FR2742137A1 - VENTOUSE CONTAINER LIFTING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for lifting loads with suction cup comprising: - a suction cup (10) for gripping the load (12), - a lifting cable (14) of the suction cup, - a winch (16) with reel to receive the cable, - a suction line connecting the suction cup to a depressor unit (30). According to the invention, the lifting cable (14) has a tensile reinforcement (60), and includes the suction line (62).

Description

VENTOUSE CONTAINER LIFTING DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

  Technical Field The present invention relates to a device for

  lifting loads such as containers.

  It finds applications especially for use in radioactive material transfer casks. The device can be used in particular for lifting and moving containers

  containing radioactive waste.

  The invention finds, however, more generally applications in other fields for

the transfer of charges.

  PRIOR ART Known hoisting and handling devices with suckers generally comprise a gripping plunger, a pulling cable connecting the suction cup to a winch and a suction line connecting the

sucker to a depressant group.

  The cable is attached to the suction cup in an axial position thereof to obtain a balanced pull. The suction line is connected to the

periphery of the suction cup.

  The cable is usually wound on a winch drum. A reel is also provided for

  wind up the flexible suction line.

  On certain devices equipped for example with an electrical sensor of contact between the suction cup and the load, wires of an electric cable connect the contact sensor disposed on the suction cup on the suction cup and a central control system. Conductor wires are wound either on a separate coil or with the pulling cable on the drum

winch.

  To lift a load, the winch drum, the suction line coil and possibly the electric cable coil are first unwound simultaneously to lower the suction cup to the load. When the suction cup is in contact with the load a vacuum is established in a vacuum chamber of the suction cup to apply it firmly to the load. The vacuum is established by sucking the air from the vacuum chamber of the suction cup with the depressant group, via the pipe

suction.

  Finally, the traction cable is wound up again on the drum. The electric cable and the suction pipe are also wound on their

respective coils.

  A manometer, or a vacuum sensor, placed on the vacuum group allows to constantly check the vacuum set in the suction cup throughout

handling of the load.

  The devices described above are of a delicate use and may pose problems including reliability and security for the

  container handling of hazardous materials.

  Indeed, it is necessary to monitor very precisely at all times the lifting the traction exerted by the towing cable but also the tension on the

suction line.

  An unbalance of the suction cup due to an asynchronous winding of the traction cable and the suction line can cause tension

important on the latter.

  In addition, since the pulling cable and the suction line are connected to the suction cup in different places, non-uniform traction can cause the suction pad and the load suspended therein to rotate accidentally. This rotation causes, above the suction cup, an interweaving of the cable and the suction pipe,

  and possibly electric cable.

  The interlacing of the cable and the pipe as well as the voltages due to an asynchronous winding of the cable and the pipe can cause its tearing. The pulling out of the pipe causes a loss of vacuum in the suction cup and a fall of the load. Such a fall can have serious consequences, especially when handling

  containers containing a hazardous or toxic material.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a container suction cup device that is reliable and that avoids any risk

  tearing off the suction line.

  One aim in particular is to propose a device in which the suction pipe is

  not subject to voltages due to the suspended load.

  Another object of the invention is to propose a device in which the risk of interlacing the suction line with the traction cable is

almost nonexistent.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the invention more specifically relates to a suction-lift device comprising: - a vacuum suction cup for gripping the load, - a lifting cable for the suction cup - a winding winch for receiving the cable, - a suction line connecting the suction cup to a

depressant group.

  According to the invention, the hoisting rope has a tensile reinforcement and includes the suction line. As the hoisting rope, equipped with the tensile reinforcement, includes the pipe, interlacing between these parts can not occur due to accidental rotation of the load. The pipe is thus protected from the stresses of tearing that it could undergo by wrapping around the hoisting rope. In addition, the tensile frame and the suction pipe, forming part of the same hoisting rope, are wound simultaneously on the same winch drum. This is precisely the winch drum receiving the hoisting rope. This puts the suction line away from tensions due to a differential winding with respect to the hoisting cable, as this

  can occur on known devices.

  According to a particular embodiment of the suction cup it may comprise: - a base, with a cable attachment fastener connected to the traction frame, and a suction passage connected to the suction line, and - a dome protection covering the base and surrounding a region of the suction cup in which the conduct

  suction hose is separated from the lifting cable.

