Patent Description:
Different means of transport for large loads are known in the art. Generally, the load is transported on pallets, containers or bales (blocks of material) which are loaded onto the conveyor using cranes, forklifts with booms or mechanical arms.

Bale handling is particularly complicated: since bales comprise packets of material tied with sturdy wires or strings, the use of mechanical arms and booms directly on the bales is not an efficient solution, especially when loading bales in ship holds, when any structure or equipment used for lifting cannot prevent the arrangement of bales inside the holds of the ships, an activity called stowage.

<FIG> show the known prior art solution for moving cellulose bales. <FIG> shows a set of bales <NUM> formed by packets grouped and tied by wires <NUM>. The bales <NUM> are hoisted by a crane <NUM> with lifting equipment <NUM> consisting of a series of hooked chains <NUM>. As better illustrated in <FIG>, the chain hooks <NUM> must be manually secured to the wires <NUM> of the bales <NUM>. Thus, it is necessary for operators to climb onto the set of bales to secure the chain hooks <NUM> to the wires <NUM>.

This type of human intervention, besides generating accident risks and a necessary concern with the ergonomic aspect of the activity, increases the time and cost of the load handling operation.

<CIT> discloses a lifting apparatus according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

<CIT> discloses a suspension method through remote control.

In view of the inconveniences cited above and others well known to those skilled in the art, the present invention provides a more efficient and safe solution to load handling.

Thus, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a load handling equipment that eliminates the need for human intervention for the lifting of load bales.

The present invention also provides a load handling equipment that is capable of engaging the bale tying wires or strings through automated operation.

The load handling equipment of the present invention can be moved by a crane of a known kind in the prior art, so that it is a widely applicable logistic solution.

The present invention is defined in the appended set of claims.

The present invention will hereinafter be described in more detail based on exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. The figures show:.

Various embodiments are disclosed below. Embodiments which are not covered by the claims are not part of the invention.

<FIG> show a first embodiment of the load handling equipment according to the present invention.

The equipment of the present invention may be used for lifting and moving load bales such as, for example, cellulose bales. Load bales are packets of material that are tied with a tying means such as, for example, steel strings or wires.

In the first embodiment, the equipment comprises a support structure <NUM> supporting a locating portion <NUM> with at least one gripping element <NUM> and at least one pneumatic cylinder <NUM>.

The locating portion <NUM> comprises a structure with two side walls wherein a gripping element <NUM> is installed on each side wall 11a of the locating portion <NUM>.

The gripping element <NUM> is formed by two gripping parts 12a and 12b, and each gripping part 12a and 12b is arranged on a side wall surface 11a of locating portion <NUM>. Thus, as best illustrated in <FIG>, a first gripping part 12a is disposed on the outer surface of one of the side walls 11a is a second gripping part 12b is disposed on the inner surface of the side wall 11a. In that embodiment, a first pneumatic cylinder <NUM> is arranged to drive the first gripping part 12a and a second pneumatic cylinder (not shown) is arranged to drive the second gripping part 12b.

As best illustrated in <FIG>, in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, each side wall 11a further has a cutout 11b which assists in gripping the tying means.

As best illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in the embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the equipment comprising at least eight parallel beams <NUM> which are connected to a central beam body <NUM> extending substantially transverse to the parallel beams, where each of the parallel beams support two support structures <NUM>, each of the support structures comprising a locating portion <NUM> with a gripping element <NUM> formed by two gripping parts 12a, 12b which move apart and move closer together by the action of pneumatic cylinders <NUM>.

The central beam <NUM> is preferably configured to engage with any type of hoisting equipment such as cranes or arms. Thus, the handling equipment of the present invention can be easily coupled to the handling equipment known in the prior art.

<FIG> shows an embodiment where the support structure <NUM> comprises a housing part <NUM> and at least one column <NUM> (in the embodiment shown, the structure <NUM> comprises two columns <NUM>). Each column <NUM> is configured to receive a corresponding column from location portion <NUM>, so that location portion <NUM> can be moved up and down with the column sliding through the column <NUM> of the structure <NUM>.

For lifting the bale, the central beam <NUM> is lowered so that the beams <NUM>, support structures <NUM> and locating portions <NUM> are also lowered. The gripping parts 12a, 12b are lowered in a separate position, that is, open to each other in an open position. In an open position, the gripping parts are in a higher position than the lower edge of the walls 11a, so that the edges may be at the top of the bale without the gripping parts touching the bale in that moment.

With the equipment lowered, the gripping parts 12a, 12b are driven by the hydraulic cylinders to close, so that they approach each other. As in the first embodiment the gripping parts are in the form of opposite hooks, during the approach the thinner parts of the hooks pass close to the bale and lift the tying means so that it slides over the inner parts of the opposite hooks, being "grabbed" by the gripping parts. At this point, the wire is brought up into the space of cutout 11b of the side wall. Once the corresponding tying means are "grabbed", the equipment can be lifted.

As shown in <FIG>, in the first embodiment of the present invention the equipment may have sixteen locating elements <NUM>, each having two gripping elements <NUM> with first and second gripping parts 12a, 12b (one element <NUM> on each side wall). Thus, the equipment may comprise thirty-two gripping parts engaging tying means of one or more bales.

<FIG> show a second embodiment of the load handling equipment according to the present invention.

<FIG> shows a front view of the equipment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment, the equipment comprises a support structure <NUM> supporting a locating portion <NUM> with at least one gripping element <NUM> and at least one pneumatic cylinder <NUM>.

As best illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in this embodiment the locating portion <NUM> comprises two locating parts 110a and 110b moving under action of the pneumatic cylinder <NUM>. Thus, locating parts move towards each other when driven by the cylinder. As illustrated in <FIG>, the locating part <NUM> may comprise two pneumatic cylinders <NUM> which drive the locating parts 110a and 110b together.

The gripping element <NUM> is formed by two gripping parts 120a and 120b, each gripping part protruding from one of the locating parts, like a curved wall projecting downwardly toward the other locating part. Thus, when the locating part is moved by the cylinder, the corresponding gripping part is also moved, so that when the locating parts 110a and 110b are close, the two gripping parts 120a, 120b approach to pick up the wires that tie the bales.

The locating portion <NUM> further comprises two pusher elements 130a and 130b (one of which is best illustrated in <FIG>), which function as spacers, pushing the bale to create a space for the grips to catch the wires.

As best illustrated in <FIG>, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the support structure <NUM> comprises a housing part <NUM> and at least one column <NUM> (in the embodiment shown, the structure <NUM> comprises two columns <NUM>). In that embodiment, the housing part <NUM> protects the locating portion <NUM>, acting as a structural cover.

Preferably, the pneumatic cylinder <NUM> is coupled to the first and second locating parts by means of forks 140a (see <FIG>).

The equipment of the present invention further comprises a sustaining structure <NUM>, better illustrated in <FIG>. The sustaining structure <NUM> has at least one tubular element <NUM> which receives the column <NUM> of the support structure. In the embodiment of the invention shown in <FIG> e <FIG>, the sustaining structure has two tubular elements <NUM> configured to receive the two columns <NUM> of the support structure <NUM>. Thus, the support structure <NUM>, and therefore the housing part <NUM> is vertically movable with respect to the sustaining structure <NUM> by sliding the columns <NUM> along the tubular elements <NUM>.

The sustaining structure may further comprise a beam <NUM> or other reinforcement element which enables the equipment to be integrated with other equipment or that may support an installation or hoisting structure.

<FIG> show a third embodiment of the equipment according to the present invention.

<FIG> shows a top view of the equipment according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the equipment being applied to hoist a set of bales F.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the equipment comprises four sustaining structures <NUM> and four support structures <NUM> with four locating portions <NUM>. The equipment further comprises two parallel beams <NUM>, each beam receiving two sustaining structures <NUM>. A central beam body <NUM> connects the two parallel beams <NUM>. The central beam <NUM> comprises at least one eye <NUM> which can be used to engage any type of hoisting equipment such as cranes or arms. Thus, the handling equipment of the present invention can be easily coupled to the lifting equipment known in the prior art.

In this embodiment, locating portions <NUM> are formed by first and second locating parts 1100a and 1100b which are driven for opening and closing by means of a pneumatic system (see <FIG>).

As best illustrated in <FIG>, each of the locating portions <NUM> comprises a gripping element <NUM> formed by two gripping parts 1200a and 1200b which move away and approach each other to grip the wire A which ties the bales. Approaching and moving away the gripping parts 1200a, 1200b is accomplished by means of a pneumatic cylinder <NUM> which approaches and moves away the locating parts 1100a and 1100b. Preferably, the gripping parts 1200a, 1200b comprise curved lower projections protruding from the location parts 1100a and 1100b. These projections, which protrude toward each other, act as a kind of hook for lifting the wire A and directing it between locating parts 1100a and 1100b (see <FIG>).

As best seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, each support structure <NUM> comprises a housing part <NUM> and two vertical columns <NUM> and each sustaining structure <NUM> comprises two tubular elements which receive the vertical columns <NUM>, so that the height of the housing part <NUM> housing can be selectively adjustable.

A receptacle <NUM> for the locating parts 1100a and 1100b is connected to the housing part <NUM>. As best illustrated in <FIG>, the receptacle preferably comprises a first receptacle part 1300a hingedly coupled to the housing part to protect the first locating part 1000a and a second receptacle part 1300b hingedly coupled to the housing part to protect the second gripping part 1100b.

The pneumatic cylinder <NUM> is coupled to the housing by means of a bracket 1400a (see <FIG>) and coupled to the first and second locating parts by means of forks <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The load handling equipment of the present invention weighs up to about <NUM> tons and is capable of supporting a load of up to about <NUM> tons. In addition, the loading elements can be driven (closed or open) by the load handling crane operator or the ship overhead crane operator.

Claim 1:
Load handling equipment configured to engage a tying means of a load bale, comprising at least one locating portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprising at least one gripping element (<NUM>, <NUM><NUM>) formed by two gripping parts which move away and approach each other for gripping the tying means, wherein approaching and moving away the gripping parts is accomplished by means of at least one pneumatic cylinder (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), characterized in that the equipment further comprises a support structure (<NUM>) comprising a housing portion (<NUM>) that protects the locating portion and a projecting column (<NUM>) that projects vertically from the housing part; the equipment further comprising a sustaining structure (<NUM>) having a tubular element (<NUM>) configured to receive the column (<NUM>) of the support structure, wherein sliding the column (<NUM>) into the tubular element (<NUM>) of the sustaining structure (<NUM>) allows the vertical displacement of the housing part.