SE536009C2 - Carrier device and station for carrying container and method at such station - Google Patents

Abstract

SUMMARY A carrier device (10) for carrying a container at and after delivery from a vehicle unit, a station for delivery of a container and a method for delivering a container from a vehicle unit. The carrier device (10) comprises a support element (11), one-pin holder (13) and a locking pin (12). The pin holder (13) is rotatably mounted at the support element (11) and rotatable relative support element about a vertical axis of rotation. The reading pin (12) is arranged to accompany the pin holder (13) when the pin holder rotates about said vertical axis of rotation. The carrier device (10) also comprises an adjusting mechanism, which adjusting mechanism is arranged to, under the action of the weight from a container resting against the loading pin (12), automatically move the pin holder (13) to a predetermined load rotational position about said vertical axis of rotation, when the pin holder is in a rotary position given angular range around the predetermined locked rotational position. Figure 2a

Description

20 25 30 35 535 009 safe location. The dominant container type for road and ship transport is the standardized so-called ISO container.

Delivery and collection of goods transported by road, such as various types of trucks and semi-trailers, can easily become a bottleneck in the transport chain as the vehicle unit that transports the goods stays standing longer than necessary when loading and unloading goods. To deliver a container that is transported by truck, a truck or similar is often used that lifts the container from the truck. Such a procedure is associated with high operating costs in the form of both personnel and equipment costs. Instead, using a station where the container can easily and without the use of a truck or the like can be handed over and carried for unloading goods or while waiting for further transport, enables the truck's driver to handle the delivery himself. In this way, operating costs can be saved at the same time as the transporting truck is released and can be used for other transports when the container has been delivered. US 2008/0298939 A1 describes a station for carrying a container during and after delivery from a vehicle unit, for example a truck. The station comprises four carrier devices in the form of posts with support for the container to rest on. The supports can be turned in under the container when it is placed at the station, whereupon the truck lowers the container so that it rests on the supports.

The truck can then drive away and leave the container at the station. However, the carrier devices do not include a device for anchoring the container as it rests on the supports, which can lead to problems with safety at the station.

There are also carrier devices in the form of support posts with pins intended to be brought into engagement with the brackets of a container.

The carrier devices are loose and put in place when the container is anchored to, for example, a truck. The truck is then lowered so that the container rests on the pins, whereupon the truck can be driven away.

However, this system has the disadvantage of being very unstable. If the truck accesses a carrier device during delivery or retrieval of the container, the carrier device can overturn and take the container and other carrier devices with it in the case. The system is therefore not suitable for rational goods handling.

SUMMARY An object of the present invention is to provide a carrier device and a station for carrying a container which in at least some aspect simplifies the handling of containers during delivery from and collection on a vehicle unit and which is suitable for rational goods handling. A further object is to provide a method for delivering a container which simplifies the retrieval of the container.

The first object is achieved by a carrier device according to claim 1 and a station for carrying a container according to claim 8. The second object is achieved by a method according to claim 9.

The carrier device according to the invention comprises a support element anchored in a base, a pin holder supported by the support element and a locking pin intended to be brought into engagement with a bracket of the container and carry at least a part of the container weight, which locking pin is supported by the pin holder and is displaceable relative to the pin holder from a retracted position to an advanced position. The carrier device is characterized in that the pin holder is rotatably mounted at the support element and rotatable relative to the support element about a vertical axis of rotation, the locking pin being arranged to accompany the pin holder when the pin holder rotates about said vertical axis of rotation, and that the carrier device also comprises of the weight from a container resting against the locking pin, automatically move the pin holder to a predetermined locked rotational position about said vertical axis of rotation, when the pin holder is in a rotational position within a given angular range around the predetermined locked rotational position.

Thanks to the fact that the carrier devices are fixed in a base, these can be made sufficiently stable to withstand, for example, collisions with a vehicle unit or other incidents. The reading of the container at the carrier devices with the aid of the locking pins provides a safe system. Furthermore, the rotatability of the locking pins and the automatic adjustment mechanism allow a certain flexibility in positioning the vehicle, since it is possible to engage a locking pin with a bracket on the container even if the bracket is not in the exact position in the middle of the locking pin by turning the locking pin manually. When the weight of the container is then transferred to the locking pins, these are automatically moved to a predetermined turning position.

When picking up, the driver of the vehicle unit can, thanks to this construction, be sure of exactly in which position the container is relative to the carrier devices. This facilitates retrieval, as the container must be attached to the attachment means of the vehicle unit. If the vehicle mounting means does not end up in the exact position directly below the downward-facing openings of the container mounts when picked up, the rotatability of the locking pins, when transferring the weight of the container to the vehicle unit, will allow the container to move slightly in the horizontal direction when the container mounts. fasteners.

The adjusting mechanism comprises pairs of mutually cooperating guide surfaces of the pin holder and of a seat part fixed in the support element, the guide surfaces being arranged to guide the pin holder to said predetermined read rotational position when the pin holder is in a rotational position within a given angular position around the predetermined angular position. This adjustment mechanism is accomplished in a simple manner.

According to one embodiment, each pair of mutually cooperating guide surfaces comprises at least one guide surface which is angled relative to the vertical axis of rotation, the guide surface of the pin holder 10 under the action of a container resting against the locking pin being arranged to slide along the seat part. guide surface, whereby the pin holder performs a simultaneous vertical and rotating movement downwards towards the seat part, until the predetermined locked rotational position is reached. The simultaneously rotating and vertical movement makes the adjustment mechanism as well as the locked rotational position extra stable and allows a certain flexibility when positioning in horizontal as well as in vertical direction.

According to a further embodiment, a safety support is designed to be able to support the weight of the container arranged on the support element during the loading pin. This increases safety, as the safety support can support the container in the event of a break in the load pin of the carrier device.

According to another embodiment, the pin holder is displaceable downwards in vertical direction against the action of a spring when the pin holder is in a position separate from the predetermined locked rotational position. In this embodiment, rotation of the locking pin and pin holder is facilitated, since the spring force helps to lift the pin holder out of the locked rotational position in the absence of load from a container.

According to a further embodiment, a locking member is arranged at the front part of the locking pin and a handle fixedly connected to the locking member is arranged at the rear part of the locking pin, the locking means being rotatable relative to the locking pin about an axis in the longitudinal direction of the locking pin. an open position, and wherein the locking means can be locked in said positions by means of the handle. This embodiment provides a simple and secure locking of the container to the carrier device.

According to one embodiment, the carrier device comprises a light-reflecting positioning surface for positioning the container in cooperation with a light source arranged on the vehicle unit and a light sensor arranged on the vehicle unit. This simplifies for the driver of the vehicle unit to position it in the correct position relative to the carrier device when delivering and retrieving the container.

According to another embodiment, the support element comprises a lifting device and a part which can be moved in the vertical direction by means of the lifting device, which movable part carries the pin holder. In this embodiment it is possible to move the container down to ground level by means of the carrier device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description of embodiments of the invention now follows.

Figure 1 shows an overview of a station for carrying a container during and after delivery; Figure 2a shows a first embodiment of a carrier device according to the invention; Figure 2b shows a cross section along a vertical axis straight through the upper part of the same carrier device; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a pin holder obliquely from below; Figures 4a-d show a pin holder and a seat part in different rotational positions in perspective view and in cross section along a vertical axis; Figures 5a-b show a locking pin with a locking means illustrated in two different positions; Figures 6a-b show a second embodiment of a carrier device according to the invention in two different positions; Figure 7a shows a pin holder and a seat part in the second embodiment; Figure 7b shows a detail from Figure 7a; and Figure 8 shows a guide ring and a seat part in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION A station 1 for carrying a container 2 at and after delivery from a vehicle unit 3 is shown in Figure 1. Four carrier devices 10 according to the invention are placed to be able to carry a container 2. by attachment to the container brackets 4 in the form of corner fittings of the container. An embodiment of the carrier device 10 for supporting a container 2 is shown in Figures 2-4. The present embodiment of the carrier device 10 is shown in perspective in Figure 2a and a cross section through its upper part is shown in Figure 2b. The carrier device 10 comprises a support element 11 in the form of a hollow post, which is anchored in a base.

The carrier device 10 further comprises a locking pin 12, which is intended to be brought into engagement with a bracket 4 of the container 2.

The locking pin 12 is supported by a pin holder 13, which in turn is rotatably mounted at an upper part 11a of the support element 11.

The pin holder 13 is rotatable relative to the support element 11 about a vertical axis of rotation A. The locking pin 12 is rotatable together with the pin holder 13 about the vertical axis of rotation A, whereby the pin holder and the locking pin can assume different rotational positions about the vertical axis of rotation. The carrier device 10 also comprises an adjusting mechanism for automatically moving the pin holder 13 to a predetermined rotational position when the loading pin 12 is loaded with weight from a container 2.

As shown in Figures 3-4, the pin holder 13 comprises a lower guide part 14 designed as a hollow circular cylinder. The guide part 14 of the pin holder extends vertically inside the support element 11.

The pin holder 13 also comprises an upper holder part 15 designed as a hollow circular cylinder which extends in horizontal direction.

The locking pin 12 is slidably mounted at the holder part 15 of the pin holder. Below the guide part 14 of the pin holder is a seat part 16 fixed to the support element 11. The seat part 16 and the guide part 14 of the pin holder have guide surfaces 18, 19, which together form an adjustment mechanism. The seat part 16 in this embodiment consists of a round washer, in which a groove 17 is arranged. The edges of the groove here constitute the guide surfaces 18 of the seat part.

The guide surfaces 18 run parallel to each other and are angled relative to the vertical axis of rotation A so that the groove widens in the upward direction. The guide part 14 of the pin holder is formed with two guide surfaces 19 on diametrically opposite sides of the vertical axis of rotation A.

The guide surfaces 19 are designed so that they are delimited by parallel running lines on each side of the axis of rotation A and are angled relative to the axis of rotation in such a way that they converge in the downward direction. The distance between the guide surfaces 19 of the pin holder 13 is adapted so that in a locked rotational position, as shown in Figure 4c, the pin holder can rest in the seat part 16. Both guide surfaces 18 of the seat part 16 abut in that position against the respective pin surfaces 19 of the pin holder 13.

The guide part 14 of the pin holder 13 is rotatably and axially displaceably mounted at the upper part 11a of the support element 11 by two rings 33 which enclose the guide part of the pin holder. In the guide part 14 of the pin holder and adjacent to the seat part 16 there is a loosely mounted spring support 20 and above this a coil spring 21, which with its lower end abuts against the spring support and with its upper end abuts a ledge 22 on the inside of the pin holder guide part 14.

The locking pin 12 is shown in detail in Figures 5a and 5b and here consists of a circular-cylindrical tube, with a longitudinal direction in horizontal direction.

The locking pin 12 is displaceable relative to the pin holder 13 in the longitudinal direction of the locking pin from a retracted position to an advanced position. At the front end of the locking pin, a locking member 23 is arranged with a length and a width orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the locking pin. The locking member 23 is fixedly connected by a rod, which runs through the locking pin 12, to a handle 24 mounted on the rod at the rear end of the locking pin. The locking member 23 is formed with the width less than the length and is by means of the handle 24 rotatable relative to the locking pin 12 about a horizontal, longitudinal axis B. By means of the handle 24 the locking member 23 can also be fixed in a locked and open position by fixing the handle in a the open position 25 fixedly connected to the locking pin 25. The open position, where the locking means 23 can be inserted and out into the bracket 4 of the container 2, is shown in figure 5a and the locked position, where the locking means is locked in the bracket of the container, in Figure 5b.

The carrier device 10 according to this embodiment is also equipped with a safety support 30, which is placed under the locking pin 12.

The safety support 30 is rotatably mounted at the support element 11 and has four rotational positions about a vertical axis, in which rotational positions the safety support can be locked by means of a plug 32. On the side of the safety support a light-reflecting positioning surface 31 is arranged. In this embodiment, the positioning surface 31 is formed as an upside down U with two parallel legs and a roof.

A station 1 for carrying a container 2 during and after delivery from a vehicle unit 3 consists of at least four carrier devices 10 according to the invention, as shown in figure 1.

The carrier devices 10 are positioned so that their respective loading pins 12 can be brought into engagement with the brackets 4 of the container 2 when the vehicle unit 3 including the container is placed at the station 1. The station 1 can also have edges 5 in the carriageway to facilitate positioning of the vehicle unit 3. 6 can be arranged at the rear end of the loading place.

Upon delivery of a container 2, a vehicle unit 3 drives into the station 1. The container 2 rests on a loading surface of the vehicle unit and is attached to it by fastening means. The fasteners consist according to the ISO standard of rotary locks on the vehicle unit 3, which are brought into engagement with downward openings of corner fittings on the container 2. The driver of the vehicle unit positions the vehicle unit 3 in horizontal and vertical direction so that the container 2 is in delivery position, i.e. with the brackets 4 of the container in the middle of the locking pins 12 of the carrier devices 10. The brackets 4 of the container here consist of side openings in the corner fittings of the container.

Horizontal positioning can take place by reversing or advancing the vehicle unit 3 while emitting a light signal from a light source located on the vehicle unit. The light signal is reflected on the light-reflecting positioning surface 31 of the respective carrier device 10 and is selected by a light sensor on the vehicle unit 3. When the light signal hits a point between the two parallel legs of the positioning surface 31, the container 2 is in the correct horizontal position. The container 2 can then be raised or lowered, for example by means of the vehicle unit's suspension, to get into the correct position in the vertical joint. The container 2 is in the correct position when the light signal hits the ceiling of the positioning surface 31.

When the container 2 is positioned in delivery position, the front part of the locking pins 12 is inserted into the brackets 4 of the container. This is done partly by displacing the locking pins 12 in the horizontal direction in their longitudinal direction, Figure 4a shows a pin holder 13 which is rotated relative to the predetermined read rotational position. Figure 4b shows a cross section through the pin holder 12 and the seat part 16 in figure 4a taken parallel to the axis of rotation A and orthogonal to the groove 17 of the seat part. The spring 21, which in this embodiment is placed inside the pivot part 14 of the pin holder, acts with its spring force to lift the pin holder 13 and prevent it, in the absence of the action of the weight from a container 2, from sliding down into the read rotating position. The spring 21 thus facilitates manual rotation of the locking pin 12 and pin holder 13 about the vertical axis of rotation A by the pin holder not having to be manually lifted out of the locked rotational position.

The spring 21 can be selected so that its spring force is sufficient to lift the pin holder 13 so much that its guide surfaces 19 end completely above the guide surfaces 18 of the seat part 16, in which case the carrier device 10 is provided with a stop means to prevent the pin holder from being rotatably rotatable The spring 21 can also be selected so that the spring force lifts the guide surfaces 19 of the pin holder 13 to a position where the free rotation of the pin holder about the axis of rotation A is hindered by the guide surfaces 18. In both cases the pin holder 13 is rotatable in a certain angular range. does not have to lie exactly in the middle of the locking member 23, but can lie slightly in front of or behind it. The distance between the two legs of the positioning surface 31 is adapted to correspond to the said angular range. When the locking pins 12 are inserted into the brackets 4 of the container, they are locked in the respective bracket by rotating the locking member 23 with the aid of the handle 24 around the horizontal longitudinal axis B. The handle 24 is fixed in the locked position in the end plate 25. and the container 2 is thus attached to the carrier devices 10. When the container 2 is attached to the four carrier devices 10 of the station 1, its weight can be transferred to these. In the embodiment according to Figures 1-4, this is done by lowering the loading surface of the vehicle unit 3 in relation to the container 2, either by means of the suspension of the vehicle unit or with a separate device for raising and lowering the loading surface. When the weight of the container changes to rest on the locking pins 12 of the carrier devices, these are automatically adjusted to the predetermined locked rotational position.

This adjustment takes place by the guide surfaces 19 of the pin holder 13, when the weight of the container 2 presses the pin holder downwards against the action of the spring 21, coming into contact with the guide surfaces 18 of the seat part 16. the guide surfaces 19 of the pin holder slide along the guide surfaces 18 of the seat part 16 in a rotating movement downwards towards the seat part until the predetermined locked rotational position is reached.

Figures 4c and 4d show a perspective view and a cross section, respectively, taken along the vertical axis of rotation A and orthogonal to the groove 17 of the pin holder 13 and the seat part 16 in the predetermined locked rotational position. In this position, the pin holder 13 can not slide further down and thus cannot be rotated further under load from the container 2.

