AU2018317491B2

AU2018317491B2 - A cargo handling system

Info

Publication number: AU2018317491B2
Application number: AU2018317491A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Murray Robert BRIDLE
Original assignee: Container Rotation Systems Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Container Rotation Systems Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2017-08-12
Filing date: 2018-07-24
Publication date: 2020-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-24
Also published as: AU2018317491A1; CN110891894A; CN110891894B; WO2019033150A1

Abstract

A cargo handling device for use with cargo containers is described including: a first engagement arrangement for engaging the handling device to a lifting apparatus; a second engagement arrangement for engaging a cargo container to the handling device to enable lifting of the cargo container by way of the lifting apparatus; the cargo handling device is arranged for use with cargo containers that are generally elongate, having a floor, two opposing side walls and two opposing end walls and at least one opening at one of the ends of the container; wherein the handling device includes a tipping mechanism which facilitates a tipping operation to tip the container from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation in which the at least one opening of the container is directed downwardly so that the contents of the container can drop out of the opening.

Description

A CARGO HANDLING SYSTEM

Technical Field The present invention relates to a cargo handling system and particularly 5 relates to a cargo handling system adapted for use in handling dry bulk goods in granular or powdered form. The system includes a cargo handling device which is arranged to handle cargo containers and tip the containers to unload their contents, typically into the hold of a ship.

10 Summary of the Invention In a first aspect the present invention provides a cargo handling device including: a first engagement arrangement for engaging the handling device to a lifting apparatus; a second engagement arrangement for engaging a cargo container to the handling device to enable lifting of the cargo container by way of the lifting apparatus; 15 the cargo handling device is arranged for use with cargo containers that are generally elongate, having a floor, two opposing side walls and two opposing end walls and at least one opening at one of the ends of the container; wherein the handling device includes a tipping mechanism which facilitates a tipping operation to tip the container from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation in 20 which the at least one opening of the container is directed downwardly so that the contents of the container can drop out of the opening. The first engagement arrangement may be provided on an upper frame member; and a portion of the tipping mechanism may be attached to the frame member and be arranged to move with respect to the upper frame member from an outboard 25 position towards an inboard position during the tipping operation. The device may further include at least one door release mechanism for allowing a door of the cargo container to open during a tipping operation. The at least one door release mechanism of the cargo handling device may be arranged to act upon a door release mechanism of a cargo container. 30 The at least one door release mechanism of the cargo handling device may be arranged to act upon a door of a cargo container. In a second aspect the present invention provides a cargo handling device including: a first engagement arrangement for engaging the handling device to a lifting apparatus; a second engagement arrangement for engaging a cargo container to the handling device to enable lifting of the cargo container by way of the lifting apparatus; the cargo handling device is arranged for use with cargo containers that are generally elongate, having a floor, two opposing side walls and two opposing end walls and at 5 least one opening at one of the ends of the container; wherein the handling device includes a tipping mechanism which facilitates a tipping operation; wherein the first engagement arrangement is provided on an upper frame member; and a portion of the tipping mechanism is attached to the frame member and is arranged to move with respect to the upper frame member from an outboard position towards an inboard 10 position during the tipping operation In a third aspect the present invention provides a cargo container including: at least one door; and a door release mechanism for allowing a door of the cargo container to open during a tipping operation. The door release mechanism may be arranged to be operated by acting on the 15 mechanism at a region at proximate to the top of a wall of the container. The door release mechanism may be arranged to be operated by acting on the mechanism at a region at proximate to the bottom of a wall of the container. In a fourth aspect the present invention provides a cargo handling system including a cargo handling device according to the first aspect of the invention and at 20 least one cargo container according to the second aspect of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 25 Figure 1 is a side view of a cargo handling system comprising a cargo container engaged to a cargo handling device; Figure 2 and 3 illustrate the sequence of a tipping operation being carried out by the cargo handling system of figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a cargo handling 30 device; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cargo handling device of figure 4 shown part way through a tipping operation; and Figures 6 and 7 are side views of figures 4 and 5.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to figure 1 a cargo handling system 10 is shown including a cargo handling device 20 and a cargo container 100. 5 Cargo handling device 20 includes a first engagement arrangement for engaging the handling device to a lifting apparatus in the form of four ISO twist lock pockets 22 which are provided at each corner of a rectangular upper frame 24. Twist lock pockets are known in the art of shipping container handling. The four twist lock pockets 22 are engaged in use with a lifting apparatus such as an overhead dockside 10 crane by way of ISO twist locks provided on the crane which engage with the twist lock pockets 22. Cargo handling device 20 includes a second engagement arrangement for engaging a cargo container 100 to the handling device 20 in the form of a series of four remotely operable twist locks 26 which are provided at each corner of a rectangular 15 lower frame 28. Cargo container 100 is generally elongate, having a floor, two opposing side walls and two opposing end walls, a fixed roof and an opening at the left hand end of the container as shown in the figures. A door 102 seals the opening and is hingedly attached at its upper edge to the container and can open by swinging outwardly of the 20 container. In use, the cargo handling device 20 can be moved around an area by a crane operator operating a crane from which the handling device 20 is suspended. The crane operator can engage the handling device 20 with a cargo container 100 by bringing the handling device into alignment with twist lock pockets provided at the four corners of 25 the top of the cargo container 100 and remotely operating twist locks 26 to engage with the twist lock pockets on the container in a conventional manner. Once engaged with the handling device 20, the overhead crane can lift the cargo container 100. Cargo handling device 20 includes a tipping mechanism for tipping the cargo container 100. The tipping mechanism includes of a pair of upper scissor arms 30, a 30 pair of lower scissor arms 32 and a pair of trolleys 40. In figure 1, only one of each of the scissor arms and trolley is visible. The other members of the pairs are hidden from view at the rear side of the handling device in the figure. Upper scissor arms 30 are pivotally mounted to upper frame 24 at pivot points

