Abstract:
A load transfer device for attachment to a good to be moved via a plurality of wires, the load transfer device including a body having a first fastener and a second fastener. The first fastener is adapted to attach the load transfer device to the good and the second fastener is adapted for attachment of the plurality of wires. The second fastener is pivotally attached to the body of the load transfer device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Australian patent application no&#39;s. 2013204595 filed on Apr. 12, 2013 and 2012904214 filed on Sep. 26, 2012, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to systems for handling goods such as, for example, manufactured products, machinery, packages or containers. 
         [0003]    The invention has been devised particularly, although not necessarily solely, in relation to system for moving goods within warehouses, shops or factories as well as for transferring loads from a crane to block for, for example, heavy construction and plant maintenance 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0004]    The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. 
         [0005]    The movement of goods such as, for example, manufactured products, machinery, packages or containers within warehouses or shops are a common procedure. Movement of the good from a first location to a second location is typically accomplished by attaching the good at two points. A first point is located above the good to be moved. The second point is located above the location to which the good will be moved. For this, first ends of wires or chains are attached to the first and second points and second ends of the wires are attached to the good to be moved. The procedure for moving the goods consists in raising the good from the floor at the first location and forwarding the good towards the second location. At the second location, the good is lowered onto the ground or placed in situ. Forwarding the good towards the second location may be done by pushing the good or by pulling the good via the wire or chain which is attached to the second spot or fleeting between two chain blocks. If required, the previously described process may be repeated in order to move the good to a third location. Further, this process may be repeated in order to move the good along relatively large distances. 
         [0006]    The previously described process is cumbersome. This is particularly true in view of the large weight of the goods which are typically moved within warehouse or shops. The fact that the good is relatively heavy makes it difficult to push or pull the good after it has been raised from the floor at the first location in order to forward the good to the second location. Also, there is a tendency of the good to swing back to the first location after the good has been pushed or pulled towards the second location. This can be a safety hazard for the personnel that are moving the good. 
         [0007]    Moreover, typically, second chains are directly attached to the good. The above mentioned wires or chains are then attached to these second chains. The presence of these second chains can also make it difficult to move the good from one location to another location. This is particularly true, in view that after the good has been raised from the floor the good is free to rotate. The rotation of the good, typically, twists the second chains. Twisting of the second chains can be dangerous in view of the tendency of the chains to try to un-twist themselves. The tendency of un-twisting of the chains can make the good to rotate which can be a safety hazard to the personal moving the good. 
         [0008]    It is against this background that the present invention has been developed. 
         [0009]    SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
         [0010]    According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a load transfer device for attachment to a good to be moved via a plurality of wires, the load transfer device comprising a body having a first fastening means (first fastener) and a second fastening means (second fastener), the first fastening means being adapted to attach the load transfer device to the good and the second fastening means being adapted for attachment of the plurality of wires, wherein the second fastening means is pivotally attached to the body of the load transfer device. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the load transfer device comprises a transfer block. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the second fastening means is rotatably attached to the body of the load transfer device. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the second fastening means is rotatably attached to the body of the load transfer device such that the disk is adapted to rotate around a transversal axis of the body. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the second fastening means comprises a plurality of openings adapted to receive ends of the plurality of wires. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the openings are arranged around the second fastening means at spaced apart locations with respect to each other, each opening being separated from its adjacent opening by the same angular distance. In this manner, the openings define a Y shaped arrangement. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the second fastening means comprises a disk. 
         [0017]    In an alternative arrangement the second fastening means comprises a triangular plate. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the first fastening means is releasably attached to the body of the load transfer device. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the first fastening means is rotatably attached to the body of the load transfer device. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the second fastening means comprises a swivel joint adapted to receive the first fastening means. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the first fastening means is releasably attached to the swivel joint. 
         [0022]    Preferably, the first fastening means comprises a hook. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the first fastening means comprises a u-shaped piece having a pin, the u-shaped piece being adapted to attach the good to the load transfer device by removing and reattaching the pin for attachment of the good to the u-shaped piece. 
         [0024]    In a further alternative arrangement, the second fastening means comprises a body having a centre section and a plurality of rings attached to the centre section, the rings being adapted to receive ends of the plurality of wires. 
         [0025]    Preferably, the rings are arranged around the centre section at spaced apart locations with respect to each other, each ring being separated from its adjacent ring by the same angular distance. In this manner, the body of the second fastening means define a Y-shaped arrangement. 
         [0026]    Preferably, each ring is rotatably attached to the centre section allowing rotation of each ring around a radial axis of the centre section. 
