US 5,681,140 AGranted

Multiple compartment body for waste materials

AssigneeMcNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.

InventorRonald E. Christenson

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Abstract

A multi-compartment vehicle body for collecting, packing, hauling and unloading refuse material including recyclable materials is disclosed, including a truck body enclosing a material-receiving volume which includes a horizontal wall within the volume which divides the volume into separate upper and lower storage body compartments. A longitudinally-spaced loading opening at the top of the body contains separate openings being in continuous communication each with one of the separate compartments. Preferably, non-recyclable refuse is stored in the lower compartment. The truck body includes a primary compacting system associated with one of said compartments for compacting non-recyclable materials and an auxiliary compacting system linked to the primary compacting system for compacting recyclable materials. The auxiliary compacting system includes a device for limiting the force of compaction against the recyclable material such that it will not exceed a predetermined maximum regardless of the force applied to the non-recyclable refuse material. Embodiments of up to six separate longitudinal compartments are illustrated.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A multi-compartment apparatus for collecting recyclable waste material comprising:

(a) a vehicle body mounted to a frame extending longitudinally between a forward and rearward end, the body enclosing a material receiving volume and a material storage volume;
(b) a generally horizontal partition in said body which divides the storage volume into separate upper and lower storage compartments;
(c) said material receiving volume including separation means defining a plurality of loading openings in the material receiving volume at the top of the body each such opening being in continuous communication with a corresponding one of said upper and lower storage compartments;
(d) a compacting system comprising a direct driven linear operating primary compacting mechanism associated with a corresponding one of said upper and lower compartments and a linear operating auxiliary compacting mechanism associated with the other of said upper and lower compartments mechanically linked to be driven by said primary compacting mechanism;
(e) compaction force controlling means including normally extended collapsible telescoping means comprising a plurality of slip-fitting members connected by a collapsible forcing member, said collapsible forcing member limiting the maximum compaction force exerted by said auxiliary compacting mechanism;
and
(f) linking means connecting said primary and said auxiliary compacting mechanisms.

4 more elements

A multi-compartment apparatus for collecting, packing, hauling, and unloading recyclable material comprising:

(a) a hollow truck body mountable to a truck frame enclosing a receiving volume and a storage volume;
(b) a generally horizontal partition within the body which divides the storage volume into upper and lower storage compartments;
(c) a plurality of longitudinally-spaced loading openings at the top of the body, each opening being in continuous communication with either of said upper and lower storage compartments;
(d) separate tailgate means for separately closing said upper and lower compartments, each of said tailgate means being independently operable and accessible to access a corresponding one of said compartments;
(e) linear operating primary compacting mechanism associated with one of said upper and lower compartments for compacting generally compressible materials;
(f) linear operating auxiliary compacting mechanism associated with the other of said upper and lower compartments mechanically linked to said primary compacting mechanism for compacting materials in said second compartment;
and
(g) compaction force controlling means including normally extended collapsible telescoping means comprising a plurality of slip fitting members connected by a collapsible forcing member, said collapsible forcing member limiting the maximum compaction force exerted by said auxiliary compacting mechanism.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/638,358Filed 26 Apr 1996 · continuation
Priority: 15 Feb 1995
Granted: 28 Oct 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B30B 9/301
Details: feed means
B65F 3/001
Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse: for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. vehicles with several compartments
B65F 3/201
With charging pistons, plates, or the like: the charging pistons, plates or the like moving rectilinearly
B65F 3/26
With devices for unloading the tank of a refuse vehicle: by tipping the tank