Locking device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023762451
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-09-26
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-29
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-06
AI Technical Summary
Conventional locking devices for freight containers require multiple people to attach and lock, and are vulnerable to forcible removal due to the ability to bend bars out of the claw's grip.
A locking device with movable claws and a locking bolt that can be easily assembled and locked by one person, featuring a double-walled bolt housing with aramid fiber layers to prevent drilling and a spring-loaded slider mechanism for enhanced security, allowing each claw to be destroyed individually upon attempted breakage.
The device is easier to assemble and significantly more difficult to forcibly remove, providing enhanced security with a single-handed operation and increased material thickness and aramid fiber resistance.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] LOCKING DEVICE
[0002] The present invention relates to a locking device for locking at least one first door provided with a rod, in particular for locking at least one first door of a freight container with a rod attached thereto according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0003] The invention further relates to a method for locking at least one door provided with a bar with such a locking device.
[0004] Such locking devices, which are used in particular to secure two swing doors of an overseas container, essentially consist of a solid steel bolt with a first U-shaped claw and a second housing equipped with a lock, to which a second U-shaped claw is welded. The open sides of the claws face each other.
[0005] The steel bolt typically has multiple through-holes so that the distance between the two claws can be adjusted. When installing such a locking device on the bars of the container doors, the housing with the lock and one claw is first pushed over a first bar of one door in a horizontal direction parallel to the surface of the door onto the bar. The steel bolt with the second claw is then pushed over the bar of the adjacent door. The steel bolt is inserted into a designated opening in the housing with the lock, and using the lock, a bolt is inserted into one of the holes in the steel bolt to lock the locking device.
[0006] The lock incorporated in the housing can then be secured using a key or electronically to prevent unauthorized opening of the locking device.
[0007] The disadvantage of such a locking device is that it can only be installed and locked by several people. A first person wraps the claw hooks around the espagnolettes that lock the container doors. The second person can then lock the steel bolt and the housing with the lock in the locked position.
[0008] A further disadvantage of such locking devices is that there is a possibility of the bars on the doors of the container at the level of the locking device being bent towards each other until one of the bars comes out of the engagement of a claw.
[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a locking device which, on the one hand, is extremely easy to install and, on the other hand, makes forcible removal of the locking device even more difficult.
[0010] This object is achieved by a locking device having the features of claim 1.
[0011] The locking device according to the invention for locking at least one first door provided with a rod, in particular for locking at least one first door of a freight container with a rod attached thereto, has a locking housing, at least one first claw arranged movably with the locking housing and having a receiving mouth for receiving a partial cross-section of the rod of the door to be locked, and at least one second claw arranged movably in the locking housing and having a receiving mouth for receiving a partial cross-section of a rod of a second door or of a rod fixedly fastened adjacent to the first door.
[0012] The locking device further comprises a lock bolt of a lock arranged in the bolt housing for blocking or releasing the claws in or from a locking position.
[0013] The claws are held in the bolt housing so that they can be pivoted between a release position and the locking position.
[0014] The locking housing has at least two receptacles with an input channel for receiving a section of each of the rods.
[0015] The receiving mouth of the at least one first claw protrudes into a first receptacle of the locking housing, and the receiving mouth of the at least one second claw protrudes into a second receptacle of the locking housing. In the locking position, the claws are positioned such that the rods are held in a space defined by the receiving mouths and the receptacles.
[0016] Such a locking device can be easily pushed onto the bars with one hand and blocked with a second hand by operating the lock.
[0017] By aligning the receptacles of the bolt housing, the bolt housing itself effectively prevents the rods from being pushed apart in the area of the bolt housing.
[0018] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.
[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the locking device according to the invention, several claws are arranged one above the other on a common pivot axis in the locking housing.
[0020] The arrangement of several claws arranged one above the other has the advantage that if an attempt is made to break open the locking device, each of the claws must be destroyed.
[0021] According to a further preferred embodiment, a first slider coupled to the at least one first claw is arranged between the lock bolt and the at least one first claw, and a second slider coupled to the at least one second claw is arranged between the lock bolt and the at least one second claw.
[0022] In a closed position, the lock bolt blocks any movement of the sliders in the direction of the lock bolt, whereby the claws are coupled to the respective slider in such a way that when the claws are pivoted from the locking position to the release position, the sliders are moved in the direction of the lock bolt.
[0023] This further development enables, in particular, a smaller construction of the lock bolt and the possibility of moving the lock bolt between the release and blocking positions by a rotary movement, while the bolts only have to perform a translational movement.
[0024] According to a preferred further development, the sliders are spring-loaded and pressed in the direction of the claws, thus always being coupled to the respective claws.
[0025] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the locking device according to the invention, a rear wall of the bolt housing facing away from the input channels is double-walled at least in an area close to the lock bolt, wherein at least one aramid fiber layer is inserted between the walls of the double wall.
[0026] The double-walled construction and the aramid fiber layer sandwiched between them further complicate forced opening of the locking device, firstly due to the greater material thickness of the locking housing and secondly due to the aramid fibers. The aramid fibers wrap around the drill bit, particularly when attempting to drill through the locking housing, and block it in such a way that, especially when several such aramid fiber layers are inserted, the drill bit must be pulled out of the housing several times and freed from the aramid fibers. This laborious effort entails a significantly increased time expenditure.
[0027] According to a preferred embodiment, the walls of the double wall are made of different materials.
[0028] This variant can also be used for security purposes on the one hand and, on the other hand, enable a lighter construction of the locking housing, for example by the outer walls of the double wall, as claimed in another preferred embodiment, being made of a harder material than an inner wall, which can be made of a plastic, for example.
[0029] According to a preferred embodiment, in order to form the double wall, the locking housing has an inner housing and an outer housing that can be slipped over the inner housing.
[0030] The method according to the invention for locking at least one first door provided with a rod, in particular for locking at least one first door of a freight container with a rotating rod attached thereto with a locking device according to one of the preceding claims is characterized by the following method steps: a) placing the locking device on a rod of the door to be locked and a further rod of an adjacent door or a fixed wall, wherein the receiving mouths of the claws positioned in the release position are placed on the rod; b) pressing the locking device against the rods until the claws are pivoted from the release position into the locking position; c) moving the lock bolt in the bolt housing from the open position into the closed position to block the claws in the locking position.
[0031] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:
[0032] Figure 1 is a view of a rear wall of a container with two pivoting doors with rotating rods and a variant of a locking device according to the invention, attached to the inner rotating rods of the adjacent doors,
[0033] Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of the locking device attached to the rods,
[0034] Figure 3 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a locking device according to the invention,
[0035] Figure 4 shows a representation of the locking device corresponding to Figure 3 with the housing cover removed,
[0036] Figure 5 is an isometric exploded view of the locking device shown in Figure 3,
[0037] Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of the locking device according to Figure 3,
[0038] Figure 7 is a sectional view of the locking device along a sectional plane designated VII in Figure 6, Figure 8 is a plan view of the locking device from the open side of the locking housing with the housing cover removed,
[0039] Figure 9 is a sectional view of the locking device along a section plane designated IX in Figure 8 with the locking device unlocked,
[0040] Figure 10 shows a representation of the locking device corresponding to Figure 3 with the claws pivoted in an opening position,
[0041] Figure 11 shows a representation of the locking device corresponding to Figure 9 with claws pivoted into the opening position,
[0042] Figures
[0043] 12 and 13 are representations of the locking device with claws in the closed position with the locking device locked, corresponding to Figures 10 and 11, and
[0044] Figures
[0045] 14 to 16 different design variants of a locking housing, exemplary for a locking device for differently spaced bars or for accommodating more than two bars.
[0046] In the following description of the figures, terms such as top, bottom, left, right, front, rear, etc., refer exclusively to the exemplary representation and position of the locking device, bolt housing, claws, lock, slide, container, and the like chosen in the respective figures. These terms are not to be understood as limiting; i.e., these references may change due to different operating positions or the mirror-symmetrical design, etc.
[0047] In Figure 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a container in the form of an overseas container. The container 11 has a first door 12 and a second door 13 on its rear side, which are designed as swing doors and can be closed by several bars, here a first bar 14 and a third bar 16 on the first door 12 and by a second bar 15 and a fourth bar 17 on the rear webs 18 of the container 11.
[0048] To secure the doors 12, 13 in the closed state, as can be further seen in Figure 1, a locking device 1 is attached to the first rod 14 and the second rod 15.
[0049] As shown schematically in Figure 2, the locking device 1 engages over the first rod 4 of the first door 12 and the second rod 15 of the second door 13 and thereby prevents the doors 12, 13 held on the side door hinges 19 of the container 11 from pivoting open.
[0050] The locking device 1 is described in detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 16.
