EP1528014A2 - Self-locking and -releasing connector group - Google Patents

Abstract

The self-locking connector for marine freight containers is mounted in a corner mounting (84) on the upper container and has a catch (32) which protrudes from it. This is lowered into a mounting (100) on the container below and swivels until a hook (26) engages with the inside of the mounting.

Description

The invention relates to an automatically locking and releasing connection assembly according to the preamble of claim 1.

Freight, especially sea freight, are increasingly transported in containers. Such Standardized containers have at their eight corners hollow corner fittings, the inside over Slotted holes is accessible. For the safe stowage of containers on board ships the stacked corner fittings of stacked containers by means of Connection assemblies interconnected. Of great economic advantage though It is also advantageous in terms of safety at work when such connection assemblies when placing an upper container on a lower container the two containers automatically lock together and the unloadability of a container when unloading upper container from the lower container, for example by means of a loading crane, automatically release. This raises the problem that the containers are on a ship when this moved in heavy seas, on the one hand not allowed to separate from each other, on the other hand however, should be releasable from each other when an upper container is at rest, i. not rolling or pounding ship, is moved up from the lower container.

From the international patent application WO 01/76980 is an automatically locking and releasing Connecting assembly for connecting corner fittings of sea freight containers known, the above has a rotatable hammer head, which from below with a part of Connecting assembly in a corner fitting of a container is inserted, so that the Connecting assembly after turning the hammer head, the outer wall of the corner fitting between the hammer head and a peripheral flange of the connection assembly receives. At the bottom of the flange, a protruding sensing lever is formed, the Placing an upper container on a lower container and thereby inserting it a lower part of the connection assembly through the hole of the upper corner fitting the lower container comes into contact with the top of this corner fitting, at further Lowering of the upper container is pivoted against spring force and thereby over a Connecting mechanism locking members from the in the cavity of the corner fitting located bottom part of the connection assembly, which moves the hole of the corner fitting engage behind, so that the corner fittings are interconnected. Next, the Connecting assembly a cooperating with the locking mechanism locking device on which a mobility of the locking members back into the lower part of the Interlocking module locks in while the ship is in an inclined position or through rolling and / or pounding movements lateral accelerations on the locking mechanism be exercised. Although the known connection assembly leads to an extraordinary secure mutual attachment or locking stacked one above the other Sea freight containers that are reliable only when the ship is not inclined and not accelerating is released. However, the structure of the connection assembly is relatively complicated.

In a known generic self-locking and releasing connection assembly (fully automatic twist lock, TL-FA from Ships Equipment Center, Bremen) The hammer head of the connection assembly is also from below into the slot of a Bottom corner fitting of a container inserted from below, the connection assembly but then rotated a total of about 90 ° and by moving one to a flange of the Shaft area of the connecting assembly provided lever secured. The connection assembly is immovably connected in this way with the upper corner fitting. The on formed from the upper corner fitting projecting shaft portion of the connection assembly Holding head has a total of four functionally important inclined or guide surfaces. It ends down in two to the free end of the holding head converging inclined surfaces, one of which is below an edge of the elongated hole of the corner fitting in which the connection assembly hangs, is arranged and which slopes upwards over one in opposite directions extending holding surface merges into an axially extending surface, which is approximately below the edge the long hole runs. The other inclined surface at the front end of the holding head goes over an axially extending surface in a further inclined surface about, approximately in the area of opposite hole edge ends. If a container with in its lower corner fittings fastened and protruding from these connecting assemblies from above on one Container is lowered, for example, the crane ropes hanging upper container first twisted about a vertical axis when the one under the edge of a hole Sloping surfaces in contact with a corresponding edge of the slots of the lower container reach. When the holding head is sufficiently far in the upper corner fitting of the lower Container has moved in, stops the pivoting of the upper container and the container is pivoted opposite in its initial position, if the below the opposite Opening edge ending bevel in abutment with the opposite edge of the Langloches is coming. The upper container is thereby pivoted back and is finally closed aligned with the lower container, wherein the support surface one edge of the slot engages behind. When lifting the upper container from the lower container, the pivoting runs of the upper container relative to the lower container in the opposite direction. A Peculiarity of the known generic connection assembly is that for a mutual Fixing the containers by means of the connection assembly of the upper containers to the lower container must be pivoted, which is not always space. Furthermore There is no positive lock between the containers.

The invention is based on the object, an automatically locking and releasing connection assembly to connect in particular two sea freight containers, which at Simple construction, the two containers securely locked, with the container when lowering one another or removal from each other need not be mutually pivoted.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

The subclaims are based on advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention Directed connection assembly.

The claim 2 indicates the basic structural design of the invention Joint assembly.

With the features of claim 3 is a torsion-resistant mounting of the connection assembly reached.

The connection assembly is when inserting the holding head in the through hole of the lower component advantageously first pivoted in one direction and / or moved and then pivoted with the features according to claim 4 in the opposite direction and / or shifted, so that the holding surface the through hole of the lower component safely engages behind.

With the features of claim 5, a secure fit of the connection assembly between the attached to each other and preferably in the immediate mutual investment befmdlichen Achieved components, whereby the components are additionally held laterally immovable.

With the features of claim 6 it is achieved that the connection assembly during lowering of the upper component is securely moved to the lower component in its upright position.

Claims 7 and 8 indicate details of the locking mechanism.

Claims 9 and 10 are directed to features with which the handling safety the connection assembly is improved.

With the features of claim 11 it is achieved that the mobility of the locking member from his two containers locked mutually locked position manually is, so that the connection assembly the container regardless of external conditions securely attached to each other.

The claim 12 indicates an advantageous embodiment of the blocking device.

The invention is suitable for use wherever one with a through hole trained component to be attached to another component to which the connection assembly is pivotally mounted, wherein the pivoting of the connection assembly according to their insertion through the through hole is blocked.

The invention will be described below with reference to schematic drawings, for example, and with further details explained.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines Gehäuses der Verbindungsbaugruppe,

Fig. 2

einen Mittelschnitt durch das Gehäuse gem. Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht des Gehäuses gem. Fig. 1 und 2 von rechts,

Fig. 4

eine Aufsicht auf das Gehäuse gem. Fig. 1 bis 3,

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Gehäuses schräg von vorne und unten,

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht einer Sperreinrichtung,

Fig. 7

einen Mittelschnitt durch die Sperreinrichtung gem. Fig. 6 in auseinander gezogener Darstellung,

Fig. 8

eine Seitenansicht auf einen Verriegelungsmechanismus,

Fig. 9

eine Ansicht ähnlich Fig. 2 einer vollständig bestückten Verbindungsbaugruppe,

Fig. 10

eine in einen oberen Eckbeschlag eingesetzte Verbindungsbaugruppe während des Absenkens des oberen Eckbeschlags auf einen unteren Eckbeschlag,

Fig. 11

die Ansicht der Fig. 10 bei vollständig abgesenktem oberen Eckbeschlag,

Fig. 12

eine Seitenansicht auf einen Ausschnitt zweier aufeinander stehender Container,

Fig. 13

eine Frontansicht auf einen Ausschnitt der aufeinander stehenden Container,

Fig. 14

eine der Figur 8 ähnliche Ansicht eines Verriegelungsmechanismus mit modifiziertem Fühlhebel,

Fig. 15, 16

den Figuren 10 und 11 ähnliche Ansichten mit dem gemäß Figur 14 modifizierten Fühlhebel,

Fig. 17

eine Ansicht ähnlich der Figur 9 einer abgeänderten Ausführungsform der Verbindungsbaugruppe,

Fig. 18

eine Ansicht von links der Verbindungsbaugruppe gemäß Figur 14, geschnitten in der Ebene XV-XV

Fig. 19-21

Einzelteile der Verbindungsbaugruppe gemäß Figuren 14 und 15,

Fig. 22

eine Ansicht ähnlich der Figur 15 einer weiteren abgeänderten Ausführungsform einer Verbindungsbaugruppe,

Fig. 23, 24

verschiedene Ansichten eines Handhabungshebels der Ausführungsform gemäß Figur 22, und

Fig. 25

eine Ansicht ähnlich der Figur 22 in einer abgeänderten Stellung des Hebels.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1

a side view of a housing of the connection assembly,

Fig. 2

a central section through the housing gem. Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

a view of the housing acc. 1 and 2 from the right,

Fig. 4

a view of the housing gem. 1 to 3,

Fig. 5

a perspective view of the housing obliquely from the front and below,

Fig. 6

a side view of a locking device,

Fig. 7

a central section through the locking device acc. 6 in exploded view,

Fig. 8

a side view of a locking mechanism,

Fig. 9

2 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a fully assembled connection assembly;

Fig. 10

a connector assembly inserted into an upper corner fitting during lowering of the upper corner fitting to a lower corner fitting;

Fig. 11

10 is the view of the fully lowered upper corner fitting,

Fig. 12

a side view of a section of two standing containers,

Fig. 13

a front view of a section of the stacked containers,

Fig. 14

8 similar view of a locking mechanism with modified feeler lever,

Fig. 15, 16

Figures 10 and 11 are similar views with the modified according to Figure 14 sensing lever,

Fig. 17

a view similar to Figure 9 of a modified embodiment of the connection assembly,

Fig. 18

a view from the left of the connection assembly of Figure 14, cut in the plane XV-XV

Fig. 19-21

Individual parts of the connection assembly according to FIGS. 14 and 15,

Fig. 22

a view similar to Figure 15 of a further modified embodiment of a connection assembly,

Fig. 23, 24

various views of a handling lever of the embodiment of Figure 22, and

Fig. 25

a view similar to Figure 22 in a modified position of the lever.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a connector assembly has a total denoted by 2 Housing containing a shaft portion 4, which at one end in a hammer head. 6 and ends at the other end in a holding head 8. The dimensioning of the housing is such that the hammer head 6 can be inserted from below into a slot of a sea freight container is, and after turning by about 90 ° with contact surfaces 10 and 12, an edge of a slot engages, which is formed in a corner fitting of a sea freight container. The measure s of the upper portion of the shaft portion 4 gem. Fig. 1 is smaller than the width of a slot a corner fitting of a sea freight container. With respect to the axial direction A are the contact surfaces 10 and 12 offset by a measure d against each other.

An upper region 14 of the shank region 4 merges via a flange 16 projecting over the shank region with a triangular cross section into a lower region 18 which merges into the holding head 8.
In the example shown, an axial surface 22 formed on the left side on the region 18 is slightly offset inwards at its projection on the flange opposite the corresponding outer surface of the upper region 14 and ends in accordance with FIG. Fig. 1 below approximately in alignment with the corresponding outer surface of the upper portion, which is parallel to the axial direction AA. The at the gem. Fig. 1 formed on the right side of the lower portion 18 surface begins at the flange 16 with respect to the corresponding outer surface of the upper portion outwardly offset and forms a first to the axial direction slightly inclined guide surface 24th

The holding head 8 has a holding surface extending obliquely outward from the outer surface 22 26, from the outer end of an oppositely beveled guide surface 28 for gem. Fig. 1 lower end 30 of the holding head 8 leads. The lower end forms a peak and goes via an inclined surface 32 in the guide surface 24 via.

Through the housing 2, a hole 34 passes through, the task will be explained later.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, a cavity or cavity is located in the interior of the shaft region. a generally designated 36 recess formed, which extends into the interior of the Hammer head 6 extends and from the another recess 38 emanating through extends the hammer head 6 therethrough upwards. The task of these recesses 36 and 38 will be explained below.

Fig. 3 shows the housing acc. Fig. 1 and 2 in a view from the left. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the shaft region is offset relative to the center of the flange 16 and has in its lower region webs 39 which extend obliquely upward from a lower vertex and enter the flange 16 vertically.

As can be seen from FIG. 9, a feeler lever 42 is mounted in the recess 36 with the aid of a bolt 40 guided through the hole 34 and is biased counterclockwise by a spring 44. The feeler lever has a gem. Fig. 5 right-hand arm, which ends in a sensing region 46, and an upwardly extending arm 48 which is pivotally connected to a locking member 50, the from a lateral opening 51 (Fig. 2) in the upper end of the shaft portion 4 after is movable out of the left.
In the recess 38 of the hammer head 6 (Fig. 2), a locking device 52 is arranged, the structure of which is explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

The locking device 52 has a housing with an upper part 54 and a lower part 56, in which a plunger 58 is slidably guided. The plunger 58 has a shaft 60 and a Head 62 up. The top of the head 62 forms a concave surface 64, on which in vertical Position of the plunger 58 a forming a mass body ball 66 automatically in the Center moves.

The tappet 58 facing inside 68 of the upper part 54 is corresponding to the concave Surface 64 is convex and has a recess 70 in the center. Between the plunger 58 and the upper part, a spring 72 is arranged.

