ADAPTER TO EMPTY REAR END LOAD OR SIDE LOAD REFUSE CONTAINERS INTO FORK BORNE INTERMEDIATE CONTAINER

• US 20130195590A1
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kann Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kann Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: GOEDKEN, Kenneth D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,028,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/408
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/023 Gripper arms for embracing the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0276 capable of moving towards or away from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0279 the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0296 the supporting means mounted on the discharging means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/041 Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 9/00 Transferring of refuse between vehicles or containers with intermediate storage or pressing presses for baling per se B30B9/30

Abstract

An adapter for front forks of a front loading commodity collection truck allows the truck to collect from rear load and side load style containers. An intermediate container is carried on the forks of the truck. An engagement apparatus is mounted on the intermediate container and is laterally extendible to engage the commercial container at curbside and draw the container to the intermediate container. The engagement apparatus will lift the commercial container and tip it over the intermediate container. Controls in the cab of the truck control operation of the adapter. The adapter can be removed easily from the forks when a front loading refuse container is encountered.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for collection of refuse commodities having a truck chassis with a commodity collection body mounted thereon, the truck chassis further supporting a cab for housing an operator, the commodity collection body including a pair of lift arms pivotable thereon from a lowered position forward of the cab of the truck chassis to an elevated position over a top load opening of the commodity collection body, the load arms having forks on the free ends of the lift arms, and fork cylinders coupling the forks to the arms to selectively orient the forks on the arms, an adapter apparatus comprising

an intermediate container selectively carried on the forks of the commodity collection body,

the intermediate container including opposing sidewalls,

each sidewall of the opposing sidewalls having a fork receiving pocket thereon,

the fork receiving pockets generally parallel with a bottom of the intermediate container,

the fork receiving pockets oriented to receive the forks when the forks are in a generally horizontal orientation,

a container engaging mechanism supported on the intermediate container,

the container engaging mechanism adapted to removably attach to a commercial refuse container,

the container engaging mechanism moveable from a lowered position to a tipped position wherein the commercial refuse container attached to the container engaging mechanism is substantially tipped over a top opening of the intermediate container,

control apparatus to operate the engaging mechanism, and to raise and tip the engaging mechanism,

the control apparatus coupled to controls in the cab of the truck chassis,

wherein the commercial refuse container may be elevated and tipped over the top opening of the intermediate container to empty contents of the commercial refuse container into the intermediate container and

wherein the intermediate container may selectively be emptied into the top load opening of the commodity collection body.

2. The adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the commercial refuse container includes a trunnion bar thereon,

the container engaging mechanism includes a pair of spaced apart trunnion receiving pockets,

the trunnion bar of the commercial refuse container selectively received in the trunnion receiving pockets,

a pair of arms supported on the container engagement mechanism selectively operable between an open position and a lowered position,

the arms when in the lowered position engaging opposing end walls of the commercial refuse container when the trunnion bar of the commercial refuse container is received in the trunnion pockets,

the arms in the lowered position preventing the commercial refuse container from over rotating about the trunnion bar thereof when the commercial refuse container is upended over the top opening of the intermediate container.

3. The adapter apparatus of claim 2 wherein

each of the lock arms further includes a transverse bar member extending therefrom,

each of the transverse bar members overlying an opposing one of the tops of the opposing end walls of the commercial refuse container when the arms are in the lowered position.

4. The adapter apparatus of claim 3 wherein

each of the transverse bar members inclining from the arm from which the transverse bar member extends when the arm is in the lowered position and the container engagement apparatus is in a lowered position.

5. The adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein

an extension frame is supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame including at least a first extension tube and a first rail,

the at least a first rail mounted to a wall of the intermediate container,

the wall being either a rear wall or a front wall of the intermediate container,

the at least a first extension tube selectively slidable along the at least a first rail,

the container engagement mechanism supported on the extension frame,

the extension frame operable to laterally move the container engagement mechanism away from the intermediate container.

6. The adapter apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the extension frame comprises the at least a first rail and at least a first extension tube and a second rail and a second extension tube,

one of the rails supported on the front wall of the intermediate container,

the other of the rails supported on the rear wall of the intermediate container.

7. The adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein

a pair of spaced apart vertical track elements are supported by a curbside sidewall of the intermediate container,

the container engagement mechanism including bearing elements received in the track elements,

the bearing elements of the container engagement apparatus moving along the vertical track elements as the refuse container is elevated,

the container engagement apparatus rotating about an axis of the bearings as the container engagement apparatus is tipped over the top load opening of the intermediate container.

8. The adapter apparatus of claim 6 wherein

a pair of spaced apart vertical track elements are supported on the extension frame,

the container engagement mechanism including bearing elements received in the track elements,

the bearing elements of the container engagement apparatus moving along the vertical track elements as the refuse container is elevated while the extension frame is in a retracted position adjacent the curb side sidewall of the intermediate container,

the container engagement apparatus rotating about an axis of the bearings as the container engagement apparatus is tipped over the top load opening of the intermediate container.

9. The adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the commercial refuse container includes a front wall,

the front wall having spaced apart hook pockets mounted thereto,

the container engaging mechanism includes hooks for touchingly engaging the hook pockets,

the container engagement mechanism further including a lock bar moveable from an open to a closed position,

the lock bar selectively engaging a top of the commercial refuse container when the catches of the container engagement mechanism are engaged with the hook members,

the lock bar preventing the commercial refuse container from disengaging from the hooks of the container engagement mechanism when the commercial refuse container is upended over the top opening of the intermediate container.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the container engagement mechanism is supported on an extension frame,

the extension frame comprising a pair of generally parallel spaced apart first elongated members,

a cross beam joining the first elongated members,

the container engagement apparatus supported on the cross beam,

each elongate member selectively movable along a one of a pair of second elongate members,

each of the second elongate members supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame movable between a retracted position wherein the cross beam is adjacent a first sidewall of the intermediate container and an extended position wherein the cross beam is spaced apart from the first sidewall of the intermediate container,

the cross beam comprising a pair of spaced apart vertical track members supported on the cross beam,

the container engagement mechanism further comprising generally coaxial bearing elements which ride along the vertical track members,

wherein the container engagement mechanism selectively may be elevated along the track members and may be urged to rotate about the bearing elements to upend the engagement apparatus and a refuse container attached thereto.

11. Apparatus to unload a trunnion equipped refuse container into a front loading refuse collection body comprises

an intermediate container selectively carried on front lift forks of the front loading refuse collection body,

the intermediate container including a container engagement apparatus on a side thereof,

the container engagement apparatus including spaced apart trunnion pockets into which ends of a trunnion bar extending from opposing ends of the refuse container are selectively receivable,

the container engagement apparatus further comprising:

a stabilizer member for selective abutment to a front sidewall of the refuse container;

at least one moveable retention arm selectively abutting a top edge of the refuse container; and

a drive member to rotate the refuse container about a pivot axle on the container engagement apparatus;

wherein the refuse container may be selectively attached to the container engagement apparatus and inverted over a top opening of the intermediate container.

12. The adapter apparatus of claim 11 wherein

the container engagement apparatus supported on an extension frame,

the extension frame including spaced apart generally parallel extension tubes,

the extension tubes movable along rails supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame movable from a retracted position adjacent a first sidewall of the intermediate container to an extended position spaced apart from the first sidewall of the intermediate container.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein

each of the trunnion pockets is supported on an elongate pocket arm,

each trunnion pocket having an open top for receiving an end of the trunnion bar of the refuse container,

the pocket arms spaced apart at least a length of a front wall of the trunnion equipped refuse container,

each pocket arm rotatable about a common axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein

each pocket arm is selectively rotatable to pass under one of the ends of the trunnion bar to capture the end of the trunnion bar in the trunnion pocket of the pocket arm,

the at least one moveable retention arm is a first moveable retention arm associated with a first of the pocket arms,

