Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02674400 2009-07-30
Portable Equipment Container
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to containers. In particular, the present
invention relates to a
container device for portable equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the challenges facing companies operating equipment at remote worksites
is security.
Often, such worksites may be far from populated areas, and lack adequate
lighting, security
personnel, security fencing or other enclosures. Such site conditions may make
it easier for
thieves or vandals to steal or damage valuable equipment. In particular,
equipment which is
relatively portable and light weight may easily be removed by unscrupulous
individuals.
Theft and vandalism may be reduced by installation of lighting, fencing or
other enclosures, or
patrolling security personnel or dogs. However, such measures may be costly
and may not be
justified in view of the replacement cost of small pieces of equipment.
It would be desirable to provide a device for secure containment of relatively
portable,
lightweight worksite attachments for heavy duty construction machines.
Ideally, such a device
would be relatively simple to manufacture, and would permit workers to access,
store and service
attachments in place. Further, it would be desirable to provide such a device
which would'itself
be portable using available heavy duty equipment, for example, heavy duty
construction
machines.
The container device would ideally be able to carry attachments for heavy duty
equipment in a
manner in which such attachments are easily accessible and arranged such that
they may be
accessed and installed by an operator from within the cab of the heavy duty
equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is provided an equipment container for use with heavy machinery, the
equipment container
having a base, opposing lateral ends, back wali and front lip defming an
internal carrying space,
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wherein one or more vertical dividers separate the carrying space into two or
more compartments
and a brace connects the top of each end or divider to the next adjacent end
or divider.
The equipment container may be divided into three compartments, and may have
one or more
attachment means for attaching a chain or similar connection device attached
to a lifting machine
to enable lifting of the equipment container. The attachment means may
comprise a hook.
Each compartrnent may be adapted to house a piece of machinery selected from
the group of
machinery comprising fuel tanks, ground packing tools, and buckets. At least
one compartment
may be adapted to house a bucket, the equipment container further comprising a
pair of forks
reversibly attachable to a bucket to form a fork lift attachment for a
machine.
Each compartment may include a bracket for retaining the housed machinery.
Each bracket may
be removable and rotatable between an open position and a closed position. At
least one bracket
may be rotated simultaneously with at least one other bracket. At least one
bracket may be
locked in a closed position. The locking of at least one bracket may lock at
least one other
bracket.
The base of the equipment container may be a solid plane, or it may be a grid
having a plurality
of openings therein. The base may fiarther comprise at least one opening to
permit drainage from
the compartments. The equipment container may be manufactured of steel.
The base, back wall and front lip of the equipment container may be
manufactured of a unitary
piece of sheet metal. Alternatively, the base, ends, back wall and front lip
may be manufactured
of a unitary.piece of sheet metal.
The equipment container niay be adapted to fit within a heavy machine bucket.
There is further provided a portable equipment container for use with an
industrial vehicle,
wherein the equipment container is adapted to carry in separate compartments a
fuel tank, a
ground packing machine, and a bucket, and wherein the fuel tank, ground
packing machine, and
bucket are accessible to an operator from the operator's position in the
vehicle.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR.AWINGS
A detailed description of the preferred embodiments is provided by way of
example only and
with reference to the following drawings, in which:
FIG. I illustrates a perspective view of the device of the.present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates another perspective view of the device of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates yet another perspective view of the device of the present
invention; and
FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the device of the present invention
containing equipmerit
and held in a front bucket of a heavy duty equipment machine.
In the drawings, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of
example. It is to be
expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the
purpose of illustration
and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the
Iimits of the invention.
DETAILF;D DESCRIPTION OF THE INVEIVTION
As depicted in Figs. 1 to 4, the equipment container 2 of the present
invention includes three
compartments 4, each designed to hold specific pieces of equipment. A first
comparkment 6 is of
a size and shape selected to contain an industry standard fuel tank 8, a
second compartment 10 is
of a size and shape selected to contain a ground packing tool such as a hoe
pack 12, and a third
compartment 14 is of a size and shape selected to contain a twelve inch bucket
16 or an eighteen
inch bucket. Other bucket sizes may also be carried in the container. In some
embodiments,
three buckets may be carried in the container at the same time.
Each of the compartments may include brackets which may be fixed in place or
removable but
which are designed and positioned to prevent removal of equipment from the
container when the
container is in a locked position. A tank bracket 20 may be provided to secure
the fuel tank in
one compartment. A valve bracket 22 may be- added above the tank bracket to
protect the gas
valve 24 of the fuel tank from damage. Various other metal brackets 26 may be
provided to
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prevent removal of the various equipment from the compartments. The container,
in one
embodiment, may not have hold down brackets.
One or more of the brackets may be rotated between a locked position 28 and an
unlocked
position 30. When the bracket is in a locked position, the equipment contained
in the
corresponding compartment or compartments may not be removed. A bracket may be
fixed,
independently inovable, or movable with one or more other brackets. One or
more of the
brackets may be lockable individually or together with one or more other
brackets. With a
bracket or brackets in an unlocked position, the equipment in the
corresponding compartrnent
may be removed for use.
The base 32, back wall 34, and front lip 36 of the container preferably may be
formed of a single
primary piece of sheet metal to provide optimal strength. The ends 38 and
cornparfinent dividers
40 may be individual pieces of sheet metal welded to the primary piece of
sheet metal.
The container may also contain a pair of forks (not shown) for use with a
bucket in forming a
forklift device. Brackets are attached to the container to prevent removal of
the forks when the'
container is in a locked position.
The container may be provided with a hook 42 at a central position along its
top surface
positioned to allow lifting of the container into the front of a bucket for
transport. A hook or
other attachment means on the bucket may be inserted into the hook to permit
lifting of the
container. Alternatively, a pair of hooks may be disposed on opposing sides of
the top surface of
the container.
Preferably, the base of the container is of a solid planar construction. In an
alternative
embodiment, the base of the container may be a grid to reduce material weight
of the container.
The purpose of the container of the present. invention is to permit equipment
to remain at a
worksite without supervision while preventing its theft or relocation. A
further purpose of the
present invention is to permit equipment to be readily transported to and from
a worksite, and
between locations at a worksite. The container of the present invention
permits equipment
contained therein to be used with the machinery without the operator needing
to leave the seat of
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the machinery, including the forks which may be lifted from a storage position
in the container
and set into an operating position in the bucket by the operator from his
position within the cab.
The size of the container may be selected to permit it to be carried within a
large bucket of
machinery to permit ease of transport. The design of the container may permit
refuelling of the
machinery from the fuel tank, even when the fuel tank is secured in the
container and the
container is disposed within the bucket of the machinery.
In one embodiment of the device each compartment may be separately locked. In
an alternative
embodiment two or all three may be commonly locked. The locking mechanism may
comprise a
set of brackets rotatable about the top edge of the container, which mechanism
may be
lowered to a locked position to secure equipment in the container compartments
or raised to an
unlocked position ' to permit removal of the equipment from the container
compartments.
Openings (not shown) may be cut into the base of the container to permit
drainage of water or
other fluids.
While a preferred material for construction of the equipment container is
steel, other high
strength metals or other materials may also be used.
Variation in the size of the container as well as in the dimensions of each
compartment within
the container are understood to be within the scope of the invention. It will
be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that other variations of the preferred embodiment may
also be practiced
without departing from the scope of the invention.
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