Single pivot motion roll-off hoist

• US 20070212205A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Container Equipment Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Container Equipment Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Lowecki, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/373,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20070212205A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/498
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6463 fitted with articulated beams for longitudinal displacement of the container

Abstract

A truck-mounted, single pivot motion hoist assembly for the loading and unloading of containers. In a preferred embodiment, the hoist assembly includes a hoist frame rigidly mounted to the vehicle chassis. A lifting arm may be pivotally attached to the hoist frame, while hydraulic cylinders may be pivotally attached to the lifting arm. Spanning rear rollers may be used. In the preferred embodiment, the hoist assembly is capable of loading a wheel-less, rail-less container using a single pivot motion.

Claims

1. A hoist assembly mounted to a truck for loading and unloading containers, comprising:

a hoist frame rigidly mounted to a frame of the truck having a truck bed; and

a single pivot motion lifting arm supported by and pivotally attached to the hoist frame for lifting the container from a ground-level resting position to a loaded position wherein the container rests on the truck bed, and for unloading the container from the loaded position to the ground-level resting position.

2. The hoist assembly of claim 1, wherein the movement of the lifting arm is powered by one or more hydraulic cylinders each having associated cylinder rods, and wherein each of the one or more cylinder rods is attached at a location distanced from the pivotal attachment of the lifting arm to the hoist frame.

3. The hoist assembly of claim 2, further comprising one or more support plates rigidly attached to the lifting arm, wherein at a first pivot attachment point the one or more support plates are pivotally attached to the hoist frame, and at a second pivot attachment point the one or more support plates are pivotally attached to the one or more cylinder rods, and wherein the first and second pivot attachment points are sufficiently distant from each other to enable the creation of sufficient torque to allow the lifting arm to load and unload the container.

4. The hoist assembly of claim 1, wherein the hoist frame comprises a box frame including pair of side rails and a pair of cross bars.

5. The hoist assembly of claim 1, wherein the lifting arm is generally L-shaped.

6. The hoist assembly of claim 1, further comprising spanning rear rollers allowing the hoist assembly to load and unload rail-less containers.

7. The hoist assembly of claim 6, wherein the rear rollers are positioned rearward of a rear bumper of the truck bumper, permitting the loading and unloading of wheel-less containers.

8. The hoist assembly of claim 1, wherein the lifting arm is pivotally connected to the hoist frame at a fixed location located rearward of a rear axle of the truck.

9. The hoist assembly of claim 1, wherein the hoist frame further comprises front-secured corner cradles for aiding in the prevention of container sliding once the container is in the loaded position and the truck is moving.

10. The hoist assembly of claim 7, further comprising rear supports positioned rearward of a rear bumper of the truck.

11. The hoist assembly of claim 6, wherein the rear rollers include side weldments to aid in the prevention of container sliding once the container is in the loaded position and the truck is moving.

12. The hoist assembly of claim 1, wherein the hoist frame is attached to the vehicle frame using OEM mounting points.

13. The hoist assembly of claim 4, further comprising a supplemental cross support spanning the side rails.

14. The hoist assembly of claim 2, wherein the one or more hydraulic cylinders each have a load capacity of at least about 30,000 pounds.

15. A hoist assembly mounted to a mini-truck having a truck bed, for loading and unloading mini-containers, comprising:

a hoist frame rigidly mounted to a frame of the truck; and

a single pivot motion lifting arm supported by and pivotally attached to the hoist frame for lifting the container from a ground-level resting position to a loaded position wherein the container rests on the truck bed, and for unloading the container from the loaded position to the ground-level resting position.

16. The hoist assembly of claim 15, wherein the mini-container is rail-less and wheel-less.

17. A method for loading and unloading containers using a hoist assembly mounted to a truck having a truck bed and a forward cab, comprising:

providing a hoist frame rigidly mounted to a frame of the truck;

providing a single pivot motion lifting arm supported by and pivotally attached to the hoist frame;

engaging the lifting arm to the container at a ground-level, resting position;

rotating the lifting arm rearwardly in a single, continuous motion and thereby loading the container by moving it from the ground-level, resting position to a loaded position in which the container rests on the truck bed; and

rotating the lifting arm forwardly in a single, continuous motion and thereby unloading the container by moving it from the loaded position on the truck bed to the ground-level resting position.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lifting arm is powered for rotation by one or more hydraulic cylinders each having associated cylinder rods, wherein the hoist frame includes one or more support plates, wherein each of the one or more cylinder rods is attached to the one or more support plates at a rod attachment point, and wherein the pivotal attachment of the lifting arm to the hoist frame is located on the one or more support plates at a lifting arm attachment point, and wherein the rod and lifting arm attachment points are sufficiently distanced to enable the creation of sufficient torque to allow the lifting arm to load and unload the container.