AU2006200382A1

AU2006200382A1 - Locking Device for Container Door

Info

Publication number: AU2006200382A1
Application number: AU2006200382A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rong Liu; Xinlin Lu
Original assignee: China International Marine Containers Group Co Ltd; Nantong CIMC Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co Ltd
Current assignee: China International Marine Containers Group Co Ltd; Nantong CIMC Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-02-03
Filing date: 2006-01-30
Publication date: 2006-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2026-01-30
Also published as: AU2006200382B2; DE102006004823A1; CN2765878Y; DE102006004823B4

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicants: China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd.

and Nantong CIMC Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co., Ltd.

Actual Inventors Address for service is: Xinlan LU -and Rong LIU WRAY ASSOCIATES Level 4, The Quadrant 1 William Street Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: Locking Device for Container Door The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2- "Locking Device for Container Door" Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a locking device, and more particularly, to a OO locking device for container door.

S 5 Background Art N The prior locking tool for container door generally includes a locking rod and two cam keepers fixed at the upper and the lower ends of the door frame respectively. The operation of locking the container door is conducted by buckling the locking cams at the ends of the locking rod into the cam keepers through an operation of the handle connected to the locking rod. The door frame is deformed under one or more of the following conditions such as heavier container load, larger size of the door frame (especially of a side-open door), uneven ground for container deposition and long-time utilization of the container.

Usually, since the load on the lower beam of the door frame is much larger than that on the upper one, the deformation of the frame is mainly the deviation of the lower cam keeper from its normal position in vertical direction, so that the locking cam at the lower end of the locking rod cannot buckle into the lower cam keeper.

The discussion throughout this specification, of the background and prior art to the invention is intended only to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge in Australia and the world as at the priority date of the application.

Disclosure of the Invention Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not -3the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

An object of the invention is to provide a locking device for the container door to solve the problems that, when a door frame (mainly a lower door frame) of containers has a larger deformation and a lower cam keeper deviates thus from the normal position in vertical direction, a locking cam at a lower end of a locking Mrod of the locking device can extend up or down in a certain extent, through the adjustment of a locking handle to ensure a smooth buckle of the locking cam at

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Sthe lower end of the locking rod into the lower cam keeper.

To achieve these and other objects, a locking device for container door includes an upper cam keeper, fixed on an upper door frame of the container door; a lower cam keeper, fixed on a lower door frame of the container door; a locking rod, having an upper locking cam at an upper end thereof and a lower locking cam at a lower end thereof matching with the upper and the lower cam keepers respectively, the locking rod secured to the door by engaging the locking cams with the respective cam keeper; and a locking handle, wherein the locking rod is configured to be a telescopic locking rod, and includes a first member, involving the upper locking cam at an upper end thereof; and a second member, involving the lower locking cam at a lower end thereof, the second member connecting with the first member in an active manner. The locking rod can extend or retract a distance whereby the upper locking cam and the lower locking cam are securely engaged with the upper cam keeper and the lower cam keeper respectively, and thereafter, the locking rod is able to extend or retract a length following a door frame deformation.

In an embodiment of the present locking device for container door, a first connecting means is provided for connecting and adjusting the first member and the second member, and includes a first slot having a pre-determined length, disposed in a lower part of the first member; a first sleeve for receiving a lower part of the first member, disposed on a head of an upper end of the second member and provided with a hole corresponding to the first slot; and a first pin, plugging into the hole and the slot to connect the first member to the sleeve.

I-4- In the locking device for container door, the locking rod is further fastened to the door through several locking bearing brackets on the door, including at least an upper locking bearing bracket disposed at an upper part of the first member and a lower locking bearing bracket disposed at a lower part of the second member.

In the locking device for container door, the second member is provided with a Msupport ring above the lower locking bearing bracket, and an offsetting spring is set between the spring support ring and the lower locking bearing bracket.

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In the locking device for container door, a second connecting means is provided for connecting the locking handle to the second member, and includes a second sleeve, on which a second slot in a predetermined length to be parallel to the first slot is provided, connecting with the first sleeve; and a second pin, disposed at an end of the locking handle and associated with the second slot.

In the locking device for container door, the locking handle is locked through a handle retainer fixed on the door, the handle retainer including a retainer plate fixed on the door; and at least one retainer catch connected rotationally to the retainer plate.

