RECYCLE CONTAINER TRANSFER VEHICLE
A wheeled vehicle such as a truck or trailer is disclosed including an apparatus thereon which may be connected to a recycle container so that the recycle container may be lifted from the ground onto the vehicle and then transported to a processing site. Once at the processing site, the apparatus causes the refuse container to be pivotally moved with respect to the vehicle so that the contents of the container are dumped from the container without the removal of the container from the vehicle.
This is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 12/462,711, filed on Aug. 7, 2009, entitled RECYCLE CONTAINER TRANSFER VEHICLE.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recycle container transfer vehicle and more particularly to a recycle container transfer vehicle such as a trailer or truck. More particularly, this invention relates to a wheeled vehicle which is adapted to raise a loaded recycle container from the ground onto the vehicle from one side thereof with the loaded container then being transported to a remote location wherein the contents of the container may be dumped from the opposite side of the vehicle. After the contents of the container have been dumped therefrom, the empty container is repositioned on the vehicle and transported to a desired collection location with the empty container then being moved from the vehicle to the ground.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recycle containers are usually placed at a collection site wherein items to be recycled may be placed therein. When the recycle container is full, it must usually be transported by some means to a site wherein the materials are recycled or processed. To date, it is not believed that there has been provided a convenient way of transporting the filled recycle containers between the collection site and the processing site and for emptying the contents of the container at the processing site.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A recycle container transfer vehicle such as a trailer or truck is described for: (1) raising a loaded recycle container from the ground onto a support on a wheeled vehicle, from one side thereof; (2) transporting the vehicle with the loaded container thereon to a remote location; (3) dumping the contents of the container from an opposite side of the support on the vehicle; (4) repositioning the dumped container on the vehicle; (5) transporting the empty container to a desired location; and (6) moving the empty container from the support on the vehicle to the ground.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved wheeled vehicle such as a trailer or truck to transport a filled recycle container from a collection site to a processing site and to provide a convenient means for positioning the recycle container on the vehicle and for dumping the contents of the container therefrom.
A further object of the invention is to provide a recycle container transfer vehicle which conveniently picks up a loaded container from one side of the vehicle, places the loaded container onto the vehicle with the vehicle then being transported to a processing site wherein the contents of the container are dumped from the opposite side of the vehicle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a recycle container transfer vehicle which may be used with conventional recycle containers.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
The numeral 10 refers to a wheeled vehicle such as a truck or trailer having a forward end 12, a rearward end 14, a first side 16 and a second side 18. The numeral 20 refers to a container support or bed positioned on the vehicle 10 and which has a forward end 22, a rearward end 24, a first side 26 and a second side 28.
The numeral 30 refers to a conventional recycle container which is shown to be filled in
The numeral 47 refers to the container lifting and dumping apparatus of this invention. Apparatus 47 includes a mechanism 48 at the rearward end of the support 20 and a mechanism 48′ at the forward end of the support 20 as seen in
Mechanism 48 includes an elongated arm 50 having a first end 52 and a second end 54. End 52 of arm 50 is pivotally secured to bracket 56 which is secured to support 20. End 54 of arm 50 is selectively pivotally secured to pin 44 by any convenient means. The numeral 58 refers to a power cylinder such as an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder and which includes a cylinder portion 60 and a cylinder rod 62. One end of cylinder portion 60 is pivotally secured to a bracket 64 which is secured to support 20 as seen in
The numeral 66 refers to an elongated arm having ends 68 and 70 as best seen in
The numeral 74 refers to a power cylinder including a cylinder portion 76 and a cylinder rod 78 as seen in
The apparatus of this invention will now be described in use. Assuming that the container 30 is filled with recycled materials and is resting on a supporting surface such as the ground or concrete, the vehicle 10 is driven or positioned adjacent the container 30 as illustrated in
When the vehicle 10 arrives at the processing site and it is desired to dump the contents from the container 30, the cylinders 58 and 58′ are then further extended to cause the container 30 to be pivotally moved from the position of
After the materials have been dumped from the container 32, the cylinders 74 and 74′ are retracted to return the container 30 from the position of
Thus it can be seen that a novel apparatus has been provided which enables a filled or loaded recycle container to be raised from the ground from one side of the vehicle onto the vehicle so that the filled container may be transported from the collection site to a processing site. Once at the processing site, the contents of the container 30 are dumped from the other side of the vehicle without removing the container 30 from the vehicle.
It can therefore be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
Claims
1. The method of transporting and dumping a loaded container which is initially resting on a supporting surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a wheeled vehicle having a front end, a back end, a first side and a second side;
- positioning the vehicle relative to the loaded container so that the first side of the vehicle is positioned adjacent the loaded container;
- raising the loaded container onto the vehicle from the first side thereof so that the loaded container is positioned on the vehicle in a transport position;
- moving the vehicle with the loaded container thereon to a remote dumping location;
- pivotally moving the loaded container relative to the vehicle so that the contents of the container are dumped from the container at the second side of the vehicle.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the container, after the contents thereof have been dumped therefrom at the second side of the vehicle, is pivotally moved back onto the vehicle to its transport position.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the dumped container is moved to a collection site while in its transport position.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the dumped container, after being transported to the collection site, is then moved from the vehicle to a supporting surface at the first side of the vehicle.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the vehicle is then moved away from the container so that the container may again be filled.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the loaded container contains recycle material.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein the container is a recycle container.
12. In combination with a container, comprising:
- the wheeled vehicle having a front end, a back end, a first side and a second side;
- a container support on said wheeled vehicle having a front end, a back end, a first side and a second side;
- a container lifting and dumping mechanism on said vehicle;
- said container lifting and dumping mechanism being selectively pivotally connectable to the container whereby the loaded container may be raised from the ground onto the said container support from one side of the vehicle so as to be in a transport position, subsequently pivotally moving the container, with respect to said container support, from its transport position to a dumping position at the second side of the vehicle, returning the dumped container to its transport position for transport to a collection site, pivotally moving the dumped container onto the ground from the first side of the vehicle so that the dumped container may be disconnected from the lifting and dumping mechanism.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 20, 2011
Publication Date: Apr 5, 2012
Inventor: RALPH R. ROGERS (Dakota Dunes, SD)
Application Number: 13/331,183
International Classification: B60P 1/00 (20060101);