Container transportation system and method
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of loading containers comprising the steps of:
- selecting a plurality of containers adapted to contain and protect freight in a marine environment, each container having a set of outer walls defining an inner volume;
loading freight into said inner volume;
providing a reach stacker including a body portion and a gripping portion including a spreader attachment, said gripping portion being capable of being raised and lowered, rotated, and inclined relative to said body portion;
accessing a marine vessel, wherein said marine vessel has a beam at least about ¼
of its length to provide a relatively stable marine vessel;
individually lifting and transporting each container along or adjacent to an upper edge thereof by means of said reach stacker over a ramp to a storage deck of said marine vessel, said ramp and storage deck having sufficient strength to support said reach stacker when said reach stacker is transporting a fully loaded one of said containers;
positioning each container at desired locations on said deck by means of said reach stacker for transportation by said marine vessel; and
securing each container to said deck at said locations.
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Abstract
A container transportation system and method which includes a number of enclosed containers adapted to contain freight and protect the freight in a marine environment, a vehicle adapted to lift, transport, orient and place the containers on a support surface, a marine vessel having a container storage deck with sufficient strength to support the vehicle when the vehicle is transporting a fully loaded one of the containers, and a ramp shaped to extend from an associated dock to the deck and having sufficient strength to support the vehicle when the vehicle is transporting a fully loaded one of the containers, and having sufficient strength such that an angle of inclination of the ramp suspended between the deck and an associated dock allows the vehicle to traverse the ramp without slipping. The vehicle engages a single one of the containers on the associated dock, then proceeds to transport the container over the ramp to desired, predetermined locations on the deck for transportation by the marine vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the containers include corner castings and the system includes twistlocks which interconnect the corner casings of the containers, and attach the containers to the deck, thereby eliminating the need for lashing and other securing devices. When the marine vessel carrying the containers reaches the port of destination, the process is reversed, with the lifting vehicle removing the containers from a stacked configuration on the deck, transporting them over a ramp extending between the deck and an associated dock, and stacking or otherwise storing the containers on the dock. Also in the preferred embodiment, the vehicle is a reach stacker.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of loading containers comprising the steps of:
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selecting a plurality of containers adapted to contain and protect freight in a marine environment, each container having a set of outer walls defining an inner volume; loading freight into said inner volume; providing a reach stacker including a body portion and a gripping portion including a spreader attachment, said gripping portion being capable of being raised and lowered, rotated, and inclined relative to said body portion; accessing a marine vessel, wherein said marine vessel has a beam at least about ¼
of its length to provide a relatively stable marine vessel;individually lifting and transporting each container along or adjacent to an upper edge thereof by means of said reach stacker over a ramp to a storage deck of said marine vessel, said ramp and storage deck having sufficient strength to support said reach stacker when said reach stacker is transporting a fully loaded one of said containers; positioning each container at desired locations on said deck by means of said reach stacker for transportation by said marine vessel; and securing each container to said deck at said locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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5. The method of 4 further comprising the step of offloading said containers from said vessel at said destination site by said reach stacker.
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17. A method of offloading containers comprising the steps of:
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accessing a marine vessel, wherein said marine vessel has a beam at least about ¼
of its length to provide a relatively stable marine vessel;selecting a plurality of containers adapted to contain and protect freight in a marine environment located on a storage deck of a said marine vessel, each container having a set of outer walls defining an inner volume and having freight loaded therein; providing a reach stacker including a body portion and a gripping portion including a spreader attachment, said gripping portion being capable of being raised and lowered, rotated, and inclined relative to said body portion; individually lifting and transporting each container along or adjacent to an upper edge thereof by means of said reach stacker over a ramp from said storage deck of said marine vessel, said ramp and storage deck having sufficient strength to support said reach stacker when said reach stacker is transporting a fully loaded one of said containers; placing each container at desired locations on an associated dock by said reach stacker. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of transporting containers comprising the steps of:
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selecting a plurality of containers adapted to contain and protect freight in a marine environment, each container having a set of outer walls defining an inner volume and having freight loaded therein; providing a reach stacker including a body portion and a gripping portion including a spreader attachment, said gripping portion being capable of being raised and lowered relative to said body portion; accessing a marine vessel, wherein said marine vessel has a beam at least about ¼
of its length to provide a relatively stable marine vessel;lifting a container along or adjacent to an upper edge thereof by means of said reach stacker; causing said reach stacker to travel over a ramp to or from a storage deck of said marine vessel, said ramp and storage deck having sufficient strength to support said reach stacker when said reach stacker is transporting a fully loaded one of said containers; positioning said container at a desired location on a support surface of said vessel or a dock by means of said reach stacker; and repeating said lifting, causing and positioning steps for each of said plurality of containers. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification