WO2005054086A1

WO2005054086A1 - Coupling piece and method for locking and unlocking of coupling pieces for the detachable connection of containers

Info

Publication number: WO2005054086A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/013760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen Gloystein
Original assignee: Macgregor Conver Gmbh
Priority date: 2003-12-03
Filing date: 2004-12-03
Publication date: 2005-06-16
Also published as: DE10356989A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the automatic locking and unlocking of coupling pieces (26), whereby an at least partial locking of the coupling pieces (26) occurs on a displacement of the container (20, 21) in the plane of the deck, which can be reversed by an opposing displacement of the container (20, 21). A fully-automatic coupling piece (26) is characterised in comprising a coupling projection (29), for vertical connection of the container, with anchoring lugs (39, 45), running in the transverse direction of the container (20,21) of which at least one anchoring lug (45) may be displaced. The invention is based on the fact that a relative displacement of the container (20, 21), in the direction of the deck, may be used to carry out an automatic locking of the container (20, 21) and, on reversal of said displacement, an equally automatic unlocking of the container (20, 21) is possible.

Description

Coupling piece and method for locking and unlocking coupling pieces for releasably connecting containers

description

The invention relates to a method for locking and unlocking coupling pieces for releasably connecting stacked containers, in particular on board ships, according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a coupling piece for connecting containers according to the preamble of claim 12.

The connection of stacked containers on board ships is done with coupling pieces between adjacent corner fittings at the corners of the containers. For this purpose, coupling pieces are used, which are designed as so-called semi-automatic twistlocks. These dome pieces are pre-locked on land under the lower corner fittings of an upper (first) container and then the upper container with the pre-locked dome pieces are placed on a lower container on board the ship, these dome pieces automatically locking with the lower (second) container , When unloading the ship, however, the semi-automatic twistlocks must be unlocked manually to release them from the lower (second) containers.

To avoid the laborious and time-consuming, but also dangerous, unlocking of the coupling pieces on board the ship, so-called fully automatic twist locks are also known. These have a mechanism that triggers an automatic vertical locking of the coupling pieces with the lower, second container when the ship is moving, in particular heeling. If the ship is at rest in port for unloading, the mechanism unlocks the coupling pieces with the lower (second) containers so that the upper (first) container with the coupling pieces pre-locked underneath can be lifted off the lower (second) container without that the coupling pieces have to be opened manually. The mechanics in the dome pieces for automatically locking them in the sea are very complex, which makes them considerably more expensive. Above all, the well-known fully automatic twistlocks have proven to be prone to failure in practice. Especially with older, fully automatic Reliable automatic locking is no longer guaranteed due to corrosion and wear, particularly due to corrosion and wear.

The invention is based on the object of providing a method for locking and unlocking coupling pieces for connecting containers and simply constructed coupling pieces, with which the containers on ships can be reliably locked and unlocked automatically.

A method for solving this problem has the measures of claim 1. Accordingly, due to a relative displacement of the containers to be connected and stacked one above the other, an at least partially automatic locking takes place and likewise an unlocking of the containers to be connected. This method according to the invention is based on the knowledge that when the sea is heavier, when the ship performs larger rolling movements and stronger heelings caused thereby, the containers shift slightly towards one another in the direction of the deck level or parallel to the deck. According to the invention, this displacement of the containers at sea is used to automatically bring about at least part of the locking. It is sufficient if this automatic locking only takes place when the ship is carrying out major movements due to a corresponding swell, because only then does it become necessary to lock the containers by lifting them apart in the vertical direction. The coupling pieces are also unlocked by a horizontal relative movement of the connected containers. This relative movement can take place when the upper (first) container is lifted from the lower (second) container by aligning the containers stacked one on top of the other, whereby the locking of the coupling pieces with the second, in particular lower, container is automatically canceled without this in addition - as is required with known semi-automatic twistlocks - the coupling pieces must be unlocked manually on board the ship.

Preferably, an at least partial (final) locking and unlocking of the coupling pieces with the second (lower) container takes place after the containers have been completely placed on top of one another by a preferably exclusive transverse movement between the containers to be connected. This development of the method is based on the fact that it is customary to ship containers in a longitudinal direction on board

20041301 To stow ships. This means that the longitudinal axes of the containers run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ship. The danger of the containers tipping over or lifting off exists only in their transverse direction. Since the containers' transversal direction coincides with the transept's direction due to the longitudinal stowage of the containers on board the ship, the containers are only moved transversely when the sea is heavier, so that it is sufficient to at least partially lock this transverse movement of the containers towards the deck level and also Unlock the container to take advantage of.

The invention is based on the further finding that when the ship is leaning to port, the upper container slips to port relative to the lower container. Conversely, the upper container slips to starboard when the ship goes to. other side to starboard. Accordingly, it is provided to connect the coupling pieces to the lower (second) containers by means of coupling projections which act in the transverse direction on opposite sides, in such a way that both upper and left shifted containers are connected to the lower container in this way is that the upper container is held against tipping over against the lower container. Due to the fact that each coupling projection has anchoring lugs, which lie opposite each other in the transverse direction of the ship or the container, an automatic additional vertical connection of the containers lying one above the other is ensured with all ship movement, in particular heeling in opposite directions.

According to a possible embodiment of the method, when the containers to be connected are placed one on the other, the coupling pieces are partially, namely in a transverse direction, locked with the second (lower) container and this locking is canceled when the upper (first) container is lifted off the lower container. This locking and unlocking takes place in that when the upper container is lowered and raised, it performs a relative movement to the lower container, which can be a transverse movement of the upper container to the lower container, but also a rotational movement of the upper container about its vertical central axis. A further partial locking in the other transverse direction also takes place automatically, namely after the containers to be connected have been placed on top of one another while the ship is moving, as a result of transverse movements between the containers caused by heeling of the ship.

20041301 The alternative method provides for the automatic locking of the coupling pieces to the lower or second container in both opposite directions by transverse displacements of the upper or first container relative to the lower or second container after the containers have been placed one on top of the other. In this method, the containers can be placed on top of one another as required, without a relative movement for locking or unlocking the coupling pieces in a transverse direction being required. The coupling pieces then do not need to be pre-locked in a fixed relative position under the first (upper) container. The lock is automatic, at sea when the ship is heeling. When the ship is no longer heeling, the locking of the containers in the vertical direction is also released automatically.

In order to lock and unlock the coupling pieces in one direction with the lower (second) containers when the containers are placed on top of one another, the coupling pieces are pre-locked on each end face in the same direction under the upper (first) container. However, the dome pieces can be directed in opposite directions on opposite end faces. In this way, the coupling pieces can be locked and unlocked in one direction by rotating the upper container toward the lower container about its vertical longitudinal central axis.

To carry out the method according to the invention, the same coupling pieces are preferably used at all four corners of the containers to be connected, the coupling pieces having coupling projections for locking with the second or lower container and each of these coupling projections having two opposite anchoring lugs in the transverse direction of the containers. These two anchoring lugs of each coupling piece opposite in the transverse direction of the containers serve to bring about a vertical locking of the containers lying one above the other, depending on the direction of the horizontal transverse displacement of the containers, alternatively one or the other anchoring lug bringing about the vertical locking.

The two anchoring lugs of each coupling piece can either be movable independently of one another on the coupling projection or the coupling projection has

20041301 a fixed anchoring lug and an opposite movable anchoring lug. In the latter case, a relative movement of the upper container to the lower container serves to ensure that the coupling projections with the fixed anchoring lugs reach the preferably upper corner fittings of the lower (second) container when the upper container is placed on the lower container through the elongated holes. With two movable anchoring lugs on each coupling projection, the containers can be placed on top of one another and lifted apart from one another without a relative movement.

A coupling piece for solving the above-mentioned object has the features of claim 12. This coupling piece has on the coupling projection serving to connect it to the second (lower) container two opposing anchoring lugs extending in the transverse direction of the container, at least one of these anchoring lugs being movable into a locking position and an unlocking position. Because at least one anchoring lug extending transversely to the containers can be moved, the respective coupling projection can be threaded across the elongated hole into the corner fitting of the second, preferably lower, container. It is sufficient if only one anchoring lug of each coupling projection is movable, because the fixed anchoring lug only has to protrude from the coupling projection to the extent that this coupling projection with the fixed anchoring lug still fits transversely through the slot in the respective corner fitting.

