FR3080106A1 - UNIT FOR THE TRANSPORT OF STEEL COILS - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a unit (1) for the intermodal transport of steel coils, comprising a plate (2) having a shape and dimensions suitable for loading on a means of transport by rail, road, sea or air, said plate (2) comprising: - at least one pit (3) for accommodating at least one coil, - means for allowing said coil to be secured to said plate (2), - means for enabling its attachment to a structure dedicated means of said means of transport, as well as - means designed to allow its handling by means of a hoist, and - means designed to allow the stacking of a plurality of units (1).

Description

Unit for transporting steel coils

The present invention relates to the field of transport of steel coils and intends to propose a solution to simplify intermodality.

At present, at the end of their manufacturing process, these coils are currently available in different weights, diameters and lengths, making it possible to best meet the needs of the processing industries.

Conventionally, they are routed to the latter, sometimes very far from their place of production, by successive means of transport using road, rail, or even sea or air routes, and using specifically equipped vehicles or vessels for this purpose.

Thus, the latter must comply with the recommendations imposed by the manufacturers and are systematically equipped with stabilization pits and lashing systems, making it possible to immobilize the coils throughout their journey, in order to ensure safe transport. , taking into account their weight and their large size.

However, to date, trailers fitted with ditches with which heavy goods vehicles specializing in the transport of steel coils are neither removable nor compatible with the chassis of freight train wagons specialized in the same activity, nor with containers that can be transported by ships or planes, and vice versa.

This has the disadvantage, each time a change in the mode of transport is necessary, of having to handle each of the coils installed on a first means of transport individually to install them one after the other on the different means of transport. next. This operation can only be carried out using suitable equipment, piloted by specialized operators. In addition, each of the coils being individually stowed, many particularly tedious operations of lashing and de-lashing are also required until the departure of the next convoy.

In addition, certain steel coils of particular dimensions, may require specific transport equipment, implying storage pending their next implementation, which consequently supposes having a dedicated space.

Another disadvantage of existing steel coil transport solutions is related to the fact that after the unloading of the latter, vehicles dedicated to this activity are generally obliged to return empty to the place coil manufacturing, which poses an obvious problem in terms of profitability. Indeed, chassis or trailers fitted with pits make it impossible to transport goods of a different nature on this route.

The present invention therefore aims to overcome these various drawbacks, in order to improve the profitability of transporting steel coils, to simplify the working conditions of operators, while preserving the existing safety guarantees. To this end, the invention proposes a solution allowing mainly which poses an obvious problem in terms of profitability to accelerate the loading / unloading operations involved by the intermodal nature of the transport of steel coils between their place of manufacture and their place of transformation, this solution also makes it possible to limit or even eliminate empty returns from the vehicles / vessels used and being suitable for transporting coils of variable dimensions.

To this end, the present invention relates to a unit for the intermodal transport of steel coils, comprising a plate having a shape and dimensions adapted to loading on a means of rail, road, sea or air transport, said plate comprising:

- at least one pit to house at least one coil,

- means intended to allow the securing of said coil on said plate,

means intended to allow its attachment to a dedicated structure of said means of transport, as well as

- means designed capable of allowing its handling by means of a lifting device, and

- Means designed capable of allowing the stacking of a plurality of units.

According to an additional characteristic, the plate can also include wedging means adapted to wedge said coil in said pit.

Furthermore, in the context of a preferred variant embodiment, the unit according to the invention is designed in such a way that said tray comprises:

- two parallel beams,

- two spacers extending between the ends of the two beams, perpendicular to the latter,

- two internal cross members extending between the two longitudinal members, perpendicular to the latter, and

- Three pits of axis parallel to said beams extending in the spaces between said beams, said spacers and said internal crosspieces.

It is also expected that in this case, the unit according to the invention comprises lugs integral with the internal crosspieces, mounted movable in translation along the axis of the pit, between a rest position and a deployed position, and in that the wedging means comprise, for each end pit, an internal wall of a spacer and a cleat moving in the direction of said internal wall when it passes from its rest position to its deployed position, as well as, for the central pit, two tabs placed on either side of said pit and moving one towards the other when they pass from their rest position to their deployed position.