         [0027]    Preferably, the first fastening means comprises a u-shaped piece having a pin, the u-shaped piece being adapted to attached the good to the load transfer device by removing and reattaching the pin for attachment of the good to the u-shaped piece. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]    Further features of the present invention are more fully described in the following description of several non-limiting embodiments thereof. This description is included solely for the purposes of exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a restriction on the broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention as set out above. The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  shows the process in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention for moving a good; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a transfer block in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a fastening means to of the transfer block shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is schematic view of a transfer block in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a detail of a particular arrangement of a transfer block in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a transfer block in accordance a second arrangement of the first embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is a schematic side view of a transfer block shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]      FIG. 1  shows the process in accordance with an embodiment of the invention of moving a good  10  from a first location to a second location. The process in accordance with the present embodiment may be used for transferring goods within warehouse or shops. The process in particular facilitates moving heavy loads such as machinery, finalised products, packages or containers within a warehouse or shops. The process includes using a transfer block  12  which allows raising the good  10  from the floor at a first location and forwarding the good  10  to a second location. The transfer block  12  in accordance with embodiments of the invention comprises fastening means which is pivotally attached to the transfer block  12 . As will be described with reference to the method of operation of the transfer block  12  the fact that fastening means is pivotally attached to transfer block  12  facilitates the process of moving of the good  10 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the transfer block  12  comprises a first fastening means  14  for attaching the good  10  to the transfer block  12  and second fastening means  16  for attaching the transfer block  12  to places adjacent the location at which the good  10  is located (the first location) and the location to which the good  10  is being moved to the second location. In particular, first and second wires  18  and  20  join the transfer block  12  to the places located adjacent the first and second locations. As shown in  FIG. 1 , an end of the first wire  18  is attached to an area located above the first location and an end of a second wire  20  is attached to an area located above the second location. The other ends of the first and second wires  18  and  20  are attached to the second fastening means  16  of the transfer block  12 . The good  10  is moved from the first location to the second location by lifting the good  10  from the floor and forwarding the good  10  towards the second location. At the second location, the good  10  may be lowered unto the floor and the transfer block  12  can be detached from the good  10 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  shows a transfer block  12  in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The transfer block  12  comprises a body  20  adapted to receive the first and second attachment means  14  and  16 . The body  20  comprises a first end section  22  and a second end section  24 . 
         [0039]    The first end section  22  is adapted for pivotally attaching the first fastening means  14  to the body  20 . The fact that the first fastening means  14  is pivotally attached to the body  20  allows the first fastening means  14  to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the body  20 . The second end section  24  is adapted for pivotally attaching the second fastening means  16  to the body  20 . The second fastening means  16  is pivotally attached to the end section  24  such that the second fastening means  16  can rotate around a transversal axis of the body  20 . 
         [0040]    In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the first fastening means  14  comprises a hook  26 . The hook  26  allows attachment of the good  10  via, for example, wires  29 . However, any type of fastening means  14  may be used for attaching the good  10 . In particular arrangements of the embodiments of the invention the first fastening means  14  may be releasably attached to the body  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first fastening means  14  comprises means  27  for releasably attaching the fastening means  14  to the body  20  of the transfer block  12 . This is particular advantageous because it allows attaching to the transfer block  12  different types of first fastening means  14  to, for example, suit the type of goods  10  that will be moved. 
         [0041]    Further, the first fastening means  14  (such as, for example, the hook  36 ) may be rotatably attached to the body  20  of the transfer block  12 . This allows the first fastening means  14  to rotate in order to conform to rotations of the good  10  during movement of the good  10 . This avoids the wires  29  holding the good  10  to be twisted if the good  10  starts rotating during movement of the good  10  from the first location to the second location. For this, there may be included a swivel joint  50  which attaches the first fastening means  14  such that the first fastening means may swivel around the longitudinal axis of the transfer block  12 . This can be best appreciated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second fastening means  14  comprises a disk  28 . The disk  28  is pivotally attached to the second end section  24  of the body  20 . In an arrangement of the present embodiment of the invention, the fact that the disk  28  is pivotally attached to the body  20  allows the disk  28  to rotate around the transversal axis of the body  20  of the transfer block  12 . 
         [0043]    The disk  28  comprises a plurality of openings  30 . The openings  30  are arranged around the disk  28  at spaced apart locations with respect to each other. As shown in  FIG. 2 , there are three openings  30   a,    30   b  and  30   c.  Each opening  30  is separated from its adjacent opening  30  by the same angular distance. In this manner, the openings  30  define a Y shaped arrangement. 
         [0044]    The openings  30  are adapted to receive the wires  18  and  20 . For attaching the ends of the wires  18  and  20  to the openings  30 , the wires  18  and  20  may comprise fastening means such as, for example, hooks adapted to engage the openings  30 . At least two of the openings  30  are adapted to receive wires  18  and  20 ; as shown in  FIG. 1 , the wire  18  is attached to the opening  30   a  and the wire  20  is attached to the opening  30   c.    
         [0045]    The second fastening means can have any shape. For example,  FIG. 6  shows an alternative arrangement of the second fastening means  14 . The second fastening  14  in accordance with the second arrangement comprises a triangular plate  28 . The triangular plate  28  includes vertices  31 . Each of the opening  30  is located within vertices  31 . 
