Patent claim: A method for handling and emptying waste collection containers by means of a coupling head which integrates a head structure 41 and is attached to the distal end of a crane arm integrated in a waste collection vehicle said head structure 41 bearinga first holding member 10 having first movable elements 11 operated by means of first operating means 50 movable between a handle gripping position and a handle release position for being coupled to a mushroomshaped handle 1 fixed on an outer surface of a container 3 holding up said container 3 through said handle 1a second holding member 20 having second movable elements 21 operated by means of second operating means 51 movable between an operator release position and a position of interaction with the operator allowing said movable elements 21 to come into geometric interference with a gate operator 2 preventing its free movement being the first holding member 10 is attached to the handle 1 and the second holding members 20 are arranged in the position of interaction the gate operator 2 being arranged in the container in a position adjacent andor concentric to said handle 1 and being mechanically linked to the lower gates of the container for controlling their opening and closinga displacing mechanism 30 operated by means of third operating means 52 envisaged for axially moving said second holding member 20 with respect to said first holding member 10 between gate closing and gate opening positions by means of the resulting relative axial movement between the handle 1 and the gate operator 2 of the mentioned container 3 linked to the first and second holding members 10 and 20causing the closing andor opening of said lower gates of the container 3 mechanically linked to the gate operator 2 characterized in thatthe first second and third operating means 50 51 and 52 are controlled by means of a programmable control unit provided with at least a first and a second handling configuration which are adapted respectively for handling a container containing a gate operator of a first type 2a and for handling a container containing a gate operator of a second type 2b the first and second configurations differing at least in the predetermined handle gripping and release positions andor in the operator release and interaction positions andor in the gate opening and closing positions and in that the programmable control unit implementing the following stepsdetermining if the container to be handled integrates a gate operator of a first type 2a or a gate operator of the second type 2b based on the information obtained by means of sensors or by means of information entered by an operator through an interfaceapplying a first handling configuration if the container to be handled 3 integrates a gate operator of the first type 2a or a second handling configuration if the container to be handled 3 integrates a gate operator of the second type 2b by means of a programmable control unit wherein the first configuration and the second configuration modify one or more of the following positions the handle gripping and release positions andor the gate operator interaction and release positions andor the gate opening and closing positions.

Related passage: The container coupled to the edge of the ring 4 by means of the small teeth 18 of the levers 17 can be lifted by means of the device 1 and placed above the vehicle for emptying its contents.