Cargo container interlock system
OwnerClyde R. Caininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Stackable cargo containers are provided with internal corner assemblies comprising rotatable shaft members which are engaged and turned by the turnable lift members of the conventional lifting crane rig or spreader. With two stacked containers, when the spreader is locked to the top container, the top container is unlocked with respect to the bottom container, and when the spreader is unlocked with respect to the top container the top container is locked to the bottom container.
Claims4
A cargo container having means to connect and disconnect it with respect to turnable members of a spreader and with respect to either slotted corner fittings of another or to slotted deck fittings beneath it, said means comprising a pair of vertically offset upper and lower corner fittings having vertically directed access openings or slots, shaft means extending between the upper and lower fittings and mounted for at least limited rotative movement about its longitudinal axis, actuator means connected to the upper end of the shaft means within the upper fitting adapted to be engaged and rotated by a turnable member of a spreader, and a foot member carried at the lower end of the shaft means adapted to fit within and lock and unlock with slotted corner and slotted deck fittings, the first mentioned actuator means and the foot member being radially offset at an angle of about 90.degree., such that, when the turnable members of a spreader are locked to a container, said container is unlocked with respect to either the slotted corner fitting of a container therebeneath or a slotted deck fitting, and vice versa.
In a cargo container adapted to be connected and disconnected with respect to turnable members of a spreader and with respect to slotted container or slotted deck fittings, an assembly comprising a pair of vertically offset upper and lower slotted fittings attached to the container, shaft means and means mounting the same between said fittings for rotative movement, a spreader-responsive actuator head within said upper fitting having a connection with the upper end of the shaft means and adapted to rotate the shaft means and to be engaged and rotated by a turnable member of a spreader, and a foot member connected to the shaft means adapted to be rotated by the shaft means and to fit within and lock and unlock with other such upper slotted fittings of other such cargo containers, or with slotted deck fittings, whereby when the turnable member of a spreader is locked within said upper fitting said foot member is unlocked with respect to another such upper slotted fitting of another such container therebeneath, and vice versa.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.