Abstract:
A ship to railroad intermodal freight system. In an embodiment, a conveyor system is provided for placing railroad cars in a position for loading shipping containers thereon. Railroad cars have a frame with a front end and a rear end, supported between bogies. Conveyor hooks are pivotally mounted to the frame, and a guide roller with hook guide is provided to adjustably support the conveyor hook(s) below the frame of the railroad car. A method for loading or unloading the railroad cars includes lifting a conveyor hook from a drag chain conveyor using the interaction of the guide roller with a pivot board mounted at the chain conveyor, while shipping container(s) are placed on the railroad car. By utilizing the method, efficient loading and unloading of railcars involved in ship to railroad intermodal shipments may save considerable time, and thus reduce costs.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority from prior and now pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/583,583, filed May 1, 2017, which was a divisional of and claimed priority under 35 USC §121 of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/144,517 filed May 2, 2016, (U.S. Pat. No. 9,637,327 B1, issued on May 2, 2017), entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERMODAL CONTAINER HANDLING. The disclosures of the just noted prior related patent applications are incorporated herein in their entirety, including the specification, drawing, and claims, by this reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       COPYRIGHT RIGHTS IN THE DRAWING 
       [0003]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The patent owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0004]    This application relates to a method for simply and efficiently transferring containers, including unloading containers from ships and placing the same on railroad cars, or vice versa, and to apparatus which may be employed to facilitate such transfers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0005]    In the freight shipping business, it is well known that in many situations, the transfer of containers from ship to rail, or vice versa, may involve extra manpower and lost time while containers are first transferred to short haul highway type trailers, and thence to a nearby rail yard for organization, reloading, and connection of long haul intercity trains. Moreover, the loading of containers on to short haul capable trailers, and thence the reloading of the containers to railroad cars at nearby rail yard (and the reverse process for reloading containers on to ships), is a rather labor intensive and time consuming activity. For example, highway capable trailers are often driven alongside of ships to a position for receiving a container from the ship. Then, the highway trailers may be moved to nearby rail yard, where a switch engine may be used to position rail cars to a loading platform accessible to tractors for the trucks and the highway trailers on which the container was placed. As a result, the use of rail-to-road intermodal system methods have largely been limited to rather long distance freight hauls. However, in an ever more competitive shipping cost environment, there remains a need for improvements which would provide cost savings, and in particular, labor hour savings. More particularly, direct loading of railroad cars from ships might completely avoid the need for short haul truck drivers for large numbers of tractor-trailer combinations. Thus, the provision and use of a new ship-to-railroad intermodal system would be desirable. Thus, it would be advantageous if novel, cost effective methods were available, along with novel apparatus for implementation of such methods, for improving economics of ship-to-railroad freight transfer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0006]    The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a portion of a “well” type railroad car to which an extensible guide roller and conveyor hook have been added, while those novel components interact with a drag chain conveyor that utilizes a pivot, a pivot board, and pivot stop with actuator, to receive the railroad car and halt its forward motion long enough to enable a crane operator to remove a shipping container from a ship and place the shipping container on the railroad car. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows yet further details for an embodiment for apparatus added to a railroad car for use in loading and unloading shipping containers, namely a pair of conveyor hooks mounted in crossing “X” configuration, with the bottom of the X supported by an outwardly extending support on an extensible guide roller that is located to traverse a pivot board which is in turn supported between a pair of rails by a pivot and pivot stop, which is located adjacent a longitudinally extending drag chain conveyor. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  depicts a conveyor system and accompanying railroad siding which may be placed along a wharf for transfer of shipping containers from a ship via a crane to a railroad car. In this view it is seen that the guide roller on the railroad car supports the conveyor hook to raise the same above the drag chain, thus allowing the railroad car to stop for loading (or unloading), since the forward movement of the railroad car has ceased due to disengagement of the conveyor hook from the drag chain, and thus the railroad car stays in place until movement of the pivot stop toward the pivot allows reengagement of the conveyor hook with the drag chain. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows an exemplary embodiment for drag chain elements for use in a conveyor system which may be placed at a wharf for movement of railroad cars for loading of containers from a ship to a railroad car. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a partial conceptual vertical cross-sectional view, showing some elements of an embodiment for a drag chain conveyor in combination with first and second conveyor hooks on a railroad car, and a guide roller for moving the conveyor hook, all as configured for interrupting the movement of a railroad car when traversing the railroad siding above the conveyor system, and the pivot board on which the guide roller moves, and below the pivot board, a pivot block with extension/retraction mechanism visible at the rear thereof. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a railroad car on which two shipping containers have been loaded, and shows the conveyor hook re-engaged with the drag chain after loading has been completed, in order to move the railroad car onward out of the loading position on a railroad siding which includes a drag chain conveyor apparatus. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  shows a portion of a conveyor system and accompanying railroad siding which may be placed along a wharf for transfer of containers from a ship to a railroad car, showing a conveyor hook extending from the railroad car and which has been lowered by downward movement of the guide roller on the pivot board, so that the conveyor hook has reengaged the drag chain, and thus would be pulling the railroad car (not shown other than by partial broken line) forward. 
