US 5,755,349 AGranted

Freight containers

AssigneeCargo Unit Containers Ltd.

InventorAnthony Brundle

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Abstract

A freight container of generally cuboidal shape includes a pair of sides which define lateral extremities of the container and extend between ends of the container. The exterior surfaces of the pair of sides are spaced apart by a greater distance along their middle portions than along their end portions which are joined to the ends of the container, whereby the overall exterior width of the container is less at the end portions than at the middle portions. The internal width measured between the middle portions of the sides is more than 2400 mm but the overall thickness of each of the middle portions of the sides is less than 25 mm and the overall exterior width measured at the middle portions of the sides is less than 2470 mm. The container therefore has increased capacity for a given size of each end and is able to be located side-by-side with conventional container.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A freight container comprising:

a pair of opposite ends,
a pair of opposite sides defining lateral extremities of said container and extending between said opposite ends of said container, said sides having end portions adjacent to said ends and middle portions extending between said end portions, and further having exterior surfaces that are spaced apart by a greater distance along said middle portions than along said end portions which are joined to said ends of the container, said container thereby having an overall exterior width which is less at said end portions than at said middle portions,
a top,
a floor,
said ends, sides, top and floor together defining a box of generally cuboidal shape, and
a respective corner fitting at each corner of said container,
wherein the middle portion of each side comprises a bottom member which extends both downwardly below said floor and upwardly above said floor, and corrugated panelling disposed above the bottom member, the bottom member defining an upright abutment surface above the floor in the interior of the container for guiding a pallet being loaded into the container, and wherein the container has an internal width measured between said middle portions of said sides which is more than 2400 mm but an overall thickness of each of the middle portions of the sides less than 25 mm and an overall exterior width measured at said middle portions of said sides of less than 2470 mm.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.