Abstract:
A container loading system has a hoist frame with a movable carriage. A pair of single stage cylinders moves the carriage between positions. The carriage includes at least two rotatable sheave to receive a cable. The cable has a free end to attach with a container. The movement of the cylinders moves the carriage between positions to load or unload a container onto or from the container loading system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/541,400, filed on Sep. 30, 2011. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to refuse collection and, more particularly, to a container loading system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Many businesses utilize containers for refuse collection. Ordinarily, the containers are quite large and weigh several thousand pounds. These types of containers are generally referred to as “roll off” type containers. The container utilizes rollers which mesh with a roller system on a vehicle container loading system wherein the container is hoisted along a frame, onto the frame, and then the frame is lowered and leveled on the vehicle and removed from the site. Delivery to the site is in a reverse order. 
         [0004]    Ordinarily, the vehicles require a hoist device that includes a reaving cylinder arrangement to raise the hoist so that it can remove and deliver the container from and to the job site. Ordinarily, these hoists include a frame with a fixed pulley at the top of the hoist. Thus, the cylinders must lift the free end of the hoist frame well above the vehicle in order to lift and remove the container onto and from the frame. This requires a lift cylinder to raise the frame high above the height of the vehicle as well as a winch to retract the cable while drawing the container onto the frame. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Accordingly, it is desirable to have a low profile hoist system capable of lifting large containers. Also, it is desirable for the hoist frame, when lifting and lowering a container, to provide a faster more productive loading system. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, the present disclosure provides the art with a vehicle having a low profile hoist frame system to pick up roll off refuse containers. The present disclosure provides a stable roll-off hoist frame with a movable sheave system that picks up and drops off containers. 
         [0007]    According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a container loading system comprises a hoist frame with a movable carriage. The carriage is movable along the hoist frame in a track. One or more single stage hydraulic cylinders are coupled with the hoist frame and the carriage. At least two rotatable sheaves are coupled with the carriage. A cable is associated with the sheaves. The cable includes a free end to attach with the container. Additionally, the other end of the cable is secured to the hoist frame. The movement mechanism moves the carriage between positions on the hoist frame loading and unloading containers. 
         [0008]    According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle with a container loading system comprises a vehicle with a frame, wheels and drive train. A hoist frame is coupled with the vehicle. A carriage is movable along the hoist frame in a track. One or more single stage hydraulic cylinders are coupled with the hoist frame and the carriage. At least two rotatable sheaves are coupled with the carriage. A cable is associated with the at least one sheave. The cable includes a free end to attach with the containers. The other end of the cable is secured to the hoist frame. The movement mechanism moves the carriage between positions on the hoist frame loading and unloading the containers. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
       DRAWINGS 
       [0010]    The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle with a container loading system. 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective schematic view of the container loading system removed from the vehicle. 
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is another perspective schematic view of the container loading systems removed from the vehicle. 
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective schematic view of the container loading system removed from the vehicle. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Turning to the figures, a vehicle is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral  10 . The vehicle includes a frame  12  supported by wheels  14 . Also, the vehicle includes a cab  16  that includes driver operation equipment. Additionally, an engine and drive train are included to drive the vehicle. Additionally, the container loading system can be mounted on a stand alone trailer that can be pulled behind a vehicle. 
         [0016]    A container loading system  20  is coupled with the vehicle via a pair of hydraulic cylinders  21 . One end of the cylinder is coupled with the frame  12  and the rod end is coupled with the free end of the hoist frame  22 . The cylinders  21  lift the container loading system  20  between an unloaded position and a loaded position. In the loaded position, the cylinders  21  are collapsed and not vertical to the frame  12  with the container  32  resting on top of the container loading system  20 . 
         [0017]    The container loading system  20  includes a hoist frame  22 , a tailgate assembly  24 , a movable carriage  26 , a mechanism  28  to move the carriage  26 , and a cable  30  to connect with a container  32 . 
         [0018]    The hoist frame  22  includes a pair of beams  34 ,  36  positioned parallel to one another. The beams  34 ,  36  interior sides include slots  38 ,  40  to movably retain the carriage  26  on the beams  34 ,  36 . Additionally, the hoist frame  22  includes a plurality of cross-beams  44  that connect the beams  34 ,  36  with one another. A channel or plurality of rollers  46  is coupled with the exterior side of the beams  34 ,  36 . The rollers  46  enhance movement of the container  32  along the hoist frame  22 . Also, the hoist frame  22  may include a shield  48  positioned along the cross-beams  44 . 
         [0019]    The hoist frame  22  includes a base  50  that is secured with the movement mechanism  28 . The base  50  also includes a rotatable sheave  52  that receives the cable  30 . The sheave  52  or pulley rotates in a clevis or yoke  54 . The base  50  is pivotally connected with the frame  12 . When the cylinders  21  lift the hoist frame  22  to a loading position, container off, or an unloading position, container on, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the hoist frame  22  is angled at a relatively small acute angle with respect to the ground. Thus, this angle provides the low profile hoist system capable of lifting large containers. 
         [0020]    The movement mechanism  28  includes a pair of single stage hydraulic cylinders  56  connected with the base  50 . The single stage hydraulic cylinders  56  are connected with a controller (not shown) that operates the cylinders  56  between an extended and retracted position as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0021]    A tailgate assembly  24  is coupled with the base  50 . The tailgate assembly  24  pivots up and down to enhance loading and unloading of the container  32 . The tailgate assembly  24  includes a linkage  60  as well as a hydraulic cylinder  62  to move the tailgate assembly  24  between positions. Additionally, a roller  64  is coupled with the base  50  to enhance the smooth transitional movement of the cable  30  as the container is moved from position to position. Alternatively, the hoist frame  22  could be utilized without a tailgate assembly 
         [0022]    The carriage  26  includes a pair of cross-members  70 ,  74  as well as a pair of side members  76 ,  78  providing the carriage with an overall rectangular configuration. The cross-member  70  receives pins  80 ,  82  that secure with the rods  84  from the single stage hydraulic cylinders  56 . The side members  76 ,  78  include a plurality of outwardly extending pins  86  that fit into the slots  38 ,  40  on the interior of the beams  34 ,  36 . This secures the carriage  26  in the slots  38 ,  40 . Additionally, the pins  86  may include rollers to enhance the movement of the carriage  26  in the beams  34 ,  36 . The cross-member  74  includes a sheave housing  88 . The sheave housing  88  includes a pair of rotatable sheaves  90 ,  92 . The sheaves  90 ,  92  are rotatable in the housing  88  about the pin  94 . Thus, the pin  94  fixes the sheaves  90 ,  92  for rotation in the housing  88 . 
         [0023]    Cable  30  has one end secured to the base  50  of the hoist frame  20 . The cable  30  is then, in turn, wrapped around sheave  92  back to sheave  54 , wrapped around sheave  90  and passed through eyelet  98 . The cable  30  has a free end  100  to secure with the container  32 . The free end  100  includes a yoke member  102  with a pin  104  to secure the cable with the refuse container  32 . In  FIG. 4 , the yoke  102  is illustrated coupled with one of the cross-members  44  in a transport position. As the carriage  26  moves, so does the cable. For each one foot traveled of the carriage, the cable moves approximately four feet. Thus, this enables rapid loading and unloading of the container  32 . Also, this enables the length of the hoist frame to be shortened. 
         [0024]    Additionally, the movement of the carriage and the cable enable shaking of the container  32  for dumping purposes. The container  32  on the hoist frame  22  is lifted by the cylinders  21  into a dumping position. The carriage  32  is rapidly released from the free end of the hoist frame  22  dropping about one foot which, in turn, drops the container about four feet. The carriage  26  is then rapidly raised back to the free end of the hoist frame. This action is repeated about three times. The rapid dropping and raising of the container  32  shakes the container  32  effectively and efficiently emptying its contents. The hoist frame is then leveled onto the vehicle. 
         [0025]    The container loading system operates as follows: 
         [0026]    When loading a container, the cylinders  56  are retracted into a down position as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . At this time, the carriage  26  is positioned along the beams  34 ,  36 . The cable  30  free end  100 , via the yoke  102  and pin  104 , is secured with the container  32 . Also, the tailgate assembly  24  may be positioned to initiate loading of the container  32  onto the container loading system  20 . After the tailgate assembly  24  is in position and the cable  30  is connected with the container  32 , the cylinders  56  are activated. As this occurs, the rods  84  are moved outward towards the free end  35  of the beams  34 ,  36  that are secured with cylinders  21 . As this occurs, the carriage  36  moves upwardly toward the free end  35  of the beams  34 ,  36 . Also, the cable  30 , wrapped around the sheaves  52 ,  90 , and  92 , acting as a block and tackle, draws the container  32  onto the hoist frame  22 . As the cylinders  56  continue to expand, the cable  30  continues to draw the container  32  upward until the container  32  is positioned onto the hoist frame  22 . At that time, with the cable  30  extending through the eyelet  98 , the cylinders  21  are lowered to position the container loading system  20  in a leveled condition onto the vehicle frame  12 . 
         [0027]    To remove the container  32  from the container loading system  20 , the cylinders  21  are raised and the cylinders  56  are operated in a reverse fashion so that carriage  26  moves downwardly along the beams  34 ,  36  from the free end  35  of the beams  34 ,  36  to the point wherein the container  32  is positioned on the ground as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    The present disclosure has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alternations will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the present disclosure be construed to include all such alternations and modifications insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.