Side by side twin spreader and method
OwnerLennart Lindstrominventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spreader has an elongate main-frame (1) arranged to be suspended in cables from a crane, and twist locks are arranged in the ends of the spreader for simultaneously connecting to two containers (4, 5) arranged in side by side relation. Two pairs of twist locks (3) are arranged in each end of the spreader, the twist locks of each pair having a fixed lateral distance (a) and the pairs of twist locks being laterally movable and controlled for adjustment of a lateral distance (b) between the pairs of twist locks. A method for processing two containers in side by side relation in a single lowering/lifting step, and for adjustment of a lateral distance and/or lateral, relative angle between the two containers during transfer and lowering to release the containers in side by side relation.
Claims13
A spreader for simultaneously processing by lifting, transferring and lowering of two containers in side by side relation, the spreader comprising
- an elongate main frame (1) arranged to be suspended in cables from a crane;
- two sub-frames (6,7), suspended from the main frame and running in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- a pair of twist locks (3) arranged in each end of the sub-frames for connection to the upper corners of said two containers, the twist locks of each pair of twist locks being spaced by a fixed lateral distance (a) transversely to the longitudinal dimension of the spreader, and
- each pair of twist locks being laterally movable in the transverse direction for adjustment of a lateral distance (b) between the pairs of twist locks in each end of the spreader, characterized by
- drive means (20) associated with the sub-frames and controllable for separate adjustment of the lateral distance (b) between the pairs of twist locks in each end of the spreader, and wherein
- each sub-frame (6,7) is suspended from the main-frame (1) by means of rods (10) arranged in pairs and running in parallel from each end of the main-frame, and the rods are pivotally connected to the main-frame and the sub-frame, respectively, for a substantially planar, lateral displacement of the sub-frames in order to adjust the lateral distance and/or the relative angle between the sub-frames, and thus between the containers connected to the spreader.
The spreader of any previous claim, wherein said rods (10) are formed as cables or chains (10).
The spreader of any previous claim, wherein the sub-frames (6,7) are interconnected by additional drive means (8) directly operating between the sub-frames.
The method of any previous claim, wherein the sub-frames (6,7) are controlled for a non-parallel, lateral displacement in a common plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.