[0051] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the locking device 1 has a locking housing 2 for locking at least one first door 12 provided with a rod 14, in particular a freight container 11 with a rod 14 attached thereto.
[0052] In the locking housing 2, at least one movably arranged first claw 3 is accommodated with a receiving mouth 31 for receiving a partial cross-section of the rod 14 of the door 12 to be locked.
[0053] Furthermore, at least one movably arranged second claw 4 with a receiving mouth 41 for receiving a partial cross-section of a rod 15 of a second door 13 or of a rod fixedly fastened adjacent to the first door 13 is accommodated in the locking housing 2.
[0054] This also enables the locking of, for example, a container in which only one pivoting door is provided, while a fixed housing wall is provided parallel to the pivoting door, on which a further fixed rod is provided, arranged parallel to the first rod 14.
[0055] Furthermore, a lock bolt 52 of a lock 5 is arranged in the locking housing 2 for locking or releasing the claws 3, 4 in or from a locking position. The claws 3, 4 are pivotably held in the locking housing 2 between a release position and the locking position.
[0056] The locking housing 2 has at least two receptacles 25, 26 with an input channel 27 for receiving a section of one of the rods 14, 15.
[0057] The receiving mouth 31 of the at least one first claw 3 protrudes into a first receptacle 25 of the locking housing 2. The receiving mouth 41 of the at least one second claw 4 protrudes into a second receptacle 26 of the locking housing 2.
[0058] The claws 3, 4 are positioned in the locking position so that the rods 14, 15 are held in a space delimited by the receiving mouths 31, 41 and the receptacles 25, 26.
[0059] As further shown in Figures 3 to 5, preferably several first claws 3 and second claws 4 are arranged one above the other on a common pivot axis 24 in the locking housing 2.
[0060] The claws 3, 4 have respective pivot pin receptacles 32, 42 for receiving the pivot axis 24, which are held in pin holders 215, 216 of the bolt housing 2.
[0061] As shown in Figure 5, the locking housing 2 preferably consists of an inner housing 21 and an outer housing 22, which can be slipped over the inner housing 21. Between the inner housing 21 and the outer housing 22, an aramid fiber layer 23 is preferably provided, the shape of which is adapted to the outer housing 22, which further complicates drilling into the locking housing 2.
[0062] It is also conceivable not to form such an aramid fiber layer 23 in the shape of the outer housing 22, but to provide such aramid fiber layers 23 only locally, preferably in the area near the lock bolt 52, in order to make it even more difficult to expose the lock bolt 52.
[0063] It is also conceivable to design only partial areas of the locking housing 2 with double walls instead of the entire housing being double-walled. In the illustrated embodiment, the first bolt holder 215 is designed as a chamfered bore into which a head piece of the pivot pin 24 lies flush with the outer side of the cover 212 of the inner housing 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the second bolt holder 216 is designed as a cylindrical receptacle for a reinforcing tongue on a base 211 of the inner housing 21, so that the free end of the pivot pin 24 is positively secured in the bolt holder 216 in an xy plane spanned by the base 211.
[0064] The multiple first and second claws 3, 4 arranged one above the other on a common pivot axis 24 in the locking housing 2 also result in significant additional effort in the event of attempted manipulation, since each of the six first and second claws 3, 4 in the illustrated embodiment would have to be destroyed. The first claws 3 arranged one above the other and the second claws 4 arranged one above the other are preferably separated from one another by respective intermediate layers 45.
[0065] A first slider 6 coupled to the at least one first claw 3 is arranged between the lock bolt 52 of the lock 5 and the at least one first claw 3, and a second slider 7 coupled to the at least one second claw 4 is arranged between the lock bolt 52 and the at least one second claw 4. The lock bolt 52 is positioned in a closed position such that displacement of the sliders 6, 7 in the direction of the lock bolt 52 is blocked.
[0066] The claws 3, 4 are coupled to the respective slider 6, 7 in such a way that when the claws 3, 4 are pivoted from the locking position to the release position, the slider 6, 7 must be moved in the direction of the lock bolt 52.
[0067] Figure 9 shows the lock bolt 52 in the open position, which allows the slides 6, 7 to be moved in the direction of the lock bolt 52, Figure 13 shows the lock bolt 52 in the locking position, which prevents movement of the slides 6, 7 in the direction of the lock bolt 52, since the lock bolt 52 is positioned here such that it rests or almost rests on the edges of the slides 6, 7 facing the lock bolt 52.
