US2287886A

US2287886A - Container ship

Info

Publication number: US2287886A
Application number: US335697A
Authority: US
Inventors: William P Kellett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-05-17
Filing date: 1940-05-17
Publication date: 1942-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1959-06-30

Description

3 sheets-sheet 1 II I l x www@ W. P. KELLETT CONTANER SHIP Filed May 17, 1940 June 30 1942,

Jne 30, 1942. w.` P. KELLETT CONTAINER SHIP Filed May 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 30, 1942..` w. P. `KELLETT -GONTAINERS1111? Filed May 17,Y 1940 l s Sheets-sheet s m/enfor "IIA VIII IIIIII @la 1Y0.

Patented June 30, 1942 z,2's7,ss6 CONTAINER sini William P.'Kellett, New York, N. Y.

Application May 17, 1940, Serial No. 335,697

i 9 Claims.

The principal objects of this invention are to v.greatly facilitate the transport of freignt where .water-*borne carriers may be utilized and to provide -an equipment which will permit oi tne maximum amount or goods storage capacity wnile enabling the handling or the goods containers lwith the minimum of cost.

Afurtner and extremely important object of thisinvention is to provide water-borne freight .transler equipment with 'the minimum or dead load or excess weight, thereby effecting material economy in operating cost.

A` still Iurtner ooJect is to obviate the losses due to unnecessary demarrage and loss oi' operation or rolling stock.

l'he principali'eatures of the invention consist in -tne novel construction oi a stilp to accommodate the compact storage oi' wneelless goods containers wnerein the decks are provided witn rows or roller supports upon wnicn tile w'neelless goods containers may be operated and the .arrangement or guideways and trolleys to engage therewith and to ne connected to tile contaiuers, sucn trolleys being operated by powerdriven cables connected to said trolleys.

Further important features in tne construction or the snip comprise the arrangement or' locking Jacks permanently mounted on the snip decks and adapted to interlock witn tne inuividual containers to secure them against longitudinal lateral or tilting movement.

A still further feature or importance consists in the novel construction of the containers and the means for lifting and lowering same wherel byvery rapid, accurate and dependable connections may be made with the hoisting apparatus trat-ing the means for placingy the containers in position. Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevationalview of the lower corner portion of al containerfas` illustrated in Figure 3 showing the supporting.

rollers. the locking jack and the hauling trolley for moving the container over the deck. Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevationalview of the corner structure of the container and the pivotal locking jacks for rigidly holding the container in position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged end elevational view o f the container-moving trolley showing the trolley guideway in section.

Figure 7 is an eniargedl'side elevational detail of tne container-shifting trolley.

Figure 8 is `an enlarged diagrammatic plan view of the individual driving means for operatiy ing the cailles for placing the containers in position on the decks.

Figure 9 is a sectional elevational detail illustrating the preferred form of means for lifting the containers, the socket portion of thecontainer being shown in section.

Figure 1U is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 9.

Figure l1 is a diagrammatic plan of a driven sheave for operating the means for placing the containers on the decks of the ship.

In the transportation of freignt over long distances it nas for many years been found desirable to utilize the great bulk capacity of ship transport Where such may be used as against overland transport, and enormous costs are involved in transferring goods from rail to ship `and ship to rail, and it has been found desirable in certain places to actually trans-ship loaded trains by boat in order to erl`ect material saving in rail haulage.

Where such practices have been eiected it will be readily understood that very considerable of a container arranged in position upon thev deck ofthe container ship and illustrating the lower supporting. means for shiftingthe container.. the `locking means for kholding it in position and the guided power-operated means forl moving the container over the deck.

' Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational View 55 waste has occurred in carrying railway rolling stock by ship transport. i l e The present invention has been devised for the purpose of accommodating the maximum quantity of goods from rail transport 'without' this extension' The container I is of a suitable box-like form having a rigid base structure 2 which is provided with longitudinal skids or runners 3 arranged adjacent to either side which are adapted to engage and rest upon rollers 4 which are arranged in longitudinal rows on the several decks of the ship which is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the rollers being supported between suitable brackets, -here shown in the form' of -angle iron supports 5. i i

Midway between each pair of longitudinal rows of the rollers 4 are arranged longitudinal guide- A ways 6 which are preferably fabricated by spaced-apart angle irons 1 and Z bars 8. These I structures are particularly illustrated

nFgures

3 and 6.

The upright inner legs each of the guideways- 6 is arranged a trolley I0 whichis provided with paired rollers I I arranged at either side of the guideway @0 roll between-the deck surface andthehorizontal portion of the Z bars.4

9 of the Zebars -8' arev spaced apart and form an open channel. Within Y Thecentrzlportion -I2 of the trolley ex-` tends upwardly through'the channel between the u spaced-.apart upright flanges of the Z- bars and I2 is provided with an open'vertical slot I3 adapted to receive a'looped draw bar I4 which is mounted at each end of the containers I.` A'link pin' I5 extendsthrough a suitable transverse hole in the slotted upper end of the trolley to engage the looped drawbar and lock it to the tr.olley,so that the container may be pushedto lthe required location on the ships deck or pulled to the hatchway in the `loading "or unloading operations.

