Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GARBAGE OR RECYCLABLE MATERIALS HANDLING
SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to improvements in garbage or
recyclable materials handling systems.
The prior art has provided a wide variety of garbage and recyclable
materials collection equipment. One problem with traditional front loading
collection trucks is that they typically require a minimum of 15 meters {50
feet) directly in front of the bin to be collected. Sloped streets also pose
difficulties for these vehicles as the front loading collection trucks require
the bin to be substantially level with the pick-up forks while traditional
rear
loading bins have wheels which can cause handling problems on slopes.
Bins with wheels also require two or more persons to move them into place
so that they can be tipped into the hopper of a rear loading truck. Wheeled
bins are also a problem in locations where a "permanent" site is desired such
as a recycling depot. A site can quickly lose its functionality if the bins
are
disoriented. Furthermore, the lifting of front or rear loading bins creates
more stress on the lids resulting in distortions and failures. Open lids are
not only unsightly but are unsanitary and make the bins more susceptible to
animals and fire.
Canadian Patent No. 1,012,500 issued June 21, 1977 to the assignee
of the present invention describes a refuse vehicle which is provided with a
side mounted refuse receiving, loading and compacting bucket. This general
arrangement has been operated successfully on a commercial basis for many
years. Essentially the bucket is designed to provide a large loading capacity
capable of receiving several times the volume of conventional domestic trash
cans to avoid the inefficient need of unloading the bucket at frequent
intervals. The bucket is movable from a loading position to a transport
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position in which the bucket doubles as the side wall of the dump body and
is also movable from a transport position to a refuse compacting position
disposed within the truck body and therefore almost fully eliminates the
considerable space consumed by the compacting assembly of conventional
refuse vehicles.
A further advantage of the above-described side mounted loading
bucket is that it can be used advantageously with stationary self dumping
refuse. containers of the type as described in Canadian Patent No. 1,072,511
owned by the present assignee and issued on February 26, 1980 (see also '
U.S. Patent 4,208,780). These self dumping containers typically include a
base which may be rigidly secured to a concrete pad and a hopper which is
pivotally secured to the base and which is pivoted by hydraulic cylinders
between a lower loading position and an elevated discharge position. The
combination of the side mounted vehicle bucket and the self dumping refuse
container renders the collection of refuse from parks, apartment complexes
and industrial sites extremely simple and efficient as compared to earlier
arrangements. These self dumping containers may also be provided with
relatively heavy discharge lids and loading lids with latch means rendering
them substantially inaccessible to animals.
In addition to being very effective in keeping very large animals,
particularly bears, out of the garbage, these self dumping units lend
themselves to more aesthetic designs as the stationary container allows more
flexibility in the design and therefore makes for a container which is well
suited for locating or siting in high profile locations. The container can
also
maintain its good looks for an extended period of time because the collection
vehicle is never required to make actual contact with the container to empty
the contents. The above-noted problems of access are substantially
eliminated since a side loading collection vehicle can access a self dumping
bin merely by driving along side of it. One example would have the
collection truck on the road emptying a stationary container on the opposite
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side of the sidewalk. Another example would be where a cluster of these
containers has been laid out as in a recycling depot. A stationary self
dumping container can be collected using the normal driving lanes in a
parking lot while in contrast a typical front loader would need a large
amount of space for each container. Furthermore, since the stationary bin
does not have to be actually lifted by the collection truck, smaller
collection
vehicles can be used thus providing advantages in terms of both capital and
,
operating costs. Additionally, because the stationary self-dumping container
involves the dumping of material into the side mounted loading and'
compacting bucket, there is an opportunity to inspect the material before it
enters the compactor. This is particularly useful in recycling applications to
check for unwanted materials or contaminants.
The self dumping stationary container assembly described in the
above-noted Canadian Patent No. 1,072,511 and United States Patent No.
4,208,780 includes all of the advantages noted above and it has proven to
provide a cost effective solution in many applications where the required
storage capacity is in the range of two to six cubic yards. However, the self
dumping container does have a number of disadvantages.
