EP3378800B1 - Offshore container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an offshore container.

Offshore containers are portable containers that are designed for the repeated transport of goods or equipment in the open sea, on, from or between ships and on, from or between fixed and / or floating facilities such as offshore platforms.

Offshore containers have to meet particularly high requirements in order to withstand such transport and loading conditions. The harsh and aggressive sea climate in particular places the highest demands on corrosion protection and the strength of the material as well as the mechanical strength of the construction of the offshore container. During transport and loading, the different subsurface conditions, especially when there are strong waves, can exert considerable forces on the offshore container that are many times its own weight.

These offshore containers are therefore particularly complex and expensive to manufacture and must be certified in accordance with DNV 2.7-1 (Det Norske Veritas classification). Only suitable offshore containers for offshore transport are allowed that have been certified accordingly.
These requirements are not met by the freight containers (onshore freight containers) that are usually standardized and used for onshore use and are therefore not suitable and certified for offshore use.
From the pamphlet WO 2011/115674 A1 a memory module is known which can be connected to an adapter plate of an adapter arrangement which can be arranged in a freight container.
From the pamphlet WO 2007/041776 A1 discloses a rollable pallet with a clamping device for securing individual objects, wherein the rollable pallet can be received in a freight container. Furthermore, the DE202013012030U1 a loading platform and the US2007 / 0116536A1 a system and procedure for securing cargo on transport areas.

For the transfer of goods and equipment transported ashore on, from or between ships and on, from or between fixed and / or floating systems, these goods and equipment must be reloaded from the onshore freight container to the offshore container and vice versa. This process is very time-consuming and costly.
The transport of waste, in particular from an offshore platform to the mainland, for example, takes place loosely or in sacks in open-topped or closed offshore containers, with the waste having to be reloaded into waste containers standardized for land-based transport.
The invention is based on the object of providing an offshore container that simplifies and accelerates the transfer of goods and equipment, in particular of waste in the open sea, to, from or between ships and to, from or between fixed and / or floating systems thus designed more cost-effectively.

To achieve the object, an offshore container according to claim 1 is proposed according to the invention.

In the offshore container according to the invention, the locking device can be used to integrate the usual onshore freight containers, such as capped or uncovered tipper loader skips, flat skip containers, front loader containers, various grid boxes, etc.
The certified offshore container thus serves as an outer container that securely holds a conventional, non-offshore cargo container as an inner container and thus enables it to be transported offshore.
The locking device is preferably designed to be automatically triggered.

The freight container can be removed from the offshore container or placed in the offshore container with little effort and conventional loading equipment.
It is no longer necessary to reload the cargo in the freight container for offshore transport.
Thus, the highly qualified offshore container can be used as a multiplier for a variety of offshore logistics problems.
The highly qualified offshore container can be reused after a short unloading time and thus better utilized. On the mainland or the offshore platform, the onshore freight container can be handled in the usual way.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the locking device has at least two locking units for the selective locking of the onshore freight container.

A statically determined two-point locking of the onshore freight container is then implemented.

The locking units can be arranged in pairs opposite one another or in pairs diagonally opposite one another in the offshore container.

This number and arrangement of the locking units is minimalistic enough to fix the freight container both in the vertical axis of movement and in both horizontal axes of movement and thus to fix it on the loading area of the offshore container in a sufficiently slip-proof manner.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the locking units are designed to be separately lockable.

The locking units can be adjusted individually and thus decentrally or jointly centrally. They can preferably be set individually, so they can be operated independently of one another, ie autonomously in terms of time and location. This is particularly advantageous for inserting the freight container into the locking units or for removing the freight container from the locking units, in particular when there is a swell. Due to the decoupled operation of the locking units from one another, the freight container can thus be safely fed to, locked or unlocked and removed from all locking units without jamming or tensioning, even if it is inclined relative to the offshore container, for example due to uneven, shifted cargo in the freight container.

According to the invention, the locking units are designed and arranged on the loading area of the offshore container. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking units are designed and arranged on an inner surface of one or more side walls of the offshore container.

All functional parts of the locking units are thus designed and arranged above the floor, ie within the usable, clear space of the offshore container, in particular above the loading area or on the inside of the side walls. None of the functional parts of the locking units (apart from necessarily their fastening means) protrudes into the bottom wall or into the side walls of the offshore container. In this way, the stability of the construction of the offshore container and the material properties of the offshore container advantageously remain unaffected, so that the suitability requirements of the offshore container are also fully met with the equipment.
The above-floor arrangement of all functional elements of the locking units also enables easy access for maintenance and repair and, if necessary, early error detection in the event of a malfunction of the locking device.
The locking device can for example have mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and / or pneumatic means.
All functional parts of the locking device are preferably designed mechanically. An exclusively mechanically designed locking device has the advantage that it is robust and less susceptible to failure in relation to the aggressive sea climate.
According to a further advantageous embodiment, the locking unit has a movably mounted locking element, wherein the locking element is designed such that in a first position (receiving position) of the locking element, the freight container is released and in a second position (locking position) of the locking element of the cargo container is fixed.

The two positions of the movable locking element allow the freight container to be released or secured in the offshore container in a simple manner.

According to a preferred embodiment, the locking element is designed such that the locking element engages or engages in the locking position on or in a receiving element of the freight container.

For this purpose, the freight container preferably has at least two receiving elements, each of which can be assigned to a locking element.

The receiving element can, for example, be a web or a recess of the freight container on which a clamping surface is provided, on which the locking element (e.g. a clamping disc or claw with a counter-clamping surface) engages and holds the freight container in a clamping manner. This achieves a releasable clamping connection between the locking element and the receiving element.

