EP0776302B1 - Coupling piece for detachably interconnecting containers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a coupling piece for releasable connection of corner fittings of neighboring containers, in particular stacked containers on board ships, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Dome pieces of the type mentioned are used in technical jargon commonly referred to as "twistlocks". These dome pieces are mainly used to get on board ships to connect transporting containers with each other. Thereby relative shifts of the containers during the Ship transportation can be prevented.

To the manual activities for locking and unlocking the To minimize dome pieces and thus costly idle times of ships in ports will decrease semi-automatic coupling pieces used. These are done manually pre-locked on one of the containers to be connected. A End locking takes place automatically after being placed on top of each other the container to be connected. When unloading, the connected container the coupling piece can be operated manually.

WO-A-92 05093 is also a semi-automatic one Coupling piece with the features of the preamble of claim 1 known that over a single pull rope Actuator has. This only pull rope has however, the disadvantage that the coupling piece only in one certain relative arrangement to the containers to be connected can be used. An incorrect arrangement of the coupling piece results in it not automatically having an end lock brings about. Another disadvantage is that the known dome piece in case of an accidentally occurred Unlocking can no longer be locked. Finally, this dome piece not either from the upper or lower Uncouple the container.

DE-A-41 33 498 is a semi-automatic coupling piece known that has only a single pull rope. This known coupling piece therefore also has the disadvantages of of WO-A-92 05093 known coupling piece.

The invention is therefore based on the object of being universal usable, semi-automatic coupling piece to create a simple and error-free operation guaranteed.

A coupling piece to solve this problem has the features of claim 1. By the invention with two Actuating device provided with tensile cords is possible the locking bolt in opposite directions twist. Incorrect operations and, in particular, incorrect operations Locks can be made with the coupling piece according to the invention Avoid due to the two existing pull cords or cancel. In addition, the coupling piece according to the invention universally applicable.

The two pull cords are preferably made of (half-length) Sections of a single limp or flexible Actuating means, for example a rope or a rope-like Strands, formed. Opposite ends of the Actuating means are each with an actuating end Mistake. It is also possible to have two separate, shorter ones Use actuating means to form each pull cord. In in this case there is a free end of each actuating means about its own end of activity.

According to a preferred embodiment of the coupling piece, the Cross bolt of the locking bolt essentially the same educated. Because of this, there is no need to pay attention to that the coupling piece with a certain crossbar to one the container to be connected is pre-locked. The Rather, the coupling piece can be turned over as desired, namely with both the upper and the lower crossbar one of the containers are pre-locked. This allows in a surprisingly simple way Simplify the operation of semi-automatic coupling pieces.

Further subclaims relate to preferred further developments of the dome.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht des Kuppelstücks,

Fig. 2

eine gegenüber der Fig. 1 um 90° verdrehte Seitenansicht des Kuppelstücks,

Fig. 3

einen mittigen Horizontalschnitt durch das Kuppelstück bei entriegeltem oberem Querriegel,

Fig. 4

das Kuppelstück der Fig. 3 in einer Draufsicht auf den oberen Querriegel,

Fig. 5

den unteren Querriegel des in den Fig. 3 und 4 gezeigten Kuppelstücks in einer Blickrichtung analog zur Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

einen mittigen Horizontalschnitt durch das mit dem oberen Querriegel vorverriegelte Kuppelstück,

Fig. 7

eine Ansicht auf den den vorverriegelten oberen Querriegel des Kuppelstücks der Fig. 6,

Fig. 8

eine Ansicht des unteren Querriegels in Blickrichtung analog zu Fig. 7,

Fig. 9

einen mittigen Horizontalschnitt durch das endverriegelte Kuppelstück,

Fig. 10

eine Draufsicht auf den oberen Querriegel des endverriegelten Kuppelstücks der Fig. 9,

Fig. 11

eine Ansicht des unteren Querriegels des endverriegelten Kuppelstücks in einer Blickrichtung analog zur Fig. 10,

Fig. 12

eine Seitenansicht eines Verriegelungsbolzens des Kuppelstücks,

Fig. 13

eine Ansicht XIII auf den Verriegelungsbolzen.

