Refuse collection vehicle tailgate lock system

A locking mechanism carried by a refuse collection vehicle for locking a tailgate in a locked position and for allowing the tailgate to be unlocked and thus moved to an open position, the locking mechanism comprising:

• a lock clevis coupled to the tailgate and supporting a locking pin;
• a guideblock coupled to a body portion of the refuse collection vehicle, the guideblock having a guide slot therein and a lock notch positioned in a side portion thereof, the lock notch configured to receive the locking pin;
• a lockplate configured to be received within the guide slot and movable between a lock position and an unlock position, the lockplate having a containment slot therein and a locking hook positioned in a side portion thereof;
• a capture pin configured to be contained within a capture opening in the guideblock and positioned within the containment slot of the lockplate, the capture pin and the containment slot configured to allow the lockplate to translate within the guideblock between a lock position and an unlock position as guided by the configuration of the containment slot, wherein the capture pin is at a first location within the containment slot when lockplate is in the unlock position and the capture pin is at a second position within the containment slot when lockplate is in the lock position;
• and
• an actuator coupled at a first end to the lockplate and at a second end to the tailgate, the actuator configured to provide an opening force which, when the lockplate is in the lock position, will initially cause the lockplate to move to the unlock position and subsequently will cause movement of the tailgate in an opening direction, and the actuator further configured to provide a closing force which will cause the tailgate to move in a closing direction until reaching a closed position where the lock clevis will partially surround the guideblock and the locking pin is positioned within the lock notch, and wherein the actuator will continue to provide a closing force causing the lockplate to move to the lock position, and wherein moving the lockplate from the unlock position to the lock position will cause the locking hook to capture the locking pin.

A locking mechanism couplable between a vehicle body and a tailgate for moving the tailgate between an open position allowing access to an internal portion of the vehicle body and a closed position enclosing the internal portion of the vehicle body, and for positively locking the tailgate in a locked position, the locking mechanism comprising:

• a guideblock having an opening extending from a side thereof and into a containing chamber, the guideblock further having a lock notch on an edge thereof;
• a lockplate received within the containing chamber, the lockplate having a containment slot within the lockplate and having a locking hook on one side thereof;
• a containing pin inserted through a pair of containing holes in the guideblock positioned on either side of the containing chamber to capture the containing pin in a fixed position, the containing pin further positioned within the containment slot within the lockplate, wherein the containment slot is configured to allow the lockplate to translate between an unlock position and a lock position as guided by the configuration of the containment slot, wherein the containing pin is at a first location within the containment slot when lockplate is in the unlock position and wherein the containing pin is at a second position within the containment slot when lockplate is in the lock position;
• a lock clevis supporting a locking pin;
• and
• an actuator coupled to the lockplate to provide an opening force causing lockplate to move to the unlock position and to subsequently move the tailgate to the open position, and to provide a closing force causing the tailgate to move to the closed position and subsequently move the lockplate to the locked position, wherein moving the lockplate to the locked position causes the locking hook to capture the lock pin and to hold the tailgate in the locked position.