FR2978428A1 - System for transporting bottles containing e.g. pressurized rare gas in trailer, has storage unit storing set of fluid containers in cargo container according to axis whose slope is lower than specific degrees compared to horizontal plane - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a storage unit (23) i.e. loading platform, for storing a set of fluid containers (40) in a cargo container (10) according to a longitudinal axis (42). Another storage unit (44) i.e. basket or drawer, stores another set of fluid containers (41) in the cargo container according to another longitudinal axis (43) whose slope is lower than 15 degrees compared to a horizontal plane. A swing device of the latter storage unit is arranged to approximately move the basket or drawer from a horizontal position to a vertical position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for transporting containers - or bottles - of fluid under pressure.

The invention applies in particular to the handling, storage, and transport by rail, by road, or by sea, of containers containing a pressurized fluid, which are generally of elongate shape along a longitudinal axis and of section substantially which are sometimes referred to as "packages" or "cylinders".

The pressurized fluid contained in these containers may be liquid or gaseous; it can be oxygen maintained at a pressure of one or several hundreds of bar, for example. STATE OF THE ART Patent EP1571096 describes a system for transporting gas cylinders on a trailer, which comprises superposed baskets of height adapted to that of the bottles they receive. The cage-shaped trailer has a platform and rails on which slide lateral amounts to hold the baskets on the platform. International application WO2008020854 discloses another bottle transport system in a cargo container of 20 or 40 feet in length in particular, in which each bottle is horizontally elongated on a stackable (i.e. "stackable") skid carrier. A disadvantage of these systems is that the stacking of two loaded baskets of bottle (s) is a delicate operation. Another disadvantage of these systems is that for a first basket to support a second basket loaded with bottle (s), the mechanical strength of the first basket structure must be high, thereby increasing its cost and mass. Another disadvantage of these systems is that the use of a hoist - such as a forklift - is required to load (or unload) bottles on (of) the trailer or freight container. Another disadvantage of these systems is that they do not allow optimal use of the cargo volume defined by the freight trailer or container. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to propose a system for transporting containers - or bottles - of fluid under pressure, inside a shipping container, which is improved and / or which remedies, at least in part, the shortcomings or disadvantages of known systems for transporting containers - or bottles - of fluid under pressure. An object of the invention is to provide a system for transporting containers - or bottles - of fluid under pressure, in a freight container, which facilitates the loading and unloading of the containers or bottles and which makes it possible to use optimal loading volume delimited by the freight container. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for transporting containers - or bottles - of pressurized fluid which are elongate along a longitudinal axis, which comprises a freight container and first storage means - and the case maintenance device - first containers of fluid in the freight container, which are arranged so that the longitudinal axes of the first fluid containers extend parallel to a first substantially vertical axis (to a few degrees). The pressurized fluid container transport system further comprises second storage means - and optionally, holding means - second fluid containers in the freight container, which are arranged so that the longitudinal axes of the second containers fluid extends parallel to a second substantially horizontal axis, i.e. parallel to an axis whose inclination with respect to a horizontal plane is generally less than 15 degrees, in particular less than 5 or 10 degrees .

The means for storing fluid containers along a substantially vertical axis may consist essentially of a substantially horizontal platform forming part of the structure of the freight container, and on which the first fluid containers may rest (vertically) by their respective bases. The means for storing fluid containers along a substantially horizontal axis may consist essentially of at least one basket or drawer supported by the structure of the freight container, in particular suspended from the structure of the freight container, and inside which (basket or drawer) the second fluid containers can be coated - and possibly stacked -. The first fluid containers disposed on the platform can be held in place by straps attached to the cargo container structure.

Similarly, the second fluid containers disposed in the basket (or drawer) can be held in place by straps attached to the structure of the basket (or drawer). According to one embodiment, the structure (essentially metallic) of the cargo container delimits a first storage area - and optionally a holding area - vertically arranged bottles, and a second storage area - and, where appropriate, a holding area - of horizontally arranged bottles, which extends above the first storage area, which facilitates manual loading (and unloading) of the bottles into (respectively) the first storage area, when the mass of each bottle permits. In other words and according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for transporting containers - or bottles - of fluid under pressure, which comprises a freight container comprising a loading platform adapted to receive several first bottles juxtaposed extending vertically, at least one basket or drawer adapted to receive several second horizontally stacked juxtaposed or stacked bottles, and means for supporting the basket or drawer in the freight container, above the loading platform and first bottles. Preferably, the structure of the cargo container comprises first bearing faces - such as rails - arranged to allow a substantially horizontal sliding of the basket or drawer relative to the structure, and the basket or drawer comprises second faces of support arranged to cooperate with the first bearing faces to allow the sliding of the basket or drawer relative to the structure.

The invention applies in particular to the transport of several hundred (metal) bottles with a capacity of about 30 to 100 liters, for example close to 50 liters, and containing an industrial gas or a rare gas under pressure. of the order of 30 to 300 bar, in a ventilated container 20 feet long for example.

According to embodiments of the system for transporting containers - or bottles - of pressurized fluid: - each basket or drawer may comprise two second bearing faces, in particular two bearing faces respectively integrated with two bars or parallel sections s extending along two opposite sides of the basket or drawer; each basket or drawer may have a clear structure; each basket or drawer may comprise a substantially solid side wall on which several juxtaposed bottles may rest by their respective bases, when the basket or drawer is tilted in a position where this side wall is horizontal and arranged in the lower part of the basket or drawer; - The system may further comprise a tilting device of a basket or drawer, which is arranged to move the basket or drawer a first position - or inclination - substantially horizontal, with reference to the substantially horizontal position of the longitudinal axis of the containers or bottles arranged in the basket or drawer, to a second position - or inclination - substantially vertical, with reference to the substantially vertical position of the longitudinal axis of the containers or bottles arranged in the basket or drawer, and Conversely ; - This tilting device may comprise a frame, a cradle arranged to support or receive a basket or drawer and pivotally mounted relative to the frame along a horizontal axis, and a tilting actuator - such as a jack - integral with the frame and the cradle, and arranged to cause the pivoting / tilting of the cradle relative to the frame, and thus cause the tilting of the basket supported by the cradle relative to the frame; the tilting device may comprise said frame extending along a generally horizontal plane, and a transfer structure comprising a running surface which is inclined with respect to this plane and extends in the extension of the frame, until on the ground on which the frame rests, to facilitate the manual transfer of a bottle, from the ground surrounding the tilting device to a side wall (substantially horizontal) of a basket or drawer arranged vertically on the tilting device , or vice versa, by rolling the base (circular) of the cylinder held in an inclined position, on this running surface of the transfer structure. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention appear in the following description which refers to the appended figures and illustrates, without any limiting character, preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a bottle transport container, which contains bottles extending vertically on a loading tray and a basket containing horizontally extending bottles.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of certain main components of the structure of a bottle transport container, according to another embodiment.

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the basket shown in Figure 1, under the same angle of view and on an enlarged scale. Figure 4 is a side view of a basket of a bottle transport system, according to another embodiment.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively views along V and VI of the basket of Figure 4: Figure 5 illustrates a side of the basket provided with a solid side wall, and Figure 6 is a top view of the basket. Figures 7 and 8 are side views of a tilting device on which rests the basket of Figures 4 to 6: Figure 7 illustrates the tilting device in a substantially horizontal receiving position (or conversely extraction) d a basket, while Figure 8 illustrates the tilting device in an inclined position close to the vertical.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Unless otherwise explicitly or implicitly stated, elements or members - structurally or functionally - identical or similar are designated by identical reference numerals in the various figures.

Unless explicitly stated or implied otherwise, in the following description, the term "container" is used to refer to a freight container while the term "bottle" is used to refer to a container containing a pressurized fluid. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the freight container 10 comprises a generally metallic framework or framework, and also generally metal walls, which are fixed to the framework, such as the corrugated roof wall 11 illustrated in FIG. 12, 13 end doors shown in Figure 2. Not to impair the clarity of Figures 1 and 2, the other walls - 30 fixed or opening - closing the side faces of the container 10, are not shown.

