Presses – Reciprocating press construction – Oscillatory or hinged platen or piston
Patent
1992-05-21
1995-04-04
Gerrity, Stephen F.
Presses
Reciprocating press construction
Oscillatory or hinged platen or piston
100256, 100270, 100288, 4145255, B30B 124, B30B 700
Patent
active
054027160
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refuse packer assembly.
More particularly, the invention relates to an assembly for packing refuse emptied from a bin into a larger refuse storage chamber. Preferably, the refuse packer assembly and refuse storage chamber are mounted on a refuse collection vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known to construct refuse packer assemblies of a type employing a paddle or blade adapted to be horizontally oscillatable through about 180.degree. so as to sweep refuse from a collection bay to a larger refuse storage chamber mounted on a vehicle. The pivot axis of the paddle may be coupled to a crank plate having a pair of opposed crank arms and each of which are linked to hydraulic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders are actuated in a synchronized angularly reciprocating manner so as to drive the paddle through its sweep.
However, these assemblies may generate a variable torque on the paddle as a result of the changing perpendicular distance between pivot axis and line of force applied by the cylinders during a paddle sweep, and this may be disadvantageous where a small torque is generated on the paddle but a higher torque is required to move a load.
Furthermore, the reciprocating cylinders may stall at mid stroke of the paddle where the ends of their piston strokes coincide and there is insufficient momentum to continue their angular travel. It is also disadvantageous that the cylinders are mounted externally of the paddle housing.
The complexity of cylinders and linkage means and the reliance placed upon their operation in effecting oscillation of the paddle has meant that prior art packer assemblies are difficult to maintain, heavy and prone to failure.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the disadvantages of the prior art.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a refuse packer assembly for sweeping refuse from a loading bay to a storage chamber, comprising a paddle located within said loading bay, a shaft rotatably supporting said paddle, said shaft including pinion means, first and second rack means adapted to meshingly engage said pinion means at opposite sides thereof, and power means for oscillatably driving each of the rack means with oppositely directed strokes, whereby the first and second rack means co-operate with the pinion means to rotatably oscillate the paddle about the shaft and sweep refuse to the storage chamber.
Preferably, the paddle is dished at both sides thereof.
Preferably, the shaft, the first and second rack means and the power means are mounted on a shared mounting.
Preferably, the power means are driven by hydraulic fluid circulating in a hydraulic circuit.
Preferably, the hydraulic fluid drives opposed hydraulic cylinders, operable so that the opposed cylinders oscillatably drive the rack means.
Preferably, each of the rack means of the refuse packer assembly is laterally engaged against a resistance cylinder adapted to oppose the side load exerted on the rack means by its meshing engagement with the pinion means.
Preferably, the ends of sweep stroke of the paddle are set by a pair of limit switches disposed in the loading bay.
Preferably, the limit switches are disposed so that the paddle is rotatably oscillatable about 200.degree..
Preferably, a threshold pressure sensor is located in the hydraulic circuit so as to sense an immoveable load in the loading bay and cause the limit switch operation to be overridden.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a preferred refuse packer assembly,
FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a portion of the actuating assembly for the packer assembly of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 shows a mounting for the actuating assembly of the packer assembly of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 shows a partially cut away top view showing internal detail of the actuating assembly for the packer assembly of
REFERENCES:
patent: 2263199 (1941-11-01), Wachter et al.
patent: 3134321 (1964-05-01), Loehnert
patent: 3220577 (1965-11-01), Laverne
patent: 3685437 (1972-08-01), Panning
Gerrity Stephen F.
Matrik Pty. Ltd.
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