CA1142890A - Refuse compaction apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

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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 e 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 and with the fixed end pivotally connected to the storage body. A line 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 all 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. The edge on the packing panel is positioned adjacent to the curved inner surface as the packing panel sweeps through tile 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 septh 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 meovment 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 ///
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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 opeing 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 interconncet the first and second opening of the first motor which means are actuate when the pressure of htdraulic fluid supplied to the first opeing 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 accumlator 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 ///
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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 packing panel is positioned within the loading hopper for rotational movement from a rest position in a working direction in sweeping through teh hopper to compact refuse and to move the refuse through the passage into the refuse container. Means for driving the panel includes drive shaft rotatably supporting the panel and a drive member connected to the panel with the drive member having 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 ///
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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 pressuring 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.
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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 psoition 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 arc provided 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.

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?-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 taigate with teh 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.

Description

~ 2890 This application is a divisional application of

2 Application 319,954, filed January 19, 1979

3 There is a direct correlatioll betweell the affluence and industrialization of a society al-d the ~uantity of refuse which is generated by that society.
6 Tllus, in the industrialized nations, the quantity of 7 refuse which is generated may be many times that 8 generated in a more primitive society.
9 In modern refuse collection apparatus, the --1~ refuse is compacted within a pressurized storage con~
~1 tainer. The storage container may, for example, be 12 moul)t~d on the frame o~ a truck with the tailgate ro-13 tatably secured to the rear of the container. ~ithin the tailgate, there is generally a packing mechani~;m, ~ ~5 wlth refuse being placed in a loading hopper in the .~ lG tailgate and the packing mechanism forcing the refuse 17 under high pressures into the storage container. By 1~ forcinc3 the refuse into the storage containcr under 19 hig~l~ pressuresr the reiuse is compacted 50 thdt a rela-tively large quantity of refuse may be carried within 21 the storage contaLner. This permits the refuse collec-~2 tlon apparatus to function for a long period of time 23 before it becomes necessary to empty the storage con-~l tainer. The time spent in drivlng to a landfill or refuse transfer point to empty the storage container 2G lS time lost from the primary function of the apparatus . ~' in picking up tlle refuse at a home or a business and O l 1 placil-cJ the re~use in a cor~lE)acted form whicll i.s colvenient for its disposal. .~ccordinc~:ly, it is cssential to the 3 iunction of a refuse collection apparatus tllat thc quantity of rcfuse carricd w:ithin the refusc container L)e maxi.mized.
6 To maximize the quanti.ty of refuc;e wllich may bc q packcd under pressure within the re~usc storlc~e colltainer '~ :it has previous:ly been necessary to construct the apparatus 9 of heavy structur.ll members to provide c~reat stren~Jth.
~`his has resulted in the refuse compaction appa~atus beincJ
11 relatively larc3e and heavy. These requirements have in-12 creased the costs of refuse compaction apparatus and ~iave ]-J made the appara-tus a high consumer of cnergy fol~ o?eratio~.
dditionally, the weic~l~t of prcvious re.~usc col.lection ~-5 aljparatus may be injurious to strect suri.accs OVC'L WhiCil G the apparatus .is driven.
17 In addition -to beinc3 relatively heavy alld ex-l& pCIlSi.VC, previous refuse col].ection a~paratus h.ls bcen 19 relatively complicated. In previous apparatus it has ~ X~ c~enerally bcen neccssary to place hydraulic cylinclers on ~1 either .side of the tailc3ate to drive the packinc3 mechanism 22 in forcing the refuse from the loadinc3 hopper into the 23 re~use storac3e container. The weicJht and e7xpense of the 2l l-l,tdraulic cylindlrs have thus, contri.butc(1 to the overall 2~ wci.gllt and expellse of tlle refuse co].lection apl~aratus.
26 ~,dditionllly to control a plurality of hydraulic c~lin-27 ders to insurc ~hat the dri.vinc3 forccs apl)lic(l to eacl ~,0 ~ . 1. 0 1.

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. e;ld of the packin-3 mechallism are sync}lrol-li,(?(l has re-2 quirecl the use of complex hydraulic circuitr~J. 'I~ll s 3 rmay reduce the rel;.abi.lity o-E the reEuse collection apl~aratus, since the reliabili.ty of a coml)le~ mecl-!anism is c3ellerallyinvcrsely proportional to the co!llpl.e;ity G oE ~he mechallisln.
7 In view of the ahove problems, it woulcl l>e 8 desirable if a refuse compaction apparatus cou~.d be 9 provided which would he lic~hter tha3l prcvious a~l)aratus and whicll would consume a smaller quantit~ of ener~y 11 Eor operation. SUCI1 an apparatus would also be cheaper 12 because of the use of li~hter and less e~pensive struc-13 tural members used in its construetion. 't'l~ese woulcl ]~ be consiclerahle advanta~3es in vi~w of tlle ever-illcreasillc-~l5 cost ol: enel-~y i.l~ tlle form o.E oil, gasol~ e ancl other lG ~ossil fuels for operation o~ industrial e~3uipment.
/ ~dditionally, hy being licJhter than previ.ous col.lectior~
lc' apparatus, such an apparatus would be less ialjurious to 19 thc~ pul~lic strec?ts in its operation.
~ In addition to providin~ a re:E~Ise comp~nctioll aç)paratus whicll would be ch~aper and lic~hter, it would be ~ desirable to provide an apparatus WhiCIl would be simpler ~3 ill i.ts construction, and, therefore, more reliable and 2~ less likely to break down. Desirahly, such an app(lratus would provide a mechanical interconnection between the ~u hydrc-llllic motol-s usecl to drive the packinc; mechalli.sm.
2'~ Irhis would serve to.eliminate the previous problems of 2c~

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1 syncllrollizin~ the movemen:t of llydrau].ic cyl:i.ncleli to 2 drive the paekirlg meehan.ism by meails o~ a col~:Lle~
O h~drauli.e eireuit. Also :it would be le~sirabl( if SUCll :
a refuse eomlaction ap3aL-atus eould fUl-Ct:i.(31- ~y drivinc~
t}lc l~ae}~illJ meehanism froM only one end .ill~Ce tl~
6 ~.~ould tc?lld to avoid the mally problelns ~llicll Illa`,' re-;ult 7 from thc use o~ du~lieate drive eylin~ers ~ositi.orcd ~3 at ei~her end of the paeking meehanism whiell cy].inders ~.
9 must be synehrollizc?d in tlleir movelllent In acldition it would be desirab].e i.f a re-P
11 fuse compaetion apparatus~ eould be Irov:ided in whicll the 12 refuse eould be suhjeeted to very~hi.c3h f?rc?ssurc?s l~e.~ore ~ ;

~3 beillc3 p1aeed ~itllill tlle re:~use sto.rage eontai.ner. Tllis ~ ;

would permit the retentloll of hic:l}~ eompaeted refuse Wi~l)i.ll tlle StOra~Je conta1l1er at redueetl pressures. ~`IIC

.sLoragc eontainer eould tllell be made li.gllter ~hil sti.ll 17 p(rformillg i.ts fulletioll of contlining ~ m~:im-lm o~all~.ity 18 oE refuse to reduee the amount of lost time re(luirecl to 19 ~periodieally empty the eontainer.

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1 Summary of the Invcl1tion -In ~)rovicling a solution to tlle a~oreli~cntionecl

4 problems the present invention provides a refuc;e com~
~act1o1l apparatus whieh is relatively lic1ht in WeiC311t, iS
G ~relatively ine~pel1sive and is also less cor1~lex than 7 ~revious refuse compae-tion apparatus. ~ccordin(3ly the reuse compaetio1l apparatus 03 the invention is a~ irably 9 suited for meetincj the eomplex~problems posed l~y tl1e con-tradietory~demands~o providing eficient and unifo1m ll compaction of refuse at hig11 pressures wliile reducinc~
12 the weight and complexity of the apparatus and the energy 13 required for its operation.
l4 One a~spect~o~ the invention conee311s a rc~use 1~5 cOn1pact~ J apl~aratus~in w11ic11 a passage haVi.llg a narrowe~
hroat is positioned between a eontainer for storincl re~

-17 fuse uncler pressure and a loading ho~pper. Re~use eompac~
ing means may be positioned to~sweep throu~3h the hopper ~ ~
19 ~to com~)act refuse ~nd to move the reuse f-rom the l~oadi11c7 ~ `;
hopper into the storage cont.~iner. As the lefus~ is rnovecl 21 tilrough the passaye by the refuse eom~actinc3 means the refus~e may be squeezed and subjected to very hig1-1 localiz~cl 3 pressures within the narrowed throat dS the refuse ~assos throug11 the narrowecl throat.
~ movable ejeetion pa1lel~may be positioned with-2G in the stora~e container, with the panel bcing movable ~rom 27 a position adjacent the passac7e when the containe1 is empty i L ~) .f E3~3D

to a position displaced from the passacJe wllen the con-2 tainer is full. Means may be provided to control. the 3 movement of the ejection panel away from thr~ paC;saqe in :-~L response to thr ~ressure of refuse whi.ci~ is exerted ; 5 acJainst the panel. Thus, as refuse is moved illtO thc~
G contailler from the passage, the refuse may bc pac}~ed 7 a~ainst the panel until the pressure of rcfuse agaillst a the ejection panel exceeds a pr-determinecl level witl~
~ 9 the pallel then being moved an incremental distanc:e to a new position to reduce the pressure of refu~;e against 11 the panel. Additional refuse may thrll be pac~;ed ac3ainst 1~: the ejectioll panel in its new position until the pressure 13 agc--linst the panel exceeds the predetermi.ned level. with the panel beinc3 acJain moved an increnlental clistallce to ~5 a ncw pOSitiOIl, c~tc., such that the alterllate pac~incJ of lG refuse and moviny of the ejection panel is contlllue(l until 17 the storaye container is uniformly filled wlth refuse.
lcB Tile passacJe leadlng from the loading hoL)~er 19 lnto the refuse contai.ner may include a surface at thr-~
: :
;20 elllargecl openillcJ from the passage into the storage con-tailler WlliCIl surface imparts movement of the refu;e that ~ ,................................................................. .
r~r~ i S directed toward the panel. ~dclltlona]ly, the pressure 23 e.Yerted on the refuse passing through the narrowed throat 2~1 witllin the passagc may c3reatly exceed the pressure wlllc}
ls exer.ted by refuse ac3ainst the ejection parlel and the 2G lnterlor of the refuse storaqe contai.ner. ~ccordi.rlqly, ~7 the higll locallzc~d l~ressures whiclllllay be e~ertc~d on 2a ///

~1 2~3i'~ ;

refuse as it passes throuc~h the narrowe~d tlll-oclt withi~
2 the passage ne~d not be trallsmitted to thc interior of ~ -3 the storage contairler.
4 It is desirab1e that the pressures oE the refuse clirected throucJh the narrowed throat of tlle passa~Je be 6 rccJuk~tecl. IE the pressures exerted on thc rcEuse in the 7 narroved throat are excessive, the movemellt oE the refuse throll~3il tile~ narrowecl throat oL the passacle tends to l~ecome g b1Ocliecl. On the other hand, if the pressures exertec' on the 10 refuse in the narrowed throat are not sufElcicnt, a relative1y 11 little amount of compaction or Eragmentation is proclucecl on 12 th~ re[use in the narrowed~throat.~ The rec3u1ation oE th~e 13 pressures on the reEuse in the narrowed throat is provicled by controlliDcJ the pressure oE the refuse i~n the storacle l i l.)o(ly. ~ ell the L)rcssure ol~ the reEuse oll tllc e jCCtiC)I~ pallellC ~in tlle storacJe bocly reaches a first ~particular valuc, thc ~ ;
17~ ejection panel lS moved in a direction to relieve such pressure. Such n~ovement of the ejection panel occurs on 19 an ln~remental bas~s untll the press~ure oE the:refuse a~3alnst tlle ejection par-el de~reases to a second particular value 2~1 lo~er than ~he first particular value.
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22 The al:~ility to recJulate the pressure of the refuse~
23 in the narrowed~throat of the passacJe by recJulatin~J the 2~ ~ pressure exerted hy the reEuse against the ejection panel ~5 can be SCell from the fol~lowin(~. For e:~alllple, the pressure ~v oE th~ refuse acJainst the ejection pancl correspollcls to the ?~7 i~ressul.e of the reÇuse ln tlle enlarged openi~ J in the passa~le ~3 at a pOsitiOIl adjacent to the storaye l~ody.; ~urtherlnore, 2(~ ///
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1 the pressure in the en1arc3ecl openirlg causes a J~ac}; pressure 2 to be exerted a~ainst the refuse in tl~e naLl.o~ed throat to control the pressure of the refuse in the narrowc?d throat.
~5 d resu1t the pressurc of the reEuse in the narrowecl throat of -the passaye is directly related to thc ~ressure ~, 6 oF. the re~use acJainst the ejection pane1. Il~ this ~7ay a 7 servo aCtiOII iS obtainecd for prov~dincJ an optirilcl1 churning, , c~ frac31nentation ancl compaction of the refusc a~s the reEuse c3 is direc-ted through the narrowecl throat.
-~ ~10 In movincJ~ refuse from the 1Oading }-lopper throucJh .~ .
the passage into the refuse storage container a movab1e 12 retainer panel may be positioned for rnovement betweell a Eirst 13 position in whicli the retainer pane1 is positionecl away from 1~ the passacJe and a second position in WhiCIl tlle retailler panel 15 at 1ea5t partially blocks the passclge. Wllc`tl thc~ rctuse 15 compactin3 means is moved away from the passacJe the retainer 17 pane1 may be moved to its second positi.on to i.mpccle t}-~e move-lc~ mellt of the refuse Erom the passage bac~ into t}le 1OadillcJ

19 hopper~. ~dditiona11y as the retainer pane1 mc)vès from its 20 first posltion to its second position t}~e retailler pallo1 may 21~be~s}laped~and positioned to s~Jeep refuse from the refuse ~22 compactincJ~means during this movemcnt~wlth thc refuse swept 23 frorn~the refuse compacting means being moved into ~the passaye 24 by the retainer pane1.

~ith the retainer panel in its first position w}lich 2~ does not impecle the movement of refuse from the loadillcJ hopper 27 throu(]h thc? L~assacJe into the stora~e contail-lcr the rctailler ~ `

2C~J l~ane1 may include a surface whicll merges into and forms an 29 extension of the surface of the passac;e. The conficJuration of the retainer panel may, thereby, assist the movement of 31 the rcfuse into tlle passac3e from the loaclillcJ hopper.

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1 In anotller as~cct of the invent:iorl a refuse 2 compacting apparatus may be ~rovided in wnic}1 a movable panel is positioned ~ithin a storaye body for refuse.
support member for the movable panel;may~ ilaVC` a nlOVablC' cnd and a fi.Yed elld with the fixed en(l pivotally con-G n(ctcc3 to t:hc storacIc body. ~ :lin3~ may COllTlCCt tllC' 7 movable end of the support member to -the movable pancl sucll that movelllel-t o~ the panel causes pivotal movement 9 of thc support member. Means may be providecl to transmit lU a force to tl1e~lnovable panel~from a point on the support 11 member which is posiTioned intermediate the fi~ed end and 12 the movable end. As the~panel under~oes movement within 33 the support body to cause rotationcll movenIerlt oE tl~e ; support member tne intermediate point 011 tlle support nerllbcr may therllIlove in an arcuate path in the clilectiorl ~ :
of movemcnt of tlle panel. The means;to~traln;;nit a fnrce ~: ~ r1 from the support member to the movable panel may comprise l3 a hydraulic cy]inde;r having one end connected to thc inter- ;

19 mediate point on the support mem~er and t~le o~her encl COIl-;nected to the movable l~ancl. ;The expallsion of thc hydrau~
'~
lic cylinder may th-ls~ caus;e movement of the~panc~ a~a~

22 ~fro;n the flxed eIld of the support menlber whlle contraction 23 of the hydraulic cylinder~may cause movement~of the par~el 1 toward the~fixecd cnd of the support member.

~ The intermediat~ poinL on the support mc;Il}~cr ;nay 2G be positiol-ed out of aligrlrnellt t~ith the fixed and movable ~7 cnds of the supiort men~er witl1 the fixed aIld movable ends 29 //j ` ~ 1~1L42~390 lyin~ 0l1 a straiqht line and the movable panel bein(;
2 positioned -transverse to the strai.ght line. ~he inter-3 mediate point on the support member may th?l1 be positioned '~ transversely with respect to the stralcJht line but :in a direction opposite to the position of the pan?] ./itl1 G respect to the straight line. The support member may 7 have a generally triangular configuration ith tl1e fixed 8 eJ1d and the movable end of the support membcr lyincl at 9 two of the apices of a triangle. The intc rmediate point lO on the support member may~ then lie at tl1i? otl1er apc.~.
, ll of tlle trianyle. The pànel may be positioned transversely 12 to a line through the fixed and movable ~el1ds ~ith the ~3 intermediate pOillt being positioned tra1 sversely to the - line but in a directiol1 opposite to the~ pos:ition 03 the '5 l al1el Witl1 respect to the lil1e.
16 The ref-use storage bocly may have an o~on end and 17 a closed end with~ the movable panel formin3 a closure or lc~ the open end. The gei1erally triangular support member may '-9 then be position?cl adjacent to ~the open end with th - -2~ intermediate-point ape~ of the support member~e~ctendil1c3 21 outside of the storage~body through said open end. In tl1is " " ~ .
manner tl1e movable panel may be positionec1 more closely 23 ad~acent to the open end with less interference from the 21 position of the means to transmit force from the support m-~mber to the panel.
?6 l~s a further aspect of tlle invention a refuse ?7 compacti11g apparatus may be provided ia1 ~l1iCI1 a loa(lil1c 2c3 ",;,",. ,., 1)- 1 1. 0 :1 ~ r ~
42~39~

1; }~opper is in communication with a contaiIler for s tor1ng refuse under pressure. ~ refuse compactinc~J means lnay be 3 positioned to swecp through the loading hopper to compact refuse therein ancl to move the refuse from the loading hopper into the storac3e container. 1~ retai.ner paIle1 6 may be positioned to move bett~een an opeIled and a c1Osed 7 ~os1tion with the retainer panel impeding the f1O~ of a refuse from the storage container into tlie ho~er t~1th 9 t:he retainer pane1 1n its closed position ancl permittirly the flow of refuse from ~he hopper .i.nto tIle s~toracJe con- ;
tainer by the refusc compactIng means ~1th the ret:ai.ner 12 palIe1 in its opened position. Control means may be 13 provided to move the retainer panel to an opened position 1~} t~hi1e moving the refuse compactinc3 mealIs th~:ough the ho~
15 pr to move refuse from the hopper into the storac3e con-lG tain~er. The contro1 means may also func~tion to move the `
17 ret~liner panel. to a closed position ~1hi1e returninc3 the :
18 relus~e cornpacting means to a return~ position to ~egin 19 sweeping tIlrough the~ loadlng hopper~
ln providing control of the movement of the 21 retainer ~ane1 and the refuse compacting means a source 22 Of pressurized hydrau1ic f1uld may be used to drive a 2; f irst hydrau1ic motor means that is operatively co;nnected 2~ ~o the retai ner palle1 and a second hydrau1ic motor means ~llicll is operatively connected to the refuse compactinc~
2G IlleallS. ~ first va1ve means may contro1 the f1O~ of hy~
27 draulic f1~li.cl to tIle first motor means in mov:ing tlIe ~:

v O

428~ .;
1 retainer pane1 between an opened ~nd a closed positioll.
2 A second valve means may control the flow o~ draulic -~ 3 fluid to the second motor means in moving the refuse compacting means tllrough the loading hop?er to s~!~eep re-fuse from the hoppe.r and to then return to a return :~ ~ 6 position to beyin sweeping throuqh the~ hopper. Maal1s may ~; 1 be provided to move the first and second valves in unison ; 8 to first direct hydraulic fluid to the fi.rst motor means ; 9 before directing hydraullc fluid to the second motor means.
In this manner, the retainer panel may undcrcJo mov~mcnt 1 before movement of the refuse compactlng means. .
12 Coupled with the movement of the rcfuse compac-.~
1~ ting means and the retainer panel, an ejecti.on panel m~y 1~ be positioned ~nithin the storaye container. ~leans rnay be ~; lS provic1ed to move the ejection panel in small :increr~1ei1ts 1~ within the storage container in response to the pressure .
17 o:E re~use against the ejection panel. Thus, as refuse .

~ 1~ i.s moved into the storage container and pac~ed against the .

:~ 19 ejection panel Lhe e]ection panel may be incremen~ally moved to enlarge the available volume for StorlnCJ reeuse ; 21 ~ithin the storage container. A third hydlaullc motor ~ " " .
means may be connected to the ejection panel an~d means may :

23 be:provided to sense the pressure of hydraullc eluld wit}1in the second motor means as the refuse compacting means sweeps throucJli the loading hopper. ~1eans m~y be 26 provided ~o momentarily dump hydraulic fluid from the thlrd 27 motor meal-s when the sensed pressure within -the second 29 /// .-.

~ ~4~8~
1 Motor means exceeds a predetermined pressure level to 2 move the ejectioi~ panel a small incremental distance 3 and, thereby, to reduce thc pressure of refuse against the ejection panel.
The first valve means and secon(l valve mealls 6 may be positioned in a series relation Wi~]l respe~ct to 7 the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid. Further, e first valve means may be positioned betwee~ll the ~9 second valve means and the sou}ce of pressurized~hydrau1ic 10 flulcl with the first valve means returninq to its neutral '~' l1 position after movement of the first and second va1ve 12 means in unison. The second vàlve means may then rece,~ve 13 hydraulic fluid from the source of pressurized hyclrau1ic l~ fluid such that movcment of the retaincr pa1lc1 may pr~-?- , iS ccde~movemellt of the packincJ mealls ~Yitllill the loaclincJ `, ~lopper.

17 In a further aspect of the invention, therc is lo ~rovi~ed a rcfuse compactincJ apparatus Eor storing refus~

9 under pressure, a loading hopper in communication with 20 ~he storaye contaiAcr and a packlng pane1 mounted for 21 movement through the 1Oading hopper to s~eep through tlle ~`-22 ~hopper in compacting refuse therein and in moving refuse 23 from the loading hopper into the storage contailler. Tl1e loadinJ hopper may include a curved inner surface with a sill on the loadinq hopper over which refuse may be in-26 serted into the lloE)per. Thc packing pa,llel may hclvc an ~' cdgc ~hicll is positioned adjacent to the curved surfac(?
2a ///

~ 2~ 0 1 within the loadincJ hopper as the packincJ pane] s~eeps 2 throuc3h the loadinc3 hopper. Mcans may be providecl to 3 maintain a minim~ distance between the edc3e Ol1 tl1e 4 packiny panel and the curved surface or1 -the hopper at a point which is adjacen-t to the sill which rninilm~m 6 clistance may he slightly greater tharl the depth of a t human finc;er.
8 Additionally, the means to maintain a mirlilrlurn 9 clistance betwec!l1 the edye of the packinc~ ianel and the 1~ inncr curved surface o~ the hopper may ilicrea-je the ll mlnimum dlstance sIic3htly as the packincJ panel sweeps 12 pas~ the sill and throug}1-the hopper. Tlle minimum 13 spacinc~ l~etween the edc3e of the packinc3 pal1cl and ~he curved inl1er surface of the loading hopper of the sill L5 nla~ reduce forccs appliec1 to the sill durinc3 clowl1~ard ~ -16 ~movement of the pac~ing panel while also protectiny the lr/ worker's finc3ers. The increased minimum spacillcl ~e-18 tweell the edye of tlle packiny panel~and the curvcd inner ~ ~-9 sur~ace of the ho~per as the panel sweeps throuyh the ; loadlncJ hopper may provide a grlppillg forc~on refllse 21 ~caught between the ed~3e o~ the packing panel and the .
2 curvcd inner surface of the hopper whicl1 force may pull 23 refuse over the sill and into the hopper as the pallel 2~ sweeps through the hopper.

