Articulated front loader arm mechanism for use with a conventional refuse collection extended cab chassis

A system for controlling an articulated front loader arm structure for use with a refuse collection vehicle having a conventional cab compartment and a storage compartment, the articulated front loader arm structure being engagable with a dumpster for emptying the contents of the dumpster into the storage compartment of the refuse collection vehicle, the system comprising:

• an articulated front loader arm structure comprising:
• a forklift assembly including a pair of forklift arms for engaging a dumpster;
• a pair of front arm sections pivotally attached to said forklift assembly such that one of said pair of forklift arms is attached to one of said pair of front arm sections, and the other of said pair of forklift arms is attached to the other of said pair of front arm sections;
• a pair of forklift cylinders attached to said forklift assembly and to said pair of front arm sections such that one of said pair of forklift cylinders is attached to one of said pair of forklift arms and to one of said pair of front arm sections, and the other of said pair of forklift cylinders is attached to the other of said pair of forklift arms and to the other of said pair of front arm sections, and at least one position sensor associated with at least one of said pair of forklift cylinders for monitoring the extension and retraction of at least one of said pair of forklift cylinders during articulation of the articulated front loader arm structure;
• a pair of rear arm sections pivotally attached to said pair of front arm sections such that one of said pair of rear arm sections is attached to one of said pair of front arm sections, and the other of said pair of rear arm sections is attached to the other of said pair of front arm sections;
• a pair of arm hinge cylinders positioned and located between said pair of front arm sections and between said pair of rear arm sections such that one of said pair of arm hinge cylinders is positioned and located between one of said pair of front arm sections and one of said pair of rear arm sections, and the other of said pair of arm hinge cylinders is positioned and located between the other of said pair of front arm sections and the other of said pair of rear arm sections, and at least one position sensor associated with at least one of said pair of arm hinge cylinders for monitoring the extension and retraction of at least one of said pair of arm hinge cylinders during articulation of the articulated front loader arm structure;
• a pair of arm lift cylinders positioned and located between said pair of rear arm sections and said refuse collection vehicle such that one of said pair of arm lift cylinders is positioned and located between one of said rear arm sections and between a first fixed point associated with said refuse collection vehicle, and the other of said pair of arm lift cylinders is positioned and located between the other of said pair of rear arm sections and between a second fixed point associated with said refuse collection vehicle, and at least one position sensor associated with at least one of said pair of arm lift cylinders for monitoring the extension and retraction of at least one of said arm lift cylinders during articulation of the articulated front loader arm structure;
• and
• a programmable logic controller (PLC) coupled in communication with said respective pairs of arm hinge cylinders, said arm lift cylinders and said forklift cylinders, and respectively with the at least one position sensor associated with said pair of arm hinge cylinders, said pair of arm lift cylinders, and said pair of forklift cylinders for monitoring and controlling the extension and retraction of each of said respective cylinders during articulation of the articulated front loader arm structure, said PLC controlling movement of the articulated front loader arm structure between a first position where a dumpster is engaged with said pair of forklift arms on a support surface at or near ground level and a second position where a dumpster is positioned and located over the storage area of the refuse collection vehicle in a dump position.