LIFTING PALLET

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1 . Field of the Invention The present invention relates to pallet for lifting goods at transferring goods offshore platforms such as oil and gas well drilling and production platforms. More particularly, the present invention relates to lift pallet that enables a user using a lifting device at offshore platform.

2. General Background In the exploration of oil and gas in a marine environment, fixed, semi submersible, jack up, and other offshore marine platforms are used during drilling operations. Fixed platforms are typically used for production of oil and gas from wells after they have been drilled. Drilling and production require that an enormous amount of supplies be transported from land based storage facilities. Supplies are typically transferred to offshore platforms using very large marine vessels called work boats. These work boats can be in excess of one hundred feet in length and have expansive deck areas for carrying cargo that is destined for an offshore platform. Supplies are typically transferred from a land based dock area to the marine vessel using a lifting device such as a crane or a mobile lifting and transport device such as a forklift.

Once a work boat arrives at a selected offshore platform, supplies or products are typically transferred from the deck of the work boat to the platform using a lifting device such as a crane.

Once on the deck of a drilling platform or production platform, space is at a premium. The storage of supplies on an offshore oil well drilling or production platform is a huge problem.

US Patent No. 6668735 entitled "Pallet With A Plastic Platform" discloses a platform formed by a hollow, unitary body having two opposed major walls on which there are corresponding inwardly-extending ribs which are welded together. Projecting portions of the platform are welded to corresponding base elements which are also formed, in threes, by hollow unitary bodies. The resulting structure is particularly stiff and can advantageously be produced by an extrusion-blowing process with plastics material of high molecular weight. US Patent No. 482831 1 discloses a pallet for transporting a pile of metal forms of the type having interior surfaces, the pallet having a pair of members spaced apart from each other and adapted to hold the opposite lateral ends of metal forms, each member of said pair respectively comprising: a bottom beam for holding a lateral end of the bottom of said pile of metal forms; the bottom beams of said pair mounted on each lateral end of said metal forms for retention thereof, wherein each bottom beam includes locking means connected thereto and upstanding therefrom such that the locking means engage an interior surface of said metal form at each longitudinal end.

US Patent Publication No. 20120138554 discloses a cargo rack comprising: a) a frame having a front, a rear, 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 perimeter beam base and including at least left and right side walls, the frame having four corners with a corner column at each corner; e) at least one intermediate column positioned in between two 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 frame next to an intermediate column; and 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.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a lifting pallet for use in offshore that comprising a casted frame which can be lifted by offshore crane, and the pallet can also be forklifted if sufficient space is available for the movement of the forklift.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a lifting pallet for goods or cargoes comprising a) a platform of substantially flat having a top and a bottom surface; b) a casted frame substantially rectangular having four corners each with a protruded padeye; and c) a plurality of slits and apertures formed on the top surface of the platform allowing goods or cargo to be transported be secured onto the platform, whereby the platform with cargo or with goods is lifted by a crane meant for offshore unloading or loading. Still another main object of the present invention is to provide a lifting pallet comprising: a) a platform of substantially flat having a top and a bottom surface, with four edges along the platform; b) at least two slots provided on the edge allowing the platform to be lifted by a fork lift; c) a casted corner having a protruded padeye mounted at each of the corner of the platform; d) a plurality of slits formed on the surface of the front portion of the platform and a plurality of apertures formed on the top surface of the platform allowing goods or cargo on the platform be secured onto the platform; whereby the platform with cargo or with goods is lifted by a crane meant for offshore unloading or loading.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lifting pallet for goods or cargoes, wherein at least two slots are provided to each of the edges of the platform for transportation by a forklift.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a lifting pallet for goods or cargoes, wherein each of the padeyes are diagonally aligned.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lifting pallet for goods or cargoes, wherein the corners of the bottom surface are provided with a slit at a position corresponding to the padeye, and the depth of the slit is as identical to the height of the padeye such that two lifting pallets can be stacked together.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lifting pallet for goods or cargoes, wherein the padeye has an aperture facilitating lifting of the pallet. Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a lifting pallet wherein the frame is provided with open slots for forklift to be able to lift up the pallet.

The casted frame provides the edge of the platform of which the four sides are provided with a pair of slots for the lifting of forklift.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the lifting pallet of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the lifting pallet of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the lifting pallet of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the stacking of the preferred embodiment of the lifting pallet of the present invention; FIGs. 5 to 7 are perspective view showing the mounting of loads on the lifting pallet in accordance with the present.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 -7 show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 100. The preferred embodiment 100 is configured to hold goods or cargoes or loads 60, 70, 80. These loads or cargoes are mounted onto the lifting pallet 100 as shown in FIGs. 5, 6 & 7.

As shown in FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of a lifting pallet 100 in accordance with the present invention. The lifting pallet 100 for goods or cargoes comprises a) a platform 10 of substantially flat having a top 12 and a bottom surface 14; b) a casted frame 20 substantially rectangular having four corners each with a protruded padeye 31 , 32, 33, 34; and c) a plurality of slits and apertures 50 formed on the top surface 12 of the platform 10 allowing goods or cargo to be transported be secured onto the platform 10, whereby the platform 10 with cargo or with goods is lifted by a crane meant for offshore unloading or loading.

In accordance with the present invention, there are four corners on the pallet 100, and these corners are each mounted with a padeye 31 , 32, 33 and 34 such that the padeyes 31 , 32, 33, and 34 are being hooked by clipper (Is there a specific name for this ?) from a crane. The crane (not shown) lifts up the pallet 100 and moving the pallet 100 to a place that has been designated.

As shown in FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a lifting pallet 100 in accordance with the present invention. The structure of the lifting pallet 100 has the same as that shown in FIG.1 of the present invention. In Fig 2, the platform for the pallet 100 is being removed and it can be replaced by any type of designed slot-hole platform according to client's need. FIG. 3 is another perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a lifting pallet 100 comprising: a) a platform of substantially flat having a top 10 and a bottom surface 14 , with four sides along the side of the platform 10; b) a casted corner having a protruded padeye mounted at each of the corner of the platform; c) a plurality of slits formed on the surface of the front portion of the platform and a plurality of apertures formed on the top surface of the platform allowing goods or cargo on the platform be secured onto the platform; whereby the platform with cargo or with goods is lifted by a crane meant for offshore unloading or loading. In the preferred embodiments, at the sides of the frame 10, at least two slots 90, 92 provided on the edge allowing the platform 10 to be lifted by a fork lift.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the stacking of a plurality of lifting pallet 100 in accordance with the present invention. The bottom face of the casted corner is provided with a slot (not shown) which can adapt the protruded padeye of another lifting pallet. Accordingly, a lot of space will be saved either in the course of transportation or when in use.

FIGs. 5-7 are perspective views showing the pellet being used to transport loads in accordance with the present invention. A crane used either on land or offshore is lifting the pallet at the corner of the pallet. The loads or the goods 60, 70, 80 are placed and secured onto the platform and the pallet 100 is then lifted by a crane.

In accordance with the present invention, the transporting of cargo or good is fast and safe.