The first disadvantage is in terms of cost. Since the self dumping
container requires an actuating device, most usually in the form of hydraulic
cylinders, as well as the plumbing and brackets to go with it, the initial
capital cost is substantially higher than a typical front or rear loading bin
where the lifting mechanism is on the collection truck or vehicle. Although
there are operational efficiencies that mainly compensate for this additional
container cost in many applications, the initial capital cost remains a
barrier
to more widespread acceptance.
Another problem is that of hydraulic fluid leakage. The most
economical method of actuating the hydraulic cylinders is to provide
pressurized hydraulic fluid from a pump on the refuse vehicle through quick
couplers. However, these couplers are subject to some leakage as the result
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of extreme temperature changes as well as hook-up and disconnect
procedures. This leakage is not a problem functionally but can create some
problems environmentally and aesthetically.
Another problem with the hydraulically activated self dumping
containers is the consumer perception that the hydraulic components within
the container system create extra operational down-time and extra
maintenance.
Other known types of refuse collection systems employ truck mounted
semi-automated or automated lifting arms. The semi-automated arm systems '
are limit~l to what the operator can physically move to the collection
vehicle. Automated arms are more flexible in that they can reach for a
container but they still have to hook onto or clamp onto the container to pick
it up and empty it. This requires the container to be properly located, limits
the container design and restricts its size. The fact that the containers have
to lifted during the dumping process subjects them to the disadvantages
noted above in comparison with the stationary self dumping containers.
When smaller containers are used they are prone to being blown over in the
wind, difficult for individuals to manoeuvre, especially in winter conditions,
and are susceptible to animal access.
It is therefore desirable to provide a system which incorporates the
advantages of the several systems noted above and which therefore is
capable of enjoying widespread application and increased commercial value.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide
garbage/recyclable material containing and handling systems which
overcome the major disadvantages while maintaining most of the advantages
associated with the stationary self dumping containers noted above.
It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus
incorporating many of the advantages of automated and semi-automated arm
systems while overcoming many of their limitations.
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It is also an object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the
type noted above which is substantially animal-proof but still user friendly.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide
garbage/recyclable material handling systems and apparatus which is capable
of operating in tight locations and/or under adverse slope conditions and
which permits the use of aesthetically designed containers which can be
located in high profile areas rather than in behind residential or commercial
buildings and the like.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided an '
actuator assembly for use in a garbage or recyclable material handling
system wherein material containers are each pivotally mounted to respective
supports at desired locations for movement between a lower material
receiving position and a partially inverted material discharge position and
wherein a msterial collection vehicle is adapted to communicate with
respective containers when in the discharge position to receive the materials
discharged therefrom; said actuator assembly comprising an arm adapted to
be attached to the vehicle and extendable outwardly of the vehicle during
use, and an actuator secured to a distal end of the arm, which actuator is
adapted to be positioned to operatively engage between the support and the
container when the vehicle is located to receive said materials from a
selected container and operable to exert forces between the support and
container to cause the container to pivot from the receiving position to the
discharge position to effect discharge into the vehicle and to thereafter
cause
or permit the container to pivot back to the lower receiving position
following which said actuator can be disengaged and said arm retracted
inwardly toward the vehicle to allow the vehicle to move away from the
container.
In one particular form of the invention said actuator has means
thereon which, in use, are mutually co-operable with the container and
support and permitting secure pivoting of the container relative to the
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support when the actuator is engaged therebetween while permitting
generally ready or rapid engagement and disengagement of the actuator with
and from the container and support only when the container is in its lower
material-receiving position.
In a preferred form of the invention said actuator includes a fluid
cylinder having said co-operable means mounted thereto and operable
between extended and retracted positions defining the material discharge and
receiving positions respectively of the container.
Still further according to an embodiment of the invention opposing '
ends of said fluid cylinder have said co-operable means thereon to provide
for the ready or rapid engagement and disengagement of the actuator.
The actuator assembly, according to any of the embodiments noted
above, is particularly adapted for use with a vehicle having a side-mounted
loading bucket thereon and wherein said arm is sufficiently long or
extendible as to permit said actuator to be placed into said operative
engagement between the container and support when the vehicle is located
with its bucket alongside the container to receive the material therefrom.
In another preferred form of the invention said arm comprises a
linkage mechanism capable of being folded into proximity with the frame of
the vehicle to define the retracted condition of the actuator arm.
