A top loading refuse distributing and compacting device that is adapted to be mounted above or in a top of a refuse collection container, the device being operable to receive refuse, that has dropped into the device and to distribute said refuse over said refuse collection container as well as to compact refuse collected with said container, the device defining an entry opening at a top thereof for entry of refuse dropped into the device, and defining an outlet at a bottom thereof allowing refuse to drop into the refuse collection container underneath, the device comprising:
- a frame adapted to be mounted above or in the top of the refuse collection container;
- a refuse handling assembly, comprising:
- a pivotal handling member, that is pivotally mounted to the frame about a horizontal pivot axis, the horizontal pivot axis extending beneath said entry opening, the pivotal handling member having a distribution and compaction part, comprising a left surface, and a right surface;
- and
- a receiving part, comprising a top surface, extending parallel to and remote from said pivot axis, and adjoining the left and right surfaces of the distribution and compaction part at respective opposed sides thereof;
- and
- a drive assembly operably connected to said refuse handling assembly and at least including one drive motor,
- wherein the refuse handling assembly is selectively movable by the drive assembly between and into a receiving position, a leftward guiding position and a rightward guiding position,
- wherein the drive assembly is configured to move the refuse handling assembly into the receiving position by pivoting the handling member around said pivot axis such that the top surface of the receiving part extends substantially underneath the entry opening, such that refuse that is dropped into the device through the entry opening is received by the top surface and thereby supported on the handling member,
- wherein the drive assembly is configured to move the refuse handling assembly from the receiving position into the leftward guiding position by pivoting the handling member to the right, seen in direction of the pivot axis, around said pivot axis such that the left surface of the distribution and compaction part assumes a leftward inclination relative to an imaginary vertical plane above and parallel to the horizontal pivot axis,
- wherein the drive assembly is configured to move the refuse handling assembly from the receiving position into the rightward guiding position by pivoting the handling member to the left, seen in direction of the pivot axis, around said pivot axis such that the right surface of the distribution and compaction part assumes a rightward inclination relative to the imaginary vertical plane above and parallel to the horizontal pivot axis,
- wherein in said leftward guiding position the left surface of the distribution and compaction part upwardly faces the entry opening, forming an inclined chute that guides received refuse towards a left-hand side of the outlet,
- wherein in said rightward guiding position the right surface of the distribution and compaction part upwardly faces the entry opening, forming an inclined chute that guides received refuse towards a right-hand side of the outlet,
- wherein the drive assembly is configured to compact refuse, if the collection container has been sufficiently filled with refuse, by means of the refuse handling assembly as it is moved by the drive assembly into leftward and rightward compacting positions, and
- wherein the pivotal handling member further comprises a weighing unit, operating between the receiving part of the handling member and the frame, the weighing unit being configured to provide an indication of the weight of an object received on the top surface, said weighing unit comprising one or more weight sensors configured to produce one or more signals indicative of the weight of the received object on the top surface in the receiving position of the refuse handling assembly.