GB2250261A

GB2250261A - Skip loading apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2250261A
Application number: GB9123242A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Mark Needham
Original assignee: NEEDHAM SPECIALISED MACHINES L
Current assignee: NEEDHAM SPECIALISED MACHINES L
Priority date: 1990-11-06
Filing date: 1991-11-01
Publication date: 1992-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 2011-11-01
Also published as: GB2250261B; GB9024131D0; GB9123242D0

Abstract

A skip loading apparatus including a bucket (24) capable of being raised to tip its contents into the skip (12). For the sake of safety, the bucket (24) is pivotally connected to a frame (14) capable of being hooked over the side wall of the skip (12) and power operable means (28) are connected to the frame and to the bucket in order to raise the bucket and tip its contents into the skip. The lower part of the frame has an adjustable screw threaded connection (18, 20, 22) with the skip. <IMAGE>

Description

Skip loading apparatus The invention relates to apparatus for loading skips.

It is a particular problem that the loading of a skip with material such as builders' rubble is fraught with difficulty. Such material which has been brought to the skip by wheel barrow cannot readily be transferred to the skip because the loaded barrow will be too heavy for one man alone to lift. Shovelling of the material into the skip is time consuming. Consequently, a common expedient is to use a plank placed at an angle against the skip as a ramp up which the loaded barrow can be pushed and then tilted to tip its intents into the skip. Such a practice is dangerous and leads to very many accidents on building sites. The invention has for its object to provide a skip loading apparatus which will at least alleviate the problem referred to.

According to the invention, there is provided a skip loading apparatus including a frame arrangement releasably attachable to the side wall of a skip and having a loading bucket pivotally connected to it, power operable means being connected between said frame arrangement and said loading bucket whereby the latter can be raised to unload its contents into the skip. At its lower end, the frame arrangement may abut against the side of the skip by a central abutment plate or by a pair of laterally spaced abutment plates. In this case, the or each abutment plate may be carried by a screwthreaded rod provided with manual adjustment means.

The frame arrangement may be releasably attachable to a side wall of a skip by means of hooks which are able to be hooked over said side wall. Said hooks may be vertically adjustable relative to said frame arrangement so that the height of the loading bucket can be changed. The vertical adjustment of the hooks on the frame arrangement may be effected by utilizing selected bolt holes of a plurality of such bolt holes in the frame arrangement for the securement of the hooks thereto.

A flexible pipe will preferably be connected to the power operable means, said pipe having a quick release connection for a source of air under pressure or hydraulic pressure.

The apparatus may be provided with spring means acting against the weight of the loading bucket.

The power operable means may be constituted by at least one hydraulic or pneumatic ram. The apparatus may be provided with at least one hydraulic or pneumatic damper for controlling the rate at which the loading bucket is raised or lowered.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic side view of apparatus embodying the invention in use for loading a refuse skip, Figure 2 is a partly cut-away view of the apparatus in the direction of arrow 2 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view, and Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 which illustrate a possible modification which will be referred to.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the skip loading apparatus there illustrated, and generally indicated 10, is shown in use for loading a refuse skip 12 shown in cross section. The apparatus includes a frame arrrangement 14 capable of being hooked, as shown, over the side wall of a skip by means of a pair of substantial hooks 16,16 at its upper end. At its lower end the frame arrangement abuts against the side of the skip by a central abutment plate 18 carried by a screwthreaded rod 20 provided with an adjustment handle 22. The apparatus also includes a loading bucket 24 pivotally connected to the frame arrangement by pivot pins 26,26. As shown, the loading bucket extends to within a relatively short distance from the ground surface on which the skip is standing.Its lower portion provides an open topped trough portion into which, in the lowered position of the bucket, the contents of a wheel barrow can easily be tipped.

A pneumatic ram 28, which at one end is pivotally connected to the frame arrangement and at its other end to the loading bucket, constitutes power operable means whereby the bucket can be raised, as shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 1, to tip its contents into the skip. As shown, a flexible pipe 30 is connected to the ram 28 and is provided with a quick release connection whereby it can very easily be connected to or disconnected from a source of air under pressure, such systems being now widely available.

Thus there is provided apparatus by means of which the operation of loading a rubbish skip is greatly facilitated.

In Figures 4 and 5 there is illustrated skip loading apparatus very similar to that described above but incorporating a modification, this being that the hooks 16,16 by means of which the frame arrangement is to be hooked over the side wall of a loading skip are vertically adjustable relative to said frame arrangement. The way in which the hooks are vertically adjustable is by removing pairs of bolts 17,17 which secure said hooks to the frame arrangement and selecting other pairs of holes 15,15 from a plurality of vertically spaced holes for the re-attachment of said hooks.

In this way the apparatus can really be adapted for fitment to skips of various heights with the loading bucket 24 located a convenient distance from ground level.

Various other modifications may be made. For example, the power operable means could quite well be operable by hydraulic instead of by pneumatic pressure. Furthermore, the weight of the loading bucket could be at least partly balanced by spring means tending to lift it to its raised position, the arrangement being such that the bucket needs to be forced down to a lower latched position against the force of said spring means. It could also have one or more hydraulic or pneumatic dampers for controlling the rate at which the bucket is raised or lowered. (A combined spring and damper unit is readily available and commonly known as a 'gas spring').

The device could have two or more hydraulic or pneumatic rams for raising the bucket. The lower end of the frame arrangement could abut against the side of the skip by way of a pair of laterally spaced abutment plates instead of a single centrally disposed abutment plate. Means could be provided to enable the loading bucket to be securely clamped to the frame arrangement for security and safety.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A skip loading apparatus including a frame arrangement releasably attached to a side wall of a skip and having a loading bucket pivotally connected to it, power operable means being connected to the frame arrangement and said loading bucket whereby in use of the apparatus, the bucket can be raised to unload its contents into the skip.

2. A skip loading apparatus according to claim 1, in which at its lower end the frame arrangement abuts against the side of the skip by a central abutment plate or by a pair of laterally spaced abutment plates.

3. A skip loading apparatus according to claim 2, in which the or each abutment plate is carried by a screwthreaded rod provided with manual adjustment means.

4. A skip loading apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the frame arrangement is releasably attachable to a side wall of a skip by means of hooks which are able to be hooked over said side wall.

5. A skip loading apparatus according to claim 4, in which the hooks by means of which the frame arrangement is attachable to a side wall of a skip are vertically adjustable relative to said frame arrangement so that the height of the loading bucket can be changed.

6. A skip loading apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a flexible pipe is connected to the power operable means, said pipe having a quick release connection for a source of air under pressure or hydraulic pressure.

7. A skip loading apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, provided with spring means acting against the weight of the loading bucket.

8. A skip loading apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the power operable means are constituted by at least one hydraulic or pneumatic ram.

9. A skip loading apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, provided with at least one hydraulic or pneumatic damper for controlling the rate at which the loading bucket is raised or lowered.

10. A skip loading apparatus constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.