US 7,559,735 B2Granted

Automated loader

AssigneeMcNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.

InventorsClaudiu D. Pruteanu, Brian R. Meldahl, Randall L. Bice, Jason M. Gillard

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Abstract

A container handling mechanism suitable for mounting on the side of a refuse vehicle for loading material from refuse containers is disclosed that includes a lift assembly, having a pair of spaced, generally parallel lift support members, attachable to a refuse vehicle, a carriage device reciprocally operable along the lift support members of the lift assembly, a container grabbing system carried by the carriage device and further including a pair of opposed grabber fingers and an actuator system for closing and opening the grabber fingers to engage and release containers of interest, the container grabbing system being vertically pivotable on a short radius for adjusting the position of and tipping a container. A chain and cylinder drive system operates the carriage device along the lift assembly, and a control system controls operation of the container handling mechanism.

A container handling system mounted on the side of a receptacle suitable for operating in close quarters for accessing, grabbing, lifting, tipping and returning refuse or other containers, comprising:

(a) a laterally pivoting lift assembly designed to be fixed to a side of a refuse vehicle charging hopper or other receptacle and having a pair of spaced, generally parallel lift support members, each support member having a fixed upper end pivotally mounted to a fixed top mount member and a lower free portion connected to a lateral adjustment frame assembly so that lateral pivotal adjustment is occasioned by linear travel of said lateral adjustment frame to pivot said lift support members;
(b) said lateral adjustment frame further comprising a pair of spaced parallel lateral support members connected to said lift support members and to a common cross-member which, in turn, is connected to a fluid cylinder mechanism for moving the lower portions of said lift support members laterally;
(c) a carriage device carried by and reciprocally operable along said lift support members of said lift assembly;
(d) a container manipulating assembly carried by said carriage device and further comprising
(1) a container grabbing assembly comprising opposed grabbing fingers and an actuator system for closing and opening said grabber fingers to engage and release a container;
(2) a rotary actuator including a short-armed yoke connected to generally vertically pivot said container grabbing assembly;
(e) a carriage drive system for operating said carriage device along said lift support members and including a pair of mechanisms, each mechanism including a fixed cylinder rod, a traveling fluid-operated cylinder operable along said rod and an associated fixed chain, one of said mechanisms being mounted along each of said lift support members and configured such that said carriage travels a greater distance than said cylinders;
and
(f) a control system for controlling operation of said container handling system.

6 more elements

Facts

Application

11/030,823Filed 7 Jan 2005

Published

US 2006/0153667 A113 Jul 2006

Granted

14 Jul 2009

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B65F 3/046
Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers: with additional means for assisting the tipping of the receptacle after or during raising
B65F 3/08
With means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto: platform elevators or hoists with guides or runways for raising or tipping receptacles
B65F 2003/023
The discharging means comprising elements for holding the receptacle: gripper arms for embracing the receptacle
B65F 2003/0266
Constructional features relating to discharging means: comprising at least one telescopic arm

Abstract

Claims7