SHREDDING CABINET The present invention relates generally to waste products and in particular to the production, collection and disposal of waste products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shredding device and a method of using the device which allows more efficient collection and disposal of the waste product that is produced by the shredder. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a cabinet for supporting a shredding device which allows shredded material to be collected directly in a suitable receptacle located in a dedicated space within the cabinet allowing direct disposal of the shredded waste using the receptacle. The present invention finds particular application as a cabinet for supporting a paper shredder and for housing a wheeled receptacle directly below the paper shredder so that the paper shreds produced by the paper shredder are collected in the wheeled receptacle which can then be transported for ultimate disposal of the paper shreds directly from the wheeled receptacle, wherein the cabinet is provided with a safety device or interlock device for controlling operation or preventing unsafe operation of the shredder in use.

Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to one example of the present invention, being a cabinet adapted to house a wheeled recycle bin or similar in which the bin co-operates with a safety device to prevent unwanted or accidental use of the exposed cutters of the shredder, it is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is not restricted to the described embodiment but rather the scope of the present

invention is more extensive so as to include other devices, other arrangements and other applications of the cabinet, shredder and safety device.

The present invention relates particularly to paper shredders and shredding devices. In offices, homes and other commercial establishments, the use of paper shredders is becoming more widespread for the disposal of waste paper containing confidential or sensitive material or merely to provide for more efficient disposal of the wastepaper in the form of shreds. The disposal of the daily flood of paper in companies, institutions and organisations, including both private and government, in compliance with good data security practice, requires the shredding of paper materials, such as for example, large quantities of outdated computer printouts, mountains of files, correspondence and other confidential or sensitive materials. The shredded paper products, including the shreds, require disposal. As paper shredding is becoming more commonplace, there is an increasing need for more efficient production, collection and disposal of the paper shreds without undue disruption to the normal operation of the office or other business.

Existing paper shredders usually have a plastic bag or other collection arrangement for collecting the paper shreds. Within an office or other commercial establishment, when the plastic bag or similar is full-of shreds it must be detached from the shredder and taken to a suitable place for disposal, such as for example an intermediate collection area, storage location, transfer station or the like located within the office or building in which the office is located. Usually the contents of

the plastic bag are emptied into another larger receptacle acting as an intermediate receptacle located in the storage or transfer area of the office or building, which is then transported from the office for ultimate disposal of the waste paper. The use of plastic bags or similar requires double handling as the plastic bags themselves are not suitable for transporting the paper shreds or for disposing of the collected waste paper shreds at the ultimate disposal point, which can be located quite some distance from the office or commercial establishment, such as, in the countryside or in an industrial area located well away from the business area.

Another problem encountered with using a plastic bag or other similar receptacle is that fresh, empty bags must be attached to the shredder in a secure manner allowing for subsequent collection of paper shreds. The attachment of the plastic bag in a secure manner is time-consuming and sometimes results in the bag being torn, ripped or similar, which requires that the bag be discarded without having being used and having to be replaced with a fresh replacement bag which adds to the time and cost of replacing the plastic bag.

A further problem in using a plastic bag or similar is that during transportation of the full bag from the shredder to the intermediate disposal receptacle there is an opportunity for the contents of the bag to spill, or when the bag is being emptied into the intermediate disposal receptacle for the contents to overflow onto the floor surrounding the intermediate receptacle. Both of these occurrences require the spilled contents to be recovered and put into the receptacle which is disruptive of office

procedures as well as being time-consuming.

Thus, there is a need for a quick and efficient method of using a shredder so that the one receptacle can be used to collect and dispose of the waste paper shreds without there being the need for an additional step of transferring the paper shreds to an intermediate receptacle before the shreds can be removed and disposed of.

A still further problem of existing shredders, particularly shredders having exposed cutters, is that if operating the shredder without the collecting receptacle being in place, it is possible for an operator to accidentally contact the moving cutters in use, thereby causing injury to the operator. This is particularly so if a paper jam or other disruption to the normal operation of the device occurs as the operator is tempted to relieve the jam manually, often by pulling the paper from between the moving cutters.

Additionally, many existing shredders are able to be operated without a receiving or collecting receptacle being located in place to receive the shredded waste paper or, if provided with an automatic cut-out, to continue to be operated by easily overriding this automatic cut-out manually. This can result in two problems, the first being that the paper shreds can form a mess directly underneath the shredder as they are not contained in the plastic bag or similar, and the second being that accidental injury can be inflicted on the operator, particularly if the hands of the operator come into contact with the moving cutters, such as for example when releasing a paper jam or similar.