The at least one movable anchoring lug of each coupling projection is preferably formed by a correspondingly designed, pivotable locking lever. This locking lever can preferably be pivoted in a vertical plane extending transversely to the container, specifically about a horizontal axis of rotation which runs in the longitudinal direction of the ship or parallel to the longitudinal direction of the container. By means of the locking lever, the movable anchoring lug can easily be brought into a locking position and also an unlocking position, without the coupling piece having to have further components, in particular mechanisms, because the locking lever can be pivoted according to the basic concept of the invention by a horizontal or in the direction parallel to the deck level for cross-shifting between the containers to be connected. On

20041301 Coupling piece with a fixed anchoring lug need only have a single locking lever with the movable anchoring lug. The locking lever brings the movable anchoring lug into a locking position when the upper container moves horizontally relative to the lower container in a direction in which the fixed anchoring lug comes out of the locking position. This displacement of the upper container relative to the lower container then pivots the locking lever in such a way that the movable anchoring lug locks in the corner fitting of the second or lower container, so that each time the upper container slides to the lower container, there is a reliable vertical locking , regardless of the direction in which the upper container has moved to the lower container.

The fixed anchoring lug of each coupling projection is locked or unlocked with the second (lower) container by means of a relative movement between the containers when the containers are stacked or unstacked.

If each coupling projection on the coupling piece has two movable anchoring lugs, two locking levers or a locking lever that can be pivoted in opposite directions with opposing anchoring lugs are provided. Then the coupling pieces are locked and unlocked exclusively by a horizontal displacement of the first container to the second container, in opposite directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container. In this case, the containers can be placed directly on top of one another and moved apart again vertically without any to-and-fro movement or twisting.

At least one coupling projection of each coupling piece usually has a central part and a locking part. The middle part is located between the locking part and between the opposite coupling projections of the coupling piece. In the case of containers stacked one above the other, the middle part of each of such a coupling projection projects through an elongated hole in the corner fitting assigned to the coupling projection. The locking part at the opposite end of the middle part is located inside the corner fitting. The locking part are anchoring projections or the anchoring lugs, namely both the movable

20041301 lent as well as the fixed, assigned. In such coupling projections, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least the middle part of a coupling projection is narrower than the width, that is the largest transverse dimension, of the elongated hole in the corresponding corner fitting of the container. This makes it possible for the containers stacked one above the other to be able to move relative to one another in the horizontal transverse direction. The maximum horizontal and / or in the direction of the deck level displaceability of the containers connected by the coupling pieces is twice as large if both opposite coupling projections have middle parts that are narrower than the width of the elongated holes. The narrower middle parts designed in this way create the transverse mobility of the connected containers required for the method according to the invention, which leads to the automatic locking and unlocking of the second (lower) container with the coupling pieces. The narrower central part on the coupling projection assigned to the lower or second container also makes it possible to provide the locking part, which is inherently the same width as the central part, that is to say narrower than the elongated hole, with a fixed, protruding anchoring lug. The anchoring lug then extends transversely almost so far with respect to the locking part and also the central part that the coupling projection with the fixed laterally protruding anchoring lug fits transversely through an elongated hole in the corner fitting of the container. Through a lateral displacement of the coupling piece in the corner fitting of the second or lower container in the direction of the fixed locking lug, with the corresponding relative position of the containers to one another, the containers are locked vertically with the aid of the fixed locking lug. This locking can be canceled by an opposite movement of the first or upper container with the coupling pieces to the lower or second container if the containers are to be unlocked.

It is further provided that the respective locking lever has at least one actuation projection. The respective actuation projection is arranged on the side of the locking lever opposite the locking lug, so that when the containers slide transversely against one another, the actuation projection comes to rest on a longitudinal side of the elongated hole and when the container slips further, the locking lever pivots, so that on the opposite side, that is, where there is a gap between the middle part of the coupling

20041301 protrusion and the longitudinal edge of the elongated hole, the locking lug protrudes so far laterally relative to the coupling projection that, despite this gap, the coupling projection with the locking lug engages behind the elongated hole and thereby causes a locking mechanism that prevents or at least limits tilting of the upper container relative to the lower container ,

So that when the container is moved, the respective actuation projection can pivot the actuation lever, the actuation projection is arranged at such a point on the actuation lever that is located in the region of the middle part of either the upper or the lower coupling projection of the coupling piece. As a result, the respective locking lug can be supported on a longitudinal wall of the elongated hole in the corner fitting in question and pivot the locking lever in opposite directions.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the coupling piece according to the invention and the method according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. In this show:

1 shows an end view of two (same) containers to be connected shortly before the upper container is placed on the lower container,

2 is a view under an upper container with four pre-locked coupling pieces below,

3 adjacent (stacked) corners of stacked containers in a front view,

4 is a view analogous to FIG. 3 with the upper container shifted (to the right),

5 is a view of FIGS. 3 and 4 with the upper container shifted (to the left), 6 is a partial side view of two containers stacked one above the other in the area of adjacent corners on opposite end faces of the containers,

7 is a plan view of an upper coupling projection of a coupling piece of FIGS. 3 to 6,

8 shows a coupling piece according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention in a representation analogous to FIG. 4,

9 shows the coupling piece of FIG. 8 in a view of the long sides of the containers stacked one above the other in the area of adjacent corners of the containers,

10 is a plan view of an upper coupling projection of the coupling piece of FIGS. 8 and 9,

11 is a coupling piece according to a third embodiment of the invention in a view analogous to FIG. 3,

FIG. 12 shows the coupling piece of FIG. 11 in a view analogous to FIG. 4,

13 shows the coupling piece of FIGS. 11 and 12 in a view analogous to FIG. 9,

14 is a plan view of an upper coupling projection of the coupling piece of FIGS. 11 to 13,

15 shows a coupling piece according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a view analogous to FIG. 3,

16 shows the coupling piece of FIG. 15 in a view analogous to FIG. 4, and

17 shows a coupling piece according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a view analogous to FIG. 13.

20041301 The coupling pieces of the invention serve to connect stacked containers 20 and 21. Two containers 20 and 21 lying one above the other are connected by four identical coupling pieces, namely at the same corner fittings 22 assigned to the corners of the containers 20, 21, each holding a coupling piece Adjacent, superimposed corner fittings 22 of an upper container 20 and a lower container 21 together.

The coupling pieces serve to prevent excessive slipping and lateral tilting of the upper container 20 relative to the lower container 21 on board a ship. The containers 20, 21 are stowed in the ship along the longitudinal axis of the ship, so that the longitudinal axes of the containers 20, 21 run in the longitudinal direction of the ship or parallel to it.

Four identical coupling pieces are pre-locked in a first container 20 or 21, either under the four lower corner fittings 22 at the lower corners of the upper container 20 or at four upper corner fittings 22 of the upper corners of the lower container 21. The container on which the coupling pieces are pre-locked, is the first container. After the pre-locking, the containers 20 and 21 are placed one on top of the other and a partial vertical locking of the coupling pieces with the second upper container 20 or lower container 21 is already carried out. After placing the containers 20, 21 on top of each other, there is an additional or exclusive vertical locking of the coupling pieces with the second container 20 or 21. In the exemplary embodiment shown (FIG. 1), it is assumed that the four coupling pieces on land are manually under the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 are pre-locked. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper container 20 is accordingly the first container on which the coupling pieces are pre-locked. The upper container 20 is then placed on the lower container 21 with the coupling pieces pre-locked under its lower corner fittings 22, and / or after which the stacked containers 20 and 21 are completely locked in the vertical direction by the four coupling pieces. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lower container 21 is thus the container generally referred to as the second container.

20041301 The corner fittings 22 assigned to the lower and upper corners of the containers 20, 21 have standardized elongated holes 24 in their horizontal contact surfaces 23. The elongated holes 24 in the contact surfaces 23 of the corner fittings 22 run in the longitudinal direction of the elongated containers, that is to say parallel to the longitudinal axis 25 of the containers 20, 21 and also parallel to the longitudinal aisle axis.

3 to 7 show a coupling piece 26 according to a first embodiment of the invention. This coupling piece 26 has a projection designed as a central abutment 27. The abutment 27 is designed like a plate and has two opposite horizontal contact surfaces (for contact surfaces 23 of the corner fittings 22). A coupling projection 28 and 29 protrudes from each abutment surface of the abutment. The coupling projections 28 and 29 are designed differently and, in the usual design of the coupling piece 26 as a casting, are integrally formed on the abutment 27. The plate-shaped abutment 27 of the coupling piece 26 is used to arrange between a lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 and an upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21. In this way, the abutment surfaces 23 of adjacent corner fittings 22 of stacked containers 20 and 21 are spaced apart from one another , However, it is also conceivable to provide at the location of the abutment one projection designed as a circumferential bevel or two projections designed as opposing beads (FIG. 17), which enters or enters corresponding circumferential bevels on the mutually facing edges of the elongated holes 24, so that the adjacent corner fittings 22 are not spaced from one another, that is to say they rest directly on one another with their contact surfaces 23.

The upper coupling projection 28 is formed from a middle part 30 adjoining the abutment 27 and a locking part 31 adjoining the end of the middle part 30 directed away from the abutment 27. The middle part 30 and the locking part 31 are integrally connected to one another. The middle part 30 extends through the elongated hole 24 of a corner fitting 22, that is to say has a height which is slightly greater than the depth of the elongated hole 24. As a result, the locking part 31 lies in the interior of the corner fitting 22 in front of the elongated hole 24.

The middle part 30 of the coupling projection 28 has an approximately square cross section (parallel to the top or bottom of the containers 20, 21) with a width in

20041301 Longitudinal and transverse direction, which is 15% to 25%, preferably about 20%, smaller than the width of the elongated hole. Two diagonally opposite corners of the middle part 30 are provided with rounded portions 32. The roundings 32 are dimensioned such that the middle part 30 can be rotated in the elongated hole 34 by at least 90 °, as a result of which the entire coupling piece 26 can be rotated for pre-locking under the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20.

The locking part 31 has an elongated, rectangular base. The width of the locking part 31 corresponds to the width of the essentially square central part 30. The length of the locking part 31 is greater than the width of the central part 30, so that on opposite sides of the central part 30 protruding edge sections of the connecting part 31 are formed to form two equally large, opposite anchoring projections 33. These overlap from the inside of the corner fitting 22, the parallel long sides of the elongated hole 24 when the coupling piece 26 is pre-locked under the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20.

The upper coupling projection 28 is offset off-center from the center of the plate-shaped abutment 27 and the elongated hole 24 in the direction of the elongated hole 24 (FIG. 6). In the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 24, a securing projection 34 is arranged next to the middle part 30, on the side that is at a greater distance from the edge of the abutment 27. The safety projection 34, which is only indicated (by a rectangle) in FIG. 6, is retracted manually into the abutment 27 for pre-locking the coupling piece 26 under the corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20, so that the coupling piece 26 can be rotated relative to the elongated hole 24 during the pre-locking , After the coupling piece 26 has been pre-locked, the securing projection 34 is released so that it protrudes upward relative to the abutment 27 and partially fills the area left free by the central part 30 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 24, whereby the central part 30 of the coupling piece 26 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 24 can only be displaced to a limited extent and cannot be moved out of the pre-locked position by automatically rotating the coupling piece 26.

The lower coupling projection 29 also has a central part 35 located in the region of the elongated hole 24 and one opposite the elongated hole 24 in the interior of the

20041301 Corner fitting 22 protruding locking part 36. The central part 35 and the locking part 36 are integrally formed and connected to the abutment 27.

The middle part 35 has an elongated cross section. For this purpose, the central part 35 extends almost over the entire length of the elongated hole 24 (FIG. 6), while the width of the central part 35 is smaller than the width of the elongated hole 24, specifically by 15% to 25%, preferably 20%. The middle part 35 of the coupling projection 29 can thereby be displaced in the oblong hole 24 in the same way as the middle part 30 of the coupling projection 28. The middle part 25 is narrowed towards the locking part 36 on a side (left in FIG. 3) from about half the depth of the elongated hole 24. The narrow region of the middle part 35 extends continuously over the entire locking part 36

The central part 35 thus has, in an upper part adjoining the abutment 27, a projection 37 which extends approximately half the depth into the elongated hole 24.

The projection 37 passes through a rounding 38 into the narrower part.

The locking part 36 of the lower coupling projection 29 has a firmly projecting anchoring lug 39 on the side opposite the projection 37 (on the right in FIG. 3). The anchoring lug 39 has an approximately V-shaped cross-section, namely it is provided with a bevel of approximately 30 ° to 45 ° with respect to the horizontal both on the upper side and on the lower side. The anchoring lug 39 is so long that its tip has a horizontal distance from the anchoring lug 39 opposite the vertical rear side 40 of the anchoring part 36, which is slightly narrower than the width of the elongated hole 24, so that the locking part 36 despite the laterally projecting anchoring lug 39 can be moved through the elongated hole 24.

The previously described components of the coupling piece 26 form a single unitary part, in particular a cast part. In addition, the coupling piece 26 according to the invention has a locking lever 41. The locking lever 41 is largely arranged in the interior of the coupling piece 26 and can be pivoted therein about a horizontal axis of rotation 42, which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the container 20 or 21 and thus also parallel to the longitudinal aisle direction , In the coupling piece 26 shown, the horizontal axis of rotation 42 extends approximately centrally through the upper coupling projection 28, specifically through a horizontal plane between the central part 30 and the

20041301 Locking part 31. The elongated locking lever 41 extends from the upper coupling projection 28, where it is rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 42 on a bolt 43 through the abutment 27 through into the lower coupling projection 29.

In the interior of the coupling piece 26 there is a slot-like recess 44, in which the locking lever 41 in its unlocked position (FIGS. 1 and 4) is completely and freely pivotably received. The recess 44 extends in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 24 centrally through the upper coupling projection 28. Since this coupling projection 28 is assigned to the abutment 27 off-center, the recess 44 extends off-center through the lower coupling projection 29 (FIG. 6). The recess 44 has a width which corresponds approximately to half the width of the middle part 30 of the upper coupling projection 28.

The locking lever 41 has an anchoring lug 45 which is located on the side (in the FIG. 3 left) of the locking lever 41 which is opposite the anchoring lug 39 which is fixedly arranged on the lower coupling projection 29. The locking lever 41 also has an actuating projection 46. This is located on the side of the locking lever 41 opposite the anchoring nose 45, in the region of the middle part 30 of the upper coupling projection 28. The actuating projection 46 is designed such that in a position of the Locking lever 41, in which the anchoring lug 45 is located completely in the locking part 36 of the coupling projection 29, the actuating projection 46 from a side wall of the central part running parallel to a long side of the elongated hole 24

30 protrudes (FIGS. 3 and 7). In this unlocked position, the locking lever 41 is held by a spring, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is a compression spring 47, which is in a blind bore 48 in the locking part

31 of the coupling projection 28 is mounted. A free end of the compression spring 47 is supported on a (short) lever shoulder 49 located above the axis of rotation 42 of the upper side of the locking lever 41. The locking lever 41 can thereby be referred to as a quasi double-sided lever.

A centering projection 50 protruding to the side of the anchoring nose 45 is provided approximately in the middle of the part of the locking lever 41 located below the axis of rotation 42. The centering projection 50 corresponds to a corresponding

20041301 Indentation 51 in the abutment 27. When the anchoring lug 45 of the locking lever 41 is pivoted out of the lower coupling projection 29 in the locking position of the coupling piece 26, the preferably frustoconical centering projection 50 positively engages in the corresponding recess 51 of the abutment 27. As a result of this positive locking of the locking lever 41 with respect to the abutment 27 in the locking position, the bolt 43 for the rotatable mounting of the locking lever 41 is at least partially kept free from the lashing forces introduced into the locking lever 41.

The method according to the invention is described in more detail below with the aid of coupling piece 26:

Four identical coupling pieces 26 are first pre-locked on land under the four lower corner fittings 22 at the four corners of the upper container 20. This is done in such a way that the upper coupling projections 28 are inserted into the elongated holes 24 of the lower corner fittings 22 and each coupling piece 26 is rotated by about 90 ° about a vertical central axis, as a result of which the anchoring projections 33 projecting from the central part 30 on opposite sides of the elongated hole 24 on opposite sides Grip over the long sides from the inside of the corner fitting 22 (FIG. 3). By releasing the securing projection 24, it reaches the elongated hole 24 and secures the respective coupling piece 26 in the position pre-locked under the upper container 20.

The same coupling pieces 26 are pre-locked in a special relative position under the four corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20. This is done in such a way that the two coupling pieces 26 on each end face of the container 20 (viewed on the end face) are aligned in such a way that the fixed anchoring lugs 39 of the lower coupling projections 29 point to the same side (FIG. 1). However, the anchoring lugs 39 of the coupling pieces 26 on the opposite end face of the container 20 are directed in opposite directions, so that all anchoring lugs 39 are oriented in the same direction with respect to an imaginary circle about the vertical central axis 52 of the container 20 (FIG. 2). Alternatively, it is also conceivable to pre-lock all coupling pieces 26 with anchoring lugs 39 pointing to the same side (with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container 20) under the upper container 20.

