A grabber assembly has a beam assembly with a bracket. A grabber gear assembly is coupled with the bracket. The grabber gear assembly has a pair of gear mechanisms coupled with the bracket. Each gear mechanism has a shaft and a pair of thrust bearings, one at each end of the shaft. A grabber arm mounting pad is coupled with each shaft. A gear section is coupled with each shaft. The gear sections of each shaft mesh with one another to drive the grabber arm mounting pads. An actuating driver is coupled with one of the shafts to drive the grabber gear assembly and move the arms between an open and grasping position.

A refuse vehicle includes a chassis, an energy storage device, a body, and an electric power take-off system. The energy storage device (e.g., a battery) is supported by the chassis and is configured to provide electrical power to a prime mover. Activation of the prime mover selectively drives the refuse vehicle. The body is configured for storing refuse, and is supported by the chassis. The electric power take-off system is positioned on the body and includes an inverter, an electric motor, and a hydraulic pump that is drive by the electric motor. The inverter receives electrical power from the energy storage device and supplies electrical power to the electric motor. The electric motor drives the hydraulic pump to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power.

An intermediate container for a refuse vehicle where the container is positioned in front of the refuse vehicle is provided. A plurality of legs extends from the container toward the refuse vehicle. An attachment mechanism is on each leg to secure the legs to a front loading arm assembly of the refuse vehicle.

Operating a refuse collection vehicle to collect refuse from a refuse container includes positioning a refuse collection vehicle with respect to a refuse container to be emptied, and manually engaging a switch to initiate a dump cycle to be performed by the refuse collection vehicle on the refuse container. The dump cycle includes engaging the refuse container with a portion of the vehicle, lifting the engaged refuse container to a dump position, and moving the refuse container to release contents of the refuse container into a hopper of the refuse collection vehicle. The dump cycle continues to completion as long as the switch remains manually engaged.

A refuse collection vehicle includes a fork assembly that is operable to engage one or more fork pockets of a refuse container, a lift arm that is operable to lift a refuse container, and at least one sensor that is configured to collect data indicating a position of the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container. A position of at least one of the fork assembly or the lift arm is adjusted in response to the data collected by the at least one sensor.

A refuse collection vehicle includes a fork assembly that is operable to engage one or more fork pockets of a refuse container, a lift arm that is operable to lift a refuse container, and at least one sensor that is configured to collect data indicating a position of the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container. A position of at least one of the fork assembly or the lift arm is adjusted in response to the data collected by the at least one sensor.

A fully automated container handling system for a refuse vehicle is provided that utilizes a vehicle-mounted video camera which feeds video to a cab-mounted monitor to inform a driver of the location of a container of interest enabling accurate alignment of the vehicle. The system is operated by a single button in the cab and includes an extending, pivoting arm with a base equipped with a converging grabber to seize and empty the container. The base that grabs the container includes a sonar transducer that functions with a hydraulic system that operates the arm and grabber using a programmable logic controller (PLC) computer program to run the hydraulic controls.

A lift assembly for a refuse vehicle includes a lift arm pivotally coupled to a body of the refuse vehicle and a pair of forks pivotally coupled to the lift arm, the pair of forks is configured to engage with a refuse container. The lift assembly further includes an electric lift arm actuator comprising an output shaft. The electric lift arm actuator may be communicably coupled to an electric energy system. The lift assembly further includes a pin coupled to the lift arm assembly and the electric lift arm actuator. The pin is configured to rotate about a pin axis. Rotation of the output shaft causes the lift arm assembly to rotate relative to the body via the pin.

An articulated front loader arm structure is provided for use with a conventional refuse collection vehicle having a conventional cab chassis. The articulated arm structure is controlled by a programmed logic controller (PLC) which for monitors and controls the movement of the front loader articulated arm structure. The PLC communicates with various cylinders and sensors to control the extension/retraction of the various cylinders associated with the various arm sections of the front loader arm structure during movement through both its container dump cycle and its container return cycle. The articulated arm structure allows the present front loader arm mechanism to both extend over a conventional cab chassis as well as to be stored on top of the refuse vehicle under the current legal height restriction of 13 feet, 6 inches.

A grabber assembly has a beam assembly with a bracket. A grabber gear assembly is coupled with the bracket. The grabber gear assembly has a pair of gear mechanisms coupled with the bracket. Each gear mechanism has a shaft and a pair of thrust bearings, one at each end of the shaft. A grabber arm mounting pad is coupled with each shaft. A gear section is coupled with each shaft. The gear sections of each shaft mesh with one another to drive the grabber arm mounting pads. An actuating driver is coupled with one of the shafts to drive the grabber gear assembly and move the arms between an open and grasping position.