In another embodiment of the present locking device for container door, the locking device further includes a third connecting means for connecting and adjusting the first member and the second member, which includes a third sleeve, enclosing the first member and at least partially receiving the second member; a third slot, vertically arranged on the third sleeve; and a third pin, disposed at an upper end of the second member and associated with the third slot.

In the above locking device for container door, the locking handle has an opening at an end thereof for matching with the third pin.

The above locking device for container door further includes a fourth connecting means for connecting the locking handle to the the second member and for cooperating with the opening, comprising a fourth sleeve, connecting with the third sleeve; a fourth slot, lengthwise arranged on the locking handle; a fourth pin, disposed at a predetermined position of the fourth sleeve and associated with the fourth slot.

In the locking device for container door, the fourth slot and the opening are (-i OO 5 configured approximately at the same level with an upper end of the third slot Svertically arranged.

IIn the locking device for container door, the third sleeve is configured to enclose (N entire outer surfaces of the first and the second members.

The above locking device for container door further includes several locking antiracking rings for further fastening the first and second members to the door.

According to the invention, the locking rod is configured as two separate locking rods. With cooperation of the locking handle and the connecting pin, the separate locking rods can be adjusted to extend up or down a certain distance; therefore it is possible for the operator to buckle the locking cam into the lower cam keeper in either case of an empty container or a loaded container as well as when the door frame has a relatively larger deformation (the distance between the upper cam keeper and the lower cam keeper changes accordingly) due to other causes such as an uneven ground. As a result, the locking cam engages correctly with the cam keeper to ensure a safe lock of the door locking rod.

In another aspect, the locking rod is configured to be telescopic and especially extendable; therefore it is possible for the locking rod to adjust automatically its length along with the deformation of the door frame when the cargo is in a moving state during transport and causes impact to the container body, or when the door frame has a larger deformation due to other causes such as uneven -6- Sground, etc., as a result to reduce the damage to the locking rod due to the door Sframe deformation.

C The invention will be more fully understood in light of the following description of several specific embodiments.

00 M 5 Brief Description of the Drawings NThese and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a locking device for container door according to the invention showing a status where the locking rod is not extended; Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the locking device in Fig. 1 showing its structure when the locking rod is extended; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along A-A' line in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of another preferred embodiment of the locking device for container door showing its structure when the locking rod is under its initial position and a locking handle is ready to adjust the locking rod; Fig. 5 is a sectional view along B-B' line in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the locking rod extended by adjusting the locking handle in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing the locking rod in Fig. 6 returning to an initial status by adjusting the locking handle; Figs. 8A and 8B are schematic views showing structures of a lower locking cam on a lower locking rod and a lower cam keeper fitted therewith respectively; -7- Fig. 8C is a schematic view showing a state where the lower locking cam of the locking rod of the prior art is locked in the lower cam keeper; Fig. 8D is a schematic view showing a state where the lower locking cam of the locking rod of the invention is locked in the lower cam keeper.

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M 5 Best Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention SReference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the Spresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With reference to Figs.1, 2, and 3, according to a first embodiment of the invention, a locking device for container door mainly includes several locking rods that are divided into a first member 10 and a second member respectively. An upper locking cam 12 is provided on an upper end of the first member 10, and a lower locking cam 22 is provided on a lower end of the second member 20. The locking rods are fixed on the container door by fixing the upper locking bearing bracket 14 of the first member 10 and the lower locking bearing bracket 24 of the second member 20 as well as the locking anti-racking ring 17 respectively, and the locking rod can be locked accordingly by buckling the upper locking cam 12 and the lower locking cam 22 into the upper cam keeper 18 and the lower cam keeper 28 provided in the upper door frame and the lower door frame of the container. In addition, the first member 10 connects with the second member 20 in a manner of sleeve joint through a first connecting means 30. The first connecting means 30 is used for connecting and adjusting said first member and said second member and includes a first slot 11 with a predetermined length, disposed in a lower part of said first member; a first sleeve 31, provided at an upper end of the second member 20, having a hole (not shown) thereon, and having an inside space 311 for receiving the first member and a first pin 33. Thus, the lower part of the first member 10 is enclosed in the first sleeve 31, and further fixed by pinning to the second member 20 through a first pin 33 penetrating through the hole when the first slot 11 is aligned with the hole in the first sleeve 31. The first pin 33 is then fixed with the first sleeve 31, -8and can slide in the first slot 11 from a higher position 113 to a lower position 115 or vice versa. The locking device further includes a locking handle 50 connected with the second member 20 through a second connecting means 40. The second

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connecting means 40 comprises a second sleeve 41 with a second slot 411, connecting with the first sleeve 31; and a second pin 51, disposed at an end of OO the locking handle 50 and associated with the second slot 411. Obviously, in the a preferred embodiment, the second slot 411 is in a predetermined length and N parallel to the first slot 11. That is, the second slot 411 is arranged vertically on O the second sleeve 41. Therefore, the locking handle 50 can connect with the N 10 second member 20 by fitting the second pin 51 in the second slot 411. The locking handle 50 can fix its other end to the container door through a handle retainer 58 which can be a hinge device or the like. The handle retainer 58 has a retainer plate 581 fixed in the container door and a retainer catch 582 rotationally connected to the retainer plate 581. The other end of the locking handle 50 is clamped tightly by rotating the retainer catch 582 and is thus locked. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, at an upper part of the locking bearing bracket 24, the second member 20 has a support ring 26 provided thereon, and an offsetting spring 25 is arranged between the support ring 26 and the lower locking bearing bracket 24.

In the first embodiment, when the door frame has a relatively larger deformation for both empty container and loaded container, or due to other causes such as uneven ground etc., the second member 20 can move up and down through the operation of the locking handle 50 to realize a normal engaging operation of the locking cam and the cam keeper. As shown in Fig.1, in an initial position, that is, when the locking rod is not extended, the first pin 33 is at the higher end position 113 of the first slot 11, while the second pin 51 is at the lower end position 415 of the second slot 411. As shown in Fig.2, when the position of the lower cam keeper 28 deviates downward a distance H due to the cause such as the deformation of the container door frame etc., the operator can push, through rotating the locking handle 50, the second member 20 down to press the offsetting spring 25 and the position of the lower locking cam 22 deviates downward, and the lower locking cam 22 can engage totally with the lower cam keeper 28 when the lower locking cam 22 and the lower cam keeper are at the -9same horizontal position. At this time, the first connecting means 30 slides together with the second connecting means 40, the first pin 33 slides from the higher end position 113 to the lower end position 115 of the first slot 11 by a distance of H, and makes the locking handle 50 slide upward from the lower end position 415 of the second pin slot 411 to the higher end position 413 after the oo upper cam keeper and the lower cam keeper have engaged totally with the 0locking cams, and fix its other end to the handle retainer 58, realizing thus the N lock of the locking rod. On the contrary, when the container door is opened, the Ooffsetting spring 25 biases the second member 20 to its original position, and the S 10 length of the locking rod is contracted to its original length.

Although in the first embodiment, the length of the first slot 11 and that of the second slot 411 are assumed to be the same as the distance that the second member moves downward, it is to be understood that there is no limitation to the length of the first slot 11 and that of the second slot 411, and the first slot 11 can be designed to have different lengths to meet different demands. The second member 20 is able to extend or contract a certain distance within the length range identical to that the lower cam keeper 28 moves downward, until the lower locking cam 22 is locked into the lower cam keeper 28.

In addition, when the door frame has a relatively larger deformation due to the impact caused by the goods in moving state during their loading or other causes such as an uneven ground, etc., as the upper and the lower cam keepers 18 and 28 are engaged with the upper and the lower locking cams 12 and 22, and because the locking handle 50 is fixed in the handle retainer 58, (in a normal lock state, the second pin 51 in the locking handle 50 is at the higher end position 413 of the second slot 411) thus, the locking rod can eliminate any impact through extending automatically to adjust the deformation in length when it is subjected to the impact, under an external impact to the second member 20, the first pin 33 can slide in the first slot 11, causing thus the second member 20 to move up and down. Meanwhile, the second sleeve 41 also moves up and down through the second slot 411, reducing and eliminating thus the impact effect to the locking rod through the locking rod deformation in length to avoid any damage to the locking rod due to the external impact.

