Abstract:
A loading assembly for a refuse collection vehicle wherein a pair of gripping arms can upend a refuse container into an intermediate container. A first set of gripper arms can be located on a first side of the intermediate container and a second set of gripper arms can be located on a second side of the intermediate container. The two sets allow refuse bins located on a curb side and street side to be serviced by the loading assembly. The intermediate container can then be emptied into a storage compartment of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to provisional patent application 61/858,736 which was filed on Jul. 26, 2013, and is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention pertains to collection of residential refuse containers by use of a front loading commodity collection truck with a top load opening. 
     Front loading refuse collection trucks are provided with front forks which are designed to reach into horizontally oriented sleeves on the sides of a front loadable commercial refuse container such that the container can be elevated and tipped by the lift arms of the truck to invert the refuse container over the top opening of the collection body carried on the truck. Those frontloading refuse collection trucks are capable of emptying only one kind of refuse container, namely a commercial front load container with horizontal sleeves mounted to the opposing side walls of the container. 
     Additional equipment to make a front loading commodity collection truck more versatile has been developed, such equipment including an intermediate container, frequently termed a “carry-can”, which is carried on the front forks of the truck. The intermediate container is either filled manually by workers lifting residential refuse containers to tip them over the intermediate container, or the intermediate container may be filled by loading apparatus mounted on the intermediate container which can extend from the intermediate container and grasp an upright residential refuse container and upend it over the intermediate container so that the contents of the refuse container fall into the intermediate container. Existing loading apparatus of this kind requires the arm assembly to be mounted to the intermediate container and attached to the front forks as a unit. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a fully automated loading assembly which is carried on the front forks of a front loading commodity collection truck independent from an intermediate container. The invention may operate toward one side of the collection truck or in an alternative embodiment the loading assembly may operate to collect a residential refuse container from either the curb side or the street side of the truck. The arm assembly is not dependent on the type or shape of intermediate container used and the arm assembly need not be removed from the forks while a commercial front loading container is emptied into the collection body. 
     If a commodity collection truck owner has purchased a curb side loading assembly according to this invention, the owner may subsequently add a street side loading assembly to the existing equipment, while both remain removable from the front forks of the truck. The truck owner is not constrained to purchase of a particular intermediate container to use with the loading assembly. If the loading assembly is damaged, the intermediate container need not be replaced as well. 
     By use of this invention, the owner of a front loading truck may use the truck to collect from residential containers which can be engaged with a pair of encircling gripper arms. Further, the owner may remove the invention and replace it without having to purchase a new intermediate container. The owner of the truck may return the truck to service as a front loading truck by removal of the intermediate container and arms. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front left perspective of an automated load arm mechanism carried on front forks of a front loading refuse collection truck, shown alongside an intermediate collection container also carried independently on the front forks of the truck. 
         FIG. 2  is a front right perspective of an alternative embodiment automated load arm mechanism carried on the front forks of a front loading refuse collection truck, the alternative embodiment being adapted for emptying residential refuse bins into a intermediate collection container carried independently on the front forks, the load arm mechanism capable of collecting and emptying refuse bins located on either side of the collection truck. 
         FIG. 3  is a front left perspective of the automated load arm mechanism of  FIG. 1 , without an intermediate container present. 
         FIG. 3A  is an enlarged perspective of the automated load arm mechanism of  FIG. 3 , shown attached to the front fork assembly of a front loading refuse collection truck. 
         FIG. 4  is a front right perspective of the load arm mechanism of  FIG. 2  with the load arm mechanism extended toward the street side of the collection truck and latched to a residential refuse bin. 
         FIG. 5  is a front right perspective of the street side load arm assembly of  FIG. 4  with the residential refuse bin tipped over the intermediate container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  of the drawings illustrates a first embodiment of a curb side oriented automated load arm mechanism  10  mounted to the front fork assembly  17  of a front loading refuse collection truck  15 . The load arm mechanism  10  is located between the cab  11  and an intermediate container  13  carried on the front fork assembly  17  of the refuse collection truck  15 . The automated load arm mechanism  10  is removably supported on the front fork assembly  17  behind the intermediate container  13  which is also supported on the front fork assembly  17 . The intermediate container  13  may be removed from the front forks  6 ,  8  without removal of the automated load arm mechanism  10  from the front forks  6 ,  8 . 
