WO2010007514A2

WO2010007514A2 - Equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers

Info

Publication number: WO2010007514A2
Application number: PCT/IB2009/006265
Authority: WO
Original assignee: Fantuzzi, Luciano
Priority date: 2008-07-16
Filing date: 2009-07-16
Publication date: 2010-01-21
Also published as: ITMO20080195A1; WO2010007514A3

Abstract

The equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers, comprises a first frame associable to a lifting unit and to a first spreader for gripping at least a first load, a second frame associable to a lifting unit and to a second spreader for gripping at least a second load, and means for reciprocal nearing/distancing of the first and second frame, which comprise a joining part, a first structure, hinged between the first frame and the joining part, a second structure, hinged between the second frame and the joining part, and rotation operating means of the first structure and of the second structure about the joining part.

Description

EQUIPMENT FOR QUICK COUPLING OF LOADS, PARTICULARLY CONTAINERS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers. Background Art

The prior art describes cranes having a double spreader, which have been manufactured and conceived with the aim of increasing loading and unloading productivity with respect to traditional equipment. However, these cranes exhibit functioning problems, both in the coupling stage and in the unloading stage into ship holds or onto trailers, and, consequently, the results obtained are considerably poorer than those expected, in particular due to the difficulties encountered by the operators in performing all the operations in the various work stages. Object of the Invention

The main object of the present invention is to provide equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers, which enables manoeuvring times to be reduced and eliminating all those dead times and difficulties for the operators which are encountered with two coupled spreader cranes. The above object is achieved by the present equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers, comprising at least a first frame associable to at least a lifting unit and to at least a first spreader for gripping at least a first load, at least a second frame associable to at least a lifting unit and to at least a second spreader for gripping at least a second load, and means for reciprocal nearing/distancing of said first and second frame, characterised in that said means for reciprocal nearing/distancing comprise at least a joining part, at least a first structure, hinged between said first frame and said joining part, at least a second structure, hinged between said second frame and said joining part, and rotation operating means of said first structure and said second structure about said joining part.

The equipment is made up of a pair of quick-change spreader-bearing cross- members, each provided with four pulleys in which the cables for lifting run, making the two spreaders stable and perfectly horizontal, and consequently also the containers loaded on them.

The two cross-members can be superposed on one another with the aim of enabling use of a single spreader, while releasing the second on the ground and superposing the shorter cross-member on the longer cross-member.

In this way one cross-member only can work with a single spreader able to move a single 40-foot container or two 20-foot containers.

This transformation is realised in order to enable the operator to collect, in exceptional cases, single containers which are inserted between other containers which are not to be unloaded and which require the smaller size of one spreader only.

In a case of using two spreaders, the spreaders work contemporaneously on a same spreader-bearing sliding carriage of a crane.

The spreaders are provided with special equipment which enable the operator to manoeuvre them easily in all stages of coupling, lifting and releasing of the containers, nearing and distancing them from one another, thus being able to increase or reduce the distance between the containers transported.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the description that follows of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an equipment for gripping and lifting of loads, particularly containers, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which: figure 1 is a front view of the entire system which is object of the invention in a preferred embodiment of the equipment according to the invention, arranged in a first work configuration; figure 2 is a schematic and partial plan view of the equipment of figure 1, arranged in the first work configuration; figure 3 is a schematic and partial side view of the equipment of figure 1, arranged in the first work configuration; figure 4 is a front view of the equipment of figure 1 with a different arrangement of the lifting cables of the cross-members and the relative spreaders with the containers neared to one another; figure 5 is a front view of the equipment of figure 1, demonstrating the possibility of coupling or depositing two containers contemporaneously on two different planes, and therefore even two containers which are different from one another; figure 6 is a front view of the equipment of figure 1 arranged in the second work configuration with the use of a single spreader, having brought the shorter quick-change cross-member on top of the other; figure 7 is a schematic and partial plan view of the equipment of figure 1, arranged in the second work configuration; figure 8 is a schematic and partial lateral view of the equipment of figure 1, arranged in the second work configuration; figure 9 is a front view of a further embodiment of the extension equipment according to the invention, arranged in the first work configuration; figure 10 is a front view in enlarged scale of a detail of figure 9, which enables the spreaders to self-centre freely once resting on the containers; figure 11 is a front view of the equipment of figure 9, with the first and the second cross-member arranged in a different relative position; figure 12 is a front view of the equipment of figure 9, arranged in the second work configuration; figure 13 is a front view of a further embodiment of the equipment according to the invention, arranged in the first work configuration; figure 14 is a front view of the equipment of figure 13, arranged in the second work configuration. Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to figures from 1 to 8, 1 denotes in its entirety an equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers, 2 denotes a first main spreader-bearing cross-member and 3 a second spreader-bearing cross- member for working in tandem. The equipment 1 is intended to be mounted on a dock crane or a yard crane for loading/unloading a plurality of containers C₁, C₂, onto or from a ship, or for moving containers C₁, C₂ from the RTGs or RMGs for stacking them in yards supplied with dock-to-yard transfer means, or vice versa when from the yard they are to be transferred onto a quayside dock to be loaded onto a ship.

The equipment 1 comprises a first cross-member 2, made up of a first frame 4, 5 and a second cross-member 3, made up of a second frame 9, 10, both associable to a hoisting winch of the spreader-bearing sliding carriage of the crane for lifting the containers C₁, C₂.

The first cross-member 2 and the second cross-member 3 are respectively associable also to a first spreader 6 for gripping at least a first container C₁ and to a second spreader 11 for gripping at least a second container C₂. The first frame 4, 5 consists, e.g., of a series of first longitudinal members 4, arranged side-by-side, which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first container Ci, and to ends of which two first plates 5 are integrally associated, which enable the first spreader 6 to be coupled.

A first group of pulleys 7 is mounted to the top of the first plates 5, for returning a series of first cables 8 connected to the lifting unit of the crane.

The first pulleys 7, in particular, are mounted at the ends of the first longitudinal members 4 and are side-by-side with one another in pairs.

The second frame 9, 10 comprises a series of second longitudinal members 9, arranged side-by-side, which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the containers Ci, C₂ and the ends thereof are made up of two small connecting cross-members 10.

To the small connecting cross-members 10 are associable in a removable way two second plates 12 which enable the second spreader 11 to be coupled.

Similarly to the first cross-member 2, on the second cross-member 3 is mounted a second group of pulleys 13 for returning a series of second cables 14 connected to the lifting unit of the crane.

The second pulleys 13 are mounted at the small cross-members 10 and are located side-by-side in pairs.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 1, the first cables 8 and the second cables 14 wind about the first pulleys 7 and the second pulleys 13 at 90° respectively.

This position of the pulleys enables the large problem of bad balancing of the load on the containers Ci, C₂ with unbalanced load to be obviated; thanks to the two pulleys the containers remain in flat equilibrium during all the transporting manoeuvres as the centre of gravity of the same containers C₁, C₂ is within the interaxis of the pulleys 7, 13. However alternative embodiments are possible for the crane, such as, e.g., the one illustrated in figure 4, in which the first cables 8 and the second cables 14 wind about the first pulleys 7 and the second pulleys 13 at 180° respectively, with the aim of reducing the strains and doubling the hoisting capacity, while all the same leaving the stability of the load unchanged, using the same pulleys even on the crane for returning the cables 8, 14.

Between the first cross-member 2 and the second cross-member 3 are interposed means for reciprocal nearing/distancing 15, 16, 17, 18 which enable the first cross-member 2 and the second cross-member 3 to be moved in relation to one another. In detail, the means for reciprocal nearing/distancing 15, 16, 17, 18 comprise a joining part or structure 15 which extends from a longitudinal end to another of the equipment 1 and which at each side is associated to a first structure or first lever 16, hinged between the first cross-member 2 and the joining structure 15, and a second structure or second lever 17, hinged between the second cross- member 3 and the joining structure 15.

To the first levers 16 and to the second levers 17 are also associated operating means 18 in order to distance or near the first levers 16 and the second levers 17 and in particular to operate them in rotation about the joining structure 15. The joining structure 15, e.g., consists of two elongated beams which extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the containers C₁, C₂ mounted on the quick-change cross-members 2 and 3.

The first levers 16, e.g., consists of two first arms, both of which are provided with an end that is hinged to the first cross-member 2 and an opposite end that is hinged to the upper joining structure 15. Similarly, the second levers 17 consist of two second arms, both of which are provided with an end that is hinged to the second cross-member 3 and an opposite end that is hinged to the joining structure 15. The operating means 18 are defined by two hydraulically-operated actuator cylinders, one for each side.

The two actuator cylinders 18 are connected to a series of corresponding pulleys 22 which, during the thrust stage, are intended to transmit the force via steel cables 21 constrained to the arms 16, 17 in order to distance the cross-members 2, 3 and the relative spreaders 6, 11.

The return of each actuator cylinder 18 enables the cables 21 to be returned and, by effect of the weight of the spreaders 6, 11, enables the arms 16, 17 connected to the joining structure 15 to be neared. Alternative embodiments of the present invention are not excluded, however, in which the equipment 1 is provided with a different number of actuator cylinders 18, such as in a case in which an actuator cylinder 18 and a relative cable 21 are provided for each arm 16, 17. The actuator cylinders 18 usefully enable the first cross-member 2 and the second cross-member 3 to be neared and/or distanced according to the reciprocal distance which it is necessary to maintain between the first container C₁ and the second container C_2.

In figures from 1 to 3, e.g., the equipment 1 is represented with the first cross- member 2 and the second cross-member 3 arranged distanced from one another, but it is also possible to keep them close to one another in order for the first container Ci and the second container C₂ to be left side-by-side (see for example figure 4).

By means of the independent operation of the TLS cylinders mounted on the crane, which act on the cables 8, 14, the first cross-member 2 can be raised with respect to the second cross-member 3 or vice versa (figure 5), keeping the containers Cj, C₂ however separate by means of the equipment 1. Advantageously, the actuator cylinders 18 are also intended to move the first cross-member 2 and the second cross-member 3 between a first work configuration, in which the cross-members 2, 3 are arranged substantially side- by-side for gripping two distinct spreaders 6, 11 (corresponding to the solutions in figures from 1 to 5), and a second work configuration, in which the second cross-member 3 is arranged substantially superposed on the first cross-member 2 (see figures from 6 to 8).

For this purpose the equipment 1 is provided with temporary connection means

19, 20, which enable the first frame 2 and the second frame 3 to be united in the second work configuration. The temporary connection means 19, 20 are made up of a series of twist locks

19 arranged at the four corners of the second cross-member 3, which are alternatively couplable with the second plates 12 and with an equal number of coupling openings 20 afforded on the first cross-member 2.

To locate the equipment 1 in the second work configuration the twist locks 19 are released from the second plates 12, the second cross-member 3 is superposed on the first cross-member 2, and the twist locks 19 of the second cross-member 3 are then coupled again in the openings 20 in the first frame 4, 5 as indicated in figure 6.

To perform this operation the second cross-member 3 is raised by means of the independent operation of the TLS cylinders which only act on the second cables

14, after which by operating the actuator cylinders 18 the second cross-member

3 can be superposed on the first cross-member 2 and coupled thereto.

It is stressed that in order to maintain the joining structure 15 perfectly horizontal and to enable the arms 16, 17 to maintain a perfectly vertical position, the arms 17 can be shortened as clearly illustrated in figure 6.

Once joined together, the first cross-member 2 and the second cross-member 3 can be moved as a single body in order to raise only the first spreader 6 and a relative 40-foot container C₁ or two 20-foot containers C₁. With particular reference to figures from 9 to 12, a further embodiment of the equipment is illustrated, which maintains the operating principle of the preceding embodiment.

The only variant is constituted by the fact that the operating means 18 are made up of four jacks 18 (figure 9) which directly operate the levers 16 and 17 to which the jacks 18 are connected in the bottom part, while in the upper part the jacks 18 are connected to the joining structure 15.

The hinging of the jacks 18 in the bottom part to the levers 16 and 17 is constrained but mobile, enabling the jacks 18, at the moment the spreaders 6, 11 are rested on the containers Cj, C₂ to be free to adapt to the best position for inserting the twist lock 19 of the spreaders 6, 11 into the corner blocks of the containers C₁, C₂.

The mobile connection is formed by a pivot 23 which is hinged to each jack 18 and is housed slidably along a slot 24 afforded along the arms 16, 17 as is illustrated in detail in figure 10.

Other alternative embodiments of the present invention are however not to be ruled out, which might include one pair only of jacks 18, of which one mounted on a first arm 16 and the other mounted on the second arm 17, both superiorly fixed to the j oining structure 15.

With particular reference to figures 13 and 14, these figures illustrate a further embodiment of the equipment 1.

The sole substantial difference with respect to the preceding embodiments consists in the fact that the nearing/distancing means 18 are made up of two winches mounted on the longitudinal ends of the joining structure 15 and intended to recover the cables 21 constrained to the arms 16, 17. It has in fact been found how the invention as described herein attains the set objects. It is stressed that the container nearing/distancing system, as well as the system of the two quick-change spreader-bearing cross-members, is designed to be applied to two spreaders mounted in tandem on each single spreader-bearing sliding carriage, each carriage being provided with a hoisting winch controlled by a corresponding operator. The equipment is particularly designed to facilitate and expedite centring operations of the twist locks of the spreaders in the corner blocks of the containers and to couple them rapidly, though operating with two twin-lift spreaders in tandem, thus enabling coupling, lifting and unloading of two 40- foot containers in pairs or four 20-foot containers. The present invention has the great advantage of conferring on the two spreaders a certain degree of movement independently of each other, enabling each of them to adapt to the position of the roof of the container when they are rested thereon and facilitating insertion of the twist locks in the corner blocks of the containers.

The nearing or distancing actuators of the spreaders connected to the respective levers or extensible arms create a system which, though maintaining the spreaders in the desired position, near or distant, enable them to move freely without the intervention of the operator with sufficient displacements for adaptation, enabling the operator to perform all the container coupling/releasing and resting manoeuvres rapidly.

A further important detail of the present invention consists in the fact that two pulleys per side are installed permanently on each spreader-bearing cross- member, on which the lifting cables wound at a 90° angle slide.

This particular device enables two pulleys per side to work constantly on each spreader-bearing cross-member, obviating the great drawback of container inclination during lifting, which with traditional equipment occurs very frequently and leads to considerable manoeuvring problems for the operators both in the resting stage on the ground and in the stages of loading/unloading of ships. With the equipment of the invention, on the other hand, the containers can be kept in the correct position even when the load inside them is unbalanced. A further important innovation is the rapidity with which the change between the first work configuration with two spreaders and the second work configuration with one spreader only can be made, and vice versa. With traditional systems it is necessary to release both spreaders on the ground, release the pulleys from each cross-member, put them onto a single cross- member and then couple again a single spreader with two pulleys per side. With the present invention, however, the two spreaders are rested on the ground and only the spreader mounted on the shorter cross-member is released and superposed on the other, longer, cross-member, fastening it rapidly with its twist-locks. When the second spreader is to be coupled again, it is sufficient to return the second cross-member onto the spreader previously deposited on the ground and simply couple it by means of its twist-locks. Note also that the system of spreader-bearing cross-members and levers enables good horizontal extensibility of the two quick-change cross-members, such as to be able to distance the two spreaders and the relative containers up to 2,500 mm and to enable the containers to be coupled and deposited at this distance from one another. A further characteristic which makes this equipment particularly advantageous is the fact that the relative position of the two spreaders can be adjusted not only horizontally but also vertically (figures 5 and 11).

The connection between the two spreaders, then, is not rigid as in the majority of the traditional equipment, but is specially designed in order to be flexible, variable and mobile according to the support base (determined by the height and relative distance of the containers) which from time to time the spreaders encounter during the coupling and depositing stage of the containers.

Claims

1) Equipment for quick coupling of loads, particularly containers, comprising at least a first frame (2, 4, 5) associable to at least a lifting unit and to at least a first spreader (6) for gripping at least a first load (C₁), at least a second frame (3, 9, 10) associable to at least a lifting unit and to at least a second spreader (11) for gripping at least a second load (C₂), and means for reciprocal nearing/distancing (15, 16, 17, 18) of said first and second frame (2, 4, 5; 3, 9, 10), characterised in that said means for reciprocal nearing/distancing (15, 16, 17, 18) comprise at least a joining part (15), at least a first structure (16), hinged between said first frame (2, 4, 5) and said joining part (15), at least a second structure (17), hinged between said second frame (3, 9, 10) and said joining part (15), and rotation operating means (18) of said first structure (16) and said second structure (17) about said joining part (15).

2) Equipment according to the claim 1, characterised in that said means for reciprocal nearing/distancing (15, 16, 17, 18) are suitable for positioning said frames (2, 4, 5; 3, 9, 10) between a first work configuration, in which said frames (2, 4, 5; 3, 9, 10) are arranged substantially side-by-side for gripping two distinct spreaders (6;11), and a second work configuration, in which said second frame (3, 9, 10) is arranged substantially superposed on said first frame (2, 4, 5). 3) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises temporary connection means (19, 20) for connecting said first frame (2, 4, 5) and said second frame (3, 9, 10) in said second work configuration.

4) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first structure (16) comprises at least two first arms having an end which is hinged to said first frame (2, 4, 5) and an opposite end which is hinged to said joining part (15).

5) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second structure (17) comprises at least two second arms having an end which is hinged to said second frame (3, 9, 10) and an opposite end which is hinged to said joining part (15).

6) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second structure (17) can be at least partially shortened for positioning said second frame (3, 9, 10) in said second work configuration.

7) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first frame (2, 4, 5) is associated to at least a first group of pulleys (7) for winding at least a first connecting cable (8) associated to said lifting unit.

8) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second frame (3, 9, 10) is associated to at least a second group of pulleys (13) for winding at least a second connecting cable (14) associated to said lifting unit. 9) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one from said first group of pulleys (7) and said second group of pulleys (13) comprises at least two pulleys arranged side-by-side.

10) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one from said first cable (8) and said second cable (14) is wound respectively about said first group of pulleys (7) and said second group of pulleys (13) by a section which is substantially 90°.

11) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one from said first cable (8) and said second cable (14) is wound respectively about said first group of pulleys (7) and said second group of pulleys (13) by a section which is substantially 180°.

12) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first frame (2, 4, 5) comprises at least a first longitudinal member (4) at the ends of which at least two first plates (5) for attaching said first spreader (6) are associable. 13) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second frame (3, 9, 10) comprises at least a second longitudinal member (9) at the ends of which at least two second plates (12) for attaching said second spreader (11) are associable.

14) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second plates (12) are associable in a removable way to said second longitudinal member (9).

15) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least an actuator cylinder mounted on said joining part (15) and suitable for recovering at least a cable (21) constrained to at least one from said first structure (16) and said second structure (17). 16) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said actuator cylinder (18) is connected to at least a pulley (22) on which said cable winds up at least partially.

17) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least two of said cables (21), of which one is interposed between said joining part (15) and said first structure (16) and the other is interposed between said joining part (15) and said second structure (17).

18) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least two of said actuator cylinders for operating each of said first arms (16) and said second arms (17).

19) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least a jack having ends which are respectively associated to said joining part (15) and to at least one from said first structure (16) and said second structure (17). 20) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said jack (18) is hinged to at least one of said first structure (16) and said second structure (17) by at least a pivot (23) slidably inserted along a slot (24) obtained on at least one of said first structure (16) and said second structure (17). 21) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least a pair of said jacks (18), of which one is interposed between said joining part (15) and said first structure (16) and the other is interposed between said joining part (15) and said second structure (17). 22) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least two of said pairs of jacks for operating each of said first arms (16) and said second arms (17). 23) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least a winch, mounted on said joining part (15) and suitable for recovering at least a cable (21) constrained to at least one of said first structure (16) and said second structure (17).

24) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least two of said cables (21), of which one is interposed between said winch (18) and said first structure (16) and the other is interposed between said winch (18) and said second structure (17).

25) Equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotation operating means (18) comprise at least two of said winches (18) for operating each of said first arms (16) and said second arms (17).