Abstract: An apparatus for compacting refuse as in the body of a rear loader refuse truck having a movable panel which extends across the body as a barrier against which the refuse is compacted by a packer blade. The packer blade is movable through a loading hopper to move the refuse into the rear of the body and to compact it against the panel. The apparatus has an hydraulic system including a pump for supplying fluid at a controlled maximum system pressure, an hydraulic cylinder mechanism for powering the packer blade and a valve which is biased toward neutral and which is manually movable to a power position for supplying fluid to the hydraulic cylinder. The valve has pressure responsive means which hold it in power position and which are deactivated when the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder reaches a level below maximum system pressure.

Abstract: A load compacting and ejecting mechanism for a refuse truck having an open rectangular body and an openable tailgate. An ejector plate extends across the body and is mounted for movement from front to back through the body. The ejector plate has a centrally located compaction plate which is mounted on the ejector plate structure for movement between a front position in which it constitutes a part of the rear face of the ejector plate and a second position rearwardly of the rear face of the ejector plate. A main hydraulic cylinder means extends between and is connected to the front of the body and to the compaction plate. A second hydraulic cylinder means is connected between the main structure of the ejector plate and the compaction plate. A first hydraulic circuit connects the opposite ends of the first cylinder means to a source of hydraulic fluid and includes a control valve for alternatively extending and retracting the main cylinder.

Abstract: A tailgate for a rear loading refuse vehicle. The tailgate has vertical side walls and a hopper-like bottom. There is an upwardly and forwardly inclined guide track in each of the side walls. A slide block is reciprocated in each guide track by one of a pair of packing cylinders which extend along and are spaced laterally from the guide tracks with the bases of the cylinders at the upper ends of the tracks and the ends of their rods connected to the slide blocks. A generally rectangular packer blade is pivotally supported along its upper edge by the guide blocks. A pair of sweep cylinders are pivotally connected at the upper rear corner of the tailgate and their rods are pivotally connected to the packer blade at a point intermediate its upper and lower edges.

Abstract: A side loading refuse truck having a reciprocable ram in the bottom of a loading compartment at the front of the truck for pushing rubbish from the loading compartment through an opening therefrom at the bottom of the rear wall of the loading compartment into a larger rear body section. Hydraulic mechanism moves the ram in short strokes through the loading compartment for packing refuse rearwardly into the larger body section. The body has an openable rear wall. The hydraulic mechanism also can be actuated to move the ram rearwardly through the opening and along the bottom of the larger rear body section to the rear thereof for ejecting refuse from the larger body section. There is a vertical guide track up which at least the greater part of an articulated sliding shield extends when the ram is forward of or in the bottom of the loading compartment.