EP0042191B1

EP0042191B1 - Tailgate loading packer for a collecting body

Info

Publication number: EP0042191B1
Application number: EP19810200633
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adrianus Barmentloo
Original assignee: Geesink BV
Current assignee: Geesink BV
Priority date: 1980-06-17
Filing date: 1981-06-10
Publication date: 1984-11-07
Also published as: NL8003511A; EP0042191A1; DE3167050D1

Description

The invention relates to a tailgate loading packer for a collecting body consisting of a trough shaped bottom with upright sidewalls, a packer plate provided on each side with a journal projecting through an opening in the upright sidewall, and identical driving and supporting means for the packer plate arranged on each sidewall and comprising a first hydraulic cylinder piston system actuating a first rocker arm pivotably supporting the journal of the packer plate and a second hydraulic cylinder piston system actuating a second rocker arm connected with a rocker rod for tilting the packer plate around its journal. Such a packer is known from GB-A-1 498 955.
Such a tailgate loading packer is applied in a vehicle adapted to collect refuse which is dumped from containers or in the form of filled bags onto the trough-shaped bottom.
By means of the packer plate the material can be scraped off the trough-shaped bottom and compressed in the collecting body. In the known installation the first and second rocker arms are pivoted on respectively an upper and a lower journal and portions of the packer plate project through the sidewalls in the collecting body near the upper and the lower ends of the packer plate.
This tailgate loading packer has the disadvantage that a relatively low opening in the sidewall covered by a screen is required, while it is difficult to keep the screen or the opening behind it free from the refuse on the trough-shaped bottom. Another disadvantage of this known installation is the volume occupied by the crank on the lower journal and the difficulty for supporting this lower journal.
In the tailgate loading packer known from US-A-3 297 180, the packer plate is provided with one journal at each end projecting through a slot in the sidewall, the journal being supported on long rocker arms outside the loading packer, which rocker arms are driven by hydraulic cylinder piston systems.
This tailgate loading packer has the disadvantage that a relatively long overhanging superstructure is required, while it is difficult to empty relatively high and tall refuse containers onto the trough-shaped bottom since the plate or a movable cross-wall cooperating with the plate, means an impediment. It is another disadvantage of this known installation that, if it is desired to adapt the plate as a comb to tear plastic refusal bags, the movement of the plate is such that the teeth of the comb cannot be cleaned. The comb-shape of the packer plate is desirable because it should be possible to tear up the plastic bags in which the refuse is packed.
It is the object of the invention to provide a tailgate loader, which is adapted to the handling of refuse which is supplied in plastic bags or in containers, which allows a relatively light construction and possesses a very short tailrange, without the disadvantages of the known installations.
According to the invention this is realized with a tailgate loader of the type described at the beginning which is characterized in that the pivot axis of the second rocker arm coincides with the pivot axis of the first rocker arm and in that the rocker rod (16) is pivotably connected to an arm fixed to the journal forming a closed four rod system.
The advantage thereof is not only that the above mentioned disadvantages are removed but also that a particularly favourable track of movement of the packer plate is obtained in which the points of the teeth of the comb-shaped portion of the packer plate move relatively high over the material dumped on the trough-shaped bottom and a controlled force may always be exercised also at the dead points of the cylinder-piston systems. It is another advantage thereof that the installation can operate continuously because in dumping of refuse no impediment by the plate is experienced.
The invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a tailgate loader according to the invention with a packer plate at the end of its compression stroke;
Figure 2 shows the same section as in Figure 1 with the packer plate at the end of its lifting stroke;
Figure 3 shows the same section as in Figure 1 but with the packer plate at the end of _o'ts outward swing and
Figure 4 shows the same section as in Figure 1 but with the packer plate at the end of its stroke for penetrating into the material.

