CONTAINER AND YOKE LOCKING MECHANISM

Abstract: A container (2) which is used at a building site for being hoisted by a crane with a yoke (10), which is pivotably connected to the container (2). The yoke (10) is lockable in an upright position to the container (2) by yoke locking means (18, 19).

Description: CONTAINER AND YOKE LOCKING MECHANISM. The invention relates to a container which is used at . a building site for being hoisted and lowered and being manipulated respectively, while using a building crane. It is the main purpose of the invention tp. provide for a container which needs no manual assistance for coupling the container load to the hoisting cable, yet facilitating its entire handling. Moreover the container can fulfill any and all building safety regulations while its yoke is automatically coupled and uncoupled with respect to its position relative to the container. The basic concept of the container is particularly a crane hoistable container for building purposes, characterized in that its hoisting means comprises a yoke which is pivotably connected to the container and yoke locking means which, in a position of the yoke located over the- container are lockable. Various other preferable- applications and embodiments of the invention are explained hereinafter. The invention will be explained hereinafter for two embodiments. Fig. 1 is a perspectivic view of a container with a hiπgeabie yoke; Fig. 2 is perspectiv view of a detail of the locking mechanism of the hiπgeabie yoke; Fig. 3a up to and inclusive I shows schematically various positions of the container according to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of a container? Fig. 5 is a front view of the container according to Fig. 4-j Fig. 1 shows a known container 1, which consists of a bottom part 2, a rear wall 3, two side walls 4', 4" and a front wail 5. The upper edge of the walls 4' 4", are reinforced by profiles 6. Each side wall 4' ,4" is at its lower part at the external side of the container provided with a bearing 7, in which a pin 8 of a yoke 9 is rotatably inserted. The yoke 9 consists of two legs 10 and a traverse beam 11 having in its centre part a hoisting eye 12. Each profile 6, at about a location above the bearings 7 is provided with a stop means 13, which restricts the rotating movement of the yoke 9 around the bearing 7 to a direction to the front wall 5. The yoke can freely be hinged in the direction of the arrow P 1 and in its lowest position can rest upon the fixed stops 14. Each leg 10 is performed telescopically at- its lower part and it consists of a fixed' part 15', upon which a pin 8 is provided. The part 15' telescopes with respect to the part 15"? the telescoping movement is restricted by a pin 16 which is fixed to part 15' see Fig. 2, which protrudes through a longitudinal opening 17 in the part 15". At the upper portion of the telescoping part 15" there is welded a L-shaped locking element 18, perpendicularly positioned with respect to wall 4', which element cooperates with a locking eye 19, fixed to side wall 4' The length of the short leg of the L-shaped locking element 18 is smaller than the length of the longitudinal opening 17, sothat while moving down the telescoping part 15" from the position as shown in Fig. 2, the upwardly bent part of the locking element 18 will be released from the eye 19. This causes the yoke 9 to be unlocked and it can thereafter be rotated in the direction of the arrow P 1. Because of its own weight, the portion of the yoke 9 consisting of the part 15" and 11 will lower down with respect to the part 15', sαthat when the yoke 9 is reversed in its vertical position the locking element 18 will remain positioned under the locking eye 19. However when hoisting the yoke 9 by means of a crane, attached by means of the hoisting eye 12, the locking function between the yoke 9 and ' the container will be automatically effected, thereby keeping the entire construction in the fixed position as shown in Fig. 1. The shown embodiment of the container according to the invention does not need an extensive explanation and therefore Figs., 3a up to and iπclusivel are schematically given and understood for clarification purposes only. It will be clear that the hoisting cable in Fig. 3 is shown in a straight position or in a curved position where no tension is exerted by the crane to the yoke. From the various schematic views it will be clear that in the hoisting position of cable and container a safe transport is guaranteed because the container will always remain in its horizontal position and only after having lowered the container till ground level, the yoke is further lowered and can thus be released from its locking position and thereafter while hoisting occurs, the contents of the container can so be discharged. In