~ furtiler aspect of the invention concerrnj a 2~ refuse compacting apparatus havincJ a p~nel positioned for 27 .~or:inc~ overnent in a ~irst direction and a re:Latively ~ ,~- 1 .L () I

~ ~14;~9C) large first hydraulic motor for drivincJ the panel ill thc first direction. The panel rnay undc?rcJo return movement 3 in a second direction and a relatively smal1 second hy-draulic motor may drlve the panel in said .;ecolld direc--~ S tion. ~ source of pressurized hydrau1ic fluid may drive 6 the flrst and second hydraullc motors with mcallb mecha cally interconnectlng the first and seconc3 mo-ors ~;uch ~3 that movement of th~ first motor to drive tlle pallel in ::
9 said flrst direction causes movement of the second mo-tor in a~ direction opposite to lts~movernent to drive the panel~ l the second directlo~n~. Slmilar~ly,~movement of ~12 ~the second motor ~to~drlve t~he panel in said secc)nd direc-13 tion may ca~ise movement of the first motor in a direci:ion 1~1 opposite to its moVeMent in drivinc3 the panel in saicl 15~ first direction.~ ~ -lG The first motor may have a first oponill(3 alld a ; 17 second opening ~7ith the second motor also llavlncJ a first o~ening ~16~ and a second openinc3. Means~ may be provicled for COnneCtincJ
19~ ~the second opening of the first motor with the second opellln3 of the second motor, sump~ mcans to receive hydraulic ~ ;
2l~ fluid and means connecting~the second opening of the first -22 rmotor and the second opening of the second motor to the 23 sump means. Valve means may be positloned~bet~een the ~2~ first and second mot~ors ~and the~means~ to supply pressurl~ed ?~5 hydraulic fluid ~ith tlle valve means having a first opera- -~
2G tive pOSitiOIl to diroct pressuri~ed hydraulic fluicl to the ~2 ~ j - J. 1. ~) .L
",'-.',: :,' .
~142~0 . first o~en.iIlg of the first motor to eause movemeIlt of the 2 first motor to drive the pane1 in said fi.rst direction.
3 ~ith the valve means in its first operati.ve positi.on hy-draulie fluid may also be transmitted from the first openillg of the se-co3ld motor to the sump as tI~e second motor ~: G is movecl in a direction opposite to its movement wher 7 drivinq the pane1 in sald~second direetion. IIydrau1ic fluid .
may also f1O~ from -the second oyenincJ oF tIIe first MotOr 9 into:the seeond ojening of the second rnotor c~ncl may also .
;10 f1Ow into the sump as the first motor moves to drive the : :
:~ 11 paIle1 in said first direetion.
~ : :
12 The valve rneans may also have a second operative i3 position to direct hydrau1ie f].uid to the first openincJ of the seeond motor to eause movement of the seeond motor to : .
] 5 d2^iV(? i:llC pallC.l i.ll sclid second direetion and to cause movc~
lG ment of the firs-t motor in a direction opposite to its 17 Movement when driving the panel in sai.d first di;reetion.
The valve means in~ its seeonci operative position may trans-19 mi.t hydraulic fluLd from the first opening of the first motor to the sump. ~ Mean~s may aIso be provided to inte~r-21 eonIlect the first and seeond openings of the first rnotor when the pressure: of hydraulie 2-iuicl supplied to the first 2 J o~ening of the second motor reaehes a predetermined pressure 24 1eve1 to permit hydraulie fluid to flow from t}~e flrst op o- ::
ing of -the first motor into the second opcIlillg of the first 26 motor. In this manner the second motor may aet as an ~ ;
~7 accumu1ator for hydr.aulie fluid from tlle :fi.rst r.loLor when :.
2~3 L i u 1.
~1~2~390 tll~ first rnotor is clriving the pane1 in i s first diree-2 t:iOI~ and the secollcl motor is moving in a direction PE)-3 site to its movelnent when driving the pclrle1 i n saitl seeond clireetion.
;~ ~ Additiona11y the first motor may aet as i ts 6 own aceumulator of ilydraulie fluid wllen the second motor is driviny the ~ane1 ln salcl seeoncl direetioll and the ~3 first motor is movillg in a direetion op~osite to its `~
9 moveil~ent wllen dx iviny the pane1 in its irst direction 10 The first~ motor in aetiny as its o~rn aceulllu1ator may 11 discharc3e hydrauLie fluid through the first E)enirll whieh may be eonveyecl baek into the seeond opt-~nincJ i n 13 the first motor. In the refuse eompaetll-q apa aratus ` ~lle first motor may be a relatively 1arge hyclrau1ie evlin-a clc r l~avin(J a first piston whieh separates t~le first and ~1~ seconcl openings wit:llin the first motor. l`he seeond motor 17 may l~e a re1ative1y small hydraulie ey1inder wllieh inc1udes e a seeond piston th.~t separates the first and second open-19 ~ ~ inCJs ill the second motor . ~ ~
~ further aspeet of the invention eoneerns a 21 reruse compaetion apparatus having ~ a refuse conLailler a 22 loadlnc3 hopl er and a passage from the 10ading hor per into 23 the refuse contalner. A paeking par el may be positioned 2~ within the loading hopper for rotationa1 movement from a r :~ ~J rest position i n a working direetion in sweepin~ throucJh 2G the 10ading hopper to eompaet refuse therein alld to move 27 the refuse through the passage into tlle rel~ur;e eontailler.
2~3 ~0 ~leans may be provided for driving the ~acking panel which 2 include a drive shaft rotatably supporting the packinc3panel and a drive member connected to the panel. ~ihe drive member may include a drive surface Wit]l a drive ~-lever connected to the drive member.
:
6~ ~ flexible drlve member having a drivinq ~nd and ~;~
~ ;~ 7 a fixed end may be connected to the drive lever throug}
; ~ said fixed end whl~le a motor is connected to thc driving ~ 9 end. Tlle flexible drive member may be positionèd to con-:
tact tlle drive surface in driving ~the packing panel during ovement of~the~packing;panel ln a workii~g direction from 12 its rest positlon durlng the lnitial pOrtlOIl~ of its~move~
~3 merlt through the hopper. The flexible clrivc member may ]~ then move`out of contact with the drive surface to drive ~ ac~ir~cJ panel~through the conllectioll ~etweell ~he fic~d ]G end of the flexible drlve member and the drive lever~durinc 17 the latter portion of the movement of the pac?~incJ panel in 18 a ~orking direction through said hopper.
19 ~ ~ The drive surface may have a con~tallt radius suc}i that contact of the flexible drive member~with the drive 21~ ~surfnce drives the~packing~panel with a force vhlch lS
2~ applied through a constant~moment arm whose dlstance~is 23 determined by the radlus. Durlng movement of the packlng 2~ panel through the loading hopper the flexible drive mem-2~ ~er may contact the drive surface during rotation of the 2G drive member throuc3h an angle of about 158 witll the~
27 1e~ible drive membeL then moving out o~ COlltaCt with tho ~ D-~.101.
~ 2~9~

l drive surface to drive the panel d.ireetly t}rough the 2 drive lever and to apply a progressive force to the 3 panel durinc~ rotation of tlle drive lever throucj}l an angle of about 90.
The l~aekiny panel may be rotatable in a re-6 turn direetion towards its rest position after s~eel~inc 7 throu3ll the hopper in a working direetion. A second ~:
8 flexible drive mebmer havincJ a drivlnc3 end and a fi.Yed :
9 encl may have its f~ixed end conneeted to the dri.ve sur-aee~and its driven end eonnected to a second motor. ;~
:: ll Tlle second flexible drive member may thereby impart 12 rotational movement of the paeklng panel in movinJ the 15 panel in a return direetion to said rest position. In l~ drivinc3 the paekin3 panel in a workiny direction and in ~5 a re~urn directioll wi-th the flexible drive melllbcl. ~nc~
- 16 t~le second flexible drive member the connectlon of the l7 fixed end of the flexible drive member to the drive e levqr and eonneetion of the fi.xed end of the second ; 19 flexible drive member to a point on the drive sur- : ;
face with the conllections of the fixed ends of tile fle.\ible drive member and the seeond fleYille drive -~ ; 22 membe~r being displaced a suffleient distance relati.ve 23 to the drive surface to eoncurrently permit un~indinc3 ~1 of the flexible drive mernber from the drive surLace ~5 and ~indinc3 of the second flexible drive member oltO
the drive surface as the paekinc3 panel is moved in 27 a workin(3 directioll.. ~lso the said displaeemcllt 2c~ may concurrently permit unwindillg of the second flex- :
29 i.ble dri.v~ mer!lber :Erom the drive surface and windinc3 . 30 I)-l.LU.L

2l~

of the flexible drive member onto the drivc surface as 2 the E~ac}iinc3 panel is moved in a return clirection to-~ard 3 its re :t position.
1~ further aspeet of the invention concerlls a

5 refuse compaction apparatus w}lieh inc1udes a hopper ancl

6 a pane1 whicll is rotatably positioned for movemcllt

7 througll the hop~er. The pane1 may have a body ~1i th a

8 yeneral1y elliptieal eonfiguration, and a hlcJh tor~uc-

9 transmittinc3 eapabiIity. Drive means for thc pane~ m;ly

10 be eonnected to only one end of the panel SUCIl that a

11 rotational forcc- may be applied to the panel at said one

12 end Witll tlle rotatlonal foree being trallsmitted throuc ~3 out the panel by the ~3lliptieal body.
1~ furt}ler aspeet of the inventioll concerlls a 15 rc-~fuse eontaincr for storiny refuse uncler pressure, a lG loadill3 hopper, a l)assac3e leading from tlle loading hopper 17 into the eontainer, and a paeking pane1 rotatably posi-

13 tioned within the hopper to move from a rest pOSitiOll in 19 a wor}iinc3 direction to sweep throuc311 t~he hopper to com-20 pact refuse witllin the hopper and to move the refuse from 21 the hopper throuyh the passaye and into the eontainer.
2 The packincJ panel~ may be movable in a return clirection 23 to return the panel to its rest p~sition with mo~tor means 2~ conneeted to the palle1 for providing movement thereof.
25 Control means may bo operatively eonnccted to the motor 2G n~cans to provide movement of the panel in a workinc~ direc-27 tiOIl and movcmellt oi the panel in a returll clircction.
2c3 ///

3~.

--2~3--2~3~30 The control means may have a neutral position in which the motor means is inactivated with the control means being movable to a first position in which the motor means is activated to move the packing panel in a working direction.
The control means may also be movable to a second position in which the motor means is activated to move the packing panel -in a return direction. Actuating means may be provided to return the control means from its first position or its second position to its neutral position with the actuating means being operably connected to the packing panel. The actuating means may have a third position when the panel is in its rest position and a fourth position when the panel has moved completely through the hopper in a working direction. The panel may occupy a pinch-point position with respect to the hopper with the panel moved into close proximity with the hopper during movement of the hopper in a working direction.
The actuating means may have a fifth position when the~panel is in its pinch-point position with the control means having a manually actuable override to disengage the control means and actuating means when the actuating mean~
lS in its fifth position. The actuating means may move the control means from its first position to its neutral position to stop the panel at its pinch-point position when the actuating means is in its fifth position and the override is unac~uated. Additionally, the actuating means may move the control means from its first position to its neutral position J~ L~l ;, hen the aetuatin~ means is in its fourth pOSitioll and the 2 packiny pallel has comp]eted its movemellt in a working 3 direction. Also th2 aetuatiny means may l-nove tlle control ~nealls Erom its second posit.ion to its neutlal positicn when tlle actuatinc~ mealls is in its thil-d position and -the 6 panel has completed its movement in a rcturn directioll.
7 A further aspect of the inventioll concerlls a rcEuse compaetion apparatus haviny a contailler for storiny 9 refuse under pressure and means for pressurizillJ rcfuse ] within the container. A first rigid frame may be posi-11 tioned at one end of the container with a second rigic~
12 frame positioned at the other end of the container.
3-~ ~lurality of longitudinal rigid members may intercollllect

14 the first and second frames. ~ plurality of fle.Yible metal sheet members may enelose the eontailler with thc lG sheet members bc?ing supported by the Eirst and second 17 frames ancl the lonc3itudinal ric3id members. ~he fle~;ible 1~ shect members may eaeh be bowed outwardly at. their pOilltS
19 of support. In tllis manner the sheet members may be placed in tension in resisting pressures wit}lin the 21 container.
?2 A further aspeet of the inventioll concerns a 23 refuse compaction ap~aratus wllieh may inelude a contailler 21 Eor storin~ refuse under pressure and a tailyate rotatably mounted on the eontainer for movemen-t between all openecl alc] a closed position. ~ith the tailgate in its opelled 27 pc) ition reEuse Illcly be ~1iscllarycd Erolll the ccntailler ~Jl r 1, 1 (),1 1 and with the taik~ate in its closed position a closure 2 may be ~ormed between the tailgate and thc storage con-~ tainer. In.fixing the pOSitiOII of the tailgate with 'L r.esr,ect to the refuse contailler with the taikJate in its closed position a latch member may encJage a keeper 6 melllber. ~leans ma~ be provided to impart rotational 7 movement to tlle latcll member to position the latch member at a location where i.t may make contact with the kceper 9 member. Additiollally means may be provided to impart translational movement to the latch melllbcr after i~s 11 rotational movemellt to move the latch member into contact 12 with the keeper member and to mailltain the tailgate in a 13 closed posi.tion.
1~ A further aspect of the invelltion concerns a refllse compactiol apparatus includ:ing a container for 1~ storing refuse under pressure, a tailgate rotatably mounted 17 on the COntailler for movem~nt between an opened and a ~-~ closed positi.on and the tailgate including a hopE~er to 19 receive refuse. ~ packing means may he positioned witllin the loading hopper to move the refuse from the hopper into ~1 the storage container with the tailgate in its closed ~2 posi tion. Drive means may be provided to drive tlle packing 23 means in moving refuse from the hopper into the storage ~ container. The tailgate in its closed position may be in abutting relation witll the refuse storage container to form 2G a closure therewitll and tl-e tailgate in its opened posi-2 ~ tion Illay be rotated upwardly to expose the storage contailler 2~ for discharge of refuse therefrom.

~L~4~t~9~
~ . .
1 . The drive means may be position~d oll one side 2 of the tailc~ate to dr.ive the paekincJ means ~rom sai.cl one 3 side. The wei~jht of saicl one side o~ the tailc~ate may A~ t}lC'Il be greater t]~an the weight of the ot}ler side oF
~ the t:ailgate. ~n upper beam may be providccl within the 6 tailgate with t:he tailgate being rotatab~.y connceted to q the storacJe eonl-ailler througll said u~yer i)eam. rl`he~ upper l~eam may inelude a stiffeller assembly posi.tionecl acljaeent 9 to tlle rotatable eonneetioll of the heavier one side of the tailgate to the storage eon-tainer. rhe stiffeller Ll assembly may have a eonfiguratioll whie}l provi.des a hi.cJ}
12 resistanee to t:orclue. Thus when a lifting foree is 13 ayplied to the tailgate for raising t}-~e tailgate to i.ts 1~ opened position the foxee may be translllitted tll.roug}l ]5 the Upyel beam with thc twistincJ forees appliecl t:o t}le lG upper beam by the weight of the heavier one side of t}le 1~ t:ailyate ~eing resisted by the stiffeller assembly~

lc~

,~

2~ ..
~7 2c~

3].

.. ., . L)--1 ]. O ~.
2~

1 The Drawings 3 To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventioll, reference is made to the ac~companyillc3 drawinys in which:
6 Fic3. 1 is a slde elevational view of a yarbage '7 truck utilizing a refuse compactiny apparatus of the in-8 vention;
9 Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a garbdye truc~ illustrating the movement of an ejection panel within 11 the s~oraye container hy a conventional hydraulic cylinder 12 that is supported by a pivotal mountiny which imparts trans-13 lational movement to the cylinder that is in the same 1~ direction as the movement of the ejection ~)anel;
Fiy. 3 is a side sectional view oE the tailyate lG structure posi~ioned at the rear of the ~storaye container 17 as S~10WIl in Fiq. 1 with a side plate for the tailyate re-18 moved to illustrate the position of hydraulic cylinders 1~9 therein for moviny a packing panel throucJh a loadinc~ hop-peri 21 Fig. ~ is an elevation detailed view of a packiny ~2 panel and a portion of the drive mechanism for tlle panel, 23 viewed from the rear of the tailgate as illustrated in 2~ FiCJ. li Fig. 5 is an end elevational view, partly in sec-26 tion, of the packing panel taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

2~ ///

~2 ,,", l~42~

l Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 2 6--6 of Fig. 4;
3 Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 4 7--7 of Fig. 4;
~ Fig. ~ is a sectional view taken along line 6 8--~ of Fic~. 4;
q Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a re-~ tainer panel and retainer panel cylinder illustrating 9 the movement of the retainer panel ~etween an opellec~
and a closed position;
11 Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the tail-12 gate and drive mechallism, siMilar to Fig. 3, with the 3 packing panel in a rest position arld thc retainer panel 1~ in a closed position;
Fig. 11 is a side elevational view, similar to 1~ Fig. 10, illustrating the movement of the re-tainer panel 17 in a working direction through the loading hopper;
1~ Fig. 12 is a side elevational view, similar to 19 Figs. 10 and 11, illustrating the position of tlle pack-ing panel at its pinch-point location after mov~ment o~
21 the panel in a working direction until the lower edge ;of ~2 the packing panel is posit-ioned closely adjacent to a curved inner surface of the loading hopper at a point adjacent to the sill of -the loading hopper;
Fig. 13 is a side elevational view, similar to 2G Figs. 10-12, illustrating the position of the packing 27 pal-lel after movement of the packing pallel in a workillg :::
12i~

lirec:tioll tlll-oucJ'l the loaclinc3 hoE~per to f~orce refuse through a passage having a narrowed throat ancl thell into 3 the refuse storing container with very hicJIl ~ressures beiny exerted on -the refuse as it passes tllrough t~le 5 throat;
6 ~'ig. 14 is an elevational view takell along line q l~ of Fig. ] illustrating the appearance of t~le tail-gate as viewed from the rear;
9 Fig. 14a is a sectional view ta};ell aloncJ line 14a--14cl of Fig. :14;
11 Fig. 14b is a detailed sectional view takell aloncJ
12 line 14b--14b of Fig. 14;

13 Fig. 14c is a detailed view, partially in section, 1~ of the top beam for the tailyate illustratillc3 a stiffellincJ
assembly incor~orated into tlle bc!am for. resi!,tillc3 t~istinc~
1~ forces imparted to -the beam by the weic;llt of the relatively ~-7 lleavy drivinc3 mecllanism for the packing panel illustrated 18 at t~-le left in FiCJ. 14;

19 ~ig. 14d is a sectional v:iew taken along line 14d--14d of Fig. 14c to illustrate the structure of the 21 stiffeninc3 assernbly within the top beam;
~2 Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15--15 2~ of ~iy. 1 to illustrate the structure of the refuse storage 2~ container and the manner in which flexible plates rnay be utilized in forming walls of the container with the plates .. .
26 being bowed outwardly to be placecl in tension as pressures 27 are applied to -the interior of the refuse container;

~0 ,L .LUl `- ~14~891Q

Fig. 16 is a view taken along line 16--16 of 2 Fig. 1 to illustrate the inner appearance of the tail-cJate;
Fig. 16a is a sectional view taken along line l~a--16a of Fi~. 16 to illustrate the configuration of 6 a seal utili7ed in sealing the tailgate to the refuse q storage container when the tailgate is lowered to a closed position;
9 Fig. 17 is an elevational view of the refuse 1~ storaCJe container as viewed from inside the storage 11 body;
12 Fig. 17a is a sec-tional view taken alonc~ line 13 17a--17a of Fig. 17;
14 Fig. 18 is a rear view of the refuse storage

15 body, as viewed from the rigllt in Fig. 1, Wit}l the tailgate 1~ removed for clarlty of illustration;
17 Fig. 18a is a sectional view taken alonc~ line 18 18a--18a of Fig. 18;
19 ~ig. 19 is a partial elevational vie~ of the tail-20 gate as viewed from the riyht side in Fig. 1~ to illustrate 21 a control mechanism for causing movement of the packing 22 panel, coupled with a stop mechanism connected to the pack-23 ing panel for returning the control mechallism to a neutral positioll;
Fig. 19a is a partial detailed view tak~n aloncJ

2~ line 19a--19a of Fig. 19;

~7 I'ig. 20 is ~n elevatioll view takc~ll along line 2~ 20--20 of Fig. 19;

"' ~ 1 0 1, 428~
,~
1 Fig. 21 is an elevational view of control rods 2 positioned withiJl the tailgate whose movelnent is con-3 trolled ~y movement of the control mechanism of Fig. 19;
4 Fig. 21a i5 a sectional view taken a]oncJ line 21a--21a of Fig. 21;
G Fig. 21b is an elevational view, similar to 7 l;`ig. 21a, illustrating the positioning of the control a rods after one of the control rods has returned to its 9 neutral position, with the other control rod remaining ill an activated position;
11 Fig. 21c is a par-tial sectional view ta~en aloncJ
12 line 21c--21c of Fig. 21 illustrating the functioning of 13 a detent mechallism in holdinc3 one of the control rods in ]~ an activated postiion while the other control rod may be ~5 returned to its neutral postiion;
lG Fig. 22 is a schematic hydraulic circuit diagram 17 illustrating one embodiment of a hydraulic circuit for con-1~ trolling movement of the ref~ise compaction mechanisrn;
19 Fig. 23 is a schematic hydraulic circui~ diagram, similar to Fig. 22, illustrating a second embodiment of a 21 hydraulic circuit for controlling movement of the refuse 22 compaction mechanism, and, 23 Fig. 24 is an elevational view, similar to Fig. 21, 2~ il]ustrating the use of a single control rod for actuating a ~ortion of -the elements in the hydraulic circuit illus-2~ trated in Fig. 23.

