US3501192A - Lifting containers - Google Patents

Description

1 March 7. 1970 H. T AX 3,501,192

LI'FTING CONTAINERS Eiled Nov. 21, 19s? t 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR Hans j Ayn;

March17,1970 'HLTAX 3,501,192

LIFTING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 21. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Hans Tax United States Patent Ofifice 3,501,192 Patented Mar. 17, 1970 Int. Cl. B66c 1/00, 5/02 US. Cl. 294-67 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The specification describes freight container lifting equipment having a number of different sizes of spreaders for different-sized containers and a single adapter frame for carrying the spreaders.

The invention relates to lifting equipment for freight containers.

In order to connect freight containers to lifting means such as a block and tackle system, it is a known practice to use horizontal frames, also known as spreaders, connected both with the ropes of the block and tackle system or systems and, by means of releasable couplers, with the container. There are various types of standardized containers, for instance having lengths of 3.10 m., 6.20 m., 9.30 m., 10.85 m., and 12.40 m., the breadth and height being standard (2.44 m.). These different types of containers require different lifting frames or Spreaders. Up till now this has meant that for each different size of container a different lifting apparatus has been used. However with the increase in popularity of containers the need has arisen to use one and the same type of lifting equipment for containers of different dimensions.

Accordingly one object of the present invention is to make possible the lifting and lowering of containers by means of one and the same type of lifting equipment.

A more particular object of the invention is to make this possible in the case of known lifting equipment systems in which a lifting rope means is connected with a lifting frame or spreader having container couplers.

In accordance with one form of the invention the rope means at its end adjacent to the container is connected with an intermediate adapter frame which is provided with suitable mechanical couplings by which it may be connected with different sizes of lifting frames or Spreaders, means being provided for connecting, between the adapter frame and the lifting frame, control leads and power supply lines for operating power-operated servo means and control devices, respectively on the lifting frame.

Since in the container conveying and loading equipment field it is important that rapid operation should be possible and that the equipment should be able to be quickly adapted to suit different types of containers, I provide, in accordance with a further advantageous feature of my invention that the mechanical couplings between the adapter frame and the lifting or spreader frame, and/or the couplings between the power line or lines are self-locking. Or alternatively, or in addition, I provide, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, that the couplings are remotely controlled, that is to say made so that the operator can operate the couplings without leaving his working position.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, which has been found to be particularly useful in practice, the couplings between the adapter frames and the lifting or spreader frame, and the coupling means for the power line and the servo means on the spreader frame are so made that they come into engagement automatically on moving the adapter frame onto the spreader or lifting frame, that is to say without special manual manipulation.

It is possible to reduce the number of container spreader frames necessary for a number ofdifferentcontainer types if the adapter frame is so made that it can be used additionally itself as a lifting frame, that is to say used without an additional lifting frame, for one of the container types to be handled. In this case the mechanical coupling means for serving to connect the adapter frame with spreader or lifting frames are made in the form of container couplers, that is to say couplers that can conmet the adapter frame directly with one type of container.

In order that my invention may be readily intelligible to those in the art, one embodiment of it is now described with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a container loading crane constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 shows the adapter frame and container lifting frame or spreader in lifting equipment in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 1 shows a container lifting crane in such detail as to enable it to be readily understood by lifting equipment engineers for the purposes of the present invention. The crane, which is denoted by the general reference numeral 10 includes a horizontal bridge beam 12 along which a travelling hoist 14 runs in a horizontal direction for the movement of the container from one position to another. The travelling hoist carries the upper pulleys 16 of block and tackle units whose ropes 20 run down to the lower pulleys 22 of an intermediate adapter frame 24. The latter is a rigid, rectangular structure, connected by means of mechanical couplings 26 with the central portion of a rigid container lifting frame or spreader 28 of elongated, rectangular shape which in turn is connected with the sealed container 32 by means of couplers 30.

FIG. 2 shows the fixed, but releasable connection of the adapter frame 24 with the container lifting frame 28 in. detail. The adapter frame 24 has lugs 34 which are connected by means of studs or pins 36 with the container lifting frame. The container couplers, 30, which are of known construction, are provided at the four corners of the frame 28. These couplers are operated by servo motors which are supplied with power by means of a power line 38. This power line is provided with the coupling 40.

The position of the mechanical coupling means between the adapter and lifting frames and of the disconnectable coupling 40 in the power supply line makes a rapid disconnection of the adapter frame 24 from a particular spreader frame a simple and rapid operation. Ifseparate control leads are provided for the servo operated couplers 30, these leads can also have coupling means. The block and tackle units having ropes 20 are arranged to be operated in synchronism so that the adapter frame 24 remains parallel to itself as it is moved up and down.

I claim:

1. A lifting apparatus for closed freight containers comprising, in combination:

(a) a support;

(b) a rigid, elongated, rectangular lifting frame;

(0) a rigid, rectangular adapter frame;

(d) hoist means attached to said support for moving said adapter frame in a vertical direction, and in cluding a plurality of rope members attached to said adapter frame;

(e) releasable coupling means for coupling a portion of said lifting frame intermediate the longitudinal ends thereof to said adapter frame in fixed spatial relationship so that the frames, when in the coupled 3 4 condition, move as a unit when said adapter frame References Cited is moved by said hoist means; (f) electrically operated coupler means on said lifting UNITED STATES PATENTS frame for attaching said lifting frame to a closed 2,070,586 2/1937 Fltch' 29467 container to be lift d; and 2,946,617 7/1960 Tantllnger 29467 (g) releasable means for connecting said coupler means 5 3 4/ 1965 Baudhum 21214 to a source of electric current.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said HARVEY HORNSBY Pnmary Exammcr support includes a horizontally extending bridge member, U S C1 X R said hoist means being mounted on said bridge member for horizontal movement. 1O

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