Another problem of existing shredders is that any suitable

receptacle can be used to collect shredded paper. In many instances, offices have contracted with specific recycling companies to remove the shredded paper in which the contracted recycling companies supply their own intermediate storage receptacles, such as wheeled bins, known colloquially as wheelie-bins, or the like often at no charge to the customer. Sometimes other contractors use the receptacles of the recycling company and"acquire"the receptacles without permission or authorisation. This leads to the recycling company losing its receptacles.

Therefore, there is a need for a system of identifying and using only the receptacles of the specific recycling company engaged by that office for disposing of the shredded paper. This aim can be achieved by having another form of a safety device in which the shredder will work only if the correct receptacle is identified and positioned in the cabinet of the present invention. This form of the safety device, usually a magnetic and/or electronic device, not only provides information about the identity of a particular receptacle but also assists in controlling operation of the shredder by preventing inappropriate use of the shredder either when there is no receptacle or where a non-authorised receptacle is used.

Therefore, there is a need for the shredding cabinet to be provided with a safety device for controlling operation of the shredder to prevent accidental damage or injury if the receiving receptacle is not in place to collect the paper shreds when the shredder or shredding device is operated.

Also, there is a need for ensuring that only authorised receptacles be used to collect and remove the shredded material.

Therefore, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a cabinet for supporting and/or housing a shredding device which allows the receptacle for collecting the shredded material to be used also to dispose of the shredded material, wherein the cabinet is provided with a safety device for interacting between the shredding device and the receptacle so that the shredder operates in a safe and secure manner thereby preventing or reducing the chances of accidental damage or injury.

According to the present invention there is provided a cabinet adapted for use with a shredding device for shredding material fed into the device into shreds and collecting the shreds in a receptacle, characterised in that the cabinet comprises: a support portion having a pair of spaced apart side walls defining a space therebetween for receiving the receptacle in use; a top surface extending between the pair of spaced apart side walls having an aperture in which the shredding device is located in use ; and at least one safety device for controlling operation of the shredding device, said receptacle for receiving and collecting shredded material from the shredding device when positioned in the space and being arranged such that the shredding device is located above the level of the opening to the receptacle, wherein the safety device is arranged to permit operation of the shredding device when the receptacle is positioned in the space and to prevent operation of the shredding- device when there is no receptacle positioned in the space.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an open-fronted cabinet adapted for use with a shredding device for shredding material fed into the device

into shreds and for use with a receptacle for collecting and disposing of shreds, said cabinet including a support portion having a pair of spaced apart side walls and a mounting surface defining a space therebetween for receiving the receptacle in use, said mounting surface extending between the pair of spaced apart side walls and having at least one aperture therein, said shredding device being mounted on the mounting surface in alignment with the aperture or apertures in use, said receptacle being located beneath the aperture or apertures for directly receiving and collecting shredded material from the shredding device when the receptacle is positioned in the space between the side walls and the mounting surface and being of a size such that the shredding device is located above the level of direct entry into the receptacle, and at least one safety device for preventing unauthorised use of the shredding device, wherein the safety device is arranged such that movement of the receptacle into the space defined by the side walls and the top surface places the safety device in a condition thereby allowing operation of the shredding device, and movement of the receptacle out of the space places the safety device in a condition preventing operation of the shredding device so that when no receptacle is located in the space the shredding device cannot be used.

Typically, the shredding device is a paper shredder, more typically a paper shredder which both shreds the paper into strips and cross-cuts the shredded strips into pieces thereby making it more difficult to extract information from the pieces.

Typically, the cabinet includes a back panel located to span between the two spaced apart side walls. More typically, the rear panel abuts against one edge of the top of the cabinet in which is positioned the paper shredder.

Typically, the space is an open fronted space defined by the two side walls, and the top and rear panel allowing access from the front.

Typically, the receptacle is reusable. Typically, the receptacle is able to be transported from place to place.

Even more the receptacle is sturdy.

Typically, the receptacle is a wheeled receptacle or similar able to be moved about by itself or upon another movable apparatus. More typically, the receptacle is a bin, even more typically a wheeled recycling bin, sometimes known as a"wheelie-bin", of the type having a hinged top which is openable by being pivoted back upon itself.

