GB1575508A

GB1575508A - Freight containers

Info

Publication number: GB1575508A
Application number: GB3268976A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BELL LINES Ltd
Current assignee: BELL LINES Ltd
Priority date: 1976-08-05
Filing date: 1976-08-05
Publication date: 1980-09-24
Also published as: FR2360481A1; FR2360481B3; DE2735221A1; NL7708665A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FREIGHT CONTAINERS (71) We, BELL LINES LIMITED, a Company organised under the laws of the Irish Republic, of 18 Buckingham Gate, London.

SW1E 6LB do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to freight containers and has particular reference to non-bulk containers adapted to be transported by road, rail and sea.

According to the present invention, a freight container comprises a floor, a roof supported from the floor by supports including four corner posts each of which posts has a side facing surface, each corner post including or having adjacent to it a further external surface which projects outwardly beyond the side facing surface of the corner post to constitute a rubbing strip.

Preferably, the container is substantially open-sided and has one closed end and one end fitted with closable doors. The sides of the container are fitted with flaps which can be removed or swung out of position to provide free access to the interior of the container via the side walls. The flaps may be pivotally mounted along their lower edges to the floor of the container and are fitted with securing means, for example locking bolts, to enable them to be secured in position when this is required.

The floor of the container may comprise decking, for example wooden decking upon longitudinal beams of which there may be two, three or four, and cross bearers.

The rubbing strips in the area of the corner posts may be integral parts of the respective posts or they may be formed separately and subsequently secured to the posts. In addition roof support posts at positions along the sides may be shaped to also act as rubbing strips.

By way of example only, a container embodying the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the container Figure 2 is a divided plan view of the container, Figure 3 is a view from one end of the container, Figure 4 is a divided view from the other end of the container, Figure 5 is a side view of a side assembly, Figure 6 is an end view of both side assemblies looking in the direction of arrow A in Figure 5, Figure 7 is a side view of a component, Figure 8 is a front view of the component of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a front view of a door frame assembly, Figure 10 is a section on the line x-x of Figure 9, Figure 11 is a section on the line XI-XI of Figure 9, Figure 12 is a front view of a fixed end assembly, Figure 13 is a section on the line XIII-XIII of Figure 12, and Figure 14 is a section on the line XIV-XIV of Figure 12.

Referring first to Figures 1-4, the container has a basic framework of two side assemblies.

Each side assembly consists of a top longitudinal beam 1 and a bottom longitudinal beam 2 spaced apart by a series of four stanchions 3 welded to the beams 1 and 2. The stanchions are arranged so that there is one closely adjacent each end of the beams 1 and 2 and two others spaced to suit standard pallet sizes between the end stanchions.

The end assemblies comprise a fixed end assembly shown in Figure 3 and a door end assembly shown in Figure 4. Each assembly has a frame of robust construction including corner posts 4 whose lower ends abut corner castings 5 of conventional form which receive mating location and securing pins used when the container is vehicle-or trailer-mounted. In the fixed end assembly, the frame carries a panel assembly 6 of corrugated form. The frame of the door and assembly supports double doors 7 each door being pivotally mounted upon the adjacent corner post by means of hinges 8.

Each door has conventional locking bars 9 secured to its outer face.

The tip of the container is closed by a roof assembly 10 comprising a series of corrugated panels 11 supported between the top longitudinal beams 1. There are two transverse supporting members 12 to strengthen the roof structure, the members 12 also extending between the beams 1 and being welded thereto at their ends. The roof assembly also includes a plane end panel 13 at each end of the roof adjacent the end assemblies and intermediate plane panels 14 which seperate the corrugated panelsl 1. Strengthening gussets 15 are located at the end of the panels 13 and 14.

A further feature of the roof assembly is the provision of castings by which the container is lifted and which are similar to the castings 5 referred to above and are located at the ends of the supporting members 12.

The bottom longitudinal beams 2 support the floor of the container. The floor consists of wooden boards 17 laid longitudinally over a series of transverse beams 18 secured between the beam 2.

It will be appreciated that the container is open-sided, the side assemblies having drop doors 19 pivotally along their lower edges to the adjacent bottom beam 2. When in their vertical positions as shown in Figure 1, the doors extend only part way up the container sides and can be locked in the vertical position by means of locking bolts (not shown).

Each side has three long doors and one intermediate short door, the latter being referenced 19A.The long doors adjacent the end assemblies extend from those assemblies to one of the intermediate stanchions 3. The remaining long door and the short door l9A are separated by a vertical post 20 which may be removable.

The short doors are not opposite one another across the width of the container, the positions of the long and short doors separated by the post 20 are reversed on the side of the container opposite to that shown in Figure 1.

