Apparatus and method of automated fork repositioning

• US 6,152,673 A
• Filed: 09/23/1997
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toccoa Metal Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Toccoa Metal Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Clark, Robert M., Anderson, James M., James, Gordon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James W.
• Application Number:
  US08/935,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 414/406, 414/408, 414/420, 414/421, 414/699, 414/810, 414/815
• US Class Current: 414/408
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0256 Means for vibrating or shaking the containers for facilitating emptying
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0279 the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/043 with additional means for keeping the receptacle substantially vertical during raising
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/046 with additional means for assisting the tipping of the receptacle after or during raising
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/201 the charging pistons, plates or the like moving rectilinearly

Abstract

A front loading refuse collection vehicle (10) is provided having a body (12) which includes a hopper (16), a storage container (17), a pair of arms (56) coupled to a pivotal fork (58). The vehicle also has a control circuit (100) which coordinates movement of the fork with the arms. The control circuit receives the initial pickup position of the arms and fork from an arm position sensor (200) and a fork position sensor (201) when grasping a portable container. This position is later recalled to assist the operator in returning the arms and forks to these positions in order to release the portable container.

Claims

1. A refuse collection vehicle comprising:

a vehicle cab and a vehicle chassis;

a body mounted to said vehicle chassis into which refuse may be loaded; and

a loader device for loading refuse into said body, said loader device comprising (i) an arm which pivots about a first pivot axis located on said chassis from a loading position to an unloading position, said arm including a lifting mechanism for lifting motion thereof about said first pivot axis, (ii) a fork adapted to releasably hold a container, said fork extends from said arm and pivots about a second pivot axis located on said arm from a loading position to an unloading position, said fork including a rotating mechanism for rotating motion thereof about said second pivot axis, and (iii) a controller for coordinating operation of said rotating mechanism and said lifting mechanism from said unloading position back to a corresponding selected loading position, said controller including a first positioning sensor coupled to said arm to sense the pivotal position of said arm relative to said body and to produce a selected actual arm position, an input for receiving and memorizing said selected actual arm position from said first positioning sensor, a second positioning sensor coupled to said fork to sense the pivotal position of said fork relative to said arm and to produce a selected actual fork position, an input for receiving and memorizing said selected actual fork position from said second positioning sensor, and control means for controlling the actuation of said rotating mechanism in moving said fork to said selected actual fork position in response to actuation of said lifting mechanism in moving said arm from said arm unloading position to said arm loading position,

whereby the first and second positioning sensors relay a selected actual arm and fork position upon initial grasping of the container, and subsequent to unloading the container the fork is automatically returned by the control means to the selected actual fork position with return movement of the arm by the lifting mechanism to said arm loading position.

2. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 wherein said controller further comprises second control means for controlling the actuation of said lifting mechanism in moving said arm from said arm unloading position to said selected arm position, and a control switch which enables said second control means.

3. A refuse vehicle comprising:

a container body;

lifting arms;

hydraulic arms lifting means for moving said lifting arms between a loading position and an unloading position above said container body;

a fork pivotally mounted to said arms;

hydraulic fork rotating means for rotating said fork relative to said arms; and

control means for controlling said hydraulic fork rotating means, said control means including arm sensing means for sensing and relaying an initial pivotal position of said arms relative to said body, fork sensing means for sensing and relaying an initial pivotal position of said fork relative to said arms, memory means for receiving and storing the initial arms pivotal position from said arm sensing means and storing the initial fork pivotal position from said fork sensing means, and actuation means for actuating said hydraulic fork rotating means to move said fork to said initial fork pivotal position in response to return movement of said lifting arms from said unloading position to said loading position.

4. The refuse vehicle of claim 3 wherein said actuation means controls the actuation of said hydraulic arms rotating means to more said arms to said initial arms pivotal position.

5. A method of automatically positioning the forks of a refuse vehicle of the type having a container body, a pair of arms mounted for pivotal movement between a loading position and an unloading position, hydraulic arm lifting means for moving the arms between the loading position and the unloading position, a fork mounted to the arms for pivotal movement between a loading position and an unloading position, and hydraulic fork rotating means for pivotal movement of the fork between the loading position and the unloading position, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) manually controlling the hydraulic arm lifting means to position the arms at an initial loading position and manually controlling the hydraulic fork rotating means to position the fork at an initial loading position;

(b) sensing the initial position of the arms with an arm sensor and sensing the initial position of the fork with a fork sensor;

(c) relaying the sensed initial position of the arms and the sensed initial position of the fork to control means;

(d) storing the sensed initial position of the arms and fork; and

(e) actuating the hydraulic fork rotating means through automatic control means to more said fork to the stored fork position in response to the hydraulic arm lifting means returning the arm to its initial unloading position.