Grabber for a front loader refuse vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11286110-B2
Application number	US-202017035204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 3, 2016
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A grabber assembly has a beam assembly with a bracket. A grabber gear assembly is coupled with the bracket. The grabber gear assembly has a pair of gear mechanisms coupled with the bracket. Each gear mechanism has a shaft and a pair of thrust bearings, one at each end of the shaft. A grabber arm mounting pad is coupled with each shaft. A gear section is coupled with each shaft. The gear sections of each shaft mesh with one another to drive the grabber arm mounting pads. An actuating driver is coupled with one of the shafts to drive the grabber gear assembly and move the arms between an open and grasping position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grabber assembly comprising:
a beam;
a bracket coupled to the beam;
a first grabber arm operatively coupled to a second grabber arm, the first grabber arm comprising:
a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having opposing first and second end portions, the shaft rotatably mounted to the bracket at the first end portion;
a grabber mounting pad supported on the shaft and rotatable with the shaft;
a gear section supported on the second end portion of the shaft and rotatable with the shaft; and
a driver mount connected to the shaft and axially positioned between the bracket and the gear section along the longitudinal axis; and

an actuating driver connected to the shaft through the driver mount, the actuating driver configured to, upon actuation, selectively move in alternative retracted and extended states and drive the shaft of the first grabber arm,
wherein the first grabber arm is configured to drive a shaft of the second grabber arm through the gear section, the shaft of the first grabber arm being offset from the shaft of the second grabber arm in a horizontal direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis, and
wherein at least a portion of the driver mount resides in a space horizontally between the shaft of the first grabber arm and the shaft of the second grabber arm during at least one of the alternative retracted and extended states of the actuating driver.

2. The grabber assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of thrust bearings, one of the thrust bearings residing at each of the two ends of the shaft.

3. The grabber assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the thrust bearings is attached with the bracket on the beam.

4. The grabber assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the thrust bearings comprises a spherical thrust bearing.

5. The grabber assembly of claim 4 , wherein the spherical thrust bearing comprises a housing, an outer ring, and an inner ring, wherein the outer and inner rings reside radially inboard of an outer wall of the housing.

6. The grabber assembly of claim 5 , wherein the spherical thrust bearing further comprises a first fastener connecting the housing to the bracket and a second fastener securing the outer ring on the shaft of the first or second grabber arm.

7. The grabber assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first and second grabber arms is composed of a material including spring steel.

8. The grabber assembly of claim 7 , further comprising first and second belts, each of the first and second belts held in tension by the portion of the first and second grabber arms composed of the material including spring steel.

9. The grabber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuating driver comprises a cushioned cylinder.

10. The grabber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuating driver is configured to linearly extend and retract, and wherein the driver mount is connected to the shaft and the actuating driver such that:
linear extension of the actuating driver drives the shaft through the driver mount to rotate in a first direction that transitions the first grabber arm to an open position; and
linear retraction of the actuating driver drives the shaft through the driver mount to rotate in a second direction that transitions the first grabber arm to a closed position.

11. The grabber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuating driver is secured to the driver mount by a pin engagement, and wherein the driver mount is directly connected to the shaft.

12. An apparatus comprising a refuse container and grabber arm, the apparatus comprising:
a container for receiving refuse;
a grabber assembly for dumping a refuse cart into the container, the grabber assembly comprising:
a beam;
a bracket coupled to the beam;
a first grabber arm operatively coupled to a second grabber arm, the first grabber arm comprising:
a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having opposing first and second end portions, the shaft rotatably mounted to the bracket at the first end portion;
a grabber mounting pad supported on the second end portion of the shaft and rotatable with the shaft;
a gear section supported on the shaft and rotatable with the shaft; and
a driver mount connected to the shaft and axially positioned between the bracket and the gear section along the longitudinal axis; and

an actuating driver connected to the shaft through the driver mount, the actuating driver configured to, upon actuation, selectively move in alternative retracted and extended states and drive the shaft of the first grabber arm,
wherein the first grabber arm is configured to drive a shaft of the second grabber arm through the gear section, the shaft of the first grabber arm being offset from the shaft of the second grabber arm in a horizontal direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis, and
wherein at least a portion of the driver mount resides in a space horizontally between the shaft of the first grabber arm and the shaft of the second grabber arm during at least one of the alternative retracted and extended states of the actuating driver.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a pair of thrust bearings, one of the thrust bearings residing at each of the two ends of the shaft,
wherein at least one of the thrust bearings comprises a spherical thrust bearing comprising a housing, an outer ring, and an inner ring, wherein the outer and inner rings reside radially inboard of an outer wall of the housing, and
wherein the spherical thrust bearing further comprises a first fastener connecting the housing to the bracket and a second fastener securing the outer ring on the shaft of the first or second grabber arm.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the first and second grabber arms is composed of a material including spring steel, and further comprising first and second belts, each of the first and second belts held in tension by the portion of the first and second grabber arms composed of the material including spring steel.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the actuating driver is configured to linearly extend and retract, and wherein the driver mount is connected to the shaft and the actuating driver such that:
linear extension of the actuating driver drives the shaft through the driver mount to rotate in a first direction that transitions the first grabber arm to an open position; and
linear retraction of the actuating driver drives the shaft through the driver mount to rotate in a second direction that transitions the first grabber arm to a closed position.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the actuating driver is secured to the driver mount by a pin engagement, and wherein the driver mount is directly connected to the shaft.

17. A refuse vehicle comprising:
a chassis with a cab and a primary collecting container and a drive train for moving the refuse vehicle;
front loading arms on the refuse vehicle;
a container for receiving refuse, the container coupled to the front loading arms;
a grabber assembly for dumping a refuse cart into the container, the grabber assembly comprising:
a beam;
a bracket coupled to the beam;
a first grabber arm operatively coupled to a second grabber arm, the first grabber arm comprising:
a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having opposing first and second end portions, the shaft rotatably mounted to the bracket at the first end portion;
a grabber mounting pad supported on the shaft and rotatable with the shaft;
a gear section supported on the second end portion of the shaft and rotatable wit

Assignees

• Heil Co

Inventors

• Hund Jr Henry Michael

Classifications

• B65F2003/0276

  capable of moving towards or away from the vehicle · CPC title

• B65F3/041 Primary

  Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers · CPC title

• B65F2003/023

  Gripper arms for embracing the receptacle · CPC title

• B65F3/04

  Linkages, pivoted arms, or pivoted carriers for raising and subsequently tipping receptacles · CPC title

• B65F2003/0283

  between the cab and the collection compartment · CPC title