Horizontal connector for shipping containers

Claim 1

A container connector for the independently releasable coupling of a pair of adjacent corner fittings of standard cargo containers, said corner fittings having an inner recess accessible through an elongated orifice on the facing surface thereof, said connector comprising: a. means forming a body having a first planar outside surface for placing said first outside surface against said facing surface of one corner fitting of a first of said shipping containers; b. said body supporting a first pivotable engagement member having an end portion extending beyond said planar outside surface, a generally transversely extending latching shoulder at said end portion, said end portion facing said first container for entering the orifice and inner recess of a corner fitting of said first container and shoulder means on said pivotal member mounted within said body and engageably actuable by a means linearly moveable generally transversely to said pivotable member, for thereafter rotating said first pivotable member around an axis which is parallel to the plane of said first planar outside surface within said recess into a gathering locking engagement with said first shipping container; c. said body having a second planar outside surface parallel with and facing away from said first planar outside surface, said body supporting a second pivotable engagement member facing away from said first shipping container to permit a second shipping container to be moved into a position adjacent the first container so the said second pivotable engagement member enters an orifice and inner recess of a corner fitting of the second container, said body having additional means mounted therein for thereafter independently rotating, around an axis which is parallel with said second planar outside surface, said second pivotable member into a gathering locking engagement with said second shipping container, thereby effectively gathering and locking a pair of adjacent shipping containers.