Front mounted lifter for front load vehicle

• US 7,390,159 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Perkins Manufacturing Company (Hovi Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Perkins Manufacturing Company (Hovi Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arrez, Carlos, Rimsa, James, Arrez, Ramiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Saul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENHUT, CHARLES N
• Application Number:
  US10/718,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20050111942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 414404-406, 414408-409, 414/505, 414/501, 414/549, 414/551, 414/555
• US Class Current: 414/408
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/023 Gripper arms for embracing the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0273 capable of rotating around a vertical axis
• 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 3/046 with additional means for assisting the tipping of the receptacle after or during raising

Abstract

A refuse receptacle lifter is disclosed that is mounted on a transporter secured to the front end of a collection vehicle rearwardly of an associated collection container. The transporter is adapted to move the lifter in a generally side-to-side direction relative to the collection container in order to move the lifter between a retracted position and a position in which it is spaced from the collection container so that it can engage a refuse receptacle. If the collection vehicle does not have a collection container. being carried on the front of the vehicle, the lifter may be moved to stored position generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A refuse receptacle lifter assembly adapted for attachment to the front end of front load refuse collection vehicles having a pair of spaced-apart lift forks that are adapted to carry a collection container having a front face, a rear face, opposed sides, and an upper edge defining a generally open top forward of the vehicle for the accumulation of a quantity of refuse before dumping into a collection cavity in the vehicle, the lifter assembly comprising:

(a) a receptacle lifter for engaging, lifting and inverting refuse receptacles; and

(b) a transporter adapted to be mounted at the front of the vehicle, the transporter including a carrier comprising a base member fixedly mounted to the front of a cab of the vehicle at a location behind the rear face of the collection container and below the upper edge thereof, and an elongated structure movably carried by the base member and having a first end portion with a lifter support mounted thereto to which the receptacle lifter is secured, the structure being movable substantially laterally between an extended pickup position in which the first end portion of the structure extends substantially beyond a side of the vehicle to said extended pick-up position to allow the lifter to engage curbside refuse receptacles and a retracted dumping position in which the lifter is located in proximity to one side of the collection container for dumping refuse from the refuse receptacle thereinto, said lifter support being movably attached to said structure so that said lifter support and said receptacle lifter are movable between a stored position generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle substantially between the lift forks and an operating position spaced forwardly of the vehicle and laterally of the collection container, said lifter support being positioned generally adjacent to said structure when said receptacle lifter is in the stored position and extending generally forwardly from said carrier when said receptacle lifter is in the operating position.

2. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 1, wherein said carrier comprises an hydraulic cylinder interposed between the base member and the beam for moving the lifter assembly between the pickup and dumping positions.

3. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 2 wherein the base member further comprises an elongated tubular member that receives the sliding member therein.

4. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 1 wherein said lifter support member further comprises a pair of spaced-apart, horizontally oriented beams having an outboard end to which the receptacle lifter is secured and inboard end by which the lifter support member is pivotally secured to the carrier, and an hydraulic cylinder interposed between the carrier and lifter support member for moving the receptacle lifter between the stored and operating positions.

5. A refuse collection system comprising:

(a) a refuse collection vehicle including a front end, a rear end, two opposed sides, a pair of spaced-apart lift forks, and a refuse receiving cavity;

(b) a collection container adapted to be carried by the lift forks having a front face, a rear face, opposed sides and an upper edge defining a generally open top; and

(c) a lifter assembly carried by said vehicle at the front end of a cab of the vehicle comprising;

(i) a refuse receptacle lifter for engaging, lifting, and inverting a refuse receptacle to dump the contents of the refuse receptacle into a collection container; and

(ii) a transporter located at the front end of said vehicle, said transporter including a carrier comprising a base member fixedly mounted to the front of the vehicle at a location behind the rear face of the collection container and below the upper edge thereof and an elongated structure movably carried by the base member and having a first end portion with a lifter support mounted thereto to which the receptacle lifter is secured, the structure being movable substantially laterally between a receptacle pick-up position in which the first end portion of the structure extends substantially beyond a side of the vehicle to allow said lifter to engage curbside refuse receptacles and a retracted position in which the lifter is located in proximity to one side of the collection container for dumping refuse from the refuse receptacle thereinto, said carrier comprising an hydraulic cylinder operatively associated with the base member and the structure for moving the carrier between the pickup and retracted positions, said transporter further comprising the lifter support being pivotally attached to said structure so that said receptacle lifter is movable between a stored position generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle substantially between the lift forks and an operating position spaced forwardly of the vehicle and laterally of the collection container whereby said lifter assembly may be used to engage, lift and dump contents of curbside refuse receptacles into a front loaded collection container.

