EP0878415A1 - Container lifting and tipping mechanism and refuse receptacles having such mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The container lift (1) comprises a beam (3) which can be moved from a low anchoring position of the container and an upper position in which it is rotated for tipping and emptying the container. A first sector (14) integral with the beam covers a fixed roller (27) during rotational movement of the beam. The beam is rotated by two single jacks (23) which displace it vertically between its lower and upper positions and rotate it. The beam has a roller follower (20) held between the walls (7,8) of rails (5) when a beam casing (18) is vertical. This roller follower is mounted on a heel (10) during vertical movement of the beam and gives a rotational impulse to the beam and to the departure of the roller beyond the rails.

Description

The present invention relates to a container lifter.

In general, container lifts fulfill the functions which ensure, in a first time, the hanging of containers or bins on a beam, the rise in translation of the assembly beam / containers and the tilting of said containers around an axis of said beam to empty them into a hopper of a waste collection vehicle as well as, in a second step, the reverse movements which bring the emptied containers back to the ground.

Usually the translational movements are obtained by the first two cylinders while the rotational movements are obtained by two other cylinders. However, two more single stroke cylinders long can be behind all of these movements. In this case, these two unique cylinders are associated with different rack and pinion mechanisms or the friction joint type of slip.

These mechanisms have important dimensions of so as to resist the considerable forces to which they are necessarily subject during their operation and to the wear produced in operation. In addition, these mechanisms show less good retention during reverse rotation movement of the beam and at the start of the descent phase, in particular, in the event that the small empty tanks no longer exert a motor torque sufficient to assist the reverse rotation movement.

Considering the above, a problem that arises proposes to solve the invention is to make a container lifter in which the rotational and reverse rotation of the beam are clearly ensured by means for retaining said beam.

According to the invention, a solution to this problem has for object a container lifter with a movable beam in translation between a lower hooking position containers and a top position in which this beam has a first rotational movement for tilting and emptying containers and a second reverse rotation movement, characterized in that a sector integral with the beam covers a fixed roller during the first and second movements of rotation, as well as a bucket equipped with such a container lifter.

• la figure 1 montre, en vue de côté, un lève-conteneurs selon l'invention dans lequel la poutre est présentée dans sa position inférieure d'accrochage des conteneurs ;
• les figures 2A et 2B montrent, réciproquement en vue de face et en vue de côté, un lève-conteneurs selon l'invention dans lequel la poutre est présentée dans sa position supérieure de basculement et de vidage des conteneurs ; et
• la figure 3 montre, en vue de côté, un lève-conteneurs selon l'invention dans lequel la poutre est présentée dans sa position supérieure basculée de vidage des déchets.

The description which follows, and which has no limiting character, will allow a better understanding of the way in which the invention can be put into practice. It should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows, in side view, a container lifter according to the invention in which the beam is presented in its lower position for hooking the containers;
• FIGS. 2A and 2B show, reciprocally in front view and in side view, a container lifter according to the invention in which the beam is presented in its upper tilting and emptying position of the containers; and
• Figure 3 shows, in side view, a container lifter according to the invention in which the beam is presented in its upper tilted position for emptying waste.

Container lifts 1 are most often placed at the back of a bucket of a transport vehicle waste, immediately below an opening of said open body in a loading hopper waste. They are intended to perform the functions following gripping and emptying containers in this hopper whose edge is referenced 2 on the set of figures.

A container lifter 1 conforming to the object of the invention essentially consists of a beam 3 transverse and motor means of said beam 3.

The beam 3 is movable in translation along 5 vertical rails fixed on the lateral sides of a frame 6 delimiting the opening of the bucket. Each rail 5 is formed of two parallel parallel walls 7, 8, in their upper part, for example in an arc 9. One 8 of the side walls 7, 8 has, on its inner face, substantially halfway up, a heel 10 while the other wall 7 has, substantially in look of said heel 10, an opening 11.

The upper part of beam 3 is presented substantially in the form of a tube 12 each of which two ends is provided, on the one hand, with a roller or a pad said main roller 13 and, on the other hand, a first 14 and a second 15 solidarity sectors of the beam.

The main roller 13 is retained between the walls 7, 8 of a rail 5. The first 14 and second 15 sectors do not on the other hand are not retained between these walls 7, 8. These sectors 14, 15 are formed by a curved wall defining an angular space around the tube 12, said angular space being limited inwards by said tube 12 and, towards the outside, by said wall curve.

The beam 3 comprises a box 18 fixed movable in rotation along the longitudinal axis 17 of the tube 12. This box 18 has, in its upper part, a comb provided with teeth 19 and, in its lower part, a stopper 21. It also includes a roller 20 called a roller follower retained between the walls 7, 8 of the rails 5 when said box 18 is vertical.

For retaining the trays during the movements of rotation against the teeth 19, a plate 16, folded practically at right angles, is fixed to tube 12 by through two bearings 4 thus forming a clamping device set in motion by a jack independent 24.

The driving means of the beam 3 are constituted by two single cylinders 23 whose head is fixed on each of the lateral sides of the box 18, substantially at point referenced 22 on all the figures, and the body and stem are represented by an arrow line.

These drive means are intended to move the beam 3 in vertical translation between a position lower known as attachment of bins or containers and an upper position in which said beam 3 presents a first rotational movement for the tilting and emptying of containers and a second reverse rotational movement around the axis longitudinal 17 carried out by said motor means.

