EP0533626B1 - Cargo container, in particular airfreight container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a freight container according to the preamble of claim 1.

Air freight containers of this type are known, with horizontally movable locking bolts being arranged on the lower end profile or door bar of a flexible container door. The locking bolt is provided with a welded-on loop that protrudes upwards through a corresponding slot in the door bar profile from the door bar. Furthermore, the locking bolt is guided over a bearing block fastened to the door bar and is pressed into the closed position by means of a spring, so that the locking bolt always remains in the locking position in the unloaded state. The locking is achieved by inserting the locking bolt into a corresponding oval hole in the container post. A disadvantage of air cargo containers of this type is that the locking system is located on the flexible door and consequently the oval hole for threading the locking bolt cannot be seen from the operator's side.

FR-A-2158913 discloses a freight container with a door opening delimited by vertical vertical posts, locking bolts projecting from the front of the vertical posts, the conical head of which is provided for engaging in a locking recess on a door bar. The locking mechanism on the door bar consists of a locking plate with an incision for reaching behind the bolt head.

From AU-B-0582509 a locking arrangement fixed to a container frame is known, in which a bolt of the door frame can be inserted into a locking recess of the locking arrangement and can be locked in this by means of a pawl.

A locking system with a bolt which can be inserted into a locking recess and locked therein is also known from EP-A-0086741. There, bolts corresponding to the bolts are welded to the end faces of the vertical bars of the door and to the inside of a vertical post of the container frame. The bolts can be locked in the latching recesses by means of a locking element which is part of a locking system which engages around the vertical strut in a sliding manner.

Knowing this state of the art, the inventor has set the goal of improving the closing of such a freight container by means of a user-friendly locking system.

The features of claim 1 lead to this object.

A locking tongue which can be displaced from the front through the insertion opening of the locking recess or a pawl with a free end which can be pivoted via the locking bolt inserted into the locking recess can be used as a locking element be provided.

By moving the movable locking system according to the invention from the container door to the more stable container frame, fewer problems arise when handling the door. The catch recess accessible from the front offers the decisive advantage over the locking system according to the prior art that the precise positioning of the locking bolt and oval hole is eliminated. Another advantage of the construction according to the invention is that it is clearly visible from the operator's side at any time without additional effort whether the door is locked correctly or not, thus remedying the previous defect. In addition, the arrangement of the latching recess and locking bolt allows the locking bolt to be threaded much more easily into the locking mechanism, which provides additional security when locking the container door.

In the version with locking tongue, this is advantageously arranged within the vertical post designed as a hollow profile and is held in the closed position via a locking bar. In this case, to move the locking tongue into its open position on an locking element which has the locking tongue or is connected to it, an actuating element passing through a corresponding opening on the vertical post is fixed. The locking bar can be firmly connected to the locking element, or it can simply rest on it. The latter embodiment has the advantage that when the vertical post is deformed, the locking mechanism is less easily jammed than when there is a fixed connection between the locking bar and locking element. If the locking bar is firmly connected to the locking element, the actuating element can of course also be fixed to the locking bar. The locking tongue is preferably held in the closed position by means of spring force. However, this locking effect can also be achieved in other ways, for example by snapping the locking bar into a corresponding recess.

The opening on the vertical post is preferably provided on the outer profile wall of the vertical post, in which case the actuating element is an actuating pin. In another version the opening is provided on the front profile wall of the vertical post and the actuating element is a handle, which is fixed by means of screws or similar connecting elements and encompasses the vertical post on the front side.

The locking element and locking tongue are preferably slidably guided on the inner surface of the front profile wall of the vertical post.

In an expedient embodiment, the locking tongue is the free end of a rectangular bar, the locking bar resting on the other end of the rectangular bar or being firmly connected to it.

In another expedient embodiment, the locking tongue is the base part of a cross-sectionally U-shaped profile piece with side walls cut back in the area of the latching recess, the locking bar resting on the profile piece or being connected to it.

According to a further feature of the invention, the locking recess on the inner profile wall of the vertical post is formed by a conically tapering slot with guide edges for the locking bolt.

