[0001] The invention relates to a device for emptying refuse bins in a collecting container,
whereby at least one loading device is provided for picking up a refuse bin and whereby
a safety arm is provided at at least one side of the loading device, the safety arm
being moveable between an active position and a rest position, whereby in the active
position the safety arm laterally shields the movement area of the loading device,
and whereby in the rest position the safety arm does not shield the movement area.
[0002] The invention will primarily be applied with refuse collecting vehicles, where refuse
bins are emptied in a collecting container. To fulfil the present safety requirements
according to the norm EN-1501-1, the movement area of an automatic or semi-automatic
loading device must be shielded laterally against inadvertent persons, so that these
persons can not be present within the movement area of the loading device during the
loading operation and thereby be jammed under the refuse bins.
[0003] Rigid (permanent) safety arms, moveable safety arms as well as contactless detection
elements are used to fulfil these safety requirements.
[0004] To avoid any inconvenience from the extended safety arms when waste is transferred
manually into the hopper and because of traffic related reasons, it is desirable that
the safety arms can be brought in a position where they do not extend and do not cause
any inconvenience whereby in said position they do not shield the movement area of
the loading device. The complete safety device must ensure that the automatic or semi-automatic
loading device can not be used when the safety arms are located in the non-shielding
position (rest position).
[0005] The European Patent application EP0156445 (Zoller-Kipper) describes different embodiments
of such a refuse collecting vehicle provided with moveable safety arms. The safety
arm is pivotally connected adjacent to the loading device and can be unfolded downwardly
from its upper rest position to its backwardly extended active position. In the active
position the safety arm activates a switch which allows the automatic or semi-automatic
use of the loading device. When the safety arm is raised and the switch is de-activated,
the switch is blocking the control circuit of the loading device, so that an automatic
or semi-automatic operation becomes impossible.
[0006] Another embodiment is described in the European Patent application EP0962401 (Geesink).
The safety arm is pivotally connected adjacent to the loading device and can be unfolded
downwardly from its upper rest position to its backwardly extended active position.
In the non-active position the safety arm actuates a switch which controls a locking
member adjacent to the pick-up member of the loading device whereby this locking member
prevents that refuse bins can be picked up by the pick-up member. In order to operate
with the loading device the safety arms must be brought in their shielding position.
[0007] The disadvantage of the known devices is that, with automatic use of the loading
device conscious or unconscious sabotage of the switches can lead to very dangerous
situations for the operators or for passengers. Moreover the use of switches can result
in disturbances and is expensive.
[0008] The purpose of the invention is to provide a loading device which eliminates the
drawbacks of the known devices.
[0009] This purpose is achieved by a device for emptying refuse bins in a collecting container,
whereby at least one loading device is provided for picking up a refuse bin and whereby
a safety arm is provided at at least one side of the loading device, the safety arm
being moveable between an active position and a rest position, whereby in the active
position the safety arm laterally shields the movement area of the loading device,
and whereby in the rest position the safety arm does not shield the movement area,
whereby the safety arm comprises a part which is pivotable around a horizontal axis,
whereby in the rest position said part is located on or within the path of the operating
loading device, and whereby in the active position said part is located outside the
path of the operating loading device, such that, when the safety arm is in the rest
position it will be forced towards the shielding active position by the operation
of the loading device.
[0010] The advantage is that as opposed to the device described in the NL patent 8902431
(Terberg), the safety arms are located in a vertical position, pivoting around a horizontal
axis, such that in the rest position the safety arms are located at the sides of the
refuse collecting vehicle. The advantage of the vertically located safety arms is
that they do not cause any inconveniences when the refuse collecting vehicle is used
without the loading device. Hereby the refuse collecting vehicle remains multi functional
for the collection of gross garbage, refuse bags etc. Moreover, within the same width
of a standard refuse collecting vehicle the loading device can be built with a greater
width, such that wider and larger refuse pieces can be collected in the refuse collecting
vehicle.