~ ~2~9~
~, .
1 Detailed Descriptio 3 Figure 1 illustrat2s the invention embodic?cl 4 in a garbage truck 2 having a cab q and a frame G.
5 storage body 8 for holding refuse under pressure is 6 positioned Oll the truck frame 6 with a tailgate 10 7 bei.llCJ rotatably supported at -the rear of tlle storage body. The tailgate in its closed positioll is indicatecl 9 in solid line drawing as 10 and is illustrated in 10 pllantom line drawing in a raised position as 10'. Durinc3 11 the packiny of storage body 8 with refuse under L~ressure, 12 the tailgate is maintained in its lowered ~osition 10 13 and is fi~edly posltioned acJalnst the storagc? body.
14 llowever, when the storage body $ is filled with refllse, 15 tl)e tailgate is t}len raised to its position 10' and

16 refuse withill the storacJe body may be ejected tllroucJh

17 the e,~posed openinc3 at the rear of the storac~e body.
1~ An ejection panel 12 may be slidably positioned 19 ;~ithin the storage body 8 with movement o~ th~ ejection 20 panel serving to vary the volume within the storacJe bocly 21 ~hich is available for storing refuse. To fill the 22 s-torage body 8 with the maximum amount of refuse, it is 23 important that refuse within the storage body be packed 2a at a relatively uniform pressure. To accomplish this 25 result, the ejection panel may be positioned as sho~n in 2G solid line drawing 12 at a point adjacent the rear of 27 the storage body 8 cluring the inltial stage of packing 2~ refuse within the storage body.

L ~ 0 1 ~2~

~ ~s refuse is introcluced into the s-torage body 2 8 from tailyate 10, tlle refuse may e:~ert pre~ssure against 3 the ejection panel 12. l~llen the pressure exerted by refuse against e]ection panel 12 exceeds a prec1etermined pressure level, the ejection panel may then be rnoved a G srnall incremental distance toward the front of the 7 stora~e body 8. Tllis reduces the pressure e~erted ~)y refuse against the ejection panel 12 and the pac};ing of 9 refuse into tlle storage body 8 may then continue until ~ tlle l~ressure exerted by refuse against the ejection 11 panel again exceeds the predetermined pressure level 12 Witll the ejection panel then beincJ again moved a small 13 incremental distance, etc. ~rogressive filling of the 1~ storage body 8 with reEuse may then be accomplished in a ulliform manner with -the refuse being ~)acked within 1~ the storage body at a relatively uniform pressure.
17 'I'his results in fillinc3 the storac]e body 8 witll the 1~ maximum amount of refuse which is benefici~l in reduciny 19 the time which is lost in trips to a landfill or refuse transfer center to discharc~e refuse.
21 ~hen the storage body 8 is full of refuse, the ~2 ejectiol~ panel may occupy the pOSitiOI~ shown in phantom 23 line drawing as 12' adjacent to the forward end of the 2~ storaye body. To move the ejection panel 12 withill tile storage body 8, a telescopic cylinder 14 may l~e connected 2~ to a pivot 16 at t~e forward end of the storage bocly with 2~ t:he other end of the-cylillder connected to a pivot 18 on ''' ~142~6~0 k~

~ he frame for the ejection panel. 11ith the ejection 2 narlel in its forward pOsitiOIl 12 ', the telescoyic 3 cylillder 14 may be eompletely contracted and Witil the e jection panel in its rearward position 12 ', the 5 cylinder may be completely extendecl. Slicle rai ls 20 G may be positioned alony either side of the stora(Je body 7 8 witll slots in the frame for the ejection panel 12 8 enc3aginy the slide rails. The upriyl3t posi tion of the 9 ejection panel 12 witllin the storage body ~ may, tllus, be 10 maintained during movement of the ejeetion panel.
11 As indieated, the storac;e body 8 may include 12 a front frame 22 positioned adjacent to the cab 4 ancl 13 a rear 'frame 24 wllich supports the tailgate 10 and 14 engayes the tailgate in its elosed pOsitioll. Tlle COIl-15 struetion of the storage body 8, as will be described, 16 is strong and also surprisingly light as compared with 17 prior construetions. Thus, the storage body 8 cloes

18 llot recluire su~port at points intermediate its ends.
1~3 Only tlle front and rear frames 22 and 24 may be eon-20 nected to the truck frame 6 in providing a lighter con-21 struction with savings in the energy required to r~ower 22 the truclc 2 and a reduetion in the wear and tear on 23 the highways during usage of the truek.
2~l A tailgate eylinder 26 may be employed for 25 raising and lowerillg of the tailgate 10. The tailgate 2G 10 may be eonnected to the rear frame 2~ througll pivots ~7 28 l~ositioned on either side of the rear frame. The 3~

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1 tailc3ate cylinder 26 may be connected to the rear :Erame 2 24 throu(3h a pivot 30 with the other erld of the tailgate 3 cylinder being connected to the tailgatc 10 throucJh a pivot 32. The cylinder is illustrated in solid line drawillg in an extellded condition as 26 witll the tailgate G in its raised position 10'. With the tailcJate in its 7 lowered position 10, the tailgate cylinder is shown in 8 phantom line drawing in its contracted condition as ~6'.
9 ~ lloppcr generally indicated as 34 may be formecl in the lower portion of the tailgate 10 with the hopper including 11 a curved bottom surface 36, a loadinc3 opening 38 to re-12 ceive refuse, and a loading sill 40 beneath the loading 13 opelli.nc3. ~ passacJe shown in phantom line drawincJ as 42 14 may lead from the hopper 34 into the storac~e body 8 and a packing panel, generally indicated as 44, may be 16 positioned within the hopper to move refuse from the lrl }lopper through -t}le passage into the storage body.
18 The packing panel 44 may include a main panel

19 indicated in phantom line drawing as ~16 and a foldable 2.0 panel in phantom line drawing as 48. As will be described, 21 the foldable panel 48 may undergo lim.ited rotational 22 movement with respect to the main panel 46 with the fold-23 able panel in an extended position ad~acent the surface 2~ 36 as the packing panel 44 sweeps through the hopper 34 in a workinc3 dircction to move refuse through the paSSaCJe 2G 42 into tlle storage body 8. ~lowever, when the packing 27 panel 44 then moves in a return direction to rcturn to ~0 ~ n,llo]
L2l3~ -1 its rest position adjacent the rear of the hopper 34, 2 the foldable ~anel 43 may undergo rotational movelllellt 3 with respect to the main panel 46 to pass over refuse within the hopper.
In discussing the various positions o the 6 packing panel 4~, tlle packing panel will be referred to 7 in its extended condition when the foldable panel 48 is 8 extended to a position adjacent the bottom surface 36 9 clurinc; movement of the packing panel in a workillc) direction. The packing panel 44 will be referred to 11 in its collapsed or partially collapsed condition as 12 the pac~ing panel moves in a return direction to its 13 rest position. To provide movement of the foldable 1~ panel 48 Wit]l resl~ect to the main panel 4G, friction pads indicated in phantom line drawing as 49 may be 16 provi.ded in either end of the foldable panel. The 17 friction pads 49 may have an outer surface formed of 18 plastic with the ~.riction pads being spring biased in 19 an outward direction into contact with the sidewalls o~
the hopper 34. The friction pads 49 may, thus, cause 21 rotational movement of the foldable panel 43 to an 22 e~tended condltion as the panel sweeps through the 23 llopper 34 in a working direction. Ilowever, on movement 2~ of the packin~ panel 44 in a return direction to its rest pOsitiOIl, the frictional contact of the friction 2G pads 49 with the sidewalls of the hopper 34 may cause 27 rotational movemcllt of the foldable panel 48 to a ~ D-llOl ~9L2~

1 collapsed or partially collapsed position SUC}l that the 2 foldable panel q~ may ride over refuse wi.thin the 3 hopL~er.
In providing movement of tlle packing panel 44 witllin the hopper 34, a relatively large hydraulic drive 6 cylinder 50 may ~e used to drive the packillg pallel in a 7 workinq direction while a smaller hydraulic return cylinder 8 52 may be used to move the packing panel in a rel-urn 9 direction to its rest position. ~s indicatecl, the drive cylinder 50 may transmit rotational movement to the 11 packing panel 44 through a drive plate 53 wllich is opera-12 tively connected to the packing panel and functions as 13 a lever in providing a mechanical advantage in transmittinc 14 power to the packing panel.
1~ A retcliner panel indicated in pllantolll line 16 drawing as 54 may be rotatably positioned adjacellt the 17 entrallce into the passage 42 from the hopper 34. During 18 movement of the packin~ panel 94 in a working direction 19 through the hopper 34, the retainer panel 54 may positioned in its opened position as indicated in Figure 1 to permit 21 movement of refuse from the hopper into the passage. I~ith 22 the retainer panel 54 in its opened position as indicated 23 in Figure 1, the lower surface of the retainer panel, in 24 effect, forms a continuation of the upper surface of the passage 42. This is advan-tageous in assisting the move-26 ment of refuse from the hopper 34 through the passage 42.
27 llowever, on movelllent of the packing panel 44 in a return ~1~2~39~

1 direction away from the paSSaCJe 42, as will be describcd, the retainer panel may be rotated to its closed position 3 to at least partially block the opening between -the 4 passac~e and the hopper 39. I~ith the retainer pallel 54 in its closed position, the flow of refuse from the 6 passage 42 into the hopper 34 is impeded, which improves 7 the overall efficiency of the packing mechani.sm in moving re.~use from the loadiny hopper int~ the storage 9 l~ody 8.
With the packing panel 44 in it.s rest position 11 in a raised location at the rear of the hopper 34, the 12 packing panel may be in its collapsed condition. During 13 movement of the packing panel 34 from its rest position 14 in a working clirection, contact of the frictioll pads 49 agail)st the sidewalls of the hopper 34 cause the foldable 16 panel 48 to undergo rotational movement with respect to 17 the main panel 46. During thls movement of the packing 1~ panel 44 in a working direction, it is desirable that the 19 foldable panel 48 should not extend ou-t of the hopper 34 throuyh the loading opening 38 since this could present 21 a safety hazard. Guide rails shown in phantom line draw-22 ing as 56 may be formed on the side walls of the hopper .23 34. The guide rails 56 may extend inwardl~ to engage 2~ the foldable panel 48 and to maintain the foldable panel within the confines of the hopper as the packing panel 44 2S moves from its rest position to a position adjacent the 27 hopper sill 40.
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~- As indicated in Figure 1, the telescopic cylin-2 .ler 14 may ~e used in moviny the ejectioIl panel 12 within 3 the storage body ~. A telescopic cylinder, such as 4 cylinder 14, is a relatively complex hydraulic device with internal passacJes within the cylinder -to suppl~
6 hydraulic fluid to the various cylinder sections ~hich 7 vary in size. ~ue to the difference in size het~/eeIl the 8 pressure areas within the telescopic cylinder, problems 9 may be encountered in its use. For example, when t~lere is an increase in -the ambient temperature and the tele-11 scopic cylinder is full of hydraulic fluid, the expansion 12 of hydraulic fluid at the large area end of the cylinder 13 may produce undesirably hi~h pressures at the small area 14 end of the cylinder. If tile ratio between the areas at the large and small ends of the cylinder is, for example, 1~ 10 to 1, a one hundred pounds per square inc}l increase 17 due ~o expan~ion of fluid at the large end may produce lc~ a -~housand pounds per square inch increase at the small 19 end. It would, thus, be desirable if some means could be provided for providing movement to the ejection panel 21 12 without requirinc3 the use of a telescopic cylinder, 22 such as cylinder 14. IIowever, due to the large distance 23 throuc3I1 whicIl a hydraulic cylinder must move in provid-2~ ing movcment to the ejection panel 12, there has pre-viously beerI no alternative except to use a telescopic 2G Ily(~raulic cylinder.

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--'15--~ :1' ! ~; ; i 2~9qEl 1 FicJure 2 illustrates an embodiment of the in~
2 vention in whicll a means is provided to produce movement 3 of the ejection panel 12 throucJh use of a conventional hydraulic cylinder. ~or simplicity in illustration, like 5 reference numerals have been used in referring to struc-6 tural elelnents in Figure 2 wllic}l are the same as those 7 describecl in Fi~ure 1. ~s indicated, a pivot 58 may be 8 provided at the forward end of the storacJe body 8, with a preferably triangular support member 60 rotatably supported by ~he pivot. ~ conventional l~ydraulic cylinder 11 62 may be rotatably secured to a pivot 64 on the support 12 member 60 positioned at a point intermediate its ends.
13 As indicated, Wit]l the ejection panel 12 at its for~ard 1~ position within the storage body 8, the c;enerally trian-qular configuratioll of support member 60 may be advan-16 tageous in permitting the hydraulic cylinder 62 to extend 17 in a forward direction beyond the front frame 22. This 1~ permits the storage body 8 to be made shorter since there 19 does not need to be aclditional length provided simply to 2~0 accommodate the hydraulic cylinder 62.
21 The ejection panel 12 may include a transverse ~2 frame member 66 with a pivot 68 on the frame member rota-2~ tably engaging the rod of the piston 62. ~ link member 2~i 72 may rotatably engage a pivot 70 on the support member 60 with the link member also engaging the pivot 68 on 2~ transverse frame member 66. The link member 72, thus, 27 fixes the distance between the pivot 70 on support member 2~ /// i ~2 -~6-~- I 1 0 1 42~

60 and the E)ivot 68 on the transverse frame member G6.
2 As will be descril~ed, this permits translation of the 3 hydraulic cylinder 62 during its exE~ansion and contrac-tion whicll results from rotational movement of the sup-port rneml~er G0 with respect to the pivot 58.
G On expansion of the hydraulic cy]inclcr from 7 its l~osition indicated as 62 to a new position indica-8 ted aS 62a, the s~pport member 60 unclercoes rotatiollal 9 rnovemellt to pOsitioll 60a. This yroduces rnovement of 10 the pivot 6~ to a ne~T position 64' such that the 11 hydraulic cylinder in position 62a has undergone tralls-12 lational movement to follow the movement of the ejec-13 tion panel to its new position 12a.
14 On fur-ther expansion of the hyclraulic cvlill-15 der to l~osition 62b, the e-jection pane~l has been moved 16 to position 12b where it is positioned inmlediately adja-17 cent to the real^ end of the storac~e body ~. .7\lso, the lc3 support member has undergone further rotational movement 19 to position 60b with Eurther movement of the pivot 64

20 to position 64b. Tllus, the trallslatiollal movemellt pro-

21 vicled to hydraulic cylinder 62 has permitted the use of

22 the cylindcr in providing a movement of the ejection

23 pAnel 12 W]liC}l is much greater than the total expansion 2~1 of the hydraulic cylinder. A conventional hydraulic ~5 cy]illcler 62 may, therefore, now f-lnction in a mallller hicll is the ec~uivalellt of the function of a more com-27 plex and more exl?ensive telescopic hyclra~llic cylincler.

~ O

--~7--_ D-ll.Ol .. - i -..

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1 DurincJ contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 62, the 2 above sequence of movements is reversed, with the 3 cylinder moving from position 62b to position 62a and 4 then to position G2 as the support member moves from ~ 5 position 60b to position 60a and then to position G0.
: ~ Pigure 3 is a side sectional vie~ through the 7 tailqate 10 to illustrate the mechanism for packin~
refuse and movinc3 the refuse from the hopper 34 into 9 the storage body U. The pivot 30 for -the tailgate cylinder 26, as illustrated, may be formed within a 11 mounting ear 71 which is affixed to the rear frame 24.
12 ~rhe hopper 34, as viewed from the left in .~igure 3, may 13 include a sidewall 73 which may be formed frorn several 1~ plates connected together in any suitable fashioll, such as by welding. The sidewall 73 may be positioned bet~een lG the packing panel 44 and the drive mechanism for the 17 packillg panel itself such that the drive mec}lallism is 18 shielded from contact with refuse. The drive cylinder 1~ 50 may be rotatably connected at its upper end to a pivot 74 that is secured to the tailgate 10. Similarly, 21 the relatively small return cylinder 52 may be connected 22 at its upper end to a pivot 76 secured to the tailgate 23 10. The packing panel 44, as illustrated, has completed 2~ i.t.s movement in a working direction through the hopper 34 to move refuse from the hopper into the passage 42.
2G At this pOiJlt, the return cylinder 52 is completely 27 e~tended, as indicated by the position of the pi.ston rod ] I 0 1 ` 3L1~28~
~ .
1 7~3. Piston rod 78 may be connected to a drive chain 80 ,2 for transmittillcJ movement to the packi.ng panel 44 cluring 3 i~s movement in a return direction to it~s rest pO.SitiOIl.
I^Jith the packing panel 44 positi.oned as illus-trated, the drive cvliIlder 50 is completely contracted G as indicated by the retracte~d position of pi.ston rod 32.
7 ~rhe piston rod ~2 may be connected to a clrive Cilaill 84 8 whose lower end is seeured to a connectioIl 86 on the 9 drive plate 53. ~s describecl, the clrive cvlinder 50 and the return cylinder 52 may work together in unison because 11 of their connectioll to the drive mechanism for the paeking 12 panel 49. l'hus, as the drive cylinder 50 contracts, the 13 return cylinder 52 expands durincJ the movement of the 14 packing panel 44 in a worki.ng direction throucJIl the hop-per 34. Similarly, during movement of the packing panel 1~ 44 in a return direction to its rest position, the return 17 cylinder 52 contracts while tIle clrive cyli.nder 50 expands.
18 T~e retainer panel 54 may be rotatably secured 19 to a pivot 88 for movement between its open and elosed 2.0 pOsitiOIls. I~he retainer panel 54 is illustrated in i-ts 21 opened position in Figure 3 as the packing panel is moved 22 in a working direction through the llopper 34 to move refuse 23 from the hopper into passage 42 and into the storage 2~ body ~.
With the tailgate 10 in its lowerecl position, 2~ ~he tailgate may be fixed with respect to the storaye 27 body ~ by a tailgate.lateh generally referred to as 90.
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2~39(~ -1 l'he tailgate latch 90 may be rotatably conllectecl to the 2 tailgate 10 through a pivot 92 while a support mem~)er 94 3 on the rear frame 24 supports a keeper 96 which is engac3ed 4 by the tailgate la-tch 90. The tailgate latch 90 may in~
clude a threaded rod 98 with a correspondinc~ly threaded 6 sleeve 100 being positioned about the rod. ~ handle 102 7 may be formed at the outer end of the sleeve 100 such 8 that turniny of the handle either threads or unthreads 9 the sleeve with respect to the threaded rod 98. ~n en-largement 103 on the rod 98 may enc3age one side of the 11 keeper 96 while the other side of -the keeper may be 12 engaged by the inner end of the sleeve 100 with the keeper, 13 thereby, being tightly gripped between the enlarcJemellt 14 and the end of the threaded sleeve. The tailgate 10 may thell be securely latched to the storage body 8.
16 . Turning to Figure 4, which is a sectional view 1~ taken along line 4--4 o Figure 3, the packing panel ~4 18 may be rotatably mounted on a pair of sllafts 104 and 106.
19 In driving the packing panel 44, a torque tube 108 may be secured to the shaft 10~ with a drive plate 110 being 21 rigidly secured to the outer end of the tor~ue tube. ~s 22 illustrated, the shaft 104, the torque tube 108, the 23 drive plate 110 and the drive plate 53 move together in

24 unison in imparting rotational movement to the pac]cing panel 44. Moving inwardly along the shaft 104, a separa-26 tor plate 112 is joined to the drive plate 53 and a stif-27 ~enillg plate 114 is joined to -the plate 112 and to the ~1 ~?, ' ~ 0 1 8~
1 ~orq-le tube 103. A stiffening plate 116 may then be 2 joined -to tile inner end of the torquc tube 108, to the 3 shaft 104 and to the main panel 46.
4 ~t its undriven end, the main panel 46 may be connected to the shaft 106 by a stiffening plate 118 which is joined to the shaft and also to the main panel.
7 ~ support member 120 may surround the sha~t 106 and be 8 connected to the main panel 46 with a stiffellincJ plate 9 122 being joined to the other end of the support member, to the shaft and also to the main panel. ~ collar 124 11 may be uositioned about the shaft 104 with the collar en-12 gaging the exterior surface of the drive plate 110 and 13 a collar 126 may be positioned about the shaft 106 with ~4 the collar engaying the exterior surface of stiffening plate 122.
16 To provide a strong and rigid connection between 17 the torque tube 108, the shaft 104 and the main panel 46, 18 a pair of side plates 128 may be secured -to the torque 19 tube and also to the main panel. The side plates 128 with the stiffening plates 114 and 116, joined to the 21 end surfaces of the side plates, form a very ri~id struc-22 ture through which torque is transmitted from the torque 2~ tube 108 to the main panel 46.
24 ~ As illustrated, the drive chains 80 and 84 may each be connected to -the drive plates 53 and 110 through 26 ~Jhich torque is imparted to the torque tube 103 and ~:o 27 the packing panel 44. In connecting the drive chain 80 2~!3''~1 1 to plc)~es 53 and 110, a pin 130 may be securecl to the 2 drive ~)lates throucJh apertures therein wit), a clevis 3 132 positioned on the pin and having secured thereto the clrive chain 80 A spacer elemellt 134 may also be positioned on the pin 130 to maintain the position of the 6 clevis 132 relative to the pin 130.
7 In securing the drive chain 84 to the clrive 8 plates 110 and 53, the pivot 86 may be securecl to the 9 drive plates through apertures therein with a mounting plate 136 secured to plate 110 to retain the outer end 11 o~ the pivot relative to the ylate 110. ~ clevis 138 12 may be rotatably positioned on the pivot 86 with the 13 clevis secured to the drive chain 84. As indicated, the 14 connection between the drive chain 84 and clevis 138 is positioned a greater distance from the axes of the shafts 1~ 104 and 106 than the connection between drive chain 80 17 and the clevis 130. Thus, forces transmitted to packing 18 panel 49 throuyh the drive chain 84 may act throucJh a 19 yreater moment arm than the forces transmitted to the packing panel by the drive chain 80. This is advanta-21 geous in providing a mechanical advantage during movement 22 Of the packing panel 44 in a working direction by the 23 drive chain 84.
24 The side wall 73 of the hopper 34, as illus-tratecl in Figure 4, may extend into a space between the 2G plates 53 and 114 such that the drive mechanism for the 27 packing panel 44 is isolated from refuse within the -52~

~' ',?-1101 42~

1 load.inc3 hopper 34. ~ second sidewall 140 of loadincJ
2 hopper 34 may also be positioned in close proximity to 3 the other end of the packing panel 44. The foldable panel 4 48 may be rotatably mounted with respect t:o the main panel 5 46 within slots 142 formed in the main panel. Tongue 6 mcmbers 144 joined to the foldable panel 48 may be l)osi-7 tioned witllin the slots 142 with the tongue members each 8 bei.ng rotatably secured to pins 146 which e.~telId ibetween 9 tlIe sidewalls oE the slots to engage apertures formed in lO the tongue members. Stop members 148 may be securecl to 11 the main panel 46 to permit limited rotational movement 12 Of the foldable panel 48 with respect to the main panel 46.
13 The rotational movement of panel 48, as discussed 14 previously, may be provided by friction pads 49 positioned 15 at eit.her end of the foldable panel 4~ in contact with the 15 sidewalls 73 and 140. ~s the main panel 46 is moved, the 17 frictional engagement of pads 49 with the sidewalls 73 and 18 140 causes rotati.onal movement of the foldable panel 43 19 ~ith respect to the main panel 46. Additionally, the 20 mov~ment of the foldable panel 43 is controlled -to some 21 e~tent by tlle guide rails 56 which may extend inwardly a 22 short distance from the sidewalls 73 and 140 to engage 23 cJuide members 150 on the foldable panel 48.
24 Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line

25 5--5 of Figure 4 which illustrates the position of fold-

26 able panel 48 with respect to main panel 46 and the manner

27 in whicIl rotational movement of the foldable panel is 2~ ///

: . ~. 1 0 1 `. ~L~Z8~

1 limited with respect to the maln panel. As indicated, 2 support brackets l47 secured within the foldable panel 3 48 by bolts 149 may rotatably enyage the pins 146 mounted to the main panel 46. The support brackets 147 may be secured to the foldable panel 48 by bolts 149. Stop 6 members 148 secured to the main panel 46 may each pro-7 vide stop surfaces 152 and 154 whieh are engagable by 8 a stop member 156 secured to the foldable panel 48 by a 9 support bracket 158. As indicated, contact betweell the stop member 156 and stop surfaces 152 and 154 effectively 11 limits the rotational movement of the foldable panel 12 ~etween the limitiny positions providecl by the stop j~
13 ~rfaces.
14 Fiyure 5 illustrates the foldable panel 48 in its extended conclition after rotation of the foldable 16 panel in a elockwise direction with respect to the pin 17 1~6 to enyage the stop member 156 with the stop surface 18 152. This is the position of -the foldable panel 48 when 19 the packiny panel 44 rotates in a eounter-clockwise direction from its direetion shown in Figure 5 in moving 21 in a workiny direction through the hopper 34 as shown in 22 Figure 3. During rotational movement of the paeking 2-3 panel 44 in a return direetion, i.e., eloekwise from its 24 position shown in Fiyure 5, the foldable panel 48 may undergo rotational movement i31 a counter-clockwise direc-2~ tiOIl until the stop member 156 contacts the stop surface 27 154. At this point, the paeking panel 44 is in a collapsed ~1 , ,~, . ., ,.,1 01.

