US3455480A - Stores container - Google Patents

Description

Jill? 15, 1969 N. J. MITCHELL ETAL 3,455,480

STORES CONTAINER Filed July 24, 1967 a Sheets-Sheet 1 July 15, 1969 N. J. MITCHELL ET AL STORES CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1967 United States Patent 3,455,480 STORES CONTAINER Norman John Mitchell, 4 Grand Parade, Brighton-le- Sands, New South Wales, Australia, and Alexander George Mitchell, 29 Craigholm St., Sylvania Heights, New South Wales, Australia Filed July 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,577

Claims priority, application Australia, Aug. 1, 1966,

Int. Cl. B65d 21/02, 21/00 US. Cl. 22023.4 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a stores container with joining means along its edges which means enable several containers to be fastened together. The preferred joining means comprise under and over loops, the loops on one container mating with loops on the adjacent container, and a retaining pin is inserted in the mated loops. In one arrangement the edges of the containers are beveled and two rows of spaced under and over loops are attached along each edge. When containers are joined together there are four rows of loops at adjacent edges. One row from adjacent edges are mated and the other two are joined by a reinforcing strip which is retained by pins through the loops.

This invention relates to a container adapted for carrying or storing stores.

This invention in its broadest form comprises a stores container having joining means along at least one Of its edges said joining means being orientated and adapted for joining the container with containers having similar such joining means.

A preferred form of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one container;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of an edge of the container shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view in section through the corners of two joined containers;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a series of containers joined to form a boat, and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a series of containers joined to form a storage building.

The invention is particularly concerned with providing a container 6 for carrying military or similar stores or goods which may be liquid or dry goods. The containers 6 are adapted to have many uses both while carrying goods and on reaching their destination and being unloaded. One of the preferred features of the invention that enables the adaptability to various uses is the provision of simple attachment means along one or more sides or edges 7 of the containers 6. The container 6 may be of any suitable size or shape. One convenient form is two metres long by two metres wide by two metres deep, i.e., a cube. This size and shape has many advantages. For example a person can stand and lie down in it, and it permits easy calculation of storage or transport space.

The sides, top and bottom may all be made from two superimposed corrugated sheets 8 and 9 with the corrugations running at right angles to each other. The sheets 8 and 9 may have deep drawn ribs and blank pressed sections for cutting out vents 10, doors 11 or windows, or for fitting screwed plugs. The door 11 may be of any suitable shape. It may be closed on a gasket and may be clamped shut, padlocked and sealed. It may be padlocked in an unlocked position but may be retained from inside by loops and a pin (not shown) or similar means. The

3,455,480 Patented July 15, 1969 "ice pressed steel sheets 8 and 9 may be reinforced round their edges by any suitable means such as a pressed steel section 12 welded thereto.

To fabricate the container 6 the six sides may be assembled in a jig and fusion-welded together into a watertight box. One or more (usually all twelve) of the edges 7 of the container 6 have a joining section 12 welded or otherwise attached thereto. This joining section 12 may comprise spaced under and over loops 13. These enable the containers 6 to be quickly clipped together. The arrangement is such that a container 6 may have other containers attached thereto on any number of its sides. The loops are held together by clipping pins 14.

The finished container 6 may be dip phosphated then dip painted or they may be cadmium or zinc plated then dip painted. The container may also be made from aluminium or any other suitable material.

Usually for storage and carrying purposes the containers have one door 11 but they may be made with more than one door if the end purpose of the container should require it.

Thus the container 6 of the invention may be hermetically sealed and watertight and a number of containers 6 may be quickly and easily clipped together.

In one form of the invention the containers are beveled at each edge 7. Each joining section has two sets of spaced under and over loops 13. When joining two containers 6 together the sides are placed together and along each edge the under and over clips 13 of one container mate 6 with the under and over clips of the other container. A clipping pin 14 is slipped down inside the clips 13 to hold the containers 6 together. A clipping pin 14 may be inserted along all four adjacent edges 7.

The above arrangement leaves two of the sets of under and over clips 13A as in FIGURE 3 free at each joining edge. These may be joined by a reinforcing strip 15 with clips 16 along each edge to mate with the two sets of clips 13A, one on each container 6 when the reinforcing strip 15 is put in place clipping pins 14 are inserted. This arrangement gives added strength to the joins and it makes a more even surface when the joined containers are required for walking on or for transport.

A brief resume will now be given of accessories usable with the containers and also of various auxiliary uses to which the containers may be put.

By way of accessories, the following are envisaged.

Foam plastic for packaging or filotation purposes shaped in either blocks or bottles (usable for other purposes) or sheets; clip-on expandable wheels, tow-bars, plastic windows, insect screens, shelving which may be used to separate stores during transportation or as baifies for fluids, lifting slings, pallets, bollards and fairlead, ring bolts, armour bridge decking, T-clamps and heavy hinges.

The container may be used for various operations related to stores depots.

The containers may be stacked in the open and one upon the other; they may be moved by fork-lifts or cranes and the like.

This method of containerizing a large section of the Armed Services or other institutions, lends itself to computer control of stores, their movement or make-up and store replacement after destruction, loss or use. All containers may have their numbers painted on all six sides and stamped into the metal on one side. Everything handled in the bulk containers is by cranes or forklifts and the manpower required is reduced. It eliminates the requirement for local labour in handling stores and eliminates most thieving and bad security. The seals on containers can be checked at every shipment point.

A large percentage of stores may be dispersed in the open. They are reasonably secure against theft and this can be enhanced by locking or clipping several containers together which makes their removal difficult.

The containers can be off-loaded from ships into harbours and anchored ofi-shore until required. It wheels and tow-bar are fitted before dropping into the water the containers can be floated and drawn to shore for their destination. The containers may be carried as deck cargo, they may be clipped together or used singularly for storing dieseline, petrol or water in the sea, in rivers or on the land.

They are adaptable for conversion to accommodation means, work-shops or quarters may be formed. Benches may be fixed to the sides of the containers to form bunks. Other uses would be temporary hospitals, native accommodation or jails.

All the units of this system make the ready supply of usable material in the field. The containers allow an army to set up camps and bases in the shortest time and if necessary to evacuate very quickly. As material may be left in the containers in the open it is only necessary to unpack the material and goods required at the moment. The containers are also usable as atomic fall-out shelters, bridge foundations, kitchen containers, refrigerator containers and generator containers. The containers are adaptable to almost any purpose as they may he trucked, floated or drawn.

The containers have many uses as tanks. With the door uppermost the containers are suitable for water tanks and they are adaptable for combining to make larger tanks. They are usable for many other liquid containing purposes, for example, spray bar tanks for road making, water treatment tanks, etc.

The containers are adaptable for the formation of water craft for harbours and rivers.

Any size lighter can be built from the containers, separate tanks allow separation of different fuels. These lighters may be selfpropelled. Various types of lighters for various uses are easily formed, for example, heavy equipment or crane lighters, pile driving rigs, lighter wharves, bridge pontoons. The above devices may be made sinkable or unsinkable or may be made to sink or rise as required. They may be used to form a mobile floating helicopter pad. They may be cut down to form assault boats, barge supply boats or other self-propelled craft. They may be heavily armed with machine guns, mortars, rockets and field artillery and tanks. They can be used as unsinkable gun-boats on rivers. As they are demountable they are transportable from one water way to another.

If the containers are always loaded to float in water, a ship carrying such cargo may not sink as easily or as fast.

Deck cargo clipped together in batches could be lowered over the side or floated off. This would provide plenty of shelter for ship-wrecked personnel.

Troopship accommodation could be increased by empty containers on the deck.

Thus it is seen that the container of the invention While having innumerable advantages from a purely storage point-of-view has also innumerable other uses to which they may be put.

What we claim is:

1. A stores container having joining means along its corner edges, each joining means comprising a beveled corner edge of the container with two rows of spaced under and over loops thereon, each row being adjacent a side of the container with the plane of said side running through the center line of the adjacent row of under and over loops and adapated for engagement in mating relationship with like under and over loops on a similar container.

2. A stores container as claimed in claim I joined to a similar container wherein a side of one container is contiguous with a side of the other container and the under and over loops adjacent the two contiguous sides are in mating relationship and pins are inserted down the mated loops.

3. A stores container as claimed in claim 2 wherein a plurality of similar containers are similarly joined thereto.

4. A stores container as claimed in claim 1 wherein at the joining edges between containers the two unmated rows of under and over loops are joined by reinforcing strips which have loops to mate with the unmated rows of under and over loops and are retained in the mated position by pins inserted in the under and over loops.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,228,760 6/1917 Doble. 2,057,942 10/1936 Fay. 2,521,279 9/1950 Becker 220-430 X 2,804,227 8/1957 Elfgren 220-4 3,107,024 10/1963 Johnson 220 -1.S

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,124,420 2/1962 Germany.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 22097

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