EP1950152A2 - Coupling piece for a detachable connection of containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The coupling piece has a housing (10), and a locking bolt (11) rotatably supported at the housing, where the housing has two housing halves that are detachably connected with each other and are assembled at a separation plane. The housing halves are detachably connected through a longitudinal unit that runs parallel to the separation plane and/or to a longitudinal center axis (17) of the locking bolt. One of the housing halves has a projection (22) provided opposite to the separation plane.

Description

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

Dome pieces of the type mentioned are commonly referred to in the jargon as "twist locks". These dome pieces are mainly used to connect containers to be transported on board ships. This should prevent relative displacement of the containers during ship transport. It is also conceivable to use such coupling pieces for attachment of containers or other objects on or in land vehicles (trucks, rail vehicles) or aircraft.

Are known coupling pieces that are manually locked and unlocked. In order to minimize the manual activities for locking and unlocking the coupling pieces, so-called semi-automatic coupling pieces, which must automatically lock and manually only be unlocked, but also fully automatic coupling pieces are used. The invention relates to all types of coupling pieces, ie manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic coupling pieces.

All types of coupling pieces addressed here usually have a two-part housing. Through the center of the housing rotates a rotatably mounted therein Locking bolt. The two housing halves are assembled in a parting plane, which usually extends approximately centrally through the housing and lies on the longitudinal central axis of the locking bolt. This parting plane does not necessarily have to be a two-dimensional surface in the strictly geometrical sense; it can also be partially offset, so that the parting plane can also be spatially or three-dimensionally formed.

The connection of the housing halves of known coupling pieces is carried out by extending transversely through the parting plane screw, bolts and nuts. The dome pieces are exposed, especially when used on ships harsh environmental conditions, especially salty air or salt water. As a result, the screw connections tend to corrode. The result is that the screw connections can no longer be loosened when the coupling piece has to be repaired, which usually requires disassembly of the housing halves. Therefore, known dome pieces are virtually irreparable when it comes to replacing damaged parts inside the housing.

The invention has for its object to provide a coupling piece of the type mentioned that even with prolonged use allows a simple disassembly of the housing halves.

A coupling piece to solve this problem has the features of claim 1. Characterized in that the housing halves are connected by extending parallel to the parting plane and / or to the longitudinal central axis of the locking bolt elongated means, screw connections are unnecessary because the elongated means connect the housing halves form-fitting and only transverse direction are claimed shear and therefore only by simple fuses against falling out the receiving holes must be secured in the housing halves. The fuses can be easily removed even after prolonged use of the dome pieces, whereby the means for connecting the housing halves to open the housing can be easily disassembled at any time.

According to a preferred embodiment of the coupling piece is provided that at least one housing half opposite the parting plane has protruding projections which engage in corresponding recesses of the at least other housing half. This results in a kind of toothing between the housing halves in the region of the parting plane. Through this gearing extend the elongated Means and thereby bring about a positive connection of the housing halves. By this positive connection of the housing halves, the elongated means are only transversely stressed shear, but not in the longitudinal direction, which is unnecessary after a long time difficult to loosen screw connections.

Preferably, the elongated means for releasably connecting the housing halves extend through both housing halves, preferably by receptacles in the one housing half and in the projections in the other housing half. The receptacles for the elongated means are thus alternately in the different housing halves for effective positive connection of the two housing halves by the elongated means.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for releasably connecting the housing halves are designed as pin-like bolts. Such bolts can be inserted to connect the housing halves through the receptacles in the housing halves. The smooth outer surfaces having pin-like bolts do not require a thread for connecting the housing halves, which could corrode and therefore to - if at all - only allows a costly loosening of the housing halves. The pin-like bolts hold the housing halves together in a form-fitting manner and need only be secured in the axial direction against displacement in the receptacles, preferably bores, of the housing halves. Such fuses can be easily solved even with corroded coupling pieces.

The longitudinal axes of all bolts extend in a preferred embodiment of the coupling piece parallel to the parting line. Expediently, the longitudinal axes of the bolts extend at a parallel distance from the parting plane through a housing half. As a result, the receptacles for the bolts in the projections and recesses of different housing halves can be located next to the parting plane and thus bring about a form-fitting, toothed connection of the housing halves outside of the parting plane.

The axial securing of the bolts in the preferably designed as bores receptacles in the housing halves can be done in various ways. In the simplest case, one end of the respective bolt receiving bore is closed or constricted, while the bore for the opposite end of each bolt is provided with a positive fixation. In the simplest case, this positive fixing can be achieved by the fact that after insertion of the bolt the caulked by this area of the corresponding hole is caulked and thereby the pin is secured in total form-fitting against falling out of the holes. Another locking of the bolt against falling out of the holes provides at least one separate securing means. For example, such a securing means may be formed as an elastic sleeve surrounding the bolt, preferably a clamping sleeve or clamping sleeve. Such a locking sleeve or clamping sleeve is positively accommodated in a housing half and then the bolt driven by this sleeve under resilient expansion of the same, whereby a frictional or non-positive connection between the bolt and the securing or clamping sleeve is made, whereby both a form-fitting as well as frictional or non-positive locking of the bolt in the housing is brought about. It is also conceivable, the clamping or clamping sleeves also form-fitting, but releasably connected to the bolt.

Further subclaims relate to preferred developments of the coupling piece according to the invention.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels des Kuppelstücks mit einem mittigen Schnitt durch ein Gehäuse desselben,

Fig. 2

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel des Kuppelstücks in einer Ansicht analog zur Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel des Kuppelstücks in einer Ansicht analog zur Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt durch das Kuppelstück der Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf die beiden noch nicht verbundenen Gehäusehälften des Gehäuses aller drei Ausführungsbeispiele des Kuppelstücks,

Fig. 6

einen Querschnitt VI-VI durch die beiden noch nicht miteinander verbundenen Gehäusehälften der Fig. 5, und

Fig. 7

einen Querschnitt VII-VII durch die beiden noch nicht zusammengesetzten Gehäusehälften der Fig. 5.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the coupling piece according to the invention are explained in detail with reference to the drawing. In this show:

Fig. 1

a side view of a first embodiment of the coupling piece with a central section through a housing thereof,

Fig. 2

A second embodiment of the coupling piece in a view analogous to Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a third embodiment of the coupling piece in a view analogous to Fig. 1 .

Fig. 4

a cross section through the coupling piece of Fig. 3 .

Fig. 5

a plan view of the two not yet connected housing halves of the housing of all three embodiments of the coupling piece,

Fig. 6

a cross-section VI-VI through the two not yet connected housing halves of Fig. 5 , and

Fig. 7

a cross-section VII-VII through the two not yet assembled housing halves of Fig. 5 ,

The coupling pieces shown in the figures are designed as so-called semi-automatic twistlocks. The dome pieces are used for semi-automatic connection of stacked containers, which are not shown in the figures.

The coupling pieces according to all three embodiments of the invention are composed essentially of a housing 10, a locking pin 11 and an actuating device 12. Notwithstanding the embodiments shown, the coupling piece may also have two actuating devices. The invention thus also relates to such coupling pieces, not shown.

The locking bolt 11 is composed of a substantially cylindrical central part 13 and two cross bars 14 and 15. The locking bolt 11 is integrally formed, for which purpose the crossbars 14, 15 are formed at opposite ends of the cylindrical middle part 13. With the cylindrical central part 13 of the locking pin 11 is rotatably mounted in a corresponding central through hole 16 in the housing 10 about its longitudinal central axis 17. The longitudinal central axis 17 extends in the in the Fig. 1 to 3 illustrated use position of the coupling piece vertically. The two transverse bars 14 and 15 protrude from opposite ends of the housing 10. As a result, the crossbars 14 and 15 are located outside of the housing 10, namely - seen in the position of use of the coupling piece above and below the housing 10.

The crossbars 14 and 15 are designed in a conventional manner. In the semi-automatic coupling pieces shown here, the lower cross bar 15 is tapered towards its free lower end and provided with a spiral. As a result, the cross bar 15 leads to an automatic rotation of the locking bolt 11 when the dangling under an upper container coupling piece is deposited with the upper container on a lower container. This rotation when threading the coupling piece in the upper corner fitting of the lower container leads to a spring preload after discontinuation of the upper container with the hanging dome piece on the lower container a turning back of the locking bolt 10 and thus automatically locking the coupling piece in the corner fitting of the lower container entails. The free end of the opposite upper cross bar 14 is formed flat, because this cross bar is manually pre-locked by the actuator 12 under the lower corner fitting of the upper container.