In an advantageous embodiment of the locking system, the locking bar is encompassed by a helical spring arranged within the short legs of a cross-sectionally C-shaped bearing block fixed on a profile wall of the vertical post. This is held at one end by a locking pin that passes through the locking bar.

In the embodiment with a pawl, this is arranged within the vertical post designed as a hollow profile and, with an approximately cylindrical lateral surface in the region of its axis of rotation, lies opposite a concave sliding surface of a counter bearing fixed to a profile wall of the vertical post. Here, the axis of rotation of the pawl is preferably also the axis of rotation of an actuating lever which penetrates the outer profile wall and is rigidly connected to the pawl.

The pawl is preferably held automatically in the closed position by means of a spring. However, the blocking effect can also be achieved in other ways, for example, by fixing the actuating lever in its closed position.

Fig. 1:

eine Schrägsicht auf einen Luftfrachtcontainer;

Fig. 2:

eine Frontansicht auf ein Verriegelungssystem einer Containertür;

Fig. 3:

eine Seitenansicht zu Fig. 2 gemäss Blickrichtung y;

Fig. 4:

eine Frontansicht auf eine andere Ausführungsform des Verriegelungssystems;

Fig. 5:

eine Seitenansicht zu Fig. 4 gemäss Blickrichtung y;

Fig. 6:

eine Frontansicht auf eine weitere Ausführungsform des Verriegelungssystems;

Fig. 7:

eine Seitenansicht zu Fig. 6 gemäss Blickrichtung y.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and from the drawing; this shows in:

Fig. 1:

an oblique view of an air cargo container;

Fig. 2:

a front view of a locking system of a container door;

Fig. 3:

a side view of Figure 2 according to viewing direction y.

Fig. 4:

a front view of another embodiment of the locking system;

Fig. 5:

a side view of Figure 4 according to viewing direction y.

Fig. 6:

a front view of another embodiment of the locking system;

Fig. 7:

6 according to the viewing direction y.

A cargo container 10 for air transportation is equipped over a base plate 12 with a supporting frame, which has two side frames 14, each with two vertical posts 16 and a ridge profile 18, with node or corner plates 20 being present at the corners between individual profile parts, and the parallel ridge profiles 18 of both side frames 14 are connected end-to-end by cross sections 22.

The ridge profiles 18 protrude by a dimension k beyond the vertical posts 16 in FIG. 1 or above the base plate 12 and to their respective profile end there is a vertical rod 24 which ends at a distance from the plane of the base plate 12 and is connected to the area of that base plate 12 with an inclined base profile 26. The adjacent one Vertical post 16 forms with the vertical rod 24 and the sloping floor profile 26 the contour of a so-called container balcony 28. The frame fields between the hollow profiles 16, 18, 22, 24 and 26 of the freight container 10 are - apart from a door opening 32 at the front in FIG. 1 - - Filled out with metal sheets 30 as planking, which are fastened to the profile webs 17 of those profiles by rivets.

The door opening 32 in the front side frame 14 in FIG. 1 can be closed with a flexible container door 34 which can be rolled up in the rolling direction z. At its lower end, the container door 34 is equipped with a door bar or end profile 36 with lateral, fixed locking bolts 37, which are used in locking recesses 38 of the lateral vertical posts 16 when the container door 34 is closed.

2 to 5, the locking bolt 37 is anchored in the profile interior of the door bar 36 and projects in the axial direction by a dimension a beyond the profile end of the door bar 36. The locking bolt 37 is inserted in the drawing in the recess 16 arranged in the vertical post 16. Through this latching recess 38, the inner profile wall 16b of the vertical post 16 is partially cut out to form a conically tapering slot with guide edges 16c.

In the vertical post 16, a C-shaped bracket 39 is fastened to the inner profile wall 16b by means of rivets 40. The two short legs 39a, b of the bearing block 39 are penetrated by a locking bar 41 which is axially encompassed by a helical spring 42 which on the one hand rests on the inside of the short leg 39a and on the other hand is held by a locking pin 43 passing through the locking bar 41. The locking pin 43 rests on the lower short leg 39b in the absence of external force. On the outside of the upper short leg 39a there is an additional locking pin 44 which penetrates the locking bar 41 and which prevents the locking bar 41 from falling through the bearing block 39 if the locking pin 43 breaks.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, a rectangular rod 45, which is adapted to the inner cross section of the vertical post 16 and is angled accordingly, is welded onto the locking rod 41, and corresponds to the inner surface 16i of the front side Profile wall 16d of the vertical post 16 slidably abuts and is formed at its free end as a locking tongue 46 which engages in the locking recess 38 inserted locking bolt 37. The locking tongue 46 is provided at its free end against the locking bolt 37 with a bevel 47. According to another embodiment (not shown in the drawing), the locking bar 41 of the rectangular bar 45 abuts, in which case the end of the rectangular bar 45 adjacent to the locking bar 41 can have a cross-sectionally L-shaped, ie rectangular, shape to enlarge the support surface .

The rectangular bar 45 is screwed to a handle 48 which grips the vertical post 16 at the front. The connecting screws 49 penetrate an elongated hole (not shown in the drawing) which enables and also limits the vertical locking movement and also serves as an additional guide for the rectangular rod 45. By moving the handle 48 in the vertical direction of displacement x against the spring force, the locking tongue 46 is moved upward with the opening of the locking recess 38 and releases the locking bolt 37. Without external force acting on the handle 48, the locking tongue 46 remains in its closed position at all times, i.e. the latching recess 38 is covered on the inside of the front profile wall 16d of the vertical post 16 by the locking tongue 46.

In the embodiment of the locking system shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the locking bar 41 is connected at the lower end via a connecting pin 50 passing through it to a profile piece 51 arranged in the vertical post 16 and having a U-shaped cross section. Here, the connecting pin 50 is not absolutely necessary, ie the locking bar 41 can only abut the end of the profile piece 51 adjacent to it. The side walls 52 of this profile piece 51 are cut back in the area of the locking recess 38 in such a way that the thickened base part 53 forms the locking tongue 46 in the cut back area. In the outer profile wall 16a of the vertical post 16, an elongated hole 54 is cut out in the direction of movement of the locking bar 41, which is penetrated by an actuating pin 55 and screwed to the underlying side wall 52 of the profile piece 53.

Analogous to the handle 48, the movement of the actuating pin 55 in the vertical direction of displacement x counteracts the spring force to the opening of the locking recess 38, while the locking tongue 46 remains in its closed position in the absence of external force.

In both embodiments of the locking system shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, it can immediately be seen from the front whether the locking tongue 46 covers the entire opening width of the latching recess 38 and the door is accordingly correctly locked.

In the embodiment of the locking system shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner profile wall 16b is partially cut out by the latching recess 38 to form a conically tapering, obliquely downwardly extending slot, which opens into a vertically angled end part 38a, in which the Lock bolt 37 is stored. A counter bearing 60 is fixed in the vertical post 16 to the rear profile wall 16e thereof by means of screws 61, which has a sliding surface 62 which is concave in the direction of the front profile wall 16d. This sliding surface 62 lies opposite an approximately cylindrical lateral surface 65, in the region of the axis of rotation t of a pawl 63, which at its free end 64 is provided with an inclined surface 64a rising against the rear profile wall 16e, which rests on the locking bolt 37 inserted into the locking recess 38. In the axis of rotation t, the axis of rotation of an actuating lever 66 penetrating the outer profile wall 16a via an opening 54 with vertical play is inserted.

The pawl 63 is automatically held in the closed position by a spring 67 supported on the rear profile wall 16e. By moving the actuating lever 66 in the pivoting direction s, the pawl 63 is pivoted against the force of the spring 67 while opening the end part 38a of the slot of the latching recess 38 against the rear profile wall 16e and releases the locking bolt 37. Without external force acting on the actuation lever 66, the pawl 63 remains in its closed position at all times, i.e. the end part 38a of the locking recess 38 is covered with the free end 64 of the pawl 63.

