Patent CA-1142891-A (CA)
Inventor: SMITH FRED T
IPC: B65F3/28
Filed: 1981-10-14
Granted: 1983-03-15
Abstract: D-????     REFUSE COMPACTION APPARATUS     Abstract of the Disclosure A refuse compacting apparatus having a container for storing refuse under pressure, a loading hopper, and a passage leading from the hopper into the container. A narrowed throat in the passage is positioned at a point intermediate that of enlarged openings from the passage into the hopper and the storage container.  Refuse compacting means are positioned to sweep through the hopper to compact refuse and move the refuse from the hopper through the passage into the container. As the refuse moves through the passage, the refuse is squeezed and is subjected to high localized pressures as the refuse passes through the narrowed throat.        A refuse compacting apparatus having a container or storage body for storing refuse under pressure, an ejection panel movable in the storage body, a loading hopper, a passage with a narrowed throat and packing panels Movable in the hopper on a cyclic basis.  Refuse is stuffed at high pressures into the narrowed throat in successive cycles of movement of the packing panels and is churned, fragmented and compacted during such stuffing operation.  The refuse is then directed through the passage into the storage body where it is stored at reduced pressures.  A servo operation is then provided to control optimally the compacting action on the refuse in the passage by controlling the pressure exerted by the refuse in the storage body.  Thus, when the pressure exerted by the refuse against the ejection panel reaches a first particular value, the ejection panel is moved in a direction to relieve such pressure.     The movement of the ejection panel occurs on an incremental basis until the pressure of the refuse against the ejection panel decreases to a second particular value lower than the first particular value.         A refuse compacting apparatus having a storage body for refuse and a movable panel positioned within the storage body.  A support member is provided for the movable panel, which member has a movable end and a fixed end with the fixed end pivotally connected to the storage body.  A link connects the movable end to the movable panel such that the movement of the panel causes pivotal movement of the support member. means are provided to transmit a force to the movable panel from a point on the support member which is intermediate the fixed end and movable end.  Thus, as the panel undergoes move-ment within the storage body, the support member undergoes rotational movement with the intermediate point on the support member moving in an arcuate path in the direction of movement of the movable panel.         A refuse compacting apparatus having a container for storing refuse under pressure and a loading hopper in communica-tion with the storage container.  Refuse compacting means are positioned to sweep through the hopper to compact refuse and to move the refuse from the loading hopper into the storage container.  A retainer panel is positioned to move between an opened and a closed position.  With the retainer panel in its closed position, the retainer panel impedes the flow of refuse from the container into the hopper.  In its opened position, the retainer panel permits the flow of refuse from the hopper into the storage container.  Control means are provided to move the retainer panel to an opened position, while moving the refuse compacting means through the hopper to move refuse into the storage container and to move the retainer panel to a closed position, while returning the refuse compacting means to a position to begin sweeping through the hopper.         A refuse compacting apparatus having a container for storing refuse under pressure, a loading hopper in communica-tion with the storage container and a packing panel mounted to sweep through the hopper to compact refuse therein and to move the refuse from the loading hopper and into the storage container.  The loading hopper includes a curved inner surface and a sill over which refuse is inserted into the hopper.  An edge on the packing panel is positioned adjacent to the curved inner surface as the packing panel sweeps through the loading hopper.  Means are provided to maintain a minimum distance between an edge on the packing panel and the curved inner surface at a point adjacent to the sill, which distance is slightly greater than the depth of the human finger.  The distance between the edge on the packing panel and the curved inner surface is then increased slightly after the packing panel moves past the sill in sweeping through the hopper.          The minimum spacing between the edge of the packing panel and the inner surface at the sill reduces the level of forces applied to the sill area during packing of refuse while also protecting the worker's fingers.  The increases spacing between the edge on the packing panel and the curved inner surface as the panel sweeps through the loading hopper provides a gripping force to refuse caught between the edge and the inner surface such that refuse is pulled over the sill and into the hopper as the panel sweeps through the hopper.         A refuse compacting apparatus having a panel positioned for working movement in a first direction, a /// ///     relatively large first hydraulic motor for driving the panel in the first direction, and the panel undergoing return movement in a second direction with a relatively small hydraulic motor driving the panel in the second direction.  Means provide pressurized hydraulic fluid for driving the first and second hydraulic motors with the first and second hydraulic motors being mechanically interconnected such that movement of the first motor to drive the panel in said first direction causes movement of the second motor in a direction opposite to its move-ment in driving the panel in said second direction.          Similarly, movement of the second motor to drive the panel in said second direction causes movement of the first motor in a direction opposite to its movement to drive the panel insaid first direction.         The first motor has a first opening and a second opening and the second motor has a first opening and a second opening.  Means are provided to connect the second opening of the first motor with the second open-ing of the second motor, and means are provided to connect the second opening of the first motor and the second opening of the second motor to sump means.  Valve means are positioned between the first and second motors and the means to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid with the valve means having a first operative position to direct hydraulic fluid to the first opening of the first motor to cause movement of the first motor to drive the panel in the said first direction.  The valve means in its first operative position also transmits hydraulic fluid from the first opening in the second motor to the sump means as the second motor moves in a direction opposite to its movement to drive the panel in said second direction.  Hydraulic fluid flowing from the second opening of the first motor may flow into the second opening of the second motor and may also flow into the sump as the first motor moves to drive the panel in said first direction.         The valve means has a second operative position to direct hydraulic fluid to the first opening of the second motor to cause movement of the second motor to drive the panel in said second direction while also causing movement of the first motor in a direction opposite to its movement in driving the panel in said first direction.          The valve means in its second operative position transmits hydraulic fluid from the first opening of the first motor to the sump and means interconnect the first and second openings of the first motor which means are actuated when the pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied to the first opening of the second motor reaches a predetermined pres-sure level to permit hydraulic fluid to flow from the first opening of the first motor into the second opening of the first motor.  The second motor, therefore, acts as an accumulator for hydraulic fluid from the first motor as the first motor is driving the panel in its first direction, and the second motor is moving in a direction /// ///     opposite to its movement to drive the panel in said second direction.  Also, the first motor acts as its own accumu-lator when the second motor is driving the panel in said second direction and the first motor is moving in a direction opposite to its movement in driving the panel in its first direction with hydraulic fluid being trans-mitted from the first opening in the first motor to the second opening of the first motor.         A refuse compaction apparatus having a refuse container, a loading hopper and a passage from the hopper into the refuse container.  A packing panel is positioned within the loading hopper for rotational movement from a rest position in a working direction in sweeping through the hopper to compact refuse and to move the refuse through the passage into the refuse container.  Means for driving the panel include a drive shaft rotatably supporting the panel and a drive member connected to the panel with the drive member having a drive surface.  A drive lever is connected to the drive member and a flexible drive member having a drive end and a fixed end has its fixed end connected to the drive lever.  A motor is connected to the driving end of the flexible drive member with the flexible drive member being positioned to contact the drive surface in driving the panel during movement of the panel in a working direction from its rest position during the initial portion of its movement through the hopper.  The flexible drive member then moves out of contact with the drive /// ///     surface to drive the packing panel through the connec-tion between the fixed end of the drive member and the drive lever during the latter portion of the movement of the packing panel in a working direction through the hopper.         A refuse compaction apparatus including a hopper and a panel rotatably positioned for movement through the hopper.  The panel has a body with a generally elliptical cross-sectional configuration and a high torque-transmitting capability.  Drive means are connected to only one end of the panel with the drive means imparting a rotational force to the panel at said one end, which force is transmitted throughout the panel by the generally elliptically-shaped body.         A refuse compaction apparatus having a container for storing refuse under pressure and means for pressurizing refuse within the container.  The container includes a first rigid frame positioned at one end and a second rigid frame positioned at the other end of the container.  A plurality of longitudinal members interconnect the first and second frames and a plurality of flexible metal sheet members enclose the container with the sheet members being supported by the first and second frames and by the longitudinal members.  The flexible sheet members are bowed outwardly from their points of support, such that the sheet members are placed in tension in resisting pressure within the storage container.            /// ///     A refuse compaction apparatus including a con-tainer for storing refuse under pressure, a tailgate rotatably mounted on the container for movement between an opened and a closed position.  The tailgate in its opened position permits refuse to be discharged from the container and the tailgate in its closed position forms a closure with the storage container.  In maintaining the tailgate in its closed position, a latch member is engageable with a keeper member with means to provide rotational movement of the latch member into a position to make contact with the keeper member.  After rotational movement of the latch member, means are provided to  ?ause translational movement of the latch member into contact with the keeper member to maintain  the tailgate in a closed position.         A refuse compaction apparatus including a con-tainer for storing refuse under pressure, a tailgate rotatably mounted on the container for movement between an opened and a closed position with the tailgate in-cluding a loading hopper to receive refuse and packing means within the hopper to move refuse from the hopper into the storage container.  Drive means are provided within the hopper to drive the packing means in moving refuse from the loading hopper into the storage container when the tailgate is in its closed position in abutting relation with the storage body.  The tailgate in its opened position is rotated upwardly to expose the storage body for the discharge of refuse.          /// ///     ?-1101 The drive means within the tailgate is positioned at one side of the tailgate to drive the packing means from said one side with the weight of said one side of the tailgate being greater than the weight of the other side of the tailgate.  An upper beam is provided within the tailgate with the tailgate being rotatably connected to the storage container through the upper beam.  A stiffener assembly in the upper beam is positioned adjacent to the rotatable connection of the heavier side of the tailgate to the storage container with the stiffener assembly having a configuration which provides a high resistance to torque.  A lifting force applied to the tailgate for raising the tailgate to its opened position is, there-fore, transmitted through the upper beam with the twisting forces applied to the upper beam by the weight of the heavier one side being resisted by the stiffener assembly.