DE29717934U1 - Device for releasable connection of stacked containers - Google Patents

Description

MEC Marine Equipment + Consulting Behr & Horstmann GmbH, Witternstrasse 2, 21107 Hamburg

Device for detachably connecting containers stacked on top of each other

Description

The invention relates to a device for detachably connecting containers stacked on top of one another for the transport of goods, which have openings in their respective corner areas, into which firstly in the container to be placed on a container, the device is hooked into the lower openings of the container, with which it is supported on the plate-shaped edge area delimiting the opening on the inside, wherein a second hook-shaped projection of the device, which is essentially opposite the first hook-shaped end, engages in the corresponding opening of its corner area when placed on the lower container.

A device of this type is known (MacGREGOR News 126, January 1995, pages 17 and 18). Devices of this type are generally used for lashing containers, which are also regularly called containers, on ships, on rail transport wagons and also on semi-trailers for road transport. Devices for the aforementioned lashing purposes have long been available in a wide variety of designs, some of which can be operated manually and some of which enable at least semi-automatic locking, i.e. when inserted into corner fittings of such containers, the containers connect to one another for transport.

Particularly on sea-going vessels that can transport very large quantities of containers at once, the corresponding stowage areas are equipped in such a way that they can accommodate both typical 40' containers and two 20' containers stacked one behind the other, with the aim of being able to optimally use the stowage space available on the sea-going vessels for a transport trip. The following problem arises. When two 20' containers are stacked one behind the other in a stowage space that is normally intended for a 40' container, there is only a small gap between the two 20' containers stacked one behind the other on the opposite sides, which is 3" or approximately 76 mm wide. This small gap between the two 20' containers when arranged in a stowage space that is normally intended for 40' containers hinders the use of automatic or semi-automatic lashing devices (twistlocks), because the aforementioned gap between the two 20' containers is normally too small to allow the lashing devices (twistlocks) to be used directly later for the unloading process.

to be able to open them again by hand by the stevedor to enable the containers to be lifted apart. The twistlocks in the 76 mm wide gap can therefore only be opened from above. To do this, the stevedor would have to stand on the upper container and use a release bar to open the twistlocks from above. However, the new occupational safety regulations in the USA, called OSHA, no longer allow this. However, fully automatic or semi-automatic lashing devices (twistlocks) can be used on the opposite ends of the two 20' containers stacked one behind the other.

The known device mentioned above is particularly suitable for use on the corners of 20' containers stacked one behind the other in the manner described above, facing each other, i.e. the corners in the area of the said 76 mm wide gap, whereby these known devices only have to be locked by hand with a locking element after being hooked into the lower openings of the upper container so that they remain hanging in the lower corner of the container, i.e. by an operator or a stevedore. The known device itself is inserted on land when the container is lifted from the truck. Otherwise, these known devices snap into the openings in the corner areas of the container below without any further manual intervention and lock the two containers together when the containers are then lying on top of each other as intended!

It has been shown that the known device always causes problems when placing an upper container on a lower container when the two

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Containers, i.e. the standing lower one and the floating upper one, are not very precisely aligned with their corresponding opposite openings in the corner areas during the lowering movement. In this context, it often happens that the known devices then become jammed, so that the container to be placed on top has to be lifted again and a new lowering process has to be initiated, which can sometimes be repeated several times.

This takes a lot of time, which does not need to be explained here, and increases the risk of accidents for the stevedores involved in stacking the containers directly in the area of the containers, in proportion to the number of attempts to lower them and raise them again. In addition, these repeated attempts can damage the corner areas, i.e. the edge areas of the openings, in particular, so that on the one hand it is more difficult to place the containers on the ground, as there are no longer any suitable guides, and on the other hand damage to the corner areas and openings of the container weakens the material and the absolutely necessary transport safety of the containers stacked on top of one another is no longer guaranteed, particularly when a sea-going vessel is rolling and pitching in a sea. The consequences are, as is well known, that entire loads of containers stacked on the deck of sea-going vessels go overboard due to the lack of lashing security, with tremendous consequences for the ship's safety on the one hand, for the ship's operating crew on the other, and also the material consequences in terms of the loss of entire loads for the sender of the cargo.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to create a device of the type mentioned at the beginning which, in particular in the area of two 20' containers stowed one behind the other in a stowage area which is normally intended for 40' containers, enables a high level of lashing security and problem-free insertion and locking of the device in the lower container, whereby the device essentially does not need to be operated manually, i.e. neither for the process of insertion into the opening of the corner area of the lower container when placing an upper container on the lower container nor for problem-free unlocking of the device when lifting the upper container from the lower container as intended during the unloading process, whereby the device is simple in construction and can be provided inexpensively.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that the second hook-shaped projection can be rotated about an axis essentially at right angles to the lifting and placing direction of the container, so that the second projection can be pushed away from the boundary edge when it hits the boundary edge of the plate-shaped edge region of the opening of the lower container and then moves back to its rest position when a force is applied when the containers are lying on top of one another as intended, whereby in this rest position the second projection grips under the plate-shaped edge region that borders the corresponding opening on the inside.

The advantage of the device according to the invention lies essentially in the fact that it, in conjunction with the semi-automatic twistlock, for example, simplifies the securing of the containers and reduces the risk of accidents.

for the stevedores or lashers. In addition, the US-OSHA regulations are thereby fulfilled. Furthermore, the device according to the invention virtually eliminates damage to the openings in the corner fittings of the containers, as intended.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device, the second projection, which can be rotated about the axis, is subjected to force by means of a spring, whereby this spring can preferably be formed by a compression spring acting and arranged between the fixed part of the projection and the rotating part of the projection. However, it is also conceivable to provide a spiral spring mounted directly on the axis and acting between the fixed part of the projection and the rotating part of the projection. In principle, however, the rotating projection can also be held in its rest position by applying force, for example by means of a suitably designed elastomer pressure element.

In order to ensure that the upper container, which is provided with devices in its openings, slides into the corresponding openings in the corner area of the lower container without jamming or other obstructions, the projection in the rest position has an inclined plane formed relative to the placement direction or lifting direction of the container, along which the boundary edge of the opening of the container slides when the upper container is placed on the lower container. In this way, the second projection is set back further and further in the direction of movement of the upper container in the placement direction, but slidingly at the boundary edge of the opening or is guided into an engagement position opposite the rest position, without the other

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Parts of the device become tilted or otherwise moved out of their assumed position.

The second projection is advantageously formed by a plate-shaped element that is arranged in a slot formed at the end of the device opposite the first projection. This ensures that the projection is safely guided by the two limiting surfaces in the slot and that axial forces occurring during the jamming process, essentially parallel to the axis of the second projection, are absorbed by the limiting surfaces of the slot. However, it is also conceivable in principle to provide the plate-shaped element attached laterally to the corresponding part of the device to which the axis of rotation of the second projection is attached.

In yet another advantageous embodiment of the device, the first projection and the second projection are connected via a prism-shaped intermediate element formed integrally with them, the longitudinal dimension of which is selected such that the first hook-shaped projection and the second hook-shaped projection, when inserted, sit in the respective openings of the containers lying on top of one another with a predetermined small amount of play, i.e. when inserted, the clamping area of the first hook-shaped projection is slightly free from the plate-shaped edge area of the opening, i.e. when inserted, it does not touch this plate-shaped edge area.

To ensure that the two containers do not lie directly on top of each other with their corner areas when stacked on top of each other and thus compensate for small tolerances in the corner fittings of the containers

can, a plate-shaped support element is preferably arranged on the intermediate element essentially centrally between the two clamping areas of the first and second projections, the surfaces of which are formed essentially parallel to the plate-shaped edge areas of the containers when inserted into their openings.

Due to the weight of the device, it would experience a torque from the vertical due to the design of the first hook-shaped projection, which rests on the inside of the plate-shaped edge area with its clamping area in the opening of the upper container, which would be disadvantageous for a proper insertion process when placing the upper container on the lower container, since it would then no longer be possible to ensure that the lower hook-shaped projection with its inclined plane would come into contact with the edge area of the opening of the lower container. This can lead to difficulties during the jamming process. In order to avoid this and also to ensure that the device 10, after being hooked into the opening of the upper container with the first hook-shaped projection, remains there for the placement process, i.e. for the entire stowing process, the device has, in yet another advantageous embodiment, a locking element which, in the locking position, prevents the device from falling out of the opening of the container to be placed and from pivoting out of the vertical after the first projection has been inserted into the opening.

This locking element can advantageously comprise two knob-shaped projections connected by an axis, one of which projects the inner plate-

shaped edge area of an opening in the locking position, whereby the first projection can be manually rotated into its locking and unlocking position via the axis by means of the other projection. Apart from the type of construction of the locking element described above, this can of course also be designed differently, as long as the locking and unlocking is ensured in the manner described above. For example, wing-shaped upper projections that grip the plate-shaped edge areas inside the opening are also conceivable, which also applies to the manually operated lower projections or toggles.

The axis of the locking element is preferably arranged on an extension essentially parallel to the placement or lifting direction of the container on the prism-shaped intermediate element, whereby the extension is designed essentially at right angles to the placement or lifting direction. The cross-sectional shape of the extension is preferably selected in such a way that it essentially corresponds to the shape of the opening of the container, whereby such openings are defined in terms of their dimensions and tolerances in national and international standards (ISO standard) or correspond to them. Designing the cross-sectional shape of the extension according to the shape of the opening has the advantage that the device also has a sitting stability relative to the container after it has been inserted into the opening and, during the placement process, initially supports itself with its hook-shaped projection via its clamping area on the plate-shaped edge area inside the opening. Pivoting the device transversely to the direction of the hook-shaped projection, i.e. from the

The possibility of breaking out of the strict vertical lines sought is thus practically excluded.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the following schematic drawings using an exemplary embodiment. In them:

Fig. 1 in plan view a device according to the invention,

Fig. 2a is a side view of the device according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 2b shows a detail of the holding area of the movable second projection of the device,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 a device according to the invention, which is suspended and locked in the opening of a corner fitting of an upper container, in the direction of movement towards the upper corner fitting of a lower container,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the movement process in the touchdown direction further advanced,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the device according to the invention in the final engagement position in both openings of the corner fittings of the two containers lying on top of each other,

Fig. 7a schematised) the state of two containers lying on top of one another, which are provided with the device according to the invention at one end of the container and with fully or semi-automatic locking devices at the free ends of the container,

Fig. 7b a tilting position of the upper container relative to the lower container as a result of the movement in the lifting direction when unloading the containers and

Fig. 7c the lock-free upper container, after both devices according to the invention have emerged from the openings of the lower containers.

Reference is first made to the representation of the device 10 in Figures 1 to 3. The device 10 is designed as an element with a double hook. A first hook-shaped projection 16, which is unchangeable, is arranged on a prism-shaped intermediate element 24, in the representations of the figures at the top. At the opposite end of the prism-shaped intermediate element 21, in the representations of the figures at the bottom, a second hook-shaped projection 17 is formed, which can be rotated about an axis 20 essentially at right angles to the lifting and placing device 19, 18 (see also Figures 4 to 6 and 7) of the container 11. In the rest position, see Fig. 1, the second projection 17 has an inclined plane 170 formed relative to the placing direction 18 or lifting direction 19 of the container 11. When hitting the boundary edge 15 of a plate-shaped edge area 150 of an opening 15 of a lower container 12, which will be described in more detail below,

the projection 17 can be pushed away by the force 170 acting on the inclined plane. The second hook-shaped projection 17 thus moves back, against the force of a spring 22. When the containers 11, 12 lie on top of one another, see below, in this rest position 21, see Fig. 6, the second projection 17 reaches under the corresponding opening 15 under the plate-shaped edge region 150, which limits the opening 15. Strictly speaking, the actual clamping region 171, which forms an acute angle with the inclined plane 170, then reaches under the clamping region 140 of the opening 14 of the lower container 12. In the same way, the first hook-shaped projection 16 rests with its clamping region 160 formed at the outermost end of the projection on the plate-shaped edge region 150 of the opening 14 of the upper container 11.

The second projection 17 is also formed by a separate plate-shaped element that can rotate about the axis 20. The second projection 17 that forms the element is arranged in a slot 23 that is formed at the end of the device 10 that is opposite the first projection 16. The fixed element of the projection 17 provided with the slot 23 can be part of the prism-shaped intermediate element 24. All parts, i.e. the first hook-shaped projection 16, the prism-shaped intermediate element 24 and the slotted fixed part of the second projection 17 can be formed integrally. The spring 22 that applies force to the movable part of the second hook-shaped projection 17 causes the movable part of the second hook-shaped projection 17 to move back to its rest position 21, see Fig. 1, or to be held in this rest position. This state is also assumed when both containers 11, 12 lie on top of each other, i.e. the containers 11,

12 are connected to the devices 10 in a substantially force-locking manner as intended.

Figures 2a, 2b show different designs of the springs 22, i.e. once in the form of a compression spring, see Fig. 2a, and once in the form of a helical spring, see Fig. 2b.

In addition, in the device 10, a plate-shaped support element 25 is arranged essentially centrally between the two clamping areas 160, 171 of the first and second projections 16, 17. The plate-shaped support element 25 is attached to the prism-shaped intermediate element 24. The surfaces 250, 251 of the support element 25 are aligned essentially parallel to the plate-shaped edge areas 140, 150 of the containers 11, 12, namely when inserted into their openings 14, 15, see also in particular Fig. 6. The plate-shaped support element 25 can also be formed integrally with the prism-shaped intermediate element 24, but it can also be manufactured as a separate part and then connected to the intermediate element 24 by welding.

A locking mechanism 26 ensures that in the locking position 27 the device 10 is prevented from falling out of the opening 14 of the container 11 to be placed on it. The locking element 26 comprises two knob-shaped projections 260, 261 connected to an axis 26 and rotatable about this. The axis is arranged in an extension 28 of the prism-shaped intermediate element 24. The extension 28 is formed essentially at right angles to the placement or lifting direction 18, 19 of the containers 11, 12. The cross-sectional shape of the extension 28 corresponds essentially to

the shape of the openings 14, 15, which are standardized nationally and internationally for such transport containers 11, 12, for example according to ISO standards. The axis 262 accommodated in the extension 28 grips the inner plate-shaped edge area 140 of an opening 14 of the upper container 11 with its projection 260 arranged at the top as shown in Fig. 1, namely in the locking position 27. By means of the lower projection 261 as shown in Fig. 1, the axis 262 and the upper projection 260 can be rotated manually into its locking and unlocking position, for example by the stevedore on board a ship, against the force of a spring 263, whereby the application of the force of the spring 263 to the axis 262 acts in such a way that the unactuated rest position is the locking position shown in Fig. 3.

The function of the device 10 is described below in connection with two containers 11, 12, where the lower container is designated 12 and the upper container is designated 11, see also Figures 7a-c, at least in relation to the containers 11, 12. The devices 10 are usually only used in the corner areas 13 of the containers 11, 12, which are directly opposite each other at the end in the case of two containers 11, 12 of the same design, for example two 20' containers at a stowage location normally intended for a 40' container on a vehicle or the like. In other words, this means that the devices 10 are usually only used for containers 11, 12 that are so-called 20' containers, which are normally intended to be stowed in a stowage location on board a ship or other vehicle that is normally intended to accommodate 40' containers. The free corner areas 13 of the

Containers 11, 12, see again Figures 7a-c, are connected in their corner areas with semi- or fully automatic connecting devices 29 (twistlocks), which are known in the prior art and which do not need to be discussed further here. Due to the small distances between the front sides of two opposing 20' containers 11, 12 of approximately 76 mm, the provision of the connecting devices 29 is not possible in these areas, so that the devices 10 according to the invention are used there.

The devices 10 are inserted into an upper container 11 into the two lower openings 14 of the respective corner areas 13, see Fig. 4. In order to enable insertion, the locking elements 26 are first manually rotated by the stevedore or another operator over the knob-shaped projection 261 so that the extension 28 can enter the standardized opening 14. The device 10 will then rest on the plate-shaped edge area of the opening 14 of the upper container 11 via its hook-shaped upper projection with its clamping area 160, see Fig. 4. The toggle-shaped projection 261 is then released and the force of the spring 263 rotates the axis 262 and thus the upper toggle-shaped projection 260 so that it also rests on the plate-shaped edge area 140 of the opening 14 of the upper container 11. If the two devices 10 and the two connecting devices 29 are inserted into all four openings 14 of the upper container 11, the lowering of the upper container 11 in the direction of the placement direction 18 can begin. When the inclined plane 170 of the second, downwardly extending hook-shaped projection 17 approaches, it comes to rest against the plate-shaped edge region 150 or

the boundary edge 151 of the opening 15 of the lower container 11. As a result of the continued movement of the upper container 11 in the placement direction 18, the part of the projection 17 that can be rotated about the axis 20 is rotated against the force of the spring 22, so that the device 10 with its second hook-shaped projection 17 can enter the opening 15 of the lower container 11, see Fig. 5.

The downward movement in the placement direction 18 is completed when both corner areas 13 of the containers 11, 12 lie on top of one another with their two surfaces 250, 251, with the plate-shaped support element 25 in between, see Fig. 6. Since in this state the hook-shaped projection 17 no longer has contact with the limiting edge 151, it can, under the force of the spring 22, return to its rest position 21, see Fig. 6. The clamping area 171 of the second hook-shaped projection 17 engages under the plate-shaped edge area 150 of the opening 15 of the lower container 11. In the stowed position, as shown in Fig. 6, the two clamping areas 160, 171 of the first and second hook-shaped projections 16, 17 have no direct contact with the plate-shaped edge areas. 140, 150.

When unloading, see Figures 7a-c, the connecting device 29 is first brought into the unlocking position in a manner known per se. The upper container 11 is lifted by lifting means not shown here. Since the devices 10 according to the invention are in the locking position, but the other connecting devices 29 have been unlocked, lifting the upper container 11 results in it being slightly moved around the locked devices 10.

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tilts, see Fig. 7b. Since the clamping area 171 together with the inclined plane 170 forms an acute angle, as the angle of the upper container 11 to the lower container 12 increases and the movement of the upper container 11 continues in the lifting direction 19, the clamping area 171 also increasingly becomes an inclined plane that slides on the plate-shaped edge area 150 or on the limiting edge 151, so that the hook-shaped projection 17 increasingly slides out of the opening 14 as a result of a movement direction component parallel to the surface of the lower container 11 and finally comes completely free, so that a position according to Fig. 7 is reached. The device 10 is thus no longer locked with its second hook-shaped projection 17 to the opening 15 or its plate-shaped edge area 150 and can therefore be lifted away in the lifting direction 19.

List of reference symbols

10 Device

11 Container (upper)

12 containers (lower)

13 Corner area

14 opening (from upper container 11) 140 plate-shaped edge area

15 Opening (from lower container 11)

150 plate-shaped edge area

151 boundary edge

16 first hook-shaped projection 160 clamping area

17 second hook-shaped projection

170 inclined plane

171 clamping range

18 Mounting direction

19 Lifting direction

20 Axis

21 Rest position

22 Spring

23 Slot

24 prism-shaped intermediate element

25 plate-shaped support element

250 Surface

251 Surface

26 Locking element

260 knebei-shaped projection

261 knebei-shaped protrusion

262 Axis

263 Spring

27 Locking position

28 Extension

29 semi-automatic connection device (Twistlock)

Claims (10)

MEC Marine Equipment + Consulting Behr & Horstmann GmbH, Witternstraße 2, 21107 Hamburg Device for detachably connecting containers stacked on top of each other Protection claims 1. Device for detachably connecting containers stacked on top of one another for transporting goods, which have openings in their respective corner areas, into which the device is first hooked with a first hook-shaped projection in the lower openings of the container to be placed on a container, with which it is supported on the plate-shaped edge area delimiting the opening on the inside, wherein a second hook-shaped projection of the device on the end substantially opposite the first hook-shaped end engages in the corresponding opening in the corner area of the lower container when placed on the lower container, characterized in that the second hook-shaped projection (17) is rotatable about an axis (20) essentially at right angles to the lifting and placing direction {19, 18) of the container (11), so that the second projection (17) can be pressed away from the boundary edge (151) when it hits the boundary edge (151) of the plate-shaped edge region (150) of the opening (15) of the lower container (12) and then moves back into its second rest position (21) when the containers (11, 12) lie on top of one another as intended, wherein in this rest position (21) the second projection (17) engages under the plate-shaped edge region (150) which internally delimits the corresponding opening (15). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second projection (17) rotatable about the axis (20) is subjected to force by means of a spring (22). 3. Device according to one or both of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the second projection (17) in the rest position has an inclined plane (170) formed relative to the placement direction (18) or lifting direction (19) of the container (11), along which the boundary edge (151) of the opening (15) of the container (12) slides when the upper container (11) is placed on the lower container (12). 4. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second projection (17) comprises a plate-shaped element which is arranged in a slot (23) formed at the end of the device (20) opposite the first projection (16). 5. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first projection (16) and the second projection (17) are connected via a prism-shaped intermediate element (24) formed integrally therewith. 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that a plate-shaped support element (25) is arranged on the intermediate element (24) essentially centrally between the two clamping areas (160, 171) of the first and second projections (16, 17), the surfaces (250, 251) of which are formed essentially parallel to the plate-shaped edge areas (140, 150) of the containers (11, 12) in the state in which they are inserted into their openings (14, 15). 7. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has a locking element (26) which, in the locking position (27), prevents the device (10) from falling out of the opening (14) of the container (11) to be placed on it, after the first projection (16) has been inserted into the opening (14). 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the locking element (26) comprises two knob-shaped projections (260, 261) connected via an axis (262), of which one projection (260) grips the lower plate-shaped edge region (140) of an opening (14) in the locking position, whereby the first projection (260) can be manually rotated into its locking and unlocking position by means of the other projection (261) via the axis (262). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the axis (262) is attached to an extension (28) substantially parallel to the setting or lifting direction (18, 19) the container (11, 12) is arranged on the prism-shaped intermediate element (24), wherein the extension (28) is formed substantially at right angles to the placement or lifting direction (18, 19). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the cross-sectional shape of the extension (28) corresponds substantially to the shape of the openings (14) of the containers (11, 12).