The tailgate loader according to the invention comprises a trough-shaped bottom 1 which is arranged between two sidewalls running parallel to each other of which one sidewall 2 is shown in the drawing. At the rear the trough-shaped bottom possesses a stiffening box profile 3 and on the front side a similar stiffening box profile 4. This front stiffening box profile 4 joins rearer lower edge 5 of a collecting body of a vehicle. At the top of this collecting body the tailgate loader is suspended by means of the pivots 6. On the frontside the tailgate loader is provided with a cross wall 7 which closes the passage to the collecting body. Near the lower end of the cross wall a stiffening box 8 has been provided against which teeth 9 are arranged at a distance from each other. Between and under these teeth 9 there is provided a passage for the material dumped on the trough-shaped bottom. By means of a packer plate which is generally indicated by 10, this material can be advanced from the trough-shaped bottom 1 underneath the teeth 9 and via the passage provided here, to the collecting body of the vehicle and be compressed in this collecting body.
So, the tailgate loader for the collecting body comprises a trough-shaped bottom 1 provided with upright sidewalls 2, above which bottom a packer plate 10 is movable for advancing the material dumped on the trough-shaped bottom to the collecting body, this packer plate 10 being connected with drive means provided with hydraulic cylinder- piston systems 13 and 14 by means of journals 12 extending through grooves 11 into the sidewalls 2. According to the invention, the tailgate loader is shaped in such a manner that on each side thereof the packer plate 10 with the journal 12 extending through the groove 11 is supported on a serially pivotally connected rod system as indicated with a dotted line, one rod of which is a first rocker arm 15 supported on the sidewall, on which rocker arm the loader plate is supported pivotally, which loader plate 10 is connected pivotally with a rocker rod 16 at a distance from its pivotal support 12, this rocker rod forming part of the rod system, which rocker rod 16 is again connected pivotally with a second rocker arm 17 which is also part of the rod system, and that each rocker arm 15, 17 cooperates with a hydraulic cylinder- piston system 13, 14 respectively belonging thereto. At least one of the two rocker arms 15, 17 on one side of the installation is connected with an equivalent rocker arm 15, 17 respectively on the other side of the tailgate loader by means of a rotatably supported shaft 18 running between the sidewalls which is shaped as a hollow tube in this embodiment. This shaft 18 is the main shaft of the tailgate loader and preferably the rocker arm 15 is connected firmly with this main shaft 18. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinder-piston systems 13 on both sides of the tailgate loader will, therefore, cause here the rocker arms 15 to be rotated simultaneously without there being mutual displacement between the two rocker arms 15.
As already stated above, the packer plate 10 is pivotally connected with the first rocker arm 15 with a journal 12 extending in the sidewall 2 through the groove 11, the journal 12 being provided with a fixed arm 19 which is part of the rod system and pivotally connected at 20 with the rocker rod 16.
In the embodiment illustrated, the rocker arm 17 is rotatable around the main shaft 18 and, therefore, the pivot points of the two rocker arms 15, 17 respectively coincide in that the rocker arm 17 is supported rotatably around the shaft 18 of the other rocker arm 15. In this embodiment the serially pivotally connected rod system forms a rod quadrangle.
By means of the cylinder-piston system 14 the rocker arm 17 can be displaced, as a result of which also the rocker rod 16 which is pivotally connected therewith is displaced. Because at 20 the rocker rod 16 is connected pivotally with the crank 19, the packer plate 10 will rotate with its journal 12, because the hollow crossbeam 22 of the plate is connected firmly with the journal 12 by means of cheeks 23. At certain distance from each other tooth-shaped portions 24 are arranged to the hollow crossbeam 22, these tooth-shaped portions forming together a comb-shaped portion. The positions of the tooth-shaped portions 24 or teeth are chosen in such a manner that these may project between the teeth 9 of the fixed plate 7. With reference to the point 25 of the teeth 24, the track to be passed through by the packer plate 10 will now be described. In Figure 1 the plate 10 is shown at the end of its compression stroke in which the material is advanced from the trough-shaped bottom to the collecting body through the passage under the teeth 9. The teeth 9 then project between the teeth 24. The cylinder-piston system 13 is in an extended position and the journal is positioned in the lower portion of the groove 11 in the sidewall 2. The cylinder-piston system is now in its most retracted position. Starting from Figure 1, retraction of the cylinder-piston system 13 will cause point 25 of the teeth 24 of the packer plate to follow a path, as indicated with dot and dash line A. Retraction of the cylinder-piston system 13 moves the rocker arm 15 upwardly and the journal 12 arrives in the upper portion of the groove 11. The teeth 24 now slip along the teeth 9 and refuse, if any, stuck between the teeth 24 is removed. Should there be portions of plastic bags between the teeth, these portions are torn up because the parts of these bags sticking under the teeth are retained. Thereafter the packer plate 10 arrives in a position shown in Figure 2. Material may be dumped on the trough-shaped bottom 1 or into the tailgate loader and it is evident from Figure 2 that the plate 10 does not form an impediment when, for instance, refuse is dumped from high tall containers into the tailgate loader. Then the hydraulic cylinder-piston system 14 is actuated, the cylinder-pistion system 13 remaining in retracted position. Extension of the cylinder-piston system 14 will cause the rocker arm 17 to rotate around the shaft 18, the rocker rod 16 and the fixed arm 19 being pressed backward, so that the plate 10 pivots around its journals 12 and the points 25 of the teeth 24 follow the path shown in Figure 3 with B. It is also evident from this figure that the plate can move relatively high above the material dumped on the bottom 1. After the position according to, Figure 3 has been reached, the cylinder-piston system 13 is actuated, the cylinder-piston system 14 remaining in its extended position. In this manner, the rocker arm 15 together with the journal 12 moves downwardly until the journal 12 arrives at the lower portion of the groove 11. The point 25 of the teeth 24 follows the path C.
For the compression stroke of the plate 10, the cylinder-piston 14 is retracted, while the cylinder-piston system 13 remains in its extended position. The plate 10 now moves towards the aperture under the teeth 9 and finally finishes its compression stroke in the position according to Figure 1, the point 25 following the path D. The material dumped on the bottom is advanced to the collecting body in this manner.
The above mentioned movement cycle may be carried out either discontinuously or continuously. Continuous rotation of the installation is particularly advantageous when loose bags with refuse are dumped into the tailgate loader or household containers for refuse are to be emptied.

Claims

1. A tailgate loading packer for a collecting body consisting of a trough shaped bottom (1) with upright sidewalls (2), a packer plate (10) provided on each side with a journal (12) projecting through an opening (11) in the upright sidewall (2), and identical driving and supporting means for the packer plate (10) arranged on each sidewall (2) and comprising a first hydraulic cylinder piston system (13) actuating a first rocker arm (15) pivotally supporting the journal (12) of the packer plate and a second hydraulic cylinder piston system (14) actuating a second rocker arm (17) connected with a rocker rod (16) for tilting the packer plate (10) around its journal (12) characterised in that the pivot axis of the second rocker arm (17) coincides with the pivot axis of the first rocker arm (15) and in that the rocker rod (16) is pivotally connected to an arm (19) fixed to the journal (12) forming a closed four rod system (15, 17, 16, 19).

2. A tailgate loading packer according to Claim 1, characterized in that a rotatably supported shaft (18) runs between the sidewalls (2) parallel to the packer plate (10) and projects through each sidewall (2) upon which shaft (18) the first rocker arm (15) is fastened and the second rocker arm (17) is pivotally supported.