Patent US4553781A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4553781A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Streamlining apparatus for sea/land containers
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1983-08-01
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Granted: 1985-11-19
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Expires: 2003-08-01
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus specifically designed for use on sea/land containers takes advantage of the lifting holes, which are standard on shipping containers, to attach brackets which mount pulleys and a winch which, together with a cable, a strap and two chains, will enable a man standing on the ground to hoist up a preferably inflatable fairing body, which stays with the container while it is on land, and is deflated and removed when the container is to be shipped by sea again.
Inventors
- 👤 David W. Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 15:07
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D35/00; B62D35/001; B62D35/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for mounting a drag-reducing body on the bluff front face of a vehicle, comprising: (a) a cable; (b) an anchor means for securing one end of said cable adjacent an upper portion of said face; (c) a pulley and pulley mounting means mounting same adjacent an upper portion of said face spaced from said anchor means; (d) said cable passing from said anchor means through said pulley defining a midsection between said means and an extensible end beyond said pulley extensible to vary the slack in said midsection; (e) means on said cable midsection for engaging an upper portion of a drag reducing body; (f) means on said vehicle for holding a lower portion of said body down against said bluff face, whereby said body can be engaged in a lowered position by the slack midsection of said cable, raised into operative position by pulling the extensible end of said cable, and the lower portion of said body held against said face.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for mounting a drag-reducing body on the bluff front face of a vehicle, comprising: (a) a cable; (b) an anchor means for securing one end of said cable adjacent an upper portion of said face; (c) a pulley and pulley mounting means mounting same adjacent an upper portion of said face spaced from said anchor means; (d) said cable passing from said anchor means through said pulley defining a midsection between said means and an extensible end beyond said pulley extensible to vary the slack in said midsection; (e) means on said cable midsection for engaging an upper portion of a drag reducing body; (f) means on said vehicle for holding a lower portion of said body down against said bluff face, whereby said body can be engaged in a lowered position by the slack midsection of said cable, raised into operative position by pulling the extensible end of said cable, and the lower portion of said body held against said face.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said body has a pair of rings on top and said means on said cable midsection comprises pulleys riding on said midsection and having hooks to engage said rings, whereby all of said pulleys can be bunched together on said cable when not in use.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said body is a land/sea container having four corners of the front face with lifting holes, and said anchor means and pulley mounting means comprise upper brackets engageable in the holes in the respective opposite upper front corners of the front face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
Structure according to claim 3 wherein said brackets are mounted on the ends of poles such that they can be engaged from ground level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Structure according to claim 4 and including an adjustable strap connectable to the bottoms of said poles, and means for securing said strap to a lower portion of said face to hold said poles in place.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
Structure according to claim 4 wherein said poles are sectional and have spaced resilient bumper sleeves to prevent vibration and marring said face.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
Structure according to claim 4 wherein said means for holding a lower portion of said body against said bluff face comprises a pair of lower brackets mounted in the holes of the respective opposite lower corners of the bluff face, and tether means connecting said lower brackets to the lower portion of said body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
Structure according to claim 7 wherein one of said lower brackets mounts a winch, and the extensible end of said winch is operatively engaged on said winch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
Structure according to claim 7 wherein said means comprises chains and in addition to tethering said body, said chains pass through holes in the lower front corners of the vehicle and connect to said respective brackets a second time for added safety.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus for attaching a drag-reducing body to the four-cornered bluff front of a land/sea container having three lifting holes in orthogonal planes in each corner, said apparatus comprising: (a) four brackets engageable in at least one of said lifting holes in the respective ones of the four corners of said bluff face; (b) tether means extending between said brackets and said body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus for attaching a drag-reducing body to the four-cornered bluff front of a land/sea container having three lifting holes in orthogonal planes in each corner, said apparatus comprising: (a) four brackets engageable in at least one of said lifting holes in the respective ones of the four corners of said bluff face; (b) tether means extending between said brackets and said body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
Structure according to claim 10 wherein two of said brackets are upper brackets each having depending detents to engage in the top holes of the respective upper corners of said face.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
Structure according to claim 10 wherein two of said brackets are lower brackets having detents engageable in the side holes of the lower corners of said face, said lower brackets each having a strap extending upwardly and around the front edge of, and across a portion of, said face.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
Structure according to claim 12 wherein said straps are rigid and shaped to remain in position without auxiliary support while rigging the apparatus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
Structure according to claim 13 wherein said tether means includes a cable, a first of said upper brackets attaches to a fixed end of said cable, the second of said brackets mounting a pulley with said cable passing therethrough to define an extensible end, and the midsection of said cable between said brackets is mounted to said body such that same can be raised and lowered by operating the extensible end of said cable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
Structure according to claim 14 wherein the lower bracket on the same side of said face as said second upper bracket mounts a winch, and the extensible end of said cable is wound on said winch.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
Structure according to claim 10 wherein said upper two brackets are mounted on vertically extended poles when not in use, said lower bracket each defines an eyelet, and including an adjustable strap passing through said eyelet and upward to connect to and tie down the lower ends of said poles.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of attaching a drag reducing body to the four-cornered bluff front face of a land/sea container having three holes defined in orthogonal planes in each corner, by the use of four brackets which engage in at least one hole of the respective front corner comprising the following steps: (a) engaging said four brackets on the respective four corners of said bluff face; (b) tethering said body to said brackets.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of attaching a drag reducing body to the four-cornered bluff front face of a land/sea container having three holes defined in orthogonal planes in each corner, by the use of four brackets which engage in at least one hole of the respective front corner comprising the following steps: (a) engaging said four brackets on the respective four corners of said bluff face; (b) tethering said body to said brackets.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
Structure according to claim 17 wherein the upper two brackets are on poles and step (a) includes positioning said upper two brackets by manipulating said poles from the ground.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Structure according to claim 18 wherein step (b) includes cinching down the bottom ends of said poles to a lower portion of the vehicle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
Structure according to claim 17 wherein one of said upper brackets mounts a pulley, and one of said lower brackets mounts a winch having a cable which passes up through said pulley and down into engagement with said body, and step (a) includes operating said winch to winch said body into position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
Structure according to claim 20 wherein said lower two brackets mount chains of predetermined length connectable to lower portions of said body to automatically tension said body when same is winched to the proper operating height and step (b) includes attaching said chains to lower portions of said body.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein step (a) comprises engaging the upper two of said brackets in the top holes in the respective corners, and engaging the lower two of said brackets in the side holes of the respective lower corners.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4030779A
Cited
US4088362A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-11-18 | 1989-05-20 | 1989-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-11-18 | 1993-05-20 | 1993-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-11-18 | 1997-05-20 | 1997-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |