Improvements to cargo stowage and transport

p00001Transport container with cargo and method of loading stowage in a transport container

5 Field of the Invention

p00002The invention relates to improvements in the stowage of goods, which includes reels, in standard transport containers and in the transport of goods thus stowed.

Background

p00003Huge quantities of goods, including manufactured goods, products and materials, are transported daily around the world by land, sea and air in containers of various types. Standard transport containers as used in seagoing vessels, for example, are a common phenomenon in the

p00004fifteen sea ​​and land The loading of cargo items in such containers and their subsequent unloading, is a main activity that involves a great expense of human resources and money. An important problem faced by all those involved in the transport of goods is to contain the cost of such loading and unloading.

p00005Much of the cost of loading and unloading arises from the need to secure cargo products in their containers safely, to avoid damage in transit. Given the wide variety of goods that need to be transported, this can be a qualified process that consumes a lot of time and effort.

p00006It is also important in many cases that cargo products do not move inside their containers during transit. In maritime transport, any accidental displacement of cargo due to

p0000725 Ship displacements can have adverse effects on the stability of the ship and thus on its safety.

p00008Materials such as wood used to secure heavy container loads may present quarantine and disposal problems at their destinations.

p00009A problem generally recognized in the maritime transport industry, at least, is that there may be a mismatch between loads and dimensions of containers on particular routes. For example, where cargo movements are such that “12.19 m (40 ft)” containers arrive at a particular port in numbers greater than those required by the loads leaving that port, there may be excessive numbers of

p0001035 "Dead stretches" for such containers, that is, paths where the containers are taken empty. Improving the capacity of such containers to be loaded with other cargo items could in this case lead to considerable cost savings by reducing dead sections. More generally, it is always desirable to improve the flexibility of container loading. For example, facilitating the use of a small container where a large one was necessary, or vice versa, allows for better adaptation of the loads and container availability.

p00011Document DE-U-8407246 discloses reusable containers with a pallet.

Summary of the invention

p00012Four. Five According to a first aspect of the invention, a method is provided for stowing a load in a standard 6-meter (20-foot) or 12-meter (40-foot) transport container, characterized by positioning, in designated positions in the container, of cargo products, each of which comprises a coil and weighs more than 20% of a container load index and load containment means comprising spacer elements that support the coils from below and faithfully conform to the cylindrical shapes of the coils and fit tightly in a space between opposite side walls of the container and spacer elements that separate the coils from each other and from the end walls of the container, each of said spacer elements being a substantially rigid block of expanded plastic foam, the spacer elements being shaped and provided and positioned with the coils in the container such that an assembly comprising the coils and the spacer elements, in which each coil has a shaft oriented

p0001355 longitudinally, it is closely confined between end walls of the container and contacts interior surfaces of the container to contain its movement with respect to the container during the movement of the container.

p00014Preferably, each shaped block is an expanded polystyrene foam block.

p00015During the movement of the cargo container, the inertial forces produced in the cargo items due to the movement of the cargo container are transmitted to the cargo container structure through the shaped blocks.

p0001665 Substantially the entire weight of at least one of the cargo products can be transferred to the structure of the cargo container through the formed blocks of members of a set of said spacer elements.

p00017Thus, in the practice of the invention, substantially rigid spacer elements, comprising the expanded plastic foam blocks, in fact transmit loads, dynamic and static, between the articles

p000185 Cargo and cargo container structure. The term "stowage wood" is normally used in the art for materials and articles that are not firmly attached to the cargo and are used to protect the cargo, so that the spacer elements do not simply function as stowage timbers. This is so even though the teachings would separate the use of such materials in the technique of transporting substantial cargoes in cargo containers.

p0001910 The term "standard transport container" is taken herein to include in particular containers used in large numbers of freight transport by sea. These containers are the object of standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and are available in various sizes. The invention relates to such containers that have external dimensions as follows:

p00020(a) length: 6096 mm (20 feet), width 2438 mm (8 feet); height 2591 mm (8 feet 6 inches) or 2896 mm (9 feet 6 inches); and

p00021(b) length: 12192 mm (40 feet), width 2438 mm (8 feet); height 2591 mm (8 feet 6 inches) or 2896 mm (9 20 feet 6 inches).