           [0000]    ad trailer by a tractor, with the L-car in its lowered, trailer pickup position. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from apparatus that may be used to practice the methods taught herein. An attempt has been made to draw the figures in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the apparatus and methods taught herein, and for the alternate configurations thereof. However, various other elements for conveyor systems, and intermodal freight system components and methods of use thereof, may be utilized, within the teachings hereof and within the coverage of the claims set forth herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Unique equipment and methods for use of such equipment in ship-to-railroad (and vice versa) intermodal freight systems are set forth herein. Some of the equipment useful in carrying out the method(s) described herein was previously described in above referenced patent applications. The illustrations provided in this disclosure are directed at embodiments utilizing the most common, standard shipping container designs seen in international shipping. However, it should be understood that equipment and methods described herein may be applied to other types of loads to be placed on to railroad cars, and thus the intermodal system design described herein should not be limited to ship-to-railroad cars per se, but should be understood to be useful in the quick loading and unloading of various loads to and from railroad cars. Further, reference will be made herein to “standard shipping containers” which are shipping containers designed and build for intermodal freight transport—from ship to rail to truck—while the cargo remains therein. While there are many types and a number of “standardized sizes”—in which the most common sizes are either twenty feet or forty feet in length, and are eight feet wide, and eight feet six inches tall. Although those of skill in the art will understand such usage, for further explanation, the reader is referred to the explanation of various types of intermodal shipping containers as may be found on Wikipedia, at the following link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal container. 
         [0016]    Attention is directed to  FIGS. 1, 3, and 6 , where a railroad car  20  for carriage of shipping containers  22  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6  as shipping containers  22 C and  22 D) is depicted. As seen in  FIG. 6 , a railroad car  20  having a frame  24  riding between a first bogie  24  and a second bogie  26  may be provided. In an embodiment, the first bogie  24  and second bogie  26  may each include a chassis operably supporting wheelsets including a pair of axles  28 , with each axle  28  provided with a pair of flanged rail wheels  29 . The bogies  24  and  26  may be provided in any of a number of configurations known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0017]    The railroad car  20 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , is being pulled by a first conveyor hook  30  along companion spaced apart first rail  32  and second rail  34  which together provide a railroad siding  36 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a railroad siding  36  may be provided on a wharf  38 , adjacent a ship  150  having shipping containers  22  thereon. A crane  40  may be provided for unloading containers  22 A from ship  150 , (shown as container  22 B while being positioned by the crane  40 ), or for loading containers  22 C and  22 D (shown on railroad car  20 ) to the ship  150 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a second container  22 D may be loaded to railroad car  20 , when railroad car  20  is of the “well” or “lowboy” type that allows a pair (e.g.  22 C and  22 D) of shipping containers  22  to be vertically loaded and still provide adequate clearance for railroad operation. 
         [0018]    As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conveyor system  50  having a drag chain  52  with links  54  with one or more drive wheels  56  is provided. In an embodiment, the drag chain  52  may be disposed between rails  32  and  34 . As further seen in  FIG. 1 , a frame  24  is provided for railroad car  20 , wherein the frame  24  further includes, mounted for downwardly extending operation, an extensible/retractable guide roller  60 . Also, pivotally mounted at hook mount  62  for angular extension below frame  24  is a first conveyor hook  30 . When the extensible/retractable guide roller  60  is in a normal, downward, uncompressed (extended) condition, the first conveyor hook  30  has a hook end  64  that is sufficiently angularly downwardly disposed so that the hook end  64  of conveyor hook  60  extends below the frame  24  of the railroad car  20  and is thus positioned in interfitting engagement with one of the plurality of links  54  in the upper portion  66  of the drag chain  52 . The links  54  are sized and shaped for receiving therein the hook end  64  of first conveyor hook  30 . The drag chain  52  returns via endless belt along lower portion  68  of the drag chain  52  to a first drive wheel  56 . At the lowered position, the hook end  64  first conveyor hook  30  engages the upper portion  66  of the moving drag chain  52  which is oriented substantially collinear with and between the pair of spaced apart rails  32  and  34 , and the railroad car  20  is thereby pulled along. 