20041301 After the four coupling pieces 26 have been pre-locked under the upper container 20, the latter is lowered onto the lower container 21 already on board, with the aid of the four coupling pieces 26 the container 20 is also to be locked in the vertical direction. The container 20 is lowered vertically onto the lower container 21, with ideally aligned central axes 52 of the containers 20 and 21 aligned on a common vertical line. As soon as the tips of the lower coupling projections 29 are somewhat immersed in the elongated holes 34 of the corner fittings 22, the anchoring lugs 39 of all four coupling pieces 26 come to rest on one long side of each elongated hole 24. The lower bevels of the anchoring lugs 39 cause them to slide on the edges of the elongated holes 24 in question, thereby causing the upper container 20 to rotate relative to the vertical central axis 52, when the coupling pieces 26 have been locked in the relative arrangement of the anchoring lugs 39 shown in FIG. 2. This rotation goes so far that the vertical surfaces of the anchoring lugs 39 opposite all the coupling projections 29 abut on the opposite longitudinal side of each elongated hole 24. Due to the corresponding dimensioning of the anchoring lugs 39, each coupling projection 29 with the protruding, fixed anchoring lugs 39 fits right through the respective elongated hole 24, so that the coupling projections 29 of all four coupling pieces 26 completely through the elongated hole 24 in the respective upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 can immerse until the undersides of the abutments 27 of the coupling pieces 26 rest on the contact surfaces 23 of the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21. Shortly before the upper container 20 is completely lowered onto the lower container 21, the projections 37 opposite the anchoring lugs 39 on the central part 35 of each coupling projection 29 of the upper container 20 are rotated back about its central axis 52, so that the containers 20 and 21 lie almost flush one above the other. During this turning back of the upper container 20, the anchoring lugs 39 of the lower coupling projections 29 of the coupling pieces 26 come into a locking position to the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21 (FIG. 3). The containers 20 and 21 are thus secured against lifting in the vertical direction.

If (alternatively) all coupling pieces 26 are pre-locked under the upper container 20 with anchoring lugs 39 pointing to the same side, the upper container 20 is provided with

20041301 lower container 21 a lateral offset when all the anchoring lugs 39 facing the same side dip into the elongated holes 24. This lateral offset is reversed again after the anchoring lugs 39 have passed the elongated holes 34, namely through the projections 37 in the upper region of the middle parts 35, so that the upper container 20 comes into alignment with the lower container 21 (FIG. 3 ).

After placing the containers 20, 21 on top of each other, the coupling pieces 26 secure the upper container 20 against vertical lifting against vertical lifting but only as long as the containers 20, 21 lie vertically one above the other (FIG. 3) or the upper container (20) against the lower container 21 is displaced transversely to one side (to the right in the illustration of FIG. 4). Therefore, after the containers 30, 21 have been completely placed on top of one another, there is only a partially automatic locking against vertical lifting of the containers 20, 21, because the fixed anchoring lugs 39 on the lower coupling projections 29 of the coupling pieces 26 only apply to containers 20 and 21 (which are vertically one above the other) 3) or, when the upper container 20 is shifted to one side (to the right in FIG. 4) with respect to the lower container 21, the rear holes 24 of the corner fittings 22 engage behind on one side. Therefore, according to the invention, there is an automatic locking against lifting of the containers 20, 21 when the upper container 20 slides in the opposite direction relative to the lower container 21 (FIG. 5) after the containers 20 and 21 have been placed one against the other, that is to say while the ship is traveling. This opposite transverse movement of the upper container 20 with respect to the lower container takes place by movements of the ship, in particular heeling of the ship due to the sea state, in opposite directions to the longitudinal ship axis.

If the heel of the ship moves the upper container 20 to the side relative to the lower container 21 (to the right with reference to FIG. 4), the coupling pieces 26 move by the amount of play of the middle parts 35 of the lower coupling projections 29 in the transverse direction of the Elongated holes 24 of the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21 also to the right. The fixed anchoring lugs 39 on the coupling projections 29 of two coupling pieces 26 assigned to one end face of the containers 20, 21 come into a locking position in which the

20041301 Anchoring lugs 39 maximally reach behind one side of the elongated hole 24 from the inside of the corner fitting 22 (FIG. 4).

If the ship is heeling in the opposite direction, the upper container 20 slips relative to the lower container 21 to the other side, namely to the left in relation to the illustration in FIG. 5. The upper container 20 slips relative to the lower container 21 only as far as the play of the middle part 30 of the upper coupling projection 28 in the slot 24 of the upper corner fitting 22 and the middle part 35 of the lower coupling projection 29 in the upper corner fitting 22 allows. Then the anchoring lugs 39 arranged fixedly on the lower coupling projections 29 only engage behind the longitudinal side of the elongated hole 24 in question to a small extent. An effective vertical locking of the upper container 20 with respect to the lower container 21 would no longer be guaranteed. The upper container 20 could tip over because the opposite lower right corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20, not shown in FIG. 5, lift off from the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21. In order to avoid this, according to the method according to the invention, relative movement to the lower container 21 caused by the displacement of the upper container 20 relative to the lower container 21 transversely to the longitudinal axis of the container 20 results in an axial locking of the coupling pieces 26 with respect to the lower container 21 by a corresponding pivoting the locking lever 41 in the coupling pieces 26. Each locking lever 41 is pivoted by its actuation projection 46. The right longitudinal side (FIG. 5) of the elongated hole 24 is supported on the actuating projection 46 in the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 when this upper container 20 moves to the left relative to the lower container 21 (FIG. 5). The actuating projection 46 is pressed from the side surface of the elongated hole 24 into the middle part 30 of the upper coupling projection 28 and the locking lever 41 is pivoted clockwise about the axis of rotation 42 (based on the illustration in FIG. 5), as a result of which the anchoring nose 45 is at the bottom End of the locking lever 41, which is opposite the fixed anchoring lug 39 on the lower coupling projection 29, emerges laterally from the coupling projection 29 and thereby engages behind the longitudinal edge of the elongated hole 24 opposite the fixed anchoring lug 39 from the inside of the corner fitting 22. At the same time, the centering projection 50 enters the recess 51 in the abutment 25 to stabilize the locking lever 41 and to relieve the

20041301 the locking lever 41 pivotally mounted bolt 43 (Fig. 5). Thereafter, the containers 20 and 21 are locked in the vertical direction by the anchoring lugs 45 on the locking levers 41 of the coupling pieces 26. This locking remains as long as the fixed anchoring lugs 39 on the lower coupling projections 29 of the coupling pieces 26 are not in a locking position due to a corresponding relative displacement of the upper container 20 to the lower container 21.

If the position of the ship changes again, so that it cranks again on the opposite side, the upper container 20 slides again in the opposite direction (FIG. 4), as a result of which the actuating projections 46 of the locking levers 41 rest on the corresponding longitudinal sides of the elongated holes 24 is canceled again. Then the compression springs 47 move the locking lever 41 back into the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As a result, the vertical locking of the containers 20 and 21 is released again by the movable anchoring lugs 45 of the locking lever 41 and instead the vertical locking is perceived again by the fixed anchoring lugs 39 on the lower coupling projections 29 of the coupling pieces 26.

To unlock the connection of the containers 20 and 21 through the coupling pieces 26, the upper container 20 is first raised slightly. If the upper container 20 is not in the middle above the lower container 21, there is either still locking by the anchoring lugs 45 on the locking levers 41 or by the fixed anchoring lugs 39 on the lower coupling projections 29. Due to the inclined upper sides of the anchoring lugs 45 and 39, when the upper container 20 is lifted, it is aligned centrally with the lower container 21. Then only the fixed anchoring lugs 39 partially engage behind an edge region of each elongated hole 24. Again, due to the oblique upper side of the anchoring lugs 39 and the narrowing of the lower coupling projections 29 under the projections 37 at the upper end of the middle parts 35, the upper container 20 then becomes further relative to the lower one Container 21 moves so far that the lower coupling projections 29 with the anchoring lugs 39 projecting therein can pass through the elongated holes 24 in the corner fittings 22. If the coupling pieces 26 with an orientation of the anchoring lugs 39 as shown in FIG. 2 are among the

20041301 are lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20, this relative movement is a rotational movement of the upper container 20 about its vertical central axis 52. If all anchoring lugs 39 on both end faces of the container 20 point to the same side, there is a horizontal transverse movement of the upper container 20 with respect to the lower container 21 for threading out the lower coupling projections 29 with the above anchoring lugs 39 from the elongated holes 24.