According to the invention, each of said cleats can have a "U" shape in which it has a bearing face oriented in the direction of a pit, perpendicular to the plane of the plate and to the axis of the pits, a lower wing and an identical upper wing bordering said bearing face, each provided with two coaxial slots of axis X parallel to the plane of the bearing face, shape in which each cleat is moved under the action of two arms each having one end provided with an upper nipple and a lower nipple respectively housed in the superposed slots of said upper and lower wings, and pivotally mounted in opposite directions on an internal cross member, around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the plate, between the position of rest of said cleat in which the two arms are aligned along an axis Y parallel to the plane of the bearing face of the cleat and the deployed position of said cleat in which it s form an angle with this Y axis.

Furthermore, in such a configuration, provision is also made for the bearing face and the upper and lower wings of the cleat to define a housing in which said arms are adapted to be advantageously housed in the rest position of the cleat.

An additional characteristic relates to the fact that said slots are provided with a rack extending on at least their edge closest to the support wall of the cleat.

On the other hand, the upper and lower wings of said cleat can advantageously include a notch formed on their free edge and intended to accommodate a portion of a strap used to secure a reel.

Another characteristic of the unit according to the invention is defined by the fact that the peripheral wall of each of said beams preferably defines an internal passage adapted for the insertion of a tooth of a fork of a lifting machine.

Similarly, the peripheral wall of each of said internal crosspieces preferably delimits an internal passage adapted for the insertion of a tooth of a fork of a lifting machine.

It is also expected that the unit according to the invention comprises means adapted to guarantee the rigidity of said plate when it supports one or more coils.

The unit according to the invention is also characterized in that the stacking means comprise nestable end pieces arranged at the corners of said tray and of which a male element is secured to the upper face of said tray while a female element is secured to the face bottom of the tray.

An additional feature of the unit according to the invention consists in that the means intended to allow the reel to be stowed on the plate include orifices formed in a side wall of said longitudinal members and adapted to allow the introduction of hooks, provided with straps used to secure said reel.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description which follows, relating to an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention given solely by way of non-limiting indication.

The understanding of this description will be facilitated by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a unit according to the invention,

FIG. 2 corresponds to a top view of the unit in FIG. 1, supporting three coils of 8 tonnes each,

- Figure 3 illustrates a bottom view of the unit of Figure 1,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the unit in FIG. 1 supporting a steel coil of 24 tonnes,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the unit in FIG. 1 supporting two steel coils of 12 tonnes each,

FIG. 6 represents different units of FIG. 1 stacked, and

- Figure 7 is a top view of the unit of Figure 1 supporting a coil of 24 tonnes each, and showing the means of securing the coils on the unit and the unit on a means of transport.

With reference to the figures, the present invention relates to a unit 1 for the intermodal transport of steel coils. Advantageously, this unit 1 comprises a plate 2 having a shape and dimensions suitable for loading as well on a chassis of a freight train wagon, as on a truck trailer or even a sea or air container.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plate 2 comprises three pits 3 which can each house a steel coil of variable weight and dimensions. Thus, it is possible to load onto the plate 2 for example three reels 4 of 8 tonnes, or a single reel 5 of 24 tonnes, or two reels 40 of 12 tonnes, etc. In other words, the same pit 3 is adapted to accommodate as needed both an 8-ton coil and a 12 or 24-ton coil, although they also have differences in diameter and length.

More specifically, in the illustrated variant, the plate 2 comprises two longitudinal members 6 parallel to each other, two spacers 7 extending between the ends of the two longitudinal members 6, perpendicularly to the latter, as well as two internal cross members 8 extending between the two longitudinal members 6, perpendicular to the latter.

The three pits 3 extend in the spaces between the side members 6, the spacers 7 and the internal cross members 8, so that their axis X is parallel to the side members 6. Of course, the dimensions of the pits 3 and the angle of inclination of their side walls 24 relative to their bottom 25 are chosen such that they can alternately accommodate the three types of coils mentioned above.