The invention also provides in a fiuther aspect a garbage or recyclable
material handling system which incorporates in combination the several
components noted above, e.g. the material containers at spaced apart desired
locations and at least one materials transporting vehicle having an actuator
assembly thereon as described above.
In accordance with a still further feature of the invention there is
provided an improved container assembly for use in a garbage or recyclable
materials handling system as described above wherein the container is
particularly adapted and configured for use with the actuator assembly
referred to above.
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These and other features and aspects of the invention will become
readily apparent from the detailed description of preferred embodiments
which follows taken in conjunction with the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an end elevation view of the overall system showing the
container assembly in the material receiving position with the partially
extended actuator assembly attached to the chassis frame of the materials
collecting aad transporting vehicle which is positioned to receive materials
from the container assembly;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but
wherein the actuator assembly has been positioned and activated thereby to
pivot the container into the dumping position, the side bucket of the
materials collecting vehicle being open to receive the materials from the
container;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the actuator assembly shown attached
to a typical chassis frame and in the retracted position for travelling from
site to site;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the actuator assembly in the semi-
extended position ready to be inserted into a container assembly for
actuation thereof;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the dumping side of the container
assembly with its rear door open and ready to accept the actuating assembly;
Fig. 6 is a cross-section view of the container assembly with the
actuator positioned in place and engaged between the frame and container
and ready to pivot the container about the base-mounted frame;
Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section view of the bottom engagement means
for the actuator shown in Fig. 6; and
Fig. 8 is a detailed cross-section of the top engagement means for the
actuator shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a typical actuator which is attached to
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the end of the extensible arm, which actuator serves to move the container
from a lower receiving position to an at least partially inverted dumping
position;
Fig. 10 is a cross-section view of the container assembly showing the
container rotated to the dumping position together with details showing how
the actuator is secured in position during the dumping cycle;
Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-section of the top latch shown in Fig. 10;
and
Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross-section view of the bottom latch shown'
in Fig. 10 in the dumping-fully locked position;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the loading side of the container
assembly, the container being provided with two loading doors, the assembly
having a user platform secured to the frame and the entire assembly secured
to a mounting pad.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The garbage/recyclable materials handling system in accordance with
the invention is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein there is shown
a container assembly 10 comprising a container 12 pivotally mounted for
rotation about axis 16 on a support in the form of frame 14 which in turn is
mounted to a solid base 18. The container 12 is pivotally mounted in this
fashion for movement between the lower material receiving position shown
in Fig. 1 and the partially inverted material discharge position shown in Fig.
2.
Container 12 is constructed and arranged to communicate with the
inlet of a materials collection vehicle 20 when the container is in the
discharge position shown in Fig. 2 so that this vehicle may receive the
discharged materials.
In accordance with the present invention the collection vehicle has an
actuator assembly 22 mounted thereto, the latter including an arm 24 which
is extendible outwardly of the vehicle as illustrated in Fig. 2. The distal
end
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of the arm 24 has an actuator 26 mounted thereon.
The container assembly is constructed to receive the actuator 26 and
is provided with means (to be described hereinafter) to enable the actuator
26 to be positioned such as to operatively engage between the frame 14 and
the container 12 when the collection vehicle 20 is located generally as
illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 to receive materials from the container. The
actuator 26 is capable of exerting forces between the container 12 and the
frame 14 sufficient as to cause the container to pivot from the receiving
position shown in Fig. 1 to the discharge position shown in Fig. 2 and to
thereafter cause or permit the container 12 to pivot back to the lower
receiving position. Following this, the actuator 26 is then manually
disengaged and removed from the container assembly 10 and the arm 24
retracted inwardly toward the vehicle and into the position illustrated in
Fig.
3 thereby to allow the collection vehicle 20 to move away from the container
assembly.
Since most of the basic features of the container have been previously
described in the above-noted Canadian Patent 1,072,511 and the counterpart
U.S. Patent No. 4,208,780, only a brief description of same needs to be
presented here. Briefly, the container 12 includes a bottom wall, opposed
end walls 30, a top wall 32, a rear wall 34 and a front wall 36. The upper
portion of the front wall is provided with a pair of hinged loading doors 38
for use by persons depositing garbage etc. into the container, such doors
being provided with animal proof latches 40. The top wall 32 of the
container is provided with a heavy pivoting discharge door 42 which cannot
be opened by animals such as bears when the container is in the lower
receiving position. However, when the container is pivoted upwardly to the
discharge position this door 42 opens so as to allow the materials to be
dumped outwardly and directed by a discharge chute 44 into the side
mounted loading bucket of the collection vehicle.
As noted previously, the container 12 is pivotally mounted to the
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frame 14 for rotation about the axis 16 shown most clearly in Fig. 6. The
frame 14 is of a sturdy welded construction comprising a plurality of tubular
members welded together to provide the required strength and rigidity. The
lower part of the frame extends forwardly and is desirably provided with a
heavy platform counterweight 45. This frame is provided with opposed end
walls 46 and a rear wall 48 which fully encloses the interior of the frame 14
when the container 12 is in its lower material receiving position as
illustrated
in Fig. 5 for example. However, the rear wall 48 is provided with a
centrally located door 50 which is hinged at 52 so that it may be readily'
opened as seen in Fig. 5 to gain access to the interior space defined by the
frame 14. When the door is open, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the upper (54) and
lower (56) engagement means which co-operate with the actuator 26 as
hereinafter described are clearly visible. The upper engagement means 54
is mounted to the container 12 via suitable transverse frame members while
the lower engagement means 56 is mounted to the frame 14 via suitable
short frame sections thereby to provide the strength necessary to resist the
forces exerted by the actuator as described hereinafter.
The collection vehicle need be described only very briefly since in
principle it may correspond to the structure described in the above-noted
Canadian Patent No. 1,012,500 issued June 21, 1977. This collection
vehicle, as noted previously, is provided with a side mounted materials
receiving, loading and compacting bucket 60. The bucket 60 is typically
activated by hydraulic cylinders in the manner described in the above-noted
Canadian patent. The bucket 60 is movable from the loading position shown
in Fig. 2 to the transport position of Fig. 1 in which the bucket doubles as
the side wall of the body. The bucket 60 is also movable from the transport
position to a refuse compacting position (not shown) disposed within the
body of the collection vehicle.
The above-noted actuator assembly 22 is mounted to the vehicle
chassis frame in the manner best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. In particular,
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the actuator assembly includes a support bracket 62 which is welded or
otherwise suitably secured to the vehicle chassis frame 64 at any convenient
point forwardiy of the rear vehicle wheel. The actuator 26 itself is mounted
to the distal end of the arm 24 comprising a plurality of rigid links 66, 68
and 70 pivotally connected to each other and to the support bracket at pivot
points 72, 74 and 76. When the arm is in the retracted position illustrated
in Fig. 3 the rigid links 66, 68 and 70 lie in close proximity to one another,
to chassis fi~ame 64 and to the actuator. This is the compact storage position
..
utilized when the collection vehicle is moving from one site to another.
The actuator 26 itself is in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 80
pivotally secured by a mounting bracket 82 to the distal end of the outermost
link 66. A pair of coil tension springs 84 secured between the outermost
link 66 and the mounting bracket 82 tend to tilt or rotate the actuator 26 in
the direction given by arrow X. The actuator 26 is provided with an
elongated, somewhat distorted, U-shaped handle 86 which enables the
operator (not shown) to effectively grasp the actuator and to draw the
actuator outwardly from the side of the collection vehicle (when it is the
position as illustrated in Fig. 1) and to insert the actuator 26 through the
open door in the rear wall 48 of the frame 14 and into operative engagement
with the upper and lower engagement means 54, 56 referred to previously.
In order to provide the secure engagement required between the
hydraulic actuator and the engagement means 54, 56, the opposing ends of
actuator hydraulic cylinder 80 are provided with hook-like latches, the first
or lower latch 90 being connected to the bottom or cylinder end of the
hydraulic actuator 26 while the second or upper latch 88 is connected firmly
to the ram of the hydraulic cylinder 80.
