US3148786A

US3148786A - Refuse compacting vehicle body

Info

Publication number: US3148786A
Application number: US28339A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ellsworth R Boeck; Robert J Walter
Original assignee: TRUCK EQUIPMENT CO Inc
Current assignee: TRUCK EQUIPMENT CO Inc
Priority date: 1960-05-11
Filing date: 1960-05-11
Publication date: 1964-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-15

Description

P 15, 1964 E. R. BQECK ETAL 3,148,786

REFUSE COMPACTING VEHICLE BODY Filed May 11, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS ELLSWORTH R. BOECK a ROBERT J. WALTER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 1 3,148,786 Patented Sept. 15, 1964 3,143,786 REFUSE COMPACTWG VEHICLE BODY Ellsworth R. Boeek, Buffalo, and Robert J. Walter, Kenmore, N.Y., assignors to Truck Equipment Co., Inc., Buffalo, N.Y. Filed May 11, 1960, Ser. No. 28,339 Claims. (Cl. 21482) This invention relates to refuse collection vehicles and particularly to improvements in refuse collection vehicle bodies of the so-called packer type.

Packer bodies or compaction bodies for refuse collecting and transporting vehicles are in general use in the refuse collection field and one form of packer body has side doors near the front of the body for introducing refuse and a packer plate which moves rearwardly within the body to compact refuse toward the rear of the body. The refuse is emptied from the body by opening a rear door and ejecting the refuse by further operation of the rearwardly movable packer plate.

The refuse packer body of the present invention is of the foregoing general type and presents a number of important improvements in construction and operation of such apparatus. In the form shown herein by way of example the packer body comprises generally a hollow cylinder and the construction and arrangement of the body itself and the packer plate mounting and moving means in such as to provide maximum strength, relative freedom from distortion due to loading and packing forces, and all-around efliciency and economy in the design of the body per se and the various operating components, mainly the packer plate and its operating means and the cooperating rear door employed in ultimately ejecting the contents of the body.

Since large side door openings are desirable at both sides of the forward portion of the cylindrical packer body, the portions of the body forwardly of and rearwardly of the side doors are almost completely separated by the door openings and accordingly a particular problem in maintaining accurate shape and alignment of the body as a whole is presented.

This problem is very substantially. aggravated by the fact that in a desirable arrangement of the apparatus the drive means for the packer plate is carried by the forward portion of the body while the packer plate itself operates principally in the rear portion of the body and accordingly the reaction forces tend markedly to distort the shape and the relative alignment of the forward and rear body parts.

The body design of the packer body of thepresent invention and the manner in which the packing forces are absorbed thereby is a very substantial improvement over packer body arrangements of the prior art. The cylindrical body includes a novel skeletal structural arrangement which absorbs the major stresses and reaction forces incident to the packing operation independently of the body shell itself and in such a way that these forces are transmitted substantially directly to the frame of the vehicle which carries the body.

In addition to the novel structural and physical arrangement of the packer body and the reciprocating packer plate, the present invention provides novel hydraulic operation of the packer plate and the unloading or ejecting door at hte rear of the body and provides a novel operating and control arrangement for these instrumentalities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide hydraulic power compacting means comprising a single acting hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement for operating the packer plate in a compacting direction with a separate relatively short stroke hydraulic power element for effecting quick return of the packer plate. This V a quicker time cycle of operation by reason of the quick return power arrangement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel body construction and a novel relationship of the fixed structural members thereof whereby the very considerable forces engendered by the compacting operation are borne and distributed in a manner which avoids undue distortion of the body shell. As will appear later herein, independent structural elements are provided whereby the compacting pressure of the packer plate and more particularly the reaction. force of the hydraulic power device which motivates the packer plate, are trans mitted to the frame of the vehicle which carries the body more or less. directly and without subjecting the body shell itself to harmful stresses which would otherwise tend to distort the same to a degree which might actually interfere with proper reciprocation of the packer plate.

This question of body distortion, particularly in the case of a cylindrical packer body is rendered acute by reason of the factthat the side doors at opposite sides of the body extend from the top of the body down to the chassis which supports the same so that apart from the novel skeletal structure referred to earlier herein the body is virtually divided into two portions, one lying forwardly of the'side door structure and the other rearwardly thereof, and it is necessary in the normal operation that the packer plate pass from one of these portions to the other during compacting and return movements,

A further improvement of the packer body of the present invention resides in an arrangement whereby the 'packer plate may be moved rearwardly and projected to a position beyond the confines of the packer body proper with the rear door in an open position whereby the entire interior of the body may be cleaned and resultant debris may be swept out of the rear end thereof with the packer plate in its rearmost position beyond the body proper.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel contour relationship between the packer plate and the rear door or closure whereby packing operation tends to raise the material between the packer plate and the rear door and thus tends to fill the packing space more completely and more densely and thus makes for a greater pay load than in conventional packers wherein the density of the packed refuse is very much greater at the bottom of the load than" at upper portions.

Various other objects and advantages of the refuse packer body construction and arrangement of the present invention will appear to those skilled in this art from a study of the exemplary embodiment depicted in the accompanying drawings and are referred to in the ensuing description.

A single embodiment ofthe principles of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the following specification but it is to be understood that-such embodiment is by way of example and illustration only and that the principles of the invention are not limite'd to this embodiment nor otherwise than as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general side elevational view of one form of the refuse packer body of the present invention with portions thereof broken away for added illustration;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view on the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view on the line Ill-III of FIG. 1

' FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view taken approximately on theline IV.IV of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view takenapproximately on the line V-V of FIG. 3.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. In the refuse packer body which is illustrated herein to exemplify the principles of the present invention a main body or shell structure is designated generally by the numeral 20 and comprises a plurality of arcuately formed metal sheets or plates 21 which are welded or otherwise secured to various connecting and reinforcing rings which are of angle iron cross-section and are designated, from front to rear of the body in FIG. 1, by the numerals 22 through 28. A relatively heavy ring member 29 is welded to the rear end of the body shell to form a seat for a rear door component designated generally in FIG. 1 by the numeral 30.

A track 31 in the form of an I-beam is attached to the interior wall at the top of body structure 20 to give guiding support to the upper portion of a longitudinally movable packer plate designated generally by the numeral 32 and track 31 extends rearwardly beyond body 2% into the generally convex rear door 30 as indicated in FIG. 1.

An external reinforcing member 33 of T-shape in crosssection in the present instance, extends along the top of body structure 20, principally for additional reinforcement of the forward portion of the body structure and incidentally to provide a trackway for side door structure which will be described later herein. Member 33 is welded to the upper surface of track 31 to be substantially integral therewith.

It will be noted by reference to FIG. 2 that a pair of longitudinally extending half round members 34 at the interior of the body structure provide rails or track-ways for lower rollers 35 provided at the base of packer plate 32 and a pair of external longitudinal angle members 36 provide ledges which seat upon the longitudinal rail or channel members 37 of a conventional motor truck chassis upon which the packer body of the present invention is mounted. If desired, vertical side plates may be welded across the outer surfaces of the angle members 36 and frame channel members 37 to fix these members permanently to each other.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the packer plate 32 comprises a pair of spaced generally

circular plate members

41 and 42 held in rigid spaced relation.

by intervening structural members indicated generally at 43, the whole being welded to form an integral rigid packer plate weldment. The fixed welded structure of packer plate 32 includes an upper central longitudinal channel member 43 and a pair of lower longitudinal channel members 46.

A pair of longitudinally spaced flanged rollers 48 mounted within channel member 45 engage along track and lower half round tracks 34- extend rearwardly beyond the body shell and into the convex rear door to permit the packer plate to be moved rearwardly until its rear portion projects beyond the body shell to facilitate cleaning the interior of the latter. k

The rear door 39 has side wall portions 56 which comprise cylindrical continuations of the body shell 20 and a rear wall 57 which is curved outwardly as viewed in side elevation in FIG. 1. The rear wall 57 does not require compound curvature but merely comprises a fiat plate bent to the contour shown in FIG. 1. However, its intersection with the rearwardly extending cylindrical wall portions 56 give the door a generally convex exterior surface. a p

This contour of rear door 30 cooperates with the flar ing lower wall portion 50 of the packer plate'32 so that rearward movement of the packer plate with the door closed tends to feed the refuse upwardly whereby the packed refuse fills the interior of the body more efiiciently than if this upward camming action on the refuse did not take place.

The usual packing action in conventional compactionincrease the pay load of the body.

31 and longitudinally spaced rollers rotatably mounted within the lower channel members 46 have previously been designated 35. Rollers 35 have their peripheries concaved to track along the half round members 34. It will be noted that the lower portion of the rear wall of packer plate 32 has an outwardly flaring wall portion 50 which exerts a material raising component of force on the refuse as the packer plate moves rearwardly and this force cooperates with the particular contour of the rear door 30, as will appear later herein.

I A relatively wide channel member 51 extends obliquely from the forward portion of upper channel member 45 to a generally central portion of the packer plate structure generally to stiffen the structure. The lower end of the channel member 51 cooperates in forming an enclosure 53 which includes bearing means 54 for pivotal engagement with the small end of a series of telescoping piston and cylinder members designated generally and collectively by the numeral 55.

Both

plate members

41 and 42 of the packer plate are perforated as indicated at 52 in FIG. 3 so that air is readily released from the refuse as it is being compacted.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the upper track 31 which are pivoted as at 62 in FIG. 1 for door opening and closing movements. The door 33 naturally gravitates toward a closed position and is opened by a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic cylinders 63 which are pivoted at one end of each to opposite sides of the body shell 20 as at 64 and have slotted members 65 at the outer ends of their piston rods which engage pins 66 projecting from opposite sides of the door 30. Control of the operation of the door raising cylinders 63 will'be described later herein in conjunction with related operation of the hydraulic components.

The means for latching the lower portion of door 30 in closed position will now be described. Since this latching means bears the full force of the compacting pressure of packer plate 32 it is obvious that secure and rigid latching must be assured. C-shaped latching members 70 are pivoted to the rear portion of body shell 20 at opposite sides thereof as at 71 and the opposite ends of the latching members 7d are provided with rollers 72 which are adapted to engage over a radial flange 74 which extends about door 30 and thus clamp door flange 74 to the ring member 29 at the rear of body shell 20. The seating surface for rollers 72 on flange 74 may be inclined or curved so that the rollers cam or wedge the flange 74 against ring member 29 during latching operation.

Means are provided for controlling the condition of the latch members 7% from a position substantially forwardly of the rear of the body for reasons of general convenience and more especially since unloading operations frequently take place with the rear of the body extending over the edge of a pit or other declivity. In the illustrated instance a longitudinal control rod 77 at one side of the body controls the condition of both clamp members 70, as will now appear.

7 The forward end of control rod 77 is provided with a rack formation 78 and is guided for longitudinal movement in mesh with a pinion (not shown) which is coaxial with and carried by a hand-wheel 79. Thus rotation of the handwheel 79 moves the control rod 77 selectively forwardly and rearwardly. A removable locking pin may be provided for preventing operation of the handwheel '79 or longitudinal movement of control rod 77 when the latch members 70 are in latching position, excepting by deliberate removal or release of the locking pm.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4, particularly the latter, a pair of rock shafts 8t) and 81 extend obliquely beneath body 20 and are supported by hearing

brackets

82, 83 and 84 mounted at the under side of body 20. The inner adjacent ends of the rock shafts 80 and 81 are provided with fixed offset bearing brackets 86 and the end portions of a bent shaft member 87 are disposed rotatably in the bearing brackets 86. Thus the rock shafts 8i and 81 are connected for joint rotation and the outer end of rock shaft 80 is provided with a rock arm 91), the outer end of which is pivotally connected to the rear end of control rod 77.

The rock shafts 86 and 81 are provided with rock arms 91 and links 92 are pivoted at their opposite ends to the outer ends of the rock arms 91 and to projecting lugs 93 on each of the C-shaped latching members 71 From the above it will be seen that rotation of handwheel 79 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 will move control rod 77 rearwardly and thus rotate the rock shafts 80 and 81 in a. clockwise direction and swing the latching members 7 clockwisely to open positions.

It will further be noted that the nature of the G-shaped latching members is such that,-when closed, the ring 29 of the body 20 and the flange 74 of the rear door 30 are clamped directly between the ends of the latching members 7&3 themselves and that all rearward forces tending to open the door 36 are absorbed directly by the latching members 70 and are not transmitted to the foregoing control linkage. Furthermore, in closed position the rock arms 91 and links 92 move at least to and preferably slightly past dead center position so that any tendency of the latching members 719 to move toward open position inadvertently is prevented.

The compacting forces tending to distort the door 30 are very substantial and to further guard against distortion thereof dowel means are preferably provided. While P16. 4 is a cross section of body member 20 looking forward, the ring 29 at the rear of body 21 is shown in dot and dash lines and three dowel openings therein are indicated in dot and dash lines at 94. Three dowels carried by flange 74 of rear door 30 enter the openings 94 when door 30 is closed.

Reference will now be had. to the side doors which are provided for introducing the refuse material and in this connection it will be noted that the side door openings at opposite sides of the body shell 20 are located near the forward end thereof between the angle

iron reinforcing rings

23 and 24 which encircle the body shell. The base flanges of the

rings

23 and 24 extend toward each other and provide ledges or seats for the door mernbers. The side door openings extend from the top center of body shell 29 down each side thereof to a pair of longitudinal angle members 95 which are welded to the interior of the body shell as clearly shown in FIG. 2 and preferably extend the full length of the body shell to assist in reinforcing and stiffening the same. The members 95 define the bottom edges of the side door openings and serve as door sill members.

The door openings are each adapted to be closed by upper door members designated generally by the numeral 96 and lower door members designated generally by the numeral 98. In the illustrated embodiment each upper door 96 comprises a rectangular frame 99 of tubular members arched as viewed in FIG. 2 to conform generally to the curvature of the body shell, and a plate member 100 welded to the frame 99 as shown in FIG. 2.

In closed position each upper door 96 rests substantially between the outstanding flanges of the

rings

23 and 24, particularly as to the lower portions thereof, as

shown at the left hand side of FIG. 2. The upper doors are thus protected against becoming dislodged by engagement with obstructions alongside the vehicle as the latter moves along. Along its upper edge each door 9-6 is welded to an inverted channel 192 which engages over rollers 103 carried by the web portion of T-shapedmember 33 and further on rollers 104 along member 33 retain the channels 102 in tracking engagement with the rollers 103..

