Adapter to unload rear loading container into side loading compaction body

Abstract

An adapter to allow a sideloading refuse collection body to empty a rear loading container having trunnions. The adapter has a pair of spaced apart trunnion pockets to receive opposing trunnions of the container. A pair of lock arms on the adapter can be lowered against the tops of opposing sides of the container to lock the container in the trunnion pockets and against a stabilizer which engages the front wall of the container. The adapter includes a guide plate aligned with and extending from the front wall of the container. Lift arms on the collection body are joined to opposing sides of the adapter.

Claims

1. A side loading mechanism for a commodity collection body, the commodity collection body having a chamber for receiving commodity from an external container, the external container having a trunnion extending from each of two opposing end walls of the container, the side loading mechanism comprising: a lifting mechanism combined to the collection body and extending alongside the chamber for lifting the container to an inverted unloading position above the chamber for depositing commodity from the container into the chamber, a removable adapter removably attached to the lifting mechanism, the removable adapter comprising a pair of spaced apart trunnion receiving members, the removable adapter further comprising at least one lock arm moveable by a powered driver, the at least one lock arm selectively touchingly engaging a top rim of the external container to secure the external container to the adapter for lifting the external container to the inverted unloading position.

2. A side loading mechanism for a commodity collection body having a chamber with a top loading opening, the commodity collection body having a lifting mechanism adapted for lifting an external container along a side of the chamber, the side loading mechanism comprising: a pair of spaced apart trunnion pocket members, the trunnion pocket members movable in a substantially vertical direction, the trunnion pocket members adapted to selectively receive respective trunnions extending from opposing ends of a rear loading commodity container, a pair of lock arms selectively rotatable about an axis, each arm touchingly engaging a top edge of an opposing end wall of the rear loading commodity container when the arms are moved to a lowered position, the lifting mechanism mounted to the trunnion pocket members, the lifting mechanism operable to elevate the rear loading commodity container to a position above the loading opening of the collection body; a stabilizer replaceably positionable against a front of the container to hold the container in position and prevent the container from rotating about the trunnions when the container is lifted between the loading position and the inverted unloading position; a driver combined with the stabilizer and having a rod combined with the pair of lock arms to move the pair of lock arms to the locked position with the container held firmly between the stabilizer and the pair of lock arms to secure the container as it is lifted between the loading position and the inverted unloading position.

3. The side loading mechanism of claim 2 further comprising a stabilizer element touchingly engaging a front wall of the rear loading commodity container when the lift mechanism has raised the rear loading commodity container from the loading position.

4. The side loading mechanism of claim 2 wherein each arm includes a bar element extending generally laterally therefrom, each bar element transverse to the arm from which the bar element extends, each bar element touchingly engaging the top edge of one of the opposing end walls of the rear loading refuse container when the arms are rotated to the lowered position.

5. The side loading mechanism of claim 2, further comprising a guide plate extending above the pocket members and disposed therebetween, the guide plate generally aligned with a front wall of the rear loading commodity container when the trunnions are received in the trunnion pocket members.

6. The side loading mechanism of claim of claim 2, further comprising a guide plate combined with the stabilizer and extending between the pair of trunnion pockets to prevent refuse from falling outside of the chamber when the container is in the inverted unloading position.

7. The side loading mechanism of claim of claim 6, wherein the stabilizer comprises a pair of stabilizer legs spaced apart and aligned with opposing ends of the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adapter of the present invention mounted on a side load refuse hauling vehicle showing the adapter clamped on a rear end loading container.

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective of the adapter of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter combined with the side load refuse hauling vehicle with the container shown in the inverted unloading position.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the adapter of the present invention showing the adapter mechanism open or unclamped on a container.

(5) FIG. 5 is a side view of the adapter of FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the adapter of the present invention showing the adapter closed or clamped on a container.

(7) FIG. 7 is a side view of the adapter mechanism of FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the adapter of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a front view of the adapter mechanism of FIG. 8.

(10) FIG. 10 is a side view of the adapter of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) FIGS. 1-3 depict a side loading refuse collection vehicle 1, including an adapter 100 to enable a lift mechanism 102 to attach and lift a rear end load refuse container 104. As described below, container 104 may be attached to lifting mechanism 102 and commodity disposed therein can be emptied into a corresponding compaction chamber 106 of collection vehicle 1. Compaction blades within compaction chamber 106 compact the commodity and drive it into a storage compartment 108 of collection vehicle 1.

(12) As can be understood from reference to FIGS. 4-7, a rear end loading container such as rear end loading container 104 includes front wall 40 and rear wall 42 joined by shorter end walls 44, 45. Rear end loading refuse container 104 also includes trunnions 126, 127 which extend laterally from opposing end walls 44, 45 of the container 104. Trunnions 126, 127 are located near top 41 of front wall 40 and are typically coaxial. Each trunnion 126, 127 is receivable within a trunnion pocket 124a of one trunnion pocket member 124 when the rear end loading refuse container 104 is brought adjacent adapter 100 with front wall 40 thereof facing adapter 100. With trunnions 126, 127 cradled within trunnion pockets 124a, lock arms 134 may be rotated into their lowered position in contact with top edges 46, 47 of end walls 44, 45 of container 104 to force container 104 against stabilizer 128. Each lock arm 134 may include a bar element 22 extending laterally therefrom, preferably perpendicularly, at or near the free end thereof, such that each bar element 22 extends toward the other. Lock arms 134 may be driven independently, or they may operate simultaneously.

(13) Refuse collection vehicle 1 includes a conventional cab 2 and wheels 4 connected to and supported on a chassis or frame 6 which carries storage compartment 108 and compaction chamber 106. A tailgate 8 is pivotally attached to the top of storage compartment 108 by vertically displaceable hinges 10 at the rear of refuse collection vehicle 1. Tailgate lift cylinders 12 are pivotally attached to tailgate 8 and to storage compartment 108. To unload refuse collection vehicle 1, tailgate lift cylinders 12 are extended to vertically displace and pivot or swing tailgate 8 to an open position, and the commodity may be expelled out of storage compartment 108.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 1-3, container 104 may be selectively attached to lift mechanism 102 by way of adapter 100. Attached container 104 is raised from a lowered position with container 104 on the ground to an inverted raised position above load opening 26 of compaction chamber 106 of collection vehicle 1 for unloading the commodity.

(15) Lift mechanism 102 lifts adapter 100 along tracks 112 attached to a side wall 114 of compaction chamber 106 of collection vehicle 1. Lift mechanism 102 includes lift rods 111 attachable to adapter 100 at a receptacle 113. Receptacle 113 may be a hole in a trunnion pocket member 124 to receive a bolt for combining lift rods 111 to trunnion pocket member 124. Carriage track rollers 110a, 110b positioned on opposing sides of adapter 100 engage and follow spaced apart tracks 112 as adapter 100 is lifted between positions. Lift rods 111 are pivotally attached at their ends to corresponding lift arms 116. A compaction chamber cover 118 extends between corresponding lift arms 116 to cover compaction chamber 106. A lift cylinder (not shown) anchored to collection vehicle 1 engages each lift arm 116 to automatically raise and lower lift mechanism 102 between the lowered and raised positions. When lift arms 116 elevate, compaction chamber cover 118 rises from its rest position overlying the load opening 26 of compaction chamber 106.

(16) In the illustrated embodiment, each lift cylinder is extended when lift mechanism 102 is in the lowered position. In the lowered position, compaction chamber cover 118 and attached lift arms 116 are substantially horizontal, with compaction chamber cover 118 overlying the load opening 26 of compaction chamber 106. As the cylinder retracts, lift arms 116 pivot upward and pull lift rods 111 which draw adapter 100 to the raised position.

(17) More specifically, two pairs of carriage track rollers 110a, 110b are positioned on each side of adapter 100 and align with a pair of rails 112a, 112b that form each track 112. Carriage track rollers 110a, 110b are spaced apart such that carriage track roller 110a rides against rail 112a inside track 112. Carriage track roller 110b rides against rail 112b on the outside of track 112. At an upper curved portion 112c of track 112, carriage track rollers 110a move away from rail 112a. An idler roller 120 is positioned apart from carriage track rollers 110a, 100b to guide adapter 100 in its transition between a lower portion 112d and upper portion 112c of track 112. Upper portion 112c of each track 112 is angled away from compaction chamber 106 and curved at its upper end to guide container 104 in an arcuate path to an inverted unloading position.

(18) In the lowered position, container 104 is positioned on the ground and alongside side wall 114 of vehicle 1. Adapter 100 combined with lift mechanism 102 lifts container 104 off the ground. Carriage track rollers 110a, 110b are positioned against respective rails 112a, 112b of tracks 112 and guide adapter 100 upward. At upper portions 112c of tracks 112 each carriage track roller 110a moves away from rail 112a of track 112 and each idler roller 120 moves against the inside of rails 112b of tracks 112 to prevent adapter 100 from moving backward and forward. Upper portion 112c of each track 112 guides adapter 100 outward in the arcuate path and tips container 104 to its upward inverted position, as shown in FIG. 3.

(19) Referring to FIGS. 8-10, the adapter 100 is shown separate from lift mechanism 102 and vehicle 1. When it is desirable to collect and empty a rear load container 104, adapter 100 is replaceably attached to lift mechanism 102. As described above, lift arms 111 are replaceably bolted to receptacles 113 on respective trunnion pocket members 124 of adapter 100. Carriage track rollers 110a, 110b are positioned within tracks 112. Side loaded refuse collection vehicle 1 is now ready for receiving rear loaded trunnion style containers.

(20) Adapter 100 is more specifically described as follows. Trunnion pocket members 124 are positioned on opposing sides of adapter 100 to locate and securely cradle the trunnions 126, 127 on container 104 in curved pockets 124a of trunnion pocket members 124. A stabilizer 128 abuts front wall 44 of container 104 when it is placed in position to be secured to adapter 100 and includes rubber bumpers 132 to support and hold the front wall 44 of container 104 as it is lifted between the respective positions. A pair of lock arms 134 are powered by drivers 136 to rotate lock arms 134 down on the top of container 104 to securely clamp container 104 between lock arms 134 and stabilizer 128. Lock arms 134 rotate about an axis to the clamped position and extend from the axis to engage the top rim of container 104. At the end of each lock arm 134 is a bar member 22 that extends perpendicularly towards the inside of container 104 to ensure container 104 does not fall when lifted to the inverted position. A guide plate 130 is combined with the stabilizer 128 and extends between the pair of trunnion pocket members 124 and above the container 104 to act as a guide to prevent refuse from falling outside of the chamber 106 when the container 104 is in the inverted unloading position. Lift mechanism 102 can now lift a rear loaded trunnion style container 104 by its trunnions 126, 127 between the inverted unloading position and the initial ground position.

(21) To gain more perspective of adapter 100, referring back to FIG. 1, adapter 100 is assembled on a side loader collection vehicle 1 with stabilizer 128 abutting container 104 and lock arms 134 powered down on the top of container 104 by a driver 136, which is a hydraulic cylinder 136 in the illustrative embodiment, thereby clamping container 104 between lock arms 134 and stabilizer 128 in the ground pick-up position. FIG. 3 shows the perspective of adapter 100 with clamped container 104 rotated to an inverted unloading position.

(22) In further detail, referring back to FIGS. 4 and 5, container 104 is shown combined with adapter 100 and with lock arms 134 in the open position. Adapter 100 is positioned at an appropriate distance from the ground to enable container 104 to be rolled up alongside adapter 100. Container 104 is positioned with its trunnions 126, 127 slightly above trunnion pocket members 124 of adapter 100. Lock arms 134 clamp down on the top of container 104 and secure trunnions 126, 127 in pockets 124a of trunnion pocket members 124. Container 104 is thereby secured between lock arms 134 and stabilizer 128 of adapter 100, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 so that container 104 is prevented from rotating about an axis defined by trunnions 126, 127.

(23) Various aspects of any of the embodiments can be combined in different combinations than the ones shown to create new embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

(24) While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by appended claims and their equivalents. The invention can be better understood by reference to the following claims. For purpose of claim interpretation, the transitional phrases including and having are intended to be synonymous with the transitional phrase comprising.