Lift-liner apparatus with improved weight-carrying capacity

A bulk cargo unit designed to contain and support a cargo unit in the range of about eight to twelve tons when lifted above a support surface, comprising:

• at least one sheet defining a three dimensional open top 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 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 third and fourth walls;
• and
• a plurality of straps;
• the, straps comprising:
• a first group of the straps, each of the straps having a length greater than twice the height plus the length, each strap of the first group of the straps extending uncut along a separate continuous path secured to the first wall, and to the at least one bottom, and to the second wall;
• the continuous paths of each of the straps in said first group being parallel to each other;
• a second group of the straps, each of the straps extending uncut along a separate continuous path secured to the third wall and to the at least one bottom and to the fourth wall;
• the continuous paths or each of the straps in the second group being parallel to each other;
• the respective parallel paths of the respective straps of the respective first and second groups intersecting along the at least one bottom to define a plurality of intersections which form a grid of the intersecting straps on the at least one bottom;
• a flap extending from one of the walls and dimensioned to extend at least partially across the open top container;
• a loop secured to the flap;
• and
• at least one web secured to one of the walls and being dimensioned to extend to the loop to secure the flap at least partially across the container.

A bulk cargo unit container-lifter designed to contain and lift a bulk cargo unit having a weight in a range of about eight to twelve tons, the container-lifter comprising:

• a flexible container, the flexible container comprising:
• a first three-dimensional enclosure having a first closable top opening, a length, a width, and an inside;
• the enclosure being fabricated from first and second layers, the first layer being made from heavy woven and coated flexible polyethylene sheet-like material;
• the second layer being on said inside of the enclosure and being made from semi-rigid high density material taken from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride, polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene;
• the width being defined by first and second opposite vertical walls and the length being defined by third and fourth opposite vertical walls;
• the container having a first bottom between the first, second, third and fourth walls;
• the first bottom having a given area;
• a first perimeter defined by the walls at a first height from the bottom and defining a bulk cargo load limit;
• the enclosure having first, second, third and fourth flaps extending from the respective first, second, third and fourth walls above the first perimeter to close the first closable top opening;
• and
• a lifter secured to the flexible container, the lifter comprising:
• at least nine straps formed separately from the first enclosure, at least five of the at least nine straps each having an uncut length greater than twice the height plus the length, at least four of the at least nine straps having an uncut length greater than twice the height plus the width, each of the at least five straps extending in a respective first continuous uncut path along and being secured to the outside of the container, each of the at least five straps in the first continuous path extending along and being secured to the first wall and extending in the first continuous path along and being secured to the bottom and extending in the first continuous path along and being secured to the second wall;
• each of the at least four straps extending in a respective second continuous uncut path along and being secured to the outside of the container, each of the at least four straps in the second continuous path extending along and being secured to the third wall and extending in the second continuous path along and being secured to the bottom and extending in the second continuous path along and being secured to the fourth wall, the first and second continuous paths of each of the respective at least five straps and four straps being parallel to each other along the respective first, second, third and fourth walls;
• the straps being made from material capable of collectively applying to the container a total lifting force in the range of from about eight tons to about twelve tons.

A bulk cargo unit lift-liner container, wherein the bulk cargo is radioactive hazardous material waste having a weight of from about eight tons to about twelve tons, said lift-liner container comprising:

• a first flexible container, said first flexible container comprising:
• a first three-dimensional enclosure having a closable top opening, a length, a width, an inside, and an outside surface;
• said 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 at least one bottom between the first, second, third and fourth walls;
• a first perimeter defined by the walls at a first height from the bottom and defiling 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;
• and
• the first enclosure having first, second, third and fourth flaps extending from the respective first, second, third and fourth walls at the second perimeter;
• 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 enclosure 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;
• a third perimeter defined by the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth walls at the first height;
• a fourth perimeter defined by the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth walls and having the second height;
• and
• the second enclosure having fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth flaps extending from the respective fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth walls at the fourth perimeter;
• the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth flaps being foldable over each other to form a tuck between adjacent ones of the respective fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth flaps and to form a first cover for the bulk cargo unit received in the second enclosure and extending from the second bottom to about the first height;
• the first, second, third and fourth flaps being foldable over each other to form a tuck between adjacent ones of the respective first, second, third, and fourth flaps and to form a second cover over the first cover;
• and
• a lifter secured to the outside of the first flexible container, the lifter comprising:
• at least five first straps, each of the first straps having a length greater than twice the first height plus the first length, the first straps extending in first continuous paths along and being secured to the outside of the first container, each of the first straps in the first continuous paths extending along and being secured to the first wall, each of the first straps in the first continuous paths extending along and being secured to the bottom, each of the first straps in the first continuous paths extending along and being secured to the, second wall;
• the first continuous paths of each of the first straps being parallel to each other;
• and at least four second straps, each of the second straps having a length greater than twice the first height plus the first width, the second straps extending in second continuous paths along and being secured to the outside of said first container, each of the second straps in the second continuous paths extending along and being secured to the third wall, each of the second straps in the second continuous paths extending along and being secured to the bottom, each of the second straps in the second continuous paths extending along and being secured to the fourth wall;
• the second continuous paths of each of the second straps being parallel to each other;
• the first at least five straps and the second at least four straps each having opposite strap ends and being made from material capable of receiving at the strap ends a collective maximum total vertical lifting force in the range of about eight to about twelve tons so that the straps collectively apply to the container sufficient force to lift the container containing a bulk cargo unit weighing from about eight tons to about twelve tons off a support surface;
• and
• the first and second flexible containers being collectively capable of containing the about eight tons to about twelve tons of radioactive hazardous material waste as the at least five first straps and the at least four second straps lift the container off the support surface.

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 nine 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 four 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 four straps being to arrange the respective at least five straps and the at least four 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 nine straps associated with the respective connector loops to apply to the container at least eight tons of lifting 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 four 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.

A container for containing between about eight and about twelve toils 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 lop;
• the enclosure 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 the top edge;
• a first one of the sides having a third part of the top edge;
• the enclosure 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 enclosure, 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.