U.S. patent application number 09/231267 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-24 for cargo lash to bar.
Invention is credited to ELKINTON, VIRGIL SHAWN, HOLT, ANTHONY J..
Application Number | 20020009346 09/231267 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41262322 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020009346 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HOLT, ANTHONY J. ; et
al. |
January 24, 2002 |
CARGO LASH TO BAR
Abstract
A beam which is a cargo lash to bar for connecting mobile
equipment and other cargo to the deck of a roll on-roll off ship,
which is a with multiple D-rings and apertures along its length for
lashing to using twist lock connection.
Inventors: |
HOLT, ANTHONY J.;
(SILVERDALE, WA) ; ELKINTON, VIRGIL SHAWN;
(BREMERTON, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANTHONY J. HOLT
POBOX 504
SILVERDALE
WA
98383
|
Family ID: |
41262322 |
Appl. No.: |
09/231267 |
Filed: |
January 15, 1999 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60071648 |
Jan 16, 1998 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
410/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 88/129 20130101;
B60P 7/132 20130101; B65D 2590/005 20130101; B65D 90/006 20130101;
B65D 90/0053 20130101; B63B 25/002 20130101; B65D 88/121 20130101;
B65D 88/126 20130101; B63B 25/28 20130101; B65D 90/0013 20130101;
B65D 88/022 20130101; B65D 2590/0058 20130101; B60P 7/0815
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
410/94 |
International
Class: |
B60P 001/64 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A beam of the type comprising: a) a structural member that spans
from one mounting socket to at least one other mounting socket, b)
a plurality of lashing apertures selected from a group consisting
of holes and D-rings along the length of said structural member, c)
and a plurality of mounting apertures in said structural member
characterized in that said beam removably connects to a structure
by means of a plurality of twist locks.
2. The beam in claim 1 wherein said structure to which said beam
removably connects is a ship.
3. The beam in claim 1 wherein said structure to which said beam
removably connects is a vehicle.
4. The beam in claim 1 wherein said structural member has
adjustable means wherein longitudinal movement is effected.
5. The beam in claim 1 wherein said structural member is removably
fastened tightly to said structure by means of a tightening twist
lock.
6. The beam in claim 1 wherein said structure is another of said
beam of claim 1.
7. The beam in claim 1 wherein winches are attached to said
structural member.
8. A beam of the type comprising: a) a structural member that spans
from one mounting aperture to at least one other mounting aperture,
b) a plurality of lashing apertures selected from a group
consisting of holes and D-rings along the length of said structural
member, c) and a plurality of the aforesaid mounting apertures in
said structural member for insertion of twist lock removable
connection means in a configuration reciprocal to the mounting of a
freight container.
9. The beam in claim 8 wherein said structure to which said beam
removably connects is a ship.
10. The beam in claim 8 wherein said structure to which said beam
removably connects is a vehicle.
11. The beam in claim 8 wherein said structural member has
adjustable means wherein longitudinal movement is effected.
12. The beam in claim 8 wherein said structural member is removably
fastened tightly to said structure by means of a tightening twist
lock.
13. The beam in claim 8 wherein said structure is another of said
beam of claim 8.
14. The beam in claim 8 wherein winches are attached to said
structural member.
15. A cargo restraining system comprising removably connecting
locking bolt securing means wherein a plurality of said locking
bolt are inserted in apertures in a structural member, having a
plurality of lashing apertures selected from a group consisting of
holes and D-rings along the length of said structural member, said
lashing apertures available for the purpose of threading lashings
through for the purpose of tightly securing a load to said
structural member along the length of said structural member that
spans from one securing point to at least one other securing point,
for securing said load to a vehicle.
16. The cargo restraining system in claim 15 wherein said vehicle
is a ship.
17. The beam in claim 1 wherein siad structural member has a load
transfer brace.
18. The beam in claim 8 wherein siad structural member has a load
transfer brace.
19. A beam of the type comprising: a) a structural member that
spans from one mounting socket to at least twist lock to at least
one other twist lock, b) a plurality of lashing apertures selected
from a group consisting of holes and D-rings along the length of
said structural member, c) and a plurality of twist locks in said
structural member characterized in that said beam removably
connects to a structure.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a new mechanism, a bar
which is a beam to lash cargo to, herein called the cargo lash to
bar, for the fastening and restraining cargo to a transport vessel
or vehicle, especially as used in lashing down mobile equipment to
the deck of an intermodal cargo carrying roll-on/roll-off ocean
going ship known as a RoRo, or for fastening to a tanker ship's
weather deck. This application claims the benefit of Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/071,648 filed Jan. 16, 1998.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] The action of the sea imparts seven motions of force in
three directions against a ship and its cargo. Where on land cargo
lashing frequently encounters loading and unloading of dynamic
forces, on the ocean cargo lashing experiences a reversal or
combination of dynamic force loading. The consequence of such
extreme conditions is that the load must be fastened down very
well. Currently when an armored tank or other irregular shaped
mobile equipment is loaded on the deck of a ship which is designed
for a variety of cargo including intermodal freight containers, the
mobile equipment will be chained down tight to D-rings. The D-rings
are welded to the deck, or mounted to a breech base which is
received and locked into a socket in the deck, or mounted to a
twist lock which is received and locked into an socket built into
the deck. Spacing of such sockets is substantially twenty feet (or
forty feet) apart fore and aft and two adjacent eight feet across
athwartship in a configuration reciprocal to the mounting of a
freight container. As a result the cargomen who are stevedores,
longshoremen, and ship's crew on the ship are frequently faced with
the problem of inadequate tie down locations adjacent to the
fastening points of most mobile equipment. This results in multiple
chains being stretched at odd angles to reach a single mounting
location. This agrivates the problems of lashing and can lead to
lashing gear, D-ring, or deck sockets and bases breaking or tearing
with the equipment dangerously coming loose at sea.
[0005] The transportation of cargo is increasingly geared to
intermodal and unitized handling. Most ships are equipped for
intermodal shipping that consists primarily of container boxes that
are eight feet high, eight feet wide, and twenty feet long. The
configuration of the ship's deck is designed to be a mirror of the
pattern or footprint of the layout of the standard freight
container box. This standard is referred to as a TEU or twenty foot
equivalent unit and is particularly evident in the international
ISO 668 specification. Many variety of containers have been
developed for transport of lumber and liquid tanks, and are just
two examples of intermodal freight handling equipment that maintain
the TEU although height of specialty containers frequently varies.
The intermodal nature of freight containers makes them readily
usable without adaptation or modification for transport over sea,
over land by trucking, or by rail.
[0006] Many problems are encountered by ships cargomen when they
attempt to fasten irregular shaped loads to a ship's deck. Current
cargo restraint lashing rigging consists of D-rings welded to a
ship's deck and D-rings welded to twist lock bases, breech bases,
clover leaf bases, dovetail bases or other proprietary locking
mounting bases for mounting to corresponding deck sockets. U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,457,650 and 3,860,209 illustrate the styles of
fastening rings, cavities, and sockets and the various bases types
which are used to fasten to a ship's deck. All of these embodiments
suffer from the same problem, that they mount and seat into the
sockets built into the deck that are spaced too far apart for
convenient, safe, and secure lashing in all cases at distances
usually eight feet apart athwartship and twenty and forty feet
apart fore and aft. Often the twist lock sockets or D-rings are
covered by cargo or wheels or tracks of a piece of mobile
equipment, which must be accommodated by lashing to a farther point
and putting extra load on a neighboring D-ring or omitting a
lashing entirely. When a twist lock mounted D-ring breaks because
multiple pieces of mobile equipment are lashed to a single
overloaded point, all the equipment comes loose. The result can be
the dramatic loss at sea of adjacently fastened armored tanks or
other cargo that break loose their rigging in rough seas.
[0007] When D-rings are welded to a ship's deck problems are
incurred. Welding to the deck is a permanent attachment which can
be an encumbrance later on and be an obstruction for man and
machines that causes a safety hazard. Also, dragging a welder and
all of it's equipment around a ship's deck to weld down and
retrofit individual D-rings or repair broken D-rings is slow and
labor intensive. Welding is a severe optical hazard to ship's crew
about the deck. Welding also heats the metal of the deck in excess
of 3,000 degrees F., which causes localized changes in the crystal
structure of the base metal making it brittle and reducing the
strength. A ship's deck cannot be readily annealed. Weld on D-rings
are not able to be welded to the lower deck of most ships because
the bottom side of the lower deck is the fuel hold or fuel tank. To
weld to the lower deck requires the costly procedure of evacuating
the space with an inert gas or risking major fire or explosion.
