Locking device for receiving and releasing a container or swap body tank container that can be placed on a vehicle chassis

Abstract

A description is given of a locking device for receiving and releasing a container or swap body tank container that can be placed on a vehicle chassis (10), comprising a locking housing (20) with a locking mechanism (30), which interacts with a locking element (31) which can be moved into different functional positions in relation to a first side wall (21) of the locking housing (20), wherein the locking housing (20) is mounted by means of mounting elements (40) such that it can be pivoted about an axis of rotation (r) in relation to the vehicle chassis (10). The invention was therefore based on the problem of reducing the risk of the locking device being lost. A further partial problem is that of further developing a vehicle chassis having locking devices attached thereto. The problem is solved in that the axis of rotation (r) is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal vehicle axis (x) of the vehicle chassis (10).

Description

[0001] Locking device for receiving and releasing a container or swap body that can be placed on a vehicle chassis

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The invention relates to a locking device for receiving and releasing a container or swap body that can be placed on a vehicle chassis, as well as a combination of the locking devices with a vehicle chassis.

[0004] Today, various containers are typically used, differing in their dimensions and design. For example, 40-foot containers exist as high cube variants with a tunnel on their underside (gooseneck containers), or as ISO containers with a flat bottom. Sometimes, two 20-foot containers are loaded onto a transport vehicle instead of one 40-foot container. 45-foot and 30-foot containers are less common. The dimensions and design of the containers also necessitate compatible locking mechanisms on the vehicle chassis onto which the container(s) are to be loaded.

[0005] If the vehicle chassis is optimized to accommodate a 40' high cube container, it has a so-called gooseneck in its front section, which dips into the tunnel of the container placed on it.

[0006] To enable this gooseneck chassis to accommodate virtually all container types, locking devices are typically installed in pairs along the vehicle's longitudinal axis from front to rear in six positions. However, depending on the container type, only some of these locking devices are used. The locking devices not required must be removed to allow the container to sit flush on the chassis. For example, if a 40' high cube container is to be picked up by a gooseneck chassis optimized for this purpose, locking positions 2 to 5 would obstruct the connection and therefore need to be removed, as even a fully lowered locking element protrudes above the surface of the chassis.

[0007] DE 10 2006 043 777 A1 therefore proposes adjusting the vertical position of the container lock by allowing a retaining element of the container lock housing to be inserted into the housing at three different heights. The height is adjusted manually by linearly sliding the retaining element into the housing. In practice, it has proven particularly disadvantageous that the container locks are designed to be completely detachable from the retaining elements, resulting in frequent losses, especially of unused container locks, during ferry operations. Furthermore, the retaining elements are quite heavy. Manual adjustment is therefore strenuous and cumbersome, as each retaining element must be lifted and, after overcoming considerable friction, inserted into the new height position.

[0008] The invention was therefore based on the objective of reducing the risk of loss of the locking device and the physical effort required for adjustment. A further sub-objective is to further develop a vehicle chassis with locking devices attached to it.

[0009] The problem is solved by the features of claim 1. The locking housing, which is pivotably attached to the vehicle chassis, can, for example, be mounted on the frame of a semi-trailer or trailer. Alternatively, the container can also be placed on a truck and detachably attached to it by means of the locking housing according to the invention. The locking element is typically a pivot pin that can be moved into different operating positions by means of a locking mechanism arranged within the locking housing.

[0010] In a loading-ready position, the locking element is retracted as far as possible into the locking housing, but still protrudes above the crossmember of the vehicle chassis. This prevents the container from resting flush on the crossmember, even with the locking element lowered and ready for loading. In its fully extended position, the locking element protrudes into the container fitting and is then lowered into another position while simultaneously rotating, thus clamping the container to the locking housing.

[0011] The pivotable mounting of the locking housing allows it to be used with a suitable container or to be pivoted away if the container must rest flat on the crossmember of the vehicle chassis. Because the axis of rotation is essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle chassis, no additional installation space is required around the crossmember, nor is the overall width of the vehicle chassis increased. According to a particular embodiment, the rotation axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle allows the locking housings to be remotely adjusted by means of an actuator, with two locking housings mounted on a crossmember preferably being adjustable synchronously by one actuator.

[0012] Advantageously, the bearing elements are attached to the vehicle chassis, and operating forces are transferred from the locking housing to the vehicle chassis via these bearing elements. The force flow thus originates from the container or swap body and proceeds exclusively through the locking housing and its bearing elements into the vehicle chassis.

[0013] Preferably, in a first position, the first side wall of the locking housing is pivoted upwards and the locking element can be brought into operative engagement with a container or swap body. The container fitting rests on the first side wall and the locking element is in operative engagement with the container fitting. In this first position, a container, with its fitting resting on the functional housing, can be clamped by means of the locking device.

[0014] According to a particular embodiment, in a second position the first side wall of the locking housing is pivoted about the axis of rotation, and a second side wall of the locking housing is oriented upwards. No locking element is present in the second side wall. Advantageously, in the second position, no section of the locking housing, the locking mechanism, and / or the locking element projects upwards above the level of the vehicle chassis.

[0015] In the second position, the locking housing can be pivoted by approximately 90° relative to the first position. This pivot angle is particularly useful when the locking housing has a first and second side wall that are essentially perpendicular to each other.

[0016] In the second position, the first side wall of the locking housing is pivoted inwards towards the vehicle chassis. Since the locking element still protrudes above the level of the first side wall even in the lowered position, this design makes it particularly easy to comply with the maximum permissible width of the vehicle chassis.

[0017] It has proven particularly advantageous to have the bearing elements located in opposite wall sections of the locking housing. These are thus also conveniently positioned parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis, with one bearing element oriented in the direction of travel and the other in the opposite direction. The bearing elements are held by a section of the cross member.

[0018] Advantageously, an actuating cam is formed on at least one of the opposing wall sections of the locking housing. The actuating cam(s) is / are thus attached to the same opposing wall section as the bearing element.

[0019] According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one drive cam is arranged at a distance from the associated bearing element. This makes it possible to exert a torque on the locking housing by means of the drive cam. The drive cam is fixed in position and, in particular, rotationally fixed to the locking housing.

[0020] Advantageously, the drive cam(s) is / are moved by a drive element. The drive element can, for example, comprise a plate element with a cam track in which the drive cam is guided. Advantageously, two plate elements run parallel to the opposite wall sections of the locking housing. The locking housing is inserted between the plate elements. Preferably, one drive cam is guided by the cam track of one plate element and a second drive cam by the cam track of the other plate element. It can also be provided that the drive element includes an actuator. The actuator engages the plate elements and displaces them, preferably linearly, transversely to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. This initiates the rotation of the locking housing.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the drive cam has at least one flattened section with which the drive cam is supported on the plate element. The flattened section allows a linear or, spatially speaking, planar bearing surface of the drive cam on the respective plate element, thus reducing high surface pressures and the associated wear.

[0022] Another useful variant of the invention consists in the locking housing having a second locking element that is movable from a third side wall of the locking housing, and the bearing elements being mounted on the locking housing at asymmetrical heights. The third side wall is arranged on the opposite side of the locking housing relative to the first side wall. With this variant, it is possible, for example, to support an ISO container standing on a gooseneck chassis in an elevated position at the rear by folding up the third side wall.

[0023] The third side wall is positioned at a higher level relative to the crossbeam. This asymmetrical height results from the off-center placement of the bearing element between the first and second side walls, with the distance between the bearing element and the third side wall being greater than that to the first. The second locking element secures the container fitting resting on the third side wall. Preferably, the locking housing is pivotable such that either its first side wall with the first locking element or the third side wall with the second locking element can be pivoted upwards and engaged with a container or swap body.

[0024] The sub-problem is solved by the vehicle chassis having several cross members, with two locking housings attached to each cross member and controlled by a common actuator. Preferably, the common actuator is a double-acting fluid cylinder whose piston rods engage the plate elements of two locking devices attached to a common cross member.

[0025] For better understanding, the invention is explained in more detail below using six figures. These show the

[0026] Fig. 1: a perspective view of a [unclear] attached to a

[0027] Cross-beam mounted locking housing with a locking element in a charging-ready first position;

[0028] Fig. 2: a perspective view of the

[0029] Locking housing according to Fig. 1 during the swiveling process;

[0030] Fig. 3: a perspective view of the

[0031] Locking housing in a second position after completion of the pivoting process with the second side wall facing upwards; Fig. 4: an enlarged perspective view of the

[0032] Locking housing;

[0033] Fig. 5: an enlarged perspective view of plate elements arranged laterally to the locking housing with a cam track formed therein and

[0034] Fig. 6: a perspective view of a particular

[0035] Design of the locking housing with two locking elements.

[0036] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a locking housing 20 attached at the end of a cross member 11 of a vehicle chassis 10.

[0037] The locking housing 20 is box-shaped and has at least one first side wall 21 with a locking element 31 projecting from the first side wall 21. The locking element 31 is a pivot pin that engages in a fitting of a container (not shown here) and establishes a detachable connection between the vehicle chassis 10 and the container. For this purpose, the locking element 31 also projects from the first side wall 21 and / or a top surface 12 of the crossbeam 11 in its lowered position and cannot be lowered further.

[0038] In a first position according to Fig. 1, the first side wall 21 is essentially aligned in a horizontal plane. Opposing wall sections 23, extending essentially vertically downwards, engage the first side wall 21, offset from each other along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. A second side wall 22 is present parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. In the first position, it engages the first side wall 21 from below and terminates with the opposing wall sections 23 along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x.

[0039] The locking housing 20 is pivotably mounted about an axis of rotation r relative to the vehicle chassis 10 and the cross member 11, the axis of rotation being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The pivotability of the locking housing 20 is achieved by means of two opposing bearing elements 40, which are integrally formed on the opposing wall sections 23. The bearing elements 40 are designed, in particular, as cylindrical tubular extensions.

[0040] In the orientation of the locking housing 20 in the first position according to Fig. 1, a drive cam 41 is integrally formed on each opposite wall section 23, laterally and below the bearing element 40. Each drive cam 41 is movable by means of a drive element 42 such that the locking housing 20 is guided by the cam track 44 of a plate element 43 and can be pivoted, for example, from the first position to a second position according to Fig. 3 or vice versa, by a movement initiated by the drive element 42.

[0041] The plate element 43 is movably mounted relative to the crossbeam 11 and connected to an actuator 45, which allows the plate element 43 to be displaced transversely to the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. To move the locking housing 20 from the first position to a second person, the drive cam 41 moves from the platform 44a shown in Fig. 5 into the cam track 44 and thus descends. This causes the locking housing 20 to pivot about its axis of rotation r, through the tilted position shown in Fig. 2, until it reaches the second position in Fig. 3. To ensure that the locking element 31 pivots past the crossbeam 11 without collision, the crossbeam 11 is provided with a recess 13.

[0042] In the second position, the locking housing 20 is rotated by approximately 90° and the second side wall 22 is rotated upwards, while the first side wall 21 is rotated to the side towards the crossbeam 11. The upward-facing second side wall 22 is essentially aligned in one plane with the top surface 12 of the crossbeam 11 and is designed to receive a container resting flat against it without any locking elements 31 engaging.