After the upper container 20 has been unlocked from the lower container 21 and the upper container 20 has been lifted out of the ship, the pre-locked coupling pieces 26 under the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 are removed manually on land.

8 to 10 show a coupling piece 53 according to a second embodiment of the invention. This coupling piece 53 differs from the coupling piece 26 essentially only in a differently designed upper coupling projection 54. Otherwise, the coupling piece 53 is designed like the coupling piece 26. This applies in particular to the lower coupling projection 29 and the locking lever 41. If the coupling pieces 26 and 53 have the same parts, the same reference numbers are used.

The upper coupling projection 54 is in turn composed of a central part 55 and a locking part 56, which are integrally connected to one another and also to the abutment 27. This coupling projection 54 corresponds to the coupling projections of known coupling pieces, namely twistlocks. Such coupling projections 54 are referred to in technical jargon as a "permanent base". The central part 55 is diamond-shaped in cross section. In length, the middle part 55 corresponds approximately to the length of the elongated hole 24. In the width, the middle part 55 is narrower than the elongated hole 24, specifically like the coupling piece 26 by 15% to 25%, preferably about 20%), narrower than that Elongated hole 24. Due to the diamond-like cross section of the central part 55, the coupling projection 54 allows the coupling piece 53 to be rotated by 50 ° to 30 °, preferably approximately 35 °, in the elongated hole 24 of the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20. The locking part 56 has an approximately rectangular base, and it corresponds approximately to the middle part 55 both in length and in width.

20041301 Due to the diamond-shaped design of the cross section of the central part 55 running perpendicularly through the vertical central axis of the coupling piece 53, the rectangular locking part 56 protrudes at diagonally opposite regions of the central part 55. These diagonally projecting areas form projections 57 which, after the coupling piece 53 has been pre-locked under the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20, engage slightly behind longitudinal sides of the elongated hole 24 from the inside of the corner fitting 22 (dashed areas in FIG. 10). If the coupling piece 53 has not yet been locked, the locking part 56 coincides with the central part 55, as a result of which the entire coupling projection can be inserted into the corner fitting 22 through the elongated hole 24 and the locking device is produced by subsequently rotating the coupling piece 53 by approximately 35 ° about the longitudinal central axis of the coupling piece 53 is.

The coupling pieces 53 can also be pre-locked under the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 in such a way that either all the anchoring lugs 39 on the lower coupling projection 29 point to the same side (transverse to the longitudinal axis of the upper container 20) or the anchoring lugs 39 of each end face of the container 20 are oriented in the same direction, but on opposite end faces the anchoring lugs 39 point in other directions, as is indicated in FIG. 2.

The method according to the invention for locking and unlocking the coupling pieces 53 takes place in exactly the same way as for the coupling piece 26. Reference is therefore made to the method for locking and unlocking the containers 20 and 21 described previously in connection with the coupling piece 26. Only the pre-locking of the coupling pieces 53 under the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 takes place after inserting the upper coupling projections 54 into the elongated holes 24 of the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 by rotating the coupling pieces 53 by only about 35 ° about their vertical longitudinal central axis , In this case, the locking part 56, which has a rectangular base area, comes into a position rotated by approximately 35 ° to the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 34 (FIG. 10). The coupling projection 54 can assume this through the diamond-like cross section of the central part 55 with diagonally opposite bevels, the diagonally opposite projections 57 protruding from the interior of the respective corner fitting 22 relative to the central part 55 due to the inclined position of the locking part 56 relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongated hole 24

20041301 reach behind the elongated hole 24 on opposite areas of the long sides (FIG. 10).

11 to 14 show a coupling piece 58 according to a third embodiment of the invention. The coupling piece 58 has a central, plate-shaped abutment 59 and coupling projections 60 and 61 assigned to opposite horizontal surfaces of the abutment 59. The abutment 59 and the coupling projections 60 and 61 are integrally connected to one another by producing the coupling piece 58 as a cast part. When containers 20 and 21 are coupled together, the plate-shaped abutment 59 lies between corner fittings 22 of the containers 20 and 21 lying one above the other.

The upper coupling projection 60, like the coupling projection 54 of the coupling piece 53, is designed in a manner known per se according to the "permanent base" principle. For this purpose, reference is made to the description of the coupling piece 53.

The upper coupling projection 60 is formed from a central part 62 extending through the elongated hole 24 and a locking part 63 adjoining it in one piece in the interior of the corresponding corner fitting 22. The base surface or in a vertical (horizontal) plane through the vertical longitudinal central axis of the coupling piece 58 extending cross section of the central part 62 is diamond-shaped. The elongated central part 62 has a length which is somewhat less than the length of the elongated hole 24. The width of the central part 62 is smaller than the width of the elongated hole 24, namely by 15% to 25%, preferably 20%. As a result, the central part 62 allows the coupling piece 58 to be displaced transversely in the elongated hole 24, specifically in the region of the play of the central part 62 in the transverse direction of the elongated hole 24. The locking part 63 at the upper end of the central part 62 has an approximately rectangular base area. The length of the locking part 63 corresponds to that of the central part 62. The width of the locking part 63 corresponds to the width of the central part 62, and is therefore also narrower than the elongated hole 24. As a result, the upper coupling projection 60 can be inserted through the elongated hole 24 for pre-locking the coupling piece 58 under the lower corner fitting 22 of the container 20. Due to the diamond-shaped design of the central part 62 with diagonally opposite bevels, diagonally opposite corner regions of the locking part 63 protrude from the central part 62. As a result, the locking part 63 has diagonally opposite projections 64, which after the

20041301 Prelocking the coupling piece 58 under the containers 20 and a necessary rotation of the coupling piece by approximately 35 ° around the vertical longitudinal central axis engage areas of the opposite longitudinal edges of the elongated hole 24 from the inside of the corner fitting 22 (FIG. 14).

The lower coupling projection 61 of the coupling piece 58 is provided with an approximately rectangular base area or a rectangular cross section (with respect to a transverse plane through the vertical longitudinal central axis of the coupling piece 58). The length of the coupling projection 61 is somewhat less than the longitudinal extent of the elongated hole 24. In width, the coupling projection 61 is significantly narrower than the elongated hole 24, namely by 15% to 25%, preferably about 20%. The height of the coupling projection 61 is dimensioned such that it extends through the elongated hole 24 into the interior of the corner fitting 22 (FIG. 13). The base area or the cross section of the lower coupling projection is the same over almost the entire height. The coupling projection 61 is chamfered from all four sides only in a short end region, so that it extends towards the inside of the corner fitting 22 tapering on all sides or tapering to a point.

The coupling piece 58 has two locking levers 65 and 66 lying parallel and adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 24. Both locking levers 65 and 66 are of identical design, but are pivotably mounted in the coupling piece 58 in an opposite, 180 ° rotated relative position. The pivotable mounting of both locking levers 65 and 66 in the coupling piece takes place on a common axis of rotation 67, which runs centrally through the abutment 59, in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 24. Since the containers 20, 21 are stowed longitudinally on board the ship, so that the Longitudinal central axes of the container 20, 21 run in or parallel to the longitudinal ship axis, the elongated holes 24 assigned to the contact surfaces 23 of the corner fittings 22 also extend in the longitudinal ship direction (FIG. 2). The axis of rotation 67 extends horizontally in the center through the abutment 59, and in particular parallel to the longitudinal center axis of each container 20, 21. Thus, the axis of rotation 67 also extends longitudinally to the slot 24. In addition, the axis of rotation 67 also intersects the upright longitudinal center axis of the coupling piece 58 perpendicularly The axis of rotation 67 extending longitudinally to the elongated hole 24 are the locking levers 65 and 66 in two vertical but parallel planes which extend transversely to the elongated hole 24 and the containers 20, 21.

20041301 Both locking levers 65 and 66 are designed as double-armed levers. An upper arm of each locking lever 65, 66 projects into the upper coupling projection 60 and is acted upon there by a spring, in particular an approximately horizontally directed compression spring 68, which is mounted in a blind hole in the coupling projection 60, in such a way that each Locking lever 65 and 66 is pivoted into a release position by the relevant compression spring 68. The upper lever arm of each locking lever 65 and 66 also has away from the contact surface of the compression spring 68. Side about an actuating projection 69. This actuating projection 69 is designed such that it protrudes from the central part 62 preferably by about half the play of the central part 62 of the upper coupling projection 60 in the transverse direction of the elongated hole 24 when the locking lever 65 or 66 is in its unlocked position located (Fig. 11).