p00022A said spacer element may be adapted to be lowered onto a cited cargo product from above and in use retained thereon without substantial relative movement between the spacer element and the cargo product. When said spacer element is lowered onto said cargo product a portion of said cargo article is

p0002325 accessible from above.

p00024In one embodiment of the invention, a spacer element has a lower surface adapted to rest directly on a floor surface of the cargo container or a stowage wood on said floor surface and an upper surface shaped to closely conform to a portion of the minus a

p0002530 load item and to support the at least one load item.

p00026In any of these embodiments, a spacer element may have vertical faces that in use of the spacer element rest closely adjacent to opposite vertical interior surfaces of the cargo container. A single spacer element may, for example, substantially cover the entire

p0002735 internal width of the transport container.

p00028At least one spacer element that supports the weight of cargo items can be positioned within the cargo container and a cargo product subsequently lowered onto said spacer element. Said cargo article can be loaded through end doors of the cargo container. Cargo items can thus be placed in spacer elements after the spacer elements have been positioned in the cargo container. It may not be possible for some wide cargo product handling vehicles to position cargo items in the container due to improper reach and an inability to introduce the cargo container. The method can solve this problem by means of a modification in which while the loading article is moved in the cargo container by means of a support on wheels, said means

p00029Four. Five of support on wheels is moved by a separate vehicle so that the separated vehicle can remain outside the cargo container.

p00030The method of the invention can be applied for example (and is advantageous) where a loading article comprises a coil of web material, for example, steel.

p00031fifty In the implementation of the method of the invention, the cargo items can be held in their designated positions in the cargo container by spacers substantially without the use of additional containment means.

p0003255 In a way of implementing the method, the spacer elements but not the cargo items are in contact with internal vertical walls of the cargo container.

p00033A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a method for transporting a set of cargo items between two locations in a cargo container that includes the steps of:

p0003460 in a first location, stow a set of cargo items in a cargo container by a method disclosed above;

p00035move the cargo container to a second location and unload the cargo items and spacers 65; and remove the shaped blocks from the spacer elements by subjecting the shaped blocks to a recycling process.

p00036In many destinations where cargo containers are shipped, there is an existing infrastructure for recycling 5 of expanded plastic foam, including in particular polystyrene foam, without significant environmental discomfort.

p00037According to a second aspect of the invention, a combination is provided comprising a standard transport container of 6 meters (20 feet) or 12 meters (40 feet) and stowed in the container, cargo items, each of which comprises a coil that has a longitudinally oriented axis and weighs more than 20% of a container payload index and load containment means comprising spacer elements that support the coils below, they conform tightly to cylindrical shapes of the coils and fit tightly to a space between opposite side walls of the container and spacer elements that separate the coils from each other and from the end walls of the container, each of said elements being

p00038fifteen spacers a substantially rigid block of expanded plastic foam, the spacer elements being shaped and provided and positioned with the coils in designated positions in the container such that an assembly comprising the coils and spacer elements is closely confined between end walls of the container and is in contact with interior surfaces of the container to contain its movement with respect to the container during the movement of the container.

p00039Preferably, each shaped block is an expanded polystyrene foam block.

p00040An aforementioned block may be adapted to be lowered onto said load article from above and in use may be retained thereon without substantial relative movement between the spacer element and the article of

p0004125 load.

p00042In one embodiment of the invention, a spacer element has a lower surface adapted to rest directly on a floor surface of the cargo container or in a stowage wood on said floor surface and an upper surface shaped to closely conform to a portion of the at least one cargo item and support the at least one cargo item.