The upper parts of the container sides, i.e.

those parts above the drop doors are closed by tarpaulins 21 secured to the container sides along their top edges and having eyelets along sides and bottoms which register with eyebolts on the adjacent parts of the container. Draw cords threaded through the eyebolts hold the tarpaulins in their closed positions. Removable protective and cargo retaining planks 22 are positioned across the upper part of the open sides and are supported with their ends in sockets 23 secured to the sides of the stanchions 3.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 which show the side assemblies in more detail, it will be seen that each top longitudinal beam 1 is in the form of an elongated J with its horizontal limb uppermost and with an integral otit-turned flange 24 at the lower end of the vertical limb. The bottom longitudinal beams are both I beams.

Secured between the beams 1 and 2 are the stanchions 3 (shown in more detail in Figures 7 and 8). The upper ends of the stanchions 3 are secured to the top beam 1 by means of brackets 25 that are welded to the sides of the stanchions and to the vertical limb of the beam 1. The vertical limbs of the beams 1 are slotted to receive the flanges 24, there being a slight clearance between the face of the vertical limb and the inner face of the stanchion.

The lower ends of the stanchions 3 are fixed to the bottom beam in a similar fashion by brackets 25 welded to the vertical wall of the beam 2 and to the sides of the stanchions, there being a slight clearance between the face of the vertical limb and the adjacent face of the beam. As can be seen from Figure 6, the stanchions terminate just above the lower horizontal limb 26 of the beam 2 and are slotted to receive the upper horizontal limb 27.

At one end of the bottom beam 2 is secured, as by welding, one of the castings 5, the castings being located adjacent the lower limb 26 and extending laterally of the beam so as to provide a clearance to receive an end assembly. Another socket 5 is welded to the other end of the beam 2 in a similar manner. In both cases, the ends of the beam are recessed slightly to receive the castings the lefthand ends of the beams 2 (as seen in Figure 5) being cut-away to a somewhat greater extent.

The two further castings 16 referred to above are secured to the top beam 1 on the end assembly sides of the intermediate stanchions.

The castings 16 are recessed into the beams 1 so that the outer faces of the sockets are only slightly proud of the horizontal limbs of the beams. Additional strength is provided by support plates 28 welded to the beams and to the base of the castings. Similar plates 29 visible in Figure 6 support the castings from the inside of the beams 1.

Figures 7 and 8 show one of the stanchions 3 in more detail. Each consists of a rolledsteel, hollow section. The front, outside face 20 of the stanchion has inclined faces 31 at each end, these faces tapering back in such manner that the ends of the stanchion lie flush with the outer edge of the horizontal member of the top beam 1 and with the outer edge of the lower horizontal limb 26 of the beam 2, the beams being indicated in Figure 7 in dotted lines.

The stanchions shown in Figures 7 and 8 are actually intermediate stanchions and have short lengths of angle strip 32 welded to their sides. The strips 32 extend along the sides of the stanchions for a short distance only from a point just above the inclined faces 3 1 and they form stops against which the drop doors 19 close in the vertical- positions of the doors.

Those stanchions adjacent the ends of the beams 1 and 2 carry single strips 32 only and these are welded to the side faces remote from the beam ends.

The door frame assembly shown in Figures 9-11 comprises corner posts 4 joined together by a top rail 33 and a bottom rail 34 both of box-shaped transverse cross-section. Gusset plate assemblies 35 strengthen the joints between the top rail 33 and the corner posts 4.

Each corner post comprises an inner corner pressing 36 of channel-shaped transverse crosssection, the open side of the pressing being closed by an outer, sideways-facing corner 37 which extends beyond the pressing 36 on both sides thereof and has an inturned flange 38 along one vertical edge. The flange 38 is slotted at intervals along its length, the sides of the slots closed by hinge lugs 39 apertured to receive pins on the door hinges 8 (Figure 4).

The corner pressings 36 and 37 extend slightly beyond the bottom rail 34 and the lower edges thereof are secured to the respective castings 5.

At intervals along the length of the outer pressing 37 lashing rings 40 are fixed between the pressings 36 and 37 as indicated in Figures 9 and 10.

The bottom rail 34 carries a bracket 41 that is secured to the inner face of the rail and supports the ends of the boards 17 that form the container floor.

Extending beneath the bottom rail 34 from one casting 5 to the other is a bottom angle pressing 42 having a lower inturned edge 43.

The fixed end assembly shown in Figures 1214 comprises two corner posts 4 formed from sheet metal pressings 44 corrugated for strength. The posts 4 extend upwardly from the casting 5 between which is located a bottom rail 45 of open channel form having a ledge 46 which acts as a support for the other ends of the boards 17 that form the container floor. The upper ends of the corner posts 44 are interconnected by a top rail 47 of box form. The assembly is closed by a corrugated panel 48 that is welded to the faces of the corner posts 44 as shown and also to the top and bottom rails 45, 47. Rungs 49 in one, deeper corrugation form a ladder giving access to the roof of the container. Each corner post 44 has a sideways facing surface and an end facing surface.

Spaced along the length of the corner posts and welded thereto are lashing bars 50.

The door assembly of Figures 9-11 is located at the right-hand end of the side assemblies as viewed in Figure 5. The extensions 51 of the pressings 37 are fixed to the top and bottom beams 1,2 with their edges closely adjacent the stanchions 3 at this end of the beams. As can be seen clearly from Figures 2 and 4, the stanchions stand proud of the face of the extensions 51 and of the side surfaces of the containers over the greater part of their length.

In like manner, the fixed end assembly shown in Figures 12-14 is located at the lefthand end of the side assemblies as viewed in Figures 5. The extensions 51 that are fixed to the top and bottom beams 1, 2 with their edges closely adjacent the stanchions 3 at this end of the beams. Again, as can be seen clearly from Figures 2 and 3, the stanchions stand proud, over the greater part of their length, of the face of the extensions 51 and of the side surfaces of the container.

Similarly, the other stanchions also stand proud of the side surfaces of the container over the greater part of their length.

The ridgid construction of the container enables it to resist forces applied to it during use, in particular forces tending to twist the container along its length - the so-called racking force. The floor is of sufficient strength to support a fork lift truck so that loading and unloading can be effected by such a truck that can be driven into the container, Loading and unloading is, of course facilitated by the open side construction of the container. With the tarpaulins thrown back, the drop doors can be lowered and the protective planks removed thereby providing almost unrestricted access to the interior of the container.

The stanchions which stand proud act as "rubbing strips" or guiding surfaces which help to guide the container during movement into and out of the hold of a container ship and possible damage to the tarpaulins and side doors that are particularly vunerable is avoided.

The container described above is 12.192 metres in length, 2.5 metres in width and 2.591 metres high but the invention is also applicable to containers of shorter length. In that case, the castings 16 may be located at the upper ends of the corner posts of the end assemblies and not on the roof between these assemblies.

Typical alternative lengths are 6.096 metres and 9.144 metres. The container is so dimensioned internally that it will receive, side-byside across its width, continental-sized pallets and for this purpose a minimum internal width of 2.41 metres is required. It is necessary that all internal fitments of the container for example securing bolts, lashing rings and the like lie outside that dimension. However, at the same time, the overall external width of the container must not be greater than 2.5 metres so that it can be loaded on to existing container vehicles and trailers and into the holds of existing container ships.

Furthermore, the end stanchions, i.e.

those adjacent the end assemblies, may be formed integrally with the corner posts or as separate components mounted upon the corner posts.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A freight container comprising a floor, a roof supported from the floor by supports including four corner posts, each of which posts has a side facing surface, each corner post including or having adjacent to it a further external surface outwardly beyond the side facing surface of the corner post to constitute a rubbing strip.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which each further external surface forms part of a further post secured between floor and roof, each such further post being adjacent to a different one of the corner posts.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which each further external surface is an integral part of a corner post.

4. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which additional posts incorporating rubbing strips are located along the sides of the container between the corner posts.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4 in which the additional posts act as roof supports.

6. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and comprising a framework having two side assemblies each comprising spaced top and bottom longitudinal beams and two end assemblies each located at a different end of the side assemblies.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6 in which each side assembly includes a plurality of doors movable between closed positions, in which the doors extend part way at least from the floor to the roof, and open positions in which the doors allow access to the interior of the container.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 in which the doors extend part way only from floor to roof and which has tarpaulins which, in use, extend from the upper edges of the doors to the roof.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8 in which removable cargo retaining planks are positioned above the doors.

10. A container as claimed in any one of claims 6-9 in which the doors are pivotally secured to the bottom beam and in which the closed position of the doors is defined by surfaces on the posts.

11. A container as claimed in any one of claims 6-10 in which each end assembly includes upper and lower rails which interconnect the corner posts and in which the lower rails have floor support surfaces.

12. A freight container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. those adjacent the end assemblies, may be formed integrally with the corner posts or as separate components mounted upon the corner posts. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A freight container comprising a floor, a roof supported from the floor by supports including four corner posts, each of which posts has a side facing surface, each corner post including or having adjacent to it a further external surface outwardly beyond the side facing surface of the corner post to constitute a rubbing strip.