In the assembled state of the locking device 52, in which the upper part 54 and the lower part 56 are rigidly connected to each other and the shaft 60 protrudes downward from the housing, the distance between the concave surface 64 and the inner surface 68 is approximately equal to that Diameter of the ball 66, so that the ball when on the locking device 52 a lateral acceleration acts, or the locking device is tilted from the vertical, in the space between the concave surface 64 and the inside 68 can move. In this case, a movement of the plunger 58 is locked upwards. When the ball 66 opposes is located in the center of the concave surface 64, the plunger 58 against the force of the spring 72nd are pushed upward, with the ball 66 moves into the recess 70. As in particular also in FIG. 8, which shows the feeler lever 42 and the locking member 50, it can be seen that is formed in the locking member 50, a recess 74, in which the front End of the ram 58 can protrude.

The assembly of the described connection assembly is as follows:

In the housing 2, which may be formed in total as a one-piece casting, the Spring 44 used. Subsequently, the assembly of locking member 50 and lever 42 inserted by the bolt 34 is inserted through the hole 34, the lever 42 stores. The locking member 50 is not laterally from the shaft portion. 4 out. In the recess 38, the locking device 52 is inserted and by means of a per se known device, such as a screw cap, snap ring, etc. secured. Preferably a protective cap is attached so that no dirt, water or water from above Similar can penetrate.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 5, which shows a perspective view of the housing 2 shows the upper shaft portion 4 in the transition region between its on the side of Holding surface 26 lying outer surface and its visible in Fig. 5 web 39 facing Outer surface in a region 76 above the bridge to just below the hammer head. 6 rounded so that above the rounded portion 76 a corner or nose 78 are remains at which the respective outer surfaces of the shaft portion 4 in an edge or with a small Radius of curvature merge.

The visible in Fig. 5 rounded portion 76 diagonally opposite portion 76th (Fig. 4) is preferably also rounded, but without the nose 78 formed.

The following explains the function of the connection board:

The entire connection assembly 82 is placed in a lower corner casting 84 (Figure 10) of an upper container 86 (Figures 12 and 13) through its lower slot 88 pushed through and then rotated by 90 °. This will be the connection assembly raised so that the lugs 78 are located above the edges of the slot 88. During subsequent lowering, the noses are flush with the longitudinal edges of the elongated hole 88, so that a rotation of the connection assembly is locked. The contact surfaces 10, 12 (in Fig. 1) of the hammer head 6 engage behind the slot 88 and are the inside 90 of the corner fitting 84 at. Because of the axial offset of the contact surfaces 10 and 12 to the Dimension d (Figure 1), the connection assembly 82 does not hang vertically in the upper corner fitting 84, but its axial direction A forms with the vertical S an angle α of, for example about 8 ° when the dimension d is about 10 mm.

When a container 86 equipped with connecting assemblies 82 in its corner fittings 84, aligned with a lower container 92 is lowered onto this, the guide surface passes 28 of the holding head 8 in contact with an inclined surface 94 of the elongated hole 86 of a lower Corner fitting 88, so that the holding head 8 while moving the connecting assembly 82nd according to the figures in total to the right and / or change of the tilt (angle α) through the slot 96 into the cavity 98 of the corner fitting 100 of the lower container 92 is introduced. This right-hand shift is possible because the beveled surface 32 of the holding head 8 is offset far enough axially inwardly. Once the top of the Bevel 32 during further lowering of the corner fitting 84 in contact with the corresponding right-hand inclined surface 94 of the elongated hole 96 comes or the guide surface 24 of the Shaft portion 4 comes into contact with the inner wall of the slot 96, the connection assembly 82 shifted to the left and / or erected with reduction of the angle α. Upon further lowering of the upper corner fitting 84, the outer surfaces of the Flange 16 in abutment with the inclined surfaces 94 of the elongated hole 86 until the flange 16 finally when fully lowered to the lower corner fitting 100 upper corner fitting 84 taken between the corresponding inclined surfaces 94 of the slots 88 and 96 and the connection assembly 82 is oriented vertically. The advantage here is a crowned Training of gem. Fig. 1 and 2 right lower inclined surface 102 of the flange 16, through the tilting of the connection assembly 82 in the vertical position is supported. The Dimensioning is such that when fully lowered corner fitting 84 (FIG. 11), the contact surface 12 of the hammer head 6 slightly from the inside 90 of the upper corner fitting 76th is removed. As can be seen, engages with fully lowered corner fitting 84, the support surface 26, the slot 96 of the corner fitting 100th

The sensing region 46 of the sensing lever 42 (Figure 9) is configured to be at rest of the sensing lever 42 projects downwardly beyond the flange 16, so that an outer surface of the Fühlbereichs 46 comes into contact with the inclined surface 94 of the slot 96, before the Flange 16 itself comes into contact with the inclined surfaces 94. When further lowering the upper corner fitting 76, the feeler lever 42 is tilted in the counterclockwise direction, wherein the Locking member 50, as shown in Fig. 11, moved out of the shaft portion 4 to the left is and in due to the dimension d (Fig. 1) between the contact surface 10 and the corresponding inner space 90 formed gap passes.

When fully lowered to the lower corner fitting 100 upper corner fitting 84, wherein Game between the contact surface 12 and the corresponding counter surface or inside 90th exists, the sensing area 46 is aligned approximately with the contour of the flange 16, which between the standardized inclined surfaces 94 of the corner fittings is held.

The thickness of the locking member 50 corresponds approximately to the dimension d (FIG. 1), so that between This and the inside 90 is also a game that is about the game between the Contact surface 12 and the inside 90 corresponds and preferably smaller than d. Overall is the extent to which the corner fitting 84 upwardly from the corner fitting 100 when extended Locking pin 50 can be lifted, preferably less than about 12 mm.

In its extended locking position gem. 11, the locking member 50 is so moved far to the left that the spring biased ram 58 of the locking device 52nd moved into the recess 74 and a displaceability of the locking member 50 so locks long as the mobility of the ram 58 is locked. This is, as explained, always the case when the locking device 52 is not in a vertical position or laterally is accelerated so that the upper corner fitting 84 at the lower corner fitting 100 in the locked corresponding states, since the support surface 26, the slot 96 engages behind and this engagement is ensured because the connection assembly 82 can not tilt.

If the corner fitting 84 in upright floating and not laterally accelerating Ship, i. lifted at shared mobility of the plunger 58 upwards, so is the Arm 48, while lifting the upper corner fitting 84, the game between the contact surface 12 and the inside 90 of the upper corner fitting 84 is used up by the spring 44 pivoted in the clockwise direction, wherein the locking member 50 by overpressing the Stößels 58 is moved into the shaft area and the tiltability of the connection assembly 82 is released, so that the holding head 8 when further lifting the corner fitting 84 in reverse order of the described movements from the slot 96 can be moved out.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic longitudinal section through with its corner fittings 84 and 100 stacked containers 86 and 92, with the left side of the door and right the front of the container. In the figure, the two Eckbeschlagpaare are enlarged for clarity located. As can be seen, the webs 39 (FIG. 3) are advantageously designed in such a way that that they fit flush in the slot, i. a shifting of the connection module prevent relative to the slot in the longitudinal direction of the slot, even if the Joint assembly under construction of a game between the support surface 26 and the opposite Inside the cavity 28 of the lower corner fitting 100 and the game between the contact surface 12 and the inner side 90 of the upper corner fitting 84 slightly upward moves and the flange 16 is released from the inclined surfaces 94. As shown in FIG. 12 next it can be seen that the connection assemblies 82 are installed mirror-inverted on the left and right sides, so that because of on one side small distance between the hammer head and the inside of the corner fitting additional security against lateral displacement is given and from the other side for the introduction of the additional lashing Serving components in the lower corner fitting of the upper container plenty of space to Verfiigung stands.

Fig. 13 shows a cross section through the stacked corner fittings of the upper container 86 and lower container 92. As can be seen, the two connection assemblies are 82, which are opposite to one side of the container, installed in the same direction. Of the Lower shaft portion 18 is with respect to its dimensioning in the transverse direction of the elongated hole 96 formed so that it is in a vertical position of the connection assembly substantially no relative movement between the connection assembly and the lower corner fitting 100 in the lateral direction of the elongated hole 96 permits, whereas the upper shaft portion 4 (Fig. 1) with respect to the wide dimension of the elongated hole 88 because of the tiltability of Connecting assembly 82 when extending and retracting into the lower slot 96 with undersize is formed, so that a slight Relativverschiebbarkeit between the upper shaft portion 4 and the corner fitting 84 is given if the upper corner fitting 84 from the bottom Corner fitting 100 should lift off temporarily. The vertical game is less than that Height of the inclined surfaces 94, allowing the Relativverschiebbarkeit the container through the plant the oblique surfaces of the flange 16 at which the slots is limited and the upper Container again in its defined aligned starting position on the bottom Container settles.

Characterized in that the flange 16 is received between the inclined surfaces 94 of the slots 88 and 96 is, the corner fittings 84 and 100 of the containers are directly adjacent to each other, so that over known connection assemblies in which stacked containers support each other via flanges of the connection assemblies, a lower stack height is achieved. This is for the stability of the container advantageous, but increases In particular, the stability of a ship, as the stack height of the container decisive influence has the top-heaviness of a ship.

The assemblies according to the invention can not only for the mutual, under predetermined Conditions automatically locking and releasing fastening of containers to each other can be used just as well for fixing a container a railway wagon, a truck or any other surface to be used with Is provided receptacles into which the connection assembly similar to the corner fittings 100th gem. Fig. 10 and 11 can be inserted.

The assembly according to the invention can be modified in many ways. She can in at be formed in a known manner with a flange over which the corner fittings the container support each other. The locking device 52 may lock with others Be provided facilities. The arrangement, design and connection of the feeler lever with The locking member can be done in different ways. The contouring or External shape of the connection assembly can be modified in many ways, wherein in the figures partly already different contours are shown (see. Fig. 2 and Fig. 9). Changed contouring and design of the connection assembly must meet the basic functions of the invention, namely pivoting and preferably also displaceability of the connection assembly attached to the upper corner fitting, Importability of the holding head in the lower corner fitting under tilting the Connection assembly in a predetermined position in which a holding surface the hole edge of the engages behind the lower corner fitting, and locking the pivoting in the presence of predetermined Conditions.

In the following, with reference to the figures 14, 15 and 16, a further development or modification the previously described connection assembly explained.

According to FIG. 14, which is largely identical to FIG. 8, the feeler lever 42 is to this effect modified to have a projection 104 different from that of the locking member 50 protruding side of the sensing lever 42 protrudes.

With this projection 104, according to FIG. 15, the following is achieved:

When the connection assembly 82 from below into the slot 88 of the corner fitting 84th pushed in and then twisted, allowing it through the connecting opening engaging behind hammer head 6 in an inclined position within the corner fitting 84th is held, the projection 104 of the sensing lever 42 is in contact with the wall of the slot 88, wherein the sensing lever 42 advantageously in the free-hanging position of the connection assembly 82 is pivoted slightly counter to the force of the spring 44 in the counterclockwise direction, without the locking member 50 already protruding from the shaft portion 4. The from the lead 104 facing away from the outer surface of the shaft portion 4 is by the against the force of Spring 44 was pivoting the feeler lever 42 in contact with the adjacent wall of the Langloch 88 urged so that the connection assembly 82 without play and captive in the Corner fitting 84 is held or depends on this.

The elastic pivoting of the sensing lever 42 against the force of the spring 44 at the free Corner fitting 84 suspended connection assembly 82 is not mandatory. By the projection 104 is achieved that the free hanging at the corner fitting 84 connecting assembly 42 given displacement in the plane of the drawing is kept to a minimum, so that the connection assembly 42 is lost and secured against rotation in a well-defined position on the connection assembly 84 hangs.

Particularly advantageous is the formation of the feeler lever 42 with the projection 104 in connection with the or the anti-rotation through the nose (s) 78, which explained with reference to FIG 5 has been.

Reference to the figures 17 to 21, a further development of the previously described Connection assembly described with which it is possible, the automatic solvability of two Manually block each other standing container. This is a manually operated blocking device provided by means of the locking member 50 in its extended Position (position shown in Figure 11) can be locked.

Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 9, Figure 15 shows the connection assembly according to FIG. 17 in the view from the left of the section XV-XV in FIG. 14. FIGS. 19 to 21 show items of the blocking device.

According to Figure 18, the holding head 8 is formed with a transverse bore 110, which according to FIG 19 is stepped in its right end portion and in its left end to a room 112 is extended.

In the transverse bore 110, a bolt 114 is received, at its left end a radially projecting nose 116 is formed, by means of which the bolt 114 in the transverse bore 110 is held non-rotatably and axially movable. At the left end of the bolt 114 is on bolt-fixed pin 118, a control lever 120 is pivotally held by the pins 118 in Engage slots 122 of the operating lever 120.

On the right end of the bolt 114, a spring 124 is pushed, which is located at the stage of Transverse bore 110 and a screwed onto the bolt 114 nut 126 is supported.

A bearing opening 128 (FIG. 17) of the sensing lever 42 has a cross-section which corresponds to that of the Bolts 110 in the area of the nose 116 corresponds.

