Abstract:
A container for transporting bulk material in combined (multimode) traffic, in particular on railways, roadways and ships, with a rectangular outer structure having standard dimensions and an open steel frame construction, which carries at least one container (hopper) for holding the bulk material. The hopper tapers like a funnel and can be emptied via at least one floor flap. The steel frame structure exhibits two lower longitudinal members, which are free of connecting cross members, so that inside the steel frame structure and beneath the container for holding the bulk material, a downwardly completely open and in the longitudinal direction of the steel frame structure continuously extending open space is available.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Described herein is a container for transporting bulk material in combined (multimode) traffic, in particular on railways, roadways and ships, with a rectangular outer structure having standard dimensions and an open steel frame construction, which carries at least one hopper for holding the bulk material that tapers like a funnel and can be emptied via at least one floor flap. Also described is a container wagon. 
     Special self-emptying funnel wagons are usually used for bulk material transport operations with gravity-assisted unloading in rail traffic. The lower region of the latter exhibits respective sliders on the left and right, which when closed each seal one outlet opening, and can be opened by means of a control lever, which can be operated from a control platform located on the wagon. The known self-emptying funnel wagons are exclusively usable in rail traffic, and hence do not permit any use in combined traffic. Depending on the cargo, varying requirements are also placed on the discharge chutes; for example, there are types of cargo that do not allow unloading via the usual discharge chutes, since they are too coarse-grained, e.g., in cases involving excavated material from construction sites. Since the known wagons are special wagons, they most frequently offer poor availability, in particular when a higher number of wagons are needed. 
     For example, a container of the kind mentioned at the outset is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,983 B1. The container suitable for transporting bulk material exhibits several containers that taper like funnels and have floor flaps, which are incorporated in an open steel frame structure. Known from DD 229 095 A1 is a container with a standard design, which exhibits one or more bulk material inserts that are sealed by floor flaps. These floor flaps are provided with an actuating mechanism, so that as the container is being placed on a frame with a clamping bolt, the floor flaps automatically open, and can close again while hoisting. 
     SUMMARY 
     An important object of the invention is to provide a container of the kind mentioned at the outset, which is especially well suited for the transport of bulk material, in particular heavy bulk material, such as gravel or ore, in combined traffic, in particular on railways and roadways, and can be reloaded in an efficient manner and unloaded in a variety of ways. 
     This object can be achieved by a steel frame structure that exhibits two lower longitudinal members, which are free of connecting cross members, so that inside the steel frame structure and beneath the hopper for holding the bulk material a downwardly completely to open and in the longitudinal direction of the steel frame structure continuously extending open space is available. 
     This open steel frame structure that leaves an open space beneath the container enables an optimal handling of the container in combined traffic, and offers a variety of ways in which to efficiently reload and unload the container. 
     In particular, the outer structure can be designed in such a way that the contact area of the container is formed primarily or exclusively by the two lower longitudinal members of the steel frame structure. This yields the longitudinally continuous, open space in the lower region of the hopper between the longitudinal members, which expands the options available for unloading the container according to the invention in myriad ways, as will be described below. 
     The steel frame structure can be readily designed in such a way as to enable standard transport of the container on railway vehicles, in particular container wagons, and also on trucks and the like, or standard reloading with known equipment, e.g., reach stackers and the like. All that need be done to this end is to provide corresponding fittings on the steel frame structure, in particular on its corners. 
     The containers can also be reloaded and unloaded with forklifts. For example, it is provided for this purpose that the lower longitudinal members of the steel frame structure are provided in pairs with openings for threading the forks of a forklift. Therefore, the container can be rotated for purposes of unloading by means of known forklifts, which are provided with lift frames having turning attachments. 
     The steel frame structure can be further designed in such a way as to ensure the stability and rigidity necessary for transporting and handling heavy bulk materials. In particular, the face of the steel frame structure exhibits a respective pair of corner supports, which are each joined with a cross member spaced a distance apart from the lower longitudinal members. In addition, the steel frame structure encompasses support elements, which support the hopper against the lower longitudinal members and the mentioned cross members. 
     In an advantageous embodiment, the outlet opening of the hopper carried by the steel frame structure can be sealed with two floor flaps, which can be operated from a platform situated in the steel frame structure and carried by the latter. Therefore, the open steel frame structure also has the advantage that the rectangular construct can incorporate both a platform for operating personnel and the device for opening and closing the floor flaps. 
