GB2334251A

GB2334251A - Storage array for swap bodies

Info

Publication number: GB2334251A
Application number: GB9803111A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas Robert And Macwhirter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-02-16
Filing date: 1998-02-16
Publication date: 1999-08-18
Also published as: GB9803111D0

Abstract

A storage array for swap bodies 6 which are inserted into and removed from the array by a spreader 8 having grapple arms 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D comprises a plurality of swap body cells (Figure 1) each formed from vertical swap body guides 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, vertical grapple arm tracks 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and spacers mounted on the guides or tracks to enable swap bodies to be vertically stacked in a cell. Preferably there are four generally C-shaped tracks and each has a channel to receive the foot 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D of a grapple arm and a number of windows 13A through which the foot, which may have a pair of paddles (12A, 12B, Figure 3A), can pass to enable the underside of the swap body to be engaged. Preferably there is one guide at each corner of the cell and the guides have a tapered upper surface or flippers to aid positioning of the grapple arms. The spacers may be pins or plates 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, or may be slots in the guides arranged to receive projections extending from a bar provided on the underside of the swap body. A ship having such a storage array is also described (Figure 4) where the guides and tracks are supported at their bottoms by the ships deck and at their tops by a bar extending between the walls of the ships hold.

Description

The present invention relates to a storage rack for swap bodies.

Swap bodies are widely used as an alternative to containers and are formed from a metal frame with the sides formed from a canvas or similar material. Like containers, they can be moved by a crane operating a spreader. Such a spreader operates opposing arms pivoted to the spreader, each arm having feet to engage the base ofthe frame of a swap body. Unlike containers, they cannot be stacked up one on another as they do not have the strength of containers. If it is desired to transport swap bodies by container ship, they can only be stacked in one layer on top of containers or on decks of other ships. This limits the volume of swap bodies which can be transported by sea. Also when storing swap bodies at a depot, they cover a large ground area as they cannot be stacked.

The invention seeks to provide a storage rack for swap bodies which may be used in the holds of ships or on land.

According to the present invention there is provided a storage rack system for swap bodies which are inserted into and removed from the rack by a spreader, said rack comprising: a) a plurality of swap body cells in which swap bodies can be stacked in a vertical array, each cell being formed from vertical swap body guides, and b) vertical tracks on opposite sides of the swap body cell to guide the grapple arms of a spreader, and c) spacers on the guides and/or tracks to separate the swap bodies when stacked in a cell.

Preferably each track includes a channel to receive the foot of a grapple arm lowered to pick up a swap body, each channel including one or more windows through which the foot can pass to engage the swap body to be raised. Preferably each track is generally C-shaped.

Preferably the foot of each grapple arm includes a pair of projections or paddles to support and guide the foot in the C-shaped track. Preferably there are four tracks. Guide means such as flippers or tapered surfaces may be provided at the top of the tracks to guide grapple arm feet to the track, such as the C-shaped channel.

In one embodiment, the spacers are plates or pins which support the bases of the swap bodies so that the swap bodies are separated apart. Preferably there are at least four vertical swap body guides, preferably one for each vertical edge.

In another embodiment, the spacers are slots in the swap body guides to receive projections extending from the side of a swap body. The projections may extend from the end of a bar spanning a pair of swap body guides, said bar supporting the underside of a swap body.

The invention also relates to a ship incorporating the above rack. The bottom of the guides and/or tracks may be supported on the floor of a ships hold, and the top of the guides and/or tracks may be supported by a movable horizontal bar extending between the hatch covers of the ship's hold.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a storage rack showing the cells, Figures 2A shows a perspective view of swap body being lowered by a spreader towards one cell, Figure 2B shows a perspective view of a swap body in a cell supported by a spreader, Figures 3A,3B show the feet of the grapple arms in and exiting the tracks, Figures 4 shows a perspective view of swap body being lowered by a spreader towards one cell of an alternative construction of storage rack to that of Figures 1 to 3B, and Figures 5A,5B show perspective views of alternative components for use in the construction of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1 there are shown eight swap body cells 1 (A,B,C,D,E,F,G, and H) arranged in rows and columns creating a storage rack which may be installed in the hold of a ship or on land. Each cell is designed to take two swap bodies, one above another in a vertical array. Although only eight cells are shown, the invention could provide more or less than eight, and more than two swap bodies could be stacked in a vertical array in each cell.