The operating lever 120 is bent at its left end and ends in a widened Flange 130 (FIG. 21, which shows a view of the operating lever according to FIG. 15 from the left), which flange 130 is formed such that it has a projection 132 of the holding head. 8 can engage.

The function of the described arrangement is as follows:

Assuming first, the operating lever 120 is in the counterclockwise direction according to FIG pivoted. In this case, a lower approach 134 reaches the right end of the operating lever 120 in abutment with the edge of the transverse bore 110, so that the bolt 114 against the force of Spring 124 is pulled to the left and moved in his compared to Figure 15 to the left Position can be locked by locking the flange 130 on the projection 132. In this Position is the nose 116 outside the bearing opening 128 of the feeler lever 42, so that this free is pivotable and the connection assembly functions as a fully automatic assembly, as described above.

When the operating lever 120 is released from its latched position on the projection 132, is the bolt 114 of the spring 124 while pivoting the operating lever 120 in the clockwise direction moves to the right according to FIG. In this case, the nose 116 in the corresponding with Move cross-trained bearing opening 128 of the feeler lever in when the Lever is pivoted to its locked position (Figure 11) according to Figure 17 to the left, so that the pivoting of the feeler lever 42 by the engagement between the nose 116 and the bearing opening 128 is locked. The connection assembly then locks the two by means the connecting assembly attached to each other corner fittings captive with each other.

The operating lever 120 is freely accessible in a corner fitting hanging connection assembly and is at two corner fittings interconnecting connection assembly by a slot in the lower corner fitting accessible. Thus, by pressing the operating lever 120 a connection assembly between fully automatic operation (operating lever 120 locked on the projection 132) and blocking operation (operating lever 120 not on the projection 132nd locked).

In the blocking position, a plurality of superimposed containers together of lifted and put into action by crane. The blocking position can be adjusted by pivoting of the operating lever 120 are released into the locked release position, so that subsequently the lower container stops.

The blocking device can be modified in many ways. There can be several Noses 116 may be present (Figure 19 shows two opposite noses). critical is that the cross section of the bolt 114 is out of round and the cross section of the bearing opening 128th is correspondingly out of round, so that the two non-circular cross-sectional sections mutually engaged can be brought. Furthermore, it is possible to design the blocking device in such a way that that not the pivoting of the feeler lever 42, but directly the displaceability the locking member 50 or the mobility of the plunger 58 of the locking device 52nd is blocked.

FIGS. 22 to 25 schematically show a modified embodiment of a blocking device, when in the in Figures 22 and 25 to the left open space of the holding head 8, a lever 140 is mounted. The storage of the lever via a slot 142, through which engages an unillustrated, secured in the hammer head pin through. The lever 140 is provided with lateral arms 142 for ease of use.

Figure 22 shows the lever 140 in a position in which it does not engage in the sensing lever 42, so that the connection assembly 82, as described with reference to Figures 1 to 13, fully automatic works. FIG. 25 shows the lever 140 in a position in which it enters the feeler lever 42 engages, wherein the engagement is such that the pivotability of the sensing lever 42 in the Position is blocked according to Figure 11, whereby the connection assembly 2 via them together fixed corner fittings securely locked each other.

The blocking device described, with the automatic of a connection module can be blocked, not only used in connection assemblies of the type described but in all types of automatic connection assemblies whose automatic function (Self-releasability of two via the connection assembly with each other connected corner fittings in the presence of predetermined conditions) by blocking a Component or moving a component can be locked in a blocking position, for example also connection assemblies, as described in the European patent EP 1 268 311 B1 are described, or even connection assemblies whose automatic function without a movable Part of the connection assembly itself is achieved. Accordingly reserves the Applicant before, the blocking device to the subject of a separate patent application do.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

casing

4

shaft area

6

hammerhead

8th

holding head

10

contact surface

12

contact surface

14

Area

16

flange

18

Area

22

outer surface

24

guide surface

26

holding surface

28

guide surface

30

The End

32

sloping surface

34

hole

36

recess

38

recess

39

web

40

bolt

42

lever

44

feather

46

sensing region

48

poor

50

locking member

51

opening

52

locking device

54

top

56

lower part

58

tappet

60

shaft

62

head

64

concave surface

66

Bullet

68

inside

70

recess

72

feather

74

recess

76

Area

78

nose

82

joint assembly

84

Patch fitting

86

upper container

88

Long hole

90

inside

92

lower container

94

sloping surface

96

Long hole

98

cavity

100

Patch fitting

102

sloping surface

104

head Start

110

cross hole

112

room

114

bolt

116

nose

118

spigot

120

operating lever

122

Long hole

124

feather

126

mother

128

bearing opening

130

head Start

132

head Start

134

approach

140

lever

142

Long hole

144

poor

Claims (12)

Self-locking and releasing connection assembly for connecting two components, at least one of which has a through-hole (96), in particular for connecting two corner fittings of sea freight containers,
which connection group can be fastened to one of the components (84) and has a holding head (8) which is movable through the through hole (96) when the component is lowered onto the other of the components (100) and engages behind it with a holding surface (26) .
characterized in that
the connecting assembly (82) is pivotally supported on the one component (84) and is pivoted through the through hole (96) upon movement of the holding head (8), and
in that the connection assembly has a device (42, 50, 52) with which the pivotability in the state in which the holding surface (26) engages behind the through-hole can be blocked in the presence of predetermined conditions. A connection assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a shaft portion (4) terminating at one end in a hammer head (6) and at the other end in the holding head (8)
the hammer head has two contact surfaces (10, 12), of which a first contact surface (10) formed on the side of the connecting assembly on which the holding surface (26) is formed has a greater distance from the holding head in the axial direction of the hammer head a second abutment surface (12) formed on the other side of the connection assembly, such that after insertion of the hammer head through a slot (88) of the one component (84) and twisting with respect to an axial direction (A) of the connection assembly, the connection assembly is inclined to the one component hangs,
the shank region is formed with at least one guide surface (32, 24) which, when placed against the lower one of the components (100) to be interconnected and further lowered on the upper of the components (84), aligns the axial direction of the connection assembly approximately perpendicularly with a spacing between the first abutment surface (10) of the hammer head and a mating surface (90) of the one component is at least as large as the difference (d) of the distances of the abutment surfaces from the end (30) of the holding head,
a locking mechanism (42, 50), which moves a locking member (50) in the space between the first abutment surface (10) and the counter surface (90) of the upper member (84) when lowering the upper member to the lower component, and
a locking means (52) which blocks movement of the locking member out of the gap at a distance of the two interconnected components from each other when tilted beyond a predetermined amount out of a normal position about a horizontal axis or accelerated with a horizontal component. A connector assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the shank portion (4) is formed in a reduced cross-section portion (76) which permits rotation of the shank portion in the slot (88) of the one member and the reduced cross-section portion via a tab (78) merges into the hammer head (6), which nose after rotation of the connecting assembly and lowering the contact surfaces (10, 12) of the hammer head in abutment against a counter surface (80) of the one component (84) forms an anti-rotation. Connecting assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that on the side facing away from the holding surface (26) side of the connecting assembly on the shank region (4) has a tapered guide surface (32, 24) which when applied to the wall of the through hole (96 ) of the lower component (100) shifts the obliquely suspended connection assembly and / or pivoted in the direction of a vertical position. Connecting assembly according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that a projection of the shaft portion (4) is formed as a flange (16) whose cross-section corresponds approximately to a cross-section which in superimposed components (84, 100) by bevelled edges (94 ) is formed by the through holes (88, 96). Connecting assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the flange (16) in a second abutment surface (12) adjacent region (102) is formed crowned on its side facing away from the second abutment surface side. Connecting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking mechanism has a with the locking member (50) cooperating sensing lever (42), which comes when lowering the upper member (76) on the lower component (88) in abutment with the lower component and thereby is moved so that the locking member is moved to a locking position in the space between the first bearing surface (10) and the counter surface (90) of the upper member (84). Connecting assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the locking member (50) has a recess (74), in which in locking position befindlichem in its locking member, a plunger (58) protrudes the locking device whose mobility is locked in blocking locking device (52). Connecting assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sensing lever (42) on an outer side a projection (104) which at obliquely on the one component (84) hanging connecting assembly (82) at least approximately in contact with a wall the slot (88) of this component (84). Connecting assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that the projection (104) is at an angle to the one component (84) hanging connecting assembly (82) due to the spring force in elastically resilient contact with the wall of the elongated hole (88). Connecting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the mobility of the locking member (50) from the intermediate space is manually lockable. A connection assembly as claimed in claims 7 and 9, characterized in that a manually operable blocking member (114; 140) is provided for blocking the sensing lever (42) in a position in which the locking member (50) is in the gap.

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