If the locking element and the receiving element have a geometry that corresponds to one another in terms of shape, the freight container can be locked by means of a releasable form-fitting connection of the locking element and the receiving element.

In this way, the locking element can be designed, for example, hook-shaped or bolt-shaped and engage in a corresponding eyelet as a receiving element of the freight container.

It is particularly advantageous if the locking element is designed to be spring-loaded, the locking element being held in the receiving position by means of the spring force.

Thus, the locking element opens automatically in the no-load state, the locking element forcibly moved into the receiving position, so that the locking unit is reliably available for receiving or removing the freight container during loading and unloading of the freight container without any action and supports this process through its flexible mobility.

In particular, this counteracts jamming or tensioning of the freight container when it is received or removed from the locking unit, which can occur, for example, due to an inclined position with respect to the offshore container.

The forced position of the locking element in the receiving position enables any jamming of the connection between the freight container and the locking unit to be released reliably by a shaking movement of the freight container.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the locking element is held in the closed position by means of a weight of the freight container which can act on the locking element (12).

Here, the receiving element presses the locking element against the spring force into the closed position by means of the weight of the freight container.

Thus, the locking element can also be closed automatically without further action and is reliably held in the locked position as long as the freight container is stored in the offshore container.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the locking device has a safety device, by means of which at least the locking element of a locking unit can be locked in the locking position and / or in the receiving position.

The movably mounted locking element of the locking unit can be held in a defined, desired position by locking by means of the securing device, whereby the use of the locking device is even more convenient, reliable and safer depending on the application.

Due to the automatic, spring-loaded adjustability of the locking element, the rotational position of the locking element could inadvertently shift from the desired position, especially as a result of the forces acting on the offshore container and the freight container in rough seas, which can be prevented by fixing the locking element concerned by means of the safety device .

The securing especially in the closed position of the locking element prevents the lock from opening if, for example, during sea transport the weight of the cargo container acting on the locking element is reduced due to a sudden downward wave movement due to inertia. This reliably prevents an undesired vertical movement of the freight container and consequently an unintentional detachment of the freight container from the offshore container.

The securing, especially in the receiving position of the locking element, prevents the locking element from inadvertently swinging or swinging and shifting as a result of the wave movement, for example when the offshore container is being transported empty. The locking device of the offshore container is thus always ready to receive even after an empty journey.

This securing of the locking element can be performed on one or more locking units as required.

If each locking unit has a locking element for the locking element, the reliability of the locking device is increased accordingly.

The safety device can provide that the locking elements are locked individually and thus decentrally.

Preferably, however, the securing device is designed to be centrally controllable, in which all locking elements to be secured can be locked together and thus centrally.

By means of a central control of the securing device, the securing of the locking elements can, if necessary, be triggered both manually and automatically by a single signal. A conditionally automatic triggering of the safety device can, for. B. as a result of a safety-related action, such as closing a door of the offshore container.

The safety device can, for example, have mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and / or pneumatic means.

All functional parts of the safety device are preferably designed mechanically. An exclusively mechanically designed safety device has the advantage that it is robust and less susceptible to failure in relation to the aggressive sea climate.

The mechanical safety device can be a control member such. B. a hand lever or a joystick, and a mechanical transmission member connected to the control member, such as a lever linkage, cable or chain hoist, by means of which an actuator that realizes a securing position on the locking element can be adjusted.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the securing device has a movably mounted securing element which, in a blocking position, the locking element locked and unlocked the locking element in an unlocked position.

The securing element can for example be a hook-shaped pawl or a bolt which engages in the locking position in an opening or in a recess of the locking element and in the unlocking position releases the opening or recess.

If the locking element is to be locked both in its locking position and in its receiving position, the securing element accordingly engages in two different openings or recesses of the locking element in the locking position.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the securing element is designed to be spring-loaded, the securing element being held in the unlocked position by means of the spring force.

In this way, the securing element automatically unlocks the locking element in the load-free, spring-relieved state, the securing element forcibly moving into the unlocked position so that the function of the locking unit is unhindered for the loading and unloading process of the freight container. This ensures free access when the freight container is received or removed from the locking unit.

In particular, the fixed positive direction of the spring force in the direction of the unlocking position counteracts any possible jamming of the securing element within the guide track between the locking and unlocking positions.

The forced position of the safety element in the unlocked position enables this jamming to be released reliably by shaking movements, so that the full functionality of the Locking unit can be reliably guaranteed when loading or unloading the freight container.

The securing device preferably has a means by means of which the securing element can be held in the blocking position.

Such a holding means can be mechanically effective, for example.

A mechanical holding means can for example be an eccentric disk which is in operative connection with a spring-loaded bolt of a rotatable control element (hand lever).

The fixed eccentric disk can, for example, have a radial widening, whereby the spring-loaded bolt can move over the radial widening of the eccentric disk to reach the stopping point (end position of the control member) and thus fix the control member in position. If the eccentric disc has a radial recess, the spring-loaded bolt of the control member can move into the radial recess of the eccentric disc to reach the stopping point and thus fix the control member in position.

A mechanical holding means can for example also be a spring-loaded coupling rod which is in operative connection with a rotatable control member (hand lever), as described in more detail in the exemplary embodiments.

In particular, the spring-loaded securing element can be securely held in the blocking position by means of the holding mechanism against the spring force.

In this way, the locking position of the securing element can be permanently mechanically secured, whereby in particular the secure locking of the freight container in the locking unit is consistently and reliably ensured during sea transport.

A structurally advantageous embodiment provides that at least one guide element is arranged on the loading area.

