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US 11,884,486 B2Granted
Robust grabber arm for refuse collection vehicle
AssigneeCon-Tech Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsGrant McNeilus, Garwin McNeilus, Brian Meldahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robust grabber arm for use as part of a refuse collection vehicle has an inner arm member and an outer arm member which are designed to have parallel beams coupled to one another so that a wide operating profile is created. Further, care is taken in configuring compounds so that each of the hinge points and coupling points are accessible for service and maintenance purposes. To provide additional consistency, common bearings and hinge pins are used throughout, so that maintenance and possible replacement can be easily achieved.
Claims20
A robust grabber arm attachable to a refuse collection vehicle, comprising:
- an inner arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is rotatably coupled to the refuse collection vehicle and rotatable about a first axis, the inner arm comprising a pair of substantially parallel inner arm beam members situated substantially perpendicular to the first axis and at least one inner arm cross member permanently adjoining and extending between the pair of inner arm beam members to thus provide rigidity to the inner arm;
- an outer arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the outer arm is rotatably coupled to the second end of the inner arm along a second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel with one another, the outer arm comprising a pair of substantially parallel outer arm beam members separated from one another and at least one outer arm cross member permanently adjoining each of the pair of outer arm beam members to thus provide rigidity to the outer arm, the at least one outer arm cross member being positioned at a predetermined location between the first end and the second end of the outer arm, wherein the predetermined location of the at least one outer arm cross member is not aligned with either the first axis or the second axis;
- a grabber mechanism coupled to the second end of the outer arm, the grabber mechanism configured to grab a refuse container;
- an alignment link coupled to the inner arm and the grabber mechanism;
- a first drive mechanism coupled to the refuse collection vehicle and the inner arm member, wherein driving the first drive mechanism causes rotation of the inner arm about the first axis;
- and
- a second drive mechanism coupled to the refuse collection vehicle and the outer arm member, wherein driving the second drive mechanism will cause rotation about the second axis.
4 more elements
A robust grabber arm for attachment to a refuse collection vehicle at a predetermined position, the grabber arm comprising:
- a mounting bracket configured to be coupled to a frame of the refuse collection vehicle and having a pair of uprights plates configured to accommodate mounting;
- an inner arm having a pair of substantially parallel inner arm beam members spaced apart from one another, with each of the inner arm beam members having a first end rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the pair of upright plates of the mounting bracket to allow rotation of the inner arm about a first axis which is perpendicular to the upright plates of the mounting bracket, the pair of substantially parallel inner arm beam members coupled to one another via an inner arm cross beam, wherein the inner arm cross beam member is permanently affixed to the pair of substantially parallel inner arm beam members at a location which is spaced away from the first end;
- an outer arm having a pair of substantially parallel outer beam members spaced apart from one another while also being coupled via an outer arm cross member, each of the outer beam members rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the inner beam members at a first end to allow rotation about a second axis, the outer arm cross member being permanently affixed to each of the pair of the substantially parallel outer beam members at a location which is spaced away from the first end of the outer arm beam members and not aligned with the first axis or the second axis;
- a grabber mechanism having a grabber bracket coupled to a second end of the outer arm, and further having a pair of grabber arms coupled to the grabber bracket and configured to grab a refuse container;
- a pair of alignment links, each having a first end coupled to the grabber mechanism and a second end coupled to one of the inner arm beam members;
- a first drive mechanism coupled to the mounting bracket and the inner arm, wherein driving the first drive mechanism causes rotation of the inner arm about the first axis;
- and
- a second drive mechanism coupled to the mounting bracket and the outer arm, wherein driving the second drive mechanism will cause rotation about the second axis.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.