Field of the Invention The invention relates to apparatus and the use of said apparatus in the lifting of freight devices for transfer or storage.

Background of the Invention A method used for the lifting of heavy objects, particularly for freight, is to secure and lift using heavy duty wire rope directly to a crane attachment such as a hook. This method permits quick engagement and disengagement of the load and is of low complexity. Whilst most environments are suitable for rapid engagement and disengagement of a load, this is particularly useful for ship borne loads and further, when the ship is subject to vagaries of wind and wave action. In particular, for rough conditions, more conventional methods of engagement are difficult or impossible and, therefore, there is an attraction for wire rope engagement.

In order to meet safety requirements, however, after a single such use the wire rope must be discarded. The uncertain nature of the lifting conditions is such that the wire rope cannot be relied upon to meet its rated safe working load for subsequent applications and, therefore, there is a considerable wastage of materials in discarding the wire rope.

As an alternative, to eliminate wastage multiple use systems have been developed. These include the use of freight devices, such as lifting frames, liftable brackets for binding materials, and intermodal devices, such as flat racks and various types of shipping containers. The items in question are loaded into/onto the freight devices, which are manipulated using purpose-built equipment, for instance, spreaders adapted for use with cranes and the like.

In this alternative, the crane is attached to a spreader which engages with twist locks in the corners of, for instance, a conventional container. In order for the container to be engaged by the spreader, each of the four twist locks must be individually engaged and, therefore, there is considerable skill required in aligning the spreader with the container in order for engagement.

In a container yard, the crane and the container share a common stable base making 5 alignment relatively easy. Even in the case of a ship at berth, the ship may be relatively stable, given the protection of the dock.

However, a ship in high seas subject to pitch and yaw will not have the same stability, making alignment a long and difficult, if not impossible, task. Thus, whilst l o conventional methods of engagement of a container are useful and widespread in a stable environment, this is not the case, for instance, in the open sea where there is considerable movement of the ship during loading and unloading.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a rapid and straightforward 15 method of engagement of a load while still maintaining the advantages of a multi-use lifting system.

Summary of Invention In a first aspect, the present invention provides a lifting apparatus for suspending from a 0 crane in order to lift a freight device comprising: A body having a first and second portion A crane attachment assembly for attaching the first portion of the body to the crane A selectively releasable engagement means attached to the second portion of the body for engaging the freight device, 5 said engagement means including a sleeve having an internal face corresponding in shape to a cone attached to the freight device through attachment means and; a selectively releasable locking mechanism for locking the sleeve to the cone.

0 The invention involves combining a multi-use arrangement with a system of rapid engagement/disengagement by incorporating, firstly, a single engagement rather than the four engagement portions of the prior art and, secondly, that this engagement is more easily achieved.

By adopting a cone to fit into a sleeve, alignment is on the basis of a sleeve having an orifice diameter similar to that of the base of the cone. However, it is merely the tip of the cone that needs to be located within the sleeve orifice in order to ensure alignment. Thus, the margin for error available for the engagement of the present invention is considerable when compared to the alignment of, for instance, a twist lock whereby the male portion of the engagement is similar in size to that of the female portion and thus, leaving very little margin for error.

In one embodiment, the cone may be attached directly to the freight device. However, in a preferred alternative arrangement, the cone may be indirectly attached to the freight device through an intermediate device, hi a more preferred embodiment, the intermediate device may be a frame, for instance, an adapter frame having the cone attached to it at a convenient location, which is engaged with the freight device. The freight device may then be manipulated either through corresponding twist lock engagements in the adapter frame, which may be more convenient within a container yard. In the intended location, however, the lifting apparatus of the present invention can be used to move the freight device. Thus, in a more preferred embodiment, the adapter frame will not merely permit manipulation by a lifting device of the present invention, but may also permit manipulation by conventional systems.

In an embodiment incorporating the adapter frame, the adapter frame may be a fabricated steel frame having twist lock arrangements in the corners for engagement with a freight device, and having a reinforced portion located centrally for attachment to the cone. Attachment of the cone to the reinforced portion of the adapter frame may be through high tensile bolts or through welding or other means consistent with the load bearing requirements of the cone.

