Abstract:
A security device for a shipping container of the type having doors with a vertically disposed rotatable keeper bar which is rotatable about a vertical axis and an elongated operating handle having one end pivotally secured, about a horizontal axis, to the keeper bar with the operating handle being movable between a locked position and an unlocked position with the operating handle being secured in said locked position by a hasp having a pair of legs with normally aligned holes for securing the keeper bar, the security device being adapted and arranged for securely locking said container when the keeper box is in its locked position. The security cover includes a first cover plate structure which covers the hasp and a second cover plate structure which covers the pivotal connection of the operating handle with the keeper bar. The security cover is of one-piece integral construction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 12/260,328, filed on Oct. 29, 2008, entitled SECURITY COVER FOR CARGO CONTAINERS, which is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/003,705, filed on Nov. 19, 2007, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to locking and securement devices for trailers, trucks and train cars and, more particularly, to an improved security cover system for cargo container latches which protects not only the hasp of a shipping container latch, but also covers and protects the connection of the door handle to the door locking bar to prevent an intruder from popping the handle off of the door locking bar and then opening the door locking bar to access the contents of the shipping container. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Many different types of transportation devices are used to ship goods, including shipping containers, tractor-trailers, railroad freight cars, and numerous other transportation devices. However, regardless of the type of transportation device used for the shipping of goods, securing such transport devices against unauthorized access has proven to be a most difficult task. Various devices have been proposed in the prior art, including padlock-type security devices such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,898,008 and 5,477,710 and door seal lock devices such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,009,731 and 6,036,240. However, each of these prior art devices include inherent deficiencies which permit breaches of their security and which therefore render them less than ideally suited for the task of securing a transportation device against unauthorized entry. There is therefore a need for an improved securement system for transportation devices such as cargo containers and tractor-trailers which addresses and solves these deficiencies. 
         [0006]    One additional device disclosed in the prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,024 (hereinafter “the &#39;024 patent”), which discloses a security cover system for cargo container latch which provides a significant improvement over many of the devices found in the prior art, yet which does not fully solve the problems encountered when determined persons attempt to gain unauthorized entry to the cargo container. Specifically, as shown in the &#39;024 patent, particularly  FIGS. 2-5  thereof, a security cover  50  is positioned over the hasp  42  and handle  44  in such as way as to completely cover and enclose the hasp and central portion of the handle. A locking pin is then inserted therethrough to secure the hasp in closed position and the cover  50  protects the hasp from unauthorized entry. However, the cover  50  does not protect the connection of the handle  44  to the keeper bar  46 , and therefore a person attempting to enter the cargo container may simply pop the rivet connecting the inner end of the door handle  44  to the door locking bar  46  and then rotate the keeper bar  46  once the handle  44  has been disconnected therefrom. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0008]    An important object of the invention is to address the shortcomings of the prior art discussed above. In particular the invention is useful in connection with shipping containers of the type having one or more doors, a rotatable keeper bar, an operating handle for rotating the bar, and a hasp having a pair of legs with normally aligned holes for securing the bar. In the foregoing regard, it is to be noted that the handle may generally be attached to the keeper bar at a predetermined point of attachment using a rivet arrangement or the like. The components mentioned above cooperate to lock the container when arranged in a locking condition. 
         [0009]    In accordance with the concepts and principles of the invention, a security cover assemblage is provided for shipping containers of the type discussed above. Advantageously the cover assemblage provides an improved security cover to thwart and frustrate the activities of would be thieves by not only protecting the hasp that secures the handle in a locked position, but also protecting the handle itself as well as the point where the handle is attached to the keeper bar which secures the door in closed position. 
         [0010]    The cover assemblage of the invention may comprise a security cover including a plurality of walls defining an interior space within the cover, which interior space includes a hasp receiving, shielding and securing zone. In further accordance with the invention, the walls of the cover may include first and second spaced apart wall segments located on opposite sides of the hasp receiving, shielding and securing zone. Such wall segments each may desirably have a seal pin receiving aperture therein, which apertures are disposed in alignment with each other and with the holes of the hasp legs when the cover assemblage is in its locking condition with the hasp in the zone. 
         [0011]    The walls of the cover may also desirably include operating handle accommodating openings therein. Such openings ideally are located, adapted and arranged so as to allow the operating handle to extend into said space when the cover assemblage is in its locking condition. The cover assemblage also may include a seal pin adapted to extend through the aligned holes and apertures when the cover assemblage is in its locking condition. 
         [0012]    In further accordance with the invention, the security cover assemblage may include an elongated cover plate structure extending laterally away from the security cover so as to provide a protective covering for at least the portion of the handle that extends between the security cover and the point where the handle is attached to the keeper bar when the cover assemblage is in its locking condition. In a desirable form of the invention, the cover plate structure of the security cover assemblage may include a segment providing a protective covering for the point, for example the rivet, where the handle is attached to the keeper bar. 
         [0013]    In yet another embodiment of the invention, the cover assemblage may include a locking block disposed at one end of the seal pin. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the cover assemblage may further include a wall portion positioned on the cover assemblage adjacent said locking block when the cover assemblage is in its locking condition with the pin in the holes of the hasp and the apertures of the wall segments of the security cover. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the cover assemblage may ideally include a lock mechanism extending between the wall portion and the block to hold the wall portion and the block together. Preferably, a flange element plate may be carried by the locking block so as to extend over a gap between the locking block and the wall portion in covering relationship relative thereto. When this embodiment is used it is very difficult for a would be thief to find a weak spot in the structure which may be broken so that access to the interior of the container may be achieved by breaking the operating handle the keeper bar or the hasp. 
         [0014]    Even more desirably, the wall portion may be part of an enclosure which extends around the locking block so as to cover the entirety of the hasp when the assembly is in its locking position. In this latter regard, the enclosure may be arranged so as to extend around at least three sides of the locking block. Ideally, the pin has a longitudinal axis and the locking block and the wall portion are each elongated in a direction along said axis. Preferably the wall portion has a longitudinal dimension which is at least as long as the longitudinal dimension of the locking block. The embodiment makes it extremely difficult for a would-be thief to gain access to the interior of the container because it covers up all of the places where a thief might potentially break the keeper bar operating handle or the hasp. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the handle, hasp and door locking bar prior to installation of the improved security cover thereon; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a detailed perspective view of the present invention fitted onto and disposed in a locking condition for protecting the hasp and door handle; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are detailed top plan views of the door handle immediately prior to and after installation of the improved security cover thereon; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the security cover which is designed for use with tractor-trailers and the like; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of the security cover which is designed for use with tractor-trailers and the like. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
         [0021]    One embodiment of an improved security cover assemblage  10  which incorporates the concepts and principles of the present invention is shown best in  FIGS. 1-4  as including a security cover  20  which is designed generally as described in connection with the &#39;024 patent, specifically as including a channel  22  which in use is usually disposed to extend in a generally horizontal direction in alignment with the door handle  82  of door locking mechanism  80  and a channel  24  which in use is usually disposed to extend in a generally vertical direction in alignment with and fitted over the door hasp  70  mounted on door  90 . The security cover  20  further includes an outer wall plate  26  which is contoured and designed to cover and engage the door hasp  70  and door handle  82  to prevent persons from sliding a tool such as a crowbar underneath the security cover  20  to pry it free from its position in covering relationship relative to the door hasp  70  so as to facilitate release of the door handle  82 . In this regard the cover  20  defines an interior space  20   a  that provides a hasp receiving, shielding and securing zone  20   b  in channel  24 . In a preferred embodiment, the security cover  20  might be constructed of a hardened steel, although other commercially available materials, such as aluminum, might be advantageously used for some applications, and cover  20  might desirably be molded into a shape such as that illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  in order to properly cover and protect the door hasp  70 . The cover  20  includes a pair of walls  20   c  which are located in channel  24  in spaced apart relationship on opposite sides of zone  20   b.  Only one of the walls  20   c  can be seen in  FIG. 4  since the other wall  20   c  is located directly underneath. These walls  20   c  each include a pin receiving hole  28 . Finally, a locking pin  40  would be extended through the holes  28  in general alignment with channel  24  when the security cover is placed on the door hasp  70 . At this point the hasp  70  is in zone  20   b  and the holes  28  are aligned with the hasp holes  76  and  78  formed in the stationary leg  72  and pivoting leg  74  of door hasp  70 . Thus, pin  40  secures the security cover  20  on the door hasp  70  and therefore secures the door handle  82  within the door hasp  70 , as it has been positioned between the stationary leg  72  and pivoting leg  74  of door hasp  70  prior to installation of the security cover  20  as described. 
         [0022]    To this point, the improved security cover assemblage  10  of the present invention is generally similar to the security cover described in the &#39;024 patent, and the entirety of the disclosure of the &#39;024 patent is hereby expressly incorporated into the present disclosure and application by this specific reference thereto. However, the present application includes significant inventive improvements relative to the security cover of the &#39;024 patent and these improvements will now be described with reference particularly to security cover assemblage  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Specifically, mounted on security cover  20  and extending therefrom is a security sleeve and plate assembly  50  which, in the preferred embodiment, would be constructed of material similar to that used in connection with security cover  20  and would preferably include a handle-covering sleeve  54  which desirably has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape and which is mounted on one side of the security cover  20  extending from outer wall  26  and aligned with channel  22  such that the door handle  82  extends through the channel  22 , through handle-covering sleeve  54 , and then connects to the door locking bar  86  via a pivotable connection  84 , as shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the preferred embodiment, the handle-covering sleeve  54  would have a length somewhat less than the distance between the side of security cover  20  and the pivotable connection  84  of door handle  82  to door locking bar  86  such that the handle-covering sleeve  54  abuts the pivotable connection  84  when the security cover  20  is positioned on door hasp  70 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . It should be noted, however, that the length of handle-covering sleeve  54  may be modified or changed depending on the length of door handle  82  and the position of door hasp  70  relative to door locking bar  86 , and it is not particularly critical that the handle-covering sleeve  54  be equal to the exact distance between the side of security cover  20  and the pivotable connection  84  due to the presence of the rivet cover plate  56  which will now be described. 
         [0023]    The rivet cover plate  56  from the handle-covering sleeve  54 , specifically from the inner end of the outer wall of handle-covering sleeve  54 , as shown best in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . In the preferred embodiment, the rivet cover plate  56  would extend inwards over and above the pivotable connection  84  of door handle  82  to door locking bar  86  in order to completely cover the pivotable connection  84  when the security cover  20  and handle-covering sleeve  54  are placed on the door handle  82  and door hasp  70 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . In the preferred embodiment, rivet cover plate  56  would be constructed of the same materials used in connection with handle-covering sleeve  54  and security cover  20 , namely a heightened tensile strength metal material such as hardened steel (although as mentioned above, these components may be constructed of aluminum for some applications), and it is further preferred that the rivet cover plate  56  be of sufficient size to completely cover the pivotable connection  84  and be of sufficient thickness that bending of the cover plate  56  relative to handle-covering sleeve  54  is virtually impossible when hand tools such as a crowbar are being used to attempt the bending thereof. It should be further noted that rivet cover plate  56  may also include top and bottom wall plates (not shown) which extend inwards towards the door  90  from the top and bottom of rivet cover plate  56  to provide additional cover and protection for the pivotable connection  84  of door handle  82  to door locking bar  86 , although the inclusion of such top and bottom wall plates is not particularly critical to the present invention. 
         [0024]    The present invention would be used in the following manner. Initially, the door handle  82  would be in an open position, i.e. removed from door hasp  70 , and the handle-covering sleeve  54  would be positioned over and onto the door handle  82  until the handle-covering sleeve  54  is positioned inwards of the door hasp  70  with security cover  20  aligned with the door hasp  70 . The door handle  82  would then be moved to a “locked” position to rotate the door locking bar  86  to lock the doors  90  of the container  100  in a conventional fashion. The door handle  82  would be pivoted into the door hasp  70  by being positioned on the stationary leg  72  of door hasp  70 . The pivoting leg  74  of door hasp  70  would then be pivoted downwards to align the holes  76  and  78  in the stationary and pivoting legs  72  and  74  of door hasp  70 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    During this time, because the handle-covering sleeve  54  has larger internal dimensions than the external dimensions of the door handle  82 , the security cover  20  may be shifted or moved out of the way of the door hasp  70  to permit the pivoting leg  74  thereof to be pivoted downwards as was discussed previously. Once the door hasp  70  encloses the door handle  82 , the security cover  20  would be secured on the door hasp  70 , with the latter in zone  20   b,  via locking pin  40  in a generally conventional manner. It is important to note, however, that when the security cover  20  is positioned on the door hasp  70 , the handle-covering sleeve  54  of security sleeve and plate assembly  50  fits over and covers the inner portion of door handle  82 , and the rivet cover plate  56  fits over and covers the pivotable connection  84  of door handle  82  to door locking bar  86 . Therefore, once the security cover  20  is fastened to the door hasp  70  via the locking pin  40 , the handle-covering sleeve  54  protects the door handle  82  and the rivet cover plate  56  covers and protects the pivotable connection  84 . It is thus virtually impossible to “pop” the rivet  88  which connects the door handle  82  to door locking bar  86  due to the secured position of the rivet cover plate  56  thereon and the handle-covering sleeve  54  which protects the inner portion of the door handle  82 . The improved security cover assemblage  10  of the present invention thus prevents unauthorized access to the interior of the container  100  via door  90  by preventing not only disengagement of the hasp  70  but also removal of the pivotable connection  84  to disconnect the door handle  82  from the door locking bar  86 . The present invention thus addresses and solves a serious deficiency found in the security cover described in the &#39;024 patent that is neither discussed nor suggested in that disclosure. 
         [0026]    An alternative embodiment of the improved security cover assemblage  10 ′ of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5  as including all of the features previously described in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 , but which further includes an alternative design for the locking pin  40 . Specifically, the embodiment of  FIG. 5  includes a lock support block  60 ′ that is mounted on security cover  20 ′. In this embodiment, a locking block  41  is mounted on an end of locking pin  40 ′ as shown, and portion  43  of the pin  40 ′ is adapted and arranged so as to extend through the holes  28   a  and  28   b  of security cover  20 ′ and through hasp holes  76  and  78  of hasp  70  in the manner previously described. Lock support block  60 ′ has an opening  61  therein for receiving a locking device  62  which, when locked, has a pin portion  99  that engages a hole  45  in locking block  41 . Significantly a plate  47  carried by locking block  41  is provided to extend over a gap located between the locking block and the wall portion in covering relationship relative thereto when the assemblage  10 ′ is in a locked condition. 
         [0027]    Another alternative embodiment of the improved security cover assemblage  10 ″ of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 6  as including essentially all of the features previously described in connection with the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , but which further includes an alternative design for the locking pin  40 ″ and an enclosure  59  for the locking block  41 ″. As shown, the enclosure  59  desirably includes a series of walls  59   a ,  59   b  and  59   c  that extends around three sides of the locking block  41 ″. The plate  47  is not needed for this embodiment. A lock support block  60 ″ is mounted on security cover  20 ″ and block  60 ″ may be, but does not necessarily need to be, integral with side wall  59   c  of enclosure  59 . Block  60 ″ supports locking device  62  which is used in essentially the same manner as described above in connection with  FIG. 5  to lock block  41 ″ to block  60 ″ and keep the latter within enclosure  59  when the assemblage  10 ″ is in its operational position. In this embodiment, since the enclosure  59  desirably extends around block  41 ″, it necessarily provides a complete cover for the entirety of hasp  70 , including even the leg  74  and its associated hardware. This would be clearly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art simply by comparing  FIGS. 2 and 6 . 
         [0028]    It should be noted, however, that numerous different types of locking pins and locking devices may be used with the improved security cover assemblage  10  of the present invention, and such adaptations and modifications will likely be necessary for the present invention to be used in connection with tractor-trailers, railroad freight cars, and other transportation vehicles which include alternative devices for securing the door thereof in a locked position. 
         [0029]    It is to be understood that numerous additions, modifications and substitutions may be made to the improved security cover assemblage  10  of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the above description. For example, the size, shape and construction materials used in connection with the security cover  20 , security sleeve and plate assembly  50 , and the remaining elements of the present invention may be modified or changed so long as the intended functional features thereof are neither significantly degraded nor destroyed. Furthermore, although the present invention has been described for use primarily in securing transportation vehicles to prevent unauthorized access thereto, it should be noted that the improved security cover assemblage  10  of the present invention may be used in many different situations where the secure locking of a door via a locking mechanism is desired, and modifications to the present invention to adapt it for use in such situations should be understood to be a part of this disclosure. Finally, the precise size, shape and dimensions of the handle-covering sleeve  54  and rivet cover plate  56  may be modified or changed to fit on various vehicle and door locking devices, and it is expected that some degree of experimentation to accommodate such variations will be necessary, although the functionality of the handle-covering sleeve  54  and rivet cover plate  56  will remain generally the same regardless of the locking mechanism with which the present invention is connected. 
         [0030]    There has therefore been shown and described an improved security cover assemblage  10  which accomplishes at least all of its intended purposes.