1 position such that the foldable panel 48 may pass over 2 refuse w:ithin -the hopper 34 during movement of the 3 pac~ing panel in its return direction.
Figure 6 is a sectional view taken aloncJ the line ~,--6 of Figure 4 to illustrate the construction of 6 t}~e main panel 46 and that of the stop members 148 which 7 control the clegree of rotational movement of the foldable pallel 48. ~s indi.cated, the torque tube 108 may be 9 di.rectly connected to the main panel 46 whic}l may be dis-placed from the a~is of the torque tube. l~dditionally, 11 the side plates 128 may extend from the exterior surface 12 of the torque tube 108 to the exterior surface of the 13 main panel 46 to ~rovide a very strong and rigid connec-14 tion between the torque tube and main panel. In previous refuse compaction apparatus, it has been necessary to 16 drive the packincJ mechanism through hydraulic cylinders 17 positioned at e.ither end of the packing panel. ~lowever, 1~ in the present apparatus, the main panel 4~ may be 1~ driven from only one of its ends. This permits a great reduction in the weicJht of the drive mechanism and also 21 simplificat.ion of the drive mechanism. To achieve these 22 beneficial results, the main panel 46 has a generally 23 elliptical cross-sectional configuration which has great 2~ strengtll in resisting twisting moments and in transmit-ting torque. The cross-sectional configuration of the 26 main panel 46 together with the strong and rigid connec-~7 tion between the torque tube 108 and -the main panel

28

29 " ., , ,-- I ]. O 1 1 l~crMits drivin~ the main panel Erom only one of its ends 2 with the torclue which is im~arted to the main parlel then ., beincJ transmit~ed throughout the main panel.
4 As indicated in Figure 6, an aperture 160 may be formecl in each of the stop members 148 to rotatably 6 support thc foldable panel 48 with respect to the main 7 panel 46. ~dditionally, an aperture 162 may be formed 8 in the stiffening plate 114 to engage the support shaft 9 104 as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the 11 line 7--7 of Figure 4 which illustrates the internal con-12 struction of the main panel 46 through which the foldable 13 panel 48 is supported. To provide strength within the 14 main panel 46 to support the foldable panel 48, trans-verse baffle plates 164 may be positioned within tlle lG interior of the main panel with the baffle plates beiny 17 secured to the inner surface of the main panel through lc~ any suitable means such as welding. Additionally, the 19 baffle plates 164 may then extend througil the exterior surface of the main panel 46 to be integrally connected 21 to the stop members 148. A channel 166 (shown itl phantom 22 line drawing) may then be rigidly secured to the baffle 23 plate and an angle 168 may be connected to the stop mem-24 ber 148 in providing additional strength for the stop 25 members.
2G ~igure 8 is a sectional view taken along the 27 lille 8--8 of Figure 4 which illustrates the cross-sec-2~ ///

~,., ., ., l ~ 1 2~

- tional configuration of the main panel 4G at i.ts undriven 2 end. In securing the main panel 46 to the shaft 106, an 3 aperture 170 may be formed in the stiffenillg plate 122 to enc3age the exterior surface of the shaft. During move-ment of refuse from the loading hopper 34 throu(3h the 6 passage 42 into the storage body ~, as cliscussed in regard 7 to Fi~ures 1 and 3, the movement of the packing panel 44 alld the retainer pallel 54 may be precisely coordinated.
9 Thus, as the packing panel 44 is driven in a workiny 10 direction throu~Jh the hopper 34, tlle retainer panel 54 11 may be positioned in an opened position so that there is 12 unimpeded flow of refuse from the hopper 34 into the pas-13 sage 42 and then into the storage body 8. Ilowever, with 14 movemellt of the packing panel 49 in a return direction to ..
15 return the packillg panel to its rest position, the retainer 16 panel 54 is moved to a closed position with the retainer 17 panel at least partially blocking the opening between the 18 loading hopper 34 and the passage 42. In its closed po-19 sition, the retainer panel 54, thus, functions to impedc 2.0 t}l~ flow of refuse from the passage 42 into the hopper 34.
21 When tlle packing panel 44 has completed its 22 movement in a working direction witll the retainer panel 23 5~ in an opened position (see Figure 3), the retainer 24 panel is positioned closel~ adjacent to the exterior sur- -25 face of t~le main panel 46. When the movement of the 26 packing panel 44 is then reversed in moving the packing 27 panel in a return direction, the retainer panel 54 may 2~ /// `

~ ~ - .L 1 U .L

~ 42~

1 tllen be i~nediat~ly moved to its closed position. During 2 this movement of the retainer panel to a closed position, 3 the retailler panel may move very close to the surface of the main panel to sweep ref-lse from the ma:in panel which is forced into the passage 42 by tlle retainer panel 54.
6 Returning to Figure 8, the main panel 46 may include an 7 inwardly curved surface 172 which is expressly designed '~ to accommodate the movement of the retainer panel 54 rela-9 tive to the main panel 46 as the retainer panel is moved from its opened to its closed posi-tion. The retainer panel 11 54 may, thus, move along the inwardly curved surface 172 12 in sweeping refuse from the main panel 46 which is, there-13 by, forced from the main panel 46 into the passaye 42.
14 Pigure 9 is a detailed view of the retainer panel, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, with the panel in its 16 opened position indicated in solid line drawing as 54 and 17 the panel in i-ts closed position inclicated in phantom 18 line drawing as 54'. With the retainer panel in its opened 19 posi.tion 54, the lower panel surface 173, in effect, forms a continuation of the wall 174 of passac3e 42. Thus, 21 with t~le retainer panel in its opened position 54, the 22 confiyuration of the panel assists in the movement of re-23 fuse into the passage 42. A cross brace 176 provides 24 strenc3thening of the wall 17~ adjacent to the retainer panel 54 with the retainer panel cylinder 55 haviny a piston 2~ rod 180 which extends throucJh an opening 182 formed in 27 the cross brace. ~ link 1~4 is joined at one end to the 2~ ///

2~

1 pistoll rod 1~0 with the other end being rotatably connected 2 to a pin 186. ~n eccentric 188 has its upper end rota-tably 3 connected to the pin 186 with the eccentric passing through 4 an opening 190 in the cross brace 176 to connect throu~h a pill 194 to tlle pivot 38 for the retainer pallel 54. Sup-6 port members 196 and 19~ may be joined to either end o~
7 retainer panel 54 to provide addltional strengthening 8 thereof.
9 During movement of the retainer panel to its closed position 54 the cylinder 55 undergoes e.~tensioll to 11 cause a downward movement of the piston rod 180 and link 12 1~2 and rotational movement of the eccentric 188. This in 13 turn causes rotational movement of the retailler panel to 14 its closed position 5~ . During this ro-tational movement the retainer panel may sweep along the inwardly curved 16 surface 172 of the main panel 46 as illustrated in Figure 17 8. To assist in nolding refuse within the passage 42 the 18 retainer panel 54 may include a lip 200. With the retainer 19 panel in its closed position 54 the lip indicated as 200 opposes the movement of refuse along the curved sur-21 face 173 which is directed inwardly toward the passage 42 22 to assist in preventing the flow of refuse from the pas-23 sage hack into the loading hopper 34.
24 Figure 10 is the first in a series of figures which illustrate the movement of the main panel 46 and 26 tlle foldable panel 4~ during their movements withim the 27 loading hopper 34. ~s illustrated the passage 42 ! ?
2~3i~

1 includes an elllarged opening 202 which leads into -the ;~
2 s~orage body 3. The passage 42 also includes a narrowed 3 throat 20~ where tile wall.s of the passac3e are converged.
The narrowecl throat 204 serves a very uniclue and important function in compacting refuse in a new and improvecl manner G as compared with refuse compacting apparatus of the prior 7 art. In previous re~use compacting apparatus, the refuse 8 was compacted under high pressure by packing panels which 9 s-lueezed the refuse between the surfaces of the packing panels and .he surface of an ejection panel such as the 11 panel 12 illustrated in Figures l and 2. IYit}l the ejec-12 tion panel bei.ng mounted within a refuse stora~e body, 13 such as storage body 8, hlg}l compaction pressures were generated by squee2ing the refuse between the packing parlels and tlle ejection panel to create large interllal 16 pressures which had to be absorbed by the structure of the 17 refuse storage body. This required that the refuse 18 storage body had to be formed of heavy structural members, 19 which resulted in increased weight of the refuse compac-tion apparatus. This was, of course, undesirable, since 21 the increased weight of the refuse compaction apparatus 22 increased the energy.requirements for movement of the 23 apparatus. ~lso, the increased weight of the refuse com-24 paction apparatus caused increased wear and tear to the road surfaces used by the apparatus and increased the cost 26 of the apparatus.
27 By using a passage 42 in the present apparatus 28 l~ith a narrowed throat 204, extremely higll pressures may ///

~ ~ n 2~39a~
1 be generated as the refuse passes through the converging 2 surfaces of the passage 42 within the narrowed throat 3 204. ~hese locally lligll pressures result in squeezing the refuse witllin the narrowed throat 204 at pressures which may far exceed the pressures within the refuse storage body 8. For example, in the use of a refuse q compaction apparatus of the invention havil~g a narrowed 8 throat 204, the ratio of the pressures exerted on the 9 refuse at the narrowed throat with respect -to the pressures imposed by the refuse against the ejection panel 12 within 11 the storage body 8 (see Figures 1 and 2) may be in the 12 order of 35 to 7. That is to say, when the refuse is 13 subjected to a pressure of 35 psi in passinq throucJh 14 the narrowed throat 204 the pressure within the storage body 8 may only be in the order of 7 psi. Tllis 1~ then, permits constructing the s-torage body 8 of rela-17 tively light materials while still uniformly packing the 18 refuse within the storage body at the very high pressures 19 generated within the narrowed throat 204. In this manner the cost of the refuse compaction apparatus may be reduced 21 by the savings in the metal used for construction of the 22 storage body 8 and also -the overall weight of the refuse 23 compaction apparauts may be greatly reduced.
2~ In its position shown in Figure 10 the packing 25 panel 44 is in its collapsed res-t position with the fold-2~ able panel 48 folclecl with respect to the main panel 46 27 and the packing panel in an elevated location adjacent ,~ 1 0 1 8~
1 the rear of the hopper 34~ Additionally, the retainer 2 parlel 5~ is in its closed position to impede the flo~
3 of refuse from the passaye 42 into the hopper 34. 1~1ith 4 tile packing panel 44 in its rest position, the drive 6 c~linder 50 is completely extended and the return cylinder 6 52 is completely contracted. To beyin the movemellt of 7 the packing panel 44 ln a workincJ direction from its rest 8 position, control rods indicated in phantom line clraw-9 ing as 206 and 207 may then be moved to initiate the flow of }lydraulic fluid for contraction of the drive cylinder 11 50, extension of the return cylinder 52 and rotational 12 movement of the retainer p;anel 54 from its closed posi-13 tion to its opened position.
14 Turning to Fiyure 11, with movement of the con-trol rods 206 and 207 to initiate movement of tlle packing lG panel 44 in a workiny direction, the first event -to take 17 place is -the rotational movement of the retainer panel 54 1i3 from its closed position indicated in Fiyure 10 to its 19 opened position shown in Figure 11. This provides an enlarged opening 208 from the hopper 34 into the passage 21 42. Moreover, as illustrated, the lower surface of the 22 retainer panel 54 with the retainer panel in its opened 23 position forms an extension of the adjacent surface of 24 the passaye 42 to cooperate in promotiny the flow of refuse from the hopper 34 into the passage and in providing 26 high localized pressures within the passage at the narrowed 27 throat 204.

.~, ~. 1 1 0 1 ~42~3~
~ .
1 Proceeding to Figure 12, after movement of the 2 retainer panel 54 to its opened position shown in Figure 3 11, the packing panel 4A moves downwardly from its rest 4 position within the hopper 34. During downward movement of the packing panel 44, the foldable panel 48 undergoes 6 rotational movement with respect to the main panel 46 to 7 move the packing panel from its collapsed condition to 8 its extended condition. As previously described, this 9 takes place because of the frictional engagement of the friction pads 49 (see Figures 1, 3 and 4) with the side-: `
~ alls of the hopper 34. During movement of the packing 12 panel from its collapsed to its extended position, the 13 lower eclge of the foldable panel 48 is guided through 14 contact with tile side rails 5~ which may maintain the foldable panel 43 within the confines of the hopper 34.
16 With the packing panel 44 positioned as shown 17 in Figure 12, the lower edge of the foldable panel 48 is 18 brought into relatively close proximity Wit}l the curved 19 bottom 36 at a point adjacent to sill 40, which is termed the "pinch point" 210. At the pinch point 210, there is 21 a spacing between the lower edge of the foldable panel 22 48 and the inner surface 36 which is sufficiently large 23 to accommodate a worker's fingers. Thus, if the worker ~4 were careless and placed his fingers at the pinch point 210 as the packing panel was descending, the spacing at 2G the pinch point would be sufficiently great to prevent 2/ the loss of the worker's ~ingers. Also, as indicated, a ; : D-1101 ~i-~Li4~15 9~) 1 considerahle distance is provided between the outer end 2 of the sill 40 and the pinch poin-t 210 (generally in 3 the order of a foot-and-a-half to two feet) which is a 4 safety feature, since this distance woul~ make it dif-ficult for the worker to have his fingers at the pinch 6 point.
7 In addition -to the safety reasons for main-8 taining the distance between the panel 44 and the surface 9 36 at t:lle pinch point 210, the distance at the pinch point reduces the impact forces exerted Qn the metal at 11 the sill 40 by the descending force of the packing panel 12 a~ainst refuse at the pinch point. In previous refuse 13 compaction apparatus, the packing panel was hrought ex-1~ tremely close to th~ inner surface of the hopper at a pOillt adjacent to the llopper sill. The refuse was then 16 subjected to very high shearing forces e~erted thereon by 17 the downward edge of the packing panel. To resist these 18 high shearing forces, it was generally necessary to pro-19 vide heavy reinforcement within the tailgate structure 20 at the sill at a point approximating the location of the 2I pinch point 210. This had the effect of increasing the 22 overall welght of the refuse compaction apparatus. How-23 ever, by providing the present distance between the 24 foldable panel 48 and the curved inner surface 36 at the 25 pinch point 210, it is nossible to reduce the wei~ht of 26 the structural members in the tailgate 10 in the vicinity ; 27 of the pinch point 210. This results in making the over-28 all apparatus lighter and cheaper.

~0 ///

..~ .. t; .L l o ]
~2~1Q

1 Durin~ downward movement of the packing panel 2 44 from its rest position, shown in Fi~ure 11, to its 3 position shown in Figure 12, the drive cylinder 50 may contract, witll force being transmitted from t~e piston rod 82 to the drive chain 84 and to the drive plate 53 6 and torque tube 108. As illustrated, Wit}l this move-7 ment of -the packing panel 94, the drive chain 84 may 8 contact the exterior surface of the torque tube 108.
9 rrhus~ torq~e which is transmitted to the packing panel 44 may be supplied through a constant moment arm deter-11 mined by the radius of the torque tube 108. burinq 12 this movement of tl~e packing panel 44, the packing panel 13 may be moved relatively rapidly and the force apylied 14 to tlle packing panel by the drive chain 84 may be r~la-tively low. Also, during this movement of the packing 16 panel 44, the panel does not encounter great resistance 17 from refuse within the hopper 34 since the panel is 18 merely movincJ from its collapsed rest position to a 19 positioll where the foldable panel 48 is in an extended condition adjacent to curved inner surface 36 at the 21 pincll point 210.
22 During movement of the packing panel 44 from 23 its collapsed rest condition in Figure 11 to its extended 24 condition shown in Figure 12, the return cylinder 52 may under~o expansion with the piston rod 78 being extended 2G and the drive chain 80 being wrapped about the exterior 27 surface of the torque tube 103. ~s indicated, the posi-2~3 ///

,~,, ~ l O l 2~90 l tioning oE the c1rive chains 80 and 84 with respect to 2 the torque tube 108 permits unwinding of the chain 84 3 from the torque tube while tile drive chain ~0 is being wound about the torque tube without interference between the two drive chaiJIs. Further, as illustrated, the movement of tl-e cylinders 50 and 52 may be precisely 7 coordinated due to their mechanical interconnection through drive chains 30 and 84 with the torque tube 108. In 9 previous refuse compaction apparatus using several cylin-clers for driving a packing panel, it has been difficult ll to coordinate tlle movements of the various cylinders. This 12 has resulted from the fact that the only interconncction 13 betweell the various cylinclers may have been a hydraulic interconnection W}liCh, througll failure of some elem~nt in the hydraulic system, could permit the various cylinders 16 to get out of balance. This cannot ~ccur in the function-17 ing of the present apparatus, since the mechanical inter-l~ connection oE cylinders 50 and 52 insures that these l9 cylinders must work in unison. ~dditionally, as l~ill be ~`
described, the cylinders 50 and 52 are hydraulically 21 interconnected. However, the hydraulic interconnection 22 of cylinders 50 and 52 is augmented by their mechanical 23 interconnection which prevents the cylinders from being 2~ out of balance in moving the packing panel 44 within the hopper 34.
26 ~s discussed, during movement of the packing 27 panel 44 from its position in Figure ll to its position 28~0 1 in Figure :12, the rotati.onal force appliecl to tlle pack-2 i31g pallel by the c~rive cilclin 84 may be applied through 3 a constant moment arm determilled by the radius oE the tor(lue tube 10~. Ilowever, on continued rotational movemellt o the torque tube 10~ and drive plate 53 from 6 their pOsitioll shown at the right of Fic3ure 12, the 7 connection point 8G moves to a point positi.oned to ~ the left of the shaft 104. During this movement, the 9 dri.ve chaill 84 is moved out of eontact with the e.Yterior surface of the torque tube 108 and the drivincl force 11 from the cylinder 50 through drive chain 84 is applied -12 direetly to drive plate 53 at the eonneetion point 86.
13 'I'his results in proc3ressively inereasing the moment arm 14 through whieh the drive ehain 84 aets in providincl torque for rotational movement of -the paeking panel 94 ~ith the lG applied force to the packing panel beinc3 progressively 17 increased as the packing panel continues its movelllent 18 throuc311 the hopper 34 in a working direction. During 19 this movement of the paekincJ panel 44, the resistance of refuse within the hopper is.grea-tly increased as the 21 refuse is compacted and foreed into the passage 42 and 22 through the narrowed throat 204. Aceordingly, during 23 this movement of the packing panel 44, it is essential 2~ that a large drivi.ng force be applied to the packing pane].. ~lso, during this movement o~ the paeking panel 2G 44, the rotational speed of movement of the packinc3 27 panel i5 progressively deereased as the moment arm 3].

-llOI
,.~'';; .....
~1~2~

1 between the drive chain and the axis of rotation of the 2 panel is progressively increased.
3 Figure 13, which is similar to Figures 10 4 throuyh 12, illustra-tes the posi-tion of the packing panel 44 after completion of its movement in a working direc-6 tion through hopper 34. During movement of the packing 7 panel. 44 from its position in Figure 12 to that shown in 8 Figure 13, the connection point 86 between the drive 9 chain 84 and drive plate 53 is moved further and fur-ther away from the axis of the shaft 104. This progres-11 sively increases the torque appl.ied to the packing panel 12 44 through contraction of the relatively large hydraulic 13 drive cylinder 50. This progressive increase in torque 14 provides a progressively increasing force -to refuse within the loading hopper 34 as the refuse is forced 16 into the passage 42 and through the narrowed throat 204 17 to exert very hig}l localized pressures on tlle refuse.
18 ~lso, during this movement of the packing panel 44, the 19 drive chain 80 is wound about the outer surface of torque tube 108 as the return cylinder 52 continues its 21 eXpansion-22 ~s indicated, the inner surface of passage 42 23 includes a curved surface portion 212, whose curvature 24 is directed toward the interior of the storage body 8, to exer-t a horizontal flow direction to refuse, indicated 2G as 214, which is directed into the storage body. Thus, 27 after subjectinc3 the refuse to very hicJh localized -6~-` . i j ' ~ " tt 12~
1 pressures within the narrowecl -throat 204, the refuse is 2 dischargecl from passage 42 into storage body 8 with the 3 movemen-t of the refuse directed towarcl the ejection panel 12 as descri~ed in Figures 1 and 2. The force exerted Oll the e~ection panel 12 by refuse in the storage body 8, even 6 thouc3h much less than the pressures exerted Oll refuse at the 7 narrowed throat 204, may be used in providing movement of 8 the ejection panel away from the passage 42 as tilC storage g boAy 8 becomes progressively filled Witll refuse. This permits uniform filling of the storage body 8 with refuse which has 11 previously been uniformly compacted at relatively hic3h 12 pressures within the narrowed throat 204 with the refuse 13 beirlg stored at the lower pressures determined by the pressure 1~ of refuse against the ejection panel 12. The increased moment 15 arm produced by the connection of -the cdrive chain to the lG connection point 86 on the drive plate 53 is indicated as 17 216 at the right of Figure 13.
~8 The various members effectively opexate in a servo 19 relationship to provide an optimum compaction of the refuse in the hopper 34, and particularly in the passage or opening 21 42. This will be seen from the discussion immecliately below.
22 As will be appreciated, the main panel 46 and the 23 foldable panel 48 compact the refuse during their movement 24 forwardly from their respective positions shown in Figure 13.
As the refuse becomes compacted, it is clirected upwardly and 2G forwardly into the narrowecl throat 204 of tlle passage or 27 openinc; 42.
2~ 'I`he distance of movement of the refuse in the 29 narrowed throat 204 is relatively long. Furthermore, the ///

~2 ~-69-~ 2~
1 narrowed throat 204 has a progressive constriction with 2 progressive distances along the passage or opening 42.
3 This causes the refuse to become compacted as it is directed 4 throu~h the passage or opening 42. It also causes the reEuse to become Eragmented during the movement of the refuse through 6 the passage, partly because of the venturi effect on the 7 refuse in the passaye 42 and partly because of the interaction between -the different pieces of refuse with the progressive 9 constriction in the passage.
Since the passage 42 is fairly long, the refuse 11 does not move completely through the passage in a single 12 cycle of movement of the main panel 46 and the foldable panel 13 48. Thus, the refuse introduced into the passage 42 in 1~- previous cycles of operation of the panels 46 and 48 is stuffed further into the passage by refuse introduced into 16 the passage in subse~uent cycles of operations of the panels.
17 As the refuse is stuffed deeper into the passage in the sub-1~ sequent cycles, it produces some chur:ning of the refuse 19 introduced into the passage in the previous cycles and also produces compaction and fra~mentation oE such reEuse as a 21 result of such stuffing and churning.
22 As previously described, the pressure against the 23 refuse in the most constricted area of the passage or opening 24 42 is quite large. This pressure is then relieved to a large extent in the enlarged openi.ng 202 because the enl~rged 26 opening 202 flares outwardly with progressive positions 27 toward the storage body 8. Thus, the pressure of the refuse 2~ is relatively low as it enters the storage body 8.

///

.~69a-1 'l'he servo effect results in part from the control 2 exerteci on the positloninc3 of the ejection panel 12 to 3 maintain the pressure of the refuse in the storacJe body ~
against the ejection panel 12 within precisely controlled limits. Thus, when the pressure of the refuse against thc 6 ejection panel 12 exceeds a first particular limit, the 7 ejection panel is moved through an incremental clistance in a direction away from the passaye 42 to reduce the pressure 9 of the refuse against the ejection panel. This incremental 10 movemellt continues until the pressure of the refuse against 11 the ejection panel decreases to a second particular value 12 less thall the first particular value. As will be clescribed 13 subsequently in detail, the response to pressures of the 14 refuse in the storage body 8 above -the first particular value occurs instantaneously. Furthermore, the incremental move-16 ment of the ejection panel is provided instantaneously throuqh 17 booster arranyements. In this way, the ejection panel 12 is l$ moved incrementally -through small distances before the move-19 ments are interrupted by pressures below the seconcl particular value of the refuse against the ejection panel.
21 A prccise control over the pressure of the refuse 22 in the storage body 8 is important in insuring that an optimum ,~3 action of fragmenting and compacting the reEuse occurs in the 24 passage 42. This results from the fact that the pressure of the refuse in the storage body 8 corresponds to the reduced 2G pressure of the refuse in the enlarged opening 202 of the 27 passac3e 42.
2c~ For example, if the pressure of the refuse in the 29 storagc body 8 should increase above the first particular value, the pressure exerted by the refuse in the enlarged 31 openillg tends to become excessive. This inhibits the ability ~-69b-2~

1 of the refuse in tl~e narrowed throat 204 of the p.lssacJe 42 to 2 becorlle stuffed into the passacJe by the direction of refus~ into 3 the passage in subsequent eyeles and to beeorne chrned and 4 cornpaeted as it is stuffed into the passac~e. In effect, the refuse in the narrowecl throat 204 of the passaye 42 becomes 6 constipatecd because of the exeessive back pressure exerted 7 acJainst this refuse by the refuse in the enlarged opening 202.
Sucll eonstipatioll tends to block further flow of refuse through 9 the passage 42.
Similarly, if the ejection panel 12 becomes moved 11 incrernentally when the pressure of the refuse against the 12 ejection panel is below the second particular value, an 13 efficient action of compacting and fragmenting the refuse in 1~ the narrowed throat 2-4 of the passage 42 cannot be obtained.
r; 'lllis results from the fact that tlle refuse in t}le enlarged ]G openin~3 202 does not exert a suffieient baek pressure against 17 the refuse in the narrowed throat 204 of the passage 42 to 1~ eause the refuse in the narrowed throat to beeome stuffed and 19 aecordin(31y to beeome fragmented and compacted. In effect, 20 beeause of the insuffieient baek pressure of the refuse in the 21 enlarged opening 202, the refuse is moved loosely, or at least 22 too easily, through the passage 42 without being subjee-ted to 23 tlle forees whieh normally cause such refuse to be fragmer.ted 24 and eompaeted.
Figure 14 is a rear view of the truek with the 26 tail(3ate 10 in a elosed position as indieated by the arrows 2~ 14--14 in l;`ic~ure 1. The hopper o~ening is indieate~ by the 2c~ distanee of the bracket indieated as 218 with a portion of the figure beinc3 broken away at the left to illustrate the support strueture 220 for the shaft 104. ~s indieated, the 31 drive n~eehanism, includincJ the relatively lar~e drive eylinder 32 50 may be positioned at the left side of tailc3ate 10 with the -69c-I `L01 ~ ~ ~a;28~

1 I.ac~;ing panel 44 being driven from only one side to pro-2 vide a lighter and less complex drive mechanism. sy 3 providiny the drive mechanism on only one side of the tailgate 10, there may be a weight imbalance, since khe side of the tailgate 10 which houses the drive mechanism 6 may be heavier than the other side. Also, reaction 7 forces which are transmitted from the drive members into 8 the support structure of the tailgate 10 will be yreater 9 on the side of the tailyate which supports the drive mechanism. For these reasons, the construction of the 11 tailyate 10 may be strengthened, as will be indicated, 12 to absorb the yreater weight and the greater reaction 13 forces which may be imposed on the side which hollses the 1~ Irive mechanism.
The tailgate l~ may include an upper beam 222, 16 an enlarged side beam 224 and a smaller side beam 226.
17 Turniny to Figure 14a, which is a sectional view taken 18 along lines 19a--14a of Figure 14, the movement of the 19 foldable panel 48 is illustrated in various states with-in the hopper 34. In moving from its rest position to 21 its position at the pinch point 210, the lower end of the 22 foldable panel 48 may move along a curved path indicated 23 by the arrow ~ with the guide members lS0 contactiny the 2~ guide rails 56. Duriny this movement, contact of the friction pads 49 on foldable panel 48 with the sidewalls 2G of the hopper causes rotational movement of the fol~able ~7 panel about the pin 146 in the direction indicated by the ~. ....1101 12E~

1 arrow B. In ~ovinc3 in the di.rec-tion of arrow B the 2 panel 48 thus moves from a Eolded position relative 3 to the main panel 46 to an extendecl condition relative to the main panel. During the movement of the fold-able panel 48 in a reverse direction within the hopper 34 with the panel undergoiny movement in a return di-7 rection the frictional contact between friction pads 49 8 and the sidewalls of the hopper 34 produces rota~ional 9 oovement of the panel with respect to pin 146 which is opposite to that indicated hy the arrow B. Thus during 11 return movement of the foldable panel 48 the panel is 12 moved from i.ts extended condition to its collapsed or 13 folded conditiol-.
14 ~s described, ~lhen the panel 48 is moved down-wardly to a point adjacent the pinch point 210 there is ~6 a distance between -the lower edge of the panel 48 and the 17 inner curved surface 36 which may be in the order of 18 1 to 2 inches. This distance provides a margin of safety 19 for the worker who may inadvertently place his Fin~ers 2.0 within the pinch point 210. Also this distance reduces 21 impact forces which may be transmi.tted from the panel 48 22 to the structure of the tailgate 10 at the pinch point 210.
23 In its position indicated as 48' the foldable 2~ panel is positioned adjacent to the pinch point 210 and this may be the closest point of approach of the panel to 2~ t}le curved inner surface 36 of hopper 34. After passing 27 beyon(l the pinch point 210 the panel 48 has a path of 2~ ///

L i ~) i ;;. ' ~. ; ;i %~90 1 movement indicated by the line 228. ~s illustrated, 2 the line 228 is positioned further away from inner sur-3 face 36 than the distance between the foldable panel 48 4 and the curved inner surface at the pinch point 210. This increased distance, as inclicated by the bracket 230, may 6 be in the order of two and a half to four inches, which 7 represents a distinct difference between the present appara-8 tus as compared with compaction apparatus of the prior 9 art. In previous refuse compaction apparatus, it has been customary for the packing panel to pass in very close proxi-11 mity to tlle wall o~ the loading hopper during packing of 12 refuse within the loading hopper. By having the packing 13 panel move in very close proximity to the curved surface 1~ of the hopper, as has been done previously, the power re-quirements for drivintl the packing panel througll the load-16 ing hopper may be greatly increased. With the panel posi-17 tionecl very close to the wall of the hopper, -~here is no 1~ provision for slippaye through which refuse may be permitted 19 to slip by the panel during its movement throuyh the hopper.
~ However, with the path of movement of panel 4~
21 as indicated by line 228 in Figure 14a, there is provision 22 for slippage such that refuse may be permitted to remain 23 in the hopper 34 by slipping by the foldable panel 48 as 24 it is moved through the hopper 34. By providing this degree of slippage, the power requirements for movement 2~ Of the panel 48 through hopper 34 may be reduced.

1~-1] O1 ]. ~clditionally, the spacing 230 between the path 2 of movement 223 and the curved inner surface 36 provides 3 a further advantage which has been lackin~ in refuse compaction apparatus of the prior art. For example, in loading refuse into a hopper, such as hopper 34, the re-6 fuse rnay fre~uently be of a bulky nature such as, for 7 example, a large cardboard box. Due to the size of the o object bein~ placecl within the hopper, only a small 9 portion of the object may be capable of insertion into the hopper with the balance of the article extending 11 out of the opening of the hopper and over the sill 40.
12 In previous refuse compaction apparatus, the downward 13 movement of the packing panel blade into close proximity 14 to the surface oE the loading hopper would provide a sllearing force which would sever a large bulky article 16 so tllat the severed portion would be packed within the 17 hopper as the balance of the hulky article fell to the 18 ground by reason of -the weight of the article extending 19 over the loading sill. This would make it necessary to again lift the article and to feed the remainder of tlle 21 article sequentially into the hopper as each working 22 movement of the packing panel would, in effect, take another ~3 ~ite out of the article.
24 By providing a distance between the edge of the ~acking panel, such as the distance 23Q between tlle fold-2G able panel 48 and the curved inner surface 36, the panel 27 may not completely shear bulky articles inserted into the ! i .,, " ,:, ., ! .
2~

1 hopper. Thus, the artlcle, if it were a cardboard box, 2 would mel-ely be gripped between the lower edge of the 3 panel 48 and the inner curved surface 36. As the panel 48 continues its movement throuyh the hopper 34, the 6 bulky article may then be dragged into the hopper by the 6 gripping force applied to the ~rticle by the movable 7 panelO Following movement of the panel 48 through the hopper, the movement of the panel in its collapsed posi-9 tion during return movement throuqh the hopper may permit the panel to pass over the refuse which has been dragged 11 into the hopper. In this manner, instead of the panel ~2 48 taking bites out of bulky articles as they are inserted ~3 into the hopper 34, the panel may not only pack the bulky 14 article within -the hopper in a series of packing motions, but may also lighten the job of the wor~er by pulling the 16 bulky article into the hopper with each succeeding move-17 ment of the foldable panel in a working directi.on. The 18 movement of the panel 48 through various positions within 19 the hopper 34, as shown in phantom line drawing, is indi-2.0 cated as 48 ".
21 To provide support for the retainer panel cylin-22 der 55 (see Figure 9) a support plate 232 may be provided 23 on the interior of the tailgate 10 with an aperture 234 2~ to pivotally support the retainer panel cylinder. Also, a pivo-t support 236 may be provided for rotatably suppor-26 ting the retainer panel 54 at..a point adjacent to passage 27 42. ~dditionally, a.support member 238 may be provided .. ~-1.. !
2~

1 for supporting the shaft 106 (see Figure 4) and a pivot support 240 may be provided for the pivot 74 (see Figure 3) 3 for support of the cylinder 50.
4 As discussed in regard to Figure 14, the struc-ture of the tailgate 10 may be designed to compensate for 6 the additional weight and reaction forces which are borne 7 by the tailgate as a result of housing the drive mechanism 8 for tlle packing panels at only one side of the tailgate.
9 ~igure 14b is a sectional view taken alony the line indi-cated by the arrows 14b--14b of Figure 14. As indicated, 11 irregularly shaped stiffening plates 242 may be positioned 12 at either side of the side beam 224 to engage the beams 13 2q4 and 246 which may converge at the pivot support 240.
14 This provides a strong base of support to absorb large reaction forces which may be transmitted to the pivot 16 support 240 by the relatively large llydraulic drive 17 cylinder 50.
18 Returning tb Figure 14, an enlarged side eleva-19 tional view of the upper beam 222 is shown in Figure 14c.
20 -As illustrated in Figure 14c, the upper beam 222 may 21 include an outer surface member 248 having a stiffener 22 assembly 250 integrally formed within the upper beam at 23 a position adjacent its left side as indicated by the loca-24 tion of the arrows 14d--14d in Figure 14. The function of the stiffener assembly may be to effectively isolate 26 the high forces generated in the lefthand portion of 27 beam 222 such that these forces are not allowed to twist ~.. D-llOl i~

1 or bend the upper beam. As indicated, the stiffener 2 assembly 250 may include a transverse stiffener plate 3 252 positioned at one end and a transverse stiffener ~;
plate 254 positioned at the other end of the assembly~
Turning to Figure 14d, which is a sectional '5 view taken along the line 14d--14d of Figure 14c, the 7 transverse stiffener plates 252 and 254 may each have 8 an irregular configuration with enlarged ends ~oined 9 to the outer surface member 248 and to an outer surface member 256 which is joined to outer surface member 248.
11 Additionally, longitudinal stiffeners 258 and 256, which 12 may each have a curved configuration corresponding to 13 the shape of the plates 252 and 254, may join the stif-14 fener plates together. The closed configuration of the stiffener assembly 250 which may be provided by the 16 interconnection of the transverse plates 252 and 254 with 17 the longitudinal stiffener plates 258 and 260 may pro-1~ vide a very stiff and strong structure haviny a high 19 resistance to twisting and bend.ing. In this manner, 2.0 large forces which may be generated in the left portion : 21 of the upper beam 222 (see Figure 14) due to mounting 22 of the drive mechanism on the left side of the tailgate 23 10 are successfully resisted by -the upper beam 222.
: 2~ Figure 15 is a sectional view through the storage body 8 taken along line 15--15 of E'igure 1. As 2G indicated, the storage body 8 may be supported by upper 27 longitudinal stiffeners 262 and 264 and lower longitudinal 2~ ///

1~2~
,, 1 stiffellers 266 and 268. The slide rails 20 may be 2 formed integrally with the lower stiffeners 266 and 268 to e.Ytend inwardly into the storage body 8. ~s des-cribecl previously in regard to Figures 1 and 2, the ejection panel 12 may slidingly engage the rails 20 6 with the slide rails engaging grooves formed in the 7 lower portion of the frame for the ejection panel.
8 As discussed, the present apparatus may be 9 lighter than previous refuse compaction apl~ratl1s. To provide a strong and yet light construction for the 11 storage body 8, the sidewalls of the storage body may be 12 formed of flexible metal sheets, indicated as 270, 272, 13 274 and 276. The flexible sheets 270, 272, 274 and 276 14 may be bowed outwardly from their points of connection to tlle longitudillal stiffeners 262, 264, 266 and 268 16 ~ is insures that the flexible metal sheets 270, 272, 17 274 and 276 may be placed in tension by pressures 18 generated wi-thin tlle storage body ~. Since the metal 19 sheets may have a high tensile strength as compared to their strength in compression, this may permit the 21 relatively thin and lightweight sheets 270, 272, 274 22 and 276 to be used in forming the storage body 8. The 23 storage body 8 may, thus, be macle lighter. Also, as 24 discussed previously, by subjecting the refuse to high pressures within the narrowed throat 204 of passage 42 26 prior to introduction of the refuse into the storage 27 body 8, the storage body may be designed to function at 2c~

~ D-1101 2~

1 ].ower pressures. This also may reduce the need for rela-2 tively heavy structural members in the construction of 3 the storage body 8.
As indicated in Figure 15, a conduit passage 278 may be formed on the surface of the upper sheet 6 member 274 and a corresponding conduit passage 280 may 7 be formed on the surface of the lower sheet member 276.
8 The conduit passages 278 and 280 may be used for running 9 hydraulic or electrical lines between the front and rear portions of the storage body 8.
11 Figure 16 is a front view of the tailgate 10 in 12 its lowered position.as indicated by line 16--16 of Figure 1.
13 ~s indicated, seal members 281 and 282 may be positioned 1~ on the side beams 224 and 226 for contact with the rear of the storage body 8 with -the tailgate 10 in its lowered 16 position. A transverse brace 283 may provide support for 17 the upper wall o~ the passage 42 and a lower frame member 18 284 may be positioned betweell the side beams 224 and 226.
19 A flat surface '86 may be formed below the portion of the passage 42 with the flat surface positioned 21 in close proximity to a corresponding flat surface on .
22 the storage body 8 with the tailyate in its lowered posi~
23 tion as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. A seal 285 may 2~ be positioned about a portion of the flat surface 286, which seal may engage the storage body 8 with the tailgate 10 26 in its lowered position to form a fluid-tight barrier.
27 ~s refuse is compacted within the loadiny hopper, fluid .,n l ~ ~42~

1 may be expressed from the refuse with the flui.d collec-2 ting in the region bounded by the seal 285. The seal 285, 3 thus, functions to prevent a leakage of fluid from the 4 joint between the lowerecl tailga-te 10 and the storage body 8.
6 Figure 16a is a sectional view taken along 7 the line 16a--16a of Figure 16 to illustrate the configura-8 tion of the seal member 285. ~s indicated, the seal mem-9 ber 285 may include a base portion 287 that may be posi-tioned against the side beams 224 and 226 and the lower 11 frame member 28~ with a curved upstanding portion 288 12 positioned at a generally right angle Wit]l respect to 13 the base portion 2~7. The curved upstanding portion 288 14 may include a hollow region 289 -that permits deEormation of the curved upstandincJ por-tion du:ring usage in forming lG a liquid-tight barrier between the storage body 8 and 17 the tailgate 10.
18 In suppor-ting the seal 285 r a support member 290 19 may extend outwardly in a generally perpendicular direc-tion with respect to the surface of the side beams 224 and 21 226 and the lower frame member 284 and a support 22 clamp member 291 may extend in an angular relation to the 23 seal to engage the upper surface of base portion 287. For 24 ease in replacement of seal member 285, the support clamp 291 may be somewhat flexible such that the clamp member 26 can be pulled outwardly away from contact with the base 27 member 287. This permits the removal of the seal member ~.

D-llOl ~.. ;, .
! ~ 1 3L 4 ~ 8 ~Ç~

1 285 witll the clamp member 291 being pulled outwardly as 2 a new seal member is inserted. Followlng this, the clamp 3 member 291 may be released to clamp the replacement seal member 285 firmly in place.
Figure 17 is a front elevational view of the 6 forward support frame 22 as viewed from inside the storage 7 body 8. As indicated, the forward frame 22 may include 8 a top frame member 292 having a curved lower surface 294 9 for enc3agement with the curved sheet member 274 (see Figure 15). Additionally, side frame members 296 and 11 298 may be joined to the top frame member 292 and a 12 cross channel 300 may interconnect the side frame members.
13 ~'his provides the forward frame 22 with a structure which 14 is both rigid and strong. A pair of gellerally triangular shaped plates 302 and 304 may be positioned agaillst the 16 cilannel ~oo ancl generally triangular shaped support chan-17 nels 306 and 308 may be positioned beneatll the cross 18 chanrlel 300 to provide a su~por-t between.the 19 structure of the refuse s-torage body 8 ancl the truck 2.0 frame 6.
21 A plate 310 may extend between the inner ends 22 of the channels 306 and 308 with plates 312 and 314 being 23 affixed to the inner ends of the channels 306 and 308 and 24 also with the cross channel 300- Downwardly extending connecting members 316 and 318 may be affixed respectively 2G to the plates 312 and 314 with the connecting members 27 being joined at their lower ends to the truck frame 6.

~ D~
~ ., 42~3~30 1 ~ hydr~ulic fluid reservoir 320 may be'positioned on the 2 upper surface of the cross channel 300 and a pivot sup-3 port 322 for the ejection panel 12 (see Figure 1) may 4 be formed between the legs of the cross channel 300.
Figure 17a is a side sectional view taken along 6 the lines 17a--17a of Figure 17. ~s indicated in Figure 7 17a, the connecting members 316 and 318 may each be joined 8 to the respective plates 312 and 314 with the connecting 9 members extending through openings in the lower surface of the support channels 306 and 308. Connecting member 11 316, for example, extends through opening 323 in the 12 channel 306 to engage plate 312. Additionally, the 13 connecting members 316 and 318 may each include a 14 plurality of apertures 324 within which bolts may be placed in securing the connecting members to the vehicle 16 frame 6.
17 Figure 18 is an elevational view of the storage 18 body 8 as seen from the rear of the truck 2 with the tail-~ 19 gate removed (see Figure 1). As indicated, the rear 2.0 frame 24 of the storage body 8 may include rigid side 21 members 326 and 328 joined at their upper ends by a to~
22 member 330. The lower portions of side members 326 and 23 323 may be connected by a cross~beam 332 with the cross 24 beam being joined to the truck frame 6 through angle braces 334 and 336. One leg of each of the angle braces 2G 334 and 336 may be positioned in contact with the ~pper 27 ~urface of the longitudinal members of the truck frame 6 2~ ///

1 1 0 ~.

