WO2010023359A1

WO2010023359A1 - Arrangement and method for handling of structural elements

Info

Publication number: WO2010023359A1
Application number: PCT/FI2009/050673
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harri Pekkanen; Ville Nurmela; Pertti Siirilä
Original assignee: Kenno Tech Oy
Priority date: 2008-08-28
Filing date: 2009-08-25
Publication date: 2010-03-04
Also published as: FI20085800A; FI20085800A0; EP2329086A4; FI122976B; EP2329086A1

Abstract

The object of the invention is an arrangement and a method for handling interconnectable structural elements (3-5) to be assembled into a protective wall, wherein the structural elements are arranged to be fixed one on top of the other or side- by-side for transportation. For the purpose of transportation, the structural elements (3-5) are fixed to each other into a self- supporting transport package (1).

Description

ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR HANDLING OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

The object of the invention is an arrangement as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and a method as defined in the preamble of claim 7 for handling structural elements that are to be assembled into a protective wall.

In the following the arrangement and the method of the invention are referred to jointly as the solution according to the invention. The steel structures and also the structural elements of essentially large surface area, such as wall elements, of this invention are very well suited to, in addition to other applications, a ballistic fragment- proof protective wall, e.g. for protective camps intended for military use. The solution according to the invention comprises interconnectable structural elements, e.g. that function as wall elements, which are stacked for transport one on top of another or assembled side-by-side and a self- supporting transport package is formed from them, e.g. a package provided with container corners and essentially the size and shape of a standard container, such as a 20-foot long maritime container, in its dimensions.

The prior-art solution generally utilized for a ballistic protective wall of military camps is to use large, e.g. essentially cubic or rectangular sandbags, which are filled on site and from which different protective wall structures are assembled by placing them one on top of the other and side-by-side. One drawback, among others, is the slowness of installation. The bags do not withstand the sun either, but instead break up over time. Also modular protective wall systems of prior-art ceramic and prior-art composite structure have been used, which are however much smaller and the price per square meter of which is considerably greater. These are typically used for only small sites to be protected, and in practice a protective wall assembly surrounding a large military camp cannot be constructed from them.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and to achieve a practical structural element arrangement that is both easy and quick to move, install and disassemble, and a method by means of which it is possible to make a number of e.g. protective walls that are large in surface area and that are used to give protection against fragments, or for another purpose, at an inexpensive price, and in connection with the transportation of the structural elements of which separate transport packages are not needed. The arrangement of the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 1. Correspondingly, the method according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 7. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.

An advantage of the solution according to the invention is the ease of handling and transporting the structural elements, because the transport package is dimensioned so that it corresponds in its dimensions and shape essentially to e.g. a standard 20-foot maritime container. Owing to the ease of handling, the structural elements are easy and quick to move from one location to another and at the same time it is easy and quick to construct from the structural elements even long protective walls, e.g. around military camps. Also the disassembly and moving of the protective walls to another location is easy and quick. A clear advantage is that after disassembling the transport package no surplus material remains, but instead all the material can be transferred to the protective wall being constructed. Correspondingly, when the protective wall is disassembled all the material can be transferred from the structural elements to the transport package to be formed. Another advantage is that the transport packages do not comprise any useless weight or useless space except for container corners intended for lifting the package, because the structural elements are not placed inside any packaging. That being the case, owing to the solution according to the invention more square meters of protective wall are obtained from one structural element package than e.g. a containerful of structural elements that are placed inside a container during transportation. One advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the protection level of the structural elements can, owing to the honeycomb structure, be improved with a gravel filling or sand filling after the erection of the structural elements

In the following, the invention will be described in detail by the aid of one example of an embodiment for a protective wall structure with reference to the attached drawings, wherein

Fig. 1 presents a side view of a structural element arrangement according to the invention, assembled onto the flatbed of a truck into a transport package corresponding to a standard maritime container.

Fig. 2 presents three different structural elements according to the invention as viewed from the side and sectioned in the centre in the longitudinal direction, Fig. 3 presents a magnified and partially sectioned detail as viewed from the side of the structural elements according to the invention placed one on top of the other and seen from one end such that the figure shows the topmost and the next-to-topmost element as well as the bottommost element and also a part of the third-to-bottommost and next-to-bottommost elements,

Fig. 4 presents one structural element according to the invention as viewed from the end,

Fig. 5 presents a top view of two structural elements according to the invention connected to each other in a straight line,

Fig. 6 presents a top view of two structural elements according to the invention connected to each other at an angle,

Fig. 7 presents two structural element according to the invention connected to each other as viewed from inside the shelter and from in front of the structural elements.

