EP0811564B1 - Multi-purpose container - Google Patents

Abstract

The container (1) comprises an inverted truncated pyramid shaped body open at the top. It has a series of transverse upper bolts (4) for its lifting onto a lorry (3) provided with a crane. The lifting bolts are located inside the peripheral reinforcement of the top opening. In one of the container sides and in its base are side gyratory and extractable lifting rods mounted laterally in a bolt. Once the container is placed on the ground and the upper lifting bolts are released the container can be raised by its lower lifting bolts and tipped to allow its emptying. The upper lifting bolts are accessed through a wide upper window which communicates with a lower evacuation window. The independent lower bolts are mounted in cavities in the container corners.

Description

The present invention relates to a container metal of the kind of those comprising a pyramidal body truncated reversed, superiorly open, and fit to be placed in the street, occupying approximately the space of a vehicle automobile, and normally serving as a temporary store for the supply of building materials or to receive debris or other waste material from any work.

The existing containers until the date present this constitution and are transported on a special vehicle designed for this purpose by carrying out its loading and unloading operations by lifting hydraulic rear or by training and lifting back, then the space of occupation necessary for lower the container from the vehicle and place it in the existing free place, or viceversa, is at least the addition of the longitudes of the vehicle and the container, that is, at least 10 meters. The loading function and unloading can only be done in the direction longitudinal and consequently the drive of the container from a parking space to the center of the for its loading, or viceversa for its implementation place, must be done manually if we want to avoid the risk of producing serious damage to vehicles parked in front of and behind the container.

When pouring the contents of one of these conventional containers it is necessary to do this on substantially flat rolling surfaces, for reasons of safety both for the vehicle and the the worker. This way of operating leads to the fact that the content remains dispersed and spread on a surface being always larger than that of the container itself.

Finally, this type of conventional container forms an indivisible set compared to the support truck, in such a way that the vehicle is not used for any another type of task that is not the one of the displacement of metal containers of work.

GB-A-2 188 029 discloses a container transportable to rectangular plane presenting to ends of the front and back of the pairs of trunnions and in the central area a pair of pads. For the lifting of the container we have a vehicle with lift arms connectable by slings to the trunnions of container; the arms can pivot on an axis longitudinal to perform the loading and unloading container from one or from one side of the vehicle.

The container of the present invention presents externally a configuration equivalent to conventional, but its lashings have been modified to allow loading / unloading from the means of transport by means of a lifting crane hydraulically moving radially and allowing take the container from the truck and place it in a any lateral posicion with respect to the vehicle, any like taking back an empty container and stacking it on a another dwelling on the truck, and so on until reach the maximum height permitted by the requirements of road traffic.

This container has two lashings hidden at the edge or perimetric fret that superiorly presents the container to its large base or mouth through which this container can be raised by means of two conventional tie-downs, preferably hydraulically or pneumatically actuated, can do the usual operations in this way lifting from the vehicle and laying on the ground, or viceversa. These tie-ins are completed by at least one other pair, set up lower, hidden in the lower corners of the container and provided with means of axial and radial displacement, so that during lifting and lowering of the container said lashings are hidden inside a cavity arranged for this purpose, but when unloading the container, they are extracted outside and the container is suspended by grabbing it by means of the lower lashings and higher set up in the side opposite, such at the moment of the arrival of the container in to which it must be emptied, it is the vehicle itself carrying the crane that handles the containers, or at the dump, the upper lashing is released and during the lifting of the container seized exclusively by one of its angles lower it rocks and pours the entire content to the place where it was laid.

These tie-downs, together with the lifting mechanisms and rotation of the crane included in the vehicle itself, provide the maximum functional capacity in any situation, whether in streets, places to reduced maneuverability, since these are zones of parking, dump, etc. They do so possible pouring and loading functions in all place, including the transport truck itself, allowing for example to empty the debris contents of the container on yourself and return the container to the same position at empty again, in a very short period of time. All this yields substantial benefits of order economic, transport or type professional, who make it worthy of protection requested.

These and other features of this invention will be understood more easily using the following description made on the basis of an example practical realization; this description is made based on the drawings of the attached plans, where:

FIG. 1 represents a vehicle equipped with a crane for loading / unloading containers of the type described in the present invention.

Figure 2 shows in each detail view the tie-down points (4) placed higher on the container of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows in several views the stowage points (5) existing inferiorly in said container.

Figure 4 shows a detail of one of the clamps hydraulic or pneumatic actuators the extreme of the crane (6).

FIG. 5 represents an assembly produced by the simultaneous loading or unloading of several containers.

As indicated above the container multi-purpose use here includes a body (1) to truncated pyradimal configuration reversed, open superiorly and protected at its mouth by a profile peripheral (2). This container is suitable to be placed in the street, occupying approximately the equivalent space a motor vehicle while parked, or slightly lower. Given its configuration and its structure, containers (1) of this type may be stacked between them for transport or storage then occupying a minimal space since the successive containers stacked on a container placed on the base, only raise the column to the extent corresponding to the thickness of the perimetrical band (2).

Superiorly this container (1) presents the pairs of lashings (4) and inferiorly in at least one angles, it presents another pair of tie-rods (5) of such that this container can be suspended from two ways according to the operations to be carried out with him.

The usual or conventional form of operating, consists in grasping the container by means of the two tie-downs superior (4) preferably consist of tongs hydraulic or pneumatic actuators, as are shown in Figure 4, which will be described more in detail below. This way of operating will be used to up and down the containerr from the vehicle on transporting to the ground, unless one realizes unloading operations of said container, and the case appropriate stowage to achieve is the one that is explained following.

