GB2258450A

GB2258450A - Container handling.

Info

Publication number: GB2258450A
Application number: GB9214301A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Paul Aspinall
Original assignee: ASPINALL ENGINEERING PROJECTS
Current assignee: ASPINALL ENGINEERING PROJECTS
Priority date: 1991-07-04
Filing date: 1992-07-06
Publication date: 1993-02-10
Also published as: GB9214301D0

Abstract

Container handling apparatus having means for lifting large containers by way of a raisable and lowerable member (9) and also adapted to lift smaller containers by provision of edge gripping means (13) and a pair of arms selectively adjustable for transverse spacing, and in which rotation of the smaller container is resisted by releasable abutment means (100, not shown) carried by at least one of the arm members. The apparatus is used for handling refuse. Grips (15, 29) grip the container edge and the adjustable lifting arms (17) support its body. A keyd abutment (100, not shown) preferably engages the arms (17) ends and abuts around the container outer face. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Container Handling DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to container handling with particular application to handling containers for waste in relation to vehicle mounted packer units.

Waste management is becoming increasingly more specialised and this has led to standardisation of various container sizes and types whose contents are emptied into the packer vehicle either on the basis of regular scheduled visits or as requested when the containers are ready for emptying. Currently the packer vehicles are specifically adapted for handling a particular size and type of container. In certain situations this can reduce the efficiency of a collection operation because the operator of a vehicle capable of lifting a larger sized container has to bypass the collection of smaller sized containers which would otherwise be on his collection route.

Consequently the efficiency of the operation is reduced by the need to send out a separate specialised vehicle to collect that smaller sized container.

Such a situation occurs in the case of front end loaders designed for lifting loads of up to 4,500 kilograms and having a pair of arms at fixed spacing forengaging in respective side slots of the container for lifting and tipping the containers.

The present invention aims to provide container handling apparatus for a wider range of containers, including smaller containers such as for DIN and Comblift standards of say 1100 and 660 litres capacity, by modifying the container handling apparatus normally employed for handling larger containers, of which the front end loader is a typical example.

Such smaller containers are traditionally handled by rear end loading apparatus which locate on axles projecting from opposite sides of the container and about which the container is subsequently pivoted.

Such small containers have a hinged lid and opening of the lid is controlled by a fixed bar member which engages an abutment on the lid as the container is moved towards its final end position inverted sufficiently to discharge the contents.

The provision of such a bar member on a front loading vehicle for handling larger containers would interfere with the handling of those containers and therefor an alternative arrangement is necessary.

Accordingly the present invention provides container handling apparatus comprising means carried by a raisable and lowerable member for selectively gripping an edge of the container, and a pair of spaced lifting arms carried by the raisable and lowerable member, which arms extend for use in general parallel transversely spaced relation and at least one of which is adapted to make cooperating engagement with the container, its lid and/or other part thereof to resist rotation of the container relative to means gripping said edge.

Preferably, means is provided for controlled adjustment of the relative transverse spacing of the arms to suit the size of container to be lifted.

One or both of the arms may be provided with a member to provide said cooperating engagement. In one embodiment, at least one of the arms is provided with means for releasably connecting thereto an abutment member positioned to engage with the container to resist rotation thereof in its elevated emptying position.

Conveniently that member comprises a bar received in a bore in the arm, and held with a releasable latch member. This is achieved in a simple manner by having said arm member to be provided with the abutment member of a length which projects beyond the container when the edge gripping means is in contact with the container.

When a smaller bin is to be lifted the abutment member is latched in position and the width wise adjustment of the arms positions the abutment for use.

The arms may extend sufficiently to cooperate with a lid of the container or abutment thereof to hold it in an open position during the lifting and tipping movement.

Preferably said arms are carried slidably from a transverse mounting member of the raisable and lowerable member and the means facilitating adjustment comprises at least one hydraulic operated ram acting between one arm and the mounting member, and preferably two rams one for each arm, which ram or rams are conveniently controlled by the driver from the cab.

The means for selectively gripping an edge of the container conveniently comprises a lifting bar, preferably having a notched or comb-like configuration for engagement under a rim of the container and a movable clamp bar which is movable under action of actuating means such as a pneumatic ram for moving the clamp bar into contact with the edge of the container once the comb is in position under the edge of the container. The clamp bar takes the load when the container is in its tipped position and in effect becomes the pivot point for the container. Any tendency for the container to pivot is resisted by the cooperating engagement of the arms with the abutment of the container. In one embodiment this is by a hook-like member which cooperates closely with a recess of the container. The recess is preferably the container hand hold.The hook-like member also takes the load during lifting.

The present invention will now be described further by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end view showing container handling apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a more detailed end view; Figure 3 is a partial view on XX of Figure 1 with the container and the left hand side detail omitted; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic end view of container handling apparatus according to another embodiment; and Figure 4a is a detail of the abutment member of the Figure 4 embodiment.

Referring to the drawings of Figures 1 to 3, a mini-skip conforming to DIN and Comblift standards is shown schematically at 1 with its lid 3 in a hinged open position pivoted about axis 5. The container has four wheels two of which are shown schematically at 7.

One of a pair of transversely spaced limbs of a front end loader mechanism is shown at 9 and each carries at its lower end a pivoted mounting plate 10 (omitted in Figure 1) between which a transverse tubular member 11 is secured. The tubular member serves as mounting means for gripping means (shown generally at 13) for engaging an edge 15 of the container and a pair of container locating arms 17, 19. These container locating arms are the fork arms as used in existing front loaders for lifting the standard containers but modified in that they are received slidably on member 11, and preferably slightly longer - say by approximately 50mm.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3 the gripping means comprises a transverse bar 21 secured by way of mounting flanges 23 to the transverse bar 11.

The bar 21 carries a plurality of projections 27 which are adapted to engage under the edge 15 of the container and between transversely spaced webs (not illustrated) of the container. The gripping means further comprises a movable clamp bar 29 carried pivotally about axis 31 on legs 33 disposed towards opposite ends of the bar 29.

An air actuator shown partially at 35 acts to pivot the legs 33 to move the clamp bar 29 towards and away from the edge of the container which is shown dotted outline at 15 in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows the movable clamp bar in its actuated position whereby the edge of the container 15 is gripped between the teeth 27 and the bar 29. The clamp bar provides a useful safety feature to prevent the teeth from becoming disengaged from the edge of the container.

The arms 17, 19 are mounted for sliding movement along member 11 and are acted on by a respective hydraulic ram 41 of double acting type acting between an end abutment 42 on the mounting member 11 and a coupling 43 with the arm member. Thus the ram is actuable to move the arms in the direction of arrows 47 between end positions as shown in dotted and solid outline, and hold the arms in the selected position. Optionally each of the arm members carries a hook-like bracket spaced inwardly of the arm and having its free end extending upwardly. The purpose of such brackets is to engage in a recess of the container formed by bridging part (not illustrated) and acts to locate the arms transversely with respect to the container as well as resisting rotation of the container when in its tipped position by virtue of the close fit in the recessing of the container or other abutment provisions.It will be understood that movement of the gripping means upwardly to engage under the edge 15 will simultaneously cause the arms to engage the container. The arms 17, 19 are preferably arranged to contact an abutment 53 projecting from each side of the lid 3 so as to hold the lid in an open position as shown in Figure 1.

Once the container is engaged with the gripping means and arms it can be lifted by raising limbs 9 and thereby arms 17, 19. The mounting plate 10 for member 11 is arranged to pivot simultaneously so as to maintain the orientation of the container until it is raised into a position adjacent the loading aperture of the container body ie above and rearwardly of the vehicle cab whereupon the container is rotated about a transverse axis so that the contents are discharged from the open top into the loading aperture. During this rotational movement the arms 17, 19 serve to hold the lid in its open position and also resists any tendency for the container to become disengaged from the gripping means. Once the container has been emptied the movements are reversed and the container released when it has been returned to the ground.

Reference is now made to Figures 4 and 4a which show container handling apparatus for another type of container, such as that known as the Taylor bin, which does not have provision for resisting rotation of the container by cooperating engagement of the arms with an abutment of the lid when open. Accordingly, we provide abutment means in the form of at least one releasable bar 100 cooperating with one arm member for engagement with a side 101 of the container 102. The bar has a reduced diameter portion 103 defining a shoulder 104.

The reduced diameter portion is dimensioned to fit through a hole 105 in the end of the arm 17. One or both of the arms may be provided with such a bar. A latch member 106 is provided on the end of the bar and is movable into axial alignment with the axis of the bar for insertion through hole 105 and thereafter raised through 900 and moved downwardly to provide a wedging action to hold the bar in place. Any other convenient releasable securing means may be employed as an alternative to the described arrangement. The construction of the lifting apparatus otherwise corresponds with that described with reference to Figure 1 and corresponding reference numerals have to be employed.

It will be understood that the bar 100 will normally be inserted into a receiving hole in the arms when a container, such as the Taylor type, is to be lifted, and the arms moved transversely towards one another to bring the bar into play after the container has been positioned for engagement with the lifting comb so that it comes into operation on lifting of the container. When the container is returned to the ground after emptying, movement of the arms apart and release of the comb, frees the container,

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A container handling apparatus comprising means carried by a raisable and lowerable member for selectively gripping an edge of the container, and a pair of spaced lifting arms carried by the raisable and lowerable member, which arms extend for use in general parallel transversely spaced relation and at least one of which is adapted to make cooperating engagement with the container, its lid and/or other part thereof to resist rotation of the container relative relative to its means gripping said edge.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which means is provided for controlled adjustment of the relative spacing of the arms to suit the size of container to be lifted.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which one or both arms are provided with a member which provides said cooperating engagement.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which at least one of the arms is provided with means for releasably connecting thereto an abutment member positioned to engage with the container to resist rotation thereof in its elevated emptying position.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said means comprises a bar received in a bore in the arm and held with a releasable latch member.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the arm member provided with the abutment is of a length to project beyond the container when the edge gripping means is in contact with the container.
7. Apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.