The lower lever arm of each locking lever 65 and 66 has an anchoring lug 70 at the lower end region. With each locking lever 65 and 66, the anchoring lug 70 is on the side (in the direction transverse to the elongated hole 24) on which the actuating projection 69 of the opposite upper lever arm is also located. Furthermore, each locking lever 65 and 66 has on the lower lever arm on the side opposite the anchoring lug 70 and the actuating projection 69 a further actuating projection 71. This is located approximately in the region of the central part extending through the elongated hole 24 in the upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 20 of the lower coupling projection 61. In the unlocked position of each locking lever 65, 66, the actuation projection 71 projects so far out of the lower coupling projection 61 towards a longitudinal side of the elongated hole 24 that the coupling projection 61 can be inserted into the elongated hole 24 and also pulled out again , As a result, the actuating projection 71 only protrudes half the play between the coupling projection 61 and the elongated hole 24 in the transverse direction from the coupling projection 61. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, each actuation projection 71 is provided with an arcuate outer contour, which is designed such that the actuation projections 71 of both locking levers 65 and 66 run obliquely to the lower end of the coupling projection 61, that is to say decrease in width. Accordingly, the upper sides of the anchoring lugs 70 are provided with a bevel 72. This bevel 72 of the anchoring lugs 70 and the special oblique configuration of the actuating projections 71 make it possible to

20041301 to allow the upper region of each actuation projection 71 to protrude slightly more than half the play between the coupling projection 61 and the elongated hole 24 with respect to the coupling projection 61, which means that when the coupling projection 61 is inserted into the upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21, the locking levers 65 and 66 are already slightly be pivoted into the locking position, in opposite directions to each other.

The vertical locking of the containers 20, 21 takes place in the coupling piece 58 only after the upper container 20 has been completely placed on the lower container 21 and a displacement of the upper container 20 relative to the lower container 21 as a result of a heeling of the ship caused by the sea state. Depending on the displacement of the upper container 20 to one side or the other relative to the lower container 21, one of the locking levers 65 and 66 is steered into the locking position in order to bring about the required vertical locking of the containers 20, 21 (FIG. 12).

A coupling piece (not shown) is also conceivable, in which the upper coupling projection is designed in the same way as the upper coupling projection 28 of the coupling piece 26. In this case, the coupling pieces are pre-locked under the lower corner fittings of the upper container 20 by a quarter-circle rotation of the coupling pieces their vertical longitudinal central axis.

The method according to the invention proceeds with the coupling piece 58 as follows:

On land, four identical coupling pieces 58 are manually pre-locked under the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20. For this purpose, the respective coupling piece 58 with the aligned locking part 63 of the upper coupling projection 60 is inserted into the elongated hole 24 of the lower corner fitting 22 which runs in the longitudinal direction of the container 20 and the ship. By subsequently rotating the entire coupling piece 58 by approximately 30 ° to 40 ° about the vertical longitudinal central axis of the coupling piece 58, the respective coupling piece 58 is pre-locked under the container 20. The diagonally opposite projections 64 of the locking part 63 engage behind opposite longitudinal edges of the elongated hole 24 from the inside of the corner fitting 22 (Fig. 14). All coupling pieces 58 are held in the pre-locked position under the

20041301 Container 20 through the actuating projections 69 of the locking levers 65 and 66 held in the unlocked position by the compression springs 68, in that the diagonally opposite actuating projections 69 of the locking levers 65 and 66 partially fill the surfaces of the diamond-like central parts 62 which extend obliquely to the elongated holes 24. In the pre-locked position of the coupling pieces 58 under the container 20, the side faces or the horizontal central axes of the abutments 59 run parallel to the long sides and end faces of the container 20.

The container 20 with four coupling pieces 58 pre-locked under its lower corner fittings 22 is now placed onto the lower container 21 on board the ship, the lower coupling projections 61 being directed vertically from above because of the locking levers 65 and 66 in the unlocked position , in the elongated holes 24 of the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21, without a horizontal relative movement or rotation of the upper container 20 relative to the lower container 21 being necessary. The result is that after the lower container 20 has been placed on the lower container 21, the coupling pieces 58 do not yet bring about a vertical locking of the containers 20 and 21.

According to the invention, the containers 20 and 21 are automatically locked and unlocked by the coupling piece 58 against vertical lifting only after the containers 20 and 21 have been placed on top of one another, specifically at sea. This happens due to a displacement of the container 20 transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vessel when the ship is heeling in particular due to the swell. This automatic locking of the dome pieces 58 takes place both when the ship is heeling to port and to starboard, that is to say when the upper container 20 is moved in relation to the lower container 21 in a transverse direction and also in the opposite transverse direction.

If the heel of the ship moves the upper container 20 relative to the lower container 21, for example according to FIG. 12, to the right, the outer longitudinal edge of the elongated hole 24 of the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 comes to rest on the corresponding side of the middle part 62 of the upper coupling projection 60, whereas the lower coupling projection 61 for contacting the (inner) longitudinal edge of the elongated hole 24 in the upper, pointing towards the center of the container 21 Corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 arrives. The result is that the actuating projections 69 and 71 arranged on opposite sides of a locking lever (in FIG. 12 of the locking lever 65) are pressed into the coupling projections 60 and 61 above and below the axis of rotation 67. As a result, the locking lever 65 is pivoted under pretension of the compression spring 68, specifically in the clockwise direction with respect to the illustration in FIG. 12. Due to this pivoting of the locking lever 65, its anchoring lug 70 is moved laterally out of the lower coupling projection 61, so that the anchoring lug 70 of the locking lever 65 engages behind the elongated hole 24 from the inside of the upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 and thereby a vertical locking of the containers 20 and 21 brings about. As a result, due to the heel, the upper container 20 cannot tip over relative to the lower container 21, that is to say the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 apart from the slight play from the abutment 59 and from the upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 cannot be raised significantly. The locking process described above with the locking lever 65 is the same for all four coupling pieces 58.

If the upper container moves relative to the lower container 21 due to a heel of the ship in the opposite direction to the other side (compared to the illustration in FIG. 12), the other locking lever 66 is pivoted (this time counterclockwise), as a result of which the anchoring nose 70 of the locking lever 66 laterally emerges from the lower coupling projection 61 and brings about a vertical locking of the containers 20 and 21 by the anchoring lug 70 engaging behind the elongated hole 24 on the inside of the corner fitting 22 (broken line in FIG. 12). The other locking lever 65 is moved back into its starting position by the compression spring 68. This is the unlocked position of the locking lever 65 with the anchoring nose 70 immersed in the lower coupling projection 61, which then does not protrude laterally or not appreciably from the coupling projection 61. These pivoting movements of both locking levers 65 and 66 also proceed in the same way in all four coupling pieces 58.

With the coupling pieces 58, there is therefore an automatic vertical locking against lifting of the containers 20, 21 by alternately reaching behind an edge region of the elongated holes 24 of the upper corner Fitting 22 of the lower container 21 through the anchoring lugs 70 of one or the other locking lever 65 or 66. Depending on which side the ship is cringing and which side the upper container 20 shifts transversely with respect to the lower container 21, one is alternatively used of the two locking levers 65 or 66, namely the anchoring nose 70 fixedly attached to it, each coupling piece 58 brings about the locking of the containers 20 and 21 against lifting of the upper container 20 relative to the lower container 21.

To unlock the containers 20 and 21, the upper container 20 is brought into an aligned position above the lower container 21 by slight lifting, as is shown in FIG. 11. As a result, the two locking levers 65 and 66 of each coupling piece 58 are brought into an unlocking position by the compression springs 68, in that the anchoring lugs 70 of the locking levers 65 and 66 are pulled into the coupling projections 61 by pivoting them in opposite directions and thus do not protrude or not significantly protrude from the coupling projections 61. Now the upper container 20 with the four pre-locked coupling pieces 58 underneath can be completely detached from the lower container 21. On land, the coupling pieces 58 are manually removed from the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 by releasing the pre-locking by manually turning each coupling piece 58 by approximately 30 ° to 40 ° with respect to the elongated holes 24 of the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20, thereby the projections 64 on the upper coupling projections 60 of the coupling pieces 58 come into alignment with the elongated holes 24 and can be pulled downward out of the elongated holes 24 of the corner fittings 22.

15 and 16 show a coupling piece 73 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. This coupling piece 73 is basically designed like the coupling piece 58, which is why the same reference numbers are used for the same parts. Only the coupling piece 53, in contrast to the coupling piece 58, has only a single locking lever 74. This locking lever 74 is pivotally mounted in the coupling piece 73 in opposite directions, namely the pivoting of the locking lever 74 takes place in a vertical plane which is transverse to the elongated hole 24 runs. An axis of rotation 75, about which the locking lever 74 can be pivoted, runs longitudinally to the elongated hole 24 and thus in the longitudinal direction of the ship, but is above the

20041301 Abutment 59 arranged in the coupling projection 60, namely approximately horizontally running just above the central part 62 (FIG. 15). The single locking lever 74, which is pivotably mounted about the axis of rotation 75 by a bolt 76, is again designed as a two-armed lever. Above the axis of rotation 75, the locking lever 74 has a lever extension 77, the end of which is assigned to opposite springs, namely compression springs 78 of the same design in the exemplary embodiment shown. The compression springs 78 lie on a common horizontal axis, which is located above the axis of rotation 75 and is directed transversely thereto (FIG. 15). Outer ends of the compression springs 78 are supported in blind bores 79 in the locking part 63 of the upper coupling projection 60. Mutually directed ends of the compression springs 78 rest on opposite sides on the lever shoulder 77 of the locking lever 74. By means of the compression springs 78, the locking lever 74 can be brought into an unlocked middle position, whereby the vertical longitudinal axis of the locking lever 74 lies approximately on the vertical longitudinal central axis of the coupling piece 73 (FIG. 15).

In the area of the middle part 62 of the upper coupling projection 60, the locking lever 74 has opposite actuating projections 80. Both opposite actuation projections 80 project so far from opposite sides of the middle part 62 that the distance between the outer tips of the actuation projections 80 is slightly less than the width of the elongated hole 24 (FIG. 15). Due to the arrangement of the actuating projections 80 in the region of the middle part 62 of the upper coupling projection 60, the actuating projections 80 lie below the axis of rotation 75 of the locking lever 74, that is to say on its lower (longer) lever arm.

At the lower end of the locking lever 74 opposite anchoring lugs 81 are provided. The anchoring lugs 81 project in the transverse direction of the elongated hole 24 from opposite sides of the lower lever arm of the locking lever 74. The anchoring lugs 81, which run symmetrically to the vertical central axis of the locking lever 74, are designed such that their opposite tips correspond approximately to the width of the lower coupling projection 61 in the transverse direction of the elongated hole 24, but not wider than the elongated hole 24 in the upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 are.

20041301 The coupling piece 58 can alternatively also have an upper coupling projection which, like the upper coupling projection 28, is formed in the coupling piece 26. The coupling piece 73 is then pre-locked under the upper container 20 by a quarter-circle rotation of the coupling piece 73 about the vertical longitudinal central axis in the elongated hole 24 of the lower corner fitting 22 on the upper container 20.

The method according to the invention for automatically locking and unlocking the containers 20 and 21 with four identical coupling pieces 73 proceeds as follows:

The pre-locking of the coupling pieces 73 under the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 takes place in the same way as with the coupling piece 58, so that reference is made to the extent described in this connection.

The upper container 20 is placed vertically in alignment with the lower container 21 with the coupling pieces 73 pre-locked below it. The locking lever 74 of each coupling piece 73 is in the unlocked, vertical position (FIG. 15), in which both opposite anchoring lugs 81 of each locking lever 74 are located in the lower coupling projection 61. As a result, the lower coupling projection 61 of each coupling piece 73 can be immersed in an upper corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 by simply lowering the upper container 20 vertically onto the lower container 21 through the corresponding elongated hole 24.

After placing the upper container 20 on the lower container 21, the abutments 59 of the coupling pieces 73 space the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container from the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21, so that the horizontal contact surfaces 23 of the superimposed, adjacent corner fittings 22 on opposite sides rest horizontal surfaces of the abutment 59 (Fig. 15).

If the heel of the ship slips the upper container 20 in the transverse direction parallel to the deck of the ship relative to the lower container 21, the coupling pieces 73 are automatically locked vertically with respect to the lower container 21, this vertical locking according to the invention being automatically effected by the transverse displacement of the upper container 20 caused to the lower container 21

20041301 becomes. As a result of the longitudinal stowage of the containers 20 and 21 on board the ship, when the ship is heeled, the upper container 20 is moved to the lower container 21 transversely to the vertical longitudinal median plane of the containers 20 and 21, as a result of which the upright longitudinal sides of the containers 20 and 21 receive a lateral offset to one another, while the end faces of the containers 20 and 21, which run transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ship, do not shift, that is to say are therefore aligned in vertical planes.

16 shows the example of an upper container 20 which is displaced to the right relative to the lower container 21. Then the outer longitudinal side of the elongated hole 24 lies in the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 on the middle part 62 of the upper coupling projection 60. On the other hand, in the displacement of the upper container 20 shown in FIG. 16, the lower coupling projection 61 bears against the longitudinal side of the elongated hole 24 in the upper corner fitting 22 which points towards the center of the lower container 21. Through the contact of the outer side of the elongated hole 24 in the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 on the outer (in FIG. 16 left) side of the middle part 62 of the ^' upper coupling projection 60, which is in the area of the elongated hole 24 of the lower corner fitting 22 of the Upper container 20 located left actuation projection 80 pressed into the middle part 62 and the locking lever 74 about the axis of rotation 75 or the bolt 76 pivoted counterclockwise (based on the illustration in FIG. 16). The result is that the anchoring lug 81 (on the right in FIG. 16) on one side of the lower end of the locking lever 74 laterally emerges from the lower coupling projection 61 in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated hole 24 and the elongated hole 24 from the inside of the corner fitting 22 engages behind. In this way, an automatic vertical locking of the upper container 20 with respect to the lower container 21 is produced by the (right) anchoring lug 81 of the locking lever 74 of each of the four coupling pieces 73 between the containers 20 and 21.

If the ship is heeling to the other side, the upper container 20 moves in a different direction with respect to the lower container 21, as a result of which the actuating projection 80 (on the right in FIG. 16) from the inner longitudinal side of the elongated hole 24 in the lower corner fitting 22 of the upper container 20 is pressed into the middle part 62 of the upper coupling projection 60. As a result, the locking lever 74 is

20041301 16 pivoted in the opposite direction (based on the illustration in FIG. 16), so that the opposite anchoring lug 81 (on the left side of the locking lever 74) is laterally moved out of the lower coupling projection 61, and from the inside the elongated hole 24 of the upper one Corner fitting 22 of the lower container 21 engages behind. As a result, the containers 20 and 21 are automatically locked vertically by all four coupling pieces 73.

To unlock the containers 20 and 21, the procedure is as described above in connection with the coupling piece 58. Reference is made to this description. Here too, the upper container 20 is first raised slightly in relation to the lower container 21, so that the containers 20 and 21 are aligned in the vertical direction, as a result of which the locking levers 74 of the coupling piece 73 from the opposite compression springs 78 into the unlocking position (FIG. 15). reach. In the unlocked position, the vertical central axes of the locking levers 74 are aligned with the vertical longitudinal central axes of the coupling pieces 73, as a result of which the opposite anchoring lugs 81 at the lower ends of the locking levers 74 get into the coupling projections 61 and thereby the coupling pieces 73 with the lower coupling projections 61 upward the elongated holes 24 in the upper corner fittings 22 of the lower container 21 can be pulled out.

In the usual manner already described, the four coupling pieces 73 are then manually removed on land from the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20 by releasing the pre-locking of the coupling pieces 73 on the lower corner fittings 22 of the upper container 20.

17 shows a coupling piece according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. This is a modification of the coupling piece according to the third exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 11 to 14. The coupling piece of FIG. 17 corresponds to the coupling piece of FIGS. 11 to 14 except for the missing abutment 59. The same reference numbers are therefore used for the same parts used.

In the coupling piece shown, the abutment 59 of the coupling piece of FIGS. 11 to 14 is replaced by two opposite projections which are designed as beads 82. It

20041301 the abutment 59 is therefore missing in this coupling piece. The beads 82 are assigned to opposite narrow sides of the housing of the coupling piece, namely connected to them in one piece. The beads 82 have an approximately triangular cross section, so that when corner fittings 22 of the containers 20, 21 to be connected lie one on the other, they engage in circumferential, triangular bevels of the outer edges of the elongated holes 24 of the corner fittings 22. The beads 82 are arranged between the opposite coupling projections 60, 61 and serve to position the coupling piece in the corner fittings 22 such that the coupling projections 60, 61 are fixed in their immersion depth in the corner fittings 22.

