Technical field In modern handling of cargo and goods it is common to place goods packed as a unit on a pallet and make four such loaded pallets form a group adapted to be lifted as a large unit to or from a cargo hold or storespace. Such groups of goods or large units arranged as just mentioned are usually provided with so called lifting slings, i.e. lifting straps, at each end provided with a loop. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate tvpical arrangements .

State of the Art Figure 1 shows how a loop arranged at an end of a strap may be attached to a pin like projection or peg arranged at the upper face of a girder or like frame member for lifting a load suspended by the strap. Slings or straps with loops as shown are common today. Figure 2 discloses a lifting frame 7 including frame girders 8 and there¬ between crossbeams 9. Pin like projections are secured to both the girders 8 and the crossbeams 9 as illustrated in Figure 1 and the entire frame is suspended by wires or lines 11 from a lifting hook 12. Below the lifting frame 7 are shown four brought together cargo or goods units 13,14, 15,16 on pallets 17. Lifting straps 2 are threaded below the pallets and the straps are as shown in Figures 1 and 2 provided with loops 1 at their ends. The loops are intended to be looped or threaded over appropriately situated pin like projection 10 of the frame 7. In this way the whole group of load units, including the pallets, can be hoisted from a hold of a vessel to the αuai .

The problem behind the invention

As the group or unit reaches the quai the frame normally will be allowed to sink towards the upwardly facing side of the goods. The loops earlier connected to the pin like projections or pegs 10 have to be lifted off in order to release the frame. Goods units or groups of this kind can be rather high, which means that the person who intends to remove the loops from the projections has to climb the goods unit or use a ladder. This is a time consuming operation also involving certain risks for personal injuries. Loading and un-loading normally is to take place within a limited time and it is important that the operation can take place without endangering safety.

Abstract of the invention

This invention is intended to solve the problems mentioned above by suggesting a device, which permits the loops of the lifting straps to be detached from the pin like projec¬ tions or pegs by remote control. The invention essentially relates to providing a loop engaging device at each such projection upon activation intended to lift a loop threaded over the projection upwardly disconnecting it from the projection and thereby detaching the entire load unit or group from the lifting frame.

Further characterizing features will be found in the accompanying claims.

Description of the drawing figures The invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the goods lifting arrangement with a device according to one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line A-A in Figure 3 and showing a close up of one of the pin like projections with looped on strap loop and a part of the detaching device in the unactivated position,

Figure 5 is a top view of same projection, loop and device,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, but with the loop engaging and detaching device in an activated position having just lifted the loop off the projection,

Figure 7 is a side view in a reduced scale of the goods lifting arrangement showing a lifting frame with its projections and a device for disengaging and detaching loops threaded over the projections, the device shown in an un-activated state,

Figure 8 is a side view corresponding to Figure 7, but with the loop disengaging and detaching device in activated state,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the goods lifting arrangement with a loop detaching device according to another embodiment of the invention, in a non-activated position,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side view partly in section along the line B-B of Figure 9 showing a peg, the end portion of a strap loop and piece of a detaching device according to this embodiment,

Figure 11 is a top view similar to Figure 10 and showing the second embodiment, and

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 10, but with the loop detaching device in an active loop disengaging position.

General description of the invention

In the drawing is shown a lifting frame 18 similar to the frame 8 already shown in Fig. 2. The frame 18 includes two girders 20 forming the longer sides of the frame and two additional girders 21 and 22 forming the shorter sides of the frame. As in the frame according to Fig. 2 inter¬ mediary beams 23 and 24 as well as crossbeams 24' and 24" are arranged.

Arranged on the girders and beams 19,20,23 and 24 are bitts or pin like projections or pegs 25, each having a tapering upper end showing a bore 27, through which an activation or control line 28 is threaded. Each such line is secured at an upright 29,30, such uprights secured to the shorter end girders 21,22 of the frame. According to the drawing each line is threaded through the borings of two pegs and then to a jointing disc 31 suspended by an activation line 32 running through an eyelet arranged at a lifting ring 34. Two additional rings 35 and 36 are secured to the lifting ring 34. Said rings form attachment points for four wire ropes 37 suspending the lifting frame 18 and secured to attachment flanges 38 at the longitudinal girders 19,20. The jointing disc 31 has a hole 39 through which is threaded a guiding wire rope 40 which runs between the eyelet 33 and the crossing point of the girders 23,24,24' and 24". In the position shown in Fig. 3 all the activation or control lines are in their tightened state. On its downwardly facing side the lifting frame is provided with abutment bows 41,42 and 4 intended to allow the frame to rest against an underlying load arranged as shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawing Fig. 9-12 all details and features corre¬ sponding to details and features of Figs. 4-8 are given the same reference number. Details having the same purpose, but of a different design, are given a corresponding number

with one hundred added. Also this embodiment is based on the same lifting frame 18 with pin or bitts like pegs 25 and the frame is carried by wire ropes 37. In this embodi¬ ment each peg 25 is provided with an annular sleeve or ring 128 loosely threaded over the peg and the rings 128 are interconnected by essentially rigid rods or the like 128' to form a grid like construction with rings 128 each receiving a peg 25. The grid like construction is sus¬ pended by control lines 132 running through a block or sheave device 131 and further on through a guide 47 to a handle 48. The entire grid like construction can be raised or lowered as one unit by pulling or releasing the handle 48

Description of the function Referring to Figs. 4-8, to make it possible to attach the loops 1 to the pegs 25, it is necessary to let the control or activation lines descend along the pegs so that they will form bights along the sides of the pegs and the frame portions therebetween. To permit this the jointing disc 31 i _s lowered towards the crossing point between the girders.

The control line will then, as illustrated in Fi.g. 4, adhere to the sides of the peg 25 and the loop 1 of a lifting strap be threaded over both the peg and the bighted portions O-F th line 28. If the line 28 now is tightened in the direction of the arrows 44, the resulting prying forces will make the loo 1 move in the direction of the arrows 45 upwardly along the sides of the peg 25. When the line 28 is completely tightene as shown in Fig. 6, the loop 1 will slide off the peg and no longer be held by this and fall away. By pulling the line 32 so that the jointing disc moves along the guide rope 40, thus all control lines 28 will be tightened and reach the positions shown in Fig. 8. This results in a simultaneous disconnection of the loops 1 of all straps and this can be achieved without having the operator climbing the load or performing other measures than pulling the handle of the

line 32. In this embodiment the line 32 is guided by a sleeve 46 secured to an upright 47 on the girder 19 and the line 32 at its end carries a handle 48. The operator may thus stand at the side of the load and free of danger perform the disconnection of all straps.

The embodiment according to Figs. 9-12 is somewhat heavier but reguires less force for perfoming a disconnection than the just described one. Before securing the strap loops to the pegs 25, the lines 132 suspending the grid like construc¬ tion must be slackened allowing the grid construction to rest against the frame 18 and the upper ends of the pegs to protrude through rings 128. As seen from Fig. 10 the major portion of each peg is free to receive a loop threaded onto same and the loop will abut the upwardly facing edge of the ring 128. On lifting the grid like ring carrying construction - which like tightening the lines 28 of the embodiment according to Figs. 3-9 can take place only after the lessening of removal of the forces acting on the straps 2 - the loops 1 will be pushed upwardly so that they eventually reach and pass the upper end of the pegs and are disengaged therefrom. The hoisting and lowering of the grid like con¬ struction is achieved by the line system 132 and handle 48.

The invention can, of course within the scope of the claims and the basic idea, be utilized for a number of other purposes. As an example could the activation lines 28 be provided at bollards for securing ships so that by a central control means several moorings could be detached simultaneously along a quai. It is naturally not necessary to arrange a number of pin like pegs on beams or girders as shown, and further can one lifting strap only forming a loop be utilized for any upright detail, e.g. the end portion of a hook like means provided with an activation line as herein described.