Automatic twistlock unit

Abstract

An automatic twistlock unit for attaching to a chassis of a vehicle (e.g. truck, trailer, semi-trailer) can secure corner castings (9, fig 5) (e.g. of ISO containers) has extending / retracting folding

Description

This invention relates to a device for automated locking and unlocking of twistlocks - used of ISO containers and other loads with corner castings. Since the introduction of ISO Containers and other loads with corner castings, the input and output traffic to transshipment terminals or inland carriage are usually carried out by means of vehicles -equipped with manually operated twistlocks. However, so-called automatic twistlocks are offered on the market and only used for lashing of ISO Containers on container vessels. These twistlocks are operated either semi-automatically or fully-automatically - but, not fixed to a vehicle. Both types of so-called automatic twistlocks are either locked automatically and unlocked manually by the operating rods or by single, fully-automatic locks, which are placed by hand in the bottom comers of the container. They then lock automatically after the container is placed on the top and also unlock automatically, when the container is lifted. Both variants of so-called automatic twistlocks require a manual handling: Either unlocking (semiautomatic version) or placing of the single twistlock by hand to the bottom comers (fully-automatic locks) of the container or load with comer castings. However, any manual interoperation of the employed staff by loading and unloading is potentially dangerous, because after loading or before unloading of ISO Containers and other loads with corner castings to be handled, the driver or operator of a transport vehicle has to lock or to unlock manually the bottom twistlocks, which connect the comer castings of the ISO Containers and other loads with corner castings to the truck, trailer or semi-trailer chassis during transport and even by dumping. To overcome these problems, the present invention proposes an automatic twistlock unit with attachment means for attaching the unit fixedly to a chassis of a truck, trailer or semi-trailer, which can lock and unlock ISO container corner castings and other loads with comer castings without any manual interoperation by deploying a powering cylinder, which gives drive to a locking device means that it can be locked and unlocked, folding holding clamps with recesses, moveable shafts, two-piece bearing shell and rotating sliders. The automatic twistlock unit is preferably provided by having two simultaneously moveable shafts which are fixedly connected by an U-joint, folding holding clamps with recesses which are connected by means of a pivot to the moveable shafts, two rotating sliders which are linked on the upper side by a pivot with the U-joint of the moveable shafts and on the lower sides with a pivot to a moveable two-piece bearing shell, which is connected by a connecting rod with the powering cylinder. The automatic twistlock unit may be powered either by pneumatics, hydraulics or electrics and may be equipped with a sensor, which indicates the status of the twistlock (closed or open). The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows an automatic twistlock unit with extended / locked, folding holding clamps, moveable shafts, rotating sliders, two-piece bearing shell, powering cylinder and a shaft for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock, Figure 2 shows an automatic twistlock unit with housing, extended / locked, folding holding clamps, an external corner casting, powering cylinder, moveable shaft and rotating flanges, Figure 3 shows an automatic twistlock unit with housing, extended / locked, folding holding clamps, an external corner casting, powering cylinder, moveable shaft, rotating flanges, rotating slider, two-piece bearing shell and a shaft for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock, Figure 4 shows an automatic twistlock unit without housing, extended / locked, folding holding clamps, powering cylinder, moveable shafts with U-joint, rotating flanges, rotating sliders, two-piece bearing shell and a shaft for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock, Figure 5 shows an automatic twistlock unit with an external corner casting, retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps, housing, moveable shaft, rotating flanges, two-piece bearing shell and powering cylinder, Figure 6 shows an automatic twistlock unit with an external corner casting, retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps, housing, moveable shaft, rotating flanges, rotating slider, powering cylinder and a shaft for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock, Figure 7 shows an automatic twistlock unit with retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps, powering cylinder, moveable shafts with U-joint, rotating flanges, rotating sliders, two-piece bearing shell and a shaft for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock, Figure 8 shows an automatic twistlock unit with retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps, powering cylinder, moveable shafts with U-joint, rotating flanges, rotating sliders, two-piece bearing shell and a shaft for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock as a different embodiment. In figure 1, an automatic twistlock unit includes four vertical, folding holding clamps 2 with vertical recesses 16 are connected by a horizontal pivot 10 with two, vertical, simultaneously moveable shafts 3 which are fixedly connected by a horizontal U-joint 4. The upper and vertical rotating flanges 5 with horizontal pivot 11 and the lower and vertical rotating flanges 14 with horizontal pivot 12 are linked to each other as one part by means of the vertical, rotating sliders 15. Both vertical, rotating sliders 15 are connected with the horizontal U-joint 4 by a horizontal pivot 11. Both vertical, rotating flanges 14 and both vertical, rotating sliders 15 are linked with the vertical, moveable, two-piece bearing shell 6 by means of horizontal pivot 12. On the lower side, the horizontal pivot 13 connects both edges of the vertical, rotating sliders 15. An almost horizontally installed and moveable powering cylinder 7 gives drive to the unit by means of an almost horizontal connecting rod 17. The unit may be equipped with a shaft 8 for an optional sensor indicating the status of the twistlock unit, namely locked or unlocked, which is integrated in the implied, vertical housing 1. If these automatic twistlock units are fitted to one of each corner of the ISO container vehicle chassis or of other loads used with corner castings, then the driver or operator of the vehicle will feel supported, because manual interoperation is not necessary. All procedures of locking or unlocking the loads with automatic twistlocks are operated by means of either pneumatics, hydraulics or electrics and controlled either by wired control or by radio remote control. The folding holding clamps 2 may consist of four, vertical single clamps with recesses 16, which are operated simultaneously by being connected by a horizontal pivot 10 with two, vertical and simultaneously moveable shafts 3. The interoperation of the vertical and moveable shafts 3 with the vertical rotating sliders 15 together with the horizontal U-joint 4 and the vertical two-piece bearing shell 6 - driven by the almost horizontal powering cylinder 7 and by the almost horizontal connecting rod 17 for retracting and extending - cause a vertical retraction or extension of the folding holding clamps 2. During the locking procedure, the folding holding clamps 2 are vertically extended. The provided vertical recesses 16 of the folding holding clamps 2 force the folding holding clamps 2 to follow by moving up above the implied, upper level of the implied housing 1 and to partly enter the corner casting of the load by being unfolded and consequently forcing the loads to be locked. The folding holding clamps 2 are configurated in that way, that each folding holding clamp 2 is provided with recesses 16. Thereby, each second, folding holding clamp 2 is installed with open mouths to the right and each second, folding holding clamp 2 is mounted with open mouths to the left side - affording a firm grip to two facing sides within the comer casting of the load's twistlock when locked. Optionally, the status of the folding holding clamps 2 may be indicated by a sensor, attached to the shaft 8 and allowing to watch over whether the folding holding clamps 2 are locked or unlocked. Figure 2 shows the embodiment from another side in which the vertical housing 1, extended / locked, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16, an implied, horizontal, external comer casting 9, a powering cylinder 7 with connecting rod 17, a moveable shaft 3, a pivot 10, an upper rotating flange 5 with a pivot 11 and a lower rotating flange 14 with a pivot 12 can be seen. Figure 3 shows the embodiment from another side in which the housing 1, extended / locked, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16, an implied, external comer casting 9, a powering cylinder 7, a moveable shaft 3 with a pivot 10, an upper rotating flange 5 with a pivot 11, a lower rotating flange 14 with a pivot 12, a two-piece bearing shell 6, a rotating slider 15 and a shaft 8 for an optional sensor are visible. Figure 4 shows the embodiment from another side in which the housing 1 is implied, extended / locked, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16, a powering cylinder 7 with connecting rod 17, both moveable shafts 3 with a pivot 10 and the U-joint 4, both upper rotating flanges 5, a pivot 11, a lower rotating flange 14 with a pivot 12, a two-piece bearing shell 6 with pivot 13, both rotating sliders 15 and a shaft 8 for an optional sensor can be seen. Figure 5 shows an embodiment by having retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps 2. To unlock the loads with corner casting 9, the vertical, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16 are retracted vertically in the vertical housing 1 up to the top edge of it. The provided recesses force the folding holding clamps 2 by retracting to fold away and, therefore, to release the implied, external corner castings 9 from the loads. Furthermore, figure 5 shows a powering cylinder 7, a moveable shaft 3 with a pivot 10, an upper rotating flange 5 with a pivot 11, a lower rotating flange 14 with a pivot 12, a two-piece bearing shell 6 with a pivot 13, a rotating slider 15 and an U-joint 4. Figure 6 shows the embodiment from another side in which the housing 1, retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16, a powering cylinder 7, a moveable shaft 3 and a moveable shaft 3 with a pivot 10, an upper rotating flange 5 with a pivot 11, a lower rotating flange 14, both rotating slider 15, an U-joint 4, an implied, external corner casting 9 and a shaft 8 for an optional sensor can be seen. Figure 7 shows the embodiment from another side in which the housing 1 is implied, retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16, a powering cylinder 7, both moveable shafts 3, a pivot 10 and an U-joint 4, both upper rotating flanges 5, a pivot 11, a lower rotating flange 14 with a pivot 12, a two-piece bearing shell 6 with pivot 13, both rotating sliders 15 and a shaft 8 for an optional sensor can be seen. Figure 8 shows the embodiment from another side in which the housing 1 is implied, retracted / unlocked, folding holding clamps 2 with recesses 16, a powering cylinder 7 with connecting rod 17, both moveable shafts 3, a pivot 10, an U-joint 4, an upper rotating flange 5 with a pivot 11, a lower rotating flange 14, a two-piece bearing shell 6 with pivot 13, both rotating sliders 15 and a shaft 8 for an optional sensor are visible.

Claims

1. An unit compromising attachment means for attaching the unit to a chassis of a truck, trailer or semi-trailer and which can lock and unlock ISO container corner castings and other loads with comer castings - consisting of a composition of moveable shafts, U-joint, folding clamps, rotating sliders and two-piece bearing shell, which are integrated in a housing, and powering cylinder, which is flanged to the housing of the unit.

2. An unit according to claim 1, in which the unit is driven by means of pneumatical, hydraulical or electrical power.

3. An unit according to claim 1, in which the upper sides of the moveable shafts are connected with the lower sides of folding holding clamps by means of a pivot.

4. An unit according to claim 1, in which the lower sides of the moveable shafts are connected by an U-joint with the upper sides of rotating sliders by means of a pivot.

5. An unit according to claim 1, in which the lower sides of the rotating sliders are connected with the upper side of a two-piece bearing shell by means of a pivot.

6. An unit according to claim 1, in which the connecting rod of the powering cylinder gives drive to the upper side of the two-piece bearing shell.

7. An unit according to claim 1, in which the lower edges of the two-piece bearing shell 6 are connected by means of a pivot.

8. An unit according to claim 2, in which the status at a time of the unit (locked and unlocked) is indicated by means of a sensor.

9. An unit according to any of the preceding claims, in which the unit is controlled by manually operated levers, wired control or radio control.

10. An unit according to any of the preceding claims, in which the folding holding clamps are provided with recesses.

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