GB2408251A

GB2408251A - Remote-controlled coupling device

Info

Publication number: GB2408251A
Application number: GB0423847A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lars Magnus Solstad
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-11-19
Filing date: 2004-10-27
Publication date: 2005-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2024-10-27
Also published as: NO20035140D0; NO20035140L; NO321760B1; GB0423847D0; GB2408251B

Abstract

A remote-controlled coupling device 1 for items 8 to be lifted, comprising a coupling part 2 connected to the lift wire 20 of a lifting apparatus and a coupling tool 4 connected to the item 8, wherein the coupling part 2 is equipped with at least two mutually displaceable coupling locks 42 arranged by means of an actuator or motor (58 fig 3) and machine parts (52, 54, 56) to be displaced between a locking position and a release position in the coupling tool 4, which itself may be corrected to item 8 via a telescopic cylindrical fixtures 78, 80, 82, capable of axial movement when outer cylinder 82 is fixed to item 8.

Description

240825 1

REMOTE-CONTROLLED COUPLING DEVICE FOR ITEMS TO BE LIFTED

This invention regards a remote-controlled coupling device for items to be lifted. In particular, it regards a coupling device that is connected to the lift wire of a lifting s apparatus, and which is designed to be coupled to and detached from an item to be lifted by remote control. The coupling device is particularly suited for use when coupling a lift wire to items located on the deck of a vessel.

Coupling items located on the deck of a vessel to a lift wire to involves a considerable risk to the personnel carrying out the coupling operation, especially when the vessel is subjected to heaving and rolling motion.

During recent years several solutions to this problem have been proposed but none has been put to any appreciable extent is of use.

The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least

one of the drawbacks of prior art.

The object is achieved in accordance with the invention, by the characteristics given in the description below and in the following claims.

The invention provides a coupling device that allows remote- s controlled coupling of an item to be lifted, thus completely eliminating the risk of personal injury during the actual coupling operation.

A coupling device according to the invention comprises a coupling part connected to a lift wire and a coupling tool lo that is or can be coupled to the item to be lifted. The coupling tool may be fixed to the item or it may be releasably connected, e.g. by means of slings to lift pads located on the item. Alternatively, the coupling tool may form an integral part of the item to be lifted.

Is In this context, a lift wire refers to the running member of a lifting apparatus, such as a lift wire, a chain, a sling or a stray line.

The coupling part is formed with a gripping part that is designed to be lowered and steered into the coupling tool, zo and which is equipped with coupling locks, preferably in the form of hook-like elements. The coupling locks can assume an active locking position relative to the coupling tool and a released position in which the coupling locks can be freely displaced out of the coupling tools The coupling part is coupled to the coupling housing of the coupling part in a vertically displaceable manner by means of actuators, preferably in the form of hydraulic cylinders.

The coupling housing is equipped with a rotary actuator designed to impart to the coupling housing a moment about the longitudinal axis of the lift wire, in order to allow it to rotate the load about said axis, e. g. when positioning the load upon detachment.

The rotary actuator may be a propeller located at a radial distance from the lift wire, or a gyroscope.

s Most preferably, the coupling housing is provided with a source of energy in the form of an internal combustion engine in order to supply the coupling device with energy.

Alternatively the coupling device may be constructed for battery operation. If the lifting apparatus has a relatively moderate lifting height, energy may be supplied to the coupling device via a cable connection.

All the functions of the coupling device, such as rotation of the coupling device about its vertical axis, vertical displacement of the coupling part relative to the coupling IS housing and locking and release of the coupling locks, are controlled remotely in manner that is known per se, preferably from the driver Is cab of the lifting apparatus. In the gripping part there are sensors to indicate for instance when the gripping part is in the correct position in the zo gripping tool, and when the coupling locks are in the locking position.

The operation of the coupling device is explained in greater

detail in the specific part of the description.

