AU2008101112A4 - Shipping container frame - Google Patents

Description

18/11 2008 15:32 FAX 6182311273 COLLISON IP AUSTRALIA R016/028 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION

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ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: TRANSPACIFIC INDUSTRIES GROUP LTD Actual Inventors: BEN ARTHUR JOHN STAFFORD NIGEL ROBERTS CRAIG STEVENS Address for Service; COLLISON CO.,117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: SHIPPING CONTAINER FRAME The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: COMS ID No: ARCS-213883 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:09 Date 2008-11-18 18/11 2008 15:32 FAX 6182311273 COLLISON 1 IP AUSTRALIA 1a017/028 00 o2 z FIELD OF THE INVENTION 00 0The field of the invention relates to an unloader for standard bulk shipping containers and particularly to an apparatus that can attach to a bulk-shipping C container and then tipped to unload material stored in the standard bulk container.

0DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 00 oShipping containers are commonly used in to transport and store a large Snumber of goods of various forms. They are available in a number of varying dimensions, sized to suit various needs depending upon the particular application. Shipping containers are easy to secure and transport.

However, standard bulk shipping containers are not suited to all applications, such as those when it is desirable to effect a, easy rapid emptying of the container, for example if there is a flowable material stored in the container. As the standard shipping container has a door access at one end, material must be loaded through this dot and then subsequently also removed through the same door.

At ground level, workers must first open the shipping container door then proceed to remove the contents in a stepwise manner, taking only material that is accessible. This can result in significant time required to empty the container as well as presenting a safety hazard should contaminated waste material be stored in the container.

In the waste industry, open bins or skips are used to hold and transport waste material, as they are readily easy to fill and empty by using a hook truck.

However, open bins or skips are not readily sealable and thus can create problems if the waste to be collected/stored is contaminated and needs to be secured.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION COMS ID No: ARCS-213883 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:09 Date 2008-11-18 18/11 2008 15:32 FAX 6182311273 COLLISON IP AUSTRALIA R018/028 00 0 o 3 It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to secure a

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Z standard shipping container onto, the apparatus then allowing the shipping 00 container to be tilted so as to allow material held within to flow out through opened doors.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a apparatus to secure a standard shipping container onto, so that a hook truck can retrieve and o transport the secured shipping container.

00 o It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially 0 ci ameliorate, the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taking in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, although this should not be seen as limiting the invention in any way, there is provided a bulk container unloader frame including a frame adapted to removably secure a bulk container thereto, a hook receiving end having a hook attaching means, locking studs position on a base of the frame, the studs shaped to engage with lugs located under the bottom of the bulk container.

In preference the bulk container is a shipping container.

In preference, the studs can releasably engage with the lugs located under the bottom of the bulk container such that when the frame is tilted by a raising of the hook receiving eng the container remains attached to the frame.

In preference, the frame has at least a pair of ground engaging wheels located on an underside of the frame.

COMS ID No: ARCS-213883 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:09 Date 2008-11-18 18/11 2008 15:32 FAX 6182311273 COLLISON IP AUSTRALIA R019028 00 0 o 4 In preference, the hook attaching means is a substantially horizontal cross Z member.

00 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS SBy way of example, an employment of the invention is described more fully the 5 renown for with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: o Fig 1 is a side view of the present invention; 00 O Fig 2 is a rear view of the present invention showing the hook receiving end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in figure 1 the bulk carrier unloader frame 2 includes a horizontal base frame or chassis 7 sized to accommodate the width and length of a bulk shipping container (not shown). Positioned on the frame 7 are a plurality of locking studs 9 shaped to engage with an underside of a shipping container so as to secure it to the frame 7 from any lateral or vertical movement. A person skilled in this art would understand that such locking studs can be positioned at varying distances from one another dependant on the corresponding size of the shipping container that is to be attached to the frame 7. Such locking studs can be pivotable or spring actuated.

The frame 7 further includes a hook receiving end 12 which is adapted to receive a hook via a cross bar (draw bar) 15 mounted securely between the frame members 17 and 18 respectively. A gusset member 19is positioned between the A-frame and the frame 7 to provide support when in use.

In use, a shipping container can then be placed onto the bulk carrier unloader frame 2 either filled or empty, and then the locking studs engage the lugs on the underside of the shipping container so as to secure the container to the frame 2.

A hook truck can then release a hook which can be attached to the cross bar and pull the frame 2 along with the attached container onto the back of the hook truck and then transport the shipping container to where it is required.

COMS ID No: ARCS-213883 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:09 Date 2008-11-18 18/11 2008 15:32 FAX 8182311273

COLLISON

L IP AUSTRALIA Z020/028 00

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o Once the hook truck has reached its intended destination to dispose of the 0 z contents of the shipping container, the hook can then be used to raise the frame 00 7 at the hook receiving end such that the container and frame 7 are tilted at the same angle and then the frame 7 can then be allowed to slide off the rear of the hook truck. Wheels positioned on the underside of the frame 2 (not shown) can be attached to facilitate both the pickup and removal of the frame 7 with a container attached ad can be important to prevent the damage of the surface

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0that the frame 2 may be resting on.

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Alternatively, the rear doors of the shipping container can be opened and the frame 2 tilted, either by raising of the hook receiving by attaching and raising of the hook of the hook truck or, if applicable, raising the hydraulic truck bed.

Either way, the contents of the shipping container is then allowed to exit the shipping container via the opened doors as required.

As can now be seen, the present invention allows for the use of a standard shipping container to be used in an alternative manner, similar to the known open containers that are Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but it is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

COMS ID No: ARCS-213883 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:09 Date 2008-11-18

Claims (2)

1. 4. The bulk container frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the frame has at least a pair of ground engaging wheels located on an underside of the frame.
2. 5. The bulk container frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hook attaching means is a substantially horizontal cross member. COMS ID No: ARCS-213883 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:09 Date 2008-11-18