[0011] The location on the safety arms of the control buttons of the loading device and/or
the compacting device has the advantage that due to the vertical rest position of
the safety arms said buttons cannot be damaged when refuse bags or gross garbage are
thrown in the collecting container; throwing in of the refuse is not troubled either
by the position of the control buttons.
[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided a guide plate,
such that the movement of the guide plate from the downwardly collapsed rest position
towards an upwardly extended position will force the safety arm from its rest position
towards its shielding active position.
[0013] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided a guide
plate whereby the control buttons of the guide plate are located on the safety arm.
[0014] The advantage hereof is that in the first place the operator will manually bring
the safety arm to its shielding active position, before bringing the guide plate to
the upwardly extended position. This prevents that the loading device forces the safety
arm unexpectedly towards its shielding active position.
[0015] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention a spring actuates the
safety arm such that the spring can force the safety arm towards its shielding active
position.
[0016] The advantage hereof is that the movement of the safety arm towards its shielding
active position occurs gradually and that it ensures also that the safety arm is brought
to the shielding active position. Moreover the movement of the guide plate occurs
more smoothly than the movement of the loading device. Hereby the movement of the
safety arms towards their shielding active position also occurs more smoothly.
[0017] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the loading device comprises
a start button which initiates an automatic loading cycle and in that the downwardly
collapsed guide plate at least partially shields the non-operating loading device,
so that said start button becomes inaccessible.
[0018] The advantage hereof is that the loading device cannot be operated automatically
when the guide plate is not in its upwardly extended position, because the start button
(which initiates the loading device) is inaccessible. When the guide plate is moved
to its upwardly extended position the safety arms will be forced towards their shielding
active position.
[0019] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the safety arm is provided
with sensors which can detect the position of the safety arm, such that a warning
signal is generated when the safety arm is still in the rest position and the loading
device is raised.
[0020] The advantage hereof is that the operator is warned about the automatic lowering
of the safety arms towards their shielding active position.
[0021] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the safety arm is provided
with sensors which can detect the position of the safety arm, such that the upward
movement of the loading device will be blocked when the safety arm is still in the
rest position.
[0022] The advantage hereof is that the mechanical safety device according to the invention
is completed by an electronic safety device. Hereby the unexpected and forced movement
of the safety arms towards their shielding position is prevented. Sabotage of the
sensors will not lead to the non-fulfilment of the safety norms, because the mechanical
safety device will continue to fulfil the norms. As a consequence there is provided
a double safety system.
[0023] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, safety arms as described
here above, are provided both at the left side and at the right side of the loading
device, whereby both safety arms are connected with each other.
[0024] The advantage hereof is that when one safety arm is manually moved to its active
shielding position, the other safety arm will automatically follow and will also move
to its active shielding position.
[0025] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the loading device is
provided with means to identify the refuse bins and with means to weigh the contents
of the refuse bins.
[0026] The invention will be explained in more detail in the following description of an
exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawing, in which:
- Figure 1: A schematic side view of the rear part of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader)
with the safety arm in its active shielding position;
- Figure 2: A schematic side view of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader) with the
safety arm in its rest position;
- Figure 3: A schematic rear view of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader) with the
safety arm in its rest position;
- Figure 4: A schematic side view of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader) with the
safety arm in the rest position and the guide plate in the downwardly collapsed position,
when the loading device is not operating;
- Figure 5: A schematic side view of the rear part of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader)
with the safety arm in the active shielding position and the guide plate in the upwardly
extended position, when the loading device is operating;
- Figure 6: A schematic rear view of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader) with the
safety arm in the rest position and the guide plate in the downwardly collapsed position,
when the loading device is not operating.
[0027] The figures show only the rear part of a refuse collecting vehicle (type rear-loader)
according to the invention.
[0028] In a first embodiment according to the invention, the figures 1,2 and 3 show a refuse
collecting vehicle (1) suitable for the transport of refuse, whereby the refuse collecting
vehicle (1) is provided with a hopper (2) which is accessible via a loading opening
(3).
[0029] As known the refuse is collected in refuse bins, which are emptied by means of the
loading device (4) in the hopper (2) via the loading opening (3). The loading device
(4) comprises a hydraulic lift cylinder (5) and a pick-up device (7) supported by
a rod mechanism, whereby the pick-up device (7) can be hooked behind the edge of a
refuse bin to be emptied.
[0030] The loading device (4) is provided with a safety arm (8a, 8b) both at the left and
at the right side; these safety arms (8a, 8b) shield laterally the movement area of
the loading device (4) against inadvertent persons, so that these persons can not
be present within the movement area of the loading device during the loading operation.
[0031] Each safety arm (8a, 8b) consists of a beam (9) which is pivotally connected to a
fixed beam (11) by means of a pivot (10) having a horizontal pivotal axis; the fixed
beam (11) is fixed to the refuse collecting vehicle (1).
[0032] The safety arms (8a, 8b) can be moved between a rest position and a shielding active
position. As shown in figure 1 the shielding active position is the position wherein
the safety arms (8a, 8b) shield laterally the movement area of the loading device
(4). The safety arms are then located outside the path (A) of the main arm (6) of
the operating loading device (4). As shown in the figures 2 and 3 the rest position
is the position wherein the movement area of the loading device (4) is not shielded
and wherein the safety arms (8a, 8b) are located within the path (A) of the main arm
(6) of the operating loading device (4).
[0033] By the actuation of a start button (not shown in the figure) which is located on
the loading device (4), an automatic loading cycle is initiated. The lift cylinder
(5) will move after the start of the operation of the loading device (4). Hereby the
main arm (6) moves upwardly and automatically forces the safety arms (8a, 8b) downwardly
towards their shielding active position.
[0034] The movement of the safety arms (8a, 8b) from the rest position towards the shielding
active position and vice versa, is indicated by the arrow (B), whereby the safety
arms (8a, 8b) are upwardly and downwardly pivoted over an angle of about 90° degrees.
[0035] As shown in the figures 1 and 2 the safety arms (8a, 8b) are provided with a panel
(12) which comprises control buttons (13) for the operation of the loading device
(4).
[0036] The operator is expected to move the safety arms (8a, 8b) manually towards the active
shielding position. However, even after sabotage or disturbances there will never
be created a situation wherein the loading device (4) can operate automatically or
semi-automatically whereby the movement area of the loading device (4) is not shielded
laterally by the safety arms (8a, 8b).
[0037] According to a second embodiment of the invention, and as shown in the figures 4,5
and 6 the refuse collecting vehicle (1) comprises a safety arm (8a, 8b) at the left
and at the right side of the loading device (4) whereby the safety arms (8a, 8b) are
interacting with the position of the guide plate (14); the guide plate (14) ensures
the minimum distance (as prescribed by the norms) towards the press, which compresses
the refuse in the collecting refuse vehicle, and also guides the refuse from the refuse
bin to the hopper (2). When refuse is to be collected in the refuse collecting vehicle
(1) without use of the loading device (4), it is necessary that the guide plate (14)
is collapsed downwardly so that a freely accessible loading opening (3) is created.
[0038] In the rest position, as shown in the figures 4 and 6, the safety arms (8a, 8b) are
located within the path (A) of the main arm (6) of the operating loading device and
the guide plate (14) covers the loading device (4), so that it is impossible to hang
up a refuse bin onto the pick-up device (7) of the loading device (4). The buttons
for initiating the automatic loading cycle are also located under the downwardly collapsed
guide plate (14) so that these buttons cannot be actuated by a refuse bin. In order
to use the loading device (4) and to make the start button accessible, the guide plate
(14) has to be moved towards its upwardly extended position either manually or by
its own lift cylinder (not shown) after actuation of the control buttons (13). The
upward movement of the guide plate (14) causes the safety arm (8) to move downwardly
towards its shielding active position, as shown in figure 5. The safety arms (8a,
8b) are then located outside the path (A) of the main arm (6) of the operating loading
device (4).
[0039] The guide plate (14) can force the safety arms (8a,8b) into the shielding active
position or otherwise after disconnection of the elements (15) a spring (16) will
move the safety arm (8) towards its shielding active position. By this embodiment
the safety arms (8) are moved automatically towards the shielding active position
by the upward movement of the guide plate (14).
[0040] According to another embodiment of the invention (not shown) the control button of
the guide plate is located on the safety arm. This stimulates the operator to bring
the safety arm manually towards its shielding active position, before moving the guide
plate towards the upwardly extended position; hereafter the start button can be actuated
to initiate the automatic loading cycle. As the safety arms have already been put
manually in their active shielding position, they will not unexpectedly be forced
towards that position. This enhances the safe use of the loading device with its safety
arms.
[0041] The measures described here above lead to an optimal safety: a reliable safety device
for an automatic loading device of a refuse collecting vehicle is achieved by mechanical
means. Additional safety can be achieved if the safety arms are provided with sensors
which can detect the position of the safety arm. When the safety arms are in the rest
position and the loading device is raised (either automatically, semi-automatically
or manually) a warning signal can be generated. Hereby the operator is warned about
the automatic downward movement of the safety arms towards the active shielding position.
[0042] Additional safety can also be achieved by the provision of sensors which can detect
the position of the safety arm, and whereby these sensors are blocking the movement
of the loading device, when the safety arms are not yet in the active shielding position.
1. Device for emptying refuse bins in a collecting container, whereby at least one loading
device (4) is provided for picking up a refuse bin and whereby at at least one side
of the loading device (4) a safety arm (8) is provided which is moveable between an
active position, in which the safety arm (8) laterally shields the movement area of
the loading device (4), and a rest position in which the safety arm (8) does not shield
said area, characterized in that the safety arm (8) comprises a part which is pivotable around a horizontal axis,
which in the rest position said part is located on or within the path of the operating
loading device (4), and which in the active position said part is located outside
the path of the operating loading device (4), such that, when the safety arm (8) is
in the rest position, the safety arm (8) will be forced towards the shielding active
position by the operation of the loading device (4).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a guide plate (14) is provided, which can bring the safety arm (8) from the rest
position into the shielding active position by bringing said guide plate (14) from
a downwardly collapsed rest position towards an upwardly extended active position.
3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a guide plate (14) is provided, whereby the control buttons (13) of the guide plate
(14) are located on the safety arm (8).
4. Device according to any one of claims 1 up to and including 3, characterized in that a spring (16) actuates the safety arm (8) such that the spring (16) can force the
safety arm (8) towards the shielding active position.
5. Device according to any one of claims 1 up to and including 4, characterized in that the loading device (4) comprises a start button which initiates an automatic loading
cycle and that the downwardly collapsed guide plate (14) shields at least partially
the non-operating loading device (4), so that said start button becomes inaccessible.
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 up to and including 5, characterized in that the safety arm (8) is provided with sensors which can detect the position of the
safety arm (8), such that when raising the loading device (4), a warning signal is
generated when the safety arm (8) is still in the rest position.
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 up to and including 6, characterized in that the safety arm (8) is provided with sensors which can detect the position of the
safety arm (8), such that when raising the loading device (4) the upward movement
of the loading device (4) will be blocked when the safety arm (8) is still in the
rest position.
8. Device according to any one of claims 1 up to and including 7, characterized in that at the left side of the loading device (4) a safety arm (8a) and at the right side
of the loading device a safety arm (8b) according to any of the preceding claims are
provided, whereby said safety arms (8a, 8b) are connected with each other.
9. Device according to any one of claims 1 up to and including 8, characterized in that the loading device (4) is provided with means to identify the refuse bins and to
weigh the contents of the refuse bins.