Figs.4-7 show a second embodiment of the invention. According to the second embodiment, the locking device for container door also includes a first member 5 60 and a second member 70. Outside the first member 60, a third sleeve 63 is 00 Mprovided, on which a third slot 631 with a predetermined length is provided Nvertically. On the second member 70, a third pin 73 is provided and fitted into the

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Sthird slot 631. The third sleeve 63 can be distributed outside the entire surface of i the first member 60 and the second member 70, and can be mounted on the door through the locking anti-racking ring 67 outside the third sleeve 63. An upper locking cam 62 is further provided on an upper end of the first member and a lower locking cam 72 is further provided on a lower end of the second member 70, which will engage with an upper cam keeper 68 and a lower cam keeper 78 respectively. In addition, as shown in Fig. 4, a fourth connecting means 80 is further connected to the third sleeve 63 and comprises a fourth sleeve 81, connecting with the third sleeve 63; a fourth slot 91, lengthwise arranged on a locking handle 90; a fourth pin 811, disposed at a predetermined position of the fourth sleeve 81 and associated with the fourth slot 91. Specially, an opening 92 is provided on an end of the locking handle 90 for associating with the third pin 73. Thus, the second member 70 can be linked with the locking handle 90 by the fourth pin 811 fitting with the fourth slot 91 and the opening 92 associating with the third pin 73. In addition, the fourth slot 91 and the opening 92 are at the same horizontal level as that of the higher end position 633 of the third slot 631. The other end of the locking handle 90 can be fixed through a handle retainer 98, which contains a retainer plate 981 mounted on the door plate and a retainer catch 982 connected rotationally to the retainer plate 981.

The locking handle 90 can be fixed by rotating the retainer catch 982 to clamp it.

In the second embodiment, by adjusting the locking handle 90, it is possible to move the second member 70 downward until the lower locking cam 72 is locked in the lower cam keeper 78. As shown in Fig.4, at an initial position of the locking rod, when the locking rod is not extended, the third pin 73 is at a higher end -11 position 633 of the slot 631, and the fourth pin 811 is at a right end position 914 C of the fourth slot 91. When the lower cam keeper 78 moves downward a certain distance L (as shown in Figs.5 and 6) due to the door frame deformation, the

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operator slides the locking handle 90 from its right end position 914 to the left end position 912 by adjusting the locking handle 90, as shown in Fig.4, to make OO the opening 92 block the third pin 72. The locking handle 90 rotates about the a fourth pin 811 acted as an axis, and push down the second member N Meanwhile, the third pin 73 slides down a certain distance L from the higher end Oposition 633 of the third slot 631, making the lower locking cam 72 move down a N 10 distance L too. As shown in Fig.6, when the lower locking cam 72 moves to the same horizontal position as the lower cam keeper 78, the lower locking cam 72 can engage smoothly with the lower cam keeper 78. Fig.7 shows the state where the locking handle 90 returns to its initial position after the second member moves down to be locked. By adjusting the locking handle 90 to separate its opening 92 from the third pin 73, the fourth pin 811 slides from the left end position 912 of the fourth slot 91 to the right end position 914, and the locking handle 90 returns to the state before its operation (the opening 92 is out of contact with the third pin 73) and is fixed on the handle retainer 98 through the locking handle 90 to realize the fixation and the lock of the locking rod. On the contrary, when the door is open, it is also possible to return the second member to the position before its operation by adjusting the locking handle In the second embodiment, it is also possible to arrange the third slot 631 of different lengths according to different demands to make the second member extend within the length range according to the distance that the lower cam keeper 78 moves downward until the lower locking cam 72 is locked securely with the lower cam keeper 78. However, this will not be used as a limitation to the present invention.

Similarly, when the door frame has a relatively larger deformation due to the impact caused by the goods in moving state during transport or other causes such as an uneven ground, etc., because the upper and the lower cam keepers 68 and 78 are engaged with the upper and the lower locking cams 62 and 72, -12and because the locking handle 90 is fixed in the handle retainer 98, (in a normal lock state, the opening 92 in the locking handle 90 is not in contact with the third pin 73, as shown in Fig.7), the locking rod can eliminate any impact through extending automatically to adjust the length when it is subjected to the impact; that is, under an external impact to the second member 70, the third pin 73 can 00oo slide in the third slot 631, and drive the second member 70 to move up and 0 down. Meanwhile, the locking rod extends a predetermined length along with the N deformation of the door frame, for reducing and eliminating the impact to the Olocking rod and avoiding any damage to the locking rod due to the external S 10 impact.

Figs.8A and 8B show the structures of the locking cam and the cam keeper of prior art. As shown in Fig.8A, the lower locking cam 22 has a locking cam opening 221, and the lower cam keeper 28 has a cam keeper engaging block 281, as shown in Fig.8B.