         [0019]    As better seen in  FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, the guide roller  60  may include an outwardly projecting hook guide  70 . In an embodiment, the hook guide  70  may be in the form of a horizontally extending cylinder affixed to a housing  72  for the guide roller  60 . In such an embodiment, the first conveyor hook  30  and second conveyor hook  74  may be arranged in an opposing configuration, that is in a cross-cross, or “X” shaped configuration, with the bottom of the X supporting both first conveyor hook  30  and the second conveyor hook  74  via way of the hook guide  70 . In this fashion, as seen in  FIG. 2 , the extensible/retractable guide roller  60  moves up and down from frame  24  as indicated by reference arrow  76 . Such movement is further explained in  FIG. 1 , where at the fully extended, normal location, guide roller  60  is located a distance H 1  above the upper portion  66  of the drag chain  52 . Then, when the guide roller is urged upward as indicated by reference arrow  78  to the position shown in broken lines in  FIG. 1 , the guide roller is raised a distance H 2 , and by way of the hook guide  70 , also raises the conveyor hook  30  upward, to a point where the conveyor hook  30  disengages the drag chain  52 , as indicated by broken lines of conveyor hook  30 ′. 
         [0020]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the components for stopping and starting a railroad car  20  for loading and unloading of shipping containers  22  thereon are detailed. A pivot  80  is provided, and a pivot board  82  is pivotally mounted thereto at pivot pin  84 . In an embodiment, the pivot  80  may be fixed in location. The pivot board  82  is oriented along and between the pair of spaced apart rails  32  and  34 . The pivot board  82  includes an upper surface  86  adapted for rolling engagement with the extensible guide roller  60 . A movable pivot stop  88  is provided. The moveable pivot stop  88  can be positioned to and from a pivot board engaging position (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) and a pivot board avoidance position (as shown in  FIGS. 2, 6, and 7 ). In  FIG. 2 , the pivot board avoidance position is indicated as  88 A, and the pivot board stop position is indicated as  88 S (shown in broken lines). The pivot stop  88  includes an upper end  90  adapted to receive a lower side  92  of the pivot board  82 , to thereby stop pivotal movement of the pivot board  82  when the pivot stop  88  is in the pivot board  82  engaging position ( 88 S in  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0021]    As further seen in  FIG. 2 , the moveable pivot stop  88  can be moved by a pivot stop positioner  90 . The pivot stop positioner  90  may be adapted to move the pivot stop  88  between the pivot board engaging position ( 88 S) and the pivot board avoidance ( 88 A) position. In an embodiment, the pivot stop positioner  90  may be provided in the form of a screw actuator, with a prime mover  92  (such as electric or hydraulic motor), wherein the pivot stop positioner  90  (e.g., screw actuator) moves the pivot stop  88  back and forth in a direction substantially parallel to the pair of spaced apart rails  32  and  34 . 
         [0022]    In an embodiment, the pivot board  82  may be pivotally mounted at a height H 3  above the upper surface  32   U  and  34   U  of the pair of rails  36 , wherein the height H 3  is sufficient to cause the pivot board  82  to engage and upwardly urge the extensible guide roller  60  of the railroad car  20 , as the railroad car  20  is advanced toward the pivot  80  by the drag conveyor system  50 . Also as indicated in  FIG. 1 , in an embodiment the pivot stop  88  is located to receive and stop downward pivotal motion (indicated by reference arrow  94 ) of the pivot board  82 , so that when the guide roller  60  is raised to the position shown in broke lines in  FIG. 1 , the conveyor hook  30  is raised sufficiently to disengage the conveyor hook  30  from the drag chain  52  of the conveyor system  50 , so as to stop further movement of the railroad car  20  by way of the conveyor system  50 . 