p00043The invention is used in the containment and stowage of loads that are greater than normal in applications of expanded foam materials and in particular in polystyrene foam. In a further embodiment of the invention, a method of stowage of cargo items, comprising coils, is provided in a container

p0004435 of cargo in which the spaces around the cargo items and within the cargo container are at least partially filled with spacer elements to thereby substantially prevent movement of the cargo items in the cargo container, wherein the dynamic forces in the cargo items associated with the movement of the cargo container and the forces by weight on the cargo items are transmitted to the container structure through the spacer elements and in which the spacer elements that transmit such forces each comprise a shaped block of expanded plastic foam material, preferably polystyrene.

p00045An apparatus may be used in the stowage of said cargo items, the apparatus comprising:

p00046Four. Five elongated means having at one front end means for supporting a load article and at a rear end means for connection to a part of a vehicle that can be raised and lowered;

p00047chassis means having wheels grounded to said chassis means being adapted to support the elongated means in a position between said front and rear end.

p00048The chassis means may include means for raising or lowering said elongated means.

p00049The apparatus may have a counterweight attached to the rear end of the elongated means.

p0005055 Preferably, the counterweight has openings for receiving arms of a forklift vehicle and in which the counterweight is fixed to the elongated means so as to be able to rotate around the elongated means around both transverse and vertical axes.

p00051In this report, the term "set", used with respect to a set of spacer elements or load items, is not intended to imply, where there are several members of any type of assembly, that all members of this type need to be identical.

p00052Preferred embodiments of the invention provide easier, faster and cheaper packaging or unpacking of transport containers, with efficient use of available space and avoidance of movement of the 65 cargo items within the container, which is available using methods of conventional packaging The surprising discovery that certain plastic foam materials can be used for support and

p00053Restriction of coils of significant weight carried in cargo containers has led to the invention.

p00054In the drawings:

p000555 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spacer element that supports a coil of steel band (shown in phantom lines), which is included only for background interest;

p00056Figure 2 is a side view of four spacer elements as shown in Figure 1, in use inside a container (shown in phantom lines);

p00057Figure 3 is a perspective view of two steel band coils on pallets and (in phantom lines) an additional spacer element, which is included only for background interest;

p00058Figure 4 is a set of three views of the spacer element shown in Figure 3, namely (a) side elevation, 15 (b) end elevation, (c) bottom view;

p00059Figure 5 is a perspective view of five spacer elements and coils as shown in Figure 3, in use inside a container (shown in phantom lines);

p00060Figure 6 is a set of three views of an additional spacer element, namely (a) side view, (b) bottom view and (c) left half) and end view and (right half) a cross-sectional view, the spacer element being shown in views (b) and (c) cover loads of plate material on platform elements, which is included only for background interest;

p0006125 Figure 7 is a perspective view of two additional spacer elements in use inside a container (shown in phantom lines), which is included only for background interest.

p00062Figure 8 is a plan view of a packing arrangement position for a layer of cylindrical cargo items in a container, which is included only for background interest;

p00063Figure 9 is a plan view of a load of cargo items and additional spacer elements inside a container (shown in phantom lines), which is included only for background interest;

p00064Figure 10 is a side view of a part of the cargo article load of the spacer elements as shown in Figure 8, the part shown being the containers between the planes marked "P" and "Q" in the figure 8;

p00065Figure 11 is a perspective view of an interior transport container space (represented by phantom lines) with coil-type articles stowed therein, according to the present invention;

p00066Figure 12 is a perspective view of the interior transport container space shown in Figure 11, now with only one of the three cargo items shown in Figure 11 in position;

p00067Figure 13 is a side view of a forklift vehicle, a portion of a container and an apparatus to assist in loading the container, which is included only for background interest; and

p00068Four. Five Figure 14 is a plan view of an internal container space that contains three cargo items, shingles and spacers that is included only for background interest.

Detailed description

p00069Figure 1 shows a first spacer element 1. The spacer element 1 is generally rectangular, with end faces 2, side faces 3, a bottom face 4 and an upper face 5. An upwardly oriented recess 6 is in the form of a middle cylinder. Shown in phantom lines in Figure 1 is a coil 7 of steel band that is received and supported in the recess 6. Cuts 8 are provided to provide access to a hole

p0007055 coil center 9 for a "rope" (not shown) as typically used by the material handling equipment for lifting and moving steel band coils. Also, longitudinal recesses 15 extend along the length of the bottom face 4 and are spaced and sized to allow the arms of a forklift (or similar, not shown) to raise the spacer element 1 and the contained coil 1 together.

p00071Figure 2 shows a side view of four spacer elements 1 and coils 7 positioned inside a standard transport container 12. The container 12 is schematically represented in Figure 2 showing in phantom lines only the edges of its internal surfaces, so that only the interior space of the container is shown.

p0007265 The elements 1 are sized so that four of them fit perfectly in the container 12, which are restricted from longitudinal movement by the inner end surfaces 13 and from lateral movement by the inner side surfaces 14 of the container 12. Such movements can be caused by boat movements in the sea and need to resist them for reasons of ship stability and safety. The width between the side faces 3 of the element 1 is close to the width between the inner side surfaces 14 and the length of the four elements 1 in combination is close to the length between the surfaces

p000735 of inner ends 13. With this way of stowing the heavy and difficult to handle cargo items 7, it is quicker and easier to load and unload a transport container, without the need to tie the items 7 inside the container 12 itself.

p00074The spacer elements 1 are preferably formed integrally from cellular foam plastic material such as, for example, only "RMAX Geofoam" polystyrene foam available under the number "Isolite EPS" in Australia from a division of Hunstman Chemical Company Australia Pty Ltd.

p00075This rigid cellular polystyrene material is available in a range of six density classes, with different compression resistances and is manufactured according to Australian standard AS1366 Part 3-1992. The grades used by

p00076fifteen Applicants to date are “SL” (nominal density 11 kg / cubic meter and 70 kPa of compression tension at a deviation of 10%) and “M” (nominal density 19 kg / cubic meter and 105 kPa of compression tension at 10% deformation). However, it is obviously desirable to use a material with a density appropriate for the particular application, taking into account the weights and dimensions of the cargo article, probably the movements of the container and the like. Selection does not require the invention effort itself.

p00077It is preferred that the formation of the elements 1 be by foaming in a simple mold (not shown) and more preferably it is done at or near the site where the coils 7 should be loaded into the container 12. This could be in a storage warehouse. steel or in a container loading facility. Alternatively, polystyrene foam can simply be purchased in blocks at the manufacturer and cut to form using methods

p0007825 appropriate known (for example hot wire cutting).

p00079It has surprisingly been found that in many practical cases and with appropriate choice of material, reinforcement of elements 1 is not necessary even for heavy loads.

p00080Other suitable foam materials can be used.

p00081The separations to be provided between the elements 1 and the inner surfaces 13 and 14 of the container 12 are chosen by appropriate process (which does not require invention activity) to adapt the weights of the cargo items involved, the qualification of the people, the stowage and the unloading of the containers and the equipment that

p0008235 have available.

p00083Figure 3 shows two steel band coils 16, each secured on an appropriate platform 17, each coil 16 and its platform 17 comprising a loading article. Shown in phantom lines is a spacer element 19 that facilitates the stowage of cargo article 18 in transport containers. Cargo such as cargo items 19 are commonly required to be loaded into transport containers and are sometimes referred to as "bell type", due to their shape.

p00084Figure 5 shows five spacer elements 19 that are used to stow ten cargo items 19 in an interior space of transport container 20 (whose edges are shown in phantom lines, just as in the

p00085Four. Five figure 2). As with the spacer elements 1, the elements 19 are sized and shaped to fit perfectly (i.e. with separations sufficiently small to sufficiently contain the cargo movement probably subjected to ship movements and sufficiently large for easy loading and unloading) between inner side surfaces 21 of the interior of the container 20 and so that five in combination fit perfectly between the inner end surfaces 22 of the interior 20.

p00086Figure 4 shows the spacer element 19 in three views. The element 19 is generally in the form of a rectangular prism and has two holes 23 within which the coils 16 are received and a rectangular recess 24 within which the pallets 17 are received. In use and contrary to the spacer element 2 whose load is lowers within the recess 6, the spacer element 19 is lowered onto two load items 18 above and surrounds

p0008755 partially the articles 18. The spacer element 19 then maintains the desired relative positions of the articles 18. A forklift (not shown) can pass its arms into the recesses 25 at the base of the element 19 to access the pallets 17 and raise the complete combination of articles 19 and spacer element 18 for placement inside container 20.

p00088As with the elements 1, the spacer elements 19 are conveniently formed from lightweight expanded foam plastic material.

p00089It is not essential that the load items 18 protrude from the top of the spacer element 19. This arrangement is simply provided to save on the material used to form the spacer element 19. A

p0009065 Similar spacer element (not shown) could simply cover items 19 completely (except at the bottom), if necessary.

p00091Figure 6 shows a spacer element 30 that is open at the bottom and in use lowered onto a loading article 31 from above. The loading article 31 comprises three layers 32 of flat material (for example hot rolled metal plates or ingots) supported on platform elements 33 in a known manner. 5 The spacer element 30 is generally of a rectangular overall shape, with opposite side faces 33, end faces 34, an upper face 35 and a bottom face 36. A recess 37 is formed on the bottom face 36 and is shaped and sized to the adjusted containment of the cargo article 31 shown. The recesses 38 are also provided on the bottom face 36 for the arms of a forklift or the like, so that once the element 30 has been positioned on and lowered in the load article 31, the complete combination of spacer element 30 and loading article 31 can be conveniently lifted and loaded into and unloaded from, a transport container. The side faces 33 are separated such as to fit between opposite inner side faces of a transport container to contain unwanted movement during transit of the container. Similarly, the end faces are separated so that a specified number of spacer elements 30 can be placed longitudinally in the container sufficiently spaced apart.

p00092fifteen Small to resist unwanted movement in transit.

p00093From the above descriptions of spacer elements 1, 19 and 30, it will be apparent that cargo items beyond the specific items used as examples can be conveniently stowed in containers such as to resist unwanted movement inside during container transit. By making the spacers at the loading point, especially using light plastic foams, an efficient stowage and retention system can be provided.

p00094Elements 1, 19 and 30 all partially surround their respective cargo items 7, 18 and 31 in use. Figure 7 shows another possibility. A container interior 40 is partially filled, with spacer elements 41 of

p0009525 so that the cargo spaces 42 and 43 are defined by the spacer elements 41 and the interior surfaces of the interior of the container 40. This arrangement allows the cargo items, which occupy only a part of the interior of the container to be stowed so that its potential movement in the container is contained by the inner sides, the floor surfaces and (if desired) of the roof and ( in the longitudinal direction) by the inner end surfaces of the container and the spacer element 41. The general principle is followed by substantially filling spaces between opposite inner surfaces of the container, such as to contain an unwanted loading movement.

p00096The spacer elements 41 have recesses 44 for the arms of a handling equipment to facilitate the task of placing them inside the container 40.

p0009735 The spacer elements 41 are shown as solid blocks, but could be provided with openings (not shown) where the nature of the particular cargo items allows to minimize the weight and use of material in the spacer elements 41, to provide air flow ( especially in the case of refrigerated containers), etc.

p00098One possible variation, not shown, is to bevel, round or narrow vertical corner edges of spacer elements (such as elements 1, 19, 30 or 41 for example) to facilitate the process of passing the elements through loading openings (for example doors) in containers. The openings are of course perfectly adjusted so that it is necessary to be careful with the alignment.

p00099Four. Five Figure 11 shows three large coils 100, 101 and 102 (for example steel band) stowed in an internal transport container space 103 in an important way of implementing the invention. The internal space 103 is represented by mixed dashed lines as before. The coils are stowed with their axes oriented longitudinally in space 103. They are supported below on the spacer elements 104, 105 and 106 that are trimmed to conform closely with the cylindrical shapes of the coils 100-102 and that perfectly fit the space between the opposite walls 107 and 108. Four spacer elements 109, 110 , 111 and 112 additional are provided first to separate the coils 100 and 101 and 101 and 102 and secondly to separate the coils 100 and 102 from the respective end walls 113 and 114. The complete set of coils 100-102 and spacer elements 109-112 and 104-106 is closely confined between the

p0010055 end walls 113 and 114. Separate containment of coils 100-102 is not provided.