The guide element (s) is / are used to guide and center the freight container during the loading and unloading process and for the precise positioning of the freight container on the loading area of the offshore container.

The guide element (s) is / are arranged and designed, for example, in the offshore container in such a way that the pendulum movement of the freight container during loading and unloading can be limited from above so that the freight container can be brought into a defined position above the loading area or its receiving elements can be fed precisely to the locking elements.

Likewise, the guide element (s) can be arranged and designed in such a way that the freight container can be placed in a defined position on the loading area when it is loaded sideways via a door of the offshore container and its receiving elements can be fed precisely to the locking elements can be.

Two guide elements can be arranged in pairs opposite one another or in pairs diagonally opposite one another.

You can correspond with the corners of the freight container, a central recess of the freight container and / or with the side walls of the freight container.

If the guide elements are arranged in pairs, the guidance and centering of the freight container can be improved both in the longitudinal axis and in the transverse axis of the offshore container.

If the freight container has at least one adapter element that can be assigned to a guide element, a Adapter element and a guide element can be individually coordinated with one another, whereby the guidance and centering of the freight container can be carried out even better during loading and unloading.

The geometry of the adapter element is preferably designed to correspond to the geometry of the guide element.

Further advantages result if at least one guide element has at least one guide flank.

This guide flank (s) is / are preferably designed to be inclined with respect to the intended loading direction of the freight container.

In the case of a vertical loading direction and / or horizontal loading direction, they can be designed to run obliquely in a suitable manner with respect to the loading area and / or with respect to the longitudinal side walls and / or the transverse side wall of the offshore rack.

If the guide flanks are each arranged on the guide elements arranged opposite one another, they are advantageously designed to be mirror-symmetrical to one another.

As a result, the freight container can be guided gently along the respective, corresponding guide flank into the desired end position, whereby the guiding and centering of the freight container can be carried out carefully and at the same time quickly with small impacts.

The adapter element and the guide element can be connected at least partially in a form-fitting manner.

To this end, an advantageous embodiment provides that at least one guide element has a contact contour which is designed to correspond in a form-fitting manner with a contact contour of an assignable adapter element of the freight container.

If such a positively connectable area is formed on the guide element and on the associated adapter element, In the course of guiding and centering the freight container in the offshore container, precise positioning of the freight container in relation to the locking elements of the locking units can be achieved even faster and more precisely.

Fig. 1a

eine isometrische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Offshore-Racks mit einer gedeckelten Absetzmulde als Innenbehälter,

Fig. 1b

eine isometrische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Offshore-Racks mit einer oben offenen Absetzmulde als Innenbehälter,

Fig. 1c

eine isometrische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Offshore-Racks mit einem Flachabsetzbehälter als Innenbehälter,

Fig. 2a

eine isometrische Teildarstellung des Offshore-Racks nach Fig. la im Leerzustand mit einer Zweifach-Verriegelungsvorrichtung mit zwei paarweise gegenüberliegenden Verriegelungseinheiten,

Fig. 2b

eine isometrische Teildarstellung des Offshore-Racks nach Fig. la im Leerzustand mit einer Zweifach-Verriegelungsvorrichtung mit zwei paarweise diagonal gegenüberliegenden Verriegelungseinheiten,

Fig. 2c

eine isometrische Teildarstellung des Offshore-Racks nach Fig. la im Leerzustand mit einer Vierfach-Verriegelungsvorrichtung mit vier paarweise gegenüberliegenden Verriegelungseinheiten,

Fig. 3

eine isometrische Darstellung der Absetzmulde nach Fig. 1a,

Fig. 4

eine isometrische Teildarstellung des Offshore-Racks nach Fig. la mit der Absetzmulde im Aufnahmezustand,

Fig. 5a

eine vergrößerte Detailansicht X der Absetzmulde nach Fig. 4 mit Zentrierrahmen im Aufnahmezustand,

Fig. 5b

eine vergrößerte Detailansicht X der Absetzmulde nach Fig. 4 mit Zentrierrahmen im Verriegelungszustand,

Fig. 6a

eine Seitenansicht einer Verriegelungseinheit in gesicherter Aufnahmeposition,

Fig. 6b

eine Schnittansicht der Verriegelungseinheit nach Fig. 6a,

Fig. 7a

eine Seitenansicht der Verriegelungseinheit in entsicherter Aufnahmeposition,

Fig. 7b

eine Schnittansicht der Verriegelungseinheit nach Fig. 7a,

Fig. 8a

eine Seitenansicht der Verriegelungseinheit in entsicherter Verschlussposition,

Fig. 8b

eine Schnittansicht der Verriegelungseinheit nach Fig. 8a,

Fig. 9a

eine Seitenansicht der Verriegelungseinheit in gesicherter Verschlussposition,

Fig. 9b

eine Schnittansicht der Verriegelungseinheit nach Fig. 9a,

Fig. 10

eine vergrößerte Detailansicht Y des Offshore-Racks mit der Verriegelungseinheit in Aufnahmeposition zur Aufnahme der Absetzmulde nach Fig. 4 (Aufnahmezustand),

Fig. 11

eine vergrößerte Detailansicht Y des Offshore-Racks mit der Verriegelungseinheit in Verschlussposition und der Absetzmulde nach Fig. 4 in Endlage(Verriegelungszustand),

Fig. 12a,b,c

Detailansichten eines Haltemechanismus des Handhebels in verschiedenen Stellungen

Fig. 13

eine isometrische Teildarstellung des Offshore-Racks nach Fig. 1b im Leerzustand mit einer Zweifach-Verriegelungsvorrichtung mit zwei paarweise gegenüberliegenden Verriegelungseinheiten,

Fig. 14

eine isometrische Teildarstellung des Offshore-Racks nach Fig. 1b mit der offenen Absetzmulde in Endlage (Verriegelungszustand).

The offshore container according to the invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. The accompanying drawings show a schematic representation in

Fig. 1a

an isometric representation of an offshore rack according to the invention with a covered skip as an inner container,

Figure 1b

an isometric view of an offshore rack according to the invention with a skip open at the top as an inner container,

Figure 1c

an isometric representation of an offshore rack according to the invention with a flat sedimentation container as the inner container,

Fig. 2a

an isometric partial representation of the offshore rack according to Fig. la in the empty state with a double locking device with two opposing locking units in pairs,

Figure 2b

an isometric partial representation of the offshore rack according to Fig. la in the empty state with a double locking device with two pairs of diagonally opposite locking units,

Figure 2c

an isometric partial representation of the offshore rack according to Fig. la in the empty state with a four-point locking device with four locking units opposite in pairs,

Fig. 3

an isometric view of the skip Fig. 1a ,

Fig. 4

an isometric partial representation of the offshore rack according to Fig. la with the skip in the receiving state,

Figure 5a

an enlarged detailed view X of the skip Fig. 4 with centering frame in the receiving state,

Figure 5b

an enlarged detailed view X of the skip Fig. 4 with centering frame in the locked state,

Figure 6a

a side view of a locking unit in a secured receiving position,

Figure 6b

a sectional view of the locking unit according to Figure 6a ,

Figure 7a

a side view of the locking unit in the unlocked receiving position,

Figure 7b

a sectional view of the locking unit according to Figure 7a ,

Figure 8a

a side view of the locking unit in the unlocked locking position,

Figure 8b

a sectional view of the locking unit according to Figure 8a ,

Figure 9a

a side view of the locking unit in the secured locking position,

Figure 9b

a sectional view of the locking unit according to Figure 9a ,

Fig. 10

an enlarged detailed view Y of the offshore rack with the locking unit in the receiving position for receiving the skip Fig. 4 (Recording status),

Fig. 11

an enlarged detailed view Y of the offshore rack with the locking unit in the locked position and the skip Fig. 4 in end position (locked state),

Figures 12a, b, c

Detailed views of a holding mechanism of the hand lever in different positions

Fig. 13

an isometric partial representation of the offshore rack Figure 1b when empty with a double locking device with two opposing locking units in pairs,

Fig. 14

an isometric partial representation of the offshore rack Figure 1b with the open skip in the end position (locked state).

The illustration according to Fig. La shows an offshore container 1 according to the invention in the form of an offshore rack open at the top, which has a bottom wall 2 and four side walls 3, two of which are longitudinal side walls 3-L, a transverse side wall 3-Q and a door wall 3- T with front door 4 includes.

The offshore rack 1 has a chain eyelet 5 at each of its four corners for loading, for example by means of a crane, and in the bottom wall 2 on both sides of the longitudinal side walls 3-L each two fork receiving pockets 6 for loading, for example by means of a forklift.

In the offshore rack 1, a freight container 7, namely a standardized skip 7.1 with a lid, is arranged, which is for example for transport through and on a skip truck (Skip loader) is intended. With the covered skip 7.1, bulk goods such as recyclable materials and waste can preferably be transported.

The loaded skip 7.1 can be placed directly in the offshore rack 1 or removed from the offshore rack 1 by means of the skip loader without further reloading of the load. The offshore rack 1 can be loaded and unloaded via the above opening of the offshore rack 1 or via the open front door 4.

The depositing trough 7.1 is flat on a loading surface 8 (not visible here) of the bottom wall 2 of the offshore rack 1 and is locked by means of the locking device 9 according to the invention (not visible here).

Figure 1b shows, as a second example, an offshore rack 1 according to the invention with a further freight container 7, namely with an asymmetrical, open depositing trough 7.2 with a fold-down bulk wall provided for transport through and on a skip loader.

Figure 1c shows as a third example an offshore rack 1 according to the invention with a further freight container 7, namely with a flat deposit container 7.3, which has a retracted intermediate floor, on which there are continuously flat parking spaces for 6 euro pallets. The flat skip container 7.3 is also suitable for transport on a skip loader.

In the exemplary embodiment, the seaworthy offshore rack 1 has an empty weight of approx. 3 t and a maximum payload of approx. 10 t. The freight container 7 has, for example, depending on its size and design, an empty weight of up to 1t with a maximum payload of approximately 9t. The offshore rack 1 is made significantly more massive than the freight container 7 and can accommodate this as a payload.

In Fig. 2a the offshore rack 1 according to the invention according to FIG. La is shown in the empty state. To better illustrate the internal equipment, the offshore rack 1 is shown without the longitudinal side wall 3-L in the front of the picture and without the transverse side wall 3-Q. The offshore rack 1 has a two-point locking device 9 with two locking units 10.1, 10.2, which are arranged near the two longitudinal side walls 3-L on the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1 and lie opposite one another as a pair.

Each of the locking units 10.1, 10.2 has two bearing blocks 11 ', 11 "by means of which the locking unit 10.1, 10.2 is attached to the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1 and between which a locking disc 12.1, 12.2 is arranged as a locking element, which is located in the bearing blocks 11 ', 11 "is rotatably mounted under a spring bias.

The locking disks 12.1, 12.2 of the opposing locking units 10.1, 10.2 are designed to be rotatable in opposite directions.

The locking disks 12.1, 12.2 each have a claw-shaped recess 13 with an end 14 protruding radially on one side - clearly visible Figures 6a to 11 . These claw-shaped recesses 13 can each grasp and lock a receiving element 15 (not shown here) of a freight container 7 placed on the loading surface 8, as described below Figures 3 to 11 is described.

The claw-shaped recesses 13 of the opposing locking units 10.1, 10.2 are arranged facing each other with mirror symmetry.

The locking units 10.1, 10.2 arranged in this way and acting in opposite directions form, in engagement with a parked freight container 7 (not shown here), a statically determined locking system, the freight container 7 is fixed both in the vertical direction against lifting and horizontally in the longitudinal and transverse directions against displacement or rotation in the offshore rack 1.

Furthermore, the locking device 9 has a centrally controlled securing device 16, which is also arranged on the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1. The securing device 16 contains a securing element 17.1, 17.2 for each locking unit 10.1, 10.2 in the form of a spring-loaded securing bolt which, as an actuator of the securing device 16, engages in the respective locking disc 12.1, 12.2 and can lock it and thus secure it in a certain position.

In addition to the securing elements 17.1, 17.2, the securing device 16 also contains a rotatable hand lever 18 as a manually operable control element, as well as lever linkages 19.1, 19.2 and deflectable cables 20.1, 20.2 as transmission links from the hand lever 18 to the individual securing bolts 17.1, 17.2 of the locking units 10.1, 10.2.

The hand lever 18 is arranged in relation to the front door 4 of the offshore rack 1 that this can only be closed in the vertically directed position of the hand lever 18, as shown in FIG Fig. 2a . can be seen. In the vertical position, the hand lever 18 uses the cables 20.1, 20.2 and the lever linkage 19.1, 19.2 to lock the spring-loaded securing bolts 17.1, 17.2 to secure the position of the locking disc 12.1, 12.2 (can be seen in more detail in Fig. 6a, b , 9a, b ).

The safety device 16 moves the spring-loaded safety bolts 17.1, 17.2 against the spring force of the compression spring 30 into their locking position, so that the hand lever 18 of the safety device 16 is held in its vertical position by means of a holding mechanism (not shown here) to mechanically secure this position.

The holding mechanism of the hand lever 18 is detailed Figures 12a, b, c described.

In a horizontal position of the hand lever 18 with the door open (not shown here), it causes the locking bolts 17.1, 17.2 to unlock the position of the locking disc 12.1, 12.2 via the coupled cables 20.1, 20.2 and the lever linkage 19.1, 19.2.

The hand lever 18 can also be held in its horizontal position by means of the holding mechanism.

The offshore rack 1 furthermore has two centering blocks 21.1, 21.2, which are arranged opposite one another near the longitudinal side walls 3-L and have essentially three side flanks, which are essentially conical in shape. The centering blocks 21.1, 21.2 serve as guide elements for guiding and aligning the freight container 7 floating freely above the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1 in the necessary position relative to the offshore rack 1 and the locking device 9.

Each of the centering blocks 21.1, 21.2 has several inclined guide flanks 22, which facilitate the guiding and alignment of the free-floating freight container, in particular at a certain height above the loading area of the offshore rack.

Figure 2b shows the offshore rack 1 Fig. 2a with an alternative locking device 9, which in contrast to the embodiment according to Fig. 2a has a pair (two pieces) of locking units 10.1, 10.3 arranged diagonally opposite one another.

This arrangement of the locking units 10.1, 10.3 also creates a statically determined locking system in engagement with an inserted freight container, which securely fixes the freight container in the offshore rack 1 both in the vertical direction and in the longitudinal and transverse directions.

Figure 2c shows the offshore rack 1 Fig. 2a with a further alternative locking device 9, which, in contrast to the embodiment according to Fig. 2a two pairs (four pieces) opposing locking units 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and thus realizes a four-point locking.

This locking system provides through the four locking units 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 on the one hand an advantageous redundancy of the locking and on the other hand it compensates in particular the transverse forces acting on the locking units 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 during sea transport through the freight container. This four-point locking device fixes the freight container in the offshore rack 1 even more securely.

In Fig. 3 the skip 7.1 according to Fig. La is shown free-standing. The skip 7.1 has standardized tipping bearing pins 23 on its two transverse sides close to the bottom (only visible on one transverse side), by means of which the skip 7.1 can be secured in position on a skip or emptied by means of the skip.

On its long sides, the depositing trough 7.1 has two receiving elements 15.2, 15.3 and 15.1, 15.4 (the latter two not visible), which are provided for locking with the locking device 9 of the offshore rack 1. These receiving elements 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 are designed as receiving bolts and are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the depositing trough 7.1 that they each follow a locking disc 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 of the locking units 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 Figure 2c are assignable. The locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 provide the opposite geometry to the claw-shaped recesses 13 of the locking disks 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4. Each of the locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 has a cross section corresponding to the claw-shaped recess 13.

If the locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 - as provided in the exemplary embodiment - are not designed to protrude beyond the contour of the depositing trough 7.1, they are each arranged in a deep-drawn pocket of the depositing trough 7.1, which provides the necessary free space for the rotary movement of the locking disc 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 offers.

Such pockets for the integrated arrangement of the receiving elements for locking with the locking device 9 are also formed in the flat sedimentation container 7.3, as in FIG Figure 1c shown. In Figure 1c two of the four pockets can be seen in a broken representation of the intermediate floor, which protrude below the intermediate floor into the interior of the flat settling container 7.3 and are provided for the arrangement of one receiving element 15 each.

The intermediate floor drawn in above the pockets provides a continuously flat loading area, whereby the usable area in the flat depositing container 7.3 is not influenced by the construction space of the pockets and can be used particularly comfortably.