Once placed in a pit 3, each coil 4, 40, 5 is wedged there, before being securely stowed on the selected means of transport, in accordance with the practices usually implemented in the context of the transport of goods of this nature.

The timing allows the coils 4, 40, 5 to be immobilized in their respective pits 3, whatever their length and their diameter.

In the context of the present invention, the wedging means comprise tabs 12 integral with the internal crosspieces 8, mounted movable in translation along the axis X of the pits 3, between a rest position (cf. fig. 1) and a deployed position (see fig. 2).

More specifically, for each end pit 30, the wedging means are formed by the assembly comprising an internal wall 10 of a spacer 7 and a cleat 12 moving in the direction of said internal wall 10 when it passes from its rest position to its deployed position.

For the central pit 31, the wedging means are formed by two tabs 12 placed on either side of said central pit 31 and moving one towards the other along the axis X when they pass from their rest position to their deployed position.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, in the illustrated embodiment, each of the tabs 12 has a "U" shape and has a bearing face 11 oriented in the direction of a pit 3, perpendicular to the plane of the plate 2 and to the X axis. The bearing face 11 is bordered by an upper wing and a lower wing 13 which are identical, each provided with two coaxial slots of axis Y perpendicular to the axis X.

Furthermore, each cleat 12 is moved under the action of two pivoting arms 15, each having an end provided with an upper stud and with a lower stud 19 housed respectively in the superposed slots 14 of the upper and lower wings 13. They are pivotally mounted in opposite directions on an internal cross member 8, around an axis 16 perpendicular to the plane of the plate 2, between the rest position of the cleat 12 in which the two arms 15 are aligned, parallel to the axis Y and to the bearing face 11 of the cleat 12, and its deployed position in which they form an angle with this axis Y.

It should also be noted that each cleat 12 is shaped such that its bearing face 11 and its upper and lower wings 13 define a housing 17 in which the arms 15 are housed when it is placed in its rest position .

In addition, it is expected that the slots 14 are provided with a rack 18 extending on at least their edge closest to the edge of the bearing wall 11 of a cleat 12.

Thus, the timing of the coils 4, 40, 5 is obtained by clamping them either between the bearing faces 11 of two tabs 12 facing each other on either side of the central pit 31, or between the bearing face 11 of a cleat 12 and the internal wall 10 of a spacer 7, as regards the end pits 30. The holding in position of each cleat 12 is obtained by housing the pins 19 of the arms 15 in a notch the rack 18 that each has superimposed slots 14. It is specified that the plate 2 allows to load a single coil 5 of 24 tonnes at a time, which will be placed in the central pit 31. Similarly, only two coils 40 of 12 tons can be loaded at a time. They will be placed in each of the end pits 30.

As indicated above, once suitably installed and wedged in their respective pits 3, the coils 4, 40, 5 can be secured on the plate 2 by means of straps 20 fixed by hooks at suitable locations, such as holes 26 formed in a side wall of said longitudinal members 6. In this regard, the upper and lower wings 13 of each cleat 12 each have a notch 21 formed on their free edge and intended to accommodate a portion of a strap 20 used to secure a reel 4, 40, 5 on the board

2.

Additional straps 27, slid between two adjacent tabs 12 along the internal crosspieces 8 allow, conventionally, to securely fix the plate 2 on a dedicated structure 28 of the means of transport used.

On the other hand, in the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral walls of each of said longitudinal members 6 and of each of the internal crosspieces 8 respectively delimit an internal passage 22 and an internal passage 23 (cf. fig. 1) suitable for insertion a tooth of a fork of a lifting machine. This makes it possible to move, during a single and same phase, the assembly formed by the plate 2 and the coil (s) 4, 40, 5 which it supports, and consequently to bypass the multiple individual handling operations of said coils. during each unloading / loading phase.

It is also specified that the plate 2 comprises a plurality of stiffeners 29, extending under the pits 3 and the side members 6, and making it possible to guarantee its rigidity when it supports one or more coils 4, 40, 5.

Advantageously, the unit 1 also comprises stacking means making it possible to stack the trays 2 on top of each other when they are empty and then to load them once stacked on a means of transport returning to the place of manufacture, thus avoiding an empty return thereof.

