Container coupler arrangement

Claim 2

A coupling device for attaching two units in tandem relation comprising: a coupler housing adapted to be disposed between the units and unit clamp means exiting from the housing and adapted for coupling with each unit, said clamp means comprising a first clamp member adapted for reception in a coupling recess of one unit and a second clamp member adapted for reception within the recess of a second unit, each clamp member having a clamp head portion constructed for reception within the unit recess in an unlocked position and in a locked position, key means reciprocally disposed within the housing and adapted to cooperate with the clamp means attendant to locking and unlocking of the coupling device with the units, said key means comprising a pair of key elements reciprocally extendable in and out of said housing, one of said key elements being operatively engageable with one clamp member for operation of the latter between locked and unlocked positions and the other key element likewise cooperative with the other clamp member for operation thereof between locked and unlocked positions.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1, and said key means being disposed transversely to said clamping head portions.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1, and each key element being selectively movable inwardly and outwardly of the interior of said housing whereupon inward movement of the key element into the housing rotates the respective clamp head portion to the locked position from the unlocked position and outward movement of each key element rotates the respective clamp head portion from the locked to the unlocked position.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1, and each key element being provided with a vertically spaced runner member having an interlocking section and each clamp member having a complementary interlocking section adapted for engagement with the interlocking section of the respective key runner member upon movement of the respective key element inwardly of the housing and adapted to rotate the respective clamp member to the locked position, each key element having a second runner member spaced from the first named runner member and having a locking surface, each clamp member having a complementary locking surface whereupon intermeshing of said locked sections on the first runner member and on tHe clamp member orients the locking surfaces of the second runner member and the clamp member to prevent rotation of said clamp member in the locked position thereof.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 4, and the interlocking section of one clamp member being oriented generally 180* from the interlocking section of the other clamp member and the locking surface of one key member being oriented generally 180* from the locking surface of the other key member.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1, and each clamp ember and each key element having complementary locking surfaces limiting rotation of the clamp member with respect to the key element in the locked position.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 1, and each key element having an interlocking section and each clamp member having a complementary interlocking section adapted for engagement with the interlocking section of the respective key element upon movement of respective key element inwardly of the housing and adapted to rotate the respective clamp member to the locked position.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 1, and each clamp member being provided with a cam and each key element being provided with a cam engaging wedge, said wedge and said cam each being tapered to provide for transverse movement of the clamp member relative to the key element upon engagement and movement of the key element against the clamp member for rotating the cam and causing transverse movement of the cam member relative to the key element.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 1, and said housing being provided with container entering lug portions about the rotatable clamp head portions attendant to guiding of the housing and clamp head portions into the respective unit recesses and fixing relative movement between the housing and the respective container.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 9, and each of said aligning lug portions being spaced from one another on each side of the housing and on opposite sides of the clamping head positions.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 1, and said clamp head portion being elongated for reception into an elongated recess of the unit whereupon when the clamp head is transversely rotated, removal of the clamp from the clamp head portion unit recess is prevented.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 1, and each of said clamp members being rotated by a respective key member independent of the other clamp member.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 1, and each key element being generally a duplicate of the other but oriented generally 180* with respect to the other.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 1, and each clamp member being generally a duplicate of the other but oriented generally 180* with respect to the other clamp member.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 1, and said key means being provided with means for withdrawing the key means from the housing.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 1, and key retainer means mounted on the housing and having one end engaging the key means and the other end engaging the opposite side of the housing, said retainer means including a first end so clamping said key means and a second movable end engaging the other side of said housing, and means holding the ends of the key retainer means on the housing attendant to holding the key means in the housing.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 16, and the retainer means being provided with key prying means adapted to be inserted into the key means for prying the key means outwardly of the housing for unlocking of the clamp members.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 1, and key retainer means mountable on the housing and including means engaging the key means and the housing in the locked position attendant to holding the key means in the housing in the locked position.

Claim 20

The invention according to claim 1, and said housinG comprising a pair of housings affixed together and entraining the key means and the container clamp members within the housing.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 1, and said unit clamp members and said key means being provided with abutment means adapted for engaging the interior surface of the housing to prevent removal of the key means and the clamp members from the housing.

Claim 22

For tandem coupling together of cargo containers of the highway trailer-type attendant to hoisting of the containers between land, sea or air transport means: an upper between-the-containers compression spacer block and a lower tension coupler between the containers wherein the lower coupler comprises a housing carrying a pair of longitudinally spaced rotatable container tandem locking clamps receivable in the corner fittings of tandem containers in locked and unlocked positions, key means slidable inwardly and outwardly of the housing and contained thereby for each clamp for rotating each clamp about an axis and moving each clamp independently of the other clamp along such axis between locked and unlocked positions and including complementary means on the clamp and on the key means for clamp rotation and the key means having key wedge portions for moving each clamp axially and for limiting rotation of each locked clamp, and key holder means for retaining the key means in the locked position in the housing.

Claim 23

For tandem coupling together of cargo containers of the highway trailer-type attendant to hoisting of the containers between land, sea or air transport means: an upper between-the-containers compression spacer block and a lower tension coupler between the containers wherein the lower coupler comprises a housing carrying a pair of longitudinally spaced rotatable container tandem locking clamps receivable in the corner fittings of tandem containers in locked and unlocked positions, key means slidable inwardly and outwardly of the housing and contained thereby for each clamp for rotating each clamp about an axis and moving each clamp independently of the other clamp along such axis between locked and unlocked positions and including complementary means on the clamp and on the key means for clamp rotation and the key means having key wedge portions for moving each clamp axially and for limiting rotation of each locked clamp, and key holder means for retaining the key means in the locked position in the housing.

Claim 24

A container coupler device comprising: a coupler housing adapted for placement between a pair of tandem units and adapted to engage respective recesses in each of the units attendant to coupling of the units together, a clamp member exiting from each side of the housing and adapted to couple with a respective unit recess in a longitudinal direction, a pair of transversely independently movable key members reciprocally extendable in and cut of said housing, each key member operatively engaging with a respective clamp member for rotation thereof independent of the other clamp member for orienting a respective clamp member inwardly of a recess and irremovably from said recess, each of said key members and its complementary cooperating clamp member having wedging portions cooperative with one another to move the clamp member axially upon transverse movement of the activating key member attendant to placing the clamp member tightly against the interior wall of the unit recess for rigidly and snugly locking the units with respect to one another, and key retainer means disposed over the housing in clamping relation with respect to the key members in preventing movement of the key members outwardly of the housing and thereby preventing axial and rotational movement of the clamp members.

Claim 25

A container coupler device comprising: a coupler housing adapted for placement between a pair of tandem units and adapted to engage respective recesses in each of the units attendant to coupling of the units together, a clamp member exiting from each side of the housing and adapted to couple with a respective unit recess in a longitudinal direction, a pair of transversely independently movable key members reciprocally extendable in and cut of said housing, each key member operatively engaging with a respective clamp member for rotation thereof independent of the other clamp member for orienting a respective clamp member inwardly of a recess and irremovably from said recess, each of said key members and its complementary cooperating clamp member having wedging portions cooperative with one another to move the clamp member axially upon transverse movement of the activating key member attendant to placing the clamp member tightly against the interior wall of the unit recess for rigidly and snugly locking the units with respect to one another, and key retainer means disposed over the housing in clamping relation with respect to the key members in preventing movement of the key members outwardly of the housing and thereby preventing axial and rotational movement of the clamp members.

Claim 26

The invention according to claim 22, and said coupler device coupling the lower portions of the units and acting in tension, an upper compressive element being disposable between the upper portions of the units and coupleable to one of the units, and means for placement at the outer ends of each of the units for coupling with suitable hoisting means attendant to lifting the units together from one place to another.

Claim 27

A coupling device for attaching two units together in tandem relation comprising: a housing, a first coupler member rotatably mounted in said housing and having a head extending outwardly therefrom, a second coupler member rotatably mounted in the housing and extending outwardly therefrom, and means reciprocally insertable inwardly and out of the housing and connecting with each coupler member for selective rotation of each coupler member independently of the other between locked and unlocked positions with respect to a respective unit.

Claim 28

A coupling device for attaching two units together in tandem relation comprising: a housing, a first coupler member rotatably mounted in said housing and having a head extending outwardly therefrom, a second coupler member rotatably mounted in the housing and extending outwardly therefrom, and means reciprocally insertable inwardly and out of the housing and connecting with each coupler member for selective rotation of each coupler member independently of the other between locked and unlocked positions with respect to a respective unit.

Claim 29

The invention according to claim 24, and said means for rotating each coupler member independently comprising: a pair of slide members, each slide member being mounted in said housing for reciprocal motion transverse to the axis of rotatioN of each of the coupler members and connecting with a respective coupler member.

Claim 30

The invention according to claim 25, and retainer means containing each of the slide members within the housing to prevent rotation of the coupler members in the locked position thereof.

Claim 31

The invention according to claim 26, and said last-mentioned means being provided with wedging means for independently moving each of the coupler members in axial opposition relative to the other, attendant to locking of the respective coupler member.

Claim 32

A coupling device for attaching two units in tandem relation comprising: a coupler housing adapted to be disposed between the units and unit clamp means extending from the housing and adapted for coupling with each unit, said clamp means comprising a first clamp member adapted for reception in a recess of one unit and a second clamp means adapted for reception in the recess of a second unit, each clamp member being independently movable with respect to the other clamp member and each clamp member having a clamp head portion constructed for reception within the unit recess in an unlocked position and in a locked position, and key means disposed within said housing and operatively connected with each clamp member attendant to locking and unlocking the same with a unit.

Claim 33

A coupling device for attaching two units in tandem relation comprising: a coupler housing adapted to be disposed between the units and unit clamp means extending from the housing and adapted for coupling with each unit, said clamp means comprising a first clamp member adapted for reception in a recess of one unit and a second clamp means adapted for reception in the recess of a second unit, each clamp member being independently movable with respect to the other clamp member and each clamp member having a clamp head portion constructed for reception within the unit recess in an unlocked position and in a locked position, and key means disposed within said housing and operatively connected with each clamp member attendant to locking and unlocking the same with a unit.

Claim 34

The invention according to claim 28, and said key means comprising a pair of key elements reciprocally extendable in and out of the housing, each key element being cooperative with and for the movement of a respective clamp member attendant to placing the clamp member between locked and unlocked positions.

Claim 35

The invention according to claim 28, and each clamp member having means cooperative with key means for moving each clamp member axially thereof attendant to locking the clamp member with respect to its unit

Claim 36

The invention according to claim 28, and said key means having means engaging with a respective clamp member attendant to rotating said clamp member between locked and unlocked positions independently of the other clamp member.