Each end of the trolley is providedvwith a pair of lugs lbetween which a cable end I1 is adapted to be inserted and vto be fastened by a suitable coupling pin I8. l u a,

The cables for operating the trolleys I0 extend `longitudinally of the guideways formed'by the angles 1 and Z-bars 8, the ends being connected to the opposite ends of the trolleys and the looped the draft coupling I4 in the .manner described and, by the operation of the motor drive of the sheave at the far end, the trolley will be drawn along in its guideway so as to pushthe container in a direct line to the position it is to occupy when the ship is-loaded. The skids 3 on the underside of the container will be retained in alignment with the rows of rollers 4 and the container will move smoothly `4to itsvrequired position. f i

Each of the containers is preferably'provided i with a recessed corner structure at each cornerof its under or b ase structure andwithin suchrecesses are arranged the locking sockets -2.6-which. areoi substantially bell shape vconstruction and open at one side.

f Mounted on `the deck in a position to register with the socketed ends of the containers with thev various containers arranged in closely assembled -relation are thelocking jacks 21;- :Thesegare formedof rigid end brackets-28 rigidlysecuredto. lthe deck between: whichis pivotally mounted Athe swinging arm- 29 which --is adapted 'to swing upv "into the recessed portionv 2,5 `of the: containers.:y

This swinging'arm carries a threaded jack-v screw 30 which has a bevelled end 3l backedby aange 32; the bevelledend beingadaptedpto.beiseatediin extremities of the lengths of cable extend around.

sheaves I9 and 20. Thesheaves 2 0 are prefer- .ably mounted in bracketson the deck andthese will be detachably secured so that when a hatch-f way cover is to be removed the sheave I9 may be detached or uncoupled from its mooring to the deck and 'the looped cable maybe drawn back clear of the cover to'allow the coverl to 'beremoved, or it may be'desired to have the sheaves arranged in iixed positions and when it is desired to clear the cable from the hatch cover it will be merely necessary to withdraw one of the anchor pins I8 connecting the trolley tothe cable end, and the loose end vof the cable may then be drawn through the sheaves and pulled clear of the hatch cover.

It will be readily appreciated that when loading and a container has been placed uponV the longitudinal,

the.v socket member 26 by .the turning of'thejack, screw which :is :provided .with-a. turning nhandle'v33. .f Y ,-1

When the containers arein position these jack vscrews are swung upwardly and then operatedto lock'securely in the .socket member, 26sothatfthe containers are locked securely infposition against lateral or Ltipping movement. These are arranged on the decks in such ya manner `as-:to enable the containers ybeinghoused inA close associated relation as diagrammaticallyr illustra-ted in Figures ll and2, and-.it will be readily Iappreciated that .with such -an arrangement of container structure-and.; deck equipment-for. handling andlocking. the. containers :in position the 'maximum amount of transportable goeds may be-housed in a verysafeandre-rlective inanner.- l Y `It=is preferablel to providespecic means for =the 'raising and lowering oi. the containers.' and,

as illustrated in Figure 3, the containers are providedwith hook structures 34 atthe top side which may receive slings, but the preferred construction for raising and :lowering iisl illustrated VparticularlyinFigures 9 and 10, andthe base structureis. here formedV with blocks 34 having horizontal recesses V35 thereinA which may be of rectangular'vorm or otherwise.

The recesses 35 are adapted toy receivey pins.

which rare hingedly mounted in the' clevis mem- 1 pended from aspreader bers 31 secured toshort 'cable lengths'138-sus'- member 39 vforming part of the slingsM), as illustrated particularly' in lFigure 1, where'a container is shown suspended in a sling from th hoisting device .ii-.

hatch cover of the deck in proper alignment withthe cable guideway'the trolley may be coupled to Byvrneans vof this device the 'spreader carried in A'theusling is swung.'y over'th containerto be lifted and the pins'36 are 'simply inserted into `the recesses .35. in't'hecontainers and a lock'pin 42 isplaced in position extending 'through a pair' loflugs arranged one at each "side.ofthefrecessi 35,:passing through a hole in thepin. .Tl'iislock pin' merely ,prevents the carrying pin irontbe- -in'gf-accidentally withdrawn. The carryingpi'n's are directly. suspendedfrom the slingy spregarierA and carrythe containers to the desired position,

then by merely drawing the lock pins and pulli ing thelift-ing ypins. out the .container is free.

It win be understood that.' 'the .container can so .that fthe` .least possible effort .is required and the 'least amount of time will be 'expended in trans-shipping the containers, which of' course areV loaded with the goodsv to vbe transported at theirrpoint of origin.

The container method ofltransport isv extremelymobile.14 A(.'zfoodsv may be packed directly in a warehouse; y The container'may be rolled or skidded veither directly on to a lrailway car or on to a truckand delivered, to afrallway ca r, being locked thereon by meanssimilar'to the jacksherein described and transported to the point of contact with a water borne carrier. The containers are merely unlocked from decks of the cars or trucks, ll-fted on to the shipand deposited by means of the hoisting equipment in whatever position they are required to be stored. They are drawn by means of the mobile cable equipment described over the rollers mounted on the decks and guided by means of the slotted guide member and then securely locked in position where they are held from' movement throughout the voyage, and on arrival at the port of destination the containers are then moved to the hatches by the moving cable equipment and again lifted and placed upon wheel transports for movement to their final destination.