         [0023]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , and in more detail in  FIG. 5 , at least one of the one or more conveyor hooks ( 30  and  74 ) includes a pivot end ( 30   P  and  74   P , respectively) located at a pivot seat  30   S  and  74   S , respectively) in the hook mount  62 , which is affixed to the frame  24  of the railroad car  20  for arcuate movement of the at least one of the one or more conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ) below the frame  24 . The up and down movement (see reference arrow  76  in  FIG. 2 ) of the extensible guide roller  60  provides a range of angular movement of each of the one or more conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ). As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 7 , the conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ) extend from a pivot end ( 30   P  and  74   P ) to a distal end ( 30   D ,  74   D ). Each of the conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ) further includes, at and near their distal ends ( 30   D ,  74   D ), a hook portion ( 64 ,  64 ). 
         [0024]    As depicted in  FIG. 3 , in an embodiment the pair of spaced apart rails ( 32 ,  34 ) forming railroad siding  36  maybe located adjacent a wharf  38  which is adapted to receive a ship  150  transporting shipping containers  22 . The apparatus may further include a crane  40  which is adjustably positionable on the wharf  38  for removing shipping containers  22  one at a time from the ship  150  and placing them on the railroad cars  20 , while the railroad cars  20  are located above the chain conveyor  50 . 
         [0025]    In an embodiment, a method for transfer of shipping containers  22  from ship  150  to railroad cars  20  may be provided, for transport of shipping containers  22  via railroad. In an embodiment, such a method may include providing at least one conveyor hook ( 30 ,  74 ) equipped railroad car  20 . A suitable conveyor hook ( 30 ,  74 ) equipped railroad car  20  may include a frame  24  disposed between a first bogie  24  and a second bogie  26 . In an embodiment, the frame  24  may further include an extensible guide roller  60 , which may be mounted below the frame  24  for extension up and down therebelow, as indicated by reference arrow  76  in  FIG. 2 . In an embodiment, first and second conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ) may be provided, and the first and second conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ) may be pivotally mounted for angular motion below the frame  24 . The extensible guide roller  60  may further include an outwardly projecting hook guide  70 , which may be mounted to a housing  72  for the extensible guide roller  60 . In an embodiment, the first and second conveyor hooks ( 30 ,  74 ) may be pivotally mounted so as to be supported by the outwardly projecting hook guide  70 . A first railroad siding  36  may be provided adjacent a source of shipping containers  22 . The first railroad siding  36  may include a spaced apart pair of rails ( 32 ,  74 ), which are connected to a railroad system (not shown). A conveyor system  50  may be provided, having a having a first end  50   1  and a second end  50   2 . A drag chain  52  is provided moving railroad cars  20  from the first end  50   1  to the second end  50   2  of the conveyor system  50 . In order to load a shipping container  22  on a railroad car  20 , one of a plurality of railroad cars  20  is moved to a loading position, as indicated in  FIG. 3 , adjacent a source of shipping containers such as a ship  150 , by engaging a conveyor hook  30  and/or  74  on the railroad car  20  to the drag chain  52 . The, when the guide roller  60  on the railroad car urges the conveyor hook ( 30 ,  74 ) upwardly sufficiently to disengage the conveyor hook ( 30 ,  74 ) from the drag chain  52 , the movement of the railroad car  20  is halted. At that point, a crane  40  is used to lift a selected shipping container  22  from the source of shipping containers (e.g. ship  150 ), and then the selected shipping container  22  is moved to and mounted on one of the plurality of railroad cars  20 , either directly thereon as shown by shipping container  22 C, or indirectly by way of mounting on a lower shipping container, as shown by shipping container  22 D mounted on shipping container  22 C in  FIG. 6 . In an embodiment, the step of mounting the selected shipping container  22  to one of the plurality of railroad cars  20  further includes supporting the first  30  and said second  74  conveyor hooks at a height above the drag chain  52  of the conveyor system  50  sufficient to allow the drag chain  52  to move without engaging the conveyor hook ( 30  and/or  74 ). In an embodiment, the method includes providing the upward movement of the conveyor hook ( 30 , and/or  74 ) by way of the outwardly oriented bar  70  at the guide roller housing  72 , as the drag chain  52  moves the selected one of the plurality of railcar  20 . In an embodiment, the method further includes, during the step of mounting the selected shipping container  22  to one of the plurality of railroad cars  20 , supporting the guide roller  60  above the pivot board  82 , which is in turn supported by the pivot stop  88 , so as to disengage the conveyor hook ( 30 , and/or  74 ) from the drag chain  52 . After shipping container  22 C (and shipping container  22 D, if present) are secured, the conveyor hook ( 30  and/or  74 ) is reengaged with the drag chain  52  to move the railroad car  20  to the second end  50   2  of the conveyor system  50 . In an embodiment, the step of reengaging the conveyor hook ( 30  and/or  74 ) is accomplished by moving the pivot stop  88  so as to remove support for the pivot board  82 , to thereby allow the conveyor hook ( 30  and/or  74 ) to reengage the drag chain  52 . 
         [0026]    In an embodiment, a unique railroad car  20  is provided. As noted above, the railroad car  20  may include a first bogie  24  and a second bogie  26 . In an embodiment, each bogie ( 24 ,  26 ) may include a chassis operably supporting at least four flanged main rail wheels  29 , and wherein the bogie ( 24 ,  26 ) includes a suspension package between the four flanged main rail wheels  29  and the bogie chassis. The railroad car  20  further includes a frame which includes a first end  20   1  and a second end  20   2 , and wherein the frame is pivotally supported above and between the first bogie  24  and the second bogie  26 . A first conveyor hook  30  is pivotally affixed to the frame  24  for angular movement therebelow. In an embodiment, a second conveyor hook  74  may be pivotally affixed to the frame  24  for angular movement therebelow. A guide roller  60  is mounted for extensible-retractable up and down movement below the frame  24 . The guide roller  60  is rotatably secured by housing  72 , which may be provided with an outwardly extending hook guide  70 . In an embodiment, the hook guide  70  may be in the form of a cylindrical bar. In an embodiment, the hook guide  70  may extend horizontally outwardly from the housing  72 . The first conveyor hook  30  and the second conveyor hook  74  are pivotally mounted (a) for support by the outwardly extending hook guide  70 , and (b) for up and down movement in response to up and down movement of the outwardly extending hook guide  70 . 
         [0027]    In an embodiment, a railroad car  20  may be a well type car. The well type railroad car  20  may include a frame  24  shaped and sized to allow loading and carriage of a first  22 C and a second  22 D standard height shipping container, when the second  22 D standard height shipping container is mounted on the first  22 C standard height shipping container. 
         [0028]    The apparatus and method described above is expected to be useful in reducing the time and labor requirements for loading shipping containers  22  on to railroad cars  20  in intermodal ship-to-rail shipments. In an embodiment of the method, at the end of the conveyor system  50 , a train assembly area may be provided, where a first one of a selected plurality of railroad cars  20  is connected to other railroad cars  20 . In a variation and refinement of the method, the source of shipping containers may be organized by destination, and in such cases, shipping containers  22  may be loaded to railroad cars  20  in groups by destination. In an embodiment, a group of railroad cars  20  in a selected plurality of railroad cars  20  may be provided for each destination, to facilitate separation at distribution yards after transshipment on main railroad lines is complete. 
         [0029]    In the foregoing description, numerous details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed exemplary embodiments for apparatus and method for moving shipping containers, and methods of their use in railroad intermodal freight systems. However, certain of the described details may not be required in order to provide useful embodiments, or to practice selected or other disclosed embodiments. Further, the description may include, for descriptive purposes, various relative terms such as surface, at, adjacent, proximity, near, on, onto, and the like. Such usage should not be construed as limiting. Terms that are relative only to a point of reference are not meant to be interpreted as absolute limitations, but are instead included in the foregoing description to facilitate understanding of the various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Various components are described which may be employed alternatively, yet be included in some designs or components for use in a particular situation. Accordingly, the method(s) described herein may be utilized in whole or in part in various discrete operations, in a manner that is most helpful in a particular circumstance. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that such alternatives are necessarily order dependent, or that use of various components is necessarily in the alternative. Also, the reader will note that the phrase “in one embodiment” has been used repeatedly. This phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment; however, it may. Finally, the terms “comprising”, “having” and “including” should be considered synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. 
         [0030]    Various aspects and embodiments described and claimed herein may be modified from those shown without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided by this invention, and may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Embodiments presented herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive or limiting. This disclosure is intended to cover methods and apparatus described herein, and not only structural equivalents thereof, but also equivalent structures. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, the protection afforded to this invention should be limited only by the claims set forth herein, and the legal equivalents thereof.