The invention relates to a multiple-door design for intermodal containers, especially for transporting bulk material such as compacted municipal waste. The container is structured to permit loading and unloading in different contexts via different openings, while remaining structurally sound.
Intermodal containers can be used in general to hold and ship various materials, including bulk materials, and can be useful as transport containers for waste material. A primary advantage of intermodal containers is the use of connector fittings at standard spacings, typically at each of the eight corners of a rectangular container or box in one of several standard sizes. The connector fittings enable the intermodal container to be affixed to mountings placed at the same standard spacings on movable chassis configurations appropriate for road, rail, sea or other transport, for stacking and the like. Likewise, the containers can be manipulated using lifts and spreader frames having grappling devices at the standard spacings.
Advantageously, solid waste is compacted into a container of one form or another. Intermodal containers can be used to hold and ship bulk materials, and might be used to accumulate compacted material from a compactor. However, refuse containers for waste material, compactor containers and the like, need to be structured for rough treatment, whereas shipping containers are advantageously of limited weight. Also, shipping containers advantageously have one or more access doors, and access doors generally weaken a container structure in a manner that presents challenges for use with solid waste in general and compactor products in particular.
Intermodal containers are used in various standard sizes. A typical standard container is a substantially rectilinear box and may measure twenty or forty feet in length, from four to twelve feet high and eight feet to eight feet six inches laterally. The typical container is made using steel plate, optionally with channel-like corrugations, and may comprise reinforcing and framing parts comprising rectangular tubing, angle iron and bar stock.
One of the walls, normally the rear end wall of the typical container, is at least partly occupied by one or more door panels. In semi-trailer shipping container applications, two panels are pivotally mounted on vertical hinge axes journaled at the corners of the end wall. The panels lap one another at the midline of the container in the rear. For waste containers and other applications that advantageously have a heavier door or a sealing door closure, one panel may be preferred instead of two. The panel typically is hinged on a vertical axis and arranged to bear against a compressible seal. On the latch side (opposite from the hinge), a strike support can support the door panel in alignment. Clamping devices and be used to draw the door panel so as to compress and seal with a gasket disposed in a frame provided around the end wall opening, mounted either to the door panel or to the frame.
For solid waste handling and other demanding applications, the door panel, like the container as a whole, should be structured for rough handling, i.e., heavy duty and thus likely to be heavy in weight. Mounting a full-width single door panel on a hinge axis cantilevers the weight of the door panel on the rear of the container sidewall carrying the hinge, requiring structural support. Opening, closing and sealing the door, which preferably should be possible by manual operations of a single operator likewise is to be considered. The structural and operational requirements, versus the need for precision if sealing is also intended, reasonably total weight and the like, are challenging and sometimes inconsistent design objectives.
Access openings such as end door panels might be carried on a hinge mechanism defining a pivot axis along the frame at the side, top or bottom of the associated end wall. For human-operated doors, a vertical hinge axis has the advantage that it is unnecessary to apply force except to overcome inertia. For a dumping container, a horizontal hinge axis at the top of the panel advantageously can be used to permit the door panel to swing open when the container is tipped to unload the contained material by gravity. A sealing door panel preferably has a single integral panel as large as the opening, thus minimizing the complexity of sealing. Two panels hinged on opposite sides of the opening are possible, as are two or more panels with an intermediate accordion fold hinge. Various mechanisms can releaseably hold the door panel(s) in a closed position, typically involving a latching connection between the door panel and the frame of the doorway, at one or more points remote from the hinge axis. There are various choices that can be made, but adapting a door for one of the foregoing structures to take advantage of a given attribute normally makes the door less than optimal with respect to the other attributes.
Container structures vary depending on the cargo and expectations for loading and unloading. Shipping containers thus often are structurally different from waste containers. This it true even though both types are advantageously structured for intermodal shipping (i.e., in standard sizes with receptacle fittings at predetermined standard locations). Containers may also be arranged for roll-on/roll-off loading, tip-dumping using a forklift or tined overhead dumping collection truck, etc.
An exemplary container with intermodal standardized fittings is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,153—Petzitillo. This container has a gasket sealed top cover that can be raised and rolled to tip open toward either side, and an end opening with clamps to facilitate a seal between a hinged end wall and a gasket mounted around the perimeter of the sealed end opening. The gasket material might be carried by the door panel or by the container frame, but in either case, the mounting mechanism for the door panel needs to be configured so as to press the door panel against the frame and thereby to compress the seal or gasket.
By providing a top opening and an end opening, the container in Pat. No. 6,364,153 permits access from the roll-aside top panel opening or the hinged end opening. The trade-off for having such openings is that the container must otherwise be structurally self supporting. The top panel opening in the '153 patent does not extend to near the top ends, providing some support in the form of stationary structures on the top wall at the ends. Also, the entire container is soundly reinforced with additional support framing and struts. It would be advantageous to include a set of plural door panels on a container in a manner that provides strength as well as access and contributes only modestly to the additional weight of the container as compared to a similarly sized container with fewer doors.
Although various containers exist for accepting, carrying and dumping contained materials in various arrangements, it would be advantageous to provide a multipurpose container that could be used universally for a number of different operations, and with a variety of different types of loading, unloading and access equipment. Such a container could accept loading materials from a variety of sources, such as bulk or waste materials from either of an end-loading compactor connection or a top loading dumper, having optimally placed doors or portals for each alternative, but being structured for adequately rigid and durable support of its shape and limited total weight.
An advantageous such container would be configured to facilitate unloading of contained materials in similarly versatile ways, including a dedicated dumping door. Preferably the dumping arrangement could unload the material loaded as described above, for example a compacted slug of solid waste, simply by tipping the container using, for example, a tipping chassis or a roll-off chassis transporting vehicle.
One advantage of such a container is that it could eliminate the need for the user to stock numerous specialized containers (e.g., separate containers each optimized for particular loading and/or unloading equipment or scenarios, thus reducing the overall cost of purchasing and maintaining an associated large inventory of such specialized containers.
The invention overcomes a number of practical and operational problems associated with the structure and use of containers, particularly bulk material containers and more particularly solid waste transfer containers adapted to accept dumped material from the top, and/or compactor product or manually loaded material from an end. The same container can be unloaded from the same access points but also can be readily dumped for emptying. The container is structured as described herein to provide adequate structure to support plural displaceable doors or portals, while remaining of a reasonable total weight.
For these and similar objects, a container as disclosed herein includes a container body defining at least spaced side walls and a bottom, and having frame elements at least partly forming first and second door openings disposed at both opposite ends of the container body. The first door opening preferably has a laterally opposite hinge side and latch side. The second door opening can have a vertically opposite top hinge side and a bottom latch side. The container may further have a first container closure including a door panel sized to fit the first door opening, the first door panel hinged to the frame elements at the first hinge side and being movable to occupy or to be moved substantially clear of the first door opening. The second container closure likewise may include a door panel sized to fit the second door opening, the second door panel being hinged to the frame elements at the top hinge side and movable to occupy or swing partly free of the second door opening.
A first compressible sealing gasket may be disposed between the first door panel and the frame elements, and a second compressible sealing gasket may be disposed between the second door panel and the frame elements. The first and second gaskets may be compressed between the respective first and second door panels and frame elements under an operative sealing pressure when the container closures are sealed with the door panels occupying a closing position in the respective first and second door openings.
In the preferred configuration, the container conforms to an intermodal standard size and layout of connectors, for example including twist-lock connectors at each corner. The container thus is arranged to be manipulated, transported and generally handled as a unitary intermodal cargo block using intermodal cargo processing elements at hand and available at seaport, rail, trucking and other facilities.
One or more or all of the door closures is preferably sealable using a gasket arrangement. A first closing mechanism may be provided to hold together the first door panel and the frame elements in conjunction with compression of the first gasket, the first closing mechanism being disposed along at least part of a side edge of the first door opening. A second closing mechanism may be provided to hold together the second door panel and the frame elements in conjunction with compression of the second gasket, the second closing mechanism being disposed along at least part of a bottom edge of the second door opening.
