Container handling system and method

• US 6,726,431 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jay C. Morrell
• Original Assignee: Jay C. Morrell
• Inventors: Morrell, Jay C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratlie, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US09/829,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 414/498, 414/340, 414/481, 414/482, 414/483, 414/484, 414/491, 414/492, 414/339, 414/343, 414/345, 414/812, 298/8.R, 298/8.T
• US Class Current: 414/340
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6454 the load transporting element being shifted by means of an inclined ramp connected to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6463 fitted with articulated beams for longitudinal displacement of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/30 using transportable tipping apparatus

Abstract

A container handling system includes a vehicle adapted to carry a container, the vehicle being equipped with a hoist for lifting containers, and, a trailer towable by the vehicle so as to provide tandem transport of containers. The trailer is adapted to receive a container from the vehicle via the vehicle hoist, and is further adapted to selectively hoist a received container in furtherance of unloading the received container, or dump contents therefrom.

Claims

1. A handling system for a container of the type having a bottom and a plurality of walls that extend therefrom to form an enclosure, the handling system comprising:

a. a vehicle, said vehicle configured to carry a container, said vehicle being equipped with a hoist for loading and unloading a container therefrom; and

,

b. a trailer, said trailer configured to receive a container from said vehicle via said vehicle hoist when said trailer and said vehicle are in substantial linear alignment with each other, said trailer configured to freely and slidably receive a container from the vehicle along the container bottom, the trailer comprising a hoist configured to selectively manipulate a received container, whereby either a container and its contents, or only the contents of a container may be unloaded from the trailer.

2. The handling system for a container of claim 1, wherein said trailer is equipped with a hitch assembly for removably coupling said trailer to said vehicle.

3. The handling system for a container of claim 2, wherein said hitch assembly includes a draw bar having a free end, the draw bar pivotable about a pivot axis.

4. The handling system for a container of claim 3, wherein said hitch assembly further comprises an actuator, with said actuator arranged and configured to pivot said draw bar about said pivot axis so as to selectively position said free end of said draw bar relative to said vehicle and thereby facilitate coupling of said trailer thereto.

5. The handling system for a container of claim 4, wherein said actuator is interposed between said draw bar and a member of said trailer.

6. The handling system for a container of claim 1, wherein said trailer hoist is operatively connected to a cradle for receiving a container along the container bottom.

7. The handling system for a container of claim 6, wherein said cradle comprises a guide member for cooperative engagement with a container bottom to facilitate lateral positioning and stabilization of a container on said trailer.

8. The handling system for a container of claim 6, wherein said cradle comprises a container retaining mechanism for selectively coupling a container to said cradle and preventing unintended longitudinal movement of a container with respect thereto.

9. The handling system for a container of claim 8, wherein said container retaining mechanism comprises at least one positionable container engaging member.

10. The handling system for a container of claim 9, wherein said container engaging member may be lockably secured in at least one preselected position.

11. The handling system for a container of claim 10, wherein said container engaging member is a hook.

12. The handling system for a container of claim 8, wherein said container retaining mechanism is movable between first and second positions, wherein said first position permits unloading of the contents of a container while the container is retained on said trailer.

13. The handling system for a container of claim 8, wherein said container retaining mechanism is movable between first and second positions, wherein the second position permits the unloading of a container from said trailer.

14. The handling system for a container of claim 6, wherein the cradle is pivotally attached to the trailer, whereby the cradle may be pivoted by the hoist to unload either the container or the contents of the container from the trailer.

15. The handling system for a container of claim 1, wherein the trailer comprises a container retaining mechanism for selectively coupling a container to said trailer and preventing unintended movement of a container with respect thereto.

16. The handling system for a container of claim 15, wherein the container retaining mechanism selectively couples a container to said trailer from a position below the bottom of the container.

17. A method of unloading a tandem container transport of the type comprising a vehicle having a first container hoist and a first container, with the first container positioned on the vehicle by the first container hoist and releasably secured to the vehicle, the vehicle coupled to a trailer having a second container hoist, a container retaining mechanism for selectively securing a second container positioned on the trailer, and a second container, the method of unloading a tandem container transport comprising the steps of:

p1 a. actuating the container retaining mechanism of the trailer to selectively disengage the second container from securement to the trailer; and

,

b. unloading the second container from the trailer using the second container hoist.

18. The method of unloading a tandem container transport of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

c. uncoupling the trailer from the vehicle.

19. The method of unloading a tandem container transport of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

d. releasing the first container from securement to the vehicle; and

e. unloading the first container from the vehicle using the first container hoist.

20. A method of unloading a tandem container transport of the type comprising a vehicle having a first container hoist and a first container, with the first container positioned on the vehicle by the first container hoist and releasably secured to the vehicle, the vehicle coupled to a trailer having a second container hoist, a container retaining mechanism for selectively securing a second container positioned on the trailer, and a second container, the method of unloading a tandem container transport comprising the steps of:

a. actuating the container retaining mechanism of the trailer to selectively engage and secure the second container to the trailer; and

,

b. unloading the contents of the second container from the trailer using the second container hoist.

21. The method of unloading a tandem container transport of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

c. uncoupling the trailer from the vehicle.

22. The method of unloading a tandem container transport of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

d. releasing the first container from securement to the vehicle; and

e. unloading the first container from the vehicle using the first container hoist.

23. A tandem container transport system comprising:

a vehicle, the vehicle having a load bed configured to support a container from below, the vehicle having a first hoist configured to be able to lift a container upwardly and slidingly position it onto the vehicle load bed, the first hoist further configured to be able to lift a container upwardly and slidingly move the container off of the vehicle load bed; and

,

a trailer, the trailer having a load bed configured to slidingly receive and support a container from below, the trailer having a second hoist configured to be able to unload a container from the load bed of the trailer;

whereby the first hoist of the vehicle may lift and slide a container onto vehicle load bed, the first hoist may lift and slide the container from the vehicle load bed onto the trailer load bed; and

the trailer may unload the container from the trailer load bed using the second hoist.