Each cell is formed from vertical swap body guides in the form of four vertical posts 2A,2B,3A,3B. Posts 2A,2B are a right angle in cross section. Posts 3A,3B may be "T-shaped", and also serve as guides for an adjacent cell, the "T"shape providing, in cross section, a right angle for each cell. Posts 2A,2B,3A,3B constrain each swap body vertical edge in a cell and guide a swap body when it is being lowered in and raised out of a cell.

Swap bodies are lowered and raised out of a cell by means of four grapple arms pivoted to a spreader connected to a crane (as shown in Figures 2A,2B). Four vertical tracks 4A,4B,4C,4D are provided on opposite sides of each swap body cell to guide the grapple arms of a spreader as more fully described below. Tracks 4C,4D of one cell A may be secured "back to back" with tracks 4A,4B of an adjacent cell.

Removable spacer plates or pins 5A,5B,5C,5D on the guides and/or tracks are provided to separate the swap bodies when stacked in a cell.

Referring to Figure 2A, there is shown a swap body 6 being lowered into a cell. Swap body 6 is connected to the wires 7 of a crane (not shown) by a spreader 8 having pivoted thereto two opposing pairs of grapple arms 9A,9B and 9C,9D. Hydraulic rams 1 OA, lOB and 1 Or, 1 OD control the pairs of arms. At the end of the arms are feet 1 lA,l I I B, I 1C,1 ID. To pickup the swap body, the opposing arms are moved apart by the rams, the spreader lowered over the swap body, and the opposing arms pulled together so that feet engage with the swap body base. Such spreader and its operations is well known in the art.

As shown more clearly in Figures 3A,3B, in accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, each foot 1 1A,1 1B,1 1C,1 1D has a pair of projections or paddles 12A,12B. Each track (4A shown but 4B,4C,4D identical to 4A) has a generally C-shaped channel to receive the foot and paddles 1 2A, 12B of a grapple arm. The opening of the channel is substantially larger than the width of a grapple arm so the grapple arm can slide in the opening. The foot of the grapple arm is prevented from passing through the channel opening by means of the projections 12A,12B (Figure 3B). Each track includes a pair of windows 13A,13B through which the foot including the projections can pass (Figure 3A).

In use, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, a first swap body 6 can be lowered into a cell A. The vertical guides 2A,2B and 3A,3B guide the swap body to the bottom of the cell. Because the opposing arms of the spreader are pulled together to hold the swap body, the arms do not engage with the tracks 4A,4B,4C,4D. When the swap body is at the bottom of the cell, the paddles 12A,12B of each foot are adjacent window 13B in each track. The opposing spreader arms can then be moved apart away from the swap body so that each of paddles 1 2A, 1 2B pass through window 1313. The spreader can be removed with the paddles guiding the feet up the tracks. Guiding the spreader feet up the tracks ensures that the feet are kept well away from the body preventing damage to the swap body. This also means that the crane operator need not visibly see and guide the spreader to prevent damage. Plates 5A,5B,5C,5D are then placed on the guides 2A,2B,2C,2D and a second swap body can be lowered until the corners engage with the plates as shown in Figure 2B, thus supporting the second swap body above the first. When the second swap body is supported on the plates, the paddles 12A, 12B of each foot are adjacent window 13A in each track. The spreader arms can then be moved apart away from the swap body so that each of paddles l2A,12B pass through window 13A and the spreader can again be removed with the paddles guiding the feet up the tracks.

When it is desired to remove the swap bodies from the cell, the process is reversed. The spreader grapple arms are first moved apart. As the spreader is lowered, the feet 1 lA,1 IB,I IC,1 1D enter into each track 4A,4B,4C,4D with their paddles 12A,12B entering the channel. If desired, guide means (not shown) such as flippers or a tapered surfaces may be provided at the top of the tracks to guide grapple arm feet into each track C-shaped channel. When the feet 1 I A, 1B,1 I C, I ID are in alignment with the bottom of the second swap body, the paddles 12A,1213 on each arm are in alignment with window 13A (se Figure 3B). The arms can then be pulled together so that the feet engage with the base of the swap body, the paddles 12A,12B passing through the windows 13 A. The second swap body can then be craned up.

After plates 5A,5B,5C,5D have been removed, the first swap body can be removed in a similar manner.

Instead of the plates being removable, they could be hinged to the guides like a flap and movable from a first operating position to a second storage position. The plates could be manually operated or operated for example by remote levers, hydraulics, or solenoids. Instead of plates, pins could be uses. The plates or pin could also be duplicated on the tracks 4a,4B,4C,4D to give further support to a swap body base.

