Abstract: In a tank container, the tank (16) which is formed of a plurality of parallel cylindrical shells (17, 18) is connected by saddle structures (19) to a pair of end frames (10). The saddle structures (19) each consist of a U-bar (20) having its legs welded to the respective shell (17, 18) and two L-bars (21, 22) welded to the lower traverse (13) and, respectively, the corresponding corner upright (11, 12).

Abstract: A pressure-resistant tank has a jacket composed of a plurality of parallel extending part-cylindrical shells (10) with any adjacent pair of shells (10) being interconnected by a tubular longitudinal bar (15) extending along the bead area formed between said adjacent shells. Opposite longitudinal bars (15) are interconnected by tubular tie rods (18) which traverse the interior of the tank. Reinforcing pipe sections (20) are inserted into the longitudinal bars (15) in the areas where the tie rods (18) are joined to the longitudinal bars (15).

Abstract: When a transport tank for transporting liquids is to be transported with only a partial load, the slosh forces occurring in this case may be reduced by means of slosh guard elements adapted to be built into the already existing tank. The slosh guard elements comprise strips of material bent generally to .OMEGA.-shape, which are fixed in the region of the opening of the .OMEGA.-shape to rails having cross profile. The rails and the slosh guard elements are dimensioned such that they can be introduced through the manhole provided in the tank outer wall.

Abstract: A container is locked by use of a locking plate (15) which engages a fork-lift opening (12) formed in a lower container frame member (10) and which has a portion (15a) projecting from said opening (12) and formed with a hole (18) for engagement with a twistlock (19). The opening (12) is disposed at an intermediate position of the frame member (10) between the ends thereof, so that the container is secured against tilting about its front and rear edges. The configurations of opening (12) and locking plate (15) are matched to each other such that the container is also locked against transverse movement.

Abstract: A temperature-controlled tank container comprises a heat-insulating jacket (23) surrounding the tank on all sides with a uniform close spacing. The space between the tank and the jacket (23) is subdivided into compartments by reinforcing rings (13), end rings (14), and partition webs (30) which extend on either side of the vertex line. By means of through-holes (37 . . . 42) formed in the reinforcing rings (13) and end rings (14), the compartments communicate with each other so that a temperature-control medium, which is supplied and discharged at one end, flows completely about the tank along a meandering path and through a vertex channel (34) which includes the tank fittings (18).

Abstract: In a tank container, a support member 20, which is inserted between a reinforcing ring 11 of the tank 10 and a lower cross-strut 17 of the container framework is composed of two sheet-metal elements 21, 22 which are bent towards each other and which may be fitted in the spandrel space formed between reinforcing ring 11 and cross-strut 17 and welded to each other in such a way as to result in a central rigid rectangular tube having softer surface elements arranged on the two outer sides for preventing peak stresses.

Abstract: An end mounting between the tank (10) and an end frame (11) of a small or medium size container comprises four tubular sections (21) which are welded with their respective one end edge to the spherically curved main portion (13) of the tank end (12) and with their respective other end edge to a leg (23) of a diagonal strut (20) which is formed by an L-bar and bridges a respective corner of the end frame (11).

Abstract: Medium-size containers with corner fittings (21) that are not in accordance with ISO specifications may be locked to ISO locking elements (25) of the type provided on loading areas of container transport vehicles by means of locking plates (10) movably disposed inside the hollow frame elements (11) of the containers, provided the container frame has a corresponding width. The locking plate (10) has an overall width that corresponds to the clear diagonal dimension of the frame element (11) and is provided on its outer longitudinal edge with cut-outs (12, 13) in the region of which the remaining width of the locking plate corresponds to the clear width of the frame element (11). For locking the container, the locking plate (10) is adapted to be moved so that one (16) of the webs defined by the cut-outs (12, 13) extends outwards through an edge hole (22) that may be formed in the frame element (11) and a further web (18) extends outwards through a corner opening (28) of the corner fitting (21).

Abstract: A frame structure serves to accommodate a plurality of non-standardized small tanks or containers to form a transport unit of standard overall dimensions. The small containers are of the type having foot portions formed with channels or openings for receiving fork lift arms. The frame structure includes a bottom group with a plurality of parallel struts extending in one direction and a number of further frame members extending in the other direction. These struts and frame members form windows for receiving the foot portions of the small containers. Locking members are provided which engage the channels formed in the foot portions of the small containers for coupling these to the frame structure.

Abstract: A frame structure for a tank container comprises two end frames 10 and two side protection assemblies mounted between corner support elements 11 of the end frames 10. Each side protection assembly is formed by a bottom longitudinal beam 21 and a fender beam 22 disposed above the bottom beam 21 and connected thereto by a plurality of vertical struts 24. Each side protection assembly is detachably connected to the respective pair of vertical corner support elements 11 so that it may be removed, dressed or replaced by a new assembly and again mounted in place in case it has become damaged. Fixation of the side protection assemblies to the corner support elements 11 is done by means of triangular fixing members 30 welded to the corner support elements 11. Each fixing member 30 includes a horizontally extending support arm 31 which extends parallel to and backs end portions of the bottom horizontal beams 21 which are thus available for engagement by container handling devices.

Abstract: A freight container for flowable materials includes a tank (10) and diagonal members (15) which serve to accommodate longitudinal forces occurring in operation. The diagonal members (15) extend from the end groups of the container and are joined by transition pieces (20) to reinforcing rings (11) of the tank (10). Each transition piece (20) is composed of at least two brackets (20, 21) joined to the corresponding diagonal member (15) and to the reinforcing ring (11). Longitudinal bars may be fitted between the lower diagonal members of the container.

Abstract: In a freight container the tank is joined via saddle means to end frames which are provided with the standardized corner fittings which are normally used in container design and determine the outer dimensions of the container. Each saddle means in its simplest form consists of a cylindrical end ring welded to the relatively less curved spherical main portion of the tank end portion surrounded by the highly curved knuckle zone, and of a saddle ring of L-shaped cross-section having its radially extending flange secured to the end frame and/or diagonal struts thereof and its second flange extending in tank axial direction welded to the end ring. This structure permits a strong connection between the tank and the end frame, while the loads transmitted by the tank are almost completely directly introduced into the corner areas of the end frame. At the same time it permits the "breathing motions" occurring on account of temperature and pressure variations in the knuckle zone of the tank end portion.

Abstract: A freight container includes a tank 10 mounted in an inclined manner between a pair of end frames 12 by means of connecting structures 11 each of which contains an end ring 20 and further connecting elements 21; 30. The end rings 20 are eccentrically secured to spherically curved end bottom portions 25 of the tank 10 in such a manner that at one tank end the respective ring is offset upwardly and at the other end offset downwardly. The further connecting elements 21; 30 connect the end ring 20 to the respective end frame 12. Due to the combination of the spherically curved bottom end portions 25 of the tank 10 with the circular end rings 20, the freight container may be readily assembled with any desired tank inclination.

Abstract: A corner fitting is disclosed for freight containers, particularly for small and medium size containers. The corner fitting includes three mutually perpendicular side walls connected to one another to form a section of a corner of a cube having its apex pointing outwardly from a freight container when in an in-use position. Container handling openings are provided in at least one of the sidewalls and in an oblique triangular surface extending transverse to a diagonal through the corner apex. Particularly preferred embodiments of the corner fitting are formed from sheet metal blanks which are cut and bent along fold lines to form the sidewalls.

Abstract: The corner portions of a small or medium freight container are formed by the respective three frame elements (31,32,33) of the container frame and by a corner fitting (30) welded thereto. The frame elements are hollow elements of essentially square cross-section. The corner fitting (30) is formed with a corner opening (24) which is dimensioned so that the clear cross-sections of the frame elements (31, 32, 33) are accessible as fork truck channels intended for the arms of a fork truck through the respective corner fitting. The edges of the corner fitting (30) and the frame elements (31, 32, 33) inserted into the edge regions of the corner fitting are formed with aligned corner holes (25, 26) used for insertion of a crane hook tip or for securing and latching of coupling or lashing elements.

Abstract: A freight container includes a cylindrical tank disposed within an outer frame. The tank is connected to the corner regions of the frame by means of eight saddle pieces which have curved borders welded to tensioning rings surrounding the tank near the ends thereof. Each tensioning ring is composed in the peripheral direction of the tank of two sections clamped together by tensioning screws and locked in both axial directions of the tank by a plurality of sheet metal pieces welded to the tank shell on both sides of each tensioning ring. The tank may be detached from the frame by loosening the tensioning screws whereupon the tensioning rings may be raised over the sheet metal pieces in axially moving the frame relatively to the tank. In assembling the freight container, the metal pieces are welded to the tank in the final manufacturing step after the tank and the frame have been positioned relatively to each other with the required dimensional accuracy.

Abstract: A pressure-resistant container for liquids, gases, or loose material is composed of at least two part-cylindrical shells which have mutually parallel axes and intersect each other so as to form troughs between the tops and bottom thereof, respectively. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the ends of the part-cylindrical shells are joined at their edges along the height of the longitudinal troughs formed between the tops and bottoms of the part-cylindrical shells of the container by their intersection, whereby a central shell element forms tunnels respectively interconnecting the tops and bottoms of the part-cylindrical shells.

Abstract: A transport container of the type made from cylindrical shells for use in the combined handling of liquids gases or loose material. The transport container is designed for emptying under pressure or by gravity, with connections for fixtures wherein stresses in the region of the connections are reduced.

Abstract: A freight container for flowable substances comprising a fully closed vessel formed at least partly of cylindrical sheet metal, two rectangular end frames interconnected by corner fittings for lifting and stacking the freight container and saddle members connected to the vessel and respective frame members. According to preferred embodiments, the saddle members are formed of sheet sections of an arched area and planar triangular surfaces adjacent opposite lateral edges of the arched area, each of the saddle members being interposed between an adjacent corner of the end frames and the vessel. The arched area has a conical surface having an apex located near an associated corner of the end frames and an arcuate base edge curved to conform with the wall of the vessel. Each of the triangular surfaces has an axial outer edge beginning near the apex of the conical surface and extending outwardly therefrom and being connected to an adjacent one of the members of the end frames.

Abstract: A burnishing attachment includes a carriage mounted for traversing movement in a path that extends along the workpiece. A non-rotary burnishing tool is mounted on said carriage for movement perpendicular to the carriage path. The tool is urged toward the rotating workpiece with a force that is a preset function of the position of the tool along the workpiece whereby the burnishing force adjusts to the appropriate amount. The tool is pivoted so that its surface maintains a normal relationship to the workpiece notwithstanding a change in angularity of the workpiece surface and the tool mounting.