         [0046]    As mentioned before, the transfer block  12  facilitates moving a good  10  from a first location to a second location. For moving the good  10 , there are provided two wires  18  and  20 . The wire  18  is attached to a location above the good  10 . For example, the wire  18  may be attached to a crane (not shown). The crane allows raising the good  10  from the floor. The wire  20  is attached to a location above the location to which the good  10  will be moved. The wire  20  may be attached to a chain box (not shown). As will be described with reference to the process of moving the good  10 , the chain box allows pulling the good  10  to the second location. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the process for moving the good  10  comprises the steps of attaching the transfer block  12  to the good  10  and attaching the wires  18  and  20  to the openings  30   a  and  30   b  of the transfer block  12 . Subsequently, the good  10  is raised from the floor by pulling at the wire  18 . Pulling of the wire  18  may be accomplished via the crane (not shown) to which the wire  18  is attached. 
         [0048]    When the good  10  is located above the floor, the good  10  may be moved from the first location to the second location. At the second location, the good  10  may be lowered unto the floor and the transfer block  12  can be detached from the good  10 . 
         [0049]    During movement of the good  10 , the disk  28  of the transfer block  12  rotates. This rotation changes the angular location of the openings  30  during displacement of the good  10  from the first location to the second location. Thus, rotation of the disk  28  changes the positions of openings  30   a,    30   b  and  30   c.  As shown in  FIG. 1 , when the good  10  is at the first location, the opening  30   a  is located in a vertical position and the opening  30   c  is located at an angle from the vertical position. After the good  10  has been moved to the second location, the opening  30   a  has been displaced to a position at an angle from the vertical position and the opening  30   b  has been displaced to the vertical position. 
         [0050]    As can be seen from  FIG. 1 , the fact that the disk  28  rotates allows that during forwarding of the good  10  to the second location the good  10  stays at the same height with respect to the floor during the displacement of the good  10  from the first location to the second location. The fact that the good  10  stays at the same height facilitates moving of the good  10 . 
         [0051]    The process for moving the good  10  described above may be repeated in order to move the good  10  along relatively large distances. For this, the good  10  when located in the second location, the crane is moved adjacent the second location and the chain box is moved to a location above a third location (towards which the good  10  will be moved). This allows the good  10  to be re-attached to the crane via the wire  18  and to the chain box via the wire  20 . This allows moving the good  10  from the second location to the third location. This process may be repeated as many times as necessary to move the good  10  from the first location to a location separated a relatively large distance from the first location. 
         [0052]    As was indicated before, use of the transfer block  10  facilities moving relatively large loads from one location to another location. In particular, the fact that the transfer block comprises a second fastening means  16  (such as the disk  28 ) which is pivotally attached to the transfer block  12  facilitates moving the good  10 . This is because the fact that the second fastening means  16  is adapted to pivot allows movement of the locations at which the wires  18  and  20  are attached to the second fastening means  16  during movement of the good  10  (see  FIG. 1 ). This movement of the locations at which the wires  18  and  20  are attached to the second fastening means  16  facilitates displacing the good  10  from the first to the second location. As mentioned before, rotation of the second fastening means  16  allows the good  10  to stay at the same height with respect to the floor. The fact that the good stays at the same height facilitates pushing or pulling of the good  10  during movement of the good  10 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 4  shows a transfer block  12  according to a second embodiment of the invention. The transfer block  12  according to the second embodiment is similar to the transfer block  12  according to the apparatus of the first embodiment and similar reference numerals are used to identify similar parts. In this second embodiment the second attachment means  16  comprises a body  40  adapted to receive the wires  18  and  20 . The body  40  comprises a centre section  42  and a plurality of rings  44   a,    44   b  and  44   c.  The rings  44  are attached at the centre section  42  at spaced apart locations. The centre section  42  is pivotally attached to the body  20  of the transfer block  12 . In an arrangement of the present embodiment of the invention, the fact that the centre section  42  is pivotally attached to the body  20  allows the body  40  to rotate around the transversal axis of the body  20  of the transfer block  12 . 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , in accordance with particular arrangements, the rings  44  may be rotatably attached to the centre section  42 . This allows the rings  44  to rotate in order to conform to any change of orientation of the wires  18  and  20 . 
         [0055]    Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the first fastening means  14  in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention comprises a u-shaped piece  46  having a pin  48 . This fastening means  14  allows attachment of the good  10  by removing and reattaching the pin  48  for attachment of the good  10  to the u-shaped piece. However, as indicated with reference to the first embodiment of the invention the first attachment means  14  may be releasably attached to the body  20  of the transfer block  12 . Thus, any fastening means (such as, for example, a hook  26 ) may be attached to the transfer block  12  in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention. Similarly, the first fastening means  14  in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 4  may be replaced with the hook  26  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0056]    Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0057]    Further, it should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiments disclosed. 
         [0058]    Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.