The doors 12, 13 - or other side walls of the container 10 may be pierced with openings - or louvers - (not shown) ventilation. Some of these openings may be arranged in the lower part of a side wall while others are arranged in the upper part of a side wall, to promote natural ventilation of the space defined by the walls of the container 10. L frame of the container 10 consists of beams extending along the edges of a rectangular parallelepiped: the frame comprises four longitudinal members 14 to 17 parallel to the longitudinal axis 18 of the container, four crosspieces 19 to 22 parallel which s' extend in two planes perpendicular to the axis 18, and four uprights 26 to 29 which extend vertically and form, with the cross members 19 to 22, two end side frames.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, one of these end frames receives the two door panels 12, 13 which are respectively pivotally mounted on this frame, along two vertical axes 30, 31. The lower longitudinal members 14, 17 and the lower cross members 19, 20 supports a panel 23 which serves as a loading platform and is stiffened by reinforcements such as those shown in FIG. 1. Two horizontal and parallel sleeves 25 extend under the panel 23 and the rails 14, 17, and serve for gripping and handling the container 10 by a forklift (not shown). With reference to FIG. 1 in particular, the cargo container 10 makes it possible to store and hold on the platform 23 bottles 40 whose longitudinal axis 42 is vertical, as well as storage and maintenance, in a basket or drawer 44 suspended from the structure 14 to 17, 19 to 22, 26 to 29 of the container 10, bottles 41 whose longitudinal axis 43 is horizontal. The structure 14 to 17, 19 to 22, 26 to 29 defines a first region 45 for storing bottles 40 arranged vertically, and a second zone 46 for storing bottles 41 arranged horizontally, above the first zone 45 of storage. With reference to Figure 2 in particular, the frame of the container 10 comprises two rails 32, 33 which extend respectively along two axes 34, 35 parallel to the cross members 21, 22, under the upper longitudinal members 15, 16. Each of the rails 32 , 33 is shaped angle and has a vertical flange 36 secured to a horizontal flange 37 serving as a bearing surface and sliding for complementary bearing surfaces 47 integrated in a basket 44, to support this basket and to facilitate its horizontal sliding, according to the arrows marked 38 and 39 in FIG. 2, with respect to the structure of the container 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the drawer suspension device containing bottles comprises two brackets 32, 33 parallel, similar or identical to those of Figure 2, and two intermediate sections 70 which extend parallel to the brackets 32, 33 and define with the angles three spaces having the same long (measured along the axis 18). Each of the intermediate profiles has a cross section in the form of "T" and thus comprises two bearing surfaces adapted to receive sliding two complementary bearing faces of two sliding baskets. This embodiment is intended to receive three drawers or extractable baskets 44 identical or similar to that shown in Figure 4, or six drawers when the length of the bottles and the width of the container allow it. In embodiments not shown, at least a portion of the support faces (labeled 37 and 47) may be movable, being for example integrated with casters secured to the basket or profiles 32, 33, 70. With reference to the figures 1 and 3, each basket 44 contains seven juxtaposed and stacked bottles 41 which, in the position of the basket illustrated in these figures, are "lying down", their respective longitudinal axes 43 extending horizontally. With reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 in particular, the rectangular bottom 48 of the basket on which the bottles 41 rest, essentially consists of two longitudinal members 49 parallel to the longitudinal axis 440 of the basket, along which the longitudinal axes of the bottles arranged in the basket. The longitudinal members 49 are connected by sleepers 50 and provided with openings - or notches - 51, 510 facilitating the engagement and guidance of the forks of a lifting device (elevator) - not shown - used to move and lift the basket 44: the two openings 51 allow the insertion of two forks perpendicular to the axis 440, while the two openings 510 allow the insertion of two forks parallel to the axis 440.

Amounts 52 extend from the bottom 48 of the basket and are connected by beams 53 extending parallel to the axis 440, to form three side walls with clear track - or side panels - of the basket 44. The fourth side wall 54 of the basket may be solid as shown in Figure 5, or pierced with small openings, so that one or more juxtaposed bottles can rest on this wall by their respective bases, when the basket is tilted to a position where this side wall is substantially horizontal and arranged in the lower part of the basket or drawer, that is to say in a position close to that illustrated in FIG.

The basket 44 has two bearing faces 47 respectively integrated with two parallel bars or profiles 470 extending along the side wall 54 and the side wall opposite to it, in the vicinity of the respective upper ends of these side walls. With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the bottle transport system further comprises a device 60 for tilting a basket 44.

This tilting device makes it possible to move the basket from a horizontal position illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the longitudinal axis 440 of the basket and the longitudinal axes of the bottles arranged in the basket are horizontal, to a substantially vertical position close to that illustrated in Figure 8, wherein these longitudinal axes are substantially vertical, and vice versa. For this purpose, the device 60 comprises a frame 61 and a jack 62 (Figure 8) hydraulic whose body is secured to the frame by a hinge.

The device 60 further comprises a cradle 63 pivotally mounted relative to the frame 61, along a pivot axis 66 which is horizontal and perpendicular to the plane of FIGS. 7 and 8. The rod of the jack 62 is secured, via another articulation, the cradle disposed on the frame 61, to allow, by actuating the cylinder, to rotate the cradle relative to the frame, along the axis 66, with an amplitude 67 of pivoting close to 90 degrees. The cradle 63 has a skeleton structure sized and arranged to receive the basket 44 with a small clearance, to maintain and guide the basket in its pivoting / tilting movement relative to the frame. The structure of the cradle 63 is also designed to facilitate the introduction into the cradle of a basket supported by the forks of an elevator, in the position of the cradle illustrated in FIG. 7, by a movement (downward) of vertical translation, and for to facilitate the extraction by a reverse movement. In use, the frame 61 generally extends on the ground, along a horizontal plane. A transfer structure 64 secured to the frame 61 and having a rolling surface 65 inclined relative to the plane of the frame, extends in the extension of the frame, to facilitate the manual loading or unloading of a bottle, soil surrounding the tilting device to the horizontal side wall 54 of a basket 44 arranged "vertically" on the device 60. The loading of bottles in a basket and then in a freight container may comprise successively the following operations: an empty basket in the cradle in the position shown in FIG. 7, so that the solid side wall (reference 54, FIG. 5) of the basket is arranged on the left (with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8); rotating the cradle containing the basket by about 90 degrees, until the solid sidewall is substantially horizontal and adjacent an edge of the tread surface; - Transfer bottles, by rolling on the surface 65, from the ground to this solid side wall; - hinder by straps the bottles thus loaded into the basket 44; - rotate in reverse the cradle containing the basket, about 90 degrees, until the axis 440 of the basket 44 is horizontal; - extract the basket from the cradle using an elevator; and - arrange the basket in the freight container by engaging the support surfaces 47 of the basket on the rails 70 of the container 10. Unloading from the container 10, a basket filled with bottles can be achieved by performing these operations in reverse order. The loading and unloading of bottles on the platform 25 of the container 10 can be carried out manually, by rolling the bottles on a transfer surface similar to that fitted to the device 60 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Claims (15)

