Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
  • B65F3/14—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle
  • B65F3/20—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle with charging pistons, plates, or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
  • B65F3/14—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle
  • B65F3/20—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle with charging pistons, plates, or the like
  • B65F3/206—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle with charging pistons, plates, or the like with charging plates or the like rotating around a vertical axis

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a compaction assembly and, more particularly, to such an assembly particularly suited for refuse compaction.
• the container In order to make the most efficient use of the volume of a mobile refuse container, it is usual for the container to include some form of compacting ram arrangement which performs the dual function of urging refuse material from a loading section into an inlet of the refuse container and also of compacting the refuse within the container.
• a further problem of the prior art is that mobile refuse containers now typically incorporate other power drawing equipment such as loading arms.
• the total power requirement for all of the equipment can be quite large to the extent that not all power drawing equipment can be operated at the one time.
• a compaction assembly for use in conjunction with a guide whereby refuse material and the like is urged along said guide into a container and compacted into said container; said compaction assembly comprising primary motive means adapted to drive the working face of a compactor blade along said guide; said compaction assembly further including secondary motive means adapted to provide additional motive power to said working face of said blade during its traverse through at least a portion of its travel.
• the secondary motive means may comprise a linear actuating ram.
• the primary and secondary motive means may be hydraulically activated.
• the primary motive means may comprise a source of rotary mechanical movement.
• a mechanism for providing an order of magnitude variation in torque exerted by a hydraulic system on a shaft at approximately constant hydraulic pressure comprising a rotary or semi-rotary actuator adapted to provide a base torque to said shaft combined with a linear actuator acting through a mechanical linkage upon said shaft adapted to provide a much higher torque than said base torque, but at reduced rotational velocity of said shaft such that hydraulic fluid pressure requirements of a common hydraulic fluid supply to both said hydraulic motor and said linear actuator are approximately the same.
• a mechanism which ' provides an order of magnitude variation in torque exerted by a hydraulic system on a shaft comprising a rotary or semi-rotary actuator adapted to provide a base torque to said shaft combined with a linear actuator acting through a mechanical linkage upon said shaft adapted to provide a much higher torque than said base torque.
• said mechanism is utilised to operate a compaction assembly.
• said mechanism further includes a loader arm acutated by hydraulic means which is fed from the same source of hydraulic pressure as said mechanism.
• said one component comprises a rotary or semi-rotary actuator.
• said other component comprises a linear actuator.
• said system is applied to a mobile refuse vehicle which includes a compaction assembly operable by said at least two power consuming components together with a loader arm incorporating reach, lift and grab capabilities.
• a system for reduction of overall power demand for a compaction assembly including inclining upwardly the guide in which the working face of a compactor operates such that material urged by said working face is directed at an upwardly inclined angle into a container.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compaction assembly associated with a guide attached to a refuse container according to a first embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 2 is a side view of an entire truck mounted refuse container incorporating the compaction assembly and guide of Fig. 1 inclined so as to direct refuse upwardly into the refuse container
• Fig. 3 is a side view of the compaction assembly of Fig. 2 with the guide cut away
• Fig. 4 is a plan view of the compaction assembly of Fig. 3 showing its paddle in three different working positions
• Fig. 5 is a hydraulic schematic diagram for the compaction assembly of either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2,
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a compaction assembly attached to a refuse container according to a second embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 7 is a hydraulic schmatic circuit for a loader arm for use in conjunction with the hydraulic circuit of Fig. 5 and sharing a common source of hydraulic power.
• BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In Figure 1 there is shown a compaction assembly 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention associate with a guide in the form of a bowl 11 attached to a rear end of a storage volume 12 wherein refuse or like material can be urged from the guide bowl 11 into the interior of the storage volume 12 by means of a paddle assembly 13.
• the paddle assembly 13 comprises a shaft 14 rotatably driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown) a paddle 15 including first working face 16 and second working face 17 extends perpenicularly from an end of the shaft 14.
• shaft 14 is rotated by the hydraulic motor (not shown) in the form of a rotary or semi-rotary actuator constituting a primary motive means whereby either first working face 16 (if the shaft is rotated anti-clockwise) or second working face 17 (if the shaft is rotated clockwise) is caused to urge refuse or the like in the direction of and thence through aperture 18 of storage volume 12 whereby the refuse is compacted into storage volume 12.
• the rotational direction of shaft 14 is then reversed whereby paddle 15 returns to its rest position as generally shown in Fig. 1.
• the compaction assembly 10 additionally includes a liner hydraulic actuator 19 having one end connected to bowl 11 and the other end connected to a stub 20 which extends generally perpendicularly from shaft 14 as illustrated in Fig. 1.
• the linear hydraulic actuator 19 is adapted to exert a torque upon shaft 14 via stub 20, which torque can be used to supplement the torque exerted on shaft 14 by the hydraulic motor (not shown) .
