Abstract:
The multipurpose spreader attachment includes in a first preferred embodiment projections on an underside that define sockets to be engaged with complimentary bosses located on the upper surface of a cargo cage. A latching mechanism is provided to effect a locked arrangement between the spreader and the cargo cage to couple to the cargo cage reliably and securely. The cargo cage is adapted to accommodate both the heavy lifting equipment as well as the pallets of goods to be unloaded, such that the need to change riggings for moving the fork lift and moving the cargo is eliminated. Moreover, the multipurpose spreader is equipped with cables that preferably include actuable hooks that suspend from the spreader and can be opened and closed via an actuator on the spreader. The hooks are adapted to cooperate with connectors such as rings on the preslung pallets, allowing the crane and multipurpose spreader to lift the preslung pallets in addition to the cargo cages. When the preslung pallets are moved to their destination, the actuated hooks are released from the connectors via the actuator and the actuated hooks are stowed within the spreader framework so as to avoid interference with the other loading/unloading operations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to cargo lifting apparatus and methods, and more particularly to a multipurpose cargo cage and a spreader attachment for carrying out various cargo transportation operations without the necessity of rerigging the apparatus. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   It is common among the shipping industry to load into the hold of a ship various goods produced at a first location and transport the goods to a remote location. An example of such goods frequently shipped via this mode is citrus. Citrus is traditionally transported by first packaging the citrus into crates or boxes, and then loading a quantity of crates onto pallets adapted to be picked up and moved by fork lifts. As can be appreciated, the use of fork lifts and pallets increase the production and economy of moving the goods from one location to another. 
   Cargo ships used to transport citrus typically include multiple decks for storing the pallets loaded with crates. As the lower decks are filled with pallets, the maneuverability within the ship&#39;s hold is gradually reduced until, as the last few pallets are loaded in the top deck, there is no longer any room to permit machinery such as a fork lift to operate. To solve this problem, the final pallets to be placed in the hold are configured with belts or cables (i.e., preslung) that permit the pallets to be dropped into the hold directly with an overhead crane. When unloading the ship, a crane is first used to remove the last-loaded pallets using the belts or cables. To lift the preslung pallets, the crane is fitted with a rigging including a spreader attachment adapted to lift the preslung pallets. The crane raises the initial pallets until they clear the ship&#39;s deck, and then the crane swings laterally stopping above a dockside platform where the pallets are lowered for unloading or reloaded for ground transportation. 
   Once the initial pallets immediately under the hatchway are removed creating a cleared area on the top deck, the crane may lower the first spreader to the dock to be disconnected and a second spreader with different rigging is adapted to lower heavy machinery such as a fork lift picked up to transfer the machinery to the ship&#39;s hold. This rerigging of the crane is necessary to place the fork lift in the ship&#39;s hold, but comes at a cost of time and manpower. Once the fork lift is located in the hold, the second spreader is removed from the crane and a third spreader is placed on the crane. This third spreader is adapted to lift large cargo cages loaded with crates or cartons of citrus and the like. The cargo cages are lifted and swung to the dockside platform until the entire cargo has been unloaded from the ship&#39;s hold. Finally, the third rigging must be replaced again with the second rigging so that the heavy equipment can be removed from the ship&#39;s hold. The unloading operation just described requires a minimum of four rigging changes to effect the loading and unloading operations. Each time the crane must be fitted with a new rigging, time is wasted and manpower is spent waiting for the spreader exchange to be effected. 
   There are many types of spreaders, slings, and lifting devices in the prior art for lifting a pallet or a cargo cage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,726 to Boos et al. discloses a spreader bar and overheight attachment with an automatic latching mechanism. Koide et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,257, discloses an automatic hooking apparatus and ship cargo gear using the same. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,734 to Hasegawa et al. discloses a cargo container lifting spreader compensating mechanism for facilitating engagement by the spreader with cargo containers having out-of-plane twistlock engagement receptacles with rotatable connectors. Perez et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,975 is directed to an apparatus and method for loading and unloading pallets with a sling. Schweikert, U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,940, discloses a pallet-bar lift and support apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,145 to Svensson discloses a lifting device for a container with reciprocating coupling mechanisms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,878 to Wilner discloses a twist lock coupling for use in handling cargo containers of the type used in I.S.O. systems. While the aforementioned systems and apparatus are directed to various attempts to reliably lift cargo, the art lacks a device and system for achieving the objectives and goals of the present invention. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is characterized by a multipurpose spreader attachment that cooperates with a cargo cage to perform each of the aforementioned loading operations without the need to change riggings. The multipurpose spreader attachment includes in a first preferred embodiment projections on an underside that define sockets to be engaged with complimentary bosses located on the upper surface of a cargo cage. A latching mechanism is provided to effect a locked arrangement between the spreader and the cargo cage to couple to the cargo cage reliably and securely. The cargo cage is adapted to accommodate both the heavy lifting equipment as well as the pallets of goods to be unloaded, such that the need to change riggings for moving the fork lift and moving the cargo is eliminated. Moreover, the multipurpose spreader is equipped with cables that preferably include actuable hooks that suspend from the spreader and can be opened and closed via an actuator on the spreader. The hooks are adapted to cooperate with connectors such as rings on the preslung pallets, allowing the crane and multipurpose spreader to lift the preslung pallets in addition to the cargo cages. When the preslung pallets are moved to their destination, the actuated hooks are released from the connectors via the actuator and the actuated hooks are stowed within the spreader framework so as to avoid interference with the other loading/unloading operations. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The exact nature of this invention, as well as its objects and advantages, will become readily apparent to one of skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a broken elevated perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the multipurpose spreader of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the multipurpose spreader of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view, in enlarged scale, of the multipurpose spreader of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the spreader shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a broken longitudinal view in enlarged scale of an actuable hook with a pneumatic line connected as included in the spreader shown in  FIG. 1  thereto; 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are elevated perspective views in reduced scale of the spreader shown in  FIG. 1  depicted lifting a preslung pallets of various sizes; 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are elevated perspective views in reduced scale of the spreader shown in  FIG. 1  depicted picking up cargo cages of various sizes; 
       FIG. 11  is an elevated perspective view of a first preferred embodiment, in reduced scale, of a cargo cage for use with th spreader shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 12–15  are various cut-away sections sectional views, in enlarged scale, taken along the respective lines  12 — 12 ,  13 — 13 ,  14 — 14 , and  15 — 15 , of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 16  is a partial lower perspective view in enlarged scale, of the cage shown in  FIG. 111  and depicting the handle, linking member, and retaining arm of the cargo cage shown in  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 17  is a cut-away view, in enlarged scale, of the handle in its raceways taken along the lines of  FIG. 16 ,  17 — 17 ; 
       FIGS. 18 and 19  are cross-sectional views taken along line  18 — 18  of  FIG. 17  showing the handle positioned in the locked and unlocked positions, respectively; 
       FIG. 20  is an expended perspective end view of the spreader and cargo cage shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 21  is a broken-sectional view taken along line  21 — 21  of  FIG. 20  illustrating the latching mechanism; 
       FIG. 22  is a vertical-sectional view taken along lines  22 — 22  of  FIG. 20  illustrating the pivoting retainer arms on the boss of the cargo cage; 
       FIG. 23  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 20  but showing the spreader and cargo cage locked together; 
       FIG. 24  is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines  24 — 24  of  FIG. 23 ; 
       FIG. 25  is a partial perspective view similar to  FIG. 23  but showing the latching mechanisms partially engaged; 
       FIG. 26  is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines  26 — 26  of  FIG. 25 ; 
       FIG. 27  is a partial perspective view similar to  FIG. 25  but showing the latching mechanism locked together; 
       FIG. 28  is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines  28 — 28  of  FIG. 27 ; 
       FIG. 29  is a vertical sectional view similar to  FIG. 28  but showing the latching mechanism locked together; 
       FIG. 30  is an enlarged sectional view taken from the circle shown in  FIG. 29 ; and 
       FIG. 31  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 29  and showing the latching mechanisms engaged. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following description is provided to enable any person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a multipurpose spreader attachment and cargo cage with associated lifting cables, storage arrangements, and latching mechanisms. 
   The multipurpose spreader of the present invention includes, generally a horizontal frame  41  ( FIG. 1 ) suspended from boom rigging  43  and having suspended therefrom a plurality of preslung pallet lifting cables  45  carrying hook devices  47  from the respective free ends thereof. The spreader  39  may be selectively utilized to pick up a pre-slug pallet, designated  51  ( FIG. 7 ) or to pick up a cargo cage, generally designated  53  ( FIGS. 11 and 16 ). Mounted under the opposite ends of the spreader are respective frusto pyramidally shaped sockets  57  which open downwardly and are configured for selective engagement over respective upstanding complimentarily shaped bosses  59  mounted on the opposite ends of the cargo cage. Referring to  FIGS. 20 and 24 , latching hooks  63  and  65  are mounted pivotably to the spreader above the respective sockets  57  and are configured to selectively engage the respective bosses  59  as shown in  FIG. 26  to latch the spreader to the cargo cage. 
   The interior of the frame  41  defines an open storage compartment for the cables  45  and mounted therein are storage brackets  50  to which the hook devices  47  on the free ends of the cables  45  may be selectively hooked to store such cables as the spreader is attached to the cargo cage  53 . 
   Thus, the cables  45  may be deployed as shown in  FIG. 1  for connection with the preslung pallet  51  as shown in  FIG. 7  or selectively stored as shown in  FIG. 3 . When stored as shown in  FIG. 3 , the spreader may be conveniently lowered onto the cargo cage as shown in  FIGS. 20 and 23  to latchingly engage the hooks  63  and  65  shown in  FIG. 31  to transport equipment and cargo aboard a containerized cargo vessel as will be described hereinafter. 
   Referring to the accompanied drawings in detail, the horizontal spreader frame  41  is conveniently constructed with a pair of parallel channel beams  71  and  73  connected together by cross beams  75  and  77  ( FIG. 1 ). Ears  79  are mounted on opposite ends of the cross beams  77  for connection of lifting cables  81  forming the lifting rigging  43  to be suspended from a crane cable  83 . A roof  82  is mounted over the central portion of such frame  41 . 
   The pallet lifting cables  45  are braided wire cables  87  ( FIG. 6 ) formed at their respective first ends with loops  89  for suspension from suspending eyes  93  mounted at the four corners of the frame  41 . The hook devices carried on such cables  45  include pneumatic pistons which selectively rotate respective claws  97  that open and close upon the respective pistons being pressurized or unpressurized. 
   A pneumatic cylinder, designated  101  is mounted centrally in the frame  41  as shown in  FIG. 4  and includes a shut-off valve  103  connected with a pneumatic manifold  105  mounted on the interior face of one of the beam  73 . Pneumatic lines  109  spread out from the manifold  105  to the respective pistons of the hook devices  45  for selective opening and closing of such hooks. Interposed in the manifold is a control valve biased to its closed position but operable by a pusher rod driven by a pivotal actuator lever  110  mounted on the outside of the beam  71  ( FIG. 1 ) and including a pressure plate to be engaged by, for instance, the distal end of an activation pole (not shown) Referring to  FIGS. 20 and 21 , the bosses  59  are frusto pyramidal in shape and include downwardly and outwardly diverging side and end walls  115  and  117  to form respective hollow boss receiving compartments. The side walls  115  are formed with outwardly opening windows  119  terminating in respective top edges  120  to be hooked by the respective hooks. 
   The sockets  57  are frusto pyramidal in shape and are formed with respective downwardly and outwardly diverging side and end walls  155  and  157  ( FIG. 20 ). The walls  155  are formed with downwardly opening hook-receiving slots  159 . Between the respective channel beam  71  and  73  are transverse slats  169  and a pair of hook mounting brackets  171  spaced laterally apart. The brackets  171  mount a pair of horizontally projecting bolts  173  which define horizontal pivot pins ( FIG. 26 ) that mount the upper extremities of the respective hooks  63  and  65 . The hooks project vertically and are formed with respective inwardly projecting bites  175  configured to be selectively received inwardly within the respective windows  159 . The confronting edges of the pairs of hooks are formed with outwardly and downwardly diverging cam surfaces  176  ( FIG. 21 ) to engage the top edges of the respective bosses  59  to slide downwardly and outwardly thereon. The confronting edges of the upper extremities of the hooks  63  and  65  are formed with respective confronting aligned blind bores  179  and  181  which receive the opposite ends of a compression spring  184  configured to urge such upper extremities laterally apart to urge the respective bites  175  of such hooks towards each other into hooking engagement ( FIG. 28 ). 
   Mounted between such walls are a pair of vertical spaced apart keeper mounting brackets  121  which mount therebetween a pair of horizontal spaced apart keeper pivot rods  127  ( FIG. 22 ) that, in turn, mount respective keeper/kickers, generally designated  129 . The keeper/kickers  129  are somewhat triangularly shaped and are formed with respective radially projecting keeper arms  131  terminating in their respective free ends in respective keeper catches  133 . Projecting diametrically in the opposite direction from the arms  131  are pie shaped kickers  135  formed with radially projecting kicker surfaces  137  ( FIGS. 22 and 26 ). The kickers  135  are formed with respective juxtaposed through connector slots  141  which receive a link connector pin  143  connected with the upper end of respective vertical control links  151 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 11 , the cargo cage  53  is configured with a bottom wall defining a floor, generally designated  171  having a pair of upstanding columns  170  and  175  mounted on the opposite sides thereof and projecting upwardly to mount a horizontal frame work  60 . The columns  170  and  175  each include a pair of vertical channel beams  181  and  183  having mounted therebetween respective parallel vertical angles  185  and  187 . Referring to  FIG. 16–18 , mounted on the insides of the respective angles  185  and  187  in a confronting relationship are a pair of latch plates generally designated  191 . These latch plates include respective S shaped raceways, generally designated  193  having a horizontal top run defining a kicker slot  195  and a horizontal bottom run defining keeper slot  197 . 
   The links  151  ( FIG. 16 ) projects downwardly from the respective bosses and are joined on their bottom extremities by a horizontal handle rung  201  which projects outwardly through the respective links to form axially projecting respective followers  205  received in respective S slots  193 . 
   The cargo cage  53  includes a central partition, generally designated  207  to divide the bottom floor  171  into two side by side stalls  209 ,  211 . The construction of the entrance edges and mating surfaces of the cargo cage are preferably arranged so that there are not blunt surfaces to catch or snag on as cargo is introduced into the cargo cage. For example, a cross section of the leading edge of central partition  207  at a base support panel  208  shows a double walled panel attached by an angled cover  210  ( FIG. 13 ) to divert oncoming cargo into either stall  209  or stall  211 . The double-walled structure of the base support panel  208  reduces to a single bracket  208   a , where it is secured to the upturned mating edges of the bottom floor at side stalls  209 ,  211  by a plurality of spaced apart fasteners  206  ( FIG. 12 ). The lateral walls  212  of the cage  53  preferably comprise single-walled sheets shaped to a bevel at a leading edge  212   a  as shown in  FIG. 15 , and mating with the floor using fasteners  214  as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
   In operation, it will be appreciate that the spreader  39  may be carried from the trolley of, for instance, a gantry crane by the suspension cable  83  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The spreader is particularly useful in off loading a ship where the area immediately below a hatch way has been loaded with a preslung pallets similar to the pallets  51 . These preslung pallets typically include a plurality of pallet lifting straps  311  slung over the loaded pallets and having eyes  313  on the upper extremities thereof which may be connected with the hook devices  97 . To this end, the spreader  39  will be swung over the hatch way and lowered into the hold so that the hook devices  45  may be opened and hooked to the respective eyes  313 . The spreader  39  will then be lifted to lift the loaded pallet  51  clear of the hold and moved along the gantry crane to dockside and lowered. With the pallet  51  resting on a trailer on such dock and slack in the lifting cable  83 , workmen may approach the spreader  39  and reach up with a actuator pole to engage the actuator  110  ( FIG. 1 ) to actuate the control valve to pressurize the respective pneumatic pistons controlling the respective claws  97  ( FIG. 6 ) to release the hooks and free the spreader. This step may then be repeated until the number of preslung pallets have been removed from the area immediately under the hatchway. 
   Then, to commence moving the cargo about within the hold, the spreader may be readily prepared by merely lowering it to the height where workman can grasp the cables  45  and shift them to their respective horizontally disposed storage positions within the frame  41  and hook the hooks to the respective storage brackets  50  ( FIG. 3 ) to secure such cables in their respective stored positions. 
   The spreader is then ready for convenient attachment to the cargo cage  53 . This procedure may be undertaken by trailering such cargo cage  53  into position under the trolley of the gantry crane and lowering such spreader  39  into position thereover. As such spreader is lowered, the respective sockets  57  will be aligned over the respective bosses  59  and continued lowering thereof will cause the frusto pyramidal shape of the sockets and bosses to facilitate alignment thereof. As such spreader is lowered, the respective upwardly converging cam surfaces  176  of the spreader hooks  63  and  65  ( FIG. 24 ) will engage the opposite top edges of the respective bosses to, as lowering of such spreader continues, cause the bites  175  of such hooks to be pivoted outwardly about the pivot pins  173  against the resistence of the respective compression springs  184  such that the cam surfaces will ride downwardly on the opposite sides of the respective bosses until the respective bites come into alignment with the respective openings  119  in the opposite sides of the bosses ( FIG. 28 ). As respective such bites clear the top latching edges  120  of such openings the bite ends of the respective hooks will be free to rotate toward one another under influence of spring  183  to shift the respective bites  175  inwardly to the position shown in  FIG. 28  thereby aligning the throats of the respective hooks vertically under the respective boss latch edges  120  ( FIG. 28 ). 
   The spreader  39  will then nest downwardly on the top of the cargo cage and the workmen can grasp the slider latching handle rung  201  ( FIG. 16 ) to draw the handle and the corresponding followers  205  ( FIGS. 18 and 19 ) downwardly in their respective races  193  to the position shown in  FIG. 19 , thus drawing the respective links  151  downwardly to the position shown in  FIG. 28 . The lowering of the respective links rotates the keeper/kickers  129  to the respective keeper positions thereby engaging the keeper arms  131  with the opposite sides of the respective lower extremities of the hook  63  and  65  to keep such hooks in their hooking positions. 
   The cargo cage may then be utilized to transport various equipment and cargo onboard the ship. For instance, fork lift trucks or the like may be driven into the stalls  209  and  211  and the spreader hoisted by the crane cable  83  to shift the cargo cage over the hold and lower it into the space previously cleared away by removal of the preslung pallets. This procedure may then be repeated for the offloading of cargo and transfer of equipment. 
   When it is desirable to change the load on the spreader  39 , the crane may be utilized to shift the cargo gage  53  dock side to a waiting truck or the like. The cargo cage may then be lowered onto the truck and the weight and the crane cable  83  slackened. The workmen may then grasp the respective release handle  201  to shift them upwardly driving the respective followers through the race  193  to the upper position shown  FIG. 18  thereby driving the respective control links  151  upwardly through the position shown in  FIG. 31 . By continuing to drive such links upwardly, the respective kicker surfaces  137  will be driven outwardly against the tips of the respective bites  175  as shown in  FIG. 26  to drive the respective bites laterally outwardly clear of the respective latching edges  120  ( FIG. 26 ) to clear the respective bites so that upon lifting of the spreader the hooks will be moved clear of the respective bosses. 
   Thereafter, the spreader is free to be moved to another hatch way or to possibly be attached to different cargo cages, jointly designated  321  ( FIG. 10 ) for transfer of different or more equipment or cargo. 
   In other configurations, the spreader and additional cables  45  carried on the spreader may be deployed to attach to larger cargo pallets, generally designated  325  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the multipurpose spreader and cargo cage of the present invention provides a convenient reliable, safe and efficient means for offloading and on loading various forms of cargo equipment carrying devices without the necessity of changing from one style of a spreader to another. This serves to avoid inefficient down time and the labor intensive tasks of changing spreaders between the various stevedorian functions.