Fig. 1 presents a structural element arrangement suited for e.g. a protective wall structure, implemented with the arrangement and the method according to the invention, assembled onto the flatbed of a truck 2 into a transport package 1 essentially corresponding in its dimensions and shape to a standard container, such as a 20-foot maritime container. One transport package 1 comprises three different structural elements: the topmost structural element 3, the bottommost structural element 4 and the five standard structural elements 5 between the topmost and the bottommost structural element. The structural elements 3-5 are fixed to each other one on top of the other into a self-supporting transport package 1 by means of pin-like fixing means 6 that are disposed through the structural elements at essentially a right angle and press the structural elements 3-5 against each other. Each structural element 3-5 is dimensioned and made structurally so strong that their own strength could be used to enable the self-supporting capability of the transport package 1. The corners of the topmost 3 an the bottommost 4 structural element of the transport package comprise container handling lugs, i.e. container corners 7, from which the transport package 1 is gripped, e.g. with a container crane or other lifting apparatus suited to the purpose, when lifting the transport package 1, moving it in the air and lowering it.

Fig. 2 presents in more detail three different structural elements 3-5 according to the invention as viewed from the side and sectioned in essentially the centre in the longitudinal direction. Near each corner of the structural elements 3-5 are bushing means 11-13, which are arranged to pass through the structural elements 3-5 at essentially a right angle. The bushing means 11-13 comprise a through hole

23, which forms at the same time a through hole through the structural elements 3-5. ,-

All the structural elements 3-5 of the transport package 1 comprise a first, mainly steel, wall panel 8 of essentially the full length of the structural element, which is at the same time the upper wall panel of the structural element in the transport package and which below is also called the outer wall. A second wall panel 9 essentially corresponding in its dimensions and properties to the first wall panel 8 is at a distance from the first wall panel 8, which second wall panel is at the same time the lower wall panel of the structural element in the transport package and which below is also called the inner wall. The wall panels 8 and 9 are connected to each other with a honeycomb structure 22, which also stiffens the wall structure. The cores of the honeycomb structure 22 are aligned essentially laterally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the structural element 3-5. In this case they are so aligned that when the structural element 3-5 is in its normal operating position, i.e. standing on its base, such as against the ground on one of its long sides, the cores of the honeycomb structure 22 form channels leading essentially downwards, along which the sand or gravel put inside the element from the top edge of the structural element always flows downwards and can also be easily emptied from the structural element.

The ends of the structural elements 3-5 comprise fixed end panels 14, which are sunk inside the structural element in the longitudinal direction such that the ends of the wall panels 8 and 9 form flanges 14a that protrude from the end panels in the direction of the wall panels 8 and 9 and are essentially the height of the wall panels 8 and 9, or form structures protruding from the end that correspond to flanges. In addition the structural elements 3-5 comprise detachable top panels and base panels 17, 18 between the wall panels 8 and 9, which top panels and base panels are essentially similar. The top panels and base panels 17, 18 are fixed between the wall panels 8 and 9 e.g. with cotter pin fixings, which are easy to detach.

All the structural elements 3-5 comprise four bushing means 11-13, which are disposed near the corners of the elements. The distances of the bushing means 11-13 from each other in the different structural elements 3-5 are essentially the same so that when stacking the structural elements 3-5 one on top of another all the bushing means 11-13 can be fitted one on top of another and a pin-like fixing means 6 provided with a screw thread at both of its ends going through all the structural elements 3-5 that are stacked one on top of the other can be disposed in the through hole 23 that is in the center of the bushing elements 11-13.

The four bushing means 11 in the topmost structural element 3 of the transport package 1 are disposed through the structural element 3 such that in the transport position the first end of each bushing means 11 protrudes essentially to the level of the top surface of the upper panel 8 of the structural element 3. Correspondingly, the second end of the bushing means 11 protrudes essentially past the bottom surface of the lower panel 9 of the structural element 3 forming at the same time an outward tapering external cone lib. Additionally, all the corners in the top surface of the upper panel 8 of the topmost structural element 3 comprise a container corner 7 intended for handling the transport package .

The ends of the bushing means 12 in the structural elements 5 between the topmost and the bottommost structural element of the transport package 1 extend past both the upper wall panel 8 and the lower wall panel 9 to outside the wall panels. The top surface of the upper wall panel has an inner cone 12a in the bushing means 12 and the bottom surface of the lower wall panel 9 has an outer cone 12b.

Correspondingly the ends of each bushing means 13 in the bottommost structural element 4 of the transport package 1 protrude past only the upper wall panel 8, each of which bushing means 13 contain an inner cone 13a. The second end of the bushing means 13 below the bottommost structural element 4 extends essentially to the level of the bottom surface of the lower wall panel 9. Additionally, all the corners in the bottom surface of the lower panel 9 of the bottommost structural element 4 contain a container corner 7 intended for handling the transport package 1. Also the bottom surface of the lower panel 9 in the bottommost structural element 4 comprises guide rails 10, for gripping to the fixing means of a transport vehicle, such as a truck 2.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the topmost structural element 3 and the next-to-topmost structural element 5 as well as bottommost structural element 4 and also a part of the third-to-bottommost and next-to-bottommost structural elements 5. For the purpose of transportation the structural elements 3-5 are stacked and fixed to each other by the aid of essentially pin-like fixing means 6 provided with threads at their ends, such as stud bolts 6a and tightening nuts 6b screwed onto their ends, into a self-supporting transport package 1. When the transport package 1 is disassembled, first the tightening nuts 6b are opened and the structural elements 3-5 are lifted one by one off the top of one another. To facilitate the lifting of the structural elements 3-5, between the elements are forklift slots or corresponding means fitted for e.g. the forklift of trucks, of which there are e.g. two slots on each long side of a structural element.

Fig. 4 presents one structural element 5 according to the invention as viewed from the end. All the structural elements 3-5 in both the outer wall 8 and the inner wall 9 comprise bearing feet 16 provided with a support bracket 15, with which bearing feet the structural elements are supported on the surrounding terrain. The angle between the bearing feet 16 and the structural elements can be adjusted by changing the inclination of the support brackets 15 and at the same time by changing the fixing point of the support brackets 15 to the bearing feet 16. Thus the structural elements 3-5 can be supported on bearing feet also on uneven ground. The top panel 17 formed by the topmost edge profile can be removed so that the honeycombed space formed by the walls 8 and 9 and the internal honeycomb structure 22 between them can be filled with gravel or sand. Correspondingly, the base panel 18 formed by the bottommost edge profile can be removed so that the structural element can be emptied of the filling of gravel or sand. The top panel and base panel 17, 18 are fixed to the structural elements 3-5 e.g. with cotter pins, as stated earlier.

Fig. 5 presents a top view of two structural elements 5 according to the invention connected to each other in an essentially straight line to each other. The structural elements are placed to interlock by means of the flanges 14a at the ends of the structural elements and fixed to each other on the side of the inner wall 9 of the structural elements by connecting the fixing means 19 on the outer surface of the inner walls 9 e.g. with fixing belts 20 provided with a buckle 21.

Fig. 6 presents a top view of two structural elements 5 according to the invention connected at an angle to each other. It can be seen from Fig. 6 that the flanges 14a or corresponding structures at the ends of the structural elements 5 enable this type of inclined connection without a gap being left between the structural elements 5.

Fig. 7 presents two structural elements 5 according to the invention connected to each other at their ends as viewed from inside the shelter. The elements are fixed to each other at four fixing means 19 with two fixing belts 20, which are tightened and closed with the buckle 21 of the fixing belts, as has been described above. The through holes 23 of the bushing means 11-13 must also be examined when installing the protective wall so that the tightness of the protection, e.g. against fragments, would be adequate.

It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiment example presented above, but that it may vary within the scope of the claims to be presented below. Thus the structural elements can e.g. be stacked in a manner that differs to that described above and be transported other than in the form of a container. The structural elements can e.g. be assembled into a transport package also onto one of their long sides in an essentially vertical attitude and side-by-side, and be fixed thus to each other into a self-supporting transport package. In this case it is sufficient that both the edgemost structural elements comprise container corners or corresponding means for lifting the transport package, moving it in the air or lowering it.

In addition, the structural elements can be fixed to each other, when being transported or used, in another way than that presented above. Instead of stud bolts the fixing means of the structural elements in the transport package can also be e.g. such that only two elements that are beside each other or one on top of the other are always fixed with them, however such that as a final result the transport package comprises a self-supporting assembly of a number of structural elements fixed to each other. Likewise the transport package can comprise different supports between the structural elements. What is essential, however, is at least the self-supporting structure and the ease of handling of the transport package assembled. It is also obvious to the skilled person that the structural elements can be in their structure of another material than steel. They can also comprise e.g. ceramic or other components and materials that protect well against fragments, in addition to steel.

It is further obvious to the person skilled in the art that the structural elements can be of different thicknesses to what is described above. Thus, with thinner structural elements more than five units, e.g. 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 units, fit between the edgemost structural elements or between the topmost and bottommost structural elements in the transport package. Correspondingly, with thicker structural elements less than five units, e.g. 1, 2, 3 or 4 units, fit between the edgemost or between the topmost and bottommost structural elements in the transport package.

It is also obvious to the person skilled in the art that the structural elements are suited to another use than in ballistic protective walls constructed for military purposes. The solution according to the invention works well in, among other things, movable protective walls, with which it is possible to prevent e.g. the rise of floodwater or landslides. Likewise, by means of the solution according to the invention temporary walls can be constructed for many different purposes, e.g. for performances and trade fair events, etc. The structural elements according to the invention are suited for use also e.g. in different buildings. In this case they are well suited as floor elements and roof elements in addition to wall elements.

It is also obvious to the person skilled in the art that instead of the lifting corners intended for lifting by a container handling apparatus the edgemost structural elements of the transport package, the topmost and the bottommost, or at least the topmost, or even only one structural element can be provided also with different means than container corners for the fixing of some different lifting apparatus to the transport package for the purpose of lifting the transport package, moving it in the air and lowering it.

Claims

1. Arrangement for handling structural elements (3-5) to be assembled into a protective wall, wherein the structural elements (3-5) are arranged to be fixed to each other for transportation, characterized in that for the purpose of transportation, the structural elements (3-5) to be assembled into a protective wall are fixed to each other into a self-supporting transport package (1), in which at least one structural element (3) of the transport package (1) formed is provided with container corners (7) or corresponding means for gripping the transport package (1) for the purpose of lifting the transport package (1), moving it in the air or lowering it.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that for the purpose of transportation the structural elements (3-5) are stacked one on top of another and fixed to each other by the aid of the fixing means (6) incorporated in the arrangement into a self-supporting transport package (1) .

3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structural elements (3-5) are provided with through holes (23) at essentially the same points as each other in the different elements, from which through holes (23) the structural elements (3-5) are fixed to each other by the aid of fixing means (6) that are provided with threads, such as stud bolts (6a) and tightening nuts (6b), and disposed through the structural elements (3-5) .

4. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structural element (3-5) are provided with bushing means (11-13) that are provided with through holes (23) at essentially the same points as each other in the different elements, the length of which bushing means is greater than the thickness of the structural elements (3-5) and which bushing means are fitted to rest upon each other in the transport package (1) at least between the edgemost structural elements or between the topmost structural element (3) and the bottommost structural element (4 ) .

5. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bushing means (11) of the topmost structural element (3) of the transport package (1) is provided with an outer cone (lib) facing downwards from the lower wall panel (9), the bushing means (13) of the bottommost structural element (4) is provided with an inner cone (13a) facing upwards from the upper wall panel (8), and the bushing means (12) of the structural elements (5) between the topmost and the bottommost structural element in the transport package (1) are provided with both an inner cone (12a) facing upwards from the upper wall panel (8) as well as an outer cone (12b) facing downwards from the lower wall panel (9), which inner cones and outer cones are arranged to suit each other.

6. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the usage site the structural elements (3-5) are arranged to be disassembled from the transport package by opening the tightening nuts (6b) and removing the stud bolts (6a) and to be disposed for use according to purpose by arranging the structural elements (3-5) sequentially to each other by connecting their ends to each other and by binding them to each other by the aid of fixing means, such as belts (20) .

7. Method for handling structural elements (3-5) to be assembled into a protective wall, in which method the structural elements (3-5) are fixed to each other for transportation, characterized in that for the purpose of transportation, the structural elements (3-5) to be assembled into a protective wall are stacked one on top of another or disposed on one of their long sides in essentially a vertical attitude and side-by-side, and fixed to each other into a self-supporting transport package by the aid of fixing means (6) that press the structural elements (3-5) against each other.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the structural elements (3-5) are fixed to each other by means of essentially pin-like stud bolts (6a) provided with threads and disposed through the structural elements (3-5) and tightening nuts (6b), and in that the structural elements (3-5) that are one on top of the other or side-by- side are supported by each other by the aid of bushing means into a transport package (1) that is as inert as possible.

9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the transport package (1) is lifted, moved in the air and lowered suspended from the container corners (7) or corresponding lifting means fixed to at least one, such as the topmost, structural element (3).

10. Method according to any of claims 7-9 above, characterized in that at the site the structural elements (3-5) are disassembled from the transport package (1) by opening the tightening nuts (6b) and the structural elements

- (3-5) are disposed for use according to purpose by arranging the structural elements (3-5) sequentially to each other by connecting their ends to each other and by binding them to each other by the aid of fixing means, such as belts (20) .