Gate operator and latch mechanism for refuse container

• US 4,665,649 A
• Filed: 05/06/1985
• Issued: 05/19/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dempster Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dempster Systems, Inc., Southern Railway
• Inventors: Hund, Henry M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US06/731,064
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 298/23 M, 298/23 MD, 298/23 S, 49/280, 49/300, 296/56, 296/100, 296/101
• US Class Current: 49/280
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/00 Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10

Abstract

Gate operator and latch mechanism in which a refuse container is provided with a gate which is pivotally attached to the refuse container and which normally closes an opening through which refuse is discharged from the refuse container. A latch mechanism secures the gate in closed position. The operator mechansim is operably joined to the gate for pivotal movement thereof. The operation mechanism is also operably joined to the latch mechanism for operation thereof.

Claims

1. Gate operator and latch mechanism for a refuse container member provided with a pivotally mounted gate member, the gate member having an open position and a closed position with respect to the refuse container member, comprising:

motor means attached to one of the members,

operator means pivotally attaching the motor means to the other member,

a latch pin attached to one of the members,

a link provided with a first connection portion and a second connection portion and a third connection portion, the second connection portion being positioned generally between the first connection portion and the third connection portion, the first connection portion of the link being pivotally attached to said other member and supported thereby,

a latch provided with a connection portion and an engagement portion, the connection portion of the latch being pivotally attached to second connection portion of the link for pivotal movement of the latch with pivotal movement of the link, the latch being pivotally movable toward and away from said other member as the link is pivotally moved, and

connector means joining the operator means to the third connection portion of the link for pivotal movement of the link and the latch with operation of the operator means and with operation of the motor means,

wherein the latch is pivotally movable in a direction toward said other member and into engagement with the latch pin with pivotal movement of the link, and wherein the latch is further pivotally moved with additional pivotal movement of the link, and wherein such further movement of the latch forces the gate toward the refuse container to secure the gate member in closed position with respect to the refuse container.

2. Gate operator and latch mechanism for a refuse container provided with a pivotally mounted gate which has an open position and a closed position with respect to the refuse container, comprising:

motor means attached to the refuse container,

operator means connecting the motor means to the gate for pivotal movement of the gate between an open position and a closed position with respect to the refuse container,

a link provided with a first connection portion and a second connection portion and a third connection portion, the first connection portion of the link being pivotally attached to the gate,

attachment means pivotally attached to the operator means and to the third connection portion of the link for pivotal movement of the link with operation of the operator means,

a latch provided with a connection portion and an engagement portion,

means pivotally connecting the connection portion of the latch to the second connection portion of the link for support of the latch by the link,

a latch pin attached to the refuse container,

wherein, as the gate approaches closed position the latch is moved with respect to the gate and moved with pivotal movement of the link and the engagement portion of the latch is moved into engagement with the latch pin, and wherein upon further pivotal movement of the link the latch is further pivotally moved with respect to the gate and the latch pivotally draws the gate toward the refuse container for latching the gate in closed position with respect to the refuse container.

3. Gate operator and latch mechanism for a refuse container which is provided with a gate which is pivotally attached to the refuse container, the gate being movable between a closed position and an open position, comprising:

a reciprocally operable motor pivotally attached to the refuse container,

a lever,

means pivotally attaching the reciprocally operable motor to the lever,

means pivotally attaching the lever to the gate,

a link, the link having a plurality of connection portions, pivot means pivotally attaching one of connection portions of the link to the gate for support of the link by the gate at a position spaced from the lever,

a rigid arm, means pivotally joining the rigid arm to the lever, means pivotally joining the rigid arm to another connection portion of the link as the rigid arm extends between the lever and the link,

a latch provided with a connection portion and an engagement portion,

means pivotally attaching the connection portion of the latch to a connection portion of the link for support of the latch by the link,

a latch pin attached to the refuse container,

wherein the latch is pivotally moved by pivotal movement of the link for engagement of the engagement portion of the latch with the latch pin, wherein additional pivotal movement of the link forces additional pivotal movement of the latch about the latch pin for drawing the gate toward the refuse container and toward the latch pin for latching the gate in closed position.

4. The gate operator and latch mechanism of claim 3 in which the latch has an intermediate portion which is engageable with the pivot means for application of pressure by the latch upon the latch pin during the additional pivotal movement of the link.

5. Gate operator and latch mechanism for a refuse container which is provided with a gate which is pivotally movable between a closed position and an open position with respect to the refuse container, the refuse container having an upper portion and a lower portion, the gate having an upper portion and a lower portion, comprising:

a linearly operable fluid motor provided with a housing member and an actuator member, the housing member and the actuator member being relatively movable,

means pivotally attaching one of the members of the fluid motor to the refuse container,

a lever, the lever having a first connection part and a second connection part, the lever having an intermediate part between the first connection part and the second connection part,

means pivotally attaching the intermediate part of the lever to the upper portion of the gate, means pivotally joining the other member of the fluid motor to the first connection part of the lever,

an arm,

means pivotally joining the arm to the second connection part of the lever,

a link provided with a plurality of spaced-apart connection portions, there being a first connection portion and a second connection portion, there being an intermediate connection portion which is generally between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, the first connection portion of the link being pivotally attached to the gate, adjacent the lower portion of the gate,

means pivotally attaching the arm to the second connection portion of the link,

a latch provided with a connection portion and an engagement portion,

means pivotally attaching the connection portion of the latch to the intermediate connection portion of the link,

a latch pin attached to the refuse container adjacent the lower portion thereof,

the latch normally engaging the latch pin and securing the gate in closed position with respect to the refuse container,

wherein the linearly operable fluid motor is operable to move the housing member and the actuator member one with respect to the other, such operation applying a force to the lever, such force pivotally moving the lever and pivotally moving the arm which is pivotally attached to the lever, the arm pivotally moving the link, the link pivotally moving the latch with respect to the latch pin, the force applied to the lever by the linearly operable fluid motor also pivotally moving the gate with respect to the refuse container, and wherein during movement of the lower portion of the gate toward the lower portion of the refuse container the arm is moved upwardly by pivotal movement of the lever and the arm pivotally moves the second connection portion of the link upwardly as the link pivotally moves about the first connection portion thereof and moves the connection portion of the latch upwardly for movement of the engagement portion of the latch into engagement with the latch pin, and wherein additional upward movement of the arm pivotally moves the second connection portion of the link farther upwardly and moves the connection portion of the latch farther upwardly, and the engagement portion of the latch applies a greater force upon the latch pin and urges the latch and the gate toward the refuse container and moves the lower portion of the gate into engagement with the lower portion of the refuse container.

6. The gate and latch mechanism of claim 5 which includes an abutment member attached to the gate adjacent the latch and engageable by the latch, wherein the latch engages the abutment member and pivots about the abutment member and the intermediate connection portion of the link as the engagement portion of the latch moves into engagement with the latch pin.

7. Gate operator and latch mechanism for a gate which closes an opening in a refuse container, the refuse container and the gate each having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion of the gate being pivotally attached to the upper portion of the refuse container, comprising:

a lever pivotally attached to the gate adjacent the upper portion thereof,

a linearly operable power unit pivotally attached to the refuse container, the power unit also being pivotally attached to the lever,

a link provided with a plurality of spaced-apart connection portions, there being a first connection portion and a second connection portion, there being an intermediate connection portion which is generally between the first connection portion which is generally between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, the first connection portion of the link being pivotally attached to the gate adjacent the lower portion of the gate,

an arm pivotally attached to the second connection portion of the link, the arm also being pivotally attached to the lever, the arm extending between the link and the lever,

a latch having a connection portion and an engagement portion, the connection portion of the latch being pivotally attached to the intermediate connection portion of the link,

a latch pin attached to the refuse container adjacent the lower portion thereof,

abutment means carried by the gate adjacent the latch,

the latch being adapted to engage the latch pin to secure the gate in closed position,

the power unit being operable to pivotally move the lever, wherein the arm is moved generally axially with pivotal movement of the lever, and wherein the link is pivotally moved with movement of the arm, wherein the latch is pivotally moved by pivotal movement of the link,

and wherein during movement of the lower portion of the gate toward the lower portion of the refuse container the arm is moved upwardly with pivotal movement of the lever and the arm moves the second connection portion of the link upwardly as the link pivotally moves about the first connection portion thereof and moves the connection portion of the latch upwardly, the engagement portion of the latch being moved downwardly with upward movement of the connection portion of the latch, as the latch pivots about the intermediate connection portion of the link, the engagement portion of the latch thus moving into engagement with the latch pin as the lower portion of the gate approaches the lower portion of the refuse container, and wherein additional upward movement of the arm moves the second connection portion of the link farther upwardly and the link moves the connection portion of the latch farther upwardly and the latch engages the abutment means and applies additional pressure upon the latch pin as the latch pivotally moves, and pivotal movement of the latch with respect to the latch pin forces movement of the lower portion of the gate into engagement with the lower portion of the refuse container.

8. The gate operator and latch mechanism of claim 7 in which the lever has a pair of opposed end portions and in which the lever is pivotally attached to the gate at a position intermediate the end portions of the lever, one of the members of the power unit being pivotally attached to one end portion of the lever, the arm being pivotally attached to the opposite end portion of the lever, and in which the link has a pair of opposed end portions, one of the end portions of the link being pivotally attached to the gate, the arm being pivotally attached to the opposite end portion of the link, the latch being pivotally attached to the link at a position intermediate the end portions thereof.

9. The gate operator and latch mechanism of claim 7 which includes a limit member adjacent the lever and engageable thereby to limit the pivotal movement of the lever.

10. The gate operator and latch mechanism of claim 7 which includes engagement means carried by the gate adjacent the latch and engageable by the latch to limit the pivotal movement of the latch.