A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
This application claims benefit of the following patent application(s) which is/are hereby incorporated by reference: None
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present disclosure relates generally to lid removal systems for cargo vessels. Cargo vessels are typically covered by one or more large heavy lids during transport to help protect the contents contained within the cargo vessel from the elements or from potential contaminants. Once the cargo vessel arrives at its final location, the lids must be removed from the cargo vessel to access and remove the contents or loading additional contents.
More particularly, this disclosure pertains to lid removal devices for cargo vessel lids which utilize an overhead crane or rigging system. One conventional solution for removing cargo vessel lids includes attaching a plurality of straps to an overhead crane or boom. The opposing ends of the straps can include hooks, each hook being attached to a corresponding location on the lid. The crane can then be used to pull the straps upward to lift and disengage the lid from the cargo vessel.
One problem with such a solution is that typically an operator is required to climb on top of the lid in order to retrieve the straps, which can be unsafe. Another problem with such a solution is that the hooks have to be attached to the lid manually, which can potentially be unsafe as well as time consuming. In one particular application of a lid removal system for a barge lid, the operator must walk around the edge of the barge in order to manually connect each hook to the lid, in addition to climbing on top of the barge lid to retrieve the straps. The barge often includes numerous obstructive objects which can be tripping hazards for operators walking around the barge to attach the hooks to the lids. If an operator loses his balance while either atop the barge lid or while walking along the edge of the barge, the operator could suffer serious injury, and could potentially fall off of the barge, which could cause serious injury or death.
Others have attempted to overcome the problems of conventional rigging by providing a strap spreader with multiple straps attached to the spreader. These solutions can potentially remove the need to climb on top of the cargo vessel lids, as the spreader can hold the straps radially outward from the crane or the rig. However, an operator must still attach the hooks manually to the lid. Additionally, the spreaders can be place under significant stress from tension and moment forces while the lids are being lifted, as the forces are being applied at the outer ends of the spreader. These stresses can cause the spreaders to wear and fatigue over time. Failure of the spreaders can cause the lids to fall during the removal operation, which can potentially cause serious injury to those nearby, as well as damage to the cargo vessel or other property.
What is needed, then, are improvements in devices for removing cargo vessel lids.
One aspect of the present disclosure pertains to an apparatus for moving a cargo vessel lid. The apparatus includes a base and a guide arm pivotable relative to the base. The guide arm can be movable between a raised position and a lowered position. A tension linkage can have a distal end extending away from the base. The tension linkage can be supported by the guide arm when the guide arm is in the raised position. A tension linkage guide can be disposed on the guide arm. The tension linkage guide can be movable along the tension linkage as the guide arm moves between the raised position and the lowered position. A lid hook can be connected to the distal end of the tension linkage. The tension linkage can form a first tension angle with respect to a horizontal reference axis passing through the lid hook when the lid hook is engaged with the cargo vessel lid and the guide arm is in the raised position. The tension linkage can form a second tension angle with respect to the horizontal reference axis when the lid hook is engaged with the cargo vessel lid and the guide arm is in the lowered position. The second tension angle can be less than the first tension angle.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is an apparatus for removing a cargo lid vessel. The apparatus includes a base and a guide arm pivotable relative to the base. The guide arm can be movable between a raised position and a lowered position. The apparatus can include a tension linkage having a distal end extending away from the base. The tension linkage can be supported by the guide arm in the raised position. A lid hook can be connected to the distal end of the tension linkage, wherein the guide arm does not support the tension linkage when the lid hook is engaged with the cargo vessel lid and the guide arm is in the lowered position.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method of removing a lid from a cargo vessel, the method including the steps of providing a spreader device including a base and a guide arm pivotable relative to the base. The guide arm can be movable between a raised position and a lowered position. A tension linkage having a distal end extending away from the base can be supported by the guide arm when the guide arm is in the raised position. A tension linkage guide can be disposed on the guide arm, the tension linkage guide movable along the tension linkage. A lid hook can be connected to the distal end of the tension linkage. The method can further include lowering the spreader device with the guide arm in the raised position and engaging the lid hook with the cargo vessel lid, the tension linkage forming a first tension angle with respect to a horizontal reference axis passing through the lid hook. The method can further include moving the guide arm from the raised position to the lowered position, and raising the spreader device, the tension linkage forming a second tension angle with respect to the horizontal axis when the guide arm is in the lowered position, the second tension angle being less than the first tension angle.
