US2920917A

US2920917A - Lifting structure for shipping container

Info

Publication number: US2920917A
Application number: US496422A
Authority: US
Inventors: William M Sheehan
Original assignee: General Steel Castings Corp
Current assignee: General Steel Castings Corp
Priority date: 1955-03-24
Filing date: 1955-03-24
Publication date: 1960-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1977-01-12

Description

Jan; 12, 1960 W. M. SHEEHAN LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed March 24, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR.

Jan. 12, 1960 w. M. SHEEHAN LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1955 INVEN TOR.

Jan. 12, 1960 w. M. SHEEHAN Y LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed March 24, '1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 12, 1960 1 w. M. SHEEHAN 2,920,917

LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed March 24, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

M BY

back service in connection 'with railway cars.

,Uniwd Stews t n 1 g A pumfion March .24, 1955, Serial No. 496,422

' l 9Claims. c1. 294 s1) .s

The invention relates to a crane which may be mounted on wheels or endless tracks or may be of a gantry type of crane such as is found in railway andindustrial plant yards. Itis also adaptable to types of cranes found at water-sidedocks. The invention relates more particularly to hoisting lines and associated parts carried by the (:ra'ne. The invention is particularly adapted for, but not necessarily used in, transferring to and from railway cars merchandise containers corresponding in width and depth to a railway gondola car or house car. These containers may be of various lengths and of box-like structure with fiat or skid bottoms or may be wheeled and may consist of highway tractor semi-trailers or the like now being generally used in so-called piggyq These semi-trailers could have single or plural axles. The com necting frame and depending elements are equally adaptable for vehicles with three or more wheeled axles.

-The objects of the invention are to facilitate application and release of the lifting structure to the container, to avoid damage to the container because of the support of the same at points during the transfer different from those used before and after the transfer, to protect the container from damage by contact with other objects during the transfer operation, and to'maintain the container in substantially level position during the transfer. The lifting structure of the various types shown is intended to be applicable to differing lengths of containers and wheel arrangements therefor. Many semi-trailers are built with single axles, a considerable number with dual axles and some are built with three and possibly more aides to accommodate container loads heavier than suitable for-a lesser number of axles. Where a semi-trailer with a single axle islifted, the axle can be engaged by any ofthe depending elements'and thus allow greater flexibilityof application and utilization.

These and other detail objects as will appear from the description below are attained bythe'structures shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a" crane and its boom and other lifting structure and shows in end elevation a railway car and high way trailer being loaded thereon. The crane is shown mounted on endless tracks but isequally adaptableto mountingion wheels.

Figure2 is-a side'elevation of one type of crane lifting structure andhighway trailer and railway car shown in Figu e Figure 3 is a plan view of the. crane.

Figure 3a is a perspectivev of the lifting structure.

.Figure 4 is an elevation corresponding to Figure 2 but showing another form of the invention with upper and lowerfstructures differingfrom those shown in Figure 2.

Figu'reS is a vcrtical transverse section taken on line 5-5 ofFigure 4.

, Figure 6 is "a vertical transversesection taken on line Figure 7 is a side elevation of another form of lift frame applied to a simpler form of box container.

Patented Jan. 12, 1960 taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

t Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7. Figure 10 is a detail vertical transverse section taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 7.

The crane of Figures 13- includes traction wheels or treads 1, a platform 2, a swiveling cab 3 mounting motors (not shown) which operate

drums

4 and 5.

A boom 6 is pivoted to the crane body at 7 and is raised and lowered by a cable 8 taken up and payed out by rotation of drums 4. Hoisting

lines

9 and 10 are individually secured to drums 5 and each passes over an individual series of boom sheaves 11, and pulley sheaves 12 journaled on a beam 13 formed by a pair of channels .placed back to back. Sheaves 12 for the two pulleys are spaced apart a substantial distance lengthwise of beam 13 and hooks 14 depend from beam 13 and are spaced apart a greater distance than the spaced groups of pulley sheaves 12. This spacing is intended to maintain the container in substantially level position while in suspenends fromeach end of beam 15, the pivots being axially sion during the transfer.

'Another beam 15, substantially longer than beam 13, is suspended by eyes 16 from hooks 14.

Pairs of links 17 are pivotally. suspended at their upper cooperate with the jaw. pivotal supports 21 to hold the jaws about as shown in Figure 1. When the weight of the jaws is on pivots 21 the lower ends of the jaws tend to move towards each other on the ice-tong principle but such movement may be limited by the article gripped by them or by horizontal link 18. When pivots 21 are relieved of the weight of the jaws the latter tend to spread as indicated in broken lines in Figure 1. Such spreading is positively effected when the boom is lowered or the hoisting line slackened so that the container B supported by the jaws rests upon a truck, car, or platform.

Spacers 20 are near the opposite ends of beam 15 and connected by side members 22 and by spaced central members 23 forming a rigid horizontal frame. A motor 24 is mounted on members 23 and has a drum to which are securedcables 25 running over sheaves 26, journaled on beam 15, and attached to members 23 to support

frame

20, 22, 23. When the motor is rotated to wind up cables 25, jaws 1'9 swing on their pivots 27 on spacers 20 to assume the broken line position shown in Figure 1. In this position the jaws may be lowered to or raised from a position in which they straddle the trailer body B. Then motor 24 is rotated to release cables 25 and upon take-up of

lines

9 and 10 by

drums

4, 5 the container will be lifted and may be swung to desired position by the crane boom.

Preferably the lower ends of jaws 19 at the same side of beam 15 are connected by an angle bar 28 disposed to engage the lower corner of the trailer body and when the jaws and angle irons are applied to the body they may be shifted longitudinally of the body to the position assumed to afford the best balance of the load on the crane. Horizontal and vertical faces of angle bars 28 are provided with a packing material 28a to protect the trailer body.

Preferably beam 15 exceeds one half the length of the longest trailer expected to be handled by the crane and the lengths ,of beams 13 and, 15 and bars 28 contribute 3 v to the stability of the assembly and its load when suspended from the boom.

The trailer may be lifted from the ground and swung over and lowered onto a railway car R without the likelihood of damage to the trailer and without .tilting the trailer lengthwise so as to displaceits contents.

Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate an arrangement in which the parts of the crane not shown maybe the same as those previously described but the beam 30 is .suspended by lines 31, pulleys 32, andhooks 33 and eyes 34 positioned nearer to its left-hand end than to its righthand end and the trailer engaging jaws 35 at each side of beam 30 are connected by an open frame 36 ofwhich the jaws form a part. The frame maybe fabricated or a oneplece castlng.

The left-hand end of frame 36 has depending legs 37 spaced apart to correspond approximately to the spacing of the double axles on the trailer T. Hook members .38 have upwardly extending "bifurcations receiving legs '37 between them and pivoted thereto at 39 to swing lengthwise of the frame or transversely of the swinging movement of jaws 35 on their supporting pivots. Each hook has an inturned lower end with a convex top face 40 shaped to fit the underside of the upper portion of a trailer main wheel rim. Face 40 may be lined with a packing material 40a to protect the wheel rim. Pivots 39 permit hook ends 40 to adjust lengthwise of the frame to accommodate the spacing of the .trailer main wheels. Either of the hooks may be used to engagethe wheel rim of a single axle trailer thus providing for a considerable range of container lengths. The other end of each frame 36 has an integral wide flat hook member 42 shaped to underlie the forward portion of the trailer side sill and also provided with a liner 43 .to protect the trailer body.

As

hooks

38 and 42 are disposed respectively to engage the trailer body below heavy and relatively light portions it is desirable to balance the load of beam .30 by suspending it nearer to one end than to the other as shown in Figure 4. The trailer engaging .jaws and their connecting frames 36 are suspended from beam 30 by links 44 and are pivoted on spacers 45 correspondmg to spacers 20 and are swung on their pivots by lines 46 running from hook anchor clips 47 over sheaves 48 on beam 30 to sheaves on the end of the boom and to a drum on the crane cab (not shown). The interengagement of links 44 limit the movement of the jaws toward each other.

The opening movement of the jaws is limited by stops 49 between the pair of channels forming each spacer 45, the swinging jaw contacting the stop if it exceeds the movement indicated in Figure 6. Similar stops could be used for limiting the movement of jaws 19 in the structure described above.

Figures 8-10 show a jaw and frame arrangement slmilar to that of Figures 5-7 but adapted particularly for shifting box-like container C to and from railway cars, trailers, trucks, barges, etc. Each jaw .60 is part of a frame structure 61 and is suspended as previously described and includes rigid hook members 62 at intervals along its lower edge adapted to be inserted between skids on the container. The open frame diagonals and struts transfer the load directly to the upper ends of the jaws 60 and their supporting links 63.

Each of the arrangements embodies an efficient hoisting and transfer device whereby large merchandise containers, and particularly highway tractor trailers, may be transferred to and from railway cars for piggy-'bac rail transportation. 3

To effectively guide and control the positioning of the connecting frame of any of the types shown during, prior to, or after the transfer operation, removable guiding handles may be attached to various points on the frame for protecting both the container and associated personnel, similar to the guiding handles 'used a I 4 v for accurately positioning large ladles in foundries when filled with molten metal.

The details of the structure may be varied substantially from what is shown without departing from the spirit of the invention and the specified use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is c'laimed is:

1. In a lifting crane grapple, a rigid horizontal elongated frame, a pair of links disposed side by side at each end of said frame and pivotally suspended therefrom to swing transversely of the frame, individual jaws pivotally suspended from the lower ends of said links, the jaws at each end of the frame "crossingeach other transversely of the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, a rigid spacer extending between adjacent crossed jaws below their crossing and pivotally connected thereto, hoisting apparatus connected .to said spacers, said links contacting each other transversely of the frame when the depending portions of said jaws are substantially. vertical .in load-supporting position and limiting the approach of said jaws toward each other, the'lower portions of said links swinging away from each other when the lower ends of the said jaws engage a supporting surface and the jaws are raised bysaid apparatus.

2. In a lifting crane grapple, an elongated'bearnhaving longitudinally spaced supports, an elongated frame paralleling the beam and pivotally suspended from the ends of the beam to swing transversely of thebeam and having lateral jaws at its lower end spaced apart length wise of the frame and adjacent one end thereof with unimpeded clearance between them, for insertion beneath spaced wheel elements of a highway trailer, said jaws being pivotally mounted on the frame and freely swinging relative to each other lengthwise of the frame to readily fit beneath variably spaced highway trailer wheel elements, jaw structure'adjacent the other end of the frame and spaced lengthwise of the frame from the first mentioned wheel-engaging jaws and having lateral projections at a substantially higherlevel than said first mentioned wheelengaging jaws and adapted to support the underframe of a-highway trailer body, said beam supports being substantially closer to the first mentioned wheel-engaging jaws than they are .to said underframeengaging jaw projections.

3. In a lifting crane grapple, a beam having longitudinally spaced supports, a pair of jaws pivotally suspended from said beam to swing transversely of the beam and members pivotally carried by the lower end of each jaw to swing toward and away-from each other lengthwise of the beam and having upwardly facing convex elements arcuate lengthwise of the beam and spaced apart lengthwise of the beam with clearance between them and being adapted to engage the downwardly facing concave inner peripheries of the upper sectors of successive vehicle wheels to engage andsupport the vehicle wheels irrespective of variations in the spacing of the vehicle wheels from each other.

4. A lifting crane grapple adapted for lifting highway tractor-trailers, comprising an elongated horizontal rigid beam having supports substantially spaced apart lengthwise of the beam, an upright rigid frame extending lengthwise of said beam at each sidethereof' and hav-' ing fixedly spaced pivot supports near opposite ends of the beam for swinging of the frame transversely of the beam but not lengthwise of the beam, said frames being spaced apart transversely of said beam, each frame terminating adjacent theends of its lower portion in inturned hooks positioned at different levels whereby they are adapted to underlie trailer wheel and body portions respectively near the opposite ends of the trailer.

5. In a lifting crane grapple, a beam having a pair of supports spaced apart lengthwise of the beam, a pair of jaws spaced apart transversely of said beam and piv:

otally suspended therefrom, each jaw being rigid and elongated lengthwise of said beam, the upper portion of said jaws crossing each other and being pivotally connected intermediate their ends so that lifting of the beam moves the lower portions of the jaws toward each other,

and load-engaging elements pivoted to the lower portion of each jaw near opposite ends thereof, at least one of said elements swinging lengthwise of the jaw and beam in a direction transversely of the direction of pivotal movement of the jaw and being thereby adapted to underlie an elongated load part at different points along the length of the latter.

6. In a lifting crane grapple, an elongated horizontal support member, jaws at opposite sides of said member and pivotally supported therefrom adjacent the opposite ends of said member, the upper portions of said jaws crossing each other transversely of the length of said support member, a rigid spacer frame extending between opposite jaws and pivotally connected thereto below their crossing, a drum mounted on said spacer frame, a' cable secured at one end to said drum and at its other end to one end portion of said spacer frame, a separate cable similarly secured at its ends to the drum and to the other end portion of the spacer frame, said cables passing over individual sheaves journaled on said support member and substantially spaced apart lengthwise of said support member, said cables supporting said spacer frame from said sheaves and thereby controlling the pivotal action of said jaws, and means actuating said drum and controlled from a point remote therefrom.

7. In a lifting crane grapple, a support member, a pair of jaws pivotally suspended at their upper ends from said member and having crossed upper portions and spaced apart lower hook portions movable horizontally relative to each other, and a strut-like member extending between and having connections to the upper portions of said jaws below their crossing and facing downwardly between the crossed portions of the jaws to engage the top face of a merchandise container between them, and supported by said hook portions when the grapple is functioning, when the container is resting on a support other than the grapple and thrusts upwardly on the engaged strut-like member and thereby moves opposite jaw hook portions away from each other.

8. In a lifting crane grapple, a rigid horizontal elongated frame, a pair of links disposed side by side at each end of said frame and pivotally suspended therefrom to swing transversely of the frame, individual jaws pivotally suspended from the lower ends of said links, the jaws at each end of the frame crossing each other transversely of the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, a rigid spacer extending between adjacent crossed jaws below their crossing and pivotally connected thereto, hoisting apparatus connected to said spacers, and means between said spacers and the pivotal supports for the links positively limiting the pivotal movement of said jaws toward each other.

9. In a lifting crane grapple, an elongated beam having longitudinally spaced supports, an elongated frame paralleling the beam and pivotally suspended from the ends of the beam to swing transversely of the beam and having jaw structures adjacent each end of the frame and spaced apart lengthwise of the frame, one of said jaw structures being arranged to engage the underside of a highway trailer body frame and the other jaw structure being at a lower level and arranged to engage the underside of the upper portion of a highway trailer wheel rim, said beam supports being substantially closer to the latter mentioned jaw structures lengthwise of the beam than they are to the first mentioned jaw structures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 850,407 Strobel et al. Apr. 16, 1907 1,351,226 Barlow Aug. 31, 1920 1,650,118 Fitch Nov. 22, 1927 1,715,187 Breitenbach et a1 May 28, 1929 1,734,719 Ekberg Nov. 5, 1929 1,834,499 Richter Dec. 1, 1931 2,088,519 Hershey July 27, 1937 2,275,074 Carr Mar. 3, 1942 2,277,235 Kidder Mar. 24, 1942 2,284,238 Todd May 26, 1942 2,337,177 Breslav Dec. 21, 1943 2,550,218 Brady Apr. 24, 1951 2,587,217 Quenan Feb. 26, 1952 2,646,305 Sonderstrup July 21, 1953 2,669,479 Louckes Feb. 16, 1954 2,676,833 Shekels Apr. 27, 1954 2,695,809 Hooker Nov. 30, 1954 2,718,321 Westermeyer Sept. 20, 1955 2,745,695 Peyer May 15, 1956 2,757,038 Drill July 31, 1956 2,818,296 Brennan et al. Dec. 31, 1957 2,820,664 Mende Jan. 21, 1958