Abstract:
The present invention relates to a container for use in association with a transport vehicle, for collecting, compacting, storing and transporting refuse. More particularly, the invention relates to a side-loading refuse vehicle. Accordingly, the invention herein comprises a refuse collection system for use in combination with a transport vehicle. The system comprises a housing having a collection hopper at its first end, with an opening and a storage compartment at its second end. The refuse collection system also has a packing arm movable front and rearwards within the housing and having a blade portion. The packing arm is movable along a generally arcuate path from a rest position behind the collection hopper and to an extended position forward of the collection hopper. The path of travel of the blade portion passes over the collection hopper to sweep refuse from the collection hopper into the storage compartment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a container for use in association with a transport vehicle, for collecting, compacting, storing and transporting refuse. More particularly, the invention relates to a side-loading refuse vehicle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Side-loading refuse vehicles are well known in the art. Generally, such vehicles have a housing comprising a hopper region into which waste is deposited. The refuse is then transferred to a storage area within the housing where the refuse is compacted, to varying degrees, in order to maximize the capacity of the storage area, and thus the functional operating area of the vehicle. Once the storage area has reached its capacity, the refuse is ejected from the storage area by tilting the housing upwards or by the displacement of the refuse using a compacting blade or similar mechanism.  
         [0003]     Examples of side-loading refuse vehicles include U.S. Pat. No. 2,750,055 (Huffines) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,105 (Shubin). Huffines discloses a compressor mechanism and compressor blade to move refuse to a storage compartment, while Shubin discloses a loading piston which performs the same function.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,956 (Gaskin) discloses a curved pusher blade, which pushes the refuse onto an inclined planar member which then pivots so as to position the refuse before a compaction blade in the storage area. As a result, refuse at the forward end of the storage area is not drawn back into the receiving area by the retraction of the compaction blade.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,316 (Gollnick) discloses a configuration where a hopper plate pivots about its attachment to the side of the vehicle. This transfers refuse out of the hopper into the path of a sweep panel, which in turn forces the refuse into a storage body. A packer plate then compacts the refuse within the body. This device is complicated, having a multiplicity of moving parts, and must be operated in a two-stage cycle. Furthermore, the packer plate is subject to strain since it does not span the entire width of the storage body and this also results in uneven compacting of the refuse. Finally, while the sweep panel and the packer plate are in operation, the loading opening must be closed, which compromises the safety of the operator.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,454 (Behling et al.) attempts to enhance the compaction capacity of the vehicle by adding a counter pressure plate that applies force opposite to a pressure plate, thus trapping the stored refuse between the two plates while compacting it.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,078 (Hamill et al.) discloses a packer blade that is extendible along the entire length of the storage compartment. Accordingly, an operator can add new refuse to the hopper before the packer blade has completed its refuse compaction cycle. Furthermore, a single stage hydraulic cylinder is used to achieve such extension. Channels along the length of the storage compartment, into which guides on the compactor blade and ejector mechanism fit, are necessary to ensure that the blade moves evenly. A drawback of this configuration is the likelihood of refuse blocking the channels, and thus also blocking the movement of the blade.  
         [0008]     Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,873 (Stragier) discloses a means for ejecting and packing. Specifically, a hydraulic drive assembly is simultaneously actuated with the extension of an extendible element. Thus, during the movement of the refuse toward the storage body, the speed of the compacting plate decreases while the force exerted by the plate increases.  
         [0009]     There are a number of limitations associated with prior art refuse collection and transport vehicles. The main drawback with these vehicles is that they disclose complicated compacting mechanisms with many moving parts. This makes such vehicles prone to failure, expensive to maintain and slow to operate. Additionally, efficient compacting of refuse is difficult to obtain since traditional compacting mechanisms do not compact to a uniform density and thus the storage capacity of the collection vehicle is not optimized.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     An object of the invention is to provide a container for use in association with a vehicle, for collecting, compacting, storing and transporting refuse.  
         [0011]     A further object of the invention is to provide a container for use in association with a vehicle that compacts waste in a single cycle while minimizing wear upon the compacting mechanism.  
         [0012]     A further object of the invention is to provide a container for use in association with a vehicle in which the packer blade is orientated to maximize the volume of the hopper so as to minimize the number of cycles required to transfer refuse from the hopper.  
         [0013]     A further object of the invention is to provide a container for use in association with a vehicle having a configuration that maximizes the volume of waste within the storage area by compacting waste such that it has a uniform density throughout the storage area.  
         [0014]     A further object of the invention is to provide a container for use in association with a vehicle with a compacting mechanism that compacts refuse efficiently without requiring tracks and guides.  
         [0015]     A further object of the invention is to provide a container for use in association with a vehicle in which the need for a follower and other unnecessary moving parts is eliminated, thus minimizing the number of moving components in the compacting mechanism so as to limit the cost and necessity for maintenance of the vehicle while increasing its cycle speed.  
         [0016]     Accordingly, the invention herein comprises a refuse collection system for use in combination with a transport vehicle. The system comprises a housing having a collection hopper at its first end, with an opening and a storage compartment at its second end. The refuse collection system also has a packing arm movable front and rearwards within the housing and having a blade portion. The packing arm is movable along a generally arcuate path from a rest position behind the collection hopper and to an extended position forward of the collection hopper. The path of travel of the blade portion passes over the collection hopper to sweep refuse from the collection hopper into the storage compartment.  
         [0017]     In an alternative embodiment of the housing, the refuse collection system is attached to a transport vehicle. Furthermore, the refuse collection system disclosed herein contemplates the opening within a side wall or a top wall of the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the floor of the collection hopper is generally arcuate and closely tracks the path of the blade portion such that the blade portion has minimal clearance with the floor of the housing as the blade portion follows the generally arcuate path. In a further preferred embodiment, the width of the packing arm is equal to the width of the housing. Moreover, the packing arm preferably has an integral curved member which forms a single integral unit with the blade portion. Alternatively, a shield portion may connect the blade portion to the integral curved member so as to form a single integral unit.  
         [0018]     In a further alternative embodiment of the refuse collection system, the blade portion has a face that is slanted such that the side of the face that engages refuse forms an angle with the floor greater than 90 degrees. Preferably, the blade face may be altered so as to vary the angle.  
         [0019]     In a further preferred embodiment, the packing arm is pivotally suspended within the collection hopper. The packing arm is suspended by a bar that extends through the first side of the collection hopper, through an aperture in the packing arm and then through the second side of the collection hopper. Alternatively, the bar engages bearings housed by bearing housings and the bar also extends through an aperture in the packing arm.  
         [0020]     In a further embodiment of the refuse collection system, the storage compartment is divided into two or more sub-compartments and the size of the sub-compartments may be varied. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]     These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon referring to the drawings in which:  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of the container attached to a vehicle for collecting waste in which the housing has been partially cut away so as to show the packing mechanism;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a side plan view of the container attached to a vehicle for collecting waste in which the packing mechanism is in the rest position and waste is in the hopper;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the container attached to a vehicle for collecting waste in which the packing mechanism is in the deposit position and the waste has been transferred into the hopper;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the packing mechanism of the invention disclosed in  FIG. 1  in the rest position;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a side plan view of the packing mechanism of the invention disclosed in  FIG. 1  in the deposit position;  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the dual hydraulic press mechanism of the invention disclosed in  FIG. 1  in the rest position and in the deposit position; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a side plan view of the container attached to a vehicle for collecting waste in which the door is in an open position and the housing in an eject position. 
     
    
       [0029]     While the invention will be described in conjunction with the illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]     In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been given similar reference numerals.  