Fig. 14

einen mittigen Horizontalschnitt durch ein endver riegeltes Kuppelstück nach einem alternativen Aus führungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und

Fig. 15

einen mittigen Horizontalschnitt durch das Kuppelstück der Fig. 14 bei entriegeltem oberen Querriegel.

A preferred embodiment of the coupling piece according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing:

Fig. 1

a side view of the coupling piece,

Fig. 2

2 a side view of the coupling piece rotated by 90 °,

Fig. 3

a central horizontal section through the coupling piece with the upper cross bar unlocked,

Fig. 4

3 in a top view of the upper cross bar,

Fig. 5

the lower cross bar of the coupling piece shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in a viewing direction analogous to FIG. 4,

Fig. 6

a central horizontal section through the coupling piece pre-locked with the upper cross bar,

Fig. 7

a view of the pre-locked upper crossbar of the coupling piece of FIG. 6,

Fig. 8

7 shows a view of the lower cross bar in the viewing direction analogous to FIG. 7,

Fig. 9

a central horizontal section through the end-locked coupling piece,

Fig. 10

9 shows a plan view of the upper cross bar of the end-locked coupling piece of FIG. 9,

Fig. 11

10 shows a view of the lower cross bar of the end-locked coupling piece in a viewing direction analogous to FIG. 10,

Fig. 12

a side view of a locking bolt of the coupling piece,

Fig. 13

a view XIII on the locking bolt.

Fig. 14

a central horizontal section through an interlocked coupling piece according to an alternative exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 15

a central horizontal section through the coupling piece of FIG. 14 with unlocked upper crossbar.

The dome shown here is for semi-automatic Connect stacked containers shown in the figures are not shown. The dome piece sits in the essentially together from a housing 20, a Locking bolt 21, an actuator 22 and a locking device 23.

The housing 20 of the coupling piece shown here is in two parts educated. It consists of two housing halves 24 and 25 that screwed together in a central division plane 26 are. The division plane 26 runs longitudinally through the center of one Through hole 27 in the housing 20. The division level 26 and the through hole 27 extend with respect to the in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown use position of the coupling piece vertically through the housing 20.

The exterior of the housing 20 is divided into three sections, namely in a central abutment 28, the one on the other stacked containers between adjacent corner fittings of the container (not shown) comes to rest as a spacer, and two on opposite sides of abutment 28 arranged center pieces 29 and 30. The center pieces 29 and 30 protrude into corresponding containers Elongated holes in the corner fittings of containers lying one above the other inside.

The locking bolt 21 is composed of an in essential cylindrical middle part 31 and two crossbars 32 and 33. The locking bolt 21 is in one piece trained, for which the crossbars 32 and 33 opposite ends of the middle part 31 are formed. With the middle part 31 is the locking bolt 21 in the Through hole 27 of the housing 20 about its longitudinal central axis 34 rotatably mounted. The two crossbars 32 and 33 protrude opposite ends of the housing 20 out. The crossbars 32 and 33 are thus above the respective Center piece 29 or 30 of the housing.

The two cross bolts 32 and 33 of the locking bolt 21 are advantageously of substantially the same design. Everyone the cross bar 32 and 33 has at its respective Center piece 29 or 30 of the housing 20 facing (rear) side over an approximately rectangular base area (FIG. 12). Of that starting from each cross bar 32, 33 tapers conically its free end, which thereby has a flat tip 35. On the parallel, long sides of each cross bar 32 and 33 are arranged diagonally opposite projections 36. This protrude in areas opposite the rectangular base each cross bar 32, 33 before (Fig. 13). The tops of the Projections 36 run obliquely to the tip 35 of the respective Crossbar 32, 33. This gives the crossbar 32, 33 a winding extending from the tip 35 to the projections 36. The undersides of the projections 36 are at each cross bar 32 and 33 with bevels 37. The bevels 37 and the winding of the top of each cross bar 32 and 33 have a slope which is chosen such that in certain relative positions of the respective cross bar 32 and 33 to the corner fitting of the corresponding container of the relevant crossbar the locking bolt 21 at Insert in the corner fitting or when pulling out of the Corner fitting twisted automatically.

Furthermore, it is advantageously provided that one Crossbar 32 is offset to the other crossbar 33, namely by about 90 ° (Fig. 13). If the coupling piece is turned over accordingly is so that the lower cross bar 33 is on top, and then the locking bolt 21 by 90 ° to the Longitudinal central axis 34 is rotated, the original reaches lower crossbar 33 in a position in which the previously overhead crossbar 32 was.

A locking device 23 is located in the interior of the housing 20 arranged, the locking bolt 21 in the three different positions according to FIGS. 3, 6 and 9 locked. The locking device 23 is composed from a spring-loaded plunger 38 mounted in the housing 20 and one assigned to the locking bolt 21 Link plate 39, which corresponds to the plunger 38. The Link plate 39 is non-rotatable on the central part 31 of the Locking bolt 21 stored and therefore together with the Locking bolt 21 rotatable. The spring loaded plunger 38 is on a center through the abutment 28 of the housing 20th extending and the longitudinal central axis 34 of the Locking bolt 21 perpendicular intersecting central axis 40 movable. A plunger plate 41 of the spring-loaded Tappet 38 is in by a spring, namely a compression spring 42 Biased towards the locking bolt 21. One vertical the front stop surface 43 intersecting the transverse central axis 40 the plunger plate 41 is thereby against the link plate 39th pressed.

If the locking bolt 21 of the coupling piece in the connecting both neighboring containers End locking position according to FIG. 9 is in the both crossbars 32 and 33 are out of register with the Center pieces 29 and 30 are on the housing 20 (Fig. 10 and 11), is a contact surface 44 of the link plate 39 on the Contact surface 43 of the plunger plate 41. The spring-loaded Tappet 38 locked with the help of Link plate 39 the locking bolt 21 in the End locking position of the coupling piece (Fig. 9).

Has at both opposite ends of the contact surface 44 the link plate 39 has a protruding nose 45 and 46. In the pre-locked position of the coupling piece when the upper cross bar 32 is out of register with the center piece 29 of the housing 20 is located (Figs. 6 and 7), but the lower one Cross bar 33 except for the projections 36 in cover Center piece 30 of the housing 20, the nose 45 is the Link plate 39 in a central recess 47 of a groove 48 in the contact surface 44 of the plunger plate 41 (Fig. 6). Thereby the locking bolt 21 of the coupling piece in the locked position locked. The opposite is the opposite nose 46 of the plunger plate 41 in the recess 47 of the groove 48 of the tappet plate 41 (Fig. 3) when the upper cross bar 32 is in its unlocked position (Fig. 4), but the lower cross bar 33 is locked (Fig. 5).

According to the invention, the actuating device 22 has two flexible and / or limp tensile strands 57 and 58. The two pull strands 57 and 58 are advantageously made of a single Actuator formed in the shown Embodiment designed as a continuous rope 49 is. Approximately one half of the rope 49 forms one Drawstring 57 or 58. A central area of the rope 49, the the tension strands 57 and 58 connects to one another Junction 50 with the link plate 39 des Locking bolt 21 connected. For this, the rope 49 is through a transverse eyelet 51 on the from the contact surface 44th groundbreaking back of the plunger plate 41 and on the opposite sides of the eyelet 51 by one Thickening in the form of a compression sleeve 52 on the rope 49 locked in a longitudinally immovable manner. In this way, the Locking bolt 21 by pulling on one end of the a section of the rope 49 forming a pull cord 57 in the Clockwise and by pulling on the opposite end of the rope 49, namely on the pull cord 58, counterclockwise be twisted.

