JPH07106757B2 - Container connection device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a container connecting device for connecting and securing containers when they are stacked above a lower container.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a container connecting device of this type, a full-scale shokai 62-
As described in 105097, a shaft rod integrally provided with an engagement fitting that can be fitted into and disengaged from an engagement hole of a container is pivotally supported on the main body of the coupling device, and the engagement fitting is fitted in the engagement hole of the container. When fitted, it is biased in a certain direction so as to automatically engage with the engaging hole, and while being guided by the engaging hole when the engaging fitting is fitted into the engaging hole, it resists the aforementioned biasing force. It is known that it is formed to rotate.

On the other hand, when the container is carried out, in order to bring the engaging metal fitting into conformity with the engaging hole and release the connected and secured state, the operating lever integrated with the shaft rod is rotated around the rotation axis of the shaft rod. I have to.

(Problems to be solved by the present invention) By the way, in order to rotate the operating lever in order to release the connected and secured state of the container, an operating rod provided with a triangular engaging piece is attached to the operating lever. The operating rod must be pulled downward. Therefore, a space is required above which the engaging piece of the operating rod can be mounted on the operating lever. As a result, there is no problem when stacking containers of the same size, but in general, large and small containers are often mixed, and when stacking a large container on a small container, it is blocked by the large container and There is a problem that the operating rod cannot be attached to the operating lever.
In such a case, the operator must rotate the operation levers one by one to release the connected and secured state, which is time-consuming and, at the same time, when the containers are stacked in multiple layers. It has the drawback of requiring work in high places.

The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned point, and can automatically and easily perform the connecting and securing of the upper and lower containers by the container connecting device, and the connecting and securing state of the upper and lower containers can be performed from the ground. (EN) A container connecting device that can be easily released.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention relates to a container connecting device for connecting and securing an upper container and a lower container, each of which has an engaging hole at an opposing position, and is fitted into the engaging hole of the container. A coupling device main body having a joint portion, and a coupling device body pivotally supported by the coupling device body. The engaging metal fittings are fitted in and disengageable from the engaging holes at upper and lower ends thereof in an X shape when viewed from above. The shaft rod integrally fixed together, the operation lever rotatably supported by the connecting device body about the axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the shaft rod as the rotation axis, and the operating lever arranged on the connecting device body. The engaging metal fittings are composed of a pair of spring means for holding the engaging metal fittings in a positive position. A ridgeline is formed, and the tip of the operation lever is further An action member is provided at a position eccentric to the rotary shaft, and an engaging groove portion that engages with the action member of the operation lever is formed on the shaft rod. By pressing the engagement fittings with the ridge line and the engagement holes,
The present invention is characterized in that the engaging metal fitting is configured to rotate from an intermediate position where it engages with the engaging hole to a position where it engages with and disengages from the engaging hole against the biasing force of the spring means.

(Operation) First, the operation lever is rotated to rotate the shaft rod against the biasing force of the spring means, and one of the engaging fittings is rotated to a position where it can be fitted into and disengaged from the engaging hole of the container. Get in. Thus, with the container connecting device attached to one container, the engagement of the other container and the engagement hole of the other container are opposed to each other and brought close to each other. Then, when the engaging fitting touches the engaging hole, the turning force generated along the rotation guide ridgeline causes
The engaging fitting is guided by the engaging hole and rotates against the biasing force of the spring means, and is fitted into the engaging hole. When the stacking of the containers is completed by interposing the container connecting device, the upper and lower containers are connected and secured.

In addition, in order to release the connected and secured state of the container when carrying out the container, the operation lever is rotated around its axis, that is, about the axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rod, and is provided at the tip of the operation lever. Since the acting member is engaged with the engaging groove portion formed on the shaft rod, the shaft rod is rotated corresponding to the eccentric distance from the rotating shaft of the operating lever to the acting member. The engaging metal fitting integrated with is also rotated to a position aligned with the engaging hole. When the upper container is lifted in this state, the container connecting device is separated from the lower container while being connected to one container.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 6, the container connecting device 1 is a container 2
Are stacked between the upper container 2 and the lower container 3 when they are stacked on top of each other to connect and fasten the two containers 2 and 3 together. The connecting device body 4 and the connecting device body 4 are axially supported. A shaft rod 7 having upper and lower engaging fittings 5 and 6 integrally fixed to the upper and lower ends thereof and an operating lever 8 for rotating the shaft rod 7 are combined.

An upper fitting portion 9 and a lower fitting portion 10 are provided on the upper and lower sides of the connecting device body 4, respectively. This upper fitting portion 9
Engagement hole of the socket S provided at the corner of the upper container 2
The lower fitting portion 10 is formed in the socket S provided at the corner of the lower container 3 while fitting to the connector 11 to position the connecting device body 4 with respect to the upper container 2. It engages with the engagement hole 12 opposite to the engagement hole 11 to perform a positioning action with respect to the lower container 3 of the coupling device body 4, and the engagement holes 1 formed in the sockets S, respectively.
It has a planar shape and height corresponding to 1,12.

The connecting device main body 4 is provided with the fitting portions 9 and 10 and a through hole 13 in the vertical direction of the central portion, and the shaft rod 7 penetrates the through hole 13 so as to rotate the shaft. It is supported.

The connecting device main body 4 has a divided structure that can be divided into left and right with a center line C extending in the longitudinal direction.
R is integrally fixed by a fastener 40 such as a bolt.

The upper engagement fitting 5 engages with an engagement hole 11 formed in the socket S of the upper container 2, and has a planar shape corresponding to the upper fitting portion 9, that is, a planar shape corresponding to the engagement hole 11. At the same time, the upper surface of the upper fitting portion 9 is slidably rotated as the shaft rod 7 rotates. The upper engagement fitting 5 engages with the engagement hole 11 of the upper container 2 when the shaft rod 7 is at the center position N (the position shown in FIG. 7), while the first rotation position A (shown in FIG. 8). Position), the upper fitting portion 9 can be aligned with the engaging hole 11 of the upper container 2 to be inserted into and removed from it.

The lower engaging fitting 6 is formed in the socket S of the lower container 3 and has an engaging hole 12 facing the engaging hole 11 of the upper container 2.
Which is to be engaged with, and has a planar shape corresponding to the lower fitting portion 10.
That is, while having a planar shape corresponding to the engagement hole 12,
It is provided so that the lower surface of the lower fitting portion 10 is slidably rotated with the rotation of the shaft rod 7. The lower engagement metal fitting 6 engages with the engagement hole 12 of the lower container 3 when the shaft rod 7 is in the center position N (position of FIG. 7), while the second rotation position B (9th position). When it is in the position (shown in the figure), it can be fitted into and disengaged from the engagement hole 12 of the lower container 3 in alignment with the lower fitting portion 10.

Further, when the lower engaging metal fitting 6 is fitted into the engaging hole 12, the lower engaging metal fitting 6 is smoothly fitted and is formed in a shape such that a rotational force is applied to the lower engaging metal fitting 6. That is, the lower engagement fitting 6 has two rotation guide ridges 14 and 15 guided by the engagement holes 12, as shown in FIGS. 16a, 16b and 17
It is formed from a and 17b. The inclined surfaces 16a, 17a are formed as tapered inclined surfaces whose front and rear side surfaces are tapered from the base end 18 toward the tip 19. The inclined surface 16b is provided in substantially the front half portion of the lower engagement fitting 6, and is formed as a downward-sloping inclined surface that inclines from the right side proximal end 20 to the left side distal end 21. In addition, the inclined surface 17b is provided in the rear half portion of the lower engagement fitting 6, and is formed as a downward-sloping inclined surface that inclines from the left side surface base end portion 22 to the right side surface tip 23, contrary to the inclined surface 16b. Has been done. As a result, the intersection line of the inclined surfaces 16a, 16b, that is, the ridge line is made the rotation guide ridge line 14, while the ridge line of the inclined surfaces 17a, 17b is made the rotation guide ridge line 15, and both of these rotation guide ridge lines 14, 1
Reference numeral 5 is in a position symmetrical with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft rod 7.

Then, when the lower engagement fitting 6 is pressed against the engagement hole 12 of the lower container 3 from above with the shaft rod 7 at the center position N, the lower engagement metal 6 is pushed downward in FIGS. 7 and 10. The engagement fitting 6 is brought into contact with and fitted into the engagement hole 12 while intersecting with the engagement hole 12.

In this state, the component force F of the pressing force (container weight) is applied along the rotation guide ridgelines 14 and 15, and this component force F is a couple force of the same magnitude but opposite directions. By the couple, a rotational force in the clockwise direction in FIG. 10 is applied to the lower engagement fitting 6. As a result, when the lower engagement metal fitting 6 rotates in the direction of the arrow X and coincides with the engagement hole 12 (the shaft rod 7 rotates and is in the second rotation position B), the lower fitting portion 10 When the lower engaging fitting 6 rotates in the socket S at the same time as the shaft rod 7 returns to the center position N by the spring means described later, the lower engaging fitting 6 engages with the engaging hole 12. .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the inside of the connecting device main body 4 abuts against a support metal fitting 24 fixed integrally with the shaft rod 7, and at the same time, in a fan-shaped guide groove 26 formed in the connecting device main body 4. A pair of spring means 25 are provided along the spring means 25, and the pair of spring means 25 urges the shaft rod 7 so as to hold the axial rod 7 at the center position N with a balanced force.

In addition, an engaging groove portion that engages with an operating member 29 of the operation lever 8 described later is provided at a position of the shaft rod 7 approximately 180 degrees with respect to the support fitting 24.
27 are formed.

On the other hand, the operating lever 8 has a main body 8a formed in an L-shape, and a protrusion that engages with a hook of an operating rod (not shown) at its base end.
28 are provided. The action member 29 that engages with the engaging groove portion 27 formed in the shaft rod 7 is provided at the tip of the arm 29a.
It is fixed integrally through the, as shown in FIG.
By this arm 29a, the action member 29 is arranged at a position eccentric from the rotation axis of the operation lever 8. Therefore, when the operation lever 8 is rotated in the vertical direction, that is,
When the axis line orthogonal to the rotation axis of the shaft rod 7 is rotated as the rotation axis, the shaft rod 7 is moved in correspondence with the offset amount set between the rotation shaft of the operation lever 8 and the mounting position of the action member 29. In FIG. 4, it is adapted to be rotated counterclockwise or clockwise.

Further, when the shaft rod 7 is in the center position N balanced by the urging force of the pair of spring means 25, the upper engagement fitting 5 has an axis line extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the center line C of the coupling device body 4 in a clockwise direction. The lower engagement fitting 6 is at a position rotated by a certain angle in the rotation direction, while the lower engagement fitting 6 is at a position at which an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the connection device body 4 is rotated by a certain angle in the counterclockwise direction. It is in. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, at the center position N of the shaft rod 7, the upper engagement fitting 5 and the lower engagement fitting 6 intersect in an X shape when viewed from above, and both of them face each other. The corners are in positions where they are not aligned by protruding from the upper fitting portion 9 and the lower fitting portion 10, respectively.

Next, an operation procedure for connecting the containers 2 and 3 by the container connecting device 1 will be described.

When the operation lever 8 of the container connecting device 1 is rotated from a substantially horizontal state (the shaft rod 7 is at the center positive position N at this time) counterclockwise about an axis orthogonal to the rotation axis of the shaft rod 7,
The acting member 29 engages with the engaging groove portion 27 to move the shaft rod 7 into the spring means 25.
It is rotated clockwise from the center position N against the urging force of. As a result, the shaft rod 7 rotates to the first rotation position A, and the upper engagement fitting 5 reaches a position aligned with the upper fitting portion 9 (see FIG. 8).

In this state, the upper engaging fitting 5 and the upper fitting portion 9 are fitted into the engaging holes 11 formed in the socket S of the upper container 2. Thereafter, when the operating lever 8 is released, the shaft rod 7 is returned from the first rotation position A to the center position N by the urging force of the spring means 25, and as a result, the upper engagement fitting 5 rotates in the socket S and does not separate. (See FIG. 7).

Next, when the upper container 2 is lifted by a crane or the like and placed on the upper container 3, the lower engagement fitting 6 is engaged with the engagement hole formed in the socket S of the lower container 3.
Touch with 12 crossing a certain angle. At this time, due to the weight of the upper container 2, the rotation guide ridge line of the lower engagement fitting 6
Couple force is generated along 14, 15 and is guided by the edge portion of the engagement hole 12 against the biasing force of the spring means 25 to rotate the lower engagement fitting 6. As a result, the shaft rod 7 is rotated in the arrow X direction (see FIG. 10) against the biasing force of the spring means 25.

When the lower engagement fitting 6 is aligned with the lower fitting portion 10 (the shaft rod 7 is rotated to the second rotation position B), the lower engagement fitting 6
And the lower fitting portion 10 is fitted into the engaging hole 12 (see FIG. 9). When the lower engagement metal fitting 6 is fitted into the engagement hole 12 of the socket S, the shaft rod 7 is returned from the second rotational position B to the center position N by the urging force of the spring means 25. Rotate and engage so as not to separate (see FIG. 7).

In order to release the connected and secured state, the hook of the operating rod (not shown) is engaged with the projecting piece 28 of the operating lever 8, and the operating lever 8 corresponds to the center position N of the shaft rod 7. From the engaged position (the position indicated by the chain line in FIG. 5) to the release position (the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 5) that pulls downward so as to rotate approximately 90 degrees. As a result, the shaft rod 7 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 7 and rotates from the center position N to the second rotation position B aligned with the lower fitting portion 10. 6 can be detached from the engagement hole 12 of the lower container 3 (see FIG. 9). At this time, the spring means 25 acts to return the shaft rod 7 to the stop position by the urging force, but since the acting member 29 is located on the horizontal plane including the rotation axis of the operation lever 8, the operation lever 29 is rotated. Therefore, the operating lever 29, that is, the shaft rod 7 is held at the rotating position.

After that, when the upper container 2 is lifted by a crane or the like, the container connecting device 1 is connected to the upper container 2 and separated from the lower container 3.

The inclination direction and the inclination angle of the rotation guide ridgelines 14 and 15 are set to optimum values by adjusting the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces 16a, 16b, 17a, and 17b, and the optimum values are the same as those of the engagement hole 12. It is determined in consideration of the balance and the rotation angle of the shaft rod 7 to be rotated. Furthermore, this rotation guide ridge line 14,1
Since 5 is worn out by use and chamfered, it may be formed in advance as a rotation guide surface that smoothly connects the inclined surface and the tapered inclined surface. In any case, it may be a ridge line or a surface including the ridge line that generates a couple force for rotating the lower engagement fitting 6 by the pressing force (container weight).

Further, in the present embodiment, the container coupling device 1 in which the lower engagement fitting 6 is formed with the rotation guide ridgelines 14 and 15 is illustrated, but the upper engagement fitting 5 may be formed with the rotation guide ridgelines.
In this embodiment, the lower engagement fitting is previously engaged with the engagement hole of the lower container, and the upper container is lowered toward the upper engagement fitting of the container connecting device connected to the lower container. As a result, the upper engagement fitting can be rotated against the biasing force of the spring means, and can be fitted and engaged in the engagement hole of the upper container.

(Effect of the Invention) As described above, according to the container connecting device of the present invention,
The spring is moved to a position where the engaging fitting is engaged with and disengaged from the engaging hole of the container by rotating the operating lever in the vertical direction or by pressing the engaging fitting and the engaging hole of the container. Since it rotates against the biasing force of the means,
The upper and lower containers can be automatically connected and secured by the container connecting device, and the upper and lower containers can be easily released from the ground by the container connecting device.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container connecting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, FIG. 3 is a side view thereof, and FIG. Top view, No. 5
The drawing is a partial cross-sectional front view showing a part of the drawing, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a usage state of the container connecting device, and FIGS.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of the relevant part for explaining the operation, and FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing the relationship between the lower engagement fitting and the engagement hole. 1 ... Container connecting device 2,3 ... Container 5 ... Upper engaging metal fitting 6 ... Lower engaging metal fitting 7 ... Axle rod, 8 ... Operating lever 11,12 ... Engaging hole 14,15 ... Rotation guide ridge 27 ... Engagement Groove, 29 ... Working member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A container connecting device for connecting and securing an upper container and a lower container each having an engaging hole at an opposing position, the connecting device main body having a fitting portion to be fitted into the engaging hole of the container. And a shaft rod rotatably supported by the main body of the connecting device and integrally fixed to the upper and lower ends of the engaging fittings which are engageable with and disengageable with the engaging holes in an X shape when viewed from above. An operating lever rotatably supported by the connecting device body with an axis line orthogonal to the rotating shaft of the shaft rod as a rotating shaft, and a pair of springs arranged in the connecting device body and holding the shaft rod in a positive position. When the shaft rod is at the center position, the engaging metal fitting is in a position to engage with the engaging hole, and at least one of the engaging metal fittings is provided with a rotation guide ridge line. Acts on the tip of the operating lever at a position eccentric to its rotation axis. Material, and the shaft rod is formed with an engaging groove portion that engages with the operating member of the operating lever. The engaging metal fitting is formed by turning the operating lever or by forming a rotation guide ridgeline. And by pressing the engagement hole,
A container connecting device characterized in that it is configured to rotate an engaging fitting from a mid-position to engage with an engaging hole to a position to engage with and disengage from an engaging hole against the biasing force of a spring means.