  The suction line is separated from the hoisting rope, that is to say in particular from the tensile reinforcement, under the protective dome, that is to say in the immediate vicinity of the cable fixing clip. and a mouthpiece for fixing the pipe. The risk of interlacing under the effect of a rotation of the suction cup is thus eliminated. It can also be noted that since the lifting cable includes the pipe, the pull on the suction cup is uniform and the

  rotation of the latter is unlikely.

  According to another aspect of the invention, the device may also comprise a force sensor disposed between the fastening clip and the armature of

traction of the lifting cable.

  Similarly, the suction cup may comprise a vacuum sensor (vacuum switch) for controlling a depression in the area of the suction cup delimited by the base and by a

seal.

  Thanks to such a vacuum sensor placed directly on the suction cup, it is possible to obtain precise information on the vacuum in the suction cup. The measurement obtained is more reliable than

  pressure measurement performed on the depressant.

  Advantageously, the lifting cable may further comprise electrical conductor lines for transmitting, to a reading system, measurement information provided by sensors such as, for example, the vacuum sensor.

and / or the force sensor.

  According to another aspect of the invention, the winding winch comprises a single-screw type drum. The device can also be equipped with a pulley

return the cable to the drum.

  These provisions make it possible to avoid any twisting effect of the lifting cable, and any risk of crushing of the suction pipe during

  the winding of the hoisting rope on the drum.

  Other features and benefits of

  the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which will

  follow, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings,

  given for purely illustrative and non-limiting purposes.

Brief description of the figures

  FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a lifting device according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, of a suction cup of the lifting device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, of a drum

  winding of the lifting device of FIG.

  Detailed description of embodiments of

  the invention. The lifting device, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a suction cup 10 for gripping a load 12, a lifting cable 14 of the suction cup 10 and a winding winch 16 to receive

the cable.

  The cable 14, attached to the suction cup, connects it to the

  winch via a pulley 18.

  The forces exerted on the suction cup, in the X direction, under the effect of the weight of the load are therefore transmitted to the winch 16 by the pulley 18. The pulley 18 is advantageously mounted on damping means. A support 20 of the pulley is for example mounted on a spring 22. Thanks to the damping means, associated with a voltage sensor 44, one

  gets information about the "slack" of the cable.

  To raise or lower the load by a given height in the X direction indicated by a double arrow in the figure, a corresponding length of hoisting rope 14 is wound or

unwinding of the winch 16.

  The winch 16 comprises for this purpose a drum 24 mu by motor means not shown in the figure. A depressant group 30 connected to the suction cup 10 makes it possible to make a vacuum in a vacuum chamber of the suction cup so as to adhere it firmly to the load. The depressant group 30 is connected to the suction cup via a suction line which according to the invention is included in the hoisting rope. The drum 24 includes a pneumatic rotary passage 32 for connecting the suction line to the depressing group. The rotating passage is connected to the depressing group by a pipe 34 represented by

schematic way.

  The device of the invention can be equipped with a number of control and safety equipment to ensure a safe handling of the load. This equipment is particularly useful when the load is a container for transporting

Hazardous Material.

  The suction cup can be equipped, for example, with a vacuum gauge and a force sensor which are

  described in more detail in the rest of the text.

  The gauges disposed advantageously in the suction cup are electrically connected to a reading and control system 38 by a set of electrical conductors which, like the conduct

  suction, is included in the lifting cable 14.

  An electrical rotating passage 40, disposed at the center of the drum 24, and an electrical connection 26 make it possible to connect the electrical conductors passing through the cable 14 to the reading and

control 38.

  The device according to Figure 1 also comprises a voltage sensor 44 disposed on the springs 22 of the support 20 of the pulley 18 and connected to the control system 38 by an electrical connection 45 shown schematically. With this sensor, we obtain, as indicated above, information on the "slack" of the cable. This information translates for example a stop of the descent of the load which has supported. Other control elements may be provided. For example, the return pulley 18 may be equipped with a rotary encoder, connected to the control system 38, for measuring the displacement amplitude of the load in the X direction. FIG. 2 shows in section and on a larger scale. the sucker. This essentially comprises a base 50, a protection dome 52 and a vacuum zone 54. This zone 54 is delimited in its upper part by the base 50 and at its periphery by

a seal 56.

