CA-3215001-C - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UNLOADING A SHIPPING CONTAINER

Abstract

A system and method for unloading palletized cargo from an intermodal shipping container is provided, including a platform of conveyer rollers and a winch with a motor and cable connected to a hook. The hook may have prongs with grappling hooks that can be attached to a pallet at the base and can pull the pallet from the container onto the platform where the pallet can be picked up with a forklift. The platform can be adjusted to the height of the floor of the container. The hook may have a V-shape with two arms with grappling hooks at the distal end of each arm and a bolt in the apex to control the spreading of the arms.

Inventors

• Donald Jeffrey Walters
• Becky Jane Walters

Assignees

• Wombat Timbers Pty Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230928

Priority Date

20221024

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1. A system for unloading palletized cargo from an intermodal shipping container, the system comprising: a. a platform comprising conveyer rollers, whereil'I the platform has a proximal edge aligned with a floor of the shipping container with the shipping container doors open, and wherein the conveyer rollers are aligned parallel to the proximal edge; b. wherein the platform is supported by one or more jacks that can be adjusted such that the platform is level and wherein the conveyer rollers are at substantially the exact height of the floor of the shipping container; c. wherein a winch is mounted on a distal edge of the platform, wherein the winch comprises a motor and a cable; d. wherein the cable of the winch is conl'lected to an apex of a two-prong hook; e. wherein the two-prong hook has a distal end pointed away from the winch, and a proximal end pointed towards the winch, and wherein the two-prong hook has a V-shape with two prongs with a grappling hook at the distal end of each of the prongs, and a pivot at the apex of the V-shape at the proximal end of the two-prong hook; f. wherein the prongs of the two-prong hook can contract and expand around the pivot; g. wherein the prongs of the two-prong hook are inserted into a base of a pallet and the two-prong hook is expanded so that the grappling hook of each of the prongs engages a base member of the pallet; and h. wherein the winch is activatable and the cable of the winch can then pull the pallet out of the shipping container onto the conveyer rollers of the platform. 12 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the two-prong hook further comprises an adjustable boll that controls the spreading of the prongs around the pivot. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the platform is equipped with a plurality of guiding posts and vertical rollers on both sides of the platform. 4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the platform is equipped with one or more pulleys that engage the cable to swivel the pallet, and wherein the one or more pulleys are removably attached to the platform. 5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, whereir:i the platform is the full width of the shipping container. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the platform has two alternating rows of the conveyer rollers, and wherein each of the conveyer rollers spans from an outer edge of the platform to a center longitudinal axis of the platform. 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the winch is slidable along a latitudinal axis on the distal end of the platform with respect to the shipping container, such that the cable can be positioned to pull the pallet out of the container on a longitudinal axis of the platform. 8. A method of extracting palletized cargo from an intermodal shipping container using a system having: a platform comprising conveyer rollers, wherein the platform has a proximal edge aligned with a floor of the shipping container with the shipping container doors open, and wherein the rollers are aligned parallel to the proximal edge; wherein the platform is supported by one or more jacks that can be adjusted such that the platform is level and wherein the conveyer rollers are at substantially the exact height of the floor of the shipping container; wherein a winch is mounted on a distal edge of the platform, wherein the winch comprises a motor and a cable; wherein the cable of the winch is 13 connected to an apex of a two-prong hook; wherein the two-prong hook has a distal end .pointed away from the winch, and a proximal end pointed towards the winch, and wherein the two-prong hook has a V-shape with two prongs with a grappling hook at the distal end of each of the prongs, and a pivot at the apex of the V-shape at the proximal end of the two-prong hook; and wherein the prongs of the two-prong hook can contract and expand around the pivot, the method comprising the steps of: inserting the distal end of the two-prong hook into a base of a pallet; expanding the two-prong hook so that the grappling hook of each of the prongs engages a base member of the pallet; and activating the winch so that the cable of the winch can pull the pallet out of the shipping container onto the conveyer rollers of the platform. 14

