GB2222813A

GB2222813A - Refuse collection vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2222813A
Application number: GB8818134A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Allen
Original assignee: Jack Allen; Roachgate Ltd
Current assignee: Jack Allen; Roachgate Ltd
Priority date: 1988-07-29
Filing date: 1988-07-29
Publication date: 1990-03-21
Also published as: GB8818134D0

Abstract

A refuse collection vehicle has a bin hoist mounted on the chassis adjacent to a front end of the vehicle body. A carrier of the hoist has a row of teeth (20) for engaging beneath the lip of a bin. The carrier can be rocked on its mounting means by e.g. piston-and-cylinder unit (27) about an upright axis to establish a parallel relation between the row of teeth 20 and the lip of the bin without movement of the bin before it is lifted from the ground being necessary. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Collection Vehicle" Description of Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a collection vehicle comprising a wheeled chassis, a body on the chassis and defining a load-space and a hoist, also mounted on the chassis, the hoist being suitable for raising a refuse container from the ground and discharging the contents of the container into the load space.

A collection vehicle of the kind described is typically used for the collection of refuse. The body of a refuse collection vehicle usually has at its rear end a tailgate which can be pivoted relative to the body about an axis which is near to a top of the body and near to a rear end of the body, thereby opening the rear end of the body for discharge of refuse from the body. Such discharge may be effected by tipping of the body relative to the chassis and/or by the action of a pusher inside the body. The hoist is commonly mounted on the tailgate, the tailgate including a hopper into which refuse is discharged from each container and means being provided for transferring refuse from the hopper into the load space.

The hoist of a vehicle in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention is preferably mounted on the chassis adjacent to a front end of the body.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of transferring the contents of a bin into a load space of a collection vehicle wherein the vehicle is driven to a position near to the bin and is parked in that position, a bin carrier which is mounted on the vehicle is moved relative to a chassis of the vehicle into engagement with the bin, the bin is lifted from the ground by the carrier, the bin and the carrier are tipped together to discharge the contents of the bin into the load space, the carrier and the bin are lowered together to place the bin on the ground and the carrier is disengaged from the bin.

When the contents of a bin are transferred to the load space of a collection vehicle by a method in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, all movements of the bin which are effected during a period extending from approach of the vehicle to the bin to departure of the vehicle from the bin can be effected by equipment incorporated in the vehicle. It is unnecessary for the bin to be moved manually. Prior to the present invention, it has been the practice to drive the vehicle to a position near to the bin, move the bin into a predetermined position relative to the vehicle, such movement being effected manually and without engagement between equipment on the vehicle and the bin, a carrier of the vehicle then being engaged with the bin to lift the bin and discharge the contents thereof into the load space.This known procedure requires either that the driver dismount from his cab after driving the vehicle into position near to the bin, or requires the presence of a person additional to the driver, to effect positioning of the bin, once the vehicle has arrived. A method in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention can conveniently be performed by a driver alone.

Movement of the bin carrier into engagement with the bin may include adjustment of the attitude of the carrier to correspond to the attitude of the bin relative to the chassis of the vehicle.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a collection vehicle having a wheeled chassis, a body defining a load space and a hoist suitable for raising a refuse container from the ground and discharging the contents of the container into the load space, wherein the hoist includes a carrier for the container, mounting means mounting the carrier on the chassis for up and down movement relative thereto and a connection between the mounting means and the carrier, the connection providing for rocking of the carrier relative to the mounting means about an axis which is at least approximately upright when the carrier is in a lowered position relative to the chassis.

An example of a refuse collection vehicle embodying the first and third aspects of the present invention and which is used in a method according to the second aspect will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a side elevation of the vehicle, together with a bin; FIGURE 2 shows diagrammatically certain parts of the vehicle viewed in a direction along the vehicle; FIGURE 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the ports in a different position; FIGURE 4 illustrates a connection between mounting means and a carrier of the vehicle; and FIGURE 5 illustrates an alternative carrier and a bin to be carried thereon.

The vehicle illustrated in Figure I comprises a chassis 10 mounted on steerable front wheels II and driven rear wheels 12. On the chassis, there is mounted a cab 13 for a driver and a hollow body 14 for containing a load. At its rear end, the body includes a tailgate 15 which is connected with the remainder of the body for pivoting relative thereto about an axis 16 which is transverse to the length of the vehicle. A fluid-actuated ram 17 is provided for raising the tailgate.

The vehicle further comprises a carrier 18 suitable for carrying a bin and mounting means 19 for mounting the carrier on the chassis at a position adjacent to a front end of the body 14. The body has a loading opening near to its front end and a front portion of the body may serve as a hopper to receive refuse from a bin on the carrier.

Alternatively, the carrier 18 may be mounted on the tailgate 15 by suitable mounting means, in which case the hopper would be incorporated in the tailgate.

