JPH0676097B2 - Container connector - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector for vertically stacked containers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when a large number of containers are transported by ship, the containers are stacked one above the other and the upper and lower containers are connected by a connecting tool to prevent the load from falling.

As the container connector, the lower container corner fittings of the upper container are connected and disconnected by rotating the connector body, while the upper container corner fittings of the lower container are connected and released by operating the handle. It has been known that a cone is used.

[0004]

By the way, in the conventional container connector described above, since the connection and disconnection of the upper container to the lower surface corner fittings are performed by rotating the connector main body, when the containers are stacked, the lower surface of the container is stacked. It is necessary to attach a fitting to the corner fitting and load the container.

When loading and unloading containers,
It is necessary to disconnect the lower container from the upper corner fittings and suspend the upper container. As described above, in the conventional container connector, it is necessary to load and unload the container in a state of being connected to the upper container, and moreover, since the connection of the upper container to the corner metal fitting is performed by rotating the connector body, There is a risk of the connecting device falling during the transfer of the product, which is a safety problem.

[0006] Therefore, it is a technical object of the present invention to solve the above problems and improve the safety of container stacking and unloading operations.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a spacer member that keeps a constant space between upper and lower containers is formed with square holes that vertically penetrate to form a spacer member. A connector main body having a pair of insertion shaft portions provided on the upper and lower surfaces at intervals of the square holes, and engaging claws at upper and lower end portions which are inserted through the square holes and are located between the pair of insertion shaft portions. A latch member, and the latch member is provided with windows penetrating both sides thereof, and one end of which is inserted through the window and rotatably supported at both ends by the spacer member, and which projects outward from the outer periphery of the spacer member. The handle shaft provided with a handle in the portion is provided with a pair of projecting shafts that push the inner surface of the window when the handle shaft rotates and swing the latch member to a position where the engaging claw fits between the pair of insertion shafts, The pair of engaging claws of the latch member Than it adopts the constitution comprising a spring to deflect the latch member in the direction to protrude outward from between the axes.

Further, in order to hold one of the engaging claws of the latch member in the disengaged state, in the second invention, the handle shaft is movably supported in the axial direction, and the handle shaft is supported. A spring that presses outward is built into the spacer member, and a protrusion is provided on the outer periphery of the portion of the handle shaft that penetrates the spacer member. The spacer member has a circumferential guide groove that guides the rotational movement of the protrusion, and The guide groove is provided with a pair of engagement grooves that are continuous with both ends of the guide groove and extend in the axial direction of the handle shaft.

Further, in order to facilitate the connection of the container to the corner fitting, the third aspect of the invention employs a structure in which the end surface of the engaging claw is provided with a tapered surface.

[0010]

In the container connector of the first invention, the latch member is swung by the turning operation of the handle, and the engaging claw of the latch member is disengaged from the corner fitting of the container.

In the container connector according to the second aspect of the invention, the handle shaft is rotated by the elastic force of the spring when one of the engaging claws of the latch member is disengaged from the corner fitting of the container by the turning operation of the handle. Is moved in the axial direction, the handle shaft is prevented from rotating by the engagement of the projection provided on the handle shaft and the engaging groove, and the latch member is held in the disengaged state.

In the container connector according to the third aspect of the invention, the inner periphery of the engaging hole pushes the tapered surface by the operation of inserting the pair of insertion shaft portions of the connector body into the engaging holes of the container corner fittings. Causes the latch member to swing, and when the engaging claw passes through the engaging hole, the spring force of the spring causes the latch member to swing to engage the engaging claw with the corner fitting.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a container connector A according to the present invention comprises a connector body 1 and a latch member 2.
Have and.

The connector main body 1 has a square hole 4 formed in a plate-like spacer member 3 for keeping a constant space between upper and lower containers,
A pair of upper insertion shafts 5 and a pair of lower insertion shafts 6 are provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the spacer member 3 at intervals of the square holes 4.

The upper insertion shaft portion 5 and the lower insertion shaft portion 6 are
The size is such that it can be inserted into the engagement hole b formed in the corner metal fitting a of the container, and the tip end portion thereof is tapered to facilitate insertion into the engagement hole b.

The latch member 2 is inserted into the square hole 4 of the spacer member 3, and the upper and lower ends thereof are arranged between a pair of upper insertion shafts 5 and a pair of lower insertion shafts 6.

Upper and lower engaging claws 7 and lower engaging claws 8 are formed on the upper and lower portions of the front surface of the latch member 2, and tapered surfaces 9 are provided on the upper surface of the upper engaging claw 7 and the lower surface of the lower engaging claw 8. There is. Further, the latch member 2 is formed with windows 10 penetrating both sides thereof, and both ends of the handle shaft 11 inserted into the window 10 are inserted into shaft insertion holes 12 formed in the spacer member 3 so as to be rotatable. It is supported.

One end of the handle shaft 11 has a spacer member 3
The handle 13 is provided at the end of the handle 13 protruding outward from the outer periphery of the handle.

Further, the handle shaft 11 is provided with an upper projecting shaft 14 and a lower projecting shaft 15 above and below the outer periphery located in the window 10. In order to allow the handle shaft 11 to be incorporated, a pair of grooves 16 through which the projecting shafts 14 and 15 can be inserted are provided on both inner peripheral sides of the shaft insertion hole 12.

Further, the handle shaft 11 has a shaft insertion hole 1
Protrusions 17 are provided on the outer circumference located inside 2. On the other hand, the spacer member 3 has a circumferential guide groove 18 in which the protrusion 17 fits in the inner circumference of the shaft insertion hole 12, and the guide groove 18
Engaging grooves 19 which are continuous with both ends of the handle shaft 11 and are long in the axial direction of the handle shaft 11 are provided.

The handle shaft 11 is provided with a spring 20 incorporated in the closed end of the shaft insertion hole 12 so that the shaft insertion hole 12 can be formed.
Pressed in the direction to get out of. Here, the protrusion 17
Is in a state of being aligned with the groove 16, the handle shaft 11 may slip out of the shaft insertion hole 12 due to the pressing of the spring 20, so a pin 21 orthogonal to the groove 16 is attached to the spacer member 3 and The handle shaft 11 is prevented from coming off by the engagement of the protrusion 17.

On the inner circumference of the square hole 4 of the spacer member 3,
A pin hole 22 is formed at the back of the latch member 2, and a pin 23 and a spring 24 for pressing the pin 23 against the latch member 2 are incorporated in the pin hole 22. Due to the elasticity of the spring 24, the flat surface 25 formed on the inner circumference of the window 10 is pressed against the protruding shafts 14 and 15 of the handle shaft 11. Further, the engaging claws 7 and 8 of the latch member 2 are held in a state of protruding outward from between the pair of upper insertion shafts 5 and between the pair of lower insertion shafts 6.

Notches 26 are formed in the upper and lower parts of the front surface of the latch member 2, and on the other hand, projecting portions 27 are formed on the inner surfaces of the upper insertion shaft 5 and the lower insertion shaft 6 so as to face the notches 26. It is provided.

The notch 26 provided in the latch member 2 is fitted to the outside of the protrusion 27 in a state where the engaging claws 7 and 8 project outside the space between the pair of insertion shafts 5 and 6, and by the fitting. The latch member 2 is held in a stable state.

The container connector shown in the embodiment has the above-mentioned structure. When connecting the connector A and the corner metal fitting a of the container, the upper insertion shaft 5 or the lower part is inserted into the engaging hole b provided in the corner metal fitting a. Insert the insertion shaft 6. At the time of its insertion,
Since the tapered surface 9 of the upper engaging claw 7 or the tapered surface 9 of the lower engaging claw 8 of the latch portion 2 is pushed by the inner peripheral surface of the engaging hole b, the latch member 2 swings and the upper insertion shaft 5 or When the lower insertion shaft 6 is completely inserted into the engaging hole b, the elastic force of the spring 24 causes the latch member 2 to swing, and the upper engaging claw 7 or the lower engaging claw 8 has a plate having the engaging hole b. Engages with the inner surface of body c.
By the engagement, the connecting tool A is connected to the corner fitting a.

[0027] Thus, when connecting the upper and lower container B _1, B _2, one container of the upper and lower container B _1, B _2, for example, connecting the connector A to the lower surface corner fitting a top container B _1, the upper container B ₁ is stacked on the lower container B ₂ previously loaded, and the lower insertion shaft 6 of the connector A is inserted into the engaging hole b of the corner metal fitting a of the lower container B ₂ .

2 and 4 show a state in which the upper and lower containers B ₁ and B ₂ are connected by the container connecting tool A according to the present invention, and the upper and lower engaging claws 7 and 8 of the latch member 2 are engaging holes. It engages with the inner surface of a plate c having b.