The equipment described is extremely simple and is of such a rugged nature as to withstand considerable abuse. There will undoubtedly be a great saving in labour in the handling of these containers as against the handling of railway cars. There will be an enormous saving in transport costs of dead loads, andan enormous increase of the pay load of the ships will be effected.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A container ship having a plurality of decks each provided with parallelly arranged longitudinal guide channels on the upper surface, guide means operating in said guide channels, rows of rollers arranged on said decks either side of said channels, cables arranged in said channels and operatively connected to said guide means therein, containers arranged to be moved over the rollers, installed on said decksl and means forming a detachable push-pull connection selectively between either end of the container and said guide means. 2. A container ship having arranged on each of its decks a plurality of parallelly spaced longitudinally slotted guides, wheeled trolleys movable within said guides each having a rigid upi jecting portion of each of said trolleys with the draft coupling at either end of the container in a push-pull connection.

3. A container ship of the type adapted for the accommodation of goods containers on the decks, guide meansbeing arranged to direct the containers into position on the various decks together with actuating meansfor moving the containers along the guide means, characterized in that said guide means comprises a plurality of parallelly spaced guides mounted directly on the decks each formed with inwardly turned and upwardly' extending flanges spacedl above the deck surface and presenting therebetween a central'longitudinalslot, said actuating means comprising trolleys supported on deck-engaging wheels-"aty either vside ofthe central slot within said' guides. "and having extensions projecting upwardly through saidslots, cables slidably arranged insaid guidesand having the ends thereof connected to said trolleys, means arranged at the endsvof said guides' forV guiding said cables, containers having draft connections at the ends adapted toengage the' upstanding ,members of said trolleys tofbe'pr'o'pelled thereby, means form#u ing rolling supports for said containers, and

means for locking said containers ,'infflxed positions inrelation to the decks.

j `4. A` container ship `of'- the ,type adapted for 'the 'accommodation-of goods containerson .the t 5. A container ship of the type adapted for the accommodation of goods containers on the decks, guide means being arranged to direct the containers into position on the various decks together with actuating means for moving the containers along the guide means, characterized in that said guide means comprises a plurality of parallelly arranged longitudinal guideways on the decks, rows of roller supports arranged on said decks either side of said guideways, jack members pivotally mounted on the decks arranged in groups of four adapted to engage the four corners of the containers and to be inter- 'y locked therewith, and means operating in said guideways for moving the containers along the guideways in either direction longitudinally of the ship.

6. A container ship having a plurality of parallelly' arranged longitudinally slotted guideways mounted directly on the upper surface of the decks, sheaves mounted on vertical axes arranged at either end of said guideways, cables extending around said sheaves and resting on the iioor surface of the decks and having a portion thereof enclosed within said guideways. roll-v Y er trolleys mounted within said guideways for rolling contact with the deck surface, and con'- tainers having draft connections at either end adapted to engag said trolleys which are moved y thereby' longitudinally of the ship.

7 A container ship having hatchways leading to the several decks, slotted guideways extending from said hatchways longitudinally of the decks, driving 4cables arranged within said guideways and extending across the hatch opening, sheaves arranged at the farsi-de of' said Ahatchways to guide said cables, sheaves arranged at the opposite ends of said guideways and power-driven to operate said cables, trolleys slidably mounted in said guideways, and containers having a centrally arranged draft rigging at each end to engage said trolleys.

8. In a container ship of the container-carrying type having guideways, characterized in that said guideways comprise spaced-apart angle irons secured directly to the upper surface-of the decks, and Z-bars secured to said angle irons having their inner ilanges spaced apart forming a longitudinal slot, trolleys arranged to travelin said guideways having rollersriding directly on the deck surface land having a central portion extending upwardly through the slotspace between the Z-bars, .and containers having a draft rigging extending from each end adapted to engage the upstanding portion of said trolleys.V

9. A container ship having in combination, a hatchway extending from side-to-side and communicating with the various deck levels, means on the upper side of each deck extending both fore and aft directly from the hatchway for guiding ha plurality'of transversely spaced rovm of containers longitudinally over the deck sur-v face, and'means'for pushing Vand pullingv container's from' any point intermediate ofthe width of the ship ina longitudinal direction 'directly to or from said hatchway,"whe`reby' transverse shifting of the containers Withinthe shipinterior is obviated, said means for pushing and pull-l ing said containersto andv from said hatchway.

including cables extending' across said natchway and detachabjly engageable with containers for-'- Wardly fandrearwardly of the hatchway selectively .for 'both` push-pull operation of the I container and'beingv retractible to clear the hatch.

wayganfd cableoperating means on each deck arrangedatone side oi'said hatchway.;

Y, P; KELLETT.: