Abstract: A pivotally mounted spade connector for attaching an intermodal sea container to a U-shaped vehicle. A sleeve is rigidly connected to the container to receive the spade connector. A ledge is located on the U-shaped vehicle and is received within a groove on the container. The U-shaded vehicle lowers to the ground, backs up to surround the container, the ledge is guided onto the groove, and the spade connector is projected into the sleeve. The container is connected to the vehicle and both are raised in order to transport the container over roads.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide an automatic container locking apparatus for trailers. This locking apparatus is automatically operable in response to the weight of a container to lock or unlock the container on the deck of a trailer. This locking apparatus has a housing (10) vertically set in the deck (1), with a spring-biased actuator (20) movably set within the housing (10). A spring-biased locking bolt (30) having a top head (31) is movably set within the actuator (20). This locking bolt (30) has a stopper (32) and a curved guide slit (41), thus being selectively moved together with the actuator (20) while being rotated. A support shaft (50) holds the vertical position of the locking bolt (30) within the housing (10). An actuation pin (51) of the shaft (50) engages with the curved guide slit (41), thus allowing the locking bolt (30) to be rotatable when the locking bolt is vertically moved together with the actuator (20).

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide an automatic container locking apparatus for trailers. This locking apparatus is automatically operable in response to the weight of a container to lock or unlock the container on the deck of a trailer. This locking apparatus has a housing (10) vertically set in the deck (1), with a spring-biased actuator (20) movably set within the housing (10). A spring-biased locking bolt (30) having a top head (31) is movably set within the actuator (20). This locking bolt (30) has a stopper (32) and a curved guide slit (41), thus being selectively moved together with the actuator (20) while being rotated. A support shaft (50) holds the vertical position of the locking bolt (30) within the housing (10). An actuation pin (51) of the shaft (50) engages with the curved guide slit (41), thus allowing the locking bolt (30) to be rotatable when the locking bolt is vertically moved together with the actuator (20).

Abstract: A releasable semi-automatic clamping device for holding down a corner fitting of a container to an underlying support, such as a load platform of a road or rail vehicle, in which the device enters the corner fitting via a lower entrance aperture upon relative closing movement between the support and the corner fitting. The device comprises a clamping head which is rotatable between a clamping position and a release position, and which is usually biased towards the clamping position by a biasing means. A remotely operated release mechanism is coupled with the clamping device and can be operated remotely to move the clamping head from the clamping position to the release position, and includes a remote actuator positionable at a remote operating location, e.g. the cab of a vehicle or in the cockpit of an aircraft, and an elongate connection, preferably a cable, interconnects the remote actuator and the clamping head.

Abstract: A coupling device for coupling a corner casting of a first freight container to a corner casting of a second freight container including a fully automatic latching lock providing consistent and repeatable release force characteristics. The coupling device preferably includes a positive stop which resists rolling of stacked containers at onset.

Abstract: A vehicle for temporary support of intermodal cargo containers, especially a trailer for a tractor/trailer rig, has deployable locating pins placed centrally along the length of a chassis, for locating containers placed end-to-end. The locating pins center containers of different lengths relative to the chassis, which is long enough to accommodate the longest standard length of container or two short containers. The locating pins are resiliently mounted such that a long container or misplaced containers that are set down on the pins, cause the pins to be depressed into the chassis. Stop pins define an endpoint for an end of a container, and two resiliently mounted engagement pins on each side, are positioned for engaging the corner fittings of intermodal containers when abutted against the locating pins.

Abstract: A chassis conversion device including an elongated frame with a pair of ISO corner castings affixed to each of its front and rear ends. A pair of twist locks is affixed to each of the front and rear ends of the frame. An additional two pairs of twist locks are affixed to the frame adjacent its midpoint. The latter two pairs of twist locks are selectively retractable so that they may be lowered beneath the top of the frame. In use, the chassis conversion device may be positioned atop a gooseneck-type chassis to permit the chassis to carry either one full-length (40′) ISO container or a pair of half-length (20′) ISO containers.

Abstract: A container coupling tool having a handle for disengaging top and bottom cones which is less likely to be turned in the wrong way. The coupling tool has a tool body having a first protrusion and a second protrusion and is formed with a bore extending therethrough from the top face of the first protrusion to the bottom face of the second protrusion. A rotary shaft is inserted in the bore. The tool body is further formed with a handle inserting hole in which is inserted a handle shaft having a lever at its outer end. A motion converter is provided between the handle shaft and the rotary shaft. By pushing up the lever, the top cone can be disengaged, and by pulling down the lever, the bottom cone can be disengaged. Thus, the lever cannot be turned in the wrong way by mistake. A stopper is inserted in a stopper inserting hole formed in a flange of the tool body.

Abstract: In a device for locking a container to a vehicle chassis, having a housing (1), which on the housing side toward the container is provided with a protruding guide block (2); and having a rotary knob (3), which is supported in the housing (1) and which has a shaft (4), guided in the guide block (2), a hammerhead-shaped locking portion (5) protruding past the guide block (2), and an actuation portion (6) disposed on the opposite direction from the locking portion (5), the locking being effected by rotation of the rotary knob (3) about an actuation angle of approximately 90.degree.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a load securing device for standardized transport vessels, such as containers, interchangeable containers or the like, on loading surfaces by securing pins which are swivelable upward from a rest position under the loading surface around a horizontal swiveling axle arranged below the latter into their vertical working position and which are lockable in this position so as to be retained in openings in the corner regions of the transported goods. For this purpose, a swivel bearing plate is arranged in the manner of a one-armed lever between securing pins and the swivel axle so as to be mounted thereon, the securing pins being fastened to the swivel bearing plate at a distance laterally from the swivel axle.

Abstract: A locking device for standardized transport vessels, such as containers, interchangeable containers or the like, on loading surfaces of transporting devices includes clamping pins which are at least partially movable upward out of the loading surface from their rest positions below the loading surface into vertical working positions and which are lockable in this position by their clamping pin heads, which are provided at their free ends, in openings in the corner regions of the transport vessels. For this purpose, every clamping pin is part of a vertically acting piston-cylinder unit which is fastened below the loading surface to the frame of the transporting device. The vertical stroke of every piston-cylinder unit corresponds to the outward path traveled by the clamping pin with the clamping pin head upward out of the loading surface. The clamping pin head is designed as a hammer head, and a motor acts at the circumference of the clamping pin.

Abstract: In a container fixing device of the invention, dimension in height can be reduced and the installation location can be extended and operation is simple. A rotary table (13) is in planar shape so that while a cone (10) is transferred from the container receiving position A to the container fixing position B, the rotary table (13) is always supported by rotary supports (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) and the cone (10) can be maintained to the top end position, and when the cone (10) is transferred from the container receiving position A to the cone lowering position C, the supporting of the rotary table (13) by the rotary supports (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) is released and the cone (10) can be lowered.

Abstract: A locking system for securing an expandable semitrailer chassis and for securing a removable container received on top of the chassis when the container is transported on the semitrailer. The expandable semitrailer allows for receiving different lengths of removable containers thereon. The semitrailer pulled by a tractor. In one embodiment the locking system is used with the expandable chassis for securing and releasing a telescoping rail slidably mounted inside a rail receiving member. The chassis includes the telescoping rail cross beam support members and rail receiving member. The chassis is supported on an undercarriage. The rail receiving member include spaced apart locking pin holes disposed along the length thereof. The locking system includes an air cylinders with piston. The air cylinder is mounted on a rail crossbar and disposed next to pin holes in the rail receiving member.

Abstract: A cargo securing device is removably mounted on the floor of a vehicle such as an aircraft, this device being adapted to guide palletized loads to prevent substantial movement thereof during transportation. The device is spring urged to a retracted position wherein it lies substantially flat to permit the passage of cargo thereover during loading. The device is manually raised to its operative position against the spring action. When in its raised operative position, a pair of locking pins slidably mounted on the central portion of the device are spring urged into channels formed in an outer support portion of the device to retain the device in the raised position. A lever is manually operated to withdraw the locking pins from the channels thereby permitting the device to be driven by the spring to its retracted position. In its raised operative position, the device has a dog which engages the base of a pallet to restrict vertical movement thereof.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an automatic securing system for locking and unlocking an ISO container or the like to a load carrier. The securing system comprises a pair of rails fixed on the load carrier which includes a number of twistlock devices releaseably fixed at selected positions on the rails to automatically lock the container down on the load carrier. The system also includes a release mechanism on the rails that automatically and simultaneously unlocks and releases the engaged twistlocks from the container and the rails. The release mechanism also allows unlocked and released twistlocks to be moved and fixed to different seating positions on the rails to permit automatic locking down of containers with different lengths.

Abstract: A modular structure comprising a metal frame consisting of tubular elements with rectangular cross sections, welded to each other by means of gusset plates, wherein the tubular elements are interrupted at the point of the juncture of one frame with an adjacent one, the free spaces provided in this manner being occupied by joining pieces.

Abstract: Intermodal transport of the removably attached combination of an underlying drayable chassis with an immediately overlying cargo-carrying container having a forward-end and a rearward-end. In conventional fashion, the container adjacent its forward-end is removably attached to a frontal portion of the drayable chassis. Departing from the prior art, the cargo-carrying container, at a prescribed rearward-length separation from its rearward-end, is removably attached to a single set of transversely aligned plural chassis rear-lock stations. Thus, the container rearward-length extends unconventionally cantileverly rearwardly from and might overlie the container's rearmost attachment station to the underlying drayable chassis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a castable pedestal-type support apparatus for a cargo shipping container. Such support apparatus includes a body member having a pair of side wall portions and a connecting wall portion disposed midway between the side wall portions. A generally rectangular end wall portion is disposed at a first end of the side wall portions. At least one aperture is formed through the end wall portion. A pivot pin receiving portion having an aperture formed therethrough is disposed intermediate the side wall portions closely adjacent a second end thereof. A counterweight is disposed intermediate the pair of side wall portions to provide a predetermined force required to pivot the support apparatus.

Abstract: Locking assembly with integrated retractable locking head for handling, transport, and storage by stacking of load-carrying structures.Locking assembly characterized by comprising on three adjacent faces, including the bottom face, an oblong opening (10) for locking with a standardized locking head and by comprising a locking device (1) which is retractable and integral with a movable support (12) with a locking head (11) between a retracted position inside the assembly in which the bottom face of the support is in the plane of the top face of the assembly, and an extended working position in which the supporting plate (17), supporting the locking head, is an extension of the top surface of the assembly.This invention is useful for designers of containers and shipping materials.

Abstract: A portable coupler which can detachably fit into opposing corner fittings of adjacent freight containers for joining the containers into an integral unit is disclosed. The coupler includes a unitary tension spindle member shaped at each end to fit into and latch onto a standard container corner fitting. In use, one end of the spindle is fitted into an end opening of the corner fitting of a first container and the spindle is then moved longitudinally to engage and hook into the opening of an opposed end corner fitting of an adjacent container. A pair of bearing rings are fitted about the spindle, each formed with a bearing face to bear against the external face of an opposed container corner fitting. Both bearing rings are engaged to a common outer collar ring that may be manually rotated to separate the bearing rings and simultaneously provide a compression force between the corner fittings of the joined containers and a tension force in the spindle member hooked into both containers.

Abstract: Lifting and depositing devices which have four rack and pinion jacks are used to raise and lower transportable large containers or to support them above the ground, and the jacks can be attached to a container by arms reaching to the ISO corner fittings of the container. Each arm has a connecting beam which is approximately the height of the container, which is supported by means of a journal arranged at its top end parallel and at some distance therefrom in a top ISO corner fitting an is detachably fastened to its bottom end by an angled connecting part by means of two snap locks. In order to allow this fastening to the bottom ISO corner fitting, at least, the one snap lock is configured as a modular removably structural part. The snap lock, however, is also suitable for other attachment components, for instance pulley blocks or roller trestles for large containers.

Abstract: A hold down device is provided to engage and hold down adjacent ends of containers on a flat bed vehicle. The hold down device includes four twist locks being two longitudinally spaced pairs of twist locks, each pair being two laterally spaced twist locks which hold down each end of a container. The twist locks are spring loaded so that they will be continuously biased into a protruding operative position, yet capable of being automatically recessed when a long container is set down over the hold down device. A connecting apparatus is provided to inter-connect all four twist locks for simultaneous movement between a locked and unlocked position and an over-center spring is provided to hold the twist locks in the currently selected position.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a platform having a front trestle that is designed for the handling of containers. This platform includes four ISO Standard corner fittings. The platform includes at its rear tiltable extension arms which selectively provide two rear twist locks on the platform, these in combination with two twist locks on the front of the platform provides a total of four twist locks. Because the rear twist locks can be rotated to a rearward operating position, the platform can receive an ISO type container regardless of the thickness of the trestle. When the rear twist locks are rotated to a forward retracted position, generally shaped containers can be handled as well. With this arrangement, the tiltable arms and their twist locks cannot be separated from the platform and can therefore not be lost.

Abstract: A cargo carrier has a frame on which a hollow portion is provided, the hollow portion having a surface with an aperture therein. A locating device, such as a twistlock or location cone, is provided. The locating device can move between a raised position in which a first portion of the device projects through the aperture, and a lowered position in which the first portion is below the apertured surface. In this position a second portion of the locating device defines one end of the aperture in the surface and is effective to guide handling equipment into engagement with the cargo carrier through the aperture. The surface of the second portion of the device is preferably complimentary to the peripheral edge of the opposite end of the aperture.

Abstract: A twistlock for mounting and securing a container to a support including a socket and a plurality of operative components movable relative to the socket. The socket is supported within an opening of the support to locate an entry to a cavity within the socket at an upper surface. The operative components include a series of stacked members that are movable in concert in an extended position, and movable rotationally in a concert of movement or independently of one another. In this manner the members may be elevated, then positioned for receipt of the container, and, finally, one of the members may be moved to "lock" the container in position over the twistlock. There are stops for limiting movement longitudinally and rotationally and structure to permit independent movement of members rotationally.

Abstract: A device for locking together two stacked objects, each having a plate with an opening, the plates being in superposed relation and the openings being in registry. The device includes a housing, the top wall of which is the plate of the lower object. A bolt, movable vertically and rotatably within the housing, having a head piece shaped to pass through the plate openings when the bolt is in a first angular orientation but not when the bolt is in a second angular orientation. A structural unit, movable vertically with the bolt and rotatable with respect to it, has a supporting shoulder which does not engage a support surface in the housing when the unit is in a first angular orientation but does engage the surface when the bolt is in a second angular orientation.

Abstract: A locking device for a vehicle platform adapted for securing a corner fitting of a shipping container wherein the device has a housing fixidly mounted on and beneath the upper surface of the platform, having a neck member and a horizontal latching member mounted within the housing when the device is in a first position adapted to being elevated to enter a slot in a corner fitting when a container is placed on the platform with the latching member being capable of being rotated to a second position for elevation and rotation to engage an inner surface of the corner fitting to lock the container fitting to the upper surface of the platform and capable of being returned to a first position whereby it is beneath the upper surface of the platform.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing a cargo container having standard corner fittings ncludes a housing in which is mounted an elevator assembly for vertically positioning a platform with respect to the housing. The platform is adapted to engage a corner fitting when raised. The apparatus further includes a rotatable locking element carried on the platform which is rotated to lock to the fitting once the fitting is engaged. The platform together with the locking element can be further elevated when the fitting is engaged to raise a corner of the container or retracted within the housing to disengage and allow the container corner to clear the top of the housing.

Abstract: A corner post locking assembly for locking together two cargo containers placed one upon another; the assembly including an upper activating unit and a bottom twist lock and shear pin unit installed inside each vertical corner of the container; the upper activating unit being engagable by a bayonet of a hydraulically powered, container handling, spreader; the bayonet turning the upper activating unit which thus transmits rotation to the bottom twist lock and locks the shear pin to a container therebelow.