The following describes a non-limiting example of a preferred Is embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the coupling device being steered down towards an item to be lifted; Figure 2 shows the coupling device after the gripping part has been moved into and locked to the coupling tool, the item being lifted by the lifting apparatus; Figure 3 shows a partial section of the coupling part on a s larger scale, with the gripping part moved into the coupling housing and the coupling locks in the extended locking position; Figure 4 shows the same as figure 3, but here the gripping part has been moved out of the coupling housing; lo Figure 5 shows the same as figure 4, but here the coupling locks have been moved to their retracted release position; Figure 6 is a side view of a coupling tool fixed to an item; Figure 7 is a side view of a coupling tool that may be released from the item, with guides preventing the coupling Is tool from being displaced downwards by the item; Figure 8 shows a section along V-V in figure 7; Figure 9 shows the same as figure 8, but here the coupling tool is equipped with guide pins arranged to guide the coupling tool into conical guides in the item when the zo coupling tool is hung from the item; Figure 10 is a section of a coupling tool connected to an item by chains and a telescoping guide, the coupling part being displaced into the coupling tool; Figure 11 shows the same as figure 10, but here the coupling as locks are in the active locking position; and Figure 12 shows the same as figure 11, but here the item is lifted by the coupling part, In the drawings, reference number 1 denotes a coupling device comprising a coupling part 2 and a coupling tool 4.

s A simple embodiment of the coupling tool comprises a load carrying element (ring) 6 connected to an item 8 by means of intermediate members 10, see figure 6. A guiding cone 12 designed to guide a gripping part 14 associated with the coupling 12 into the through opening 16 of the load carrying e ring 6 is fixed to the load carrying ring 6.

A centre bar 18 is connected to the lift wire 20 of a lifting apparatus (not shown) in a rotationally supported manner, see figure 3. The centre bar 18 is connected at its lower portion to the gripping part 14.

Is The coupling housing 22 of the coupling part 2 can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the centre guide bar 18 by means of hydraulic cylinders 24. The cylinder tubes 26 of the hydraulic cylinders 24 are connected to the coupling housing 22, while the piston rods 28 of the so hydraulic cylinders 24 are connected to the gripping part 14, see figure 4.

Slide bars 30 fixed to the gripping part run in corresponding guides 32 in the coupling housing 22, thus preventing the coupling housing 22 from rotating about the vertical axis of as the gripping part 14.

The gripping part 14 comprises a casing 34 connected to the centre bar 18, the piston rods 28 and the slide bars 30 by means of a supporting structure 36, and also a lower part in the form of a truncated cone portion 38 and an end plate 40.

A number of coupling locks 42, typically three, are distributed about the vertical central axis of the gripping part 14. For the purpose of illustration, an embodiment having two coupling locks 42 is shown in the drawing.

s The coupling locks 42 are primarily located inside the casing 34, the carrying hooks 44 of the coupling locks 42 being designed to rotate about their respective suspension shafts 46 and out through corresponding through openings 48 in the casing 34. The suspension shafts 46 are supported in suspension brackets 50 on the inside of the casing 34.

From each coupling lock 42 there extends a locking stay 52 to a spindle nut 54. The locking stays S2 are hinged to the coupling lock 42 near the carrying hook 44, and to the spindle nut 54.

S A threaded spindle 56 arranged coaxially with the vertical central axis of the gripping part 14 and operated by means of an actuator (motor) 58, runs in complementary threads in the spindle nut 54.

When the motor 58 rotates the spindle 56 the spindle nut 54 so is displaced along the spindle 56. When the spindle nut 54 is in its upper position, see figure 3, the carrying hooks 44 are retracted into the casing 34, while they extend out through the openings 48 of the casing when the spindle nut 54 is in its lower position. Thus components 52, 54, 56 form as machine parts that together cause the rotation of the motor to displace the coupling locks 42.

A first sensor 60 in the gripping part 14 is arranged to indicate when the spindle nut 54 is in its lower position, while a second sensor 62 is arranged to indicate when the end So plate 40 of the gripping part 14 is near an object.

The coupling housing 22 has a propeller 64 located at a radial distance from the centre bar 18. The propeller 64 is arranged upon rotation to rotate the coupling part 2 about its vertical central axis.

s An internal combustion engine 66 is disposed in the coupling housing 22 and is arranged to supply energy to the energy consuming devices of the coupling device 1.

The coupling device 1 is equipped with a remote control system (not shown) that is known per se, where the functions lo of the coupling device 1 can be controlled from e.g. the driver's cab of a lifting apparatus (not shown).

