EP0569431B1

EP0569431B1 - Lift fitting for cargo containers

Info

Publication number: EP0569431B1
Application number: EP92903758A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kenneth Reynard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-02-02
Filing date: 1992-01-30
Publication date: 1997-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 2012-01-30
Also published as: ATE151716T1; EP0569431A1; MX9200379A; DE69219109T2; WO1992013782A1; DE69219109D1; GB9102292D0

Abstract

There is disclosed a cast lift fitting (10) for use on long body cargo containers (50) of non-standard length, and which can be positioned along the upper edges of the container at positions inboard of the top end corners of the container so that the fitting can be engaged by a lift arm of an existing standardised crane designed for use with containers of standard length, in which the fitting (10) comprises: a body (12) having an upper surface (22), lower surface (24), inner end surface (16), outer end surface (14) and parallel sidewalls (18, 20); a chamber (26) defined in body (12) and communicating with upper surface (22) via an entrance aperture (28) and arranged to receive the lift arm of the crane; and an integral spigot (40) depending from body (12) and adapted to be received rigidly and then welded in position in the top of an intermediate vertical support post (55) provided along the sidewall of the container (50) at a position intermediate the ends of the container, so that a non-standard length cargo container (50) can be lifted, moved and then lowered by use of standard designs of cranes. The integral formation of the cast fitting (10) and spigot (40) provides a robust construction, which is welded securely in position along one of the top side support rails (52) of the frame of the container, and also is welded to the top of the intermediate vertical support post (55), thereby providing lateral rigidity for the container without the necessity for obstructing side plate gussets within the container space, required in known constructions, and which obstructs the movement of cargo.

Description

The present invention relates to long body cargo containers with lift fittings which permit the container to be moved by a lifting device which is engageable with the lift fittings.
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 rail road 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 wall would have horizontal support members which would be secured to the lift fitting and a vertical post at the intersection of the walls would be secured to the lift fitting. Thus, the rectangular box-like integrity of the container is maintained by the interconnection of the lift fittings and the horizontal vertical supports.
Recent developments in the United States, Canada and Mexico have led to the development of domestic containers of non-standard lengths in order to accommodate high volume payloads and reduce the associated cost of shipping. These non-standard containers utilised in the domestic market are typically found in lengths of 45 feet, 48 feet or 53 feet and are referred to as long body cargo containers. Despite the non-standard length, these cargo containers still must be lifted with vehicular cranes or marine cranes which 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.
It is known from GB-A-2110185 to provide lift fittings at the corners of a container, on the upper and lower rails defining the framework, and in which each lift fitting comprises a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, inner end surface, outer end surface and parallel side walls, and a chamber defined in the body and which communicates with the upper surface via an entrance aperture to receive an engaging member of a lifting device, such as a crane, which is used in order to move the container from one position to another via the lift fittings.
There is also disclosed in Figures 15 and 16 of GB-A-2110185 a design of lift fitting which is positioned on the lower rail of the container framework, for use at the door end of the container, and in which the fitting includes an upwardly extending socket in which there can be received an upright frame member of the container, and located at the door end thereof.
However, this reference does not address the problem which is solved by the present invention, namely how to adapt a cargo container of non-standard length, so as to be capable of being engaged by lifting devices designed for use with standard length containers, via lift fittings which are provided on the upper rails of the container framework, and in a suitably strong arrangement, and without obstructing the interior of the container by use of known internal triangular gussets to stiffen the frames, and which make internal loading of the container difficult and reduce the effective cargo space within the container.
The present invention seeks to provide a novel solution to this problem, in a cargo container of non-standard length, and with an arrangement of the lift fittings inboard of the corners of the container and with a sufficiently strong supporting framework and without use of obstructing internal stiffening.
According to the invention there is provided 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, and lift fittings mounted on the support rails to permit the container to be moved by a lifting device, said lift fittings comprising;

a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, inner end surface, outer end surface and parallel side walls; and a chamber defined in said body and communicating with said upper surface via an entrance aperture to receive an engaging member of said lifting device:
characterised in that a set of said lift fittings are mounted on the top horizontal support rails at respective locations inboard of the corners of the container so that the set of fittings can be engaged by an existing standardised lifting device, such as a crane, for use with containers of a standard design, each lift fitting having an integral spigot depending from the body and positioned on said lower surface adjacent to said outer end surface;
and in that each spigot is secured to a respective vertical support member of the container and which is located intermediate the ends of the container.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a lift fitting for use on a long body container according to the invention and of non-standard length;
Figure 1a is a schematic illustration of a post structure to which the lift fitting can be secured;
Figure 1b is a horizontal sectional view of the post shown in Figure 1a;
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 long body cargo container according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a side view of a prior art type of lift fitting;
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 secured to a vertical support post.

Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated a side view of a cast lift fitting 10. 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 the cooperation of spigot 40 with lift fitting 10 and the cargo container is schematically illustrated in Figure 5 which is a schematic illustration of a cargo container 50.
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.
As Figure 5 schematically illustrates, 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.
In this configuration, 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 marine cranes (which are adapted to standardised containers) to lift and move these non-standardised containers.
To accomplish this with a lift fitting which did not have a depending spigot 40, requires additional triangular bracing within the cargo container as illustrated in Figure 6, and this bracing makes it difficult to load the container and also deprive the container's user of certain available storage space in the upper corners of the container. Further, use of fork lift or other loaders internally of the container runs the risk of causing damage to the bracing with consequent reduction in structural strength of the container.
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. Therefore, this requires an internal gusset 63 positioned within the container, gusset 63 being secured to lower surface 24 of the lift fitting and to inner post 57 of the vertical support. It is this gusset which limits the available storage space within the cargo container in order to provide additional stiffening for the lift fitting and the vertical support.
The depending spigot 4 on lift fitting 10 eliminates the need for gusset 63 or any other bracing within the container. As shown in Figure 1, 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 1a, with the outline of spigot 40 shown in dashed line 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.
As shown in Figure 1a, 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 optionally by weld 61a to stiffener 61 formed through a slot in inner post 57.
Figure 1b 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.
A better understanding of the relationship and cooperation of downwardly depending spigot 40 and vertical support post 55 can be had by reference to Figure 7 which 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 1a, but which is a side view showing lift fitting 10 and downwardly depending spigot secured to vertical support post 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.
Referring once again to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated with respect to lift fitting 10 an optional support positioned within chamber 26. 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 means of aperture 28. These internal gussets 90 within chamber 26 of lift fitting 10 are optional, and are not essential to the invention.

Claims

A long body cargo container (50) having top and bottom horizontal support rails (52) joined to vertical support posts (54) to form a rigid support structure of the container on which wall cladding is assembled, and lift fittings (10) mounted on the support rails (52) to permit the container to be moved by a lifting device, said lift fittings comprising;
a body (12) having an upper surface (22), a lower surface (24), inner end surface (16), outer end surface (14) and parallel side walls (18, 20); and a chamber (26) defined in said body and communicating with said upper surface via an entrance aperture (28) to receive an engaging member of said lifting device:

characterised in that a set of said lift fittings (10) are mounted on the top horizontal support rails (52) at respective locations inboard of the corners of the container so that the set of fittings can be engaged by an existing standardised lifting device, such as a crane, for use with containers of a standard design, each lift fitting having an integral spigot (40) depending from the body (12) and positioned on said lower surface (24) adjacent to said outer end surface (14);

and in that each spigot (40) is secured to a respective vertical support member (55) of the container which is located intermediate the ends of the container.
A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said body (12) of each lift fitting (10) is secured to a respective one of said horizontal support rails (52) of the container (50) by weld joints connecting said support rail (52) to said side walls (18, 20) of the body (12).
A container according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each spigot (40) is secured to the respective vertical support (55) by weld joints (57a, 59a, 61a).
A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the interior facing surface of each spigot (40) has a stepped shoulder (65) which engages the respective vertical support (55).
A container according to claim 4, characterised in that the exterior facing surface of said spigot (40) is planar and recessed from said outer end surface (14) of the body (12).
A container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said vertical support (55) comprises an internal post (57), an external post (59) and a stiffener (61), said internal post (57) being secured to said stepped shoulder (65) of said spigot (40), said external post (59) being secured to the outer facing surface of said spigot, and said stiffener (61) being secured to the lower end of said spigot (40).
A container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that said chamber (26) of each body (12) has reinforcing stiffeners (90) positioned on the interior of the chamber, and extending between said outer end surface (14) and said lower surface (24).