WO2014203024A1 - Container transfer system and method of its operation - Google Patents
Container transfer system and method of its operation Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2014203024A1 WO2014203024A1 PCT/IB2013/054942 IB2013054942W WO2014203024A1 WO 2014203024 A1 WO2014203024 A1 WO 2014203024A1 IB 2013054942 W IB2013054942 W IB 2013054942W WO 2014203024 A1 WO2014203024 A1 WO 2014203024A1
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- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- container
- vehicle
- chain
- arm
- transfer system
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
- B61D47/00—Loading or unloading devices combined with vehicles, e.g. loading platforms, doors convertible into loading and unloading ramps
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
- B61D3/00—Wagons or vans
- B61D3/16—Wagons or vans adapted for carrying special loads
- B61D3/20—Wagons or vans adapted for carrying special loads for forwarding containers
Definitions
- the present invention pertains to a system for transferring freight containers to and 5 from a railway freight car, in particular between a truck and a railway freight car.
- One solution involves transporting the truck trailer on a special railway freight car.
- the freight container is transferred between a truck and a railway freight car by means of lifting cranes and can therefore only be done at locations where such cranes are present. These locations are normally not widespread, because the installs lation, maintenance and operation of lifting cranes are rather expensive.
- Another container transfer system employs a swivel function.
- a swivel function is for example described in WO 2005/097575, which utilizes a special railway wagon having a
- swap body which may be swiveled to one of the sides of the wagon.
- the container is then transferred end-wise to this swap body, after which it is swiveled back to the special railway wagon.
- the swap body In order to support the swap body when it is swiveled away from the train wagon, the swap body is equipped with a number of supporting legs.
- US 1 ,830,740 is disclosed transfer wagon, by which containers may be transferred from a warehouse to a railway freight car, or vise versa.
- the transfer wagon is placed on a railway track alongside the railway track, on which the freight train is placed, and the containers are transferred sideways to and from the freight cars.
- the container can be transferred between transfer vehicles on neighboring tracks, and between a transfer vehicle and a roadside truck. Said system faces balance problems during transfer operations, which are counteracted by means of railhead-gripping jaws on the transfer vehicles.
- WO 201 1/064621 is disclosed a transfer vehicle for transferring a freight container from a railway flatcar horizontally and sideways onto said transfer vehicle. When placed on the transfer vehicle, the bottom of the transfer vehicle can be lowered, and the container can roll of the transfer vehicle along the longitudinal direction of it.
- EP 2 108 605 shows a freight container, which is transferred horizontally and sideways directly from a railway freight car and a truck.
- WO 96/02445 a method and device for transferring a freight container from a railway freight car to a truck.
- the transfer device is placed on a truck, and it comprises a telescopically extendable arm, which like the forks of a forklift is extended and placed under a container to be transferred.
- the system employs special twist locks, which may be lowered (vertically movable) when the arm is placed under the container, whereby the container will be free to move horizontally from the railway freight car to the truck.
- a transfer system for horizontally and transversally transferring a freight container between a railway freight car and a vehicle, said transfer system being placed on said vehicle and comprising at least two grabber arms which are movable only in a direc- tion transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container, wherein the movement of each of the at least two grabber arms is accomplished by a endless chain which is driven by a drive wheel that cooperates with said chain, and which is operatively connected to a drive motor, and in that two tensioner wheels are placed at each side of said drive wheel, where said ten- sioner wheels cooperate with the chain in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheels causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain or both the chain and the grabber arm is driven in one or the other direction.
- the invention is achieved a transfer system that may be used regardless of which of the two sides of the vehicle that faces the railway freight car, because it is possible to move the grabber arm in both directions by the claimed transfer system.
- the wordings "shipping container 1 , or 'standard shipping container 1 , or simply "container 1 are used interchangeably.
- an intermodal container freight container, ISO container or shipping container.
- intermodal indicates that the container can be moved from one mode of transport to another (from ship, to rail, to truck) without unloading and reloading the contents of the container, each of which has a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark.
- the container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), which is a unit of capacity equal to one standard 20 ft ⁇ 8 ft (6.10 m * 2.44 m) (length * width) container.
- TEU twenty-foot equivalent units
- a typical container has doors fitted at one end, and is constructed of corrugated weathering steel.
- the containers are typically 8 feet (2.44 m) wide by 8 feet (2.44 m) high, and either a nominal 20 feet (6.1 m) or 40 feet (12.19 m) long. They could be stacked up to seven units high. At each of the eight corners are castings with openings for twistlock fasteners.
- the "pallet wide” containers are about 2 inches (5 cm) wider than standard containers to accommodate for Euro-pallets common in Europe. These containers feature an internal width of 2440 mm for easy loading of two 1200 mm long pallets side by side- many sea shipping providers in Europe allow these, as overhangs on standard containers are sufficient and they fit in the usual interlock spaces. With the same floor panel, the side ribs of pallet-wide containers are embossed to the outside instead of being molded to the inside.
- a freight car By a freight car is meant a railway wagon configured to transport a standard shipping container. These freight cars could also be ordinary flat cars equipped with twistlocks accommodated to lock the containers to it.
- the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel.
- the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel.
- each of the tensioner wheels is hinged to a shaft, which is tensioned by a spring force, and preferably said spring force is dimensioned to ensure sufficient tightening of the chain.
- said spring force or said tensioner wheels are coupled to an activation mechanism which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction.
- the chain runs along the entire length of the grabber arm and over a turning wheel placed at each opposite end of said arm.
- the grabber arm is effectively embedded by or surrounded by the chain.
- a container can be moved both by a movement of the chain alone or by a movement of the grabbing arm alone, or by a simultaneous movement of both the chain and the grabbing arm.
- the container is moved by a movement of the chain alone, followed by a movement of the grabbing arm alone or vise versa, depending on whether the container is transferred to or from the vehicle.
- the transfer system according to the invention may further comprise wheel locking means for locking the turning wheels and thereby causing the grabber arm to move when the endless chain is driven.
- the wheel locking means are activated to lock the turning wheels when the grabber arm is moved from the vehicle into the opening in the frame placed under the freight container until the grabber arm reaches a position wherein the grabber arm engages the frame of the container, after which the wheel locking means are released and the container is pulled onto the vehicle by driving the chain in the opposite direction.
- At least one catch is fixed to the chain, said catch comprising a transversal shaft for engaging a feature of the frame under the container.
- Preferably, only one catch is attached to the chain.
- the catch is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft may follow the turning wheels to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm, and be inserted into an opening of the frame, where after it may be locked to said frame by a movement of the chain in the opposite direction.
- each of the grabbing arms is placed on an elongated console having a first and a second end and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm, said console comprising identical activation means placed at each end thereof, each said activation means being operatively connected to at least one container lock for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm slides past said activation means.
- said container locks engage the inner side of the frame of the container when the container is locked to the vehicle.
- the grabbing arm is operable to be moved in a direction away from the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that are furthest away from the railway freight car.
- the grabbing arm is operable to be moved in a direction towards the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to secondly deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that are closest to the railway freight car.
- the transfer system according to the invention may further comprise grabbing arm locking means which are operable to fix the grabbing arm relative to the vehicle when the wheel locking means are released in order to ensure that there is no movement of the grabbing arm when only the chain is to be moved; otherwise the arm will move as well due to inevitable friction.
- the transfer system according to the invention may in a further embodiment comprise at least one locking arm configured for engaging a special lock in the railway freight car in order to unlock the frame and thereby the container that is placed on the railway freight car.
- said locking arm furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car, to or from which the container is to be moved.
- the grabbing arms will be aligned with the openings in the frame under the container to be moved from a railway freight car.
- the vehicle or the transfer system further comprises at least two rails, whereon wheels placed under the frame of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle.
- the openings in the frame under the container are formed as an inverted T.
- the shaft of the catch can be inserted into the openings when it is placed in the position that is lower than the upper side of the grabber arm, and locked to the frame by moving the chain in a direction that forces the catch to move upwardly along the turning wheel until it engages the "narrow 1 part of the inverted T.
- the container may be moved by a movement of the catch via a movement of the chain and/or the grabbing arm.
- the vehicle is a truck, for example an electrically powered truck.
- the vehicle is a transfer vehicle configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car.
- a transfer vehicle is to be used at a central hub reloading station.
- the transfer vehicle may further comprise a plurality of wheels arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle, wherein said wheels are configured to engage the frame of the container when the transfer system onto which a container is placed is lowered, thereby enabling the container to roll off the transfer vehicle in a direction along the railway tracks.
- a whole freight train comprising a plurality of railway freight cars can be unloaded in a very short time by using a plurality of such transfer vehicles. This can be done by first and substantially simultaneously horizontally and transversally moving the containers from the railway freight cars, and then moving the containers on the wheels of the transfer vehicles, so that they will roll from one transfer vehicle to the next until they reach a stationary container transport system at the end of the first transfer vehicle. In this way, a whole freight train may be unloaded in a matter of minutes.
- At least some of said wheels of the transfer vehicle are operatively connected to a drive motor and control system for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels.
- the transfer system may further comprise such a stationary container transport system for transporting the containers to and from a parcel and goods management facility, where the containers are unloaded and reloaded for shipment to local stations, where they are transferred from the freight train to trucks for further distribution of the goods to the end consumer.
- the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel.
- each of the tensioner wheels is hinged to a shaft, which is tensioned by a spring force.
- said spring force or said tensioner wheels are coupled to an activation mechanism which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction.
- the chain runs along the entire length of the grabber arm and over a turning wheel placed at each opposite end of said arm.
- the turning wheels are locked by wheel locking means, thereby causing the grabber arm to move when the endless chain is driven.
- the method may, according to an embodiment, further comprise the steps of:
- At least one catch is fixed to the chain, said catch comprising a transversal shaft for engaging a feature of the frame under the container.
- the catch is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft follows the turning wheels to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm before the grabbing arm is moved into the opening in the frame under the container, whereafter the catch is locked to said frame by a movement of the chain in the opposite direction until the shaft of the catch is at the same level as the upper side of the grabbing arm.
- each of the grabbing arms is placed on an elongated console having a first and a second end, and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm, said console comprising identical activation means placed at each end thereof, each said activation means being operatively connected to at least one container lock for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm slides past said activation means.
- said container locks engage the inner side of the frame of the container when the container is locked to the vehicle.
- the method may according to an embodiment further comprise the step of moving the grabbing arm in a direction away from the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that is furthest away from the railway freight car.
- the grabbing arm is moved in a direction towards the railway freight car, to or from which railway freight car a container is to be moved in order to secondly deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that are closest to the railway freight car.
- the grabbing arm is locked relative to the vehicle by grabbing arm locking means, which are activated when or after the wheel locking means are released in order to ensure no movement of the grabbing arm when only the chain is to be moved. Otherwise the arm will move as well due to inevitable friction.
- At least one locking arm is moved from the vehicle towards the railway freight car for engaging a special lock in the railway freight car in order to unlock the frame and thereby the container that is placed on the railway freight car.
- said locking arm furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car, to or from which railway freight car the container is to be moved.
- the vehicle further comprises at least two rails, whereon wheels placed under the frame of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle.
- the openings in the frame under the container are formed as an inverted T.
- the vehicle is a truck.
- the vehicle is a transfer vehicle configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car.
- the method may according to a further embodiment comprise the steps of:
- the container frame engages a plurality of wheels arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle, and - spinning at least some of said wheels by a drive mechanism, whereby the container rolls off the transfer vehicle in a direction along the railway tracks.
- At least some of said wheels of the transfer vehicle are operatively connected to a drive motor and control system for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels.
- the method according to the invention may further comprise the steps of transporting the container on a stationary container transport system to and from a parcel and goods management facility.
- Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention
- Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention
- Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention
- Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a frame for a container
- Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention placed on the chassis of a vehicle
- Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention, which further comprises a locking arm
- Fig. 7 shows how the catch is engaged and locked to the openings in the side sections of the container frame
- Fig. 8 shows how the catch is engaged and locked to the openings in the side sections of the container frame
- Fig. 9 shows a container frame which has been partly pulled over onto a
- Fig. 10 shows an end view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle
- Fig. 11 shows a close up of a detail of a transfer vehicle
- Fig. 12 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle
- Fig. 13 shows an end view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle, wherein the transfer system has been lowered
- Fig. 14 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle wherein the transfer system has been lowered
- Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a transfer vehicle, without the transfer system attached to it.
- Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a transfer system 2 according to the invention, i.e. a transfer system 2 for horizontally and transversaliy transferring a freight container (not shown) between a railway freight car (not shown) and a vehicle (not shown).
- the illustrated transfer system 2 is placed on the vehicle, e.g. a truck, and comprises at least two grabber arms 4 which are movable only in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container.
- the movement of each of the at least two grabber arms 4 is accomplished by a endless chain 6 which is driven by a drive wheel 8 that cooperates with said chain 6 and which is operatively connected to a drive motor (not shown).
- the transfer system 2 also comprises two tensioner wheels 10 which are placed at each side of said drive wheel 8, where said tensioner wheels 10 cooperate with the chain 6 in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheels 10 causes a tightening of the chain 6, depending on whether the chain 6, or both the chain 6 and the grabber arm 4, is driven in one or the other direction.
- One catch 12 is fixed to the chain 6.
- the catch comprises a transversal shaft 14 for engaging a feature of the frame under the container to be moved.
- the drive wheel 8 and tensioner wheels 10 are sprocket wheels, which cooperate with the individual links of the chain 6.
- a transfer system 2 is achieved wherein the grabbing arm 4 (and/or chain 6) can move in two opposite directions, without risking losing the chain 6, which could otherwise fall off the drive wheel 8 when the chain 6 is driven in the opposite direction.
- This situation is, however, precluded by letting the two tensioner wheels 10 cooperate with the chain 6 in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheel 10 causes a tightening of the chain 6 in dependence of whether the chain 6 and the grabber arm 4 is driven in one or the other direction.
- the tensioner wheels 10 are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel 8. Hereby is achieved a symmetrical tensioning of the chain 6 when the direction of movement of it is changed.
- each of the tensioner wheels 10 is hinged to a shaft 16, which is tensioned by a spring force, and preferably said spring force is dimensioned to ensure sufficient tightening of the chain 6.
- Said spring force or said tensioner wheels 10 are coupled to an activation mechanism (not shown), which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels 10 in dependence of whether the chain 6 is driven in one or the other direction.
- the tensioner wheels 10 are not tensioned by a spring force, but tensioned by other means, e.g. hydraulic piston and cylinder means.
- the tensioner wheels 0 are thereafter fixed (in a 'tensioned state 1 ) by bolt and nut means.
- the chain 6 runs along the entire length of the grabber arm 4 and over a turning wheel 18 placed at each opposite end of said grabber arm 4.
- the grabber arm 4 effectively is embedded by or surrounded by the chain 6.
- a container can be moved both by a movement of the chain 6 alone or by a movement of the grabbing arm 4 alone, or by a simultaneous movement of both the chain 6 and the grabbing arm 4.
- the container is moved by a movement of the chain 6 alone followed by a movement of the grabbing arm 4 alone or vise versa, depending on whether the container is transferred to or from the vehicle.
- the grabber arm 4 is attached to a console 20.
- the transfer system 2 comprises wheel locking means 22, for locking the turning wheels 18, and thereby causing the grabber arm 4 to move when the endless chain 6 is driven by the drive wheel 8.
- the wheel locking means 22 comprises a cylinder 24 and pin 26.
- the pin 26 can upon activation of the cylinder be moved in between the sprockets of the turning wheel 18, whereby a movement of the chain by the drive wheel 8 will cause a movement of the grabber arm 4.
- the transfer system 2 may further comprise grabbing arm locking means 28, which are operable to fix the grabbing arm 4 relative to the vehicle, when the wheel locking means 22 are released in order to ensure no movement of the grabbing arm 4, when only the chain 6 is to be moved- otherwise the grabbing arm 4 will move as well due to inevitable friction.
- the illustrated grabbing arm locking means 28 is embodied as a cylinder and pin, where the pin is configured to engage an aperture in the grabbing arm 4 when the cylinder is activated.
- the illustrated grabbing arm 4 is placed on an elongated console 20 having a first and a second end 30, 32, and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm 4.
- the console 20 comprises identical activation means 34 placed at each end 30, 32 thereof.
- Each of these activation means 34 is operatively connected to at least one container lock 36 for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm 4 slides past said activation means 34.
- By operatively linking the container locks 36 on the vehicle to the movement of the grabbing arm 4 it is ensured that a proper activatton/de-activation of the container locks 36 are achieved, when moving the container to or from the vehicle.
- the container locks 36 are configured to engage the inner side of the frame of the container, when the container is locked to the vehicle.
- Fig. 4 shows a frame 38 for a container ⁇ not shown).
- the illustrated frame 38 is rectangular and configured to accommodate a 40 foot shipping container.
- the frame 38 can in some embodiments form an integral part of the bottom part of a container or may as illustrated be a separate unit, which is fixed to a container to be used in connection with the inventive transfer system 2.
- the frame 38 comprises two side sections 42, which are connected by two end sections 44. At least two openings 40 are provided in each of the frame side sections 42. These openings 40 are embodied as an inverted T.
- the shaft 14 of the catch 12 can be inserted into the openings 40, when it is placed in the position, which is lower than the upper side of the grabber arm 40, and locked to the frame 38 by moving the chain 6 in a direction, which forces the catch 12 to move upwardly along the turning wheel 18 until it engages the "narrow 1 part of the inverted T. Then the container may be moved by a movement of the catch 12 via a movement of the chain 6 and/or the grabbing arm 4.
- the frame 38 is also equipped with a plurality of wheels 46 arranged on suitable beams 48, which extend between the two side sections 42 of the frame 38.
- the wheels 46 placed under the frame 38 of the container are configured to roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle.
- the vehicle or the transfer system 2 further comprises at least two rails, on which said wheels can roll at least during parts of the horizontal and transversal movement of the container between the vehicle and railway freight car.
- Fig. 5 shows a transfer system 2 according to the invention placed on a chassis 50 of a vehicle.
- the vehicle is placed next to a railway freight car 52, on which a container is placed.
- a container is placed next to a railway freight car 52, on which a container is placed.
- All the container locks 36 are operatively connected via the axle 54.
- the shaft 14 of the catch 12 is more clearly visible.
- the rails 56 whereon the wheels 46 placed under the frame 38 of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from the vehicle.
- the railway freight car 52 is equipped with a special lock 58, which has a gripper 60, which is configured to engage an aperture in the side section 42 of the frame 38 for locking the container frame 38 and thereby the attached container (not shown) to the railway freight car 52 during transport.
- a special lock 58 which has a gripper 60, which is configured to engage an aperture in the side section 42 of the frame 38 for locking the container frame 38 and thereby the attached container (not shown) to the railway freight car 52 during transport.
- the transfer system 2 further comprises at least one locking arm 62 configured for engaging the special lock 58 in the railway freight car 52 in order to unlock the frame 38 and thereby the container that is placed on the railway freight car 52.
- the locking arm 62 is inserted into the lock 58, the gripper 60 is forced to disengage the aperture 64 in the side section 42 of the frame 38, and lowered below the frame 38. This way the frame 38 has been released in the side, which faces the vehicle, where the transfer system 2 is placed. It still remains locked at the opposite side, whereby it is precluded that it may slide off the railway freight car 52.
- the engagement of the locking arm 62 with the lock 58 furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car 52 from which the illustrated frame 38 and container (not shown) is to be moved.
- the grabbing arms 4 will be aligned with the openings 40 in the frame 38 under the container to be moved from the railway freight car 52.
- Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 shows how the catch 12 is engaged and locked to the opening 40 in the side section 42 of the frame 38.
- the wheel locking means 22 are activated to lock the turning wheels 18 when the grabber arm 4 is moved from the vehicle into the opening 40 in the frame 38 placed under the freight container until the grabber arm 4 reaches a position wherein the grabber arm 4 engages the frame 38 of the container, after which the wheel locking means 18 are released, and the container is pulled onto the vehicle by driving the chain 6 in the opposite direction.
- a simple, effective and reliable way of moving the grabber arm 4 is achieved by moving the chain 6.
- the catch 12 is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft 14 may follow the turning wheels 18 to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm 4 and be inserted into the opening 40 of the frame 38, where after it may be locked to said frame 38 by a movement of the chain 6 in the opposite direction.
- the shaft 14 of the catch 12 is in the lower position, where it may enter the opening 40 at the "wide" part of the inverted T.
- the grabbing arm 4 is operable to be moved in a direction away from the railway freight car 52, from which freight car 52, the container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) 36 in the side of the vehicle, which are furthest away from the railway freight car 52. Then, when the grabbing arm 4 is moved in a direction towards the railway freight car 52 it will slide past said activation means 34 and thereby secondly deactivate the container lock(s) 36 in the side of the vehicle, which are closest to the railway freight car 52.
- the container locks 36 in the side which is necessary for the movement of the container, is de-activated.
- Fig. 9 shows a container frame 38, which have been partly pulled over onto a vehicle 66.
- the grabber arm 4 is fixed in its extended position, while the container frame 38 is pulled over onto the vehicle 66.
- the illustrated vehicle 66 is a truck, which for example could be an electrically powered truck.
- a container has to be moved from the vehicle 66, such as the illustrated truck
- the transversal shaft 14 of the catch 2 is used to push on the outer side of the side section 42, where said shaft 14 will engage the narrow, upper part of the inverted T.
- the illustrated form of the openings 40 in the side section 42 is configured to cooperate with the catch 12 in such a way that it enables a user to either transfer a container from the vehicle 66 to a railway freight car 52 or from a railway freight car 52 to a vehicle 66 using the same transfer system 2.
- Fig. 10 shows an end view of another embodiment, wherein the transfer system 2 according to the invention is placed on a special transfer vehicle 68.
- the transfer vehicle 68 comprises a number of wheels 70 configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car 52.
- Such a transfer vehicle 68 is to be used at a central hub reloading station.
- the transfer vehicle may further comprise a plurality of wheels 72 arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle 68 as illustrated in the close up Fig. 11.
- Fig. 12 shows a side view of such a transfer vehicle 68, with a container frame 38 on top of it.
- Fig. 13 and 14 show the transfer vehicle 68, where the transfer system 2 onto which the frame 38 is placed is lowered so that the wheels 72 engage the frame 38 of the container (not shown), thereby enabling the frame 38 (with a container) to roll off the transfer vehicle 68 in a direction along the railway tracks.
- a whole freight train comprising a plurality of railway freight cars 52 can be unloaded in a very short time by using a plurality of such transfer vehicles 68.
- At least some of said wheels 72 of the transfer vehicle 68 are operatively connected to a drive motor (not shown) and control system (not shown) for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels 72.
- Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of such a transfer vehicle 68, without the transfer system 2 attached to it.
- the wheels 72 which are configured to engage the side sections 42 of the frame 38 of a container, are clearly visible, and it is clearly visible that these wheels 72 enable the container frame 38, and thereby a container attached to it, to move along the longitudinal extension of the transfer vehicle, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the direction, a container is transferred between a railway freight car 52 and the transfer vehicle 68.
- rolling wheels of the transfer vehicle configured for engaging the side sections of the frame, when the transfer system is lowered.
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Abstract
The invention pertains to a transfer system (2) for horizontally and transversally transferring a freight container between a railway freight car (52) and a vehicle (66). The transfer system is placed on the vehicle and comprises at least two grabber arms (4) which are movable only in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle. The movement of the grabber arms is accomplished by an endless chain (6) driven by a drive wheel (8) connected to a drive motor. Two tensioner wheels (10) are placed at each side of said drive wheel, where said tensioner wheels cooperate with the chain in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheel causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction. The invention also pertains to a method of transferring a freight container between a railway freight car and a vehicle.
Description
CONTAINER TRANSFER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ITS OPERATION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention pertains to a system for transferring freight containers to and 5 from a railway freight car, in particular between a truck and a railway freight car.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently, no standard solutions exist for the integration of truck and rail goods transit) fer, and the two are most often seen as competing methods of transporting goods.
