Claims
- 1. An apparatus for lifting containers of the type having lifting apertures at the corners thereof, which comprises:
- an interconnected open center frame;
- an open center bridge supported by said frame;
- lift means carried by said open center bridge;
- single grappler means connected to said lift means for engaging one or more of a plurality of stacked containers;
- means operatively connecting said lift means to said grappler means to position said grappler means adjacent a stack of containers for lifting one or more of the containers;
- said open center bridge being disposed above said grappler means with the open center permitting containers to be elevated to a vertical position above the bridge;
- said grappler means including first latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a first container and second latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a second container carried on the first container;
- said grappler means further including means for permitting withdrawal of said first latching means from said first container while permitting said second latching means to remain in engagement with the second container.
- 2. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 1, in which said first latching means comprises at least a first pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common horizontal axis; and said second latching means includes at least a second pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second horizontal axis normal to said first axis.
- 3. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 2, said axis of said first pair of pin members being vertically spaced from the axis of said second pair of pin members to permit said first and second pairs of pin members to simultaneously engage the apertures in the first container and the second container.
- 4. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 3, said grappler means having frame means, said frame means including spaced lateral beams and a pair of longitudinal beams supporting said second latching means, said longitudinal beams being selectively extensible to vary the length thereof to accommodate different size containers.
- 5. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 4, wherein said first latching means depends downwardly from said pair of spaced lateral beams, said first latching means further including means for permitting withdrawal of said first pair of pins of said first latching means from said lowermost container.
- 6. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 1, in which said lift means comprises drums supporting downwardly extending cables or chains which are directed about respective pulley members.
- 7. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 1, wherein said first latching means includes two pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of each pair being movable coaxially toward each other; said second latching means including two second pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of one second pair being movable coaxially toward the corresponding pin members of the opposite pair.
- 8. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in claim 7, wherein the axis of movement of said pin members of said first latching means is below the axis of movement of said pin members of said second latching means.
- 9. An apparatus for lifting containers of the type having lifting apertures at the corners thereof, which comprises:
- an interconnected open center frame;
- an open center bridge supported by said frame;
- lift means carried by said open center bridge, said lift means comprising a plurality of drums each supporting a downwardly extending cable or chain directed around a respective pulley rotatably mounted to said bridge;
- single grappler means connected to said lift means for engaging one or more of a plurality of stacked containers;
- means operatively connecting said cables or chains to said grappler means to position said grappler means adjacent a stack of containers for lifting one or more of the containers;
- said open center bridge being disposed above said grappler means with the open center permitting containers to be elevated through the bridge and to a vertical position above the bridge;
- said grappler means including first latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a first container and second latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a second container carried on the first container;
- said first latching means including at least a first pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common horizontal axis for respective insertion into said apertures of the first container;
- said second latching means including at least a second pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second horizontal axis normal to said first axis for respective insertion into apertures of said second container;
- said axis of said first pair of pin members being vertically spaced from the axis of said second pair of pin members to permit said first and second pairs of pin members to simultaneously engage the first container and the second container;
- said grappler means further having frame means, said frame means including spaced lateral beams and a pair of longitudinal beams supporting said second latching means, said longitudinal beams being selectively extensible to vary the length thereof to accommodate different size containers; and
- said grappler means further including means for permitting withdrawal of said first latching means from said first container while permitting said second latching means to remain in engagement with the second container.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 1 having means permitting lateral movement of said grappler means to permit lateral movement of containers carried thereby.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 9 having means permitting lateral movement of said grappler means to permit lateral movement of containers carried thereby.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 761,620, filed Aug. 1, 1985, now abandoned, which is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 683,970, filed Dec. 12, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,891, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 583,119, filed Feb. 24, 1983, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 346,513, filed Feb. 8, 1982, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
683970 |
Dec 1984 |
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Continuations (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
761620 |
Aug 1985 |
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Parent |
583119 |
Feb 1983 |
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Parent |
346513 |
Feb 1982 |
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