EP0358046B1 - Dumping mechanism for emptying receptacles through the opening of collecting containers, especially for emptying waste receptacles into the container of a waste collection vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved lifting and tilting device for emptying garbage containers into the pour-in opening of a garbage truck. The device comprises a quadrangle of joints of a collapsible frame which carries the container during the emptying process. An upper bar of the quadrange is coupled to a swivel drive while another member of the quadrangle can grip and support the garbage container. Through appropriate locking devices the quadrangle becomes a quasi-rigid unit with the gripped container to effect the emptying, said quasi-rigid unit being dissolved only during the downward swivel motion of the upper bar prior to putting the container down.

Description

The invention relates to a lifting and tipping device for emptying containers into the pouring opening of a collecting container, in particular for emptying garbage containers into the collecting container of a refuse collection vehicle, in which a four-bar linkage with an upper and a lower handlebar is provided, which to form the four articulation points with one Receiving emptying container and during the emptying process until the emptied container is held, the lifting and tipping frame is connected to a rear articulated lever opposite this, a controlled drive device for generating the lifting and tilting movement inserted between the upper link of the four-bar linkage and the collecting container is provided .

In known from DE-PS 1201756 and DE-PS 1240776 lifting and tilting devices of this type, an articulated quadrilateral supporting the lifting and tipping frame is attached to a pivoting arm pivotably mounted in the region of the pouring opening, the relative lifting movement of the lifting and tilting frame with respect to the pivoting arm being effected by a cylinder piston - Arrangement and the pivoting movement of the swivel arm about its horizontal swivel shaft are generated by a swivel drive device.

It is also known from DE-PS 2654542 and DE-AS 1266213, in lifting and tilting devices of this type, a single cylinder-piston arrangement for the generation of both the lifting movements and the tilting movements provide, according to DE-PS 2654542 this cylinder-piston arrangement to attack on the lower or optionally on the upper handlebar and according to DE-AS 1266213 on the upper handlebar. According to both previous publications, the cylinder-piston arrangement is to be supported at its other end on the collecting container or on elements which are fastened to the collecting container.

While training in accordance with DE-PS 1201756 and DE-PS 1240776 requires two separate drive devices and the work sequence and the sequence of these drive devices ensuring control devices which require considerable expenditure on the device, it is not possible in the case of lifting and tilting devices according to DE-PS 2654542 and 1266213, the lifting and tilting device to be designed as a closed unit, which is to be mounted as such on the collection container, because the articulated support of the cylinder-piston arrangement on the collection container represents an additional assembly point with the need for coordination with respect to the swivel axis position of the swivel arm.

In a lifting and tipping device known from DE-OS 3319644, the rear articulated lever opposite the lifting and tipping frame in the articulated quadrilateral is also designed as a swivel arm which is extended upwards beyond the articulated quadrilateral and is pivotably mounted about the horizontal axis below the pouring opening. In this case, the drive device for the lifting and tilting device consists of a cylinder-piston arrangement which is designed with a telescopic cylinder and which is pivotable at the lower end on the lifting and tilting frame and pivotable at the upper end on a fixed to the collecting container attached bracket is articulated. The arrangement of the drive device designed in this way is laterally outside the surface area of the pouring opening. The drive device designed as a telescopic cylinder thus extends along the operating area of the switching and control devices of the lifting and tilting device and, as a result, increases the risk for the operating personnel. In addition, the drive device designed as a telescopic cylinder is expensive and complex.

From US-A-3,894,642 a device is known which grasps the container with a rigid swivel arm and swivels it by means of a swivel drive device from the receiving position into the emptying position.

In the above-mentioned lifting and tipping devices, the design of the rear articulated lever opposite the lifting and tipping frame as a swivel arm projecting beyond the four-bar linkage and articulated on the collecting container means that the overlap of the pouring opening with the circular-shaped tilting path of the container to be emptied is relatively small. The edge of the container is therefore guided just above the swivel axis of the swivel arm over the edge of the pouring opening. An inclined sliding wall leading into the interior of the collecting container is therefore required, via which the material falling from the container slides into the interior of the collecting container.

The object of the invention is to provide a substantially improved lifting and tipping device for emptying containers, with the use of the least possible mechanical effort, a wide coverage of the pouring opening with the path of movement of the container to be emptied and thus direct pouring of the container contents into the collection container is possible. The lifting and tilting device is intended to be a compact unit which can be installed in a simple manner and with little space requirement in the area of the pouring opening.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the drive device is attached to the swivel drive device in the area of the pouring opening and the upper link is non-positively connected to this swivel drive device, while the rear articulated lever of the four-bar linkage is also pivotally attached to the swivel drive device and in the initial position against one in the area of the Dispensing opening with respect to the collecting container or fixedly attached contact element forms a supporting arm, and that a limiting device which becomes effective in the course of the upward movement of the upper link is provided, which prevents the further mutual pivoting of the parts of the four-bar linkage.

By designing the drive device as a swivel drive device and the direct frictional connection of the upper link with this swivel drive device, on the one hand an improved efficiency of the power transmission from the drive device to the upper handlebar is achieved and on the other hand the coverage of the pouring opening through the circular path of movement of the container to be emptied considerably enlarged. The rear articulated lever and the lower handlebar only take over guiding and supporting functions for the lifting and tipping frame and the container it holds. The device according to the invention is also characterized by clear constructions and high operational reliability.

Improved guidance of the container during the emptying process is achieved by bringing the four-bar linkage, one of which has a joint in the area of the swivel drive device, into a wide-open mutual position of the four articulated levers during the upward movement of the upper link and in such a position against further mutual pivoting the parts of the quadrilateral are locked. This is achieved by the limiting device which becomes effective in the course of the upward movement of the upper link and which prevents further pivoting of the four-bar linkage.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper link and the support arm are mounted coaxially pivotable in the area of the pivot drive device, the upper link having its non-positive connection with the drive device in the common pivot axis formed by the coaxial bearing has, while the support arm is freely pivoted within a specified swivel range. In this embodiment, the lifting and tipping device according to the invention can be designed particularly advantageously as a self-contained unit that only requires a single attachment point, namely the attachment point of the swivel drive device in the area of the pouring opening. For example, the swivel drive device can be arranged in the region of at least one vertical side edge of the pouring opening. This arrangement offers the advantage that the lifting and tipping device leaves practically the entire pouring opening free in its starting position, so that the filling of such goods which are not brought into containers, for example bulky goods or filled garbage bags, can be introduced into the pouring opening unhindered.

When attaching the swivel drive device in the area of at least one vertical side edge of the pouring opening, the safe emptying of containers which have been accommodated by the lifting and tipping frame can be ensured in a particularly simple manner in that the upper link extends essentially horizontally and parallel to the plane of the pouring opening has fixed support leg, on which the lift and tilt frame is pivotally attached to form one of the four joints of the four-bar linkage. Advantageously, the carrier leg can extend laterally in a crank-like manner from the upper link in the region of the pouring opening. The support arm can also be arranged in the region of the same vertical side edge of the pour-in opening as the upper link and, in its lower region in the starting position, can be cranked towards the center of the lifting / tilting frame. The support arm can also be provided with an abutment element forming the lower limit of the swivel range, which at the same time contains the devices for the pivotable mounting of the lower link forming one of the four articulation points. The abutment element of the support arm and the lower link should preferably lie essentially in the central plane of the lifting and tilting frame parallel to the direction of movement. In this way, a particularly stable position of the lifting and tipping frame in its initial position, particularly safe holding of the containers to be emptied by the lifting and tipping frame and safe guidance of the received containers during the emptying process are ensured.

The limiting device provided can have, in the simplest form, two stop elements which meet in the course of the upward movement of the upper link, one of which is arranged on the upper link and the other on the lifting and tilting frame. The limiting device can be designed to be adjustable so that the lifting movement or the transition point between the lifting process can be carried out in this way and to be able to adjust the tilting process.

Furthermore, an additional quadrangular articulated locking, which becomes effective in the course of the upward movement of the upper link, can be provided, which fixes the lifting and tilting frame and the upper link in a mutual position during the further upward movement. As a result, the four-bar linkage forms a quasi-rigid structure during the tilting process, the articulated levers of which are held in their mutual position. In a particularly simple embodiment, this additional four-bar lock can contain a controlled locking hook that holds the stop elements together. For example, for this purpose the locking hook can be pivoted in and out of the operative position and can have a gravity arm which causes its pivoting movement.

As a further essential addition, within the scope of the invention, a device which locks the accommodated container in the course of the upward movement of the upper link on the lifting and tilting frame can be provided, which is actuated on account of the mutual pivoting movement of the parts of the four-bar linkage. In a preferred embodiment, this locking device for the container has a locking bar that can be pivoted over the edge of the container. For their actuation, the locking device can contain, for example, an actuating device which has at least one roller and cam arranged on the upper link and on the lifting and tilting frame. The actuating device for the locking device for the locking device can also be on one of the Handlebar provided linkage. For example, the locking device for the container can also have a one-armed lever which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis and carries the locking bar and which can be pivoted into the locking position against the force of a return device by means of an actuating element attached to the upper link of the four-bar arrangement. A safety device can be provided which holds the one-armed lever and / or its actuating element in the locked position as long as the four-bar arrangement is in an upper operating position.

As a further supplementary device, a retaining lock can be provided for the support arm, which can only be released by the relative movement of the four-bar parts after these parts have left their lower range of motion when pivoting upward. This retention lock prevents the support arm from pivoting upwards even at the beginning of the movement sequence, as a result of which a pivoting movement of the four-bar arrangement begins in the stretched state. Such pivoting of the four-bar arrangement in the extended state would result in the container to be emptied being pushed away in front of the lifting and tipping frame instead of being picked up by the lifting and tipping frame. A spring-mounted retaining hook, which extends over part of the support arm, can be provided on the device frame and an actuating cam lifting the retaining hook on the lower link of the four-bar arrangement for the formation of this retaining lock.

The lifting and tipping device according to the invention can be designed as a simple pouring device. However, further developed embodiments are also conceivable in the form of simple pouring devices arranged next to one another or in the form of a twin arrangement, wherein the twin arrangement can optionally be adjustable for independent operation or joint operation of the two lifting and tilting devices.

For example, in a further developed embodiment of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention, two lifting and tipping devices embodied in mirror image to one another can be fitted in the area of a pouring opening, one on each vertical side edge of the pouring opening. The gripping devices for the containers to be emptied, which are provided on the lifting and tipping frames of the two lifting and tipping devices, can be coordinated with one another in such a way that smaller containers can be picked up by one lifting and tipping frame and larger containers can be picked up by both lifting and tipping frames, and the swivel drive devices of both lifting and tilting devices can be activated either in synchronism or separately . In another further developed embodiment of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention, the upper link can be formed between two parallel link levers and a support leg extending between the two link levers essentially horizontally and parallel to the plane of the pouring opening, the two steering levers being pivotably mounted on a vertical side edge of the pouring opening and the support leg or the lifting / tilting frame attached to it extends essentially over the entire width of the pouring opening. For driving one Such a further developed lifting and tipping device according to the invention can be provided such that only one of the control arm of the upper control arm is connected to a swivel drive device and the second control arm is freely pivotable. But it is also conceivable that both handlebar levers of the upper link are each connected to a swivel drive device and both swivel drive devices are equipped with a common control device. In this latter embodiment of the drive device, a more favorable, symmetrical flow of force from the swivel drive devices to the lifting and tipping frame can be achieved.

Since in the context of the invention the support arm and the lower link practically only have guiding and supporting functions, a support arm common to both handlebar levers and a common lower link can be provided in the further developed embodiment of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention with the lifting and tipping frame extending over the width of the pouring opening . The common support arm can be pivotally mounted on a vertical side edge of the pouring opening and be bent at its lower part to substantially the vertical central plane of the pouring opening, while the common lower link is arranged essentially in the vertical central plane of the pouring opening.

The lifting and tipping device according to the invention can be attached to the rear of the collecting container in refuse collection vehicles, in a similar manner to conventional lifting and tipping devices. Due to the special design of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention, however, it is also used on side-loading refuse collection vehicles possible, both in the embodiment as a simple lifting and tilting device and in one or the other further developed embodiment. When used on side loader refuse collection vehicles, it is advisable for the lifting and tipping device according to the invention to arrange the drive axis of the swivel drive device at such a height above the lower edge of the pouring opening and offset so far inward in relation to the outer edge of the vehicle that in the initial position all parts of the lifting and tipping device are behind the vehicle. Outside edge are arranged.

Fig. 1

eine für ein Seitenlader-Müllfahrzeug vorgesehene Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Hubkippvorrichtung in Seitenansicht, wobei die Ausgangsstellung, die Übergangsstellung zwischen Hubvorgang und Kippvorgang und die Einkipp-Endstellung angedeutet sind;

Fig. 2

die Hubkippvorrichtung gemäß Figur 1 in seitlicher Draufsicht;

Fig. 3

den Hubkipprahmen sowie Teile des oberen und unteren Lenkers mit daran angeordneten Verriegelungseinrichtungen in Ausgangsstellung, vergrößert in Seitenansicht;

Fig. 4

den Hubkipprahmen mit Müllgefäß und den Verriegelungseinrichtungen in Einkipp-Endstellung, vergrößert in Seitenansicht;

Fig. 5

eine schematische Darstellung einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform der Verriegelungsvorrichtung für den zu entleerenden Behälter in Seitenansicht;

Fig. 6

eine schematische Darstellung einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der Verriegelungsvorrichtung für den zu entleerenden Behälter in Seitenansicht in unterer Betriebsstellung der Hubkippvorrichtung;

Fig. 7

die Verriegelungsvorrichtung nach Figur 6 in angehobener Stellung der Hubkippvorrichtung;

Fig. 8

die Verriegelungsvorrichtung gemäß Figur 6 und 7 in Einkipp-Endstellung der Hubkippvorrichtung;

Fig. 9

den Ausschnitt 9 aus Figur 1 in vergrößerter Darstellung für eine Hubkippvorrichtung mit Rückhaltesperre für den Abstützarm mit dem unteren Lenker der Viergelenkanordnung in unterer Ausgangsstellung (voll ausgezeichnet) und bezüglich des Abstützarmes nach oben geschwenkter Stellung (gestrichelt dargestellt);

Fig. 10

eine weitergebildete Ausführungsform der Erfindung als Zwillings-Hubkippvorrichtung in entsprechender Darstellung wie Figur 2;

Fig. 11

eine weitergebildete Ausführungsform der Erfindung mit sich im wesentlichen über die gesamte Breite der Einschüttöffnung erstreckendem Hubkipprahmen und

Fig. 12

eine erfindungsgemäße Hubkippvorrichtung ähnlich derjenigen nach Figur 11, jedoch nur mit einer einzigen Schwenktriebvorrichtung.

Embodiments of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

an embodiment of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention intended for a side loader refuse collection vehicle, in side view, the starting position, the transition position between the lifting process and the tilting process and the tipping end position being indicated;

Fig. 2

the lifting and tipping device according to Figure 1 in a side plan view;

Fig. 3

the lift and tilt frame and parts of the upper and lower links with locking devices arranged thereon in the starting position, enlarged in side view;

Fig. 4

the lifting and tipping frame with garbage container and the locking devices in the tipping end position, enlarged in side view;

Fig. 5

is a schematic representation of a modified embodiment of the Locking device for the container to be emptied in side view;

Fig. 6

a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the locking device for the container to be emptied in side view in the lower operating position of the lifting and tipping device;

Fig. 7

the locking device of Figure 6 in the raised position of the lifting and tipping device;

Fig. 8

the locking device according to Figures 6 and 7 in the tilted end position of the lifting and tilting device;

Fig. 9

the detail 9 of Figure 1 in an enlarged view for a lifting and tipping device with a restraint for the support arm with the lower link of the four-bar arrangement in the lower starting position (fully excellent) and with respect to the support arm pivoted upward position (shown in dashed lines);

Fig. 10

a further developed embodiment of the invention as a twin lifting and tipping device in a corresponding representation as Figure 2;

Fig. 11

a further developed embodiment of the invention with substantially over the entire width of the pouring opening lifting and tipping frame

Fig. 12

a lifting and tipping device according to the invention similar to that of Figure 11, but only with a single swivel drive device.

In the example of FIGS. 1 to 4, there is a lifting and tipping device 10 which is attached to the pouring opening of the collecting container 12 of a side-loading refuse vehicle. The lifting and tipping device 10 has a four-bar linkage consisting of a lifting and tipping frame 13, an upper link 14, a lower link 15 and a support arm 16. A swivel drive device 17 with an upper and lower cylinder-piston arrangement 18a and 18b arranged coaxially to one another and a rack-and-pinion gear 19 with a drive shaft 20 actuated by the two cylinder-piston arrangements 18a and 18b serves as the drive device of the lifting and tilting device the drive shaft 20 is positively attached to the upper link 14. The support arm 16 is freely rotatable on the drive shaft 20 and thus coaxial with the upper link 14. In this way, the swivel drive device 17 forms, together with the four-bar linkage, a closed unit which is to be attached in the region of the pouring opening 11. In the example shown, this attachment is carried out by fastening the swivel drive device 17 to a vertical edge 21 of the pouring opening 11 (to a corresponding stiffening part provided there).

The upper link 14 has a link lever 22 which is attached at one end to the drive shaft 20 of the swivel drive device 17. At the other end, the control arm 22 carries a support leg 23, which is tubular and is firmly connected to the control arm 22. As particularly shown in FIG. 2, the handlebar lever extends in the lateral area of the pouring opening 11 at a short distance next to the swivel drive device 17 during the Carrier legs 23 extend laterally in a crank-shaped, self-supporting manner from the control lever 22 into the region of the pouring opening 11. On the support leg 23 two bearing eye tabs 24 are attached, on which the lifting and tilting frame 13 is articulated with its upper part to form one of the four joints of the four-bar linkage. The lower part of the lifting and tilting frame 13 is articulated at the free end of the lower link 15, which in turn is connected in an articulated manner to the lower end of the support arm 16 with its other end in the example shown. This articulated connection 25 between the lower link 15 and the support arm 16 is also designed as the lower limit of the pivoting range for the support arm 16 forming abutment element 26.

The support arm 16 extends in its upper part from its position on the drive shaft 20 next to the articulated lever 22 of the upper link 14 and is bent in its lower part, such that the articulation point 25 formed at its lower end and the lower link 15 in the center plane 27 of the lifting and tipping frame 13.

The lifting and tilting frame is provided in a manner known per se with a support beam 28 and an abutment element 29 for the container to be emptied, for example a waste container 30.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, a limiting device 31 which is effective in the quadrilateral joint is provided, which becomes effective in the course of the upward movement of the upper link 14 and prevents further pivoting of the parts of the quadrilateral joint. This limiting device 31 contains a block-shaped one attached to the lifting / tilting frame 13 Stop element 32 and a plate-shaped stop element 33 attached to at least one of the bearing eye brackets 24. As FIG. 1 shows, these two stop elements 32 and 33 meet one another in a middle pivot position of the upper link 14, ie a middle lifting position of the lifting and tilting frame 13, and thereby prevent pivot the parts of the four-bar linkage in their four joints relative to one another when the upper link 14 is pivoted further upwards. In order to be able to change or adjust that middle pivot position of the upper link 14, one or the other of the two stop elements 32, 33 can be designed to be adjustable.

In cooperation with this limiting device 31, an additional four-bar linkage 34 is provided, which in the example shown contains a locking hook 35 which, after the two stop elements 32 and 33 meet, holds the plate-shaped stop element of the upper link 14 on the block-shaped stop element of the lifting / tilting frame. For this purpose, the locking hook 35 is pivotally mounted on the lifting and tilting frame 13 about a horizontal axis and carries a gravity arm 36.

Furthermore, a locking device 37 for the container 30 is provided in the four-bar linkage, which is moved into the locking position in the course of the upward pivoting movement of the upper link 14 by the mutual pivoting of the parts of the four-bar linkage. In the example in FIGS. 3 and 4, a locking bar 38 which can be pivoted over the edge of the container is mounted on the lifting and tilting frame 13 about a horizontal axis 39, and on its rear side with an arcuate actuating cam 40 Mistake. On the upper link 14, in the present example specifically on at least one of the bearing eye brackets 24, an actuating roller 41 is attached, onto which the actuating cam 40 runs when the upper link 14 and the tilt-and-lift frame 13 are pivoted relative to one another, around which the locking bar 38 counteracts the action of a return spring 42 pivots over the edge of the container 30 to be emptied.

As indicated in Figure 5, instead of the cam 40 and the actuating roller 41, an actuating lever 43 can also be provided, which is connected to a pull rod 44, for example, acting on the lower handlebar, in order to move the locking bar 38 into the locking position in the pivoted-apart position of the parts of the four-bar linkage to draw.

The operation of the lifting and tipping device according to the invention is as follows:

In the starting position (Figures 1 to 3), the upper link 14 is pivoted downwards. The support arm 16 is also pivoted downward and lies with its abutment element 26 on a stop element 45, which in the example shown extends over the entire width of the pouring opening 11 along its lower edge. From the hinge 25 contained in the abutment 26, the lower link 15 extends down to the lower hinge point of the lifting and tilting frame 13. As shown in FIG. 1, the parts of the hinge quadrilateral are pivoted so that the hinge quadrilateral is folded and all parts the lifting and tipping device 10 are withdrawn behind the outer edge 46 of the refuse vehicle 12.

A container 30 to be emptied is brought into the position shown in FIG. 1 to the garbage truck 12 and set up there. When the lifting and tilting device is switched on, the cylinder piston arrangement 18a of the swivel drive device 17 is supplied with pressure medium. The upper link 14 is pivoted upwards. The lifting and tilting frame is raised from its initial position and guided with its upper joint along the circular path 47 extending around the pivot axis of the upper link 14 and with its lower joint along the circular path 48 extending around the joint 25 until the lifting and tilting frame 13 is below the upper edge of the Container 30 engages and picks up the container. As the comparison of the two circular paths 47 and 48 shows, during this movement phase the lifting and tilting frame 13 is held in its almost vertical position, however, approximately inclined towards the container 30, until the pivoting position of the upper link 14 is approximately in the center, indicated in FIG. 1 In this position, the two stop elements 32 and 33 meet on the upper link 14 and on the lifting and tilting frame 13 and thereby prevent further mutual pivoting of the upper link 14, lower link 15, lifting and tilting frame 13 and support arm 16. The two stop elements 32 and 33 are first by the Weight of the container, the lifting and tilting frame 13 and the lower link 15 held together. When pivoting further upward, however, the locking hook 35 is pivoted by its gravity arm 36 so that it engages over the plate-shaped stop element 33 on the upper link 14 and thereby separating the stop elements 32 and 33 for the further upward pivoting movement of the upper link 14 into the tilt-in end position holds together.

As soon as the upper link 14 approaches its middle pivot position indicated in FIG. 1, the actuating roller 41 runs along the cam 40 due to the relative pivoting movement of the upper link 14 and lifting and tilting frame 13 and thereby pivots the locking bar 38 while tensioning the return spring 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4) ) over the top of the container 30.

With the further upward pivoting movement of the upper link 14, the upper link 14, the lower link 15, the lifting and tilting frame 13 with the container 30 locked to it and the support arm 16 are pivoted as a quasi-rigid unit into their tip-in end position. The joint pivoting takes place about the pivot axis of the upper link 14, so that the further path of movement of the lower joint on the lifting and tilting frame 13 is a circular arc 49 turned around the pivot axis of the upper link 14.

As FIG. 1 shows, the opening edge of the container 30 with its pouring area is pivoted into the interior of the collecting container 12 by an overlap dimension 50. The overlap dimension 50 achieved with the lifting and tilting device is so large that filling chutes or other auxiliary devices guiding the contents of the container into the interior of the collecting container 12 at the pouring opening 11 are not required.

The container 30 to be emptied can be shaken by briefly pivoting the upper link 14 back and forth. Such shaking does not release the locks explained above. Rather, the quadrilateral remains rigid in itself and the locking of the container 30 on the lifting and tipping frame 13 is closed.

By applying pressure medium to the cylinder-piston arrangement 18a, the upper link 14 is pivoted back. In the middle pivot position indicated in FIG. 1, the locking hook 35 releases the plate-shaped stop 33. The limit stops 32 and 33 separate from each other. The lifting and tipping frame 13 is pressed downward in a substantially vertical position, after the emptied container has been tilted, during the further downward pivoting movement of the upper link 14, thereby sets the container 30 on the ground, then releases the container and moves behind the outer edge 46 of the vehicle back.

In the variant according to FIG. 5, when the upper link 14 approaches its central position indicated in FIG. 1, the actuating lever 43 of the locking bar 38 is pulled away from the lifting and tilting frame 13 against the action of the return spring 42 by the linkage 44 articulated on the lower link 15. As a result, the locking bar 38 pivots about its axis 39 in the locking position. If, after the container has been emptied, the upper link 14 runs below its middle position indicated in FIG. 1 when pivoting backwards, the distance between the upper part of the lifting and tilting frame 13 and the lower link 15 becomes smaller. The linkage 44 allows the locking bar to move back into its unlocked position under the action of its return spring 42. In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, a four-bar linkage lock is provided in the same way as in the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, but is not shown for the sake of clarity.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show a preferred embodiment for the locking device 37 in the lower starting position, a middle raised position and the tilting-in end position of the lifting and tilting device. In this embodiment, the locking device 37 has a one-armed lever 51 which is pivotally mounted on its one end about a horizontal axis 52 on the lifting and tipping frame 13 and carries a locking bar 38 at its free end. The one-armed lever 51 is held in its end locking position defined by a limiting device, in which it is pivoted so far backwards with respect to the lifting and tilting frame that the locking bar 38 attached to the lifting and tilting frame 13 for the container to be accommodated by means of a reset device, particularly a resilient return device, indicated at 53 Exposing elements 54 for placing and removing a container are exposed. Similar to the examples according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the upper link 14 carries at its free end a bearing eye plate 24 provided with a stop element 33. As in the example in FIGS. 1 to 4, the stop element 33 is provided so that it is in the raised position of the lifting and tipping frame 13 to limit the mutual pivoting of the upper link 14 and the lifting and tipping frame 13 to a stop element 32 attached to the lifting and tipping frame 13. In the example of FIGS. 6 to 8, however, the stop element 33 of the upper link 14 is designed such that it extends beyond the stop element 32 of the lifting and tilting frame 13 and, before meeting the latter, meets the one-armed lever 51 arranged next to it. In the subsequent phase of mutual pivoting of the upper link 14 and Lift-tilt frame 13, the one-armed lever 51 is pivoted forwards against the force of its return device 53 with respect to the lift-tilt frame 13 by the stop element 33 until the rear edge of the one-arm lever 51 or an abutment element attached to it lies in the rear surface of the stop element 32 and the stop element 33 is supported on the stop element 32. This mutual position of the two stop elements 32 and 33 and the one-armed lever 51 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the position of the one-armed lever 51 pivoted forward with respect to the lifting and tipping frame 13, the locking bar 38 is moved into the locking position via the receiving elements 54 of the lifting and tipping frame 13 and over the edge of a container or waste container 30 accommodated by the lifting and tipping frame 13. If the two stops 32 and 33 are separated from each other again, the resetting device 53 causes the one-armed lever 51 to pivot back and thus to move the locking bar 38 back into the final locking position.

In a similar way as in the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, in the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 to 8, a locking and securing hook 35 is mounted on the lifting and tilting frame 13 so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis and is equipped with a gravity arm. As particularly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, this locking and securing hook 35 moves when the lifting and tilting frame 13 is pivoted upward from the starting position shown in FIG. 6 into a locking and securing position in which it moves via a securing element 55 the bearing eye tab 24 or the stop element 33 of the upper link 14 engages. As a result, the two stop elements 32 and 33 are held securely together and the one-armed lever 51 is held securely in the position pivoted forwards with respect to the lifting / tilting frame 13 or in the locking position of the locking bar 38. This locking and securing remains in place as long as the lifting and tilting frame 13 is in an inclined position and in particular also in the tipping end position. When the lifting and tilting frame changes again from its inclined position into a substantially vertical position when pivoting back, the locking and securing hook 35 is pivoted back again by its gravity arm so that it releases the securing element 55. It can then pivot during the further downward movement of the upper link 14 and the lift and tilt frame 13 against each other, that is, separate the stop elements 32 and 33, at the same time the one-armed lever 51 is then pivoted back by its return device 53 into the starting position in which the locking bar 38 the edge of the waste container releases.

FIG. 9 shows an advantageous additional measure in the lifting and tilting device shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 and FIGS. 10 to 12, namely a restraint lock for the support arm. If such a restraint is not available, it can happen that when the lifting and tilting device moves from its lower starting position shown in FIG. 1, a pivoting movement of the freely pivoting support arm also begins, so that the entire four-bar arrangement of the lifting and tilting device is closed like a one-armed lever moves the waste container 30 to be emptied and pushes it away in front of it instead of taking it up. By restraining the support arm 16 during the initial movement, the four-bar arrangement becomes forced that a mutual pivoting of the handlebars 14, 15 and the lifting and tipping frame 13 and thus a lifting movement of the lifting and tipping frame 13 begins. To secure this desired movement sequence, a retaining lock 56 is provided, which holds the support arm 16 on the device frame or the stop element 45 attached to the device frame until the lower link 15 has been pivoted sufficiently far upwards in the articulated connection 25 so that the lifting and tilting frame 13 does it Garbage container 30 has received. In the example shown in FIG. 9, retaining hook 57 is attached to a bearing block 58 placed on the stop element 45 so that it can pivot about a horizontal axis. In the example shown, this retaining hook 57 engages over the abutment element 26 attached to the support arm 16. In order to ensure that the retaining hook engages securely on the abutment element 26, the abutment hook 57 can be provided with a retaining spring. At its free end, the retaining hook 57 has an actuating arm 59 which interacts with an actuating cam 60 attached to the lower link. The actuating arm 59 is arranged obliquely and is of sufficient length so that the abutment element 26 lifts the retaining hook 57 when the support lever 16 is pivoted back and can move into its locked position under it. To ensure this function, a limit stop 61 can be attached to the bracket 58, which holds the retaining hook in its ready position.

When the lifting and tipping device begins to move from its initial position shown in FIG. 1, the support arm 16 is first held on its abutment element 26 by means of the retaining hook 57 in contact with the stop element 45 attached to the device frame. This results in the desired pivoting movement of the handlebars and the lifting / tilting frame, the lower link 15 pivoting upward in its articulated connection 25 until it abuts with the actuating cam 60 against the actuating arm 59 of the retaining hook 57 and lifts it out of the locking position. With the further movement of the lifting and tilting device, pivoting of the support arm 16 then begins, so that its abutment element 26 moves away under the retaining hook 57. The actuating cam 60 runs from the actuating arm 59, and the retaining hook 57 falls back into its ready position at the limit stop. During the backward movement of the lifting and tilting device, the abutment 26 of the support arm 16 hits the actuating arm 59 and thereby lifts the retaining hook 57 in order to move below it into the starting position. The retaining hook 57 then falls into its retaining position via the abutment element 26 or is pressed into this retaining position by its return spring. Since the retaining hook is raised by the abutment element 26 during the backward movement of the support arm, the actuating cam 60 of the lower link 15 remains ineffective during this part of the movement sequence.

In the example in FIG. 10, a pair of lifting and tilting devices 10a and 10b is attached in mirror image fashion to the two vertical edges 21a and 21b in the region of the pouring opening 11. Either of these two Lift and tilt devices 10a and 10b have their own swivel drive devices 17a and 17b. These two swivel drive devices 17a and 17b are connected to a pressure medium control which enables the simultaneous operation of both swivel drive devices 17a and 17b in synchronism or separate operation of the swivel drive devices 17a and 17b. To empty larger containers, they can be exposed to the support beams 28a and 28b together and the swivel drive devices 17a and 17b switched on for operation in synchronism. The upper links 14a and 14b thereby enable very precise, uniform swiveling up and thus very precise, uniform lifting and tipping of a large vessel. For the rest, the mode of operation of each individual lift and tilt device 10a and 10b is explained in the same way as above in connection with FIGS. 1 to 5.

In the example in FIG. 11, a swivel drive 17c and 17d is attached to each vertical edge 21a and 21b of the pouring opening 11. Both swivel drive devices 17c and 17d belong to a common lifting and tilting device 10c, which is equipped with a single lifting and tilting frame 13c. For this purpose, an upper link 14c and 14d is non-positively attached to each of the swivel drives 17c and 17d. Both upper links 14c and 14d have a common support arm 23c. On this common support arm 23c, a common support beam 28c is pivotally mounted about a horizontal shaft, which extends practically over the entire width of the pouring opening 11. An abutment beam 29c for the containers to be emptied is attached below the support beam 28c. The wide lifting and tilting frame 13c thus formed has only a lower link 15c as a connection to the support arm 16c. This only lower link 15c is in the central axis 27c of the lift and tilt frame 13c arranged. There is also only a single support arm 16c which, in the example shown, is freely pivotably mounted on the drive shaft 20c of the swivel drive device 17c. Accordingly, the lower cranked region of the support arm 16c is drawn into the central plane 27c of the lifting and tilting frame 13c, that is to say approximately into the central plane of the pouring opening 11. The swivel drive device 17d only carries the upper link 14d, which is non-positively attached there, on its shorter drive shaft 20d. Naturally, the two swivel drive devices 17c and 17d can only be operated in synchronism. Otherwise, the operation of the lifting and tipping device 10c according to FIG. 7 is analogous to that of the lifting and tipping device 10 according to FIGS. 1 to 5.

In the example in FIG. 12, the lifting and tilting device 10e differs from the lifting and tilting device in accordance with FIG. 7 in that only one swivel drive device 17e is provided. On the drive shaft 20e of the swivel drive device 17e, the upper link 14e is non-positively attached and the one support arm 16e is pivotally mounted. On the second vertical side edge 21b of the pouring opening 11, only a journal 20f is attached, on which the second upper link 14f and the second support arm 16f are pivotably mounted. The use of two support arms 16e and 16f, which are bent less sharply towards the center of the pouring opening 11, offers the advantage that, in the one-sided power supply provided in this embodiment of the lifting and tilting device 10e, the guidance of the wide lifting and tilting frame 13e practically has two articulated quadrilaterals, two upper ones Handlebars 14e and 14f, two support arms 16e and 16f and two lower links 15e and 15f takes place and is therefore safer and more appropriate to the one-sided power supply. Otherwise, the mode of operation of the lifting and tilting device 10e in this embodiment is the same as that explained above in connection with FIGS. 1 to 5.

Claims (31)

1. A lifting-tilting apparatus for emptying containers into the dumping aperture (11) of a collecting container (12), particularly for emptying refuse containers (30) into the collecting container (12) of a refuse collection vehicle, in which a four-bar linkage (13, 14, 15, 16) having an upper (14) and a lower (15) link is provided which, while forming the four articulation points is connected to a lifting-tilting frame (13) which accommodates the container (30) to be emptied and which during the emptying process holds it fast until the emptied container (30) has been set down, and with opposite this a rear articulating lever, a controlled means of generating the lifting and tilting movement being provided in force-locking manner between the upper link (14) of the four-bar linkage (13, 14, 15, 16) and the collecting container (12), characterised in that the driving device has, disposed in the region of the dumping aperture (11), a pivot transmission device (17) while the upper link (14) is force-lockingly connected to this pivot transmission device (17), while the rear articulating lever of the four-bar linkage (13, 14, 15, 16) forms a bracing arm (16) which is likewise pivotally disposed on the pivot transmission device (17) and in the starting position rigidly disposed against a bearing element (45) which is rigid in the region of the dumping aperture (11) and in respect of the collecting container, and in that a limiting device (31) is provided which takes effect during the course of the upwards movement of the top link (14) and prevents further reciprocal pivoting of the parts of the four-bar linkage (13, 14, 15, 16).

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the top link (14) and the bracing arm (16) are coaxially and pivotally mounted in the region of the pivot transmission device (17), the top link (14) being force-lockingly connected to the pivot transmission device (17) in the common pivot axis (drive shaft 20) formed by the coaxial mounting, while the bracing arm (16) is freely pivotally mounted within a fixed pivot range.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the pivot transmission device (17) is disposed in the region of at least one vertical lateral edge (21) of the dumping aperture (11).

4. An apparatus according to Claim 3, characterised in that the top link (14) has, extending substantially horizontally and parallel with the plane of the dumping aperture a fixed bearer member (23) on which the lifting-tilting frame is pivotally disposed to form one of the four joints of the four-bar linkage.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised in that the bearer member (23) extends in a cantilever fashion from the link lever (22) of the top link (14) laterally into the region of the dumping aperture (11).

6. An apparatus according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that also the bracing arm (16) is disposed in the region of the same vertical lateral edge (21) of the dumping aperture as the top link (14) and is in its bottom region ― in the starting position ― cranked towards the centre of the lifting-tilting frame (13).

7. An apparatus according to Claim 6, characterised in that the bracing arm (16) is provided with, forming the bottom boundary of the pivot range, an abutment element (26) which at the same time contains the means for the pivotable mounting of the bottom link (15) which forms one (25) of the four points of articulation.

8. An apparatus according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the abutment element (26) of the bracing arm (16) and the bottom link (15) lie substantially in the median plane (27) of the lifting-tilting frame (13) which is parallel with the direction of movement.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the limiting device (31) comprises, converging in the path of the upward movement of the top link (14), two abutment elements (32, 33) of which one (33) is disposed on the top link (14) while the other (32) is disposed on the lifting-tilting frame (13).

10. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or 9, characterised in that the boundary device (31) is of adjustable construction.

11. An apparatus according to one of Claims 1, 9 or 10, characterised in that an additional four-bar locking means (34) is provided which becomes effective in the course of the upwards movement of the top link (14) and which fixes the lifting-tilting frame (13) and the top link (14) during the further upwards movement, in a mutually relative position.

12. An apparatus according to Claim 9 and 11, characterised in that the additional four-bar locking device comprises a controlled interlocking hook (35) which holds the abutment elements (32, 33) together.

13. An apparatus according to Claim 12, characterised in that the locking hook (35) is pivotally mounted in an operative and inoperative position and has a gravity arm (36) which causes its pivoting movement.

14. An apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 13, characterised in that an arrangement (37) is provided which locks the picked-up container (30) on the lifting-tilting frame (13) during the course of the upwards movement of the top link (14) and which is actuated by reason of the reciprocal pivoting movement of the parts of the four-bar linkage.

15. An apparatus according to Claim 14, characterised in that the locking device for the container (30) has a locking strip (35) pivotable over the container rim.

16. An apparatus according to Claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the locking device (37) for the container (30) comprises an actuating device having at least one roller (41) and projection (40) disposed on the top link (14) and on the lifting-tilting frame (13).

17. An apparatus according to Claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the locking device (37) has for the container an actuating device (37) comprising a linkage (44) distributed over the lifting-tilting frame (13) and one of the links (14, 15).

18. An apparatus according to Claim 15, characterised in that the locking device (37) for the container (30) comprises pivotable about a horizontal axis (52) a single-armed lever (51) which is pivotable into the locking position against the force of a restoring means (53) by means of an actuating element (abutment element 33) disposed on the top link (15) of the four-bar linkage arrangement.

19. An apparatus according to Claim 18, characterised in that a locking and securing device is provided which secures the single-armed lever (51) and/or its actuating element (abutment element 33) in the locking position as long as the four-bar linkage arrangement is in an upper operative position.

20. An apparatus according to one of Claims 16 to 19, characterised in that the actuating element of the container locking device (37) is pivoted by the abutment element (33) of a limiting device (31) (disposed on the top link 14) which acts between the top link (14) and the lifting-tilting frame (13), the locking and securing device (locking and securing hook 35) also constituting the securing element for the container locking device (37).

21. An apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 20, characterised in that there is provided for the bracing arm (16) a retaining lock (56) which can only be released by the relative movement of the parts of the four-bar linkage (bottom link 14 and bracing arm 16) after these parts have left their lower area of movement during the upwards pivoting process.

22. An apparatus according to Claim 21, characterised in that a retaining hook (57) mounted to pivot about a horizontal axis and engaging over a part (abutment element 26) of the bracing arm (16) and an actuating projection (60) which lifts out the retaining hook (57) are provided on the bottom link (15) of the four-bar linkage arrangement.

23. An apparatus according to Claim 22, characterised in that the retaining hook (57) is provided with a preferably spring-loaded restoring device and a limiting abutment (61) which establishes its position of readiness.

24. An apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 23, characterised in that two lifting-tilting devices (10a, 10b) which are of mirrored opposite construction are provided in the region of a dumping aperture (11), one on each vertical lateral edge (21a, 21b) of the dumping aperture (11).

25. An apparatus according to Claim 24, characterised in that the gripper means (28a, 28b) provided on the lifting-tilting frames (13a, 13b) of the two lifting-tilting devices (10a, 10b) are, for the containers to be emptied, so attuned to each other that relatively small containers (30) can be picked up by one lifting-tilting frame (13a or 13b) while larger containers are picked up jointly by both lifting-tilting frames (13a, 13b), the pivot transmission devices (17a, 17b) of both lifting-tilting devices (10a, 10b) being capable of being actuated optionally in synchronism or separately.

26. An apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 23, characterised in that the top link (14c, d, e, f) is formed by two parallel link levers and a bearer member (23) extending substantially horizontally between the two link levers and parallel with the plane of the dumping aperture, the two link levers being pivotally mounted on respective vertical lateral edges (21a, 21b) of the dumping aperture (11), the bearer member (23c) or the lifting-tilting frame (13c, 13e) mounted on it extending substantially over the entire width of the dumping aperture (11).

27. An apparatus according to Claim 26, characterised in that only one of the link levers of the top link (14e, 14f) is connected to a pivot transmission device (17e) while the second link lever (link 14f) is mounted to be freely pivotable.

28. An apparatus according to Claim 26, characterised in that both link levers of the link (14c, 14d) are each connected to a pivot transmission device (17c, 17d) and in that both pivot transmission devices (17c, 17d) are equipped with a common control device.

29. An apparatus according to Claim 26, characterised in that the four-bar linkage comprises a bracing arm (16c) common to both link levers (link 14c, d, e, f) and a common bottom link (15c).

30. An apparatus according to Claim 29, characterised in that the common bracing arm (16c) is pivotally mounted on a vertical lateral edge (21) of the dumping aperture (11) and is in its bottom part cranked substantially as far as the vertical median plane of the dumping aperture (11) while the common bottom link (15c) is disposed essentially in the vertical median plane (27c) of the dumping aperture.

31. An apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 30, characterised in that when used on side-loading refuse collection vehicles the driving axle (drive shaft 20) of the pivot transmission device is displaced at such a height above the bottom edge of the dumping aperture (11) and so far inwardly in relation to the outer edge (46) of the vehicle that in the starting position all parts of the lifting-tilting device (10, 10a, b, c, e) are disposed behind the outside edge (46) of the vehicle.

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