초록 ▼

An automated container loader for mounting to the side of a vehicle adapted for collecting the contents of curbside residential waste containers. The vehicle has a vehicle body longitudinally attached to the vehicle chassis. The automated container loader is attached to the vehicle chassis by a slid

An automated container loader for mounting to the side of a vehicle adapted for collecting the contents of curbside residential waste containers. The vehicle has a vehicle body longitudinally attached to the vehicle chassis. The automated container loader is attached to the vehicle chassis by a slide and positioned adjacent the side of the vehicle body. The container loader is equipped with a lift arm having a gripping element having a gripper housing having an opposing pair of gripping jaws. The gripping jaws are pivotally attached to the gripper housing on opposite sides to their respective arms, thereby creating a cross-pivoting arrangement. The distance between the free ends of the gripping jaws is thereby reduced when in the open position. The cross-pivoting arrangement further allows the container loader to have a thin overall width, accomplished through use of a non-folding single-section gripping jaw.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An automated container loader for a refuse vehicle comprising a lift arm and hydraulically operable, opposing first and second jaw means for gripping a refuse container,the first jaw means having a free end and an attached end pivotally attached to the lift arm at a first pivot point and the seco

1. An automated container loader for a refuse vehicle comprising a lift arm and hydraulically operable, opposing first and second jaw means for gripping a refuse container,the first jaw means having a free end and an attached end pivotally attached to the lift arm at a first pivot point and the second jaw means having a free end and an attached end pivotally attached to the lift arm at a second pivot point,the first pivot point being on an opposite side of the lift arm from the second pivot point,the first and second jaw means crossing each other,the first pivot point being located inward of the second jaw means and the second pivot point being located inward of the first jaw means, and,the free and attached ends of the first jaw means being on opposite sides of the lift arm when the jaw means are in an open position and the free and attached ends of the second jaw means being on opposite sides of the lift arm when the jaw means are in the open position. 2. The automated container loader according to claim 1, wherein the lift arm comprises a gripper housing and the first and second jaw means are pivotally attached to the gripper housing. 3. The automated container loader according to claim 2, wherein the first and second jaw means cross each other within the gripper housing. 4. The automated container loader according to claim 1, wherein each jaw means comprises a flexible belt having one end attached to the free end and another end attached to the lift arm, each belt located inward of the respective jaw means and tensioned to engage the refuse container. 5. The automated container loader according to claim 4, wherein the first jaw means comprises a single jaw member and a flexible belt and the second jaw means comprises a pair of substantially parallel jaw members and flexible belts in spaced apart vertical relation to each other to allow the single jaw member to pass between the parallel jaw members. 6. The automated container loader according to claim 5, wherein each of the flexible belts engages against the refuse container to thereby secure the refuse container between the belts when the first and second jaw means grip the refuse container. 7. The automated container loader according to claim 1, wherein the first and second jaw means are hydraulically operable by means of a hydraulic cylinder connected to the lift arm. 8. The automated container loader according to claim 7, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected to one of the jaw means and a jaw linkage member is pivotally attached to both of the jaw means, whereby movement of the hydraulic cylinder results in movement of both of the jaw means. 9. The automated container loader according to claim 1, further comprising a vertical frame element having an upper end and a lower end and a hydraulic lift cylinder having a fixed end and an extendable end, the fixed end of the hydraulic lift cylinder being pivotally attached to the lower end of the vertical frame element, the extendable end of the hydraulic lift cylinder being pivotally attached to the lift arm, and the lift arm being pivotally attached to the upper end of the vertical frame element, the hydraulic lift cylinder being operable to vertically pivot the lift arm to thereby change elevation of the refuse container. 10. The automated container loader according to claim 9, further comprising a tipping link member having a first end pivotally attached to the upper end of the vertical frame element and a second end pivotally attached to the jaw means, the tipping link member operable to downwardly pivot the refuse container in response to the vertical pivoting of the lift arm. 11. An automated container loader for a refuse vehicle comprising a lift arm, opposing first and second jaw means for gripping a refuse container and a hydraulic cylinder for hydraulically operating the first and second jaw means,the lift arm comprising a gripper housing,the first jaw means having a free end and an attached end pivot ally attached to the gripper housing at a first pivot point and the second jaw means having a free end and an attached end pivotally attached to the gripper housing at a second pivot point,the first pivot point being on an opposite side of the gripper housing from the second pivot point,the first and second jaw means crossing each other within the gripper housing,the first pivot point being located inward of the second jaw means and the second pivot point being located inward of the first jaw means,the free and attached ends of the first jaw means being on opposite sides of the gripper housing when the jaw means are in an open position and the free and attached ends of the second jaw means being on opposite sides of the gripper housing when the jaw means are in the open position, and,the hydraulic cylinder connecting the gripper housing to one of the jaw means and a jaw linkage member being pivotally attached to both of the jaw means, whereby movement of the hydraulic cylinder results in movement of both of the jaw means. 12. The automated container loader according to claim 11, wherein each jaw means comprises a flexible belt having one end attached to the free end and another end attached to the gripper housing, each belt located inward of the respective jaw means and tensioned to engage the refuse container. 13. The automated container loader according to claim 12, wherein the first jaw means comprises a single jaw member and a flexible belt and the second jaw means comprises a pair of substantially parallel jaw members and flexible belts in spaced apart vertical relation to each other to allow the single jaw member to pass between the parallel jaw members. 14. The automated container loader according to claim 13, wherein each of the flexible belts engages against the refuse container to thereby secure the refuse container between the belts when the first and second jaw means grip the refuse container.