     Also described is a container wagon for containers designed as disclosed herein. Container wagons usually exhibit wagon frames arranged on rail mountings for accommodating the containers. Container wagons designed according to this disclosure exhibit a retention opening for inserting a discharge chute, the fill opening of which is tailored to the outlet opening of the hopper. Therefore, the container wagon ensures a comfortable and expedient unloading of bulk material from the container. When the container is emptied, the bulk material falls to the floor or into a deep bunker via the discharge chute. For this reason, container wagons designed in this way are used in particular as “unloading wagons” for containers loaded with bulk material. In an especially advantageous embodiment of the discharge chute, the latter exhibits a discharge funnel and at least one discharge slide, but in particular two discharge slides. If two discharge slides are provided, it is advantageous to pivot a flap to or in the discharge chute, which can be operated outside the discharge chute and moved into positions in which one or the other discharge slide is sealed. 
     Another embodiment of a container wagon having a wagon frame for accommodating the containers that is arranged on rail mountings and especially suited for unloading the disclosed containers is characterized by the fact that at least one conveyor belt is mounted on the wagon frame, running over the entire length of the wagon, wherein connecting elements for positioning the containers are situated on the wagon frame. If several such container wagons are coupled together, it is possible to transport bulk material unloaded onto the conveyor belts from one wagon to the next, for example to supply ballasts from any number of containers desired to a machine for track construction. The “transfer” of bulk material from one container wagon to the next can be easily accomplished by having at least one end of the respective conveyor belt exhibit an upward and downward folding conveyor belt section protruding over the container wagon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Additional features, advantages and details will now be described in greater detail based on the drawing, which diagrammatically depicts several exemplary embodiments. Shown on: 
         FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  are different views of a container, 
         FIG. 5  to  FIG. 9  are views of a container wagon with discharge chutes for two containers, 
         FIG. 10  to  FIG. 12  are views of a container wagon with a conveyor belt system for unloading containers, 
         FIG. 13  and  FIG. 14  is a forklift for the rotational unloading of a container, 
         FIG. 15  is a reach stacker with incorporated container, and 
         FIG. 16  to  FIG. 19  is a truck with the container incorporated, and while unloading the container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The container shown on  FIG. 1 to 4  is a bulk material container, which is provided in particular for transporting heavy bulk material, such as gravel or ore. As the support element, the container exhibits a rectangular steel frame structure  1  having standard dimensions, which in the embodiment depicted essentially exhibits two upper longitudinal members  2 ′ and two lower longitudinal members  2  on the longitudinal sides, and a respective two corner supports  3  on the faces, which are interconnected at the upper corners by way of transverse members  6 . The steel frame structure  1  essentially forms a rectangle, for example one having a width of 2.55 m and a length of 20 ft. The upper rectangle corners of the steel frame structure  1  are provided with corner fittings  10 ′, which make it possible to reload the container with a reach stacker, while corner fittings  10  on the lower rectangle corners make it possible to secure the container using standard-design couplings on trucks and container wagons in railway traffic. A respective cross member  4  is provided on the two faces of the steel frame structure  1  spaced a distance apart from the lower cross members  2  between the corner supports  3  running in pairs, and connected with the lower corners of the steel frame structure  1  by means of braces  4   a  inclined relative to the perpendicular. A platform  11  is situated on the one face of the container at the level of the cross member  4 . 
