Collecting, hauling and delivering apparatus and method

• US 5,288,196 A
• Filed: 05/20/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clean Earth Kentucky, LLC
• Original Assignee: Galion Holding Company
• Inventors: Pfeifer, Thomas E., Horning, Larry D., Johnson, Carroll R., Grubaugh, Eugene R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEENAN, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US07/886,439
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 414/406-410, 414/487, 414/510, 414/525.2, 414/525.55, 414/525.6, 414/517, 414/509, 414/512
• US Class Current: 414/407
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/001 for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. vehicles with several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/08 Platform elevators or hoists with guides or runways for raising or tipping receptacles pivotable guides or runways B65F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/201 the charging pistons, plates or the like moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/26 by tipping the tank

Abstract

An apparatus for collecting and transporting recyclable waste material which includes a body for receiving material mountable to a vehicle. The body has separate upper and lower material-receiving compartments. Two longitudinally-spaced loaded openings are at the top of the body. One opening is in continuous communication with only the lower compartment, and the second opening, positioned rearward of the first opening, is in continuous communication with only the upper compartment. Separate doors close the rear of each compartment; the second door, when closed, overlies and is spaced from the first door. A bucket, associated with the front of the body, can be raised, lowered and tipped, and has separate bins for receiving material. The bins are aligned with the loaded openings when the bucket is in the tipped, discharge position so that each bin can dump material into a corresponding compartment. Extendable and rectractable compactors are also employed for compacting and moving material within each of the two compartments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collecting recyclable material, comprising:

(a) a truck body mountable to a truck frame and extending longitudinally between a forward end and a rearward end, the body enclosing a material-receiving volume;

(b) a horizontal wall within the volume which divides the volume into separate upper and lower material-recovering compartments;

(c) longitudinally-spaced loading opening at the top of the body, each opening being in continuous communication with only one of the compartments;

(d) a bucket vertically moveable adjacent the exterior lateral side of the body between a lower loading position at the bottom of the body and an elevated discharge position at the top of the body, the bucket having separated bins for receiving material, each bin being aligned with one of the openings when the bucket is in the discharge position to dump material into one of the compartments;

(e) a cover normally closing the loading openings; and

(f) means

(i) for opening the cover and for moving the bucket from the loading position to the discharge position in response to such opening, and

(ii) for closing the cover and moving the bucket from the discharge position to the loading position in response to such closing,

the opening/moving and closing/moving means comprising

(1) a pivoted member having one end pivotally mounted near the top of the body inwardly of the lateral body side along which the bucket moves and a free end generally overlying the bucket,

(2) an idler roller rotationally mounted on the free end of the member,

(3) a band member passing over the idler roller and having a first free end attached to the bucket and a second free end attached to the body near the top thereof generally co-planarly with the lateral body side along which the bucket moves, and

(4) means for selectively rotating the pivotal member

(A) up and inwardly of the lateral body side to increase the amount of the band member between the second free end and the idler roller and to shorten the amount of the band member between the first free end and the idler roller, thereby moving the bucket form its loading to its discharge position, and

(B) outwardly of the lateral body side and down to shorten the amount of the band member between the second free end and the idler roller and to increase the amount of the band member between the first free end and the idler roller, thereby moving the bucket from its discharge to its loading position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:

the pivotal member is a portion of the cover so that opening and closing the cover elevates and lowers the bucket.

3. An apparatus for collecting recyclable material comprising:

(a) a truck body mountable to a truck frame and extending longitudinally between a forward end and a rearward end, the body enclosing a material-receiving volume;

(b) a horizontal wall within the volume which divides the volume into separate upper and lower material-recovering compartments for receiving recyclable materials of different types, a first type of recyclable material comprising commingled glass, plastic and aluminum being received in the upper compartment, and a second type comprising newsprint and other paper being received in the lower compartment, the wall preventing commingling thereof while the materials are within the volume, each compartment having a material-discharge opening at the rearward end of the body;

(c) a first selectively openable discharge door which is normally closed to cover the discharge opening of the lower compartment;

(d) a second selectively openable discharge door which is normally closed to cover both discharge openings and the closed first discharge door, the second discharge door being located at the rear of the body and when closed forming a wall thereof so that, with the discharge doors closed, the upper compartment includes a rearward portion which is defined between the discharge doors;

(e) means for opening the second discharge door to permit the discharge of material from the upper compartment via its discharge opening while the closed first discharge door prevents the discharge of material from the lower compartment via its discharge opening; and

(f) means for opening the first discharge door while the second discharge door is open to permit the discharge of material from the lower compartment via its discharge door, the discharge doors and the opening means also permitting discharge of the materials without substantial commingling thereof.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3, which further comprises:

means in each compartment for compacting material therein by applying force to the material toward the rear of the body and toward and against the closing discharge doors.

5. Apparatus as in claim 3, which further comprises:

means in each compartment for compacting material therein by applying force to the material toward the rear of the body and toward and against the closed discharge doors; and

means for operating the compacting means so that when one compacting means applies force to the material in one compartment, the other compacting means does not apply force to the material in the other compartment.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, which further comprises:

means in the upper compartment for inducing glass material to gravitate to a lower region of the upper compartment near the wall as the compacting means in the upper compartment moves and compacts material therein.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein:

the inducing means includes a step, a lower portion of the step being rearward of an upper portion of the step, whereby the glass tends to fall below the plastic and aluminum as the compacting means moves the material in the first compartment over the step.

8. Apparatus as in claim 3, which further comprises:

means for mounting the body to the truck for pivoting of the body on the truck so as to elevate the forward end of the body as the rearward end of the body is lowered, so that, as the discharge doors are opened, the material falls a relatively short distance to the ground.

9. Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein:

the second discharge door has a contour which is outwardly bulged.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein:

the first discharge door is outwardly bulged.

11. An apparatus for collecting recyclable material, comprising:

(a) a truck body mountable to a truck frame and extending longitudinally between a forward end and a rearward end, the body enclosing a material-receiving volume;

(b) a horizontal wall within the volume which divides the volume into separate upper and lower material-recovering compartments for receiving recyclable materials of different types, a first type of recyclable material comprising commingled glass, plastic and aluminum being received in the upper compartment, and a second type comprising newsprint and other paper being received in the lower compartment, the wall preventing commingling thereof while the materials are within the volume, each compartment having a material-discharge opening at the rearward end of the body;

(c) a first selectively openable discharge door which is normally closed to cover the discharge opening of the lower compartment;

(d) a second selectively openable discharge door which is normally closed to cover both discharge openings and the closed first discharge door;

(e) means for opening the second discharge door to permit the discharge of material from the upper compartment via its discharge opening while the closed first discharge door prevents the discharge of material from the lower compartment via its discharge opening;

(f) means for opening the first discharge door while the second discharge door is open to permit the discharge of material from the lower compartment via its discharge door; and

(g) means for mounting the body to the truck for pivoting of the body on the truck so as to elevate the forward end of the body as the rearward end of the body is lowered, so that, as the discharge doors are opened, the material falls a relatively short distance, this relatively short distance being sufficiently small to minimize the breakage of glass.

12. An apparatus for collecting and transporting recyclable waste material, comprising:

(a) a body mountable to a vehicle and extending longitudinally between a forward end and a rearward end, the body enclosing a material-receiving volume;

(b) a horizontal wall within the body forming separated upper and lower material-receiving compartments;

(c) first and second longitudinally-spaced loading openings at the top of the body, the first loading opening being in continuous communication with only the lower compartment, and the second loading opening being positioned rearward of said first loading opening and in continuous communication with only the upper compartment;

(d) a first door for closing the rear of the lower compartment;

(e) a second door for closing the rearward end of the body and the upper compartment, the second door when closed overlying and being spaced from the first door to define a vertical rearward continuation of the upper compartment;

(f) a bucket vertically movable along the exterior lateral side of the body between a lower loading position at the bottom of the body and an elevated discharge position at the top of the body, the bucket having separated bins for receiving material, each bin being aligned with one of the loading openings when the bucket is in the discharge position to dump material into one of the compartments;

(g) a first moveable compactor for compacting and moving only material received within said lower compartment via said first loading opening, said first compactor being positioned in non-interfering position with said second loading opening; and

,

(h) a second moveable compactor for compacting and moving only material received within said upper compartment via said second loading opening, said second compactor being positioned rearward of and in non-interfacing position with said first loading opening.

13. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first and second compactors are extendable and retractable, and can be actuated either separately as well as together with each other.

14. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a vertical recess formed in the side of the body and located adjacent the forward end of the body, said bucket being at least partially contained in and vertically movable in said recess.

15. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bucket is substantially contained in said recess.

16. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bucket does not substantially protrude from said recess laterally of the body in its lower position.

17. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bucket does not substantially protrude from said recess laterally of the body in any position thereof.

18. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the upper compartment receives commingled glass, plastic and metal materials from one bin and the lower compartment receives paper materials from the other bin, whereby breakage of the glass is reduced by virtue of the short travel from the elevated discharge position of the bucket to the upper compartment.

19. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a vertical step formed in the upper compartment at a location below and rearward of said second compactor when fully retracted.

20. The waste collecting and transporting apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first and second compactors are operatively associated such that when one is extending the other is retracting.

21. A method for collecting and transporting recyclable waste material including at least paper and commingled plastic, metal and glass, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) segregating at least a portion of said paper from said commingled plastic, metal and glass;

(b) placing said segregated paper into one compartment of a vertically movable bucket operatively associated with a waste transport vehicle, placing said commingled plastic, metal and glass into another compartment of said bucket; and

conveying said bucket containing said segregated recyclable waste materials to an elevated position;

(c) discharging said recyclable waste materials from said bucket into a body carried by said vehicle, said segregated paper being loaded into a lower generally horizontal compartment of said body through a first vertical opening, and said commingled plastic, metal and glass being loaded into an upper generally horizontal compartment of said body through a second vertical opening located rearward of said first vertical opening;

(d) compacting said paper within said lower body compartment to move said paper horizontally rearward toward a closed lower compartment discharge door;

(e) compacting said commingled plastic, metal and glass within said upper body compartment to move said commingled plastic, metal and glass first horizontally rearward and then downward toward a closed upper compartment discharge door, said upper discharge door being positioned rearwardly of and overlying said lower discharge door to thereby define a rearward extension of said upper compartment located rearward of said lower compartment;

(f) repeating steps (a) through (e) to maximize the load of recyclable waste materials carried by said vehicle;

(g) discharging said commingled plastic, metal and glass from said upper compartment to a first waste collection location; and

,

(h) thereafter discharging said paper from said lower compartment to a second waste collection location.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said discharging step (g) is accomplished by first opening said upper discharge door and then tilting said body, and said discharging step (h) is next accomplished by opening said upper discharge door and then tilting said body.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the compacting of said paper and the compacting of said commingled plastic, metal and glass are performed alternately such that only one of said compacting steps is performed at one time.