     Referring now additionally to  FIGS. 3 and 3A , the automated load arm mechanism  10  includes a frame  12  which includes a pair of spaced apart sleeve elements  16 ,  18 , each of which may receive one of the forks  6 ,  8  of the front fork assembly  17 . The frame  12  further includes a cross beam  14  which joins the sleeve elements  16 ,  18 . One or more vertical structural members such as standards  20 ,  22  are supported on and extend from cross beam  14 . Each standard  20 ,  22  includes a horizontal bar element  30 ,  32  which extends forward from the standard  20 ,  22  and over the extender assembly  24  and the cross beam  14  of the automated load arm mechanism  10 . The extender assembly  24  comprises a stationary elongate lateral bearing beam  26  along which elongate rail member  28  may be moved. The extender assembly  24  further includes a guide beam  50  along and above rail member  28 . Both guide beam  50  and bearing beam  26  are joined to and supported by standards  20 ,  22 . Rail member  28  may be generally the same horizontal length as that of guide beam  50  and bearing beam  26 . 
     Roller bearings  34 ,  36  support rail member  28  and reduce friction as the rail member  28  moves along lateral bearing beam  26 . Roller  37  reduces friction between rail member  28  and guide beam  50 . A driver such as hydraulic cylinder  38  is attached at its head end  40  to guide beam  50  at mounting bracket  42  while the rod  44  of the hydraulic cylinder  38  is attached to rail member  28  by corner bracket  46  which is welded or otherwise fixed to rail member  28  at its first end  48 . When rod  44  of hydraulic cylinder  38  is extended, rail member  28  is urged along lateral bearing beam  26  and under guide beam  50  toward the curb side  7  of the collection truck  15 . As the rod  44  of hydraulic cylinder  38  is retracted, rail member  28  is urged along guide beam  50  and upon lateral bearing beam  26  back to its rest position centered over cross beam  14  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 3A . 
     Pivotably coupled to the rail member  28  at pivot axle  52  is an arm assembly  54  which may be moved in a substantially vertical arc around the pivot axle  52  of rail member  28 . Pivot axle  52  is oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis  45  of rail member  28 . Arm assembly  54  comprises pivot arm  56  which is joined perpendicularly to bar member  58  by a bracket member  60  which is generally L-shaped, so that bar member  58  is substantially perpendicular to pivot arm  56 . Carried on the bar member  58  is a grappling assembly  62  which comprises a pair of gripper arms  64 ,  66  supported on gripper frame  74  such that gripper arms  64 ,  66  may pivot on gripper frame  74  and are operable to rotate toward each other to reach around a residential refuse bin to grasp the refuse bin along its height and to lift and manipulate the refuse bin, so the refuse bin can be upended over an intermediate container  13  such as is seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     Automated load arm mechanism  10  is removably fixed to front forks  6 ,  8  by anchor elements such as chains  67  which retain cross beam  14  to each of the front forks  6 ,  8 . 
     Fork assembly  17  includes lever arms  19 ,  21  which rotate with main trunnion  23  to which forks  6 ,  8  are fixed. Front forks  6 ,  8  rotate about the longitudinal axis  25  of main trunnion  23  when drive cylinders  33  attached to the free ends  29 ,  31  of each lever arm  19 ,  21  are extended or retracted, the drive cylinders  33  being joined with the main lift arms  3 ,  5  of the collection truck  15 . (See  FIG. 1 ). 
     When a residential refuse bin is to be grasped by gripper arms  64 ,  66 , each gripper arm  64 ,  66  is urged in rotation about a respective gripper arm pivot pin  68 ,  70  by action of hydraulic cylinders or other drivers carried on gripper frame  74  of arm assembly  54 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 , a first alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 , the load arm mechanism  110  comprises the extender assembly  24  of  FIGS. 1, 3, 3A , and a second extender assembly  124  which is substantially a reverse version of the extender assembly  24 . The second extender assembly  124  is mounted alongside first extender assembly  24 . Second extender assembly  124  operates identically to first extender assembly  24  but in the opposite direction. Second extender assembly  124  is mounted to and supported by standards  20 ,  22 , and is mounted between standards  20 ,  22  and cab  11 . Second extender assembly  124  may be positioned at approximately the same height as extender assembly  24  but on the opposite sides of standards  20 ,  22  from the mounting of extender assembly  24 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the load arm mechanism  110  is shown with both the extender assembly  24  and second extender assembly  124  in their rest positions behind intermediate container  13  and forward of cab  11  of the commodity collection truck  15 . The load arm mechanism  110  is supported on the front forks  6 ,  8  of the truck  15  and the intermediate container  13  also is carried on the front forks  6 ,  8  but the intermediate container  13  is independently removable from the front forks  6 ,  8  such that collection truck  15  may engage with and empty standard front end load containers having fork pockets, without the necessity of removing load arm mechanism  110 . 
     In  FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 , one fork pivot cylinder  33  is shown in place on curb side lift arm  3 . An equivalent fork pivot cylinder on the lift arm  5  has been omitted from the drawing. The fork pivot cylinder on lift arm  3  rotates trunnion lever arm  19  so that the fork pivot cylinders  33  can orient the intermediate can  13  as it is elevated over the truck cab  11  and then tipped into an upended position over a load opening of the commodity collection body (omitted) carried on the collection truck  15 . 
     Like extender assembly  24 , second extender assembly  124  supports an arm assembly  154  and arm assembly  154  supports the gripper arms  164 ,  166  which can extend and wrap around the body  33  of the typical upright residential refuse container  31 , as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The pair of gripper arms  64 ,  66  is extendible toward the curb side  7  from the curb side fork  6  while the other pair of gripper arms  164 ,  166  is extendible toward the street side  9 , over the street side fork  8 . 
     Both extender assembly  24  and second extender assembly  124  are supported on frame  12  which includes sleeves  16 ,  18  which may selectively receive the forks  6 ,  8  therein. Sleeves  6 ,  8  will be oriented generally horizontally when the front forks  6 ,  8  are in the lowered position extending generally horizontally forward from the cab  11  of the truck  15 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 4 , the second extender assembly  124  is shown in a fully extended position, such that rail member  128  extends substantially horizontally and perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis  39  of street side fork  8 . 
     Second extender assembly  124  is supported on an elongate bearing beam  126  similar to bearing beam  26  of the extender assembly  24  illustrated in  FIG. 3A . Like extender assembly  24 , second extender assembly  124  includes a rail member  128  which is moved along the bearing beam  126  by a hydraulic cylinder  138  or equivalent driver. 
     In  FIG. 4  it is seen that the second extender assembly  124  has been extended toward the street side  9  of the collection truck  15 , passing over street side fork  8 , and the arm assembly  154  has been raised and oriented to grasp residential refuse container  31  about the body  33  of refuse container  31 . Gripper arms  164 ,  166  have been closed around the body  33  along its height so that the refuse container  31  can be lifted slightly and drawn toward intermediate container  13  as second extender assembly  124  is retracted by the hydraulic cylinder  138 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the second arm assembly  154  has been operated to rotate pivot arm  156  about pivot pin  152  which is supported on rail member  128  (as with rail member  28  and pivot pin  52 ) and second extender assembly  124  has been retracted so that second extender assembly  124  is positioned in its rest position behind intermediate container  13 . The pivot arm  156  of arm assembly  124  has been rotated about pivot pin  152  so that the gripper arms  164 ,  166  grasping the refuse container  31  cause the refuse container  31  to be substantially tipped into an upended position such that the contents of the refuse container  31  will fall into the top opening  35  of the intermediate container  13 . 
     With both extender arm  24  and second extender  124  of load arm mechanism  110  retracted into their respective rest positions with both sets of gripper arms  64 ,  66 ,  164 ,  166  resting alongside opposing side walls  41 ,  43  of the intermediate container  13  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the main lift arms  3 ,  5  of collection truck  15  may raise the forks  6 ,  8  to elevate intermediate container  13  to a position over the top load opening of the commodity collection body (omitted from figures) positioned behind cab  11  such that the intermediate container  13  can be upended through retraction of the pivot cylinders  33  and the contents of intermediate container  13  may drop into the load opening of the commodity collection body. Load arm mechanism  110  need not be removed when the intermediate container  13  is emptied into the collection body. 
     The foregoing description of the invention embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations of the embodiments are possible in light of the above disclosure or such may be acquired through practice of the invention. The embodiments illustrated were chosen in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application in order to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.