US3416465A - Cargo container floor system - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1968 I TURPEN 3,416,465

CARGO CONTAINER FLOOR SYSTEM Filed June 21, 1966 l2 a 6 P1 2 32 g JNVENTOR.

ZA kZI RUSSELL LTURPEN F1 -3 BY i J a u TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,416,465 CARGO CONTAINER FLOOR SYSTEM Russell L. Turpen, North Richmond, Califi, assignor to Compass Container Company, Inc., Richmond, Va., a corporation of California Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,316 5 Claims. (Cl. 105-422) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cargo container is described which has a floor system which is structurally strong and waterproof and which is not susceptible to physical damage. The fioor includes a metal base of transversely extending alternating ridges and grooves upon which is secured a floor panel in bridging relation to the ridges and grooves to define with the grooves a plurality of cells. Side rails secured to the side of the base close the ends of the cells and each of the cells is filled 'with a foamed plastic slab. The side rails have upwardly extending vertical portions which peripherally enclose the floor panel, and marginal side walls for the container extend upward from the side edges of the base and are secured to the vertical portion of the side rails inwardly thereof.

This invention relates generally to fioor constructions for cargo containers, and the like, and is more particularly directed to an improved fioor system of this type which is characterized by its extreme strength and watertightness.

Cargo containers, or equivalent bulk storage enclosures, are typically provided with a floor system including a wooden fioor panel secured atop longitudinally and transversely extending joists of wood or metal. With such a floor system, a relatively large number of closely spaced joists are required in order that the bridging portions of the floor panel have adequate strength and do not sag appreciably under load. Such joists add materially to the cost of the container. In addition, the exterior of the floor panel of such a conventional floor system is exposed and thus susceptible to moisture deterioration in inclement weather, Moreover, the tines of a fork lift are typically engaged with portions of the floor panel between adjacent joists in the handling of the container, and after sustained use the panel is damaged due to scuffing.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved floor system for a cargo container or the like, which system has an extremely high strength and rigidity without employment of relatively costly wood or metal joists.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cargo container floor system which is waterproof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a floor system of the class described which is not susceptible to scufiing by a fork lift or equivalent handling equipment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a composite wood, metal, plastic floor system of the class de scribed which is of relatively light weight.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view with 'portions broken-away of a cargo container floor system in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken at a longitudinal vertical plane through the floor system.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a cargo container 11 which includes marginal side and end walls 12 and 13 extending upwardly from a floor system 14 in accordance with the present invention. The floor system includes a corrugated base 16, of preferably metal, defined by an alternate succession of parallel ridges 17 and grooves 18 as viewed from the top. Of course, as viewed from the bottom, the ridges appear as grooves and the grooves appear as ridges. The ridges and grooves are preferably formed by parallel spaced elongated rectangular upper strips 19, parallel spaced elongated rectangular lower strips 21 in downwardly spaced staggered relation to the upper strips, and inclined rectangular side strips 22 interconnecting the side edges of the upper strips with the side edges of the lower strips. The base 16 also advantageously includes at least one set of rectangular channels 23 incorporated in the ridge and groove structure to define downwardly facing recesses for receiving the tines of a fork lift, or the like. The base may be further provided with a plurality of bridge strips 24 secured transverse to the lower corrugation defining strips 21.

A floor panel 26 of preferably wood is secured atop the corrugated base 16 in bridging relation to the ridges and grooves 17, 18. More particularly, a plurality of stud bolts 27 are preferably provided to project upwardly from the upper strips 19 of the base. The bolts extend through the floor panel to receive cap nuts 28 which thereby serve to secure the panel firmly in place. The floor panel in conjunction with the base 16 define enclosed elongated voids or cells in the regions of the upwardly facing grooves 18.

The opposite ends of the cells are closed as by means of brackets or bottom side rails 29 secured to the sides of the corrugated base 16 in bridging relation to the ends of the strips 19, 21, 22. Preferably the brackets include a lower vertical portion 31, an upper vertical portion 32 laterally outwardly offset from the lower portion, and an interconnecting horizontal shelf portion 33 there'between. The shelf portion and upper portion facilitate the ready attachment of the marginal walls 12, 13 to the floor system. In this regard the shelf portion supports the base of one of the marginal walls, and stud bolts 34 projecting inwardly from the upper portion through the wall and receiving nuts 36 secure the wall to the bracket.

In accordance with the particularly salient aspects of the invention, the enclosed cells defined by the corrugated base 16, floor panel 26, and brackets 29 are filled by slabs 37 of foamed plastic material. These slabs are bonded to the lower and side strips 21, 22 of the base 16, the floor panel 26, and brackets 29, to thus form a unitary composite floor system. Polyurethane is preferred as the slab material although other foamable thermosetting plastics may be alternatively employed. In addition, various thermosetting plastics that are not inherently foamable may be employed to form the slabs upon adding a suitable foaming agent, such as freon, thereto. In any event the slabs are readily formed by introducing the plastic material to the cells through apertures 38 provided in the lower portions 31 of brackets 29. The material foams and expands within the cells to fill same, solidify, and thereby form the slabs after a suitable curing period. In the process the material is self-bonding to the adjacent surfaces of the base, floor panel, and brackets. The slabs in filling the cells provide an extremely strong and rigid floor system. Moreover, it will be noted that the fioor panel 26 is completely sealed from the out-side atmosphere and is thus not susceptible to moisture damage. Where the base 16 is of metal, the floor panel is protected from scuffing damage when the tines of a fork lift engage the channels 23.

What is claimed is:

1. A cargo container of the type used for t-ransocean and land shipping, said container comprising a fioor having a corrugated metal base of transversely extending alternating ridges and grooves defined by parallel spaced upper elongated rectangular strips, parallel spaced lower elongated rectangular strips, and inclined side strips interconmeeting the side edges of adjacent ones of said upper and lower strips; a floor panel secured to said base in bridging relation to said ridges and grooves and defining therewith a plurality of cells in the regions of said grooves; bottom side rails secured at both sides of said base to the ends of said upper, lower and side strips in closing relation to said cells; each of said side rails including for its length an upwardly extending vertical portion peripherally enclosing said floor panel, formed plastic slabs filling said closed cells, said slabs bonding said base, side rails and floor panel together to form a unitary composite structure; and marginal side walls extending upward from the side edges of said base and secured to said vertical portion of said side rails inwardly thereof.

2. A floor system according to claim 1, further defined by said slabs being of formed polyurethane.

3. A floor system according to claim 1, further defined by said base including at lea-st one set of downwardly facing channels for receiving the tines of a fork lift.

4. A floor system according to claim 1, further defined by stud bolts projecting upwardly from said upper strips through said floor panel, and nuts secured to the ends of said bolts to thereby secured said floor panel to said base.

5. A floor system according to claim 1, further defined by a plurality of bridge strips extending longitudinally of said base and secured transversely to said lower strips of said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,968 11/1945 Hedgren 105422 2,744,042 5/1956 Pace 105-423 3,195,477 7/1965 Jones et al. 105-422 3,242,625 3/1966 Tillinghast 52309 3,258,890 7/1966 Dirkse 52309 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,416,465 December 17 1968 Russell L. Turpen It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, line 4, "Richmond, Va. should read Richmond, Calif.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

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