[0043] In the first position according to Fig. 1, the height HL of the bearing element 40, defined by the axis of rotation r, is aligned with the height Hsi of the first side wall 21 by a height difference AHLSI, and the lateral position SL of the bearing element 40 is aligned with the lateral position Ss2 of the second side wall 22 by a lateral distance ASLS2. The height difference AHLSI corresponds essentially to the lateral distance ASLS2, so that after pivoting into the second position, the second side wall 22 is aligned approximately at the same level as the first side wall 21 in the first position. The first side wall 21 and the second side wall 22 are essentially flush with the adjacent top surface 12 of the crossbeam 11.

[0044] After rotation into the second position, the side wall 22, or rather the end face of the side wall 21, can be positioned slightly above the level of the top 12. Typically, the container fittings project downwards from the container floor by approximately 12 mm, so that the locking housing 20, in the rotated second position as shown in Fig. 3, can be mounted slightly higher to compensate for the downward projection of the container fittings and to provide a support for the container. Furthermore, Fig. 3 shows that even in the upward-facing second position of the second side wall 22, no components of the locking housing 20 project laterally beyond the free end of the cross member 11. This ensures that the maximum permissible width of the vehicle chassis 10 is maintained regardless of the position of the locking housing 20.

[0045] A locking mechanism 30, which interacts with the locking element 31, is surrounded by the opposite wall sections 23 and the second side wall 22.

[0046] Fig. 4 shows a view of the wall sections 23 opposite the one in the plane of the image, with the bearing element 40 attached to it and the drive cam 41, which is offset laterally and downwards in the first position of the first side wall 21. The bearing element 40 and / or the drive cam 41 are non-rotatably connected to the corresponding wall sections 23 opposite the one in the image.

[0047] The drive cam 41 has a flattened portion 41a on its underside, which allows the drive cam 41 to rest on the pedestal 44a. The drive cam 41 always rests on the pedestal 44a in the first position of the first side wall 21, with a locking element 31 engaged with the container. In this first position, particularly high forces act on the locking element 31, and the flattened portion 41a ensures a linear or surface-like force transmission to the pedestal 44a instead of a point-like force transmission.

[0048] Figure 6 shows a further special embodiment for installation, particularly for a rear position, typically locking position 6, of a vehicle chassis 10, in which a second position is not required. In this position, the container rests on the second side wall 22 with its container fitting without the presence of a locking element 31, 32. In this rear position, for example, a 40' gooseneck container rests flat on the vehicle frame 10, or a 40' ISO container that requires shims with respect to the vehicle frame 10. In any case, the presence of the locking element 31 and / or a second locking element 32 is necessary for this locking position 6.

[0049] In a suitable locking housing 20, the locking element 20 protruding from a first side wall 21 and the second locking element 20 protruding from a third side wall 24 are optionally provided for the fastening of, for example, a 40' ISO container, as shown in Fig. 6, or a goose-neck container or a 20' container.

[0050] The support element 40 is arranged at an off-center height HL with respect to the first side wall 21 and the third side wall 24, whereby the height difference AHLSI between the height HL of the support element 40 and the height Hsi of the first side wall 21 is smaller than the height difference AHLS2 between the height HL of the support element 40 and the height Hss. As a result, the third side wall 24 projects upwards with respect to the level of the crossbeam 11 or the vehicle chassis 10 to such an extent that, for example, an ISO container standing on a gooseneck chassis is supported by the third side wall 24, bridging a clear gap between the container fitting and the level of the crossbeam 11.

[0051] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the locking element 31 and the second locking element 32 are positioned opposite each other at a 180° angle. If a 40' gooseneck container or a 20' container is to be connected to the locking housing 20 in the rearmost locking position 6 on the vehicle chassis 10, the locking housing 20 is rotated by 180° so that the first side wall 21, which lies essentially at a vertical level with the cross member 11, points upwards and contacts the container fitting. The container is then secured by means of the locking element 31.

[0052] REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0053] 10 vehicle chassis

[0054] 11 Crossbeam

[0055] 12 Top side crossbeam

[0056] 13 Recess crossbeam

[0057] 20 locking housings

[0058] 21 First side wall locking housing

[0059] 22 second side wall locking housing

[0060] 23 opposite wall sections

[0061] 24 third side wall locking housing

[0062] 30 locking mechanism

[0063] 31 Locking element

[0064] 32 second locking element

[0065] 40 bearing elements

[0066] 41 drive cams

[0067] 41a Flattening

[0068] 42 Propulsion devices

[0069] 43 plate elements

[0070] 44 Scenery Railway

[0071] 44a Podium

[0072] 45 Actuator

[0073] HL Altitude Bearing Elements

[0074] Hsi altitude first side wall

[0075] HS3 height position third side wall

[0076] AHLSI Height Spacing of Bearing Elements - First Side Wall

[0077] AHLS3 Height spacing of bearing elements - third side wall SL Side position bearing elements

[0078] SS2 side position second side wall

[0079] ASLS2 Lateral spacing of bearing elements - second side wall r axis of rotation x longitudinal axis of vehicle

Claims

REQUIREMENTS 1. Locking device for receiving and releasing a container or swap body to be placed on a vehicle chassis (10), comprising a locking housing (20) with a locking mechanism (30) which interacts with a locking element (31) movable in various functional positions with respect to a first side wall (21) of the locking housing (20), wherein the locking housing (20) is pivotably mounted relative to the vehicle chassis (10) by means of bearing elements (40) about an axis of rotation (r), characterized in that the axis of rotation (r) is oriented essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis (x) of the vehicle chassis (10).

2. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bearing elements (40) engage the vehicle chassis (10) and operating forces are transmitted from the locking housing (20) to the vehicle chassis (10) by means of the bearing elements (40).

3. Locking device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that in a first position the first side wall (21) of the locking housing (20) is pivoted upwards and the locking element (31) can be brought into operative engagement with a container or swap body.

4. Locking device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in a second position the first side wall (21) of the locking housing (20) is pivoted about the axis of rotation (r) and a second side wall (22) of the locking housing (20) is oriented upwards.

5. Locking device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the second position no section of the locking housing (20), the locking mechanism (30) and / or the locking element (31) projects upwards above a level of the vehicle chassis (10).

6. Locking device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that in the second position the locking housing (20) is pivoted by substantially 90° with respect to the first position.

7. Locking device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that in the second position the first side wall (21) of the locking housing (20) is pivoted into a position facing inwards with respect to the vehicle chassis (10).

8. Locking device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the bearing elements (40) are formed in opposite wall sections (23) of the locking housing (20).

9. Locking device according to claim 8, characterized in that a drive cam (41) is formed on at least one opposite wall section (23) of the locking housing (20).

10. Locking device according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive cam(s) (41) is / are arranged at a distance from the bearing elements (40).

11. Locking device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the drive cam(s) (41) is / are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis (x) of the vehicle.

12. Locking device according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the drive cam(s) (41) is / are moved by a drive means (42).

13. Locking device according to claim 13, characterized in that the drive means (42) comprises a plate element (43) with a cam track (44) in which the drive cam (41) is guided.

14. Locking element according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the drive means (42) comprises an actuator (45).

15. Locking element according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the drive cam (41) has at least one flattening (41a) with which the drive cam (41) is supported on the plate element (43).

16. Locking element according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the locking housing (20) has a second locking element (32) movable from a third side wall (24) of the locking housing (20) and the bearing elements (40) are attached to the locking housing (20) in an asymmetrical height position (HL).

17. Locking element according to claim 16, characterized in that the locking housing (20) is pivotable such that either its first side wall (21) with the first locking element (31) or the third side wall (24) with the second locking element (32) can be pivoted upwards and brought into engagement with a container or swap body.

18. Vehicle chassis with locking elements attached thereto according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the vehicle chassis (10) has several cross members (11), wherein two locking housings (20) are attached to a cross member (11) which are controlled by means of a common actuator (45).

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