GB2331506A

GB2331506A - Container lifting

Info

Publication number: GB2331506A
Application number: GB9724207A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph Latham
Original assignee: POWELL DUFFRYN STANDARD Ltd
Current assignee: POWELL DUFFRYN STANDARD Ltd
Priority date: 1997-11-18
Filing date: 1997-11-18
Publication date: 1999-05-26
Also published as: GB9724207D0; GB2331506A9

Abstract

A container 11 for the transport of goods on rail vehicles has, at each side thereof, two longitudinally spaced lifting 14 for points 14 for engagement by inward projections 19 on the lower ends of downwardly extending pivotable arms 18 on a lifting device. There are provided, for use with the container, extension devices 24 each of which is engageable with one of the lifting points 14 and includes an auxiliary receptor 28 which, when the extension device is engaged with the lifting point, is located at higher level than the lifting point. When the extension devices 24 are in position, the inward projections 19 on the lower ends of the pivotable arms of the lifting device can be engaged with the auxiliary receptors 28, to enable the container to be lifted in situations where the lifting points themselves are otherwise inaccessible e.g. with railway wagon 20 having well 22.

Description

2331506 1 "Method and apparatus for handline ---containers" The invention

relates to the handling of containers for bulk transport of goods and particularly to the loading of containers onto, and unloading them from, railway vehicles. The invention relates particularly to containers of the kind having, at each side of the container, two longitudinally spaced lifting points for engagement by inward projections on the lower ends of downwardly extending pivotable arms on a lifting device. Each lifting point is usually in the form of a recess in the side of the container. The lifting device, has two pairs of such arms and the device is lowered over the container, so as to straddle it, and the pivotable arms swing inwardly so that the projections on the lower ends of the arms engage in the lifting points. The lifting device may thus be used to lift the container, and is normally also capable of horizontal movement so that the container can be transported to another location.

Although the invention is applicable to any form of container of the kind first mentioned, it is particularly applicable to containers of the kind where the container is an integral part of the trailer portion of an articulated vehicle. In this case the whole sub-assembly and wheels of the trailer is lifted with the container.

Usually, such container trailers, and other containers, are loaded onto a rail wagon having a flat bed which lies above the bogies at each end of the wagon. However, there are now also in use pocket wagons where there is provided in the body of the wagon a rectangular pocket, having side and end walls, which extends below the normal flat bed of the wagon and into the space between the bogies. This form of wagon is particularly suitable for use with container trailers since the wheels, sub- 2 structure and lower part of the container can be located in the pocket so as to reduce the overall height to which the container trailer projects above the bed of the wagon.

Although this is currently possible with conventional designs of container trailer, in long throw suspension trailers the lifting points are located at such a level that they 5 are disposed within the pocket on the railway wagon and below the level of the flat bed. They cannot then be engaged by the pivotable arms on the lifting device since the gaps between the sides of the container and the sides of the pocket are insufficient to permit the passage of the arms of the lifting device to enter the pocket to engage the lifting points on the container.

It would of course be possible to overcome this problem by manufacturing specifically containers where the lifting points are located at a higher level, but this would still mean that large numbers of conventional container trailers which are in use could not be loaded onto a recessed pocket wagon. Accordingly, the present invention provides means whereby, in particular, container trailers can be loaded on to recessed pocket wagons, although the invention is also of more general application for handling container trailers and other types of container in other situations where the arms on the lifting device cannot engage the lifting points provided on the container.

According to the invention there is provided a container of the kind having, at each side thereof, two longitudinally spaced lifting points for engagement by inward projections on the lower ends of downwardly extending pivotable arms on a lifting device, and wherein there are provided, for use with the container, extension devices each of which devices is engageable with a respective one of said lifting points and 3 includes an auxiliary receptor which, when the extension device is engaged with the lifting point is located at higher level than the lifting point.

With the arrangement according to the invention, when the extension devices are in position, the inward projections on the lower ends of the pivotable arms of the lifting device can be engaged with the auxiliary receptors, to enable the container to be lifted, in situations where the lifting points themselves are inaccessible for one reason or another.

Preferably there is provided a separate extension device for each lifting point, In the case where the lifting point is in the form of a recess in the side of the container, each extension device may be so shaped and dimensioned that it may be stored at least partly within the recess when not in use. Alternatively, the extension device may be stored underneath the lifting point.

The invention further provides an extension device, for use with a container of the kind first referred to, said device comprising a retention part for engagement with a lifting point on the container, and an auxiliary receptor for engagement by a projection on the lifting device, said receptor being spaced from said retention part so that, in use, the receptor may be located at a location spaced from said lifting point.

The invention further provides a method for handling containers of the kind first referred to, the method comprising fitting to each lifting point an extension device which provides an auxiliary receptor located at a higher level than the lifting point in which the extension device is received, whereby the container may be lifted by engaging said projections on the lifling device with said auxiliary receptors.

4 The method may include the step of lowering the container into, or lifting the container from, a location where two spaced side walls lie alongside the container and across said lifting points to which the extension devices are fitted, said receptors being spaced from the lifting points by such distance as to be disposed above said side walls when the container is located between them.

The following is a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a container trailer of the kind to which the present invention may be applied, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic rear view of the trailer showing how it is engaged for transport by a lifting device, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic part section/part side elevation of such a trailer when loaded on a recessed pocket railway wagon.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic section through the arrangement of Figure 3 showing extension devices according to the invention fitted to the trailer, and Figure 5 is a part section through the tailer showing how the extension device may be stored in the recess to which it is fitted.

