Adapter to empty rear end load or side load refuse containers into fork borne intermediate container

• US 9,028,193 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kann Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kann Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Goedken, Kenneth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOERGER, KAITLIN S
• Application Number:
  US13/748,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20130195590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• US Class Current: 414/408
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/023 Gripper arms for embracing the receptacle
• 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 2003/0296 the supporting means mounted on the discharging means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/041 Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 9/00 Transferring of refuse between vehicles or containers with intermediate storage or pressing presses for baling per se B30B9/30

Abstract

An adapter for front forks of a front loading commodity collection truck allows the truck to collect from rear load and side load style containers. An intermediate container is carried on the forks of the truck. An engagement apparatus is mounted on the intermediate container and is laterally extendible to engage the commercial container at curbside and draw the container to the intermediate container. The engagement apparatus will lift the commercial container and tip it over the intermediate container. Controls in the cab of the truck control operation of the adapter. The adapter can be removed easily from the forks when a front loading refuse container is encountered.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for collection of refuse commodities having a truck chassis with a commodity collection body mounted thereon, the truck chassis further supporting a cab for housing an operator, the commodity collection body including a pair of lift arms pivotable thereon from a lowered position forward of the cab of the truck chassis to an elevated position over a top load opening of the commodity collection body, the lift arms having forks on the free ends of the lift arms, and fork cylinders coupling the forks to the lift arms to selectively orient the forks on the lift arms, an adapter apparatus comprising:

an intermediate container selectively carried on the forks of the commodity collection body,

the intermediate container including opposing sidewalls,

each sidewall of the opposing sidewalls having a fork receiving pocket thereon,

the fork receiving pockets generally parallel with a bottom of the intermediate container,

the fork receiving pockets oriented to receive the forks when the forks are in a generally horizontal orientation,

a container engaging mechanism supported on the intermediate container,

the container engaging mechanism adapted to removably attach to a commercial refuse container,

the container engaging mechanism moveable from a lowered position to a tipped position wherein the commercial refuse container attached to the container engaging mechanism is substantially tipped over a top opening of the intermediate container,

control apparatus to operate the engaging mechanism, and to raise and tip the engaging mechanism,

the control apparatus coupled to controls in the cab of the truck chassis,

wherein the commercial refuse container may be elevated and tipped over the top opening of the intermediate container to empty contents of the commercial refuse container into the intermediate container and

wherein the intermediate container may selectively be emptied into the top load opening of the commodity collection body,

an extension frame is supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame including at least a first extension tube and a first rail,

the at least a first rail mounted to a wall of the intermediate container,

the wall being either a rear wall or a front wall of the intermediate container,

the at least a first extension tube selectively slidable along the at least a first rail,

the container engaging mechanism supported on the extension frame,

the extension frame operable to laterally move the container engaging mechanism away from the intermediate container

the extension frame comprises the at least a first rail and at least a first extension tube and a second rail and a second extension tube,

one of the rails supported on the front wall of the intermediate container,

the other of the rails supported on the rear wall of the intermediate container.

2. The adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the commercial refuse container includes a trunnion bar thereon,

the trunnion bar disposed at a top of the commercial refuse container,

the trunnion bar disposed at a top of the commercial refuse container,

the trunnion bar extending from opposing end walls of the commercial refuse container,

the container engaging mechanism includes a pair of spaced apart trunnion receiving pockets,

the trunnion receiving pockets having open tops to receive opposing ends of the trunnion bar therein,

the trunnion bar of the commercial refuse container selectively received in the trunnion receiving pockets,

a pair of arms supported on the container engaging mechanism selectively operable between an open position and a lowered position,

the arms when in the lowered position engaging opposing end walls of the commercial refuse container when the trunnion bar of the commercial refuse container is received in the trunnion pockets,

the arms in the lowered position preventing the commercial refuse container from over rotating about the trunnion bar thereof when the commercial refuse container is upended over the top opening of the intermediate container.

3. The adapter apparatus of claim 2 wherein

each of the arms further includes a transverse bar member extending therefrom,

each of the transverse bar members overlying an opposing one of the tops of the opposing end walls of the commercial refuse container when the arms are in the lowered position.

4. The adapter apparatus of claim 3 wherein

each of the transverse bar members inclines from the arm from which the transverse bar member extends when the arm is in the lowered position and the container engaging mechanism is in a lowered position.

5. The adapter apparatus of claim 4 wherein

an extension frame is supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame including at least a first extension tube and a first rail,

the at least a first rail mounted to a wall of the intermediate container,

the wall being either a rear wall or a front wall of the intermediate container,

the at least a first extension tube selectively slidable along the at least a first rail,

the container engaging mechanism supported on the extension frame, the extension frame operable to laterally move the container engaging mechanism away from the intermediate container.

6. The adapter apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the extension frame comprises the at least a first rail and at least a first extension tube and a second rail and a second extension tube,

one of the rails supported on the front wall of the intermediate container,

the other of the rails supported on the rear wall of the intermediate container.

7. The adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein

a pair of spaced apart vertical track elements are supported on the extension frame,

the container engaging mechanism including bearing elements received in the track elements,

the bearing elements of the container engaging mechanism moving along the vertical track elements as the refuse container is elevated while the extension frame is in a retracted position adjacent the curb side sidewall of the intermediate container,

the container engaging mechanism rotating about an axis of the bearing elements as the container engaging mechanism is tipped over the top load opening of the intermediate container.