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UNLOADING A SHIPPING CONTAINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to a system and method for unloading palletized cargo from an intermodal shipping container without the need for a loading dock, the need for a ramp, or the need to remove the container from a truck trailer. BACKGROUND [0002]Intermodal cargo containers are standardized shipping containers, designed and built for intermodal freight transport, meaning these containers can be used across different modes of transport - from ship to rail to truck-without unloading and reloading their cargo. lntermodal containers exist in many types and a number of standardized sizes, but ninety percent of the global container fleet are so-called "dry freight" or "general purpose" containers, comprising durable closed steel boxes, mostly of either twenty or forty feet (6.1 or 12.2 m) standard length, 8-ft (2.44 m) wide, and 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m) or 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m) high. lntermodal containers normally have a single pair of doors at one end. [0003]Typically, intermodal containers are shipped long distances by sea or by rail, and then transferred to trucks for transport from a seaport or rail head to a final location, where the cargo will be unloaded. The containers are typically loaded onto special truck trailers adapted for transporting intermodal containers. Ideally, a container can be unloaded without moving the container off the trailer. [0004]Intermodal cargo containers are generally loaded and unloaded either fully manually or with the help of lateral guide belts or a forklift. Palletized cargo, meaning bags or boxes stacked on a pallet, is usually unloaded using a forklift. This presents a problem of how to drive a forklift into a container. A forklift generally requires the cargo to be unloaded on a loading dock. An alternative is lowering the container to the ground or using a "yard ramp" with a level off to allow the forklift to climb up to the container door and pick up the pallets. Efforts have been made to optimize the palletized cargo handling systems by using conveyors, which transport the cargo from the cargo container to the forklift. 1 Date m;ue/Date Received 2023-09-28 [0005] WO2017187017 discloses an apparatus for loading cargo, which has a stacker for stacking the goods, a buffer conveyor, a transfer conveyor and a conveyor. The goods are stacked and then advanced to the cargo space from the conveyor to a transfer plate. Once the load is in the cargo space, it is supported by a gate so that the transfer plate can be removed underneath. The loading device descends in the direction of the cargo space and is operated by gravity. [0006]US3819068A discloses a boom conveyor for loading and unloading cargo from/to container to/from a loading dock. The boom conveyor is pivotally mounted at both ends and has a cantilevered end portion which extends into the container. [0007]US3595407 provides for a crane apparatus and movable pallet system for unloading and sorting of airfreight containers, which requires a transloading installation aligned with the airplane, which are provided with roller-equipped platforms. [0008] EP3150522A 1 discloses a device for transferring loads from the chassis of a vehicle by a motor driven continuous conveyor to a roller conveyor. The motor of the continuous conveyor is activated when two switches come into contact with the help of a lifting table. [0009] EP 3 345 833 A 1 describes a cargo handling system configured to load and unload cargo containers, which includes parallel roller tracks and a mobile cargo mover located in the space between the tracks. The cargo mover has at least one conveyor extending from the housing and cargo couplers which couple the mover to the cargo and moves the cargo on the roller tracks. [001 0]WO 2015/140404 A1 provides for a system for loading a cargo space to protect the loads and the structure of the cargo space from being damaged while loading. A transfer apparatus, having a transfer element, which moves into a cargo space along with the cargo stacked on it and moves out of while the units remain in the cargo space. While uploading the units, the apparatus forms a protective wall between the cargo and the structure defining the cargo space. [0011]US2010/0296902A1 discloses an apparatus for loading and unloading units, such as swap bodies with stackable articles using a pallet permanently assigned to the loading 2 Date m;ue/Date Received 2023-09-28 unit and a mechanism for displacing the pallet, which is arranged on the loading unit or on the door of the loading unit. [0012] For cargo on pallets in shipping containers, the use of a forklift to unload the container is the most preferred method. However, this presents the problem of either having a loading dock at the destination, which may not be convenient, or using some other cumbersome method of lowering the container to the ground or using an awkward ramp or both. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [001