Containerizing and decontainerizing a load
First Claim
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1. An assembly for lifting a load comprising:
- first and second elongated support elements in side-by-side relation one to the other;
air-bearing means disposed along the underside of each of said elements, including connections for receiving air under pressure whereby said elements are displaceable for movement under a load;
an inflatable member carried by each of said elements, including connections for receiving air under pressure whereby, upon inflation, the load may be lifted;
means interconnecting said elements one to the other for movement toward and away from one another; and
means for moving said elements toward and away from one another;
said assembly in combination with a rack for supporting the load, said rack including a plurality of interconnected longitudinally and laterally and upright extending structural elements for supporting the load thereon, means carried by said rack for supporting portions of said rack at elevated positions for supporting a load thereon above the rest of the rack, and most other portions of the rack above ground level sufficiently to enable movement of said air bearing means underneath said rack portions, with said inflatable members in an un-inflated condition so that upon inflation thereof, said support elements with air bearing means lift said rack with the load thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Load-lifting apparatus includes a pair of elements moveable on air bearings laterally toward and away from one another. Each element carries an inflatable bladder for lifting a load. A rack is also provided for receiving various loads, for example, automotive vehicles. The elements have cutouts at longitudinally spaced positions such that, upon disposition of the elements below the rack, the elements can be moved laterally away from one another with the cutouts registering with the wheel wells. The bladders may be inflated to lift the rack and load carried thereby for movement into a container. The process may be reversed to remove the rack and load from the container.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An assembly for lifting a load comprising:
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first and second elongated support elements in side-by-side relation one to the other; air-bearing means disposed along the underside of each of said elements, including connections for receiving air under pressure whereby said elements are displaceable for movement under a load; an inflatable member carried by each of said elements, including connections for receiving air under pressure whereby, upon inflation, the load may be lifted; means interconnecting said elements one to the other for movement toward and away from one another; and means for moving said elements toward and away from one another; said assembly in combination with a rack for supporting the load, said rack including a plurality of interconnected longitudinally and laterally and upright extending structural elements for supporting the load thereon, means carried by said rack for supporting portions of said rack at elevated positions for supporting a load thereon above the rest of the rack, and most other portions of the rack above ground level sufficiently to enable movement of said air bearing means underneath said rack portions, with said inflatable members in an un-inflated condition so that upon inflation thereof, said support elements with air bearing means lift said rack with the load thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A rack distinct from other structures and transportable by itself and with its supported load, and for supporting a plurality of automotive vehicles, comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected longitudinally, vertically and laterally extending structural elements carrying pairs of laterally spaced ramps for supporting the vehicles thereon; means carried by said rack including said vertically extending elements for supporting at least a first pair of ramps at an elevated position above ground level and disposed at least in part over a second pair of ramps; a third pair of ramps carried by said rack and extending longitudinally a distance relative to said first pair of ramps sufficient to dispose two automotive vehicles one behind the other on said first and third pairs of ramps; said rack, with supported vehicles, dimensioned to fit into a standard overseas transport type container with at least three automotive vehicles supported thereby; and
wherein certain of said longitudinal elements provides additional storage space for loads distinct from said vehicles, including horizontally extending platforms disposed above said second pair of ramps; andwherein wheel wells extend below the associated ramps such that the underside of the vehicle lies closer to the ramps than otherwise in the absence of said wheel wells.
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13. An assembly for lifting a load comprising:
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first and second elongated support elements in side-by-side relation one to the other; air-bearing means disposed along the underside of each of said elements, including connections for receiving air under pressure whereby said elements are displaceable for movement under a load; an inflatable member carried by each of said elements, including connections for receiving air under pressure whereby, upon inflation, the load may be lifted; means interconnecting said elements one to the other for movement toward and away from one another; and means for moving said elements toward and away from one another; wherein said means for interconnecting said elements one to the other for movement toward and away from one another, and means for moving said elements toward and away from one another, comprise gear racks formed at one end of each of said first and second elongated support elements, and pinions rotatable about vertical axes operatively engaging said gear racks. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification