Container retaining latch mechanism

Claim 2

A latch mechanism for releasable securement of a freight container on a support pedestal in position for transportation by a carrier vehicle and comprising, in combination: catch means on said container and having side, bottom and catch surfaces at the lower region of the container, said pedestal having container supporting and retaining surfaces relative to which the contaier is carried in sue, a clasp member hingedly mounted on one of the retaining surfaces of said pedestal for switnging movements to and from positions of retaining engagement with said catch surface of the catch means when the container is supported on said supporting surface of the pedestal, said clasp member having a cam surface which has a steep incline relative to said one of the retaining surfaces and which overlies said catch surface when the container is supported on the pedestal, said clasp member also having a detent surface normally disposed in agnular relationship to said one of the retaining surfaces and disposed in opposed relationship to said cam surface for engagement with said catch means when the container is moveD into supported position on said pedestal to deflect the clasp member away from the catch means until the cam surface is in position for engagement with said catch surface, and resilient means for biasing said clasp member toward said position of retaining engagement with said catch surface, the biasing force of said resilient means and the angularity of said cam surface relative to said catch surface being effective to require a large force for effecting release of said clasp member from said catch surface as a result of force applied by the catch surface to the cam surface in a direction parallel to said one of the retaining surfaces.

Claim 3

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein said steep incline and resilient means are correlated, with the degree and strength thereof, respectively, chosen for a predetermination of said removal force.

Claim 4

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 2, wherein said resilient means is a pair of coil tension springs, one on each side of said clasp member.

Claim 5

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 3, wherein said springs and clasp member form arms and a stem, respectively, of a ''''Y'''' configuration, laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the clasp member, said springs counter-balancing one another for bias stability laterally of the clasp member.

Claim 6

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 4, wherein said catch surface is an edge of an opening in one side of said catch means and said clasp member is supported to provide play laterally with respect to the direction of swinging movement of the clasp member for compensation of off-center variations in position of said opening with respect to said clasp member upon initial seating of said container.

Claim 7

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 5, wherein said opening has rounded corners and said clasp member has diverging sides forming a wedge extending along said cam surface, said rounded corners and wedge sides cooperating to urge said clasp member laterally against the lateral bias stability of said springs upon entry of the clasp member into said opening.

Claim 8

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 6, wherein said clasp member is mounted on and extends through said one of the retaining surfaces of said pedestal in a direction lateral to said catch surface.

Claim 9

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 7, wherein said one of the retaining surfaces has an aperture in position for registery with said opening in the catch surface when the container is supported on the pedestal, said arms and stem of said ''''Y'''' configuration being suspended within said aperture.

Claim 10

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 8, wherein said clasp member has a head portion including said cam surface, detent surface, and wedge sides, and is mounted on said pedestal for swinging movement relative to an axis remote from said head portion.

Claim 11

A latch mechanism in accordance with claim 9, wherein said head portion of the clasp member includes hooks extending laterally at each side thereof, said aperture being of ''''Y'''' conformation and having hook members extending inwardly thereof from opposite sides, one at each outer arm reach of said aperture conformation, and said coil springs being joined at each end to said hooks and hook members.

Claim 12

A railway flat car comprising a deck, a plurality of container supports on the deck, a container having lower corners supported on the container supports, each of said lower corners having an opening therein, each container support having a generally horizontal seat to support the associated lower corner of the container, and a pair of connected walls arranged in a right angular relation and extending upwardly from the seat to restrain the container against horizontal movement, a releasable locking member on each container support adjacent one of the walls, means mounting the locking member for generally pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, the upper portion of said locking Member having a protuberance extending inwardly from one of the walls and adapted to extend into the adjacent container opening for restraining the container against removal from the associated support at a lifting force below a predetermined minimum lifting force, and means urging the upper portion of the locking member and protuberance inwardly toward the container opening, said protuberance having a lower cam surface for contacting an edge of the container corner defining the lower portion of the associated container opening and a downwardly inclined upper surface adapted to contact the lower corner of the container upon lowering of the container onto the container support, the contact of said container with said upper surface upon lowering of the container urging the locking member outwardly for seating of the container on the support, and upward movement of the container being restrained by said protuberance until a predetermined minimum upward force is reached whereupon said protuberance is urged outwardly by contact of said lower cam surface with the edge of the container corner defining the opening.

Claim 13

A railway flat car comprising a deck, a plurality of container supports on the deck, a container having lower corners supported on the container supports, each of said lower corners having an opening therein, each container support having a generally horizontal seat to support the associated lower corner of the container, and a pair of connected walls arranged in a right angular relation and extending upwardly from the seat to restrain the container against horizontal movement, a releasable locking member on each container support adjacent one of the walls, means mounting the locking member for generally pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, the upper portion of said locking Member having a protuberance extending inwardly from one of the walls and adapted to extend into the adjacent container opening for restraining the container against removal from the associated support at a lifting force below a predetermined minimum lifting force, and means urging the upper portion of the locking member and protuberance inwardly toward the container opening, said protuberance having a lower cam surface for contacting an edge of the container corner defining the lower portion of the associated container opening and a downwardly inclined upper surface adapted to contact the lower corner of the container upon lowering of the container onto the container support, the contact of said container with said upper surface upon lowering of the container urging the locking member outwardly for seating of the container on the support, and upward movement of the container being restrained by said protuberance until a predetermined minimum upward force is reached whereupon said protuberance is urged outwardly by contact of said lower cam surface with the edge of the container corner defining the opening.