Patent Publication Number: US-2018029795-A1

Title: Single Arm Lifter Assembly For Intermediate Refuse Collection Container

Description:
The present application is directed to a single arm lifter assembly for an intermediate refuse collection container for front loaded trucks for use in garbage collection. 
     Front-loading refuse collection systems are in wide use in the collection of residential refuse. Such systems typically include a heavy-duty truck having a large hopper or bin located behind the cab for receipt of refuse. An intermediate container is carried in front of the cab on lift arms that move the intermediate container from an upright position forward of the cab to an inverted position behind the cab and over the hopper to receive refuse that is collected in the intermediate container. 
     Associated with the intermediate container is a mechanism for engaging a residential refuse collection cart spaced laterally from the intermediate container, and dumping its contents into the intermediate container. Representative examples of such systems are generally shown and described in, e.g., Zopf U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,277 and Christenson U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,394. 
     Such systems are typically configured so that the residential cart engaging mechanism is able to capture and dump residential carts located only on one side of the intermediate container, i.e., the curb-side or right-hand side of the collection vehicle/intermediate container. Thus, in a typical collection route, the collection vehicle will move in a first direction to collect refuse from one side of the street, and then in a reverse direction to collect refuse from the other side. However, there are situations (such as in narrow streets or alleys or on one-way streets) in which it would be advantageous for the collection vehicle to be able to collect refuse from both sides of the collection container in a single pass. 
     SUMMARY 
     By way of the present application, a refuse collection system is provided in which a single cart engagement mechanism will capture and dump the contents of residential collection carts located on both sides of the intermediate container in a single pass of the refuse collection vehicle. 
     In a first aspect of the invention, a lifter assembly for engaging or capturing a residential refuse collection cart spaced laterally from an associated intermediate container and for emptying the contents of the residential refuse collection cart into the intermediate is provided. The lifter assembly comprises a base configured to be secured to the intermediate container; a first elongated member (or mast) having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotably mounted to the base; a second elongated member (or “flipper”) having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second elongated member being pivotably attached to the second end of the first elongated member; and a gripper assembly for selectively gripping and releasing a residential refuse collection container, the gripper assembly being rotatably mounted to the second end of the second elongated member. 
     The lifter assembly further comprises a first actuator assembly interposed between the base and an intermediate portion of the first elongated member; a second actuator assembly interposed between the intermediate portion of the first elongated member and an intermediate portion of the second elongated member; and a third actuator assembly secured to the second end of the second elongated member for rotating the gripper assembly about the second end of the second elongated member. 
     In another aspect, each of the first and second actuator assemblies comprises a cylinder and a piston. In a further aspect, the first actuator assembly further comprises first and second intermediate links pivotably connected to each other, the first intermediate link also being pivotably connected to the base and the second intermediate link also being pivotably connected to the intermediate portion of the first elongated member. 
     In a related aspect, the first end of the first elongated member is pivotably mounted to the base so as to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal first axis and the first elongated member is movable in a substantially vertical first plane, and the first end of the second elongated member is pivotably connected to the second end of the first elongated member about a substantially horizontal second axis and the second elongated member is movable in a substantially vertical second plane, the first plane and the second plane being generally co-planar. 
     In a further aspect, the first actuator assembly provides for approximately 165° of pivotal movement of the first elongated member relative to the base; the second actuator assembly provides for approximately 270° of pivotal movement of the second elongated member relative to the second end of the first elongated member, and the third actuator assembly provides for approximately 360° of rotation of the gripper assembly relative to the second end of the second elongated member. 
     In another aspect, the lifter assembly is part of a system including the intermediate container and the refuse collection vehicle. The lifter assembly may be mounted adjacent to either the front wall or the rear wall of the intermediate container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a lifter assembly according to the present application in combination with an intermediate container and a collection truck. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the lifter assembly of  FIG. 1  in combination with an intermediate collection container with the arm assembly in a first position with the cart gripper assembly extending outwardly from the left-hand side of the intermediate container. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the lifter assembly similar to  FIG. 2  showing the arm assembly in an intermediate position as it moves the cart gripper assembly from the left-hand side of the intermediate container to the right-hand side. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the lifter assembly similar to  FIG. 2  except showing the cart gripper assembly extending toward the right-hand side of the intermediate container. 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the lifter assembly in combination with an intermediate collection container with the arm assembly with the cart gripper assembly extending outwardly from the left-hand side of the intermediate container, similar to  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the lifter assembly in combination with an intermediate container and a collection truck with the lift arm in a retracted/storage position prior to extending and capturing a residential refuse collection cart located on the right-hand side of the intermediate container/collection truck. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the lifter assembly in combination with an intermediate container and a collection truck with the lift arm in a retracted/dumping position after having captured a residential refuse collection cart located on the right-hand side of the intermediate container/collection truck. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the lifter assembly in combination with an intermediate container and a collection truck with the lift arm in a retracted/dumping position after having captured a residential refuse collection cart located on the left-hand side of the intermediate container/collection truck. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a lifter assembly according to the present application in combination with an intermediate container and a collection truck. 
         FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of the second embodiment of the lifter assembly in combination with an intermediate collection container with the arm assembly with the cart gripper assembly extending outwardly from the left-hand side of the intermediate container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The embodiments disclosed herein are for the purpose of providing an exemplary description of the present subject matter. They are, however, only exemplary, and the present subject matter may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting the subject matter as defined in the accompanying claims. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 6-8  there is seen a refuse collection system, generally indicated  10 , comprising a truck  12 , an intermediate collection container  14 , and a single-arm lifter assembly  16  in accordance with the present application. In  FIGS. 1 and 6-8 , only the front portion of the cab of the truck  12  is shown. 
     As is well known, the truck  12  has a pair of lift arms  18  that carry means for releasably securing the intermediate container  14  to the lift arms, such as a pair of forks  20  that are receivable in elongated pockets  22  located along the bottom of the opposed side walls  24  of the container  14 . The lift arms  18  are movable from a first position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6-8 , in which the intermediate container is carried in an upright position forward of the cab, to a second position (not shown) in which the intermediate container is lifted over the cab and inverted, to dump its contents into a large collection hopper mounted on the chassis of the truck  12  rearwardly of the cab. 
     In keeping with the disclosure, the lifter assembly  16  is configured to releasably engage and invert residential refuse collection carts, such as the cart  26  shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , located on either the right-hand or left-hand sides of the intermediate container  14 . The lifter assembly  16  comprises a single arm having two elongated members pivotably attached to each other, and one of which is pivotably attached to the base  28 , with a cart gripper assembly carried at the free end of elongated members. Actuators are provided for moving and extending the cart gripper assembly to opposite sides of the intermediate container  14 , thus permitting the assembly to engage and retrieve a residential cart located on either side of the intermediate container and to then invert the residential cart to dump its contents into the intermediate container. 
     Returning to the drawings, the lifter assembly  16  comprises a base bracket or weldment  28  which, as illustrated, is mounted to the bottom of the front wall  30  of the intermediate container  14 . (When the term “weldment” is used in the present description, it is not meant to limit the structures to which it refers to those formed by welding together an assembly of pieces, but is more generally understood to refer to a unitary structure formed in any manner that would occur to a person skilled in the metal fabricating art.) As can be appreciated, the base bracket  28  can alternatively be mounted to the bottom of the rear wall  32  of the intermediate container. As illustrated, the base  28  comprises a plurality of box beams having a rectangular configuration, with an open central region. 
     The lifter assembly comprises a first elongated member or mast weldment  34  having its first end secured to the base  28  by a first pivot connection  36 , a second elongated member or flipper weldment  38  having its first end secured to the second end of the mast weldment  34  by a second pivot connection  40 ; and a residential cart gripper assembly  42  rotatably connected to the second end of the flipper weldment. As illustrated, the residential cart gripper assembly  42  comprises opposed arm members  44  that are movable by means of a hydraulic piston/cylinder  46  between an open position (for storage and releasing a collection cart) and a closed position (for engaging a collection cart). An exemplary cart gripper assembly is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,390,159, having a common assignee as the present application, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The pivot connections  36  and  40  are oriented such that both the mast weldment  34  and the flipper weldment  38  are pivotable about substantially horizontal axes and movable in substantially vertical planes. Preferably the planes in which the mast weldment  34  and flipper weldment  38  pivot are coplanar, which provides for a more compact operation of the lifter assembly. In addition, the gripper assembly  42  is rotatably mounted to flipper weldment  38  so as to be rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis generally parallel to the pivot axes of the mast weldment  43  and flipper weldment  38 . 
     Actuator assemblies provided for moving each of the mast weldment  34 , flipper weldment  38 , and gripper assembly  42  relative to each other to provide a range of motion sufficient to retrieve and return residential collection carts located on either side of the intermediate container  14 , and to dump the contents of such collection carts into the intermediate container. In the illustrated embodiment, a first actuator assembly  48  provides for approximately 165° of pivotal movement between the base  28  and the mast weldment  34 , a second actuator assembly  50  provides for approximately 270° of pivotal movement between the mast weldment  34  and the flipper weldment  38 , and a third actuator assembly  52  provides for approximately 360° of rotational movement between the flipper weldment  38  and the gripper assembly  42 . 
     As illustrated, the actuator assembly  48  comprises a cylinder/piston combination  54  that is pivotably connected on one end to the base  28  and pivotably connected on its other end to an end of a lower link  56 , the lower link  56  being pivotably connected its other end to the base  28 . An upper link  58  is pivotably connected to intermediate portions of both the lower link  56  and the mast weldment  34 . Movement of the mast weldment  34  from one side of the intermediate container  14  to the other is caused by the extension/retraction of the cylinder/piston  54 , to push/pull the lower link  56 /upper link  58 . 
     Actuator assembly  50 , as illustrated, also comprises a cylinder/piston combination  60  pivotably connected on one end to an intermediate portion of the mast weldment  34  and pivotably connected on its other end to an intermediate portion of the flipper weldment  38 . The actuator assembly  50  pushes the flipper weldment  38  until the end of the cylinder travel, at which point the flipper weldment  38  will be substantially collinear with the mast weldment  34 , as seen, e.g., in  FIG. 3 . Thus, a flipping effect will occur when the mast weldment  34  and the flipper weldment  38  are substantially collinear, and the mast weldment  34  is directed towards the desired side of the intermediate container  14  to position the gripper assembly  42  for engagement/return and release of a residential collection cart  26 , with the weight of the gripper assembly  42  helping to move the flipper weldment  38  in a downward direction. 
     Actuator assembly  52  is attached to the upper end of the flipper weldment  38 . The assembly  52  comprises a rotatable tube weldment  62  extending from and integral with the gripper assembly  42 , with a hydraulic motor  64  configured to be connected to the tube weldment  62  for rotating the gripper assembly  42 . The hydraulic motor  64  has the capability to rotate the gripper assembly  42  through approximately 360° relative to the flipper weldment  38 . This permits the gripper assembly  42  to face outwardly, with its face perpendicular to the ground for engaging and releasing a refuse cart positioned on either side of the intermediate container, and further to maintain proper orientation of the cart and invert the cart to dump its contents into the intermediate container  14 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the actuator assembly comprises a hydraulic actuator  66  that is rotatable in either direction without stop. A shaft  68  is secured to the hydraulic actuator  66  that has a bracket  70  at its end that is configured to be fastened to the gripper mechanism  42 . The embodiment of  FIGS. 9 and 10  also differs from that of  FIGS. 1-8  in that the mast weldment  34  and flipper weldment  38  are of a more robust construction. Otherwise, the embodiments are functionally the same. 
     As can be appreciated, when gripping mechanism  42  is to be moved from one side of the intermediate container  14  to the other, the flipper weldment  38  has pass through a substantially collinear position with respect to the mast weldment  34 , and thus flipped to the other side, by extending the cylinder/piston arrangement to its full extent of travel. Once the mast weldment  34  and flipper weldment  38  are collinear, and pass through being perpendicular to the ground, the weight and gravity of the gripper mechanism are moved over center, and thus assist downward movement the other direction. 
     To collect refuse from a cart located on the right-hand side of the intermediate container  14  (as viewed from the cab of the collection vehicle), the mast weldment  34  and flipper weldment  38  are moved from the retracted/storage position shown in  FIG. 6  to the cart engaging position by retracting the cylinder/piston arrangement of actuator  48  while extending the cylinder/piston arrangement of actuator  50 . The lift assembly is then retracted for dumping the cart by extending the cylinder/piston arrangement of actuator  48  and retracting the cylinder/piston of actuator  50 , to achieve the position shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the lifter assembly  16  is shown in its retracted or storage position. To collect the refuse from a cart located on the left-hand side of the intermediate container  14  (again, as viewed from the cab of the collection vehicle), the cylinder/piston combinations of actuator  48  is lengthened, while cylinder/piston arrangement of actuator  50  is first lengthened so that the flipper weldment  38  is substantially collinear with the mast weldment  34  (as seen in  FIG. 3 ), thus flipping the flipper weldment from the right-hand side to the left hand side. Then, the cylinder/piston arrangement of actuator  50  is retracted to position the gripper assembly  42  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 . The cylinder/piston arrangement of actuator  50  can then be extended to move the gripper assembly  42  toward a collection cart. Once the collection cart is engaged, the lifter assembly is then retracted to position the cart over the intermediate container for dumping, as seen in  FIG. 8 . 
     Thus, a residential refuse cart lifter assembly has been provided that can empty refuse from collection carts positioned on opposite sides of an associated intermediate collection container. While the lifter assembly has been described in terms of certain specific embodiments, the specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting the subject matter as defined in the accompanying claims.