Fitting Plate Two-Armed Lever for Even Lashing Load Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fitting plates for lashing containers on ships do not adequately compensate for uneven loading and alignment issues caused by container couplings and ship movements, leading to potential overloading of lashings and attachment points.
Innovation Solution
A fitting plate with pivotable mounts forming a two-armed lever, allowing even loading of lashings and adjusting to different container heights without tilting or bending, and optionally varying lever arms for controlled force distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single lashing is used to secure containers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability is insufficient due to uneven loading and potential overloading
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting plate is divided into a rigid base plate and separate pivotable mounts that can independently adjust. This segmentation allows each mount to compensate for alignment issues while the base plate provides overall structural stability, resolving the contradiction between reliability through even loading and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable mounts are designed to rotate and adjust dynamically during the lashing process. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to automatically compensate for misalignments and achieve even loading distribution, improving reliability without requiring a overly complex fixed structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If rigid mounting of lashing rods is used, then the structural stability is improved, but the adaptability to different container heights and alignments is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable mounts provide dynamic adjustment capability through rotation, allowing the system to adapt to different container heights and alignments. The mounts can pivot to accommodate misalignments while maintaining a stable final position when loaded, thus achieving both adaptability and stability
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system changes its geometric parameters (angle and position) through pivoting action. This parameter change allows the mounts to adapt to varying container dimensions and alignment conditions while maintaining structural stability when properly positioned and loaded
3Reliability
If the fitting plate is designed to automatically balance loads, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional balancing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The two-armed lever is designed with potentially asymmetric arm lengths to create different mechanical advantages for each lashing position. This asymmetric design allows automatic load balancing by distributing forces according to the lever arms, achieving reliable even loading without complex active control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The lever mechanism creates a mechanical equilibrium where forces are distributed to equalize the loading on both lashings. This equipotential state is achieved through the lever's natural balance, providing reliable load distribution without requiring additional complex balancing devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures even loading of lashings, optimizes utilization of attachment points, and compensates for inaccuracies and alignment changes, preventing overloading and ensuring secure container stacking across varying heights.
Implementation Method 1
The pivotable mounts (37, 56, 57) can be rotated relative to the fitting plate (31, 51) by means of a pin (41) in a bore (40). The friction between these components allows for self-adjustment while maintaining stable connection
Implementation Method 2
The two attachments (37, 56, 57) form a two-armed lever for the lashings (18, 19), each with the same lever arm relative to the first attachment (33). In this case, the two lashings are loaded evenly.
Implementation Method 3
Any asymmetrical change in the force introduction immediately leads to readjustment of the fitting plate until moment equilibrium is again achieved. This has the advantage that the attached lashings or the corresponding attachment points are optimally utilized.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a fitting plate (24; 31; 52, 53), to a device, and to an assembly for lashing containers (11, 12) on board ships. In order to avoid overloading of a lashing or of the fastening points thereof, the fitting plate (24; 31; 52, 53) according to the invention has a first retainer (27, 33) and two further retainers (23; 37; 60, 61), the two further retainers (23; 37; 56, 67) forming a two-armed lever with respect to the first retainer (27, 33). The device according to the invention has at least one first lashing (18), which is associated with a corner casting (15) of one of the containers (12), and one second lashing (19), which is associated with a corner casting (17) of another of the containers (12), and is characterized in that tensile force equalization is provided between the lashings (18, 19).