US3774551A

US3774551A - Container securing means for a transport carrier with latch variably pivoted to accommodate different clearances

Info

Publication number: US3774551A
Application number: US00290998A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Sweger
Original assignee: Illinois Railway Equipment Co
Current assignee: Illinois Railway Equipment Co
Priority date: 1972-09-21
Filing date: 1972-09-21
Publication date: 1973-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-27
Also published as: CA941680A

Abstract

A spring biased latch lever is variably pivoted on the housing of container securing means on a transport carrier to accommodate minimum and maximum clearances between the container securing means and the bottom container fitting mounted thereon.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Sweger Nov. 27, 1973 CONTAINER SECURING MEANS FOR A TRANSPORT CARRIER WITH LATCH VARIABLY PIVOTED TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT CLEARANCES Theodore J. Sweger, Lake Worth,

Fla.

Assignee: Illinois Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111.

Filed: Sept. 21, 1972 Appl. No.: 290,998

lnventor:

US. Cl. 105/366 C, 248/361 R Int. Cl 860p 7/08, B65j 1/22 Field of Search 105/366 C;

248/361 R, 119 R; 296/35 A; 280/179 R References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1971 Smith 105/366 C 9/1971 Sweger 105/366 C 6/1972 Sweger [OS/366C Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman Att0rneyRobert R. Lockwood [57] ABSTRACT A spring biased latch lever is variably pivoted on the housing of container securing means on a transport carrier to accommodate minimum and maximum clearances between the container securing means and the bottom container fitting mounted thereon.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTED NOV 27 4975 SHEE 2 OF 5 PATENTEDNUVZ? I973 3.774.551 SHEET BF 5 CONTAINER SECURING MEANS FOR A TRANSPORT'CARRIER WITII LATCH VARIABLY PIVOTED T ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT CLEARANCES This invention constitutes an improvement over the construction disclosed in Smith U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,363, issued Sept. 14, 1971 and makes use of the construction disclosed in Sweger U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,364, issued Sept. 14, 1971.

The construction disclosed in the above Smith patent employs a spring biased follower slidably mounted on a container latch housing for engagement with a bottom container fitting likely to have a range of clearances with the housing depending upon the spacing of the housings on opposite sides of the transport carrier relative to the spacing of the bottom container fittings on opposite sides of the container. A latch is pivotally mounted on each follower for automatic latching engagement with and unlatching disengagement from each bottom container fitting. The provision of the follower increases the cost and complexity of the container support in which it is incorporated. In addition the follower constitutes an added part that can get out of order and requires one or more springs for its operation.

Among the objects of this invention are: To avoid the use of the follower of the above Smith patent; to variably pivot the latch on the housing of each container support to accommodate a range of clearances between each container support and the bottom container fitting mounted thereon; and to provide a slot in a latch lever of the first class having an ogee bottom surface for receivinga transverse pin mounted on the housing for shifting the latch lever toan unlatching position on upward movement of a container from the container support at or adjacent a location where there is minimum clearance between the container support and the bottom container fitting individual thereto.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a transport carrier, such as a railway flat car.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lower comer portion of a rectangular container that is to be mounted on and transported by'the transport carrier shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the deck of the transport carrier, at an enlarged scale, and shows container securing means in which this invention is embodied.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the construction shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the deck in section and the container means in side elevation looking from right to left of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along line 66 of FIG. 5 and shows the relation between the container securing means and the container with the latter having a maximum clearance between the bottom container fitting and the respective container securing means.

FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, but showing the container fitting having a minimum clearance between it and the container securing means.

FIG. 8 is a view, similar to FIG. 7, and shows the container being lifted from the container securing means.

FIG. 9 is a view, similar to FIG. 8, and shows the relation between the container fitting and the container'securing means on further upward movement of the container.

In FIG. 1 reference character 10 designates, generally, a portion of a transport carrier, such as a railway flat car, that is provided with a floor or deck 1 1 usually formed of sheet steel. Along opposite sides are lengthwise extending slots 12 provided with transverse openings 13 at their ends. Pairs of notches 14 are provided along the slots 12 for receiving shear lugs 15, FIG. 3, that extend upwardly from wings 16 that extend laterally from an extension 17 of a housing that is indicated, generally, at 18 and forms a part of container securing means or container support means that is indicated, generally, at 19. Reference can be had to my copending application, Ser. No. 276,672, filed July 3l, 1972 for a more complete disclosure of the construction and arrangement of the housing 18 and its relation to the 7 pairs of notches 14.