     A hopper  5  designed like a funnel is inserted into the steel frame structure  1  and bonded thereto, in particular welded thereto, wherein the upper container opening is bordered by the upper longitudinal members  2 ′ and the cross members  6 . The hopper  5  exhibits two front walls  5   a  and two longitudinal walls  5   b , which each are composed of several wall elements. On the floor of the hopper  5 , the walls  5   a ,  5   b  border a rectangular outlet opening  12 , which is significantly smaller than the upper container opening. For example, the opening  12  exhibits a width of 60 cm and length of 130 cm, and is centrally divided in the longitudinal direction of the container into two opening halves  12   a  by means of a separating element  14  ( FIG. 4 ). The longitudinal walls  5   b  are each joined by means of a perpendicularly running support element  7  with one of the lower longitudinal members  2 , and thereby supported against the steel frame structure. Each support element  7  exhibits a pair of perpendicularly situated support elements  7   a , which each exhibit a connecting or transition segment to the longitudinal members  2 , wherein each transition section incorporates a rectangular opening  15  for accommodating a fork of a forklift. As a consequence, the two rectangular openings  15  are spaced mutually apart by a distance corresponding to the reciprocal spacing between the forks of the forklift for each lower longitudinal member  2 . Viewed in the transverse direction of the container, the openings  15  of the one longitudinal member  2  are flush with the openings  15  of the second lower longitudinal member  2 , so that the forks of the forklift can be threaded into the openings  15  of the two lower longitudinal members  2  for receiving the container. Additional U-shaped support elements  8  externally join the front walls  5   a  with the lower corners of the steel frame structure  1 , and also support the hopper  5 . A railing  16 , for example made out of tubular steel, is provided in the area of the platform  11 , and connected, in particular welded, to the corner supports  3 , the platform  11  (leaving an access point), and the support element  8 . 
     The opening halves  12   a  of the outlet opening  12  can be sealed with one flap  17  each, which as shown in particular on  FIG. 2 , each exhibit a preferably flat floor  17   a  and two side parts  17   b , by means of which each flap  17  is rotatably hinged or mounted to the front walls  5   a  of the hopper  5 . The side parts  17   b  of the two flaps  17  located by the platform  11  are joined together by way of a spindle drive  18 , which can be actuated using a hand wheel  20 , so that the flaps  17  can be moved to their open position by turning the hand wheel  20  in one of the rotational directions, and moved back to their closed position again by turning the hand wheel  20  in the other direction. The hand wheel  20  is situated in such a way that an operator standing on the platform  11  can comfortably open and close the two flaps  17 . Other actuating devices for opening and closing the two flaps  17  can be provided in place of the depicted and described spindle drive  18 , in particular those that hydraulically, pneumatically, or electrically initiate the opening and closing process. 
     As shown on  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the outlet opening  12  is located above the contact area of the container defined by the two lower longitudinal members  2 . In particular, the outlet opening  12  is located at least at the level of the cross members  4  or platform  11 . This creates a continuous, tunnel-like open space above the two longitudinal members  2  in the longitudinal direction of the container, for example which is about 60 cm high. 
     There are a varied and variable number of ways in which to transport, unload and reload a container designed according to the invention. For example, in rail transport, use can be made of conventional 60 ft container wagons. If containers designed according to the invention exhibit a length of 20 ft, they can also be transported on 40 ft container wagons. In particular the techniques described below are tailored to the container designed according to the invention, and can be used for unloading the containers or unloading the bulk material. 
       FIG. 5  to  FIG. 9  show one of these options. The container wagon  21  depicted on these figures exhibits a wagon frame  23   b  positioned on rail mountings  23   a . Connecting elements  26  for the corner fittings  10  of the containers are located on the wagon frame  23   b , spaced correspondingly apart from each other. Provided in the free installation space between the two rail mountings  23   a  are retention openings  23   c , in which a respective discharge chute  22  can be placed or suspended from above. Each discharge chute  22  exhibits a discharge funnel  22   a , whose upper opening is adjusted to the outlet opening  12  of the container. Two discharge slides  22   b  are positioned on the lower side of the discharge funnel  22   a , in such a way that the bulk material can optionally be unloaded to the right or left or to the right and left in equal measure, relative to the longitudinal direction of the container wagon  21 . Which slide(s)  22   b  is/are used to discharge the bulk material is determined by means of a rotary slide  24  that actuates a flap  25 .  FIG. 7  shows the flap  25  in its perpendicular position, which releases both slides  22   b . Depending on the position of the rotary slide  24 , the flap  25  can seal off access to one or the other slide  22   b . For example, the rotary slide  24  can actuate the flap  25  by means of a spindle drive. When emptying the container, the cargo falls onto the floor or into a deep bunker by way of the slides  22   b .  FIG. 8  shows the container wagon  21  with the container already positioned and the container prior to placement.  FIG. 9  shows a container with the flaps  17  opened. 
     The container wagon  21  can be used with or without suspended discharge slides  22   b  in rail traffic. In particular, the container wagons  21  are used as a “discharge wagon” for loaded containers. 