CLAIMS1 - System for transporting containers (40, 41) of fluid under pressure which are elongated along a longitudinal axis (42, 43), characterized in that it comprises a container (10) of cargo, means (23) of storing containers (40) of fluid in the freight container (10) along a vertical axis (42), and means (44) for storing containers (41) of fluid in the freight container (10) in accordance with a axis (43) whose inclination with respect to a horizontal plane is less than 15 degrees. 2 - System according to claim 1 wherein the container storage means (40) along a vertical axis comprise a platform (23) forming part of the structure of the cargo container (10). 3 - System according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the means (44) for storing containers (41) along a substantially horizontal axis comprise at least one basket or drawer (44) supported by - in particular suspended from - the structure (14). 17, 19 to 22, 26 to 29) of the cargo container (10). 4 - System according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the structure (14 to 17, 19 to 23, 26 to 29) of the cargo container (10) defines a first zone (45) for storing containers (40). ) arranged vertically, and a second horizontally disposed container storage area (46) which extends above the first storage area (45). 5 - System for transporting bottles (40, 41) of pressurized fluid, in particular a system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which comprises a freight container (10) comprising a platform (23) adapted loading for receiving a plurality of first vertically extending juxtaposed bottles (40), at least one basket or drawer (44) adapted to receive a plurality of second juxtaposed or stacked bottles (41) extending substantially horizontally, and support means (37) basket or drawer in the cargo container (10), above the loading platform and the first bottles. 6 - System according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the structure of the cargo container (10) comprises first bearing faces (37) arranged to allow a substantially horizontal sliding of the basket or drawer (44) by relative to the structure, and the basket or drawer comprises second bearing faces (47) arranged to cooperate with the first bearing faces (37) to allow the sliding of the basket or drawer relative to the structure of the container. freight. 7 - System according to claim 6 wherein the first bearing faces (37) are integrated in - or supported by - horizontal flanges of parallel rails (32, 33) extending under the upper spars (15, 16) of the frame of the cargo container (10). 8 - System according to any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein each basket or drawer (44) comprises two second bearing faces (47), in particular two bearing faces respectively integrated with two bars or parallel profiles s' extending along two opposite sides of the basket or drawer. 9 - System according to any one of claims 3 to 8 wherein each basket or drawer (44) comprises a structure (49, 50, 52, 53) slatted. 10 - System according to any one of claims 3 to 9 wherein each basket or drawer (44) has a substantially full side wall (54) on which can rest by their respective bases several bottles (41) juxtaposed, when the basket or drawer is tilted to a position where this side wall (54) is horizontal and arranged in the lower part of the basket or drawer. 11 - System according to any one of claims 3 to 10 which further comprises a device (60) for tilting a basket or drawer (44), which is arranged to move the basket or drawer a substantially horizontal position until at a substantially vertical position, and vice versa. 12 - System according to claim 11 wherein the tilting device comprises a frame (61), a cradle (63) arranged to support or receive a basket or drawer (44) and pivotally mounted relative to the frame along an axis (66) horizontal, and a tilting actuator (62) - such as a cylinder - integral with the frame and the cradle, and arranged to cause the pivoting of the cradle relative to the frame, and thus causing the basket supported by the cradle to tilt, for report to the framework. 13 - System according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the tilting device comprises a frame (61) extending along a generally horizontal plane, and a transfer structure (64) having a bearing surface (65) which is inclined relative to this plane and extends in the extension of the frame, to facilitate manual loading and unloading manually a bottle in a basket or drawer (44) disposed on the tilting device. 14 - System according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the container (10) of cargo is ventilated. 15 - Use of a system according to any one of claims 1 to 14 for the transport of bottles (40, 41) containing an industrial gas or a rare gas under a pressure of the order of 30 to 300 bar.