Height adjustable cargo container locking mechanism
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorJohn E. Richer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for securing a cargo container having standard corner fittings ncludes a housing in which is mounted an elevator assembly for vertically positioning a platform with respect to the housing. The platform is adapted to engage a corner fitting when raised. The apparatus further includes a rotatable locking element carried on the platform which is rotated to lock to the fitting once the fitting is engaged. The platform together with the locking element can be further elevated when the fitting is engaged to raise a corner of the container or retracted within the housing to disengage and allow the container corner to clear the top of the housing.
Claims15
A locking mechanism for securing a cargo container having standard fittings, comprising:
- a housing fixedly disposed beneath the container and adjacent to a fitting;
- an elevator mounted within the housing;
- a platform slidably contained within the housing and mounted on the elevator for being raised out of and lowered into the housing, the surface area of the platform being of a size to permit one end of said platform to engage the bottom of the fitting when raised to an upward position and further adapted at the same end to support and raise the container when the fitting is engaged;
- an elongated rotatable clamping mechanism mounted on the platform and the elevator and having a locking element on its upper end which is carried on the platform, the locking element being rotated with the clamping mechanism to lock to the fitting when the fitting is engaged, the lower end of the clamping mechanism being disposed below the elevator;
- and
- a latching mechanism mounted on the clamping mechanism and adapted to cooperate with the elevator to secure the clamping mechanism against rotation when the locking element is locked to the fitting.
A locking mechanism for securing a cargo container having standard bottom located receptacle type fittings, comprising:
- a housing which is adapted to be disposed beneath a fitting of the container, the housing having a bottom and an open top;
- a platform slidably contained within the housing and adapted to be raised upwardly out of and lowered into the housing, the surface area of the platform being of a size to permit said platform to bear against the bottom of a respective fitting when in the upward position out of the housing;
- elevator means for raising and lowering the platform;
- a locking element mounted on top of the platform and adapted to be received within the container fitting;
- means connected to the locking element and extending downwardly through the platform and downwardly through the housing for rotating the locking element within the fitting container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.