The container is subject in this case to lower lashings (5) and in the upper lashings (4) placed in the reverse side, the length of the chains or lashing cables being calculated in such a way that the container is also maintained in position horizontally to carry out loading operations or unloading. The purpose of this way of operating is to evidence when performing the pouring of the container, whether on the vehicle itself carrying the crane (6), either on the ground or on a pile of debris produced by previous unloadings; in these circumstances, and a container lying on the ground, hydraulic stowage or placed in the upper point (4) is released and one lifting the container subject exclusively to the lower lashing (5), so that it rocking and that it remains in a position almost reversed thus facilitating the total unloading of its contents previously chosen place.

The truck (3) carrying out all these operations of loading / unloading is of the conventional type and it is equipped with a crane (6) which generally will have an arm vertical axis (61) with a rotational movement to orient the container in any position and this will facilitate its alignment in the street or in the vehicle. Preferably, this crane will be provided with an arm (62) extendable telescopically, from another arm (63) articulated to the anterior with a variable angle using a other hydraulic piston and in turn a vertical arm (64) rotated to place the whole crane in any position by relative to the vehicle, even in front of the cab of it.

The upper lashings (4) that were shown in detail in Figure 2 are located on the perimetric fret (2) which is a sección reinforcement in grid welded to the sheet itself constituting the truncated pyramidal container (1). These links are defined by an upper window being framed laterally by two welded sheets (8) and (9), with angles tilt inward, communicating with a lower window (12) constituting a water evacuator or material that may have fallen within this zone. The stowage itself consists of a transverse bolt (4), around which are located the clamps (19-20) of the crane bridge (6). Preferably, one of the zones with ramps (9) has corners or side implants (11), delimiting a central guide to through which the claw (19) is introduced while remaining in a vertical position, so that when the pneumatic actuation of the moving claw (20) around of the axis (4), this transverse bolt remains strongly seized (4) and therefore very little likely that a missed entry of it will occur.

The lower lashings (5), just like the previous linkages are independent of those who are located on each side and mounted in a cavity (13) existing in the corresponding lower corner of the container (1). Each of these ties has a rod outside (15), mounted parallel in a bolt cross-section (14) which rotates relative to the container in stowing (16), while at the same time allowing axial from it to, from a hidden position to inside said cavity while the usual operations of the container subject exclusively by the upper stowages (4), to be able to extract it towards outside and by means of the rod (15) to subdue the container in this area by allowing rotation relative between said stowage and the container. These stowed (5), placed in at least one of the corners lower, are hidden by a sheet (17) welded from above and laterally, dehorning the inside corner of the container (1) avoiding the introduction of debris or material in this area that could be impossible or complicate its operation.

This configuration of upper lashings (4) concealed and lower (5) hinges, allows to apply successive containers without the stacking height increases by more than the thickness of the fret (2) of a new container put on the stack.

Figure 4 shows one of the clips pneumatic or hydraulic actuator allowing the lifting the container by the upper points (4). A of these tongs (19) is fixed and is associated with a chain or cable (18) which at its other end is suspended from the corresponding crane (6). This clamp present itself an actuating cylinder (21) being associated with another movable clamp (20) in the form of hook, moving from an open position to a position closed by touching with the pliers (19) and with the space sufficient between the two to secure the bolt (4) constituent of the upper stowage.

The cut (7) existing on the outer face of the grid or perimetral band (2) and located in the zone corresponding to the upper stowages (4) is intended to allow to gather by means of a sling (22) several between them, so that by means of the corresponding crane gangway placed in the tie-downs (4) container located above, a set of containers can be transported, either for its loading simultaneously in a vehicle, either for storage or his transport.

It is not considered necessary to do this longer description for any subject matter expert understands the scope of the invention and the benefits derived from it.

The terms of writing this memoir should always be taken in a broad sense and not limiting.

The materials, shape and layout of the elements will be subject to variation if this is not does not assume a change in characteristics essential features of the invention, which are claimed in the after.

Claims (3)

1. An improved multipurpose container of the type comprising an inverted truncated pyramidal-shaped body open at the upper portion, suitable for being placed in the street occupying approximately the space equivalent to a parked automobile, provided with a series of upper anchors for its lifting and lowering from a truck (3), provided with a crane (6), characterized in that said container (1) has a perimetral reinforcement (2) in the opening having two pairs of anchors (4) in the upper portion hidden inside said reinforcement, which allow the lifting and conventional handling of the container held by these four members; it also comprises, on at least one of the sides of the container and on its base, the rotating and removable side anchors (5), which also allow gripping the container through them and the pair of anchors (4) placed on the opposite side, and thus all this for, once the container has been placed on the ground and the corresponding upper anchors (4) have been released, making it overturn and emptying its content, whether in the truck (3) or on the ground, by lifting the container by the lower anchors (5).
2. A container according to the previous claim, characterized in that the hidden upper anchors (4) are formed by a transverse bolt located between the walls defining the perimetral edge (2), which can be accessed from a wide upper window (10), demarcated by two tilted side plates (8) and (9), which communicate with another interior window (12) having unloading functions; and all this is thus to be able to stack consecutive containers due to the inexistence of projecting portions thereon.
3. A container according to the previous claims, characterized in that the lower anchors (5) are independent from one another and are assembled in a cavity (13) existing in the corresponding angle of the container, each one of them having an anchor rod (15) laterally assembled in a bolt (14), which rotates in an anchor area (16) existing inside the container, allowing the axial displacement of the rod from the cavity (13) to the outside or vice versa (1), and the rotation of the rod (15) with respect to the container (1) during the overturning operations.

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