Patent ID: 6558104
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
A container handling system for a vehicle, comprising:an elongated main frame adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and having spaced, generally parallel side rails, a front end and a rear end; container engaging rollers mounted for rotation at said rear end; a first pivot adjacent said rollers defining a first horizontal pivot axis extending between said side rails in a direction normal thereto; a dump frame located between said side rails near said rear end and pivoted thereto by said first pivot to pivot about said first pivot axis; a secondary frame located between said side rails and between said dump frame and said front end, said secondary frame including two spaced, parallel tubular or partially tubular members and a second pivot defining a second horizontal pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis and pivoting said secondary frame to said dump frame at a location intermediate the ends of the dump frame and spaced from said first pivot axis in the direction of said front end; a selectively operable latch for rigidifying said second pivot; a sliding jib including two spaced, parallel tubular or partially tubular members telescopingly received in the tubular or partially tubular members of said secondary frame and slidable with respect thereto, and a hook element interconnecting said tubular or partially tubular members of said sliding jib and extending upwardly therefrom to terminate in a hook located well above a plane defined by said tubular or partially tubular members of said sliding jib; first and second fluid cylinders within respective ones of said tubular or partially tubular members of said secondary frame and connected to respective ones of said tubular or partially tubular members of said sliding jib and operable to extend or retract said sliding jib with respect to said secondary frame; and at least a third fluid cylinder connected to said main frame near said front end and to said secondary frame and operable to pivot said secondary frame about said second axis and/or said dump frame about said first axis; said latch including a first latch element mounted on and movable with said jib and a second latch element carried by said dump frame and positioned to be engaged by said first latch element to rigidify said second pivot for essentially all positions of movement of said jib relative to said second frame except when said jib is fully retracted into said secondary frame; whereby said hook may be moved to engage a container on terrain underlying said main frame and lift the same onto the vehicle on which the main frame is mounted, to engage a container on the vehicle and deposit the same on the underlying terrain or to move a container on the vehicle on which the main frame is mounted to a dumping position on the vehicle.