When the container 2 rests on the locking pins 12, the vehicle unit 3 can leave the station 1 without a container. The safety supports 30 are now turned in under the container 2 and locked in position by means of the plug 32, so that in the event of a breakage of any of the locking pins 12 the container is held up by the safety support on the relevant carrier device 10. The safety support 30 can also have other designs, for For example, when the container 2 is picked up from the station 1, the vehicle unit 3 is positioned at the station in the same way as when the container is delivered. Thanks to the fact that the position of the container relative to the carrier devices 10 during delivery has been adjusted by means of the adjustment mechanism, the driver of the vehicle unit now knows exactly in which position the container 2 is in. The fastening means of the vehicle unit 3 are moved towards the downwardly directed openings of the corner fittings of the container 2 by raising the loading surface of the vehicle unit. If the vehicle unit 3 does not end up with the fasteners directly below the downturned openings of the corner fittings of the container 2, the locking pins 12 and the pin holders 13 will rotate slightly about the vertical axis of rotation A when the weight of the container is redistributed to the vehicle unit 3. The locking pins 12 can then be detached from the container brackets 4 and the vehicle unit 3 can leave the station 1 with the container 2.

Positioning of the vehicle unit 3 at the station 1 can also take place in other ways than those described above. For example, a geographic positioning system (GPS) can be used. A transponder is mounted on the vehicle unit 3 and with the aid of this the vehicle unit can be guided into the station 1 with very high precision. In this case no edge 5 is needed as positioning aid, nor is any positioning surface 31 on the carrier devices 10. Figures 6-8 show a second embodiment of the invention, where the support elements 11 of the carrier device 10 also comprise a lifting device and a movable part 11b, on which the pin holder 13 and the locking pin 12 are mounted. The lifting device is here mounted inside a stationary part 11c of the support element 11 and is connected to the movable part 11b. The movable part 11b is movable in vertical direction by means of the lifting device. The pin holder 13 is in this embodiment mounted on the outside of the support element 11 and its guide part 14 extends in vertical direction along this. The pin holder 13 is rotatable relative to the support element 11 about a vertical axis of rotation A.

The holder part 15 of the pin holder is mounted below the guide part 14 and the locking pin 12 is received therein in the same manner as previously described. In this embodiment, the pin holder 13 also comprises an outer guide ring 25, on which guide ring four guide surfaces 26 are arranged. The guide surfaces 26 of the guide ring 25 are adapted to abut against four guide surfaces 27 arranged on a seat part 28 on the movable part 11b of the support element 11. The total of eight guide surfaces are designed to cooperate with each other in pairs of a guide surface 26 of the pin holder 13 and a guide surface 27 of the seat part 28. The four guide surfaces 26 of the guide ring 25 and the four guide surfaces 27 of the seat part 28, respectively, are arranged two and two on opposite sides of the vertical axis of rotation A and angled relative thereto. When loading the locking pin 12 with the weight from a container 2, the pin holder 13 is pressed downwards and two of the guide surfaces 26 on the guide ring 25 will then slide along two of the seat surfaces 27 of the seat part 28 until a locked rotational position is reached and all four guide surfaces 26 of the guide ring abut. guide surfaces 27. Also in this embodiment, the carrier device 10 is provided with a coil spring 21 to facilitate lifting of the locking pin 12 and pin holder 13 relative to the seat part 28.

In the most recently described embodiment illustrated in Figures 6-8, the container 2, when attached to the locking pins 12 of the carrier devices 10, can be hoisted up and down by means of the lifting device as shown in Figures 6a and 6b. Container 2 can then be moved down to the ground. In addition, the lifting device 10 of the carrier device 10 can be used to raise and lower the movable part 11b of the support element 11 when redistributing the weight of the container 2 from and to vehicle unit 3 and carrier device 10, respectively, so that the vehicle unit does not have to raise or lower its load surface.

The lifting device can, for example, be hydraulically driven and consist of a hydraulic cylinder. In the above-described embodiments of the carrier device, the design of the guide surfaces can be varied. For example, it is not necessary that all guide surfaces be angled relative to a vertical axis of rotation, but a guide can be achieved by having only one of the seat part and the pin holder angled guide surfaces. 536 005 14 The main thing is that a control towards a predetermined locked rotary position is achieved.

The embodiments of the invention described above are, of course, to be considered as examples only. It is obvious that these can be modified within the scope of the invention and that the invention is thus not limited to the mentioned embodiments.

Claims (7)

10 15 20 25 30 35 535 009 15 PATENT REQUIREMENTS Carrying device (10) for supporting a container (2) during and after delivery from a vehicle unit (3), comprising: a support element (11) anchored in a base; a pin holder (13) supported by the support member (11); a locking pin (12) intended to be engaged with a bracket (4) of the container (2) and to carry at least a part of the weight of the container, which locking pin (12) is supported by the pin holder (13) and is displaceable relative to the pin holder from a retracted position to an advanced position, characterized in that the pin holder (13) is rotatably mounted at the support element (11) and rotatable relative to the support element about a vertical axis of rotation (A), the locking pin (12) being arranged to accompany the pin holder (13) at the pin holder rotation about said vertical axis of rotation (A), and that the carrier device (10) also comprises an adjusting mechanism, which adjusting mechanism is arranged to, under the action of the weight from a container (2) resting against the locking pin (12), automatically move the pin holder (13) ) to a predetermined locked rotational position about said vertical rotary axis (A), when the pin holder (13) is in a rotational position within a given angular range around the predetermined locked rotational position, wherein adjustment the anism comprises pairs of mutually cooperating guide surfaces (18, 19, 26, 27) of the pin holder (13) and of a seat part (16, 28) fixed in the support element (11), the guide surfaces (18, 19, 26, 27) being arranged controlling the pin holder (13) to said predetermined locked rotational position when the pin holder is in a rotational position within a given angular range around the predetermined locked rotational position. . Support device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that each pair of mutually cooperating guide surfaces (18, 19, 26, 27) comprises at least one guide surface which is angled relative to the vertical axis of rotation (A), the pin holder (13) guide surface (19, 26) under the action of the weight of a container (2) resting against the locking pin (15) is arranged to slide along the guide surface (18, 27) of the seat part (16, 28), whereby the pin holder (13) performs a simultaneous vertical and rotating downward movement towards the seat part (16, 28), until the predetermined locked rotational position is reached. . Carrier device (10) according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a safety support (30) designed to be able to support the weight of the container (2) is arranged on the support element (11) below the locking pin (12). . Carrier device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pin holder (13) is displaceable downwards in a vertical direction against the action of a spring (21) when the pin holder (13) is in a position separate from the predetermined locked rotational position. . Carrying device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a locking member (23) is arranged at the front part of the locking pin (12) and a handle (24) fixedly connected to the locking member (23) is arranged at the rear of the locking pin (12). part, wherein the locking member (23) is rotatable by means of the handle (24) relative to the locking pin (12) about an axis (B) in the longitudinal direction of the locking pin to a locked position in the bracket (4) of the container (2) and to an open position, respectively, and wherein the locking means (23) can be locked by means of the handle (24) in said positions by the handle being fixed in an end plate 25 fixedly connected to the locking pin. Carrier device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier device (10) comprises a light-reflecting positioning surface (31) for positioning the container (2) in cooperation with a light source arranged on the vehicle unit (3) and one on the vehicle unit (3). ) arranged Uussenson 10 15 20 25 30 536 009 i? Carrier device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element (11) comprises a lifting device and a part (11b) which can be moved vertically by means of the lifting device, which movable part (11b) carries the pin holder. (13). . Station (1) for carrying a container (2) during and after delivery from a vehicle unit (3), characterized in that it comprises four carrier devices (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, which carrier devices (10) are arranged to carry together a container (2). A method for delivering a container (2) supported by a vehicle unit (3) at a station (1) according to claim 8, which comprises the steps of: positioning the vehicle unit (3) in a horizontal direction so that four brackets (4) of the container (4) 2) lies within a predetermined distance range from the locking pins (12) of the carrier devices (10); if necessary, move the container (2) in height by means of a lifting device arranged in the vehicle unit (3) until said brackets (4) are level with said locking pins (12); engaging the locking pins (12) with said brackets (4) by displacing the locking pins (12) in a horizontal direction relative to the pin holders (13) of the carrier devices (10) and, if necessary, rotating the pin holders (13) relative to the support elements (11) about respective pin holders (13). ) vertical axis of rotation (A); transfer the weight of the container (2) to the locking pins (12), whereupon the rotational position of each locking pin is automatically adjusted to the predetermined locked rotational position by the adjusting mechanism of the respective carrier device (10) under the action of the weight of the container (2) resting against the locking pin (12).