GB2128578A - Refuse collection vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A refuse collection vehicle has two side by side carriers for respective bins and supports (11) for the carriers. Each carrier has two upwardly facing seats (31, 32) for bearing the downwardly directed loads of different bins. Each carrier can be raised independently on its support and the support can then be pivoted to tip the contents of a bin into a body of the vehicle. The carriers and supports can be moved together to tip large bins. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collection vehicle DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION This invention relates to a collection vehicle of the kind used for collecting refuse and having a plurality of carriers, a number of supports, one for each carrier, and drive means for raising and tipping about a common axis the carriers and bins which are carried thereby when the contents of the bins are to be emptied into the vehicle.

In published European Patent Application No.

0010719, there is described a refuse collection vehicle having two carriers on respective supports.

The carriers can be raised and tipped separately or together. Each carrier has a row of upstanding projections for engaging beneath the peripheral flange of a bin to raise the bin from the ground.

When a large bin having a suitable flange is to be raised, the flange can be engaged with both carriers. However, only bins having a suitable flange can be raised by the apparatus described in the published European application.

According to the present invention, there is provided a collection vehicle having a plurality of carriers, a number of supports, one for each carrier and drive means for raising and tipping about a common axis, the carriers and any bins carried thereby, wherein each carrier presents two upwardly facing seats for bearing downwardly directed loads exerted by respective bins when one or other bin is carried on the carrier, a first of said seats being further from a front of the vehicle than is a second of the seats, the carrier being adapted to engage by its first seat a load-transfer surface on a first bin, which load-transfer surface lies adjacent to a wall of the first bin between the wall and a downwardly projecting lip and the carrier being adapted to engage by its second seat a rail which is spaced from an adjacent wall of a second bin and the arrangement being such that, when the carriers are in corresponding positions relative to a main body of the vehicle, the second seats are substantially co-linear.

The carriers of a vehicle according to the invention can be used together to lift and tip a large bin provided with a rail which is spaced outwardiy from an adjacent wall of the bin. The carriers can also be used separately to raise smaller bins by engaging peripheral flanges thereof.

There is also provided according to the invention a collection vehicle having a plurality of carriers, a number of supports, one for each carrier, and drive means for raising and tipping about a common axis the carriers and any bins carried thereby, wherein the drive means includes a respective manually operable control element for each carrier and wherein the drive means is settable in a first condition in which raising and tipping of the carriers is effected independently of one another and in a second condition in which raising and tipping of the carriers is effected together.

An example of a vehicle embodying the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a side view of a rear part of the vehicle; FIGURE 2 shows diagrammatically a part of a rear elevation of the vehicle; and Figure 3 shows a diagram of control circuits of the vehicle.

The vehicle illustrated in the accompanying drawings is a motor road vehicle having a chassis mounted on road wheels (neither of which is shown). On the chassis there is mounted a body for containing a mass of refuse and which may be of known form. The body may include known means for compacting the refuse. A rear end portion of the body is indicated by the reference numeral 10 in the drawings.

There is mounted on the body 10 at the rear end thereof a structure which includes a pair of supports 11, 12 disposed side-by-side on opposite sides of a vertical longitudinal central plane 13 of the vehicle. On each of the supports 11, 12 there is mounted a respective carrier 14, 1 5 which lies generally to the rear of the corresponding support.

Each carrier extends from a position near to the central plane 13 a part of the way towards a vertical plane defined by a corresponding side of the vehicle body.

The support 11 includes a generally rectangular frame comprising a pair of longer, parallel members 16 and 17, a shaft 18 secured to corresponding ends of the members 1 6 and 1 7 and a shorter member 1 9 connected between end portions of the members 1 6 and 1 7 remote from the shaft 18. The shaft 18 and member 19 are parallel to each other and remain horizontal in use of the structure when the vehicle stands on a horizontal surface.

The shaft 1 8 has a length somewhat greater than one half of the width of the vehicle body 1 0 and is supported by two bearings, one disposed at the vehicle central plane 1 3 and one disposed adjacent to a side of the vehicle body, for pivoting relative to the body about a horizontal axis 20.

Drive means comprising an hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 21 is provided for pivoting the support 11 and carrier 1 4 relative to the body. The unit 21 is mounted beside the body 10 and is mounted at one of its ends for pivoting relative to the body about a horizontal axis 22 which lies above and forwardly of the axis 20. An opposite end of the unit 21 is pivotally connected with an arm 23 rigidly secured to an end portion of the shaft 18. By extension of the unit 21, the support 11 can be pivoted from the lowered position shown in Figure 1, in which the support extends downwardly and approximately vertically from the axis 20 to a raised position in which the support extends from the axis 20 in a direction generally upwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle body.

The carrier 14 also comprises a generally flat, rectangular frame 24 connected with the support 11 by a parallelogram linkage comprising a lower pair of links 25 and an upper pair of links 26. Each link is pivotally mounted at its ends on respective lugs 27 provided on the frame concerned.

The drive means comprises a further piston and cylinder unit 28 connected between the frame 24 and the support 11 for controlling movement of the carrier between the raised position indicated in Figure 1 by a full line, and a lowered position indicated in Figure 1 by a broken line. At one of its ends, the unit 28 is pivotally connected with the shaft 18 and at its opposite end the unit is pivotally connected with a cross member of the frame 24 near to the lower links 25.

The carrier 14 includes a rectilinear row of projections 29 which, when the support 11 is in its lowered position, extend upwardly from the frame 24. The length of this row extends transversely of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the central plane 1 3 and the projections are spaced from each other along the length of the row. As can be seen from Figure 1, when the support 11 occupies its lowered position, the projections 29 lie to the rear of the frame 24 and constitute the rearmost part of the structure illustrated.

A horizontal cross member 30 of the frame 24 lies adjacent to the projections 29 and between those projections and the vehicle body 10 when the support 11 is in its lowered position. This cross member defines an upwardly open channel, the surface of which constitutes a seat 31 for a bar provided on a bin (not shown) when the bin is to be lifted on the carrier, as hereinafter described.

The surface of the projections 29 which faces upwardly when the support 11 is in its lowered position constitutes a further seat (hereinbefore called the first seat) 32 for co-operation with a further bin in a manner also to be described hereinafter.

The support 11 includes a retaining element 33 which extends along the entire width of the carrier 14, that is the dimension extending from the central plane 13 to a side of the vehicle body. The retaining element has two surfaces which face downwardly when the support is in its lowered position, a first of these surfaces, 34 then being spaced upwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle from the second of these surfaces, 35. As shown in Figure 1, when the support 11 is in its lowered position and the carrier 14 is in its raised position, the surface 34 lies directly above and near to the seat 32 whilst the surface 35 lies above and near to the seat 31. An intermediate surface 36 of the retaining element which extends between the surfaces 34 and 35 then lies near to but forwardly of the projections 29.

The carrier 1 4 can be used to empty into the vehicle body 10 the contents of a bin having a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edges of side walls of the bin and a downturned lip at the free edge of the flange, the side walls being substantially rectilinear, as viewed in plan. With the support 11 in its lowered position, the piston and cylinder unit 28 is extended to move the carrier 14 to its lowered position, in which the carrier extends downwardly from the support to a position near to the ground on which the vehicle stands. The bin is then moved into a position close to the carrier, the seat 32 being at a level below that of the lip of the bin.

The piston and cylinder unit 28 is then contracted so that the seat 32 moves along an arcuate path towards the bin and upwardly. The seat 32 engages beneath the flange of the bin and the side wall of the bin comes to rest against a lower part of the carrier. The bin is carried upwardly by the carrier until the latter reaches its raised position.