In the illustrated alternative embodiment, the stacking means comprise nestable end pieces arranged at the corners of the plate 2 and of which a male element 32 is secured to the upper face while a female element 33 is secured to the lower face. Thus, once stacked, the plates 2 are stabilized with respect to each other without risk of inadvertent slipping during transport.

Claims (13)

1. Unit (1) for the intermodal transport of steel coils (4, 40, 5), comprising a plate (2) having a shape and dimensions suitable for loading on a means of transport by rail, road, sea or aerial, said plate (2) comprising: - at least one pit (3) for housing at least one coil (4, 40, 5), - means intended to allow the securing of said reel (4, 40, 5) on said plate (2), means intended to allow its attachment to a dedicated structure of said means of transport, as well as - means designed capable of allowing its handling by means of a lifting device, and - Means designed capable of allowing the stacking of a plurality of units (1). 2. Unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate (2) comprises wedging means adapted to wedge said coil (4, 40, 5) in said pit (3). 3. Unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said plate (2) comprises: - two parallel beams (6), - two spacers (7) extending between the ends of the two beams (6), perpendicular to the latter, - two internal crosspieces (8) extending between the two longitudinal members (6), perpendicular to the latter, and - Three pits (3) with an axis parallel to said beams (6) extending in the spaces between said beams (6), said spacers (7) and said internal crosspieces (8). 4. Unit (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises tabs (12) integral with the internal crosspieces (8), mounted movable in translation along the axis X of the pit (3), between a rest position and a deployed position, and in that the wedging means comprise, for each end pit (30), an internal wall (10) of a spacer (7) and a cleat (12) moving towards said internal wall (10) when it passes from its rest position to its deployed position, as well as, for the central pit (31), two cleats (12) placed on either side of said pit ( 31) and moving one towards the other when they pass from their rest position to their deployed position. 5. Unit (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that each of said cleats (12) has a "U" shape and has a bearing face (11) oriented in the direction of a pit (3), perpendicularly in the plane of the plate (2) and at the X axis, a lower wing and an upper wing (13) identical bordering said bearing face (11), each provided with two coaxial slots (14) of axis Y parallel to the plane of the bearing face (11), each cleat (12) being moved under the action of two arms (15) each having an end provided with an upper stud and a lower stud (19) housed respectively in the superimposed slots (14) of the upper wing and the lower wing (13), and pivotally mounted in opposite directions on an internal crosspiece (8), around an axis (16) perpendicular to the plane of the plate ( 2), between the rest position of said cleat (12) in which the two arms (15) are aligned parallel to the axis Y and to the plane of the bearing face (11) of the cleat (12), and the deployed position of said cleat (12) in which they form an angle with this axis Y. 6. Unit (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said bearing face (11) and said upper and lower wings (13) of said cleat (12) define a housing (17) in which said arms (15) are adapted to be housed in the rest position of said cleat (12). 7. Unit (1) according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that said slots (14) are provided with a rack (18) extending over at least their edge closest to the edge of the support wall (11) of the cleat (12). 8. Unit (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the upper and lower wings (13) of said cleat (12) have a notch (21) formed on their free edge and intended to accommodate a portion of a strap (20) used to secure a reel (4, 40, 5). 9. Unit (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the peripheral wall of each of said beams (6) delimits an internal passage (22) suitable for the insertion of a tooth of a forklift 10. Unit (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the peripheral wall of each of said internal crosspieces (8) delimits an internal passage (23) suitable for the insertion of a tooth a fork of a lifting machine. 11. Unit (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that it comprises means adapted to guarantee the rigidity of said plate (2) when it supports one or more coils (4, 40, 5 ). 12. Unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stacking means comprise nestable end pieces arranged at the corners of said plate (2) and of which a male element (32) is integral with the upper face of said tray (2) while a female element (33) is secured to the underside of the tray (2). 13. Unit according to any one of claims 3 to 12, characterized in that the means intended to allow the stowage of the coil (3) on the plate (2) comprise orifices (26) formed in a side wall of said side rails (6) and adapted to allow the introduction of hooks which are provided with straps used to secure a reel (3).