Collection bin for a laundry

Abstract

A collection bin assembly ( 10 ) for a commercial laundry and which comprises a frame ( 16 ) resting on a floor (G) and a bin ( 15 ) supported in the frame ( 16 ) with its mouth ( 39 ) oriented to receive items of laundry, the frame ( 16 ) further including a track ( 31 ) which has an upward inclination relative to the floor (G) with the bin ( 15 ) being displaceable along the track ( 31 ) for both upward and translational movement relative to the floor moving the bin from a lowered position in which its receives laundry to a raised discharge position sufficiently clear of the floor to permit discharge of any contents in the bin onto a conveyor ( 12 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A collection bin assembly for a commercial laundry and which comprises a frame resting on a floor and a bin supported in the frame with its mouth oriented to receive items of laundry, the frame further including a track which has an upward inclination relative to the floor with the bin being displaceable along the track for both upwards movement away from said floor and translational movement relative to the floor to move the bin from a lowered position to a raised discharge position in use sufficiently clear of the floor to permit discharge of any contents in the bin onto a conveyor.  
     
     
         2 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the track comprises a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel rails arranged one on each side of the bin with one end adjacent the floor and the other end cantilevered outwards from the frame to provide the raised discharge position.  
     
     
         3 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the rails comprise “U” section channel with the mouths of the two channels arranged in opposition, and bearing means mounted on the bin are engagable within the opposed channels.  
     
     
         4 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the track is arcuate having one end adjacent the floor with said track extending away therefrom so that its raised end in use is located above a conveyor.  
     
     
         5 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bin is held in the frame in a tilted condition with its mouth presented towards a manual operator, and the angle of inclination of the bin to the ground increases as the bin moves along the track towards its raised discharge position.  
     
     
         6 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the bin is inclined at about 45° in the lowered position and at least 60° in the raised discharge position.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bin is moved along the track by at least one actuator operable between the frame and the bin.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein there are two actuators arranged one on each side of the bin.  
     
     
         9 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bin is substantially square in section and when in a lowered position is tilted at about 45° to the vertical with the forward edge of its mouth being a maximum height of 1100 mm above the floor with its forward bottom edge being proximate the floor.  
     
     
         10 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bin has its bottom closed when in the lowered position and said bottom gradually opens as the bin is moved to its raised discharge position.  
     
     
         11 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the bottom of the bin is formed by a shutter secured to the frame so that the shutter opens as the bin moves towards the discharge position.  
     
     
         12 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said track is arcuate with one end adjacent the floor with said track extending away thereform so that its raised end in use is located above a conveyor, and the shutter is arcuate and is arranged concentrically with the arcuate track.  
     
     
         13 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises two parts, a base part standing on the floor, and an upper part on which the track and bin are mounted, with the upper part resting on the base part, and a load sensor acts between the two parts to indicate to an operator when the bin is nominally full to capacity.  
     
     
         14 . A commercial laundry system including a conveyor with at least one collection bin assembly according to  claim 1 , arranged to one side of the conveyor, the discharge position for said bin being located above the conveyor.