In the lower hooking position of the containers (figure 1), the main rollers 13 and follower 20 are held in the rails 5. The box 18 is substantially vertical and it is possible to hang the upper edge of the containers on the teeth 19 of the comb, the lower part of said containers then coming into abutment on the stopper 21.

For the emptying of the containers, the beam 3 is brought into vertical translation from its lower position more particularly at its upper position shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

At the start of rotation of beam 3, the small cylinder 24, integral with the plate 16, is actuated so as to move said plate 16 of the clamping device towards the teeth 19 and to block the containers in position.

As beam 3 approaches its position upper, i.e. before the arrival of the roller main 13 at the upper end in an arc 9 rails 5, the follower roller 20 goes up on the plane tilted heel 10, which gives an impetus to the rotation of the beam 3 and causes the exit of said roller follower 20 out of the rails 5, through the opening 11, according to a first rotation movement centered on axis 17 and shown schematically in Figure 2A by an arrow 25. From this done, unlike the mechanisms proposed in the art anterior, the sequence of movements at the end of translation-start of rotation is not done with brutality due, in the case of two container lifters single cylinders, decelerating vertically coupled with acceleration in one direction practically horizontal.

The first rotational movement continues on a almost 140 ° angle thanks to the action of the cylinders main. The containers, held by the gripping, therefore tilt in a circular motion and empty their waste into the hopper.

According to the invention, during the first movement of rotation, the first sector 14, integral with the beam 3, covers a fixed roller 27 of the part in an arc 9 located at the upper end of each rail 5. The beam 3 is thus retained and guided in rotation, while along its movement, until the angle of about 140 ° from the vertical is reached (Figure 3). Then, a second rotation movement in opposite direction is engaged, still under the action of cylinders 23 supplied piston side. In this second rotational movement reverse, as in the first movement, the first sector 14 covers the fixed roller 27 and the beam 3, thus retained, necessarily rotates, whatever the weight empty bins or containers.

At the end of this second rotation movement reverse, the follower roller 20 takes its place between the walls 7, 8 of the rails 5 and a downward movement vertical drives the empty containers to the ground.

Dumpsters for waste collection vehicles fitted with container lifts according to the invention, in especially skips intended for mixed collections containers and bulk (bags, etc.) are advantageously fitted with a hopper extension 25. This extension 25 is articulated on the edge 2 of the hopper or on the frame of the container lifts. Depending on its folded position or not, it partially partitions the opening or not.

In the prior art, the establishment of the enhancement is often done manually, after loading the bags and before the so-called mechanized loading carried out using the container lifter. This implementation is also completed usually by a manual locking system to right and left of the extension. These maneuvers are sometimes the cause of incidents, for example, injuries and constitute a waste of time in the collection. In addition, during mechanized loading, a hopper extension blocked in place is likely to stay in this position even in case a strong thrust is exerted from inside the hopper on said raises, for example, when docking waste located near the edge of the hopper. In such case, the hopper extension and the locking system rigid can undergo deformations which could then stop them from working.

However, according to one embodiment particularly advantageous of the invention, the implementation place de la réhausse 25 is provided by the second sector 15, without any manual intervention. Indeed, during the upward vertical translation phase of the beam 3, the extension 25 folded towards the outside of the bucket is first repelled by the upper end of the pinch device then by the second sector 15. The free end of the extension 25 then slides along of the external surface of the second sector 15 which leads said raises 25 until it is pinched in flexible hooks 26 for example. Extension 25 remains normally in this position during collection several trays but can be opened at any time manually especially for emptying trash cans and loading bags or for loading bulky household items. For this purpose, it suffices to pull with a simple gesture of a hand up and noticeably at middle of the width of the extension 25 without risk of entrapment of the fingers, this area being completely and freely accessible.

Note also that, in the case of a strong thrust exerted on the riser 25, this can open slightly until contact with sector 15 which also retains the extension 25 in this position during the movements of rotation / reverse rotation of beam 3, without risk that the extension 25 is pushed back below the beam 3 in its end of rotation position. The second sector 15 therefore ensures the retention of the riser 25 in its zone of installation, even in the event of accidental opening, during the rotation / reverse rotation movements of the beam 3.

Claims (5)

Container lift (1) comprising a beam (3) movable in translation between a lower position (Figure 1) for hanging the containers and a position upper (Figures 2A, 2B and 3) in which this beam (3) has a first rotational movement for the tilting and emptying of the containers and a second reverse rotation movement, characterized in a first sector (14) integral with the beam (3) covers a fixed roller (27) during the first and second rotational movements. Container lifter according to claim 1, characterized in that motor means of the beam (3) consist of two single cylinders (23) intended to moving said beam (3) in vertical translation between its lower position and its upper position and at perform the first and second rotational movements. Container lift according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the beam (3) has a follower roller (20) retained between the walls (7,8) of the rails (5) when a box (18) of the beam (3) is vertical and in that said follower roller (20) rises on a heel (10) during the vertical translation of said beam (3) which gives an impetus to the rotation of the beam (3) and at the exit of the roller (20) off the rails (5). Container lifter according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a second sector (15) ensures the installation of a hopper extension (25) at the during the upward translation of the beam (3), and retains said extension (25). Tipper equipped with a container lifter according to one of the preceding claims.

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