[0008] A shoring beam shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,089 of Allen,
can be a highly useful piece of equipment for securing cargo. Quick
installing shoring beams are useful for lashing vehicles and
irregular cargo to. However the shoring beam system of Allen has a
single securing set screw fastener which is too light duty to be of
consequence to the heavy shipping industry. The point load of a set
screw subject the tubular member to a localized stress
concentration that leads to tube deformation. The result is a load
that comes loose which is an unacceptable situation, to which the
present invention the cargo lash to bar overcomes this shortcoming
of the otherwise valuable shoring beam.
[0009] The erectable secondary deck using twist locks and taking
advantage of the regular spacing of twist lock mounting apertures
in the deck of a ship as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,935 of
Jonasson displays the practicality of the present invention to take
advantage of the same regularly ordered twist lock socket
apertures.
[0010] The versatility of the twist lock sockets apertures at their
respective regular spacing as an erection point as utilized in the
present invention, is further evidenced by the novel portable hand
rail of Bel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,153. As with the previous
citation, the preponderance of examples show that the deck sockets
can be utilized far beyond simple freight containers. All these
however fail to grasp the enormity of the advantage to be gained in
cargo fastening, restraining, and securing of the present
invention.
[0011] People in the mobile equipment shipping industry are clear,
there is a whole lot of money being spent shoreside for load
preplanning and logistical processes to make efficient stowage but
when mobile equipment cargo gets to the ship it is not loaded
according to the plan because of the impediments of the use of old
style lashing gear exacerbating the problems of inadequate deck tie
down lashing points. That serious difficulty of consistent, safe,
and secure lashing of mobile equipment cargo is clearly enunciated
in U.S. MTMCTEA Ref 97-55-22 Marine Lifting and Lashing
Handbook.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The cargo lash to bar is a beam which is a continuous
structural member that can be fastened and unfastened to a ship's
deck and quickly handled aboard a ship to facilitated multiple
convenient and accessible lashing point apertures along the length
of the span of the member to ensure secure cargo lashing and
restraining especially of irregular shaped loads. The key to the
application of the present invention is the use of standard twist
lock bolt connections. Such twist locks are commerciallialy
available in a variety of mounting base configurations. Each cargo
lash to bar is constructed to use the standard twist lock rotating
locking bolt connections for releasable locking to its underlying
structure. These twist locks are an integral part of a RoRo ship's
current inventory of lashing gear. The cargo lash to bar comes with
the mounting apertures in it, that receive the twist lock body and
rotating locking bolt. Where tight fastening of the cargo lash to
bar to the deck is desired the twist lock bolt is tightened into
place or is built in to the structural member of the beam.
[0013] The result is a versatile new piece of cargo lashing gear.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present
invention are: a) the primary object of the cargo lash to bar
invention is to provide to ships and other cargo transport vehicles
or handlers a device that speeds up the loading and deployment of
irregular shaped cargo and mobile equipment by aiding their task of
securing a load by providing a structural member to attach to with
lashing aperture locations heretofore unavailable along the entire
length between typical deck mounting sockets, b) a further object
of the cargo lash to bar is the provision of more lashing apertures
to prevent breakage of overloaded D-rings especially by optimizing
the lashing angle of the rigging, c) a further advantage to the use
of the cargo lash to bar is that more D-rings and aperture holes
for lashing makes for less overloaded rings which provides security
from losing multiple pieces of mobile equipment at sea adding a
safety benefit to the crew tasked with resecuring a loose load, d)
a further advantage of the lash to bar is that if the lashings
break loose on a piece of mobile equipment cargo by fraying or
other means, the beam will act as dunnage to restrict movement
reducing potential damage to a ship and adjacent cargo, e) a
further advantage of the cargo lash to bar is the extensive use of
D-rings which have a smooth contoured surface that can be used with
chains, cable, hemp rope, or especially light weight and high
strength nylon and kevlar synthetic fibrous straps or webbing, f) a
further advantage to the use of the cargo lash to bar is the
provision of more variation to cargo stowing schemes, g) a further
advantage to the use of the cargo lash to bar is that it allows the
stevedores to make a more systematic approach to the deck location
of mobile equipment, h) a further advantage to the use of the cargo
lash to bar is the ability to actually position equipment according
to the shoreside prestowage plan, i) a further advantage is the
simplification of load positioning for consistent lashing of mobile
equipment j) a further advantage is reclamation of deck space
previously occupied by flailed lashings allowing a ship to carry
more cargo, k) a further object is the elimination of the need to
use a slip hook of a lashing chain directly into an ISO base twist
lock deck socket which is an improper but common practice, l) a
further advantage to the use of the cargo lash to bar when it lays
fore to aft across the twenty foot span of a ships deck spanning
deck fastening twist lock sockets, mobile equipment can readily be
loaded in between a pair of cargo lash to bars like driving a car
into a stall in a striped asphalt parking lot since most mobile
equipment is loaded on a RoRo fore and aft in the same orientation
as a container, m) a further object is to use the cargo lash to bar
as an adapter especially as a standardized platform to bring
typical twist lock deck socket spacing and twist lock aperture
sockets onto the deck of an older ship equipped with breech base or
other style connections for temporary or permanent adaptation, n) a
further object of the cargo lash to bar is to provide a
standardized platform to be used as an adapter mounting for ships
that carry cargo of differing unitized dimensions, o) a further
object of the cargo lash-to bar is a slide adjustable width
structural member for non standard deck socket spacing and decks
with irregular twist lock spacing, p) a further object of the cargo
lash-to bar is a member with a built in twist lock to screw or cam
the twist lock bolt for removing the gap under the structural
member, where it is desirable to tighten the cargo lash bar to the
deck, q) a further object is to use the cargo lash to bar as an
adapter to facilitate intermodal trucking of two TEU containers or
a single forty five foot long container on a trailer chassis
designed to carry a single forty foot long container, r) a further
object of the cargo lash to bar is to provide a new means to assist
the ordinary lashing of standard containers attached one on top of
another by placing a cargo lash to bar under the end of a bottom
container to lash the upper containers to, freeing up the valuable
deck space previously required using heavy and cumbersome lashing
bars and associated lashing gear, s) a further advantage is to
remove the hazard of welding on a ship's deck and facilitate
welding repairs at a safe location, even by off-ship contractors,
t) a further advantage is the ability to use the cargo lash to bar
as a safe article on which to weld fasteners for restraining
irregular cargo to the lower deck of a ship immediately above a
fuel tank or a fuel soaked wooden deck, u) a further advantage of
the cargo lash to bar is use as a shoring beam by itself or with
multiple lash to bars stacked on top of the other, v) a further
object of the cargo lash to bar is affixing it for use to the
verticle walls of a cargo hold, w) a further advantage of the cargo
lash to bar is to use it for supporting or securing cargo to above
a clear span over a hatch or damaged portion of a ships deck, x) a
further advantage is the ability to utilize space on top of a
container, or stack of containers, or stowage flat rack even while
the container is being drawn by a semi truck, or rail car, y) a
further object is the ability to apply a cargo lash to bar across
the top of adjacent stacks of containers to act as a stiffener or
bridge fitting and join the tops of the containers together using
twist locks or alignment dowels, z) a further object is the
development of new applications for the standard twist lock bolt
and socket removable fastener especially inside the nominal
dimensions of a portable deck flat rack or inside of a shipping
container, aa) a further object of the cargo lash to bar is a beam
that can be readily stacked one on top of another for unitized
storage when this is a desirable feature, bb) a further object of
the cargo lash to bar is a member that can be manipulated and moved
securely and quickly by a fork lift truck, cc) a further advantage
of the lash to bar is the ability to keep mobile equipment cargo
seperated far enough apart for a person to walk between the mobile
cargo especially during the stevedoring loading process to allow
access from front to back of a ship to tend to cargo while a ship
is at sea to access the distant areas of a loaded cargo hold in
case of medical emergency or fire.
[0014] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing
description.
DRAWING FIGURES
[0015] In the drawings, closely related figures have the same
number but different alphebetic suffixes.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a structure
that is a ship's deck with two embodiments of the present invention
arrayed as if in use.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention with
cargo restrained and secured acordingly alongside a container.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the bow of a ship
showing the layout of deck sockets.
[0019] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a twist lock and a
correcponding deck mount socket, while FIG. 4B is a perspective
view of the bottom of a deck and socket.
[0020] FIG. 5 front elevation view of the present invention
attached to a structure.
[0021] FIGS. 6A through 6E are perspective views of embodiments of
the present invention, and FIG. 6F is a front elevation view of the
adjustable embodiment of the present invention shown with lashing
lines attached.
[0022] FIG. 7A is a top elevation view of crawler tractor type
mobile equipment lashed to a ship's deck using previous lashing
schemes, and FIG. 7B is a top elevation view of crawler tractor
type mobile equipment lashed to a ship's deck using the present
invention.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a container mounted to a
ship's deck with the present invention installed on top of the
container and cargo lashed to the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the present invention
used as an adapter for mounting a container to a structure below
the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a breech base deck socket
in the structure of a ship's deck, and FIG. 10B is an front
elevation view of a breech base twist lock mounted in a breech base
socket.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a piece of mobile equipment
cargo secured to the present invention which spans above a cargo
hold opening of a ship's deck.
[0027] FIGS. 12, 13, 14A, and 14B are perspective views of
alternate embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 14A-2 and
14B-2 are enlargemente of a section of FIGS. 14A and 14B
respectively.
[0028] FIG. 15 is a front elevation view an alternate embodiment of
the present invention with a tightening wedging mechanism.
[0029] FIG. 16 is a bottom perspective view of the present
invention showing a support collar properly installed.
[0030] FIG. 17 is an elevation view of a section of a ship showing
the present invention, a container, cargo, and the approximate
scale relative to a person.
[0031] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the present invention in a
configuration for shoring and support for irregular cargo.
[0032] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the present invention used
for shoring and lashing with adapter end fittings and mounted to
the walls of a vehicle above a floor surface.
[0033] FIG. 20A is an elevation view of the present invention
mounted atop a container in an over the road application. FIG. 20B
shows an elevation view of the present invention and cargo as it
would be attached if the cargo and the present invention were
attached to the container chassis, and a truck and container
chassis in the unloaded and empty configuration, wherein the arrow
indicates that the load must be attached to the chassis indicated
below for the cargo and lashings to actually be oriented in the
manner shown. FIG. 20C is an elevation view of a truck, container
chassis, the present invention, and two containers installed.
[0034] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the present invention
installed vertically onto a bulkhead and a cargo net attached to
the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a container showing the
present invention installed inside of the container.
[0036] FIG. 23 is an elevation view of three containers stacked on
top of the present invention and the assembly attached to a ship's
deck.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the
present invention, cargo lash to bar assembly 30 and also lash to
bar assembly 34 shown in FIG. 1, is a beam which is a structural
steel tubing member 60 that spans from one twist lock 50 to another
twist lock 50, for mounting athwartship or fore to aft on a ship's
deck 82, having locking bolt mounting apertures 41 in the bottom
surface of structural member 60 toward each end to receive the
insertion of twist locks 50 in member 60, that match the spacing of
a commercially available freight container 83, to facilitate
removable connection of lash to bar 30 and 34 to a pair of ISO type
twist lock mounting sockets 40 attached a ship's deck 82. The cargo
lash to bar 30 and 34 has several D-rings 46 attached to member 60
along the length through which a strap, cable, or chain herein
called a lashing 48 may pass for lashing or restraining cargo to. A
D-rings 46 consist of any lashing ring 68 and a lashing ring
restraining mounting saddle 69 wherein lashing ring 68 is free to
pivot, or pivot and rotate, or may be rigidly fastened especially
by welding. The lashing ring 68 preferably has a smooth contoured
surface to prevent abrasion of the web strap lashings 48 and wire
rope lashings 48. The lash to bar 30 and 34 has slot 49 or a
plurality of slots 49 thought the member 60 to facilitate lifting
with lift truck's forks. Fork slots 49 are also a hole through
which a lashing 48 may be strung for securing and restraining cargo
as shown in FIG. 2. There are additional mounting apertures 41 in
the top of member 60 like those in the bottom of member 60 in a
substantially parallel arrangement that allow multiple cargo lash
to bars 30 or 34 to be mounted and removably connected on top of
one another for stacking with twist locks 50 for storage, shoring,
or bridging as shown in FIGS. 11, 17, 18, and 19. Mounting aperture
41 is also a hole for lashing through as shown in FIG. 2. Aperture
66 located in the end of the member 60 of the lash to bar 30 and 34
is a load bearing and alignment aperture for carrying lash to bar
34 on semi trailer container chassis 95 shown in FIG. 20, and a
lifting point for shipboard and dockside container lifting and
handling equipment for lash to bar 30 and 34. The secondary use of
the aperture 66 is as a hole for lashing through when the lash to
bar 30 and 34 is fastened to the ships deck 82 as shown in FIG.