Figs.8C and 8D are schematic views showing the lower locking cam 22 engaged with the lower cam keeper 28 in prior art and the present invention in the case of a relatively larger deformation of the container frame occurring. As shown in Fig.8C, for the locking rod for container door of the prior art, since the door frame has a relatively larger deformation which causes the lower cam keeper 28 move down while the length of the lock rod does not change, a deviation is caused between the lower locking cam 22 and the lower cam keeper 28; in this case, the lower locking cam cannot be locked into the lower cam keeper 28. As shown in Fig.8D, as the locking rod of the present invention is extendable, it can adjust an extension length EH in the case of a container frame deformation until the lower locking cam 22 is engaged securely with the lower cam keeper 28. In transport, when the goods are moving and cause larger impact to the container, it is also possible to reduce the damage to the locking rod caused by the container frame deformation by adjusting automatically the locking rod length, and avoid the impact to the locking rod.

IN -13- SIt will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and F1 variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention Sprovided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

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Claims

1. A locking device for container door comprising: an upper cam keeper, fixed on an upper door frame of the 00oO container door; a lower cam keeper, fixed on a lower door frame of the (NO container door; Sa locking rod, having an upper locking cam at an upper end thereof and a lower locking cam at a lower end thereof matching with said upper and said lower cam keepers respectively, said locking rod secured to the door by engaging the locking cams with the respective cam keeper; and a locking handle, wherein said locking rod is configured to be a telescopic locking rod, and includes: a first member, having the upper locking cam at an upper end thereof; and a second member, having the lower locking cam at a lower end thereof and connecting with the first member in an active manner.

2. The locking device for container door according to claim 1, wherein a first connecting means is provided for connecting and adjusting said first member and said second member, comprising: a first slot having a pre-determined length, disposed in a lower part of said first member; D O a first sleeve for receiving a lower part of said first member, disposed on a head of an upper end of said second member and provided with a hole corresponding to said first slot; and a first pin, plugging into said hole and said first slot to connect 0 5 said first member to said first sleeve.

O3. The locking device for container door according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said locking rod is further fastened to the door through several locking bearing brackets on the door, including at least an upper locking bearing bracket disposed at an upper part of said first member and a lower locking bearing bracket disposed at a lower part of said second member.

4. The locking device for container door according to claim 3, wherein said second member is provided with a support ring above said lower locking bearing bracket, and an offsetting spring is set between said spring support ring and said lower locking bearing bracket. The locking device for container door according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a second connecting means is provided for connecting said locking handle to said second member, comprising: a second sleeve, on which a second slot in a predetermined length to be parallel to said first slot is provided, connecting with said first sleeve; and -16- a second pin, disposed at an end of said locking handle and associated with said second slot.

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6. The locking device for container door according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said locking handle is locked through a handle retainer fixed on the door, said handle retainer including: a retainer plate fixed on the door; and IND Oat least one retainer catch connected rotationally to said retainer plate.

7. The locking device for container door according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a third connecting means is provided for connecting and adjusting said first member and said second member, comprising: a third sleeve, enclosing said first member and at least partially receiving said second member; a third slot, vertically arranged on said third sleeve; and a third pin, disposed at an upper end of said second member and associated with said third slot.

8. The locking device for container door according to claim 7, wherein said locking handle has an opening at an end thereof for matching with said third pin.

9. The locking device for container door according to claim 8, wherein a fourth connecting means is provided for connecting said locking handle -17- to the said second member and for cooperating with said opening, comprising: Cc a fourth sleeve, connecting with said third sleeve; a fourth slot, lengthwise arranged on said locking handle; oo 00 5 a fourth pin, disposed at a predetermined position of said Sfourth sleeve and associated with said fourth slot.

IO locking device for container door according to claim 9, wherein said fourth slot and said opening are configured approximately at the same level with an upper end of said third slot vertically arranged.

11. The locking device for container door according to claim 7 or 8 or 9 or wherein said third sleeve is configured to enclose entire outer surfaces of said first and said second members.

12. The locking device for container door according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further including several locking anti-racking rings for further fastening the first and second members to the door.

13. The locking device for container door according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said locking handle is locked through a handle retainer fixed on the door, said handle retainer including: a retainer plate fixed on the door; and at least one retainer catch connected rotationally to the retainer plate -18-

14.A locking device for container door substantially as herein described O with reference to the accompanying drawings. 00 8 SDated this Thirtieth day of January 2006. China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd. and Nantong Cimc Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co., Ltd. Applicants Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant