EP0638491B1

EP0638491B1 - Truck provided with a collecting container and with a device for taking up and emptying a garbage container into the collecting container

Info

Publication number: EP0638491B1
Application number: EP93202346A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Joannes Pierre Hendricus Alexander Van Dooremaal
Original assignee: VAN DOOREMAAL HOLDING
Current assignee: VAN DOOREMAAL HOLDING
Priority date: 1993-08-09
Filing date: 1993-08-09
Publication date: 1997-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-09
Also published as: DE69308835D1; ATE149960T1; EP0638491A1

Abstract

Truck provided with a device (8) for taking up a garbage container (9) and emptying it into a collecting container (4) positioned on the chassis (1) of the truck. The collecting container has been mounted on the chassis (1) interchangeably, so that a container can be used for given materials. The device (8) for taking up a garbage container (9) is situated between a receiving member (6) mounted to the collecting container (4) and the cabin (3) and comprises a gripping member (20) rotatably mounted to the end of an arm, consisting of a number of portions (13, 14, 17, 19) slidably and rotatably movable in relation to one another. By operating the various portions from the cabin (5) of the truck, the gripping member can grip the garbage container (9), bring it up and have it tilt so that the garbage present therein will fall out into the receiving member (6). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a truck provided with a device for taking up a garbage container and emptying it into the collecting container positioned on the chassis of the truck, said device comprising a rotatably mounted gripping member being able to grip the garbage container, bring it up and tilt it over, so that the garbage present therein falls out into the collecting container.
With the known trucks for collecting household garbage, the collecting container has been fixedly mounted to the chassis of the truck and the device for taking up a garbage container is generally at the back of the collecting container. Consequently, for operating the device, there will always have to be a person present at the back of the truck. When the collecting container is full, the truck first has to be driven to a place where the container can be emptied before the further collection can be proceeded.
When the area to be served is of a limited size, the truck will not be in use every day of the week. Naturally, this is inefficient.
A further difficulty of the known system lies in the fact, that when the truck has been used for collecting vegetable, fruit and garden garbage, or other household garbage by which the collecting container has become dirty, the truck has to be cleaned first in order to make it suitable for collecting wastepaper, for example.
The invention seeks to remove these difficulties and to that end provides for a truck with a chassis suitable for taking up an interchangeable collecting container, in which at the side facing the cabin of the truck, this collecting container has been provided with a receiving member coupled to a compacting member for compacting garbage deposited in the receiving member into the container, with the device for taking up a garbage container and emptying it being situated between the receiving member and the cabin, said device comprising an arm composed of a number of portions with the gripping member at its end, such that a garbage container placed at some distance from the device and at the side of the truck can be gripped, picked up and be rotated backward in order to be brought over the receiving member in order to be emptied into the receiving member.
In this way it is achieved, that when the collecting container is full, it can be immediately replaced by an empty one, as a result of which the standstill period of the truck can be limited. The full container can be discharged in order to be emptied at a suitable moment. Alternatively, for the discharge, one could also use a truck intended excusively for container transport.
When the truck is not required for collecting garbage every day of the week, it can also be used for transport of containers of other companies, so that the truck can be used more effectively. One only has to bear in mind that the device for taking up a garbage container is situated between the cabin and the collecting container. In practice, the distance between the cabin and the collecting container need only be about 600 mm.
By employing interchangeable collecting containers, these can be designed for taking up certain types of garbage, so that generally the containers need not be cleaned. Moreover, after collecting a certain type of garbage, the truck is readily available for collecting a different type of garbage. To that end, one only needs to change the collecting containers.
Using the receiving member with the compacting member, results in the garbage being compressed well and a container being optimally filled. Since the aperture of the receiving member can be at a considerably lesser height than the upper wall of the collecting container, the height across which the garbage container is to be rotated will be limited. As a result of this, the time required for emptying a garbage container can be shortened.
Making use of the special device for taking up a garbage container results in the fact that the driver of the truck can operate the device from the cabin. Then, further personnel, always having to follow the truck and having to hang onto the truck or sit in the cabin when driving longer distances, will no longer be required.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arm of the device for taking up a garbage container will consist of at least two portions telescopically slidable in one another, a first rotating arm portion being pivotably connected to the free end of the outer slidable portion, such that said rotating arm portion is rotatable in relation to the telescopically slidable portion in a plane going through the axis of the slidable portions, a second rotating arm portion being pivotably connected to the other end of the first rotating arm portion and being rotatable in a plane square to the plane in which the first rotating arm portion is rotatable, said second rotating arm portion having its other end provided with the gripping member for gripping a garbage container, said gripping member being rotatable in relation to the rotating arm portion according to axes being square in relation to each other, means having been provided for sliding and rotating the various parts of the device in relation to one another.
There is the possibility of mounting the innermost situated portion of the portions telescopically slidable within one another in such a way, that it is rotatable in a vertical plane. However, to make the action of bringing the gripping member to a container to be picked up as easy as possible, preferably the innermost portion of the portions telescopically slidable in one another will have been mounted in such a way, that the axis of these portions will almost be horizontally and be adjustable in vertical height parallel to itself.
This also leads to the fact that the axes of the pivot shafts of the rotating arm portions will remain in the same position in the space, as a result of which the portions of the arm perform easily controllable movements.
By moving the outer telescopic arm portion outwardly and moving the inner portion in vertical height, the gripping member being at the extremity of the arm can be brought to a container to be picked up and be coupled therewith. If desired, this can be facilitated by small rotations of the rotating arm portions.
On account of the gripping member having been rotatably coupled to the outer rotating arm portion about a first almost horizontally extending axis, taking up a garbage container standing somewhat oblique in relation to the arm will not cause any difficulties either.
Since further the gripping member has been connected to the outer rotating arm portion in such a way that in the position in which a garbage container is picked up, the relevant pivot shaft between said portions runs almost vertically, the device can also pick up a garbage container not being placed in the correct position. This is the case e.g. when the pivot shaft of the lid of the garbage container is directed more or less square to the axis of the truck.
According to a preferred embodiment, the gripping member is composed of a frame connected to the second rotating arm portion in such a way, that in relation to this portion it is rotatable about two axes being square to each other, a take up member being rotatable about an almost horizontal axis in relation to the frame and having a hook-shaped portion being able to grip underneath the edge of a garbage container and having been provided with at least one leg directed downwards in the position in which a garbage container is taken up and being provided with a cross beam at its lower end, for supporting the lower end of a container, and a clamping member rotatably connected to the take up member, said clamping member comprising two spaced apart legs which, after bringing the hook-shaped portion underneath the edge of the garbage container, are clamped onto the edge of the container, next to its lid, by rotation of the clamping member, at which the rotation of the clamping member in relation to the take up member is obtained, in that the clamping member has been coupled to at least one operating arm operated by a portion of the frame.
For sliding and rotating the portions of the device in relation to each other, one will particularly use pressurized medium cylinders, the valves for supply and discharge of pressurized medium of which are electrically operated from the driver's cabin.
In particular, it will be provided for, that the gripping member can be brought to a garbage container by means of a joystick, for coupling the gripping member to the container and lifting the container slightly, after which by operating a single button, the complete process of taking up, rotating, emptying and returning the garbage container to its initial position is performed automatically and the garbage container is put down on its original place again with the help of the joystick.
Through this, the work of the operator becomes very simple. The only thing he has to do is operating the arm with the help of the joystick, so that de gripping member connected therewith can grip the garbage container and lift it slightly from the ground. After this has taken place, he only needs to push a button and to wait until the container has been emptied and returned to its starting position. Then, he can put the container back on the desired spot with the help of the joystick. It will be obvious that on pushing the operating button, a computer-controlled program is switched on.
The invention is further explained by means of an embodiment, shown in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a truck according to the present invention having a collecting container mounted thereon and a device for taking up and emptying a garbage container in the position in which it is out of operation, a part of the cabin of the truck having been omitted for reasons of clarity;
Fig. 2 shows a part of Fig. 1, but with the device for taking up a garbage container in a specific operational position; and
Fig. 3 shows a view corresponding to Fig. 2, but with the device in the position in which a garbage container is emptied.

The truck shown in the drawing comprises the chassis 1, provided with the wheels 2, the driver's cabine 3, and additionally parts not indicated, such as an engine and the like.
On the chassis 1, one has positioned an interchangeable collecting container 4 being provided with a door or doors 5 at the back, for emptying the container. At the front of the container is the receiving member 6 from which the garbage thrown therein can be brought into the container 4 by means of a compacting member 7 - not shown in detail - being situated near the bottom of the container 4 and of the receiving member 6. This compacting member 7 can be operated by pressurized medium cylinders, for example.
Between the cabin 5 of the truck and the receiving member 6, the device 1 by which a garbage container 9 can be taken up and be emptied is positioned on the chassis 1.
The device comprises a base 10 having rods 11, which in pairs serve for guiding beams 12 connected to an inner arm portion 13, in which an arm portion 14 has been slidably received.
Moving the arm portion 13 in vertical height takes place by means of link structures 15 with crossed rods operated by pressurized medium cylinders not further indicated. In theory, these link structures would be sufficient for supporting the arm portion 13 and adjusting it in vertical height. However, given the forces and moments exerted on this arm portion, the arm portion is additionally guided by the rods 11.
The arm portion 14 is connected to the first rotating arm portion 17 by means of the vertical axis 16, said portion being connected to the second rotating arm portion 19 by means of the horizontal axis 18. This rotating arm portion 19 is in turn connected to the gripping member 20. First of all, the gripping member 20 comprises a frame 21 being rotatable about a horizontal axis 22 and about a vertical axis 23 in relation to the portion 19. Further, the gripping member 20 comprises the take up member 24 being rotatably connected to the frame 21 by means of the axis 25.
The take up member 24 has a U-shaped portion 26, an upwardly directed leg 27 of which being provided with recesses 28 so that this leg can be brought underneath the edge of containers of various dimensions. The take up member 24 has been provided with legs 29, the lower ends of which being provided with a cross beam 30 for supporting the lower end of a container 9. A clamping member 31 has been rotatably connected to the take up member 24, in such a way that its legs 32 can be pressed onto the upper edges 33 of the garbage container 9, next to its lid 34.
As appears in particular from Fig. 3, the clamping member 31 has been connected to operating arms 35, the other end of which having been provided with a pin 36 accommodated in a slot 37 in a portion of the frame 21. Owing to this, with rotating the take up member 24 in relation to the frame 21, the clamping member will clamp the container on emptying the container, as shown in particular in Fig. 3.
As also appears from Fig. 3, on emptying the garbage container 9, the rotating arm portion 17 has been rotated about the vertical axis 16 over about 90° in relation to the arm portion 14, and the rotating arm portion 19 is approximately in line with the arm portion 17, while the arm portion 13 has been brought up in relation to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. From the position shown in Fig. 2, the frame 21 of the gripping member 20 connected to the end of the rotating arm portion 19 has been rotated over 90° about the horizontal axis 22 and about the vertical axis 23 to the position shown in Fig. 3.
As already mentioned above, sliding the arm portion 14 outwardly, rotation of the rotating arm portions 17 and 19 and of the gripping member 20 will take place by means of pressurized medium cylinders being mounted between the various parts. The pressurized medium cylinders have been connected to lines in which electrically operable valves are situated. None of these parts have been further indicated in the drawing.
As mentioned before, electrical operation of the valves of the pressurized medium circuit takes place from the cabin of the truck, by its driver. Therefore, no further personnel for emptying the containers is necessary.
It will be obvious, that only one possible embodiment of a truck according to the invention has been illustrated in the drawing and described above and that many modifications can be made without being beyond the inventive idea.

Claims

Truck provided with a device (8) for taking up a garbage container (9) and emptying it into a collecting container (4) positioned on the chassis (1) of the truck, said device (8) comprising a rotatably mounted gripping member (20) being able to grip the garbage container (9), bring it up and tilt it over, so that the garbage present therein falls out into the collecting container (4), characterized in that the chassis of the truck is suitable for taking up an interchangeable collecting container (4), in which at the side facing the cabin (3) of the truck, this collecting container has been provided with a receiving member (6) coupled to a compacting member (7) for compacting garbage deposited in the receiving member (6) into the container (4), with the device (8) for taking up a garbage container and emptying it being situated between the receiving member (6) and the cabin (3), said device comprising an arm composed of a number of portions (13, 14, 17, 19) with the gripping member (20) at its end, such that a garbage container (9) placed at some distance from the device (8) and at the side of the truck can be gripped, picked up and be rotated backwards in order to be brought over the receiving member (6) and to be emptied thereinto.
Truck according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm of the device for taking up a garbage container (9) consists of at least two portions (13, 14) telescopically slidable in one another, a first rotating arm portion (17) being pivotably connected to the free end of the outer slidable portion (14), such that said portion (17) is rotatable in relation to the telescopically slidable portion (14) in a plane going through the axis of the slidable portions (13, 14), a second rotating arm portion (19) being pivotably connected to the other end of the first rotating arm portion (17) and being rotatable in a plane square to the plane in which the first rotating arm portion (17) is rotatable, said second rotating arm portion (19) having its other end provided with the gripping member (20) for gripping a garbage container (9), said gripping member being rotatable in relation to the rotating arm portion (19) according to two axes (22, 23) being square to each other, means having been provided for sliding and rotating the various parts of the device (8) in relation to one another.
Truck according to claim 2, characterized in that the innermost portion (13) of the portions (13, 14) being telescopically slidable within one another is mounted such that the axis of these portions extends almost horizontally and is adjustable in vertical height parallel to itself.
Truck according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the gripping member (20) is composed of a frame (21) connected to the second rotating arm portion (14) in such a way, that in relation to this portion it is rotatable about two axes (22, 23) being square to each other, a take up member (24) being rotatable about an almost horizontal axis (25) in relation to the frame (21) and having a hook-shaped portion (26) being able to grip underneath the edge of a garbage container (9) and having been provided with at least one leg (29) directed downwards in the position in which a garbage container (9) is taken up, and having been provided with a cross beam (30) at its lower end, for supporting the lower end of a container (9), and a clamping member (31) rotatably connected to the take up member (24), said clamping member comprising two spaced apart legs (32) which, after bringing the hook-shaped portion (26) underneath the edge of the garbage container (9), are clamped onto the edge (33) of the container, next to its lid (34), by rotating the clamping member, in which the rotation of the clamping member (31) in relation to the take up member (24) is obtained, in that the clamping member (31) has been coupled to at least one operating arm (35) operated by a portion of the frame (20).
Truck according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for sliding and rotating the portions of the device (8) in relation to each other, pressurized medium cylinders are used, the valves for supply and discharge of pressurized medium of which are electrically operated from the driver's cabin (5).
Truck according to claim 5, characterized in that the gripping member (20) can be brought to a garbage container (9) by means of a joystick, for coupling the gripping member to the container and lifting the container slightly, after which by operating a single button, the complete process of taking up, rotating, emptying and returning the garbage container to its initial position is performed automatically and the garbage container (9) is put down in its original place again with the help of the joystick.