CA2869262A1

CA2869262A1 - Mechanical rolling roof

Info

Publication number: CA2869262A1
Application number: CA2869262A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Lindsay Haag
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Environmental Metal Works Ltd
Priority date: 2014-11-03
Filing date: 2014-11-03
Publication date: 2016-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2034-11-03
Also published as: CA2869262C; CA2957878A1; CA2957866C; CA2957878C; CA2957853C; CA2957853A1; CA2957866A1

Abstract

The invention provides an improved rolling roof for various types open top containers. The rolling roof is used to cover open top containers for any dry loads and sealed rolling roof to cover containers with liquid loads. The rolling roof manually operated with a ratcheting handle in combination with two rolling mechanisms placed on each side of the roof. The rolling roof mechanism implements sliding container's roof either to the left or to the right side wall of the container, and turning it from horizontal to a vertical position along the side wall. That allows loading from either side of the container by using the full area of the opening. This new method requires minimum physical strength, eliminates the use of cable or winch lifting systems, and hence it has a higher degree of safety that beneficial for various types of open top containers.

Description

DESCRIPTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is used to cover various types open top containers for dry loads by using rolling roofs and for liquids loads by using sealed rolling roof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The popular method of related technique is using roofs with a hinge lifting system, where the roof is hinged on one side longitudinally and lifted with the manually operated cable winch arranged to open the roof to a desired height and locked into place with the cable winch and /or assisted manual prop. This method required significant amount of the physical strength and time to lift the metal roof, and also has high hazard of human injuries if hand winch or lifting cable breaks in the open position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,810 discloses cable winch mechanism to open container's lid by using an electrical motor that is incompetent and inconvenient for field sites.
Some analogous hinge lifting method is using a hydraulic system instead cable winch, which limited to it operation in low temperature regions, and will ensue to high hazard of human injuries if system failure will occur in the open lid's position.
Despite various types of hinge lifting system, the common disadvantage remains that these methods are complex, and the loading area of the open top container enable to use only from one side.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,562 "Cover construction for waste containers" and U.S.
Pat.
No. 5755351 "Lid assembly for container", where the lid enable to open or close the container by pushing it to the side. Above said patents show container lids with complicated mechanism types designed only for sealed waste containers with hazardous liquid waste, where to open or close container's lid a manual pushing force is applied.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6364153 "Waste container with displaceable panel closure"
shows the lid for cargo container with a panel movable outwardly perpendicular to a closed position. The design of the lid that cover top of the container is applicable also only for sealed containers to transport liquid waste. The sliding mechanism of the lid has limited functional approach, which allows only a partial opening of the container.
The Canadian Patent No.1072465 issued 1980-02-26 for a balanced lid system for industrial trash bins and a Patent No.1237994 issued 1980-06-14 for waste container opening lid member show mechanisms used to open container's lids which designed to open only small size containers by manually sliding the lid to the side of the container.
The used methods intended to be replaced by resort to the invention and of the limitation and inconveniences which they involve. It is thus the present invention offers a simple and affordable solution to avoid the limitations of the prior techniques and overcome of difficulties and inconveniences of previous methods.
In the present invention of the rolling roof, the ratcheting handle applied in the operation as a lever to reduce applied manual force, and an equilibrium system is involved to upend the entire roof in a vertical and reverse in horizontal position, which also reduce the applied manual force. Therefore, the present invention of the rolling roof permitted convenient manipulation a broad range lid's sizes and weights for various container types by preserving the operation safety.

2!7 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 A diagrammatic view of an open top container showing essential idea of the rolling roof mechanism and safety components.
Figure 2 An enlarged detail view of track assembly showing fundamental of the rolling roof mechanism.
Figure 3 An aspect complete view of rolling roof mechanism on each side of the rolling roof to depict components and single parts utilized in rolling mechanism.
Figure 4 A cross-section and detail view of rolling roof assembly.
Figure 5 An exploded view showing components of the rolling roof mechanism in assembling order.
Figure 6 Shows conversion of the metal bracket used for sealed rolling roof for liquids.

3 1 7 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 Shows the full size open top container with a rolling roof 1 in closed position (Figure 1.1) and open position (Figure 1.2). As illustrated in Figures 1.2, the rolling roof mechanism allows open (enables either side) a full loading area of the container.
After horizontal rolling to the side, roof smoothly tilts to vertical position and able tight to the side wall with a chain 2 and hook 8. To prevent any pinch points between sidewall and tilted roof, on the side wall built a block stopper 3. The roof is also able to tighten in a top vertical position for safety transportation with a mini winch 7 and hook 6. The movement of the rolling roof to the side is accomplished by turning ratcheting handle 4 to the either side of the container. In order to start this motion, one of the safety bar 5 (right or left bar, according to the moving direction) manual turns inward in a horizontal position. The safety bars 5 build in track assembly utilize for safety reason - to prevent any motion of the rolling roof in closed position.
Figure 2 Shows an enlarged view of track assembly with mechanical components required for operation of the system that moves entire rolling roof 1 to one side of the container and tilts it in vertical position. Figure 2.1 represent a view from the bottom and Figure 2.2 from the top to illustrate embodiments of the invention. The track assembly 11 consist of the L angle iron 10 welded to the frame of the container that utilizes as bottom track for the V roller 9 and the top track (structural tubing with sprocket holes) 11a. The track assembly 11 also consist of side plate 12 and brace plate 13 to establish solid frame structure and prevent possible misalignment between L
angle iron 10 and track tubing 11a. After the force is applied to the ratcheting handle 4, the shaft with sprocket-wheel 8 start rotating by using structural tubing with sprocket holes as a track. That occurs concurrent the V roller 9 rotates along the L
angle iron, until it reaches plate 12- the end point of track assembly.

4 1 7 At that point, half of the rolling roof is dangling free in horizontal position and enable to tilt in a vertical position with minimal physical strength, where V rollers utilize as fulcrum for the entire system. The stopper 14 consists from two parts (two bend plates with backing support), one part welded to container frame and second to rolling roof assembly. As rolling roof moving along container frame, stopper plates placed parallel to each other in longitude direction with acceptable gap between, which allows to prevent displacement the V roller 9 from its track.
Figure 3 The drawing shows a broken view of entire rolling roof to depict components and single parts utilized in rolling mechanism coordinated within the track assembly. The rolling roof includes two identical assemblies on each side of the roof that connected by 3/4 inch pipe 15 and coupler 16 to transmit rotation from one assembly to another;
therefore, to activate roof's longitudinal motion only one ratcheting handle 4 is required on the front side of the container. Two mounted-bearings 18 bolted to rectangle bracket 17 which comprises of four metal plates. The bracket 17 used to bear axle load of the shaft 19 and transmit longitudinal motion to entire roof 1 by connection brackets 17 to structural tubings 25, 26. Since the shaft 19 is fixed to brackets by flange-mounted bearings18, the rotational motion of the unit sprocket-wheel 8 and a hub 21 available to convert to linear motion along the track 11, based on principle of rack and pinion gear. The V Roller 9 with inserted radial bearing 22 which also rotate with shaft 19, support the longitudinal rolling motion of entire roof 1 by using L angle iron 10 as a structural base for V roller 9.
Figure 4 In the above-described embodiments represented all components of the mechanism.
As illustrated in Figure 4 all these components showed in section view that allows exploring the mechanical structure of the rolling mechanism components. The ratcheting handle 4 tighten to the shaft 19 against a hub 21 and fix with the slotted nut 28. The sprocket-wheel 8 sits tight on hub 21 and welded together. The V
roller 9 with inserted radial bearing 22 attached on the shaft 19. Spacer pipes 29 between these components mounted to the shaft used to prevent the misalignment from L
angle iron 10. The shaft 19 connected to the coupler 16 with regular bolt and nut, which allow reassembling rolling mechanism parts in case of necessary repairs.