The first door opening may further have a first lip portion disposed along a bottom edge of the first door opening and a second lip portion disposed along a top edge of the first door opening. The first lip portion may be sized to provide a bottom liquid containment volume in a bottom portion of the container body. The first and second lip portions may further form a receiving space between them, receiving the structure at an output end of a waste compaction apparatus so as to allow a slug of compacted material to be pushed into an interior space of the container body via the receiving space.
A reinforcing chassis is also disclosed for use with an intermodal container and is particularly useful for providing reinforcement in conjunction with the multiple doors and especially for loading from a compactor. The chassis may comprise first and second longitudinal support members for supporting a bulk or waste material container thereon.
A vertical support plate may be mounted adjacent to a first end of the first and second longitudinal support members, the vertical support plate having a height and a width. The vertical support plate can be fixed in position against force applied in a longitudinal direction bracing running diagonally to the longitudinal support members. A laterally extending support member may be mounted to the first end of the first and second longitudinal support members, the horizontal support member being connected to the vertical support plate to provide buttress and associated end of the container over a substantial portion of the height of the vertical support plate and adjacent a portion of the container wall, preferably extending upwardly from the bottom at least to the bracing and optionally higher.
First and second lateral support members may also be provided. The first lateral support member may be connected to the first ends of the first and second longitudinal support members, and the second lateral support member may be connected to the second ends of the first and second longitudinal support members. The first and second lateral support members each may have a pair of vertically oriented projections disposed at lateral distal ends thereof, the vertically oriented projections being sized and shaped to be received within recesses of corner fittings of the bulk or waste material container to center the container on the reinforcing chassis. Thus, arranged, when the bulk or waste material container is supported on the first and second longitudinal support members with the vertically oriented projections received within the corner fittings, the vertical support plate may abut an end of the container so that the vertical support plate and the horizontal support member provide horizontal support to the end of the container against loads applied to the end of the container from inside the container.
a through 5f are perspective views of the dedicated loading door of
a through 6f are partial perspective views of the container of
a and 7b are a perspective view and a partial perspective view of the dedicated dumping door of the container of
a through 8d are perspective views of the dedicated dumping door of
a and 11b are perspective and reverse perspective views of the reinforcement chassis of
Referring to
The respective corners of the container shown are outfitted with standard intermodal fittings 24 that are spaced and configured for use with different types of handling equipment. The invention is not limited to intermodal containers, however, and is likewise applicable to custom sizes and types such as roll-on/roll-off containers, compactor containers and other sorts.
As shown in more detail in
A compressible sealing gasket 28 (
The loading door has a closure mechanism that employs complementary arrangements for urging the loading door 26 against the frame elements 12, 14, 16, 18 thus to compress the gasket 28. Along the edge opposite from the hinge, namely at frame element 14, the closure mechanism has a cam-engaging clamping rod 30 operated by a lever handle 32 that can be pivoted up from the plane of the loading door 26 around an axis parallel to clamp rod 30.
Clamping rod 30 is mounted on the surface of door panel at the corresponding non-hinge edge and presents tabs 34 for engagement with raised structural members 36 of the loading door 26. Rotation of clamping rod 30 advances or retracts tabs 34, which comprise flaps or projections welded on the clamping rod at spaced intervals. The clamping rod 30 is rotatably supported on the frame element 14 by bushings (not shown).
At the same time, the structure has an intermediate state wherein the loading door 26 is held slightly ajar, leaving a space, or at least such that the loading door 26 is held against the gasket 28 at a sealing pressure that is less than the operative sealing pressure, while the clamping rod 30 is coupled and operated. Thus, at least one spring biased catch device 38 is mounted at the free edge of loading door 26. The catch device 38 (shown in more detail in
The catch device 38 may include a lock pin 42 biased in a bushing 44 by a washer (not shown). A back end pull lever 46 or a similar structure is provided so that the pin 42 can be pulled into a retracted position for releasing the pin. The pull lever 46 can have an associated holder where the pin can be held as retracted. Alternatively, the pin can be retracted momentarily. Preferably the nose of the pin 42 is rounded or inclined so as to be pushed back when encountering an obstruction.
Thus, with the noted arrangement, it is possible to more or less slam the heavy loading door 26 against the gasket 28, compressing the gasket 28 momentarily due to the inertia of the hinging door 26. If the timing is just right, the clamping rod 30 can be rotated using by the operator using handle 32 at exactly the right moment to cause the tabs 34 to engage the structural members 36 of the loading 26, and also immediately to press lever handle 32 down into the position shown in
Accordingly, the closure mechanism as shown has a catch device 38 for holding the door 26 to one of the frame elements 14, 16, 18, remote from the hinge side 12. The catch device 38 engages prior to the loading door 26 reaching the closing position at which the gasket 28 is fully compressed. A benefit of making the catch device 38 spring biased is that it will engage and position the door panel in an intermediate state after the loading door 26 is momentarily moved toward the closing position beyond the intermediate state. That is, slamming the loading door 26 positions it for engagement of the catch device and the catch device is placed to hold the door 26 where needed to operate the mechanical clamping aspects of clamping rod 30, and to place tabs 34 in position to engage the loading door 26. At that point, the door closure mechanism is operable to advance the door 26 from the intermediate position ajar, to the closed position.
For this purpose, as noted the door closure mechanism comprises rotatable clamping rod 30 having at least one tab 34 and preferably a series of tabs 34 as shown. These are operated by the manual lever handle 32 which extends radially from the clamping rod 30. In the preferred arrangement, the clamping rod 30 is disposed on an edge of the door parallel and opposite from the hinge axis, namely at frame member 14. It would be possible alternatively or additionally to provide a similar structure on one of the other edges, such as the header or top frame member 18.
Referring to
When the loading door 26 has been opened, the container 1 is ready to receive materials via the loading opening 8. In the embodiment illustrated in
The loading opening 8 preferably is designed to mate with the discharge end of a standard waste compaction apparatus 52. For this purpose, the container is arranged to have the necessary dimensions, structure and positioning arrangement so as to be held in place during loading on or immediately adjacent to the apparatus 52 at the discharge thereof. As shown in
The arrangement of the header 18 and sill 16 may be customized or altered as desired to ensure a satisfactory “fit” between the discharge end 54 of the compaction apparatus 52 and the loading opening 8 of the container 1. Likewise, although not shown, it is envisioned that structures could also be provided at the side edges of the container to conform if the output end 54 of the compaction apparatus 52 is substantially narrower than the width of the container 1.
The header 18 and sill 16 arrangements offer advantages in addition to that of allowing close mating between container and the compaction apparatus 52. Thus, the downwardly descending header 18 creates a void space 58 (
As with the generation of gas from the slug of waste material, liquids may also be exuded during transfer and transport of the waste material. Thus, a raised sill 16 advantageously can provide a large sump or containment volume for holding liquid that either may leak from the compacted slug during transport or may be ejected into the container by the compaction apparatus when the slug is being transferred into the container 1. In one embodiment, the distance “SD” is about 6.5 inches, which in a standard container size results in a sump or containment volume of about 600 gallons of liquid.
a shows the discharge end 54 of the compaction apparatus 52 adjacent to the loading opening of the container 1. In operation, the container 1 may be loaded onto a semi trailer or truck chassis that is backed up to bring the container 1 into engagement with the discharge end of compaction apparatus 52.
When the compaction apparatus 52 and the container 1 are thus positioned, the waste slug may be pressed into the container, for example by operation of a compactor ram or auger (not shown) applying pressure in a direction toward the container 1. The slug is advanced by the compactor as shown in
The filled and closed container can be manipulated and transported like any intermodal container. For example, the container may be transported on the same supporting chassis or moved to another chassis and driven by truck to an intermediate or final destination. For example the container might be transported for a substantial overland distance, by driven to a rail yard via truck, lifted via a crane or the like equipped with a standard spreader for intermodal container, placed and affixed on a rail car with standard fittings, transported to an ultimate dumping site or to a site at which the container is moved to and attached to a tilting trailer or the like for dumping.
The manipulation steps for the container are not limited to use of the intermodal fittings. For example as can be seen throughout the figures, a pair of transversely-disposed recesses 64 may be provided in a bottom structure of the container 1, allowing the container 1 to be engaged and manipulated with a fork-truck by placing the fork-truck tines laterally under the container.
Once the filled container has been transported to the dumping site, usually on the chassis of a truck or semi trailer, the contents may be discharged via the dumping opening 10 on the end opposite from the loading end, by tipping the container 1 to lower the dumping opening end relative to the loading end (or raise the loading end relative to the dumping end, or both), to move the slug or other contents out of the container 1 under force of gravity.
Referring to
In the embodiment shown, the bottom edge or sill 70 of the dumping opening 10 has a series of tab elements 72 that are mounted on a clamp rod 74 that is rotatably mounted in the structure of sill 70. Specifically, the tab elements 72 can be rotated upward to engage the outward surface of the discharge door 66 to clamp the discharge door 66 against the gasket (not shown) and associated side and top frame structures. (It is noted that the gasket used for the discharge door may be similar in form and construction to the gasket 28 used to seal the loading door 26.) Conversely, the tab elements 72 can be rotated downward using the clamp rod 74 to disengage the discharge door 66. This leaves the discharge door 66 free to rotate about its hinge to enable contained material to be unloaded through the discharge opening 10. The rotation of the clamp rod 74 can be effected by a suitable hand or power tool, such as by manual operation of a ratchet binder 76 disposed along the side wall of the container 1 to shorten the length of a connection between the rotatable tab elements 72 and a fixed attachment point of a chain on the container body.
The discharge door 66 can be subject to substantial forces during the loading and carriage phases of use. Thus, one or more supplemental locking mechanisms may be used to ensure that the discharge door 66 remains closed and possibly sealed a gasket, if provided. Thus, a plurality of chain supports 78 may be used to bind the discharge door 66 to one or both sides of the container. As shown in
To dump the slug of waste material out of the container, the clamping mechanisms may be released, and the chains removed from their connections to the discharge door 66. The ratchet binder 76 may then be used to loosen the connections to permit disengagement as needed to rotate the lock rod 74 and tab elements 72 away from the discharge door 66 (
According to an inventive aspect, the container as shown has not only distinct loading and unloading doors, but also is characterized by a top loading feature shown in
In one embodiment, the container 1 as shown in
Also shown in
Chassis 86 may include a pair of longitudinal support members 88a, b positioned to support the container 1 thereon. A vertical support plate 90 may be provided at a first end 92a, b of the longitudinal support members. This vertical support plate 90 may have a width “W” that is at least as wide as the discharge door 66 to provide support for the door over its entire width. The vertical support plate 90 may have a height “H” that is at least about half the height of the discharge door 66 to provide support over that portion of the door that is most likely to receive the force from the compaction ram.
As shown in
A pair of lateral support members 104, 106 may be connected to the longitudinal support members 88a, b at first and second ends 92a, b; 108a, b of the longitudinal support members. These lateral support members 104, 106 may be oriented generally perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal support members 88a, b and may be used to provide lateral support to the container 1 supported by the chassis 86. As shown in
Although the chassis 86 is shown as being a separate assembly, its structures may be integrated into the frame of an appropriate transport vehicle, such as a truck or rail car. The lateral and vertical support members at the unloading end door of the container tend to provide a good connection between the container and the chassis so as to resist the force of the compactor when loading. In some scenarios, it is possible to use pressure tending to push the container on the chassis away from the compactor as an indication that the container is full. Then upon retraction of the compactor, and possibly some rebound from the compressed slug, the chassis is moved a further distance to permit closing of the loading side door.
It is an aspect of the invention that an intermodal style container is provided with plural doors, preferably with doors at both ends and a removable top covered opening. By structuring the container as shown and described, including providing rigid structures at the compactor loading end header, and at the horizontal hinge axis a the dumping end, and by employing the container as described, the container is sound notwithstanding that three of its six rectangular faces are substantially occupied by access doors or covers. Preferably, supporting the dumping end door by providing a force resisting chassis structure is also used as necessary with respect to compaction and slug-advancing procedures.
The invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, but the invention is not limited only to the particular constructions disclosed and shown in the drawings as examples, and also comprises the subject matter and such reasonable modifications or equivalents as are encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/742,513, filed Dec. 5, 2005.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60742513 | Dec 2005 | US |