Claims
- 1. A releasable latch apparatus for releasable connection to a side of a container having a lower engagable portion and an upper engagable portion, comprising:
- a substantially rectangular framing structure adapted for coupling to a container lifting device, said framing structure includes slave bars extending longitudinally;
- latching means for releasable latching onto a side of a container to provide a substantially vertical vice grip-like engagement, including a lower engagement member and an upper engagement member adapted for cooperating with the respective lower and upper engagable portions on the side of the container for releasably gripping a container, operably coupled to and extending substantially downwardly and inwardly from the framing structure to sufficiently reach a side portion of the container substantially minimally or without extending into the cargo space of the container; and
- front and rear retractable interconnectable means for lateral adjustment of the latching means with respect to the framing structure, including a middle portion coupled to said framing structure and end portions coupled to a plurality of said latching means, defining tandem latching means, whereby a container is handlable from its sides.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper engagement member and said lower engagement member of said latching means are substantially vertically aligned with respect to each other.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said latching means includes a latched position defined as said upper engagement member being spaced in a direction toward the lower engagement member and an unlatched position defined as said upper engagement member being spaced away from the lower engagement member.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper engagement member includes a moveable retention bar including a proximal end coupled to power means for moving the retention bar and a distal end adapted to engage a portion of a container.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said latching means includes sensing means for determining whether the latching means is latched with a container and position sensing means for determining whether the latching means is appropriately positioned with respect to a container.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lower engagement member includes a substantially "L-shaped" arm having a distal end portion configured to cooperate with and be at least partially complementary with a portion of the container.
- 7. A hoisting attachment for use with a lifting apparatus and for releasable connection to an exterior side of a container having a lower engagable portion and an upper engagable portion, comprising:
- (a) elongated framing structure for coupling to a lifting apparatus and being capable of moving vertically while maintaining a horizontal posture, said framing structure includes slave bars extending longitudinally and having end portions;
- (b) latching means for releasable latching with a side of a container including a generally L-shaped arm extending substantially downwardly having a lower engagement member defining a support surface extending substantially inwardly and a movable vice bar having a distal end with an upper engagement member, adapted for cooperating with the respective lower and upper engagable portions of the container for releasably gripping the container from the side; and
- (c) front and rear retractable clamping means for lateral movement and adjustment of the latching means with respect to the framing structure, and each retractable clamping means including a left and a right side latching means for positioning the latchings means in proximity to a side portion of the container, said front and said rear retractable clamping means extending substantially laterally and including a middle portion coupled to said frame structure and end portions coupled to the left and the right latching means, whereby a container is handlable from its sides.
- 8. The hoisting attachment of claim 7, wherein said latching means is adapted for releasably engaging the container having handles including a lower engagable portion and an upper engagable portion, said lower and said upper engagement members of said latching means cooperating with said lower and upper engagable portions of said handles for releasably gripping the container.
- 9. The hoisting attachment of claim 7, further comprising means for coupling the framing structure and the lifting apparatus, and wherein said lifting apparatus comprises a gantry crane or a front end loader.
- 10. The hoisting attachment of claim 7, wherein said framing means includes slave bars extending longitudinally and having end portions, each end portion including front and rear retractable clamping means for positioning the latching means in proximity to a side of the container, each retractable clamping means including tandem latching means defined by a left and right side latching means.
- 11. The hoisting attachment of claim 7, wherein said framing structure includes positioning means for positioning the latching means in proximity to a container.