• the arrangement is such that the supplementary torque is exerted in that part of the working cycle of paddle assembly 13 where the load required to be exerted by the working faces 16, 17 is the greatest. This will usually be as the working faces 16, 17 approach and pass through aperture 18.
• the torque which can be exerted by actuator 19 is significantly greater than that which can be exerted by t hydraulic motor. This matches with the torque requiremen experienced by the semi-rotary actuator during use in tha for the majority of its cycle, only a relatively low torq is required to move the actuator. In the relatively shor part of the cycle where very high compaction forces are required to be exerted, the linear hydraulic actuator 19 sized to exert the required torque.
• the linear hydraulic actuator 19 can be brought into operation by two means. According to a first means actua torque required for shaft 14 to rotate is sensed (either directly or via hydraulic oil fluid pressure) and when th sensing arrangement indicates that higher pressure (ie. torque) is required then the linear hydraulic actuator 19 is energised by way of a solenoid valve directing hydraul fluid to the actuator.
• An alternative means simply requires a limit switch t sense when, for example, stubb 20 has reached an angular position which, in normal use, will correspond to a high torque requirement for shaft 14.
• the limit switch operat a solenoid valve which, in turn, directs hydraulic fluid linear hydraulic actuator 19 so that the additional torqu provided by that actuator can be exerted upon shaft 14.
• FIG. 2 illustrates the compaction assembly 10 of Fig. 1 and storage volume 12 mounted on a truck chassis 30.
• the compaction assembly 10 including bowl 11 is mounted so as to be inclined with respect to the storage volume 12 such that refuse urged by a working face of paddle 15 through aperture 18 is urged in an upwardly inclined direction into the interior of storage volume 12.
• This arrangement also permits aperture 18 to be located higher up the storage volume 12 with the attendant advantage that refuse material within storage volume 12 will only block aperture 18 when storage volume 12 is significantly filled with refuse.
• Fig. 3 illustrates the inclined compaction assembly and bowl of Fig. 2 in greater detail.
• Fig. 3 the semi-rotary actuator 31 comprising the primary motive means for paddle assembly 13 is shown as in mounted aligned with the line of actuation of linear hydraulic actuator 19.
• Fig. 4 illustrates the compaction assembly 10 with paddle assembly 13 in both a home position with linear actuator 19 retracted and in symmetrical positions requiring high urging force where linear actuator 19 is extended and operates to urge stubb 20 so as to apply additional torque to shaft 14.
• Fig. 5 is a hydraulic schematic diagram illustrating the logic and hydraulic oil flow by which both semi-rotary actuator 31 and linear hydraulic actuator 19 are driven.
• Linear actuator 19 is forcibly driven by hydraulic oil pressure only when pressure switch 32 senses that hydrauli pressure requirements are above a predetermined pressure (correlating to a load on paddle 15 above that which can b handled by semi-rotary actuator 31 alone) .
• hydraulic flui from source P passes through valve assembly 34 following actuation of a solenoid connected to an operator control i the cab of truck chassis 30 whereby semi-rotary actuator 3 is caused to rotate from a home position as sensed by proximity switch PI to a paddle extended position as sense by proximity switch P2.
• Linear hydraulic actuator 19 simply "free wheels” recirculating hydraulic oil through cartridges 35, 36. However should pressure switch 32 sense a large hydraulic load above a predetermined level then pilot valv 37 on cartridge 36 is operated to close the cartridge causing hydraulic oil to bypass through check valve 38 int chamber 33 of linear actuator 19. Linear actuator 19 thereby provides a power assist stroke to the rotation of semi-rotary actuator 31 via stub 20.
• Shuttle valves 39, 40 provide a load sensing recirculation system whereby oil provided at a high flow rate (for example 200 litres per minute from source P) is diverted so that an oil supply at a much lower rate, for example, 4 litres per minute, is supplied to the actuators
• a high flow rate for example 200 litres per minute from source P
• an oil supply at a much lower rate for example, 4 litres per minute
• the primary motive means is provided by a hydraulic motor 24 which urges paddle 25 in the direction of apertur 22 by rotatably urging connecting rod 26 via stub connectors 27.
• the duration over which the actuators 28, 29 are to be activated can be determined either by direct load sensing or via position sensing.
• a control system is provided which allows matching of the hydraulic pressure requirements of competing hydraulic loads.
• the compaction assembly previously described may be utilised, in conjunction with a hydraulically actuated loader arm on a refuse collection vehicle.
• hydraulic fluid pressure supplied to both the loader arm hydraulics and to the compaction assembly hydraulics be of the same order of magnitude. This can be achieved by matching the operational hydraulic fluid pressure requirement of the loader arm to the hydraulic fluid pressure requirement of the primary motive means of the compaction assembly. This is specifically achieved by appropriate selection of the parameters of the hydraulic motor of the compaction assembly, sized for refuse movement duty (but not refuse compaction duty) .
• the secondary motive means comprising linear hydraulic actuator 19, 28, 29 is adapted to provide increased linear force at reduced speed for the same (or approximately the same) hydraulic fluid pressure.
• relatively stable hydraulic fluid pressure requirements can be maintained in the system whilst providing the capability for increasing the force to be applied to refuse (when compaction is taking place) by up to 30 times the base force requirements.
• Fig. 7 illustrates a hydraulic diagram for hydraulic actuators associated with a refuse container lifting and dumping arm incorporating reach, lift and grab capabilities. This circuit can be supplied from the same hydraulic oil source P that supplies the compaction assembly 13 due to the relatively constant and relatively low oil flow and oil pressure requirements of the compaction assembly 13 throughout most of its operational cycle during most cycles.
• the hydraulic circuit of Fig. 7 is suitable for hydraulic actuation of refuse loader arms of the type, for example, to be found in NZ Patent Application No. 239,118 (assigned to the present applicant) .
• loader arm assemblies are often of significant size and draw significant amounts of hydraulic power accordingly.
• hydraulic oil requirements for a reach operation can be of the order of 15 litres per minute at 1,500 to 2,000 psi.
• Lift operations can require of the order of 40 litres per minute at 1,500 to 2,000 psi.
• Grab operations can require 10 litres per minute at 1,500 to 2,000 psi.
• These oil requirements equate typically to an engine horsepower draw on the mobile vehicle of the order of 20 horsepower.
• this power draw be available when the engine is idling.
• diesel engines can provide this power at idle speeds of the order of 700 rpm.
• this leaves little power over to operate other hydraulic equipment such as, for example, compaction assemblies of the type disclosed in the present application.
• the loader arm assembly In terms of priority of operation it is desirable that the loader arm assembly never be power limited otherwise this can lead to delays in picking up and replacing garbag bins on the side of the road. Equally it is desirable tha the compaction assembly not be required to cease operation altogether for lack of available power. However reduction in operating speed is acceptable although it is preferred that such reductions in operational speed be restricted to only portions of the compaction assembly operational cycle (for example only when very high power is required for compaction as opposed to mere urging of refuse across a surface) .
• the compaction assembly 10 of the first embodiment operated by the hydraulic circuit of Fig. 5 combined with loader arm assembly having reach, lift and grab facilities operated by a hydraulic circuit of the type illustrated in Fig. 7 can achieve this desired result.
• a hydraulic pump 41 supplies hydraulic oil through restrictor 32 to three solenoid valv assemblies, a reach solenoid valve assembly 43, a lift solenoid valve assembly 44 and a grab solenoid valve assembly 45.
• the solenoid valves 43, 44, 45 are operated via operator controls located in the cab of the mobile refuse vehicle so as to achieve grabbing, lifting and dumping of refuse containers and, where appropriate, reaching in order to grab refuse containers.
• hydraulic line 46 supplies hydraulic flui to source P of the compaction assembly hydraulic circuit illustrated in Fig. 5.
• a load sensing circuit comprising shuttle valves 39, 40 from the compaction assembly circuit together with shuttle valves 47, 48, 49 from the loader arm hydraulic circuit of Fig. 7 provide a hydraulic fluid flow feedback signal to pump 41 to ensure that pump 41 supplies hydraulic fluid at the rate required by the various hydraulic components making up the complete hydraulic circuit.
• a typical maximum design fluid flow rate would be of the order of 40 litres per minute at around 2 , 500 psi corresponding to a power draw from hydraulic pump 41 of the order of 20 horsepower. It will be appreciated that the design of the combined circuits of Fig. 5 and 7 is such that maximum power draw from pump 41 can be limited to the order of 20 horsepower without significantly affecting the operation of either the loader arm or the compaction assembly, other than that the operation of linear hydraulic actuator 19 is slowed (but not stopped) during periods of high power requirement from the loader circuit.
• linear actuator 19 This low speed limitation on linear actuator 19 is likely to occur relatively rarely throughout many operating cycles of the refuse vehicle as the condition is likely to arise only when a significant amount of refuse is already located within the container of the vehicle necessitating high compaction forces to be applied at a time when the loader arm is also operational .
• the primary motive means can comprise almost any form of actuator.
• the secondary motive means can comprise almost any form of actuator.
• the overall requirement is that the secondary motive means is adapted to supply a greater amount of power than the primary motive means but over a more limited part of an operational cycle of the compaction assembly.
• the compaction assembly arrangement of the invention is particularly useful with bulk mobile refuse handling facilities. It has particular application in systems where available power to drive power consuming components is limited.

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• 1994
  • 1994-04-22 WO PCT/AU1994/000213 patent/WO1994024025A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1994-04-22 EP EP94913454A patent/EP0757656A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (7)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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