The beads 82 or other projections can also be provided at the location of the abutments 27 and 59 in the other coupling pieces of the exemplary embodiments one, two and four.

20041301 December 3, 2004/7119

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

20 containers 58 coupling piece

21 containers 59 abutments

22 corner fitting 60. coupling projection

23 contact surface 61 coupling projection

24 slot 62 middle section

25 longitudinal axis 63 locking part

26 coupling piece 64 projection

27 abutment 65 locking lever

28 Coupling projection 66 Locking lever

29 Coupling projection 67 axis of rotation

30 middle section 68 compression spring

31 locking part 69 actuation projection

32 rounding 70 anchoring nose

33 Anchoring projection 71 Operating projection

34 Safety projection 72 Bevel

35 middle section 73 coupling piece

36 Anchoring part 74 locking lever

37 projection 75 axis of rotation

38 rounding 76 bolts

39 Anchoring lug 77 Lever shoulder 0 Rear 78 Compression spring 1 Locking lever 79 Blind hole 2 Rotation axis 80 Actuating projection 3 Bolts 81 Anchoring lug 4 Recess 82 Bead 5 Anchoring lug 6 Actuating projection 7 Compression spring 8 Blind hole 9 Lever approach 0 Centering projection 1 recess 2 Central axis 3 Coupling piece 4 Coupling projection 7 Middle part 5

20041301

Claims

December 3, 2004 / 7119Patent claims

1. A method for locking and unlocking coupling pieces (26, 53, 58, 73) for releasably connecting stacked containers (20, 21), in particular on board ships, the coupling pieces (26, 53, 48, 73) being manually connected Corner fittings (22) of a first of the containers (20) to be connected are locked, the containers (20, 21) are placed one on top of the other and, as a result of movements of the containers (20, 21), the coupling pieces (26, 53, 58, 73) with the Corner fittings (22) of the second container (21) are locked, characterized in that by moving at least one container (20) in a direction parallel to the plane of the deck of the ship, the coupling pieces (26, 53) pre-locked under the first container (20) , 58, 73) are at least partially locked and unlocked with the second container.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at sea by an in one direction parallel to the plane of the deck of the ship transverse movement between the containers (20, 21) an at least partially automatic locking of the pre-locked under the first container (20) coupling pieces (26, 53, 58, 73) with the second container (21) and also an unlocking takes place.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that after the complete stacking of the container to be connected (20, 21), in particular while the container (20, 21) carrying the ship, by a transverse movement caused by a ship movement Container (20, 21) in the direction parallel to the plane of the deck of the ship, an at least partially automatic vertical locking and / or unlocking of the coupling pieces (26, 53, 58, 73) with the second (lower) container (21) takes place.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the containers to be connected (20, 21) are placed one on top of the other, the coupling pieces (26, 53) with the second container (21) are automatically locked in a transverse direction (against vertical lifting) and after placing the containers on top of each other

20041301 (20, 21) by corresponding movements at sea, in particular sea movements, the coupling pieces (26, 53) with the second (lower) container (21) in the opposite transverse direction are locked automatically (in the vertical direction), preferably in the opposite direction The coupling pieces (26, 53) are also unlocked in the direction.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the complete placement of the upper container (20) on the lower container (21) from the coupling pieces (26, 53, 58, 73) the container (20, 21) as a result opposite, transverse relative displacements to one another in the vertical direction are automatically, in particular completely, locked and / or unlocked, preferably by corresponding movements (sea movements) of the ship while the ship is traveling.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second container (21) of the coupling pieces (26, 53) is locked in an opposite transverse direction by movable anchoring lugs (45) which result from a in the direction of the plane of the deck of the ship (horizontal) transverse movement of the containers (20, 21) to be connected to one another are brought into a locking position and are brought out of the locking position again by an opposite relative movement of the containers (20, 21) to one another.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling pieces (26, 53) under the corner fittings (22) each end face of the first container (20) are pre-locked to the elongated holes (24) of the corner fittings (22), wherein the coupling pieces (26, 53) on opposite end faces of the respective container (20) can be pre-locked both in the same direction and in the opposite direction.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each coupling piece (26, 53, 58, 73) has a coupling projection (29, 61) serving for locking with the second container (21), which in the transverse direction of the container (20 , 21) has two opposite anchoring lugs (39, 45; 70, 81), one alternately with one of each of these anchoring lugs (39, 45; 70, 81)

20041301 Locking the coupling pieces (26, 53, 58, 73) with the second container (21) is produced, preferably depending on the direction of the transverse displacement of the containers (20, 21) parallel to the plane of the deck of the ship.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that fixed anchoring lugs (39) on the coupling projections (29) serving to lock the coupling piece (26, 53) with the second container (21) when the containers (20, 21) are brought into a locking position to the second container (21) and, alternatively, the movable anchoring lugs (45) opposite the fixed anchoring lugs (39) are brought into a locking position with a corresponding transverse relative movement of the containers (20, 21).

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that anchoring lugs (70, 81) on the coupling projections (61) serving to connect the coupling pieces (58, 73) to the second container (21) after the containers () 20, 21) optionally or alternatively, depending on the relative displacement, in particular transverse displacement, of the containers (20, 21) to one another in a locking position and / or an unlocking position.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for placing the container (20, 21) on top and for lifting the upper container (20) both anchoring lugs (70, 81) of each coupling projection (61) by at least in the transverse direction of the container (20, 21) centering of the containers (20, 21) located one above the other can be brought into an unlocking position.

12. Coupling piece for connecting containers (20, 21), in particular on board ships, with opposite coupling projections (28, 29; 54; 60, 61) for engaging in corner fittings (22) of the containers (20, 21) to be connected which are located one above the other and at least one protrusion between the coupling protrusions (28, 29; 54; 60, 61), characterized in that the coupling protrusion (29, 61) used to connect the coupling piece (26, 53, 58, 73) to the second container (21) ) two opposite anchoring elements, which extend in the transverse direction of the containers (20, 21)

20041301 has lugs (39, 45; 70, 81), and at least one of these anchoring lugs (45, 70, 81) can be moved both into a locking position and out of the locking position.

13. Coupling piece according to claim 12, characterized in that the coupling projection (29, 60) for locking the coupling piece (26, 53; 58, 73) with the second container (21) is formed such that in a non-locking position of the or everyone movable anchoring nose (45; 70; 81) of the coupling projection (29, 61) through an elongated hole (24), in particular across the elongated hole (24), in the corner fitting (22) of the second container (21) is movable.

14. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one movable anchoring nose (45; 70, 81) of the coupling projection (29, 61) for connection to the second container (21) on a in a vertical plane, preferably in Transverse direction of the container (21), locking lever (41; 65, 66; 74) which is pivotable from a .locking position into an unlocking position.

15. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective locking lever (41; 65, 66; 74) about a (horizontal) axis of rotation (42; 67) running parallel to the longitudinal direction of the containers (20, 21) to be connected ; 75) is pivotable.

16. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axis of rotation (42; 67; 75) between the coupling projections (60, 61) or by a coupling projection (28; 54; 60) for pre-locking the coupling piece (26, 53, 58, 73) on the first container (20).

17. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one coupling projection (28, 29; 54; 60, 61) one through the

Has elongated hole (24) of a respective corner fitting (22) extending middle part (30, 35; 55; 62) and a locking part (31, 36; 56; 63) lying behind the elongated hole (24) inside the corner fitting (22), wherein at least the middle part (35) of the coupling projection (29, 61), which is assigned to the second container (21), is narrower than that

20041301 Elongated hole (24) is formed in the corresponding corner fitting (22) of the second container (21).

18. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling projection (29) serving for locking with the second container (21) has a fixed anchoring lug (39) which is designed to be narrower than the elongated hole (24) in the middle part (30) protrudes approximately as far as the middle part (30) is narrower than the elongated hole (24).

19. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective locking lever (41; 65, 66; 74) has at least one actuating projection (46; 69, 71; 80) which is the only anchoring lug (39, 45; 70) or the side of the locking lever (41; 65, 66; 74) opposite the respective anchoring nose (81).

20. Coupling piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating projection (46; 69, 71; 80) is arranged in the region of the central part (30; 55; 62) of a coupling projection (28; 60, 61), preferably in such a way that in a position of the locking lever (41; 65, 66; 74) in which the anchoring lug (45; 70; 81) is in an unlocked position, the actuating projection (46; 69, 71; 80) relative to the central part (35 ; 55; 62) protrudes.

20041301