A REMOTE-CONTROL DEVICE TO RELEASE LOCKS ON STACKS

Abstract: The present invention relates to a remote-controlled device designed to unlock (release) stack locks mounted on containers of type ISO, which containers can be stacked and shipped, e.g. at sea on freighters, and which locks preferably are mounted at the four corners of a container in order to vertically and automatically connect the containers to each other, when they are being stacked on top of each other, by means of influence of the weight of containers at a higher level, a lifting device in the form of a crane, a travelling crane or the like being provided to lift the upper container from the stack, when the locks, which are mounted on the container (7) to be lifted, have been unlocked by a release of lock elements. The unlocking device (1) is mounted on the lifting yoke (8) of the lifting device or as a part thereof with release mechanisms or "keys" (19) in the form of wedges, magnets or the like, which are pushed downwards from the lifting yoke and are guided downwards towards and are inserted into the locks and simultaneously remove the lock elements from an engagement with the container below (6) and in this way containers (7), which are to be lifted, are set free from the container (6), positioned below them.

Description: A REMOTE-CONTROLLED DEVICE TO RELEASE LOCKS ON STACKS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a remote-controlled device designed to release locks on stacks of containers of type ISO, which containers are to be stacked and be shipped, e.g. at sea on freighters , and which locks preferably are mounted at the four corners of a container in order to vertically and automatically lock the containers against each other, by means of the influence exerted by the weight of containers positioned higher up, when the containers are stacked on top of each other, and which containers can be lifted from the stack by means of a lifting device in the form of a crane, a travelling crane or the like with a lifting yoke, when the lock, on the container to be lifted, has been released. BACKGROUND ART In the above-mentioned technical field many different solutions to release locks on stacks of containers are known. This can be done manually either from below on deck or manually from a cage, suspended in a travelling crane. An operator handles in the latter case a bar, the one end of which is designed to hold the bar and on the other end of which a gripping appliance is mounted, by means of which the locks on the stacks can be handled in order to release them. This work is troublesome and hard and often highly dangerous for people selected to carry out the operation, particularly when the locks raise difficulties at the top of the stack and require efforts by means of welding equipment or the like. These lock release operations are often technically complicated and exceedingly difficult to perform, particularly when the wind is strong. Also, in case the containers are positioned close to each other, it is very difficult to get at the locks to release them, from below as well as from above. BRIEF DISCRETION OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned inconveniences and drawbacks as regards devices designed to release locks on stacks of containers, particularly at a distance from the container. This remote-controlled lock release device is particularly suitable, when it is used on locks of the type, which always are placed in a starting position for a locking (see e.g. NO patent application 973 585 as well as PCT/NO 98/00227). The locks are adjusted in the corner boxes of suspended containers and are inserted from below and are rotated, until they are stopped, in which position they are fixed by means of ball-blocked pins in order to prevent, that they will fall out during the lifting of the containers. When the containers are stacked on top of each other, the upper container immediately is connected to the container in the stack below it. The construction of the lock allows a remote-control of the release, since the lock can be released with a very small amount of energy and with a small lateral displacement of about 6-10 mm, which means that the displacement can be performed by means of a wedge, a magnet or the like. Stacks of containers can be positioned very close to each other, with such a small distance between them as 75 mm, and can nevertheless be easily released from each other. When the release has been performed and the container is lifted, the lock returns to its starting condition again and remains in this condition without any manual influence, until the next automatic locking will be carried out. This is true whether the ship is motionless or the stack is positioned on firm ground, but in case the ship is rolling, also insignificantly, it is not possible to release the lock. These locks are completely enclosed and filled with cold-proof oil, which renders these locks reliable and capable of functioning also during unsuitable weather, after a demolition or a soiling. In accordance with the inventive idea the above-mentioned problems are solved by mounting said release device on the conventional lifting yoke of the lifting device and making it a part of it by letting this device comprise release mechanisms or "keys" in the form av wedges, magnets or the like, which are pushed downwards from the lifting yoke and guided downwards towards and inserted in the locks and which release these locks, preferably at the same time, from engagement with the container, which is positioned below the container to be lifted and in this way the latter container is released from the ocntainer positioned below it. Also, in accordance with the inventive idea a quick, reliable and simultaneous release of the locks in the four corners of the container is obtained by means of a remote-controlled release mechanism, which it is easy to handle, which can be used on new as well as old rebuilt container yokes, which it is economic to manufacture and which have a long life as well as are reliable as regards their use. BRIEF DISCRETION OF DRAWINGS The present invention will be described in the following, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which : Fig. 1 shows a lifting yoke above a container, seen from its side and having a release device; Fig. 2 shows the lifting yoke with the container in Fig. 1 seen from above ; Fig. 3 shows the release device seen from the long side of the lifting yoke and the container and shows, how the "key" is pushed downwards towards the lock of the container and how it unlocks it ; Fig. 4 shows the release device in Fig. 3, but it is now seen from the short side of the lifting yoke and the container ; and Figs. 5 and 6 show the release device in Fig. 3 in a magnified detail view of the "key", exactly when the unlocking takes place. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It is shown in Figs. 1-6, that the device according to the present invention comprises a remote- controlled unlocking device 1, designed to unlock four locks 2,3,4,5, mounted at the corners of containers, used to lock containers 6,7, vertically arranged and stacked on top of each other. Unlocking device 1 is connected to or is a part of a conventional lifting yoke 8 having four corners 9,10,11 and 12. A reversible gear reduction motor 13 is mounted on lifting yoke 8 at each short side. One of the four identical unlocking devices will be described in the following text. Gear reduction motor 13 drives a shaft 14, which rotates parallel with the short side of yoke 8. Sprockets 15,16 , which run parallel with the long side of yoke 8 are mounted on the two ends of shaft 14. Two parallel bicycle chains 17,18 run over these sprockets 15,16 and the ends of the bicycle chains end in a "key" in the form av a gear rack-like angular profile 19, made of a resilient material, e.g. polyurethane and provided with longitudinal grooves 20,21 for bicycle chains 17,18, which have outer links 23, which are outwards slightly wedge-shaped, the outermost part being the widest. Guide rails 27,28 are mounted over sprockets 15,16 in order to keep chains 17,18 of the profile bent over the sprockets. A guide and support yoke 25 for profile 19 is mounted at the lower end of yoke 8. The lower end of profile 19 is to be inserted into an unlocking yoke 24 on the lock, also preferably made of polyurethane. Provided lower end 26 is bevelled or wedge-shaped, its point being directed downwards, it will displace yoke 24 laterally, when the chains push the profile downwards, the lock being unlocked. Chains 17,18 are fastened to profile 19 in their ends. An electric cable is casted in the profile and is, in its upper end, connected to a cable reel and is in its lower end provided with contact buttons, which close the circuit, when they touch a contact rail, which is mounted on unlocking yoke 24 on the stacking lock, the movement downwards of chains 17,18 being terminated. Chains 17,18 will abut the container wall, when they are pushed downwards along the sides, since they , due to the shape of links 23, are bent towards the sides. At the same time four lamps on the operating table in the travelling crane ,which will lift the container, indicate , that a lifting can be done. The electric cables of each profile are connected to the indicator lamps on the operating table in the travelling crane. As soon as the four indicator lamps are on for the corners of the upper container, a lifting can be done. Thus, a premature lifting is avoided, thanks to this display panel on the operating table. The fact that the feeding downwards is stopped through an electric contact, allows all the containers to be lifted, regardless of their heights and even if the stacks comprise a mixture of containers with different heights, the lifting will not be stopped. The stack can also include plane racks and this will not impede the unlocking and the lifting of these racks and containers of various sizes in the stack. It is important to understand, that the present invention of course can be modified in various ways within the scope of protection defined by the enlosed claims ; gear reduction motor 13 at each corner of the lifting yoke may e.g. be substituted for a hydraulic motor. A magnetic valve will in this case turn off the oil flow to the hydraulic motor, which drives the chains, whereby the chains will be stopped.

Claims: CLAIMS l.A remote-controlled device designed to unlock (release) locks mounted on stacks of containers of type ISO, which containers can be stacked to be shipped, e.g. at sea on freighters, and which locks preferably are mounted in the four corners of a container in order to vertically and automatically connect the containers to each other, when they are stacked on top of each other, thanks to the influence of the weight of containers positioned at a higher level, and which containers can be lifted from the stack by means of a lifting device in the form of a crane, a travelling crane or the like, when the locks, on the container to be lifted, have been released, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the release device (1) is mounted on the conventional lifting yoke (8) of the lifting device or is a part of it and includes release mechanisms or "keys" (19) in the form av wedges, magnets or the like, which are pushed downwards from the lifting yoke (8) and are guided downwards and towards and are inserted into the locks (2,3,4,5) and release these locks (2,3,4,5), preferaby simultaneously, from an engagement with the container (6), which is positioned below, and in this way the container (7), which is to be lifted, is released from the container (6), positioned below it. 2. A remote-controlled device designed to release stack locks according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the "keys" (19) of the release mechanisms each one are mounted at the ends of chains (17,18), which run over sprockets (15,16) , mounted on transverse shafts (14,14'), which are driven by reversing motors (M) designed to push the chains (17,18) and consequently also the "keys" (19) downwards along the short sides of the container (7) towards the stack locks (2,3,4,5) and into their unlocking yokes (24) to move them to a release position and subsequently upwards again after the release. 3. A remote-controlled device designed to release stack locks according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the "keys" (19) are angle-shaped profiles, made of a resilient material, e.g. polyurethane, which are wedge-shaped at their outer end (26) in order to, when the "keys" (19) are inserted into the unlocking yokes (26), displace them to an unlocking position. 6 4. A remote-controlled device designed to release stack locks according to claim 2, charact e r i z e d in that the reversing motor (M) is a gear reduction motor (13), 5. A remote-controlled device designed to release stack locks according to claim 2, charact e r i z e d in that the reversing motor (M) is a hydraulic motor (13). 6. A remote-controlled device designed to release stack locks according to claim 5, charact e r i z e d in that the "key" is an electromagnet, which pulls a locking element to it and in this way opens (releases) the lock (2,3,4,5).

Inventors: FLODIN YNGVE, FLODIN, YNGVE
Applicants: FLODIN YNGVE, FLODIN, YNGVE
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B63B25
IPC codes: B63B25, B65D90, B66C1