Patent ID: 7275906

Claim:
A waste/recyclables loading system for loading waste or recyclables into a container, said waste/recyclables loading system comprising: a container for receiving waste/recyclables therein, said container having walls extending therealong, said container comprising a transport truck trailer that is positionable at a loading position at a loading station; a waste/recyclables loading device comprising a base portion, a loading tube and a pushing member; said base portion being non-movably positioned at the loading station so as to be substantially non-movable along a support surface of the loading station; said loading tube extending from said base portion and having a discharge end, a longitudinal axis of said loading tube being generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of said container when said container is positioned at the loading station, said container having an opening at a rear end thereof and said container being configured to receive said loading tube through said opening at said rear end of said container and into said container as said container is moved toward the loading position at the loading station, said loading tube being configured to be received in said container when said container is at the loading position such that said discharge end is substantially within said container, said discharge end having a discharge opening that is open at a downwardly facing angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said loading tube; said pushing member being movable within and along said loading tube in response to an actuator to push waste or recyclables along said loading tube to said discharge end and out said downwardly angled discharge opening and into said container; and said loading device further comprising a flange extending radially outwardly and at least partially around said loading tube and generally at or near said discharge end, said flange being angled at a downwardly facing angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said loading tube, said flange comprising at least one plate portion that extends radially outward from said loading tube and at least substantially spans a gap between said loading tube and said walls of said container so as to provide a stop surface at least partially around said loading tube to limit movement of discharged waste or recyclables between said loading tube and said walls of said container and toward said base portion during loading of the waste or recyclables into said container.