p00101Figure 12 is a similar view of the interior space of partially loaded container 103, through end doors115. The spacer elements 109 and 104 are in position and the spacer element 110 is moving longitudinally (as shown by arrow 116) towards its final position. The coil 100 has been placed in the spacer element 104, by means described below, after placing the spacer element 104 in position. Also, the coils 101 and 102 will be placed on their respective support spacer elements 105 and 106 in the same manner, after placing the elements 105 and 106 in the space 103.

p00102One difficulty with stowage in the manner shown in Figure 12 is that it may be impossible for a truck

p0010365 Properly sized lift (or other handling device) enters space 103. Figure 13 shows a way in which this problem can be solved. A forklift 120 is used to maneuver an apparatus with wheels 121 having an elongate arm 122 that can pass through the coils such as the coil 100. A chassis 123 is mounted on wheels 124 and has hydraulic cylinders 125 whereby arm 122 can be raised and lowered (as shown by arrow 126). A beam 127 is mounted by a pivot on the arm 122 and is coupled at its opposite (rear) end on a counterweight 129. Attach the beam 129 on the

p001045 Counterweight 129 allows a relative degree of movement between them. The counterweight 129 is adapted to be raised and lowered by forklift 120, which extends its arms 130 into cooperative openings (not shown) in the counterweight 129. The hydraulic power for the operating cylinders 125 and a cylinder 131 which allows some relative rotation from beam 127 around arm 122 is taken from forklift 120.

p00105The apparatus 121 may allow heavy weights such as the coils 100 to be lifted and maneuvered into (or out of) a container 132 without it having to enter the container 132. The counterweight 129 reduces the weight to be lifted by the forklift. 120 when coil 100 is handled, with wheels 124 acting as a support. The apparatus 121 allows the use of a smaller forklift than would otherwise be necessary for the placement of the coil 100 inside the container 132. This is very useful, because many installations

p00106fifteen of springs do not have such large machines. The apparatus 121 can be provided for use only when necessary and allows the use of smaller machines to follow.

p00107Polystyrene spacer elements have the unexpected advantage of surprisingly high friction when in contact with inner surfaces of containers. In this way the lateral forces on the coils 100-102 would be transmitted to the ground 133 of the space 103 by shearing in the spacer elements 104, 105 and 106 and friction by their contacts with the ground 133, as well as by direct support of the faces of end such as faces 134 on walls 107 and 108. In general, the separations between spacer elements such as 104-106 and opposite walls such as 107 and 108 should be as small as possible, even to the extent of effective contact between the elements and the walls on both sides. However, the friction effect

p0010825 where loading items such as coils 100-102 are supported below is to alleviate any negative effects of positive separations. The separations can, if desired, or be deemed necessary to close by sliding any thin sheet material between the spacer elements and the walls.

p00109An important point of difference between the various spacer elements described herein is that some are used to resist both the weight of the cargo items and the lateral forces that occur from movements during transport of the cargo container, while others resist only the last type of forces. The spacer elements 1 and 104-106, for example, support the weight of the cargo items (respectively items 7 and 100-102) and also contain the movement of the cargo items in generally horizontal directions in their containers, said movements they can be produced from

p0011035 dynamic forces associated with sea movement for maritime traffic containers or curve and acceleration loads in land applications. On the contrary, the spacer elements 19, 34 and 109-111 mainly contain the cargo items against generally horizontal forces, while the weight of the cargo items is taken directly through the floors of their respective containers.

p00111Loads are contained against horizontal movement in a cargo container in two perpendicular directions. In figures 2, 5 and 11, the container spaces 12, 20 and 103 are shown as being completely filled except for the space above the loads, so that both lateral and longitudinal movements are resisted by the spacer elements 1, 19 and 104-106 and 109-112.

p00112Four. Five It is possible in principle that only movements in one direction are resisted by spacer elements that include expanded foam materials, with other means that are provided to resist movement in a perpendicular direction. In Figure 14, the heavy load items 150, 151 and 152 are shown in an internal container space 153 (represented by mixed dashed lines) and are secured against longitudinal movement (i.e., the direction of arrow 154) by timbers 155. However, they could continue to move laterally to some extent and are therefore restricted against lateral movement by spacer elements 156. Any or all of the load items 150-152 could have their weight supported by spacer elements. It is understood that Figure 14 primarily illustrates the above point rather than being practiced or preferred.

p0011355 Figure 8 is a plan view of a container interior 60 (shown in phantom lines) with a single layer of 65 drum-type load items 61 inside. A problem with this arrangement is that the article layer 61 is not sufficiently contained by the interior surfaces of the container interior 60 to fully prevent movement of the articles in transit, with the possibility of damage or leakage. There is a space 62 within which the load items 61 can be moved, but which cannot be clearly filled with one or more additional containers 61. An additional problem that often occurs with loads of this type is that a layer does not fully utilize the weight carrying capacity of the container, while two full layers would exceed that capacity. Figures 9 and 10 show how these problems can be avoided.

p00114Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, showing how the interior of container 60 can be stowed with a

p0011565 additional cargo article 25 to make the cargo items 90 in total, all contained against excessive movement during transit. Figure 10 shows this load as seen in side elevation looking in the direction of the arrow "R" in Figure 9, although for reasons of clarity only the load items between the "P" and "Q" planes are shown. To prevent movement within the space 62, a spacer element 63 appropriately shaped and sized inside is positioned that rests against some of the load items 61 and the inner end surface 64. (A spacer element 63, positioned in a position designated as a

p001165 First stage in loading a layer of cargo items 61, has the additional advantage of guiding the construction of the layer with each item in its correct position, so that a desired or designated arrangement is achieved and the number of items 61 in the layer).

p00117In Figure 9, the circles without letters indicate the load items 61 of the bottom layer. The circles with the letter

p0011810 "Y" indicate the load items 61 that are partially raised outside the bottom layer as they are positioned at the top of the spacer elements 65 properly shaped and sized, of which four are shown in this case. A partial layer of 25 additional articles 61, marked "X", is then stacked on top of articles 61 of the bottom layer. An unwanted movement of articles 61 marked "X" is prevented by the inner side surfaces 66 of the interior of container 60 and

p00119fifteen end barriers formed by partially elevated load items 61 marked "Y".

p00120Each of the spacer elements is in the form of two cylinders 67 (which are each seated under a load article 61) joined by an intermediate section 68. However, this is optional; Many other ways would be possible. Another possibility is to provide spacer elements (not shown) that instead of elevating some cargo items partially out of a layer to form a barrier against the movement of the items in another layer, are kept inside a layer and also extend out of that layer to form a barrier against unwanted movement of articles of another layer. For example, elements that have a shape that is a combination of the shape of the elements 67 and the load items 61 shown above them in Figures 9 and 10 could be used as an alternative to the elements 67 to contain the movement

p0012125 of articles 61 of the upper layer.

p00122As with the arrangement of Figure 7, the arrangement of Figures 9 and 10 implies a load that is contained against unwanted movement by a combination of interior surfaces of a container and by spacer elements placed in the container.

p0012330 Many variations and improvements can be made without going beyond the scope of the invention.

p00124Throughout the entire report and the following claims, unless the context requires otherwise, it is understood that the word "understand" and variations such as "understand" and "understanding", implies inclusion

p0012535 of an integer or stage or group of integers or stages but not the exclusion of any other integer or stage or group of integers or stages.

p00126The reference in this report to any previous publication (or information derived from it), or to any subject that is known, is not and should not be taken as knowledge or admission or any form of

p0012740 suggestion that this previous publication (or information derived from it) or known matter is part of the general common knowledge in the field of the company to which this report refers.