- 12. A hoisting attachment for use with a lifting apparatus and for releasable connection to an exterior side of a container having a lower engagable portion and an upper engagable portion, comprising;
- (a) elongated framing means for coupling to a lifting apparatus and being movable vertically while maintaining a horizontal posture, said framing means includes slave bars extending longitudinally;
- (b) latching means for releasable latching with a side of a container including a generally L-shaped arm having a lower engagement member defining a support surface and a movable vice bar having a distal end with an upper engagement member, adapted for cooperating with the respective lower and upper engagable portions of the container for releasably gripping the container from the side; and
- (c) front and rear positioning means for lateral movement and adjustment of the latching means with respect to the framing means, wherein said positioning means include at least one retractable clamping means comprising two latching means having an extended position extending outwardly of said framing means and a retracted position retracted inwardly toward the framing means, or pivotable interconnectable means comprising two latching means having a stowed position when not in use substantially above the framing means and an active position for use substantially below the framing means, said positioning means extending substantially laterally and including a middle portion coupled to said framing means and end portions coupled to said two latching means, whereby a container is handlable from the side.
- 13. A side-latch hoisting attachment for use with a lifting apparatus and for releasable connection with a container having container handles on the side having a lower engagable portion, comprising:
- (a) framing means for coupling to a lifting apparatus and supporting a plurality of laterally spaced latching means for releasably transporting a container, the lateral distance between said latching means defining a width;
- (b) each of said latching means includes generally L-shaped substantially downwardly and inwardly extending arm means having a lower engagable member adapted to reach a side portion of a container;
- (c) retractable interconnecting means for varying the width between the latching means and interconnecting the latching means with a side of the container, wherein said framing means includes elongated slave bars extending longitudinally and having end portions, said end portions each including said retractable interconnecting means for positioning the latching means in proximity to a front and a rear side portion of the container, and each of said retractable interconnecting means comprising tandem latching means defined by a left and a right side latching means;
- (d) said lower engagable member of said arm means being adapted for engaging at least a portion of the lower engagable portion of the container handle from the side, for releasably transporting a container from the side to a desired location; and
- (e) housing means for housing a portion of the latching means coupled between the retractable interconnecting means and the arm means.
- 14. The hoisting attachment of claim 13, wherein said lower engagable member includes a distal end portion having at least an elongated pin device or a substantially upwardly facing member including an apex.
- 15. The hoisting attachment of claim 13, wherein said retractable interconnecting means includes linear guide means for linear-transverse guidance, rail means and linear carriage means for allowing the rail means to smoothly travel along said carriage means.
- 16. The hoisting attachment of claim 13, wherein said retractable interconnecting means has an extended position extending outwardly of said frame means and a retracted position retracted inwardly toward the framing means.
- 17. The hoisting attachment of claim 13, wherein said retractable interconnecting means includes pivotable means for storing the latching means in a stowed position substantially above the framing means when not in use and an active position substantially below the framing means for use.
- 18. A method of transporting a container, comprising:
- (a) positioning a lifting apparatus having latching means for releasably latching a side of a container, in proximity to a container and clamping the container by adjusting the width, defined as the distance between latching means, in a substantially horizontal-inwardly direction;
- (b) latching onto the container from the side by moving a retention bar downwardly to provide a substantially vertical vice grip-like engagement between the latching means and the retention bar substantially minimally of without intruding into the cargo space of the container; and
- (c) transporting and releasing the latched container to a desired location.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the positioning step includes aligning the releasable latching means in a substantially vertical direction with respect to a container.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the latching step includes actuating the latching means sufficiently to provide a substantially vertical C-clamp like engagement.
- 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the latching step includes sensing whether the latching means is appropriately latched, and if so, allowing the transportion step to proceed.
- 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the positioning step includes pivoting the latching means from a stowed position to a working position in proximity to a container.
- 23. The method of claim 18, wherein the positioning step includes sensing whether the lifting apparatus is appropriately positioned in proximity to the container, and if so, allowing the latching step to proceed.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/989,338, filed Dec. 11, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of pending application Ser. No. 945,747, filed Sep. 16, 1992 and pending application Ser. No. 973,723, filed Nov. 9, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,274.
US Referenced Citations (21)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
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283121 |
Sep 1988 |
EPX |
402976 |
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Related Publications (1)
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Number |
Date |
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973723 |
Nov 1992 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
989338 |
Dec 1992 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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945747 |
Sep 1992 |
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