Receptacles – Freight containers
Patent
1996-02-23
1997-10-14
Pollard, Steven M.
Receptacles
Freight containers
24287, B65J 122
Patent
active
056762712
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a clamp-on container module which is adapted for mounting on one end of an I.S.O. container, such module being intended to incorporate an auxiliary power source for operating energy-consuming facilities provided in the container.
The invention has been developed primarily, though not exclusively, in connection with a container module which is capable of providing energy input to operate a container refrigeration system while the container is in transit.
It has been known for many years to attach auxiliary generator modules to I.S.O. shipping containers to provide a power source to power a container refrigeration system, and such modules have traditionally been mounted on the front end wall of the container via over-centre type clamps. I.S.O. containers are usually provided with corner fittings at each of the eight corners of the container, and which have standard apertures through which standardised container lifter devices can be entered for the purposes of transferring the container from one place to another e.g. from a vehicle trailer or railway truck to the deck of a ship, or vice versa.
The over-centre clamps which have been used in the past are capable of making clamping engagement with the corner fittings, and such clamps are rigidly secured to the module which is to be clamped to the container.
These known clamps have clamping heads which can be rotated between an entry position (in which the head can be received through a side entry aperture of the fitting), and a captive position in which the head engages with the fitting so as to resist withdrawal of the head from the fitting. After rotation to the captive position, a manually operated lever is manipulated in order to clamp the head firmly to the fitting, and at the same time to clamp the module (to which a number of clamps are secured) to the container.
The lever which operates the clamp is an over-centre type lever which has the disadvantage of: (1) requiring considerable force to clamp the head to the fitting, and at the same time to draw the module tightly up against the container end; (2) cannot readily be remotely operated (as the levers form an integral part of the clamps), and therefore usually require an operator to position himself near to the corner fitting concerned, which in the case of the top corner fittings (which are normally about 2.5 meters above ground level) means the operator has to climb a ladder to reach the fittings or else (as is often the case) the operator climbs onto the usual fork lift arms of a fork lift used to present the module to the container end; and (3) the range of clamping movement is relatively small, and therefore very accurate placement of the module is required before clamping can take place.
Therefore, all of these factors contribute to an unsatisfactory mode of clamping operation (and unclamping), as well as involving risk of personal injury, which regrettably has resulted in many on-site accidents.
The present invention therefore seeks to provide an improved form of module clamping system, which is easy to operate and which preferably lends itself to remote operation when required e.g. from ground level to improve safety.
According to the invention there is provided a clamp-on container module which is adapted to be mounted on one end of an I.S.O. container having upper and lower corner lift fittings, said module having clamps which are engageable with at least the upper corner lift fittings of the container, and in which each said clamp comprises: clamping position and a release position; with a respective corner fitting, said head being angularly adjustable about the axis of the shank between an entry position in which the head can enter the respective corner fitting, and a captive position in which the head is prevented from withdrawal from the fitting; and the captive position; and, the clamping position, after the head has been rotated to the captive position, in order to clamp the head to the corner fitting, and thereby to clamp an adjacent part of the module to the c
REFERENCES:
patent: 3781139 (1973-12-01), Lohse
patent: 3872555 (1975-03-01), Link et al.
patent: 4212251 (1980-07-01), DiMartino
patent: 4352613 (1982-10-01), Bertolini
patent: 4626155 (1986-12-01), Hlinsky et al.
patent: 4741449 (1988-05-01), Bersani
patent: 5002418 (1991-03-01), McCown et al.
LandOfFree
Clamp-on container module does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Clamp-on container module, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Clamp-on container module will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1549074