[0068] The claws 3, 4 are in the position shown in Figures 6 to 9 and 12 and 13 in their locking position, in which one of the rods 14, 15 can be received in a receiving space 25, 26 delimited by the respective receiving mouth 31, 41 of the claws 3, 4 and an outer wall 214 of the locking housing 2.
[0069] When the lock bolt 52 is positioned in its open position, as shown in Figure 9, the slides 6, 7 together with the claws 3, 4 can be pivoted from the position shown in Figure 9 into the position shown in Figures 10 and 11.
[0070] The movement of the first claw 3 and the second claw 4 with the respective first slider 6 or second slider 7 is coupled via first contours 33, 43 and second contours 34, 44 formed on the claws 3, 4 and a contour 61, 71 on the respective slider 6, 7, which enable the claws 3, 4 to initially move the respective slider 6, 7 slightly in the direction of the lock bolt 52 from the locking position shown in Figure 9 by pivoting in the direction of the position shown in Figure 11, in order to then move the lock bolt 52 away from the lock bolt 52 via the respective second contour 34, 44 until the slider 6, 7 and the claws 3, 4 have reached the position shown in Figure 11.
[0071] In this position, the locking device 1 can be placed by a person on the two rods 14, 15 of the adjacent doors 12, 13 of the container and pressed against the rods 14, 15 perpendicular to the plane of the container doors 12, 13.
[0072] During this movement, the claws 3, 4 and the sliders 6, 7 are pivoted or moved from the position shown in Figure 11 to the position shown in Figure 9.
[0073] Subsequently, a locking movement of the lock bolt 52 can be carried out by actuating the lock bolt 52 via a control unit 51 of the lock 5.
[0074] In the embodiment shown here, the lock bolt 52 is shaped as an ellipsoid, which can be rotated with the aid of the control unit 51 from a release position shown in Figure 5, in which the ellipsoid is rotated so that it is arranged with its narrower diameter between the slides 6, 7, into the position shown in Figure 13, in which the ellipsoid is rotated so that the larger diameter bridges the distance between the two slides 6, 7 to such an extent that the slides 6, 7 can no longer be moved further in the direction of the lock bolt 52.
[0075] The control unit 51 can be activated, for example, via a cable 53. Remote control of the control unit 51 is also conceivable, for example, via a receiver integrated in the control unit 51 for receiving electromagnetic signals.
[0076] The slides ß, 7 are, as can be clearly seen in Figures 5, 7 and 8, preferably spring-loaded and pressed in the direction of the claws 3, 4. This is achieved by a spring element 8, preferably designed as a compression spring, which is guided in a spring receptacle 63, 73 of the first slide 6 or second slide 7 provided for this purpose and is fixed on the one hand to the rear wall 213 of the inner housing 21 and on the other hand to the respective slide 6, 7.
[0077] The slides ß, 7 further preferably have guide grooves 62, 72, which serve to receive guide webs fastened to the rear side 213 of the inner housing 21 in order to ensure an exact sliding movement of the slides 6, 7.
[0078] While the locking device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 13 serves to be secured to two adjacent bars 14, 15, it is in principle also conceivable to design such a locking device so that it serves to be attached to more than two bars 14, 15. A corresponding locking housing 2, 2' is shown as an example in Figure 16, in which the locking housing 2" has, in addition to the first receptacle 25 for the first bar 14 and the second receptacle 26 for the second bar 15, further receptacles 25' for bars attached to the first door 12 and a further second receptacle 26' for receiving further bars on the second door or fixedly attached bars.
