Patent Publication Number: US-2023133713-A1

Title: Lashing device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 110140436, filed on Oct. 29, 2021. 
     FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to a lashing device, and more particularly to a lashing device for securing containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In general, containers loaded on a cargo ship are stacked into rows and columns. In order to prevent the stacked containers from falling when the cargo ship is in motion, a plurality of lashing devices (e.g., as disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Nos. I250956, M284618, and I245730) are generally used to secure the containers to a deck of the cargo ship. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the deck of a conventional cargo ship generally includes a plurality of fixing seats  2  that are provided to be connected to a plurality of lashing devices  3  via a plurality of eye plates  1 . Specifically, each of the eye plates  1  is welded to top and side surfaces of a respective one of the fixing seats  2 , and has a plurality of circular holes  101 . Each of the lashing devices  3  is connected between a container  6  and a respective one of the eye plates  1 , and includes a turnbuckle  4  and a lashing rod  5 . The turnbuckle  4  of each of the lashing devices  3  is pivotally engaged with a respective one of the circular holes  101  of the eye plates  1  via a pivot pin  401 . The lasing rod  5  of each of the lashing devices  3  has a hook end  501  that is engaged with a corner casting  601  of the container  6 , and an opposite end that is adjustably connected to the turnbuckle  4 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  3 ,  4 A and  4 B , although the above-described system of the eye plates  1  and the lashing devices  3  is able to secure the containers  6  to the deck, when the cargo ship becomes unstable (e.g., due to heavy winds or strong currents) and exerts an impact force (F) (see  FIG.  3   ) on the containers  6 , the containers  6  are subjected to an inertia force thereof (see the dotted arrow in  FIG.  3   ) to thereby move in a direction opposite to the direction of the impact force (F). As a result, the containers  6  exert a pulling force on the lashing devices  3 , which can easily damage the lashing rods  5  of the lashing devices  3  or the corner castings  601  of the containers  6 . Moreover, when the pulling force is no longer present, the containers  6  are likely to tilt and fall off the deck, as shown in  FIG.  4 B . 
     Furthermore, since the containers  6  may be disposed at different heights which causes the lashing devices  3  to incline relative to the deck at different angles, a distance between two adjacent lashing rods  5  may vary accordingly. As a result, the fingers of an operator may be accidentally caught between and injured by the lashing rods  5  when operating on the lashing devices  3 . 
     Such drawback can be found in the lashing device disclosed in German Patent No. DE202017103865U1, and although the lashing device disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. I641770 is able to overcome the drawback, the eye plate thereof is subjected to unevenly distributed forces. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, the object of the disclosure is to provide a lashing device that can alleviate the drawback of the prior art. 
     According to the disclosure, the lashing device includes a base seat, a pivot pin, and an eye plate. 
     The base seat has a bottom wall, and two spaced-apart pivot lugs that are connected to the bottom wall, and that cooperate with the bottom wall to define a pivot slot thereamong. Each of the pivot lugs is formed with an pivot hole that communicates with the pivot slot. The pivot holes extend along a center axis. The pivot pin extends through the pivot hole of each of the pivot lugs. The eye plate is received in the pivot slot, and has a middle portion, a first wing portion and a second wing portion. The middle portion is formed with a pivot hole. The pivot pin movably extends through the pivot hole such that the eye plate is rotatable about the pivot pin relative to the base seat. The first wing portion has a first connecting end that is connected to one of opposite ends of the middle portion, a first distal end that is distal from the middle portion, and a first elongated hole that is disposed between the first connecting end and the first distal end. The first elongated hole has a first arc section that is centered at a first arc axis. The second wing portion has a second connecting end that is connected to the other one of the opposite ends of the middle portion, a second distal end that is distal from the middle portion, and a second elongated hole that is disposed between the second connecting end and the second distal end. The second elongated hole has a first arc section that is centered at a first arc axis. The first arc axis of the first arc section of the first elongated hole and the first arc axis of the first arc section of the second elongated hole are coplanar with the center axis, and are equidistant from the center axis. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram illustrating a plurality of conventional lashing devices being used for securing a plurality of containers; 
         FIG.  2    is an enlarged fragmentary view of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram illustrating the lashing devices and the containers being subjected to an impact force; 
