Equipment for unloading bulk freighter and bulk carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9216865-B2
Application number	US-201313962734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2013
Priority date	Sep 21, 2012
Publication date	Dec 22, 2015
Grant date	Dec 22, 2015

Abstract

An equipment for unloading a bulk carrier comprises a plurality of structures fastened to a fixed platform, the plurality of structures is fastened to the fixed platform mutually parallel, each structure comprising a mobile element having fastening elements which are associated to a projection of at least a removable hold of a bulk carrier, the mobile element being displaced from a first position (A) to a second position (B) so as to tilt at least a removable hold onto an apron feeder and then to a system of conveyor belts. Also, a bulk carrier comprises at least a removable hold including a compartment for transporting bulk products having a plurality of projections disposed in a longitudinal line and mutually parallel at a first end of the removable hold and an articulation mechanism disposed along a second end of the removable hold parallel to and opposite the first end.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An equipment for unloading a bulk carrier, comprising:
a plurality of structures fastened to a fixed platform, each structure comprising at least one lift beam extending vertically from the fixed platform and a support beam extending horizontally from the at least one lift beam; and
a plurality of mobile elements comprising fastening elements arranged to attach to a plurality of projections, respectively, of a removable hold of a bulk carrier,
wherein the plurality of mobile elements are arranged on respective support beams of the plurality of structures and are each configured to move laterally between a first position (A) and a second position (B) on the respective support beams to tilt the removable hold to unload a bulk product from the bulk carrier, and
wherein the removable hold of the bulk carrier comprises:
a compartment for transporting bulk products having a bottom surface connected to a first side wall and an opposite second side wall, with the plurality of projections disposed in a longitudinal line and mutually parallel on the first side wall, and
an articulation mechanism disposed above the bottom surface along an outside of the second side wall, the articulation mechanism configured to enable tilting movement of the removable hold.

2. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein each support beam comprises longitudinal rails in an upper portion on which the respective mobile element moves linearly.

3. The equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the fastening elements of each mobile element comprise chains having a first end fastened to the fixed platform and a second end attachable to the plurality of projections of the removable hold.

4. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the articulation mechanism is arranged on the outside of the second side wall to allow the removable hold to tilt beyond a 90 degree angle relative to a starting position of the removable hold.

5. The equipment according to claim 4 , wherein the removable hold is movable via the articulation mechanism between a first position and a second position, wherein the bottom surface is located below the articulation mechanism in the first position, and wherein an entirety of the bottom surface is located above the articulation mechanism in the second position.

6. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the articulation mechanism is arranged on the outside of the second side wall to allow the removable hold to tilt by about 135 degrees relative to a starting position of the removable hold.

7. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the second side wall has a first end attached to the bottom surface and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the articulation mechanism is arranged on the outside of the second side wall adjacent to the second end of the second side wall.

8. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein lateral movement of the plurality of mobile elements on the respective support beams of the plurality of structures between the first position (A) and the second position (B) comprises lateral movement relative to the removable hold.

9. The equipment according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a hopper, and
an apron feeder positioned below the hopper,
wherein the hopper is positioned to receive the bulk product from the removable hold upon movement of the plurality of mobile elements from the first position (A) to the second position (B) on the respective support beams of the plurality of structures.

10. An equipment for unloading a bulk carrier, comprising:
a plurality of structures fastened to a fixed platform, wherein the plurality of structures is fastened to the fixed platform mutually parallel,
each structure comprising a mobile element endowed with fastening elements which are associated to a projection of at least a removable hold of a bulk carrier, the mobile element being displaced from a first position (A) to a second position (B) so as to tilt at least a removable hold onto an apron feeder, and
wherein each structure of the plurality of structures comprises at least two lift beams fastened vertically to the fixed platform and support beams fastened horizontally at ends of the supporting beams, the support beam being endowed with longitudinal rails in its upper portion on which the mobile element moves linearly.

11. The equipment, according to claim 10 , wherein the fastening elements of the mobile element include chains containing a first end fastened to the fixed platform and a second end fastened to the projection of the removable hold.

Assignees

• Vale Sa

Inventors

• De Freitas Tertuliano Francisco
• Santos Warlley Soares

Classifications

• B63B25/18

  Detachable decks · CPC title

• B66C3/00 Primary

  Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith and intended primarily for transmitting lifting forces to loose materials; Grabs (buckets and other containers B65D, e.g. pallets B65D19/00; dredges equipped with grabs E02F) · CPC title

• B63B25/04

  solid · CPC title

• B63B27/22

  of conveyers, e.g. of endless-belt or screw-type {(arrangements of devices with throwing action B63B27/26; arrangements of chutes B63B27/28)} · CPC title

• B66C19/00

  Cranes comprising trolleys or crabs running on fixed or movable bridges or gantries (B66C17/00 takes precedence; base supporting structures with legs B66C5/00; jib cranes B66C23/00) · CPC title