Garbage collection truck

Abstract

 A garbage collection truck (1), in which the pressing plate (14) for transferring garbage from a collecting chamber (7) defined by a casing (5) to the body (2) is guided for movement in the casing (5) in a manner such as to be almost free from friction and wear. For this purpose, there are provided two pairs of rods (17,18) having opposite ends pivoted respectively on the casing (5) and the pressure plate (14), and forming two articulated quadrilaterals the fixed sides of which are constituted by the casing (5) and the movable sides of which, opposite the fixed sides, are constituted by the plate (14).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a garbage collection truck of the type comprising a body, a casing mounted on the rear of the body and defining a collecting chamber, a passage between the casing and the body, the upper part of which is defined by a dividing wall, a pressing plate for transferring and compacting the garbage from the collecting chamber to the body through the passage, and a device for supporting and guiding the pressing plate within the casing.

[0002] As is known, a pressing plate is used for transferring garbage from the collecting chamber to the body, the plate being supported and guided within the casing and having a plate-shaped pressing appendage articulated thereto.

[0003] The coordinated cyclic movement of the plate and its appendage, driven by suitable drive means, causes the desired transfer of the garbage from the collecting chamber to the body, together with its simultaneous compaction.

[0004] In view of the considerable degree of force required to effect the transfer and particularly the compaction of the garbage, the pressing plate must be supported and guided in a suitably robust manner.

[0005] In garbage collection trucks presently in use, the pressing plate has projections, formed substantially as small pins, which are engaged in guide grooves formed internally along the side walls of the casing.

[0006] Although usually having the necessary strength, these support and guide devices for the pressing plate have certain disadvantages accepted until now out of necessity.

[0007] More particularly, it is found that the pressing plate can jam during its movement because foreign bodies (obviously, the garbage itself) get into the guide grooves. These foreign bodies inevitably resist the free movement of the plate.

[0008] Moreover, this disadvantage can become worse with time because of the inevitable wear of both the pins and the grooves, which is difficult to contain by the usual lubrication due to the attack exerted by the garbage on the sliding surfaces.

[0009] The problem behind the present invention is that of devising a truck of the type specified, which has structural and functional characteristics such as to satisfy the need for strength, while simultaneously overcoming the disadvantages mentioned with reference to the prior art.

[0010] This problem is resolved by a truck of the type specified, which is characterised in that the device for supporting and guiding the plate within the casing comprises at least one pair of rods each having one end pivoted to the casing and the other end pivoted to the pressing plate, and forming with the plate an articulated quadrilateral the fixed side of which is constituted by the casing.

[0011] Further characteristics and advantages of the truck according to the invention will become clearer from the following description of a preferred embodiment given, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially-sectioned side view of a part of a garbage collection truck according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the truck according to the invention;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are side views of the truck of Figure 1 in successive phases of operation.

[0012] With reference to the appended drawings, there is shown only the rear part of a garbage collection truck 1.

[0013] The truck 1 comprises a substantially parallelepiped- shaped body 2 fixed to a chassis 3 provided with wheels 4.

[0014] On the rear of the body 2 is mounted a casing 5 which defines a rear aperture 6 for the introduction of the garbage and a chamber 7 for the collection of the garbage.

[0015] The body and the casing are made from sheet metal of suitable thickness reinforced by suitable ribs.

[0016] In particular, the casing 5 is formed by parallel side walls 8, 9, an upper wall 10,and a lower wall 11 which constitutes the bottom of the chamber.

[0017] Between the casing 5 and the body 2 is a passage 12 the upper part of which is defined by a dividing wall 13 extending sub-vertically downwardly from the upper wall 10 of the casing 5.

[0018] The truck 1 is further provided with a rectangular pressing plate 14 which extends sub-vertically between the side walls 8, 9 of the casing 5 in a position facing the passage 12.

[0019] The pressing plate 14 is provided with a rectangular plate-like pressing appendage 15 which extends between the walls 8, 9 and is articulated along the lower edge of the plate 14.

[0020] The pressing plate 14 is connected to the casing 5 of the truck 1 by a support and guide device, generally indicated 16, which is described below.

[0021] In accordance with the present invention, the device 16 includes a first pair of rods 17, 18 which extend from that part of the plate 14 opposite the passage 12 in a plane perpendicular to the plate 14 at a short distance from the wall 8; each of these rods 17 (18) has one end 17a (18a) pivoted to a support 19 (20) fixed to the wall 8 and its opposite end 17b (19b) pivoted to a support 21 (22) fixed to the pressing plate 14.

[0022] In an entirely similar manner, the device 16 includes amongst other things, a second pair of rods 23, 24 which are identical to the rods 17. 18, are similarly pivoted to the casing and the plate, and extend in a plane a short distance from the wall 9.

[0023] The pivots by which the ends of the rods 17, 18, 19, 20 are articulated to the side walls 8, 9, and the plate 14 have pivot axes perpendicular to the walls 8, 9.

