Offshore cargo rack for use in transferring palletized loads between marine vessel and an offshore platform

Abstract

A cargo rack for transferring loads between a marine vessel and an offshore marine platform (for example, oil and gas well drilling or production platform) provides a frame having a front, a rear, and upper and lower end portions. The lower end of the frame has a perimeter beam base, a raised floor and a pair of open-ended parallel fork tine tubes or sockets that communicate with the perimeter beam at the front and rear of the frame, preferably being structurally connected (e.g., welded) thereto. Openings in the perimeter beam base align with the forklift tine tubes or sockets. The frame includes a plurality of fixed side walls extending upwardly from the perimeter beam that include at least left and right side walls. A plurality of gates are movably mounted on the frame including a gate at least at the front and at least at the rear of the frame, each gate being movable between open and closed positions, the gates enabling a forklift to place loads on the floor by accessing either the front of the frame or the rear of the frame. Each gate can be pivotally attached to a fixed side wall. The frame has vertically extending positioning beams or lugs that segment the raised floor into a plurality of load-holding positions. Each load holding position has a plurality of positioning beams or lugs that laterally hold a load module (e.g., palletized load) in position once a load is placed on the raised floor.

Claims

1. A cargo rack for holding and transporting a plurality of load modules, comprising: a frame having a front, a rear, and upper and lower end portions; the lower end portion having a perimeter beam base with a floor providing multiple load holding positions, each load holding position configured to hold a load module; a pair of fork lift tine openings in the perimeter beam base for use in lifting the frame, the frame including a plurality of side walls that attach to and extend upwardly from the perimeter beam base and including at least left and right side walls, the frame having four corners with a corner column at each corner; intermediate columns at the front and rear portions of the frame that are each positioned in between two corner columns; a plurality of gates movably mounted to the frame, including a pair of gates at the front and a pair of gates at the rear of the frame, each gate being movably between open and closed positions, each gate spanning in a horizontal direction from a corner column to an intermediate column.

2. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein there are four load holding positions.

3. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein there are a pair of gates at the front of the frame.

4. The cargo rack of claim 3 wherein there are a pair of gates at the rear of the frame.

5. The cargo rack of claim 1 wherein the floor attaches to an upper end portion of the perimeter beam base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a top, plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the clamp portions; and

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIGS. 1-6 show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10. An alternate embodiment 10A is shown in FIG. 7. The preferred embodiment 10 is configured to hold four loads 60, 61, 62, 63. The alternate embodiment 10A is configured to hold two loads 60, 61. The loads can be palletized loads such as, for example, pallets attached with sacks of drilling mud.

(10) Cargo rack 10 provides a frame 11 having an upper end portion 12 and a lower end portion 13. The frame 11 includes four corner columns 14, 15, 16, 17. A lifting eye fitting 18 is fitted (for example, welded) to the top of each corner column 14-17 as shown on the drawings. For lifting rack 10 or 10A with a crane, rigging can be attached to each lifting eye fitting 18. Rigging can be for example slings 20 and shackles 21 as shown. Rigging can include spreader bars. Such rigging 19 enables the entire cargo rack 10 and its cargo to be lifted using the rigging 19 and a suitable lifting device such as a crane (and optionally spreader bar(s)) not shown.

(11) Frame 11 has intermediate columns 22 that are positioned in between each of the corner columns 14 and 15, and 16, 16 and 17, and 17 and 14.

(12) Horizontal beams 23 span between the various columns 14-17 and 22. Additionally, vertical beams 24 can be provided for reinforcing the side walls of the frame 11. The side walls are defined by the combination of a perimeter beam 35, two corner columns 14-17, an intermediate column 22, and horizontal beams 23.

(13) A pair of gates 32, 33 are provided both at the front and at the rear of frame 11 as shown. Front gates 32 include preferably a pair of gates 32. The rear gates 33 include preferably a pair of rear gates as well. These gates 32, 33 enable a forklift to load cargo to raised floor 27 of frame 11 from either the front of the frame 11 or from the back of the frame 11. The gates 32, 33 enable the raised floor 27 to be larger than a typically sized pallet and longer between the front and rear of the frame than the length of the tines of a forklift that might be in use on an offshore marine platform, dock or marine vessel.

(14) The frame 11 provides a bottom surface 28 that is spaced below the raised floor 27, and in the same plane as the bottom of perimeter beams (or beam) 35.

(15) A pair of spaced apart and generally parallel sockets or tubes 29, 30 are provided that enable a forklift to engage the socket or tubes 29, 30 and lift the entire frame 11. The sockets or tubes 29, 30 preferably extend from the front of frame 11 at perimeter beam 35 to the rear of the frame 11, also engaging a perimeter beam 35. Each tube or socket is preferably a structural steel member welded to perimeter beams 35.

(16) In order to retain a load that is placed on the raised floor 27 of frame 11, straps 50 or clamps 44 can be used. In the case of straps 50, strap anchors 36 are provided above perimeter beam 35 and at the periphery of the frame 11. Alternatively, clamps 44 can be used to pivot into a closed position (see hard lines in FIG. 3, 4 and arrow 49 in FIGS. 6 and 6). A locking pin 46 can be used to lock the clamp 44 in the closed position shown in FIG. 4. The clamps 44 are preferably pivotally connected with pivotal connections 45 to frame 11 at its upper end portion 12.

(17) A plurality of pedestals 37 are provided on raised floor 27. These pedestals 37 provide upper surfaces that are preferably level for maintaining a palletized load in a level orientation. The pedestals 37 thus extend above the raised floor 27. The raised floor 27 can be inclined or sloped toward floor drains 34 that flow into drain line 31. The apparatus 10 of the present invention thus helps prevent or minimize pollution in the event of spillage by channeling any waste material or other spillage to the floor drains 34 and drain line 31 for collection via hose, pump or the like.

(18) A plurality of corner supports 38 have positioning beams 39 that can be angle shaped wide flanged shaped beams that are positioned vertically. Likewise, a center support 40 provides positioning beams 41. Intermediate supports 42 can be provided that have positioning beams 43.

(19) These positioning beams 39, 41, 43 help maintain a particular palletized load 60-63 in its proper position. In FIG. 4, some of the loads 60, 63 are held in position with clamp 44 while other of the loads 61, 62 are held in position with both clamp 44 and straps 50. Lugs 47 can be provided on the top of each load 60-63 so that loads 60-63 can be stacked one on top of another. Similarly, flanges 48 on each lifting eye fitting 18 enable one cargo rack 10 to be stacked upon another for saving space on the floor or work deck of an offshore marine platform or vessel.

(20) The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the various elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(21) TABLE-US-00002 PARTS LIST PART NO. DESCRIPTION 10 cargo rack 10A cargo rack 11 frame 12 upper end 13 lower end 14 corner column 15 corner column 16 corner column 17 corner column 18 lifting eye fitting 19 rigging 20 sling 21 shackle 22 intermediate column 23 horizontal beam 24 vertical beam 25 hinge 26 hinge 27 raised floor 28 bottom surface 29 socket 30 socket 31 drain line 32 forward gate 33 rear gate 34 floor drain 35 perimeter beam 36 strap anchor 37 pedestal 38 corner support 39 positioning beam 40 center support 41 positioning beam 42 intermediate support 43 positioning beam 44 clamp 45 pivotal connection 46 locking pin 47 lug 48 flange 49 arrow 50 strap 60 load 61 load 62 load 63 load

(22) All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise.

(23) The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.