Refuse collection and loading system

Abstract

An automated vehicle-mounted refuse collection system having a loader with a boom assembly having inner and outer pairs of arms attached to the vehicle at spaced-apart locations. A lift assembly is pivotally connected to the upper end of the boom so outward movements of the boom arm will cause the upper and lower ends of the lift to reach or extend away from the vehicle toward a refuse container. Gripping arms are mounted on a carriage reciprocal along the lift assembly. A hydraulic system maintains the gripping arm level during extension and retraction of the boom arms.

I claim: 
     
       1. An improved loader for a refuse vehicle for lifting a refuse container from a surface and emptying the contents thereof into a vehicle refuse compartment having an access area, said improved loader comprising: (a) a boom having an upper and lower end, said boom being pivotally secured at one exterior side of the vehicle;   (b) means for pivotally moving said boom between a first position generally adjacent said vehicle and a second position with the upper end of said boom extended from said vehicle;   (c) lift means having an upper and lower end, said lift means being pivotally connected to said boom at the upper end thereof whereby the lower end of said lift means moves rectilinearly horizontally away from said vehicle a rate greater than a rate of movement of said lift upper end as said boom is pivoted to said second position and whereby said lower end of said lift means retracts rectilinearly horizontally toward said vehicle as said boom is moved from said .[.first.]. .Iadd.second .Iaddend.position to said .[.second.]. .Iadd.first .Iaddend.position;   (d) carriage means reciprocal along said lift means between the lower end and upper end thereof, said carriage means having a dump position into said access area when said carriage means is at the upper end of said lift means; and   (e) gripping means carried by said carriage means for selectively gripping and releasing said refuse container at said second position.   
     
     
       2. An improved loader for a refuse vehicle for engaging and lifting a refuse container from an on-site location to a dumping position into a vehicle refuse compartment and returning the empty container to the on-site location, said improved loader comprising: (a) a boom assembly including a first boom member pivotally secured to said vehicle at a first location and a second boom member pivotally secured to said vehicle at a second location, said first and second boom members being generally parallel and being secured to a cross member at third and fourth pivot locations;   (b) boom actuator means for moving said boom assembly between a first retracted position with the boom assembly generally adjacent said vehicle and a second extended position;   (c) a lift assembly having an upper and lower end, said upper end being secured to said cross member whereby the upper and lower ends of said lift assembly moves away from said vehicle as said boom is pivoted outwardly on a reach and said upper and lower ends of said lift assembly retract toward the vehicle as the boom is retracted with said lower end extending a rate greater than the upper end of said lift assembly;   (d) said lift assembly including a rail guide assembly and a drive chain track containing a drive chain, said rail guide having a lower section and a curved upper end having its distal end located adjacent said access area at least when the boom and lift assemblies are retracted;   (e) carriage means including a carriage support having roller means engaged in said rail guide assembly and operatively connected to said drive chain and further including means for operatively driving said chain bi-directionally in said drive chain track;   (f) container engaging means carried on said carriage and further including actuator means operatively connected to engage or release said engaging means; and   (g) leveling actuator means for selectively positioning said container engaging means, said leveling actuator means and said extension actuator means being cooperative to maintain said container engaging means in a predetermined position as said boom and lift assemblies extend and retract.   
     
     
       3. An improved loader for a refuse vehicle for lifting a refuse container from a surface and emptying the contents thereof into a vehicle refuse compartment having an access opening, said improved loader comprising: (a) a boom having an upper end including a cross member and a lower end, said boom being pivotally secured at one exterior side of the vehicle;   (b) means for pivotally moving said boom between a first position generally adjacent said vehicle and a second position with the upper end of said boom extended from said vehicle;   (c) lift means having an upper and lower end, said lift means being pivotally connected to said boom at the upper end thereof whereby the lower end of said lift means moves away from said vehicle as said boom is pivoted to said second position and said lower end of said lift means retracts toward said vehicle as said boom is moved from said first position to said second position, said lift means comprising a guide rail including means defining roller tracks and means defining a drive chain track, said guide rail being secured to said cross member and having a lower portion and an arcuate upper portion having its distal end terminating downwardly in the direction of said access opening when said boom and lift means are retracted;   (d) carriage means reciprocal along said lift means between the lower end and upper end thereof, said carriage means having a dump position into said access opening when said carriage means is positioned at the upper end of said lift means; and   (e) gripping means carried by said carriage means for selectively gripping and releasing said refuse container.   
     
     
       4. The loader of claim 3 including means for maintaining said gripping means in a predetermined position relative to said surface as said boom and lift means extend and retract. 
     
     
       5. The loader of claim 3 in which said carriage means includes a carriage support including roller means for movement along said roller tracks of said lift means and drive chain means housed in said drive chain track for movement therein and further including means for driving said drive chain in said track and means for operatively controlling the speed, acceleration and deceleration thereof. 
     
     
       6. The loader of claim 5 further wherein said gripping means includes a pair of opposed first and second gripping arms operatively mounted on said carriage means and further including hydraulic actuator means for opening and closing said first and second gripping arms with respect to each other in order to releasably retain and release said refuse container. 
     
     
       7. The loader of claim 6 wherein said gripping arms are pivotally connected to said carriage means and further including linear actuator means for angularly adjusting the position of said gripping arms with respect to said carriage means. 
     
     
       8. The loader of claim 7 wherein said means for extending said boom comprises at least one extension actuator and wherein said boom extension actuator and said gripping arm actuator means are hydraulically interconnected and cooperatively sized to maintain said gripping arms in a substantially horizontal position as said boom and lift means extend and retract. 
     
     
       9. The loader of claim 3 including a control circuit having limit switches operatively engaged by said carriage means at predetermined locations to control the movement of said carriage means. 
     
     
       10. The loader of claim 6 further including detachable arms extending from each of said gripping arms adapted to engage non-containerized refuse. .Iadd. 
     
     
       11.  An improved loader for a refuse vehicle for lifting a refuse container from a surface and emptying contents thereof into a vehicle refuse compartment having an access area, said improved loader comprising: (a) a boom assembly including: (i) a boom having first and second ends, said boom being secured for pivotal movement toward and away from an exterior of the vehicle;   (ii) a lift arm having an upper and lower end, said lift arm being connected to said boom;   (iii) power means for pivotally moving said boom assembly from a first retracted position and to a second extended position with said boom extended from said vehicle with the upper and lower ends of the lift arm moving away from said vehicle as said boom assembly moves to said second position and with the lower end of said lift arm moving generally rectilinearly horizontally away from said vehicle at a rate greater than a rate of movement of said lift arm upper end as said boom assembly moves to said second position and whereby said lower end of said lift arm retracts generally rectilinearly horizontally toward said vehicle as said boom assembly is moved from said second position to said first position;     (b) carriage means reciprocal along said lift arm between the lower end and upper end thereof, said carriage means having a dump position into said access area when said carriage means is at the upper end of said lift arm; and   (c) gripping means carried by said carriage means for selectively gripping and releasing said refuse container. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       12.  The loader of claim 11 further including leveling means for maintaining said gripping means in a predetermined position relative to said surface at least at predetermined locations as said boom assembly extends and retracts. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The loader of claim 11 wherein said power means comprises at least one hydraulic extension and retraction actuator and wherein said gripping assembly includes at least one gripping hydraulic actuator leveling means, said hydraulic extension and retraction actuator and said gripping hydraulic actuator leveling means being hydraulically interconnected and cooperatively sized to maintain said gripping arm assembly in a substantially horizontal position as said boom assembly extends and retracts. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The loader of claim 11 wherein said power means includes at least a first actuator and said gripping assembly includes at least a second actuator, said first and second actuators being operatively interconnected to maintain said gripping assembly in said substantially horizontal position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. An improved loader for mounting on a collection vehicle for lifting a refuse container from a surface and emptying contents of the container into a vehicle refuse compartment, said loader comprising: (a) a boom assembly secured for pivotal movement at one side of the vehicle, said boom assembly having a lift arm having an upper and lower end, said lift arm extensible from a first position adjacent the vehicle to a second position with the lower end of the lift arm extended from the vehicle;   (b) power means operatively connected to said boom assembly to cause said lift arm to extend to said second position with both the upper and lower ends thereof moving away from the vehicle and with the lower end moving generally rectilinearly horizontally and at a rate greater than a rate of movement of the upper end of the lift arm and whereby said lower end of said lift arm retracts generally rectilinearly horizontally toward said vehicle as said lift arm is moved from said second position to said first position;   (c) carriage means reciprocal along said lift arm from the lower end to an elevated dump position in which the container contents are caused to fall by gravity into the vehicle refuse compartment; and   (d) gripping means associated with said carriage means for selectively   
     
     
        gripping and releasing said refuse container. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16.  A method of loading refuse in a container into a vehicle having a refuse compartment with an access area, said method comprising: (a) providing a boom assembly associated with said vehicle, said boom assembly being secured for pivotal movement and having a lift arm with an upper and lower end;   (b) extending said boom assembly causing said lift arm to move from said vehicle with the upper and lower ends of the lift arm moving in an outward direction with the lower end moving at a rate greater than the upper end from a first retracted position to a second position with the lower end of the lift arm adjacent the container, said lower end of said lift arm moving from said first position to said second position along a generally rectilinearly horizontal path to a position adjacent the container;   (c) gripping said container;   (d) elevating said container from the lower end of the lift arm to an elevated and dump position in which the container is positioned to cause the contents thereof to fall by gravity into the access area and refuse compartment; and   (e) returning the emptied container to a predetermined position and releasing same. .Iaddend.