Failure tolerant apparatus for attaching a lashing to a container

Abstract

A system for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship including a support capable of interfacing with an interlocking system of one or more shipping containers and a foundation coupled to the cargo ship. A winch is mounted on the support. One end of a lashing is coupled to the winch and the other end of the lashing is coupled to the foundation. A motor rotates the winch to apply tension in the lashing and the system includes a ratcheting mechanism coupled to the winch so that the ratcheting mechanism allows increase the tension in the winch and prevents release of the tension in the winch. The system may include a release mechanism mounted on the foundation and operable to release tension in the lashing. The system may also include a tension monitor provided in line with the lashing.

Description

FAILURE TOLERANT APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A LASHING TO A CONTAINERCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional application serial no. 63 / 716,980, filed on November 6, 2024, and incorporated herein by reference for all or any purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship. This disclosure relates more particularly to methods and systems for lashing shipping containers that are less dependent on manual labor for being deployed.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Cargo ships can accidentally lose large numbers of shipping containers at sea while sailing through heavy seas. As ships become bigger and shipping containers are stacked higher, the customary lashing system design which has been used for many years cannot provide an acceptable level of restraint. The movement of the upper containers that is caused by the ship’s pitch and roll under the influence of waves increases. This movement can destabilize the shipping containers because of the higher acceleration levels of the upper containers.

[0004] Examples of known methods and systems for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship are described in the International Application pub. no. WO 2022 / 169484, published on August 11, 2022, and incorporated herein by reference.

[0005] Despite these advances, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship, which, in particular, may be less dependent on manual labor for being deployed.SUMMARY

[0006] In one embodiment, a system for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship, comprises a support capable of interfacing with an interlocking system of one or more shipping containers and a foundation coupled to at least one of a lashing bridge or a deck of the cargo ship. A winch is coupled to one end of a lashing and is mounted on the support. The other end of the lashing is coupled to the foundation. A motor rotates the winch to apply tension in the lashing and the system includes a ratcheting mechanism coupled to the winch so that the ratcheting mechanism allows increase the17944904vltension in the winch and prevents release of the tension in the winch. The system may include a release mechanism coupled to lashing, wherein the mechanism is mounted on the foundation, wherein the tension in the lashing can be released with the release mechanism. The system may also include a tension monitor provided in line with the lashing.

[0007] In operation, the described system can be used for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship from the containers and the cargo ship when the lashing is at least partially under tension. Use of the system may include disconnecting at least portion of the system including the winch and the lashing; and using a crane to lift at least portion of the system including the winch and the lashing after disconnection.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] For a more detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0009] Figs. 1 A and IB show an elevation view of a cargo ship having shipping containers stacked thereon and a system for deploying a lashing on cargo ships and securing shipping containers; and

[0010] Fig.2 illustrates one embodiments of a release mechanism.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, and specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and description. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and description are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives available to a person having ordinary skill in the art.

[0012] The disclosure describes a system for securing shipping containers 10 on a cargo ship. As shown in Figs. 1A and IB, the system 100 includes a foundation 110 coupled to at least one of a lashing bridge or a deck of the cargo ship. A lashing 120 is coupled to the foundation. The lashing 120 is put under tension with a winch system 130. For example, the winch system 130 is mounted on a support 135 (e.g., a flat rack) capable of interfacing with an interlocking system of one or more shipping containers 10. The support 135 may be connected on the top of a stack of containers 10.17944904vl

[0013] The winch system 130 includes a motor (e.g., an electric motor, a hydraulic motor) that is capable of turning the reel of the winch and a ratcheting mechanism that is capable of locking the reel of the winch and prevent the paying out of the lashing and the release of the tension in the lashing while allowing the paying in of the lashing with the motor and the increase of the tension in the lashing. As such, tension can be maintained in the lashing while the motor is off. Locking mechanisms other than a ratcheting mechanism may alternatively be used in the system.

[0014] The system 100 is preferably failure tolerant to account for failures of the system (e.g., failure of the winch or ratcheting mechanism) that could prevent the release of the lashing 120 when it is deployed (i.e., the lashing is at least partially under tension). Such failures would be on the critical path of unloading the containers 10 from the cargo ship and / or loading additional containers into the cargo ship. In the event that the winch system 130 fails while the lashing 120 is at least partially under tension, a tension release and decoupling mechanism 140 is provided in the system between the lashing 120 and the foundation 110. The tension release and decoupling mechanism 140 allows for the controlled release of the tension in the lashing 120 and the decoupling of the lashing 120 from the foundation 110 once the tension in the lashing 120 has been released.

[0015] In one embodiment, the tension release and decoupling mechanism may include an eye and shackle assembly and a turnbuckle, a hook, a lashing tie-rod, or any other known rigging hardware. In other embodiments, the tension release and decoupling mechanism 200, as shown in Fig. 2, include a clamp 210 configured to slide on a track 220 with a motorized winch 230 that can be attached to the track and connected to the clamp to selectively apply or release tension to allow the clamp 210 to be released.

[0016] In another embodiment, the tension release and decoupling mechanism may include a frame, a pin extending from the frame, a spool mounted on the pin and capable of rotating relative to the frame, a brake (e.g., a ratchet) for selectively preventing the rotation of the spool, and a reaction point extending from the frame. Both the pin and the reaction point are configured to be coupled to a power tool that can be handled by a single operator (i.e., a portable power tool). The power tool engages the reaction point so that it can apply a torque to the pin. The pin is configured to rotate the spool in a first direction so that the brake is unloaded and can be released. The power tool (e.g., its17944904vlmotor) is configured to controllably rotate the spool in a second direction opposite top the first direction to release the tension in the lashing.

[0017] Preferably, a tension monitor may be provided in line with the lashing and be used to verify that the tension remaining in the lashing is sufficiently low so that at least of the portion of the system including the winch and the lashing can be disconnected from the stack of container and / or the lashing bridge or deck while the ends of the lashing are still connected to rest of the system. For example, a crane may be used to lift the at least portion of the system including the winch and the lashing after disconnection. Then, the at least of the portion of the system may be lowered on the dock, or other convenient work surface, where it may be repaired. Optionally, a backup of the at least of the portion of the system may be rapidly connected to the stack of container and / or the lashing bridge or deck.

[0018] Preferably, the winch may provide, in conjunction with the motor and the ratcheting mechanism, the deployment / reeling of the lashing, the tensioning of the lashing, and the locking of the lashing. Thus, the winch may require a complex design, that is, it may include one or more gears, so that it can perform tensioning and locking. Even when the locking is provided by the winch, the system includes a tension release and decoupling mechanism between the lashing and the foundation as described above.

[0019] The disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and description. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form disclosed. However, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims.17944904vl

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship, comprising: a lashing; a support capable of interfacing with an interlocking system of one or more shipping containers; a foundation coupled to at least one of a lashing bridge or a deck of the cargo ship; a winch coupled to lashing, wherein the winch is mounted on the support, wherein the lashing is coupled to the winch so that a tension in the lashing can be reeled on the winch; a ratcheting mechanism coupled to the winch so that the ratcheting mechanism allows increase the tension in the winch and prevents release of the tension in the winch; a motor coupled to the winch so that the motor rotates the winch; wherein the lashing is coupled to the foundation.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a release mechanism coupled to lashing, wherein the release mechanism is mounted on the foundation, wherein the tension in the lashing can be released with the release mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tension monitor provided in line with the lashing.

4. A method of disconnecting a system for securing shipping containers on a cargo ship from the containers and the cargo ship when the lashing is at least partially under tension, wherein the method uses the system of claims 1, 2 or 3.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising: disconnecting at least portion of the system including the winch and the lashing; and using a crane to lift at least portion of the system including the winch and the lashing after disconnection.17944904vl

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