         [0031]     A container for collecting, compacting and storing refuse  1 , for use in association with a vehicle  2 , having a cab  3 , chassis  5  and wheels  7  is shown in  FIG. 1 . A housing  11  comprising a top wall  13 , a floor portion  15 , a front wall  17 , a first side wall  19  and a second side wall  21  is mounted on the chassis  5  of the vehicle  2 . A door  23  is pivotally attached to the housing  11  by a pivoting attachment means  25 . The container for collecting, compacting and storing refuse  1  is attached to the vehicle  2  by an attachment means  47 .  
         [0032]     A refuse storage area  29  is located in the rear portion of the housing  11  and a hopper portion  31  is located towards the forward portion of the housing  11 . In a preferred embodiment, the hopper portion  31  has a loading opening  32 , a curved floor  35  and a breaker bar  36 . The loading opening  32  may be in the first side wall  19 , the second side wall  21  or the top wall  13 . The breaker bar  36  is preferably positioned near a border between hopper portion  31  and storage area  29 . A compacting mechanism  33  is preferably pivotally attached near the top wall  13  of the housing  11 .  
         [0033]     The door  23  is shaped so as to fit within the opening defined by the top wall  13 , the floor portion  15 , the first side wall  19  and the second side wall  21  in a closed position.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the compacting mechanism  33  comprises a blade  51 , a shield  53  and an integral curved member  59 . The shield  53  attaches the blade  51  to the integral curved member  59 . The blade  51  has a face  55  and a bottom edge  57 . In a preferred embodiment, the width of face  55  is preferably equal to the width of the hopper  31 . Preferably, an angle β, formed by the side of the face  55  that engages refuse and the curved floor  35 , is greater than 90°. In a preferred embodiment, the operator may alter the positioning of face  55  and thus the angle P. The bottom edge  57  has minimal clearance with the curved floor  35  of hopper  31 . Preferably, the shield  53  also has a width that extends across the entire width of the hopper  31 .  
         [0035]     The compacting mechanism  33  is mounted within the hopper  31  by suspending the integral curved member  59  from the top wall  13 . A first end of the integral curved member  59  is preferably pivotally attached to an overhang  37  which is connected to the top wall  13 . Bearing housings  60  and  62  are attached to the overhang  37  or alternatively are attached directly to the top wall  13 . Bearing housings  60  and  62  each house a bearing (not shown). The pivotal attachment of the integral curved member  59  may be achieved by passing a bar  61  through an aperture in the integral curved member  59 . Each end of the bar  61  engages one of the bearings within the bearing housings  60  and  62  such that the compacting mechanism is suspended from the top wall  13 .  
         [0036]     The integral curved member  59  consists of a first portion  59   a  which is generally orientated against the top wall  13  of the housing  11  when the compacting mechanism  33  is in a rest position and a second portion  59   b  which is preferably integrally attached along its length to the shield  53  and is orientated in a generally parallel manner with the front wall  17  when compacting mechanism  33  is in a rest position. Thus, integral curved member  59  is generally “C-shaped” as best seen in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0037]     An hydraulic press mechanism  39  preferably consists of a first hydraulic cylinder  41 , a second hydraulic cylinder  43 , and brackets  63 ,  65 ,  67  and  69 . Each of the first hydraulic cylinder  41  and the second hydraulic cylinder  43  has a ram portion  64  and a cylinder portion  66 . The cylinder portion  66  of the first hydraulic cylinder  41  is preferably attached to the bracket  63 , which in turn is preferably attached at the intersection of front wall  17  and first side wall  19 . The ram portion  64  of the first hydraulic cylinder  41  is preferably attached to the bracket  65  which is in turn attached to the blade  51  of the compacting mechanism  33 . The cylinder portion  66  of the second hydraulic cylinder  43  is preferably attached to the bracket  67 , which in turn is preferably attached to the intersection of the front wall  17  and the second side wall  21 . The ram portion  64  of the second hydraulic cylinder  43  is preferably attached to the bracket  69 , which in turn is attached to the blade  51  of the compacting mechanism  33 .  
         [0038]     The structure of the brackets will be described with reference to the brackets  63  and the bracket  65 . The bracket  63  has a first bracket end  71  and a second bracket end  73 . The bracket end  71  and the bracket end  73  are removably attachable to a surface for supporting the bracket  63 . A bridge  75  joins the first bracket end  71  and the second bracket end  73  and receives the cylinder portion of the first hydraulic cylinder  41 . The cylinder portion  66  of the first hydraulic cylinder  41  engages the bridge  75  while the ram portion  64  of the first hydraulic cylinder  41  engages a bridge  77  of the bracket  65 . Preferably, the first hydraulic cylinder  41  is pivotally attached to the bracket  63  and the bracket  65 .  
         [0039]     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the storage area  29  is divided into multiple compartments for the storage of different types of refuse. In this embodiment, different types of refuse can be segregated within the hopper  31 . Preferably, the compacting mechanism  33  is adapted to displace the different types of refuse into their respective compartments in storage area  29 . Additionally, the position of the barrier separating the multiple compartments in the storage area  29  may be altered to account for different volumes of refuse.  
         [0040]     In operation, to move refuse received through loading opening  32  from the hopper  31  to the storage area  29 , the first hydraulic cylinder  41  and the second hydraulic cylinder  43  extend to force the blade  51  along the curved floor  35  and pivot the compacting mechanism  33  about the longitudinal axis of the bar  61 . As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , as the compacting mechanism  33  advances through hopper  31  along a generally arcuate path, the bottom edge  57  of the blade  51  has minimal clearance with the curved floor  35  such that refuse along the width of the hopper  31  is collected against the face  55  of the blade  51 . Thus, the compacting mechanism  33  is activated such that the integral curved member  59  swings about the longitudinal axis of the bar  61  so as to displace the compacting mechanism  33  from a rest position  33   a  to a deposit position  33   b . While the compacting mechanism  33  is displaced from the rest position  33   a  to the deposit position  33   b , the path of the compacting mechanism  33  and thus the bottom edge  57  of the blade  51  closely tracks the curved floor  35 .  
         [0041]     The movement of the compacting mechanism  33  between the rest position  33   a  and the deposit position  33   b  is occasioned by the extension or retraction of the dual hydraulic press mechanism  39 . As the compacting mechanism  33  displaces the refuse, the shield  53  prevents refuse from contacting the dual hydraulic press mechanism  39 . When the first hydraulic cylinder  41  and the second hydraulic cylinder  43  are fully extended, and the compacting mechanism  33  is in the deposit position  33   b , the blade  51  is at or near the border of the storage area  29  and the hopper  31 .  
         [0042]     As seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the engagement of the first hydraulic cylinder  41  with the bracket  63  and the bracket  65  accommodates the displacement of the compacting mechanism  33  along a generally arcuate path within the hopper  31 . Furthermore, the second hydraulic cylinder  43  extends and retracts in tandem with the first hydraulic cylinder  41  and engages the bracket  67  and the bracket  69  in the same manner as the first hydraulic cylinder  41  engages the bracket  63  and the bracket  65 . The operation of the compacting mechanism  33  in combination with the orientation of the blade  51  propels refuse inwards and upwards, thus tending to fill and compact the entire volume of the storage compartment.  
         [0043]     After numerous cycles of the compacting mechanism  33  within the hopper  31 , it will be necessary to eject refuse from the storage area  29 . This is achieved by the movement of the housing  11  about a pivoting attachment means  25 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , the door  23  is swung into its open position and the housing  11  is elevated from its position on the chassis  5  by elevation means and rotates about the attachment means  47 .  
         [0044]     Numerous modifications may be made to the embodiments as described above without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.  
         [0045]     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the invention a SIDE-LOADING REFUSE COLLECTION AND TRANSPORT VEHICLE WITH COMBINED COMPACTOR that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the invention.