The rolling connection thus provided is 'such as to permit limited pivotal movementof the door between the rollers 1113 and 104 about a horizontal axis so that the lower portion thereof may be moved outwardly as shown at the right-hand side of FIG. 2 whereupon the door may be moved freely along the body in a rearward direction to entirely expose the upper portion of the door opening. A roller 1% mounted against the body shell just rearwardly of the door opening supports the lower portion of the door for free horizontal rolling opening and closing movements.

The lower door members 98 are arranged to open by arcuate downward movement and means are provided for opening the lower doors to selectively variable degrees whereby the effective lower edge of the door opening may be chosen to suit various conditions such as curb height, the size and type of receptacles or articles to be introduced, and various other working conditions.

Each lower door 98 comprises a pair of arcuate panel portions 110 and 111 hinged to each other as shown at 112 in FIG. 1. The upper portion 110 of each door 98 has a tubular formation 113 along its upper edge and the lower portion 111: has a tubular formation 114 along .of the truck chassis. accomplished without interfering with the rigidity and its lower edge. These lower door portions are guided for arcuate movement along the surface of body 20 by flange members 115 welded to the outer edges of the angle rings 23 and 24 to form facing guide channels.

As each lower door 98 moves downwardly toward its lowermost position the lower portion 111 thereof swings downwardly between the lower ends of the guide flange members 115 and the longitudinal angle members 36 which support the body 20 on the channel members 37 Thus full opening movement is integrity of the body and chassis supporting and connecting structure.

Similar latching devices may be employed for both the upper and

lower doors

96 and 98. Referring to FIG. 1, manual operating members are pivoted centrally to the

doors

96 and 98 and oppositely extending latch bars 121 pivoted thereto extend through the side framing portions of the doors and into registering perforations in the

rings

23 and 24. As shown at 122 in FIG. 2, a plurality of spaced perforations 122 are provided for lower door 96 to permit the aforementioned adjustable opening thereof. Coil springs 124 bias the bars 121 and the operating members 120 to latching positions illustrated in FIG. 1.

Ajustable platform or step devices are provided at opposite sides of the body for use in emptying material into the body and the platforms thereof are positionally adjustable for cooperation with the varying degrees of lower side door opening. Furthermore, the arrangement of these platform devices is such that they move outwardly as they are adjusted upwardly, so that the step position is conveniently located with respect to the wall of the body for various degrees of lower door opening and related platform or step position.

Referring to FIG. 2, one of the platform or step devices is illustrated at the lower left-hand side thereof, but it is to be understood that the step construction is duplicated at the other side of the body and is omitted vin FIG. 2 merely for ease of illustration. 7 A platform or step member is designated and the opposite ends thereof are coaxially pivoted to the lower ends of a pair of arms 131 as at 132, the upper ends of the arms 131 being pivoted as at 133 to brackets 134 attached to body 20 at opposite sides of each side door opening.

Brackets 136 extend upwardly from each end of platform 130 and links 137 are .pivoted at their opposite ends to

brackets

134 and 136 to form a parallelogram linkage 'as is well known.

ensures 7 whereby the platform 130 is mounted for swinging movement, while maintaining a horizontal position, from the lowered position shownin dot and dash lines in FIG. 2 to a first raised position shown in full lines and to further raised positions as desired or required.

A releasable locking pin 141! extends through the end of platform 13d and into any one of a series of arcuately arranged perforations 141 in arm 131. for securing the platform in its dot and dash line position of non-use or any of its various positions of use, the lowermost of the latter being illustrated in FIG. 2.

It will be noted by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 that a pair of sawtooth plate members 145 are attached substantially medially to opposite sides of the interior of the body 20 to project obliquely upwardly and inwardly, the packer plate 32 being slotted as shown in FIG. 2 to clear the same. These plate members are provided to assist in preventing fall back of the packed contents of the body as the packer plate withdraws therefrom, particularly when the body reaches a condition where it is fairly well filled.

Reference will now be had to the power operation portion of the apparatus, particularly the power means for operating the packer plate in opposite directions and, incidentally, to the control of the power cylinder 63 which raises .the rear door. In this connection reference will be had principally to FIG. 3. However, it will first be noted that an outboard bracket weldrnent 146 extends forwardly from the upper portion of body 29 and is welded and connected in such manner as to comprise substantially a rigid forward continuation of track 31 and T-shaped member 33.

The telescoping hydraulic piston and cylinder component previously identified generally by the numeral 55 is pivoted to bracket 146 as at 147 in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a solid rigid bar 150 is welded between the longitudinal angle members 36 and to the insides of the bottom flanges thereof and is thus virtually connected directly to the chassis of the vehicle independently of the body structure generally. A pair of obliquely extending laterally spaced bars 151 are welded to the bar 150 at their lower ends and to the outboard bracket 146 at their upper ends and thus transmit the reaction forces of telescoping piston and cylinder assembly 55 directly to the vehicle frame with a minimum of strain or distortion of the body structure.