         FIG.  4 A  is a schematic diagram illustrating the tilting of the containers; 
         FIG.  4 B  is a schematic diagram illustrating a corner casting of one of the containers being pulled and damaged; 
         FIG.  5    is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the lashing device according to the disclosure; 
         FIG.  6    is a plan view of an eye plate of the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  7    is a sectional view of the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  8    is a side view illustrating the first embodiment being mounted to an upright post; 
         FIG.  9    is a top view illustrating the first embodiment being mounted to the upright post; 
         FIG.  10    is a schematic diagram illustrating the first embodiment being used with a plurality of lashing rod units for securing a plurality of containers; 
         FIG.  11    is a schematic top view of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  12    is an enlarged fragmentary view of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  13    is a schematic diagram illustrating the first embodiment in a different state of use; 
         FIG.  14    an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the lashing device according to the disclosure; 
         FIG.  15    is a plan view of an eye plate of the second embodiment; 
         FIG.  16    is a sectional view of the second embodiment; 
         FIG.  17    is a schematic diagram illustrating the second embodiment being used with the lashing rod units for securing the containers; 
         FIG.  18    is a schematic top view of  FIG.  17   ; 
         FIG.  19    is an enlarged fragmentary view of  FIG.  17   ; and 
         FIG.  20    a schematic diagram illustrating the second embodiment in a different state of use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before the present disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  5  to  9   , a first embodiment of a lashing device according to the disclosure is adapted to be fixed to an upright post  100 . The upright post  100  has two end corners  110  that are disposed at a top end of the upright post  100 , and that are substantially right-angled. The lashing device is adapted to be fixed to one of the end corners  110  of the upright post  100 , and includes a base seat  10 , a pivot pin  20 , and an eye plate  30 . 
     The base seat  10  has a bottom wall  11 , and two spaced-apart pivot lugs  12  that are connected to the bottom wall  11 , and that cooperate with the bottom wall  11  to define a pivot slot  13  thereamong. 
     The bottom wall  11  of the base seat  10  has a top surface  111  that is exposed to the pivot slot  13 , and first and second contact surfaces  112 ,  113  that are opposite to the top surface  111 , that intersect each other on a corner line  114 , and that are substantially perpendicular to each other. The top surface  111  has a flat segment  115 , and two slanted segments  116  that are connected to opposite ends of the flat segment  115 , respectively. Each of the slanted segments  116  extends from an end that is connected to the flat segment  115  toward a distal end in a direction away from both the flat segment  115  and the pivot lugs  12  such that the slanted segments  116  are inclined relative to the flat segment  115 . 
     Each of the pivot lugs  12  is formed with a pivot hole  121  that communicates with the pivot slot  13 , and has an indicating segment  122 . The pivot holes  121  extend along a center axis (L 1 ). Each of the pivot lugs  12  extends along an imaginary extending line (L 2 ) that intersects the center axis (L 1 ), and that is inclined relative to an imaginary extension of the first contact surface  112  (see  FIG.  7   ). As such, a tilt angle (θ 1 ) (see  FIG.  7   ) is formed between the extending line (L 2 ) of each of the pivot lugs  12  and the imaginary extension of the first contact surface  112 , and ranges from 40 degrees to 50 degrees (preferably 45 degrees). An imaginary plane that overlaps the corner line  114  and the second contact surface  113  is inclined relative to the center axis (L 1 ), such that an installation angle (θ 2 ) (see  FIG.  9   ) is formed between the imaginary plane and the center axis (L 1 ). The installation angle (θ 2 ) is adjustable during manufacture to suit actual needs. 
     The pivot pin  20  extends through the pivot hole  121  of each of the pivot lugs  12 . The eye plate  30  is received in the pivot slot  13 , and has a middle portion  31 , a first wing portion  32 , a second wing portion  33 , a bottom edge  34 , a top edge  35 , a first side edge  36  and a second side edge  37 . 
     The middle portion  31  is formed with a pivot hole  311  that extends along the center axis (L 1 ). The pivot pin  20  movably extends through the pivot hole  311  such that the eye plate  30  is rotatable about the pivot pin  20  relative to the base seat  10 . The bottom edge  34  is proximal to the bottom wall  11  of the base seat  10 . The top edge  35  is opposite to the bottom edge  34 . 
     The first and second wing portions  32 ,  33  are connected to opposite ends of the middle portion  31 , respectively. The first side edge  36  is connected between the bottom edge  34  and the top edge  35  and is disposed at the first wing portion  32 . The second side edge  37  is connected between the bottom edge  34  and the top edge  35  and is disposed at the second wing portion  33 . 
