Container unloading apparatus

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, wherein the linearly movable member is constrained to move along the substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the first end of the pivot arm is pivotally coupled to the base, wherein motion of the frame is generated by the drive portion actively driving the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis, and wherein the pivot arm constrains a rotational path of the frame as the linearly movable member moves along the substantially linear axis.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, wherein the linearly movable member is constrained to move along the substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the pivot arm is coupled to the base by an extension, a first end of the extension being fixed to the base and a second end of the extension being pivotally coupled to the first end of the pivot arm.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, wherein the linearly movable member is constrained to move along the substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the drive portion is disposed in a lift column and the pivot arm is coupled to a bracket extending from a side of the lift column.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, wherein the linearly movable member is constrained to move along the substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the pivot arm is coupled to the bracket by an extension, the extension having a first end fixed to the bracket and a second end pivotally coupled to the first end of the pivot arm.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, wherein the linearly movable member is constrained to move along the substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the linearly movable member is pivotally coupled to the frame at a first pivot point, the second end of the pivot arm is pivotally coupled to the frame at a second pivot point, and the first end of the pivot arm is pivotally coupled to the base at a third pivot point.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, wherein the linearly movable member is constrained to move along the substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the frame comprises an extension frame supporting the container, the container being slidably movable with the extension frame between a non-extended position and an extended position, wherein the extension frame remains positioned to support the container as the extension frame moves between the non-extended position and the extended position.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame at a first pivot point, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base at a third pivot point and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame at a second pivot point,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein when the frame is in the loading position the first pivot point is positioned at a first linear distance, D1, from a front of the frame and at a first height, H1, from a bottom of the frame, the second pivot point is positioned a second linear distance, D2, from the front of the frame and at a second height, H2 from the bottom of the frame, and the third pivot point is positioned at a third linear distance, D3, from the front of the frame and a third height, H3 from the bottom of the frame, and wherein D1>D2>D3 and H1<H2<H3, and
• wherein as the frame moves from the loading position to the unloading position, the frame remains in an envelope space having a height less than 190% of a height of the base and a width less than 150% of a width the base.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the linearly movable member is pivotally coupled to the frame by an extension extending between the linearly movable member and the frame, a first end of the extension being fixed to the linearly movable member and a second end of the extension being pivotally coupled to the frame.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the pivot arm is coupled to the base by an extension, a first end of the extension being fixed to the base and a second end of the extension being pivotally coupled to the first end of the pivot arm.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the drive portion is disposed in a lift column and the pivot arm is coupled to a bracket extending from a side of the lift column.

An apparatus for emptying the contents of a container comprising:

• a base;
• a frame;
• and
• a lift comprising:
• a drive portion fixed to the base,
• a linearly movable member pivotally coupled to the frame, the drive portion configured for driving the linearly movable member for movement relative to the base along a substantially linear axis, and
• a pivot arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the frame,
• whereby as the drive portion drives the linearly movable member along the substantially linear axis the frame moves upwardly and rotates relative to the base to transition from a loading position to an unloading position,
• wherein the linearly movable member is pivotally coupled to the frame at a first pivot point, the second end of the pivot arm is pivotally coupled to the frame at a second pivot point, and the first end of the pivot arm is pivotally coupled to the base at a third pivot point.