Abstract:
An adapter for lift arms of a front loading commodity collection truck includes a pair of forks, each of which can individually pivot from a position alongside the frame of the adapter to a position generally perpendicular to the frame of the adapter. Each fork includes elements to allow it to connect with either a side loadable refuse container or a rear end loadable refuse container. At least one fork is supported on a laterally telescoping assembly so that the fork can reach a refuse container located, away from the adapter on the street side of the collection truck,

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from copending provisional patent application entitled FRONT LOAD PIVOT FORK FOR SIDE LOAD OR REAR LOAD CONTAINERS, Ser. No. 61/723,982, filed Nov. 8, 2012. The disclosure of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/723,982 is hereby incorporated in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Collection of refuse commodities (refuse or recyclables) including organic and recyclable wastes requires efficient collection from commercial, industrial and residential locations. In these environments, numerous bins and containers are often used to accommodate large amounts of waste and recyclable material, and difficulties arise in efficiently emptying all the individual bins and containers into the commodity collection truck. 
         [0003]    Commodity collection trucks come in three main types: front end loading, rear end loading, and side loading. In each case, a commodity collection body of one of the three main types is mounted on a truck chassis so that the collection body can be transported on collection routes. Along such routes, individual refuse containers which are compatible with the type of commodity collection body being utilized can be emptied into the collection body and then the collection body can be transported to a transfer site, a recycling center, or to a landfill. In the case of front loading commodity collection bodies, lift arms are provided on the body which pivot about axles near the front lower corners of the collection body from a lowered position forward of the truck&#39;s cab to an elevated position above the intake hopper of the collection body. The lift arms include lift forks which can engage and lift a front-load style refuse container equipped with fork pockets to receive the fork tines. However, when a rear end load style container or a side load style container is encountered along a route, a front loading collection truck is unable to empty such a container into its intake hopper. Therefore, a second truck adapted to empty either rear end load containers or side load containers must be sent to empty such container. 
         [0004]    In order to save fuel and labor expense, it would be useful for a front loading commodity collection body to be adaptable so that the lift forks could engage a container other than the usual one adapted for front loading, such a container having fork pockets located along opposing sidewalls of the front load style container. A commodity collection truck of the front load style would be very useful if it could engage and empty other than front load style refuse containers. A commodity collection truck equipped with such a collection body would allow a refuse collector to use a single truck to collect various types of commercial refuse containers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention relates to refuse collection bodies and particularly to front load collection bodies which are equipped with lift arms which raise a refuse container from a lowered position in front of the collection body to a raised, inverted position over a top load opening of the refuse collection body. This invention allows a front loading collection body to be converted easily to a collection body which can automatically unload a rear end load style (trunnion equipped) container or a side load style (hook equipped) container. The rear end load or side load containers can be located at either curb side or street side of the front loading commodity collection body. 
         [0006]    A fork assembly is removable from the lift arms and includes a street-side fork and a curbside fork as well as an elongate rail which extends along the frame of the fork assembly. An elongate sleeve is selectively slidable along the rail. The street side fork is supported on the sleeve and may be moved from a retracted position to an extended position in order to reach out toward a container which is spaced away from the street side fork when the street side fork is in the retracted position. 
         [0007]    Each fork is supported on the fork assembly such that the fork can pivot about a vertical axis and fold into a position alongside the frame of the fork assembly. 
         [0008]    One or both forks may be equipped with hook receivers which may engage hooks on a conventional hook equipped side loading refuse container. The forks may alternatively be equipped with a pair of trunnion pockets for receiving the ends of a trunnion bar extending along the front wall of a rear end load style container. The forks need not be equipped with the same container engagement elements so that a rear end load container can be engaged with one fork and a side load container can be engaged with the other fork. 
         [0009]    When a container has been attached to one or the other of the forks, the fork to which it is attached may be pivoted ninety degrees into position alongside the frame of the fork assembly and lever arms on the frame may be lowered to press against the top edges of opposing sidewalls of the container attached to the folded fork. The lever arms prevent the container from dropping from the fork assembly when the lift arms upend the container over the intake opening in the collection body. 
         [0010]    It is a primary object of the invention to provide a fork assembly which may be easily and quickly attached to lift arms of a front loading commodity collection truck so that the front load forks can be utilized to grasp a commercial rear end load refuse container or a commercial side load refuse container so that the container can be emptied into the top intake opening of the front loading commodity collection body on the collection truck. It is a further object to provide a fork assembly which can telescope toward the street side of the of the truck to reach a commercial refuse container which is spaced away from the street side fork of the fork assembly. 
         [0011]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a front-loading commodity collection truck which can be used to collect trunnion equipped rear end load style refuse containers or hook equipped side load style refuse containers as well as to collect front load style refuse containers. It is therefore an additional object of the invention to reduce the number of commodity collection trucks needed by a commodity collector by providing a commodity collection vehicle which may be quickly adapted to collect refuse from any of a front loading, a side loading, or a rear end loading refuse container. 
         [0012]    These and other salutary objects will become apparent from examination of the detailed description which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a collection body in perspective, the body having been equipped with the invention, with a trunnion equipped container resting to the street side of the fork assembly of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective of the apparatus of the present invention isolated from the collection body. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective of the invention with its street side fork shown in a laterally extended position and with a trunnion equipped container connected to the street side fork of the apparatus. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of the invention as illustrated in  FIG. 3  except with the street side fork returned to its retracted position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective of the invention with the street side fork and attached trunnion equipped container rotated to the folded position parallel to and alongside the fork trunnion. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective of the invention as seen in  FIG. 5  but with the lock arms of the invention lowered to lock the trunnion equipped container to the invention such that the invention may be raised for dumping the contents of the trunnion equipped container. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective of the invention of the present invention, with the curb side fork rotated to its folded position and with the lock arm lowered to engage and lock a hook equipped container to the fork assembly invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , it can be understood that invention fork assembly  10  is removably installed on main lift arms  3 ,  5  of a conventional front loading refuse collection body  2 . Main lift arms  3 ,  5  are selectively pivotable together about coaxial main arm axles  9  carried on collection body  2 . Lift arms  3 ,  5  can raise a commodity container carried on the fork assembly  10  to an inverted position above the load opening  7  at the top of the collection body  2 . 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 1 , a trunnion equipped container  33  is located a distance from the street side fork  8  of the invention fork assembly  10 . Trunnion equipped container  33  includes opposing shorter side walls  39 ,  31  and a front wall  45  joining side walls  39 ,  41 . Trunnion rods  35 ,  37  extend from opposing ends of the container  33  near the top  47  of front wall  45 . Trunnion equipped container  33  is commonly known as a rear end load container and is used primarily with rear loading collection bodies with the rear loading container intended to be unloaded into a trough carried at the rear of a conventional rear end loading collection body. The usual trunnion equipped container  33  is supported on wheels  43 . 
         [0022]    Invention fork assembly  10  is removable from antis  3 ,  5  and includes an elongate trunnion tube  12  to which are fixed fork pivot levers  16 ,  18  which may be joined to cylinder mounts  27 ,  29  on arms  3 ,  5  by fork lift hydraulic cylinders which are omitted from the illustration of  FIG. 1 , but are well known in the front loading collection body industry. Operation of the fork lift cylinders permits the forks  6 ,  8  to be moved upward and downward under control by the operator, rotating about the longitudinal axis of the main trunnion tube  12 . Fork assembly  10  also includes an upright elongate generally planar frame  14  securely fixed to trunnion tube  12  by stand off members  20 ,  22 . 
         [0023]    Frame  14  supports curbside fork  6  as well as an elongate rail  24  which extends along generally the full length of frame  14 . An elongate sleeve  30  is selectively slidable along rail  24  by action of a hydraulic, cylinder driver which may locate sleeve  30  at any position along rail  24 . Street side fork  8  is supported on sleeve  30  at a first end  32  thereof. Street side fork  8  may thereby be moved from a retracted position as seen in  FIG. 2  to an extended position as seen in  FIG. 3  in order to reach out toward a container such as trunnion equipped container  33  which is spaced away from street side fork  8  when street side fork  8  is in the retracted position. It is to be understood that sleeve  30  can be moved to any position along rail  24  as needed to extend street side fork  8  to an advice icy with a container resting nearby. 
         [0024]    Curbside fork  6  and street side fork  8  may be mirror images or may be different as with the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . Curbside fork  6  is equipped with hook receivers  42 ,  44  which may engage hooks on a conventional hook equipped side loading refuse container. The hook receivers  42 ,  44  are spaced apart along curbside fork  6  at its curb side  46 . Hook receivers  42 ,  42  are spaced apart at a distance appropriate to engage hooks on the front wall of a conventional side load container (not shown) with the distal hook receiver  44  positioned near the free end  34  of curbside fork  6 . Proximal hook receiver  44  is located adjacent hinge end  36  of curbside fork  6 . Hook receivers  42 ,  44  may be selectively relocated along curbside fork  6  but are locked along, curbside fork  6  when relocation is complete. Hook receivers  42 ,  44  may be removed from curbside fork  6 . 
         [0025]    Curbside fork  6  is hinged to frame  14  by pivot axle  26  which is vertically oriented when arms,  3 ,  5  are in the lowered position seen in  FIGS. 1-7 . The longitudinal axis of pivot axle  26  is transverse to the longitudinal axis of frame  14 . A drive cylinder  54  may selectively rotate curbside fork  6  about axle  26 . The range of motion of curbside fork  6  about pivot axle  26  is approximately 90 degrees. 
         [0026]    Street side fork  8  is hinged at its hinge end  40  to sleeve  30  and is selectively movable by action of drive cylinder  56  which is mounted at its base  58  to sleeve  30  and at its rod end  62  to lever member  64  which pivots about pivot axle  28  along with street side fork  8 . Pivot of street side fork  8  is selective, under control of an operator. 
         [0027]    The longitudinal axes of the pivot axles  26 ,  28  are both transverse to the longitudinal axis of frame  14 . 
         [0028]    Street side fork  8  is equipped on its street side  60  with trunnion hooks  48 ,  50  located at the respective ones of its free end  38  and its hinge end  40 . Each of trunnion hooks  48 ,  50  supports an open topped trunnion pocket  52 . Trunnion rods  35 ,  37  of rear end load container  33  may be received in open topped trunnion pockets  52 . 
         [0029]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7 , street side fork  8  may be selectively pivoted about its pivot axle  28  at its hinge end  40  from an open position substantially perpendicular to frame  14  to a folded position alongside and substantially parallel to sleeve  30  and to frame  14  as seen in  FIG. 5 . Pivot axle  28  is transverse to the longitudinal axis of sleeve  30 . Similarly, curbside fork  6  may be selectively pivoted about its pivot axle  28  from an open position substantially perpendicular to frame  14  to a folded position alongside and substantially parallel to sleeve  30  and to frame  14  as seen in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0030]    Trunnion hooks  48 ,  50  of street side fork  8  are mounted to the street side  60  of street side fork  8  and are spaced apart slightly more than the width of the standard trunnion equipped container  33  such that trunnion rods  35 ,  37  will fit into open topped trunnion pockets  52 , one of which being located on each hook member  48 ,  50 . (The trunnion pocket  52  of hook member  50  is not visible in the figures.) Because pivot fork assembly  10  can be raised and lowered by lift arms  3 ,  5 , it can be understood that trunnion rods  35 ,  37  may be located into trunnion pockets  52  without operator intervention other than through cab control of the lift arms  3 ,  5  and maneuvering of the truck on which the collection body  2  is carded for placement of the street side fork  8  generally parallel to and alongside front wall  45  of trunnion equipped container  33 . By raising and lowering the fork assembly  10  while the street side fork  8  is pivoted to its open position and telescoped sufficiently outward to reach trunnion equipped container  33 , the trunnion pockets  52  may be located below the trunnion rods  35 ,  37  and then the pivot fork assembly  10  may be raised to locate the trunnion rods  35 ,  37  in trunnion pockets  52 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  illustrates that street side fork  8  can be moved toward and positioned generally parallel to trunnion equipped container  33  by moveable sleeve  30  being telescopingly slidable longitudinally on rail  24  as desired, under control of the operator who may remain in the truck cab while causing street side fork  8  to be moved toward trunnion equipped container  33 . 
         [0032]    Referring now particularly to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it can be observed that trunnion equipped container  33  has been drawn by street side fork  8  into a substantially parallel relationship and adjacency with frame  14 . Trunnion rods  35 ,  37  remain within trunnion pockets  52  on trunnion hooks  48 ,  50 . An optional fork rest or catch (not illustrated) may be provided on slidable sleeve  30  to assist in supporting five end  38  of street side fork  8  when it is pivoted into the folded position seen in  FIGS. 5-6 . Curbside fork  6  remains unfolded and extends perpendicularly from frame  14  when street side fork  8  is rotated into the folded position. In  FIG. 5 , lock down arms  66 ,  68  remain in the raised position such that no interference with the folding; operation of street side fork  8  may occur. Each lock down arm  66 ,  68  is pivotable within a substantially vertical plane and is selectively driven by a hydraulic cylinder  70 ,  72 . The hydraulic cylinders  70 ,  72  are each anchored to trunnion tube  12 . In  FIG. 6 , lock down arms  66 ,  68  are shown in the clamping position each lock arm  66 ,  68  having been lowered by extension of lock down hydraulic cylinders  70 ,  72  respectively. Lock arms  66 ,  68  are intended to operate together. When in the lowered position, pads  74  on each of lock down arms  66 ,  68  press against the top edge  47  of front wall  45  as well as a portion of each of top edges  49 ,  51  of opposing sidewalls  39 ,  41  of trunnion equipped container  33  thereby preventing trunnion rods  35 ,  37  from escaping trunnion pockets  52  when the trunnion equipped container  33  is upended. 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  illustrates the use of pivot fork assembly  10  with a hook equipped side loading container  73  having a front wall  75  on which hooks (not visible) are provided. The hooks are well known in the industry as standard on side loading refuse containers and generally are shaped to have open bottom slots for receiving the rungs  78 ,  80  (see  FIG. 2 ) of each hook receiver  42 ,  44 . It should be easily understood that a truck carrying collection body  2  equipped with the pivot fork assembly  10  of this invention will typically be expected to operate on the right hand side of a roadway and therefore the curbside fork  6 , in its unfolded position as see in  FIGS. 1-6 , will be easily maneuverable into position adjacent and generally parallel to the front wall  75  of a hook equipped container  73  such that hook receivers  42 ,  44  (see  FIG. 2 ) may be placed below the hooks of the conventional hook equipped container  73  and raised by operation of main lift arms  3 ,  5  such that hook receivers  42 ,  44  capture the hooks fixed to the outside of front wall  75  of container  73  on rungs  78 ,  80  of hook receiver  47 ,  44 . The curbside fork  6  may then be folded around pivot axle  26  into the folded position thereby locating front wall  75  of container  73  generally parallel to the frame  14 . Then lock down arms  66 ,  68  may be lowered to press against the top edge  77  of front wall  75 . The fork assembly  10  may then be raised by lift arms  3 ,  5  such that the hook equipped container  73  may be upended over load opening  7  of collection body  2 . 
         [0034]    An optional fork support member (not illustrated) may be provided on sleeve  30  or on frame  14  to support the free end  34  of curbside fork  6  when it is moved to the folded position seen in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0035]    Having thus described the invention in connection with the embodiment thereof, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various revisions can be made to the several embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended, however, that all such revisions and modifications that are evident to those skilled in the art will be included within the scope of the following claims. Any elements of a embodiments disclosed herein can be used in combination with any elements of other embodiments disclosed herein in any manner to create different embodiments.