     Specifically, the first wing portion  32  has a first connecting end  321  that is connected to one of opposite ends of the middle portion  31 , a first distal end  322  that is distal from the middle portion  31  and that is disposed at the first side edge  36 , a first elongated hole  323  that is disposed between the first connecting end  321  and the first distal end  322 , a first stopper  324  that protrudes from the top edge  35 , and an indicator  325  that corresponds in position to the indicating segment  122  of the base seat  10 . The first elongated hole  323  has a first arc section  326  that is centered at a first arc axis (L 3 ), and a second arc section  327  that is centered at a second arc axis (L 4 ). 
     The second wing portion  33  has a second connecting end  331  that is connected to the other one of the opposite ends of the middle portion  31 , a second distal end  332  that is distal from the middle portion  31  and that is disposed at the second side edge  37 , a second elongated hole  333  that is disposed between the second connecting end  331  and the second distal end  332 , and a second stopper  334  that protrudes from a connecting section between the top edge  35  and the second side edge  37 . The second elongated hole  333  is of the same size and shape as the first elongated hole  323 , and has a first arc section  336  that is centered at a first arc axis (L 3 ), and a second arc section  337  that is centered at a second arc axis (L 4 ). 
     It should be noted that, as shown in  FIG.  6   , the first arc axis (L 3 ) of the first arc section  326  of the first elongated hole  323  and the first arc axis (L 3 ) of the first arc section  336  of the second elongated hole  333  are coplanar with the center axis (L 1 ) such that an imaginary plane (P) overlaps all three axes. In addition, the first arc sections  326 ,  336  of the first and second elongated holes  323 ,  333  are tangent to a first reference plane (P 1 ), and the second arc sections  327 ,  337  of the first and second elongated holes  323 ,  333  are tangent to a second reference plane (P 2 ). The first reference plane (P 1 ) and the second reference plane (P 2 ) are parallel to each other, and are parallel to the imaginary plane (P). 
     It should also be noted that, as shown in  FIG.  7   , each of the first elongated hole  323  and the second elongated hole  333  has a long axis length (l 1 ) that is measured between the bottom edge  34  and the top edge  35 , and a short axis length (l 2 ) that is measured between the first side edge  36  and the second side edge  37 . The long axis length (l 1 ) is greater than the short axis length (l 2 ). The first and second arc sections  326 ,  327  of the first elongated hole  323  are opposite to each other along a direction of the long axis length (l 1 ) of the first elongated hole  323 . Similarly, the first and second arc sections  336 ,  337  of the second elongated hole  333  are opposite to each other along a direction of the long axis length (l 1 ) of the second elongated hole  333 . The direction of the long axis length (l 1 ) of the first elongated hole  323  is parallel to that of the second elongated hole  333 . The first arc axis (L 3 ) of the first elongated hole  323  and the first arc axis (L 3 ) of the second elongated hole  333  are equidistant from the center axis (L 1 ), such that a distance (d) between the center axis (L 1 ) and the long axis of the first elongated hole  323  is the same as a distance (d) between the center axis (L 1 ) and the long axis of the second elongated hole  333  (see  FIG.  6   ). 
     For further understanding of the configurations and effects of the present embodiment of the disclosure, details of the application of the embodiment are described as follows. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  10  to  13   , to secure a plurality of containers  6  that are stacked in rows and columns on a deck of a cargo ship, the base seats  10  of a plurality of the lashing devices are respectively welded and fixed to the end corners  110  of a plurality of the upright posts  100  on the deck, and a plurality of lashing rod units  3  are connected between the eye plates  30  of the lashing devices and the containers  6 . 
     Specifically, each of the lashing rod units  3  includes a lashing rod  5 , and a turnbuckle  4  configured for connection between the lashing rod  5  and the corresponding eye plate  30 . More specifically, The lashing rod units  3  are grouped into pairs, and the lashing rod units  3  of each pair are connected between the eye plate  30  of one of the lashing devices and two adjacent containers  6  that are stacked vertically. Each of the lashing rod units  3  of the pair has one end that is pivotally engaged with a respective one of the first and second elongated holes  323 ,  333  of the eye plate  30 , and the other end that is engaged with a corner casting  601  of a respective one of the two adjacent containers  6 . 
     Since the containers  6  are stacked and disposed at different heights, the lashing rod units  3  are inclined relative to the surface of the deck at different angles (see  FIG.  10   ). In this regard, by virtue of configurations of the flat segment  115  and the slanted segments  116  of the top surface  111 , and the eye plate  30  of each lashing device being pivotable relative to the base seat  10 , a gap formed between and the top surface  111  of the base seat  10  and the bottom edge  34  of the eye plate  30  allows the eye plate  30  to rotate slightly relative to the base seat  10 . As such, the eye plate  30  serves as a lever that equalizes the tension forces exerted on the lashing rod units  3  of the same pair (i.e., the eye plate  30  can pivot to a position where an angle formed between the eye plate  30  and one of the lashing rod units  3  of a pair is approximately the same as an angle formed between the eye plate  30  and the other one of the lashing rod units  3  of the pair), and thus the lashing rod units  3  are not subjected to unevenly distributed tension forces. It should be noted that, the gap formed between and the top surface  111  of the base seat  10  and the bottom edge  34  of the eye plate  30  is configured to allow for the pivotally movement of the eye plate  30 , but is not wide enough to allow the fingers of an operator to be accidentally caught therebetween during operation. 
     Further, by virtue of the pivotal movement of the eye plate  30 , a distance between the lashing rod units  3  of each pair remains approximately the same regardless of changes in inclination of the lashing rod units  3  relative to the surface of the deck, thus preventing the fingers of the operator from being caught between and injured by the lashing rod units  3 . 
     In addition, by virtue of configurations of the first elongated hole  323  and the second elongated hole  333  of the eye plate  30 , when the cargo ship encounters heavy winds or strong currents and becomes unstable, the lashing rod units  3  are allowed to slide within the first and second elongated holes  323 ,  333  of the eye plates  30 , and the sliding movement of the lashing rod units  3  and the pivotal movement of the eye plate  30  cooperatively dampens the impact forces exerted on the lashing rod units  3  and the containers  6 . 
     It should be noted that, during operation, combination of the indicator  325  of the eye plate  30  and the indicating segment  122  of the base seat  10  can be used as a reference to prevent the eye plate  30  from being installed in wrong directions. It should also be noted that, the first stopper  324  and the second stopper  334  of the eye plate  30  are configured to limit movement of the lashing rod units  3  such that the lashing rod units  3  can be positioned at a predetermined inclination angles. Furthermore, the configurations of the base seat  10  may be adapted in variations of the embodiment to form different tilt angle (θ 1 ) and installation angle (θ 2 ) suitable for different requirements. Finally, since a combined area of the first contact surface  112  and the second contact surface  113  of the base seat  10  is relatively small, a welding area between the base seat  10  and the upright post  100  is reduced compared with the prior art, and as a result, the costs for installation can be reduced. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  14  to  16   , a second embodiment of the lashing device according to the disclosure is similar to the first embodiment, and the differences between the two are described as follows. 
     In the second embodiment, the lashing device is adapted to be fixed to a horizontally disposed square tube or similar items. The bottom portion  11 ′ of the base seat  10 ′ has a stopping portion  14 ′ and a bottom surface  15 ′. The stopping portion  14 ′ protrudes into the receiving space  13 ′, and has a cross section that is perpendicular to the center axis (L 1 ) and that is substantially triangular. The bottom surface  15 ′ is opposite to the stopping portion  14 ′, and is completely flat such that the bottom surface  15 ′ can be fixed to a side surface of the square tube or other flat surfaces. The bottom edge  34 ′ of the eye plate  30 ′ is formed with a groove  341 ′ that is substantially inverted V-shaped for receiving the stopping portion  14 ′ of the base seat  10 ′. 
     Similarly in the present embodiment, the imaginary extending line (L 2 ) of each of the pivot lugs  12 ′ of the base seat  10 ′ intersects the center axis (L 1 ) of the pivot pin  20 ′, and is inclined relative to the bottom surface  15 ′ (see  FIG.  16   ). As such, a tilt angle (θ 1 ) is formed between the imaginary extending line (L 2 ) of each of the pivot lugs  12 ′ and the bottom surface  15 ′, and ranges from 40 degrees to 50 degrees (preferably 45 degrees). In addition, the first arc axis (L 3 ) of the first arc section  326 ′ of the first elongated hole  323 ′ and the first arc axis (L 3 ) of the first arc section  336 ′ of the second elongated hole  333 ′ are coplanar with the center axis (L 1 ), and are equidistant from the center axis (L 1 ) (i.e., as shown in  FIG.  15   , the distance (d) between the center axis (L 1 ) and the long axis of the first elongated hole  323 ′ is the same as the distance (d) between the center axis (L 1 ) and the long axis of the second elongated hole  333 ′). 
     As such, referring to  FIGS.  17  to  20   , the second embodiment of the lashing device is adapted to be connected to the lashing rod unit  3  in a similar manner, and is able to provide the same functions and benefits as the first embodiment for securing the containers  6 . 
     In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure. 
     While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.