US How a bin lift works
A bin lift, or bin lifter, is the powered mechanism on a refuse collection vehicle (RCV) that empties wheeled bins into the vehicle’s hopper. The crew wheels a bin to the lift, the lift grips it, raises and inverts it over the hopper, shakes the contents out and lowers it back to the kerb. Emptying hundreds of bins a day by hand would be slow and unsafe, so the bin lift does the heavy work.
Most lifts are hydraulic, driven from the vehicle’s power take-off, with an electronic controller that sequences the lift, tip and return. On a rear loader the lift sits below the hopper sill; side loaders use an arm that reaches out to the bin, and front loaders handle large commercial containers with forks.
The term is also used for the stand-alone bin tippers used in factories and kitchens, and in the USA for small goods lifts. This page covers the vehicle-mounted type.
Electric refuse vehicles are changing the lift too. With no diesel engine running at each stop, many electric RCVs drive the lift and compaction from the traction battery through an electric pump or fully electric actuators, which cuts noise on early morning rounds. The lift still works the same way for the crew, but its power use now counts against the vehicle’s range.
Types of bin lift
Bin lifts are grouped by how they grip the bin, which depends on the bin sizes the vehicle collects. Wheeled bins are standardized in EN 840, so a lift built for one make of bin fits the others.
| Lift type | Bins handled | How it grips |
|---|---|---|
| Comb lift | Two-wheeled bins, typically 120 to 360 L | A comb engages the lip under the bin’s front rim |
| Trunnion lift | Four-wheeled bins, typically 660 to 1,100 L | Arms engage the trunnions on the bin’s sides |
| Combined lift | Both, on one vehicle | A comb for small bins with trunnion arms that fold out |
| Split or twin lift | Two small bins at once, or one large | Two independent combs that can lock together |
| Side-loader arm | Two-wheeled bins placed at the kerb | A gripper on an arm, worked from the cab |
Split lifts let two crew members empty two bins at once, which is why they are common on high-density domestic rounds.
Safety on a bin lift
A bin lift moves a heavy load next to people and next to a compaction mechanism, so it is tightly regulated. In Europe, EN 1501-1 covers rear-loaded refuse collection vehicles and EN 1501-5 covers their lifting devices. The standards set out controls, guarding, stop functions and how the lift behaves around the crew.
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Hold-to-run controls. The lift moves only while a control is held, so it stops when the operator lets go.
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Two-position or auto cycles. Automatic cycles are allowed only with safeguards that keep people clear of the danger zone.
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Emergency stops. Stop buttons on both sides of the rear of the vehicle and in the cab.
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Presence detection. Sensors and cameras can stop the lift or the vehicle when someone is in the wrong place.
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Riding restrictions. Crew are not allowed to ride on the rear step while the vehicle reverses.
Weighing, identification and cameras
Modern lifts do more than tip. On-board weighing records the weight of each bin as it is lifted, which supports trade waste billing and pay-as-you-throw schemes. An RFID reader on the lift identifies each bin by its tag, so the system knows which address was emptied and when. Both feed the vehicle’s on-board computer and on to the council or contractor’s back office.
Cameras add a further layer. Detecting and tracking each bin as the vehicle approaches lets the system confirm collections, flag contaminated recycling and help the lift meet the bin at the right height and distance, which speeds up each lift and reduces strain on the crew. Our refuse collection vehicle case study shows a fanless in-vehicle computer running that detection.
The computers on a refuse vehicle
Refuse collection is a hard life for electronics: constant stop and start, hydraulic vibration, washdown, dirt and cold mornings. Computers on the vehicle run weighing and RFID software, route and collection records, camera recording and, increasingly, AI detection.
That calls for sealed, fanless systems with wide DC input, ignition control and enough camera inputs for the rear, sides and lift. Our in-vehicle computers are built for that mix of power, vibration and camera work.
Quick answers on bin lifts
Bin lifts: common questions
What is the difference between a comb and a trunnion lift?
The bin size they grip. A comb lift engages the front rim of two-wheeled bins; a trunnion lift grips the side pins of large four-wheeled bins. Many vehicles combine both.
How much can a bin lift carry?
It depends on the lift. Lifts are rated for the bins they handle, from small domestic bins to fully loaded 1,100 L containers. Check the manufacturer’s rating for the heaviest bin on the round.
Can a bin lift weigh each bin?
Yes, with on-board weighing. Load cells or pressure sensors in the lift weigh each bin during the lift and log it against the address, often with an RFID tag read.
Who makes bin lifts?
Specialist lift makers and body builders. Bin lifts are usually supplied with the refuse body by the vehicle body builder, or fitted by specialist lift manufacturers.
Are bin lifts automatic?
Partly. Many lifts run an automatic cycle once started, but the crew positions the bin and starts the cycle, and the safety systems stop it if someone is in the danger zone.
We supply in-vehicle computers for refuse vehicles with the operating system, camera inputs and ignition settings configured as standard, and test each system before it ships. Send us your camera count and vehicle supply and we will specify the build.