In an embodiment in which the coupling tool 4 is adapted for use with an item 8 equipped with lifting lugs 67, see figures 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9, the intermediate members 10 are connected to an intermediate frame 68 designed to extend across the item 8 in a guiding manner such as shown in figures 7 and 8.

Alternatively the intermediate frame 68 may be equipped with guide pins 70, see figure 9, arranged to be steered into complementary conical guides 72 on the item 8 when the intermediate frame 68 is set down on the item B. The coupling tool 4 is connected to the item 8 by slings 74 running from the intermediate members 10 to their respective lifting lugs 67.

In figures 10, 11 and 12 the coupling tool 4 is formed with a telescoping fixture, The fixture comprises a number of cylinders 78, 80, 82 that are capable of axial intermovement, and where the inner cylinder 78 is fixed to the guide 12 and the outer cylinder 82 is fixed to the item 8. The cylinders 78, 80, 82 are constructed so that they cannot be pulled so apart from each other.

In this embodiment the coupling tool 4 is prevented from moving in the horizontal plane with respect to the item 8.

When an item 8 is to be coupled to the lift wire 20 by means of the coupling device 1 the coupling part 2 is manoeuvred to s a position immediately above the coupling tool 4, see figure 1.

If the gripping part 14 is retracted in the coupling housing 22, see figure 3, the gripping part is moved out of the coupling housing 22 by remote control, by use of the lo cylinders 24, see figure 4.

The coupling locks 42 are displaced in the casing 34 by the motor 58 rotating the spindle 56 so as to move the spindle nut 54 to its upper position, see figure 5. In this state the gripping part 14 is ready for coupling with the coupling tool 4.

The gripping part 14 is then lowered into the guide cone 12 of the coupling tool 4 and further down into the through opening 16 in the load bearing ring 6, see figure 10. The gripping part 14 is lowered until the second sensor 62 indicates that the gripping part 14 is in the correct position for locking to the coupling tool 4.

The spindle 56 is then rotated by means of the motor 58, by remote control, so as to displace the spindle nut 54 to its lower position. The movement of the spindle nut 54 causes the carrying hooks 44 of the coupling locks 42 to be moved out through the openings 48 in the casing 34, whereby the load bearing part 44' of the carrying hooks 44 comes into abutment underneath the load bearing ring 6, see figure 11.

The first sensor 60 signals that the spindle nut 54 is in the locking position, whereby the item 8 may be lifted, see figures 2 and 12.

In figure 6 the coupling tool 14 is arranged outside of the s item 8. It might be advantageous to arrange the coupling tool 4 in plane with or immediately below the upper part of the item 8

Claims

C 1 a i m s 1. A remote-controlled coupling device (1) for items (8) to be

lifted, comprising a coupling part (2) connected to the lift wire (20) of a lifting apparatus and a coupling s tool (4) connected to the item (8), wherein the coupling part (2) is equipped with at least two mutually displaceable coupling locks (42) arranged to be displaced between a locking position and a release position in the coupling tool (4) by means of an lo actuator or- motor (58) and machine parts (52, 54, 56), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling tool (4) is connected to the item (8) by means of a telescopic fixture (78, 80, 82)
2. A device in accordance with Claim 1, C h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling locks (42) are connected to a gripping part (14), the gripping part (14) being vertically displaceable relative to the coupling housing (22) of the coupling part (2) by means of at least one actuator (24).
3. A device in accordance with Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling housing (22) by means of guides (30, 32) is prevented from rotating with respect to the gripping part (14).
4. A device in accordance with Claim 3, as c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling housing (22) is provided with an actuator (64) arranged to rotate the coupling device (l) about its vertical axis.
5. A device in accordance with Claim 1, JO c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling tool (4) is provided with one element (6), which is a complementary fit to the coupling locks (42).
6. A device in accordance with Claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling s tool (4) is connected to the item (8) by means of intermediate members (10).
7. A device in accordance with Claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling tool (4) is connected to the item (8) by means of slings (74).
8. A device in accordance with Claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling tool (4) forms part of the item (8).
a. A device in accordance with Claim 5, Is c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the coupling tool (4) is equipped with an intermediate frame (681 arranged to abut the item (8) in a guiding manner when the coupling tool (4) is in the non-active position.
10. A remote controlled coupling device for items to be lifted substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.