Container handling apparatus

A method of handling a container with a lifting device on a transport vehicle comprising the steps of:

• a) providing the container comprising a pair of opposite sidewalls, said sidewalls each having a latching projection extending outwardly from it, at least one of said latching projections having at least one flat contact surface;
• b) providing an apparatus operably attached to the lifting device, the apparatus comprising:
• i) two arms, said arms being spaced apart and adapted to be advanced along and removably connected to the sidewalls of the container, at least one arm being adjacent to the sidewall having the at least one of said latching projections and comprising:
• A) a first generally C-shaped latch member having a first opening sized to allow a passage of said at least one latching projection of the container therethrough;
• B) a second generally C-shaped latch member rotatably nested inside the first latch member, said second latch member having a second opening sized to allow the passage of said at least one latching projection therethrough and having an inner contact surface shaped to receive said at least one latching projection;
• and
• C) rotating means to selectively rotate said second latch member with respect to the corresponding first latch member;
• c) rotating the second latch member with respect to the first latch member to a first capture position in which the first and second openings of the first and second latch members are aligned;
• d) positioning and lifting the apparatus against the container thereby allowing an engagement of said at least one latching projection with the second latch member;
• e) lifting the container off a horizontal plane on which the container rests;
• and
• f) rotating the second latch member with respect to the first latch member to a second locking position, thereby shifting the first opening away from the second opening to prevent an escape of said at least one latching projection from the second latch member, wherein the first opening of each of the first latch members is positioned with an offset angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane such that the apparatus is pivoted at a pivot angle equal to the offset angle with respect to the horizontal plane during the engagement of said at least one latching projection with the corresponding second latch member.