The carrier illustrated in the drawings is adapted for lifting bins which have substantially flat side walls and outwardly projecting lips along the upper edges of at least one side wall of each bin. For co-operation with the lip of such a bin, the carrier 18 incorporates a rectilinear row of upwardly projecting teeth 20. The length of the row exceeds the length of the lip on the bin. Depending flanges at opposite ends of the lip can be received between adjacent teeth. If vertical webs are provided between the lip and the side wall of the bin, these webs also can be accommodated between adjacent teeth.The carrier further comprises a retaining element 21 arranged for pivoting relative to the teeth 20 between a retaining position in which the retaining element extends over the free-ends of the teeth to trap the lip of a bin thereon and a releasing position in which the retaining element is withdrawn from the teeth, to permit the teeth to withdraw from the lip. The retaining element may be pivotally connected with the remainder of the carrier and a fluid-actuated ram may be provided for pivoting the retaining element.

The carrier further comprises a bin rest 22 which, when the carrier is in the lowered position illustrated in Figure 2, lies directly below the row of teeth 20. When the bin is raised by the carrier, the bin rest 22 engages the side wall of the bin to restrain pivoting of the bin about the free-ends of the teeth 20. The bin rest may have a facing of resiliently deformable material to cushion the bin. The position of the bin rest is fixed with respect to the teeth 20.

The carrier 18 is also adapted to carry a bin which does not have a rectilinear lip. The carrier includes a pair of arms 23 and 24 which can embrace a bin. The arms may be adapted to embrace a generally cylindrical bin, in which case the arms are arcuote. Alternatively, the arms may be adapted to embrace a bin which is rectangular, as viewed in plan. In the latter case, the arms may be L-shaped. In either case, fluid-actuated piston and cylinder means is provided for pivoting the arms relative to the remainder of the carrier into and out of a bin-embracing position. When a bin is embraced by the arms 23 and 24, the bin may be held against the bin rest 22 and against the teeth 20.When a lipped bin is supported by the teeth 20, the arms 23 and 24 are folded to respective positions lying beneath the teeth 20, out of contact with the bin.

The mounting means 19 includes a rigid arm 25 to which the carrier is attached. The carrier may be rigid with the arm 25. Alternatively, there may be provided between the carrier and the arm 25 a connection 26 which provides for rocking of the carrier relative to the arm. In the latter case, control means is preferably provided for controlling rocking of the carrier relative to the arm. The control means may include a fluid-actuated piston and cylinder unit 27, as shown in Figure 4. The connection 26 provides for rocking of the carrier relative to the arm about an axis which is upright, when the carrier is in the lowered position illustrated in Figure 2.

The mounting means 19 further comprises a substantially rigid support 28 which is fixed with respect to and extends upwardly from the chassis 10 near to a longitudinal centreline of the chassis and extends laterally at a level spaced well above the chassis. The arm 25 is suspended from the support 28 by an inextensible link 29 pivotally connected at one of its ends with the support 28 and at the other of its ends with the arm 25 at a position between the ends of the arm. A portion of the arm 25 between the link 29 and the carrier 18 is guided for up and down movement by a rectilinear guide member 30 which is also pivotally suspended from the support 28 but at a position spaced from the pivotal connection of the link 29 with the support.

The arm 25 is provided with a running element for running along the guide member 30. In the example illustrated, the running element is a roller 33 arranged for rotation about an axis which is fixed with respect to the arm 25 and which runs along a track defined by the guide member 30.

The mounting means further comprises an extension ram 32 connected at one of its ends to the support 28 near to the chassis 10 and at its other end to the guide member 30 near to an end thereof remote from the pivotal connection of the guide member with the support. A further fluid-actuated ram 34, referred to herein as the lift-ram, is included in the mounting means 19. The lift-ram is connected at one of its ends with an upper part of the support 28 and at the other of its ends with an end portion of the arm 25 remote from the carrier 18.

The pressure-fluid actuated rams hereinbefore described are supplied with actuating fluid from a pump driven by an engine of the vehicle in a known manner. Controls for controlling operation of these rams are provided in the cab 13, where they can conveniently be operated by the driver whilst he remains in the driving seat of the vehicle. At least some of these controls may be duplicated outside the cab, preferably on a control unit which is connected by flexible cables or ducts with the vehicle, so that the control unit can be carried by the operator a short distance away from the vehicle.

During driving of the vehicle along a road, both the extension ram 32 and the lift ram 34 are maintained in a contracted condition so that the carrier 18 lies beside and close to the chassis 10. The arms 23 and 24 are folded to lie beneath the row of teeth 20. The vehicle is driven up to a bin and parked in a position such that the carrier 18 is opposite the bin and is spaced only a relatively short distance, not exceeding one metre, from the bin. If the bin has a rectilinear lip, by means of which it can be picked up, the extension ram 32 is extended to move the carrier up to the bin so that the teeth 20 lie below the lip of the bin. The carrier is then raised by extension of the lift ram 34 to move the teeth into engagement with the underside of the lip and to pick the bin up from the ground.The retaining element 21 is then moved into its retaining position. It will be noted that the bin is not positioned manually after the vehicle has been parked.

