Container handling apparatus

Claim 1

A container moving and dumping apparatus for use with a movable container having opposed female members on its sidewalls, each of the female members comprising a triangularly enclosed receptacle, said apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending support frame, two opposed shoulder members extending outwardly from said support frame, said support frame including channel means for supporting and guiding said opposed shoulder members, means for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members inwardly and outwardly relative to said support frame, said means including a geared rack connected to each of said shoulder members, an idler pinion mounted on said channel means adjacent said geared racks, said geared racks riding equally and oppositely relative to said idler pinion for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members relative to said support frame and cylinder means for moving said shoulder members, a depending arm attached to each of said shoulder members, a triangular shaped male engaging member pivotally connected adjacent the distal end of each of said depending arms, said male engaging members being movable into and out of the female members of the container, power means for rotating said male engaging member, and a crank member operatively connected between each of said rotatable male engaging members and the distal end of a respective one of said depending arms, said power means comprising a cylinder operatively connected to one of said cranks for rotating the respective male engaging member.