Lift-liner apparatus

A bulk cargo lift-liner container, wherein bulk cargo to be contained in the container is radioactive hazardous material waste having a weight of about ten tons, the lift-liner container comprising:

• a first flexible container, the first flexible container comprising:
• a first three-dimensional enclosure having a closable top opening, a length, a width, an inside, and an outside surface;
• the enclosure being fabricated from woven, sheet-like material;
• the width being defined by first and second opposite walls and the length being defined by third and fourth opposite walls;
• the container having a bottom between the first, second, third and fourth walls;
• a first perimeter defined by the walls at a first height from the bottom and defining a bulk cargo load limit;
• a second perimeter defined by the walls and having a second height from the bottom, the second height being greater than the first height so that the first, second, third, and fourth walls between the first height and the second height define a containment area of the walls, each of the first, second, third, and fourth walls being connected to a respective adjacent one of the walls to define a corner of the enclosure and of the containment area;
• the first enclosure having first, second, third and fourth flaps extending from the respective first, second, third and fourth walls at the second perimeter and adjacent to the containment area;
• a second flexible container received in the first enclosure, the second flexible container comprising:
• a second three-dimensional enclosure having a second closable top opening, a second length, and a second width;
• the enclosure being fabricated from high density polymer, sheet-like material having a smooth surface facing into the second container;
• the second width being less than the first width and being defined by fifth and sixth opposite walls;
• the second length being less than the first length and being defined by seventh and eighth opposite walls;
• the second container having a second bottom between the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth walls;
• the second bottom being dimensioned to overlap the area of the first bottom;
• the second enclosure having fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth flaps extending from the respective fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth walls;
• the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth flaps being foldable over each other to form a first cover for the bulk cargo received in the second enclosure and extending from the second bottom to the first height;
• the first, second, third and fourth flaps being foldable over each other to form a second cover over the first cover;
• a lifter secured to the outside of the first flexible container, the lifter comprising:
• five straps each having a length greater than twice the first height plus the first length, the five straps extending continuously and uncut in first continuous paths along and being secured to the outside of the first container, each of the continuous uncut five straps in the first continuous paths extending along and being secured to the first wall, each of the continuous uncut five straps in the first continuous paths extending along and being secured to the bottom, each of the continuous uncut five straps in the first continuous paths extending along and being secured to the second wall, the first continuous paths of the five straps being parallel to each other;
• three straps each having a length greater than twice the first height plus the first width, the three straps extending continuously and uncut in second continuous paths along and being secured to the outside of the first container, each of the continuous uncut three straps in the second continuous paths extending along and being secured to the third wall, each of the continuous uncut five straps in the second continuous paths extending along and being secured to the bottom, each of the continuous uncut three straps in the second continuous paths extending along and being secured to the fourth wall;
• the second continuous paths of the three straps being parallel to each other;
• each of the five and three straps having opposite strap ends and being made from material capable of receiving at the strap ends a collective total of at least ten tons of vertical force so that the straps collectively apply to the container sufficient force to lift the container containing the ten tons of bulk cargo off a support surface;
• and
• the first and second flexible containers being collectively capable of containing the ten tons of radioactive hazardous material waste as the five and three straps lift the container off the support surface.

A container for containing between about eight and about ten tons of bulk cargo to be lifted from a support surface, comprising:

• a three dimensional enclosure having two opposite vertical walls and two opposite vertical sides defining an open top;
• the container having a bottom between the opposite sides and opposite walls, the vertical walls and the vertical sides having a top edge defining a load height, a first one of the walls having a first part of the top edge and a second one of the walls having a second part of top edge;
• a first one of the sides having a third part of the top edge;
• the container having a closure section provided with a first portion connected to the first part of the top edge and a second portion connected to the second part of the top edge and a third portion connected to the third part of the top edge;
• adjacent ones of the walls and the sides, and adjacent ones of the portions of the closure section, defining corners of the container, a first of the corners being between the first wall and the first side and between the first portion and the third portion;
• a first flap extending from the first part along and secured to the first portion;
• a second flap extending from the third part along and secured to the third portion;
• the first flap being bendable along a bend line at the top edge to permit the first portion and the first flap to extend toward the opposite wall;
• the third portion being foldable along a first fold line extending from the first corner to permit the third portion to fold onto itself and define a first tuck as the first portion and the first flap extend toward the opposite wall;
• the second flap being bendable along a bend line at the top edge to permit the third portion and the second flap to extend toward the opposite side;
• the third portion being foldable along a second fold line intersecting the first fold line to permit the first tuck to fold onto itself as the third portion extends toward the opposite side.

A bulk cargo container-lifter comprising:

• a flexible container made from sheet-like material that defines a three dimensional enclosure having an open top, a length, a width, and a container height;
• the open top being defined by a perimeter at the container height, the enclosure being defined by first and second opposite walls, the length being defined by third and fourth opposite walls;
• the container having at least one bottom between the first, second, third, and fourth walls;
• the at least one bottom being a continuous uncut extension of at least the respective first and second walls or the respective third and fourth walls;
• and
• a lifter for the container, the lifter comprising at least eight straps formed separately from the container, each of the straps having opposite strap ends provided with a separate first and second connector loop and a continuous uncut length between the strap ends, at least five of the straps being arranged uncut and continuously in a uniformly spaced parallel relationship connected to the first wall and to the bottom and to the second opposite wall with the respective first and second connector loops and the corresponding strap ends extending away from the perimeter and spaced from the respective first and second walls;
• at least three of the straps being arranged uncut and continuously in a uniformly spaced parallel relationship connected to the third wall and to the bottom and to the fourth opposite wall with the respective first and second connector loops and the corresponding strap ends extending away from the perimeter and spaced from the respective third and fourth walls;
• the connection to the bottom of the at least five straps and the at least three straps being to arrange the respective at least five straps and the at least three straps in the respective spaced parallel relationships and extending into intersection with each other across the bottom to define a grid of continuous uncut separate straps secured to the continuous uncut bottom;
• the respective first and second connector loops of the lifter being able to receive at least an aggregate of eight tons of vertical lifting force and via the at least eight straps associated with the respective connector loops to apply to the container at least eight tons of lifting force.

A bulk cargo unit container-lifter, comprising:

• at least one sheet configured to define a three-dimensional container having a length, a width, and a height;
• the width being defined by first and second opposite walls;
• the length being defined by third and fourth opposite walls;
• the at least one sheet defining a bottom between the first, second, third, and fourth walls;
• a first corner being defined between the first and third walls;
• a second corner being defined between the third and second walls;
• a third corner being defined between the second and fourth walls;
• a fourth corner being defined between the first and fourth walls;
• each of the first and the second walls having an upper edge defining two length portions of a container perimeter;
• each of the third and the fourth walls having an upper edge defining two width portions of the container perimeter;
• a first group of at least five straps, each strap of the first group being separate from the container and having a strap length greater than twice the height plus the length;
• each strap of the first group having ends spaced by the strap length;
• a coupling loop being provided at each of the ends;
• each strap of the first group being arranged parallel to each other, substantially equally spaced across the length, and extending uncut, continuously, secured to, and across the first wall, the bottom, and the second wall with the ends extending beyond the container perimeter;
• a second group of at least three straps, each strap of the second group being separate from the container and having a strap length greater than twice the height plus the width;
• each strap of the second group having ends spaced by the strap length;
• a coupling loop being provided at each of the ends of each strap of the second group;
• each strap of the second group being arranged parallel to each other, substantially equally spaced across the width, and extending uncut, continuously, secured to, and across the third wall, the bottom, and the fourth wall with the respective ends extending beyond the container perimeter;
• the straps of the first and second groups of straps respectively extending completely across and secured to the bottom in different directions and intersecting to define a grid of continuous, uncut straps;
• the straps of the first and second groups of straps being collectively capable of applying to the container a total vertical lifting force of more than about eight tons;
• and
• a lift frame having lift connectors arranged along a lift perimeter corresponding to the container perimeter and in spaced relation corresponding to the substantially equal spacings of the straps of the first and second groups of straps across the respective length and width, the correspondence of the lifting perimeter and the container perimeter being effective to enable each of the lift connectors to substantially vertically apply to a respective one of the coupling loops a substantially vertical lifting force, the substantially vertical lifting forces having an aggregate value of more than about eight tons of force.

A bulk cargo container-lifter, comprising:

• at least one sheet configured to define a three-dimensional container having a length, a width, and a height;
• the width being defined by first and second opposite walls;
• the length being defined by third and fourth opposite walls;
• the at least one sheet defining a bottom between the first, second, third, and fourth walls;
• a first corner being defined between the first and third walls;
• a second corner being defined between the third and second walls;
• a third corner being defined between the second and fourth walls;
• a fourth corner being defined between the first and fourth walls;
• each of the first and the second walls having an upper edge defining two length portions of a container perimeter;
• each of the third and the fourth walls having an upper edge defining two width portions of the container perimeter;
• a first group of at least five straps, each strap of the first group being separate from the container and having a strap length greater than twice the height plus the length;
• each strap of the first group having ends spaced by the strap length, a coupling loop being provided at each of the ends;
• each strap of the first group being arranged parallel to the other straps of the first group, substantially equally spaced across the length, and extending uncut, continuously, secured to, and across the first wall, the bottom, and the second wall with the ends extending beyond the container perimeter;
• a second group of at least three straps, each strap of the second group being defined separately from the container and having a strap length greater than twice the height plus the width;
• each strap of the second group having ends spaced by the strap length, a coupling loop being provided at each of the ends of each strap of the second group;
• each strap of the second group being arranged parallel to the other straps of the second group, substantially equally spaced across the width, and extending uncut, continuously, secured to, and across the third wall, the bottom, and the fourth wall with the respective ends extending beyond the container perimeter;
• the straps of the first and second groups of straps being collectively capable of applying to the container a total vertical lifting force of more than about eight tons;
• and
• a lift frame having lift connectors arranged along a lift perimeter corresponding to the container perimeter and in spaced relation corresponding to the substantially equal spacings of the straps of the first and second groups of straps across the respective length and width, the correspondence of the lifting perimeter and the container perimeter being effective to enable each of the lift connectors to substantially vertically apply to a respective one of the coupling loops a substantially vertical lifting force, the substantially vertical lifting forces having an aggregate value of more than about eight tons of force.