Patent Publication Number: US-6338513-B1

Title: Multi-component lifting assembly for a container

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is generally directed to a novel multi-component lifting assembly for a stackable and liftable container. 
     Conventional stackable and liftable containers have side walls formed from a plurality of metal plates joined together by vertical metal posts and have a “top pick point” at the junction between the roof and the side wall of the container approximately forty feet apart from each along each side wall of the container. The top pick points are paired in alignment across the roof and are secured to respective top rails of the container. This provides for four-point lifting stability when the container is lifted by an overhead crane. 
     A stacking frame is provided at these points. The stacking frame has aperture castings at the frame corners for connection during lifting and stacking. These castings are rectangular blocks with perpendicular edges. Typically, the castings and the frame protrude into the interior of the container and reduce the usable width and height on the interior of the container. Additionally, the stacking frame disrupts the roof of the container causing the roof to be installed in three sections. This results in four additional edges which are capable of leaking when raining. The corners of the roof sections are also subject to fatigue. 
     The multi-component lifting assembly of the present invention eliminates the stacking frame. This allows the roof to be installed in one piece and reduces the number of roof edges. As a result, initial installation costs and repair costs are reduced versus the prior art, and the possibility of leaking is reduced versus the prior art. 
     In addition, prior art lifting mechanisms were designed for top bayonet lifting or side lifting by pins, but not both. The present invention is designed to provide the ability to lift the container by top bayonet lifting and to lift the container by side lifting by pins in a convenient and easy manner. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-component lifting assembly for a stackable and liftable container. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-component lifting assembly for a stackable and liftable container which allows the roof of the container to be installed in one piece and reduces the number of roof edges. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-component lifting assembly for a stackable and liftable container which is designed to provide the ability to lift the container by top bayonet lifting and to lift the container by side lifting by pins in a convenient and easy manner. 
     A further object of the present invention to provide a novel multi-component lifting assembly for a stackable and liftable container which has reduced initial installation costs and repair costs versus the prior art. 
     Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-component lifting assembly for a stackable and liftable container which reduces the possibility of leaking versus the prior art. 
     Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention discloses a multi-component lifting assembly for a container which carries cargo. The container includes a floor, opposite side walls extending upwardly from the floor, and a roof sheet attached to upper ends of the side walls. The lifting assembly is attached to the walls and to the roof sheet such that four-point lifting stability is provided when the container is lifted by an overhead crane. The lifting assembly includes a stacking header which spans the width of the container, an inner cap which is provided on an interior of the container, and an outer cap which is provided on the exterior of the container. The roof sheet is sandwiched between the outer cap and the stacking header. The side wall is sandwiched between the outer cap and the inner cap. Aligned apertures are provided through the outer cap, the roof sheet, the stacking header and the inner cap such that a bayonet can be inserted therein and the container can be lifted. Aligned apertures are provided through the outer cap, the side wall, and the inner cap such that a side lifting pin can be inserted therein and the container can be lifted. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a container which incorporates the features of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial side view, with a portion of the container being shown in cross-section and showing the multi-component lifting assembly which incorporates the features of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the side wall and a portion of a top rail; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a stacking header which is a component of the multi-component lifting assembly; 
     FIG. 4A is a cross-section view of FIG. 4 along line  4 A— 4 A; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an inner cap which is a component of the multi-component lifting assembly; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an outer cap which is a component of the multi-component lifting assembly; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the multi-component lifting assembly assembled with the container; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of FIG. 7 along line  8 — 8 ; and 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 are side elevational views of the container which incorporates the features of the present invention stacked with a prior art domestic container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
     While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, a specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. 
     The present invention provides a novel multi-component lifting assembly  20  which is used on a stackable and liftable container  22 . The container  22  includes a floor  24 , a roof sheet  26 , a front wall, a pair of opposite side walls  28  (only one of which is shown) and rear cargo doors. The container  22  is suitable for mounting on a conventional I-beam chassis trailer (not shown) which is towed by a conventional tractor (not shown). The container  22  of the present invention is greater than forty feet long, and is preferably fifty three feet long, and has a height of nine and a half feet. 
     Each side wall  28  of the container  22  may be formed from at least one metal plate, such as steel or aluminum, or may be formed from at least one composite plate, such composite plate being formed of thin metal skins with a plastic core sandwiched therebetween. If a plurality of plates are provided, the plates are fastened together by suitable means such as by rivets. Each plate in the side walls  28  is connected to a bottom rail  30  which is connected to the floor  24  and extends upwardly therefrom and is attached to a top rail  32  which is connected to the roof sheet  26 , by suitable joining members, such as bolts or rivets. The top and bottom rails  30 ,  32  are conventional and are preferably extruded out of aluminum. If composite plates are used in the container  22 , this provides the advantage that the resulting container  22  is lighter in weight and stiffer than prior art aluminum plate containers. 
     At points which are approximately forty feet apart along each side wall  28  of the container  22 , the top rail  32  is interrupted by a recess  34  and the top edge of the side wall  28  is provided with a generally U-shaped notch  36  at the center of the recess  34 , see FIG.  3 . It is at these points that the novel multi-component lifting assembly  20  of the present invention is provided. This provides for four-point lifting stability when the container  22  is lifted by an overhead crane (not shown). 
     Each multi-component lifting assembly  20  is identical in structure and as such, only the forward multi-component lifting assembly is described with the understanding that the rearward multi-component lifting assembly is identical. 
     The multi-component lifting assembly  20  includes a stacking header  38 , see FIGS. 4 and 4A, which extends across the width of the container  22 , an inner cap  40 , see FIG. 5, provided at each end of the stacking header  38 , and an outer cap  42 , see FIG. 6, provided at each end of the stacking header  38 , with the side wall  28  and the roof sheet  26  being sandwiched between the inner cap  40  and the outer cap  42 , see FIG.  8 . Each inner cap  40  is identical in structure and as such, only one inner cap is described with the understanding that the other inner cap is identical. Each outer cap  42  is identical in structure and as such, only one outer cap is described with the understanding that the other outer cap is identical. 
     With reference to FIGS. 4 and 4A, the stacking header  38  is formed from a heavy duty metal which withstands the squeeze of 3500 pounds maximum when the container  22  is lifted by the overhead crane using side pins. The stacking header  38  includes an upper member  44 , a pair of lower members  46  and a pair of wing members  48 . 
     The upper member  44  is formed from an elongated horizontal plate  50  which extends across the width of the container and which has a vertical flange  52  extending downwardly from each side thereof. An extension portion  54 , which has a length which is less than the remainder of the plate  50 , is provided at each end of the plate  50 . A pair of spacer flanges  56  extend downwardly from side edges of the extension portion  54  such that the inner edges of spacer flanges  56  are spaced apart from each other. An aperture  58  is provided through the opposite ends of the horizontal plate  50  at a position which is spaced from the respective ends of the horizontal plate  50  such that the aperture  58  does not extend through the extension portion  54 . 
     Each lower member  46  is elongated such that it extends along the same length as the length of the upper member  44 . Each lower member  46  includes a vertical leg  60  and a horizontal leg  62 . The upper end of each vertical leg  60  is connected, such as by welding, to the underside of the plate  50  such that it does not interfere with the aperture  58  through the plate  50 . As such, the vertical legs  60  of the lower members  46  are spaced apart from each other. The lower end of the respective flanges  52  are connected, such as by welding, to the upper surface of the horizontal leg  62  of the respective lower members  46  at a position which is spaced inwardly from the outer edges of the respective horizontal leg  62 . An outer end portion  64  of each horizontal leg  62  extends outwardly from the flange  52 . 
     A wing  48  is attached to an upper surface of each outer end portion  64  of the respective lower member  46  by suitable means, such as welding, and extends outwardly therefrom. The wing  48  includes a stepped portion  66 , which is attached to the respective outer end portion  64 , and an outer portion  68  which extends outwardly therefrom. 
     With reference to FIG. 5, the inner cap  40  is formed from metal and includes a vertical backing plate  70  and a horizontally arranged box portion  72 . The backing plate  70  and the box portion  72  are joined together by suitable means, such as welding, at a top end of the backing plate  70  and at an outer end of the box portion  72 . 
     The backing plate  70  has a length which is greater than the length of the box portion  72 . An extension  74  is provided at the center of the upper end of the backing plate  70  and the box portion  72  is joined to the backing plate  70  along the top edge of the extension  74 . A generally U-shaped cutout  76  is provided through the extension  74  and extends downwardly from the top edge thereof. 
     The box portion  72  includes an upper rectangularly-shaped plate  78  and a lower portion  80 . The plate  78  has a rectangular aperture  82  provided therethrough proximate to, but spaced from, the outer edge of the plate  78 . The longer dimension of the aperture  82  is parallel to the length of the backing plate  70  and the shorter dimension of the aperture  82  is perpendicular to the backing plate  70 . 
     The lower portion  80  includes a pair of spaced apart side walls  84  and a rear wall  86  which extend downwardly from the underside of the upper plate  78 , and a bottom wall  88  which is attached to the lower ends of the side walls  84  and the rear wall  86 . The side walls  84  extend downwardly from the underside of the upper plate  78  and extend from the outer edge of the upper plate  78  toward the inner edge of the upper plate  78 . The outer edges of the side walls  84  are connected to the rear side of the backing plate  70 , such as by welding. The side walls  84  are generally provided on the opposite sides of the aperture  82  through the upper plate  78  and on the opposite sides of the cutout  76  through the extension  74  on the backing plate  70  such that the side walls  84  do not interfere with the aperture  82  and with the cutout  76 . The rear wall  86  extends downwardly from the underside of the upper plate  78  and at an angle thereto. The rear wall  86  is connected to the inner edges of the side walls  84 . The bottom wall  88  is generally parallel to the upper plate  78  and is connected to the bottom ends of the side walls  84  and the rear wall  86 . The outer edge of the bottom wall  88  is connected to the rear side of the backing plate  70 , such as by welding. The bottom wall  88  is positioned such that it is below the bottom end of the cutout  76  through the extension  74  so that the bottom wall  88  does not interfere with the cutout  76 . 
     With reference to FIG. 6, the outer cap  42  includes a lower vertical connection plate  90 , a pair of upper vertical connection plates  92 , a pin attachment plate  94  and a horizontal connection plate  96 . The outer cap  42  is formed from metal. 
     The upper end of the lower vertical connection plate  90  is attached to the lower end of each upper vertical connection plate  92  by suitable means, such as welding. The inner edges of the upper vertical connection plate  92  are spaced apart from each other such that a gap is provided therebetween. 
     The pin attachment plate  94  is mounted within the gap between the upper vertical connection plates  92  such that the opposite side edges of the pin attachment plate  94  are attached to the inner edge of the respective upper vertical connection plate  92  by suitable means, such as welding. The bottom edge of the pin attachment plate  94  is connected to the upper edge of the lower vertical connection plate  90 . The upper edge of the pin attachment plate  94  is connected to the outer edge of the horizontal connection plate  96 . The pin attachment plate  94  has an inverted generally U-shaped cutout  98  therethrough which extends upwardly from the bottom edge thereof. 
     The horizontal connection plate  96  extends inwardly from the top edge of the pin attachment plate  94 . A rectangular aperture  100  is provided through the horizontal connection plate  96  at a position which is proximate to, but spaced from, the outer edge of the horizontal connection plate  96 . The longer dimension of the aperture  100  is parallel to the length of the pin attachment plate  94  and the shorter dimension of the aperture  100  is perpendicular to the pin attachment plate  94 . 
     A pair of thickened wall portions  102 , see FIG. 1, which are aligned with the respective multi-component lifting assemblies  20  are provided on each side wall  28 . Such thickened wall portions  102  are disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/245,215, filed Feb. 5, 1999 now abandoned, which is commonly owned herewith and which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. The center point of each thickened wall portion  102  on the respective side walls  28  is approximately forty feet apart from each other along the length of the container  22 . Preferably, the center point of each thickened wall portion  102  on the respective side wall  28  is 39′3⅞″ apart from each other along the length of the container  22 . Preferably, each thickened wall portion  102  is approximately forty six inches in length relative to the length of the container  22 , but can be longer or shorter. The thickened wall portions  102  increase the thickness of the respective side walls  28  at those points by approximately 0.240″ to 0.5″, thereby providing an overall thickness of the side walls  28  at those points of approximately 0.48″ to 0.75″. It has been found that a composite plate thickness of 0.320″ with a thickness of 0.625″ to 0.640″ at the thickened portions  102  has performed well. The thickened wall portions  102  are provided at the stacking and lifting locations of the container  22  to increase stiffness and to provide strength to the container  22  in compression loading. The thickened portions  102  which are in the fore end of the container  22  provide for compression loading at the front of the container  22  and thickened portions  102  which are in the aft end of the container  22  provide for compression loading at the rear of the container  22 . 
     The thickened wall portion  102  can be provided by a doubler plate which is secured to the exterior of the side wall  28  by suitable means, such as rivets. The doubler plate may be a metal plate or a composite plate like the composite plates used to form the side walls  28 . Alternatively, the thickened wall portion  102  can be provided by increasing the thickness of the core member at the lifting and compression points of the side walls  28  relative to the remainder of the side wall  28 . The outer skin of the composite plate of the side wall  28  bulges outwardly around the increased thickness of the core member. The combination of the doubler plate and the plate used to form the side wall  28 , or the provision of the thickened plate, provides an overall thickness of approximately 0.48″ to 0.75″ at the compression point based on a 2G dynamic load. 
     To assemble the container  22  with the novel multi-component lifting assembly  20  of the present invention, the front frame, the rear frame, the floor  24  and the opposite side walls  28  are assembled and secured to each other in a conventional fashion to form a container box. The roof sheet  26  is not yet attached thereto. 
     The forward and rearward stacking headers  38  are then set into the top of the container box at the same time as the roof bows are set, and prior to the roof sheet  26  being attached thereto. The container box is held square by suitable means in three-axes and the forward and rearward stacking headers  38  are installed square to the container box. The extensions  54  on the ends of each stacking header  38  sit, within the respective recesses  34  in the top rails  32 . At this point, an aperture is defined between the notch  36  in the respective side wall  28  and the underside of the extension portion  54  of the stacking header  38 . The wings  48  on each end of each stacking header  38  sit on top of a horizontal leg  104  of the top rail  32  on either side of the recess  34  and are secured thereto by suitable means, such as fasteners which extend through apertures  106  in the wings  48 . This secures the respective stacking header  38  to the container box. 
     Next, the roof sheet  26  is laid in one piece on top of the stacking headers  38  and the roof bows and is secured thereto. The roof sheet  26  has rectangular apertures  108  therethrough which align with the aperture  58  through the stacking header  38 . 
     Thereafter, the inner caps  40  are held on the inside of the container box and against the underside of the respective ends of the respective stacking headers  38 . The aperture  82  in the upper plate  78  of the inner cap  40  aligns with aligned apertures  58 ,  108 . The upper plate  78  of the respective inner cap  40  sits between the vertical legs  60  of the lower members  46  of the respective stacking header  38 . 
     Finally, the outer cap  42  is installed on the outside of the container box. The aperture  100  through the horizontal connection plate  96  aligns with the apertures  108 ,  58 ,  82  through the roof sheet  26 , through the stacking header  38  and in the inner cap  40 . The inverted generally U-shaped cutout  98  in the pin attachment plate  94  aligns with the notch  36  in the upper end of the side wall  28  and with the U-shaped cutout  76  through the backing plate  70  of the inner cap  40  so that a generally round hole  109  is defined. The outer cap  42 , the roof sheet  26 , the stacking header  38  and the inner cap  40  are secured together on the top of the container  22  by suitable means, such as fasteners (not shown) which extend through aligned apertures  110 ,  112 ,  114  provided through the horizontal connection plate  96  of the upper cap  42 , through the roof sheet  26  (these apertures are not shown), through the plate  50  of the stacking header  38 , and through the upper plate  78  of the inner cap  40 . The outer cap  42 , the side wall  28  and the inner cap  40  are secured together on the side of the container  22  by suitable means, such as fasteners (not shown) which extend through aligned apertures  116 ,  118 ,  120  provided in the lower and upper connection plates  90 ,  92  of the outer cap  42 , the side wall  28  and the bearing plate  70  of the inner cap  40 . The connection plates  90 ,  92  of the outer cap  42  and the bearing plate  70  of the inner cap  40  place the fasteners in double shear. 
     Because the front and rear frames and the side walls  28  of the container  22  are assembled and secured to each other in a conventional fashion to form a container box prior to attachment of the multi-component lifting assembly  20  of the present invention and the roof sheet  26 , almost the entire container  22  can be built prior to the addition of these components. 
     In addition, the roof sheet  26  is continuous, with the exception of the apertures described herein therethrough, and the side walls  28  are continuous. This substantially minimizes the possibility of cracking of the roof sheet  26  and of the side walls  28  as a result of fatigue and therefore minimizes the possibility of leaks developing. 
     To lift the container  22  using side lifting pins (not shown), such side lifting pins and mechanism for lifting being conventional, the side lifting pins are inserted through the respective holes  109  defined by the alignment of the inverted generally U-shaped cutout  98  in the pin attachment plate  94 , the notch  36  in the upper end of the side wall  28  and the U-shaped cutout  76  through the backing plate  70  of the inner cap  40 . The side lifting pins pass through the plane defined by the side wall  28  of the container  22 . The inverted U-shape of the cutout  98  in the pin attachment plate  94  of the outer cap  42  provides a guide for the side lifting pin such that if the side lifting pin is not precisely on target when engaged against the container  22 , the side lifting pin will be guided into the hole  109  as the side lifting pin is moved upwardly along the side of the container  22 . 
     To lift the container  22  by top lifting, a bayonet (not shown) is used, such bayonet and mechanism for lifting being conventional. Each bayonet is inserted through the respective aligned apertures  100 ,  108 ,  58 ,  82  through the horizontal connection plate  96  of the outer cap  42 , through the roof sheet  26 , through the plat  50  of the stacking header  38  and upper plate  78  of the inner cap  40 . Each bayonet is turned so that it grasps the underside of the upper plate  78  of the inner cap  40 . 
     While the pair of inner caps  40  and the forward stacking header  38  and the pair of inner caps  40  and the rearward stacking header  38  are described as two separate components, it is to be understood that the inner caps  40  can be combined with the respective stacking header  38  to be formed as a single component. 
     The multi-component lifting assembly  20  of the present invention reduces the amount of interior space used compared to prior art lifting assemblies. The stacking header  38  extends into the interior of the container  22  the same distance the roof bows extend into the interior of the container  22 . The only portion of the multi-component lifting assembly  20  which takes up space within the container  22  is the lower portion  80  of the inner cap  40 . 
     The container  22  having the novel multi-component lifting assembly  20  of the present invention thereon can be stacked on top of a prior art fifty three foot domestic container, on top of a prior art forty-eight foot domestic container, on top of a prior art forty-five foot domestic container, or on top of a prior art forty foot ISO container and connected with an interbox connector  122  which is common in the industry. FIG. 9 shows the present container  22  stacked on top of a prior art fifty three foot domestic container  124  and loaded into a well of rail car  126  (the distance between the containers  22 ,  124  being exaggerated for purposes of illustration). The interbox connector  122  has a bayonet which sticks down into and connects with a top aperture in the bottom container and a bayonet which sticks up into and connects with a bottom aperture into the present container  22 . The bayonets are rotated to lock the containers together. Each of the prior art fifty-three foot domestic container, the prior art forty-eight foot domestic container, the prior art forty-five foot domestic container, and the prior art forty foot ISO container includes prior art steel tube posts therein that can take the compression load from the top casting down through the containers. 
     The container  22  having the novel multi-component lifting assembly of the present invention thereon can be stacked under a prior art fifty-three foot domestic container, under a prior art forty-eight foot domestic container, under a prior art forty-five foot ISO container, or under a prior art forty foot ISO container and locked together with the interbox connector  122 . FIG. 10 shows the present container  22  stacked under a prior art fifty three foot domestic container  124  and loaded into a well of rail car  126  (the distance between the containers  22 ,  124  being exaggerated for purposes of illustration). Even though the container  22  which incorporates the multi-component lifting assembly  20  of the present invention does not have steel tube posts, the container  22  can take the compression load from the container stacked thereon. 
     In each of these combinations, the thickened wall portions  102  provided at the stacking and lifting locations of the container  22  increase stiffness and provide strength to the container  22  in compression loading. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.