The housing 10 of all dome pieces shown here is formed in two parts. It consists of two housing halves 18 and 19. In assembled housing halves 18 and 19 extends for the most part through the center of the housing 10, a vertical parting plane 20. The parting plane 20 of the dome pieces shown is offset or profiled and thus not strictly geometric sense as a flat, formed two-dimensional surface, but three-dimensional. The parting plane 20 extends centrally through the through-bore 16 in the housing 10, which is thus formed in each case half of the housing halves 18 and 19. In the parting plane 20 is thereby the longitudinal central axis 17 of the cylindrical central part 13 of the locking bolt eleventh

According to the invention, the two housing halves 18 and 19 are releasably connected to each other by elongate means, which extend parallel to the parting plane 20 and / or parallel to the longitudinal central axis 17 of the locking bolt 11. Notwithstanding known coupling pieces in which the housing halves are connected by transversely to the dividing plane 20 and longitudinal central axis 17 of the locking bolt 11 extending fittings, here the means for connecting the housing halves 18 and 19 are longitudinally, whereby they are only subjected to shear, but not on Train. As a result, the elongate means for connecting the housing halves 18 and 19 need not be formed from screw connections (with screws and nuts); Rather, they are designed according to a further essential feature of the invention as threadless elongate means, which in the embodiments shown are elongated, cylindrical bolts 21. In the embodiments of the coupling pieces shown here, two parallel, preferably identical bolts 21 are provided to connect the housing halves 18 and 19 together to form the housing 10. But it can also be provided more than two bolts 21. Optionally, even a single bolt 21 for releasably connecting the housing halves 18 and 19th

The housing halves 18 and 19 have protrusions 22 extending through the parting plane 20 and depressions 23 corresponding to the protrusions 22. The projections 22 and recesses 23 extend from upright inner surfaces 24 and 25 of the housing halves 18 and 19, respectively. These inner surfaces 24 and 25 abut each other when the housing halves 18 and 19 are assembled, with the parting plane 20 extending between the inner surfaces 24 and 25. the inner surfaces 24 and 25 of the housing halves 18 and 19 with the parting plane 20 of the housing 10 coincide. In the coupling pieces shown here, the projections 22 are arranged on a housing half 18, while the recesses 23 of the other housing half 19 are assigned. But it is also conceivable that each housing half 18 and 19 both projections 22 and recesses 23 has.

In the region of each connection 26 or 27 of the housing halves 18 and 19 to the housing 10, two spaced-apart same projections 22 are provided, which two equally spaced recesses 23 are assigned. Accordingly, the projections 22 of the other housing half 18 protrude into the recesses 23 of one housing half 19. The two projections 26 and 27 associated with each connection 26 lie on a common, vertical connecting line 28, 29. The connecting line 28, 29 of each connection 26, 27 runs parallel to the longitudinal center axis 27 of the locking bolt 11 and also at a parallel distance next to the parting plane 20. In all the exemplary embodiments shown, the connecting lines 28 and 29 of both connections 26, 27 lie on the same side next to the parting plane 20, the distances of the connecting lines 28 and 29 from the parting plane 20 being different ( Fig. 4 ).

In each projection 22, a vertical bore 30 and 31 is arranged. The bores correspond to the diameter of the respective bolt 21. In addition, the bores 30 and 31 of the projections 22 of the respective connection 26, 27 lie on the common connecting line 28 and 29, respectively.

The housing half 19, which has only the recesses 23 for engagement of the projections 22 of the opposite housing half 18 is provided with two through holes 32 which are spaced apart in the embodiment shown by a recess 33 in the housing half 19 between the through holes 32. These through holes 32nd are thus in tongues 34 in the housing half 19, which are bounded on the one hand by a recess 23 and on the other hand by the recesses 33. The through holes 32 correspond to the diameter of the respective bolt 21, in particular have the same diameter as the bores 30 and 31 in the projections 22nd

In assembled housing halves 18 and 19, each bolt 21 through the two holes 30 and 31 of lying on the same connecting line 28 and 29 projections 22 of a housing half 18 and also lying on the same connecting line 28 and 29 through holes 32 in the tongues 34 of the other housing half 19 is inserted ( Fig. 1 to 3 ). The two bolts 21 of the connections 26 and 27 form positive, toothed connections of the housing halves 18 and 19. The connections 26 and 27 are easily releasable by axially pushing out the bolts 21 from the holes 30 and 31 and the through holes 32, along the connecting line 28 and 29, respectively.

