Classic Refuse Trucks EMCO

Ebeling Manufacturing Comapny, Inc.
Plainview, Texas

In the wake of the groundbreaking, on-the-job trials of automated refuse loaders carried out in the city of Scottsdale, Arizona during the early 1970's, Ebeling Manufacturing become the first company to market route-ready automated systems to cities across America. The EMCO hoist, a chain-driven lift mechanism, was a variation of the experimental Rapid Rail hoist created by Marc Stragier for the city of Scottsdale. While Scottsdale had used 90 and 300 gallon round plastic containers for residential collections, necessitating a "gripper" arm lift, the EMCO system was designed for their own 1-4 yard rectangular bins. A hook-type coupler was used, eliminating the need for the complex gripper

The following series of photos from the late 1970's shows the EMCO hoist emptying a four yard can in a residential alley collection system. The packer body is a modified H-series side loader by Pak-Mor:

Lift extends horizontally away from truck to engage container

Chain hoist raises container off of ground, retracts horizontally towards truck

Chain hoist lifts can, which is inverted as it follows curve of tracks towards the top

As the EMCO was one of the few commercially available rail lifts available during the mid-seventies, it was selected by Scottsdale to replace some of their existing fleet when that city ceased building their own experimental refuse trucks. Two Pak-Mor barrel trucks with EMCO hoists were purchased in 1977, modified with gripper arms by Government Innovators Inc., the company formed by Marc Stragier which would later be known as Rapid Rail. This kind of 'cross-breeding' among brands was not uncommon in the early years of automated systems.

EMCO had also developed their own round packer body, and was able to supply buyers with either complete automated refuse systems, or individual components which could be custom-tailored to a communities collection needs. The truck pictured below is a good example. This 1977 Chevy cabover is fitted with an EMCO packer and rail lift, with gripper arm made by Rapid Rail:

EMCO packer and hoist with Rapid Rail gripper used by Sydney, Nebraska

Continued...

4/5/09