EP0569431A1 - Lift fitting for cargo containers. - Google Patents
Lift fitting for cargo containers.Info
- Publication number
- EP0569431A1 EP0569431A1 EP92903758A EP92903758A EP0569431A1 EP 0569431 A1 EP0569431 A1 EP 0569431A1 EP 92903758 A EP92903758 A EP 92903758A EP 92903758 A EP92903758 A EP 92903758A EP 0569431 A1 EP0569431 A1 EP 0569431A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- container
- fitting
- spigot
- lift
- cargo container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D90/00—Component parts, details or accessories for large containers
- B65D90/0026—Corner fittings characterised by shape, configuration or number of openings
Definitions
- the present invention relates to lift fittings for cargo containers and in particular, lift fittings to be positioned inboard from the ends of cargo containers which do not conform to present international standard lengths.
- Cargo containers have become the standard means of transportation of material by road, rail and sea. As a result of their universal usage, standards have been established with respect to the size of cargo containers and design of cargo containers so that they can be transported anywhere in the world using uniform lifting points. These uniform lifting points are required in that the cargo containers are most often lifted and moved by vehicular cranes or marine cranes which either load or unload the cargo container on a flatbed truck or railroad car or load or unload ocean-going container vessels.
- the established standardised lengths are 10 feet. 20 feet, 30 feet and 40 feet.
- Containers of these dimensions have their lifting points comprised of lift fittings located in the corners of the containers such that the lift fitting has the benefit of two intersecting walls for support.
- Each w/ae ll would have horizontal support members which would be sse « cured to the lift fitting and a vertical post at the intersection of the walls would be secured to the lift fitting.
- the rectangular box-like integrity of the container is maintained by the interconnection of the lift fittings and the horizontal and vertical supports.
- S UBSTITUTESHEET are designed to the international standard. Therefore, lifting points must be provided inboard from the ends of these non-standard containers. These lifting points are fitted into the portal frames, but due to the fact that the frames are not supported by end walls, the necessity arises for supporting the transverse loads imposed during transportation. To overcome this problem, the lifting points and the frames are supported by large triangular gussets which stiffen the frames. However, these gussets make the internal loading of the cargo container difficult and reduce the effective cargo space within the container.
- a cast lift fitting for a long body cargo container having top and bottom horizontal support rails joined to vertical support posts to form a rigid support structure of the container on which wall cladding is assembled, said fitting being positionable on the container at a location inboard of the corners of the container so that the fitting can be engaged by an existing standardised lifting device, such as a crane, for use with containers of a standard design, and said fitting comprising: a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, inner end surface, outer end surface and parallel side walls: a chamber defined in said body and communicating with said upper surface via an entrance aperture to receive an engaging member of a lifting device; an integral spigot depending from the body, said spigot being positioned on said lower surface adjacent to said outer end surface: means for securing said body to the horizontal support rails of the container; and means for securing said spigot to a vertical support located intermediate the ends of the container.
- a cargo container for the shipment of material said cargo container having a top wall, a parallel bottom wall, parallel sidewalls, and parallel end walls, in which said
- SUBSTITUTE SHEET cargo container is constructed of a frame of interconnecting horizontal support members and vertical support members, said cargo container having a means for cooperation with a lift crane for lifting and positioning said cargo container and maintaining the structural integrity of said container, said means comprising: a plurality of lift fitting castings positioned along the periphery of the sidewalls of said cargo container, each lift fitting comprising a body having an upper surface, lower surface inner end surface, outer end surface, and parallel sidewall surfaces and defining a chamber defined therein and in communication with said upper surface of said lift fitting by means of an aperture, in which the lift fittings are secured to said horizontal frame members of said cargo container and each lift fitting has a downward depending spigot secured to a respective vertical support member of said frame of said container.
- Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of lift fitting according to the invention.
- Figure la is a schematic illustration of a post structure to which the lift fitting can be secured
- Figure lb is a horizontal sectional view of the post shown in Figure la;
- Figure 2 is a top view of the lift fitting:
- Figure 3 is a front view of the lift fitting
- Figure 4 is a rear view of the lift fitting:
- Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a cargo container utilising the lift fitting of the subject invention:
- Figure 6 is a side view of a prior art type of lift fittin ;
- Figure 7 is a top exploded view along plane 7-7 of Figure 3; and.
- Figure 8 is a side view illustrating the lift fitting
- Lift fitting 10 is one-piece cast construction and is generally square or rectangular in shape.
- Lift fitting 10 consists of a body portion 12 defined by an outer end wall 14. an inner end wall 16, and sidewalls 18 and 20 together with an upper surface 22 and a lower surface 24.
- Body 12 of lift fitting 10 has a substantially hollow interior chamber 26.
- An aperture 28 communicates with chamber 26 from upper surface 22.
- An additional aperture 30 communicates with chamber 26 through outer end wall 14.
- Apertures 28 and 30 may best be viewed with reference to Figures 2 and 4 which illustrate a top view and rear view, respectively, of lift fitting 10.
- the structure thus far disclosed is representative of standard lift fittings used in the industry, and which would be positioned at the corners of a cargo container of standardised size.
- a vehicular or marine crane having four depending lifting arms would position the lifting arms over each of the lift fittings.
- the lifting arms would be inserted through aperture 28 into chamber 26 simultaneously in all four lift fittings and a swivel finger portion of the lifting arms positioned within chamber 26 would swivel to engage each of the lifting arms with the lift fitting.
- the cargo container of standard size could thus be lifted and positioned in the desired location.
- Aperture 30 in outer end wall 14 is normally used to secure adjacent containers together when the containers are positioned in a stacked position such as on a cargo vessel.
- a lift fitting according to the invention differs from the standard lift fittings and has particular application to non-standardised length cargo containers through the development of a depending spigot 40 which depends downwardly from lower surface 24 of lift fitting 10 proximate to outer end wall 14.
- a better understanding of he cooperation of spigot 40 with lift fitting 10 and the cargo container is schematically illustrated in Figure 5 which is a schematic
- Cargo container 50 is constructed of horizontally positioned supports or headers 52 secured by a plurality of vertical supports 54 positioned at the corners thereby defining a rectangular box like structure, the sides, top and bottom being composed of sheet steel with at least one end of the container serving as an access door. If the cargo container 50 were of standardised length, a standard lift fitting 56 would be positioned in each of the upper and lower corners of the container secured to intersection horizontal support rails 52 and vertical support posts 54. If cargo container 50 in Figure 5 were of non-standard length it would therefore require the lift fitting 10 of the present invention to be positioned inboard from the corners of the cargo container, to render the container capable of being lifted, moved and lowered by use of cranes, lifting structures and the like which are designed for use with standard size containers.
- lift fitting 10 is positioned and secured to horizontal rail 52 by welding to side walls 18. 20 of the body.
- Lift fitting 10 is normally secured by welding the fitting directly to rails 52.
- Depending spigot 40 (not shown in Figure 5) of lift fitting 10 is then welded to the top of a vertical support post 55 which extends from depending spigot 40 to an opposing lift fitting positioned in the lower portion of the cargo container 50, this lower lift fitting being secured by welds to the lower horizontal rails 52 of cargo container 50.
- the lower fitting may be a standard design of lift fitting, or lift fitting 10.
- Each of the bottom corners of cargo container 50 has positioned therein, a standardised lift fitting 56 in order to provide structural integrity to the cargo container.
- lift fitting 10 which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention can be positioned along the upper inboard surface of cargo container 50 at a distance apart which will allow the vehicular or
- Figure 6 shows a known arrangement in which an existing standard lift fitting 80 would be secured to a two-piece vertical support comprised of an inner post 57 and an outer post 59.
- Inner post 57 would have an internal stiffener post 61.
- the combination of these three elements would be secured by welding to lower surface 24 of the standard lift fitting 80. proximate to outer end wall 14. In such a configuration, all loads in the container would be transmitted through this particular welding point. This would not be suitable to the integrity of the container if the lift fitting should be positioned inboard from the corners of the container, such as would be the case with a non-standardised length cargo container.
- depending spigot 40 is stepped downwardly at shoulder 65 from its connection with body 12 which allows depending spigot 40 to be secured to a vertical support 55.
- the post 55 is shown in more detail in Figure la. with the outline of spigot 40 shown in dashed line
- SUBSTITUTESHEET only, and comprises an inner post 57 and an outer post 59 and a stiffener 61, and which allows spigot 40 to be secured to vertical support post 55 by a means such as welding such that no damage to lift fitting 10 occurs during the securing process, and the securing of spigot 40 to vertical support post 55 results in a structure which allocates the stresses incurred in moving the container throughout vertical support bar 55 and thus alleviates the problem of all loads being transmitted through a single weld between vertical support posts 55 and body 12 as illustrated in the known arrangement of Figure 6.
- spigot 40 can be welded to outer post 59 along vertical weld line 59a. to inner post 57 along horizontal weld line 57a adjacent spigot shoulder 65, and optically by weld 61a to stiffener 61 formed through a slot in inner post 57.
- Figure lb is a horizontal sectional view showing the assembly of the post 55 from outer post 59, inner post 57 and stiffener plate 61. which forms a socket into which spigot 40 can be received as a rigid mounting, and which is then welded in position.
- FIG. 7 is a top plan exploded view of depending spigot 40 taken along plane 7-7 of Figure 3.
- Downwardly depending spigot 40 is stepped or tapered on its interior facing surface having a bevelled shoulder surface 65 (see Figure 1).
- Vertical support post 55 as illustrated in Figure 7 is comprised of three elements, namely outer post 59, inner post 57 and stiffener post 61. The container stress loads are allocated as a result of the manner in which the three elements of vertical support post 55 are secured to downwardly depending spigot 40.
- This securing means is best illustrated in Figure 7 and in Figure 8 which generally corresponds with Figure la, but which is a side view showing lift fitting 10 and downwardly depending spigot secured to vertical support post
- SUBSTITUTESHEET 55 Outwardly facing surface 73 of spigot 40 is secured by welds along its vertical, longitudinal edges to outer support post 59.
- the upper end surface 75 of outer support post 59 is secured by a weld 77 on lower surface 24 of body 12 where it intersects outer end surface 14.
- Inner post 57 and stiffener plate 61 are then positioned in alignment with downwardly depending spigot 40 such that upper surface 79 of internal post 57 engages bevelled surface 65 of downwardly depending spigot 40 where weld 81 is positioned.
- Arms 81 and 83 of internal post 57 are then in intimate contact with outer post 59 through the entire longitudinal length which is approximately equal to the height of the container. Arms 81 and 83 are then secured to outer post 59 by means of longitudinal welds 85.
- An optional securing point is located at the surface to surface contact of lower end 87 of downwardly depending spigot 40 and the upper surface of stiffener post 61. This optional weld can be accomplished by cutting an aperture in interior post 57 at this location to effect the weld, and then effecting the closure of the aperture.
- Lift fitting 10 having depending spigot 40, when secured to vertical support post 55 in the manner described, ensures the integrity of a cargo container of non- standardised length when lift fitting 10 is mounted inboard from the corners of such container by allocating the stress and load factors and dispersing said stress and load factors throughout vertical support post 55 as opposed to concentrating the stress and load factors at the contact point of a vertical support post with a standard lift fitting.
- This structure also avoids the internal bracing which decreases the capacity of the container.
- This optional support comprises two triangular shaped gussets 90 which can provide additional support for lift fitting 10 without interfering with the crane lifting mechanism inserted into chamber 26 by
- SUBSTITUTESHEET means of aperture 28.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Load-Engaging Elements For Cranes (AREA)
- Forklifts And Lifting Vehicles (AREA)
- Pallets (AREA)
- Jib Cranes (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB919102292A GB9102292D0 (en) | 1991-02-02 | 1991-02-02 | Lifting fitting for cargo containers |
GB9102292 | 1991-02-02 | ||
PCT/GB1992/000176 WO1992013782A1 (en) | 1991-02-02 | 1992-01-30 | Lift fitting for cargo containers |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0569431A1 true EP0569431A1 (en) | 1993-11-18 |
EP0569431B1 EP0569431B1 (en) | 1997-04-16 |
Family
ID=10689450
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP92903758A Expired - Lifetime EP0569431B1 (en) | 1991-02-02 | 1992-01-30 | Lift fitting for cargo containers |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0569431B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE151716T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69219109T2 (en) |
GB (1) | GB9102292D0 (en) |
MX (1) | MX9200379A (en) |
WO (1) | WO1992013782A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB9213561D0 (en) * | 1992-06-24 | 1992-08-12 | Reynard Kenneth | Improved lifting fitting for cargo containers |
US5431471A (en) * | 1992-09-16 | 1995-07-11 | Mi-Jack Products, Inc. | Side fitting connection apparatus for lifting trailers and containers |
WO1994013574A1 (en) * | 1992-09-16 | 1994-06-23 | Mi-Jack Products, Inc. | Side latch interconnect apparatus and method for transporting a container |
US9067729B2 (en) | 2005-09-02 | 2015-06-30 | Sti Holdings, Inc. | Compartmentalized stacking posts and container with compartmentalized stacking posts |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2110185B (en) * | 1981-11-13 | 1985-06-12 | Clive Smith Martin | Intermodal freight containers |
US4844672A (en) * | 1988-04-20 | 1989-07-04 | Rosby Corporation | Interlocking adapter casting |
-
1991
- 1991-02-02 GB GB919102292A patent/GB9102292D0/en active Pending
-
1992
- 1992-01-29 MX MX9200379A patent/MX9200379A/en unknown
- 1992-01-30 DE DE69219109T patent/DE69219109T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-01-30 AT AT92903758T patent/ATE151716T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1992-01-30 EP EP92903758A patent/EP0569431B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-01-30 WO PCT/GB1992/000176 patent/WO1992013782A1/en active IP Right Grant
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See references of WO9213782A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69219109D1 (en) | 1997-05-22 |
WO1992013782A1 (en) | 1992-08-20 |
MX9200379A (en) | 1992-12-01 |
GB9102292D0 (en) | 1991-03-20 |
EP0569431B1 (en) | 1997-04-16 |
ATE151716T1 (en) | 1997-05-15 |
DE69219109T2 (en) | 1997-11-13 |
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