11~289~
1 with the an~le braces bein~ secured to the frame 2 through any convenient means such as connecting bolts 3 or welding. Additionally/ the angle braces 334 and 336 4 may include upstanding legs which may bear against the cross beam 332 and may be secured therto, by example, 6 by welding.
7 ~ rear plate 338 may be joined to cross beam 332 with the rear plate forming a flat downwardly ex-9 ter.ding surface at the rear of storage body 8 which sur-face may be positioned in close proximity to the flat 11 surface 286 of tailgate 10 (see Figure 16) when the 12 tailgate is in its lowered position at the rear of the 13 storage body. The upper edge of the rear plate 338 may 14 be curved to correspond with the curvature of the flexible metal sheet 276 of the storage body 8. Simi-16 larly, the side members 326 and 328 may be suitably 17 curved to support the flexible metal sheets 270 and 272 18 forming the sides of the storage bocly 8 while the top 19 member 330 may also be curved to support the flexible Z sheet 274.
21 Plate support members 340 and 342 may be 22 joined to the cross beam 332 with the plate support mem-23 bers extending downwardly from the cross beam to provide 24 support for the downwardly extending rear plate 338.
A cross brace 344 may be joined to the plate support 26 members 340 and 342 with the cross brace being secured 27 to the lower extremity of the flat plate 338. Plate l)- o:L
i ~-. ,i ~;
28~

1 support members 340 and 342, together with the cross brace 2 344 may, thus, form a rigid frame for support of the 3 downwardly extending rear plate 338 which may bear against the tailgate 10 in its lowered position.
A pivot member 346 may be formed at the upper 6 extremity of side member 328 with the pivot member rotatably q supporting one side of the tailgate 10 with respect to the ~ storage body 8 (see Figure 1). The other side of the 9 tailgate 10 may be supported by the pivot 28 which may be supported by a channel brace 348 connected to the top 11 member 330. ~s described previously in Figure 14, hydraulic 12 cylinders within the tailgate 10 may be mounted at one side 13 t~lereof ~uch that the packing panel 44 may be driven from only 14 one side, as described in Figures 4 and 5. This positioning 15 of the hydraulic cylinders may produce a weight imbalance 16 within the tailgate 10 such that one side of the tailgate is 17 lleavier than the other side. The heavier side of the tail-18 gate 10, which contains the hydraulic sylinders, may be 19 pivotally connected to the pivot 28 with the channel brace 20 348 providing additional strength in rotatably supporting 21 the heavier side of the tailgate. In addition, a support 22 channel 350 may be joined to the top member 330 to further 23 strengthen the top member at the region adjacent to the pivot 28 in rotatably supporting the heavier side of the tailgate 10.

2g -llUl ` ll~lZ~390 1 As indicated, support beams 352 may be positioned 2 along either side of the storage body 8 at the lower ex-3 tremities thereof to provide strengthening of the storage body at these regions. Also, curved plates 354 may be joined to the support beams 352 with the curved plates 6 being connected to the upper ends of support members 340 and 7 342. ~he curved configuration of plates 354, as illustrated, 8 may merge smoothly into the curvature of the flexible 9 metal sheet 276. The connection of the plates 354 to the flexible metal sheet 276 may, therefore, serve to fix the 11 curvature of the metal sheet at its extremities, while also 12 providing strengthening of the lower portions of the 13 storage body 8.
14 Figure 18a is an elevational view taken along the line 18a--18a of Figure 18, which illustrates the configura-1~ tion of side member 328. The pivot 346 formed at the upper 17 extremity of side member 328 may extend rearwardly from the 18 storage body 8 with the pivot 30 for the tailgate lifting 19 cylinder 26 (see Figure 1) likewise extending rearwardly and being positioned below the pivot 346. The plate sup-21 port member 342 may include a rearwardly inclined surface 22 355. Additionally, the other plate support member 340 23 (see Figure 18) may also include an inclined surface simi-2~ lar to surface 355. The effect of inclined surface 355 is 2~ to reduce the weight of the support member 342 while still 26 providing support for the rear plate 338.

a~-i~

o l ~: L42~
.~
1 Fiyure 19 is a ~ragmentary side elevational 2 view ta~en from the right side o~ the tailgate 10 shown 3 in Figure 14 to illustrate the operation of the control mechanism. ~ control member 356 which may be grasped ~ by the operator rnay include an outer tube 358 which is G secured to a plate 360. The plate 360 may be conn~cted 7 to a rotatable rod 362 throuyh a pin 364. With tl-e con-8 trol member 25G positioned as shown in Figure 19, the 9 control member is in its neutral posit.ion and there is no movement of the packing panel 44. Wi-th the pac~ing 11 panel 44 in its rest position as shown in Figure 10, move-12 ment of the control member 356 in the direction of the 13 arrow B initiates the movement of the pac~in~ panel in a 1~ working direction and movement of the retainer panel 54 from a closed to an opened pOSitiOIl. Conversely, with the 16 packing panel 44 and retainer panel 54 positioned as 17 shown in Figure 13, movement of the control member 356 1~ in the direction of the arrow C initiates movement of 19 tlle retainer panel 54 from an opened to a closed posi-tion and movement of the packing panel 44 in a return 21 direction ~rom its position in Figure 13 to that in 22 Figure 10.
23 A rod 3~6 may be positioned within the tube 358 2~ Wit]l the rod extending through an aperture in the closed bottom 370 Ol the tube. A spring 372 may be positioned 2G about the rod 366 at its lower end with one end of the 27 spring enga~illg the bottom 370 and the other end o~ the I~-liOl ~ ~,i L28~g~

1 spring engaging a spring stop 374 posi-tioned about the 2 rod ~ handle 376 may be positioned about the outer 3 tube 358 at its lQwer encl with the handle including a 4 cross member 378 which engages the lower end of the rod 366. With the rod 366 connected to a connector 380, as G ~ill be described, the connector 380 may, in -turn, be 7 joined to a rod 382, then to a connector 384 and to a 8 rod 386. The rod 386 may be positioned adjacent to a 9 tailgate sidewall 337 and eYtend through a transverse wall 383 extending from the tailyate sidewall and through 11 a passage 390. The passage 390 may extend into a housing 12 392 with a tab 393 being formed at the lower end of the 13 rod 386.
1~ ~ rotatable stop mechanism generally indicated as 39~l may be rotatably positioned within the housing 392 16 with the rotational position of the stop mechanism being 17 coordinated witll the rotational rnovement of the pac~ing 18 panel 44 as illustrated in Figures 10-13.
19 The stop mechanism 394 may include a first plate 396 in abuttin~ relation to a second plate 398. To adjust 21 the angular relationship between the first plate 396 and 22 second plate 398, slots 400 may be formed in the second 23 plate with bolts ~102 extending through the slots and 24 threadably engaging apertures in the first plate. Thus, when the bolts 402 are tightened, the rotational position 2G Of the second plate 398 may be fixed with respect to the 27 rotatiollal positioll of the first plate 396. ~ bolt 404 2~

may extend througll both the first plate 396 and second plate 2 398 to engage the shaft 106 which supports the undriven 3 end of the packing panel 44 (see Figure 4).
On movement of the control member 356 in the direction of the arrow B, the shaft 106 rotates in the 6 direction of the arrow denoted D as the packing panel 44 7 moves in a working direction through the hopper 34 as illustrated in Figures 10-13. Ilowever, OIl movement of the 9 control member 356 in the direction of the arrow C, the .
shaft 106 rotates in the direction of the arrow ~ as the 11 packing panel 44 moves in a return direction to its rest 12 position shown in Figure 10.
13 OI1 rotation of the shaft 106 in the direction 14 of arrow D, with the conkrol member 35G moved in the direction of arrow B, a stop member 406 may be rotated 16 into engagement with the tab 393. The stop member 406 17 may include a stop surface 408 which engages the tab 393 18 to e~ert a force through the connecting members 386, 384, 19 382 and 380 that may exert a rotational force on plate 360 to return the control member 356 to its neutral 21 position. When the stop surface 403 encounters tab 393, 22 the packing panel 44 may be generally positioned adjacent 23 to the pinch point 210 as illustrated in Figure 12. Thus, 2'L through contact of the stop surface 408 with tab 393, the packing panel 44 may not proceed beyond this point in a 2G working direction unless some action is taken by the opera-27 tor to move the tab 393 so that the tab does not contact ,~ ~ ' 0 1 ~42~9~

1 the stop surface 408. This may provide an additional 2 factor of safety by insuring that the operator consciously 3 move the tab 393 out of contact with the stop surEace 4 908 to have a continuation of the movement of the pack-ing panel 44 through the hopper 34.
To move the tab 393 out of contact with the 7 stop surface 40~, the operator may pull downwardly on the 8 hallclle 376 which may cause movement of the rocl 366 in a 9 downward direction relative to the tube 358 agains-t the force of the biasing spring 372. This, in turn, may pro-11 vide a rotatlonal movement of the rod 382, as will be 12 describecl, in the direction of the arrow F to rotate the 13 tab 393 out of contact with the stop surface 408. ~s 14 the operator pushes the control member 356 in tlle direction of arrow B to initiate movement of the packing panel 44 1~ in a working direc-tion, the operator may then keep his 17 hand on the handle 376 until the packing panel approaches 18 the pinch point 210 as shown in Figure 12. At this point, 19 the operator may then pull downwardly upon the handle 376 2P such that the packing panel 44 moves past the pinch point 21 210 in a continuous ~ovement in a working direction through 22 tlle hopper 34.
23 During movement of the packing panel 44 in a re-2~ turn direction from its position shown in Figure 13, it is desirable tha-t the movement of the packing panel not be 2G stopped when the packing paneL reaches the general location 27 of the pillC'h point 210. Thus, a slide surface 410 may be 1, .1 ' ].
ii9~

1 ~ormed on t~e stop member 40G with the slide surface 2 beincJ shaped and positioned to slide over the tab 393 3 during movement of the packing panel in a return direc-tion and to not interrupt the movement of the packing panel at the pinch point 210.
6 With the packincJ panel 44 movinc3 in a working 7 direction and the shaft 106 rotatiny in the direction cB of the arrow D, whell the stop 406 has rotated beyond 9 the tab 393 as described, the rotation of the shaft may continue until stop member 412 on the first plate 11 396 encounters the tab 393. At this point, the plate 12 3GO and control member 356 may be ro-tated in a direction 13 counter to ~hat shown by arrow B to return the plate 14 and control membcr to the neutral position indicated in Figure 19. ~t this point, the movement of the packing 16 pallel 44 may cease. With the packi.ng panel 44 occupyiny 17 the position showll in Figure 13, the member 356 and 18 plate 3~0 may then be moved in the di.rection indi.cated 19 hy arrow C. This may cause rotation of the shaft 106 in the direction indicated by arrow E in which the slide 21 surface ~10 of stop member 406 rides over the tab 393.. Ro-22 tational movement of the shaft 106 may, thus, continue in the 23 direction of the arrow F until a stop member 414 on first 2~ p:Late 396 contacts the tab member 393. A-t this point, the plate 3GO and thc control member 356 may he rotated in a di-2G rectioll counter to that indicated by the arrow C to return 27 the platc alld o~erating member to their neutral positions 2~ S}IOWIl ill Fic~ure 19. ~t this point, the movement of the pack-29 ing panel 44 may cease and the packing panel may be posi-tioned at its rest position shown i.n Figure 10.

~L42~9~

1 As described, the angular position of the second 2 plate 398 with respect to first plate 396 may be varied 3 by loosenillg bolts 402 and 404, xotating the seconc1 plate with respect to the first plate, and re-tightening the bolts. The position of the stop member 406 may, thus, be 6 varied with respect to the positions of the stop members 7 412 and 414. This, in turn, may vary the point at which 8 the stop surface 908 encounters the tab 393 such that the 9 packilly panel 44 may be stopped at the pinch point 210 as shown in Fiyure 12 or at a point in advance of the pinch 11 point, as desired.
12 Fiyure 19a is a detailed view taken along the 13 line 19a--19cl of Fiyure 19 to illustrate the construction 14 of the stop member 406 and its function of slidincJ over the tab 393, during rotational movement of the stop member 1~ in the direction of the arrow E. As indicated, the stop 17 member 406 may include a transver~se portion 4]6 from which 18 may depend the stop surface 408. The slide surface 410, 19 which lies behind the stop surface 408 in Fiyure l9a may be inclined upwardly from the stop surface toward a sur~
21 face 409 whose length is less than that of surface 408 22 as indicated by the brackets identifying the surfaces 23 and their length. In usage, the tab 393 cloes not con-24 tact the surface 409 due to its decreased length as ~e stop meMber 406 moves in the direction of the 26 arrow ~. Rather, the tab 393 then encounters the 27 inclined slide surface 410 with the surface 410 then 2~ riding over the tab 393 due to the resiliency of the 29 transverse portion 416. I~owever, when the stop member ///

~2 ; - `' D-ll nl ~ll4Z8~

1 ~06 encounters the tab 393 during movement of the packing 2 panel 44 in a working direction with rotation of the 3 shaft 106 in the direction of the arrow D, the longer stop surface 408 may directly contact the tab 393 ~s des-cribed, this may move the control member 356 to its neu-6 tral position unless the operator has rotated the tab 393 7 out of contact with the stop member 406 by pulling down-8 wardly on handle 376 9 Figure 20 is a view taken along the line 20--20 of Fi~ure 19 which further illustrates the functioning of Il the control mechanism As indicated, the rod 382 may 12 connect at its upper end through a universal join-t 418 to 13 the plate 360. ~dditionally, the rod 382 may be fixedly 14 connected to an L-shaped bracket 420 which may, in turn, be conllected through a universal joint 422 to the rod 366 16 'l'hus, wllell the rod 366 is pulled downwardly by handle 37G, 17 as discussed in regard to Figure 19, the downward movement 18 of the rod 366 may have no effect upon the position of the 19 tube 358 which is fixedly connected to plate 360 The 20 downward movement of the rod 366 does, however, exert a 21 downward force upon the L-shaped bracket 420 whose posi-22 tion ls angled outwardly away from the plane of the paper 23 as it is shown in Figure 20. The downward force exerted 24 upon L-shaped bracket 420, thus, may exert a turning moment 25 on the rod 382 which may rotate the rod in the direction ~6 indicated by arrow F to move the tab 393 out of engagement 27 with the stop melllber 406. Due to the presence of the ~-liOl ~? ;:
~L~4~0 1 universal joints 418 and 422, the rotational movement 2 ov the L-shaped bracket 420 and the rod 382 does not 3 disturb the position oE the plate 360 and -tube 358.
Thus, the control handle 356 remains in its position even though the rod 382 is ro-tated. The universal joint 418, while permitting rotational movemen-t of the rod 380 with 7 respect to plate 360 does not, however, permit transla-8 tional movement of the rod 382 with respect to the plate 9 3GO. Thus, when the tab 393 is engaged by any of the stops 412, 414, 416 to produce translational movement of 11 tlle rod 382, this translational movement causes movement 12 of the plate 360 and tube 358 as described previously.
13 As indicated, in the lower portion of Fi~ure 20, 1~ a support bearing 424 may be provided for the shaft 106 witll tlle first and second plates 396 and 398 being secured 16 to the shaft at a mounting location which is positioned 17 outboard from the support bearing. Further, a closure 18 plate 426 may be positioned over the housing 392 with the 19 closure plate being secured to the housing in any conven-tional manner, such as the use of bolts 428.
21 Figure 21 is a detailed view illustrating the 22 movement of control rods 206 and 207 in transmitting 23 movement from the rotatable rod 362 shown in Figure 19 to 2~ valves for controlling the hydraulic mechanism. As indi-cated, the rotatable rod 362 may extend from the right 26 rear side o~ the tailgate 10 where the control mechanism 27 may be located to the left rear side of the tailgate where 2~ the drive mechanism may be located (see Figure 14).

3]

~ 0 1 g~ , 1 At the terminus of tlle rotatable rod 362 at -the ?. left rear side of the taik~ate 10, the rod may be supported 3 by a bearincJ plate 430 seeured to a support plate 432.
partial closure 434 may extend about the rotatable rod 362 as it crosses tl-e back of the tailcJate 10 to E)rotect the 6 rod. ~n eceentrie 436 may be secured to the rotatable 7 rod 362 at a position whieh is inboarcl from the bearinc~
plate 430. The eontrol rods 206 and 207 may be connected 9 to a pin 442 joined to the eccentrie 436 such that rota-tional movement of the rod 362 in the direction inclieated 11 by arrow G may eause simultaneous movement of the eontrol 12 rods in the direetion indieated by arrow 11. The eontrol 13 rod 207 may be eonnected to a valve aetuation member 444 14 while the control rod 206 is connected to a valve aetuation member 446. ~s will be deseribed a detent meehanism 448 16 may be positioned adjaeent to the valve aetuation member 17 446 to hold the valve aetuation member in a desired posi-18 tion after movement of the rod 206.
19 Fic3ure 21a is a seetionaL view taken alony the lines 21a--21a of Figure 21 to demonstrate the manner in 21 whieh the rods 206 and 207 may be eonneeted to the eccen-22 tric 436. The rod 206 may include a slot 450 formed at 23 its outer end with the rod 207 including a slot 452 formed 2a at its outer end. With rotation of the rod 362 in the direetion of arrow G as shown in Figure 21, the pin 442 26 may move to the right hand ends of the two slo-ts 450 and 27 452. I`his eontact may, then move both the rods 206 and 2c~ 207 in the direction of arrow 11 as shown in Figure 20.

///

i)-,Llo~

1 ~s will be clescribed, rod 207 rnay be used to 2 actuate the movement of the reta.i.ner panel 54 from a 3 close~d to an opened position (see Figures 10 and 11) or to actuate movement of the retainer panel from its opened to its closed position. As described previously Witil 6 regard to Figures 10-13, movement of the retainer panel 7 54 may precede the movement of the packing panel 44. For 8 example, the retainer panel 54 may move from a closed to 9 an opened position before movement of the packiny panel 44 in a workiny clirection through the hopper 34 (see 11 Figures 10 and 11). Similarly, the movement of -the re-12 tainer panel 5q from an opened to a closed position may 13 precede the movement of the packiny panel 49 from i~.s 14 position shown in Figure 13 in a re-turn direction to its rest position shown in Fi~ure 10. To provide this result, 16 a spring centered valve may be used for provicling move-17 ment of the retainer panel 54 which valve may be ac-tuated 18 by movement of the rod 207. The spring centered valve 19 may be biased to a neutral position in which no hydraulic fluid flows to the retainer panel cylinder 55 (see Figure 9).
21 On movement of the pin 442 to the right from its position 22 shown in Figure 21a, the rod 207 may be hel.d in position 23 by the operator with control member 356 held in the direc-24 tion o~ arrow B until the retainer panel 54 (see Figures 10-13) has completed its movemen-t from a closed to an 26 opened position. ~t thi.s point, the operator may then re-'~7 turn tlle control member 356 to its neutral position shown i)- 1 1 0 1 8~
~ .

1 in Fiqure 19 which may cause the pin 442 to occupy the 2 position shown in Figure 21b.
3 The spring centered valve may then automatically return the rod 207 to its centered position showll in Figure 21b. llowever, the rod 206 may remain held in the 6 direction of the arrow H shown in Figure 21 by the detent 7 mcchallism 448. The rod 206 may, thus, occupy tile posi-8 tion shown in Figure 21b with the pin 442 positioned 9 closely adjacent to the left end of the slot 450. I~ith reference to Figure 19, the rod 206 may continue to 11 occupy the position as shown in Figure 21b until the tab 12 393 is contacted by the stop member 406 or 412 to move 13 the pin 442 sli~htly to the left from its position shown 14 in Fi~ure 21b and into contact with -the left end of slot 450. ~t this pOillt, the rod 206 may become diseng~ged lG ~rom the detent mechanism 443 with a biasing spring of 17 the valve returning the rod 206 to its neutral position.
18 ~t this point, both the rods 206 and 207 may occupy the 19 positions shown in Figure 21a in which the pin 442 is centered within slots 450 and 452.
21 Again, referring to Figure 19, when the con-22 trol member 356 is moved in the direction of arrow C, 23 the rod 362 shown in Figure 21 may be rotated in a 24 direction opposite to that indicated by arrow G. This may cause the pin 442 to move to the left from its 26 position shown in Figure 21a into contact with the left 27 ends of the slots 450 and 452. As a result, the rods 2~ ///

_95_ ~ -T ~ ~l 1 206 and 207 may then be moved in a direction opposite 2 to that indicated by arrow 11 in Figure 21. The con-3 trol member 356 shown in Figure 19 may then be held in the direction of arrow C until the retainer panel 54 has completed its movement from an opened to a closed 6 position (see Figure 1) with the control member then being 7 returned to its neutral position and with the rod 207 re-~ ~urning to its neutral position to occupy the positioll 9 showrl in Figure 21b. I~owever, the rod 206 may remain in a held position opposite to that indicated by the arrow ~ in 11 Figure 21 under the influence of the detent mechanism 448 12 Wit]l the right end of the slot 450 as shown in Figure 21b 13 being positioned closely acljacent to the pill 442. ~he rod 14 206 may remain lleld in this position by the detent mechanism 948 until the tab 393 (see Figure 19~ is contacted by the 16 stop mem~er 414 as the shaft 106 rotates in the direction 17 of the arrow E. At this point, the pin 442 ~see Flgure 18 21b) may be moved sli~h-tly to the right into contact 19 with the right end of slot 450. This may disengage the detent mechanism 448 from the rod 20G such that the rod 21 returns to its neutral position with rods 206 and 207 22 and pin 442 occupying the position shown in Figure 21a.
23 Figure 21c is a detailed side elevation view, 2~ partly in section, taken along line 21c--21c as shown in Figure 21 to indicate the functioning of the detent 2G mechanism 448 in holding the rod 206. As indicated, the 27 detent mecllarlism 448 may include a base member 454 with .... ,. ~ ` ~ - 1 1 0 1 ;: :
~L42~9~
1 a rotatable arm 956 mounted thereon througll a pivot 45 2 and an arm support member 960 that supports the pivot 3 for engagement with the rotatable arm. The arm fi56 may be biased in any convenient manner, such as by a spring, for rotation in a clockwise direction from its position 6 shown in Figure 21c with a roller 462 at the outer end 7 of the arm belng forced into contact with the rocl 206.
8 Notclles 464 may be formed in the rod 206 with the posi-9 tion of the notches corresponding to the position of the rod when it is moved in the direction of the arrow H
11 shown in Figure 21 to actuate the packing panel 44 in a 12 working direction (see Figures 10-13), or when the rod 13 206 is moved in a direction opposite that of arrow ~I to 1~ actuate movement of the packing panel in a return direction.
16 As indicated, when the roller 462 engages one 17 of the notches 964, the upward force of the roller against 18 the notch may hold the rod 206 in a given position.
19 valve 466, which may be actuated hy movement of the rod 206, may be a sprlng-centered valve. Thus, when either 21 the right or left end of the slot 450 in rod 206 is con-22 tacted by the pin 442 (see Figure 21b) the rod may under-2a go sufficient movement to disengage the roller 462 from 24 one of the notches 464. At this point, the spring cen-tering action of valve 466 may return the rod 206 to its 2G neutral position as indicated in Figure 21a with the 2~ valve 966 tllen being in a neutral position such that tile 28 movement of the packing panel 49 ceases (see Figures 10-13).

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~L42~

1 E'i~ure 22 is a schematic representation of a 2 hydraulic circuit which may be used in actuating the 3 present apparatus. As indicated, hydraulic fluid from the reservoir 348 may be transported through a supply line 468 and a valve 470 to a pump 472. From the pump 6 472 the hydraulic fluid may be supplied under pressure 7 through a line 474 which is joined to a branch line 47~.
8 Branch line 476 leads to a pilot-opera-ted relief valve 478 9 that may be conveniently set at a pressure such as 2950 psi psi. When the pre~sure in the line 474 and the branch 11 line 476 reaches the predetermined pressure, the pressure 12 transmitted through a pressure line 479 may cause the 13 valve 478 to open to permit fluid to pass through the 14 valve to a return line 511 leading to the reservoir 348.
In permitting ~luid to pass through tl-e valve 478 at a 16 predetermined pressure of about 2950 psi, the 17 relief valve 478 acts as a safety valve for the entire 18 hydraulic system to insure that pressures within the 19 system do not exceed the predetermined pressure level.
The line 474, after passing the branch line 21 476, leads to a branch lir~e 480 and to a spring-centered 22 valve 482. With the spring-centered valve 482 in its 23 lleutral position as shown in Figure 22, hydraulic fluid 24 in line 474 may flow throuyh the valve. The valve 482 may include a control handle 484 through which the 26 valve may be moved to a raised or a lowered position from 27 its neutral position shown in ~igure 22. On movement ~ , D-llO1 ; :, . .
~.~1.4289C~

1 of the handle 484 to move the valve upwardly from its 2 positioll shown in Figure 22, hydraulic fluid Erom line 3 474 may flow throu~h a check valve ~86 and through the valve 482 to a line 488. The line 988 may lead to a branch line 490 which leads to a pilot--operated relief 6 valve 492. The relief valve 492 may be set to open 7 at a predetermined pressure of about 3100 psi which 8 may be transmitted through a pressure line 493 to open 9 the rellef valve such that hydraulic fluid from line 990 may flow tG return line 511 and to the reservoir 11 348 The relief valve 492 which may be set at a pressure 12 less than the opening pressure for relief valve 478 13 ~nay, thus, function to permit the release of hydraulic 14 fluid from line 490 when the telescopic ejection cylinder 14 encounters an undesirable pressure buildup cluring, 1~ for example, movement of the ejection panel 12 from the 17 front to the rear of the storage body 8 during the 18 ejection of refuse from the storage body (see Fiyure l) 19 I~he line 488, after passing the branch line 490, may lead to two lines 494 and 496. Line 494 may 21 lead to a solenoid valve 495 which, when actuated, as will 22 be described, will permit hydraulic fluid to flow to a 23 return line 497 and to the reservoir 348. The line 496 2~ may lead to the large end of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 14 which may have, for example, a pressure area 26 in the order cf ten times the pressure area at the small 27 end of the telescopic cylinder. A line 498 may lead from ~2 _99_ .. D-llOl 1~2~ L !

1 the small end of the telscopic cylinder 14 to a line 2 512 di.rected to the valve 982. ~ith valve 482 in its 3 raised position, hydraulic fluicl may, thus, flow through the valve to lines ~88 and 496 to expand the telescopic cylinder 14 while fluid from the small end 6 of the telescopic cylinder may flow through lines 498 7 and 512 throuyh the valve to a line 514 to return line 8 511 and to the sump 348. ~ strainer 515 may be posi.-9 tioned between the return line 511 and the reservoir 348 to remove particles from the hydraulic fluid to 11 prevent clogging of the valves in the hydraulic system 12 by tlle particles.
13 ~hen the llandle 984 is actuated to move the 14 valve 482 in a downwarcl direction from that shown in Figure 22, pressurized hydraulic fluid may flow through 16 the check valve 486 and the valve 482 into the lines 512 17 and 498. This may introduce pressurized hydraulic fluid 18 into -the small end of the telescopic cylinder 14 with 9 flui.d from the larye end of the cylinder being returned through lines 496 and 498 to the valve 482. I'he returnecl 21 fluid from the large end of telescopic cylinder 14 may 22 then be conveyed through through the valve 482 to line 23 514 to the return line 511 and the sump 348. ~s this 2~ occurs, the telescopic cylinder may unclergo contraction to move the ejection panel 12 from the rear to the front 2G of the storage body 8 (see Fi~ure 1).

~9 r~, .~,-l:L01 8~

1 1~1hen valve 482 is in its neutral position as 2 shown in Figure 22 with the telescopic cylinder 14 being 3 filled with hydraulic Eluid, a problem may arise if there is, for example, an increase in the ambient temperature.
Due to the substalltial difference between the pressure G area at the large end of the telescopic cylinder 14 as 7 compared with the pressure area at the small end of the 8 cylinder, a pressure increase at the large end due to 9 thermal expansion of fluid at the large end may produce a tenfold pressure increase at the small end of the tele-11 scopic cylinder. To protect against undesirable pressure 12 buildup at the small end of telescopic cylinder 14, the 13 line 498 from the small end of the cylinder may lead to a 14 branch line 500 leadincJ to two lines 502 and 504.
check valve 506 may be positioned in line 502 to prevent 16 the flow of hydraulic fluid from line 502 to a line 510 and 17 to the return line 511.
18 ~lowever, line 504 may lead to a pilot-operated 19 relief valve 508 which may be set to open at a pressure Of about 3100 psi. W}len the pressure in line 504 21 reaches this pressure level, pressure ~ay be transm,itted 22 to the valve 508 through a pressure line 509 to open the 23 relief valve such that fluid may flow to line 510 to the 24 return line 511 and to the reservoir 348.
After passing the valve 482, the line 474 may 2G lead to a spring-centered valve S16 which may be used to 27 actuate the tail~ate,lifting cylinder 26. With valve 516 2~ ///

Z~
1 in its neutral position as shown in Figure 22, hydraulic 2 fluid may flow directly through the valve. ~ handle 518 3 connected to the valve 516 may ~e used in moving the 4 valve to a raised or a lowered position from that shown in Figure 22. When valve 516 is moved to a lowered 6 ~Josition, hydraulic fluid may flow from line 480 through 7 a check valve 520 and through the valve 516 to a line 522.
8 The line 522 may lead to a hydraulic choke 524 with 9 hydraulic fluid expanding the cylinder 26 during movement of the tailgate 10 to its raised potiion show.l in 11 Figure 1. When the cylinder 26 is expanded to a desired 12 extent, the valve 516 may be moved to its neutral posi~
13 tion shown in Figure 22 to isolate the cylinder 26 and 14 to insure that the cylinder remains in its expanded con-dition.
16 wllen it is then desired to lower the tailgate 10 17 (see Figure 1), the valve 516 may be moved to its raised 18 position from that shown in Figure 22. ~t this point, 19 the weight of the tailgate structure 10 may be exerted against the fluid within the cylinder 26 through a piston 21 rod 525. The wei~ht of the tailgate 10 may, thus, force 22 a piston 527 downwardly within the cylinder 26 with fluid 23 flowing from the cylinder through choke 524, line 522 and 24 the valve 516. After flowing through valve 516, the fluid may be conveyed through a line 526 to the return line 511 26 and to the sump 348. The choke 524 may function to re-27 duce the flow rate of hydraulic fluid throu~h line 52 n-llol 89a~
1 to a relatively low flow rate. This may insure that the 2 tailgate descends slowly in moving fxom its raised posi-3 tion 10' to its lowered position 10 as shown in Figure 1.
After passiny beyond the valve 516, the line 474 may reach two branch lines 528 and 530. The branch line 6 530 may lead to a pilot-operated relief valve 532 having 7 a pressure line 533 connected to the line 474. When the 8 pressure within line 474 reaches a predetermined value of 9 about 3100 psi, the pressure transmitted through line 533 may open the valve 532 to permit pressurized fluid 11 to flow through the valve to a return line 5~6 which 12 leads to line 511 and to the reservoir 348. The relief 13 valve 532 may, thus, control the pressure of hydraulic ~4 fluid which is fed to the cylinder 55 for actuation of the retainer panel 54 and which is fed to the cylinders 16 52 and 50 for actuation of the packing panel 44 as il-17 lustrated in Figures 10-13.
18 As described in Figures 21, 21a, 21b and 21c, 19 the control rods 206 and 207 may be moved together in ~ unison. with the ro~s 206 and 20? moved together in 21 unison in the direction of arrow H as shown in Fig~lre 21, 22 a spring-centered valve 538 may be moved upwardly from 23 its neutral position as shown in ~igure 22 and the spring-24 centered valve 466 may also be moved upwardly. Hydraulic fluid may then flow from the line 474 through a line 528 2G -to a line 534 and throug}l a check valve 536. After 27 ~lowing through check valve 536, pressurized hydraulic 1 fluid may then flow through the valve 538 and through a 2 line 540 to the cylinder 55. This may cause the cyl.inder 3 55 to contract with fluicl from the head end of the cylinder flowing throu~h a line 542, throu~h valve 538 and thro-lcJh a line 544 to the return line 546.
6 Since the volume of the hudraulic cylinder 55 7 may be relatively small, the contraction of the cylinder 8 may be relatively rapid to provide rapid movement of 9 the retainer panel 54 from its closed position shown in Figure 10 to its opened position shown in Figure 11. At 11 this point, the control handle 356, after first heing 12 moved in the direction of arrow s, may be moved in a 13 clirection opposite that of arrow B to its neutral posi-14 tion as shown in ~'igure 19. This may permit the sprin~-centered valve 538 to return to its neutral position to 16 cause the rod 207 to return to its neutral position shown 17 in Figure 21b with the pin 492 centered within the slot 18 452 in rod 207. The rod 206 may, however, remain in the 19 directi.on of arrow H throug}l the action of the detent mechanism 44~ as described in Figures 21b and 21c. With 21 the valve 538 returned to its neutral position, and the 22 valve 466 in its raised position from that shown in 23 Figure 22, hydraulic fluid may flow from line 474 through 2~ the valve 538 ~nd to a branch line 545, through a check valve 548 and the valve 466 and to a line 550. Line 550 may lead to a line 552 to the.rod end of the relatively 27 large drive cylinder.50 which may ~e used in moving the -10~ -28~

1 packing panel ~4 in a working direction, as clescribed in 2 Figures 10-13.
3 On the introduction of pressurized hydraulic 4 fluid into cylinder 50 through line 552, a piston 554 may be moved upwardly from its position shown in Fi~ure 6 22 to contract the cylinder in moving the packing panel 7 44 in a workinr3 direction as described in Figures 10-13.
~s described in regard to Figure 3, the relati.vely large hydraulic drive cylinder 50 may be mechanically coupled with the relatively small hydraulic return cylinder 52.
11 Thus, as the piston 554 of cylinder 50 is moved moved 12 upwardly to contract the cylinder 50, a pi.ston 555 of 13 return cylinder 52 may be moved downwardly to expand the 1~ return cylinder. On downward movement of piStOIl 555, hydraulic fluid within the rod end of cylinder 52 may be 16 exhausted through a line 574 and through the valve 466 17 to a line 557 to line 546 and to line 511 and reservoir 18 348.
19 ~s hydraulic fluid is fed to the rod end of the drive`cylinder 50, through line 552, a pilot-operated 21 check valve 562 may prevent the flow of hydraulic fluid 22 from the line 550 pas-t the check valve. A line 560 con-23 nected to the head end of the drive cylinder 50 may lead ~4 to the head end of the return cylinder 52. Thus, as the piston 554 is moved upwardly with the piston 555 moving 26 downwardly, hydraulic fluid which is exhausted from the 27 head end of drive cylinder 50 may pass -through the line 2~ ///

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8'~

1 560 into the head end of the return cylinder 52. In 2 this manner, the return cylinder 52 may act as an accumu-3 lator of the hydraulic fluid which is discharged from the }-ead encl of cylinder 50. ~dditionally, a line 561 may interconnect line 560 with the return line 511 to 6 the reservoir 348. Ilydraulic fluid which is discharged 7 from the head end of the cylinder 50 may, thusl also 8 Elow from line 560 into line 561 and to the return line 9 511. ~lowever, to encourage flow of hydraulic fluid be-tween the cylinders 50 and 52, the line 560 may be re~
11 latively large to offer less resistance to flow than the 12 line 561.
13 As the piston 554 is moved upwardly within drive ~4 cylinder 50, a pressure port 559 in the wall of the cylinder 50 may be uncovered to receive pressure from 16 fluid on the underside of piston 554. The port 559 may, 17 for example, be uncovered when the packing panel 44 moves 1~ beyond the pillCh point 210 during its movement in a work-19 ing direction as lllustrated in Figures 12 and 13. AS the packing panel 4~ passes beyond the pinch point 21n, greater 21 resistance may be encountered by the panel from refuse 22 within the hopper 34 which may result in higher pressures ~3 at the rod end of the drive cylinder 50. ~s also dis-24 cussed in regard to Figures 10-13, during movement of the packing panel 44 in a working direction through the hop-26 per 34, refuse within the hopper is su~jected to high 27 pressures as the refuse passes through the narrowed throat 4~

1 20~ in passage ~2 le~ading to the storage body 8. Thus, 2 the pressure of refuse within the storage body 8 which 3 is exerted against the ejection panel 12 may be of a relatively low magnitude even though high pressures are experienced hy the refuse within the narrowed throat 6 204 and high pressure hydraulic ~luid is supplied through 7 line 552 to the rod end of the cylinder 50.
~ Since the pressure of refuse within the storage 9 body 8 exerted against the ejection panel 12 may be re-latively low, in comparison to previous refuse compacting 11 apparatus, the pressure which is experienced at -the large 12 end of the telescopic cylinder 14 by refuse bearing 13 against the ejection panel may also be relatively low. If 14 tlle means for dumping hydraulic fluid from -the large end of the cylinder 14 were a purely hydraulic mechnnism, the 16 speed of actu.ation of the mechanism m.ight not be suffi-17 ciently rapid. To provide a more rapid and more contro].led 1~ dumping of hydraulic fluid from the large end of the tele-19 scopic cylinder 14 when the ejection panel 12 moves in small incremental steps from its rearward position 12 to 21 its fo~ward position 12' (see Figure 1), an electrical 22 system may be used to control the dumping of hydraulic 23 fluid from the telescopic cylinder 14. The pressure port 24 559 in the drive cylinder 50, as described, may lead to a pressure sensing line 556 to a pressure actuated switch 26 558. The switch 558 is opened in its position shown in 27 Figure 22. Ilowever, when the pressure at the rod end of ,. , - 1 1 0 1 1 drive cyiinder 50 reaches a predetermined level, such as 2 2~100 psi., a switch member 563 may ~e moved downwardly 3 by the pressure in line 556 into contact with a pole 565 to complete a circuit between an electrical power source 566 and the solenoid valve 495 through wires 568, 570 and 572.
6 With the switch 558 closed, the solenoid valve 7 495 may, therefore, be actuated to quickly dump fluid from 8 the large end of telescopic cylinder 14 through line 494 g to line 497 and to the reservoir 348. This permits move-ment of the ejection panel through a small incremental 11 distance as described in regard to Figure 1 to reduce the 12 pressure of refuse against the packing panel 44 and, in 13 turn, to reduce the hydraulic pressures at -the rod end of 14 the drive cylinder 50. When the pressure of hydraulic flu.i.d at the rod end of the cylinder 50 thell dro~s to a 16 predetermined level such as 2150 psi, the switch 55 17 may return to an opened position as shown in Figure 22 lo to return the solenoid valve 495 to its closed position.
19 The packing of refuse may then continue until the pres-sure at the rod end of the cylinder S0 again reaches the 21 predetermined level required to close switch 558 and the 22 whole operation may be completed again, etc., to move Z3 the ejection panel 12 in small incremental steps from 2~ its rearward position 12 to its forward position 12' (see Figure 1) as the storage body 8 is progressively 26 filled with refuse.

2~ ///

32 J' ~142~
~ .~
1 ~hen the packin~ panel 44 has completed its 2 movement in a working direction as shown in Figure 13 3 the rod 206 may then be returned to a neutral position by contact of the pin 442 with the end of the slot 450 in the rod 206 as describéd in regard to Figures 21 21a 6 21b and 21c. This may then overGome the detent 7 mechanism 448 such that the spring-centered valve 466 may be returned to its neutral position shown in Figure 22.
9 With the packing panel positioned as shown in Figure 13 the rods 206 and 207 may then be moved down-11 wardly from their positions shown in Figure 22 to actuate 12 movement of the panel 44 in a return direction to its 13 rest position shown in Figure 10~ The simultaneous move-14 ment of the rods 206 and 207 may move the valves 538 and ~5 466 to their lowered positions from that shown in Figure 16 22 with hydraulic fluid passing from line 534 through 17 check valve 536 and valve 538 into :Line 542 to the head 1~ end of the retainer panel cylinder ;5. This may cause 19 the retainer panel cylinder 55 to expand with hydraulic fluid exhausted from the rod end of the retainer panel 21 cylinder passing through line 540 valve 538 and into 22 line 544 to the reservoir 348. With the volume of the 23 retainer cylinder 55 being relatively small the expan-24 sion of the retainer cylinder to return the retainer panel 5~ to its closed position shown in Figure 10 may 26 occur relatively quickly.

D-llOl 1 The control member 356 (see Figure 19) may then be returned to its neutral position by moving 3 the control me~ber in a directioll opposite to that in-4 dicated by arrow C. This may permit the spring-centered valve 538 and the control rod 207 to return to their 6 neutral positions as described in E'igures 21, 21a, 21b 7 and 21c with the rod 206 being retained in a direction op 8 posite that of arrow H through the detent mechanism 448.
9 llydraulic fluid may then pass throuyh valve 538 in its neu-tral position to ~ine 545, through check valve 548, and 11 valve 466 into line 574 to the rod end of the relatively 12 small retuxn cylinder 52. As described previously, 13 cylinders 52 and 50 may be mechanically interconnected.
14 Thus, as cylinder 52 is contracted, the relatively large drive cylinder 50 may be expanded. ~Iydraulic fluid 16 which is exhausted from the rod end of the cylinder 50 17 during its expansion may be conducted through lines 552 1~ and 550 to valve 466 and into line 557 to the reservoir 19 348. However, due to the relatively large volume of hydraulic fluid which may be contained at the rod end of 21 cylinder 50, the resistance to fluid flow encountered by 22 the fluid within lines 552, 550, etc., may oppose the 23 expansion of hydraulic cylinder 50. This may increase the resistance to contraction of the return cylinder 52 which may increase the pressure of hydraulic fluid fed 26 to the rod end of the return cylinder through line 574.

2~

1 ~ pilot line 569 leading from line 574 to the 2 pilot-operated check valve 562 may transmit pressure to 3 the chec~ valve which may be set to open at a relatively ~` 4 low pressure of about 500 psi. On opening of the check valve 562, fluid which is exhausted from the rod ~,~ 6 end of cylinder 50 may then flow from line 552 through h, 7 the check valve 562 into the line 560 for return to the 8 head end of cylinder 50. In this manner, the relatively 9 large drive cylinder 50 may act as its own accumulator during expansion of the cylinder. Hydraulic fluid which 11 is exhausted from the head end of the return cylinder ;s~ 12 52 during i-ts contraction may also flow through the line 13 560 into the head end of the drive cylinder 50 with the 14 drive cylinder, therefore, also acting as an accumulator for the return cylinder 52. Additionally, hydraulic 16 fluid may flow through line 561 into the return line 511 17 to the reservoir 348. However, as stated, the size of 1~ line 560 may be larger than that of line 561 to encourage 19 the flow of hydraulic fluid between the cylinders 52 and 50 through the line 560.
21 Figure 23 illustrates an alternative hydraulic 22 circuit which may be used in controlling the present 23 apparatus. While the hydraulic circuit of Figure 23 is 24 similar to that of Figure 22, it also differs in a num~er of important respects. As indicated, a reservoir 576 may 26 supply hydraulic fluLd through a supply line 578 to a 27 valve 580 and then to a pump 582. Leading from the pump ~, --111-' ~L3L~L2l~390 1 582 is a line 584 which is joined to an au~iliary line 2 586, may be used for operating conventiollal auxiliary 3 equipment. The supply line 584 may then lead to a 4 branch line 588 joined to a pressure-operated pilot valve 590. The valve 590 may be set to open at a given 6 pressure level such as 2950 psi and a pressure 7 line 591 may be used to transmit pressure from the line 8 588 to open the valve when the predetermined pressure 9 level is reached. Valve 590 may, thereby, function as a safety valve for the entire hydraulic system with the 11 pressure for opening the valve being the maximum system 12 pressure.
13 After passing branch line 588, the line 584 may 14 then lead to a spring-centered valve 592 which may be operated by movement of a handle 594. With the valve 16 592 in its neutral position, as shown in Figure 23, 17 hydraulic fluid may flow through the valve. I-lowever, 18 when valve 592 is moved to a raised position from that 19 shown in Figure 22, pressurized fluid may then flow through a line 596, a check valve 598, and then through 21 valve 592 into a line 600. The line 600 may lead to 22 a branch line 602 which is directed to a solenoid valve 23 606 and also to a line 604 which is directed to the large 24 area end of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 14 as shown in Figure 1. With pressurized hydraulic fluid being fed 26 through line 604 to the large area end of telescopic 27 cylinder 14 the telescopic cylinder may be expanded to IJ--llUl 4~ 0 1 provide movement of the ejection panel-12. ~Iydraulic 2 fluid which may be exhAusted from the small area end of 3 the telescopic cylinder 14 may flow through a line 6û8 4 to a line 618 and throuc3h the valve 592 to a return line 62û. The line 620 may lead to`a return line 622 6 whicll may, in turn, lead to a line'616 through a check 7 valve 617 and strainer 619 and into the reservoir 576.
8 When the valve 592 is moved to its lowered 9 position from that shown in Figure 23, hydraulic fluid may flow from line 596 through check valve 598 and 11 valve 592 into lines 618 and 608 to the small area end 12 of telescopic cylinder 14. This may produce contrac-13 tion of the telescopic cylinder 14 with hydraulic fluid 14 being exhausted from the large area end of the telescopic cylinder througll lines 604 and 600, valve 592 and into 16 line 62û to return line 622.
17 When valve 592 is in its'neutral position 18 shown in Fiyure 23, the telescopic cylinder 14 is iso-19 lated from line 584 and pressure buildup may occur at 20 the small area end of the telescopic cylinder because ~:~ 21 of an increase in the a~bient temperature. If a pres- :
22 sure buildup occurs in the large area end of the cylinder 23 14, this may, for example, cause a tenfold pressure 24 buildup in the small area end of the cylinder because of the area ratio between the pressure area at the large area 26 end and the yressure area at the small area end. To 2~ relieve such a pressure buildup, a branch line 610 from ' -113-.: .,, . " .............. :'1 `
~ 4~

1 line 608 may lead to the pilot-operated val.ve 612 with a 2 pressure transmitting line 613 from line 610 to the valve 3 to control its operation. The valve 612 may be set, for example, to open at a pressure of about 3100 psi to permit the exhaust of hydraulic ~luid from line 610 6 t~rough the valve and into a line 614 which leads to 7 return line 616.
~fter passing beyond valve 592 in its neutral 9 posltion, the supply line 584 may lead to a spring-cen-tered valve 624 which is shown in its neutral position 11 in Figure 23. The valve 624 may include an operating 12 handle 626 which may be actuated to move the valve to 13 its lowered position from that shown. With the valve 14 624 in its lowered position, pressurized hydrauli.c fluid may then pass from line 584 to line 6~B, through a chec~
16 valve 630, and valve 624 and into a line 632. The line 17 632 may leacl through a pressure choke 634 to the hydrau-18 lic cylinder 26 which may be used for lifting of the 19 tailgate 10 as illustrated in Figure 1.
As hydraulic fluid is fed through line 632 to 21 the head end of the cylinder 26, the cylinder may be 22 expanded to raise the tailgate to its position 10' shown 23 in Figure 1. The valve 624 may then be returned to its 24 neutral position to isolate the cylinder 26 and insure that the tailgate remains in its raised position 10'.
26 When it is desired to lower the tailgate to its position 27 10 shown in Fi~ure 1, the valve 624 may then be moved 1 to its raised position from that shown in Figure 23 with 2 hydraulic fluid passing from the cylinder 26 through the 3 choke 634, the line 632 and valve 624 and into a return line 636. ~s described in regard to Figure 22, the weight of the tailgate 10 (Figure 1) may be used to advan-6 tage in contracting the hydraulic cylinder 26 during 7 lowering of the tailgate. 5ince the weight of the tail-~ ga-te 10 may ~e borne by the c~ylinder 26, the weight of the 9 tailgate may force fluid from tl-e head end of the cylinder whell the valve 624 is in its raised condition. ~lowever, be-11 cause of the presence of the hydraulic choke 634, fluid flow 12 through the line 632 may be maintained at a relatively slow 13 rate to insure that the tailgate is not lowered too rapidly.
4 Proceeding beyond valve 624 in its neutral position, the supply line 584 may lead to a branch line 1~ 638 to a pilot-operated valve 690 controlled through a 17 pressure line 641. The pilot-operal:ed valve 640 may be 1~ set to open at a pressure of about 31~0 psi to permit 19 exhaust of hydraulic fluid through the valve to a line 642 leading to return line 616 to the reservoir 576.
21 rhe pilot-operated valve 640 may, thus, be set to deter-22 mine the maximum pressure of hydraulic fluid which is 23 supplied to the retainer panel cylinder 55, the return 24 cylinder 52 and the drive cylinder 50 during movement of the packing pane] 44 as illustrated in Figures 10-13.
26 The supply line 584 may then lead to a spring-27 centered detent valve 648 which may control the flow of ~ D~ J1 28~ -~W

1 llyclraulic fluid to cylinders 55, 52 and 50. In this re-2 spect, valve 64g may perform the functions of both the 3 valves 538 and 966, as discussed in ~igure 22. The use of a single spring-centered detent valve 648 ln the circuit of Figure 23, thus, represents an improvement 6 over the hydraulic circui-t of Figure 22. With valve 648 7 in its neutral position shown in Figure 23, hydraulic 8 fluid may flow throuc3h the valve from line 584 to line 9 616. However, when valve 648 is moved to its raised position from that shown, hydraulic fluid may flow from 11 line 584 through a line 644 and a check valve 646. Valve 12 G48 may be moved to its raised position by an operating ~3 roc7 650 with the rod being held in a raised position ~y 14 a detent mechanism 651 which is similar in its operation to the detent mechanism 448 described in Figures 21 and 16 21c and Figure 22. That i5 to say, notches may be formed 17 in operating rod 650 which may be engaged by a roller 1~ positioned on a spring biased arm to maintain the opera-19 ting rod in a desired position with the valve 648 in a raised or a lowexed position as compared with its neutral 21 position shown in Figure 22.
22 With valve 648 in its raised position from that 23 shown in Figure 23, pressurized hydraulic fluid Dassing 24 through check valve 646 may pass through valve 64~ into a line 652. ~ branch line 654 leading from line 652 may 26 lead to tl-e rod enc7 of the retainer panel cylinder 55.
27 Tllus, flow of hydraulic fluid through line 654 may cause .

.

,, 01 . .
~ .

1 the cylinder 55 to contract to move the'retainer panel 54 2 from a closed to an openecl position as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. ~s tlliS is occurring, h,ydraulic fluid may be exhausted from the head end of cylinder 55 to a line 696 which leads to a line 686, through the valve 6 648 and to a line 687. Line 687 is joined to return 7 line 642 which conveys the hydraulic fluid to line 616 8 and to reservoir 576. Since the hydrauli.c cylinder 55 9 may be relatively small in comparison with the relatively large drive cylinder 50, the contraction of cylinAer 55 11 may occur prior to contraction of the drive cylinder.
12 Pressuri~ed hydraulic fluid flowing through 13 line 652 with valve 648 in its raised position may flow 14 into a line 656, through a check valve 658 and into a line 660 leadinc3 to the rod end of drive cylinder 50.
16 This may cause the cylir~der 50 to contract in moving 17 the packing panel 44 in a working direction as described 18 in Figures 10-13. When the packing panel 44 reaches the 19 approximate position shown in Figure 12, a piston 662 2.0 within cyllnder 50 may uncover a port 663 leading to a 21 pressure line 674 to a pressure-actuated switch 676. The 22 switch is in its open position as shown in Figure 23.
23 However, when the pressure at the rod end of cylinder 50 24 reaches a predetermined level. such as 2400 psi, a switch member 677 may be rotated downwardly into contact 2G with a pole 679 to close the switch 676 with the switch re-27 maining closed until.the pressure at the rod end falls to 28 a pressure level such as 2150 psi. The switch 676 29 may be connected through an electrical power source 678 ///

~2~39C~

1 with the solenoicl valve 606 through wi.res 680, 682 and 2 684. The functioning of the switch 676 in conjunction 3 with the soler)oid 606 is the same as described for 4 switch 558 in conjunction with solenoicl 495 in regard to Figure 22. That i5, closing of the switch 676 may 6 close the solenoicl valve 606 to provide rapid dumping 7 of hydraulic fluid from the large area end of rapid 8 telescopic cylinder 14 in response to pressures at the g rod end of drive cylinder 50. This rapid d~mping of hydraulic fluid permits controlled incremental movement 11 of the ejection panel from its rearward position 12 to 12 its forward position 12' as indicated in Figure 1 during 13 filling of the storage body 8 with refuse.
14 ~s described, the relatively large drive cylinder 50 may ~e mechanically interconnected with the relatively 16 small return cylinder 52. As the drive cylinder 50 under-17 goes contraction, the return cylinder 52 may, thus, under-18 go expansion with hydraulic fluid from the rod end of 19 return cylinder 52 being exhausted through a line 694, a chec~ valve 688 and into the line 686. The fluid flow 21 from line 686 may pass through the valve 648 in its raised 22 position and through the line 687 to return lines 642 and 23 616 leading to the reservoir 576. A line 664 from line 2~ 660 to a pilot-operated check valve 666 may remain closed as pressurized hydraulic fluid is fed through line 660 to 26 to the rod end of cylinder 50. ~ line 672 may interconnect 2~ the head ends of the cylinders 50 and 52 such that fluid 2~ ///

~ ..~. D-llOl ~ 421~9~

1 ~isc}larged from the head end of the contracting drive 2 cylinder 50 may flow through line 672 to the expandiny 3 head end of the return cylinder 52. In this manner, the cylinder 52 may act as an accumulator for exhausted oil from the head end of cylinder 50 during its contraction.
6 Additionally, a line 658 may lead from the head 7 end of the cylinder 52 to a line 670 which may be joined 8 to return line 616. Hydraulic fluid may, then, also flow 9 through lines 668 and 670 to the reservoir 576. I~owever, to encourage flow between the cylinders 50 and 52 rather 11 than to the reservoir 576, the line 672 may be relatively 12 large as compared with the size of line 670. ~fter con-13 traction of the drive cylinder 50 is completed, the l~s packing panel 44 may occupy a position as shown in Figure 13. At this point, as wi].l be described, the operating ~6 rod 650 may be moved to disengage the rod from the detent 17 mechanism 651 with the valve 648 being to its neutral 18 position.
19 io cause movement of the packing panel 44 in a return direction from its position shown in Fig~re 21 13 to its rest position shown in Figure 10, the rod 650 22 may be moved downwardly to move the valve 648 to a lowered 23 position from that shown in Figure 23. Hydraulic fluid 24 may then pass from line 6~4, through check valve 646 and valve 648 and into line 686. Line 686 may lead to a 26 branch line 696 through which hydraulic fluid may be ~ ~jD-llOl ~ Z89~

1 conve~ed to the llead end of the retainer panel cylinder 2 55. 'I'his may cause expansion of the retainer panel 3 cylinder 55 Witll hydraulic fluid being exhausted from the rod end of the cylinder through a line 654 leading to line 652 and tllrough the valve 648 to line 687. Line 6 687 may convey the exhausted fluid through lines 642 and 7 616 for return to the reservoir 576. ~s discussed, since 8 the volume of the retainer panel cylinder 55 may be re-9 latively small, its movement may take place relatively rapidly such that the retainer panel 54 will complete 11 its movement from an opened to a closed position (see 12 Figures 13 and 10) prior to the movement of the packing 13 panel 4~ in a return direction.
14 Pressurized hydraulic fluid flowing through line 68fi may also flow to the pilot~-operated check valve 1~ 688 which may be connected through a pressure-sensing 17 line 690 to line 686. Wherl the pressure in line 686 18 reaches a predetermined level, such as 1500 psi, 19 pressure transmitted through line 690 may then open the valve 688. Fluid passing through the line 690 for opera-21 tion of the valve 688 may then be exhaused through a 22 pressure bleeding line 692 to the return line 616. The 23 function of the pilot-operated check valve 688 may, 2~ thus, promote the movement oE retainer panel cylinder 55 prior to movement o~ the return cylinder 52.
2~ With the pilot-operated check valve 688 moved 27 to i~s closed position, fluid may flow from line 686 Lj-- i.L

"" ~ 8C10 1. tllrough the valve 688 and into line 694. Line 694 may 2 convey the pressurized hydraulic fluid to the rod end of 3 return cylinder 52 to, thereby, contract the return 4 cylinder. As the return cylinder 52 contracts, the drive cvlinder 50 may expand due to the mechanical connection 6 between the cylinders as discussed previously. On expan-7 sion of the drive cylinder 50, there may be a pressure 8 buildup at the rod end of the drive cylinder since the 9 ourflow of oil from the rod end is blocked by the check valves 658 and 666. Ilowever, the chec~ valve 666 may be 11 set to open at a pressure of about 250 psi in 12 the line 694 which may be conveyed to the valve through 13 a pressure sensing line 698. Thus, the check valve 666 ]-4 may be opened quickly to permit -the flow of hydraulic fluid from the rod end of the cylinder 50 through line 16 664 and check valve 666 into line 668 to the head end of 17 the cylinder 50. Cylinder 50 may, thus, act as its own 18 hydraulic accumulator during its expansion, with hydraulic 19 fluid being circulated from the rod end to the head end of the cylinder. Also, hydraulic fluid discharged from 21 the rod end of drive cylinder 50 may flow through line 22 670 to return line 616 and the reservoir 576. However, 23 to encourage flow of hydraulic fluid from the rod end to 24 the head end of cylinder 50 during its expansion, the lines 664 and 668 may be relatively large as compared 26 with line 670. Thus, there may be less resistance to 27 flow of fluid from the rod end in-to the head end of ~1 - ~ ~J. O 1 -~31.a~r2~39~
1 cylinder 50 as compared with resistance to flow through 2 line 670 to the reservoir 576.
3 As the drive cylinder 50 is expanding, the re-turn cylinder 52 may be contracting due to the mechanical interconnection between the cylinders. During contraction 6 of the return cylinder 52, fluid may be exhausted from the q head end of the return cylinder through line 672 and into the head end of the drive cylinder 50. Thus, the drive 9 cylinder 50 may also act as an accumulator for hydraulic fluid discharged from the return cylinder 52 during its 11 contraction. When the return cylinder 52 has completed 12 its contraction in moving the packing panel 44 to its rest 13 positlon, as shown in Figure 10, the operating rod 650 may 14 be moved to disengage the detent mechanism 651 from the rod and to return the valve 648 to its neutral position 16 shown in Fic3ure 22.
17 Figure 24 is a detailed view similar to 18 Figure 21, which illus~rates the manner in which the rod 19 650 may be actuated in controlling the movement of the ~ valve 648 as described in Figure 23. In view of the simi-21 larity between Figures 24 and 21, like reference numerals 22 have been used in Figure 24 for ease of description. As 23 previously described, movement of the control member 356 in 2~ the direction of arrow B (Figure 19) causes rotational movement of the rod 362 in the direction of the arrow G
26 (Figure 21). This, in turn, causes translational movement ,~- 1 1 0 1 1 of the rod 650 i.n the direction of the arrow 11 (Figure 24) 2 to move the valve 648 to a raised position as compared with 3 its neutral position shown in Figure 23. In its raised 4 position, the valve 648 functions to provide contraction of the drive cylinder 50 and movement of the packing panel 6 44 in a working direction through the hopper 34 as described q in Figures 10-13.
~ fter movement of the control member 356 in the 9 direction of the arrow B, the member may remain in this position with the rod 650 moved in the direction of the 11 arrow ~. The member 356 is not returned to its neutral .2 position as in the apparatus of Figures 21, 21a, 21b, 21c 13 and 22 where two rods 206 and 207 may be actuated by move-14 ment o~ the member 356. With the member 3S6 positioned in the direction of the arrow B to cause movement of the rod 16 650 in the direction of the arrow Hv the member may remain 17 in this position until returned to Lts neutral position 18 through contact of the tab 393 with stop members 406 or 19 412 as described in Figure 19. As described in Figure 19, to avoid contact of the tab 393 with stop member 406, the 21 handle member 376 may be pulled downwardly to cause rotation 22 of the rod 382 in the direction of the arrow F.
23 When the member 356 is returned to its neutral 24 position by stop member 412 after movement of the packing panel 44 in a working direction through the hopper 34 (see 26 Figures 10-13), the rod 650 sXown in Figure 24 may be ~7 moved in a direction opposite to that of the arrow ll and ,~ ~L101 1.42~
1 and the rod 362 may be rotated in a direction opposite 2 to that indicated by arrow G to return the rod 650 3 to its neutral position as illustrated. As the rod 4 650 is moved in a direction opposite to arrow ~l, the ~tent mec~anism 651 may become disengaged from the .
; 6 rod 650.
7 With reference to Figure 19, when the control 8 member 356 is moved in the directlon of the arrow C, this 9 may cause rotation of the rod 362 from its neutral posi- :
tion in Figure 24 in a direction opposite to that indicated ll by arrow G to provide movement of the rod 650 from its 12 neutral position in a direction opposite to that of 13 arrow l~. This may move the valve 648 to its lowered pQSi-l~ tion from its neutral position shown in Figure 23. The 15 valve 648 may then remain in its lowered position until ~ lG the stop member 414 contacts the tab 393 to return the con-: ~ 17 trol member 356 to its neutral posi-t:ion (E'igure l9). As l~ the control member 356 is returned to its neutral position, l9 the rod 650 may also be returned to its neutral position .
~ as silown il~ F'igure 24.

In the foregoing descri.ption, the movement of 22 structural elements, such as valves, etc., has been des-23 cribed by referring to the valves as being i.n a raised po-"~ sition or a lowered position with respect to a neutral posi-tion. This terminology has been used in regard to Figures 22 26 and 23. It should be understooA that the terms "raised"

27 and "lowered" Ao not.imply that the valves are positioned ~ D-llOl ~" ~ 2~9~

1 in a particular manner or that the valves are raised or 2 lowered in the sense of being moved to a higher or 3 lower elevation. The terms "raised" and "lowered" are, 4 therefore, used merely in a relative sense with respect to the way in which the valves are illustrated in the 6 figures of the drawihgs. The valves may, however, be 7 mounted any desired manner such that movement of the 8 valves need not have any necessary relation to their 9 being raised or lowered.
Similarly, in the drawings, lettered arrows 11 have been used to illustrate movement of various struc-12 tural elements. It should be understood that the move-13 ments illustrated by these arrows are intended merely 14 to demonstrate relative movement of the structural ele-~5 ments. I~owever, depending upon the physical placement 16 Of the structural elements, the movement of the elements 17 in a particular direction may vary depending upon the 18 placement of the structural elements with respect to 19 the overall structure of the apparatus.
In Figures 22 and 23, reference has been made to 21 the telescopic cylinder 14 as illustrated in Figure 1 for 22 providing movemen-t of the ejection panel 12. The telescopic 23 cylinder 14 may, however, be replaced with the conventional 2~ cylinder 62 mounted on the support member 60 as shown in Figure 2. With this substitution, the pilot-operated valve 26 508 (Figure 22) and pilot-operated valve 612 (Figure ~3) ~7 may be eliminated since use of the conventional cylinder 62 28 may avoid the problem of pressure buildup that can occur in 29 the telescopic cylinder 14 with changes in the ambient temperature.

Claims (12)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In combination for compacting refuse, a hopper having a curved bottom wall for holding the refuse and having a rear wall and a first opening in the rear wall at an intermediate position along the rear wall in a downward direction for receiving the refuse and having a front wall and a second opening in the front wall for providing for removal of the refuse, a storage body constructed to hold the refuse and having an opening communicating with the second opening in the hopper for receiving the refuse passing through the second opening in the hopper, packer panel means initially positioned in a starting position and movable downwardly in the hopper from the starting position in spaced relationship to the rear wall and the first opening for moving into the hopper the refuse inserted into the hopper through the first opening, the packer panel means being movable in spaced relationship to the rear wall of the hopper past the first opening to a pinch point where the packer panel means is spaced from the hopper by a minimal distance providing for the safe insertion of human fingers through the first opening to the pinch point, the packer panel means being movable past the pinch point forwardly along the bottom wall to the second opening to direct the refuse into the storage body through the second opening in the hopper, the packer panel means being then movable rearwardly through the hopper to the starting position, and drive means operatively coupled to the packer panel means for moving the packer panel means downwardly to the pinch point in spaced relationship to the rear wall of the hopper and then along the bottom wall forwardly to the second opening and then rearwardly to the starting position.

2. In the combination set forth in Claim 1, the packer panel means being movable forwardly toward the second opening in the hopper in spaced relation-ship to the bottom wall of the housing and the packer panel means being movable past the second opening to direct the refuse into the second opening and then being movable rearwardly to the starting position.

3. In the combination set forth in Claims 1 or 2, the packer panel means including a first packer panel rotatable in the hopper and a second packer panel supported by the first packer panel and rotatable relative to the first packer panel between a collapsed position and an extended position, and means disposed on the hopper for providing a rotation of the second packer panel from the collapsed position toward the extended position during the movement of the packer panel means to the pinched point and a rotation of the second packer panel from the extended position to the collapsed position during the rearward movement of the packer panel means to the starting position.

4. In the combination set forth in any of Claims 1 or 2, the drive means being constructed to provide a rotation of the first packer panel at a relatively high speed and with low power to substantially the pinch point and a rotation of the first packer panel at a progressively reduced speed and with relatively high power from substantially the pinch point to the second opening in the hopper.

5. In the combination set forth in any of Claims 1 or 2, the drive means being constructed to drive the packer panel means from only one lateral end of the packer panel means.

6. In the combination set forth in any of Claims 1 or 2, the second opening being provided with an opening of progressive constriction for passage of the refuse into the storage body and means for maintaining the pressure of the refuse in the second opening within particular limits.

7. In combination for storing refuse, a hopper having front and rear walls and openings in the front and rear walls and having a bottom wall joining the front and rear walls, a storage body constructed to store refuse and having an opening communicating with the opening in the front wall of the hopper, a first packer panel, means operatively coupled to the first packer panel for rotating the first packer panel in the hopper past the openings in the front and rear walls of the hopper, a second packer panel operatively coupled to the first packer panel for movement with the first packer panel and rotation relative to the first packer panel between a collapsed position and an extended position, and means disposed in the hopper and operatively coupled to the second packer panel for rotating the second packer panel relative to the first packer panel from the collapsed position toward the extended position during the rotary movement of the second packer panel with the first packer panel past the opening in the rear wall of the hopper and for rotating the second packer panel relative to the first packer panel from the extended position toward the collapsed position after the rotary movement of the second packer panel with the first packer panel past the opening in the front wall of the hopper, the rear wall and the bottom wall of the hopper being shaped relative to the disposition of the end of the second packer panel, during the rotary movements of the first and second packer panel past the opening in the rear wall of the hopper, to be spaced from the end of the second packer panel a distance for the safe insertion of a human hand into the hopper.

8. In the combination set forth in Claim 7, the rear wall of the hopper being shaped, and the second packer panel being rotatable toward the extended position in a relationship to the rear wall of the hopper, to provide for the safe insertion of a human hand to a pinch point below the opening in the rear wall of the hopper and the second packer panel being disposed in its extended position in spaced relationship to the bottom wall of the hopper during the rotation of the first and second packer panels along the bottom wall of the hopper to facilitate the insertion of large refuse into the hopper.

9. In the combination set forth in either of Claims 7 or 8 , the rotating means for the first packer panel being constructed to rotate the first packer panel at a relatively high speed and with low power along the rear wall of the hopper past the opening in the rear wall of the hopper to the pinch point and to drive the first packer panel at a progressively reduced speed and with high power along the bottom wall of the hopper toward the opening in the front wall of the hopper.

10. In a refuse compacting apparatus having a container for storing refuse under pressure, a loading hopper in communication with the storage container and a packing panel mounted for movement through the loading hopper to sweep through the hopper in compacting refuse therein and in moving compacted refuse from the loading hopper into the storage container, the improvement comprising:

a curved inner surface on said loading hopper;
a sill on said hopper through which refuse may be inserted into the hopper;
an edge on said packing panel, which is posi-tioned adjacent said curved surface as the packing panel sweeps through the loading hopper, and means to maintain a minimum distance between said edge and the inner curved surface at a point adjacent the sill which distance is slightly greater than the depth of a human finger and to increase slightly the dis-tance between said edge and said inner curved surface as the packing panel sweeps through said hopper, whereby, the minimum spacing between said edge and the inner surface at the sill reduces the forces applied to the sill while protecting the worker's fingers with the increased spacing between said edge and said inner surface as the panel sweeps through the hopper providing a gripping force on refuse caught between the edge and the curved inner surface that can pull refuse over the sill into the hopper as the panel sweeps through the hopper.

11. The refuse compacting apparatus of Claim 10 wherein said packing panel is collapsible;
said panel being movable from a collapsed rest position to an extended condition to sweep refuse from said hopper into said container;
said panel being movable in a partially col-lapsed condition in a direction away from said container in returning to said collapsed rest position, and said packing panel in its partially collapsed condition being capable of moving over refuse within said hopper.

12. The refuse compacting apparatus of Claim 11 including a loading opening in said hopper above said sill;
a side surface on said hopper, and means to guide said packing panel in a down-ward path within said hopper as the panel moves from its collapsed rest position to an extended condition in which the edge of said panel is adjacent to said curved inner surface at a point adjacent the sill of the loading hopper.