Abstract: A front loading refuse vehicle used with a refuse receptacle, the vehicle having a cab, and a rear body to carry refuse, and having rails located on either side of the cab, and extending upwardly and rearwardly over the cab, lifting arms adapted to engage the receptacle and lift it, carriages running on the rails and on which the lifting arms are moveably mounted, lifting arm power cylinders operable to swing the lifting arms away from and towards the rails, hoist arms pivotally mounted on the vehicle, for swinging forwardly and upwardly, hoist arm power cylinders for operating the hoist arms, hoist linkages connecting between the hoist arms and the carriages, operation of the hoist arms causing the carriages to move along the rails.

Abstract: A refuse vehicle body of the type having a tailgate which may be raised to eject the contents, and a forward opening in the main body through which refuse may be dumped, and a ram moveable from the forward opening to the tailgate, and having a moveable bridge member extending from side to side of the main body; a compacting cylinder coupled to the bridge, and connected with the ram member for compacting refuse, and an ejection cylinder connected to the main body and to the bridge for moving the bridge rearwardly for ejecting contents from the main body.

Abstract: A multistage cylinder having a partial force mode, a full force extended mode, and a full force retracted mode, and having an outer cylinder closed at one end and open at the other, one or more intermediate cylinders located within the outer cylinder, and extendable and retractable with respect thereto, an inner drive member within the intermediate cylinder, and extendable and retractable with respect thereto, intermediate hydraulic fluid conduits in the drive member for flow of hydraulic fluid and from the intermediate cylinder, and an intermediate valve for controlling flow of fluid thereto, outer cylindrical hydraulic fluid supply and return conduits connecting directly with an outer cylinder, separate from the intermediate conduits, and an outer cylinder valve for controlling flow of fluid independent of the intermediate cylinder and a fluid flow barrier between the intermediate cylinder and the outer cylinder so that fluid from the intermediate cylinder is maintained out of contact with the outer cylinde

Abstract: A refuse compacting system having an elongated hopper of rectangular cross-section with an ejection opening at one end, a tailgate movable for opening and closing the ejection opening, a refuse entry opening in the top of the hopper, a compactor within the hopper, located at one end, and pairs of dual parallel connected cylinders for moving the compactor towards the ejection opening and back again.