31. Lower scissor arms 32 are pivotally mounted to lower frame 28 at pivot points 33. The upper scissor arms 30 are pivotally joined to the lower scissor arms at pivot point 36. A pair of hydraulic rams 50 extend between the upper 30 and lower 32 scissor arms to control the operation of the scissor arms. 5 Trolleys 40 are slidably mounted to upper frame 24 by an arrangement of rollers. The trolleys 40 are laterally moveable with respect to upper frame 24 between an outboard position as shown in figure 1 and an inboard position as shown in figure 3. A pair of hydraulic rams (not shown) extend between the upper frame 24 and each trolley 40 to control the movement of the trolleys 40. Lower frame 28 is pivotally 10 mounted to the trolleys 40 at pivot points 42. The trolleys are moved laterally during a

tipping operation to influence the centre of gravity of the combination of the handling device and container as will be later described. A safety lock is provided in the form of hook 38 which holds the lower frame in the horizontal orientation as seen in figure 1 by engaging with lug 39. Hook 38 is 15 operated by a powered actuator to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction from the engaged position as shown in figure 1 to a disengaged position. Handling device 20 includes a first door release mechanism in the form of unlocking mechanism 60 which is controllable to push on the end of a linkage 160 provided on container 100. The unlocking mechanism is operable by way of a remotely 20 controlled actuator to push down on the upper end of linkage 160 thereby causing rotation of locking lever 162. Rotation of locking lever 162 causes the door 102 (see fig 2) in the left hand end of the container 100 to change between a locked and an unlocked condition. The linkage 160 of container 100 is dimensioned so that it aligns with the unlocking mechanism 60 of the cargo handling device when the container is engaged to 25 the cargo handling device. Handling device 20 includes a second door release mechanism in the form of door control arm 70 which is provided to enable the cargo handler 20 to work with containers that do not have a door release mechanism which can be operated by the handling device 20. Door control arm 70 is lockable in a closed position as shown in 30 figure 1 in which the control arm 70 bears against door 102 to retain the door in a closed condition. Door control arm 70 is operable by way of a remotely controlled actuator to adopt an unlocked condition in which the control arm 70 is free to rotate in a direction away from door 102 to allow the door to open. When door control arm 70 is being used to control the opening of the container door then the container door is unlocked by hand by an on ground operator after the cargo handler 20 has engaged with the cargo container. Cargo handling device 20 includes an onboard power source in the form of a 5 diesel generator which powers the hydraulic systems and actuators. Handling device 10 further includes an onboard control system such as a microcontroller which reads the output of positional sensors and controls the sequence of operation of the various actuators. Referring now to the sequence of figures 1, 2 and 3 a tipping operation to tip 10 out the contents of the container 100 will be described. Commencing at figure 1, the combination of the handling device 10 and container 100 is suspended by a crane operator above a location where it is desired to tip out the contents of container 100, for example, suspended over the opening to the hold of a bulker ship. The crane operator pushes a control button which initiates the tipping operation which is controlled by the 15 control system on board the handling device 100. The tipping operation commences by safety hook 38 rotating away from lug 39. Unlocking mechanism 60 is actuated to put door 102 of container 100 into an unlocked condition. Door control arm 70 adopts the unlocked condition. Hydraulic ram 50 begins to extend which causes the container 100 to begin to rotate. At the same 20 time, trolleys 40 move progressively inboard of the handling device to control the centre of gravity of the combination of the handling device and the container. Referring to figure 2, container 100 has rotated by approximately 45 degrees. Ram 50 has extended to expand scissor arms 30, 32. At the same time, the hydraulic rams controlling trolleys 40 have moved the trolleys to some extent in an inward 25 direction. The door 102 has swung partially open and the contents of the container have begun to drop out of the container indicated by arrows A. Referring to figure 3, handling device 20 has now rotated container 100 through 90 degrees to adopt a vertical orientation. Hydraulic ram 50 is fully extended. Trolleys 40 are now at their fully inboard positions. Door 102 is in a fully open 30 position. The remaining contents of container 100 drop from the container. The movement of the trolleys 40 to their inboard position serves to maintain the centre of gravity of the combination of the handling device and the container generally centrally of the handling device during the tipping operation. This reduces the magnitude of the turning moment which would otherwise be transferred to the upper frame 24 and which would ultimately be borne by the arrangement which attaches the upper frame 24 to the crane. This arrangement improves stability during the unloading of a container. 5 After the contents of the container have dropped out of the container then the rams 50 and trolleys 40 return to their original positions as shown in figure 1. The empty container can then be set down by the cargo handler and another cargo container can be picked up for unloading. As an alternative to an overhead crane, the cargo handler includes an 10 alternative a second engagement arrangement for engaging the handling device to a lifting apparatus in the form of forklift pockets 80 (see figure 2) which allow the cargo handler to be operated with a reach stacker. As a further alternative, container can be used with a tipping trailer system attached to a vehicle. The tipping trailer system can be fitted with a door release 15 mechanism which acts on linkage 160 at a region near the base of the cargo container to enable remote operation to release the doors of the container by the occupant of the cab of the vehicle. Although the cargo handler described above included its own power source in the form of a diesel generator, in other embodiments it may draw power from the lifting 20 apparatus it is engaged to, such as a dockside crane. In other embodiments the cargo handler may include a rechargeable battery as a power source. In the embodiment described above the cargo container had a fixed roof In other embodiments the roof of the container may be removable. In some embodiments the roof of the container may include hatches. 25 Referring now to figures 4 to 7, another embodiment of a cargo handler 120 is shown with no container or door control arm attached for clarity of illustration. The movement of trolleys 140 is controlled by rams 152 in a similar fashion to the embodiment described above. Cargo handler 120 principally differs from the previously described cargo handler 20 in that the scissor arms are omitted. Instead, 30 hydraulic rams 150 (best seen in figures 5 and 7) connect directly between the upper frame 124 and the lower frame 128. Referring to figure 6, cargo handler 120 is shown in its horizontal orientation. Handler carries out a tipping operation by coordinated operation of rams 150, 152.

Rams 150 extend to cause the lower frame to move towards a vertical orientation. At the same time, rams 152 contract to cause movement of trolleys 140 from their original outboard position to an in board position. From the configuration shown in figure 7, the rams 150, 152 will continue to operate until trolleys 140 abut stop 142 at which point 5 the lower frame 128 adopts a substantially vertical orientation (similar to that shown in figure 3). In all other respects, the handler 120 operates in the same fashion as handler 20. It can be seen that embodiments of the invention have at least one of the following advantages: 10 • Rotation of a cargo container to a substantially vertical orientation assists with complete and rapid unloading of the contents of the container • Inboard movement of the tipping mechanism controls the centre of gravity of

the arrangement during a tipping operation to improve stability • Cargo handling system can be used with conventional containers

15 • Opening of container door is effected by the cargo handling device at the time of tipping the container thus reducing spills requirement for user participation to open the container.

Any reference to prior art contained herein is not to be taken as an admission 20 that the information is common general knowledge, unless otherwise indicated. Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations or additions may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cargo handling device including: a first engagement arrangement for engaging the handling device to a lifting apparatus; a second engagement arrangement for engaging a cargo container to the handling device to enable lifting of the cargo container by way of the lifting apparatus; the cargo handling device is arranged for use with cargo containers that are generally elongate, having a floor, two opposing side walls and two opposing end walls and at least one opening at one of the ends of the container; wherein the handling device includes a tipping mechanism which facilitates a tipping operation to tip the container from a substantially horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation in which the at least one opening of the container is directed downwardly so that the contents of the container can drop out of the opening; wherein the first engagement arrangement is provided on an upper frame member; and a portion of the tipping mechanism is attached to the frame member and is arranged to move with respect to the upper frame member from an outboard position towards an inboard position during the tipping operation; and wherein the second engagement arrangement is provided on a lower frame member; the lower frame member being pivotally attached to the portion.

2. A cargo handling device according to claim 1 further including at least one door release mechanism for allowing a door of the cargo container to open during a tipping operation.

3. A cargo handling device according to claim 2 wherein the at least one door release mechanism of the cargo handling device is arranged to act upon a door release mechanism of a cargo container.

4. A cargo handling device according to claim 2 wherein the at least one door release mechanism of the cargo handling device is arranged to act upon a door of a cargo container.

5. A cargo handling device according to any preceding claim wherein the portion of the tipping mechanism includes at least one trolley; the at least one trolley is attached to the upper frame member; the device further includes at least one hydraulic ram which controls the movement of the at least one trolley with respect to the upper frame member from an outboard position towards an inboard position during the tipping operation.

6. A cargo handling device according to claim 5 wherein the at least one trolley is arranged to move on rollers.

7. A cargo handling device according to either of claim 5 or claim 6 which includes two trolleys.