The flange of the bin is then trapped between the seat 32 and the surface 35 of the support and the lip of the bin is trapped between the intermediate surface 36 and the projections 29. Whilst the carrier remains in its raised position relative to the support 11 , the bin cannot become detached from the carrier.

With the bin carried on the carrier 14, the piston and cylinder unit 21 is extended to tip the support 11 and carrier about the axis 20 until the bin is inverted over a rear end portion of the vehicle body 10 in a known manner. When the contents of the bin have been discharged into the body of the vehicle, the support is returned to its lowered position and the carrier is then returned to its lowered position to return the bin to the ground. An air valve 37 (shown in Figure 3) having an operating handle positioned at the corresponding side of the vehicle body 10 is provided for enabling an operator to control the piston and cylinder units 21 and 28. It will be noted that there is a clear space between the side of the vehicle body and the carrier 14 in which the operator can stand whilst supervising emptying of the bin and whilst manipulating the handle of the valve 37.This space is not encroached upon by the bin, the carrier 14 or the support 11 during lifting and tipping of the bin.

The support 1 2 and carrier 1 5 are arranged in a manner corresponding to that of the support 11 and carrier 14, are provided with their own piston and cylinder units and control valve. The carriers 14 and 1 5 can be operated separately from one another to empty the contents of respective bins into the body 10.

The carriers 1 4 and 1 5 can also be used together to empty the contents of a large bin into the body 10. This would be possible in a case where the large bin is provided with a peripheral flange with which the seats 32 of both carriers can engage. However, large bins are usually provided with a bar which is mounted on a side wall of the bin so that the bar is horizontal when the bin stands on a horizontal surface and so that the bar is spaced somewhat from the side wall of the bin.

If the carriers 14 and 15 are raised into engagement with such a bin, the bar can be received on the seats 31 of the carriers. It will be noted that, in all positions of the carriers relative to the supports 11 and 12, there is between the projections 29 and the supports 11 and 12, at a level below that of the second retaining surface 35, a gap which is not less than 60 mm and which is therefore adequate to receive the bar of a large bin.

When the carriers 14 and 15, with a large bin carried thereon, are in their raised positions, the retaining surface 35 lies above and close to the bar resting on the seats 31 so that the bar is trapped between the support and the carrier. The supports can then be raised without risk of the bin becoming detached from the carriers.

It will be noted that each of the seats 31 extends past all of the projections 29 on the carrier concerned. Lugs by means of which the bar is mounted on the side wall of the bin pass between adjacent projections 29.

As shown in Figure 3, the drive means includes a pump 40 having an inlet in communication with a reservoir 41. An outlet of the pump communicates via a flow-restricting device 42 with branches 43 and 44 of the hydraulic circuit.

One branch, 43, of the circuit provides hydraulic fluid for the piston and cylinder units 21 and 28.

The other branch, 44, provides hydraulic fluid for the corresponding units associated with the support 12 and carrier 15.

The device 42 defines two paths, 45 and 46, and includes a valve 47 for directing fluid from the pump through either one of these paths, but not both, to the branches 43 and 44. The path 45 restricts flow to approximately half that which occurs through the path 46.

The branch 43 leads to a valve 48 and thence to a further valve 49. The valve 48 can direct hydraulic fluid from the pump 40 to either selected end of the cylinder of the unit 21 to extend or contract the unit, the opposite end of the cylinder being then connected with the reservoir 41 by the valve 48. The valve can be biased to one -or other of these conditions by application of pneumatic pressure to an appropriate one of ports 50 and 51 to which air can be supplied from an air reservoir (not shown) of the vehicle. When neither of these ports 50 and 51 is subjected to air pressure, the valve 48 is biased by springs to an intermediate condition in which both ends of the cylinder of the unit 21 are closed.

In the branch 44, there is provided a valve 52 which is similar to the valve 48.

The valve 49 can direct hydraulic fluid from the pump 40 to either selected end of the cylinder of the unit 28 to extend or contract this unit, the opposite end of the cylinder being then connected by the valve 49 with the reservoir 41. The valve 49 can be biased to one or other of these conditions by application of pneumatic pressure to an appropriate one of ports 53 and 54 of the valve. When neither of these ports is subjected to air pressure, the valve 49 is biased by springs to an intermediate condition in which both ends of the cylinder of the unit 28 are closed. It will be noted that, when the valves 48 and 49 are in their intermediate conditions, a path is provided through these valves from the pump to the reservoir and the flow of hydraulic fluid can continue.

A valve 55 corresponding to the valve 49 is connected with the branch 44 via the valve 52. As shown in Figure 3, adjustable pressure-relief valves are associated with various parts of the hydraulic circuit to limit the pressure which can be attained in selected parts of the circuit and thereby protect these parts against unnecessarily high pressures. In this way, the pressures exerted on the pistons to subject the piston rods to compression are restricted to avoid buckling of the piston rods and different pressures can be used for effecting different stages of operation. The circuit also includes devices for restricting flow from each of the piston and cylinder units.

To control the application of air pressure to the ports 50, 51,53 and 54, there are connected in a pneumatic circuit with the valve 37 a number of further valves actuated by relative movement of the carrier 14, support 11 and vehicle body 1 0. If the support and carrier are both in their lowered positions, and the valve 37 is operated to raise the carrier, air under pressure Is fed by valve 37 via valve 56 to port 54. When the carrier reaches its raised position, valve 56 is actuated to vent the port 54 and to apply air pressure to the port 50 of the valve 48. Whilst the length of unit 28 is being changed, change in length of the unit 21 is prevented.When the carrier reaches its raised position, the valve 49 assumes its intermediate condition and thus prevents further change in the length of the unit 28, whilst the valve 48 directs hydraulic fluid to one end of the unit 21 until the valve 37 is either released by the operator or is moved to a position which causes lowering of the support and carrier.

During lowering of the support 11 and carrier 1 8 together, change in length of the unit 28 is prevented by the valve 49. Air pressure is directed by the valve 37 to the port 51, causing the valve 48 to direct hydraulic fluid to the unit 21 to contract the latter. When the support reaches its lowered position, a valve 57 is operated and this directs air under pressure from the valve 37 to the port 53. Application of air under pressure to the port 51 is maintained until the valve 37 is moved by or permitted to move by the operator.

The valve 56 may be mounted on the support 11 in a position where it will be engaged by an upper part of the carrier 1 8 when the carrier reaches its raised position. Alternatively, the valve 56 could be mounted on the support in a position where it will be engaged by the link 25 or a part which moves with that link. The valve 57 may be mounted on the supports for the shaft 1 8 or on some other part which is fixed with respect to the vehicle body 10 and in a position where it is engaged by the support 11.

For controlling operation of the valves 52 and 55 associated with the support 1 2 and carrier 1 5 independently of operation of the support 11 and carrier 14, there is provided a pneumatic circuit including valves 58, 59 and 60 corresponding to valves 37, 56 and 57 respectively.

The two carriers can also be operated together.

A manually operable valve 61 is provided for setting the pneumatic circuit either in a condition for independent operation of the carriers or in a condition for operation of the carriers together.

When the pneumatic circuit is set in the latter condition, a mechanical connection may also be established between the carriers and/or the supports.

Typically, such connection would comprise a pin slidably mounted in a sleeve on one carrier for movement towards and away from the other carrier, the other carrier being provided also with a sleeve in which an end portion of the pin can engage when the carriers are to be linked together. Movement of the pin could be effected manually or by a piston and cylinder unit.

When the valve 61 is operated to set the pneumatic circuit in condition for operation of the carriers together, air is supplied under pressure to an actuator associated with the valve 47 so that this latter valve is set to direct hydraulic fluid from the pump through the larger diameter path 46 instead of the more restricted path 45. In this way, hydraulic fluid can be supplied to the branches 43 and 44 concurrently at a rate which will cause operation of the piston and cylinder units at approximately the normal speed. It will be understood that, when the carriers are operated independently, hydraulic fluid will generally be supplied to only one of the piston and cylinder units at a time.

Operation of the valve 61 to set the pneumatic circuit in condition for operation of the carriers together also causes air to be supplied under pressure to link valves 62 to 69 to operate these valves. Link valves 65 and 67 isolate the valve 58 so that this latter valve cannot be used for controlling operation of the carriers and supports.

Valves 64 and 68 connect the valve 37 with the air flow paths from the valve 58 to the air ports of the valves 52 and 55, so that air can be supplied to these latter valves from the valve 37.

The pneumatic circuit is arranged to ensure that, when the carriers are being operated together, neither the unit 21 nor the corresponding unit associated with the support 12 is operated until both carriers are in their raised positions and that operation of both the unit 28 and the corresponding unit associated with the carrier 1 5 is prevented, unless both of the supports are in their lowered positions. When actuated by air pressure, the valve 62 directs air from the valve 56 through a further valve 75 associated with the carrier 1 5 and operated only when this carrier reaches its raised position. Air can then flow through the valve 75 to the port 50.

In a corresponding way, valve 69 directs air from the valve 59 to a further valve 70 which is operated only when the carrier 14 reaches its raised position and then permits air to be applied to the valve 52.

When the carriers are being operated independently, air can pass through the link valve 63 from the valve 37 to the valve 57 and thence to the port 53 of the valve 49. When the link valve 63 is actuated by air pressure, air can no longer flow from the valve 37 to the valve 57 through the valve 63 but must follow the alternative path through a further valve 71 which is actuated only when the support 12 is in its lowermost position.

Until both supports are in their lowermost positions, supply of air from the valve 37 to the port 53 is prevented. Valve 72 corresponds to valve 71 but is operated only when support 11 is in its lowermost position. When the pneumatic circuit is set for operation of the carriers together, the valve 72 is connected in series with the valve 60 so that both supports must be in their lowermost positions before aire can be supplied from the valve 37 to the valve 55.

In a modification of the arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, there is substituted for each of the valves 56, 57, 59, 60, 69, 70, 71 and 72 an electrical limit switch which is operated in a corresponding manner. Eiectrical signals from these limit switches are used to control electrically actuated air valves which control the application of air pressure to the valves 51, 52, 54 and 55 as hereinbefore described. In place of the link valves, there may be provided electrical relays.

Claims (7)

1. A collection vehicle having a plurality of carriers, a number of supports, one for each carrier, and drive means for raising and tipping about a common axis the carriers and bins carried thereby, wherein each carrier presents two upwardly facing seats for bearing downwardly directed loads exerted by respective bins when one or other bin is carried on the carrier, a first of said seats is further from a front of the vehicle than is a second of the seats, the carrier is adapted to engage by its first seat a load-transfer surface on a first bin, which load-transfer surface lies adjacent to a wall of the first bin between the wall and a downwardly projecting lip, the carrier is adapted to engage by its second seat a rail which is spaced from an adjacent wall of a second bin and wherein the respective second seats of the carriers are substantially co-linear when the carriers occupy corresponding positions.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1 wherein each carrier has a rectilinear row of mutually spaced projections which collectively present the first seat.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 2 wherein the second seat extends past a plurality of the projections.

4. A vehicle according to any preceding claim wherein each support has a retaining element with first and second surfaces for co-operation respectively with a first bin when supported on the first seat and a second bin when supported on the second seat, such co-operation occurring when one or other of the bins is raised and tipped whilst on the carrier, said first surface is spaced from the second surface rearwardly of the vehicle and upwardly when the support is in a lowered position which it occupies when the carrier is adjacent to the ground.

5. A vehicle according to Claim 4 wherein there is between said projections and the support at a position spaced from the second surface in a direction away from the first surface a gap which is not less than 60 mm in any position of the carrier relative to the support.

6. A vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

7. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclose herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.