect to each other during use of the automatic gravity inforced trash container lid locking device 1.
The automatic gravity inforced trash container lid locking device 1 shown in
An illustrative embodiment comprises a housing structure 3 shown in
If the vertical lower first arm 4 with the counterweight 37(controlled by a properly placed stopper post 10 for limited movement) and the movable verticle link plate 6 affixed at one end joined at the other end to the upper second arm 5 in a horizonal position (controlled by another properlty placed stopper post 30 for limited movement) and stays perpendicular, the horizonal upper second arm 5, due to its orientation, will remain in a locked position, unable to lift or release said container lid 41 until disengaged as illustrated in FIG.4.
With reference to
Referring now to
Another embodiment of the invention 1 demostrates preferred intended use wherein it is shown in
In accordance with the invention 1, said horizonal upper arm 5 having the function of holding down the hingable, closed lid 41 of a trash container 2 is shown in a locked position with a lower vertical arm 4 comprising a counterweight 37, so that when said device 1 has been interposed between the outer edge wall 42 of said container 2 by hooks 7 and 8 beneath the closed container lid 41 and the receptacle 2 is in an normal upright position on the ground, it then can be tilted forward by a automated garbage truck for dumping. This causes influencing forces of gravity to move the lower vertical arm 4 outwardly thereof, pushing against the link plate 6 in a cooperative manner, disengaging the upper horizonal arm 5 that then recesses upwardly from its locked position holding down the container lid 41 giving way to clear a path of travel to purge the waste.
As illustrated in
Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with reference to the embodiments thereof presently contemplated as the best mode of carrying out such invention in actual practice, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in adapting the invention to different embodiments without departing from the broader inventive concepts disclosed herein and comprehended by the claims that follow. From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of changes and modifications can be made in size, shape, type, number and arrangement of parts described without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the attachment claims.