a second moveable retention arm associated with a second of the pocket arms,

each of the retention arms moveable between an open position and a closed position,

the open position of each retention arm spaced substantially away from the top edge of the refuse container,

each retention arm having a transverse bar extending therefrom,

each transverse bar inclined from horizontal when the retention arm is in its closed position and the refuse container is upright,

each transverse bar directed toward the other transverse bar,

15. Apparatus to unload a side loadable refuse container into a front loading commodity collection body, the refuse container having hook receivers on opposing ends thereof, the apparatus comprising

an intermediate container selectively carried on front lift forks of the front loading refuse body,

the intermediate container including a container engagement apparatus on a side thereof,

the container engagement:

apparatus including spaced apart books selectively receivable in the hook receivers of the side loading refuse container,

the container engagement apparatus further comprising

a stabilizer member for abutment to a front side of the refuse container,

a moveable retention bar selectively abutting a top the refuse container and

a drive member to rotate the refuse container about a pivot element supported on the intermediate container,

wherein the refuse container may be selectively coupled to the container engagement apparatus and inverted over a top opening of the intermediate container.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein

the drive member is a hydraulic cylinder coupled to the container engagement apparatus to selectively lift the container engagement apparatus along tracks on the intermediate container and further to rotate the container engagement apparatus about an axle coupled to the tracks.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein

the container engagement apparatus includes a frame supporting the spaced apart hooks,

the frame comprising a gripper arm assembly,

the gripper arm assembly adapted for grasping a residential-type refuse container by gripper arms thereof surrounding a body of the residential-style refuse container to secure the refuse container to the gripper arm assembly,

the gripper arm assembly adapted to rotate with the container engagement apparatus to upend the residential-type refuse container over the top load opening of the intermediate container.

18. Apparatus to empty a rear end load type refuse container or a side load type refuse container into a front load refuse collection body comprises

an intermediate container removably supported on front forks of the front load refuse collection body,

a support member extending above a top of the intermediate container,

a pivot apparatus selectively rotatable about a pivot axle on said support member,

the pivot apparatus including a container engagement mechanism to engage with and secure either the rear end load type refuse container or the side load type refuse container,

the container engagement mechanism including a stabilizer for selectively engaging a front sidewall of the refuse container engaged with the container engagement mechanism,

the container engagement mechanism including a container retention apparatus for preventing the refuse container from falling into a top load opening of the intermediate container when the refuse container is substantially upended over the top load opening,

the pivot apparatus operable to rotate about the pivot axle on the support member to reach curbside of the intermediate container and to secure the refuse container to the container engagement mechanism,

the pivot apparatus further operable to draw the refuse container alongside the intermediate container,

a drive member operative to elevate and rotate the engagement mechanism with the refuse container attached thereto to a position wherein the refuse container is substantially upended over the top load opening of the intermediate container.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

the container engagement mechanism includes a pair of pocket arms moveable thereon, each of the pocket arms including a trunnion pocket to selectively receive a trunnion of the rear end load refuse container,

the container engagement mechanism further including a pair of retention arms,

each retention arm moveable between an open position and a closed position,

each retention arm in the closed position is disposed a small distance from a top edge of an opposing end wall of the rear end load refuse container,

each retention arm restraining over rotation of the refuse container about the trunnion bar thereof when the refuse container is in a substantially tipped position over the open top of the intermediate container,

each pocket arm selectively rotatable about a pivot axle to cause the pocket arms to pass below opposing ends of the trunnion,

each pocket arm moveable to position one end of the trunnion in the trunnion pocket,

wherein the rear end load refuse container may be raised by the pocket arms and tipped to an upended position over the open top of the intermediate container.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein

each retention arm includes a transverse bar extending therefrom,

the transverse bar overlying the top edges of the end walls when the retention arms are in the closed position,

the transverse bar spaced a small distance above the top edges of the end walls when the retention arms are in the closed position,

each transverse bar extending at an incline from the retention arm when the retention arm is in the closed position and the rear end load style refuse container is upright.