Offshore cargo rack for use in transferring loads between a marine vessel and an offshore platform

• US 9,061,822 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danny Ness
• Original Assignee: Danny Ness
• Inventors: Ness, Danny
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Westbrook, Sunsurraye
• Application Number:
  US13/914,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20140028037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 410/47, 410/46, 108/51.11, 108/55.1, 108/55.3, 206/386, 206/595, 206/600, 211/59.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/00 Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered in devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes B66F9/12
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/06 with bodies formed by uniting or interconnecting two or more components
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/44 Elements or devices for locating articles on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/008 Drainage means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2590/0066 Containers inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/128 tank containers, i.e. containers provided with supporting devices for handling
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/129 Transporter frames for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/54 characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying filling or emptying features for flexible large containers B65B69/0075; construction or shape of discharge section of hoppers B65D88/28; gates or closures B65D90/54; filling or emptying bunkers, hoppers, or like containers B65G65/30
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/0033 Lifting means forming part of the container B65D90/0006, B65D90/0026 take precedence; loading or unloading container on or from a truck B60P1/6418; lifting the container using a crane B66C1/663
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/006 fixed on the floor of the container B65D90/0066, B65D90/0073 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/0066 Partition walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/24 Spillage-retaining means, e.g. recovery ponds
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/54 Gates or closures for manholes B65D90/10; covers or similar closure members, for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00; valves per se F16K; doors for containers B65D90/008
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/60 Loading or unloading ships arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers B63B27/00

Abstract

A cargo rack for transferring loads between a marine vessel and an offshore marine platform provides a frame having a front, a rear, and upper and lower end portions. The lower end of the frame has a perimeter beam base, a raised floor and a pair of open-ended parallel fork tine tubes or sockets that communicate with the perimeter beam at the front and rear of the frame. The frame includes a plurality of fixed side walls extending upwardly from the perimeter beam. A plurality of gates are movably mounted on the frame, movable between open and closed positions, the gates enabling a forklift to place loads on the floor. The frame has vertically extending positioning beams or lugs that segment the raised floor into a plurality of load-holding positions. Each load holding position has a plurality of positioning beams or lugs that laterally hold a load module.

Claims

1. A cargo rack comprising:

a) a frame having a front, a rear, a frame periphery, and upper and lower end portions;

b) the lower end portion of the frame providing a base with a floor providing multiple load holding positions, each configured to hold a separate load module;

c) a plurality of load modules that are supported with the frame during use;

d) the frame including a plurality of side walls that attach to and extend upwardly from the periphery and including at least left and right side walls, the frame having four corners with a corner column at each corner;

e) an intermediate column positioned in between each pair of said corner columns;

f) a plurality of gates that are movably mounted to the frame, including a pair of gates at the front and a pair of gates at the rear of the frame, each gate being movably mounted to the frame between open and closed positions, each gate spanning in a horizontal direction from a corner column to an intermediate column;

g) a plurality of lifting eyes attached to the upper end portion of the frame, each lifting eye attached to the top of an inclined member at a position spaced inwardly of said periphery;

h) inner walls that separate the base into said load holding position, said inner walls spanning between intermediate columns to define a transverse support that is generally aligned with a pair of lifting eyes; and

i) wherein each said inclined member is a part of a said inner wall.

2. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein there are four load holding positions.

3. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein there are a pair of gates at the front of the frame.

4. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein there are a pair of gates at the rear of the frame.

5. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein at least a part of the floor is inclined.

6. The cargo rack of claim 5 wherein the floor attaches to an upper end portion of the periphery.

7. The cargo rack of claim 5 wherein there is a drain opening in the floor.

8. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein the floor attaches to an upper end portion of the periphery.

9. The cargo rack of claim 1 further comprising clamps movably attached to the upper end of the frame between clamping and release positions for restraining vertical movement of a load that is placed on the floor.

10. The cargo rack of claim 1 further comprising raised portions that extend above the floor for providing a level surface to engage a load placed on a load holding position of the frame.

11. A cargo rack comprising:

a) a frame having a frame perimeter, a frame center, a front, a rear, and upper and lower end portions;

b) the frame including a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the frame perimeter and including at least left and right side walls, four corners that each provide a corner column and an intermediate column at the front and rear of the frame in between the corner columns;

c) a plurality of gates that are movably mounted to the frame, including a pair of gates at the front of the frame and a pair of gates at the rear of the frame, each gate being movable between open and closed positions, each gate extending between a corner column and an intermediate column;

d) the frame having a floor that provides a plurality of load holding positions;

e) inclined members that incline toward said center; and

f) a lifting eye at the top of each inclined member.

12. The cargo rack of claim 11 wherein there are four load holding positions.

13. The cargo rack of claim 11 wherein the floor comprises a load platform that includes multiple transverse walls that each include an inclined member.

14. The cargo rack of claim 13 wherein a frame lower end portion includes a plurality of perimeter beams and the load platform attaches to the perimeter beams.

15. The cargo rack of claim 14 wherein the load platform attaches to an upper end portion of at least one of the perimeter beams.

16. The cargo rack of claim 13 wherein there is a drain in the load platform.

17. The cargo rack of claim 11 further comprising clamps movably attached to an upper end of the frame between clamping and release positions for restraining vertical movement of a load that is placed on the load platform.

18. A cargo rack comprising:

a) a frame having a floor, a front, a rear and upper and lower end portions;

b) a plurality of load modules that are supported within the frame and upon the floor during use;

c) the frame including a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from a perimeter beam and including at least left and right side walls, the frame having four corners and a corner column at each corner;

d) a plurality of gates that are movably mounted on the frame, including a pair of gates at the front of the frame and a pair of gates at the rear of the frame, each gate being movable between open and closed positions, the gates enabling the load modules to be loaded laterally to the floor by accessing either the front or the rear of the frame;

e) the frame having positioning beams that segment the floor into a plurality of load holding positions, each having positioning beams that laterally hold one of the load modules in position once a load module is placed on the floor and in a load holding position;

f) wherein the gates expose a majority of the width of the floor for loading a tank to a selected load holding position on the floor, either at the front or at the rear of the frame when the gates are opened;

g) inclined members that are each a part of a said segmenting wall; and

h) a lifting eye at the top of each inclined member.

19. The cargo rack of claim 18 wherein there are a pair of gates at the front of the frame.

20. The cargo rack of claim 18 wherein there are a pair of gates at the rear of the frame.

21. The cargo rack of claim 18 wherein the floor is inclined.

22. The cargo rack of claim 21 wherein the floor attaches to the upper end portion of at least some of the perimeter beams.

23. The cargo rack of claim 21 wherein there is a drain in the floor.

24. The cargo rack of claim 18 wherein the floor attaches to the upper end portion of at least some of the perimeter beams.

25. The cargo rack of claim 18 further comprising clamps movably attached to the upper end of the frame between clamping and release positions for holding restraining vertical movement of a load that is placed on the floor.

26. The cargo rack of claim 18 further comprising raised pedestals that extend above the floor for providing a level surface to engage a load placed on a load holding position of the frame.

27. The cargo rack of claim 18 wherein there are four load holding positions.