Abstract:
An apparatus for remotely locking a container includes a vehicle having a main frame and a tipper frame hingedly connected to the main frame, at least one of the main frame and tipper frame being configured to receive and support a container thereon; an actuator assembly for pivoting the tipper frame relative the main frame between a reclined, container loading and transport position and an inclined, dumping position; a container configured for receipt, transport and dumping of material, including a box defining a rear opening, and having a door hingedly connected with the container box to swing between an open, material dumping position and a closed position covering and sealing shut the rear opening; at least one lock mechanism connected to at least one of the box and the door; a locking assembly connected to the container; and, an actuator assembly connected to the tipper frame and physically separate from the locking assembly, and when the container is juxtaposed atop the tipper frame said tipper frame is in the transport position, the actuator assembly is operable upon actuation to engage with and cause the locking assembly to engage with the at least one lock mechanism to pull the door tightly against the box and seal closed the opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 13/647,870, filed Oct. 9, 2012, now abandoned, which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 12/709,231, filed Feb. 19, 2010, now abandoned, which claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/153,969, filed Feb. 19, 2009, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference along with all references cited therein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of transportable containers, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for remotely locking and unlocking a container adapted for transport upon one or more vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bulk materials, hazardous waste materials and other such materials are frequently transported to their destinations in very large waste handling containers. It is important that the door, often a rear, one piece door hingedly mounted at the top, maintain a fluid-tight seal against the container body to prevent the flowable materials from escaping during transport. The door sealing mechanisms can be difficult to operate, and the vehicle driver may have to latch, unlatch or adjust the door locking mechanisms in inclement weather. It is therefore desirable to provide a door locking mechanism for such containers that reduces the need for the driver to leave the vehicle cab, especially during container dumping action. 
     Oftentimes, the above described containers are desired to be intermodal. That is, it is desired that they be capable of being transported by a number of different vehicles, such as, for example, a truck, a train or a ship. The locking mechanism should accommodate all such forms of transport. 
     What is desired is a waste and material hauling container having a rear-mounted dump door with a remotely operable locking mechanism. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally speaking, a large material handling, intermodal container with a large, top, and hingedly mounted rear opening can be remotely locked and unlocked by the driver without need for exiting the cab. 
     An apparatus for remotely locking a container includes a vehicle having a main frame and a tipper frame hingedly connected to the main frame, at least one of the main frame and tipper frame being configured to receive and support a container thereon; an actuator assembly for pivoting the tipper frame relative the main frame between a reclined, container loading and transport position and an inclined, dumping position; a container configured for receipt, transport and dumping of material, including a box defining a rear opening, and having a door hingedly connected with the container box to swing between an open, material dumping position and a closed position covering and sealing shut the rear opening; at least one lock mechanism connected to at least one of the box and the door; a locking assembly connected to the container; and, an actuator assembly connected to the tipper frame and physically separate from the locking assembly, and when the container is juxtaposed atop the tipper frame and said tipper frame is in the transport position, the actuator assembly is operable upon actuation to engage with and cause the locking assembly to engage with the at least one lock mechanism to pull the door tightly against the box and seal closed the opening. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved waste and material handling container. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a waste and material handling, intermodal container with a rear-mounted dump door and a remotely operable locking mechanism for such door. 
     Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side, elevational view of a container and vehicle combination  10  with apparatus  11  for remotely locking and unlocking the container door  12 , in accordance with the present invention, and with elements removed from the vehicle  13  for clarity. 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmented plan view of the rear portion of vehicle  13  of the container and vehicle combination  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a rear, elevational view of container  14  of the container and vehicle combination  10  of  FIG. 1  and shown in the locking position. 
         FIGS. 4-7  are side, cross-sectional views of the container  14  of  FIG. 3  taken along the line  4 - 4  and viewed in the direction of the arrows and shown mounted upon vehicle  13  with locking assembly  95  in various stages of engagement with actuator assembly  33  and with certain parts removed or revealed for purposes of description. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the locking assembly  95  of the container and vehicle combination  10  of  FIG. 1 , and with one of the locking assembly sets  117  removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the container  14  of the container and vehicle combination  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and alterations and modifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown a container and vehicle combination  10  with apparatus  11  for remotely locking and unlocking the container door  12 , in accordance with the present invention. Combination  10  generally includes a vehicle  13  and a container  14 , the container&#39;s dump door  12  being rear-mounted, and the apparatus  11  being remotely operable to lock and unlock door  12  in fluid tight engagement with its container  14 . 
     The vehicle is a suitable container hoist having a main frame  17  and a tipper frame  18  hingedly connected to main frame  17  at hinge  19 . Suitable hydraulic cylinders (one shown at  20 ) connected between main frame  17  and tipper frame  18  and with the hydraulic system of vehicle  13  are operable to pivot tipper frame  18  between a reclined, container loading and transport position  23  ( FIGS. 4-7 ) and an inclined, dumping position  24  ( FIG. 1 ), as is known. Vehicle  13  is configured to receive and handle intermodal containers, that is, containers of a specific size and having corner blocks  25  at each of its eight corners to enable such container to be stacked for transport aboard other vessels, such as trains and ships. Alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein the container  14  is of other, non-intermodal configurations, and the apparatus  11  will nevertheless operate to remotely lock and unlock the container aboard a properly equipped vehicle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , vehicle  13  includes long rails  26  and  27 , numerous transverse cross-members, as at  28  and  29 , extending between long rails  26  and  27 , bolsters (one shown at  30 ,  FIG. 8 ) connected to the rear ends of and outwardly of long rails  26  and  27 , and the actuator assembly  33  of apparatus  11 , as described herein. Container  14  is configured to be loaded upon vehicle  13 , resting primarily upon long rails  26  and  27  and bolster  30 , and with the locking assembly  95  of apparatus  11  (as described herein) positioned directly above actuator assembly  33  for operative engagement therewith. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , container  14  is a rectangular box container with a rear opening  34  and with its rear door  12  being hingedly mounted at the top edge thereof by hinges  35  to enable door  12  to swing open of its own accord by gravity when the locks holding it are released and tipper frame  18  is pivoted to the inclined, dumping position  24 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Container  14  includes a seal  32  ( FIG. 4 ) held around the periphery of door opening  34 , and door  12  includes a sealing ridge  36  extending forwardly and into seal  32  when door  12  is drawn in to its closed position ( FIG. 4 ). Container  14  is provided with both bottom and side lock mechanisms  37 ,  38  and  39  (bottom) and  41  and  42  (side). Bottom lock mechanisms  37 ,  38  and  39  are mutually identical, and only lock mechanism  38  will be fully described. Likewise, side mechanisms  41  and  42  are identical, albeit mirror images of each other, and only lock mechanism  41  will be fully described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , side lock mechanism  41  includes an outwardly extending door pull pin  46 , a pull pin hook  47 , a rocker link  48  and a bar link  49 . Door pull pin  46  is rigidly connected to and extends laterally outwardly of door  12 . At its rear, container  13  includes two, opposing vertical box tubing members  51  and  52 , each of which defines an opening  54  and  55 , respectively, through which freely extends a corresponding door pull pin hook  47  and  56 , respectively. On opposing sides of tubing member  51  are mounted matching arrow plates  59  and  60 , which together close off the sides of opening  54 . Arrow plates  59  and  60  define aligned holes for receiving a pin  61 , about which is rotatably mounted triangular rocker link  48 , as shown. Rocker link  48  has three triangularly spaced mounting points, the second being at  62  where it is rotatably mounted to the forward end of door pull pin hook  47 , and the third being at  63  where it is rotatably mounted to the upper end of bar link  49 . The lower end of bar link  49  is pivotally connected to output pin  65  of locking assembly  95 , as described herein. Up and down motion of bar link  49  moves pull pin hook  47  between a relaxed, unlocked position  66  ( FIG. 6 ) and a retracted, locked position  67  ( FIG. 4 ) wherein the upturned hook  69  at the outer end of pull pin hook  47  has moved up, under door pull pin  46  and drawn door  12  tightly against its seal  32 . 
     At its bottom edge, door  12  is drawn and held closed by the three, identical lock mechanisms  37 - 39 . Lock mechanism  38  includes an adjustable door tensioner assembly  74  and an adjustable hook  75  that moves between a lowered unlocked position  76  ( FIGS. 6  and  7 ) and a raised and retracted locking position  77  ( FIG. 4 ). Tensioner assembly  74  includes a locking plate  80 , a set screw  81  and a locking nut  82 . Locking plate  80  is hingedly connected to door  12  at hinge  84  ( FIG. 7 ) and initially lays flat against the lower frame member  83  of door  12 . When adjustable hook  75  is pulled and angled upwardly, its hook tab  85 , rigidly secured to the upturned hook end of hook  75 , bears against locking plate  80  and pulls the bottom of door  12  inwardly, against seal  32 . In the event adjustment is ever needed to draw door  12  or just one portion of door  12  in tighter (for example, if the seal  32  wears unevenly or door  12  becomes warped), locking nut  82  can be loosened, and set screw  81  tightened. That is, set screw  81  is threadedly advanced through a threaded hole in locking plate  80  until its forward, leading end bears against the lower frame member  83  of door  12 , which pivots locking plate  80  about its hinge  84  and away from lower frame member  83 . When hook  75  is pulled in (forwardly), it bears against a now more rearwardly extending locking plate  80 , and door  12  is forced more tightly against its seal  32 . Locking nut  82  is re-tightened after the adjustment is complete. 
     Adjustable hook  75  is shaped as shown, and includes an arcuate camming bump  88 , whereat hook  75  rides upon a bump pin  89 . The combination of the camming bump  88  on bump pin  89  and the both curved and linear input to the forward end  90  of hook  75  provides an up and around lock engaging motion relative to tensioner assembly  74  that provides plenty of clearance for door  12  to open and close and provides a reliable and tight door locking action. 
     Referring to FIGS.  2  and  4 - 9 , the apparatus  11  for remotely locking and unlocking the container door  12  generally includes actuator assembly  33  and locking assembly  95 . Actuator assembly  33  includes a push assembly  96  and a driving mechanism  97  to move push assembly  96  between an extended position  98  ( FIG. 6 ) and a retracted position  99  ( FIG. 4 ). Push assembly  96  includes a pair of generally U-shaped, spaced apart push plates  103  and  104  that are connected together by a spanner plate  105  ( FIG. 2 ) and a support beam  106  ( FIG. 6 ), both extending therebetween. Each push plate has a front and rear upstanding push arm  107  and  108  ( FIG. 5 ) configured to engage with a drive input rod ( 153  and  154 ) of the locking assembly  95 . Front push arm  107  has a rearward engagement surface  110  that slants up and rearwardly about 5 degrees. Rear push arm  108  has a forward engagement surface  111  that slopes up and rearwardly about 5 degrees, but its top portion includes an initial locking engagement surface  112  with a forward angle of about 30 degrees. Alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein the rearward and forward engagement surface angles vary to between about 3 and 8 degrees rearwardly and the initial locking engagement surface angle varies between about 20 degrees and 40 degrees. The forward bending surface portion  112  is generally straight, as are the front and rear engagement surfaces  110  and  112 , but alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein these surfaces have some degree of curvature. The initial locking engagement surface  112  fosters a smooth initial engagement with the main drive rods  153  and  154 , as described, herein, since these rods  153  and  154  may be rotated via their connector links  155 - 158  to near a state pointing almost directly to the rear. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , with hook  75  in the lowered unlocked position  76 , the radial line  159  from the pivot axis of links  155 - 158  (that is, of main drive shaft  142 ) to their main drive rods  153 , 154  forms an angle of about 27 degrees below horizontal. In such configuration, with the force vector  160  of forward engagement surface  111  slanting up about 5 degrees, the horizontal movement of push plates  103  and  104 , upon engagement with main drive rods  153  and  154 , could bind up. The force vector  161  of forward sloping surface  112  is about 30 downward, which works to avoid such undesirable resistance by converting the initial force vector from about 5 degrees above horizontal to about 30 degrees below horizontal, as shown. 
     Driving mechanism  97  is a hydraulic cylinder  182  anchored at its forward end  183  to tipper frame  18 , and its output rod  184  is mounted to the support beam  106  of push assembly  96 . Appropriate guide structure and wear plates, as at  113  and  114  are provided to maintain push assembly  96  in its intended path. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-9 , and particularly  8  and  9 , locking assembly  95  is contemplated to include one, two or more sets of components, each set configured and operable, upon engagement with actuator assembly  33 , to move its adjustable hook  75  between its lowered unlocked position  76  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and its raised and retracted locking position  77  ( FIG. 4 ). As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , locking assembly  95  of the present invention has three hooks  75  and thus three, substantially identical locking assembly sets  115 ,  116  and  117 . Locking assembly set  117  is removed from  FIG. 8  for discussion of surrounding components. Because locking assembly sets  115 ,  116  and  117  are substantially identical, only set  116  will be described, with one notable difference discussed herein. Locking assembly set  116  includes its adjustable hook  75 , the forward end of which is adjustably connected to a hook rod  121 , which is rotatably journaled to both (1) one end of a pair of bent dogbone linkages  122  and (2) one end of a pair of upper links  123 . The opposite ends of the upper links  123  are fixed to rotate with an upper locking rod  126 , which is journaled for rotation by a pair of opposing lock assembly support plates  127  and  128 , as described herein. This upper locking rod  126  generally serves no other function than to support the links and rods connected thereto. However, upper locking rods  130  and  131  of the other two locking assembly sets  115  and  117  on opposite sides thereof not only support the connected linkages, but they also extend outwardly therefrom and connect with corresponding links  132  and  133 , respectively, which in turn connect with respective bar links  50  ( FIG. 1) and 49  ( FIG. 4 ) to lock/unlock side lock mechanisms  42  and  41 . 
     At their forward ends, the pair of bent dogbone linkages  122  define aligned holes and are rigidly connected together by a sleeve  136  which, together, form a mounting collar  137  that is disposed between and journaled to and between one end of main drive links  140  and  141 . The opposing ends of main drive links  140  and  141  are rigidly connect to and rotate as a unit with main drive shaft  142 , which is supported for rotation by all the lock assembly support plates  127  and  128 ,  145  and  146 , and  147  and  148 . Outside of and on opposing sides of the central pair of lock assembly support plates  127  and  128 , there are disposed main drive rods  153  and  154 , each rigidly connected via a pair of connector links  155  and  156 , and  157  and  158 , respectively, to main drive shaft  142 , as shown. 
     Forward or rearward, generally linear input to main drive rods  153  and  154  (via rear and front upstanding push arms  108  and  107 ) causes main drive shaft  142  to rotate as a unit therewith and with main drive links  140  and  141 , which moves bent dogbone links  122 , which rotates upper links  123  and moves hook  75 . The rotation of main drive shaft  142  likewise moves hooks  75  of locking assembly sets  115  and  117  and rotates upper locking rods  130  and  131 , which moves link bars  50  and  49  via intermediate links  132  and  133 . 
     The bend in dogbone link  122  causes collar  137  and its axis of rotation to move over center when push assembly  96  is moved to the locking position  99 . The resistance to being locked tightly against its seal  32  causes door  12  to pull dogbone linkage  122  rearwardly, but because the axis of sleeve  136  of collar  137  is above a line extending between the axis of main drive shaft  142  and the axis of rotation at the opposite end of dogbone linkage  122  (that is, hook rod  121 ) the rearward pull on dogbone linkage  122  merely urges dogbone linkage  122  to rotate further counterclockwise about main drive shaft  142 , that is, further to the locked position. The linkages thus resist becoming unlocked without the significant input of actuator assembly  33   
     A variety of part sizes, angles and manners of assembly and mounting may be used, but the current configuration is believed to be preferred. 
     Locking assembly  95  is supported by the three pairs of opposing lock assembly support plates  127  and  128 ,  145  and  146 , and  147  and  148 , as well as the outer lock assembly support plates  162  and  163 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . All the lock assembly support plates  127 ,  128 ,  144 - 148 ,  162  and  163  are identical and are rigidly connected to rear and front bolsters  30  and  166 , as shown. Referring to just one of the lock assembly support plates, plate  147  comprises a strong flat plate with two inverted, generally T-shaped notches  169  defined therein. At the base (top) of each notch is defined a semi-circular recess  170 . A complementary-shaped, removable bearing T-plate  172  has defined at its base (top) a mirror image semi-circular recess  174  that, with recess  170  when T-plate  172  is positioned in a complementary notch  169 , forms a bearing hole  175  for rotatably supporting a rotating rod such as main drive shaft  142  or an upper locking rod  126 ,  130  or  131 . Each T-plate is stitch welded to its lock assembly support plate (i.e.  147 ) which fixedly connects T-plate and support plate together, but which enables the stitch welds to be removed by known methods, if desired, to service locking assembly  95 . Assembly is also greatly facilitated as locking assembly  95  can be assembled upside down and the various linkages can be lowered into place, and the T-plates then stitch welded in place to provide a strong, secure and reliable locking assembly  95 . The entire locking assembly  95  collection is then turned over, for example as shown in  FIG. 8 , and connected to or assembled with the rest of the container, the floor of the container typically being then welded directly thereon. 
     As assembled, when a container with locking assembly  95  is positioned atop a vehicle having actuator assembly  33 , the main drive rods  153  and  154  are each thus juxtaposed directly between the front and rear upstanding push arms  107  and  108  of a push assembly  96 . Actuation of actuator assembly  33  causes push assembly  96  to engage drive rods  153  and  154  and thus move locking hooks  75  and, if the container  14  is so equipped, side pull pin hooks  47  into and out of their locking positions. 
     Container and vehicle combination  10  is further provided with one or more auxiliary locks, such as Stinger locks  177  and  178 , as is known. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.