GB2244090A

GB2244090A - Hinge locks for collapsible pallets

Info

Publication number: GB2244090A
Application number: GB9005862A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Clive-Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-03-15
Filing date: 1990-03-15
Publication date: 1991-11-20
Also published as: GB9005862D0

Abstract

A collapsible shipping container has a lockable hinge characterised in that the hinge has a nose plate (20) which projects on the inboard side of the hinge pivot pin. The nose plate can be locked to the base abutment (13) by a pin mounted on the base and engaging the nose. The pin (21) is preferably wedged shaped and traps the nose between it and the inboard abutment fixed to the base. The locking mechanism also tends to take up the play between pivot pin (23) and bracket (24). <IMAGE>

Description

Title: HINGE FOR A COLLAPSIBLE COllTAINER In the field of shipping containers there is a type of special container called a flatrac which comprises a horizontal piatform base with vertical posts at each corner. One type of flatrac is collapsible wherein the corner posts are pivotally attached to the base. They can either be locked in the vertical position or the corner posts can be unlocked and collapsed down to the base. Once collapsed the flatrack can be used as a simple platform cargo carrier or other collapsed bases can be stacked upon it to enable economical storage and transport.

When the posts are erect, substantial handling forces can he exerted to the top of the posts in any direction during sea and land transport. The geometry of the posts must remain firm to ensure that other similar containers can oe tacked and supported on tory of the posts. Thus it is important that not only are the posts held rigidly in place but they must resist the operating force. These requirements result in enormous forces teing put onto the post hinges and locking devices.

The conventional solution to the problem of post movement and strength of attachment to the base is for tight fitting locking devices and closes fitting hinges and abutments. Because the forces can act in any direction, the fitting of the locking devices and abutments is difficult and e pensive to achieve According to this invention a collapsible cargo carrier comprising a platform base with posts pivotally attached to the base by hinges able to be locked which can lock the posts in the erect position and unlocked to allow the posts to collapse down to the base, the hinge comprising a pivot, an abutment and a locking device, the locking device being positioned inboard of the pivot pin.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawing in which: Fiqure 1 shows a perspectise view of a collapsible flatrack container.

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of a stack of collapsed flatracks.

Figure 7 there can be seen a detailed side elevation view of the lower corner arrangement with the post erect.

Figure 4 shows the same as Figure 7:: with the post folded to the base Figure 5 there can be seen a detailed sid elevation of the lower corner arrangement with the post erect and alternative locking arrangements In figure 1 there is seen a typical collapsible flatrack comprising a base 1 with floor 2, end rails 3 and side rails 4, and a wall 8 at each end with posts 6, top rail 7 and bottom rail 12 t each corner of the flatrack is a box 9, 10 which has in it apertures 5 formed to accept known hooks and twistlocks.The walls 8 are locked in the erect position shown by the hinge assembly 11 which when released allows the walls 8 to fold down onto the base 1 about arrows ".

Typically the materials of construction of the flatrack are a high strength welded steel with a floor of timber.

In figure 2 a number of similar flatracks 14,15,1b,17,18 can be seen folded and stacked one upon another.

In figure 7:: the post 6 is erect. The post 6 is reinforced at the bottom by hinge plates 22 and the base is reinforced by base plates 24. A pivot pin 73 pass through base plates 24 and hinge plates thereby attaching posts 6 pivotally to the base 1. The back plate 17 can be seen to abut box b preventing the post 6 from falling outboard from base 1. Thus any forces acting as in figure 1 in the direction of arrow C on the top box 9 will be supported by reactions in the back plate 19 through to box 18 d base 1, and by reaction in pin 23 through to base plates 24 and base 1.

The hinge plates 22 are etended on the inboard side of the pivot pin 27 by nose plate 28. MA wedge 21 with inclined wedge face 25 with can be seen in contract with inclined face 26 of nose plate 28. The wedge 21 is itself supported in the cantilevered position shown by a support block 27 which is welded to the side rail 4.A shaft 28 is welded to the back of the wedge 21. A hollow cylindrical hammer 29 is mounted on the shaft 28 such that it can slide up and down the shaft 28. The shaft 28 passes through a clearance hole (not shown) in bracket 78 allowing it to slide horizontally. The wedge 21 is supported for horizontal sliding by the block 27 and bracket 31 71 fixed to side rail 4 and block 27. stop 32 is welded to shaft 28.

To release the wedge 21 from engagement with nose plate 2, the hammer 29 is slid by hand along the shaft 28 until it impacts stop 32. This impact causes the wedge 21 to withdraw from nose plate 20'.