Numerous other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art upon a review of the following drawings and description of a preferred embodiment.
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that is embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.
To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms are defined below. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.
As described herein, an upright position is considered to be the position of apparatus components while in proper operation or in a natural resting position as described herein. Vertical, horizontal, above, below, side, top, bottom and other orientation terms are described with respect to this upright position during operation unless otherwise specified. The term “when” is used to specify orientation for relative positions of components, not as a temporal limitation of the claims or apparatus described and claimed herein unless otherwise specified. The term “lateral” denotes a side to side direction when facing the “front” of an object.
The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
It will be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention may be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.
All of the apparatuses or methods disclosed and claimed herein may be made and/or executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the apparatuses and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the embodiments included herein, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be applied to the apparatuses and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
A perspective view of a conventional solution for lifting a cargo vessel lid 10 off of cargo vessel 12 is shown in
Additionally, in order to connect hooks 17 to different points on lid 10, an operator must walk along an edge 20 of the barge around cargo vessel 12. This process can take a substantial amount of time and slow down the removal process. Additionally, often time barges have equipment or other objects located along edge 20 which could potentially be a tripping hazard. The entire removal process presents several instances where the operator is placed at risk of falling on the barge, or potentially falling off the barge into the water. In either case, the operator is exposed to risk of serious injury or even death. This method also places the operator in the area where crane 14 is being operated, which can again be unsafe.
As shown in
As can be seen from
An embodiment of a cargo vessel lid removal apparatus 40 of the present disclosure is shown in
Tension linkage 50 can be any suitable tension linkage 50 for supporting the weight of the lid hook 56 and at least a portion of the weight of a lid when the apparatus 40 is engaged with the lid and the lid is being removed from the cargo vessel. Tension linkage 50 can include, but is not limited to, straps, chains, cables, wire, etc.
Base 42 and guide arm 44 can be made out of any suitable substantially rigid material that can support the weight of lid hook 56 when the apparatus 40 is not engaged with a lid. Such materials can include, but are not limited to, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, iron, cast iron, titanium, etc.
In
In some embodiments, apparatus 40 can further include a second guide arm 60 pivotable relative to base 42. Second guide arm 60 can also be movable between raised position 46 and lowered position 48. A second tension linkage 62 having a second distal end 64 extending away from base 42 can be supported by second guide arm 60 when second guide arm 60 is in raised position 46. A second lid hook 66 can be connected to second distal end 64 of second tension linkage 66.
In other embodiments, the apparatus 40 can further include a third guide arm 68 pivotable relative to base 42. Third guide arm 68 can also be movable between raised position 46 and lowered position 48. A third tension linkage 70 having a third distal end 72 extending away from base 42 can be supported by third guide arm 68 when third guide arm 68 is in raised position 46. A third lid hook 74 can be connected to third distal end 72 of third tension linkage 70.
In still other embodiments, the apparatus 40 can further include a fourth guide arm 76 pivotable relative to base 42. Fourth guide arm 76 can also be movable between raised position 46 and lowered position 48. A fourth tension linkage 78 having a fourth distal end 80 extending away from base 42 can be supported by fourth guide arm 76 when fourth guide arm 76 is in raised position 46. A fourth lid hook 82 can be connected to fourth distal end 80 of second tension linkage 78.
Guide arms 44, 60, 68, and 76 can extend radially outward from base 42 in a cross or X-shaped configuration, such that when apparatus 40 is positioned over a cargo vessel lid, two arms can extend toward each side of lid 10. As such, lid hooks 56, 66, 74, and 82 can engage the lid at four different locations, two on each side of the lid, to help provide balanced lifting of the lid. The four tensions linkages 50, 62, 70, and 78 together can carry substantially all of the weight of the lid when the guide arms 44, 60, 68, and 76 are in the lowered position.
Several features of guide arm 44, tension linkage 50, and lid hook 56 are described hereinafter. In those embodiments including multiple guide arms and corresponding tension linkages and lid hooks, the same features and concepts can be equally applicable to all corresponding sets of guide arms, tension linkages, and lid hooks.