2.
[0038] For description purposes the mounting points of each end of
container 83 are herein referred to as an end cell or side cell.
FIG. 3 illustrates ship 80 and deck 82 laid out with ISO type twist
lock mounting sockets 40. Container 83 is also illustrated. A
single athwartship end cell is represented by a line labeled 98,
and a single transverse side cell is represented by a line labeled
99.
[0039] Twist lock 50 is a commonly known commercially available
locking bolt devise used in all branches of intermodal shipping.
FIG. 4A show twist lock 50 and FIG. 4B shows deck mounting socket
40 that can receives the insertion of twist lock 50. The twist lock
50 has a rotary bolt 51 on one end or both that operates turning
rotary locking bolt 51 by means of a hand operated lever 55 ninety
degrees relative to an annular abutment 57 which is a rigid part of
the twist lock body 59 from an unlocked to a locked position. Lash
to bar 30 in FIG. 5 secured to deck 82 removably connected and
locked by twist lock 50. This elevation view indicates the
contiguous relationship of twist lock 50 resting on deck 82 which
is a rigid structure, and inserted and removably connected into
twist lock deck socket 40 with lash to bar 30 resting on the twist
lock 50 which is inserted in mounting aperture 41 in the lower
planar surface of lash to bar 30 and locking bolt 51 of twist lock
50 rotated to the locked position, lash to bar 30 now being held
fast to ship's deck 82. Likewise cargo lash to bar 30 and 34, just
as a shipping container 83, is unlocked and released by turning
hand lever 55 and returning rotary bolt 51 back in alignment with
annular abutment 57 to the unlocked and free position. Twist locks
50 are versatile and easy to use and come in a variety deck and
bottom base mounting configurations including ISO type base
mounting socket 40 of the preferred embodiment, a breech base 44,
and a dove tail base. On semi trailer chassis 95 shown in FIG. 20,
twist locks 50 are a part of the weldment built into the rear of
chassis 95.
[0040] Single end cell 98 cargo lash to bars 30 described above are
compact and fit adjacent another lash to bar 30 or 34, shown in
FIG. 7B, and are used end to end on ship's deck 82 occupying two
adjacent cells athwartship shown in FIG. 6A, or mounted adjacent
fore and aft shown in FIG. 6B also occupying two end cells 98. End
cell cargo lash to bars 30 generally mount athwartship starboard to
port on ships 80 with the deck 82 built for twist locks 50 and
containers 83. Single side cell 99 cargo lash to bar 34 shown in
FIG. 6C in twenty foot length configuration is adjacent container
83 in FIG. 2. Double side cell 99 cargo lash to bar 35 shown in
FIG. 6D removably fastens to four mounting sockets 40 on deck 82
increasing the load transferred to deck 82. Double end cell 98
cargo lash to bar 36 in FIG. 6E removably fastens to four mounting
sockets 40 on deck 82 increasing the load transferred to deck 82.
Apertures 47 in lash to bar 35 FIG. 6D are lashing holes. Special
deck cell displacement 98 and 99 lash to bars 30 and 34 are for
large and unique cargo and other special configurations, in FIG. 11
lash to bars 34 removably fastened with twist locks 50 to deck 82
supports mobile equipment cargo 84 above a cargo hatch 85.
[0041] Lash to bar 30 and 34 gives the shipper more cargo room per
square foot of deck space by allowing a tighter pack of mobile
equipment cargo 84, and cargo 88 in FIG. 2. FIG. 7B shows the gain
of deck space from closer cargo 84 proximity using lash to bars 30
and 34 contrasted with problematic traditional lashing scenario
shown in FIG. 7A having D-ring twist locks 52 for lashing to deck
82. With lash to bars 30 and 34 each lashing line 48 fastens to an
individual D-ring 46 or mounting aperture 41.
