VERSATILE COLLECTION APPARATUS FOR FRONT LOADING REFUSE VEHICLE

• US 20130343845A1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kann Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kann Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Rowland, Jared, Johnson, Marlin, Goedken, Kenneth D., Taake, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 9,738,446 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 2003/0266 comprising at least one telescopic arm
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0269 capable of moving along the side of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0273 capable of rotating around a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0279 the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/041 Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers

Abstract

A refuse collection assembly for a refuse collection vehicle mounts to a intermediate container on the refuse collection vehicle. The refuse receptacle collection assembly can grasp a refuse receptacle at curbside, at street side, or forward of the intermediate container in any location over a one hundred eighty degree arc. The collection assembly grasps the receptacle and locates it above the intermediate container and tilts it sufficiently to empty the contents of the receptacle in the intermediate container. The collection assembly then returns the receptacle upright to its previous location or to any location to the right, left or forward of the refuse collection assembly. The refuse receptacle collection assembly includes a rail extending along a wall of the intermediate container, a carriage selectively movable along the rail, and a receptacle engaging assembly supported by the carriage for grasping the refuse receptacle.

Claims

1. A front loading refuse collection vehicle for collecting refuse contained in a refuse receptacle, the vehicle comprising:

a collection body having at least one refuse storage compartment,

the collection body having an intake compartment adjacent the at least one storage compartment,

the vehicle including a cab forward of the intake compartment,

the vehicle including lift arms for lifting an intermediate container from a position in front of the cab to an inverted position above the intake compartment,

the intermediate container including a refuse receptacle dumping assembly supported thereon,

the refuse receptacle dumping assembly including;

a rail on which a carriage is slidably supported,

the rail having a length approximately at least four times a width of the carriage,

drive apparatus to selectively locate the carriage along the rail,

the carriage including a rotary actuator coupled to an arm assembly,

the rotary actuator selectively rotatable about a substantially vertical axis to any position within a 180 degree range relative to a front wall of the intermediate container,

the arm assembly including a boom coupled to the rotary actuator and rotatable therewith,

the arm assembly further including an arm coupled to the boom by a hinge,

the arm selectively pivotable about the hinge,

a drive member coupled to the arm and the boom to raise and lower the arm,

a refuse receptacle engaging assembly coupled to the arm,

the refuse receptacle engaging assembly including at least two generally opposing gripper arms operable to selectively grasp and release the refuse receptacle,

the vehicle including controls for selectively individually operating the rotary actuator, the drive apparatus, the drive member, and the gripper arms,

the arm assembly selectively operable to lift and tilt the refuse receptacle above the intermediate container when the intermediate container is disposed at a front of the vehicle.

2-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A refuse collection vehicle for collecting refuse contained in a refuse receptacle, the vehicle comprising:

a collection body having at least one refuse storage compartment,

the collection body having an intake compartment adjacent the at least one storage compartment,

the vehicle including a cab forward of the intake compartment,

the vehicle including lift arms,

an intermediate container supported on the lift arms,

the lift arms selectively moving the intermediate container from a lowered position forward of the cab of the vehicle to an inverted position above the intake compartment,

a refuse receptacle dumping assembly supported alongside the intermediate container,

the refuse receptacle dumping assembly comprising;

a rail on which a carriage is slidably supported,

the rail having a horizontal length,

the carriage having a horizontal width,

the length of the rail approximately four times the width of the carriage;

drive apparatus to selectively locate the carriage along the rail;

an arm assembly hinged to the carriage,

the arm assembly further comprising an articulated arm for grasping the refuse receptacle and emptying the refuse receptacle into the intermediate container.

8. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 7 wherein

the drive apparatus to selectively locate the carriage along the rail includes an elongate rack comprising gear teeth thereon and a rotary motor drivingly coupled to a pinion gear engaged with the gear teeth.

9. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 7 wherein

the arm assembly is selectively rotatable about a substantially vertical axis,

a drive member coupled to the articulated arm to raise and lower the articulated arm,

a refuse receptacle engaging assembly carried on the articulated arm,

the refuse receptacle engaging assembly including at least two generally opposing gripper arms operable to selectively grasp and release the refuse receptacle,

the arm assembly selectively operable to lift and tilt the refuse receptacle above the intermediate container when the intermediate container is in the lowered position.

10. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 7 wherein

the vehicle including a first control for selectively individually moving the movable elongate member along the stationary elongate member.

11. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 7 wherein

the arm assembly is selectively rotatable about a substantially vertical axis to any position within an approximate 180 degree range relative to the upright wall of the intermediate container.

12. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 10 wherein

the vehicle further includes at least a second control for selectively rotating the arm assembly about the vertical axis.

13. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 12 wherein

the vehicle further includes at least a third control for moving the carriage along the rail.

14. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 7 wherein

the drive apparatus to selectively locate the carriage along the rail comprises an elongate rack comprising gear teeth thereon and a rotary motor drivingly coupled to a pinion gear engaged with the gear teeth,

the arm assembly selectively rotatable about a substantially vertical axis to any position within an approximate 180 degree range relative to the upright wall of the intermediate container,

the arm assembly further including an articulated arm,

a drive member coupled to the arm to raise and lower the arm,

a refuse receptacle engaging assembly carried on the arm,

the refuse receptacle engaging assembly including at least two generally opposing gripper arms operable to selectively grasp and release the refuse receptacle,

the vehicle including a first control for selectively individually moving the movable elongate member along the stationary elongate member,

the arm assembly selectively operable to lift and tilt the refuse receptacle above the intermediate container when the intermediate container is in the lowered position,

the vehicle further includes at least a second control for selectively rotating the arm assembly about the vertical axis,

the vehicle further includes at least a third control for moving the carriage along the rail.

15. A refuse collection assembly for collecting refuse contained in a refuse receptacle comprising:

an intermediate container having an open top and a front wall,

the intermediate container adapted to be carried on front lift arms of a refuse collection vehicle and selectively emptied into a collection body of the collection vehicle,

a refuse receptacle collection assembly supported alongside the intermediate container,

the refuse receptacle collection assembly configured for selectively grasping the refuse receptacle and dumping contents of the refuse receptacle into the open top of the intermediate container,

the refuse receptacle collection assembly comprising a stationary elongate member, a carriage selectively longitudinally movable along the stationary elongate member, and an arm assembly supported on the carriage,

the arm assembly being selectively pivotable about a substantially vertical pivot element supported on the carriage,

the elongate stationary member adjacent a front wall of the intermediate container,

the elongate stationary member having a horizontal length,

the carriage having a horizontal width less than approximately one fourth the horizontal length of the elongate stationary member,

the carriage selectively positionable along the stationary elongate member by operation of a first drive member,

the first drive member carried on the carriage.

16. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 15 wherein

the elongate stationary member supported on the front wall of the intermediate container,

the first drive member is a rotary motor,

the axis of the rotary motor being coincident with the substantially vertical pivot element,

the refuse receptacle collection assembly further comprising an elongate toothed member supported by the front wall of the intermediate container,

the elongate toothed member parallel to and spaced laterally apart from the stationary elongate member,

the elongate toothed member disposed between the stationary elongate member and the front wall of the intermediate container,

the elongate toothed member having teeth thereon engaged with a gear of the rotary motor.

17. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 15 wherein

the carriage includes a rotary actuator having a generally vertical axis,

the arm assembly coupled to the rotary actuator,

the rotary actuator selectively operable to pivot the arm assembly about the pivot element to any location over at least a 180 degree arc,

the rotary actuator being a first hydraulic motor.

18. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 15 wherein

the refuse receptacle collection assembly is supported on the intermediate container,

the first drive member is a first hydraulic rotary motor,

the refuse receptacle collection assembly further comprises an elongate toothed member supported by the front wall of the intermediate container,

the elongate toothed member parallel to and spaced laterally apart from the stationary elongate member,

the elongate toothed member disposed between the stationary elongate member and the front wall of the intermediate container,

the elongate toothed member having teeth thereon engaged with a gear of the first hydraulic rotary motor,

the carriage includes a rotary actuator having a generally vertical axis,

the axis of the rotary motor being coincident with the substantially vertical pivot element,

the arm assembly coupled to the rotary actuator,

the rotary actuator selectively operable to pivot the arm assembly about the pivot element to any location over at least a 180 degree arc,

the rotary actuator being a second hydraulic motor.

19. A refuse collection assembly for collecting refuse contained in a refuse receptacle comprising:

an intermediate container having an open top,

the intermediate container adapted to be carried on a refuse collection vehicle and selectively emptied into a collection body of the refuse collection vehicle,

a refuse receptacle collection assembly alongside the intermediate container,

the refuse receptacle collection assembly configured for selectively grasping the refuse receptacle and dumping contents of the refuse receptacle into the intermediate container,

the refuse receptacle collection assembly comprising;

an elongate rail on which a carriage is slidably supported,

the carriage selectively movable along the rail,

the rail having a horizontal length,

the carriage having a horizontal width less than approximately one fourth the horizontal length of the rail,

a drive apparatus to selectively locate the carriage along the rail,

the carriage including an arm assembly hinged to the carriage,

the arm assembly further including an articulated arm for grasping the refuse receptacle and emptying contents of the refuse receptacle into the intermediate container.

20. The refuse collection assembly of claim 19 wherein

the refuse receptacle collection assembly is supported by the intermediate container.

21. The refuse collection assembly of claim 20 wherein

the arm assembly is selectively pivotable about a vertical pivot retained to the carriage,

a hydraulic rotary drive motor selectively pivots the receptacle engaging assembly about the vertical pivot retained to the carriage.

22. The refuse collection assembly of claim 21 wherein

a toothed rack is supported along a front wall of the intermediate container,

the toothed rack disposed at a fixed distance from the rail and substantially parallel thereto,

the toothed rack disposed laterally alongside the rail.

23. The refuse collection assembly of claim 22 wherein

the rail further comprises an elongate flat plate defining a generally upstanding plane,

the toothed rack supported upon the front wall of the intermediate container,

the toothed rack disposed between the front wall and the elongate rail,

the toothed rack having a longitudinal axis disposed above a longitudinal axis of the elongate rail.

the rotary actuator selectively rotatable about the substantially vertical axis to any position within a 180 degree range relative to a front wall of the intermediate container,

the arm assembly including a boom coupled to the rotary actuator and rotatable therewith,

the arm assembly further including an arm coupled to the boom by a hinge,

the arm selectively pivotable about the hinge,

a drive member coupled to the arm and the boom to raise and lower the arm,

a refuse receptacle engaging assembly coupled to the arm,

the refuse receptacle engaging assembly including at least two generally opposing gripper arms operable to selectively grasp and release the refuse receptacle,

the vehicle including controls for selectively individually operating the rotary actuator, the drive member, and the gripper arms,

the arm assembly selectively operable to lift and tilt the refuse receptacle above the intermediate container when the intermediate container is disposed at a front of the vehicle.