The transport carrier 10 is arranged to have mounted thereon for transport one or more rectangular containscribed, in side walls 25. End vertical slots 26 are provided in end walls 27 and bottom slots 28 are provided in bottom walls 29. The width of the rectangular container 22 or the distance between the side walls 25 is indicated at 30. Ordinarily the distance '30 does not vary to any great extent from container to container.

In FIG. 1 the distance between the lengthwise extending slots 12 is indicated at 33. Because of variations in car construction the distance 33 may vary as much as 1 inch or there may be aclearance of one-half inch between each of the side walls 25 and the associated side wall of the respective container securing means 19. Such clearance may be due to faulty car construction or to wear of the container securing means 19 and the slots 12. Because of excessive clearance empty containers may be blown off of the transport carrier 10 or may be bounced in Smith U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,363, above referred to. Another solution to this problem is disclosed herein.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 it will be observed that the housing 18 is provided with a seat 34 for receiving the respective container fitting 23. Extending upwardly from the seat 34 are a side wall 35 and a right angularly related end wall 36. These walls are arranged to overlie the side walls 25 and end walls 27 of the container fittings 23. A slot 37 is provided in side wall'35 for receiving the upper end 38 of a lever that is indicated generally at 39 and is of the first class.

The lever 39 is arranged to pivot about one or the other of two axes that are provided by an upper pin 40 that is relatively short and extends through wall sections 41, FIG. 5, and a lower pin 42 that is relatively long and extends through wall sections 43 of the housing 18. It will be understood that the

pins

40 and 42 are relatively stacompression spring 49 is arranged to bias the lever 39 in a clockwise direction so as to bring a nose portion 50 on the upper end 38 into latching engagement with the respective outside vertical slot 24 of the associated container fitting 23. The nose portion 50 has a striker surface 51 that is downwardly inclined and curved to be engaged by a lower comer 52 of the container fitting 23 when the container 22 is lowered unto the container securing means 19 for displacing the upper end 38 of the lever 39. The downward movement continues until the bottom wall 29 of the container fitting 23 rests upon the seat 34, as indicated in FIG. 6, whereupon the nose portion 50 moves through the respective vertical slot 24 and into latching engagement with the container fitting 23. The nose portion 50 has a latching under surface 53 that is inclined upwardly from the horizontal at an angle of about 7 and is arranged to overlie a bottom surface 54 of the respective outside vertical slot 24 in the container fitting 23 as shown more clearly in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

The relation between the lever 39 and its pivotal mounting on the upper pin 40 is of particular importance in view of the fact that this relationship makes it possible to accommodate a fairly wide range of clearances between the container fittings 23 and the respective container securing means 19. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings the lever 39 has a slot 58 formed therein through which the upper pin 40 extends transversely. The slot 58 has an ogee bottom surface 59 with a concave portion 60 and a convex portion 61.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 6 the maximum clearance that can be permitted between the side wall of the container fitting 23 and the inner side of the side wall 35 of the housing 18 is indicated at 64. For example, the maximum clearance may be of the order of one/half inch. The extent that the nose portion 50 projects into the vertical slot 24 is indicated at 65. This may be of the order of 1 1/16 inch. It is desirable that this overlap of the nose portion 50 with respect to the bottom surface 54 be maintained without regard to the variation in the clearance distance 64 in order to maintain proper latching engagement with the container fittings 23. The distance 65 is measured from the side wall 25 to the tip 66 of the nose portion 50. The movement of the nose portion 50 into the slot 24 is limited by engagement of an outwardly curved surface 55 on the lever 39 with the side wall'25.

In FIG. 6 it will be observed that the lever 39 is so located that the upper pin 40 is directly above the concave portion 60 of the ogee bottom surface 59. At 67 there is indicated a false travel distance which means that, when the container fitting 23 is moved upwardly and engages the latching under surface 53 of the nose portion 50, the lever 39 can move upwardly through this distance. Under these conditions the moment arm for applying a force to shift the lever 39 to the unlatched position is indicated at 68. This is the distance that corresponds to the clearance distance 64 previously referred to. On continued upward movement of the container fitting 23 sufficient force can be applied readily to overcome the biasing action of the coil compression spring 48 to pivot the lever 39 about the upper pin 40 in a counterclockwise direction and shift the nose portion 50 out of latching position with respect to the vertical slot 24.

FIG. 7 shows the relation between the container fittings 23 and the container securing means 19 or the housing 18 when there is a minimum of clearance, indicated at 69, between the side wall. 25 and the side wall of the housing 18. Here the lever 39 is shifted to the left from the position shown in FIG. 6 since the out wardly curved surface 55 engages the side wall 25 of the container fitting 23 which is close to the inner side of the side wall 35. There is a corresponding shift in the position of the slot 58 so that the false travel distance indicated at 70 is much less than the false travel distance 67 illustrated in FIG. 6. The reason for this is that the upper pin overlies the convex portion 61 of the ogee bottom surface 59. The corresponding moment arm, indicated at 71, is correspondingly small. Upward movement of the container fitting 23 engages the latching under surface 53 of the nose portion 50 at 72. Because of the relatively short moment arm 71, vertical movement of the container fitting 23 causes binding when the force exerted by the coil compression spring 48 is sufficient to prevent accidental removal of the container 22.

FIG. 8 shows the action that takes place when the container fitting 23 is moved upwardly as indicated by arrow 73 when the condition of minimum clearance exists. On continued application of upward force and engagement at 72 with the latching under surface 53 of the nose portion 50, the lever 39 is shifted in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 9 where the convex portion 61 of the ogee bottom surface 59 has been moved to the right and the concave portion 60 is engaged by the upper pin 40. Engagement with the latching under surface53 now is at 74. As a result the container fitting 23 can continue to move upwardly in the direction indicated by arrow 73 without binding. The pivotable movement of the lever 39 continues on application of sufiicient upward force to overcome the biasing action of the coil compression spring 48. As a result the nose portion 50 is moved out of latching engagement with the vertical slot 24.

On downward movementof the container fitting 23,

the lower comer 52 of the container fitting 23 engages the striker surface 51 in a manner previously described. The lever 39 then is pivoted about the lower pin 42 in a counterclockwise direction. Because of the relatively short lever arm between the lower pin 42 and the trunnions 46, the relatively high force exerted by the coil compression spring 48 is readily overcome in the manner described in my US. Pat. No. 3,604,364 above referred to.

I claim:

1. Container securing means for a transport carrier arranged to secure thereto one or more containers each having at least one bottom container fitting with a latch receiving opening in a wall thereof, said bottom container fitting having clearance between said wall and said container securing means likely to vary over a relatively wide range from a minimum clearance to a maximum clearance, said container securing means comprising housing means for attachment to said transport carrier for underlying each container fitting, latch means on said housing means including a nose portion for entering said latch receiving opening, means biasing said latch means into latching engagement with said bottom container fitting, and means variably pivoting said latch means on said housing means whereby throughout said clearance limits said nose portion enters said latch receiving opening through the same extent.

2. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein said means variably pivoting said latch means on said housing means includes a pin on said housing means extending transversely of said latch means through a slot therein the bottom surface of which is an ogee with the convex portion underlying said pin in the latched position of said latch means when said container fitting is in or adjacent said minimum clearance position, said latch means on movement of said bottom container fitting upwardly from said housing in engagement with said pin shifting to bring the concave portion of said ogee into pivotal engagement with said pin and effect a corresponding withdrawal of said nose portion from said latch receiving opening.

3. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises a lever of the first class with said nose portion at one end having a downwardly inclined striker surface for engagement by said bottom container fitting on its downward movement to shift said nose portion out of the downward path of said bottom container fitting against the action of said biasing means until said nose portion can enter said latch when said minimum clearance condition is approached to shift the location of the engagement by said bottom container fitting with said under surface toward the distal end of said nose portion to facilitate movement of said nose portion out of latching engagement with said bottom container fitting.

4. Container securing means according to claim 3 wherein said biasing means reacts against the other end of said lever, and means pivotally engage said lever in spaced relation to said means variably pivoting said lever and adjacent the reaction area of said biasing means therewith about which said lever pivots when said bottom container fitting moves downwardly and enagages said striker surface.

5. Container securing means according to claim 4 wherein said latching under surface being inclined upwardly from the horizontal at an acute angle.

Claims

3. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises a lever of the first class with said nose portion at one end having a downwardly inclined striker surface for engagement by said bottom container fitting on its downward movement to shift said nose portion out of the downward path of said bottom container fitting against the action of said biasing means until said nose portion can enter said latch receiving opening, said nose portion having a latching under surface for engagement by said bottom container fitting when it is moved upwardly, said means variably pivoting said latch means being arranged and adapted when said minimum clearance condition is approached to shift the location of the engagement by said bottom container fitting with said under surface toward the dIstal end of said nose portion to facilitate movement of said nose portion out of latching engagement with said bottom container fitting.