IL104000A - Container locking system - Google Patents

Description

CONTAINER LOCKING SYSTEM MUL-T-LOCK LTD.

C: 15864 15864con.ame 16.7.95 FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to locks for containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, containers such as trucking containers with a pair of swing-out doors are locked by providing a corresponding pair of pivotable locking rods which, in a first position, engage the top and/or bottom surfaces of the container, thereby preventing the doors from swinging out. In a second position, the locking rods are disengaged from the top and/or bottom surfaces of the container and the doors can swing out. A padlock maintains the locking rods in their first position.

A disadvantage of this conventional locking system is that it can easily be overcome by picking the padlock or by sawing through its shackle. Γ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention seeks to provide an improved system for locking containers.

There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a container locking system for use in conjunction with a container having two swing-out doors, each door having a locking rod mounted thereon, the system including a rod yoking element for yoking the two locking rods, and a yoke lock for locking the yoking element.

Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rod yoking element includes an access-preventing enclosure in which the yoke lock is housed, for preventing access thereto.

Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the yoking element includes first and second yoking sections for yoking the first and second locking rods respectively and the yoke lock is operative to join the first and second yoking sections.

Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the first and second yoking sections includes a container-facing portion and an outward-facing portion and the yoke lock is operative to join the first and second outward-facing portions.

Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the yoke lock is also operative to join the first and second container-facing portions.

Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, matching apertures are formed in the first and second container-facing portions and the yoke lock includes a joining pin configured and arranged to go through the apertures, thereby to join the first and second container-facing portions.

Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an aperture is formed in the joining pin and the yoke lock also includes a stop pin configured and arranged to engage the joining pin aperture, thereby to prevent easy removal of the joining pin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container locking system constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a locked state; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container locking system of Fig. 1 in a first unyoked state; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container locking system of Fig. 1 in a second yoked state; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container locking system of Fig. 1 in a third yoked and pinned state; Fig. 5 is an enlarged illustration of a portion of Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines VI -VI of Fig. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to Figs. 1 - 6 which illustrate a container locking system, referenced generally 10, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The locking system 10 is shown in association with a container 12 such as a trucking container which defines a top surface 14, a bottom surface 16, and first and second swing-out doors 18 and 20.

A pair of pivotable locking rods 22 and 24 are associated with swing-out doors 18 and 20 respectively and are pivotably mounted on the doors 18 and 20 by means of insertion through ring arrays 30 and 32 respectively.

In a first position, rods 22 and 24 engage the top and bottom surfaces 14 and 16 of the container, thereby preventing the doors 18 and 20, respectively, from swinging out. To assume a second position (not shown) , the locking rods 22 and 24 pivot so as to become disengaged from the top and bottom surfaces 14 and 16 of the container 12 and the doors 18 and 20 are then free to' swing out in the directions indicated by arrows 40 and 42, respectively.

The locking rods each preferably include a padlock engaging apertured element 50. When the locking rods are in their first, locking position, each padlock engaging apertured element 50 is arranged opposite a corresponding padlock engaging apertured element 52 (Fig. 5) associated with the doors. A pair of padlocks (not shown) maintains the pair of locking rods 22 and 24 in their first position by engaging apertured elements 50 and 52.

A rod yoking element 60 is provided which is operative to yoke locking rods 22 and 24 together.

The rod yoking element 60 preferably comprises first and second lockable yoking sections 70 and 72, respectively, (shown in Fig. 2) for yoking locking rods 22 and 24 respectively.

Preferably, yoking sections 70 and 72 each define matching jagged edge portions 74 and 76 to facilitate alignment of yoking sections 70 and 72 opposite one another.

Each yoking section 70 and 72 defines a container-facing portion 80 and an outward-facing portion 82. Outward-facing portions 82 are preferably configured and arranged to engage the yoke 90 of a padlock 92 (Fig. 4).

Preferably, the container-facing portions 80 of yoking sections 70 and 72 define apertures 100 and 102 respectively (Fig. 6) which are arranged to face one another when the rods 22 and 24 are yoked to one another. A joining pin 104 engages the apertures 100 and 102 in order to prevent container-facing portions 80 from being forced apart. As best seen in Fig. 6, when inserted so as to engage apertures 100 and 102, pin 104 is preferably flush with the surface of outward-facing portions 82 in order to prevent burglars from tampering with or removing pin 104.

Preferably, an aperture 110 (Fig. 6) is formed in joining pin 104 and a corresponding stop-pin 112 (Fig. 4) is formed in the yoke 90 of padlock 92, thereby to prevent easy removal of the joining pin 104.

Preferably, outward facing portions 82 define an access-preventing enclosure 94 (shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5) in which the padlock 92 (Fig. 4) is housed, for preventing access to the padlock. As shown in Fig. 2, the access-preventing enclosure 94 is typically defined by enclosure segments 96 and 98 which are integrally formed with, welded to or otherwise fixedly associated with yoke segments 70 and 72 respectively.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims that follow: 104000/3

Claims (9)

1. A container locking system for use in conjunction with a container having two swing-out doors, each door having a pi-votable locking rod mounted thereon, the system comprising: removable rod yoking elements for yoking the two locking rods; and a padlock assembly for locking the yoking elements.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein each rod yoking element comprises an access-preventing enclosure in which the shackle of the padlock assembly is housed, for preventing access thereto .

3. A system according to any of the preceding claims wherein the rod yoking element comprises first and second yoking sections for yoking the first and second locking rods respectively and the padlock assembly is operative to join the first and second yoking sections.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein each of the first and second yoking sections comprises a container-facing portion and an outward-facing portion and wherein the padlock assembly is operative to join the first and second outward-facing portions.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein the padlock assembly is also operative to join the first and second container-facing portions. 104000/3

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein matching apertures are formed in the first and second container-facing portions and wherein the padlock assembly comprises a joining pin configured and arranged to go through the apertures, thereby to join the first and second container-facing portions.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein an aperture is formed in the joining pin and wherein the shackle of the padlock assembly also comprises a stop pin configured and arranged to engage the joining pin aperture, thereby to prevent easy removal of the joining pin.

8. System in accordance with any of the preceding claims substantially as described hereinabove.

9. System in accordance with any of the preceding claims substantially as illustrated in any of the drawings. For the Applicant, Sa b c: 15864