A CONTAINER WHICH CAN BE UNFOLDED AND FOLDED DOWN

Abstract: Container which can be unfolded and folded down, designed for transporting miscellaneous materials such as shavings, bar, wood-chips, pine-needles and the like, associated with rationalised forestry farming. The container comprises a rectangular base, and ends and side flaps foldably disposed along its edges, being attached by means of hinges. The ends and flaps are divided at preferably half their height and are equipped with hinges so that the sections can be folded onto each other. In order that the containers may be used for many purposes, all the folding hinges (4) comprise a hinge part (8) permanently attached to one part of the end or side flap respectively and a part (9) comprising the hinge pin (10) and which can be displaced laterally relative to the first hinge part sufficiently far in both directions to enable the flaps to be folded in both directions. All the folding hinges (7) and the base (1) comprise a hinge part (15) which can be displaced at right-angles to the base and extends in the displacement direction, and which is guided in its displacement movement by a guide tube (16) fixed to the base, being of such a length that it allows the hinge pins of the edge hinges to move up sufficiently far over the base when the side flaps and ends, which have been folded in two, are folded down onto the base for these to rest flat against each other.

Description: A Container v/hich can be unfolded and Folded Down The present invention relates to a container v/hich can be unfolded and folded down, designed for trans¬ porting miscellaneous goods, preferably shavings, bark, wood-chips, pine-needles and the like, associated with rationalised forestry farming, comprising a base v/hich is rectangular in plan and has folding ends and side flaps attached along its edges b means of hinges, these ends and flaps being divided at preferably half their height and equipped with hinges so that the sections can be folded onto each other. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a multi-purpose container v/hich, by reason of its struc¬ ture, may be used as an open low-sided container on a lorry or the like as well as as a normal container, a ^ which can be folded down during the return journey of the empty container so that it occupies the minimum amount of space. The container also has the advantage that it can be unloaded via its sides or its ends. The above-mentioned advantages and others v/hich will become apparent from the attached Drawing and the following description are obtained due to the fact that the container according ~o the present invention has the characteristics given in the Patent Claims. The invention will be e;cplained in more detail in the following with reference to the attached Drawing in v/hich Figure 1a is an isometric projection showing how two containers are used to form a low-sided lorry container. Figure 1b shows three containers on a cur-axle trailer, again in an isometric projection. Figure 2a shows a container with tie ends and side flaps unfolded and shows schematically how ϋhese co-act with uprights, and how the ends of the container can be opened to make easy and rapid unloading possible. Figure 2b shows how the container is normallv arranged ! F when it is used as a low-sided container as shown in Figure 1a, and Figure 2c shows an example of hov/ the ends and side flaos can be folded. Figure 2d shows a completely unfolded container. Figure 3a is a detail showing an example of locking devices v/hich are effective between the uprights and the side flaps or ends respectively. Figure 3b shows an example of hov/ ' the ends and side flaps respectively can be arranged to enable them to be folded both inwards and outwards. Figure - shows how the length of supporting profile can be connected via a U-shaped beam to the chassis beam on a lorry, and Figure *f-b is a detail v/hich shows an example of hov/ a container can be locked securely to the said IT-shaped beam, and also how the monitoring of the secure locking of the container to the chassis is accomplished b a terminal position switch connecte to a signalling system. Finally, Figures 5 and 5b illustrate different ways of folding the sides and ends of the container. On the Drawing the same reference symbols are used throughout for parts with the same effect. On the Drawing, 1 designates the base and 2 and 3 folding ends and side flaps respectively, on a con¬ tainer according to the present invention, k distin- guishing feature of the invention is the fact that the ends 2 and the side flaps 3 are divided at preferably half their height and are equipped with hinges -^ which allow the ends 2 and the flaps 5 to be folded both outwards and inwards. The construction of the hinge ~ vhich can be seen in more detail in Figures 5a and 5b is such that in the com le e^ folded state the end and flap sections respectively lie tight against each other as shown in Figures 2b, 2c, 2d and 5a. Further¬ more, the ends 2 and the side flaps 5 can be folded - 5 - at the base 1 both outwards/downwards like the flaps on a lorry, and also inv/ards onto the base , as can be seen in Figures 2c, 2d, 5a and 5b. According to a special characteristic of the invention the ends 2 and the side flaps 5 are designed to co-act with fixed or movable uprights 5, v/hich are preferably divided in the middle as shown in Figures 2b and 2c. According to another special characteristic of the invention there are locking devices 5 acting between the uprights 5 and the ends 2 or side flaps 5 respect¬ ively; the construction of these devices can be seen clearly in Figure 5a. In order to enable the ends 2 and the side flaps 3 to fold both outwards/downwards and inv/ards they are mounted on an intermediate part 7- the construction of which can be seen in Figure 5a. The hinge 4-, the construction of v/hich can be clearly seen in Figures 3 and 5b, consists of a T-shaped mounting 8 made of strip-iron, disposed on the lower half of an end or a side flap, together with a corresponding U-shaped mounting 9 made of round-iron v/hich is slidably disposed in the T-shaped mounting 3 and is fixed on the corresponding upper half. In each hinge the lower half is provided with a track-shaped recess 10 in v/hich the U-shaped mounting 9 rests when the end 2 or flap- 5 is in the unfolded state. In Figure 3b dashed lines indicate how the hinge 4- funct¬ ions when the upper section of the end or flap takes " up various positions. Obviously, the hinge -÷ functions equally well if the mounting P and the recess 10 are arranged in the upper half of the end or side flap, and the mounting 9 in the lower half, instead. The locking device arranged on the uprights and acting betwee the latter and the ends or side fla s respectively can be const ucted, for example, as shown in Figure 5 . Such a locking device consists of a pin 11 v/hich passes through the upright 5 v/hich is equipped on both sides of the upright v/i ~ h a plate 12 and on the outside with a handle as well. The locking device 5 thereby prevents the a__._.s 2 and the side flaps 5 respectively from moving either in- v/ards or outwards, and it is also easy to manipulate by the handle 15. The intermediate part v/hich allows the ends and side flaps to be folded according to the invention (see Figures 5a and 5b) consists of a hinge acting between the base 1 and the lower part of the end or side flap respectively, one half 1*4* of this hinge being fixed on the said lower part and the other half 5 being slidably mounted in a tube 15 attached to the base 1 and disposed at right-angles thereto. 3y means of this construction it is ensured that the pivot of the hinge can occupy different positions relative to the base 1 of the container, depending or. whether the end 2 or flap 5 is resting on the base 1 folded in two as shown in Figure 2d, or whether a flap 5 folded in two is resting on top of an end 2 folded in two, as shown in Figures 5a and 5b. So that the container according to the present invention may be able to be transported securely on the chassis of a tractor, lorry or trailer vehicle the container has a length of supporting profile 17 v/hich fits in a profile bar 19 disposed on the said chassis 18 as shown in Figures • '-a and ~ . The container is locked securely onto the profile bar 9 - means of pins 20 which pass through concentric holes in the length of supporting profile 17 and the profile bar C.V.PI - _? - 19; these pins can preferably be manipulated by means of a hydraulic piston unit 21. V en the locking pin is oushed right in it actuates a terminal position switch 22 which is connected to the starting or brake system of the vehicle so that the vehicle cannot be driven until the container is securely attached to the vehicle. The container according to the present invention affords great flexibility in its use. It can be seen from Figures la,. 2b. 2c and a that the ends and side flaps of the container can be folded in two so that the container can be used as a low-sided lorry con¬ tainer. Ξy reason of the fact that the ends and flaps can be folded according to the characteristics of the invention, the container may be folded -dovn so that it occupies an optimum small amount of space (see Figure 2d) which is of value when returning empty containers. The advantages of a container system according to the invention with collapsible ends and folding side walls are that unnecessary load-transferring is eliminated and the number of empty runs can be reduced to a minimum. The fact that the sides of the container can be opened in all directions reduces the risk of accidents with pockets of shaving and wood-chips, and reduces wastage v/hich might otherwise occur when tipping a conventional container.

