Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Conveyor
Patent
1992-04-24
1994-06-28
Huppert, Michael S.
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Conveyor
414406, 41452551, 414679, 100233, B65F 314, B30B 700
Patent
active
053241614
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates generally to material handling apparatus and more particularly, though not exclusively, to apparatus suitable for handling refuse.
One type of known refuse handling apparatus includes a loading mechanism which feeds refuse to a holding receptacle whenever the refuse is compressed or compacted by a ram or press which forms part of the loading mechanism. Such apparatus is usually mounted on a truck or like vehicle and can be used in the collection of domestic refuse. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,529, 3,881,613, 4,050,594, 4,298,306, 4,637,306 and 4,786,228. Devices of this type suffer from the disadvantage that they are generally complicated and, as a result, expensive and difficult to maintain.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved material handling apparatus which is relatively simple in construction and has relatively low maintenance.
According to the present invention there is provided material handling apparatus which is suitable for use with a holding receptacle the apparatus comprising a charging hopper having a first opening through which material can be loaded into the charging hopper and a second opening through which material can be discharged from the charging hopper said second opening being disposed below said first opening when the apparatus is in use, characterized in that the apparatus further includes a control member having a work head which is mounted for movement within said charging hopper about a pivot axis which extends generally laterally with respect to the normal upright operative position of the apparatus, the control member being pivotally movable about the pivot axis between a first position in which the work head is spaced from and disposed above the second opening, and a second position in which the work head is adjacent or within the second opening.
Thus the work head of the apparatus of the invention operates in a simple pendulum fashion and this in conjunction with the positioning of the openings enables material to pass under the influence of gravity from the first opening towards the second opening.
The arrangement is such that pivotal movement of the work head from the first to the second position causes material within the hopper to be pushed by the work head through the second opening. When the apparatus is in use with a holding receptacle the material discharged through the second opening from the hopper is arranged to enter the holding receptacle and is capable of being compacted within the holding receptacle by the work head.
The charging hopper may comprise a curved guide surface therein which extends between the first and second openings so as to define a slide for directing material towards the second opening. Desirably the curved guide surface is generally complementary to the arc of movement of the work head between the first and second positions, with the work head being disposed adjacent the guide wall surface and in close proximity thereto during movement between the first and second positions.
This arrangement greatly assists in ensuring that material which is fed to the apparatus via the first opening is efficiently transferred to the second opening.
The hopper may take any suitable form and in one advantageous arrangement comprises a side wall and a base wall with the first opening being in a top portion of the charging hopper and the second opening being disposed in the side wall in a region adjacent the base wall at a lower section thereof. The base wall may have the curved guide surface thereon. The control member may be arranged to pivot about the pivot axis which in one form is disposed above the second opening and generally in the same vertical plane. The work head may comprise a block having a front wall, a top wall and side walls, the front wall being arranged to push the material through the second opening and where necessary compact the material within the receptacle. The side walls may have a curved lower edge which is complementary to the curve guide surface the
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Gordon Stephen
Huppert Michael S.
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