[0024] The pair of rods 17, 18, and also the pair of rods 23, 24, form with the plate 14 respective articulated quadrilaterals, generally indicated 25, 26 respectively, the fixed sides of which are constituted by the respective side walls 8, 9 of the casing 5 and the movable sides of which, opposite the fixed sides, are constituted by the pressing plate 14, which thus effects an arcuate path between the walls 8, 9.

[0025] The movement of the pressing plate 14 in its arcuate path is effected by a pair of identical parallel cylinders 27, 28 located between the rods 17, 18 and the rods 21, 22, and having ends anchored to the upper wall 10 of the casing 5 and the plate 12, respectively. The angular movement of the plate-like pressing appendage 15 relative to the plate 14 is effected by a pair of identical parallel cylinders 29, 30 which are located laterally of the cylinders 27, 28 alongside the respective walls 8, 9, and have ends anchored to the plate 14 and to respective elongations 31, 32 of the appendage 15, the elongations projecting substantially beyond the axis of pivoting with respect to the appendage 15 itself.

[0026] More particularly, the plate 14 is reciprocable under the combined action of the cylinders 27, 28 in an arcuate path, which is approximately sub-vertical and parallel to the dividing wall 13, between a first raised position and the second lowered position.

[0027] Sealing means, generally indicated 33, are provided for preventing garbage from rising up into the space between the dividing wall 13 and the pressing plate 14.

[0028] The sealing means 33 comprise, in particular, a curved portion 34 formed in the plate with its concavity facing the dividing wall 13, and a turned edge 35 formed on the dividing wall 13 substantially in wiping contact with the curved portion 34.

[0029] The plate-like pressing appendage 15 is reciprocable under the combined action of the cylinders 29, 30 between a first angular position in which it forms an angle of about 120° with the side of the plate 14 facing the passage 12, and a second angular position in which it forms an angle of about 220⁰ with the same face.

[0030] The operation of the device 16 according to the invention is described below with reference to an initial condition (see Figure 1) in which the plate 14 and the appendage 15 are both in their first positions. w

[0031] When the chamber 7 is filled with garbage, the appendage 15 is moved into its second position. The plate 14 is then moved into its lowered position, during which the plate-like appendage presses the garbage, compacting it against the lower wall 11 of the casing 5 which forms the bottom of the chamber 7.

[0032] At this point, the appendage 15 is brought back to its first position, executing an angular movement through about 100°, and thus empties the first section 36 of the bottom of the chamber 7 of the garbage which has been compacted there; this section 36 is, to advantage, shaped as an arc of a circle in conformity with the path described by the free edge of the appendage 15.

[0033] Finally, the plate 14 is also brought back to its first position, causing garbage to be emptied from the remaining section 37 of the bottom of the chamber 7 and transported into the body 2 through the passage 12 with a further compacting action. This further section 37 of the bottom of the chamber 7 is, to advantage,shaped with an arcuate profile in conformity with the path described by the free edge of the appendage 15 in its second position as the plate 14 moves along its path.

[0034] The arcuate section 36 and the arcuate section 37 are connected together with continuity and both have their concavities facing inwardly of the chamber 7.

[0035] From the structural and functional characteristics described above, the important advantages of the truck according to.the invention are evident.

[0036] Above all, a movement of the pressing plate has been achieved which is practically without friction and hence without jamming and wear, by virtue of the presence of the support and guide quadrilaterals.

[0037] Moreover, the emptying of the chamber has been improved by virtue of the improved general conformation of its base wall. On this subject, it may be observed that, with suitable proportioning of the articulated quadrilaterals, the two sections constituting the base wall may also easily be made equally tangential to the point of connection, thus further improving the emptying of the bottom of the vessel.

[0038] Finally, a structural simplification and a reduction in the costs of manufacture, operation and maintenance of the truck have also been achieved.

Claims

1. Garbage collection truck (1) comprising a body (2), a casing (5) mounted at the rear of the body (2) and defining a collecting chamber (7), a passage (12) between the casing (5) and the body (2) defined in its upper part by a dividing wall (13), a pressing plate (14) for transferring and compacting garbage from the collecting chamber (7) to the body (2) through the passage (12), and a device (16) for supporting and guiding the plate (14) within the casing (5), characterised in that the device (16) comprises at least one pair of rods (17, 18) each having one end (17a, 18a) pivoted to the casing (5) and the other end (17b, 18b) pivoted to the pressing plate (14), and forming with the plate (14) an articulated quadrilateral (25) the fixed side of which is constituted by the casing (5).

2. Truck according to Claim 1, characterised in that said at least one pair of rods (17, 18) extends from that part of the plate (14) which is opposite the passage (12), and sealing means (33) are provided for.preventing garbage from rising up between the dividing wall (13) and the plate (14).

3. Truck according to Claim 2, characterised in that the sealing means (33) comprise a curved portion (34) of the pressing plate, which has its concavity facing the dividing wall (13), and a turned edge (35) of the dividing wall, which is substantially in wiping contact with the curved portion (34) of the plate (14).

Drawing