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the trailer 10 of an articulated vehicle which comprises a rectangular steel container 11 mounted on a sub-structure incorporating the trailer wheels 12 and front support legs 13 for supporting the front end of the trailer when detached from the cab of the vehicle. Spaced longitudinally apart adjacent the lower edge of each side of the container are lifting points in the form of recesses 14 of rectangular shape.

These lifting points enable the trailer to be transported by means of a lifting device 15 mounted on an overhead crane 16, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2.

The lifting device 15 comprises two assemblies, spaced longitudinally of the container, each of which comprises a pivoted cross beam 17 from opposite ends of which are pivotally suspended two downwardly extending arms 18 having inward projections 19 on their lower ends.

In use the lifting device 15 is lowered over the container 11 of the trailer, as shown in Figure 2, and the projections 19 on the lower ends of the four arms engage in the respective lifting points 14 in the sides of the container so that the container can be lifted and transported. The projections 19 and lifting points 14 are so shaped that, during lifting, the upward pressure of the projections 19 on the lifting points tends to hold the projections within the recesses. The trailer may thus be readily loaded on to a conventional flat bed rail wagon and unloaded from it.

is Figure 3, however, shows diagrammatically a railway wagon 20 where the flat bed 21 of the wagon is formed with a central rectangular pocket 22 which extends downwardly below the level of the flat bed 21 so as to lie between the front and rear bogies 23, It w51 be seen from Figure 3 that when the lower part of the container trailer 10 is located within the pocket 22 the lifting points 14 on the container part 11 are disposed within the pocket and below the level of the flat bed 21. In practice, the sides of the container 11 are very close to the side walls of the pocket 22 so that there is insufficient 6 1 1 S room for the arms 18 of the lifting device 15 to pass between the sides of the container and the walls of the pocket so as to engage the lifting points 14.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and shows how this problem is overcome, according to the present invention, by the use of extension devices.

RefeMng to Figure 4, each extension device 24 comprises a main limb 25 which has at its lower end a retention part 26 which engages within the recess 14 in the container 11. For example, as shown, the retention part 26 may be generally hookshaped and may engage over an interlocking strip 27 welded under the outer upper edge of the recess 14. Alternatively, some form of mechanical clamping means may be provided to secure the retention part 26 within the recess 14, such as a screw-operated expandable fitting.

The main limb 25 of the extension device bears against the side of the container I I above the lifting point 14 and has at its upper end an outwardly projecting receptor 28 which is so shaped that the projection 19 on the lifting arm 18 of the lifting device may engage with the underside of the receptor 28 in similar fashion to the way in which the projection 19 would normally engage with the lifting point 14. That is to say, the underside of the receptor 28 is so shaped that upward pressure of the projection 19 on to the receptor tends to hold the projection 19 in engagement with the receptor.

As may be seen from Figure 4, the main limb 25 of each extension device extends upwardly through the gap between the side walls 29 of the pocket 22 and the container I I so that the receptor 28 is disposed above the flat bed 21 of the rail wagon, thus allowing the receptors to be engaged by the lifting device. The provision of the 7 extension devices 24 therefore allows the trailer container to be lowered into the pocket 22 and lified from it.

The extension devices 24 must be detached from the operative positions shown in Figure 4 during normal operation of the vehicle since they will project to an unacceptable extent from the sides of the container.

Figure 5 shows how each extension device 24 may be stored within its lifting point 14 when not required. Clamping means are preferably provided to retain the device securely within the recess. For example, the means for clamping the extension device in the operative position may be so arranged that it can also be used to secure the extension device in the inoperative position shown in Figure 5. For example, in both cases, the clamping device may be the same screw operated expandable device which bears frictionally against the internal walls of the recess 14. Alternatively, a separate clamping device or other retainer may be provided to hold the extension device 24 in the inoperative position shown at Figure 5.

8

Claims

1. A container of the kind having, at each side thereof, two longitudinally spaced lifting points for engagement by inward projections on the lower ends of downwardly extending pivotable arms on a liffing device, wherein there are provided, for use with the container, extension devices each of which devices is engageable with a respective one of said fifting points and includes an auxiliary receptor which, when the extension device is engaged with the lifting point, is located at higher level than the lifting point.

2. A container according to Claim 1, wherein there is provided a separate extension device for each lifting point.

3. A container according to Claim I or Claim 2, wherein the lifting point is in the form of a recess in the side of the container, and each extension device is so shaped and dimensioned that it may be stored at least partly within the recess when not in use.

4. An extension device, for use with a container of the kind having, at each side thereof, two longitudinally spaced lifting points for engagement by inward projections on the lower ends of downwardly extending pivotable arms on a lifting device, said device comprising a retention part for engagement with a lifting point on the container, and an auxfliary receptor for engagement by a projection on the lifting device, said receptor being spaced from said retention part so that, in use, the receptor may be located at a location spaced from said lifting point.

5. A method for handling containers of the kind having, at each side thereof, two longitudinally spaced lifting points for engagement by inward projections on the lower ends of downwardly extending pivotable arms on a lifting device, the method comprising 9 fitting to each lifting point an extension device which provides an auxiliary receptor located at a higher level than the lifting point in which the extension device is received, whereby the container may be lifted by engaging said projections on the lifting device with said auxiliary receptors.

6. A method according to Claim 5, including the step of lowering the container into, or lifting the container from, a location where two spaced side wafls he alongside the container and across said lifting points to which the extension devices are fitted, said receptors being spaced from the lifting points by such distance as to be disposed above said side wafls when the container is located between them.