GB2144103A - Transport container - Google Patents

Abstract

An open topped transport container has one end comprising doors extending between a bottom rail and a header assembly, said assembly including a corner casting (10) at each top corner of the one end of the container to which is secured a hinge stub (12). The ends of a header (8,14) are pivotally attached to respective hinge stubs (12) to permit outward swinging on one stub on disconnecting the other. A load transfer block (22) is provided at each end of the header (8,14) along with a sealing strip (24) such that each load transfer block (22) and sealing strip (24) engages with the corresponding hinge stub (12) when the header (8,14) is closed, to distribute lateral loads on the container and to seal the junctions between the header (8,14) and the hinge stubs (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transport containers This invention relates to transport containers and has particular application to open-topped transport containers of generally rectangular configuration.

It is well-established practice to provide open-topped transport 'containers of generally rectangular configuration one end wall of which is provided with doors to enable loading of the container. The doors extend vertically between a lower transverse rail integrally formed with the container and an upper transverse rail or header. In order to enable loads of unlimited height to be driven into the container, the header is pivotal about one or both ends from a normal position extending transversely of the container through an angle of 90 or more outwardly of the container.

More particularly, the header arrangement may comprise a hinge stub integrally formed with or secured to each corner casting at the top of said one end wall, the header extending between said hinge stubs and being pivotally mounted to each stub by means of an associated arm one end of which is welded to the header and the other end of which is attached to the hinge stub by a pivot pin. A rubber or synthetic sealing strip is rivetted or screwed to one or other of the header or the hinge stub at the region of contact of the two components to seal the joint therebetween.

Such an arrangement requires the fabrication of several pressed, profile burned and machined components welded together. The welding deformation during assembly renders each assembly unique, making interchanging of headers from one container to another very difficult. The fitting of the seals onto the above detailed inaccurate and deformed sections is difficult and often does not result in satisfactory sealing.

All such containers must be capable of withstanding certain minimum lateral loads and, in the above arrangement, all such load transfer is through the pivot pins, which therefore have to be substantial. Overloading causes deformation at the attachment points between the hinge stubs and the header, while the pins are very difficult to remove when in a loaded condition.

Lateral loads are transferred through the pivot pins to the header by the aforementioned arms and in particular the ends of the arms welded to the header. Established arrangements are such that, in order to achieve the load bearing characteristics required, the header must be more substantial than would be desired which in turn reduces the door size.

It would be desirable to produce a transport container having a header assembly in which load transfer was more evenly distributed, which enabled ready interchangability of headers from one container to another, which enabled less- substantial sections to be used and which improved the rigidity of the assembly.

According to the present invention there is provided a transport container one end of which comprises doors extending between a lower transverse rail and an upper header assembly, said header assembly comprising, at each side of the container, a corner casting to which is secured a hinge stub, and a header extending between the hinge stubs, the ends of the header being pivotally attached to the associated hinge stubs, the header assembly further comprising, at each side of the container, a load transfer block formed on one of the header or the hinge stub and a sealing strip located in a groove in one of the header or the hinge stub, the arrangement being such that, with the header in its normal closed position and at each end of the header, the load transfer block engages with the other of the said header and hinge stub and the sealing strip makes sealing engagement with the other of said header and hinge stub.

In a preferred container, each load transfer block is integrally formed with, to extend over part of the area of, the associated end face of the header, while each groove for receiving the sealing strips is formed in the other part of the area of said end face of the header.

Preferably the container further comprises locking means reacting between the hinge stub and the end of the header, conveniently adjacent the load transfer block, for locking the header to the hinge stub, thereby making the header assembly more rigid and enabling the upper side rails of the container to be reduced in section as a result of a reduction in the load transmitted from the rear end of the container.

The locking means may comprise, for example, a gravity latch or a cam lock system.

The provision of a slot for receiving the sealing strip ensures quicker fitting of the sealing strip, more accurate location of the sealing strip and more effective sealing in service than heretofore.

The provision of the load transfer block results in a greater distribution of lateral load than heretofore, reducing the loading on the conventional pivot pin which can thus be removed without difficulty.

Conveniently the end of the connecting arm welded to the header is of greater area than heretofore to further spread the lateral load transferred to the header, whereby the header itself can be of reduced section.

By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a rear end view of a transport container according to the invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are end view and plan view from above respectively of a detail of the container of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated container is open-topped and of generally rectangular configuration having a rear end wall comprising hinged doors 2,4 extending vertically between a lower transverse rail 6 integrally formed with the container and an upper transverse rail or header having a main extent 8.

In order to enable loads of a height greater than that of the container to be driven into the container, the header is pivotal about either end from the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1 to a displaced position extending outwardly of the container.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, each top corner of the rear end of the container comprises a corner casting 10 to which is welded a hinge stub 1 2. The header includes a pair of end portions 1 4 welded one to each end of the main extent 8 of the header,said end portions 14 each being pivotally attached to the associated hinge stub 1 2 by a pivot pin 1 6 reacting between a pair of pivot plates 1 8 integral with the hinge stub 1 2 and one end of a pivot arm 20 the other end of which is welded to the associated end portion 14 of the header.

A vertical load transfer block 22 is formed over part of the area of the end of each portion 14 of the header, while a vertical groove is formed in the remaining area of the end of said end portion 14. The groove receives a sealing strip 24 the configuration of which is best seen in Fig. 3 and is such that, with the header in the closed position, said sealing strip 24 engages with and seals against the adjacent faces of the hinge stub 12.

In this position of the header, the load transfer blocks 22 each abut the associated hinge stub 1 2 to transmit, together with the pivot pin 16, lateral loads applied to the container.

The ends of the arms 20 welded to the portions 14 of the header are of substantial width to distribute the load applied to the header and to enable the header to be of reduced section than heretofore.

Locking means (not shown) may be provided adjacent the load transfer blocks 22 to secure the header to the hinge stubs 1 2 in the closed position of the header, thus further improving the rigidity of the assembly.

As mentioned above, the provision of the load transfer blocks of the described arrangement enables lateral loads on the container to be better distributed than in known containers which, in turn, reduces the loads on the pivot pins 16. Thus a pin 16 can be readily removed to enable pivoting of the header about the other pin 16.

The groove/sealing strip combinations ensure quick, accurate location of the sealing strips 24 and more effective sealing in service than heretofore.

The described arrangement can be used on all opentopped transport containers where no height restriction on the door aperture is required with the header in the open position.

Claims (5)

1. A transport container one end of which comprises doors extending between a lower transverse rail and an upper header assembly, said header assembly comprising, at each side of the container, a corner casting to which is secured a hinge stub, and a header extending between the hinge stubs, the ends of the header being pivotally attached to the associated hinge stubs, the header assembly further comprising, at each side of the container. a load transfer block formed on one of the header or the hinge stub,and a sealing strip located in a groove in one of the header or the hinge stub, the arrangement being such that, with the header in its normal closed position and at each end of the header, the load transfer block engages with the other of the said header and hinge stub and the sealing strip makes sealing engagement with the other of said header and hinge stub.

2. A transport container as claimed in claim 1 in which each load transfer block is integrally formed with, to extend over part of the area of, the associated end face of the header, and each groove for receiving the sealing strips is formed in the other part of the area of said end face of the header.

3. A transport container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the ends of the header are each pivotally attached to the associated hinge stub by means of a connecting arm one end of which is welded to the header and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the hinge stub, said one end of the connecting arm being of width substantially equal to that of the header.

4. A transport container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and including locking means located adjacent each load transfer block and reacting between the hinge stubs and the associated ends of the header for locking said header to the hinge stubs.

5. A transport container substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.