  The figure also shows the constituent parts of the hoisting rope 14. This includes, for example, a braided reinforcement 60 Kevlar (registered name), a suction pipe 62 of a flexible material, a set of insulated electrical conductors 64 and a protective envelope. The protective envelope comprises, for example, a braiding shield

  67 and a polyurethane sheath 65.

  The braided reinforcement 60 is attached to a fastener of the base 50, via a force sensor 72. The attachment is performed so as to obtain a uniform traction. In the case of a suction cup with axial symmetry, the fastener 70 is located on

the axis of symmetry.

  The force sensor 72 makes it possible to measure in particular the weight of the load suspended in the suction cup. It is electrically connected to the reading and control system 38 via the

  electrical conductors 64 of the cable 14.

  A vacuum sensor, such as a manometer (vacuostat) 74, disposed on the base 50, is in communication with the depression zone 54 to measure a depression. The result of the measurements is also transmitted in the form of electrical signals to the control unit 38, via the

conductors 64 of the cable.

  The suction pipe 62 is separated from the lifting cable, that is to say in particular from the armature and the conductors 64 in the immediate vicinity of the base 50. By immediate vicinity of the base is meant a region 66 surrounded by the protective dome 52. The protection dome 52 whose function is also to ballast the suction cup, has in its upper part a passage 68 for the cable 14. The dome is preferably integral with the base 50 and the cable 14 to limit the risk of intertwining even in the

region 66.

  The pipe 62 is connected to a passage 76 in

  the base 50 which communicates with the depression zone.

  To attach a load to the suction cup, the seal 56 is first applied to a substantially flat surface of the load. The air in the depressurization zone 54 is then sucked through the mouth 76 to fix

firmly the sucker.

  Figure 3 shows in detail the

  winding drum of the device of FIG.

  Two flanges 80, 82 arranged concentrically on a cylinder 84 form the single-drum 24. The edges 86, 88 of the flanges 80, 82 are flared for

  facilitate the winding of the cable 14.

  As the drum is of the single-channel type, each winding turn of the hoisting cable 14 is superimposed on the previous turn. This avoids as much as possible twisting of the cable and crushing of the pipe

suction of the cable.

  The suction pipe is connected to the pneumatic rotary passage 32 by a coupling 90. The pneumatic rotary passage 32 is disposed along the axis of rotation of the drum. It is itself connected by a pipe 34 to the depressant group (see

figure 1).

  An electrical rotating passage 40 is connected in the same way to the electrical conductors of the cable 14 to connect them to the control system (not visible

on the face).

  When the drum 24 is a single-drum drum, the return pulley 18 visible in FIG.

  preferably also a single-channel pulley.

Claims (11)

  1. Suction lift device comprising: - a suction cup (10) for gripping the load (12)   - a lifting cable (14) of the suction cup, - a winding winch (16) for receiving the cable, - a suction pipe connecting the suction cup to a depressor group (30), characterized in that the lifting cable (14) includes a traction frame (60), and includes driving suction device (62).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction cup (10) comprises: - a base (50) with a fastening clip (70) of the cable connected to the traction frame (60), a passage of suction (76) connected to the suction line (62), and - a protective dome (52) covering the base (50) and surrounding a region (66) of the suction cup in which the suction line (62) is separated from lifting cable (14).   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a force sensor (72) disposed between the fastening clip (70) and   the armature (60) for pulling the lifting cable.   4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction cup comprises a vacuum sensor (74) for measuring a residual pressure in a vacuum zone (54) of the suction cup delimited by a base (50) of the suction cup and by a seal sealing (56).   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the lifting cable (14) further comprises electrical conductor lines (64) for transmitting measurement information provided by the vacuum sensor and / or the force sensor towards a reading system (38).   6. Lifting device according to any one   of the preceding claims, characterized in that   the winding winch (16) comprises a drum single coil winding (24).   7. Device according to claims 4 and 6,   characterized in that the winding drum (24) has an electrical rotary passage (40) for connecting the electrical conductor lines (64) of the cable to the reading system (38).   8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the winding drum has a pneumatic rotary passage (32), to connect the   suction line (32) to the depressing group (30).   9. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a return pulley   from the cable to the winding drum.   10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a support (20) of the pulley mounted on shock absorber (22).   11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the pulley comprises an encoder   rotary to measure the displacement-of the suction cup.