Although the freight container 10 shown in the drawing is flexible Shows door 34 with the bottom locking system, the invention is not limited to this embodiment. The flexible door can, for example, be articulated on the floor and the locking system can be arranged at the height of the ridge profile 18. Likewise, the locking system with the latching recess 38 can be provided on only one front vertical post 16, while the inner profile wall 16b of the other vertical post 16 has a conventional oval hole for the lateral insertion of the corresponding locking bolt. The locking system is of course not limited to flexible doors and can - depending on the closed position of the door bar - be arranged on the respective hollow profile of the container frame.

Claims (15)

1. Freight container, in particular air freight container, comprising at least one door opening (32) which is delimited by lateral vertical posts (16) and can be closed by means of a rigid or roll-up container door (34) fixed at one end and locked in the closed position by means of bolts (37) which are arranged on a door bar (36) or similar closing profile section and can be introduced into mating elements on the vertical posts (16), characterised in that the twistlocks (37) are rigidly connected to the door bar (36) and project beyond the profile end of the door bar (36) by an amount (a) in the axial direction, wherein at least one of the twistlocks (37) can be inserted at the front into a corresponding latching recess (38) in the vertical post (16) designed as a hollow profile section and can be locked in the latching recess (38) by means of a locking element (46, 63) arranged within the vertical post (16).
2. Freight container according to claim 1, characterised in that a locking tongue (46) which can slide at the front over the insertion opening of the latching recess (38) is provided as the locking element.
3. Freight container according to claim 1, characterised in that a catch (63) with a free end (64) which can pivot over the twistlock (37) inserted into the latching recess (38) is provided as the locking element.
4. Freight container according to claim 2, characterised in that the locking tongue (46) is held automatically in the closed position by means of a locking bar (41) preferably by means of spring force, wherein, in order to slide the locking tongue (46) into its open position, an actuating element (48, 49; 55) traversing a corresponding opening (54) in the vertical post (16) is fixed to a locking element (45, 51) comprising the locking tongue (46) or connected thereto.
5. Freight container according to claim 4, characterised in that the opening (54) is provided in the outer profile wall (16a) of the vertical post (16) and the actuating element is an actuating pin (55).
6. Freight container according to claim 4, characterised in that the opening is provided in the front profile wall (16d) of the vertical post (16) and the actuating element is a handle (48) fixed by means of screws (49) or similar connecting elements and embracing the vertical post (16) at the front.
7. Freight container according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the locking element (45, 51) and/or the locking tongue (46) are slidably guided on the inner face (16i) of the front profile wall (16d) of the vertical post (16).
8. Freight container according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the locking tongue (46) is the free end of a rectangular bar (45) and the locking bar (41) bears against the other end of the rectangular bar (45) or is rigidly connected thereto.
9. Freight container according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the locking tongue (46) is the bottom part (53) of a profiled member (51) with a U-shaped cross section with side walls (52) cut back in the region of the latching recess (38) and the locking bar (41) bears against the profiled member (51) or is connected thereto.
10. Freight container according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterised in that the latching recess (38) is formed in the inner profile wall (16b) of the vertical post (16) by means of a conically tapering slot with guide edges (16c) for the twistlock (37).
11. Freight container according to one of claims 4 to 10, characterised in that the locking bar (41) is embraced by a helical spring (42) arranged within the short arms (39a, b) of a bearing block (39) with a C-shaped cross section fixed to a profile wall of the vertical post (16).
12. Freight container according to claim 10, characterised in that the helical spring (42) is held at one end by a locking pin (43) traversing the locking bar (41).
13. Freight container according to claim 3, characterised in that the catch (63) is situated opposite a concave sliding surface (62) of a thrust bearing (60) fixed to a profile wall of the vertical post (16) by means of a circumferential surface (65) which is approximately cylindrical in the region of its axis of rotation (t).
14. Freight container according to claim 13, characterised in that the axis of rotation (t) of the catch (63) is simultaneously the axis of rotation of an actuating lever (66) traversing the outer profile wall (16a) and rigidly connected to the catch (63).
15. Freight container according to one of claims 3, 13 or 14, characterised in that the catch (63) is held automatically in the closed position by means of a spring (67).

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