When loading and unloading the containers B ₁ and B ₂ , the connecting tool A and the corner metal fitting a are disconnected and the upper container B ₁ is pulled up. In this case, the connection between the corner fitting a of the lower container B ₂ and the connecting tool A may be released, or the connection between the corner fitting a of the upper container B ₁ and the connecting tool A may be released.

When releasing the connection, the handle shaft 11 is rotated by operating the handle 13. For example, when the handle 13 is pulled down and the handle shaft 11 is rotated, the lower projecting shaft 15 presses the flat surface 25 of the window 10, so that the latch member 2 swings, and as shown in FIG. Are disengaged. When the engagement is released, the protrusion 17 faces the engagement groove 19, and the spring 20 presses the handle shaft 11, so that the handle shaft 11 moves in the axial direction and the engagement groove 19 is released.
The projection 17 is engaged with the groove (see FIG. 7). The engagement prevents the handle shaft 11 from rotating, and the lower engagement claw 8 is held in the disengaged state.

[0031] Thus, by raising the upper container B _1, connector A is pulled up together with the upper container B _1, it is possible to offload upper container B _1.

When removing the connecting tool A, the handle shaft 11 is pushed in the axial direction, and the handle shaft 11 is rotated by pulling down the handle 13 with the projection 17 and the guide groove 18 aligned with each other. Then, the flat surface 25 is pressed to swing the latch member 2, and the upper engaging claw 7 is disengaged.

[0033]

As described above, in the container connector according to the present invention, engaging claws are provided on the upper and lower sides of the latch member that is swung by the rotation of the handle shaft, and the engaging claws are used for the corner fittings of the container. I decided to engage and disengage
The upper container can be stacked and unloaded while the connecting tool is connected to the corner metal fittings of the upper container, and the work can be performed safely.

Further, in the container connector in which the handle shaft is provided with the protrusion and the spacer member is formed with the engaging groove, when the engaging claw is disengaged, the protrusion engages with the engaging groove to rotate around the handle shaft. Since the engaging claws can be stopped and the engaging claws can be held in the disengaged state, the upper container can be efficiently loaded and unloaded.

Further, in the container connector in which the engaging claw is formed with a tapered surface, by inserting the insertion shaft into the engaging hole of the corner fitting, the tapered surface is pushed by the inner periphery of the engaging hole, and the latch member. Since the oscillates, the connecting tool and the corner fitting can be easily connected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a container connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view of FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional plan view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an operating state of the above.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the engagement state of the engagement groove and the protrusion of the same.

8 is a plan view of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector main body 2 Latch member 3 Spacer member 4 Square hole 5 Upper insertion shaft 6 Lower insertion shaft 7 Upper engagement claw 8 Lower engagement claw 9 Tapered surface 10 Window 11 Handle shaft 13 Handle 14 Upper protruding shaft 15 Lower protruding shaft 17 Protrusion 18 Guide groove 19 Engagement groove 24 Spring

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A connection in which a spacer member for holding a constant space between the upper and lower containers is formed with vertically extending square holes, and a pair of insertion shaft portions are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the spacer member at intervals of the square holes. And a latch member that is inserted into the square hole and that has engaging claws at the upper and lower ends located between the pair of insertion shafts. The latch member has windows penetrating both sides. , A handle shaft having both ends rotatably supported by the spacer member and having a handle at one end projecting outward from the outer periphery of the spacer member is attached to the inner surface of the window when the handle shaft rotates. Is provided with a pair of projecting shafts that swing the latch member to a position where the engaging claws fit between the pair of insertion shafts, and the pair of engaging claws of the latch member project outward from between the pair of insertion shafts. Equipped with a spring that biases the latch member in the direction A container connector that is made up of. 2. The container connector according to claim 1, wherein a spring that movably supports the handle shaft in the axial direction and presses the handle shaft outward is incorporated in the spacer member, and the handle shaft spacer member is provided. A protrusion is provided on the outer periphery of the portion that penetrates through, and the spacer member has a circumferential guide groove for guiding the rotational movement of the protrusion, and a pair of engagements continuous with both ends of the guide groove and extending in the axial direction of the handle shaft. Container connector with a groove. 3. The container connector according to claim 1, wherein the engaging claw has a tapered surface on an end surface thereof.