If the wall of the bin which faces towards the vehicle is not parallel to a longitudinal centreline of the vehicle, then the carrier 18 may be rocked relative to the arm 25 to establish a mutually parallel relation between the row of teeth 20 and the lip of the bin. Such rocking of the carrier is effected prior to picking up of the bin from the ground. Advance of the carrier towards the bin and rocking of the carrier on the arm 25 may be effected alternately until the required position of the carrier relative to the bin is established. Alternatively, the carrier may be moved into engagement with the bin and then rocked on the arm 25 to establish the required relation between the carrier and the bin.

In a case where the bin is not to be picked up hy a lip, the arms 23 and 24 are extended prior to advancement of the carrier towards the bin.

Extension of the ram 32 then causes the arms to pass either side of the bin so that, when the arms are pivoted towards each other, they will firmly embrace the bin. The lift ram 34 is then operated to lift the bin from the ground.

Once the bin has been picked from the ground, the lift ram 34 is extended further to swing the carrier 18 upwardly relative to the chassis 10.

Such swinging is continued until the bin is above the level of the load opening of the body 14 and is inverted, as shown in Figure 3. This causes the contents of the bin to be discharged into the body 14. If the bin is provided with a lid, this may be permitted to fall to an open position under the action of gravity, when the bin is inverted. Alternatively, the lid and the mounting means 19 may be provided with mutually co-operating formations which ensure that the lid is opened as the bin swings upwardly and is inverted.

Once the contents of the bin have been discharged into the body 14, the lift ram 34 is retracted to lower the bin to the ground. The retaining element is moved to its releasing position or the arms 23 and 24 are moved to release the bin and the extension ram 32 is then retracted to draw the carrier 18 away from the bin.

Emptying of the bin can be controlled by the driver of the vehicle, whilst he remains in the driving seat. Alternatively, the operation may be controlled by a person standing outside but near to the vehicle.

In Figure 5, there is illustrated a modification of the carrier by substitution for the row of teeth 20 of a single, larger projection 35. This projection is intended to engage in a downwardly open pocket formed on the outside of a wall of a bin, instead of beneath the lip of a bin. The projection 35 and the pocket would be upwardly tapered to provide a self-centreing action of the bin relative to the carrier as the projection penetrates into the pocket. A carrier provided with the projection 35 would also be provided with the retaining element 21, to retain the bin on the projection 35, during tipping of the contents of the bin into the body.

Whilst mounting of the carrier 18 on the chassis adjacent to a front end of the body 14 is especially advantageous, in a case where the vehicle is to be operated by the driver alone, in a case where an additional person is available to assist with positioning of the bin and operation of the hoist, the carrier may be mounted at the rear end of the body. In this case, the vehicle may be reversed up to the bin which is to be emptied. If the bin is not oriented with a lip of the bin at right angles to a longitudinal centreline of the vehicle or with opposite sides of the bin parallel to the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle, then the carrier may be rocked relative to the mounting means during movement of the carrier into engagement with the bin, so that the required positional relation of the carrier to the bin is achieved.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:-

I. A collection vehicle comprising a wheeled chassis, a hollow body defining a load space and a hoist suitable for raising a refuse container from the ground and discharging the contents of the container into the load space.
2. A vehicle according to Claim I wherein the body has a tailgate at its rear end and wherein the hoist is mounted on the chassis adjacent to a front end of the body.
3. A vehicle according to Claim 2 wherein the hoist includes a carrier and mounting means arranged to guide the carrier along a path which is transverse to a longitudinal centreline of the chassis of the vehicle.
4. A vehicle according to Claim 3 wherein the carrier includes a row of teeth for engaging beneath a lip on a container and a retaining element for retaining the lip in a captive relation with the teeth during tipping of the container.
5. A vehicle according to Claim 4 wherein said row is rectilinear and wherein the carrier is settable in or is mounted in an attitude in which the row is parallel to the longitudinal centreline of the chassis.
6. A vehicle according to Claim 5 wherein there is between the carrier and the mounting means a connection which allows the row to be turned out of parallel relation to the longitudinal centreline of the chassis.
7. A vehicle according to Claim 6 further comprising rocking means for rocking the carrier relative to the mounting means to vary the angular relation of the row to the longitudinal centreline of the chassis.
8. A collection vehicle having a wheeled chassis, a body defining a load space and a hoist suitable for raising a refuse container from the ground and discharging the contents of the container into the load space wherein the hoist includes a carrier for the container, mounting means mounting the carrier on the chassis for up and down movement relative thereto and o connection between the mounting means and the carrier, the connection providing for rocking of the carrier relative to the mounting means about on axis which is at least approximately upright when the carrier is in a lowered position relative to the chassis.
9. A method of transferring the contents of a bin into a load space of the collection vehicle wherein the vehicle is driven to a position near to the bin and is parked in that position, a bin carrier which is mounted on the vehicle is moved relative to a chassis of the vehicle into engagement with the bin, the bin is lifted from the ground by the carrier, the carrier and the bin are tipped together to discharge the contents of the bin into the load space, the carrier and the bin are lowered to place the bin on the ground and the carrier is disengaged from the bin.
10. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.