The same extending on both sides of the eyelet 51 long pull strands 57 and 58 of the rope 49 are through a flat Side surface 53 of the abutment 28 from the housing 20th led out. For this purpose are on opposite Sides of the transverse central axis 40 with the tension cords 57 and 58, respectively corresponding through bores 54 in the abutment 28 of the Housing 20 arranged. The through bores 54 run parallel with the same distance to the transverse central axis 40 (Figs. 3, 6 and 9). Out of the housing 20 protruding ends of the Drawstrings 57 and 58 are each as actuation ends educated. Each of the two actuating ends is included a knob 55, 56 provided. The coupling piece according to the invention consequently has two symmetrical to the transverse central axis 40 extending actuating ends on each train line 57, 58, the can be operated by hand via knobs 55 or 56.

By pulling on the respective actuation end, namely the Knob 55 or knob 56, the locking bolt 21st either clockwise or counterclockwise twisted. Specifically, the locking and unlocking processes run like follows from:

By pulling the knob 56, the coupling piece reaches the in 3 to 5 position shown. Here is the upper cross bar 32 in an unlocked position for Insert in the lower corner fitting of an upper container. Then the locking bolt is pulled by pulling the knob 55 21 turned clockwise until the upper cross bar 32 is in a locked position, but the lower cross bar 33 one for insertion in the upper Corner fitting of a lower container suitable position takes (Fig. 6 to 8). When threading the so under the top Container pre-locked coupling piece in the corner fitting of the lower container is diagonally opposite Projections 36 on the lower cross bar 33 of the locking bolt 21 rotated counterclockwise to a position it the spring-loaded plunger 38 after complete removal of the upper container to the lower container Locking bolt continues counterclockwise into the in 9 to 11 to rotate the position shown. In this Position, the dome is locked by both Crossbars 32 and 33 are in a locking position and this is locked by contacting the contact surface 43 of the spring-loaded plunger 38 on the contact surface 44 of the Guide plate 39 on the locking bolt 21 (Fig. 9).

To release the connection of the container that coupling piece according to the invention two alternatives.

According to a first alternative, pulling the knob turns 55 the locking bolt 21 rotated clockwise into the in 6 to 8 position shown. In this position it can Dome with the unlocked lower cross bar 33 from the pull out the upper corner fitting of the lower container, for which purpose the bevels 37 on the directed towards the housing 20 (Bottom) of the lower cross bar 33 the locking bolt turn slightly counterclockwise to thread the Arns of the diagonally opposite projections 36 on the cross bar 33 from the slot of the corresponding corner fitting of the upper one Containers. The coupling piece is in this case with the upper one Container lifted from the lower container.

In the second alternative, the locking bolt is through Pull knob 56 counter-clockwise so far that the unlocked upper cross bar 32 from the lower Corner fitting of the upper container can be pulled out. In in this case the upper container can be lifted off by itself, the coupling piece being anchored in the upper Corner fitting remains on the lower container (Fig. 3 to 5).

The two formed by knobs 55 and 56 Actuating ends or tension cords 57, 58 of the invention Dome piece allow one to accidentally pull it the dome piece opened at knob 55 can be closed again can be done by pulling the opposite knob 56 until all Actuating ends or knobs 55, 56 an approximately equal distance from the side surface 53 of the housing 20 and that Coupling piece so that shown in Fig. 9 End locking position reached.

Furthermore, by the same design of the crossbar 32, 33 and the relative arrangement of the Crossbars 32, 33 to each other in connection with the symmetrical trained housing 20 and the two from the housing with protruding the same distance from the transverse central axis 40 Zugstrands 57, 58 reaches that the coupling piece with a any cross bar, both with the one in the figures shown upper crossbar 32, as well as optionally with the lower cross bar 33, in the lower corner fitting of an upper Containers can be pre-locked. Are operating errors excluded in the dome piece according to the invention.

14 and 15 show a second embodiment of the coupling piece according to the invention. This differs from Coupling piece according to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 13 through its locking device. Otherwise corresponds 14 and 15 that of FIGS. 1 to 13, which is why the same reference numerals are used for the same parts become.

The locking device 59 has a spring-loaded plunger 60, the plunger plate 61 of which is convex Has contact surface 62. Specifically, the contact surface 62 is V-shaped trained by being made up of two under one obtuse angles of less than 90 ° to each other Subareas 63 composed. The two partial areas 63 meet on a vertical apex line 64 which is on a through the longitudinal central axis 34 of the locking bolt 21 vertical vertical plane of the coupling piece. The corresponding to the spring-loaded plunger 60 Link plate 65 of the locking device 59 non-rotatably connected to the locking bolt 21 and has three contact surfaces 66, 67 and 68. The middle Contact surface 66 lies with the end-locked coupling piece completely on the contact surface 62 of the spring-loaded plunger 60 on (Fig. 14). The contact surface 66 corresponds to this to the V-shaped contact surface 62 on the tappet plate 61 educated. The contact surface 66 accordingly also has two partial surfaces 69 which are concave to each other in a V-shape. Closes on opposite sides of the contact surface 66 one of the contact surfaces 67 and 68, respectively. When unlocked Upper cross bar 32 is the contact surface 68 of the Guide plate 65 on a partial surface 63 of the contact surface 62 of the spring-loaded plunger 60 (Fig. 15). This takes place a locking of the locking bolt 21 when unlocked upper cross bar 32 instead. The opposite is the case Opposing contact surface 67 on a partial surface 63 of the Contact surface 62 of the spring-loaded plunger 60 when the lower cross bar 33 in an unlocked state located.

The function of the coupling piece corresponds to that of the second Embodiment of the invention (Figs. 14 and 15) Coupling piece of the first embodiment of the invention (Fig. 1 to 13). It is therefore fully on the content Functional description of the coupling piece after the first Embodiment of the invention referred to.

Claims (13)

1. Coupling piece for the detachable connection of containers, especially of containers stacked one above the other on board ships, having a housing (20), a twistable locking bolt (21), which displays a middle part (31) mounted rotatably in the housing (20) and crossbolts (32, 33) disposed at opposite ends of the middle part (31), and having an actuating device (22) for twisting the locking bolt (21), characterized in that the actuating device (22) displays at least two pull cords (57, 58) for twisting the locking bolt (21) in opposite directions.
2. Coupling piece according to Claim 1, characterized in that each pull cord (57, 58) juts with an actuating end out of the housing (20).
3. Coupling piece according to Claim 1, characterized in that each pull cord (57, 58) is connected to the locking bolt (21).
4. Coupling piece according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pull cords (57, 58) are formed by a single actuating means.
5. Coupling piece according to Claim 4, characterized in that the actuating means is fastened by a portion lying approximately centrally between the pull cords (57, 58) to the middle part (31) of the locking bolt (21).
6. Coupling piece according to Claim 1, characterized in that the actuating device (22) displays two separate actuating means, in that each actuating means forms a pull cord (57, 58).
7. Coupling piece according to Claim 6, characterized in that each actuating means or each pull cord (57, 58) is fastened by its end opposite the actuating end to the middle part (31) of the locking bolt (21).
8. Coupling piece according to Claim 1, characterized in that the or each actuating means, for the creation of the pull cords (57, 58), is configured such that it is flexurally slack and/or flexurally elastic, especially as a rope (49) or as a rope-like cord.
9. Coupling piece according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least two crossbolts (32, 33) of the locking bolt (21) are of essentially identical configuration.
10. Coupling piece according to Claim 9, characterized in that the crossbolts (32, 33) are offset by approximately 90E to one another.
11. Coupling piece according to Claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the two actuating ends of the pull cords (57, 58) jut out of the same lateral face (53) of a counter-bearing (28) of the housing (20) and lie at equal distance away on opposite sides of a centre plane of the housing (20) running through the longitudinal centre axis (34) of the locking bolt (21).
12. Coupling piece according to Claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the locking bolt (21) displays a link plate (39; 65) situated in the housing (20) and having at least one stop face (44; 66, 67, 68) and the link plate (39; 65) is actively connected to a longitudinally displaceable, spring-loaded ram (38; 60) mounted in the housing (20).
13. Coupling piece according to Claim 12, characterized in that the spring-loaded ram (38; 60) is assigned a stop face (43; 62), which, in the locking position of both crossbolts (32, 33), corresponds with the stop face (44; 66) of the link plate (39, 65).

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