WO1998058818A1

WO1998058818A1 - Container locking unit

Info

Publication number: WO1998058818A1
Application number: PCT/NL1998/000365
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cornelis Blokzijl
Original assignee: Technamics B.V.
Priority date: 1997-06-24
Filing date: 1998-06-24
Publication date: 1998-12-30
Also published as: NL1006381C2; AU8133598A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for locking a container on a transport vehicle, which device comprises: a frame (19) for mounting the device on the loading side of the transport vehicle; a substantially horizontal support beam which is arranged on the frame for pivoting round a substantially horizontal shaft (20); a number of drive members (22, 23) for pivoting the support beam between a rest position and a locking position; and a number of locking members (17, 18) arranged on the support beam and adapted to engage on the container in the locking position of the support beam. The invention also relates to a transport vehicle, such as a semi-trailer, provided with a device according to the invention.

Description

CONTAINER LOCKING UNIT

The invention relates to a device for locking a container on a transport vehicle, which device comprises: a frame for mounting the device to the loading side of the transport vehicle; a substantially horizontal support beam which is arranged on the frame for pivoting round a substantially horizontal shaft; a number of drive members for pivoting the support beam between a rest position and a locking position; and a number of locking members arranged on the support beam and adapted to engage on the container in the locking position of the support beam.

Using the frame, the device according to the invention can be mounted on the rear of a transport vehicle such as a semi-trailer. A container placed on the semi-trailer can be locked in reliable manner using the device according to the invention. Use of the device according to the invention makes transport of containers safer, particularly when a container is heavily loaded and/or comprises dangerous substances.

In a first preferred embodiment the drive members are adapted to lift the container relative to the transport vehicle such that in locking position the container is supported substantially in the zone of engagement of the locking members . By supporting the container as far as possible only in the zone of engagement of the locking members, the bottom edges of the container are at least partially released from the semi-trailer. The loads on these bottom edges, which particularly during transport can rise to high peak loads, are hereby considerably reduced. Damage to these bottom edges, which can result in damage and/or breakage, is hereby prevented in effective manner. In a further preferred embodiment the container is provided on two or more corners thereof with corner castings and the locking members are adapted to co-act with the corner castings. The locking members are prefer- ably twist-locks as known in this field. The containers used in practice, which generally have dimensions of 20, 30 or 40 feet, are usually provided in accordance with ISO norms with corner castings. The commercially available twist-locks are rotatable locking members which are specially designed for co-action with these corner castings. The use of twist-locks as locking members for engagement on the corner castings of a container is particularly advantageous within the scope of the invention. The invention also relates to a transport vehicle, such as a semi-trailer, provided with a device according to the invention.

The invention will be described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawing, in which: figure 1 shows a schematic, partly broken-away perspective view of a semi-trailer on which a device according to the invention is mounted; figure 2 shows a part of figure 1 in more detail; figure 3 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention in the rest position; figure 4 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention in the locking position; figure 5 is a cut-away view of a cylinder as a component of the device according to the invention; and figure 6 shows in more detail a controllable blocking member of the cylinder according to figure 5.

Figure 1 shows device 1 according to the invention which is mounted on the rear of semi-trailer 2 at the loading side. Semi-trailer 2 is provided with a crane positioning system as known in this field. Using crane 3 the container 4 is loaded onto semi-trailer 2. Supports 5 and 6, which in this embodiment form part of device 1, , s^rve herein as guide for container 4. In known manner container 4 is pushed over supports 5 and 6 onto semitrailer 2 using crane 3. Container 4 is provided with corner castings 7-14 known in the field. Corner castings 7 and 8 co-act with rotatable locking members 15 and 16, also known as twist-locks, which are arranged on semitrailer 2.

Figure 2 shows in more detail the loading side or rear side of semi-trailer 2 which is provided with device 1. Device 1 is herein shown in the locking position, in which twist-locks 17 and 18 of device 1 engage on corner castings 9 and 10 of container 4. The shown combination is now ready to drive away. The operation of device 1 will be described in more detail with reference to figures 3 and . Figure 3 shows device 1 in the rest position. Device 1 comprises a frame 19 for mounting thereof on semitrailer 2. Frame 19 is provided with a shaft 20 round which a support beam 21 is pivotally arranged. Pivoting of support beam 21 between the shown rest position and a locking position takes place using cylinders 22 and 23 (see figure 4) . Twist-locks 17 and 18 are arranged on support beam 21. Twist-locks 17 and 18 are rotatable using handles 24 and 25. The twist-locks can of course also be embodied for operation using spanners or other means known in the field.

When container 4 is loaded onto semi-trailer 2, support beam 21 is situated in the rest position as shown in figure 3. Supports 5 and 6 are adjustable in height, for instance using cylinders which are received in sleeves 26 and 27. Supports 5 and 6 can be locked in known manner at a desired height, for instance by inserting a pin into one of the holes 28, 29. In order to prevent damage to the edges of container 4 in particular, supports 5 and 6 are provided with plastic blocks 30. When container 4 is loaded in the above described manner onto semi-trailer 2, container 4 supports on twist-locks 15 and 16 and on plastic blocks 30 of supports 5 and 6. Device 1 is subsequently moved from the rest position to the locking position as shown in figure 4. By operating cylinders 22 and 23 support beam 21 pivots on shaft 20 and twist-locks 17 and 18 come into engagement with corner castings 9 and 10. Twist-locks 17 and 18 can be locked in corner castings 9 and 10 by means of handles 24 and 25. Supports 5 and 6 can now be reset in their lowest position, so that container 4 rests only with the corner castings 7, 8, 9 and 10 on twist-locks 15, 16, 17 and 18. This means that the edges of the bottom of the container are substantially free. The shown combination of semitrailer with container is now ready for transport.

Cylinders 22 and 23 can be adapted to lift container 4 relative to semi-trailer 2 such that the container is substantially supported in the zone of engagement of the locking members. Use could then be made for instance of fixed, non-height-adjustable supports 5 and 6, wherein cylinders 22 and 23 raise container 4 a determined distance, for instance a few centimetres, from supports 5 and 6. This construction achieves in alternative manner that container 4 is supported only on its corner castings .

The operation of cylinders 22 and 23 will be better understood with reference to figure 5, which shows schematically a cut-away view of a cylinder as component of device 1. Cylinder 22 or 23 comprises a cylinder tube 31 in which a piston rod 32 is placed movably. Piston rod 32 is provided at one end thereof with cross bush 33 for mounting on support beam 21. Connections 34, 35 and 36 are arranged on cylinder tube 31. Connections 34 and 36 are in pressure connection via conduit 37. A blocking member 38 is provided to fix piston rod 32 in a determined position. Blocking member 38 is preferably a single-pressure-driven non-return valve, which is shown in more detail in figure 6. Non- return valve 38 is hydraulically controllable by means of connection 34 which is connected via conduit 42 to a first valve 41. When fluid pressure is exerted on connection 34, non-return valve 38 is driven open. This is shown in figure 6. In the open situation pin 43 pushes ball 44 against spring 45, wherein connection 35 is opened. Fluid can be fed to the cylinder via the feed position of second valve 40 (arrow A) and conduit 39, whereby piston rod 32 is driven out of cylinder tube 31. Non-return valve 38 will close by allowing release of the fluid pressure on connection 34. Pin 43 is now driven inward into piston 46. Under the influence of spring means 45 ball 44 is pushed into a position in which the ball blocks the passage of connection 35. A safety precaution against conduit fracture is hereby also created. By now also adjusting valve 40 to the neutral position no further fluid will be supplied to cylinder 22, 23. Nor can the fluid present in the cylinder be drained because of the closed position of non-return valve 38. The piston rod is now fixed in position.

By now driving open the non-return valve 38 via connection 34 using valve 41 as described above, and simultaneously adjusting valve 40 to the discharge posi- tion, which is designated with arrow B, the piston rod 32 is driven inward. This inward driving takes place in controlled manner under influence of oil pressure, which is supplied to the cylinder through connection 36. Connections 34 and 36 are anyway simultaneously under pres- sure by means of pressure connection 37.

In fixed position the cylinders can each withstand a load of approximately 14 tons with a peak load of approximately 300 tons.

The device according to the invention is shown in combination with a crane positioning system or hooking system. It will be apparent however that the device according to the invention can also co-act with other known positioning systems, such as a portal arm or cable system. The present invention is of course not limited to the described and illustrated embodiment but also includes any other embodiment which is consistent with the foregoing description and the annexed drawings and which fills within the scope of the appended claims.

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Claims

1. Device for locking a container on a transport vehicle, which device comprises: a frame for mounting the device on the loading side of the transport vehicle; a substantially horizontal support beam which is arranged on the frame for pivoting round a substantially horizontal shaft; a number of drive members for pivoting the support beam between a rest position and a locking position; and a number of locking members arranged on the support beam and adapted to engage on the container in the locking position of the support beam.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive members are adapted to lift the container relative to the transport vehicle such that in operation the container is supported substantially in the zone of engagement of the locking members .

3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the drive members are cylinders, preferably hydraulic cylin- ders.

4. Device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cylinders are adapted to hold the support beam in the locking position for a determined period of time, for instance during transport .

5. Device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cylinders are hydraulic cylinders and wherein each cylinder comprises a controllable blocking member for blocking the fluid feed and/or fluid discharge of the cylinder.

6. Device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the con- trollable blocking member is a single-driven non-return valve which is arranged in a conduit of the cylinder functioning as fluid feed and fluid discharge.

7. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, ΓÇówherein the container is provided on two or more corners thereof with corner castings and wherein the locking members are adapted to co-act with the corner castings.

8. Device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking members are twist-locks.

9. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the device is provided with two height-adjustable supports for guiding the container during loading of the container onto the transport vehicle .

10. Device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sup- ports are provided with plastic blocks.

11. Transport vehicle, such as a semi-trailer, provided with a device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims .

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