[0042] The preferred embodiment of lash to bar 34 in side cell
mounting 99 orientation, lays fore to aft along the twenty or forty
foot span of ships deck 82 between deck twist lock mounting sockets
40 in FIG. 6C. With a pair of cargo lash to bars 34 in FIG. 2 in
this orientation, mobile equipment 84 is readily loaded in between
a pair of cargo lash to bars 34 like driving a car into a line in a
striped asphalt parking lot. This configuration supports irregular
cargo 88 on top of container 83 in FIG. 8, especially on top of a
stack of containers 83 loaded in a container ship.
[0043] With the addition of one or more twist lock mounting
aperture 41 in the preferred embodiment, lash to bar 30 and 34 is
used as a valuable adapter to convert a ship deck 82 with non
standard dimensional layout of deck sockets or apertures to regular
spacing cell displacement 98 and 99 for carrying container 83 on
top of the lash to bar 30 shown in FIG. 9. In this way an older
ship 83 can now carry a standard container 83 removably fastened to
deck 82 that was originally built with breech base deck sockets 44
or other base type without permanent modification to ship 80 using
existing deck lashing gear.
[0044] An alternate embodiment is adjustable width lash to bar 32
FIG. 6F. As above, older ships, break bulk ships, and the RoRo ship
80 on lower decks have some non standard spacing of deck mountings
of various types including ISO type mounting socket 40, breech base
44, dovetail base, and clover leaf base. The adjustable tubular
member 60 will fit into a standard end cell 98 or telescopically
distend or contract in length for releasable fastening of tubular
member 60 with twist locks 50 to fit between deck mounting socket
40 at dimensions longer or shorter than typical end cell length 98.
Adjustable member 60 is comprised of lengths of structural steel
tubing fitted one inside the other and greased to provide ease of
relative sliding motion between the contiguous pieces of structural
member 60. In an adjustment slot 45, a stop pin 65 is affixed to
the weldment of structural member 60 to keep the contiguous
interrelation in tact. Adjustment slot 45 also serves an aperture
to receive lift truck forks for lifting just as lift truck fork
slots 49 are used in fixed length lash to bar 30.
[0045] The structural steel members 60, 61, 62, 63, and 64
comprising lash to bars 30, 32, 34, 35, and 36 are fabricated using
shapes of square and rectangular tubing, I, T, or angle steel as
per customer preference and as the application dictates. The
strongest lash to bars are fabricated from high tensile steel plate
and formed or welded into the aforesaid shapes. T shaped member 62
is used above deck and does not fill up with rain water or sea
water that comes over the deck 82 in rough seas. Structural member
60, 62, and 64 is a continuous beam or weldment of steel or other
metal that is fitted with several D-rings 46, and apertures 41, 47,
49, and 66 or just D-rings 46 or just the aforesaid apertures on or
through lash to bar 30, 32, 34, 35, or 36. Lash to bars 30 and 34
are fabricated from a continuous member of square structural steel
tubing 60 in FIGS. 6C and 9, apertures 41 are cut into the
aforesaid tube, and is the same for lash to bar 35 in FIG. 6D.
Structural member 63 of a lash to bar 30 in FIG. 12 is a weldment
comprised of a length of I beam oriented longitudinally along the
axis of the lash to bar 30 and a section of structural tubing 77
from which the apertures 41 are cut out of the top and bottom, that
is welded perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of lash to bar 30.
The same procedure using a rectangular tubing member 61
longitudinally along the axis of the lash to bar 30, is welded to
commercially available container corner castings 78 shown on lash
to bar 30 in FIG. 13. It is foreseen that alternate materials and
metals could be employed for satisfactory performance especially
extrusions of odd shapes. The present invention foresees any such
utilization.
[0046] Hand winches 43 are shown in FIG. 13 and are pivoting
apertures for lashing to using web strap type lashing lines 48.
[0047] In the preferred embodiment, some applications of cargo lash
to bar 30 require tight removable connection between the ship deck
82 and lash to bar 30 that eliminates the slop or clearances
inherent to the loose dimensional tolerances of twist lock 50
between lash to bar 30 and deck 82 in FIG. 5. Twist lock 50 FIGS.
14A and 14B is built into structural member 64 of lash to bar 30,
with locking bolt 51 oriented downward for insertion and removable
coupling mounting to mounting base aperture 40. Three mechanisms
are used to tighten or clamp down lash to bar 30 by means of
camming or wedging dependent on the geometry of the structural
member used and the desire of the customer. In FIG. 14A is an
elevating screw turning and tightening mechanism 72 which is a part
of the weldment of structural member 64 wherein hand lever 55 is
rotated by forcing, causing a locking bolt 51 to rotate and the
surface of locking bolt 51 to be drawn closer to the parallel
planar surface of the bottom of lash to bar 30. FIG. 14B shows
overcenter cam lock mechanism 74 wherein twist lock bolt 51 is
rotated ninety degrees form the orientation required for insertion
into mounting socket 40 in deck 82. Rotating the locking bolt 51 is
done by means of turning hand lever 55 and releasably locking
overcenter cam lock mechanism 74. In FIG. 15 twist lock 50
removably connects lash to bar 30 to deck 82 wherein wedging
mechanism 70 is rotated and tightened by forcing by means of a
secondary handle providing an upward thrust on the bottom face of
the twist lock bolt 51 resulting in tight securement of lash to bar
40 to deck 82.
[0048] The bottom of cargo lash to bar 30 and 34 is equipped with
optional load transfer brace 76 in FIG. 16 which partially
encapsulates twist lock 50 to restrain and inhibit rocking of lash
to bar 30, transferring the imposed load into deck 82 rather a
rocking a reversing load on the iron twist lock center pin. FIG. 16
shows a bottom perspective view of lash to bar 30 with load
transfer brace 76 installed. Load transfer brace 76 is a collar
that is welded to end piece 77 which is a part of the weldment of
structural member 60. FIG. 5 shows cargo lash to bar 30 equipped
with support brace 76 installed, removably connected by means of
twist lock 50 to ship's deck 82 wherein load transfer brace 76
impedes rocking action of lash to bar 30 while providing adequate
clearance for the use of twist lock 50 and provides room for the
locking and releasing hand lever 55 tightening means to
function.
[0049] Use of the preferred embodiment in the trucking side of the
intermodal shipping industry is shown in FIG. 20A where lash to bar
34 is carried on top of container 83 to a customer's destination,
then mounted to container chassis 95 so that truck 94 and bare
chassis 95 can be used for back haul loads further expanding the
economic potential for truck 94, trucker, and chassis 95 and makes
semi trailer chassis 95 now available to haul irregular shaped
cargo 88 loads FIG. 20B. Two of container 83 at twenty foot length
each are removably connected on top of a pair of lash to bars 34 in
FIG. 20C, which when containers 83 are unloaded, lash to bars 34
are used for lashing valuable back haul cargo described above, or
one forty five foot container 83 (not shown) is removably connected
to lash to bar 34 by means of twist locks 50 which is removably
connected to a forty foot chassis 95. Lash to bar 34 is removably
connected to chassis 95 at the front on holding pins 67 into load
bearing holes 66 and at the rear by means of chassis mounted twist
lock 50 on the bottom planar surface of lash to bar 34. Aboard ship
80 cargo lash to bar 30 is shown under the end of containers 83 in
FIG. 23 where containers 83 are held in place by stacking cones 58,
twist locks 50 and restrained and secured with lashings 48 from the
bottom of each container 83 in an X pattern for secure lashing
resulting in the reclamation of deck space for hauling more
containers 83, mobile equipment 84, or cargo 88 over the older
lashing schemes.
[0050] An alternate use of the preferred embodiment is to use the
lash to bar 30 or 34 as a shoring beam in FIGS. 17, 18, and 19, and
stacked one on top of another in FIG. 17 near the area of the
sloping side of a ship. FIG. 21 is the application of the present
invention mounted vertically with twist lock mounting socket
apertures 40 mounted into the vertical beam structure 81 of ship
80, and used for lashing a cargo restraining net 21.
[0051] What is mentioned for lash to bars 30 and 34 is not intended
to be exclusive and may be applicable to alternate forms of the
preferred embodiments 34, 35, and 36.
[0052] New embodiments and sizes of twist lock or rotating locking
bolt fastener or dimensional standards may be developed. The
present invention is applicable to all similar locking bolt means
and sockets configurations and all dimensional arrangements whether
currently standardized or unique to a particular application or
industry, and shall not be limited to one dimensional or
geometrical configuration as indicated by the new use of lash to
bar 30, twist lock 50, and mounting sockets 40 inside container 82
in FIG. 22.
[0053] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of
the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration
and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in
light of the above description. It is intended that the scope of
the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but
rather by the claims appended hereto.
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