APPARATUS FOR SIDE PICK UP REFUSE COLLECTION

• US 3,786,949 A
• Filed: 10/16/1972
• Issued: 01/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William H. Sutton
• Original Assignee: William H. Sutton
• Inventors: Sutton, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forlenza, Gerald M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oresky, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/297,687
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 214/301,302,303,313,315,317,318,77R 294/69
• US Class Current: 414/406
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/122 Features allowing the receptacle to be lifted and subsequently tipped by associated means on a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0266 comprising at least one telescopic arm
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/041 Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers

Abstract

Apparatus for collecting refuse and loading the refuse onto a side-loading, refuse collection vehicle having a bed and a loading compartment with a top opening aperture therein, characterized by: a trash container that includes a sloping front wall for dumping the trash from the container when it is inverted, doors, loading hooks, and a pair of arcuate track engaging means for maintaining the container in place when it is inverted onto the bed of the vehicle and preventing escape of trash; a pair of arcuate tracks mounted on the vehicle; a base connected to the front of the bed of the vehicle so as to accommodate lateral motion of a pick up arm; and an extensible and retractable L-shaped cantilever pick up arm for being moved outwardly to pick up, invert, and lower the trash container by its hooks responsive to operation of the controls by only a driver of the vehicle, without requiring rolling of the container into position by a helper. Also disclosed are preferred structural embodiments, including safety catches and the like.

Claims

1. Apparatus for collecting and loading refuse onto a sideloading refuse collection vehicle having a refuse collection bed and a loading compartment with a top-opening aperture therein comprising:

a. a trash container that includes;

i. a bottom;

ii. rear wall and side walls having adjacent ends connected together and connected with said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom to define a body;

iii. a top connected with said rear wall and said side walls;

iv. a front wall connected with said bottom and said side walls so as to form an obtuse angle with said bottom such that refuse will be dumped from said container when it is lifted and inverted through an angle Alpha of greater than 90* and less than 180*;

v. upper front door hingedly connected with said top;

said upper front door adapted to hang in a normal closed position by gravity and adapted to be swung inwardly manually for deposition of said refuse and to be swung outwardly by the force of gravity when said container is lifted and inverted through said angle Alpha ;

vi. lower front door hingedly connected with said front wall and adapted to be swung outwardly open by the force of gravity when said container is lifted and inverted through said angle Alpha and to be swung closed by said bed and gravity when said container is uprighted from its inverted and dump position;

said lower front door being normally inclined inwardly from its bottom edge to its top in its closed position so as to prevent influx of rainwater into said container when left outdoors;

vii. a pair of loading hooks mounted on the top of said container;

said loading hooks being disposed and spaced apart a sufficient distance that the front to rear vertical plane of the center of gravity of said container is located therebetween;

said loading hooks having an opening readily accessible from the front to facilitate attachment of a lifting arm; and

viii. a pair of arcuate track engaging means for engaging a pair of tracks on said vehicle during said lifting and inverting of said container;

said track engaging means being disposed one on each side of said front door such that said container is properly inverted and emptied regardless of whether the operation is carried out on level terrain or not;

b. a pair of arcuate tracks mounted on said bed of said vehicle so as to traverse along the front and rear sides of said aperture;

said arcuate tracks serving to guide and invert said trash container into its proper dump position;

c. a base carried by said vehicle so as to accommodate laterally pivotal motion of a pick up arm;

d. an extensible and retractable L-shaped cantilever pick up arm;

said pick up arm having a cantilever support portion, a longitudinal shaft having a normally horizontal cantilever lifting arm extending perpendicularly of said longitudinal shaft near its end, and an extending means for extending and retracting said longitudinal shaft;

said longitudinal shaft having an external first cross sectional shape that mates with an internal cross sectional shape of said cantilever support portion so as to sustain a torque load sufficient to maintain said cantilever lifting arm in its substantially horizontal position;

said cantilever lifting arm having a pair of guides to facilitate engaging said lifting hooks of said trash container and prevent inadvertent sliding of said trash container along said cantilever lifting arm;

said cantilever pick up arm being pivotally mounted on said base by way of its cantilever support portion so as to accommodate movement laterally of said bed; and

e. lifting means connected with said vehicle and with said cantilever support portion so as to pivot said cantilever support portion and said cantilever pick up arm about said base.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the degree of arcuateness of said track engaging means is the same as the degree of arcuateness of said tracks at least at the top inserted and dump position of said trash container for unloading such that a conforming fit is obtained and scatter of refuse is prevented during dumping.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a limit stop is provided to limit maximum movement of said lifting means;

and said loading hooks are disposed on said trash container a distance D1 from the front edge of said top and said base is disposed a distance D2 from the central longitudinal plane of said vehicle bed and said cantilever pick up arm is proportioned such that said cantilever pick up arm may be moved to its fully extended position and automatically effects proper position of said trash container in its top inverted position for unloading without binding of any part of said apparatus or scattering of refuse when said lifting means lifts said trash container via said cantilever pick up arm to its limit stop.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said loading hooks on said trash container each have a respective safety catch for preventing said trash container from becomming disengaged from said cantilever lifting arm when said trash container is inverted into its dump position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lifting means is a hydraulic ram and said extending means comprises a hydraulic ram;

said rams being connected with a high pressure source of fluid on said vehicle via respective conduits and control valves.