6. A refuse receptacle lifter assembly adapted for attachment to front end of front load refuse collection vehicles having a pair of spaced-apart lift forks adapted to carry a collection container having a front face, a rear face, opposed sides, and an upper edge defining a generally open top forward of the vehicle for the accumulation of a quantity of refuse before dumping into a collection cavity in the vehicle, the lifter assembly comprising:

(a) a receptacle lifter for engaging, lifting and inverting refuse receptacles;

(b) a transporter adapted to be mounted at the front of the vehicle carrying the receptacle lifter, said transporter comprising a base member adapted to be fixedly mounted to the front of a cab of the vehicle at a location behind the rear face of the collection container and below the upper edge thereof, and an elongated structure movably carried by the base member and having a first end portion with a lifter support mounted thereto to which the receptacle lifter is secured, the lifter support being movably attached to the front end of the vehicle for moving said receptacle lifter between a stored position generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle and an operating position extending generally forwardly of the vehicle and laterally of one side of the collection container, said lifter support being positioned generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle substantially between the lift forks when said receptacle lifter is in the stored position and generally forwardly from the front end of the vehicle and generally perpendicular to the structure when said receptacle lifter is in the operating position.

7. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 6, wherein said lifter support member further comprises a pair of spaced-apart, horizontally oriented beams having an outboard end to which the receptacle lifter is secured and an inboard end by which the lifter support member is pivotally secured to the carrier, and an hydraulic cylinder interposed between the carrier and lifter support member for moving the receptacle lifter between the stored and operating positions.

8. A refuse collection vehicle comprising:

(a) a front end, a rear end, two opposed sides, a pair of spaced-apart lift forks adapted to carry a collection container having a front face, a rear face, opposed sides, and an upper edge defining a generally open top, and a refuse receiving cavity;

(b) a lifter assembly carried by said vehicle at the front end thereof comprising;

(i) a refuse receptacle lifter for engaging, lifting, and inverting a refuse receptacle to dump refuse from the refuse receptacle into a collection container; and

(ii) a transporter located at the front end of said vehicle, said transporter comprising a base member adapted to be fixedly mounted to the front of a cab of the vehicle at a location behind the rear face of the collection container and below the upper edge thereof, and an elongated structure movably carried by the base member and having a first end portion with a litter support mounted thereto to which the receptacle lifter is secured, the lifter support being movably attached to the front end of the vehicle for moving said receptacle lifter between a stored position generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle substantially between the lift forks and an operating position generally perpendicular to the structure spaced forwardly of the vehicle and laterally of the collection container, said lifter support being positioned generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle when said receptacle lifter is in the stored position and generally forwardly from the front end of the vehicle and generally perpendicular to the structure when said receptacle lifter is in the operating position.

9. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 8, wherein said lifter support member further comprises a pair of spaced-apart, horizontally oriented beams having an outboard end to which the receptacle lifter is secured and an inboard end by which the lifter support member is pivotally secured to the carrier, and an hydraulic cylinder interposed between the carrier and lifter support member for moving the receptacle lifter between the stored and operating positions.

10. A refuse receptacle lifter assembly adapted for attachment to the front end of front load refuse collection vehicles having a pair of spaced-apart lift forks adapted to carry a collection container having a front face, a rear face, opposed sides, and an upper edge defining a generally open top forward of the vehicle for the accumulation of a quantity of refuse before dumping into a collection cavity in the vehicle, the lifter assembly comprising:

(a) a receptacle lifter for engaging, lifting and inverting refuse receptacles;

(b) a transporter adapted to be mounted in a generally transverse position at the front of a cab of the vehicle, the transporter including a carrier comprising a base member fixedly mounted to the front of the vehicle at a location behind the rear face of the collection container and below the upper edge thereof, and an elongated structure movably carried by the base member and having a first end portion with a lifter support mounted thereto to which the receptacle lifter is secured, the structure being and movable substantially laterally between an extended pick-up position in which the first end portion of the structure extends substantially beyond a side of the vehicle to allow the lifter to engage a curbside refuse receptacle and a retracted position in which the lifter is located in proximity to one side of the collection container for dumping refuse from the refuse receptacle thereinto;

said lifter support being movably attached to said structure for moving between a stored position generally adjacent to the front end of the vehicle substantially between the lift forks and an operating position extending generally forwardly of the vehicle and laterally of the collection container.

11. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 10, wherein said carrier comprises an hydraulic cylinder interposed between the housing member and the sliding member for moving the lifter assembly between the pickup and dumping positions.

12. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 11 wherein the base member further comprises an elongated tubular member that receives the beam therein.

13. The refuse receptacle lifter assembly of claim 10, wherein said lifter support member further comprises a pair of spaced-apart, horizontally oriented beams having an outboard end to which the receptacle lifter is secured and an inboard end by which the lifter support member is pivotally secured to the carrier, and an hydraulic cylinder interposed between the carrier and lifter support member for moving the receptacle lifter between the stored and operating positions.