EP1534612B1 - Coupling piece for joining two containers that are stacked one atop the other, arrangement of stacked containers, and method for joining stacked containers using coupling pieces of this type - Google Patents

Abstract

A coupling piece for joining two containers (35, 36) that are stacked one atop the other, particularly onboard ships is provided. Such a coupling is provided at corner fittings (43, 44) and each include a stop plate (21) and a coupling projection (22, 23) on each side of the stop plate (21). A first coupling projection (22) can be placed on the corner fitting of one container (36) and the other coupling projection (23) is provided with a locking catch (28, 46, 54) for locking inside a corner fitting of the other container (35). The drawback that front-side openings in upper corner fittings (43, 44) of a container (36) are obstructed by a locking catch of the coupling piece, hindering the use of lashing means is overcome with the coupling piece locking catch (28, 46, 54), when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the containers (35, 36), being arranged laterally on the other coupling projection (23).

Description

The invention relates to a coupling piece for connecting two stacked containers, in particular on board ships, at their Eckbeschlägen, with a stop plate and a coupling projection on both sides of the stop plate, of which the first coupling projection is attachable to the corner fitting of a container and the another coupling projection is formed with a seen in the longitudinal direction of the container laterally arranged on the other coupling projection locking lug for locking in a corner fitting of the other container. Furthermore, the invention relates to an arrangement of stacked containers and method for connecting stacked containers with such dome pieces.

Such a coupling piece is from the DE 33 30 067 A1 known.

From the DE 298 11 460 U1 is a coupling piece, namely a so-called midlock, known, which serves for lashing containers as deck cargo on board ships, namely for connecting two stacked containers. The Midlock is used whenever two 20ft containers are placed in a 40ft container slot, on the container corner fittings on the facing ends of the 20ft container, one behind the other. Between the consecutive 20-foot containers results namely only a very narrow gap of about 76 mm, so that the arranged on these sides corner fittings and therefore also the Midlock are poorly accessible to the congestion staff. At the other, free end faces, the corner fittings are freely accessible. Here, so-called twistlocks are generally used, which are opened manually when unloading (deleting) the container from the jam staff. The container is then lifted, the midlocks by skewing the container from the corner fittings of the lower container slide.

When loading the container, the midlocks are first hung in the lower corner fitting of the upper container floating containers on land. For this purpose, in the case of older variants, hook-like lugs on a front side (the side facing the front side of the container in the longitudinal direction of the container) of the upper coupling projection are used. More modern variants, such as the in DE 298 11 460 U1 shown Midlock, have lateral projections on the upper coupling projection, which extend approximately parallel to the stop plate. These projections engage in the lower corner fitting of the upper container. The opposite, lower coupling projection has a locking nose on a front side. When depositing the upper container on the lower container already located on board the vessel then slides either the entire Midlock opposite the upper container or the entire upper container on a lower inclined surface of the locking lug forward or backward and engages in the further lowering of the container in the upper corner fitting of the lower container.

This midlock has the following disadvantage. Most often, on board ships, the rear container corner fitting in which a midlock is typically deployed is poorly accessible, as stated above. But there are also container ships in which at least at one part of the loading stations, or because not all loading stations are occupied, for attaching additional lashing, such as lashing bars, the containers are accessible. Here, however, no lashing in the upper corner fitting of the lower container can be struck in the known Midlocks, since the frontal opening is occupied because of engaging therein locking lug. That is why in the DE 100 04 359 A1 a special Einhakbeschlag a Lashing proposed that encompasses the locking lug conventional Midlocks. This hooking fitting has not previously been used in practice.

In the from the DE 33 30 067 A1 Known coupling piece of the type mentioned above, the lateral locking lug is laterally biased by means of springs. The lateral arrangement of the locking lug, the frontal bore of the corner fitting of the lower container remains freely accessible for lashing. The locking lug is associated with a conventional way for lashing containers on board ships anyway unused lateral opening of the corner fitting, where it therefore does not bother. When Ineingrifftreten of the known Coupling piece with the corner fitting of another container springs back the locking nose and locks automatically into the lower corner fitting. The disadvantage here is that a manual release of the coupling piece from the corner fitting is required. In addition, fouling or damaging the locking nose during jamming or erasing can lead to snagging.

On this basis, the invention is based on the problem of providing a coupling piece and an arrangement of stacked containers and a method for connecting stacked containers, in which an automatic unlocking of the coupling piece without manual intervention is possible.

To solve this problem, the coupling piece according to the invention is characterized in that the locking lug has at its top a sloping shoulder. The arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the containers are connected to each other at least at the corner fittings of a front side of the container, each with one of the coupling pieces according to the invention. According to the method of the invention, the upper container is pivoted when connecting and / or decoupling with the lower container about its vertical axis or, alternatively, offset laterally.

However, the coupling piece according to the invention as well as the arrangement according to the invention and the method offer a further advantage. As stated above, 20-foot containers are interconnected at 40-foot container loading locations by two different super-stacking fittings, one with two midlocks and the other with two twistlocks. On board the ship so different fittings must be kept. In addition, an inadvertently used instead of a midlock twistlock often can be difficult to solve. It has therefore been in the past efforts to create a universal fitting, a so-called universal lock (also called Unilock), which can be used universally in all positions. An example of such a universal lock is the subject of DE 101 05 785 A1 , The Universal Locks proposed so far have not really gained a foothold in practice. Furthermore, they have the disadvantage that for unloading (deleting) the container still the congestion staff at the accessible Containereckbeschlägen ("Twistlock position") must open the universal lock manually, so that the universal lock with the upper corner fitting of the lower container is unlocked.

To avoid this and to create an unlockable without the intervention of congestion staff dome piece, were in the DE 43 07 781 A1 and WO 01/76980 A1 so-called fully automatic machines proposed, in which movable locking elements are provided. These locking elements move by ship movements, in particular rolling movements, while driving and thereby lock the coupling piece with the upper corner fitting of the lower container. In the WO 01/76980 A1 is provided as a blocking element movable in a cage ball. In the DE 43 07 781 A1 It is proposed to use a pivoting clamp, which pivots depending on the position of the ship from one side to the other and so hooked under the slot of the upper corner fitting of the lower container. The locking elements are designed so that they automatically enter a rest position in a calm ship, ie in the harbor, in which they unlock the coupling piece with the upper corner fitting of the lower container, so that the upper container can be deleted.

A disadvantage of these automatic machines but that the movable locking elements are very sensitive, especially against contamination. These fully automatic machines are therefore very prone to failure even with good maintenance.

A trained according to the invention coupling piece can also be used as a fully automatic. One coupling piece is used in each of four lower corner fittings of the upper container. By using four identically formed coupling pieces, it is automatically obtained that the locking lugs in each case point in different directions at the "front" corner fittings on the one hand and the "rear" corner fittings on the other hand. When depositing the container thus prepared on the lower container, the container, in particular due to the design of the coupling pieces, slightly rotated about its vertical axis and the lower coupling projections of the coupling pieces snap with the locking lugs in the corner fittings of the lower container. As a result, a secure in ship movements locking the stacked containers is given. By rolling movements of the ship in the sea operation, the containers tilt in the transverse direction. One longitudinal side of the container is thereby subjected to pressure, while the opposite longitudinal side is loaded to train. The dome pieces on the pressure side of the container prevent the displacement of the entire container, so that the locking lug on the tension side can not get out of engagement with the upper corner fitting of the lower container and so safely transmits the tensile forces between the upper and lower containers on the tension side. Even in the bow area of a ship stacked containers in which may occur by pounding the ship under certain circumstances, that occur on all four coupling pieces tensile loads are kept safe. Due to the inertia of each upper container, this will not turn by itself relative to the respective lower container, so that even under these circumstances, a secure locking is given. To facilitate uncoupling, a sloping shoulder is disposed at the top of the locking nose.

The length of the other (lower) coupling projection is slightly smaller than the length of an associated elongated hole of the associated corner fitting of the other (lower) container according to a structural design of the invention. Accordingly, the maximum width of the locking lug should be slightly smaller than the width of the slot. The lower coupling projection then just fits just through the slot, which is completely sufficient for the desired coupling and uncoupling of the stacked containers; but counteracts an unintentional decoupling due to ship movements. This is further assisted when end edges of the other (lower) coupling projection have a contour that corresponds to the contour of the associated slot in this area. As a result, the coupling piece in the longitudinal direction only a very small game, so that the coupling piece blocked in the transverse direction. So there is a further improved security against displacement of the coupling piece in the transverse direction, so that the secure connection of the stacked container is further improved by means of the locking lug.

At the transition from the stop plate to the lower coupling projection, an insertion bevel should be arranged on the longitudinal side of the lower coupling projection facing away from the locking nose. After the coupling piece has been correctly positioned by the Einführkegel for insertion into the slot, now comes through further lowering of the upper container, the insertion be used. Due to the insertion be the dome piece is pressed namely by further lowering the upper container in the direction in which the locking lug shows, thereby causing the coupling of the upper container with the lower container (locking position). Further, the coupling piece has little play in the transverse direction of the container by the insertion, so that the locking lug always undercuts the slot of the upper corner fitting of the lower container. This is for another Improving a secure connection of the stacked containers taken care of each other.

The insertion slope has a corresponding to a chamfer on the upper slot of the upper container corner fitting angle and is thus fed in the slot. Alternatively, only the upper, facing the impact plate area corresponding to the length of the chamfer on the slot may be formed with a corresponding to the chamfer at the slot angle. Below this chamfer, a flatter course than the chamfer is then provided. As a result, the vertical distance between the locking lug and the stop plate can be reduced, whereby at the same time the vertical play of the coupling piece is reduced in the corner fitting. As a result, the lashing of the interconnected containers on board the ship is further increased.

According to a development of the coupling piece according to the invention, the locking lug against the lower coupling projection is formed transversely displaceable. When inserting the lower coupling projection in the upper slot of the upper corner fitting of the container, the locking lug against the lower coupling projection is pushed back and pushed back after insertion into the slot again by the force of a spring in the locking position. This variant is in very close on board containers advantageous since the containers now no longer need to be rotated about its vertical axis during loading due to the "evasive" locking lug.

To facilitate insertion of the lower coupling projection in the associated slot on the container corner fitting a Einführkegel is arranged according to a further structural embodiment of the invention below the locking lug. This Einführkegel tapers down so that the Einführkegel for the correct positioning of the lower coupling projection, and thus the entire coupling piece, provides for coupling.

Fig. 1

ein Kuppelstück mit den Erfindungsmerkmalen in Seitenansicht, teilweise geschnitten;

Fig. 2

das Kuppelstück gemäß Fig. 1 in Vorderansicht;

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung zweier Container beim Laden derselben, kurz vor dem Verriegeln;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung der Container beim Entladen kurz nach dem Entriegeln;

Fig. 5

ein Detail der Container beim Laden bzw. Entladen der Container;

Fig. 6

ein Detail der übereinander gestapelten Container im verriegeltem Zustand;

Fig. 7

eine schematische Darstellung zweier Container in Draufsicht während des Ver- und Entriegelns;

Fig. 8

eine schematische Draufsicht des unteren Containers im verriegelten Zustand;

Fig. 9

ein Ausführungsbeispiel für ein Kuppelstück, das nicht Teil der Erfindung ist, in Seitenansicht, teilweise geschnitten;

Fig. 10

das Kuppelstück gemäß Fig. 9 in Vorderansicht;

Fig. 11

zwei übereinander gestapelte Container mit einem Kuppelstück gemäß Fig. 9 beim Entladen kurz vor dem Entriegeln;

Fig. 12

ein Detail der Container gemäß Fig. 11 kurz vor dem Entriegeln in Seitenansicht;

Fig. 13

das Detail des Containers gemäß Fig. 12 in Vorderansicht;

Fig. 14

das Detail des Containers gemäß Fig. 12 in Draufsicht;

Fig. 15

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel für ein Kupplungsstück mit den Erfindungsmerkmalen in Vorderansicht;

Fig. 16

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel für ein Kupplungsstück mit den Erfindungsmerkmalen in Vorderansicht.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a coupling piece with the features of the invention in side view, partially cut;

Fig. 2

the coupling piece according to Fig. 1 in front view;

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of two containers when loading the same, just before locking;

Fig. 4

a schematic representation of the container during unloading shortly after unlocking;

Fig. 5

a detail of the containers when loading or unloading the containers;

Fig. 6

a detail of the stacked containers in the locked state;

Fig. 7

a schematic representation of two containers in plan view during the locking and unlocking;

Fig. 8

a schematic plan view of the lower container in the locked state;

Fig. 9

an embodiment of a coupling piece, which is not part of the invention, in side view, partially in section;

Fig. 10

the coupling piece according to Fig. 9 in front view;

Fig. 11

two stacked containers with a coupling piece according to Fig. 9 when unloading just before unlocking;

Fig. 12

a detail of the container according to Fig. 11 just before unlocking in side view;

Fig. 13

the detail of the container according to Fig. 12 in front view;

Fig. 14

the detail of the container according to Fig. 12 in plan view;

Fig. 15

a second embodiment of a coupling piece with the features of the invention in front view;

Fig. 16

a further embodiment of a coupling piece with the features of the invention in front view.

The in the Fig. 1 to 8 illustrated embodiments of a coupling piece according to the invention are particularly suitable as a so-called fully automatic 20, also referred to as Uni-Lock. The fully automatic machine 20 has a central stop plate 21 and upwardly and downwardly extending coupling projections 22 and 23, respectively. At the upper coupling projection 22 lateral projections 24, 25 are arranged, which engage behind a lower slot of a container corner fitting, so that they are positively locked within this corner fitting. To lock or unlock the upper coupling projection 22 in this container corner fitting is a locking piece 26 which can be pivoted by means of a hand lever 27 to the side in the plane of the stop plate 21. In that regard, the present fully automatic machine 20 is still a conventional midlock, such as in DE 298 11 460 U1 is shown and used like this Midlock in the lower corner fitting of the upper container of the congestion staff.

Since the upper slots on the upper corner fittings as well as the lower slots of the lower corner fittings in Normcontainer are always directed in the longitudinal direction of the container, the hand lever 27 are always the container front side (the door-front or the closed rear side) facing. The side of the hand lever 27 is therefore referred to in the context of this description and the claims as the front side V, the opposite side as the rear side R and the adjacent thereto, from the front side V to the back side R facing sides as longitudinal sides L.

The lower coupling projection 23 is formed in a special way. This coupling projection 23 has a projecting locking lug 28. As in Fig. 1 and 2 can be seen, the locking lug 28 is one of the two longitudinal sides L, namely as shown in FIG Fig. 2 assigned to the right longitudinal side L. The locking lug 28 is arranged laterally, so that one of the front sides of the container associated with the opening of the container corner fitting for hooking lashing remains free.

Below the locking lug 28 of the coupling projection 23 is provided with a downwardly directed Einführkegel 29. At the transition from the lower coupling projection 23 to the stop plate 21, an insertion bevel 30 is provided on the side facing away from the locking lug 28 longitudinal side L of the lower coupling projection 23. The insertion bevel 30 causes when inserting the fully automatic machine 20 in the upper corner fitting of the lower container, ie when discontinuing the upper container on the lower container, the respective fully automatic 20 in the representation according to Fig. 2 is moved to the right.

On the side of the lower coupling projection 23 opposite the insertion bevel 30, a chamfer 31 is provided at the transition from the coupling projection 23 to the stop plate 21. This chamfer 31 is provided primarily for strength reasons. As in Fig. 2 but recognizable, the chamfer 31 and the upper part of the insertion 30 corresponds exactly with a chamfer 32 on the slot 33 of the corner fitting.

The length l of the lower coupling projection 23 is only slightly smaller than the length of the slot 33. The width b of the locking lug 28 at its widest point is also only slightly smaller than the width of the slot 33. The projecting depth t of the locking lug 28 is thus only slightly smaller than the distance a of the side facing away from the locking lug 28 side surface of the coupling projection 28 of the associated inner wall of the elongated hole 33 (FIG. Fig. 2 ).

To facilitate unlocking, the locking lug 28 is formed with a shoulder 34 sloping outwardly. When lifting the upper container and thus the fully automatic machine 20, the shoulder 34 abuts against the underside of the container corner fitting, so that the fully automatic 20 in the illustration according to Fig. 2 is pressed to the left and so out of engagement with the slot 33 comes.

In the FIGS. 3 to 8 the loading and unloading of containers using the fully automatic machine 20 is shown. Fig. 3 shows a parked, for example, aboard ships container 35 to which a further container 36 is to be discontinued. The further container 36 is shown in the position just before locking on the lower container 35. As in Fig. 5 recognizable, the fully automatic machine 20 with the Einführkegel 29 on the upper edge of the slot 33 and is then by a movement of the entire upper container 36 by a longitudinal rotation of the container 36 about its vertical axis (see Fig. 7 , Arrow 37). The movement of the fully automatic machine is by the arrow combination 38 in 4 and 5 clarified. The front fully automatic machines 20 slide when locking due to the Einführkegels 29 first to the left (arrow 38.1), while the rear fully automatic 20 slide to the right. By further lowering the upper container 36, the fully automatic machine 20 initially lowers vertically (arrow 38.2). By further lowering the upper container 36, the front fully automatic machines 20 finally slide to the right (Arrow 38.3), while the rear automatic machines 20 slide analogously to the left in their respective locking position. Fig. 6 finally shows the containers 35, 36 in the fully locked position.

Fig. 4 shows analogously to Fig. 3 the upper container 36 shortly after unlocking during unloading (deletion) of the container 36. The container is in turn slightly rotated about its vertical axis relative to the lower container 35. The front fully automatic machines 20 slide upwards to the left according to arrow 40 in the illustration according to FIG 4 and FIG. 5 out of the slots 33, while the rear fully automatic 20 according to arrow 41 in Fig. 4 slide right out of the oblong holes 33 out. The container 36 thus rotates clockwise in accordance with arrow 42 in Fig. 7 during unloading. These directions according to the arrows 38, 40, 41, 42 arise because the front corner fittings 44 of the containers 35, 36 associated fully automatic 20 on the one hand and the locking lugs 28 of the rear corner fittings 43 associated fully automatic machine 20 on the other hand with their locking lugs 28 in opposite directions demonstrate.

In Fig. 8 is good to see that a front and rear end edge 39 of the fully automatic, more precisely the lower coupling projection 23, at least in the region of the slot 33 of the upper corner fitting 43, 44 of the lower container 35 has a contour corresponding to the contour of the elongated hole 33. Specifically, a circular arc-shaped contour is provided.

As far as accidentally the rear corner fittings 43 or the front corner fittings 44 associated with fully automatic machines 20 are used upside down once, this is not further tragic. The container 36 is then lowered or raised during the locking and unlocking a total of laterally offset. However, such a situation should be avoided by careful work by the congestion staff. As far as only one of the fully automatic machines is used upside down, so that the front corner fittings 44 and the rear corner fittings 43 associated locking lugs 28 facing each other or point away from each other, the container 36 can not lock at all. This falls on the congestion staff, so that the container can be raised again and the error can be corrected. A situation in any case, in which the fully automatic locks and then only very difficult unlocked and thus the container can not be unloaded, can not occur.

In the FIGS. 9 to 14 is a particular suitable as a Midlock 45 dome piece, which is not part of the invention shown. The Midlock 45 corresponds in its essential components to the fully automatic 20 according to Fig. 1 to 8 , so that comparable components in the FIGS. 9 to 14 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the FIGS. 1 to 8 , But how in Fig. 10 recognizable, also a laterally disposed locking lug 46 of the midlock 45 has no sloping shoulder on, but has an approximately horizontal top 47. An outer side wall 48 of the locking lug 46 is guided on the side facing away from the hand lever 27 obliquely inward, as this particular in Fig. 14 easy to recognize.

In the FIGS. 11 to 14 the unlocking of the upper container 36 from the lower container 35 is shown. First, a semiautomatic twistlock 49 inserted there is manually unlocked by the stevedores at the front, for the congestion staff freely accessible corner fittings 44 inserted there. Then the container 36 is raised with a container loading crane (arrow 50). The front corner fittings 44 of the containers 35, 36 lift from each other and the container 36 is tilted. This also tilted the Midlock 45, as particularly in Fig. 12 easy to recognize. Due to the oblique side wall 48 of the midlock 45 is now in the illustration according to Fig. 13 pressed to the left (arrow 51), whereby the locking lug 46 comes out of the slot 33 free.

The locking of the container 36 or the Midlocks 45 when loading the container 36, so when discontinuing the same on the lower container 35 is analogous to that of the FIGS. 1 to 8 explained fully automatic 20.

Fig. 15 shows an embodiment in which the insertion bevel 30 is first formed with a steeper chamfer 52. The angle of this chamfer (52) corresponds to the angle of the chamfer 32 at the slot 33 of the container corner fitting. Below this chamfer 52, the insertion bevel 30 merges into a chamfer 53 with a flatter angle with respect to the chamfer 52. This variant has the advantage that the vertical distance between the bottom of the stop plate 21 and the upper shoulder 34 can be shortened at the locking lug 28. This also results in a lower vertical clearance of the coupling piece. The security of the interconnected container is thus improved.

At the in Fig. 16 In the embodiment shown, the locking lug 54 is displaceable relative to the lower coupling projection 23. Specifically, the locking lug 54 slightly obliquely upward toward the Be inserted 30 be moved. This variant is advantageous if the stacked containers aboard ships are so close together that for loading and / or unloading the container when loading and / or unloading the container can not be rotated about its vertical axis. When settling the upper container 35 on the lower container 36, as previously, the Einführkegel 29 at the lower coupling projection 23 is inserted into the slot 33 first. Then sets a lower slope 56 on the chamfer 32 on the slot 33. As a result, the locking lug 54 is pressed back against the force of a spring 55 and comes in the Fig. 16 Strichniert drawn position. The lower coupling projection 23 can now slide in the slot 33. Then, the locking lug 54 is again pushed back by the force of the spring 55 to the starting position. The coupling is locked.

At the in Fig. 16 shown coupling piece 54 is concretely pushed back only when loading the container, so when inserting the lower coupling projection 23 into the slot 33. Due to the slightly obliquely inclined upward course of the displacement direction of the locking lug, which corresponds approximately to the angle of the upper shoulder 34, formed on the locking lug 54 during unloading a nearly perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the locking lug 54 force. When unloading the containers must therefore turn slightly. By this measure, but it is ensured that the stacked containers do not unlock themselves by forces acting on them in the sea state. Any difficulties that may arise when unloading the container from closely spaced containers will revert to safety during transport aboard ships. At the same time it can be seen that the course of the lower slope 56 relative to the displacement direction of the locking lug 54 is slightly larger than a right angle. This achieves optimum force on the locking lug 54 for pushing back during loading.

List of reference numbers :

20

fully automatic

21

stop plate

22

coupling projection

23

coupling projection

24

head Start

25

head Start

26

locking piece

27

hand lever

28

locking tab

29

lead-in chamfer

30

chamfer

31

chamfer

32

chamfer

33

Long hole

34

shoulder

35

Container

36

Container

37

arrow

38

arrow combination

39

front edge

40

arrow

41

arrow

42

arrow

43

Patch fitting

44

Patch fitting

45

midlock

46

locking tab

47

top

48

Side wall

49

twistlock

50

arrow

51

arrow

52

chamfer

53

chamfer

54

locking tab

55

feather

56

slope

a

distance

b

width

l

length

t

depth

V

front

R

back

L

long side

Claims (9)

1. Coupling piece for joining two containers (35,36), in particular on board ships, which are stacked one on top of the other at their corner fittings, comprising a stop plate (21) and a coupling projection (22,23) on each side of said stop plate (21), a first said coupling projection (22) being fixable on said corner fitting of one of the containers (36) and a second said coupling projection (23) being provided with a locking catch (28,46,54) for locking inside a corner fitting of the other of the containers (35), said locking catch, when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the containers (35,36), being arranged laterally on said second coupling projection (23), wherein the locking catch (28,46,54) exhibits a downwardly sloping shoulder (34) on its upper side.
2. Coupling piece according to claim 1, wherein the length (I) of said second coupling projection (23) is slightly shorter than the length of an elongated hole (33) of the associated corner fitting of the other container (35) and/or the maximum width (b) of said locking catch (28,46,54) is slightly less than the width of said elongated hole (33) of the associated corner fitting of the other container (35).
3. Coupling piece according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a lead-in chamfer (30) especially with an angle corresponding to the chamfer (32) on the elongated hole (33) of the container corner fitting is arranged on the long side (L) facing away from said locking catch (28,46,54) at the junction between said coupling projection (23) and said stop plate (21).
4. Coupling piece according to claim 3, wherein the lead-in chamfer (30) is formed with a first chamfer (52) corresponding to the chamfer at said elongated hole (33) and, under said elongated hole (33), a second chamfer (53) having an angle that is flatter compared to said chamfer (52).
5. Coupling piece according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the locking catch (54) is designed to be slidable against the coupling projection (23), especially against the force of a spring (55).
6. Coupling piece according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the coupling projection (23) possesses a lead-in taper (29) below the locking catch (28,46,54).
7. Arrangement of containers (35,36) stacked one on top of the other, particularly onboard ships, said containers being joined together with coupling pieces (20,45) at their corner fittings, wherein said containers (35,36) are joined together at least at the corner fittings of a front side of said containers (35,36) each with a coupling piece (20,45) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, in particular according to one of the claims 1 to 5.
8. Arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said locking catches (28) of said coupling pieces (20), which are assigned to the (front) corner fittings (43) on one of the front walls of said containers (35,36), when viewed in the longitudinal direction of said containers (35,36), point in a lateral direction, and said locking catches (28) of said coupling pieces (20), which are assigned to the (rear) corner fittings (44) on the other of the front walls of said containers (35, 36), point in the opposite direction.
9. Method for joining containers (35,36) stacked one on top of the other, particularly onboard ships, with coupling pieces (20,45) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the upper container (36) is rotated about its vertical axis or offset laterally during the coupling and/or uncoupling with the lower container, especially by means of the shape of the coupling pieces (20,45).

Images