WO2011151764A1

WO2011151764A1 - Attachment member with distal sensor

Info

Publication number: WO2011151764A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/052315
Authority: WO
Inventors: Beat Zwygart; Mohamed Bouamra
Original assignee: Lasstec
Priority date: 2010-05-27
Filing date: 2011-05-27
Publication date: 2011-12-08
Also published as: FR2960534A1; FR2960534B1

Abstract

An attachment member (9a) according to the invention comprises a proximal part (10) configured to be fixed to lifting equipment, a distal part (11) having a proximal bearing surface (11d) for attaching the load, and a free end distal surface (11a). An intermediate portion (12) connects the distal part (11) to the proximal part (10). A distal strain gauge (14) is fixed in the distal part (11) to generate a measurement signal that is a function of the axial compressive strain experienced by the distal part (11). Transmission means housed in an axial channel (13) transmit the signals to signal reception and analysis means.

Description

DISTAL SENSOR HANDING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the attachment members, intended to hook a load under a hoist to transmit all or part of a lifting force between the hoist and the load to be lifted. Such fasteners are commonly used in areas such as civil engineering or port handling.

A large part of the accidents occurring during the lifting of loads is due to the fact that the users can be brought, for lack of information, to lift an excessive load, higher than the maximum load which it is possible to raise with the organ hooking. The breaking of the fastener causes the load to fall with all its consequences: injuries or death of the personnel, loss of the load and its contents, deterioration of the lifting gear, loss of productivity, increase of the premiums insurance.

To avoid such accidents, it has already been imagined to make measurements on the actuators of the lifting gear, on hydraulic cylinders for example, and indirectly obtain by calculation the weight of the load lifted by the hoist.

There are thus systems that measure the loads from hoisting ropes anchored on gantries. These systems lack precision because they measure the weight of the cables and fasteners, while the cables have a different weight according to their length in the conditions of use. These systems also do not allow to determine the load raised by each fastener in cases where several fasteners are applied to the same load. They can not, either, measure the overloads in case of blockage of the load.

Such indirect methods have proved dangerous, because they use approximations and they do not take sufficient account of the state of the structure of the fastening members.

In port handling, the loads are packaged in containers with oblong holes at the top four corners. The handling of a container is done using a gripping and lifting frame, also called "spreader", which comprises means of connection to a hoist such as a gantry crane, a mobile crane, a jumper, a forklift, and which comprises at least four rotary locks for engaging and locking in the oblong holes of the container. In use, the container being initially placed on the ground or on a support, the operator actuates the hoist to approach the gripping and lifting frame of the upper surface of the container and to introduce the rotary latches in the oblong holes of the container. After locking the four rotary locks, the operator actuates the hoist to lift the hoist frame which is hung the container.

The fasteners generally comprise:

a proximal portion shaped to be fixed to the lifting apparatus,

a distal portion, having a proximal bearing surface capable of transmitting all or part of the lifting force to the load, and having a free end distal surface,

- An intermediate section, connecting the distal portion to the proximal portion.

For example, in the case of a lifting hook-shaped attachment member, the proximal bearing surface is the inner surface of the hook on which the load is supported, and the distal free end surface is the outer surface of the hook.

In the case of a rotary latch of a gripping and lifting frame, the distal portion of the attachment member is a head, having a convex distal surface, and connecting to an intermediate section with a reduced cross-sectional area. forming the proximal bearing surface. This distal portion is standardized, that is to say that it is substantially always the same shape regardless of the manufacturer of the rotary latch, so as to hang in the oblong holes of the containers whose shape is also standardized.

The proximal portion of the rotary latch, on the other hand, may have various shapes, depending on the manufacturers of the gripping and lifting frames, but all of which are adapted to be removably attached to a gripping and lifting frame. The removable nature of the rotary latches makes it possible to change them periodically, being observed that they constitute the essential connecting element of the load, and that they undergo high mechanical stresses.

To accurately measure the load or the stresses induced in a fastening member such as a lifting hook or a rotary latch gripping frame and lifting, it has already been proposed in WO 2007/138418 A1, to provide a longitudinal channel in the intermediate portion of the latching member, and to insert in this channel an optical stress sensor connected to means for receiving and analyzing signals.

In this document, the longitudinal channel and the optical strain sensor are housed in the intermediate portion of the fastening member, that is to say between the proximal portion of the attachment member and the proximal bearing surface for receiving the load. It is thus expected to measure the lifting force, that is to say the traction undergone by the attachment member during lifting.

This device substantially improves safety, by an accurate measurement of the tensile stress experienced by the fastening member itself.

However, there are still risks of accident and damage to property and humans, resulting from particular circumstances of use of the shackles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first difficulty results for example, in the case of gantries or cranes, the distance between the operator and the fastening member itself connected to the hoist by cables: during a step approach, when the operator wants to approach the load a hooking member, it can accurately detect the relative position of the fastener, and it occurs frequently that the operator unrolls too much length cable while the fastener is already in contact with the load. The cable can then cling to external elements, unbeknownst to the operator, and subsequent operation of lifting the load can lead to the accident if the cable remains hooked to the outer member.

A second difficulty, in the case of rotary latches for gripping and lifting frames, is the risk of failure to hang if the lock can not enter the oblong hole of the container, for example because of the presence in this hole oblong a rotary latch that has been forgotten. In this case, the attachment can not be made, and the lifting of the load will cause overloads on the other fasteners of the container.

The object of the present invention is to avoid these drawbacks by accurately and reliably detecting any obstacles opposing the descent or penetration of a fastening member.

Simultaneously, the invention aims to allow such detection without affecting the mechanical properties and other functions or properties of the fastening member.

To achieve these and other objects, the invention proposes, in a first aspect, a hooking member for hooking a load under a hoist, comprising:

a proximal portion shaped to be fixed to the lifting apparatus, a distal portion, having a proximal bearing surface capable of transmitting all or part of the lifting force to the load, and having a free end distal surface,

an intermediate section, connecting the distal portion to the proximal portion,

at least one distal stress sensor, fixed in the distal portion between the proximal bearing surface and the free end distal surface, and capable of generating distal detection signals according to the axial compression stresses experienced by the distal portion ,

distal transmission means capable of transmitting the distal detection signals to means for receiving and analyzing a distal detection signal.

Such a coupling member, associated with reception and signal analysis means, thus makes it possible to detect in real time, and in a precise manner, the fact that the fastening member abuts against a body which prevents progress down. The operator, well informed, can immediately stop the unwinding of a cable and thus avoid the attachment of an external element. Similarly, the operator can detect that one of the hooking members of a multi-hook load such as a container could not engage properly in a load slot, even before any attempt lifting the load.

Preferably, the distal stress sensor is engaged and fixed in a channel of the distal portion of the attachment member. This avoids any interference between the stress sensor and the load or other external objects may come into contact with the fastener.

Good detection accuracy can be achieved when the distal stress sensor is positioned axially in the medial area between the proximal bearing surface and the free end distal surface. In particular in the case of a rotary latch of gripping and lifting frame, such a position achieves a good compromise between the accuracy of detection and the reliability of detection of an obstacle opposing the descent of the body d hooking.

The distal stress sensor may be a strain gauge such as a resistive, capacitive, piezoelectric, or magnetic gauge.

According to a preferred embodiment, the distal stress sensor may be an optical fiber optical stress sensor, said optical fiber being housed and fixed in an axial channel of the distal portion of the fastening member. An interest of such a type optical fiber optic sensor is its robustness, reliability and accuracy for the detection of the obstacle opposing the descent of the fastener.

The fastening member may be in the form of a lifting hook. Alternatively, the attachment member may constitute a rotary latch hooking container, adapted to be mounted on a gripping frame and lifting.

In the case of such a rotary latching bolt, it can be provided that:

the distal portion is a head having a convex distal surface and is connected to an intermediate section with a reduced cross-section by a transverse surface forming the proximal bearing surface,

- The distal stress sensor is engaged and fixed in an axial channel of the distal portion, said axial channel extending in the intermediate section to the proximal portion and receiving means for transmitting the signal.