The Fig. 1 and 3 show various embodiments of the coupling pieces, which differ only in that different fuses of the bolts 21 are provided for the positive connection of the housing halves 18 and 19. Because the bolts 21 for the positive connection of the housing halves 18 and 19 parallel to the longitudinal center axis 17 of the locking bolt 11 and the parting plane 20, they are loaded between the projections 22 and the tongues 34 to shear, but not axially. Consequently, the fuses of the bolts 21 in the housing 10 need only be designed so that thereby falling out of the bolts 21 from the bores 30, 31 and through holes 32 is prevented, so the bolts 21 are only axially secured in the housing 10. This backup can be done so that the bolts 21 have some play in the axial direction, so something in the housing 10 are displaced. The fuses only have to prevent the bolts 21 from falling out of the housing 10.

When dome piece of Fig. 1 the securing of each bolt 21 takes place in the axial direction by an equal securing means. For this purpose, it is provided that the bore 31 in a projection 22 (in the Fig. 1 in the lower projection 22) is designed as, for example, a blind bore. As a result, the bore 31 is closed at the lower end or (as in the embodiment shown) is narrowed by a constriction 38, whereby the respective pin 21 through the lower end of the constricted bore 31 or blind hole in the lower projection 22 can not slip out. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower end of the bolt 21 is secured by the constriction at the lower end of the bore 31 against a passage through the bore 31 down. The bore 30 in the opposite upper projection 22 is formed as a through hole. In this way, the respective bolt 12 can be inserted from above through the bore 30 and the through holes 32 in the tongues 34 to the constriction 38 in the lower end of the bore 31. Thereafter, an upper end of the respective pin 21 is completely within the bore 30 formed as a through hole in the upper projection 22. So that the pin 21 can not slip upwards through the bore 30 in the upper projection 22, which is from the upper end of the bolt 21st released end portion of the bore 30 caulked in the upper projection 22. This caulking is in the illustrated embodiment so formed by material deformation of the housing half 18, the upper end of the bore 30 is constricted by two opposing lugs 35. But it is also conceivable that serves for caulking only a single nose 35 or a circumferential constriction. If the housing 10 to be dismantled by loosening the connections 26, 27 of the housing halves 18 and 19, only the bolts 21 need to be knocked out of the holes 30 and 31 and the through hole 32 upwards, the nose formed by the caulking 35 for axial immovable securing the bolt 21 in the housing 10 can be reversed by re-material deformation.

The Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the coupling piece, in which both bolts 21 are secured axially immovable in the same way in the housing 10, by a respective clamping sleeve 36. The clamping sleeve is slotted once in the longitudinal direction and thereby elastically expandable. The inner diameter of the clamping sleeve 36 is smaller than the outer diameter of the respective pin 21. By driving the bolt 21 through the clamping sleeve 36, this is resiliently expanded, whereby a frictional or frictional connection of the clamping sleeve 36 comes with the smooth outer periphery of the bolt 21. The clamping sleeve 36 has a length which is slightly shorter than the recess 33 between the tongues 34 with the through holes 32. Incidentally, the recess 33 is dimensioned such that it has a clamping sleeve 36 with lying on the respective connecting line 28 and 29 longitudinal central axis can record. As a result, the respective clamping sleeve 36 comes to lie axially substantially immovably between the tongues 34 of the housing half 19. Due to the almost immovable arrangement of the clamping sleeve 36 between the tongues 34 in the housing half 19 of the respective pin 21 is frictionally secured against axial displacement or after the bolt 21 into the holes 30, 31, the through holes 32 and the clamping the outer circumference of middle region of the respective bolt 21 surrounding clamping sleeve 36 is inserted. By simply knocking out the pin 21 from the holes 30 and 31, the through holes 32 and the clamping sleeve 36, the connection of the housing halves 18 and 19 can be solved. In the case of the securing of the bolts 21 by clamping sleeves 36 against unintentional axial displacement in the housing 10, the bores 30 and 31 may be formed in the projections 22 as through holes and there are also no caulking at the end areas of the bores 30 or 30 released by the bolts 21 31 required.

The Fig. 3 Finally, shows the coupling piece according to the third embodiment of the invention, which in principle the embodiment of the Fig. 2 equivalent. Again, here is each bolt 21 equally secured by a clamping sleeve 37 in the axial direction. The clamping sleeve 37 is held in a form-fitting manner on the bolt 21 in this embodiment. For this purpose, the respective pin 21 has in the region of the recess 33 between the tongues 34 of the housing half 19 via a circumferential constriction 39. In the region of the constriction 39, the pin 21 is slightly reduced in diameter. The clamping sleeve 37 is formed so that its inner diameter in the contracted, relaxed state corresponds approximately to the smaller diameter of the respective bolt 21 in the region of the constriction 39. The clamping sleeve 37 is fixed on the constriction 39 of the respective bolt 31 by the bolt 21 is pressed with its opposite the constriction 39 slightly larger diameter through the clamping sleeve 37, which expands elastically. Once the respective pin 21 has taken its intended position in the housing 10 ( Fig. 3 ), the clamping sleeve 37 surrounds the pin 21 in the region of the constriction 39. In this case, a positive connection between the pin 21 and the clamping sleeve 37 comes about. Equally positively held is the clamping sleeve 37 in the recess 33 between the tongues 34. In this way, a completely positive axial fixation of each bolt 21 in the inserted position in the housing 10 ( Fig. 3 ) conditions. Then the two housing halves 18 and 19 are positively held together by the two bolts 21 releasably and also the bolts 21 are held by the clamping sleeve 37 by means of positive locking in the housing 10 axially immovable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 casing 36 clamping sleeve 11 locking bolt 37 clamping sleeve 12 actuator 38 constriction 13 midsection 39 constriction 14 crossbars 15 crossbars 16 Through Hole 17 Longitudinal central axis 18 housing half 19 housing half 20 parting plane 21 bolt 22 head Start 23 deepening 24 palm 25 palm 26 connection 27 connection 28 connecting line 29 connecting line 30 drilling 31 drilling 32 Through Hole 33 recess 34 tongue 35 nose

Claims (13)

Coupling piece for detachably connecting containers, in particular stacked containers on board ships, with a housing (10) and a locking bolt (11) rotatably mounted in the housing (10), wherein the housing (10) consists of two at least one parting plane (20) assembled and releasably interconnected housing halves (18, 19) is formed, characterized in that the housing halves (18, 19) releasably connected by parallel to the parting plane (20) and / or to the longitudinal central axis (17) of the locking bolt (11) extending elongate means are. Coupling piece according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one housing half (18, 19) with respect to the parting plane (20) protruding projections (22), which preferably engage in corresponding recesses (23) at least the other housing half (18, 19). Coupling piece according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the elongate means for releasably connecting the housing halves (18, 19) extend through both housing halves (18, 19), preferably parts of the housing halves (18, 19), in particular by receptacles in Projections (22) of a housing half (18) and corresponding receptacles in the other housing half (19). Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elongated means for releasably connecting the housing halves (18, 19) are designed as pin-like bolts (21). Coupling piece according to claim 4, characterized in that longitudinal axes of the bolts (21) parallel to the parting plane (20) and / or the longitudinal central axis (17) of the locking bolt (10), preferably at a parallel distance from the parting plane (20) and / or Longitudinal axis (17) of the locking bolt (11) in a housing half (18, 19) are located. Coupling piece according to Claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the bolts (21) extend through through bores (32) in the housing half (19) receiving the bolts (21) and bores (30, 31) in the projections (22) of the other housing half (18). Coupling piece according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that each pin (21) against significant axial displacement in the bores (30, 31) and / or through holes (32) is held positively and / or frictionally engaged. Coupling piece according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that at least one bore (31) for the respective pin (21) is closed at one end or provided with a constriction (38). Coupling piece according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the bore (30) for each bolt (21) is provided at the other end with at least one positive stop for axially fixing the bolt (21). Coupling piece according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that each bolt (21) is assigned at least one securing means for the axial fixing of the respective bolt (21) in the housing (10). Coupling piece according to claim 10, characterized in that the securing means as an elastic sleeve, preferably a clamping sleeve (36, 37) is formed, which is positively, preferably axially substantially immovably in the housing (10), in particular a housing half (19) is mounted , Coupling piece according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the elastic sleeve, in particular clamping sleeve (36, 37), for frictional or non-positive axial fixation of the respective bolt (21) is clamped on the preferably smooth outer periphery of the bolt (21). Coupling piece according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the sleeve, in particular clamping sleeve (37), positively in the housing (10), in particular a housing half (19), is held substantially axially immovable and also axially non-displaceable by positive locking axially is fixed on a central constriction (39) of the respective bolt (21).

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