Material or article handling – Process – Of loading or unloading marine system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-08
2008-03-11
O'Connor, Gerald J. (Department: 3627)
Material or article handling
Process
Of loading or unloading marine system
C414S140100
Reexamination Certificate
active
07341422
ABSTRACT:
A container transportation system and method which includes a number of enclosed containers adapted to contain freight and protect the freight in a marine environment, a vehicle adapted to lift, transport, orient and place the containers on a support surface, a marine vessel having a container storage deck with sufficient strength to support the vehicle when the vehicle is transporting a fully loaded one of the containers, and a ramp shaped to extend from an associated dock to the deck and having sufficient strength to support the vehicle when the vehicle is transporting a fully loaded one of the containers, and having sufficient strength such that an angle of inclination of the ramp suspended between the deck and an associated dock allows the vehicle to traverse the ramp without slipping. The vehicle engages a single one of the containers on the associated dock, then proceeds to transport the container over the ramp to desired, predetermined locations on the deck for transportation by the marine vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the containers include corner castings and the system includes twistlocks which interconnect the corner casings of the containers, and attach the containers to the deck, thereby eliminating the need for lashing and other securing devices. When the marine vessel carrying the containers reaches the port of destination, the process is reversed, with the lifting vehicle removing the containers from a stacked configuration on the deck, transporting them over a ramp extending between the deck and an associated dock, and stacking or otherwise storing the containers on the dock. Also in the preferred embodiment, the vehicle is a reach stacker.
REFERENCES:
patent: 45039 (1864-11-01), Heath
patent: 67031 (1867-07-01), Des Corats
patent: 154978 (1874-09-01), Baxter et al.
patent: 241813 (1881-05-01), McDougall
patent: 304581 (1884-09-01), Teubert
patent: 2405893 (1946-08-01), Leftwich
patent: 2451198 (1948-10-01), Burke
patent: 2490610 (1949-12-01), Andersen
patent: 2637453 (1953-05-01), Cleveland
patent: 2672840 (1954-03-01), Sharp et al.
patent: 2884870 (1959-05-01), Day
patent: 3124209 (1964-03-01), Flipse
patent: 3165211 (1965-01-01), Ablett et al.
patent: 3389775 (1968-06-01), Sause, Jr.
patent: 3460686 (1969-08-01), Cole
patent: 3514002 (1970-05-01), Allegri et al.
patent: 3591023 (1971-07-01), Allen
patent: 3691595 (1972-09-01), Backterman et al.
patent: 3794196 (1974-02-01), Terho et al.
patent: 3846860 (1974-11-01), Kummerman
patent: 3919959 (1975-11-01), Nemec et al.
patent: 4135468 (1979-01-01), Kirby et al.
patent: 4201511 (1980-05-01), Charles
patent: 4325667 (1982-04-01), Freeman
patent: 4400130 (1983-08-01), Anttila et al.
patent: 4441449 (1984-04-01), Biaggi
patent: 4482285 (1984-11-01), Copie
patent: 4552082 (1985-11-01), Grey
patent: 4626155 (1986-12-01), Hlinsky et al.
patent: 4803940 (1989-02-01), Ebeling et al.
patent: 4898112 (1990-02-01), McGlew et al.
patent: 5370435 (1994-12-01), Monk et al.
patent: 5467855 (1995-11-01), Sorensen
patent: 5488918 (1996-02-01), Johnson, Jr. et al.
patent: 5618148 (1997-04-01), Iversen et al.
patent: 5780826 (1998-07-01), Hareyama et al.
patent: 6105525 (2000-08-01), Rapeli
patent: 6309153 (2001-10-01), Petzitillo et al.
patent: 6390742 (2002-05-01), Breeden
patent: 6416264 (2002-07-01), Heim et al.
patent: 6503034 (2003-01-01), Heim et al.
patent: 6890136 (2005-05-01), Heim et al.
patent: 6893205 (2005-05-01), Heim et al.
patent: 2002/0009346 (2002-01-01), Holt et al.
patent: 0142974 (1951-08-01), None
patent: 19743871 (1999-04-01), None
patent: 2107651 (1983-05-01), None
patent: 360015284 (1985-01-01), None
patent: 016983 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 405338816 (1993-12-01), None
Kalmar web site, http://web.archive.org/19980415081436/www.kalmarind.com/e—default.html, Mar. 27, 1998.
Marcos International Website printout, http://www.marcon.com/marcon2s.cfm?SectionGroupID=20&PageID.
Korea Ship Broking com website printout, http://koreaship.com/source/english/others1.htm.
“Corner Castings” by Buffers USA (dated as late as Mar. 16, 1998).
Untitled Publication by Kalmar (dated as late as Aug. 7, 1997).
Photograph and caption in the publication “Of Commerce” (Jan. 26, 1998).
“A shipping alternative,” published in Maritime News & Shipcards (Mar. 30, 1998).
Press Release by Trailer Bridge, Inc. (Jan. 21, 1998).
McCown John D.
McLeon Malcolm P.
O'Connor Gerald J.
Thompson Hine LLP
Trailer Bridge, Inc.
LandOfFree
Container transportation system and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Container transportation system and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Container transportation system and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3967930