AU2018214082B2

AU2018214082B2 - A cargo container

Info

Publication number: AU2018214082B2
Application number: AU2018214082A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Murray Robert BRIDLE
Original assignee: Container Rotation Systems Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Container Rotation Systems Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2017-09-04
Filing date: 2018-08-09
Publication date: 2024-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-09
Also published as: CN109422027B; AU2018214082A1; CN109422027A

Abstract

A cargo container is described including: an internal space for holding contents of the container in use; a roof portion; at least one aperture is provided in the roof portion through which material can be loaded into the internal space of the container; and wherein at least one sliding hatch is associated with the at least one aperture; and the at least one sliding hatch is moveable between a closed position and an open position. 1/9 10 40 14 20 2 50 16 50 40 50 40 FiglI

Description

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A CARGO CONTAINER

Technical Field The present invention relates to cargo containers and particularly relates to cargo containers adapted for use in handling dry bulk goods in granular or powdered form.

Summary of the Invention In a first aspect the present invention provides a cargo container including: an internal space for holding contents of the container in use; a roof portion; at least one aperture is provided in the roof portion through which material can be loaded into the internal space of the container; and wherein at least one sliding hatch is associated with the at least one aperture; and the at least one sliding hatch is moveable between a closed position and an open position. The roof portion may include a removable lid portion and the at least one aperture is provided in the removable lid portion. The container may further include a number of caster wheels upon which the at least one sliding hatch moves. The at least one sliding hatch may be biased towards the closed position. The at least one sliding hatch may be biased towards the closed position by gravity. The container may further include a detent arrangement for maintaining the at least one sliding hatch in the open position. The container may further include a detent arrangement for maintaining the at least one sliding hatch in the closed position. The container may further include a locking mechanism associated with the at least one sliding hatch to selectively lock the hatch in the closed position. A pair of sliding hatches may be associated with the at least one aperture. The at least one sliding hatch may be arranged to remain associated with the at least one aperture in the event that the container is inverted. In a second aspect the present invention provides a lid for a cargo container, the lid including: at least one aperture through which material can be loaded in use; and wherein at least one sliding hatch is associated with the at least one aperture; and the at least one sliding hatch is moveable between a closed position and an open position.

Brief Description of the Drawings An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a cargo container; Figure 2 is a top view of the container of figure 1 with hatches in the open position; Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross section view of the container of figure 1; Figure 4 is a transverse cross section view of the container of figure 1; Figure 5 is a transverse cross section view of the container of figure 2; Figure 6 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a lid of a container; Figure 7 is a top view of another embodiment of a lid of a container; Figure 8 is a top view of the lid of figure 7; and Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a container 1Oc.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to figures I to 5, a cargo container 10 is shown including an internal space 12 for holding contents of the container. Container 10 includes a roof portion 14 which includes a removable lid 16. Lid 16 includes three apertures 18 through which material can be loaded into the internal space of the container. Two sliding hatches 20 are associated with each aperture 18. The sliding hatches are moveable between a closed position (as shown in figure 1) and an open position (as shown in figure 2). Lid 16 is arranged to operate with a container lid lifting system. Several of these types of systems are in use such as those known as LidgripperMT and LidliftorTM systems produced by Container Rotation Systems Pty Ltd. Lid 16 is held to the body of the container by way of four latches 50. The lid lifting system engages with a series of formations 40 provided on lid 16 and releases latches 50 to lift lid 16 away from the body of the container. The body of the container is then rotated to discharge the contents of the container in a known fashion. Referring now to figures 4 and 5, each of hatches 20 include castor wheels 22 provided at each edge of the hatch which run on guide track formations 21 provided at each edge of aperture 18. The guide track formations 21 include two sets of detents 32,

36 which receive the castor wheels 22 of the hatch 20 when the hatch is in its respective open and closed positions. Detents 32 maintain hatch 20 in the open position (as in figure 5) and detents 36 maintain hatch 20 in the closed position (as in figure 4). A ramped portion 34 biases the hatch towards the closed position by gravity. As best seen in figure 3, the castor wheels 22 are captive in the guide track formations 21 which extend over and around the castor wheels. This means that the hatches 20 are constrained by the guide formations and cannot be removed from the lid 16 even in the event that the entire container 10 is inverted. Container 10 is intended for use with loose bulk powdered or granular material such as grain or crushed ore. A series of empty containers 10 may be provided on a train or truck which moves progressively through a loading facility in which one or more chutes are operable to align with apertures 18 in the containers to deliver bulk material into the containers. Hatches 20 are opened to receive the bulk material and are then closed after loading. The train or truck may then travel to another facility, such as at a port, where the bulk material is to be loaded into the hull of a ship or into a holding facility such as a shed. This can be carried out by way of a lid lifting system in which a dockside gantry crane lifts containers 10 in turn from the train to remove their lids and tip the contents of each container into the hold of the ship. Referring to figure 6, an alternative embodiment of a lid 16a is shown. This embodiment differs to lid 16 in that the hatches 20 are oriented to move in the longitudinal direction along the length of the container, rather than in a transverse direction. Referring to figure 7, an alternative embodiment of lid 16b is shown. This embodiment differs to lid 16 in that a single hatch 20b is associated with each aperture 18. Referring to figure 8, depending upon the configuration of the guide formations, lid 16b can be configured so that hatch 20b opens to any of the positions A, B, C or D. Referring to figure 9, an alternative embodiment of lid 16c is shown. Lid 16c utilises a single hatch 20b associated with each aperture 18. Lid 16c includes guide formations 2lb which allow the hatch to open in two directions either to move to the right as shown in the figure to engage castor wheels 22b with detents 32b or alternatively to move to the left as shown in the figure to engage castor wheels 22b with detents 38b.

In the embodiment described above the container has a removable lid and the apertures are provided in the lid. In other embodiments the container is of the type known as a bulker container which has a fixed roof portion and the apertures are provided in the fixed roof portion. Containers according to the invention may be of various types including full or half height containers, open top containers and general purpose containers both in 20ft and 40ft configurations. In the embodiments described above the container lid had three apertures. In other embodiments the container or lid may have more than three apertures or less than three apertures.

Any reference to prior art contained herein is not to be taken as an admission that the information is common general knowledge, unless otherwise indicated. Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations or additions may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cargo container including: an internal space for holding contents of the container in use; a roof portion; at least one aperture is provided in the roof portion through which material can be loaded into the internal space of the container; and wherein at least one sliding hatch is associated with the at least one aperture; and the at least one sliding hatch is moveable between a closed position and an open position; wherein, the cargo container further including a number of caster wheels upon which the at least one sliding hatch moves, and guide track formations extend over and around the castor wheels and in which the castor wheels are captive whereby the at least one sliding hatch is arranged to remain associated with the at least one aperture in the event that the container is inverted;

wherein, the guide track formations include at least one ramped portion which biases the at least one sliding hatch towards the closed position by gravity; and wherein, the guide track formations further include a first detent arrangement for receiving the castor wheels to maintain the at least one sliding hatch in the open position, and a second detent arrangement for receiving the castor wheels to maintain the at least one sliding hatch in the closed position.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the roof portion includes a removable lid portion and the at least one aperture is provided in the removable lid portion.

3. A container according to any preceding claim further including a locking mechanism associated with the at least one sliding hatch to selectively lock the hatch in the closed position.

4. A container according to any preceding claim wherein a pair of sliding hatches are associated with the at least one aperture.

5. A lid for a cargo container, the lid including: at least one aperture through which material can be loaded in use; and wherein at least one sliding hatch is associated with the at least one aperture; and the at least one sliding hatch is moveable between a closed position and an open position; wherein, the lid further including a number of caster wheels upon which the at least one sliding hatch moves, and guide track formations extend over and around the castor wheels and in which the castor wheels are captive whereby the at least one sliding hatch is arranged to remain associated with the at least one aperture in the event that the container is inverted; wherein, the guide track formations include at least one ramped portion which biases the at least one sliding hatch towards the closed position by gravity; and wherein, the guide track formations further include a first detent arrangement for receiving the castor wheels to maintain the at least one sliding hatch in the open position, and a second detent arrangement for receiving the castor wheels to maintain the at least one sliding hatch in the closed position.