Sensors may be provided to inform the crane driver when the paddles 12q12B are adjacent a window.

Referring to Figure 4 another embodiment of a cell is illustrated designed to support two layers of swap bodies. Such a cell may be one of an array of cells such as shown in Figure 1.

The cell of Figure 4 has four swap body guides in the form of four vertical box section posts 22A,22B,22C,22D designed to be adjacent the vertical edges of lower swap body 26A and upper swap body 26B. Four vertical tracks 24A,24B,24C,24D are provided to guide the grapple arms of spreader 28. The tracks 24A24B,24C,24D and spreader 28 work in exactly the same manner as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 B above. However, instead of the spacer plates 5A,5B,5C,5D the spacers are provided by means of slots 25A,25B,25C,25D slots in the swap body guides. These slots receive projections 29A,29B and 30A,30B extending from the end of a bars 29,30 respectively, each spanning a pair of swap body guides 25A,25D and 25B,25C. The bars support the underside of the upper swap body 26B.

As shown in Figure SA, there is shown an enlarged view of bar 29 (bar 30 is identical).

Projections 29A,29B include pins 31431B which engage in the box section behind the slot 25A,25D. When the bar 29 is at the bottom of the slots 2SA,25B, shoulders 32A > 32B abut against the face of the posts 22A,22D. It is envisaged that the bar will be secured to the underside of a swap body prior to the swap body being lowered between the posts 22A,22D.

In order to connect the bar to the swap body, twist locks 33A,33B may be provided. Such twist locks are well known in the art.

As shown in Figure 5B, instead of a bars 29,30, four projections each in the form of a lug 29 could be secured to the underside of the swap body which will engage in the same manner with the slots 25q25B,25C,25D.

In order to accommodate different sizes of swap bodies, each cell may include more than four swap body guides and more than four tracks.

The invention may take different form to that specifically described. For example, each cell could take more than two swap bodies. A different track than a C-shaped channel with windows could be provided.

As shown in Figure 1, the cells ABCD are spaced apart to accommodate the tracks in between. If space is at a premium, the cells could be staggered so that the tracks of one cell are in line with the tracks of another cell (rather than being "back to back").

The guides and tracks could be made of any suitable material such as metal. if mounted on a ship, the guides and tracks may be secured to the ship hold floor at their bottom ends, e.g by pins to accommodate movement of the ship as is known in the art, and the top ends could be secured to a movable horizontal bar extending between the hatch covers of a ship's hold.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A storage rack system for swap bodies which are inserted into and removed from the rack by a spreader, said rack comprising a plurality of swap body cells in which swap bodies can be stacked in a vertical array, each cell being formed from vertical swap body guides, and vertical tracks on opposite sides of the swap body cell to guide the grapple arms of a spreader, and spacers on the guides and/or tracks to separate the swap bodies when stacked in a cell.
2. A storage rack system as claimed in claim 1, in which each track includes a channel to receive the foot of a grapple arm lowered to pick up a swap body, and each channel includes one or more windows through which the foot can pass to engage the swap body to be raised.
3. A storage rack system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which each track is generally C-shaped.
4. A storage rack system as claimed in claim 3, in which the foot of each grapple arm includes a pair of projections or paddles to support and guide the foot in the C-shaped track.
5. A storage rack system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which there are four tracks.
6. A storage rack system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which guide means such as flippers or tapered surfaces are provided at the top of the tracks to guide grapple arm feet to the track.
7. A storage rack system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spacers are plates or pins which support the bases of the swap bodies so that the swap bodies are separated apart.
8. A storage rack system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which there are at least four vertical swap body guides.
9. A storage rack system as claimed in claim 8, in which there is a vertical swap body guide at each vertical edge.
10. A storage rack system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which the spacers are slots in the swap body guides to receive projections extending from the side of a swap body.
11. A storage rack system as claimed in claim 10, in which the projections extend from the end of a bar spanning a pair of swap body guides, said bar supporting the underside of a swap body.
12 A storage rack system for swap bodies substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the acompanying drawings.
13. A ship incorporating a storage rack system for swap bodies as claimed in any preceding claim.
14. A ship as claimed in claim 13, in which the bottom of the guides and/or tracks is supported on the floor of a ships hold, and the top of the guides and/or tracks is supported by a movable horizontal bar extending between the hatch covers of the ship's hold.