In alternative forms the adapter frame may be rectangular for compatibility with existing freight devices. Alternatively, the adapter frame may be purpose-built for use with specific forms of freight. It follows, therefore, that the frame may be any shape, including round for use with circular freight, for instance, foundry vessels.

In a more preferred embodiment, the reinforced portion of the adapter frame may have a recess or cavity beneath the cone such that a plurality of adapter frames may be stacked with the attached cones fitting into the recess of an upper adapter frame.

In a further more preferred embodiment, the freight device may also have a recess in an under portion to accommodate a cone. Thus, in this embodiment, the assembly of the adapter frame, cone and freight device may also be stackable with the cone of one assembly fitting into the recess of an upper assembly. The use of the cone for the manipulation of the freight device with the adapter frame, does not limit the use of the present invention, hi fact, it may be applicable to specific types of freight devices, including intermodal devices, for instance, suitably modified containers or flat racks.

hi a preferred embodiment, the present invention may further have a rotational control assembly used to control the twisting and rotation of the apparatus whilst attached to a crane.

In one embodiment, said control assembly may include the arrangement of connection to the crane.

One alternative includes the use of mechanical and motorized rotation devices, which my connect directly or indirectly to the lifting apparatus. Such devices may be operated to rotate the lifting apparatus as required, using powered rotation.

hi another alternative embodiment, the lifting apparatus may be connected to a plurality of strands, each strand engaging at one end to the apparatus at a peripheral point of the lifting apparatus, and at at the other joined at a single point to the crane cable. Collectively the strands may form a pyramidal shape from the points of engagement up to connection to the main crane cable, possibly with a further engagement apparatus intermediate the strand and the main cable, for instance, a spreader. This arrangement of strands, extending outwards for connection to peripheral points of the lifting apparatus may tend to keep the apparatus "square" to the ground and so limiting pitch and yaw of the apparatus.

In a further preferred embodiment, the rotational control assembly may include arms projecting laterally from the body of the lifting apparatus to which are attached cables. The attachment of the cables to the projecting arms may be such that an application of a load to the cable will tend to rotate the lifting apparatus. In a further preferred embodiment, the arms maybe projecting in opposed directions to each other such that rotation of the lifting apparatus in either direction may be achieved by the application of load to either of the attached cables.

hi a more preferred embodiment, the arms may be selectively extendable so as to be telescopic. This has the advantage of increasing the applied torque to the lifting apparatus for the equivalent application of force to the cables. Thus, in a further embodiment, prior to engagement with the freight device, it may be beneficial to have the arms unextended so that the applied torque is small and thus, having greater fine control over the rotation of the apparatus. However, on engagement with a freight device and the accompanying inertia, it may be necessary to extend the arms so as to amplify the applied torque in order to achieve an acceptable level of torque, and so an acceptable level of control.

hi a further preferred embodiment, the rotational control may be achieved through static friction between the cone and sleeve in the engaged position. Thus, static friction will tend to resist rotation up to a point. In a more preferred embodiment, the static friction will be such that a relatively low level of applied torque may be resisted through the static friction, but exceeded on application of a greater torque, such as may be applied by the freight device making substantial contact with a solid object. In this case, such an applied torque maybe sufficient to overcome static friction and so permit rotation of the cone within the sleeve. If static friction were not overcome, the substantial applied torque in this example may be distributed to the point of attachment between the cone and the adapter frame. This application of torque may be sufficient to fail this attachment and perhaps lead to substantial damage and possibly disconnection between the cone and the adapter frame, permitting the freight device to fall. Thus, whilst the static friction may be useful in the rotational control, it may be controlled so as not to exert unnecessarily large loads to upper portions within the assembly.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is its ability for automatic engagement and selective disengagement. The means for this engagement, however, may vary in different embodiments of the invention. For instance, engagement may be through the cone locking into the sleeve through engagement with a lip or shear key locking underneath the cone. Alternatively, the cone may have a recess into which will fit a projection from the sleeve. In a more preferred embodiment, the cone will have a radial recess into which will fit a radial projection from the sleeve. Ih each case, an engagement and interference fit is formed such that the cone cannot be withdrawn from the sleeve until the means of engagement is retracted.

On insertion of the cone into the sleeve, engagement may be automatic in that the means of engagement from the sleeve, engages the cone until the corresponding recess or lip is located.

In a further preferred embodiment, the inclined face of the cone may progressively push the projection back until a recess is encountered, where upon the projection automatically slides into place. Alternatively, movement of the cone bearing on a particular portion may drive engagement in a manner similar to a twist lock engagement.

In a further preferred embodiment, on complete insertion of the cone into the sleeve, a remote operator may receive a signal to engage the cone. Alternatively, the cone may engage automatically.

The mechanism operating the engagement and disengagement may be spring loaded with a manual or remote disengagement. Alternatively, the projection may be actuator operated, said actuator being an electric motor or a hydraulic ram or an air driven ram which may be operated remotely by an operator, such as the crane operator. Alternatively, the insertion of the cone may activate a limit switch and consequently operate the mechanism.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an adapter frame for lifting a freight device said adapter frame comprising a prefabricated steel frame, a central portion to which is mounted a cone, and a plurality of selective locking means for selectively locking to the freight device, said cone engageable with a sleeve of a lifting apparatus for subsequent attachment to a crane wherein on selective locking to the adapter frame, the freight device is lifted by the crane.

m a third aspect, the present invention provides an adapter frame for lifting a freight device said adapter frame comprising a prefabricated steel frame, a central portion to which is mounted a sleeve, and a plurality of selective locking means for selectively locking to the freight device, said sleeve engageable with a cone of a lifting apparatus for subsequent attachment to a crane wherein on selective locking to the adapter frame, the freight device is lifted by the crane.

In a preferred embodiment, the selective locking means may include twist locks.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a freight device for containing articles for transport and storage comprising a containment area for containing the articles, a plurality of selective locking means for selectively locking an adapter frame to an upper portion of the freight device, said adapter frame having an upwardly projecting engagement portion and; a recess in a lower portion of the freight device wherein the recess of an upper freight device is adapted to receive the engagement portion of an adapter frame of a lower freight device, permitting a plurality of the freight devices, each locked to an adapter frame, to be stackable.

In a preferred embodiment, the upwardly projecting engagement portion may be a cone. Alternatively, the upwardly projecting engagement portion may be a sleeve for receiving a cone. Brief Description of Drawings It will be convenient to further describe the present invention with respect to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a possible arrangement of the invention. Other arrangements of the invention are possible and consequently the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superceding the generality of the preceding description of the invention.

Figure 1 is an isometric view according to a freight device used in association with the present invention; Figure 2 is an elevation view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A is an isometric view according to the preferred embodiment of Figure 2; Figure 3B is an isometric view according to the preferred embodiment of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a sectional view according to the preferred embodiment of Figure 4.

Description of Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 shows a freight device, in this case a flat rack 10, used to transport storage bins 25. The flat rack 10 comprises a fabricated steel base 15 with supported columns 20 at each corner forming a frame in which to carry the storage bins 25. Further, said columns house engagement portions of the flat rack 10, being twist locks 30, at each corner. In this case, the flat rack may also be transported by forklift having recesses 35 to receive the tynes of the forklift within the base 15. For the purposes of the invention, the flat rack is merely exemplary of a freight device that may be used with the present invention. However, freight devices include standard containers and purpose built frames which may engage directly or indirectly to the cone of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention being the lifting apparatus 40 comprising a body 45 to which is attached a cable arrangement 60 for connection to a crane. The body has in a lower portion, a sleeve 50 which is adapted to engage with a cone 55. To this end, the internal shape of the sleeve 50 corresponds to that of the cone 55. The upper portion of the body 70 has brackets 65 to connect to a cable network 60. Further, it also has arms 75 projecting horizontally in opposed directions, which are used to control the rotation of the lifting apparatus 40.

hi this embodiment, the cone 55 is mounted to an adapter frame 90. The adapter frame 90 acts as an intermediate element between the lifting apparatus 40 and the freight device 10 which in this embodiment, engages with the freight device through twist lock engagements 95 located in the adapter frame 90 and twist lock engagement portions 30 in the freight device.

When not in use, the adapter frame 90 with the cone 55 attached may be stored by stacking a plurality of said adapter frames one on top of another. In this case, the cone 55 of one frame would fit within the cavity 105 and thus, the frames are free to stack flat without interference with, or damage to, the cones 55. Movement of the adapter frames 90 can be achieved through engagement with a crane, such as a spreader (not shown) which connects to the adapter frame through the twist lock engagements 95. Alternatively, in this embodiment, the adapter frame 90 has recesses 100 for receiving the tynes of a forklift.

Figures 3 A and 3B show the lifting apparatus 40 prior to, and following, engagement respectively, with the adapter frame through the cone 55. hi use, the lifting apparatus 40 will be placed in position through a crane (not shown), which engages with the lifting apparatus 40 through crane attachment cables 60. The crane attachment cables are divided into four strands which are connected to the upper portion of the body 45 and around the periphery of the upper portion 70. The distribution of the cable strands about the upper portion permits greater control of the lifting apparatus 40 to maintain the lifting apparatus 40 in a position "square" to the adapter frame as it is lowered into place. If, as an alternative, a single strand was connected to a single point of the lifting apparatus 40, the lifting apparatus 40 would be subject to pitch and yaw movements making alignment with the cone 55 very difficult. The distribution of the cable strands at least minimises this movement. Projecting from the upper body 70 are arms 75 having cables 106 A and 106B projecting from brackets located at extreme ends of said arms. As the arms extend in opposed direction away from the upper portion, they provide an increased lever arm when a tension is applied to either of the cables 106A and 106B. Further, the arms 75 are telescopic in that they can be increased in length so as to increase the lever arm and so increase the applied torque available to an operator controlling the force applied in cables 106 A and 106B.

In this arrangement, control of the spatial position of the lifting apparatus 40 is controlled by the crane operator. The rotational position about a vertical axis, is controlled by the operator manipulating cables 106 A and 106B and the rotational position about both horizontal axes, is limited or in a most preferred embodiment eliminated, by the crane attachment cables 60.

With control over the spatial and rotational position of the lifting apparatus 40, the desired position of the freight device attached to the adapter frame 90 may be determined by engaging the lifting apparatus 40 with the cone 55. Figure 3A shows the position of the lifting apparatus just prior to engagement with the cone 55 and Figure 3B shows the position following engagement whereby the lifting apparatus 40 has been lowered to engage with the cone 55 and thus, engage with the freight device.

A critical aspect of the invention is the ability of the lifting apparatus to engage with the cone attached to the adapter frame. In this embodiment, the active engagement occurs within the sleeve 50 whereby a mechanism 110 is selectively activated or automatically activated when the cone is inserted into the sleeve 50. Actuators 115A and 115B are arranged to bias associated lever arms. Figure 5 shows the lever arm arrangement for one set of actuators 115A which act upon lever arms 120A and 120B to project or retract projections 140A and 140B.

Thus, in aligning the sleeve 50 with the cone 55, the larger orifice 125 of the sleeve 50 is placed above the cone 55. The nature of a cone shape is such that the leading portion of the cone has a small diameter as compared to the orifice 125 of the sleeve. Thus, the margin of the error available to the operator to position the lifting apparatus over the cone is greatly enhanced. If the cone is not centralised within the sleeve, it need only contact internal surface 130 to have the lifting apparatus slide towards a convergent position with the cone, and permit the cone to contact an internal surface 135. The inclined face of the inner surface of the sleeve further aligns the sleeve and cone such that on further lowering of the lifting apparatus, the cone contacts the upper portion 145 of the internal sleeve. On insertion of the cone into the sleeve, the outer surface of the cone which will bear against projections 140A and 140B until said projections align with the group recess of the cone 85. Li this embodiment, the projections automatically slide into place into the circumferential recess 85 of the cone. On insertion of the projections 140A and 140B into the recess automatically lock the cone into place thus, permitting lifting of the freight device.

The freight device can then be lifted and manipulated to a desired position and placed accurately by the lifting apparatus as controlled by the crane operator. When the desired position is achieved, actuators 115A and 115B can be activated to withdraw the projections and thus, permitting the sleeve to pull free from the cone and so disengaging the lifting apparatus from the freight device. The engagement and disengagement of the lifting apparatus from the freight device becomes a straight forward and rapid activity whether in a stable environment or when rough conditions prevail.