GB2045698A

GB2045698A - Nestable wheeled container

Info

Publication number: GB2045698A
Application number: GB8010268A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CAMPISUSA SpA
Current assignee: CAMPISUSA SpA
Priority date: 1979-04-09
Filing date: 1980-03-27
Publication date: 1980-11-05
Also published as: DE3010366A1; AU5721780A; FR2453769A1; SE8002614L; GB2045698B; ES249718U; NL8001992A; ES249718Y

Abstract

The container has a trapezium base 1 and side walls 4, 4' which are hinged for movement between positions for loaded travel (Fig. 1) and nesting (Fig. 2). The two wheels 7, 7', which for nesting are at the narrow end of the trapezium, are mounted on the side walls 4, 4' and not on the base 1 to afford greater stability in the loaded condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wheeled container The present invention relates to a cage wheeled container, provided with articulated sides walls, bearing the pirouetting wheels at the end thereof effective to be rotated.

In the art is known to transport materials, for the delivery thereof from one store to another, by using suitable wheeled containers, the so-called "roll-containers" provided with high side shoulders or walls, effective to hold the base stacked articles.

Said roll containers have, generally, the shoulders or walls nested on said base, and, as they are returned in an empty condition, said shoulders are disengaged from the base and stacked in an assembled roll container, while the bases are stacked one upon the other.

In this way, during the strokes in the empty conditions, a considerable reduction of the size is obtained.

From one aspect, however, a problem exists in the reassembling of said roll containers, due to the lack of interexchangeability of the shoulders provided by the different makers.

The counting of the empty roll containers, furthermore, is a rather tedious and intricate operation, since, for each roll container, it is necesssary to count a base and two shoulders or a base, four shoulders and possible intermediate shelves, as these latter are required.

It should be furthermore pointed out that, recently, the need has been felt of having roll containers provided with four walls, a cover, an intermediate shelf and resting members for a standardized type of plastic materials cartons or boxes.

Accordingly, the assembling and disassembling times of these roll containers are rather long, also considered that the loose components, forming said containers, are at least seven.

Furthermore, as it is desired to seal a closed container, it is necessary to apply several leaden seals, with consequent rather large time losses.

It should moreover be noted that, in the roll containers provided with a tapezoidal base, as actually commercially available, the fixed wheels are applied at the small side of said trapezoidal base.

Accordingly, since these roll containers always have a high center of gravity, the cited arrangement of the wheels, is not able of assuring a proper stability to said containers.

The practical drawbacks thereinabove mentioned are, on the contrary, obviated by the cage wheeled or roll container according to the present invention.

The roll container of the invention, in fact, is obtained by using mutually hinged component parts, effective to be suitably bent towards the inside of said roll container in such a way as to provide the container with an open trapezium shaped structure, effective to allow for a plurality of exemplars to be adjoined in a restrained manner.

That same roll container, furthermore, is provided with fixed-or pirouetting wheel bearing structures which are fixed to the base of said roll container. Each said wheel bearing structure is formed by a plate effective to be fixed to the roll container being so shaped or arranged as to define a sliding seat for a supporting plate associated to said fixed or pirouetting wheel. The plate of each wheel bearing structure is furthermore provided with deformable elements suitably arranged thereon and effective to firmy attach the wheel fixed plate in the sliding seat of said wheel bearing plate, thereby said seat is able of housing plates rigid with said wheel and having different heights.

By this approach, a great stability roll container is obtained since, in the opened condition of the walls, the wheels are in a remarkably spread apart condition, while, as the walls are closed, said wheels locate closely spaced, thereby allowing for the empty and collapsed roll containers to be mutually nested into one another.

More specifically, the cage roll container according to the invention, is formed by a base trapezium which, on its enlarged portion, supports the two fixed wheels, as parallely located with respect one other.

The rear portion of said trapezium, in particular, is provided with two bent or welded pipes, or tubular elements, which are upwardly directed.

The two side shoulders or walls of the instant roll container are formed by a metal tubular frame, the rear vertical portions of which are nested on said tubular elements.

Each said side shoulder, or wall, is provided with a wheel bearing structure which, on the portion thereof inside said base trapezium, has an abutment.

Accordingly said side shoulders can be brought to a closed condition in such a way as to align with the slanted sides of the base trapezium and to an open condition in such a way as to be parallel with respect to one another, as the abutments of the plates contact the slanted sides of said base trapezium.

To the lower side of one of said side shoulders, a base is articulated being preferably made of a metal network or, alternatively, of metal sheet, a plastics material or wood.

As this structure rests on the fixed base trapezium, it locks the two side shoulders in an open position or condition and, accordingly, in a mutual parallel arrangement.

A U-shaped half frame, made of metal tubular elements, is nested in the top portion of the shoulder rear vertical tubular elements, thereby holding said shoulders parallel and allowing for said shoulder to be opened and closed, since the half-frame acts as a hinge.

A rear wall may be hinged to the vertical rear side of a side wall, in such a way as to be able of being adjoined thereto from the inside.

As said rear wall is in an open condition, it engages two or more hook members, arranged on the wall opposite to the hinging wall.

This hook engaging of said rear wall imparts a substantial stiffness to the assembly formed by the side walls, rear wall and bottom.

More specifically, said rear wall is in a lowered condition with respect to the bottom, which latter, accordingly, as it rests on said base trapezium, prevents said rear wall from disengaging from its holding hooks.

To the upper side of the side wall opposite to the base hinging wall, a cover member is articulated.

Said cover member is provided, on the side opposite to the hinging side, with a slider effective to be frontwardly operated and provided, in turn, with two plates, arranged at a suitable distance.

As the cover member is rised, the side having said slider locates at two suitable hook members.

By pushing the slider, said two plates are caused to engage said cover member with said hook members, thereby the cover is fixed in a horizontal position.

Under said cover member, furthermore, is preferably articulated a cloth bearing bar, effective to collapse by gravity, as the cover member is lowered.

That same cover member, as rised and fixed by said hooks, is flush with the rear wall, thereby preventing said wall from re-entering through the upper portion.

At the intermediate horizontal axis of the side wall opposite to the cover hinging side, an intermediate shelf is articulated.

In this way it is possible to open and close the shelf and cover member, independently from one another.

Said intermediate shelf, in particular, is provided with safety members, effective to assure vertical stability.

Under said shelf, a cloth bearing bar is articulated, effective to be opened by gravity as said shelf is lowered.

The cloth bearing bar can be held in its closed condition, with the shelf in a lowered position, by means of a slider hook, effective to operate by gravity.

The two inside portions of the roll container, furthermore, are provided with sliders, for the sliding of standardized cartons or boxes, of plastics material or the like.

The front portion of the roll container may have a single wall, preferably articulated on the wall opposite to the rear wall hinging wall, or two half walls, articulated to the corresponding side walls.

These front walls are of reduced size, with respect to the side walls, thereby they can be collapsed thereagainst, from the outside, in such a way as to locate in the thickness of said side walls, in order to reduce to a minimum the size.

Said front wall, or one of the two half walls, in particular, is provided with a plate, so located as to prevent, as said wall is closed, the cover locking slider from being removed.

It should be moreover pointed out that said front wall is also provided with a mechanical type of locking or closure assembly, effective to be sealed by a single leaden seal, thereby locking the overall structure.

These and other characteristics, of functional and constructional nature, of the cage roll container, according to the present invention, will become more apparent from the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 shows, by a front perspective view, the lower or bottom portion of the roll container, the side walls being parallely arranged; Figure 2 represents that same roll container, with the rear wall bent or collapsed towards the inside and the side walls arranged in a convergent way; Figure 3 illustrates the procedure for locking the cover, at a horizontal position; Figure 4 illustrates a practical embodiment of the instant cage roll container, in a completely assembled condition; Figure 5 illustrates that same roll container, with the front wall formed by two hinged portions, in the opened condition;; Figure 6 is a front perspective view illustrating that same roll container, with the cover intermediate shelf and base shelf being vertically tilted; Figure 7 illustrates the procedure for locking the slider which holds the cover in a horizontal position, at the top of said side walls; Figure 8 schematically shows three roll containers according to the invention, as nested into one another; Figure 9 is a partially sectioned side view of the wheel bearing structure; Figure 10 is a top view of that same structure; Figure ii is a cross-section view of that same structure; Figure 12 is a front view of that same structure, to which a pirouetting wheel supporting plate is coupled; Figure 13 is a partial view illustrating a roll container to the base on which are fixed two of said wheel bearing structures; and Figure 14 represents that same roll container as provided with a rotating wheel pair.

Referring particularly to the number references of the figures of the accompanying drawings, the cage roll container, according to the present invention, comprises a frame (1), of trapezium shape, lacking of said trapezium main base.

At the free ends thereof, said frame supports two wheel bearing structures, indicated overally at (6), for a fixed type of wheel, (2), and two pipe or tube lengths, or round bars, upwardly directed, thereon are threaded corresponding tubular elements (3) and (3'), forming the rear vertical side of the two side walls (4) and (4').

At the top of said tubular elements, furthermore, a U-shaped half-frame (5), made of round bars, is inserted.

At the base or bottom of the vertical front sides of said side walls, two wheel bearing structures are fixed, overally indicated at (6), which structures support the pirouetting wheels (7) and (7').

Said plates insert, with the rised end thereof, in the inside of said base trapezium and are of such a length that, as the rised ends engage against the sides of said trapezium, the two side walls (4) and (4') are precisely parallel to one another.

To the lower side of one of said side walls, is articulated a base (8), preferably made of a metal network, which, as it is vertically tilted, engages with suitable abutments, as provided on the hinging wall.

To the rear side of one of said vertical walls, is articulated a closure or closing wall, (9), effective to inwardly rotate and provided with means allowing for said closing wall to engage with two or more hook members, arranged on the wall opposite to said hinging wall.

Said rear wall (9), in particular, projects with respect to the base plane (8), in such a way as to be locked thereby.

To the upper side of the side wall opposite to the base hinging wall, is articulated a network cover member, (10), also able of inwardly rotating and engaging, at a tilted position, with suitable abutments.

On the side opposite to the hinging or hinge side, said cover member is provided with a slider (11), effective to be operated by means of a front ridge (12) and provided, at suitable positions, with two or more projecting tabs (13), being effective to engage corresponding abutment elements (14), rigid with said side wall.

Under that same cover member, which, in the horizontal position, is flush with the rear wall (9), there is articulated, furthermore, a cloth-bearing bar (1 5).

On the side wall, opposite to the cover hinging wall, there is articulated an intermediate shelf, (16), also provided with a cloth bearing bar and effective to be upwardly tilted, where it engages with suitable abutments, as arranged on said side wall.

Said cloth-bearing wall, in particular, can be held in a rised position, the shelf being lowered, by means of a slider hook.

In the inside of the two side walls (4) and (4'), guides are located on which standardized plastics material boxes are supported and slide.

To the front sides of said side walls, two half walls (18) and (18') are articulated, effective to completely outwardly rotate, in such a way as to adjoin said side walls.

One of said half walls, in particular, is provided with an upper or top plate (19), effective to lock, in a closing position, the cover slider (11).

Said half-walls, furthermore, are provided with a mechanical type of locking of closing assembly, (20), effective to be sealed by a single leaden seal.

Figs. 9 to 14 represent the wheel bearing structure, effective to be applied on the roll container according to the invention, and formed, substantially, by a U-shaped section member, (21), having lowered wings (22).

Said wings can be furtherly inwardly bent, or machined in other suitable ways, for example by welding two square rods (23), in such a way as to provide corresponding side seats or housings, (24), for the sliding of the longitudinal edges of a plate (15) effective to support a pirouetting wheel, (7).

In the flat portion of said section, in particular, there is located, at a suitable position, a rised portion, (27), effective to act as an abutment for the front transversal edge, (28), of said plate.

In that same flat portion of said section, (21), furthermore, are cut one or more tabs, (29), transversally extending, formed at suitably differentiated spacings, with respect to said rised portion.

The distance between said portion and the edge of the tab adjacent thereto, practically, is equal the different lengths the plate (25) - supporting the pirouetting wheel is susceptible to have.

As it should be clear, said plate, restrained between the side sliding guides (24) and the rised portion (27), is locked, at its rear transversal edge (30), by one of the tabs (29), as downwardly bent by using a screwdriver, or other like tool.

The section (21), shaped or machined as thereinabove indicated, is fixed to the base of the roll container, (11), thereby allowing for the pirouetting wheels or the fixed wheels (2) to be applied thereto or removed therefrom by simple manual operations.

From the above description and the observation of the figures of the accompanying drawings, the great functionality and use facility characterizing the cage roll container, according to the present invention, are self evident.

Obviously the roll container and the making method therefor have been thereinabove described only as and indicative and not limita tive example and only in order to demonstrate the effective practicing and main characteristics of the invention.

Accordingly, from the above, it may be deduced that the roll container according to the invention is susceptible to several modifications and variations, as suggested by the making requirements and the practical use provided for said roll container, being furthermore susceptible to all improvements as suggested by the practical experience.

These variations may be brought about both to the operative parts thereinabove illustrated, which are characteristic of the invention, and to the making and/or assembling method therefor, without departing from the invention scope.

Claims

1. A roll container, characterized in that it comprises mutually hinged portions, effective to be suitably bent, in such a way as to provide said roll container with an open trapezoidal structure, thereby said portions can be restrained in an adjoining relationship, in a plurality of exemplars, and in that it is provided with fixed wheel or pirouetting wheel bearing structures, said structures being fixed to the side walls and effective to slide under the bottom.

2. A roll container, according to the preceding Claim, characterized in that it comprises a trapezium shaped frame, said trapezium lacking of its main base, said frame, at the free ends thereof, supporting two fixed or pirouetting wheel bearing structures and two pipe lengths, upwardly directed, thereon are threaded corresponding rectilinear tubular elements forming the rear vertical side of the two side walls, a U-shaped half frame, made of rods or tubular members, being inserted at the top of said tubular elements.

3. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that to the base of the front vertical sides of said side wails, two wheel bearing structures are fixed inserting, with a rised end thereof, in the inside of said base trapezium, said wheel bearing structure having such a length that, as said rised ends engage with said trapezium sides, said two side walls are precisely parallel to one another.

4. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that to the lower side of one of said side walls is hinged a base, preferably of metal network, which, as it is vertically tilted, engages with suitable abutments as located on the hinging wall.

5. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that, to the rear side of one of said side walls, is articulated a closing wall, effective to inwardly rotate and being provided with means effective to allow for said closing wall to nest in two or more hooks, located on the wall opposite to said hinging wall, said rear wall projecting, with respect to said base plane, in such a way as to be locked thereby.

6. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that, on the upper side of one of said side walls, it is articulated a cover member, effective to inwardly rotate and engage, at a tilted position thereof, with suitable abutments, on the side opposite said hinging side, said cover member being provided with a slider, effective to be operated by a front ridge and being provided, at suitable positions, with two or more abutment tabs.

7. A rod container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that a cloth bearing bar is articulated under said cover member, the latter, at a horizontal position thereof, being flush with said rear wall.

8. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that on the side wall, opposite to said cover member hinging wall, and intermediate shelf is articulated, said shelf being provided with a cloth bearing bar and effective to be upwardly sited for engaging with suitable abutments, said cloth bearing bar being effective to be held in a rised position, with said shelf in a lowered position, by means of a suitable sliding hook.

9. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that in the inside of said two side walls horizontal guides are located thereon are supported and slide standardized plastics material boxes.

10. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that, at the front sides of said side walls, a wall or two half walls are articulated, effective to be completely outwardly tilted, in such a way as to adjoin said side walls, said wall, or one of said two half walls, being provided with an upper plate, effective to lock, at a closing position, said cover member slider.

11. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that said front wall, or said two half walls, are provided with a mechanical closure assembly effective to be sealed by a single leaden seal.

1 2. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that the side walls thereof are locked, at parallel positions, by said tiltable base, as this latter is in a horizontal position.

1 3. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that the rear wall thereof is locked, in an opened position, by said base.

14. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that it is provided with a cover member effective to lock in a closed position said rear wall.

1 5. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that it is provided with a wall, or two front half walls, which, in a closed position thereof, lock the possible opening of said cover member thereby permitting the overall structure to be sealed by a single leaden seal.

1 6. A roll container, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that said container is effective to be assembled by simple nesting operations, without using connecting members, such as screws, bolts and the like, and, hence, without using tools.

1 7. A wheel bearing structure, effective to be applied on roll containers, according to the preceding Claims, characterized in that it comprises, substantially, a section member, being so shaped and arranged in such a way as to provide a sliding longitudinal seat for a rotating wheel supporting plate, said seat being normally closed, at a side thereof, by a rised portion, effective to bias the rear edge of the bearing plate, inserted in said seat; said bearing plate being then locked, at the rear edge thereof, by a deformable tab, as formed, at a suitable position, in said section.

1 8. A wheel bearing structure, according to Claim 17, characterized in that it comprises a U-shaped section, with lowered wings, said wings being effective to be further bent inwardly, or otherwise machined, for example by welding thereon two square rods, in such a way as to provide corresponding sliding seats for the longitudinal edges of a pirouetting wheel supporting plate.

1 9. A wheel bearing structure, according to Claims 1 7 and 18, characterized in that, in the flat portion of said section is provided, at a suitable position, a rised portion effective to bias the front transversal edge of said plate.

20. A wheel bearing structure, according to Claims 17-19, characterized in that, in said section flat portion, furthermore, are cut one or more tabs, transversally extending and formed at suitably differentiated spacings, with respect to said rised portion, the distance between said portion and the edge adjacent thereto of said tabs being equal to the several lengths which said pirouetting wheel supporting plate may possibly present.

21. A wheel bearing structure, according to Claims 17-20, characterized in that said structure is effective to allow for the rotating wheel to be coupled to said roll container, without using screws or bolts.

22. A roll container and wheel bearing structure, according to the preceding Claims, and substantially as broadly described and illustrated in the preceding description and several figures of the accompanying drawings constituting an integrating part of the instant Patent Application.