GB2476299A

GB2476299A - Non-ISO shipping container with extendable corner fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2476299A
Application number: GB0922170A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Alexander Felix Leach; James Christian Joyce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-12-18
Filing date: 2009-12-18
Publication date: 2011-06-22
Also published as: GB0922170D0

Abstract

A shipping container 10 consists of four side walls 12, a lower floor wall 14 and an upper roof wall 16. The outer dimensions of the shipping container 10 are smaller than the internal dimensions of a standard size (ISO) shipping container. The walls 12, 14, 16 of the shipping container 10 define its upper and lower corners 18, 20, where corner fittings 22, 24 are located. The corner fittings 22, 24 are moveable between a first, open, position (fig 2), and a second, closed (fig 1), position. In the first, open (fig 2), position, the corner fittings 22, 24 extend outwardly from the shipping container 10. The corner fittings 22, 24 in first, open/ extended, position (fig 2) may be locked into the locking means of a transport/ handling device (not shown) by which the shipping container 10 is transportable. When in the second, closed position, the corner fittings 22, 24 are each located adjacent a wall 12, 14, 16 of the shipping container 10. When the corner fittings 22, 24 are in the second, closed, position, the shipping container 10 may be stored within a standard size (ISO) shipping container. A longitudinal support structure 26 may extend between the upper 22 and the lower 24 corner fittings. The corner fittings 22, 24 may rotate, or pivot, from the first position to the second position. The invention relates further to a shipping container 10 attachment in the form of a corner fitting, and a method of extending the corner fittings 22, 24 of such a container 10.

Description

Shipping Container

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a shipping container and to a shipping container attachment. More particularly, the invention relates to an extendable shipping container which includes shipping container attachments and to such shipping container attachments.

Background art

[0002] Shipping containers or intermodal containers as they are also known are re-usable transport and storage units for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries. Containers manufactured to ISO specifications are referred to as ISO containers and the term high-cube container is used for units that are taller than normal. There are millions of shipping or intermodal containers in the world and a large proportion of the world's long distance freight generated by international trade is transported inside shipping containers.

[0003] Typically a shipping container has doors fitted at one end and is constructed of a steel alloy, such as weathering steel.

[0004] The handling of the containers involves loading these containers aboard vehicles such as trucks and boxcars, etc., for transport to a port or terminal for embarkation. The handling further involves unloading the containers from these vehicles at the port or terminal and loading them aboard further transport such as a container ship, then unloading them again at the port of destination. In addition, further handling is required in stacking and rigging the containers in each of the forms of conveyance for compact transport or shipment.

[0005] In order to simplify the handling of these containers at all of these various locations by moving equipment such as cranes, and to also allow them to be generally stackable there are standardised fittings used on each of the four upper and lower corners of the containers.

[0006] One of the problems associated with these shipping containers is that once the products and raw materials have been transported and delivered to their destination, the containers are often left empty on their return. To move an empty container back to its place of origin is a very costly exercise and it is always advantageous to fill the container with further products or materials for the return journey.

[0007] Various attempts have previously been made to try to overcome this problem.

These include the construction of containers of smaller size or the construction of collapsible containers. The disadvantage of using smaller containers is that specialised moving equipment has to be provided at each of the container handling locations. This is expensive and in some cases prohibitive. The disadvantage of using collapsible containers is that they are not as robust as non-collapsible containers. Collapsible containers are more prone to damage as the foldable portions of the container can be bent out of shape from being bashed around during loading or unloading and this could cause the foldable portions not to fit correctly. When the foldable portions don't fit correctly anymore this could lead to the container no longer being waterproof or weather proof.

[0008] The invention provides a container which has the advantage of being smaller in size than a standard ISO container and the smaller size allowing it to be storable inside a standard ISO container. The container of the invention may therefore be transported inside an empty standard ISO container and this therefore is a saving on the space used and cost involved in transportation of the containers. The invention provides the further advantage of being able to be handled by standard moving equipment even though it has smaller overall dimensions than the standard ISO containers.

Disclosure of the invention

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a shipping container comprising: -four side walls, a lower floor wall and an upper roof wall defining the outer dimensions of the shipping container, the outer dimensions of the shipping container being less than the inner dimensions of a standard size shipping container; -the walls also defining upper corners and lower corners of the shipping container; -corner fittings being locatable at least on the upper corners of the shipping container; -the corner fittings being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position; -the first or open position of the corner fittings being that in which corner fittings extend outwardly from the corners of the shipping container, the outwardly extending corner fittings being lockable to a locking means of a transport device by which the shipping container is transportable; -the second or closed position of the corner fittings being that in which the corner fittings are each locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container and the outer dimensions of the shipping container including the corner fittings in the second or closed position being less than the inner dimensions of a standard shipping container; and -the shipping container being storable inside a standard shipping container when the corner fittings are in the second or closed position.

[0010] Preferably the corner fittings are locatable on the upper and lower corners of the shipping container.

[0011] In one form of the invention, the corner fittings are standard container corner fittings.

[0012] Preferably the corner fittings are each locatable on an extension arm.

[0013] It will be understood that each of the upper corner fittings located on an extension arm are attached to the corresponding lower corner fittings below them by means of a longitudinal support structure.

[0014] The corner fittings may be attachable to existing supports of the container.

[0015] In a further form of the invention there may be specialised supports locatable on the container and the corner fittings may be attachable to the specialised supports.

[0016] Preferably the corner fittings may be moveable between the first or open position and the second or closed position by swivelling around the supports.

[0017] The corner fittings may include at least one aperture. There may thus be a plurality of apertures in each corner fitting. A portion of a locking means of a standard transport device may thus be insertable and lockable in the aperture of the corner fittings when the corner fittings are in the first or open position and are extended outwardly from a corner of a shipping container. The corner fittings in the first or open position preferably extend at substantially 1350 or 45° from one of the walls on the corner of the container where they are locatable.

[0018] Typically the corner fittings may be spring biased in the first or open position and may lockable in the second or closed position.

[0019] According to the invention there may be recesses in the walls of the container into which the corner fittings may be locatable when the corner fittings are in their second or closed position. Preferably these recesses are located in the upper roof wall and in the lower floor wall. In such a case an upper corner fitting may be locatable in the recesses in the upper roof wall, and a lower corner fitting may be locatable in the recesses in the lower floor wall. More specifically these recesses may be formed in the structural beams of the walls of the container.

[0020] In another form of the invention there may be a second longitudinal support structure locatable longitudinally between an upper corner fitting and a lower corner fitting. This further support structure may also be locatable in a recess located in one of the side walls when the attached upper and lower corner fittings are in the closed position.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the invention there are provided a shipping container attachment comprising: -a corner fitting which is locatable at one of the upper corners or lower corners of a shipping container; -the corner fitting being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position; -the first or open position of the corner fitting being that in which corner fitting extends outwardly from a corner of the shipping container, the outwardly extending corner fitting being lockable to a locking means of a transport device by which the shipping container is transportable; and -the second or closed position of the corner fitting being that in which the corner fitting is locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container and the shipping container is storable inside a standard size shipping container.

[0022] Preferably a corner fitting is locatable on each of the upper and the lower corners of the shipping container.

[0023] In one form of the invention, the corner fitting is a standard container corner fitting.

[0024] Preferably the corner fitting is locatable on an extension arm.

[0025] It will be understood that each upper corner fitting located on an extension arm is attached to the corresponding lower corner fittings below it by means of a longitudinal support structure.

[0026] The corner fitting may be attachable to an existing support of a container.

[0027] In a further form of the invention there may be a specialised support locatable on the container and a corner fitting may be attachable to a specialised support.

[0028] Preferably the corner fitting may be moveable between the first or open position and the second or closed position by swivelling around a support on a container.

[0029] The corner fitting may include at least one aperture. There may thus be a plurality of apertures in the corner fitting. A portion of a locking means of a standard transport device may be insertable and lockable in the aperture of the corner fitting when the corner fitting is in the first or open position and is extended outwardly from a corner of the shipping container. The corner fitting in the first or open position preferably extends at substantially 1350 or 45° from one of the walls on the corner of a container where it is locatable.

[0030] Typically the corner fitting may be spring biased in the first or open position and may lockable in the second or closed position.

[0031] According to the invention the corner fitting may be locatable in a recess in a wall of a container when the corner fitting is in its second or closed position.

Preferably the recess is located in the upper roof wall or in the lower floor wall of such a container. In such a case an upper corner fitting may be locatable in the recess in the upper roof wall, and a lower corner fitting may be locatable in the recess in the lower floor wall. More specifically these recesses may be formed in the structural beams of the walls of the container.

[0032] In another form of the invention there may be a second longitudinal support structure locatable longitudinally between an upper corner fitting and a lower corner fitting. This further support structure may also be locatable in a recess located in one of the side walls when the attached corner fittings are in the closed position.

[0033] According to a third aspect of the invention there are provided a method of extending shipping container attachments on a shipping container, the method comprising: -locating corner fittings at least at each of the upper corners of a shipping container, each of the corner fittings being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position; -moving the corner fittings to the first or open position in which corner fittings extend outwardly from the corners of the shipping container, the outwardly extending corner fittings being lockable to a locking means of a transport device by which the shipping container is transportable; and -moving the corner fittings to the second or closed position in which the corner fittings are each locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container and the shipping container is storable inside a standard size shipping container.

[0034] The method may further comprise locating corner fittings at each of the lower corners of the shipping container, each of the corner fittings being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position.

[0035] In one form of the invention, the corner fittings of the shipping container attachments are standard container corner fittings.

[0036] Preferably the corner fittings are each locatable on an extension arm.

[0037] The corner fittings may be attachable to existing supports of a container.

[0038] In a further form of the invention there may be specialised supports locatable on the container and the corner fittings may be attachable to the specialised supports.

[0039] Preferably the corner fittings may be moveable between the first or open position and the second or closed position by swivelling around the supports on a container.

Brief description of the drawings

[0040] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a schematic isometric side view of a portion of a shipping container and shipping container attachments in their closed position according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic isometric side view of a portion of a shipping container and shipping container attachments in their open position according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3a shows a plan view of the top of a shipping container and attachments according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3b shows a plan view of the side of a shipping container and attachments according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3c shows a plan end view of a shipping container and attachments according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3d shows a schematic side view of a shipping container attachment according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3e shows a schematic top view of a shipping container attachment according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4a shows a plan view of the top of a shipping container and attachments according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4b shows a plan view of the side of a shipping container and attachments according to the third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4c shows a plan end view of a shipping container and attachments according to the third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4d shows a schematic side view of a shipping container attachment according to the third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4e shows a schematic top view of a shipping container attachment according to the third embodiment of the invention; Figure 5a shows a plan view of the top of a shipping container and attachments according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; Figure 5b shows a plan view of the side of a shipping container and attachments according to the fourth embodiment of the invention; Figure 5c shows a plan end view of a shipping container and attachments according to the fourth embodiment of the invention; Figure 5d shows a schematic side view of a shipping container attachment according to the fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5e shows a schematic top view of a shipping container attachment according to the fourth embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0041] A shipping container 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2. Shipping container 10 comprises four side walls 12, which include two end walls, one of the end walls comprising the doors of the container 10. Shipping container 10 further comprises a lower floor wall 14 and an upper roof wall 16. Together, the four side walls 12, lower floor wall 14 and the upper roof wall 16 define the outer dimensions of shipping container 10, these outer dimensions being less than the inner dimensions of a standard size shipping container. Container 10 is thus a modification of a standard ISO shipping container, and would be applied primarily, but not necessarily to a scaled down version of a standard size shipping container such that it would preferably fit snugly inside a standard size container.

[0042] It will be understood that a standard size shipping container is also generally known as an intermodal or freight container and is manufactured to ISO specifications. Typically these containers are regular ISO 1496 containers. A large proportion of the world's long distance freight generated by international trade is transported inside these standard size shipping containers as they are able to transport bulk cargo from place to place, across land or sea.

[0043] The walls 12, 14 and 16 of shipping container 10 also define the upper corners 18 and lower corners 20 of the shipping container 10. Upper corner fittings 22 are locatable at each of the upper corners 18 and lower corner fittings 24 are locatable at each of the lower corners 20. The upper corner fittings 22 and lower corner fittings 24 are moveable between a first or open position, as illustrated in Figure 2 and a second or closed position, as illustrated in Figure 1.

[0044] It will be understood that the each of the upper corner fittings 22 and lower corner fittings 24 may be moveable independently from each other in a further embodiment of the invention.

[0045] As shown in Figure 2, the first or open position is where the corner fittings 22 and 24 extend outwardly from the corners 18 and 20, respectively. The outwardly extending corner fittings 22 and 24 are lockable to a locking means of a transport device (not shown) by which the shipping container 10 is transportable. Such a transport mechanism is generally a type of crane which is able to lock onto the upper corner fittings 22 and 24, and then move the attached shipping container 10 from one place to another, or onto a vehicle such as, for example a ship, a train or a truck, for long distance transport of the container.

[0046] Corner fittings 22 and 24 are also used for lifting the shipping container 10 and moving it for a relatively short distance, and for stacking shipping container 10 onto another shipping container or onto a transport surface of a transportation vessel. Corner fittings 22 and 24 are then also used to lock shipping container to a suitable complementary fitting to secure shipping container 10 and prevent it from moving during transport. Such a complementary fitting can be found on a surface of a transport vehicle or on another shipping container onto which it is stacked.

[0047] As shown in Figure 1, the second or closed position is where the corner fittings 22 and 24 are each locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container, and the outer dimensions of the shipping container, including the corner fittings when they are in the second or closed position, are less than the inner dimensions of a standard shipping container. Shipping container 10 is thus storable inside a standard shipping container when the corner fittings 22 and 24 are in the second or closed position.

[0048] The corner fittings 22 and 24 include at least one aperture according to the invention and preferably there is a plurality of apertures in each corner fitting.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, as these are typically standard container corner fittings there are three apertures in each corner fitting 22 and 24. These apertures allow a portion of a locking means from a standard transport device to be insertable and lockable onto each corner fitting when the corner fittings are in the first or open position and are extended outwardly from each of the corners 18 and 20 of the shipping container 10. The corner fittings 22 and 24 preferably extend at substantially 1350 or 45° from one of the walls on the corner of the container 10 when in the first or open position. Corner fittings 22 and 24 may be spring biased in this first or open position so that if they are knocked the spring bias protects them from being broken easily.

[0049] The corner fittings 22 and 24 are also lockable in the second or closed position so that they fit snugly in the recesses at corners 18 and 20, and therefore do not extend beyond the outer dimensions of the walls of the container.

[0050] Container 10 is a modification of a standard ISO shipping container, and is preferably a scaled down version of a standard sea container, its outer dimensions small enough to allow it to be fit snugly inside a standard size container when the corner fittings 22 and 24 are in the second or closed position.

[0051] The corner fittings 22 and 24 are shown attached to existing container supports 26 of container 10 and may be moveable by swivelling between the first or open position and the second or closed position around the existing supports 26. The corner fittings 22 and 24 are also shown to be attached to an extension arm 30 and 32, respectively which in turn attaches each of the respective corner fitting 22 and 24 to a structural support in the form of a support pole 34, and the support pole 34 is housed inside support 26 of container 10.

[0052] In a further form of the invention there may instead be specialised supports locatable on the container 10 onto which the corner fittings 22 and 24 may be attachable.

[0053] Further embodiments of the invention are shown in Figures 3a to 3e, 4a to 4e and 5a to 5e. In each of these further embodiments a container 10 according to the invention is shown to be located inside a standard size container 28.

Figures 3d, 3e, 4d, 4e, Sd and Se show three different configurations of the corner fittings 22 and 24 according to the invention. In addition, it will be noted that Figures 3a, 3b and 3c which show the schematic top plan view of the shipping container 10 located inside a standard container 28, further illustrates the upper fittings 22 in both their first or open positions and their closed or second positions.

[0054] The corner fittings 22 and 24 are shown attached to container lOin pairs (top and bottom pairs for each of the four corners 18, 20) and attached to each other by a strong post 34. The posts 34 may also be attached to existing container supports 26. Supports 26 may comprise sheaths attached to part of container 10, and the posts 34 may be locatable and rotatable inside these sheath supports 26, as is the case in Figures 1 and 2. Supports 26 may comprise further types of attachment means for posts 34 such as sets of bearings with blocks (not shown). These blocks are fixed at various points on a container wall with bearings on each of the blocks having a hole therein through which a post 34 can be located. The posts 34 preferably have holes in them part of the way down into which a rod can be inserted to manually turn the post through 135° or 45° from open to close and vice versa. This allows the mechanism for opening or closing the corner fittings 22 and 24 to be operated by one person with a simple piece of stiffened rod made from a material such as, for example, steel.

The corner fittings 22 and 24 when in the first or open position sit at 1350 angle or 45°angle out from the corner of the container 10, and are set so that when positioned in this first or open position, they are in exactly the position they would be if they were part of a larger standard size container and in their normal position. When closed, the corner fittings 22 and 24 turn 45° or 135°, whichever is applicable in that particular case, and slot into a recess in a wall of the container. Such a recess may specifically be, for example, in the main beam which runs from one corner 18 to the other corner 18 on the long edge of container 10. Since some of this beam is hollowed out to accommodate the corner fitting in its recess, these beams may be strengthened with additional support.

[0055] The corner fittings 22 and 24 are each attached to an extension arm 30 and 32, respectively which attaches the respective corner fitting 22 and 24 to the support pole 34, and positions them correctly for the stacking and moving of container 10. The entire mechanism at each corner (two corner fittings, two extension arms and one pole joining them with support and bearings) is attached to the main structure of the container 10 in a way that may add to the rigidity of the mechanism, or enables the mechanism to be easily and cheaply replaced in case of damage, or both. The extension arms 30 and 32 may themselves also be further strengthened by a strut 36.

[0056] In order to provide further strength and rigidity, a second longitudinal support structure, such as a support pole (not shown), may be locatable longitudinally between an upper corner fitting 22 and a lower corner fitting 24. In such a case these support structures are located at each corner of container 10 and therefore extend between each upper corner fitting 22 and the lower corner fitting 24 located below it. These support structures may also be locatable in a recess in one of the side walls 12 of container 10 when the attached upper and lower corner fittings 22 and 24 are in the second or closed position.

[0057] In order for container 10 to be stacked and lifted by standard size container moving equipment, the upper and lower corner fittings 22 and 24 are movable and swing out diagonally from the corners and lock into place so that when locked in their first or open positions they are in the same place as the corner castings or fittings of a regular size shipping container, and can be attached by any standard lifting or stacking or moving equipment that works with such a standard sized shipping container. When folded away in the second or closed position they are flush with the sides of container 10, allowing container 10 to be slid in and out of a standard sized container.

[0058] The small size container 10 of the invention and its mechanism of attachments may be augmented by other items that make it easier to slide the container in and out of other standard size containers.

[0059] It will be understood that a further embodiments (not shown) of the invention are possible which incorporate a corner fitting that can be slid out from the support structure rather than swinging, or swivelling out from the support structure, or a corner fitting may be flipped out from the container. A shipping attachment according to the invention may further comprise a corner fitting that is attached to an independent structure such as block that can simply be slotted into a container, such as the smaller dimensioned container as described.

Claims

Claims 1. A shipping container comprising: -four side walls, a lower floor wall and an upper roof wall defining the outer dimensions of the shipping container, the outer dimensions of the shipping container being less than the inner dimensions of a standard size shipping container; -the walls also defining upper corners and lower corners of the shipping container; -corner fittings being locatable at the upper and the lower corners of the shipping container; -the corner fittings being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position; -the first or open position of the corner fittings being that in which the corner fittings extend outwardly from the corners of the shipping container, the outwardly extending corner fittings being lockable to a locking means of a transport device by which the shipping container is transportable; -the second or closed position of the corner fittings being that in which the corner fittings are each locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container and the outer dimensions of the shipping container including the corner fittings in the second or closed position being less than the inner dimensions of a standard sized shipping container; and -the shipping container being storable inside a standard shipping container when the corner fittings are in the second or closed position.
2. A shipping container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corner fittings are locatable on the upper and lower corners of the shipping container.
3. A shipping container as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the corner fittings are standard container corner fittings.
4. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims I to 3, wherein the corner fittings are each locatable on an extension arm.
5. A shipping container as claimed in claim 4, wherein each upper corner fitting located on an extension arm is attached to the corresponding lower corner fittings below it by means of a longitudinal support structure.
6. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims I to 5, wherein the corner fittings are attachable to existing supports of the container.
7. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims I to 5, wherein there are specialised supports locatable on the container and the corner fittings are attachable to the specialised supports.
8. A shipping container as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the corner fittings are moveable between the first or open position and the second or closed position by swivelling around the supports.
9. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims I to 8, wherein the corner fittings include at least one aperture.
10. A shipping container as claimed in claim 9, wherein a portion of a locking means of a standard transport device is insertable and lockable in the aperture of the corner fittings when the corner fittings are in the first or open position and are extended outwardly from a corner of a shipping container.
11. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims I to 10, wherein the corner fittings in the first or open position extend at substantially 1350 or 45° from one of the walls on the corner of the container where they are locatable.
12. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims I to 11, wherein the corner fittings are spring biased in the first or open position and are lockable in the second or closed position.
13. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims Ito 12, wherein there are recesses in the walls of the container into which the corner fittings are locatable when the corner fittings are in their second or closed position.
14. A shipping container as claimed in claim 13, wherein the recesses are located in the upper roof wall and in the lower floor wall.
15. A shipping container as claimed in any of claims 2 to 14, wherein there is a second longitudinal support structure locatable longitudinally between an upper corner fitting and a lower corner fitting.
16. A shipping container as claimed in claim 15, wherein the further support structure is locatable in a recess located in one of the side walls when the attached upper and lower corner fittings are in the closed position.
17. A shipping container attachment comprising: -a corner fitting which is locatable at an upper corner or lower corner of a shipping container; -the corner fitting being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position; -the first or open position of the corner fitting being that in which corner fitting extends outwardly from a corner of a shipping container, the outwardly extending corner fitting being lockable to a locking means of a transport device by which the shipping container is transportable; and -the second or closed position of the corner fitting being that in which the corner fitting is locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container and the shipping container is storable inside a standard size shipping container.
18. A shipping container as claimed in claim 17, wherein a corner fitting is locatable on each of the upper and the lower corners of the shipping container.
19. A shipping container attachment as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the corner fitting is a standard container corner fitting.
20. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the corner fitting is locatable on an extension arm.
21. A shipping container attachment as claimed in claim 20, wherein each upper corner fitting located on an extension arm is attached to the corresponding lower corner fittings below it by means of a longitudinal support structure.
22. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the corner fitting is attachable to an existing support of a container.
23. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein there is a specialised support locatable on the container and the corner fitting is attachable to the specialised support.
24. A shipping container attachment as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the corner fitting is moveable between the first or open position and the second or closed position by swiveling around a support on a container.
25. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any of claims 17 to 24, wherein the corner fitting includes at least one aperture.
26. A shipping container attachment as claimed in claim 25, wherein a portion of a locking means of a standard transport device is insertable and lockable in the aperture of the corner fitting when the corner fitting is in the first or open position and is extended outwardly from a corner of the shipping container.
27. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any of claims 17 to 26, wherein when the corner fitting in the first or open position it extends at substantially I 35°or 450 from one of the walls on the corner of a container where it is locatable.
28. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any of claims 17 to 27, wherein the corner fitting is spring biased in the first or open position and is lockable in the second or closed position.
29. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any of claims 17 to 28, wherein the corner fitting is locatable in a recess in a wall of a container when the corner fitting is in its second or closed position.
30. A shipping container attachment as claimed in claim 29, wherein the recess is located in the upper roof wall or in the lower floor wall of the container.
31. A shipping container attachment as claimed in any of claims 117 to 30, wherein there is a second longitudinal support structure locatable longitudinally between an upper corner fitting and a lower corner fitting.
32. A shipping container attachment as claimed in claim 31, wherein the further support structure is locatable in a recess located in one of the side walls of a container when the attached corner fittings are in the closed position.
33. A method of extending shipping container attachments on a shipping container, the method comprising: -locating corner fittings at each of the upper corners of a shipping container, each of the corner fittings being moveable between a first or open position and a second or closed position; -moving the corner fittings to the first or open position in which corner fittings extend outwardly from the corners of the shipping container, the outwardly extending corner fittings being lockable to a locking means of a transport device by which the shipping container is transportable; and -moving the corner fittings to the second or closed position in which the corner fittings are each locatable adjacent a wall of the shipping container and the shipping container is storable inside a standard size shipping container.