Apparatus 40 is shown in
Apparatus 40 is shown in
As such, when a crane or rigging member continues to lift base 42 and apparatus 40, lid 10 is thereby removed from cargo vessel 12 since latch member 22 is in an unlatched position, as shown in
Additionally, in some embodiments guide arm 44 can be configured such that when guide arm 44 is in lowered position 48 and tension linkage 50 is in tension due to the weight of lid 10, tension linkage 50 can be centrally located within tension linkage guide 54 such that tension linkage 50 is not engaged with either guide arm 44 or tension linkage guide 54. In other embodiments, when guide arm 44 is in lowered position 48 and tension linkage 50 is in tension due to the weight of lid 10, a top portion of tension linkage guide 54 can rest on tension linkage 50 such that tension linkage 50 can support tension linkage guide 54, and effectively support a portion of the weight of guide arm 44.
Some conventional lifting systems use strap spreader devices that include a base which can be attached to a crane or rigging system. The base can be a rigid frame that extends outward from a crane hook or the base can have rigid arms that extend outward from a crane hook such that straps can be connected directly to outer ends of the base or the outer ends of the arms, which can facilitate connection of the straps to wider loads. However, because the straps are connected to the outer ends of the base or the outer ends of the arms, as the load is lifted, the straps produce considerable force on the base or the arms, and more particularly a large moment on the outer ends of the base or the outer ends of the arms. Such forces and moments can cause the base or arms to fatigue over time which can cause the base or arms to fail and potentially cause injury or damage to persons and property nearby. The configuration seen in
Referring again to
As can be seen from
In some embodiments, tension linkage guide 54 can slide along tension linkage 50. Tension linkage guide 54 in such an embodiment can include a curved guide plate 92, as shown in
Additionally, in some embodiments, tension linkage guide 54 as well as curved guide plate 92 can be removable or replaceable on guide arm 44. Tension linkage guide 54 and curved guide plate 92 are shown disposed on guide arm 44 by a removable screw. As such, if tension linkage guide 54 or curved guide plate 92 were to break, they could efficiently and quickly be replaced with a new part, without having to replace the entire guide arm 44.
A perspective view of tension linkage guide 54 is shown in
In other embodiments, tension linkage guide 54 can include a roller or pulley which can engage tension linkage 50 as tension linkage guide 54 moves along tension linkage 50. The roller can effectively allow tension linkage guide 54 to roll along tension linkage 50, which can help prevent wear of tension linkage 50.
Another embodiment of apparatus 40 of the present disclosure is shown in
As apparatus 40 is raised by a crane or lifting device, as shown in
Another embodiment of apparatus 40 is shown in
Guide arm 44 in
Another embodiment of apparatus 40 is shown in
A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of base 42 from
In some embodiments, electrical wires can be fed up the boom of a crane and connected to actuator 106 such that actuator 106 can be controlled directly from the crane operator cabin. In other embodiments, actuator 106 can include wireless telemetry equipment such that actuator 106 can be controlled wirelessly by either a crane operator or another operator on shore. Wireless control of actuator 106 can remove the need for wiring which can interfere with the operation of the crane or apparatus 40. In some embodiments, actuator 106 can be programmed to raise or lower guide arm 44 in response to a raising or lowering of the crane itself. For instance, when apparatus 40 is hooked to the lid and the crane begins to lift, actuator 106 can simultaneously cause guide arm 44 to move to lowered position 48.
Another embodiment of a cargo vessel lid moving apparatus is shown in
Additionally, in some embodiments, a similar piston system as previously described for
A detailed side view of apparatus 40 is shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
An additional benefit of a telescoping guide arm 44, and particularly a motorized telescoping guide arm, is that when apparatus 40 is being raised by a crane to remove a lid from a cargo vessel, and guide arm 44 moves from a raised position to a lowered position, telescoping guide arm 44 can retract such that the tension linkage can more quickly achieve a substantially straight orientation, and the weight of the lid can be more quickly removed from guide arm 44. Additionally, retracting telescoping guide arm 44 when guide arm 44 moves to a lowered position can help prevent a top surface of a lid from interfering with the movement of guide arm 44.
One embodiment of an automated lid hook 56 for apparatus 40 is shown in
As such, with lid hook 56 of
As such, lid hook 56 can be connected to a latch member of a lid without an operator having to walk around the cargo vessel and manually attach lid hook 56 to the latch member. Such a system can help reduce the risk of injury from operators being in the work space of the crane or the risk of injury of tripping or falling while walking around the cargo vessel, particularly in a barge vessel application, where a fall could result in an operator falling overboard into the water. Such a system also potentially allows the lifting of the lid to be done by a lone crane operator, which can help increase the efficiency of the process as fewer people are needed.
In some embodiments, lid hook 56 can have a rechargeable battery 130. A rechargeable battery 130 allows lid hook 16 to be powered without having to connect lid hook 56 to a separate power supply. Such a configuration can help prevent interference of wires with the operation of the lid removal apparatus and the operation of the crane. Additionally, in some embodiments lid hook 56 can be equipped with wireless telemetry equipment, such that lid hook 56 and particularly the movement of the pivoting hook member 126 can be controlled wirelessly by a crane operator or another operator standing away from cargo vessel 12.
Additionally, in some embodiments, apparatus 40 can include one or more guide cameras 132, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, base 42 can include a spring biased pin 136 which can be configured to selectively engage support flange 58 in order to lock support flange 58 in different angular positions, as can be seen in
Another embodiment of an angularly adjustable support flange 58 is shown in
In still other embodiments, the guide arm can have first and second portions which are pivotal relative to one another, such that the second portion of the guide arm can pivot about the first portion of the guide arm in order to adjust the position of the lid hook over different latch member configurations. In such a configuration, support flange 58 can remain stationary on base 42, and the rotation of the second portion of the guide arm can provide the lateral angular adjustability for guide arm 44.
In still other embodiments, base 42 can be configured, manually or through a hydraulic or other mechanically suitable system, to be rotatable about a vertical axis extending through base 42. In some embodiments, base 42 can rotate through 360 degrees of rotation. As such, if base 42 is not in a proper alignment over the lid, base 42 can be rotated to orient itself in a proper alignment over the lid. Additionally, once the lid is lifted by the apparatus, having base 42 rotatable about itself can allow the orientation of the lid to be adjusted, which can be beneficial for instance when multiple lids are being stacked on top of one another and the lid needs to be properly aligned over a stack of lids.
Several aspects of the present disclosure have been described in some embodiments as having wireless telemetry, or have the capability of being communicated with or controlled wirelessly, such as the actuator for the movable plate, the telescoping arm actuation, the automated lid hooks, the guide cameras, etc. In some embodiments, the apparatus can include an electronic user interface in the form of a tablet, touch pad, or other suitable electronic device which can be used to control the previously mentioned functions of the apparatus all from the same device. The electronic user interface could also include a downloadable software application that could be downloaded to a suitable electronic device. The user interface can be mounted within the crane operator's cabin such that all aspects of the apparatus can be controlled by the crane operator. Additionally, the electronic control user interface could be a portable device that could be controlled either by a crane operator in the cabin or by an operator on the ground. Such a configuration can allow multiple aspects of the apparatus to be conveniently controlled from the same location or by the same person.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method of removing a cargo vessel lid from a cargo vessel, the method including providing a cargo vessel lid moving apparatus having: a base; a guide arm pivotable relative to the base, the guide arm movable between a raised position and a lowered position; a tension linkage having a distal end extending away from the base, the tension linkage supported by the guide arm when the guide arm is in the raised position; a tension linkage guide disposed on the guide arm, the tension linkage guide movable along the tension linkage; and a lid hook connected to the distal end of the tension linkage.
The method further includes: lowering the removal apparatus with the guide arm in the raised position; engaging the lid hook with the cargo vessel lid, the tension linkage forming a first tension angle with respect to a horizontal reference axis passing through the lid hook; moving the guide arm from the raised position to the lowered position; and raising the removal apparatus, the tension linkage forming a second tension angle with respect to the horizontal reference axis when the guide arm is in the lowered position, the second tension angle being less than the first tension angle.
In some embodiments, the raising step can be performed simultaneously with the moving step, such that the guide arm moves from the raised position to the lowered position as the removal apparatus is raised. In other embodiments, the guide arm can be moved to the lowered position before the removal apparatus is raised.
In additional embodiments, the cargo vessel lid can have a weight, and the tension linkage alone can support substantially all of the weight of the cargo vessel lid during the raising step when the guide arm is in the lowered position. In some embodiments, the guide arm does not support the tension linkage or the weight of the cargo vessel lid during the raising step.
In additional embodiments, the tension linkage guide can engage the tension linkage at a first engagement point when the guide arm is in the raised position. The tension linkage guide can engage the tension linkage at a second engagement point when the guide arm is in the second engagement position. Additionally, during the moving step, the tension linkage guide can move along the tension linkage from the first engagement point to the second engagement point.
Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful Cargo Vessel Lid Lifting System it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.
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20160137462 A1 | May 2016 | US |