Claims: - o — P a t t C l a i s 1. A container which can be unfolded and folded down, designed for transporting miscellaneous goods, preferably shavings, bark, wood-chips, pine-needles and the like associated with rationalised forestry 5 farming, comprising a base v/hich is rectangular in plan and has folding ends and side flaps attached ■ along its edges by means of hinges, these ends and flaps being divided at preferably half their height and equipped with hinges so that the sections can be 10 folded onto each other, characterised in that all the folding hinges (*-!-) of the ends (2) and the side flaps (3) comprise a hinge part (3) attached securely to one part of the end or side flap respectively, and also a part (9) v/hich comprises the pin (10) of the 5 hinge and can be displaced laterally relative to the hinge part (8) in both directions sufficiently far for folding of the flaps to be possible in both dir¬ ections, and that all the folding hinges (7) on the base (1) comprise a hinge part (15) v/hich can be dis- 20 • -' placed at right-angles relative to the base and extends in the displacement direction, and v/hich is guided in its displacement movement by a guide tube (1-5) v/hich is fixed to the base, and which is of such a length that it allows the hinge pin of the edge hinges to move —y up sufficiently far over the base when the side flaps and ends, v/hich have baan folded in two, are folded down onto the base for these to rest flat on each other. 2. A container according to Patent Claim 1, characterised in that the fixed part (3) of th; hing ( • '+) comprises an arrangement v/hich centres the hinge pin (10) in a central position when the ends (2) and the side flaps (5) are in the unfolded state. - ~ container according to Patent Claim characterised in that at least the side flaps (5) are divided into sections, and that between these sections and in the corners of the container there _ are uprights (5) which co-act with the ends (2) and side flaps (3) respectively. . 0MPI

Inventors: LARSSON C
Applicants: LARSSON C
Application year: 1980
Main classification: B65D88
IPC codes: B62D33, B65D88