[0079] It is also conceivable to design the locking device 1 larger or smaller in its x-direction dimensions, depending on the distance between the first bar 14 and the second bar 15. By way of example, Figure 15 shows a locking outer housing 22' that is significantly shorter than the locking outer housing 22 shown in Figure 14. Reference Symbol List
[0080] 1 locking device
[0081] 2, 2', 2" bolt housing
[0082] 21 inner casing
[0083] 211 Floor
[0084] 212 Ceiling
[0085] 213 Rear wall
[0086] 214 side wall
[0087] 215 bolt holder
[0088] 216 bolt holder
[0089] 22 outer casings
[0090] 221 floor
[0091] 222 Ceiling
[0092] 223 Rear wall
[0093] 224 side wall
[0094] 23 aramid fiber layers
[0095] 24 pivot pins
[0096] 25 first recording
[0097] 26 second shot
[0098] 27 input channel
[0099] 28 Housing cover
[0100] 29 Guide bridge
[0101] 3 first claw
[0102] 31 Recording mouth
[0103] 32 pivot pin holder
[0104] 33 first contour
[0105] 34 second contour
[0106] 35 Intermediate layer
[0107] 4 second claw
[0108] 41 Recording mouth
[0109] 42 Swivel bolt holder
[0110] 43 first contour 44 second contour
[0111] 45 Intermediate layer
[0112] 5 Lock 51 Control unit 52 Lock bolt
[0113] 53 cables
[0114] 6 first slider 61 contour 62 guide groove
[0115] 63 Spring retainer
[0116] 7 second slider 71 contour 72 guide groove
[0117] 73 Spring retainer
[0118] 8 spring element
[0119] 11 containers
[0120] 12 first door
[0121] 13 second door
[0122] 14 first pole
[0123] 15 second bar
[0124] 16 third bar
[0125] 17 fourth pole
[0126] 18 jetty
[0127] 19 Hinge
[0128] L Longitudinal axis di Width of the entrance channel d2 Reduced width of the entrance channel x Longitudinal direction y Transverse direction z Vertical direction
Claims
Claims 1. Locking device (1) for locking at least one first door (12) provided with a rod (14), in particular for locking at least one first door (12) of a freight container (11) with a rod (14) attached thereto, comprising - a locking housing (2), - at least one first claw (3) movably arranged in the locking housing (2) with a receiving mouth (31) for receiving a partial cross-section of the rod (14) of the door (12) to be locked, - at least one second claw (4) movably arranged in the locking housing (2) with a receiving mouth (41) for receiving a partial cross-section of a rod (15) of a second door (13) or a rod fixedly attached adjacent to the first door (13), - a lock bolt (52) of a lock (5) arranged in the bolt housing (2) for blocking or releasing the claws (3, 4) in or from a locking position, characterized in that - the claws (3, 4) are pivotably held in the locking housing (2) between a release position and the locking position, - wherein the locking housing (2) has at least two receptacles (25, 26) with an input channel (27) for receiving a section of one of the rods (14, 15), - wherein the receiving mouth (31) of the at least one first claw (3) projects into a first receptacle (25) of the locking housing (2) and the receiving mouth (41) of the at least one second claw (4) projects into a second receptacle (26) of the locking housing (2), - wherein the claws (3, 4) are positioned in the locking position such that the rods (14, 15) are held in a space delimited by the receiving mouths (31, 41) and the receptacles (25, 26).
2. Locking device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that several claws (3, 4) are arranged one above the other on a common pivot axis (24) in the locking housing (2).Locking device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a first slider (6) coupled to the at least one first claw (3) is arranged between the lock bolt (52) and the at least one first claw (3), and a second slider (7) coupled to the at least one second claw (4) is arranged between the lock bolt (52) and the at least one second claw (4), wherein the lock bolt (52) blocks a displacement of the sliders (6, 7) in the direction of the lock bolt (52) in a closed position, wherein the claws (3, 4) are coupled to the respective slider (6, 7) in such a way that when the claws (3, 4) are pivoted from the locking position into the release position, the sliders (6, 7) are displaced in the direction of the lock bolt (52). Locking device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the slides (6, 7) are pressed in the direction of the claws (3, 4) under spring load.Locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a rear wall (213, 223) of the locking housing (2), facing away from the input channels (27), is double-walled at least in a region close to the lock bolt (52), with at least one aramid fiber layer (23) being inserted between the walls of the double wall. Locking device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the walls of the double wall are made of different materials. Locking device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that an outer wall of the double wall is made of a harder material than an inner wall. Locking device (1) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, to form the double wall, the locking housing (2) has an inner housing (21) and an outer housing (22) that can be slipped over the inner housing (21). Method for locking at least one first door (12) provided with a rod, in particular for locking at least one first door (12) of a freight container (11) with a rotating rod (14, 15) attached thereto, with a locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the method steps: a) placing the locking device (1) on a rod (14) of the door (12) to be locked and another rod (15) of an adjacent door (13) or a fixed wall, wherein the receiving mouths (31, 41) of the claws (3, 4) positioned in the release position are placed on the rods; b) pressing the locking device (1) against the rods (14, 15) until the claws (3, 4) have been moved from the release position into the locking position; c) Moving the lock bolt (52) in the bolt housing (2) from the open position to the closed position to block the claws (3, 4) in the locking position.