The transportation of wood and paper in various forms often takes place by road to docks for further transport by sea. Offloading from trucks to ship is done by means of cranes. The load is often in the form of bundles, e. g. bales of paper or stacks of timber, tied together with some means of binding. This means can be metal straps or wires wound around the object at regular intervals by a machine. The distance from one end of the bale to the first strap or wire is the same on all bales but, depending on the length of the bale, the distance from the last strap to the other end of the bale may vary. When loading and unloading, several lifting straps or wires are placed underneath the objects and run upwards along the sides of the object for attaching to the hook of a crane above the object. This procedure, however, requires a large number of people as personnel must be present both for coupling the straps prior to lifting and for uncoupling once the object has been transferred to the hold of the ship.

Devices are also known that use lifting hooks which interact with the metal strap bindings or wires for lifting the object. However, these have the disadvantage that the objects must have spacers between the object and the metal straps so that the lifting hooks can slide in underneath the straps. Also, the top of the object must be flat, i. e. the metal straps must be at the same height in relation to each other so that all the hooks can engage the straps. If the top of the object is uneven, one of the hooks may fail to engage and prevent the lift from being carried out safely without the risk of the object coming loose from the device.

One object of the present invention is to achieve a device for faster and more efficient simultaneous handling and lifting of one or more objects bound together with metal straps or wires.

A second object of the present invention is to achieve a device for lifting objects where the device can engage the said metal straps or wires even if the top of the object exhibits unevenness, if the binding straps exhibit relative differences in height or if the distance from the end of the object to the strap that comes first varies between objects.

The invention will be described more fully in the following with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate examples of selected embodiments, where: fig. 1 shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a lifting device according to the invention fig. 2 shows a side elevation in partial cross section fig. 3 shows an elevation of the lifting device viewed from the front fig. 4 shows a plan viewed from above fig. 5 shows a partial enlargement from figure 1 of an insert piece

fig. 6a shows an elevation viewed from the front of a second embodiment of the lifting device according to the invention fig. 6b shows a side elevation with the noses of the insert pieces oriented away from each other fig. 6c shows a detail of the device before the object is coupled to the device fig. 6d shows the object coupled to the device and fig. 7 shows an elevation viewed from above of a second embodiment of the lifting device according to the invention.

The device 1 shown in figure 1 comprises a frame 2 made up of two long sides 3,3' and two short sides 4,4'. To one short side 4 is arranged a vertical plate 5, the top of which 6 is flush with the top part 7 of the frame 2. The bottom edge 8 of the plate 5 extends down past the bottom part 9 of the frame 2 to form a stop that interacts with one side of the object, hereinafter called the bale (not shown). From the top part 7 of the frame 2 extend four stays 10, each of which is pointing obliquely upwards towards the centre line A-A shown in figure 3 to form a truncated pyramid. To the top part of the stays 10 and essentially parallel to the frame 2 is attached a roof 11, to which is mounted a hydraulic system (not shown) and a<BR> means of fastening (not shown) a rotating means of coupling, called a rotator, arranged on a e crane arm. The hydraulic system comprises a pump, valves, tank and requisite hoses. The edges of the roof 11 have been turned up to prevent hydraulic oil running down and damaging the load underneath in case of a leak in the hydraulic system. Furthermore, at least one stay has a channel down which any leaking oil can run from the roof 11 and down to the frame 2, away from the bale (not shown).

As shown in figure 1, arranged between the long sides 3,3'of the frame 2 are four supporting arms 12 extending across the longitudinal direction of the frame 2. The number of supporting arms 12 depends on the size of the device, i. e. more supporting arms the longer the device and fewer supporting arms the shorter the device. Since the supporting arms 12 are identical, only one of them will be described in detail below. The supporting arm 12 slides along the long sides 3,3'of the frame 2 in sliding rails 13 mounted on the ends of the supporting arm 12 that can slide along the long sides 3,3'of the frame. The supporting arm 12 is operated using a pair of piston-cylinder arrangements in the form of hydraulic cylinders 14, 14'with one end attached to on long side 3 of the frame 2 and the other end attached to supporting arm 12 as shown in figure 4. When hydraulic oil is pressed into the cylinder 14, the piston rod presses out the linked supporting arm 12 and on the return stroke of the cylinder, the supporting arm 12 is returned to its original position. Each pair of hydraulic cylinders 14,14'can be operated separately. In another embodiment, the hydraulic cylinders

can be substituted with a mechanical linkage system with arms operating the supporting arms.

As is best seen in figure 5, close to the ends of the supporting arm 12 are openings 15 reinforced with a collar 16. The openings 15 are located at a distance corresponding to the distance determined by technical production reasons between a pair of grooves (not shown) located in the bale. These grooves run along the entire top of the bale. Through each support arm opening 15 is arranged a sliding L-shaped insert piece 17 exhibiting an essentially horizontal 18 and an essentially vertical part 19.

The insert piece 17 is able to slide between a raised, inactive position I and a lowered, active position 11 where it interacts with the straps. The section of the vertical part 19 that is above the supporting arm 12 is fitted with a means of locking in the form of a retaining sleeve for holding the insert piece 17 to the supporting arm 12. The retaining sleeve can also be used to lock the insert piece 17 in its raised position 11 depending on how many insert pieces 17 need to be used. Only two insert pieces are needed to lift a bale and for this reason, selected insert pieces can be blocked depending on the form of the bale and the number of bales being lifted at once. Another way to prevent selected insert pieces from engaging is to operate one or more support arms 12 comprising the unused insert pieces 17 to their engaged positions before lowering the device down to the bale. Subsequently, the device is lowered until it makes contact with the bale, whereby the insert pieces that are not to be used are not able to engage the straps. It should be understood that the support arm 12 can have several openings 15 in order to enable one or more insert pieces 17 to be moved sideways.

As shown in figure 5, arranged to the part of the insert piece 17 that is under the support arm 12 is a spring device in the form of a compression spring 20 acting between the bottom of the support arm 12 and the section where the vertical part 19 of the insert piece 17 changes to the horizontal 18. The compression spring 20 presses down the insert piece 17 towards its active position 11 to be compressed somewhat when the insert piece 17 makes contact with the top of the bale. This means that each insert piece 17 can take an individual vertical position, i. e. in the direction of contact with the bale, and in such a way the insert piece 17 can be manoeuvred in a direction of coupling parallel with the top of the bale until it engages with the strap or wires even if the top of the bale is uneven or exhibits differences in height.

The horizontal part 18 of the insert piece 17 has essentially parallel sides that gradually grow narrower to an end section with snub nose 21 and bevelled edges in which the material thickness is also reduced. The insert piece 17 can be made with varying lengths of both the vertical 19 and the horizontal part 18 depending on the type of bale being lifted.

The insert piece 17 is oriented with the free end of the horizontal part 18 towards the stop plate 8. The snub nose 21 with reduced thickness allows the insert piece 17 to be effectively

moved in under the strap on the bale, even if the groove in the bale does not coincide with the lateral position of the insert piece 17.

The arrangement works as follows: the arrangement 1 is lowered in the direction of contact to make contact with the bale to be loaded and is manoeuvred to a position where the frame 2 is pressed against the top of the bale with the long sides 3,3'of the device essentially parallel to one long side of the bale by rotating the device into position with the help of the rotator and lowering the crane arm. Thanks to the insert pieces 17 being spring loaded against the direction of contact, all the insert pieces 17 will bear against the top of the bale, preferably in the bale's grooves, even if the top is uneven or exhibits differences in height. The crane driver can operate hydraulic cylinders 14,14'to press the support arms 12 in the direction of coupling towards the stop plate 8 taking with them the insert pieces 17.

During the continued movement of the support arms 12, the stop plate 8 will stop against the short side of the bale, whereby the insert pieces 17 are pressed under the straps.

As the transition between the vertical 19 and the horizontal 18 parts of the insert piece 17 reaches the straps, called the stop position, the movement of the hydraulic cylinders 14, 14'stops and their position is locked hydraulically and together with the stop plate 8 they prevent the insert piece 17 from sliding out of the straps causing the bale to come loose from the device 1. The movement of the hydraulic cylinders 14, 14'is stopped with overflow valves (not shown) arranged in the hydraulic system, so that the movement of the hydraulic cylinders stops when their motion is obstructed by the straps. After this, the bale is ready to be moved. The stop position of the insert pieces 17, where the transition between the vertical 19 and horizontal 18 part reaches the straps, can also comprise a switch, mechanical, electrical or hydraulic, which automatically stops the movement of the hydraulic cylinders 14, 14'and thereby the movement of the insert pieces when the straps reach the said transition.

When the bale has been lifted and moved to its new position, the device 1 is freed from the bale with the bale being placed on the ground or the surface it is to stand on and the hydraulic cylinders 14, 14'pulling back the support arms 12 taking the insert pieces 17 with them, whereby the insert pieces 17 release their grip from the straps. The device 1 can them be moved to the next bale.

Another embodiment can be used for lifting bundles of sawn timber. Packages of sawn timber 22, i. e. boards or planks, are often bundled together with steel straps. For this reason, special lifting belts or lifting slings 23 are put around the bundle for lifting. The second embodiment exhibits in figure 7 a frame comprising only one continuous beam 24. It should be understood that one or more continuous beams fastened to each other on the long sides can be used as a frame. The beam may well have an l-shaped cross section. To the top part of the beam 25, i. e. the part of the beam directed towards the crane, is arranged a means of fastening 26 that is adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the beam and

connects to the crane's lifting device. The means of fastening is arranged with slide rails on the beam flange and is adjustable by means of a hydraulic cylinder, but it should be understood that also other types of adjustment can be used.

As shown in figure 7, the support arms 27,28, 29 according to this second embodiment are arranged with slide rails 30 to the long sides of the beam so that the support arms protrude on either side of the beam seen perpendicular to the length of the beam.

Between the support arms and the beam are arranged means of operation 31,32, 33 according to the method described above for operating the cross beams in the longitudinal direction of the frame. The means of operation have been given a stroke that is longer than in the first embodiment, as the lifting slings can be placed considerably further apart along the length of the object than is the case in the first embodiment, meaning the insert pieces must be moved a longer distance. Each support arm 29 comprises at least one insert piece 17. The insert pieces can be arranged with their noses pointing towards each other, i. e. when operating the cross beams for guiding the insert pieces under the object's straps, the beams are operated in a direction towards each other so their relative distance is reduced. The insert pieces can also be directed in the same direction.

In addition, the device comprises a number of spring loaded counterpieces 34 arranged on their own support arms 27 parallel with the insert pieces'support arms 29. The number of counterpieces 34 is the same as the number of insert pieces 17. The counterpieces are in the form of a fork-shaped plate spring loaded in the direction of contact with an opening through which the nose of the insert piece can move. The counterpieces can also be located in another manner where the insert piece only passes the counterpiece without going through it. The counterpiece is intended to form a stop heel against which the strap or sling used for lifting the object is pressed by the insert piece when it is operated towards the position where it is engaged with the strap or sling 23. When an object 22, in this case a bundle of sawn timber, is lifted, the frame 25 is lowered towards the object in the direction of contact. The insert pieces and counterpieces make contact with the object and give somewhat. The device is lowered so that the strap or sling is placed between the insert piece 17 and the counterpiece 34. The support arms are then operated in the direction of coupling taking the insert pieces with them until the nose of the insert piece slides into the opening in the counterpiece. In this way, the strap or sling is placed on the insert piece and the object is ready for lifting.

The counterpieces can also be adjusted using hydraulic cylinders 33 or other means of movement in the longitudinal direction of the beam. This has the advantage of being able to move the sling or strap using the counterpiece towards the centre of the object in order to prevent it from sliding off the object when the strap or sling is close to the end of the object.

To remove the strap or sling from the insert piece when the object is to be released from the device, at least one pusher 35 is arranged on separate support arms 28 parallel to the insert piece 17 support arms 29. The pusher 35 is located in conjunction with the inner end position of the insert piece, i. e. the position of the insert piece before it is moved in the direction of coupling, and is arranged so that the insert piece 17 can pass the pusher 35 while moving in the direction of coupling. When the strap 23 is to be removed from the insert piece 17, the insert piece support arms 29 are moved against the direction of coupling, so that the straps or slings, if they do not slide off the insert pieces when they are moved, come up against the pusher 35 in the form of at least one spring-loaded, essentially vertical, pin or equivalent. The pin is spring loaded in the direction of contact like the insert pieces and counterpieces. When the strip of sling hits the pin, its movement is stopped while the movement of the insert piece continues until the strap or sling leaves the insert piece, whereby the device can be lifted up from the object. The pusher can also be spring loaded only in the longitudinal direction of the beam, whereby the pusher will give way when the insert piece passes in the direction of coupling taking with it the sling or strap and when the insert piece passes again for releasing the object from the device, the pusher remains rigid so that the strap or sling is removed from the insert piece.

The direction of coupling of the insert pieces is defined above as being a movement parallel with the top of the object with noses pointing towards the stop plate. It should be understood that the insert pieces can be arranged so that they can also move with noses pointing towards each other or away from each other.

The present invention is not limited to the above description and as illustrated in the drawings but can be changed and modified in a number of different ways within the framework of the idea of inventin defined in the following claims.

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