According to an advantageous embodiment of such a rotary latching bolt, it can be provided that:

the distal stress sensor is an optical fiber optic stress sensor with a Bragg grating,

the optical fiber comprises a distal Bragg grating in its end section housed in the distal portion of the hooking member, to constitute the distal stress sensor,

the optical fiber comprises at least one intermediate Bragg grating in its intermediate section housed in the intermediate hook member section, to constitute an intermediate stress sensor capable of generating an intermediate measurement signal as a function of axial tensile stresses; undergone by the intermediate part of the fastening member.

In this case, the same optical fiber allows multiple stress measurements in one and the same attachment member, which simplifies the constitution of the signal transmission means, and which reduces their bulk and avoids substantially affecting the mechanical strength of the fastening member. Indeed, the same optical fiber can constitute both the distal stress sensor and the distal transmission means for transmitting the distal detection signals, as well as the intermediate stress sensor and the intermediate transmission means for transmitting the detection signals. intermediate.

According to one possible embodiment, the transmission means may comprise one or more signal conductors crossing a channel in the attachment member from the distal stress sensor to an outlet in the proximal portion of the fastener.

The output port allows the output of signal conductors, for example optical fibers, for connection to signal receiving and analyzing means.

In practice, the distal stress sensor can be glued into a metal tube itself glued into a channel of the distal portion. The assembly of the sensor in the fastening member is thus considerably simplified.

According to another aspect, the invention proposes a gripping and lifting device comprising at least one attachment member as defined above, and signal receiving and analysis means receiving the detection signals transmitted by the sensors. distal transmission means for determining one or more of the following parameters:

the axial compression stress experienced by the distal portion of the fastening members,

the differences between the axial compression stresses experienced by the distal parts of several gripping members of the gripping and lifting device,

for transmitting an alert or command signal in the presence of an axial compression stress greater than a determined stress threshold or in the presence of a significant difference between the axial compression stresses of the gripping members of the gripping device and lifting.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates stacks of containers fixed on a support, for example on the deck of a ship;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of a rotary latch for gripping frame and lifting, according to one embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 3 is a side view of the rotary latch of Figure 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the rotary latch of FIG. 2;

- Figure 5 is a bottom view of the rotary latch of Figure 2;

- Figures 6 and 7 are detail views, respectively in longitudinal section and in cross section, of the distal portion region forming the distal stress sensor; and - Figure 8 illustrates, in perspective, a frame for lifting and lifting, the rotary locks for this frame and a container to be lifted by the gripping frame and lifting provided with these rotary latches.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, port containers such as containers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, stacked and stowed on a support 7 such as a ship's bridge, have been illustrated.

The containers 1 -6 are of generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and have oblong holes open upwards at each of their upper corners, and oblong holes open down at each of their lower corners.

For example, the container 1 is provided with four upper oblong holes referenced 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d, each constituting a housing for receiving and retaining fasteners or twist locks.

Double rotary latches can be engaged between two superposed containers, and between the support 7 and the containers 5 or 6.

Rotary locks may also be fitted on connecting elements connecting two adjacent containers such as containers 1 and 2.

It is understood that there is a risk that an oblong hole 1a-1d of one of the containers is still occupied by a rotary latch or other foreign body when a hoist is operated to hang the container.

FIG. 8 is now considered, illustrating the general structure of a gripping and lifting frame 8 for lifting a container 1.

Again we distinguish on the container 1, the upper oblong holes 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d.

The gripping and lifting frame 8 is generally a frame structure with two longitudinal members 8a and 8b, two end cross members 8c and 8d, and intermediate crosspieces or crosspieces 8e and 8f.

The central portion 8k of the gripping and lifting frame 8 is shaped for attachment to a hoist, for example for connection to hoisting ropes, in a known manner.

The four corners of the gripping and lifting frame 8 are provided, in the lower part, with four receiving and operating devices 8g, 8h, 8i and 8j respectively, facing downwards, and each adapted to receive and actuate a rotary lock. 9a, 9b, 9c or 9d.

Each rotary latch 9a-9d is retained and actuated in axial rotation in one of the receiving and operating devices 8g-8j, and is provided with a head intended to engage and lock in one of the oblong holes 1a-1 d of the container 1 to secure the container 1 to the gripping and lifting frame 8.

FIGS. 2 to 5, which illustrate an embodiment of a rotary lock such as the lock 9a, are now considered.

The rotary latch 9a has a proximal portion 10, a distal portion

1 1, and an intermediate portion 12, along a longitudinal axis I-I.

The proximal portion 10 comprises for example a cylinder 10a, connected to the intermediate portion 12 by a shoulder 10b and a neck 10c with reduced diameter, and having a longitudinal groove 10d. Such a proximal portion 10 allows the removable attachment to the gripping frame and lifting 8 (Figure 8). The corresponding receiving and operating device 8g of the gripping and lifting frame 8 is therefore adapted to hold the cylinder 10a under the shoulder 10b and to drive it in rotation by a jack and a connecting rod engaged in the longitudinal groove 10d.

The distal portion 11 is a head having a larger transverse dimension than the intermediate portion 12, and having a convex distal surface 11a. The distal portion 1 1 is elongated transversely along two opposite branches 11b and 11c in a transverse locking direction II-II perpendicular to the longitudinal axis II, having a length L1 much greater than the diameter of the intermediate section 12. On the other hand, the width L2 of the distal portion 1 1 is substantially equal to the diameter D of the intermediate portion 12.

The distal portion 1 1 connects to the intermediate section 12 reduced section by a transverse surface 1 1 d forming a proximal bearing surface against which comes load in use.

For its introduction into an oblong hole 1a-1 d of a container 1, the rotary latch 9a is oriented with its distal portion 11 whose transverse locking direction II-II is in the direction of the length of the oblong hole 1 a- 1 d. After introduction, the latch is pivoted about its longitudinal axis II to bring the proximal bearing surface 1 1 d under the lateral edges of the oblong hole 1 a-1 d, thus preventing axial withdrawal of the rotary latch 9a out of the oblong hole 1a-1 d.

An axial channel 13 is provided along the longitudinal axis II of the rotary latch 9a, and develops from an outlet 13a in the proximal portion 10 to the vicinity of the distal surface 11a of the distal portion 11, thus crossing the proximal portion 10, the intermediate portion 12, and a major portion of the distal portion 1 1. The channel has a diameter of about 3 mm, for a rotary latch 9a whose diameter of the intermediate portion 12 is about 50 mm. It is understood that the presence of the hole does not substantially affect the mechanical strength of the rotary latch, since the relative reduction in cross section of the intermediate section 12 is minimal.

As illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the axial channel

13, there is housed a metal tube 15, glued in the channel 13, and itself containing at least one distal stress sensor 14 which, after assembly, is in the distal portion 1 1, in axial position intermediate between the surface proximal bearing 1 1 d and the free end distal surface 1 1a. The distal stress sensor 14 is able to generate a distal detection signal which is a function of the axial compression stresses experienced by the distal portion 1 1 of the rotary latch 9a.

The distal stress sensor 14 is associated with distal transmission means such as signal conductors, passing through the axial channel 13 and out through the outlet orifice 13a for transmitting the signals of the distal stress sensor 14 to receiving means and distal detection signal analysis. The distal stress sensor 14 is glued into the metal tube 15 itself adhered in the axial channel 13.

In the case where the distal stress sensor 14 is an optical fiber optical sensor, it is possible to use, for example, a single-mode optical fiber 16 having a distal section whose refractive index has been periodically modulated at a determined pitch along of the optical fiber by intense ultraviolet radiation. The distal section of periodically modulated refractive index fiber is called the Bragg grating, and constitutes the distal stress sensor 14. This Bragg grating produces a reflection of the light waves traveling through the optical fiber, at a wavelength called "length. Bragg wave ", which is substantially equal to twice the modulation rate of the refractive index along the optical fiber in the Bragg grating. Therefore, the wavelength of light reflected by the Bragg grating is substantially proportional to the distance between two refractive index variations in the optical fiber. Any variation in this distance, as a result of compression for example, can be detected by measuring the wavelength of reflected light. Thus, in this case, the distal detection signal receiving and analyzing means 18 comprise a laser source for sending a light radiation into the optical fiber 16 towards the distal stress sensor.

14, and means for detecting the wavelength of the reflected light returned to the signal receiving and analyzing means 18 for distal detection by the optical fiber 16. According to an advantageous embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, the optical fiber 16 thus comprises a distal Bragg grating in its end section housed in the distal portion 1 1 of the rotary latch, to form the stress sensor. The optical fiber 16 further comprises at least one intermediate Bragg grating in its intermediate portion housed in the intermediate portion 12 of the rotary latch, thus constituting an intermediate stress sensor 20 capable of generating an intermediate detection signal which is - Same function of the axial tensile stresses experienced by the intermediate portion 12 of the rotary latch 9a. The same optical fiber 16 constitutes by itself the transmission means for the two strain sensors 14 and 20 thus constituted, since the Bragg gratings can be structured so as to produce different signals than the reception and control means. signal analysis can distinguish.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the rotary latch 9a abuts on a fixed element 17 along its convex distal surface 11a, the load or simply the gripping and lifting frame rests on the proximal bearing surface 1 1 d, inducing axial compression on the distal portion 1 1. This axial compression deforms the distal portion 1 1 and the distal stress sensor 14, which itself generates a signal transmitted to the signal reception and analysis means for warn the user or ensure control of the lifting device. The operator thus warned can for example stop the unwinding of a cable that supports the gripping frame and lifting and the rotary latch 9a.

The fixed element 17 which forms abutment may be the ground or any other element, for example a rotary latch which has remained forgotten in an oblong hole of an underlying container.

FIG. 8 is again considered. The gripping and lifting frame 8 associated with its rotary locks 9a-9d constitutes a gripping and lifting device. This device thus comprises a plurality of latching members of the rotary latch type 9a-9d, each rotary latch 9a-9d being connected, for example by a respective optical fiber 16a-16d, to means for receiving and analyzing the latch. signal 18 which are housed in the gripping and lifting frame 8.

In the case of rotary lock type fasteners in which the distal stress sensor 14 is a resistive, capacitive, piezoelectric or magnetic gauge, the sensor produces electrical signals which are transmitted by electrical conductors to the means. signal receiving and analyzing means 18. The signal receiving and analyzing means 18 comprise an electronic circuit capable of scanning the signals received from the receiver. distal stress sensor 14 and to emit a command or warning signal in the case where the signals correspond to a compression threshold greater than a predetermined minimum threshold on the distal portion 1 1. The predetermined minimum threshold is chosen so as to correspond to a compression value itself less than that experienced by the distal portion 1 1 when the gripping frame and lifting 8 rests on the ground by its rotary latches 9a-9d.

The signal reception and analysis means 18, which receive the measurement signals transmitted by the transmission means 16, can determine one or more of the following parameters, by processing the received signals:

the axial compression stress experienced by the distal portion 1 1 of the fastening members 9a,

the differences in axial compression stresses experienced by the distal portions of several fastening members 9a-9d of the fastening device.

The signal reception and analysis means 1 8 can emit an alert or command signal in the presence of an axial compression stress greater than a determined stress threshold, or in the presence of a difference between the constraints of the signals. gripping members 9a-9d of the gripping and lifting device such as the gripping and lifting frame 8.

It will be understood that such a device makes it possible not only to check the state of good operation of a fastening member such as a rotary latch 9a-9d, but also to control other parts of a hoist, for example the unwinding of the cables, and to control also the good disposition and the integrity of a container 1 that one wants to lift.

In the embodiment described above, the attachment member is a rotary latch.

The invention may, however, find application in other types of fastening members, for example a lifting hook-shaped fastener, by adapting the shape of the channel for receiving the distal stress sensor.

In any case, the particular location of the distal stress sensor makes it possible to collect a signal used to stop the unwinding of a cable of the lifting device when the fastener comes into contact with the ground or another element to undergo maintenance or to hang on. This prevents tangling and / or damage to the cable. This distal stress sensor also enables the material handler to identify whether an intermediate container lock has remained in a top connection cavity (an oblong hole 1a-1 d) of a container 1.

Although the lifting and lifting frame 8 shown in FIG. 8 has only 4 lifting members 9a-9d, it is possible to envisage a larger number of differently arranged lifting members for the simultaneous lifting of several containers.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof within the scope of the claims below.

Claims

1 - Attachment member (9a-9d) for hooking a load under a hoist, comprising:

- a proximal portion (10) shaped to be fixed to the lifting apparatus, - a distal portion (1 1), having a proximal bearing surface (1 1 d) capable of transmitting to the load all or part of the lifting force, and having a free end distal surface (a),

an intermediate section (12) connecting the distal portion (11) to the proximal portion (10),

a stress sensor, secured to the fastening member (9a-9d), and capable of generating detection signals according to the axial compression stresses experienced by the fastening member,

transmission means capable of transmitting the detection signals to reception and signal analysis means,

characterized in that it comprises:

at least one distal stress sensor (14), fixed in the distal portion (1 1) between the proximal bearing surface (1 1 d) and the free end distal surface (1 1 a), and adapted to generating distal detection signals according to the axial compression stresses experienced by the distal portion (1 1),

- Distal transmission means (16) adapted to transmit the distal detection signals to means for receiving and analyzing distal detection signal (18).

2 - hooking member (9a-9d) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distal stress sensor (14) is engaged and fixed in a channel (13) of the distal portion (1 1).

3 - hooking member (9a-9d) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the distal stress sensor (14) is positioned axially in the middle zone between the proximal bearing surface (1 1 d ) and the free end distal surface (11a).

4 - gripping member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distal stress sensor (14) is a strain gauge such as a resistive gauge, capacitive, piezoelectric, or magnetic.

5 - hooking member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distal stress sensor (14) is an optical fiber optical stress sensor, said optical fiber being housed and fixed in an axial channel (13) of the distal portion (1 1). 6 - fastening member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is in the form of lifting hook.

7 - fastening member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it constitutes a rotary latch hooking container (1), adapted to be mounted on a gripping frame and lifting (8).

8 - Fastening member (9a-9d) according to claim 7, characterized in that:

the distal portion (1 1) is a head, having a convex distal surface (1 1 a), and connecting to an intermediate section (12) with a reduced cross section by a transverse surface forming the proximal bearing surface (1 1 d)

- the distal stress sensor (14) is engaged and fixed in an axial channel (13) of the distal portion (1 1), said axial channel (13) extending in the intermediate section (12) to the proximal portion (10) and receiving signal transmission means (16).

9 - Fastening member (9a-9d) according to claim 8, characterized in that:

the distal stress sensor (14) is an optical optical fiber strain sensor (16) with a Bragg grating,

the optical fiber (16) comprises a distal Bragg grating in its end portion housed in the distal portion (1 1) of hooking means, to constitute the distal stress sensor (14),

the optical fiber (16) comprises at least one intermediate Bragg grating in its intermediate section housed in the intermediate portion (12) of attachment member, to form an intermediate stress sensor (20) capable of generating a signal of intermediate detection according to axial tensile stresses experienced by the intermediate portion (12) of the fastening member.

10 - hooking member (9a-9d) according to claim 9, characterized in that a same optical fiber (16) constitutes both the distal stress sensor (14) and the distal transmission means for transmitting the signals distal detection device, as well as the intermediate stress sensor (20) and intermediate transmission means for transmitting the intermediate detection signals.

1 1 - Clamping member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the transmission means (16) comprise one or more signal conductors passing through a channel (13) formed in the hooking member from the distal stress sensor (14) to an outlet (13a) in the proximal portion (10) of the attachment member.

12 - hooking member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that the distal stress sensor (14) is glued into a metal tube (15) itself glued in a channel (13) of the distal portion (11).

13 - Device for gripping and lifting (8), characterized in that it comprises at least one attachment member (9a-9d) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and receiving means and distal detection signal analysis (18) receiving the detection signals transmitted by the distal transmission means to determine one or more of the following parameters:

the axial compression stress experienced by the distal portion (1 1) of the fastening members (9a-9d),

the differences between the axial compression stresses experienced by the distal parts (1 1) of several gripping members (9a-9d) of the gripping and lifting device (8),

for transmitting an alert or command signal in the presence of an axial compression stress greater than a determined stress threshold or in the presence of a significant difference between the axial compression stresses of the fastening members (9a-9d) of the gripping and lifting device (8).