Lifting attachment for lifting containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434954-B2
Application number	US-202117999751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2021
Priority date	May 27, 2020
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A lifting attachment for lifting one or more containers, comprising a lifting attachment frame and an arm on each end of the lifting attachment frame, wherein the arm comprises an upper locking mechanism and a lower locking mechanism. Each arm further comprises a pivotable extension connected to an actuator, wherein a proximal end of the extension comprises a pivot point connecting the extension to the arm and a distal end of the extension comprises a support portion, wherein in a resting position the distal ends of the extensions are turned to move the support portions to each other and in an operating position the distal ends of the extensions are turned downwards for supporting the container from its side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lifting attachment, comprising:
a lifting attachment frame, and
an arm on each end of the lifting attachment frame, wherein the arm comprises an upper locking mechanism configured to graban upper container and a lower locking mechanism configured to grab a lower container, the upper locking mechanism being at a first end of the arm and the lower locking mechanism being at a second end of the arm opposite the first end, wherein the arm is configured to lift the upper and lower containers simultaneously, wherein each arm further comprises a pivotable extension provided at the second end of the arm next to the lower locking mechanism and connected to an actuator, wherein a proximal end of the extension comprises a pivot point connecting the extension to the arm and a distal end of the extension comprises a support portion, wherein in a resting position the distal ends of the extensions are turned to move the support portions closer to each other and in an operating position the distal ends of the extensions are turned downwards for supporting the lower container from its longitudinal side.

2. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein in the resting position the lowest point of the extension is at same level or above the lower locking mechanism.

3. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein in the resting position a line between the proximal end and distal end of the extension is in less than 45-degree angle with the lifting attachment frame.

4. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein in the operating position the support portion of the distal end of the extension is within 50 cm from an extrapolated line between the upper locking mechanism and the lower locking mechanism.

5. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot point is a hinge, and length of the hinge is greater than diameter of the hinge.

6. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the extension comprises an extension sleeve between the proximal end and the distal end of the extension.

7. The lifting attachment according to claim 6 , wherein the extension sleeve is a reinforced steel plate surrounding partially around the extension.

8. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion at the distal end is perpendicularly elongated from the extension for supporting force caused by weight of the lower container.

9. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a telescopic arm.

10. The lifting attachment according to claim 9 , wherein one end of the telescopic arm is in a fixed or hinged connection to a side of the extension, where said side is towards the vertical axis of the lifting attachment in the resting position.

11. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the upper locking mechanism comprises a lifting system for adjusting vertical position of the upper locking mechanism.

12. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the arm comprises a fixed protrusion for supporting force caused by weight of the upper container.

13. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the lower locking mechanism comprises a first lower twist-lock and a second lower twist-lock.

14. The lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the lower locking mechanism comprises a rotatable locking system comprising an upper holder and a lower holder.

15. The lifting attachment according to claim 14 , wherein the lower locking mechanism further comprises a hook arranged to be inserted in an oval hole of the lower corner casting of the upper container.

16. The lifting attachment according to claim 14 , wherein the lower locking mechanism further comprises a hook arranged to be inserted in an oval hole of the upper corner casting of the lower container.

17. A lifting device, comprising the lifting attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting device further comprises a lifting mast, wherein the lifting attachment is movably attached to the lifting mast.

Assignees

• Konecranes Global Corp

Inventors

• Nilsson Anders
• Sjöstrand Anders
• Lindfors Hannu
• Lukkari Juhani
• Bertula Ari
• Heiska Turkka

Classifications

• B66F9/14 Primary

  laterally movable, e.g. swingable, for slewing or transverse movements · CPC title

• B66F9/186 Primary

  Container lifting frames · CPC title