Abstract: Stowage pieces (10) are used to secure containers on board ships against horizontal displacement. The stowage pieces (10) have an abutment (15), which on opposite sides has stowage cones (16, 17) which engage in upper and lower corner fittings (12, 13) of containers stacked one above another. These stowage pieces (10) must be fitted to upper corner fittings (13) of the containers already stowed on board the ship before a next container is stowed. This requires the use of auxiliary personnel on the containers already stowed on board the ship, which more recent safety regulations no longer permit. The stowage piece (10) according to the invention has on its upper stowage cone (16) a rotatable cross-latch (21), by means of which the stowage piece (10) can be locked under lower corner fittings (12) of a container from the pier, before the container comes on board the ship. As a result, auxiliary personnel on the containers located on board the ship become superfluous.

Abstract: A method for release of containers coupled to a lower support area both by manual actuation of a stowage component (10) and by automatic uncoupling of the stowage component (10) from the support area, so as to allow the use of uniform identical stowage components (10) and to allow operation in the area of narrow joints between containers.

Abstract: A stowage component (10) that enables release of containers coupled together both by manual actuation of the stowage component (10) and also by automatic uncoupling of the stowage component (10) from the relevant container, so as to allow uniform identical stowage components (10) to be used in general, and also used in the area of narrow joints between 20-foot containers, thus helping to eliminate confusion, such as is possible in the case of the previously necessary different stowage components (10).

Abstract: During transport on board ships, containers are coupled together by stowage components (10). For this purpose many types of semi-automatic stowage components are used, which must be opened manually in order to release the containers when the ship is unloaded. There are however points difficult of access, particularly between narrow joints of 20-foot containers, which do not permit manual opening of the stowage components (10). Therefore it is conventional to use special stowage components (10) at these points.

Abstract: The coupling piece for connecting two container corner fittings has a housing (10) with an upper and a lower middle piece (21/22), a locking bolt (15) and two crossbars (16 and 17) fastened to its free ends projecting from the housing (10). The lower middle piece (22) only partially matches the contour of an orifice in a container corner fitting, so that the lower crossbar (17) projects laterally beyond it. In the released position, the upper and lower crossbars (16 and 17) are rotated through an angle relative to one another, so that the lower crossbar (17) has to be introduced into the container corner fitting first and then the entire housing has to be rotated through this angle, before the upper crossbar (16) is correctly aligned opposite the orifice in the container corner fitting of the upper container.

Abstract: The stack of containers, assembled from individual containers in a ship's hold, must, in order to secure the loading position, be connected to the ship's structure by suitable stowing struts, which must be amenable to length-alteration in order to permit adaptation to a prevailing loading position. A stowing strut is proposed for this purpose, this strut being provided, according to the invention, with an adjustable coupling (11). This coupling comprises two coupling-halves (coupling plate 23, cone-piece 24) and possesses, in each case, tooth-systems (28, 31) which enable a positively-locked connection to be produced between the coupling plate (23) and the cone-piece (24), in various relative positions of these parts.