Refuse Container Retaining Means For Invertable Container Rack Of Refuse Truck

Abstract

Gravity-operated pivotally mounted retainers or stops for refuse containers or barrels move automatically into active positions relative to the containers as the latter are being moved with their supporting rack between a ground level container upright position to an overhead inverted dumping or washing position. The retainers move automatically to their inactive or release positions by gravity when the rack is returned to its lowered position with the containers. During transporting the retainers or stops may be held in the active positions by flexible tying element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The rendering industry utilizes rather sophisticated refuse trucks for collecting and transporting meat scraps, animal skins and other debris. Such trucks have sealed refuse bodies and tailgates and include power means to move a plurality of large refuse drums from a ground level loading position to overhead refuse dumping and drum washing positions. During such movement, the drums or containers are supported on a rack which is attached to vertically swingable pivoted lifting arms, and the latter are powered in a controlled manner by a linkage which includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders.

The required movement of the containers and the necessity for inverting them during their movement makes it essential that the heavy containers be secured and stabilized at all times on their supporting rack to prevent displacement and dropping of the containers. The objective of this invention is to provide an extremely simple and very effective mechanical retainer means for this purpose which is automatic in operation under the influence of gravity to assure that the containers will be securely held against unwanted displacement at the proper times and will be automatically released for removal from the rack at the proper times. The simple retainer means involves a number of pivotally mounted plate elements whose pivotal support axes are arranged geometrically to assure that these elements will automatically swing to and from their active positions at the proper times during the cycle of operation of the container lifting and lowering means. The simple mechanism is fool-proof, very economical to construct and extremely durable, requiring essentially no maintenance. Its use eliminates the need for unreliable makeshift and unsightly container holding means in the form of chain hold-down arrangements, ropes or mechanical clamps which must be manually operated to effect the release of the containers from their rack. While the invention is particularly concerned with the stabilizing of refuse containers during their movement to and from inverted positions on a truck, the invention is also adapted to secure the refuse containers during transportation on a roadway by the additional use of flexible tying elements, such as tarp straps, to hold the gravity-operated containers temporarily in their active positions.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic side elevation of a refuse truck and container handling means of a type on which the invention is utilized.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the retainer means of the invention in the inactive or container release position as when the containers are in a ground level upright loading position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the invention as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the retainer means and associated rack in the elevated inverted position where the retainers are automatically activated to prevent refuse drum displacement.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the inverted rack and associated elements as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of one gravity-operated retainer element or plate and associated supporting means.

FIG. 8 is an edge elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a refuse truck 20 of the type employed in the rendering industry to collect and transport meat scraps, skins and the like. This truck embodies a refuse container handling means in the form of a power-operated lifting and lowering mechanism 21 for refuse containers 22 and a sturdy rack 23 for the support of the containers or drums during their handling. The rack 23 is fixed on swingable arms 24 of the mechanism and these arms are activated by power cylinders 25 and the associated linkage between the cylinders and arms, as shown in FIG. 1.

The container handling mechanism has a full down ground level loading position A where the containers 22 are level and upright, a somewhat elevated transporting position B at tailgate level and overhead refuse dumping and container washing positions C and D where the containers 22 and rack are inverted. As previously stated, the invention has for its main purpose the securing and the prevention of displacement of the containers from the carrying rack 23 during the movement thereof to and from the positions A and D.

Referring now to all of the drawing figures, it may be seen that the refuse container or drum rack is of rigid and unitary construction, being formed of welded plate stock and includes a bottom wall or floor 26, a rear upright wall 27 and intermediate divider walls 28, and outer sides walls 29. The top of the rack 23 and its forward side are essentially open, and the vertical walls 28 and 29 divide the rack into three equal sized compartments 30 for the containers 22, such as ordinary 55 gallon drums. These containers or drums rest upon the bottom wall 26 of the rack with generous clearance between the side walls and rear wall, as indicated in the drawings.

To secure and stabilize the containers 22 during their movement to inverted positions as described in connection with FIG. 1, fixed rigid stop lugs 31 are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the vertical walls 28 and 29, substantially midway between the rear wall 27 and the forward open side of the rack. In all inverted or partially inverted positions of the containers, FIG. 1, the fixed stops 31 prevent downward displacement or falling of the containers due to the action of gravity. When the containers 22 and rack are at ground level, position A, FIG. 1, or at transporting position B, the fixed stops 31 will not interfere with the rearward removal of the containers 22 from compartments 30 whenever this is desired.

As stated, the invention additionally comprises as the main elements thereof a series of gravity-operated pivotally mounted positively acting retainers or stop elements 32, each in the form of a generally triangular sturdy metal plate. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, these retainers or stop elements are provided in two vertically spaced series or sets at different elevations on the rack 23. This is simply for added security and in some cases a single set of the retainers 32 may be utilized, and a single set is thought to be entirely adequate. As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the pivoted retainers 32 are mounted near and inwardly of the open forward side of the rack 23 with the lower set relatively close to the bottom wall 26 and the upper set somewhat above the vertical center of the rack. As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the fixed stop elements 31 are somewhat rearwardly of the pivoted retainers 32. A pair of the retainers 32 is mounted on each divider wall 28 for each set, and single retainers 32 for each set are mounted on each outer side wall 29. The retainers 32 of each set are all mounted at the same elevation on the rack considerably below the elevation of the fixed stops 31.

Each roughly triangular retainer 32, when in the free-hanging inactive position, FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, has its tapered end arranged lowermost, such end carrying a right angular lip or flange 33 which abuts the adjacent wall 28 or 29 to maintain the body portion of the retainer 32 parallel therewith in the non-use position. The wide top end of each retainer plate 32 is equipped with an axle 34, welded thereto, and the projecting ends of this axle are loosely journaled in U-bearings 35, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the adjacent face of one of the vertical walls 28 or 29, as the case may be. In this manner, the retainer plates 32 are freely pivotally mounted and free-swinging in their bearings so as to be automatically operable by gravity.

Referring to FIG. 6, the axes of the pivoted retainers 32 are all parallel and are all inclined below the horizontal approximately 15 degrees. This angularity of the pivotal axes of the retainers is essential in assuring the proper automatic operation in response to gravity as the rack 23 and refuse containers 22 are moved by the mechanism 21 from positions A through D and vice-versa, FIG. 1.

More particularly, when the rack 23 with containers 22 is at position A, FIG. 1, the pivoted retainers 32 under influence of gravity will all be hanging in the inactive vertical positions shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 and at this time the containers or drums 22 may be removed from or placed into the rack compartments 30 without interference. When the rack is elevated toward either of the positions C or D where the containers 22 are inverted for dumping or washing, the fixed stops 31 will prevent downward falling of the containers from the rack compartments. Similarly, during this movement of the rack from position A toward position C or D, a point will be reached where the inclined axes of the axles 34 pass the vertical or dead center position, whereupon the retainer plates 32 will swing under influence of gravity to their active positions shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5 and will remain in such positions until the rack and containers during reverse movement toward position A pass the point where the elements 32 will drop back to their free-hanging inactive positions, FIGS. 2, 3 and 6. When this occurs, the containers 22 will have entered a region with the rack where they are generally level without any tendency to be dislodged through the open side of the rack.

When the retainers 32 are in the active container retaining positions, their diagonal edges 36, FIG. 4 will lie across frontal portions of the containers roughly tangent thereto and the containers or drums will be prevented during the inverting movement or return movement from falling out of the open side of the rack 23. When in the active retaining positions, FIGS. 4 and 5, the interior edges 37 of the retainers will abut the adjacent walls 28 and 29 immediately below the axes of pivot axles 34, FIG. 5, so that it will be impossible for the elements 32 to swing below their active positions or to collapse against the walls 28 and 29 while the rack is inverted. The retainer elements 32 are entirely gravity-operated and automatic and require no manual manipulation. In conjunction with the fixed elements 31 and the walls of the rack, the pivoted retainers 32 assure that the containers 22 are properly held stabilized against any tendency to fall out of the rack during movement to and from inverted positions. Also, when in the level loading position A, the collapsed elements 32 will never interfere with the free entry and removal of containers from the rack, which containers simply slide under the fixed stops 31 at this time.

During road travel, with the rack in position B, the coacting pairs of pivoted retainers 32 may be held in their active positions as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3 by suitable flexible ties 38, such as tarp straps or the like. This assures that the containers will not fall out of the rack 23 on the road.

The rack compartments 30 are sized to accommodate drums which vary in diameter and in height through a considerable range and in this sense the invention is very flexible in its application.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A refuse container lifting and inverting rack for use with a refuse truck or the like having power means to move the rack between a ground level upright position and an overhead inverted container dumping position, said rack comprising a body portion having a floor and side walls defining at least one compartment for a refuse container, said compartment having an open side through which a container may be placed in the rack or removed therefrom and having an open top, a pair of fixed retainer elements on said side walls at the top of the rack and projecting over said open top of the compartment to prevent endwise movement of a container therein when the rack is inverted, a pair of generally triangular gravity activated retainer plates pivotally mounted in opposing relation on said side walls near and inwardly of the open side of the compartment, the pivot axes of said retainer plates being parallel and somewhat inclined to the horizontal when said rack is at said ground level upright position, said retainer plates then hanging freely and lying substantially flush against said side walls with corresponding vertexes arranged lowermost and corresponding lowermost side edges facing downwardly, and means on said retainer plates for limiting movement of said retainer plates beyond a position where they are substantially perpendicular to said side walls, whereby when said rack is moved toward said overhead inverted dumping position said pivoted retainer plates move by gravity to substantially horizontal opposing positions with their last-named corresponding side edges converging toward the open side of said compartment and projecting inwardly of said side walls to block the movement of a container in the compartment through said open side.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said limiting means includes corresponding edges on said pivoted retainer plates that are parallel to said side walls and which are eccentric to said pivot axes so that said edges will abut the side walls and form positive stops to limit the pivotal movement of said retainer plates in one direction beyond their active horizontal positions.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein each pivoted triangular retainer plate has a pivot shaft secured thereto along one straight edge thereof and bearings rotatably supporting end portions of said shaft and secured to said side walls.

4. The structure of claim 1, and said retainer plates having short right angular flanges adjacent said vertexes which engage said side walls of the rack while the retainer plates are in their inactive free-hanging positions.

5. The structure of claim 1, and said retainer plates arranged in two vertically spaced pairs on said side walls to block movement of a refuse container at two elevations when the retainer plates are in their active horizontal positions.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein said rack body portion has plural spaced side walls and a common rear wall thereby forming multiple refuse container compartments therein each having an open top and one open side, said fixed retainer elements comprising rigid bars which project partially across the open tops of said compartments at approximately the front-to-back centers thereof, and said pivoted retainer plates mounted on opposite sides of all of said compartments between said fixed retainer elements and said open sides of the compartments.