The coupler 16 is welded to the 3/4 pipe 15 that joins the second rolling roof assembly on other roof end. This pipe passed inside tubing 26 that together with four brace tubings 25, two outside tubings 30, and two end caps utilizes as frame for entire roof assembly.
Figure 5 Shows exploded view of all parts that accomplished motion of the rolling roof assembly, according to order it assembled. As illustrated in Figure 5, 3/4 pipe 15 welded with a coupler 16, whereby a rigid coupling occurs to transmit the rotation motion to identical rolling roof assembly on other side of the roof. This coupler bolted together to the shaft 19, and finally attached to ratcheting handle 4 by which this rotation is accomplished. The following parts mounted on the shaft 19 in order as they assemble:
1) Two flange-mounted bearings 18 bolted to the metal bracket which consisted of four plates 17.
2) The shaft 19 slides through these bearings and attached to the coupler 16.
3) The V roller 9 with inserted radial bearing 22.
4) The sprocket-wheel 8 with a hub 21.

5) Ratcheting handle 4 with slotted nut 28.
Figure 6 As illustrated in Figures 4-5, the rolling roof mechanism includes the metal bracket 17 with two flange-mounted bearings 18 bolted to this bracket. Figure 6 depicts bracket alternation, designed for the sealed rolling roof utilized for containers with hazardous liquid waste. Using modified bracket allows tie-down the rolling roof with a rubber seal placed in the edge of the roof. The major distinguish of bracket used for sealed rolling roofs, comparing to the bracket in previous figures where four plates welded together as a solid box, is the ability of free vertical movement plates 33.1, 33.2 along plates 34, 35 and 36. Since plates 34, 35 and 36 fixed to end cap of the rolling roof 27, plate 33.1 (with flange-mounted bearings 18) has ability to slide in a vertical direction. The rate of this movement is around 1/2 - 1 inch, which allows compressing the seal of the rolling roof by tie-down straps 7, and make steel container hermetically sealed.

6 7 Springs 32 are alignment in position by rings 31 where the ring 31b fixed to the plate 35 by spacer bar 37, and spring 31a fixed to plates 38.
Top part of the spring 32 welded to the ring 31b and bottom part to the ring 31a accordingly. Since the unit of ring 31b, plates 33, flange-mounted bearings 18, shaft 19, and V roller 9 installed vertical rigid on L angle iron, the another unit of ring 31a, plate 34, plate 35, and end cap 27 of the rolling roof has ability to move in a vertical direction. That allows retaining the entire bracket assembly in immovable position, until tie-down force will apply to seal the rolling roof with frame of the open top container.

7 I 7

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINE AS FOLLOWS:

1. According to some embodiments of the invention, a rolling roof comprises from two identical rolling mechanisms on front and back side of the roof which connected by a pipe and coupler.

2. The rolling mechanism includes a flange-mounted bearing assembly, sprocket-wheel, and V roller with integral ball bearing.

3. The flange-mounted bearing assembly bears axle load of a shaft and implements it rotational motion.

4. The sprocket-wheel fastens to the shaft which allows theirs concurrent rotation.

5. The V roller is jointed to the shaft with integral ball bearing which allows it rotation around the shaft.

6. A structural tubing with holes in combination with sprocket is utilized as a rack-pinion mechanism that transmit a torque to rolling roof mechanism.

7. To impart longitudinal motion to an entire rolling roof, a manual turning of a ratcheting handle applies which activates a rotary motion of the sprocket-wheel along the structural tubing with holes, concurrent the V roller rotates along L angle iron that utilizes as a guide lower track.

8. The rotation of V rollers along L angle irons allows a linear motion of rolling roof mechanisms on each roof's side that provides sliding entire rolling roof to either side wall of the container and turning it in a vertical position.