8. In an apparatus for collection of refuse commodities having a truck chassis with a commodity collection body mounted thereon, the truck chassis further supporting a cab for housing an operator, the commodity collection body including a pair of lift arms pivotable thereon from a lowered position forward of the cab of the truck chassis to an elevated position over a top load opening of the commodity collection body, the lift arms having forks on the free ends of the lift arms, and fork cylinders coupling the forks to the lift arms to selectively orient the forks on the lift arms, an adapter apparatus comprising:

an intermediate container selectively carried on the forks of the commodity collection body,

the intermediate container including opposing sidewalls,

each sidewall of the opposing sidewalls having a fork receiving pocket thereon,

the fork receiving pockets generally parallel with a bottom of the intermediate container,

the fork receiving pockets oriented to receive the forks when the forks are in a generally horizontal orientation,

a container engaging mechanism supported on the intermediate container,

the container engaging mechanism adapted to removably attach to a commercial refuse container,

the container engaging mechanism moveable from a lowered position to a tipped position wherein the commercial refuse container attached to the container engaging mechanism is substantially tipped over a top opening of the intermediate container,

control apparatus to operate the engaging mechanism, and to raise and tip the engaging mechanism,

the control apparatus coupled to controls in the cab of the truck chassis,

wherein the commercial refuse container may be elevated and tipped over the top opening of the intermediate container to empty contents of the commercial refuse container into the intermediate container and

wherein the intermediate container may selectively be emptied into the top load opening of the commodity collection body,

a pair of spaced apart vertical track elements are supported by a curbside sidewall of the intermediate container,

the container engaging mechanism including bearing elements received in the track elements,

the bearing elements of the container engaging mechanism moving along the vertical track elements as the refuse container is elevated,

the container engaging mechanism rotating about an axis of the bearing elements as the engaging mechanism is tipped over the top load opening of the intermediate container.

9. In an apparatus for collection of refuse commodities having a truck chassis with a commodity collection body mounted thereon, the truck chassis further supporting a cab for housing an operator, the commodity collection body including a pair of lift arms pivotable thereon from a lowered position forward of the cab of the truck chassis to an elevated position over a top load opening of the commodity collection body, the lift arms having forks on the free ends of the lift arms, and fork cylinders coupling the forks to the lift arms to selectively orient the forks on the lift arms, an adapter apparatus comprising

an intermediate container selectively carried on the forks of the commodity collection body,

the intermediate container including opposing sidewalls,

each sidewall of the opposing sidewalls having a fork receiving pocket thereon,

the fork receiving pockets generally parallel with a bottom of the intermediate container,

the fork receiving pockets oriented to receive the forks when the forks are in a generally horizontal orientation,

a container engaging mechanism supported on the intermediate container,

the container engaging mechanism adapted to removably attach to a commercial refuse container,

the container engaging mechanism moveable from a lowered position to a tipped position wherein the commercial refuse container attached to the container engaging mechanism is substantially tipped over a top opening of the intermediate container,

control apparatus to operate the engaging mechanism, and to raise and tip the engaging mechanism,

the control apparatus coupled to controls in the cab of the truck chassis,

wherein the commercial refuse container may be elevated and tipped over the top opening of the intermediate container to empty contents of the commercial refuse container into the intermediate container and

wherein the intermediate container may selectively be emptied into the top load opening of the commodity collection body,

the container engaging mechanism is supported on an extension frame,

the extension frame comprising a pair of generally parallel spaced apart first elongated members,

a cross beam joining the first elongated members,

the container engaging mechanism supported on the cross beam,

each elongate member selectively movable along a one of a pair of second elongate members,

each of the second elongate members supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame movable between a retracted position wherein the cross beam is adjacent a first sidewall of the intermediate container and an extended position wherein the cross beam is spaced apart from the first sidewall of the intermediate container,

the cross beam comprising a pair of spaced apart vertical track members supported on the cross beam,

the container engaging mechanism further comprising generally coaxial bearing elements which ride along the vertical track members,

wherein the container engaging mechanism selectively may be elevated along the track members and may be urged to rotate about the bearing elements to upend the engagement apparatus and a refuse container attached thereto.

10. Apparatus to unload a trunnion equipped refuse container into a front loading refuse collection body comprises

an intermediate container selectively carried on front lift forks of the front loading refuse collection body,

the intermediate container including a container engagement apparatus on a side thereof,

the container engagement apparatus including spaced apart trunnion pockets into which ends of a trunnion bar extending from opposing ends of the refuse container are selectively receivable,

the container engagement apparatus further comprising:

a stabilizer member for selective abutment to a front sidewall of the refuse container;

at least one moveable retention arm selectively abutting a top edge of the refuse container; and

a drive member to rotate the refuse container about a pivot axle on the container engagement apparatus;

wherein the refuse container may be selectively attached to the container engagement apparatus and inverted over a top opening of the intermediate container,

the container engagement apparatus supported on an extension frame,

the extension frame including spaced apart generally parallel extension tubes,

the extension tubes movable along rails supported on the intermediate container,

the extension frame movable from a retracted position adjacent a first sidewall of the intermediate container to an extended position spaced apart from the first sidewall of the intermediate container.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein

each of the trunnion pockets is supported on an elongate pocket arm,

each trunnion pocket having an open top for receiving an end of the trunnion bar of the refuse container,

the pocket arms spaced apart at least a length of a front wall of the trunnion equipped refuse container,

each pocket arm rotatable about a common axis.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein

each pocket arm is selectively rotatable to pass under one of the ends of the trunnion bar to capture the end of the trunnion bar in the trunnion pocket of the pocket arm,

the at least one moveable retention arm is a first moveable retention arm associated with a first of the pocket arms,

a second moveable retention arm associated with a second of the pocket arms,

each of the retention arms moveable between an open position and a closed position,

the open position of each retention arm spaced substantially away from the top edge of the refuse container,

each retention arm having a transverse bar extending therefrom,

each transverse bar inclined from horizontal when the retention arm is in its closed position and the refuse container is upright,

each transverse bar directed toward the other transverse bar.