       FIG. 10  to  FIG. 12  show a container wagon  21 ′, connecting elements  26  for the corner fittings  10  of the containers, and a conveyor belt  27  mounted to the wagon frame  23   b . At least one of the end regions of conveyor belt  27  exhibits a conveyor belt section  27   a  that protrudes at a small, acute angle over the container wagon  21 ′, and can be upwardly folded. As depicted on  FIG. 12 , this design makes it possible to continue transporting bulk material situated on the conveyor belt  27  of a wagon  21  on the conveyor belt  27  of a second, coupled container wagon  21 ′. In this way, unloaded bulk material can be transported from one wagon  21 ′ to the next, so as to in this way supply gravel from any number of containers desired to a machine for track construction, for example.  FIG. 10  shows the container wagon  21 ′ without a container, while  FIG. 11  shows it with a container already positioned on the connecting elements  26 , and a container shortly before being placed on the wagon frame  23   b . Corresponding drives are provided for the conveyor belts  27 . 
     The transfer section can be replaced by a separate conveyor belt with its own drive. 
     For example, in combined truck/rail traffic, the containers can be reloaded with a forklift, wherein a correspondingly designed forklift can additionally permit a rotational unloading of the container, ad depicted on  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The forklift  28  is equipped with a lift frame  29 , which carries a rotational device (not shown). When the forks  30  are lowered, the container is picked up, lifted, rotated into an “overhead position”, and thereby emptied. 
     In addition, containers designed according to the invention can be reloaded and unloaded by means of a reach stacker.  FIG. 15  shows a container gripped by a reach stacker  31 . The upper corner fittings  10 ′ of the container make it possible to grip the container with the support frame  32  of the reach stacker  31 . For example, the container picked up by the reach stacker  31  can be emptied by opening the flaps  17 , e.g., on a tipper truck or on the floor. 
       FIG. 16  to  FIG. 19  show the transport and unloading of a container according to the invention on a truck.  FIG. 16  depicts a truck  34  (semitrailer), whose platform  33  is laterally and longitudinally provided with tail lifts  33   a . The truck  34  is equipped with a conventional tipping device  35  for the platform  33 .  FIG. 16  shows the truck  34  without a container,  FIG. 17  with a positioned container. The tail lifts  33   a  are located in the tunnel-like free space of the container.  FIG. 18  shows the container with opened flaps  17 , so that the cargo drops onto the platform  33 . The platform  33  is now tilted up ( FIG. 19 ), so that the cargo slides from the platform onto the floor. 
     Although the apparatus is described as being made of steel, other known materials may of course be used. 
     Although particular embodiments have been described, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the specific disclosure herein. 
     REFERENCE LIST 
     
         
           1  . . . Steel frame structure 
           2  . . . Lower longitudinal member 
           2 ′ . . . Upper longitudinal member 
           3  . . . Corner support 
           4  . . . Cross member 
           4   a  . . . Brace 
           4   b  . . . Diagonal brace 
           4   c  . . . Brace 
           5  . . . Hopper 
           5   a  . . . Front wall 
           5   b  . . . Longitudinal wall 
           6  . . . Cross member 
           7  . . . Support frame 
           7   a  . . . Support element 
           8  . . . Support element 
           10  . . . Corner fitting 
           10 ′ . . . Corner fitting 
           11  . . . Platform 
           12  . . . Outlet opening 
           12   a  . . . Opening half 
           14  . . . Separating element 
           15  . . . Opening 
           16  . . . Railing 
           17  . . . Flap 
           17   a  . . . Floor 
           17   b  . . . Side part 
           18  . . . Spindle drive 
           20  . . . Hand wheel 
           22  . . . Discharge chute 
           22   a  . . . Discharge funnel 
           22   b  . . . Discharge slide 
           23   a  . . . Rail mounting 
           23   b  . . . Wagon frame 
           23   c  . . . Retention opening 
           24  . . . Rotary slide 
           25  . . . Flap 
           26  . . . Connecting element 
           27  . . . Conveyor belt 
           27   a  . . . Upward folding section 
           28  . . . Forklift 
           29  . . . Lift frame 
           30  . . . Forks 
           31  . . . Reach stacker 
           32  . . . Support frame 
           33  . . . Platform 
           33   a  . . . Tail lift 
           34  . . . Truck 
           35  . . . Tipping device