GB2149380A

GB2149380A - Stacking containers for pipes

Info

Publication number: GB2149380A
Application number: GB08428365A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gunter Busch; Hans-Jurgen Baldamus
Original assignee: Mannesmann AG
Current assignee: Vodafone GmbH
Priority date: 1983-11-10
Filing date: 1984-11-09
Publication date: 1985-06-12
Also published as: FR2554793B3; GB8428365D0; FR2554793A1; DE3340984C2; DE3340984A1; GB2149380B

Abstract

A stackable container for the transportation and storage of pipes, has lifting connectors (10) fitted on all four upper corners, for coupling to a lifting beam. In order to be stacked on each other with minimal spacing, each container is provided on at least two, preferably diagonally opposed, corners with projections (1) adjacent the connectors (10) and within the dimensions of the container. Each container is also provided on its underside with correspondingly negatively formed depressions (12) such that the projections (1) engage into the depressions on stacking. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stacking containers for pipes The invention relates to stacking cassettes or containers for the transportation and storage of long material, e.g. pipes. Such containers have lifting connectors, normally incorporated in corner mounts, on four upper corners of the container for coupling for example to the pivots of a load traverse or beam used in the transportation of containers of this type.

Containers and stacking cassettes are not provided with special devices for centering stacked units one over another. So-called 'flippers', i.e. arms positioned obliquely downward, on the traverse or beam to fasten a container or a stacking cassette, which brought the traverse into the correct position to engage the pivots in the openings of the container corner mounts. Because of the widely protruding flippers, it was not possible to stack the containers closely together. Spacing of the order of 60 cm between the containers was normally required.

The present invention is directed at a system which will enable containers or stacking cassettes to be stacked adjacent one another substantially without spacing. To this end, a container or cassette according to the invention comprises a frame defining upper and lower planes and having lifting connectors at four corners of the upper plane; an upwardly directed projection adjacent each of at least two of the connectors but within the dimensions of the upper plane; and depressions of shape complementary to that of a said projection formed in the frame at the lower plane thereof for receiving the respective projections of a similar container upon stacking thereon to substantially vertically align two so stacked containers. It is preferred that the two projections are disposed adjacent the connectors at diagonally opposed corners of the upper plane.It can substantially assist alignment if the projections comprise bodies of upwardly tapering cross-section protruding beyond the upper plane. The two projections and depressions are typically pyramid- or cone-shaped.

In preferred embodiments of the invention each depression is larger than the respective projection it is designed to receive, and support faces are defined at the upper and lower planes for abutment upon stacking. Such support faces are conveniently defined adjacent the lifting connectors, and additionally, each support face at the lower plane of the frame may be defined on the bearing plate extending below a plane containing the open faces of the depressions.

Thus, above the projections on stacking a small intermediate space can be left free toward the interior of the depressions, such that the bearing pressure is taken up by the container corner mounts. They therefore need not take up the bearing pressure of the container above it, but rather should only serve for its horizontal location.

In another preferred feature of the invention each projection is disposed at the upper end of a rod extending from a lowr frame member at the lower plane to and beyond the upper plane. Each rod may extend through bores in frame members located above said lower member; typically such a frame member extends obliquely between the upper and lower planes through which said rod extends.

The rod can thus be guided or carried in bores of the container frame and rest on a support which forms the lower part of the frame with the depressions applied on the underside. The rod is advantageously constructed so as to be resilient, in particular it can be manufactured from spring steel, so that even in the case of rough handling, the risk of breakage is minimized.

The primary advantage of the invention is that the space which was previously required between the containers or the stacking cassettes is no longer applicable and therefore a smaller total space is needed per container or per cassette on stacking in several adjacent rows. Additionally, because of the reciprocal centering of the containers or cassettes on stacking, there is provided a degree of security against displacement during filling or emptying, because of the projections and depressions between a lower and an upper stacked cassette are constantly in engagement.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a corner of a container according to the invention with a corner mount and projection on a rod in a view from the side, Figure 2 shows a view from above onto the corner shown in Fig. 1 and Figure 3 shows an end view of a plurality of containers stored adjacent and stacked above each other, in which the upper stacking cassettes hangs on a traverse and the centering mechanism is partly cut away.

The stacking container shown in the drawings is of a rectangular configuration and comprises a plurality of frame pieces 5,6,7,8 and 9 which are welded to each other. The frame piece 7 standing vertically is welded at the upper end with a container corner mount 10, in which an oblong hold 11 is formed for a pivot of a load traverse 14 (Fig. 3). A rod 2 is arranged adjacent this corner mount 10, which rod rests at its lower end in a bearing 3, passes through an opening in the diagonal frame piece 6, is guided by a bushing guide 4 at a particular tolerance, and on its upper end carries a projection 1. This projection 1 may be provided toward the top with a pyramid or a cone. A corresponding pyramid or cone in negative configuration is formed in the lower frame piece 5 in a straight line under the rod 2 in a depression 12.

As can be seen from Fig. 2 neither the projection 1, the rod 2, nor the bearing 3 or bushing guide 4 project laterally beyond the outer limit of the container, particularly of the frame part 9, so that no additional space is required.

Through this superposed arrangement of the depression 12 in the lower frame part 5, and the rod 2 with projection 1 on the upper part, a plurality of containers may be stacked tightly adjacent and above each other such as to save space as shown in Fig. 3. In so doing, a projection 1 of a lower stacking cassette engages into a depression 1 2 of a stacking cassette placed thereon. Advantageously in each case a rod 2 with projection 1 on the upper part and a corresponding depression 1 2 in the lower frame part 5 are arranged on diagonally opposite corners of the container.

The height of the projection 1 on a rod 2 is advantageously to be determined such that a small spacing 1 5 remains between a projection 1 and a depression 1 2 of a container stacked thereover. In this way the bearing pressure of the upper container is transferred from a bearing plate 1 3 on the lower frame part 5 of the upper container to the corner mount 10 of the container arranged thereunder, and hence the centering device itself is not under vertical load.

Claims

1. A stacking container for pipes comprising a frame defining upper and lower planes and having lifting connectors at four corners of the upper plane; an upwardly directed projection adjacent each of at least two of the connectors but within the dimensions of the upper plane; and depressions of shape complementary to that of a said projection formed in the frame at the lower plane thereof for receiving the respective projections of a similar container upon stacking thereon to substantially vertically align two so stacked containers.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein said at least two projections are disposed adjacent the connectors at diagonally opposed corners of the upper plane.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the projections respectively comprise bodies of upwardly tapering crosssection protruding beyond the upper plane.

4. A container accord;ng to any preceding Claim wherein each depression is larger than the respective projection ii is designed to receive, and wherein support faces are defined at the upper and lower planes for abutment upon stacking.

5. A container according to Claim 4 wherein the support faces are defined adjacent the lifting connectors.

6. A container according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein each support face at the lower plane of the frame is defined on a bearing plate extending below a plane containing the open faces of the depressions.

7. A container according to any preceding Claim wherein each projection is disposed at the upper end of a rod extending from a lower frame member at the lower plane to and beyond the upper plane.

8. A container according to Claim 7 wherein said rod extends through bores in frame members located above said lower member.

9. A container according to Claim 8 including at least one frame member extending obliquely between the upper and lower planes through which said rod extends.

10. A stacking container for pipes substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.