Shipping and storage container interlock

Claim 2

In apparatus for shipping large cargo containers stacked one on top of the other and side by side having means securing vertically stacked containers to each other and means for securing at least some of horizontally adjacent containers to each other to increase the stability of the container stacks and prevent relative motion between the containers when subjected to normal transport motions and forces, the improvement comprising: supports for vertically aligning the containers in a stack, a horizontally disposed member for releasably interlocking opposing supports in adjacent stacks, means permitting limited rotation of the supports about their vertical axes when placed on top of the stack, means for respectively locking and unlocking the member and the opposing supports when the supports are at their respective terminal points of rotation so that adjacent container stacks become horizontally interengaged and provide an effective container support base greater than the base of each container to thereby increase the stability of the container stacks.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the locking and unlocking means comprises horizontally disposed openings extending through the supports, means within the openings for engaging the member and locking it to the support, and means positioning the engaging means for release of the member from the support upon rotation of the corner fastener into its vertically unlocked position.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the locking and unlocking means comprises angularly inclined vertical sidewalls defining at least portions of the openings and positioned so that they can be rotated into engagement and disengagement with the member by rotation of the support.

Claim 5

Apparatus accOrding to claim 3 wherein the member comprises a rigid toothed rack.

Claim 6

A cargo container support block for interengaging corner fittings of vertically stacked containers and forming a horizontal interconnection between adjacent containers in different container stacks to increase the stability of the stacks, the block comprising lower means for insertion in a lower container corner fitting, upper means for insertion in an upper container corner fitting, means for securing the lower means to the lower container fitting to prevent removal of the block from the lower fitting by applying a vertically acting force thereto, and intermediate means connected to the upper means and the lower means for engagement with a horizontally adjacent block mounted between containers in an adjacent stack, the intermediate means comprising means for firmly engaging horizontally disposed bar means when the block engages the upper fitting and the lower fitting connecting the blocks, means permitting selective separation of the block and the bar means for disengaging the block and the bar means, and means for releasably and substantially immovably locking the bar to the engaging means to thereby form a rigid connection between the horizontally adjacent blocks and stacks.

Claim 7

A cargo container support block for interengaging corner fittings of vertically stacked containers and forming a horizontal interconnection between adjacent containers in different container stacks to increase the stability of the stacks, the block comprising lower means for insertion in a lower container corner fitting, upper means for insertion in an upper container corner fitting, means for securing the lower means to the lower container fitting to prevent removal of the block from the lower fitting by applying a vertically acting force thereto, and intermediate means connected to the upper means and the lower means for engagement with a horizontally adjacent block mounted between containers in an adjacent stack, the intermediate means comprising means for firmly engaging horizontally disposed bar means when the block engages the upper fitting and the lower fitting connecting the blocks, means permitting selective separation of the block and the bar means for disengaging the block and the bar means, and means for releasably and substantially immovably locking the bar to the engaging means to thereby form a rigid connection between the horizontally adjacent blocks and stacks.

Claim 8

A block according to claim 5 wherein the means permitting separation of the block and the bar means comprises a tapered aperture in the intermediate member through which the bar means extends, and wherein the lower means comprises a plug section for insertion in a generally rectangular opening of the corner fitting, each longitudinal side of the plug section being defined by a pair of angularly inclined side portions permitting limited relative rotation of the block in the opening for alignment of the block with the bar means in a bar means engaging and the bar means disengaging positions.

Claim 9

A block according to claim 6 wherein the securing means comprises flange means extending outwardly in a generally horizontal direction from the plug section and from angularly disposed side portions of the sections only which are substantially parallel to longitudinal sides of the opening when the block engages the bar means.

Claim 10

A block according to claim 7 wherein the bar means comprises a straight, toothed bar, wherein the engaging means comprises teeth on a first aperture defining wall and perpendicular to the last mentioned side portions, and wherein the tapered aperture has a horizontal minimum width slightly greater than the horizontal width of the bar.

Claim 11

A block according to claim 8 wherein the disengaging means comprises a second, generally vertical aperture defining second wall tapered with respect to the first wall by an angle at least about equal to the angle of possible rotation of the block in the lower corner fitting opening, and wherein the block and bar teeth have a depth which fully disengages them when a back side of the bar is parallel to and contacts the second wall.

Claim 12

A cargo container support block for interconnecting adjacent cargo container stacks with a horizontally disposed toothed bar to stabilize the stacks, the block comprising a main body portion having generally parallel upper and lower sides for placement between a pair of vertically stacked containers, a horizontally tapered, generally rectangular opening extending horizontally through the main body, teeth for meshing with teeth on the bar, the teeth projecting from a first vertical aperture defining wall and having a second vertical aperture defining wall which is longitudinally inclined with respect to the first wall by a predetermined angle, a cone member projecting upwardly from the main body dimensioned to correspond to cone members of standard cargo container supports for engaging the upper container and aligning it with respect to the main body, and a plug depending downwardly of the body in alignment with the cone and having first and second sets of diagonally arranged parallel sides angularly inclined with respect to eacH other by an angle no greater than about the predetermined angle, and flange means extending substantially parallel to the upper and lower body sides away from one of the side sets.

Claim 13

A cargo container support block for interconnecting adjacent cargo container stacks with a horizontally disposed toothed bar to stabilize the stacks, the block comprising a main body portion having generally parallel upper and lower sides for placement between a pair of vertically stacked containers, a horizontally tapered, generally rectangular opening extending horizontally through the main body, teeth for meshing with teeth on the bar, the teeth projecting from a first vertical aperture defining wall and having a second vertical aperture defining wall which is longitudinally inclined with respect to the first wall by a predetermined angle, a cone member projecting upwardly from the main body dimensioned to correspond to cone members of standard cargo container supports for engaging the upper container and aligning it with respect to the main body, and a plug depending downwardly of the body in alignment with the cone and having first and second sets of diagonally arranged parallel sides angularly inclined with respect to eacH other by an angle no greater than about the predetermined angle, and flange means extending substantially parallel to the upper and lower body sides away from one of the side sets.

Claim 14

A block according to claim 10 wherein a portion of the first wall adjacent a small end of the aperture and extending towards the other aperture end a distance greater than one tooth thickness is tooth free.

Claim 15

A block according to claim 10 wherein the second wall extends past a small aperture end.

Claim 16

A block according to claim 12 including a bar retaining surface defined by a portion of the second wall disposed outside the aperture which is substantially parallel to the first wall and spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than a width of the bar for accommodating the bar and preventing movement of the bar away from the aperture teeth when the bar and the block are in an interlocked position.

Claim 17

A cargo container shipping and storing system comprising at least two stacks of rectilinear cargo containers, each stack comprising a plurality of vertically stacked containers and occupying a support surface having minimal dimensions substantially less than the overall stack height, means between the containers in each stack positioning, aligning and interlocking the containers in each stack, and a horizontal stack interlocking member disposed on top of at least one container in each stack at like stack elevations and at points adjacent to the other stack, means for releasably securing the members to the respective containers, means permitting at least limited rotation of the members about vertical axes, at least one protrusion on each member positioned for horizontal alignment with the protrusion on the adjacent member in the adjacent stack by correspondingly rotating the members about the vertical axes, rigid means engaging the horizontally aligned protrusions in adjacent members to thereby horizontally interlock containers in adjacent stacks, and increase the effective base area of the stacks and the stability of the stacks against tip over, and means for selective disengagement of the protrusions and the rigid means by rotating the protrusions about the horizontal axes for removal of the rigid means and of the interconnection between the stacks.

Claim 18

A cargo container shipping and storing system comprising at least two stacks of rectilinear cargo containers, each stack comprising a plurality of vertically stacked containers and occupying a support surface having minimal dimensions substantially less than the overall stack height, means between the containers in each stack positioning, aligning and interlocking the containers in each stack, and a horizontal stack interlocking member disposed on top of at least one container in each stack at like stack elevations and at points adjacent to the other stack, means for releasably securing the members to the respective containers, means permitting at least limited rotation of the members about vertical axes, at least one protrusion on each member positioned for horizontal alignment with the protrusion on the adjacent member in the adjacent stack by correspondingly rotating the members about the vertical axes, rigid means engaging the horizontally aligned protrusions in adjacent members to thereby horizontally interlock containers in adjacent stacks, and increase the effective base area of the stacks and the stability of the stacks against tip over, and means for selective disengagement of the protrusions and the rigid means by rotating the protrusions about the horizontal axes for removal of the rigid means and of the interconnection between the stacks.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 14 wherein the disengaging means includes means permitting the slideable removal of the rigid means from the members.

Claim 20

A system according to claim 15 wherein the members are positioned between vertically adjacent containers in a stack and vertically space such containers.

Claim 21

A system according to claim 16 wherein the members are secured to container positioning and aligning means, and wherein the member rotating means comprises means permitting the simultaneous limited rotation about the vertical axis of each member and the associated positioning and aligning means.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 17 including means for automatically biasing the rigid member into engagement with the protrusion of a member upon rotation of the member about the vertical axis, the biasing means including means positively preventing the disengagement of the protrusion and the rigid means in the absence of further rotational movement of the member.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 18 wherein the containers comprises cargo vessel containers and wherein the member and the rigid means are disposed immediately beneath the uppermost container in each stack.