With wedge 21 withdrawn, the nose plate 28 and post 6 can rotate about pin 23 and thus fold down onto the base 1 in the arc direction of arrows A in figure 1.

Locking the wedge 21 into engagement with nose plate 20 is carried out b direct impact b hammer 29 on the wedge 21. As the wedge 21 is impacted by the hammer 29, the inclined face 25 forces inclined face 26 of nose plate s upward and in doing so takes up any clearances between pivot pin 23 and holes 7::., 4 in base plates 24 d hinge plates 22 respectively. With the clearances closed between pivot pin23 and holes 33, 34 any free play inthe movement of the post 6 in direction of arrow B or C (see figure 1) or vertically upward or downward is minimized or indeed eliminated.

Whilst the wedge 21 is engaged with nose plate 20, any forces acting on the bo 9 (see figure 1) in the direction of arrow B are supported by the post 6 being supported as before by pivot pin 23 through to base I and by nose plate 28 being supported by wedge 21 through to the base 1 via support block 27.

In figure 4, the post 6 can be seen collapsed down to the bas 1.

Wedge 21 is in the withdrawn position and nose plate 20 shown in dotted line can be seen rotated down behind box 10.

Typically, there is a twistlock 35 situated close to each folded back plate 19 which is used for locking collapsed flatracks together.

The twistlock 8s5 can be retracted and stowed as shown in dotted line in figure 7:: within the hinge plates 22.

Since the corner posts 6 and walls 8 are too heavy for manual erection, a counterbalance spring 76 shown in figure 7'. is connected to spring plate 37 via link 7.8 to the wall 8. The inboard end of the pring :. (not shown) is anchored to the side rail 4. When the post 6 wall 8 is folded down as in figure 4, tension is induced in the spring through the movement of spring plate 37 thereby urging the post 6 to become erect and thugs assisting in the erection process.

Several other possibilitiec for supporting the nose plate 20 ar-e envisaged. Some of these are illustrated in figure 5. The top face 13. of nose plate 20 can be arranged to abut the side rail 4 at abutment 39 thereby further resisting forces in the direction of arrow C and relieving loads induced in the pin If the clearances between pin 23 and holes 33, 34 are acceptable, then the wedge 21 might be substituted by a parallel block, or indeed any such pinning device with mating face in lieu of inclined face 26 on nose 20 Cooperating apertures 40 or 41 might be formed in the nose plate 20 with corresponding apertures in side rail 4 through which a pin, wedge, bolt, or other pinning device can be passed thereby pinning the nose plate 20 to side rail 4 thus locking the post 6 in the erect position.

In another arrangement the block 27 might be substituted by a pivoted arm 43 attached to the side rail 4 via pin 42 and extended to make direct contact with face 26 of nose plate 28. The arm 43 would b rotated from unlocked position 43' to locked position 43. Because of the radial movement of arm 43, there would be a wedging action applied to face 26 urging plate 20 upward thereby tightly locking the hinge 11.

The axis of the pin 42 is seen here parallel to pin ?2. However in a further arrangement, the axis might be vertical with the arm 47 rotating through a horizontal plane. In the locked position, the arm 47:: might end up in the same position as the wedge 21 in figure 8; supported by block 27 its vertical pin axis being denote b line 42'.

Claims

1. A collapsible flatrack comprising a platform base with posts pivotally attached to the base by hinges able to be locked which when locked hold the posts in the erect position and when unlocked to allow the posts to be collapsed down to the base, the hinge comprising an abutment, a pivot, at least one nose plate inboard of the pivot pin and a pin which engages with the nose plate.

2. A collapsible flatrack as in claim 1 in which the pin is mounted within brackets on the base so as to slide into engagement with the nose plate.

3. A collapsible flatrack as in claim 1 in which the pin is pivotally attached to the base so as to rotate through an arc in and out of engagement with the nose plate.

4. A collapsible flatrack as in claims 1, 2 and 3 in which the nose plate in the post erect position abuts the underside of an inboard abutment fixed to the base.

5. A collapsible flatrack as in claim 4 in which the pin acts on the underside of the nose plate trapping the nose between said inboard abutment and the pin.

6. A collapsible flatrack as in claims 1, 2, 3, and 4 in which the pin engages the nose plate through an opening formed in the nose plate.

7. A collapsible flatrack as in claims 5 and 6 in which at least one face of the pin which enages the nose plate is inclined to the direction of travel of the pin.

S. A collapsible flatrack any previous claim in which the pin is mounted on the longitudinal side of the base.

9. h collapsible flatrack as in claim 8 in which the pin is driven into engagement with the nose plate by a sliding hammer mounted on a shaft itself mounted on the base.