that case the various schematic positions show how the crane driver can manipulate the container yoke and thereby cause to maintain the locking position or to release the locking position between yoke and container thereby changing the container position and/or yoke position each time. Fig. 4 and 5 show another embodiment consisting of a lorry, provided with a bottom 20, three walls 21 and a connecting wall 22. The lower part of the lorry shows bearing 24 and a yoke 25 pivoting around the bearing 24. Likewise the yoke is provided with a hoisting eye 26. The pivoting movement of the yoke 25 is restricted in its upright position by a stop position 27 and another stop 28 is provided enabling the yoke to rotate according to arrow P 2 between its upright position and the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Furthermore the yoke is provided with a supporting element 29 which is pivotably connected to the yoke at 30. This element consists of a traverse element 31 and perpendicularly thereto a locking profile 32 and between the element 31 and the locking profile 32 there is provided a reinforcing sheet 33. The locking element is further provided with a stop element 34 which is allowed to rest upon the upper side of the curved reinforcing sheet 23 in the position of the yoke 25 shown upwardly The end 35 of the locking element 29 than rests upon the front edge of the sheet 23. The open front side of the lorry can be closed by means of a fencing portion 40 which is provided with a pivot 36 , in such a way that the fence 40 can be positioned horizontally, supported by the leg 36 f shown in Fig. 4 by the dotted line 37 The bottom of the lorry is provided with wheels 38, the wheel 39 being preferentially of the rotatable type. The wheels 39 may be of the braking type sothat the lorry is blocked against its rolling away. The container according to Fig. 4 and 5 is particularly destined for transport of relatively small loads which are brought upon the desired level by a building crane, whereafter the transport can be taken over manually. In the hoisted position the yoke 25 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the tilting of the lorry with respect to the yoke is prevented by the stop 27 and the other side by the locking element 29 which cooperates with the sheet 23. However as the lorry is pushed b haπdj the yoke 25 will be unlocked by moving the locking element 29 upwards sothat the yoke 25 is than brought in the position shown by the dotted line in Fig. 4. In this position the lorry can be easily pushed or drawn by the yoke? if the container is hoisted anew, the yoke 25 need only be lifted up, causing the locking element automatically by its own weigth falling behind the sheet 23 which causes the. yoke to be automatically locked.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Container, particularly a crane hoistable container for building purposes, characterized in that its hoisting means comprises a yoke which is pivotably connected to the container and yoke locking meanβ which, in a position of the yoke located over the container are lockable. 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means are integrated in the yoke having a U-shape, traversing the container, the locking means being located substantially far apart from the portion of the yoke comprising the bearing pivots. 3. Container according to claims 1-2, characterized in that the locking means are fixed to a telescoping part of the yoke which locking means cooperate with a fixed locking reception means which is provided on the wall of the container. 4. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means are constituted by a pivotable support which is connected to the yoke, which support at its opposite end, with respect to the yoke is provided with a supporting element which fits a border edge of an upstanding wall part. 5. Container according to claims 1 -4, characterized in that it is provided with stop means for limiting the pivoting movement of the yoke. 6. Container according to claims 1-5, characterized in that the pivot axis of the yoke is located nearby the point of gravity of the container. 7. Container according to claims 1-7, characterized in that a side wall portion of the container is locally reinforced at the location of the bearing pivot. 8. Container according to claim 7, characterized in that the reinforcement is in the shape of a curved sheet which constitutes the upper edge of the side wal 9. Container according to claim 8, characterized in that the side wall opposing the reinforced wall is hingeably connected to the bottom of the container.

Inventors: VERSCHOOR JACOB CORNELIS, VERSCHOOR, JACOB, CORNELIS
Applicants: SOSTAC A G, SOSTAC A.G.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B66C3
IPC codes: B65D88, B66C3