Motor-driven garbage truck comprising a detachable container

Claim 1

A refuse container adapted for engagement by a pick-up claw of a tipping apparatus on a motor driven refuse collection truck, said refuse container comprising: a body having a bottom and a continuous sidewall upstanding therefrom which defines an open top at its upper end; a profiled reinforcing member on said body in the region of said open top at its upper end, said profiled reinforcing member providing a receiving pocket adapted for releasable engagement by the pick-up claw of said tipping apparatus, said receiving pocket having an undercut portion having generally triangular configuration of an isosceles triangle with an upwardly directed apex and a generally downwardly flaring beveled profile so as to receive a complementarily triangularly shaped engaging portion of said pick-up claw; and a hinged lid mounted to said body for pivoting about an axis located on a side of said body generally opposite said receiving pocket, said lid opening when said container is tilted to allow refuse contained therein to spill out into the refuse collection truck, such that said container can be easily and securely grasped by said pick-up claw for automatically deporting the contents of said container into said truck and returning the container to the ground without requiring any manual handling of the container.

Claim 10

A method for picking up and emptying a refuse container of its contents and returning said container to a position of rest comprising: (1) providing a refuse container comprising a body having a bottom and a continuous sidewall extending upwardly therefrom which defines an open top at its upper end, and a tipping apparatus, including a gripping arm, on a motor-driven refuse collection truck which comprises a pick-up claw attached to a free end of said gripping arm and adapted to cooperate with the upper end of said refuse container, said refuse container having a profiled reinforcing member on said body near the open top at its upper end, said profiled reinforcing member providing a receiving pocket adapted for releasable engagement by said pick-up claw of said tipping apparatus, said receiving pocket provided with an undercut portion which is complementary to said pick-up claw and has a generally triangular configuration with an upwardly directed apex and downwardly flaring, beveled edges, and said pick-up claw including a plate having a generally triangular shape with an upwardly directed vertex and upper sides forming inwardly tapered, beveled, gripping edges for cooperating with said downwardly flaring, beveled edges of said receiving pocket; (2) inserting said pick-up claw into said receiving pocket and centering said refuse container on said pick-up claw; (3) raising said tipping apparatus and said refuse container over said refuse collection truck and tipping said refuse container and emptying said container of its contents; and (4) lowering said tipping apparatus toward said position of rest, removing said pick-up claw from said receiving pocket and depositing said empty refuse container at said position of rest.

Claim 11

A method for picking up and emptying a refuse container of its contents and returning said container to a position of rest comprising: (1) providing a refuse container comprising a body having a bottom and a continuous sidewall extending upwardly therefrom which defines an open top at its upper end, and a tipping apparatus, including a gripping arm, on a motor-driven refuse collection truck which comprises a pick-up claw attached to a free end of said gripping arm and adapted to cooperate with the upper end of said refuse container, said refuse container having a profiled reinforcing member on said body near the open top at its upper end, said profiled reinforcing member providing a receiving pocket adapted for releasable engagement by said pick-up claw of said tipping apparatus, said receiving pocket provided with an undercut portion which is complementary to said pick-up claw and has a generally triangular configuration with an upwardly directed apex and downwardly flaring, beveled edges, and said pick-up claw including a plate having a generally triangular shape with an upwardly directed vertex and upper sides forming inwardly tapered, beveled, gripping edges for cooperating with said downwardly flaring, beveled edges of said receiving pocket; (2) inserting said pick-up claw into said receiving pocket and centering said refuse container on said pick-up claw; (3) raising said tipping apparatus and said refuse container over said refuse collection truck and tipping said refuse container and emptying said container of its contents; and (4) lowering said tipping apparatus toward said position of rest, removing said pick-up claw from said receiving pocket and depositing said empty refuse container at said position of rest.