As best illustrated in Figs. 6-8 and 10-12, the upper and lower latches
88, 90 for the actuator 26 co-operatively engage with the upper (54) and
lower (56) engagement means provided adjacent the rear or dumping side of
the container assembly 10. As seen in the drawings, the actuator 26 is
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inserted through the open rear door and the lower latch 90 is hooked on to
a fixed lower pin 92 forming a part of the lower engagement means 56. ~ In
order to achieve this, the actuator must be inserted lower end first into the
lower engagement means 56 thereby to enable the lower pin 92 to enter into
a slot 94 provided in the lower latch 90 and to seat firmly therein (Fig. 7).
The outer periphery 9d of the lower latch 90 is smoothly arcuately contoured
and this outer contoured peripheral surface 96 comes into close proximity
with a fixed transverse guard channel 98 (Fig. 7) forming part of the lower
engagement means 56 which prevents the lower latch 90 from escaping the '
lower pin 92 particularly after the actuator 26 has been manually rotated
forwardly by the operator into the upright and slightly forwardly leaning
position as illustrated in Fig. 6 thereby to bring the top latch 88 into the
upper engagement means 54.
The top latch 88 as seen in Fig. 8 is provided with a downwardly and
inwardly inclined slot 100 which converges slightly toward the bottom of the
slot, with the semi-cylindrically shaped bottom 102 of the slot snugly
receiving an upper pin 104 forming part of the upper engagement means 54.
A shallow ridge 103 between the lower wall of slot 100 and the slot bottom
. - 102 helps to retain pin 104 seated in the slot bottom especially just
before
and as the actuator begins to exert force on pin 104 in the upward direction.
The outer periphery 106 of the top latch forms a smooth generally
cylindrical surface. It will be seen that when the top latch 88 is positioned
in full engagement with the upper pin 104, as illustrated in Fig. 8, that the
outer periphery 106 of the top latch 88 is in close proximity to a top guard
plate 108 fixed relative to pin 104 and forming part of the upper engagement
means 54.
When the actuator 26 is activated by the operator by conventional
hydraulic controls (not shown), the ram of the hydraulic cylinder 80 begins
to extend gradually outwardly thus exerting forces between frame 14 and the
container 12 via pins 92 and 104 and causing the container 12 to pivot about
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its pivot axis 16. As this action occurs, the top guard plate 108 rotates with
the container 12 around the outer periphery 106 of the top latch 88 hence
trapping it in place and thus ensuring that the top latch cannot escape the
upper pin 104. Likewise, as the container 12 is pivoted in the manner
described above, the lower guard channel 98 prevents the lower latch 90
from escaping the lower pin 92 and hence extension of the actuator 26
occurs until the fully tilted discharge position for the container 12 is
reached
as illustrated in Fig. 10. In this condition, the relative positions of the
upper
and lower engagement means 54, 56 and their associated top and bottom '
latches 88, 90 are illustrated (see Figs. 1 l and 12) and it will be readily
seen
how the associated guard plate 108 and guard channel 98 serve to secure the
top and bottom latches 88, 90 of the actuator 26 in position on the associated
pins 104, 92 thereby ensuring safe and secure pivoting of the container 12
at all times between its lower receiving position and its upper partially
inverted discharge position.
After the contents of the container 12 have been dumped into the
loading bucket 60 (Fig. 2), the hydraulic cylinder 80 is retracted by the
operator thereby permitting the container 12 to return to its lower position
and in this lower position, with the actuator 26 no longer carrying any load,
the operator can then manually tilt the actuator counter-clockwise from the
position shown in Fig. 6, for example, thereby to free the top latch 88 from
the upper pin 104 with continued clockwise rotation of the actuator then
being effected to the extent necessary to free the lower latch 90 from the
lower pin 92 thus permitting complete removal of the actuator 26 from the
enclosure defined by the frame 14. The hinged door 50 is then closed and
the complete actuator assembly 22 is moved back into the retracted position
adjacent the chassis frame of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 3 for travelling
from site to site. At or before this point in time, the loading bucket 60 will
have been activated so as to transfer its contents into the body of the
collection vehicle 20 following which the vehicle then travels to a further
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collection site at which point the above-described process is again repeated.
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described
and illustrated by way of example. Those skilled in the art will realize that
various modifications and changes may be made while still remaining within
the spirit and scope of the invention. Hence the invention is not to be
limited to the embodiment as described but, rather, the invention
encompasses the full range of equivalencies as defined by the appended
claims.
