GB2193949A - Bulkheads for containers - Google Patents

Abstract

To adapt a standard container to carry bulk materials like grain a bulkhead is temporarily positioned within the container. The bulkhead has means to fix it within the container and at least one openable door 5 at its lower end to allow for unloading, and preferably comprises two panels 1 hinged together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION The transportation of bulk materials This invention relates to the transportation of bulk materials, In particular, the invention relates to a device which can be fitted in a conventional container to adapt it for use in transporting bulk materials.

Presently the overseas transportation of bulk materials, such as grains or other pellet-like or granular materials is conducted by a number of methods. One method is to load the grain or the like directly into the hold of a ship.

This method has numerous disadvantages. Primarily, it is difficult to control the condition of the bulk material during transport and substantial labour is required in the loading and unloading.

An alternative method is to use a conventional container. It is not easy, however to load and unload the material since such containers have usually a pair of hinged doors at one end and it is difficult to fill the container and then close those doors.

Specialist containers are however available.

These have an opening in their top for loading the bulk material and a door in their base for unloading. Such containers however are specialist containers and are not readily usable for anything other than bulk materials. Frequently, such bulk materials are only taken in one direction by a ship and so there is a low demand for the return of such specialist containers. Therefore, the shipper either has to pay for the return of the empty specialist container or has to store large numbers of such containers ready for use and after use. There are obviously substantial disadvantages in this.

Containers are generally in internationally standard dimensions which are adapted for easy handling by mechanical equipment in all major container ports of the world. The present invention has therefore been made with the above points in mind and aims to provide a manner in which an international standard or conventional container can be adapted quickly, easily and temporarily to serve for the transportation of bulk materials like grain.

According to the invention, a bulkhead is provided which is capable of being fitted either just inside the door of a container or at a position part-way along it to divide it into compartments, and at least one openable door at its lower end to allow for unloading.

The invention also extends to the combination of a container and one or more such bulkheads which can avoid the above noted problems because it can serve to adapt the container in a temporary fashion so that it is suitable for use in carrying bulk materials like grain. This combination may use a specially adapted container which includes for example at least one bulkhead installed within it, or particular fittings enabling the installation of such bulkheads. Primarily though, the invention seeks to enable the installation of such bulkheads in a standard or conventional container which have no unloading outlet themselves, without any adaptation of the container itself being required.

A bulkhead of the invention can be installed just inside the doors of a container and so serve to make the whole container usable for the transport of bulk material. Thus, when the doors of the container are themselves opened, the bulk material will still be retained by the bulkhead until the lower unloading door or doors are opened to allow for the controlled discharge of the bulk material.

Alternatively or additionally, a bulkhead can be positioned at an intermediate position within the container so as to divide it into two compartments. This enables the container to hold a mixed load. The part of the container closed off by the bulkhead can be used for bulk material whilst the other part of the container can carry and transport other materials.

A different form of bulk material could be confined in this other part provided a second bulkhead according to the invention is positioned adjacent the normal doors of the container. Of course, three or more such compartments may be formed in this way if desired.

The use of containers in the manner described herein has a primary advantage that a compartment defined in the container may be substantially filled, thus reducing the movement of bulk material therein. This resuits in a loaded container being more stable both in handling and when being shipped. Thus, the container is safer to handle and ship as well as being rendered capable of better utilization.

It will be appreciated that the invention uses a standard form of container but with the positioning of the bulkhead according to the invention within it, that container temporarily becomes suitable for use in the transportation of bulk materials. However, when that standard container is no longer required for the transportation of the bulk materials, the bulkhead can be removed.

Suitably, the folding bulkhead has at least two panels which are hinged to one another so that the bulkhead can be folded to a more compact size for storage and separate transport upon removal from a container. Since the bulkhead is capable of being folded up, the bulkhead will then take up a minimum amount of space either for storage before use again or for transport back to its point of origin ready for re-use with another standard container.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the bulkhead may additionally contain, adjacent its upper end, suitable openable doors or the like for loading the bulk material. Particularly, where the bulkhead is positioned the adjacent the normal doors of the container, the bulkhead can be somewhat shorter in overall height than the overall height of the container so that a loading port is provided between the top of the bulkhead and the roof of the container.

The invention will now be described; by way of example; with reference the accompanying drawings; in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding bulkhead according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the bulkhead with the loading doors at the bottom open; Figure 3 is a perspective view of another form of bulkhead according to the invention; Figure 4 is a view of the bulkhead shown in Figure 3 with the loading port at its upper end shown open; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further form of a bulkhead according to the invention:: Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a bulkhead is shown in Figure 1 positioned within a container near the doors thereof; Figure 7 is a broken-away perspective view similar to Figure 6 but showing additionally a bulkhead as shown in Figure 3 positioned part-along the container; Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective detail of a prop device used to support the bulkhead against a container door; Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing the prop in its in-use position; Figure 10 is an enlarged elevational detail showing a latch for holding the bulkhead panels locked; Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 but showing the latch in the unlocked position; Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective detail with parts broken away to show the operation of a locking mechanism for the unloading door;; Figure 13 is an eievational detail showing the locking system in a locked position; Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 but showing the locking system in its unlocked position; Figure 15 is a perspective view of a folding bulkhead as shown in Figure 1 but shown in its folded position for storage and transport; Figure 16 is an enlarged perspective detail showing a spring hook mechanism to hold the two panels of the bulkhead together when folded; Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 16 but showing the spring hook mechanism in the looked position; Figure 18 is a broken, partial sectional plan view showing the installation of two bulkheads of the invention in a container; Figure 19 shows a nonfolding bulkhead with unloading doors at the bottom; Figure 20 shows a nonfolding bulkhead with unloading doors at the bottom and loading door at the top;; Figure 21 shows the installation of a nonfolding bulkhead to divide a container into compartments; and Figure 22 shows how C-clamps on the side of a nonfolding bulkhead sit in the end corrugations of the sidewall of a container.

Figures 1 and 2 show details of a folding container bulkhead according to the invention.

The panels 1 are held together by hinges 2.

Prop sets 3 are attached to the inner frame of each panel to support the bulkhead against the container door if required to prevent it from buckling under heavy load.

Unloading doors 4 are at the bottom of the bulkhead and attached to a lower frames 5 by hinges 6. These doors can easily be opened and closed and can be locked to the panel frames by a lever operated locking system to be described.

In the locked position a lever 7 will be held by a lever holder 10 to prevent it from moving to the unlocked position.

A bulkhead panel latch 8 is attached to the inner frame which in the locked position will prevent the panels from folding to each other.

The unloading doors 4 can be held open by chains 9 which are attached to the panel 1.

Another type of the folding container bulkhead according to the invention is shown in Figures 3 and 4. This type of bulkhead is built to the same height as that of a standard container and has a loading door 11 at the top.

This door 11 can also be locked to the panel frames by a lever operated locking system similar to that of the unloading door 5.

Besides the types shown in the Figures 1 to 4, a folding container bulkhead according to the invention may have three or more panels hinged to one another as shown in the Figure 5 but will still have similar details and working systems as aforementioned.

The folding container bulkhead can be installed in position A and/or B as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Generally, it will be installed in position A in which the bulk material can be loaded through the opening or loading door 11 in the case of the bulkhead shown in Figures 3 and 4 at the top of the bulkhead in the case of the bulkhead shown in Figures 1 and 2 unloaded through the unloading door 5 at the bottom of the bulkhead. When installed in position B, it will divide container into compartments which enable it to carry different kind of goods. All types of bulkheads as shown in Figures 1 to 5 can be installed in either position.

Figures 8 and 9 show details of the prop sets 3 which are used when the bulkhead is installed in position A. The prop 12 can be pulled out of a lock spring 13 which normally holds it shut by engagement in a notch 14 in the end of the prop 12. It will then turn on the shaft 16 which sits in a housing 17 to the horizontal position and its end will then abut the container doors to support the bulkhead.

Figures 10 and 11 show details of a bul khead panel latch 8. This latch is used to hold the panels flat and prevent them from folding together when installed in a container. A latch 18 slides in a housing 19 and it has a lock spring 20 welded to the outside end. In the unlocked position the lock spring will sit in a groove 21 on a groove plate 22. By pushing the lock spring it will be released from the groove and the latch can be moved through the frame of another panel 23. The lock spring can then be released and will sit in another groove 24 to hold the latch in the locked position. The unlocking operation of the latch is done in the opposite way.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 show the lever operated locking system 7 for the loading and unloading doors 5 and 11. For the locking operation a lever 25 will be pulled to the right. A cam 26 which is on the same shaft 27 as the lever will then push two linkages 23 which will subsequently move latches 29 to slide through the guides 31 until they extend through holders 32 in the panel frames. The lever 25 can be held in place by a lever holder 10. To unlock a door, the lever holder 10 is released and the lever 25 moved to the left. The linkages 28 will then pull the latches 29 out of the holders 32.

To disassemble the bulkhead, the bulkhead panel latch 8 is released and the panels folded together as shown in Figure 15. The panels can be held to each other by a spring hook locking system 33 details of which are shown in Figures 16 and 17. When the panels are folded, a rod 34 which is welded to one panel will be locked by a spring hook 35 which is attached to another panel. To unlock, the end of the spriRg hook 35 is pressed and the rod 34 will be released out of the hook.

Figure 18 shows how bulkheads according to the invention are installed. As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, the sidewalls 36 of the container are corrugated. The dimensions of each bulkhead match those of the container such that the edges of the bulkhead are snugly received in opposite corrugations. A bulkhead is brought into the container in folded form, and then unfolded so that it spreads toward the sidewalls. The hinges 2 are on the side of the bulkhead opposite the load such that the pressure of bulk material keeps the bulkhead flat; i.e., prevents it folding. Movement of the bulkhead B under such pressure from the load is prevented by the corrugations 37 in the sidewalls 36 and generally no additional support is required for a bulkhead installed intermediate the ends of the container.

However, where needed additional mechanisms may be used, such as chocks and wedges attached directly or indirectly to the floor and/or sidewalls of the container.

The edges of bulkhead A shown in Figure 18 are received in the end corrugation of the sidewalls, similarly to those of bulkhead B, but are prevented from movement out of the container by stanchions 38 forming part of the main frame of the container. There are sometimes additional braces 39 in the corrugations at the container end which are received in the recesses 40 (see Figure 1) as the bulkhead is installed. These recesses are normally sufficiently closed by the corrugations when the bulkhead is installed in position B, but a further closure device may be included if the bulk material to be confined is highly flowable. Adhesive tape can sometimes be enough.

Figure 19 shows a nonfolding one piece bulkhead with unloading doors 4 at the bottom.

Figure 20 shows another type of nonfolding one piece bulkhead with a loading door 11 at the top. The bulkheads shown in Figures -19 and 20 each have means to secure the bulkhead within a container. The securing means specifically comprises a set of C-clamps 42 and a blocking plate 41 attached to the bulkhead by screws 45. The C-clamps and blocking plate can be slid in or out of the sides of the bulkhead through the slots 44 and 46 respectively (see Figure 22).

The installation of the bulkhead to a container can be achieved by sliding out the Cclamps 42 on each side of the bulkhead into one indentation of the corrugated sidewalls of the container, to hold the bulkhead in place as shown in Figures 21 and 22. The blocking plate 41 is then slid out to close the gap between the bulkhead and each container sidewall, and the screws 45 turned tight. All Cclamps should be slid into the corrugated sidewall except for the ones that are blocked by bars (not shown) which are welded across the corrugated sidewall.

The removal of the bulkhead from the container is achieved in the opposite way to installation.

Claims (14)

1. A bulkhead which is capable of being fitted either just inside the door of a container or at a position part-way along it to divide it into two compartments, and at least one openable door at its lower end to allow for unloading.

2. A bulkhead as claimed in Claim 1 which additionally has a loading door at the top.

3. A bulkhead as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 which additionally has props capable of being extended to provide support for the bulkhead against the end doors of a container.

4. A bulkhead as claimed in any preceding Claim having at least two panels which are hinged to one another so that the bulkhead can be folded to a more compact size for storage and separate transport upon removal from a container.

5. A bulkhead as claimed in Claim 4 in which means are provided to lock the panels to prevent them hinging or folding when the bulkhead is installed in a container.

6. A bulkhead as claimed in either Claim 4 or 5 in which means are provided to lock the container when it is in a folded condition to hold it in that position for storage and transport.

7. A bulkhead as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6 comprising at least three hingedly connected panels in at least one of which panels said openable door is provided.

8. A bulkhead as claimed in any preceding Claim which has locking means operated by a lever for the unloading doors and loading doors if provided.

9. A bulkhead as claimed in Claim 8 in which means are provided to hold the said lever in the locked position.

10. A bulkhead as claimed in any preceding Claim which is provided with at least one recess along its side.

11. A bulkhead as claimed in any preceding Claim which is provided with means along its side to secure the bulkhead within a container.

12. A bulkhead substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, Figure 5, Figure 19 or Figure 20 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A container which has- been temporarily adapted for the transport of bulk material and which has installed within it at least one bulkhead as claimed in any preceding Claim.

14. A container as claimed in Claim 13 having corrugated sidewalls, and wherein the sides of the bulkhead fit into the corrugated indentations of the sidewalls.