One solution involves transporting the truck trailer on a special railway freight car. Normally, the freight container is transferred between a truck and a railway freight car by means of lifting cranes and can therefore only be done at locations where such cranes are present. These locations are normally not widespread, because the installs lation, maintenance and operation of lifting cranes are rather expensive.
In order to alleviate the use of cranes, a few concepts of transferring freight containers between trucks and a railway freight car have been developed, as briefly discussed below.
20
Instead of transporting whole trucks on railway tracks, another concept has been tried in USA, where only the 'buggy" with the container was transferred to a specially built railway freight car. The 'buggy and container is transferred to and from the railway freight car by means of large and powerful mobile units or traditional lifting cranes. 25 Handling of the containers this way is time-consuming, and the solution is not energy efficient since the freight train needs to move the additional weight of the "buggy'.
Another container transfer system employs a swivel function. Such a system is for example described in WO 2005/097575, which utilizes a special railway wagon having a
30 so-called swap body, which may be swiveled to one of the sides of the wagon. The container is then transferred end-wise to this swap body, after which it is swiveled back to the special railway wagon. In order to support the swap body when it is swiveled away from the train wagon, the swap body is equipped with a number of supporting legs. Although this and similar systems are commercially available, they are not
35 widespread, because terminal investment costs are huge attributable to the need for providing a special railway train wagon having this swivel functionality. Furthermore it
requires an extensive parking area which must be able to accommodate a large number of trucks.
In US 1 ,830,740 is disclosed transfer wagon, by which containers may be transferred from a warehouse to a railway freight car, or vise versa. The transfer wagon is placed on a railway track alongside the railway track, on which the freight train is placed, and the containers are transferred sideways to and from the freight cars.
In US 4,130,208 is disclosed another transfer wagon. In a typical operation, freight containers are transferred substantially horizontally and sideways between a railway freight car and the transfer wagon. Then the transfer wagon is moved to a parking place of a truck and aligned along the side of the boogie of the truck and transferred substantially horizontally and sideways from the transfer wagon to the truck. In US 4,522,546 a system is described for transfer of containers to and from flatcars of a freight train halted on a main track by means of sets of self-propelled transfer vehicles running on ancillary tracks in parallel with the main track, wherein said transfer vehicles are equipped with supporting arms extendable transversely to the tracks, enabling movement of a selected container onto such vehicle from a flatcar aligned therewith, or vice versa, from the vehicle to the flatcar. Said supporting arms can extend half of their length to span the main track and to project underneath a container on a flatcar, whereupon the arms are elevated by jacks in order to release the container from stationary sills and to shift it together with the arms moving back on the corresponding transfer vehicle and resting on said vehicle. Moreover, the container can be transferred between transfer vehicles on neighboring tracks, and between a transfer vehicle and a roadside truck. Said system faces balance problems during transfer operations, which are counteracted by means of railhead-gripping jaws on the transfer vehicles. In WO 201 1/064621 is disclosed a transfer vehicle for transferring a freight container from a railway flatcar horizontally and sideways onto said transfer vehicle. When placed on the transfer vehicle, the bottom of the transfer vehicle can be lowered, and the container can roll of the transfer vehicle along the longitudinal direction of it. EP 2 108 605 shows a freight container, which is transferred horizontally and sideways directly from a railway freight car and a truck.
In WO 96/02445 is described a method and device for transferring a freight container from a railway freight car to a truck. The transfer device is placed on a truck, and it comprises a telescopically extendable arm, which like the forks of a forklift is extended and placed under a container to be transferred. The system employs special twist locks, which may be lowered (vertically movable) when the arm is placed under the container, whereby the container will be free to move horizontally from the railway freight car to the truck.
Despite all the commercial and pre-commercial solutions already known in the art, all of them suffer from drawbacks, such as high energy consumption, complex design being difficult and expensive to maintain, and terminal investments such as integration with equipment already in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a system for transferring freight containers to and from a railway freight car, in particular between a truck and a railway freight car, which is environmentally friendly, cost effective, flexible and easy to operate.
According to the present invention, the above-mentioned and other objects are fulfilled by a transfer system for horizontally and transversally transferring a freight container between a railway freight car and a vehicle, said transfer system being placed on said vehicle and comprising at least two grabber arms which are movable only in a direc- tion transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container, wherein the movement of each of the at least two grabber arms is accomplished by a endless chain which is driven by a drive wheel that cooperates with said chain, and which is operatively connected to a drive motor, and in that two tensioner wheels are placed at each side of said drive wheel, where said ten- sioner wheels cooperate with the chain in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheels causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain or both the chain and the grabber arm is driven in one or the other direction.
When a chain is driven in one direction, it will only be tensioned at one side of the drive wheel. (This situation is for example known to anyone who owns a standard bicycle, wherein the chain is tight above the drive wheel and relaxed under it).
By using two tensioner wheels, one at each side of the drive wheel, a transfer system is achieved wherein the grabbing arm can move in two opposite directions, without risking losing the chain, which could otherwise fall off the drive wheel when the chain is driven in the opposite direction. This situation is, however, precluded by letting the two tensioner wheels cooperate with the chain in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheel causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain, and thereby the grabber arm, is driven in one or the other direction. Accordingly, by the invention is achieved a transfer system that may be used regardless of which of the two sides of the vehicle that faces the railway freight car, because it is possible to move the grabber arm in both directions by the claimed transfer system. This greatly increases the flexibility of the system as compared to those known in the art.
Throughout the present patent specification the wordings "shipping container1, or 'standard shipping container1, or simply "container1 are used interchangeably. By this is meant what commonly is called an intermodal container, freight container, ISO container or shipping container. In essence, it is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system. "Intermodal" indicates that the container can be moved from one mode of transport to another (from ship, to rail, to truck) without unloading and reloading the contents of the container, each of which has a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark. The container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), which is a unit of capacity equal to one standard 20 ft χ 8 ft (6.10 m * 2.44 m) (length * width) container.
A typical container has doors fitted at one end, and is constructed of corrugated weathering steel. The containers are typically 8 feet (2.44 m) wide by 8 feet (2.44 m) high, and either a nominal 20 feet (6.1 m) or 40 feet (12.19 m) long. They could be stacked up to seven units high. At each of the eight corners are castings with openings for twistlock fasteners.
The "pallet wide" containers are about 2 inches (5 cm) wider than standard containers to accommodate for Euro-pallets common in Europe. These containers feature an internal width of 2440 mm for easy loading of two 1200 mm long pallets side by side- many sea shipping providers in Europe allow these, as overhangs on standard containers are sufficient and they fit in the usual interlock spaces. With the same floor
panel, the side ribs of pallet-wide containers are embossed to the outside instead of being molded to the inside.
By a freight car is meant a railway wagon configured to transport a standard shipping container. These freight cars could also be ordinary flat cars equipped with twistlocks accommodated to lock the containers to it.
In a preferred embodiment of the transfer system according the invention, the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel. Hereby is achieved a symmetrical tensioning of the chain when the direction of movement of it is changed.
Preferably, each of the tensioner wheels is hinged to a shaft, which is tensioned by a spring force, and preferably said spring force is dimensioned to ensure sufficient tightening of the chain.
In another preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, said spring force or said tensioner wheels are coupled to an activation mechanism which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction.
Preferably, the chain runs along the entire length of the grabber arm and over a turning wheel placed at each opposite end of said arm. Hereby is achieved that the grabber arm is effectively embedded by or surrounded by the chain. Hereby is achieved that a container can be moved both by a movement of the chain alone or by a movement of the grabbing arm alone, or by a simultaneous movement of both the chain and the grabbing arm. However, preferably the container is moved by a movement of the chain alone, followed by a movement of the grabbing arm alone or vise versa, depending on whether the container is transferred to or from the vehicle.
In another embodiment, the transfer system according to the invention may further comprise wheel locking means for locking the turning wheels and thereby causing the grabber arm to move when the endless chain is driven.
In a further embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the wheel locking means are activated to lock the turning wheels when the grabber arm is moved
from the vehicle into the opening in the frame placed under the freight container until the grabber arm reaches a position wherein the grabber arm engages the frame of the container, after which the wheel locking means are released and the container is pulled onto the vehicle by driving the chain in the opposite direction. Hereby a simple, effective and reliable way of moving the grabber arm is achieved by moving the chain.
In a further preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, at least one catch is fixed to the chain, said catch comprising a transversal shaft for engaging a feature of the frame under the container. Preferably, only one catch is attached to the chain.
!n a further preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the catch is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft may follow the turning wheels to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm, and be inserted into an opening of the frame, where after it may be locked to said frame by a movement of the chain in the opposite direction.
In a further preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, each of the grabbing arms is placed on an elongated console having a first and a second end and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm, said console comprising identical activation means placed at each end thereof, each said activation means being operatively connected to at least one container lock for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm slides past said activation means. By operatively linking the container locks on the vehicle to the movement of the grabbing arm, it is ensured that a proper activation/de- activation of the container locks is achieved when moving the container to or from the vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, said container locks engage the inner side of the frame of the container when the container is locked to the vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the grabbing arm is operable to be moved in a direction away from the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that are furthest away from the railway freight car.
In a further embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the grabbing arm is operable to be moved in a direction towards the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to secondly deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that are closest to the railway freight car.
Hereby is ensured that only the container lock in the side that is necessary for the movement of the container is de-activated. The transfer system according to the invention may further comprise grabbing arm locking means which are operable to fix the grabbing arm relative to the vehicle when the wheel locking means are released in order to ensure that there is no movement of the grabbing arm when only the chain is to be moved; otherwise the arm will move as well due to inevitable friction.
The transfer system according to the invention may in a further embodiment comprise at least one locking arm configured for engaging a special lock in the railway freight car in order to unlock the frame and thereby the container that is placed on the railway freight car. In a further preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, said locking arm furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car, to or from which the container is to be moved. Hereby is achieved that the grabbing arms will be aligned with the openings in the frame under the container to be moved from a railway freight car. In a further embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the vehicle or the transfer system further comprises at least two rails, whereon wheels placed under the frame of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle. In a further preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the openings in the frame under the container are formed as an inverted T. Hereby the shaft of the catch can be inserted into the openings when it is placed in the position that is lower than the upper side of the grabber arm, and locked to the frame by moving the chain in a direction that forces the catch to move upwardly along the turning wheel until it engages the "narrow1 part of the inverted T. Then the container
may be moved by a movement of the catch via a movement of the chain and/or the grabbing arm.
In a further preferred embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the vehicle is a truck, for example an electrically powered truck.
In another embodiment of the transfer system according to the invention, the vehicle is a transfer vehicle configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car. Such a transfer vehicle is to be used at a central hub reloading station.
The transfer vehicle may further comprise a plurality of wheels arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle, wherein said wheels are configured to engage the frame of the container when the transfer system onto which a container is placed is lowered, thereby enabling the container to roll off the transfer vehicle in a direction along the railway tracks. Preferably, a whole freight train comprising a plurality of railway freight cars can be unloaded in a very short time by using a plurality of such transfer vehicles. This can be done by first and substantially simultaneously horizontally and transversally moving the containers from the railway freight cars, and then moving the containers on the wheels of the transfer vehicles, so that they will roll from one transfer vehicle to the next until they reach a stationary container transport system at the end of the first transfer vehicle. In this way, a whole freight train may be unloaded in a matter of minutes.
At least some of said wheels of the transfer vehicle are operatively connected to a drive motor and control system for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels.
The transfer system may further comprise such a stationary container transport system for transporting the containers to and from a parcel and goods management facility, where the containers are unloaded and reloaded for shipment to local stations, where they are transferred from the freight train to trucks for further distribution of the goods to the end consumer.
The above-mentioned and further advantages are achieved by a method of horizontally and transversally transferring a freight container between a railway freight car and a vehicle having a transfer system placed on said vehicle, the transfer system
comprising at least two grabber arms which are moved only in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container, wherein the movement of each of the at least two grabber arms is accomplished by driving a endless chain by a drive wheel which cooperates with said chain, which drive wheel is operatively connected to a drive motor, and in that two tensioner wheels placed at each side of said drive wheel are successively activated in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheel causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain, or both the chain and the grabber arm, is driven towards the railway freight car or away from the railway freight car.
In a preferred embodiment of method according to the invention, the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel.
In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, each of the tensioner wheels is hinged to a shaft, which is tensioned by a spring force.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, said spring force or said tensioner wheels are coupled to an activation mechanism which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the chain runs along the entire length of the grabber arm and over a turning wheel placed at each opposite end of said arm.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the turning wheels are locked by wheel locking means, thereby causing the grabber arm to move when the endless chain is driven. The method may, according to an embodiment, further comprise the steps of:
- activating the wheel locking means in order to lock the turning wheels when the grabber arm is moved from the vehicle into the opening in the frame placed under the freight container,
- keeping the turning wheels locked until the grabber arm reaches a certain position under the container, and then
- releasing the wheel locking means, and then
- pulling the container onto the vehicle by driving the chain in the opposite direction.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least one catch is fixed to the chain, said catch comprising a transversal shaft for engaging a feature of the frame under the container.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the catch is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft follows the turning wheels to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm before the grabbing arm is moved into the opening in the frame under the container, whereafter the catch is locked to said frame by a movement of the chain in the opposite direction until the shaft of the catch is at the same level as the upper side of the grabbing arm.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, each of the grabbing arms is placed on an elongated console having a first and a second end, and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm, said console comprising identical activation means placed at each end thereof, each said activation means being operatively connected to at least one container lock for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm slides past said activation means.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, said container locks engage the inner side of the frame of the container when the container is locked to the vehicle.
The method may according to an embodiment further comprise the step of moving the grabbing arm in a direction away from the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that is furthest away from the railway freight car.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the grabbing arm is moved in a direction towards the railway freight car, to or from which railway freight car a container is to be moved in order to secondly deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that are closest to the railway freight car.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the grabbing arm is locked relative to the vehicle by grabbing arm locking means, which are activated when or after the wheel locking means are released in order to ensure no movement of the grabbing arm when only the chain is to be moved. Otherwise the arm will move as well due to inevitable friction.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least one locking arm is moved from the vehicle towards the railway freight car for engaging a special lock in the railway freight car in order to unlock the frame and thereby the container that is placed on the railway freight car.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, said locking arm furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car, to or from which railway freight car the container is to be moved.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the vehicle further comprises at least two rails, whereon wheels placed under the frame of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle. In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the openings in the frame under the container are formed as an inverted T.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the vehicle is a truck.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the vehicle is a transfer vehicle configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car. The method may according to a further embodiment comprise the steps of:
- lowering the transfer system when a container has been pulled onto the transfer vehicle,
- whereby the container frame engages a plurality of wheels arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle, and
- spinning at least some of said wheels by a drive mechanism, whereby the container rolls off the transfer vehicle in a direction along the railway tracks.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least some of said wheels of the transfer vehicle are operatively connected to a drive motor and control system for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels.
The method according to the invention may further comprise the steps of transporting the container on a stationary container transport system to and from a parcel and goods management facility.
BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings. In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention,
Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention,
Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a frame for a container,
Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention placed on the chassis of a vehicle,
Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a transfer system according to the invention, which further comprises a locking arm,
Fig. 7 shows how the catch is engaged and locked to the openings in the side sections of the container frame,
Fig. 8 shows how the catch is engaged and locked to the openings in the side sections of the container frame,
Fig. 9 shows a container frame which has been partly pulled over onto a
vehicle,
Fig. 10 shows an end view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle,
Fig. 11 shows a close up of a detail of a transfer vehicle,
Fig. 12 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle,
Fig. 13 shows an end view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle, wherein the transfer system has been lowered,
Fig. 14 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transfer vehicle wherein the transfer system has been lowered, and
Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a transfer vehicle, without the transfer system attached to it.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure.
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a transfer system 2 according to the invention, i.e. a transfer system 2 for horizontally and transversaliy transferring a freight container (not shown) between a railway freight car (not shown) and a vehicle (not shown). The illustrated transfer system 2 is placed on the vehicle, e.g. a truck, and comprises at least two grabber arms 4 which are movable only in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container. The movement of each of the at least two grabber arms 4 is accomplished by a endless chain 6 which is driven by a drive wheel 8 that cooperates with said chain 6 and which is operatively connected to a drive motor (not shown). The transfer system 2 also comprises two tensioner wheels 10 which are placed at each side of said drive wheel 8, where said tensioner wheels 10 cooperate with the chain 6 in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheels 10 causes a tightening of the chain 6, depending on whether the chain 6, or both the chain 6 and the grabber arm 4, is driven in one or the other direction.
One catch 12 is fixed to the chain 6. The catch comprises a transversal shaft 14 for engaging a feature of the frame under the container to be moved.
The drive wheel 8 and tensioner wheels 10 are sprocket wheels, which cooperate with the individual links of the chain 6.
By using two tensioner wheels 0, one at each side of the drive wheel 8, a transfer system 2 is achieved wherein the grabbing arm 4 (and/or chain 6) can move in two opposite directions, without risking losing the chain 6, which could otherwise fall off the drive wheel 8 when the chain 6 is driven in the opposite direction. This situation is, however, precluded by letting the two tensioner wheels 10 cooperate with the chain 6 in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheel 10 causes a tightening of the chain 6 in dependence of whether the chain 6 and the grabber arm 4 is driven in one or the other direction. Accordingly, it is by the invention achieved a transfer system that may be used irrespective of which of the two sides of the vehicle faces the railway freight car, because it is possible to move the grabber arm 4 in both directions by the claimed transfer system 2. This greatly increases the flexibility of the system 2 as compared to those known in the art.
The tensioner wheels 10 are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel 8. Hereby is achieved a symmetrical tensioning of the chain 6 when the direction of movement of it is changed. Preferably, each of the tensioner wheels 10 is hinged to a shaft 16, which is tensioned by a spring force, and preferably said spring force is dimensioned to ensure sufficient tightening of the chain 6. Said spring force or said tensioner wheels 10 are coupled to an activation mechanism (not shown), which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels 10 in dependence of whether the chain 6 is driven in one or the other direction. However, in an alternative preferred embodiment the tensioner wheels 10 are not tensioned by a spring force, but tensioned by other means, e.g. hydraulic piston and cylinder means. Preferably, the tensioner wheels 0 are thereafter fixed (in a 'tensioned state1) by bolt and nut means.
The chain 6 runs along the entire length of the grabber arm 4 and over a turning wheel 18 placed at each opposite end of said grabber arm 4. Hereby is achieved that the grabber arm 4 effectively is embedded by or surrounded by the chain 6. Hereby is achieved that a container can be moved both by a movement of the chain 6 alone or by a movement of the grabbing arm 4 alone, or by a simultaneous movement of both the chain 6 and the grabbing arm 4. However, preferably the container is moved by a movement of the chain 6 alone followed by a movement of the grabbing arm 4 alone
or vise versa, depending on whether the container is transferred to or from the vehicle. The grabber arm 4 is attached to a console 20.
The transfer system 2 comprises wheel locking means 22, for locking the turning wheels 18, and thereby causing the grabber arm 4 to move when the endless chain 6 is driven by the drive wheel 8. As better illustrated in Fig. 2 the wheel locking means 22 comprises a cylinder 24 and pin 26. The pin 26 can upon activation of the cylinder be moved in between the sprockets of the turning wheel 18, whereby a movement of the chain by the drive wheel 8 will cause a movement of the grabber arm 4.
The transfer system 2 according to the invention may further comprise grabbing arm locking means 28, which are operable to fix the grabbing arm 4 relative to the vehicle, when the wheel locking means 22 are released in order to ensure no movement of the grabbing arm 4, when only the chain 6 is to be moved- otherwise the grabbing arm 4 will move as well due to inevitable friction. The illustrated grabbing arm locking means 28 is embodied as a cylinder and pin, where the pin is configured to engage an aperture in the grabbing arm 4 when the cylinder is activated.
As may be seen in Fig. 3, the illustrated grabbing arm 4 is placed on an elongated console 20 having a first and a second end 30, 32, and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm 4. The console 20 comprises identical activation means 34 placed at each end 30, 32 thereof. Each of these activation means 34 is operatively connected to at least one container lock 36 for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm 4 slides past said activation means 34. By operatively linking the container locks 36 on the vehicle to the movement of the grabbing arm 4 it is ensured that a proper activatton/de-activation of the container locks 36 are achieved, when moving the container to or from the vehicle. The container locks 36 are configured to engage the inner side of the frame of the container, when the container is locked to the vehicle.
Fig. 4 shows a frame 38 for a container {not shown). The illustrated frame 38 is rectangular and configured to accommodate a 40 foot shipping container. The frame 38 can in some embodiments form an integral part of the bottom part of a container or may as illustrated be a separate unit, which is fixed to a container to be used in connection with the inventive transfer system 2. The frame 38 comprises two side sections 42, which are connected by two end sections 44. At least two openings 40
are provided in each of the frame side sections 42. These openings 40 are embodied as an inverted T. Since the openings 40 in the frame 38 under the container are formed as an inverted T, the shaft 14 of the catch 12 can be inserted into the openings 40, when it is placed in the position, which is lower than the upper side of the grabber arm 40, and locked to the frame 38 by moving the chain 6 in a direction, which forces the catch 12 to move upwardly along the turning wheel 18 until it engages the "narrow1 part of the inverted T. Then the container may be moved by a movement of the catch 12 via a movement of the chain 6 and/or the grabbing arm 4. The frame 38 is also equipped with a plurality of wheels 46 arranged on suitable beams 48, which extend between the two side sections 42 of the frame 38. The wheels 46 placed under the frame 38 of the container are configured to roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle. As will be illustrated in further embodiments of the transfer system 2 according to the invention, the vehicle or the transfer system 2 further comprises at least two rails, on which said wheels can roll at least during parts of the horizontal and transversal movement of the container between the vehicle and railway freight car.
Fig. 5 shows a transfer system 2 according to the invention placed on a chassis 50 of a vehicle. The vehicle is placed next to a railway freight car 52, on which a container is placed. In order to increase the intelligibility of the illustration, only the frame 38 of the container is shown. All the container locks 36 are operatively connected via the axle 54. In this illustration the shaft 14 of the catch 12 is more clearly visible. Also illustrated are the rails 56 whereon the wheels 46 placed under the frame 38 of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from the vehicle. The railway freight car 52 is equipped with a special lock 58, which has a gripper 60, which is configured to engage an aperture in the side section 42 of the frame 38 for locking the container frame 38 and thereby the attached container (not shown) to the railway freight car 52 during transport.
As Illustrated in Fig. 6, the transfer system 2 according to an embodiment of the invention, further comprises at least one locking arm 62 configured for engaging the special lock 58 in the railway freight car 52 in order to unlock the frame 38 and thereby the container that is placed on the railway freight car 52. When the locking arm 62 is inserted into the lock 58, the gripper 60 is forced to disengage the aperture 64 in the side section 42 of the frame 38, and lowered below the frame 38. This way the frame
38 has been released in the side, which faces the vehicle, where the transfer system 2 is placed. It still remains locked at the opposite side, whereby it is precluded that it may slide off the railway freight car 52. The engagement of the locking arm 62 with the lock 58 furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car 52 from which the illustrated frame 38 and container (not shown) is to be moved. Hereby is achieved that the grabbing arms 4 will be aligned with the openings 40 in the frame 38 under the container to be moved from the railway freight car 52.
Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 shows how the catch 12 is engaged and locked to the opening 40 in the side section 42 of the frame 38. Initially the wheel locking means 22 are activated to lock the turning wheels 18 when the grabber arm 4 is moved from the vehicle into the opening 40 in the frame 38 placed under the freight container until the grabber arm 4 reaches a position wherein the grabber arm 4 engages the frame 38 of the container, after which the wheel locking means 18 are released, and the container is pulled onto the vehicle by driving the chain 6 in the opposite direction. Hereby a simple, effective and reliable way of moving the grabber arm 4 is achieved by moving the chain 6.
In the illustrated embodiment, the catch 12 is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft 14 may follow the turning wheels 18 to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm 4 and be inserted into the opening 40 of the frame 38, where after it may be locked to said frame 38 by a movement of the chain 6 in the opposite direction. In Fig. 7 the shaft 14 of the catch 12 is in the lower position, where it may enter the opening 40 at the "wide" part of the inverted T. Thereafter the movement of the grabbing arm 4 is stopped, ant it is held fixed in that position, while only the chain 6 is moved- now in the opposite direction, thereby pulling the catch 12 and thereby the shaft 14 in up over the turning wheel 18 until it reaches the upper side of the grabbing arm 4 (se Fig. 8). In this position the shaft 14 of the catch 12 will engage the narrow part of the inverted T shaped opening 40, and the frame and thereby the container attached to it may be pulled by moving the chain 6 and/or the grabbing arm 4.
In the illustrated embodiment of the transfer system 2 the grabbing arm 4 is operable to be moved in a direction away from the railway freight car 52, from which freight car 52, the container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) 36 in the side of the vehicle, which are furthest away from the railway freight car 52. Then,
when the grabbing arm 4 is moved in a direction towards the railway freight car 52 it will slide past said activation means 34 and thereby secondly deactivate the container lock(s) 36 in the side of the vehicle, which are closest to the railway freight car 52. Hereby is ensured that only the container locks 36 in the side, which is necessary for the movement of the container, is de-activated.
Fig. 9 shows a container frame 38, which have been partly pulled over onto a vehicle 66. As illustrated the grabber arm 4 is fixed in its extended position, while the container frame 38 is pulled over onto the vehicle 66. The illustrated vehicle 66 is a truck, which for example could be an electrically powered truck.
Similarly, when a container has to be moved from the vehicle 66, such as the illustrated truck, the transversal shaft 14 of the catch 2 is used to push on the outer side of the side section 42, where said shaft 14 will engage the narrow, upper part of the inverted T. Thus, it is seen that the illustrated form of the openings 40 in the side section 42 is configured to cooperate with the catch 12 in such a way that it enables a user to either transfer a container from the vehicle 66 to a railway freight car 52 or from a railway freight car 52 to a vehicle 66 using the same transfer system 2. Fig. 10 shows an end view of another embodiment, wherein the transfer system 2 according to the invention is placed on a special transfer vehicle 68. The transfer vehicle 68 comprises a number of wheels 70 configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car 52. Such a transfer vehicle 68 is to be used at a central hub reloading station.
The transfer vehicle may further comprise a plurality of wheels 72 arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle 68 as illustrated in the close up Fig. 11. Fig. 12 shows a side view of such a transfer vehicle 68, with a container frame 38 on top of it.
Fig. 13 and 14 show the transfer vehicle 68, where the transfer system 2 onto which the frame 38 is placed is lowered so that the wheels 72 engage the frame 38 of the container (not shown), thereby enabling the frame 38 (with a container) to roll off the transfer vehicle 68 in a direction along the railway tracks. Preferably, a whole freight train comprising a plurality of railway freight cars 52 can be unloaded in a very short time by using a plurality of such transfer vehicles 68. This can be done by first and
substantially simultaneously horizontally and transversally moving the containers from the railway freight cars 52, and then moving the containers on the wheels 72 of the transfer vehicles 68, so that they will roll from one transfer vehicle 68 to the next, until they reach a stationary container transport system at the end of the first transfer vehicle 68. In this way, a whole freight train may be unloaded in a matter of minutes.
At least some of said wheels 72 of the transfer vehicle 68 are operatively connected to a drive motor (not shown) and control system (not shown) for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels 72.
Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of such a transfer vehicle 68, without the transfer system 2 attached to it. Here the wheels 72, which are configured to engage the side sections 42 of the frame 38 of a container, are clearly visible, and it is clearly visible that these wheels 72 enable the container frame 38, and thereby a container attached to it, to move along the longitudinal extension of the transfer vehicle, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the direction, a container is transferred between a railway freight car 52 and the transfer vehicle 68.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
In the following is given a list of reference numbers that are used in the detailed description of the invention.
2 transfer system,
4 grabber arm,
6 chain,
8 drive wheel,
10 tensioner wheels,
12 catch,
14 transversal shaft of the catch,
16 shaft to which the tensioner wheels are hinged,
18 turning wheels,
20 console to which the grabber arm is attached,
22 wheel locking means,
24 cylinder of wheel locking means,
26 pin of wheel locking means,
28 grabbing arm locking means,
30, 32 ends of the console,
34 container lock activation means,
36 container locks,
38 frame of a container,
40 openings in the frame of the container,
42 side sections of the frame of the container,
44 end sections of the frame of the container,
46 wheels attached to the frame of the container,
48 beams to which the wheels 46 are attached,
50 chassis of vehicle,
52 railway freight car,
54 axle operative!y connecting the container locks,
56 rails for the wheels 46 to roll on,
58 special lock on the railway freight car in order to fix container frame to it,
60 gripper of the lock 58,
62 locking arm for alignment of the vehicle and freight car while transferring a container,
64 aperture in the frame for engagement of the gripper 60,
vehicle,
transfer vehicle movable on railway tracks,
railway wheels of the transfer vehicle, and
rolling wheels of the transfer vehicle configured for engaging the side sections of the frame, when the transfer system is lowered.
Claims
1. A transfer system for horizontally and transversally transferring a freight container between a railway freight car and a vehicle, said transfer system being placed on said vehicle and comprising at least two grabber arms that are movable only in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container, characterized in that the movement of each of the at least two grabber arms is accomplished by a endless chain which is driven by a drive wheel that cooperates with said chain and which is operatively connected to a drive motor, and in that two tensioner wheels are placed at each side of said drive wheel, where said tensioner wheels cooperate with the chain in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheels causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain or both the chain and the grabber arm is driven in one or the other direction.
2. The transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel.
3. The transfer system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the tensioner wheels is hinged to a shaft, which is tensioned by a spring force.
4. The transfer system according to claim 3, wherein said spring force is coupled to an activation mechanism that activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction.
5. The transfer system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the chain runs along the entire length of the grabber arm and over a turning wheel placed at each opposite end of said arm.
6. The transfer system according to claim 5, further comprising wheel locking means for locking the turning wheels, thereby causing the grabber arm to move when the endless chain is driven.
7. The transfer system according to claim 6, wherein the wheel locking means are activated to lock the turning wheels when the grabber arm is moved from the vehicle into the opening in the frame placed under the freight container until the grabber arm reaches a position wherein the container is released, after which the wheel locking
means are released, and the container is pulled onto the vehicle by driving the chain in the opposite direction.
8. The transfer system according to any of the claims 5, 6 or 7, further comprising at least one catch fixed to the chain, said catch comprising a transversal shaft for engaging a feature of the frame under the container.
9. The transfer system according to claim 8, wherein the catch is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft may follow the turning wheels to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm, and be inserted into an opening of the frame, whereafter it may be locked to said frame by a movement of the chain in the opposite direction.
10. The transfer system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the grabbing arms is placed on an elongated console having a first and a second end and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm, said console comprising identical activation means placed at each end thereof, each said activation means being operatively connected to at least one container lock for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm slides past said activation means.
11. The transfer system according to claim 10, wherein said container locks engage the inner side of the frame of the container when the container is locked to the vehicle.
12. The transfer system according to claim 11 , wherein the grabbing arm is operable to be moved in a direction away from the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that is furthest away from the railway freight car.
13. The transfer system according to claim 12, wherein the grabbing arm is operable to be moved in a direction towards the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to secondly deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that is closest to the railway freight car.
14. The transfer system according to any of the claims 6-13, further comprising grabbing arm locking means, which are operable to fix the grabbing arm relative to the
vehicle when the wheel locking means are released (in order to ensure no movement of the grabbing arm, when only the chain is to be moved- otherwise the arm will move as well due to inevitable friction).
15. The transfer system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one locking arm configured for engaging a special lock in the railway freight car in order to unlock the frame and thereby the container being placed on the railway freight car.
16. The transfer system according to claim 15, wherein said locking arm furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car, to or from which the container is to be moved.
17. The transfer system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle further comprises at least two rails, whereon wheels placed under the frame of the container can roll during movement of the container, to and from said vehicle.
18. The transfer system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the openings in the frame under the container are formed as an inverted T.
19. The transfer system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle is a truck.
20. The transfer system according to any of the claims 1- 8, wherein the vehicle is a transfer vehicle configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car.
21. The transfer system according to claim 20, wherein the transfer vehicle further comprises a plurality of wheels arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle, said wheels being configured to engage the frame of the container, when the transfer system onto which a container is placed is lowered, thereby enabling the container to roll off the transfer vehicle in a direction along the railway tracks.
22. The transfer system according to claim 21 , wherein at least some of said wheels of the transfer vehicle are operatively connected to a drive motor and control system for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels.
23. The transfer system according to claim 20, 21 or 22, further comprising a stationary container transport system for transporting the containers to and from a parcel and goods management facility.
24. A method of horizontally and transversal!y transferring a freight container between a railway freight car and a vehicle having a transfer system placed on said vehicle, the transfer system comprising at least two grabber arms which are moved only in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle into openings in a frame placed under the freight container, characterized in that the movement of each of the at least two grabber arms is accomplished by driving a endless chain by a drive wheel which cooperates with said chain, which drive wheel is operatively connected to a drive motor, and in that two tensioner wheels placed at each side of said drive wheel, successively are activated in such a way that one or the other tensioner wheels causes a tightening of the chain in dependence of whether the chain or both the chain and the grabber arm is driven towards the railway freight car or away from the railway freight car.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the tensioner wheels are symmetrically arranged at each side of the drive wheel.
26. The method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein each of the tensioner wheels is hinged to a shaft, which is tensioned by a spring force.
27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said spring force is coupled to an activation mechanism which activates one or the other of the tensioner wheels in dependence of whether the chain is driven in one or the other direction.
28. The method according to any of the claims 24-27, wherein the chain runs along the entire length of the grabber arm and over a turning wheel placed at each opposite end of said arm.
29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the turning wheels are locked by wheel locking means, thereby causing the grabber arm to move when the endless chain is driven.
30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising the steps of:
- activating the wheel locking means in order to lock the turning wheels when the grabber arm is moved from the vehicle into the opening in the frame placed under the freight container,
- keeping the turning wheels locked until the grabber arm reaches a certain position under the container, and then
- releasing the wheel locking means, and then
- pulling the container onto the vehicle by driving the chain in the opposite direction.
31. The method according to any of the claims 28, 29 or 30, wherein at least one catch is fixed to the chain, said catch comprising a transversal shaft for engaging a feature of the frame under the container.
32. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the catch is fixed to one single chain link, such that the transversal shaft follows the turning wheels to a position lower than the upper side of the grabbing arm before the grabbing arm is moved into the opening in the frame under the container, whereafter the catch is locked to said frame by a movement of the chain in the opposite direction until the shaft of the catch is at the same level as the upper side of the grabbing arm.
33. The method according to any of the claims 24-32, wherein each of the grabbing arms is placed on an elongated console having a first and a second end, and substantially the same length as the grabbing arm, said console comprising identical activation means placed at each end thereof, each said activation means being operatively connected to at least one container lock for fixing a container to the vehicle by locking engagement to the container frame when the grabbing arm slides past said activation means.
34. The method according to claim 33, wherein said container locks engages the inner side of the frame of the container when the container is locked to the vehicle.
35. The method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of moving the grabbing arm in a direction away from the railway freight car, to or from which freight car a container is to be moved in order to first deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that is furthest away from the railway freight car.
36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the grabbing arm is moved in a direction towards the railway freight car, to or from which railway freight car a container is to be moved in order to secondly deactivate the container lock(s) in the side of the vehicle that is closest to the railway freight car.
37. The method according to any of the claims 29-36, wherein the grabbing arm is locked relative to the vehicle by grabbing arm locking means, which are activated when or after the wheel locking means are released (in order to ensure no movement of the grabbing arm when only the chain is to be moved; otherwise the arm will move as well due to inevitable friction).
38. The method according to any of the claims 24-37, wherein at least one locking arm is moved from the vehicle towards the railway freight car for engaging a special lock in the railway freight car in order to unlock the frame and thereby the container being placed on the railway freight car.
39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said locking arm furthermore causes alignment of the vehicle with the particular railway freight car to or from which railway freight car the container is to be moved.
40. The method according to any of the claims 24-39, wherein the vehicle further comprises at least two rails, whereon wheels placed under the frame of the container can roll during movement of the container to and from said vehicle.
41. The method according to any of the claims 24-40, wherein the openings in the frame under the container are formed as an inverted T.
42. The method according to any of the claims 24-40, wherein the vehicle is a truck.
43. The method according to any of the claims 24-41 , wherein the vehicle is a transfer vehicle configured to be movable on railway tracks alongside the railway freight car.
44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the steps of: - lowering the transfer system when a container has been pulled onto the transfer vehicle,
- whereby the container frame engages a plurality of wheels arranged along each longitudinal side of said transfer vehicle, and
- spinning at least some of said wheels by a drive mechanism, whereby the container rolls off the transfer vehicle in a direction along the railway tracks.
45. The method according to claim 44, wherein at least some of said wheels of the transfer vehicle are operatively connected to a drive motor and control system for controlling the movement of the container on said wheels.
46. The method according to claim 43, 44 or 45, further comprising the steps of transporting the container on a stationary container transport system to and from a parcel and goods management facility.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP13750143.3A EP3010775B1 (en) | 2013-06-17 | 2013-06-17 | Container transfer system and method of its operation |
PCT/IB2013/054942 WO2014203024A1 (en) | 2013-06-17 | 2013-06-17 | Container transfer system and method of its operation |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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PCT/IB2013/054942 WO2014203024A1 (en) | 2013-06-17 | 2013-06-17 | Container transfer system and method of its operation |
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WO2014203024A1 true WO2014203024A1 (en) | 2014-12-24 |
Family
ID=48986175
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PCT/IB2013/054942 WO2014203024A1 (en) | 2013-06-17 | 2013-06-17 | Container transfer system and method of its operation |
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EP (1) | EP3010775B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2014203024A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
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WO2018029378A1 (en) | 2016-08-11 | 2018-02-15 | Safe Green Logistics A/S | A transportation unit suitable for transporting cargo |
US10449886B2 (en) | 2016-11-29 | 2019-10-22 | Revolutionary Truck Systems | Container transfer system |
US11958397B2 (en) | 2019-12-12 | 2024-04-16 | Revolutionary Truck Systems | Container transfer system |
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US1830740A (en) | 1929-03-19 | 1931-11-03 | Leech Carrier Corp | Freight handling device |
US2294928A (en) * | 1941-02-24 | 1942-09-08 | Nat Fitch Corp | Mechanism for transferring freight |
US3710961A (en) * | 1969-06-17 | 1973-01-16 | Establissements J Berthelat Et | Transfer device |
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WO1996002445A1 (en) | 1994-07-18 | 1996-02-01 | Loevgren Sten | A method and a device for transfering load units between two carriers |
WO2005097575A1 (en) | 2004-04-05 | 2005-10-20 | K Industrier Ab | A method and arrangement for handling a swap body |
EP2108605A1 (en) | 2008-04-08 | 2009-10-14 | Wolfgang Bermüller | Device for transporting a container |
WO2011064621A1 (en) | 2009-11-27 | 2011-06-03 | Blach Holding Aps | Container-transfer system |
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2013
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US1830740A (en) | 1929-03-19 | 1931-11-03 | Leech Carrier Corp | Freight handling device |
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Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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WO2018029378A1 (en) | 2016-08-11 | 2018-02-15 | Safe Green Logistics A/S | A transportation unit suitable for transporting cargo |
US10449886B2 (en) | 2016-11-29 | 2019-10-22 | Revolutionary Truck Systems | Container transfer system |
US11958397B2 (en) | 2019-12-12 | 2024-04-16 | Revolutionary Truck Systems | Container transfer system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP3010775B1 (en) | 2017-05-17 |
EP3010775A1 (en) | 2016-04-27 |
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