Alternatively, the wheeled bin is provided with a movable top.

Typically, one of the safety or security devices is attached to the underside of the top of the cabinet. More typically, the safety device is a slidable plate or is a hinged plate. Even more typically, the slidable or hinged plate is held in a closed position by a biasing means.

Typically, the biasing means is a spring or similar, preferably a tension spring. More typically, there are one, two, three, four or more tension springs connected between the slidable or pivotable plate and the underside of the top of the cabinet.

Typically, the plate is provided with a contact element for contact by the wheeled bin to move the plate from the closed condition to an open position to allow operation of

the shredder. More typically, the contact element is a flange, back plate, lip or similar. Even more typically, there are one, two, three, four or more flanges, lips, etc.

Typically, another form of the safety device is a proximity switch or similar, such as for example a reed switch, a micro-switch, a mechanical-electrical switch, or an optical-mechanical switch such as a light beam emitter and receiving, for detecting the presence of a bin in the space.

Typically, another form of the safety device is a magnetic and/or electronic switch which is coded for operation in conjunction with other coded components to allow operation of the device when selected wheelie-bins are located in place within and/or beneath the shredder. Even more typically, only bins having an authorised code can be used within the shredding cabinet by the bins interacting with a security device provided on the cabinet.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the cabinet of the present invention showing a shredding device located on the top of the cabinet; -Figure 2 is a cross-section view of one form-of the top of the cabinet of the present invention in which the collecting receptacle is not located beneath the shredder; -Figure 3 is a cross-section view similar to Figure 2 in which there is a receptacle located

beneath the shredding device; -Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; -Figure 5 is a cross-section view of a further embodiment of the cabinet of the present invention in which there is no receiving receptacle in place; and -Figure 6 is a cross-section view similar to Figure 5 in which there is a receiving receptacle located beneath the shredding device.

In Figure 1 there is shown one form of the cabinet of the present invention, generally denoted as 2, having a pair of spaced apart, substantially vertically extending side walls 4,6 located on either side of a back panel 8. A top 10 is located intermediate the respective top sections of side walls 4,6 and rear panel 8 for receiving a shredding device 12 in use. A space 11 is defined between the two side walls, rear panel 8 and top 10. Space 11 is for receiving or housing a suitable collecting or receiving receptacle. Top 10 is provided with one or more apertures of any suitable size or shape depending on the type of shredder mounted on top 10.

Shredding device 12 is received in one or more of the cut- outs or apertures to securely position shredder 12 on top 10 of cabinet 2. It is to be noted that the rotating cutters of the shredder device are located at a level above the level of top 10 so that material shredded by the cutters falls through the aperture and then into the collecting receptacle.

One form of the cabinet of the present invention is shown

in Figures 1 to 4. The top 10 of cabinet 2 is provided with an aperture 14 which is located directly below the cutters (not shown) of shredder 12. It is to be noted that the cutting elements or cutters of shredder 12 are not shown in the interest of clarity of expression and simplicity of drawings. However, paper fed to shredder 12 is shredded by rotation of the cutters to form shreds which fall through aperture 14 into the receptacle.

One form of the safety device of the present invention is fitted to the cabinet as shown in Figures 1 to 4. This form of the safety device 16 which is slidable between open and closed configurations comprises a generally horizontally extending flat plate 18 arranged to lie under and in parallel relationship to top 10 and a flange 20 extending substantially perpendicularly downwardly into space 11 from the rear facing edge of plate 18. A tension spring 22 extends between plate 18 and top 10 in which one end of spring 22 is connected to the front edge in use of plate 18 and the other end is securely anchored to the lower surface of top 10 clear of plate 18. In use, safety device 16 is horizontally slidable in accordance with the bias and tension of spring 22.

As shown in Figure 2, when there is no receptacle located in space 11 defined between walls 6,4, rear panel 8 and top 10, the slidable safety device 16 adopts a fully closed position under the bias of tension spring 22 in which plate 18 closes aperture 14 thereby preventing contact with the cutters of shredder 12 through aperture 14.

With particular reference to Figure 3, it can be seen that when a wheeled receptacle in the form of a bin 30,

colloquially known as a"wheelie-bin", is received in space 11, the rearwardly facing edge of the top of bin 30 contacts flange 20 to force safety device 16 against the bias of spring 22 back against rear wall 8 to adopt an open configuration whereby sliding plate 18 slides under the rearward portion of top 10 to open aperture 14 allowing shredded paper to fall into bin 30 during operation of shredder 12.

It is to be noted that in the embodiment shown in Figures 2,3 and 4, there is a pair of tension springs 22 mounted on either side of plate 18 to provide bias to plate 18 to adopt the closed position when bin 30 is removed from space 11 whilst leaving aperture 14 unencumbered and free of obstruction allowing shredded material to fall into bin 30.

With particular reference to Figures 5 and 6, a further embodiment of the safety device used with the cabinet of the present invention is shown.

In this embodiment, safety device 16 comprises flat plate 18 for closing aperture 14 and lever 40 which extends substantially perpendicularly downward from plate 18 and is provided with knob 42 at the downwardly depending distal end of lever 20. Safety device 16 is hingedly connected to the underside of top 10 by a suitable hinged connection 44 and is free to pivot about hinged connection 44. One end of a tension spring 22 is connected to the distal or forwardly facing edge of plate 18 and the other end is securely anchored to the lower surface of top 10 adjacent to the edge of aperture 14. Tension spring 22 is biased to maintain plate 18 in the closed position as shown in Figure 5 in which plate 18 covers aperture 14. When bin 30 is

pushed into space 11, the rear facing edge 32 of bin 30 contacts knob 42 to pivot device 16 so that plate 18 swings to adopt a downwardly depending position as shown in Figure 6, thereby opening aperture 14. In this position, plate 18 additionally acts as a chute or similar for directing paper shreds falling through aperture 14 into bin 30.

A further form of the safety device useful with the cabinet of the present invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6, which safety device is of a type which allows the particular bin 30 to be identified either for stock control purposes or for additional safety purposes or to allow only selected bins to be used with the particular shredder. This further safety device comprises two complementary parts 50,52 in which one part 50 is connected to a suitable surface or part of bin 30, preferably the rearwardly facing upper rim 32, whilst the other part 52, typically a sensor, is attached to back panel 8 in a position that allows co- operation between the two parts 50,52. Sensor 52 controls operation of shredder 12, such as for example by switching power to shredder 12. A preferred form of this safety or security device is a magnetic/electronic switch or similar, such as for example an electronic or magnetic tag in which sensor 52 is programmed with a set code so that it can be activated only when in close proximity to tag 50 having the correct code to complement the preset code. By this arrangement, shredder 12 can only be operated when bin 30 having the correct code is positioned in space 11. Bins not having tag 50 with the correct code will not activate sensor 52 so that shredder 12 will not be energised by sensor 52 and will remain inoperative.

In operation of the device of the present invention,

cabinet 2 with shredder 12 mounted on top and sensor 52 coded is placed in a suitable position in an office or other establishment. An empty bin 30 is located at the front opening of space 11 and pushed gently into this space, whereupon the rearward facing edge 32 contacts either flange 20 or knob 42 to simultaneously either slidably or pivotally move plate 18 as the bin 30 travels to the fully home position within space 11, thereby opening aperture 14. When bin 30 is in the fully home position, tag 50 interacts with sensor 52 to energise shredder 12.

During operation of shredder 12, paper shreds fall though aperture 14 into bin 30. This operation is continued until bin 30 is full whereupon bin 30 is removed from cabinet 2.

As bin 30 is being removed, tag 50 disengages from sensor 52 and plate 18 swings or slides in accordance with the bias of tension spring 22 to cover aperture 14, thereby preventing access to the cutters through this aperture.

Bin 30 can then be wheeled from the establishment and transported to the final disposal site where it is emptied, thus alleviating the need to"double handle"the shredded paper from the collecting receptacle, e. g. a plastic bag in the shredder, into an intermediate storage bin or transfer bin.

Advantages of the present invention include the following: -There is reduced opportunity for spillage of the contents of the bin receiving the shredded material because the collecting receptacle is the same receptacle used to dispose of the shredded material.

-The shredding device, being fitted with one or more safety devices, cannot be operated unless

the receptacle is in place to receive the shreds from the shredding device. This arrangement prevents accidental injury to operators using the shredder.

-There is more efficient disposal of the shredded material since the receptacle is sufficiently strong enough to be used to transport the shredded material to the ultimate dump site.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.