Gusset plates

152 and 153 reinforce the connection of oblique bars 151 with horizontal bar 150 as shown in FIG. 3. The front end of body 2 is generally open excepting for a front wall member which extends upwardly to the level of the side door sill forming angle members 95. A pair of vertical angle members 155 stiffen the front end of body and cooperate with bars 151 to form a truss-like front end reinforcement.

As indicated earlier herein, the telescoping piston assembly 55 is of the single acting hydraulic type and is employed only to move packer plate 32 rearwardly in a packing directionby expansion of the multiple piston and cylinder assembly. A relatively small, lower powered, quick acting hydraulic cylinder shown at 160 in FIG. 3 is employed to efiect quick return movement of the packer plate 32 to an extreme forward position where it lies substantially at the forward edges of theside door openings.

A pump for activating both power cylinder mechanisms 55 and 161i and also the rear door cylinders 63 is incorporated in the motor vehicle power plant as is conventional for various purposes, the pump being driven by a power take-off from the vehicle engine. Accordingly, the hydraulic pressuresupply pump is not shown.

This pump is connectible and disconnectible at will with respect to the power source from the cab of the truck, In FIG. 3 the hydraulic pressure line from the aforesaid pump is designated 162 and the fluid return line to the inlet side of the pump is designated 163.

In FIG. 3 the numeral 165 designates a fluidreservoir which discharges to the intake side of the pump through conduit 163 and the numeral 166 designates a conventional four-way valve which is normally biased internally by spring means to a neutral position and which is shiftable manually from neutral to either of two operating positions by vertical movement of a shifting bar 167 which in the pres'ent instance is controlled by a pivoted link 168. Valves of this type are available commercially and the internal structure need not be described. For purposes of making a full disclosure it may be noted that one valve suitable for present purposes is sold by Commercial Shearing dz Stamping Co. as No. UB07-B22-D-2l-Zl.

As in the case of the telescopic cylinder 55, the hydraulic return cylinder 160 is likewise single acting and is adapted to return the packer plate 32 to its forward limit osition upon application of hydraulic pressure through a conduit 17% by downward movement or" a piston rod 171.

The construction and operation of the quick return cylinder transmission means is as follows, referencebeing had to FIGS. 3 and 5. A block is fixed to cylinder 169 and a block 176 is fixed to the lower end of piston rod 171 and each of these blocks carries three idler pulleys oriented as shown in FIG. 5 wherein the direction to the rightis the direction toward the rear of the packer body. The three pulleys mounted on upper fixed block 175 are designated 178, 179 and 18%) and the three pulleys mounted on the lower vertically reciprocable block 176 are designated 181, 182 and 183.

A chain or cable 185 is fixed at one end to a bracket 1% carried by the fixed block 175 of cylinder 160 and thence passes downwardly about pulley 181, upwardly over pulley 1'78, downwardly about pulley 182, upwardly over pulley 179, downwardly about pulley 133, then over pulley 13d and rearwardly to connection with the wall of packer plate 32. The differential pulley action thus provided results in quick withdrawal of packer plate from its most rearward position to its forward withdrawn position. This movement of course forcibly discharges hydraulic fluid from telescopic cylinder assembly 55 to reservoir 165 in a manner which will presently appear.

A bypass valve assembly designated generally by the numeral is mounted upon reservoir 165 and comprises upper and

lower chambers

191 and 192 normally closed with respect to each other by a gravity seated ball valve 193. Lower chamber 192leads directly downwardly to reservoir 165. A piston member 194 mounted in lower chamber 192 is adapted to be moved upwardly to unseat ball valve 193 whenever hydraulic pressure is present in a conduit 195 which leads thereto from four-way valve 166, conduit-195 having a common communication with thefour-way valve with the conduit 170 leading therefrom to the upper end of the hydraulic packer plate return cylinder 160. i

The conduit 163 which leads to the intakeside of the aforementioned hydraulic pressure pump is in open communication with the bottom of reservoir and a further conduit 197 from the bottom of reservoir 165 leads to another of the ports of the four-way valve 166. One of the outlet ports of valve 166 is connected to the upper chamber 151 of bypass valve 190 by a conduit 200 and a continuation conduit 291 from chamber 191 leads to the telescopic cylinder assembly 55.

When four-way valve 166 is in its normal neutral posi tion the ports thereof connecting with the

conduits

162 and 197 are in communication and the other ports of the valve are blocked. Consequently output from the pump, if it is in operation, is bypassed to reservoir 165 and the other outlet ports of valve 166 are blocked.

Movement of four-way valve 166 to its operating posi are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the lower end of one arm of a bell crank 205 which is pivoted to a bracket 206 carried by the one of the vertical angle members 155. The other arm of bell crank 205 connects pivotally with the upper end of the valve shifting link 1168.

When one of the control rods 203 is pulled or pushed to rock bell crank 295 so as to lower the link 168 and valve shifting bar 167, the valve inlet port connecting with pressure conduit 162 is connected with the port leading to conduit 200, thence through the upper chamber 191 of bypass valve 190 and through conduit 201 to the upper end of telescopic hydraulic cylinder and piston means 55. At this time ball 193 is seated and held seated by the pressure in chamber 191, thus the cylinder and piston assembly 55 expands and moves the packer plate 32 forcibly rearwardly in body 20.

Assuming rear door 30 to be closed and latched, refuse will thus be compacted until a predetermined limit pressure is reached, whereupon an internal relief valve in four-way valve 166 opens and bypasses further flow of fluid from conduit 162 to bypass conduit 197. In the present instance and with the valve above specified, this relief valve operation will take place at 1100 pounds per square inch pressure.

Similar relief valve operation will take place if there is no refuse in the body and the packer plate moves rearwardly against the rear door 311. If rear door 30 is open during the foregoing rearward movement of packer plate 32, the contents of the body 20 will be ejected through the open rear end of the body.

Continuation of'rearward movement of the packer plate as aforesaid requires that the particular control rod 2113 be held in operating position since if manual pressure is removed the neutral bias of valve 166 will automatically restore valve shifting bar 167 and the connected linkage to neutral position with the pump output bypassed to reservoir 165.

To return the packer plate 32 to a forward position either of the control rods 203 is operated in an opposite direction to rock bell crank 255 and thus raise the valve shifting bar 167 and in this position the valve connects the inlet valve port of pressure conduit 162 to the port which jointly supplies

conduits

170 and 195 and simultaneously blocks the port which leads to conduit 2130. Thus operating hydraulic fluid pressure is applied to the top of return cylinder 160 to move the piston rod 171 downwardly and thus withdraw the packer plate to the front of the body by operation of the differential pulley and chain arrangement previously described.

At the same time hydraulic fiuid pressure is applied beneath piston 194 of the bypass valve 199 through conduit 195 which lifts ball valve 193 from its seat so that hydraulic fluid forced from the telescopic cylinder assembly 55-by this return movement of the packer plate flows through conduit 2151 and the

chambers

191 and 192 of bypass valve 1% to reservoir 165 where it returns by gravity to the intake side of the pump through conduit 163 as needed.

A relatively small capacity conduit 207 connects from the upper end of return cylinder 160 to the reservoir 165 to permit a regulated amount of fluid from the conduit 170 when the same is under pressure to bleed back to the reservoir. This regulates the speed with which the packer plate is returned and also reduces the operating pressure applied to the relatively small return cylinder 160.

The rear door cylinders 63 are powered by pressure from a conduit 269 which is in open communication with pressure conduit 162 as at 2111 and leads to a manual valve 212 and from valve 212 through conduit means 213 to the two rear door cylinders.

Valve 212 is normally held closed by a coil spring 215 and is adapted to be manually opened by means of a handle 216 preferably disposed at the front of body 20 near' one of the packer plate control rods 203. Thus the rear door cylinders 63 may be powered for door opening movement by manual operation of handle 216 whenever packing plate 32 is being operated by either telescopic cylinder assembly 55 or return cylinder 1611.

When the four-way valve 166 is in neutral position and fluid is merely being bypassed thereby pressure in conduit 162 will be insufficient to maintain the door in a raised position and accordingly if manual valve 212 is held open during such period the door will gravitate to closed position at a moderate speed, expelling its hydraulic fluid back through

conduits

213 and 209 to conduit 162.

Of course if valve 212 is closed while the door is in a raised position by release of handle 216 the fluid column between valve 212 and the pistons of the door cylinders 63 will maintain the door in raised position.

We claim:

1. Ina refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, expansible single-acting fluid pressure piston and cylinder means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, a second relatively short stroke piston and cylinder means, and motion multiplying means acting between said second piston and cylinder means and said compacting plate means for effecting return movement of said compacting plate means to said end of said body.

2. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, extensible singleacting fluid pressure piston and cylinder means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compact ing direction, a second relatively lower fluid volume quick acting piston and cylinder means connecting with said compacting plate means for effecting return movement of said compacting plate means to said end of said body.

3. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to com pact the refuse toward said opposite end, expansible single-acting fluid pressure piston and cylinder means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, a second relatively short stroke piston and cylinder means including a projecting piston rod, differential pulleys carried by said last mentioned cylinder means and said piston rod and a flexible member extending about said pulleys and to said compacting plate means whereby projection of said piston rod from said second cylinder withdraws said packing plate to said end of said body.

4. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, piston and cylinder means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, a second piston and cylinder means for effecting return movement of said compacting plate means, control valve means and a source of fluid pressure leading thereto, a return circuit to said fluid pressure source, conduits from said valve means to each of said piston and cylinder means and a third conduit therefrom comprising a bypass conduit to said return circuit, said valve being biased to normally connect said fluid pressure source to said bypass conduit, and means for selectively shifting said valve to connect ensures l l said fluid pressure source to either of said piston and cylinder means and simultaneously connect the other piston and cylinder means to said return circuit.

5. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, piston and cylinder means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, a second relatively short stroke piston and cylinder means and motion multiplying means connecting the-same to said compacting plate means for efiecting return movement of the latter, control valve means and a source of fluid pressure leading thereto, a return circuit to said fluid pressure source, conduits from said valve means to each of said piston and cylinder means and a third conduit therefrom comprising a bypass conduit to said return circuit, said valve being biased to normally connect said fluid pressure source to said bypass conduit, and means for selectively shifting said valve to connect said fluid pressure source to either of said piston and cylinder means and simultaneously connect the other piston and cylinder means to said return circuit.

6. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinaily extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, piston and cylindcr means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, a second relatively lower volume quick acting piston and cylinder means for effecting return movement of said compacting plate means, control valve means and a source of fluid pressure leading thereto, a return circuit to said fluid pressure source, conduits from said valve means to each of said piston and cylinder means and a third conduit therefrom comprising a bypass conduit to said return circuit, said valve being biased to normally connect said fluid pressure source to said bypass conduit, and means for selectively shifting said valve to connect said fluid pressure source to either of said piston and cylinder means and simultaneously connect the other piston and cylinder means to said return circuit. a

7. In a refuse compacting and transporting vehicle including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending chassis frame members, a generally cylindrical horizontally extending body shell, rigid horizontal central beam means extending along the top of said shell and projecting forwardly thereof, a pair of longitudinally ex-g tending reinforcing members fixed to the undersides of said shell in alignment with said frame members for attachment thereto, side door openings extending down the sides of said shell from said top horizontal beam member substantially dividing said shell into forward and rearward portions, packer plate means guided for longitudinal movement in said shell, a rigid transverse brace member extending between said reinforcing members in the vicinity of said door openings, oblique brace members connecting rigidly between said forwardly projecting beam means and said transverse brace member, and expansible hydraulic piston and cylinder means acting between said forwardly projecting beam portion and said packer plate means to drive the latter rearwardly to compact refuse in said body.

8. In a refuse compacting and transporting vehicle including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending chassis frame members, a generally cylindrical horizontally extending body shell, rigid horizontal central beam means extending along the top of said shell and having a bearing formation at the forward end thereof, a pair of longitudinally extending reinforcing members fixed to the undersides of said shell in alignment with said l2 frame members for attachment thereto, side door openings extending down the sides of said shell from said top horizontal beam member substantially dividing said shell into forward and rearward portions, packer plate means ided for longitudinal movement in said shell, oblique brace members connecting rigidly between the forward end of said beam means and said longitudinally extending reinforcing members to connect said bearing formation substantially directly to said chassis frame members, and expansible hydraulic piston and cylinder means connecting at one end to said bearing formation and at the other to said packer plate means to drive the latter rearwardly to compact refuse in said body.

9. In a refuse compacting and transporting vehicle including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending chassis frame members, a generally cylindrical horizontally extending body shell, rigid horizontal central beam means extending along the top of said shell and having a bearing formation at the forward end thereof, a pair of longitudinally extending reinforcing members fixed to the undersides of said shell in alignment with said frame members for attachment thereto, side door openings extending down the sides of said shell from said top horizontal beam member substantially dividing said shell into forward and rearward portions, packer plate means guided for longitudinal movement in said shell, a rigid transverse brace member extending between said reinforcing members in the vicinity of said door openings, oblique brace members connecting rigidly between said forwardly projecting beam means and said transverse brace member, and expansible hydraulic piston and cylinder means acting between said bearing formation and fixed to the undersides of said shell in alignment with said frame members for attachment thereto, side door openings extending down the sides of said shell from said top horizontal beam member substantially dividing said shell into forward and rearward portions, packer plate means guided for longitudinal movement in said shell, rigid brace members extending obliquely downwardly and rearwardly from said bearing formation sub stantially directly to said chassis frame members, and expansible hydraulic piston and cylinder means acting be tween said bearing formation and said packer plate means 1tjo drive the latter rearwardly to compact refuse in said ody.

11. In a refuse compacting and transporting vehicle including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending chassis frame members, a generally cylindrical horizontally extending body shell, rigid horizontal central beam means extending along the top of said shell and projecting forwardly of said body shell, said forwardly projecting portion including a bearing formation, a pair of longitudinally extending reinforcing members fixed to the undersides of said shell in alignment with said frame members for attachment thereto, side door openings extending down the sides of said shell from said top horizontal beam member substantially dividing said shell into forward and rearward portions, packer plate means guided for longitudinal movement in said shell, rigid brace members extending obliquely downwardly and rearwardly from said bearing formation substantially directly to said chassis frame members, and expansible hydraulic piston and cylinder means acting between said bearing formation and said packer plate means to drive the latter re-arwardly to compact refuse in said body.

12. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudirection, a second piston and cylinder means for effectingreturn movement of said compacting plate means, control valve means and a source of fluid pressure leading thereto, a return circuit to said fluid pressure source, conduits from said valve means to each of said piston and cylinder means and a third conduit therefrom comprising a bypass conduit to said return circuit, said control valve means being biased to normally connect said fluid pressure source to said bypass conduit, means for selectively shifting said valve to connect said fluid pressure source to either of said piston and cylinder means and simultaneously connect the other piston and cylinder means tosaid return circuit, fluid pressure means for raising said discharge door means to open position, a conduit therefrom to said source of fluid pressure, and normally closed manually openable valve means in said last mentioned conduit for raising said door when said control valve means is in shifted position and for permitting gravity closing thereof when said control valve means is in neutral position.

13. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body shell of generally circular crosssection, a material discharging door at the rear end there of, compacting plate means movable axially in said cylindrical body shell to compact refuse material toward said door, track means in said body shell for supporting said compacting plate for said axial movement, said door being rearwardly convex to define a chamber portion forming a rearward continuation of said body shell, and said track means extending rearwardly beyond said body shell and into said chamber portion to support said packer plate with its rear face rearwardly beyond said body shell when said discharging door is open.

14. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a longitudinally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof :for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, fluid pressure means acting between said end of said body and said comp-acting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, other fluid pressure means for effecting return movement of said compacting plate means, control valve means and a source of fluid pressure leading thereto, a return circuit to sad fluid pressure source, conduits from said control valve means to each of said fluid pressure means and a third conduit therefrom comprising a bypass conduit to said return circuit, said valve being biased to normally connect said fluid pressure source to said bypass conduit, and means for selectively shifting said valve to connect said fluid pressure source to either of said fluid pressure means and simultaneously connect the other fluid pressure means to said return circuit.

15. In a refuse compacting vehicle body, a lon-gitudi nally extending body, means adjacent to an end thereof for introducing refuse thereinto, compacting plate means movable from said end toward the opposite end to compact the refuse toward said opposite end, discharge door means hinged to the upper portion of said opposite end of said body, fluid pressure means acting between said end of said body and said compacting plate means for moving the latter forcibly in a refuse compacting direction, fluid pressure means for effecting return movement of said compacting plate means, control valve means and a source of fluid pressure leading thereto, a return circuit to said fluid pressure source, conduits from said valve means to each of said fluid pressure means and a third conduit therefrom comprising a bypass conduit to said return circuit, said control valve means being biased to normally connect said fluid pressure source to said bypass conduit, means for selectively shifting said valve to connect said fluid pressure source to either of said fluid pressure means and simultaneously connect the other piston and cylinder means to said return circuit, fluid pressure means for raising said discharge door means to open position, a conduit therefrom to said source of fluid pressure, and normally closed manually openable valve means in said last mentioned conduit for raising said door when said control valve means is in shifted position and for permitting gravity closing thereof when said control valve means is in neutral position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,204 Wood Jan. 21, 1919 1,365,008 Read Jan. 11, 1921 1,740,772 Kuhlrnan Dec. 24, 1929 2,047,602 Tomlinson July 14, 1936 2,081,815 Hulley May 25, 1937 2,113,803 George Apr. 12, 1938 2,179,726 Lewis et a1. Nov. 14, 1939 2,513,636 Fulton July 4, 1950 2,696,925 LeLaurin Dec. 14, 1954 2,726,776 Myers Dec. 13, 1955 2,741,375 Blackes Apr. 10, 1956 2,798,624 Brown et a1. July 9, 1957 2,800,324 Herpich et al. July 23, 1957 2,889,944 Clark et a1. June 9, 1959 2,911,119 Kuhnau Nov. 3, 1959 2,912,128 Kamin Nov. 10, 1959 2,996,202 Neyland Aug. 15, 1961 3,007,589 Galloway Nov. 7, 1961 3,078,121 Dempster et al. Feb. 19, 1963

Claims

1. IN A REFUSE COMPACTING VEHICLE BODY, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BODY, MEANS ADJACENT TO AN END THEREOF FOR INTRODUCING REFUSE THEREINTO, COMPACTING PLATE MEANS MOVABLE FROM SAID END TOWARD THE OPPOSITE END TO COMPACT THE REFUSE TOWARD SAID OPPOSITE END, EXPANSIBLE SINGLE-ACTING FLUID PRESSURE PISTON AND CYLINDER MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID END OF SAID BODY AND SAID COMPACTING PLATE MEANS FOR MOVING THE LATTER FORCIBLY IN A REFUSE COMPACTING DIRECTION, A SECOND RELATIVELY SHORT STROKE PISTON AND CYLINDER MEANS, AND MOTION MULTIPLYING MEANS ACTING BE-