It is covered by the invention that other receiving elements of the freight containers 7, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, which are designed with a corresponding counter-geometry, can be used for locking with the locking device 9 of the offshore rack 1. In particular, the standardized tipping bearing bolts 23 of the skip troughs 7.1, 7.2, which are provided for emptying the skip troughs 7.1, 7.2 by means of the skip loader, can also act as receiving elements for locking with the locking device 9, as in Fig. 13 and 14th using the example of the open skip 7.2 Figure 1b is shown in more detail.

Furthermore, the deposit trough 7.1 has two adapter elements 24.1, 24.2 arranged on the longitudinal sides of the deposit trough 7.1, of which in Fig. 3 only one adapter element 24.2 can be seen.

The adapter elements 24.1, 24.2 are designed as centering frames, which are designed to be placed on the side walls of the depositing trough 7.1 and can each be assigned to one of the two centering stands 21.1, 21.2 in the offshore rack 1.

The geometry of the centering frame 24.1, 24.2 is matched to the geometry of the respective centering frame 21.1, 21.2.

Fig. 4 shows the offshore rack 1 shown in section while the skip 7.1 is being picked up, which is in a floating position above the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1.

The front door 4 of the offshore rack 1 is open in this phase so that the skip 7.1 can be brought in with the aid of the skip loader both from above and via the open front door 4.

The two centering frames 24.1, 24.2 of the depositing trough 7.1 come into engagement with the centering frames 21.1, 21.2 of the offshore rack 1 at a defined height above the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1 (as shown in detail X, Figure 5a visible).

The inner geometry of a centering frame 24.1, 24.2 surrounds the outer geometry of a centering block 21.1, 21.2 on three sides. In the interaction of the two centering blocks 21.1, 21.2. With the two centering frames 24.1, 24.2 the depositing trough 7.1 can be aligned both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction of the offshore rack 1.

The inner geometry of the centering frame 24.1, 24.2 is much more spacious in the upper area than the outer geometry of the centering block 21.1, 21.2, whereas in the edge area close to the bottom the centering frame 24.1, 24.2 has a frame-like contact contour that is largely form-fitting with a frame-like contact contour in the edge area of the Centering block 21.1, 21.2 corresponds (see detail X, Fig. 5a, b ).

This centering mechanism can thus safely guide the floating depositing trough 7.1 with a possibly large amplitude of the pivoting range into the receiving position and align it, with the outer contour of the centering bracket 21.1, 21.2 increasingly limiting the pivoting range of the depositing trough 7.1 and the inner contour of the centering frame when lowering the depositing trough 7.1 24.1, 24.2 can slide along the guide flanks 22 of the centering block 21.1, 21.2 (see detail X, Figure 5a ). In this way, the skip 7.1 is secured against unintentional movements in the transverse and longitudinal directions when it is lowered.

In the receiving position, the four receiving bolts 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 of the depositing trough 7.1 are each in engagement with the one-sided protruding end 14 of the upwardly directed, claw-shaped recess 13 of the four spring-loaded locking disks 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, as in Detail Y after Fig. 10 can be seen in extracts.

During the further downward movement, the depositing trough 7.1 is moved into the desired end position (locked state) in the offshore rack 1.

In the locked state, the skip 7.1 is placed flat on the loading area 8 of the offshore rack 1, with the locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 depressing the spring-loaded locking disks 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 due to the weight of the skip 7.1 and holding them in the locked position , as in detail Y after Fig. 11 can be seen in extracts.

The automatic locking or unlocking of the skip 7.1 in the offshore rack 1 is achieved by the combination of the essentially linear movement of the locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 of the skip 7.1 and the rotary movement of the locking disks 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 of the locking device 9 reached, the locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 moving relative to the claw-shaped recess 13 along the end 14 protruding on one side (detail Y after Fig. 10 , 11 ).

With the help of the centering mechanism, in which in the end position of the depositing trough 7.1 (locked state) the centering frames 24.1, 24.2 and centering stands 21.1, 21.2 according to the detail X according to Figure 5b are in positive engagement with one another, the locating pins 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 of the depositing trough 7.1 are brought into an optimal position relative to the locking disks 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 of the locking device 9 in order to ensure a secure locking of the depositing trough 7.1.

In the reverse transport direction, the depositing trough 7.1 can be released from the locked state by means of the centering mechanism, largely without tilting, and raised into the freely floating receiving state and ultimately removed from the offshore rack 1.

The Figures 6a , b to 9a , b show in extracts any locking unit 10 of the locking units 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 Figure 2c each in a side view a and a sectional view b in a total of four different functional states.

In Figures 6a and 6b the locking unit 10 is shown in the secured receiving position in which the freight container 7 has been removed.

This functional state is provided in particular for the offshore rack 1 to be transported empty.

The locking disk 12, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 25 between the two bearing blocks 11 ′, 11 ″, has a spring tension due to the pretensioned torsion spring 26, which the claw-shaped recess 13 of the locking disk 12 forcibly opening upwards into a receiving position Fig. 6a, b aligns. A limit stop 27 on the bearing block 11 'limits the rotation of the locking disc 12 on one side and holds it in the desired rotational position.

The locking disc 12 is secured in position by means of the securing bolt 17 in addition to the forced position held in the receiving position in a spring-loaded manner. The securing bolt 17 is guided and supported linearly and transversely to the direction of rotation of the locking disk 12 through a bearing sleeve 28 of the first bearing block 11 'and a bearing opening 29 of the second bearing block 11 "arranged in an axial extension of the bearing sleeve 28.

The securing bolt 17 has a spring tension due to a pretensioned compression spring 30 which forces the securing bolt 17 to be in an unlocked position Fig. 7 a, b holds.

In the locked position after Fig. 6a, b the securing bolt 17 is tensioned against the spring tension with the aid of the securing device 16 (here only the lever linkage 19 of the securing device 16 can be seen) and guided through a first through hole 31 of the locking disc 12. A form fit is created between the bearing blocks 11 ', 11 ", the securing bolt 17 and the locking disk 12, the securing bolt 17 being subject only to a shear load, but not to any bending load.

The locking disk 12 is thus securely held in the receiving position and locked against any rotation that could otherwise occur due to the action of external forces during empty transport, such as collision impacts.

In this blocking position of the securing bolt 17, the hand lever 18 of the securing device 16 is placed in its vertical position so that the front door 4 of the offshore rack 1 can be closed (see FIG Figures 2a to 2c ).

This ensures that the offshore rack 1 can only be transported when the locking disk 12 is secured against rotation.

In Figures 7a and 7b the locking unit 10 is shown in the unlocked receiving position.

This functional state is provided for the immediate inclusion of the freight container 7, such as the skip 7.1, in the locking device 9 of the offshore rack 1 or for the immediate removal of the freight container 7 from the locking device 9, as shown in FIG Fig. 10 evident.

The claw-shaped recess 13 of the locking disk 12 is compulsorily located in the receiving position as a result of the spring tension, the limit stop 27 limiting the rotational position of the locking disk 12 on one side.

The lever linkage 19 of the safety device 16 is set by means of the hand lever 18 so that the safety bolt 17 can automatically fall into the unlocked position as a result of the spring tension of the compression spring 30, where it is mounted with relatively little tension.

In this unlocked position of the securing bolt 17, the hand lever 18 of the securing device 16 is placed in its horizontal position, which is only possible when the front door 4 of the erected offshore rack 1 is open.

In this position, the securing bolt 17 has been removed from the bearing opening 29 of the second bearing block 11 ″ and from the first through hole 31 of the locking disk 12 and thus allows the locking disk 12 to be rotated on one side for flexible insertion or flexible removal of the receiving element 15 of the freight container 7 or a locating bolt 15 of the depositing trough 7.1 into or out of the claw-shaped recess 13 (as for example according to Fig. 10 ).

In Figures 8a and 8b the locking unit 10 is shown in an unlocked locking position.

This functional state is provided for the locking of the cargo container 7, such as the depositing trough 7.1, in the locking device 9 of the offshore rack 1, in which the receiving element 15 of the cargo container 7 or a receiving bolt 15 of the depositing trough 7.1 in the claw-shaped recess 13 of the locking disc 12 and press it down against the spring force of the torsion spring 26 into the closed position (see also Fig. 11 ).

The securing bolt 17 is in the unlocking position according to FIG. 1 due to the position of the lever linkage 19 and the spring tension of the compression spring 30 Figure 7a , b.

In Figures 9a and 9b the locking unit 10 is shown in the locked locking position.

This functional state is provided for the safe sea transport of the offshore rack 1 with the locked freight container 7 (e.g. skip 7.1).

The locking disk 12 is additionally secured in position in the weight-loaded locking position by the locking pin 17 in the locking position.

In the locked position, the securing bolt 17 is guided through a second through hole 32 of the now rotationally adjusted locking disk 12 and is counter-supported in the bearing opening 29 of the second bearing block 11 ″.

Here, too, a form fit is created between the bearing blocks 11 ', 11 ", the securing bolt 17 and the locking disc 12, analogous to the embodiment according to the invention Figure 6a , b.

The locking disc 12 is thus locked in the closed position and locked against any rotation. In particular, the locked freight container 7 is thereby held in the vertical direction in a sustainable manner. Extremely high forces can act on the locking unit 10 during the sea transport of the freight container 7 in the offshore rack, e.g. B. as a result of the acceleration of the offshore rack 1 vertically downwards and the counteracting inertial force of the cargo container 7 in strong waves or by other external forces acting on the cargo container, such as storm-induced lateral forces or tensile or thrust forces from getting stuck in passages, which through the additional safety measure can be compensated, so that the loosening of the connection between the locking disk 12 and receiving element 15 of the freight container 7 is reliably prevented.

Again, the hand lever 18 of the securing device 16 is placed in the vertical position for exercising the locking position of the securing bolt 17, so that the front door 4 of the offshore rack 1 can be closed (see FIG Figures 2a to 2c ).

This ensures that the offshore rack 1 can only be transported when the freight container 7 is locked in the locking device 9 and the position of the locking disc 12 is also locked by the safety device 16 of the locking device 9.

As a further component of the safety device 16 show Figures 12a, 12b and 12c a holding mechanism of the hand lever 18 in each case in a detailed view Fig. 2a , b , c in different positions.

The holding mechanism comprises a spring-loaded coupling rod 33, one end of which has a tension spring 34 arranged as an extension of the coupling rod 33, which is fixedly anchored on the loading area 8 and at the other end is attached to the rotatably mounted hand lever 18 above its pivot bearing 35.

In Figure 12a the hand lever 18 is shown in the vertical position, which corresponds to the locking position of the spring-loaded safety bolts 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4, in which the safety device 16 the safety bolts 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4 via the cables 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4 (here only hinted at) and has spent via the lever linkage 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4 (see Fig. 2a , b , c , Figure 6a , b , Figures 9a, b ).

Since the locking bolts 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4 are spring-loaded in the locking position against the spring force of the compression spring 30, the hand lever 18 is held in its vertical position by the tensile stress of the spring-loaded coupling rod 34 to mechanically secure this locking position.

When the hand lever 18 is actuated in the direction up to a diagonal intermediate position of the hand lever 18 Figure 12b the coupling rod 33 is parallel and in extension of the longitudinal axis of the hand lever 18 and intersects the axis of rotation of the pivot bearing 35, the tension spring 34 experiencing its maximum expansion (dead center).

In the further movement, the coupling rod 33 travels over the axis of rotation of the pivot bearing 35 in the direction of a horizontal position of the hand lever 18 Figure 12c , the hand lever 18 being pulled into the horizontal position by the spring force of the tension spring 34 and held there.

When the axis of rotation of the rotary bearing 35 is passed over in the opposite direction, the hand lever 18 is pulled into the vertical position by the spring force of the tension spring 34 and held there.

Fig. 13 shows the offshore rack 1 Figure 1b in the empty state and for better illustration with the omission of the longitudinal side wall 3-L and the transverse side wall 3-Q. This offshore rack 1 has a two-point locking device 9 with a pair (two pieces) of locking units 10.5, 10.6 which are arranged and designed so that their locking disks 12.5, 12.6 the standardized tipping bearing bolts 23 of the freight container 7.1 and the standardized tipping bearing bolts 23 of the freight container 7.2 (open skip) can be assigned accordingly, as from Fig. 14 can be seen.

Fig. 14 shows the offshore rack 1 Figure 1b with the freight container 7.2 (open skip), which is in its end position (locked state) after being placed in the offshore rack 1.

In this embodiment, the tipping bearing bolts 23 present on both sides of the freight container 7.2 for emptying the skip 7.2 by means of the skip loader also serve as receiving elements 15.5, 15.6 for locking with the locking device 9 of the offshore rack 1.

The locking units 10.5, 10.6 are designed analogously to the locking units according to the previously described exemplary embodiments, the opposing locking disks 12.5, 12.6 being designed to be rotatable in opposite directions, so that their claw-shaped recesses 13 are available in a mirror-symmetrical arrangement for receiving the tilting bearing bolts 23 present on both sides of the freight container 7.2 stand.

List of reference symbols

1

Offshore container, offshore rack

2

Bottom wall

3

Side wall -L, -Q, -T

4th

Front door

5

Chain attachment eye

6th

Fork pocket

7th

Onshore freight containers, freight containers, .1 covered skip, .2 open skip, .3 flat skip

8th

Loading area

9

Locking device

10

Locking unit .1, .2, .3, .4, .5, .6

11

Bearing block ', "

12

Locking element, locking disc .1, .2, .3, .4, .5, .6

13

claw-shaped recess

14th

protruding end on one side

15th

Locating element, locating pins .1, .2, .3, .4, .5, .6

16

Protection scheme

17th

Safety element, safety bolt, actuator. 1, .2, .3, .4

18th

Control element, hand lever

19th

Transmission link, lever linkage .1, .2, .3, .4

20th

Transmission link, cable .1, .2, .3, .4

21st

Guide element, centering block .1, .2

22nd

Leading edge

23

Tilt pivot pin

24

Adapter element, centering frame .1, .2

25th

wave

26th

Torsion spring

27

Limit stop

28

Bearing sleeve

29

Warehouse opening

30th

Compression spring

31

first through hole

32

second through hole

33

Coupling rod

34

Tension spring

35

Pivot bearing

Claims (16)

1. Offshore container (1) having a bottom wall (2), characterised in that the offshore container (1) has a locking device (9), designed to secure an onshore freight container (7) on a loading area (8) of the bottom wall (2) of the offshore container (1), where the locking device (9) has at least one locking unit (10), which is arranged fitted on and fastened to the loading area (8) of the bottom wall (2).
2. Offshore container according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (9) has at least two locking units (10) for the punctiform locking of the onshore freight container (7).
3. Offshore container according to claim 2, characterised in that the locking units (10) are designed separately lockable.
4. Offshore container according to claim 1 to 3, characterised in that the locking unit (10) is designed and arranged fitted on an inner surface of one or more side walls (3) of the offshore container (1).
5. Offshore container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the locking unit (10) has a movably mounted locking element (12), where the locking element (12) is designed in such a way that in a first position, the receiving position, of the locking element (12) the onshore freight container (7) is releasable and in a second position, the locking position, of the locking element (12) the onshore freight container (7) is fixable.
6. Offshore container according to claim 5, characterised in that the locking element (12) in the locking position is designed attachable to or engageable in a receiving element (15) of the onshore freight container (7).
7. Offshore container according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the locking element (12) is spring-loaded, where the locking element (12) is held in the receiving position by means of the spring force.
8. Offshore container according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the locking element (12) is held in the locking position by means of a weight force of the onshore freight container (7) that is able to act on the locking element (12).
9. Offshore container according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the locking device (9) has a securing device (16), by means of which at least the locking element (12) of a locking unit (10) is lockable in the locking position and / or in the receiving position.
10. Offshore container according to claim 9, characterised in that the securing device (16) is designed centrally controllable.
11. Offshore container according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the securing device (16) has a movably mounted securing element (17), which in a lock position locks the locking element (12) and in an unlock position unlocks the locking element (17).
12. Offshore container according to claim 11, characterised in that the securing element (17) is spring-loaded, where the securing element (17) is held in the unlock position by means of the spring force.
13. Offshore container according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the securing device (16) has a means, by means of which the securing element (17) is holdable in the lock position.
14. Offshore container according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that at least one guide element (21) is arranged on the loading area (8).
15. Offshore container according to claim 14, characterised in that at least one guide element (21) has at least one guide flank 22.
16. Offshore container according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that at least one guide element (21) has a contact contour, which is designed form-fittingly correspondable to a contact contour of an adapter element (24) of the onshore freight container (7).

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