Container, in particular for transporting freight by air

• US 4,212,406 A
• Filed: 07/30/1979
• Issued: 07/15/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swiss Aluminium, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Swiss Aluminium, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mittelmann, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Norton, Donald F.
• Application Number:
  US06/062,163
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 150/0.5, 220/1.5, 220/4 F, 220/84, 29/448, 29/462
• US Class Current: 220/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/14 by air
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49867 of skin on frame member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49892 Joining plate edge perpendicularly to frame

Abstract

A container, in particular a container for transporting freight by air, is made of profiled rods or spars which form a structural frame which is covered at least in part by sheeting, fabric or the like so that the covering acts in tension on the structural frame and is counteracted by compressive elements in the frame of the container.

Claims

1. A container for use in transporting freight comprising

a first and second plurality of profiled rods;

a first and second plurality of tripodal corner members each having first, second and third legs;

securing means associated with said first and second profiled rods and said first and second legs of said first and second corner members for securing said first profiled rods to said first corner members and said second profiled rods to said second corner members so as to form first and second side wall frames;

a plurality of transverse profiled spar members extending between said first and second side wall frames;

securing means associated with said profiled spar members and said third leg of said corner members for securing said spar members to said first and second side wall frame members so as to form a structural frame; and

a plurality of covering means mounted on said structural frame such that said covering means is in tension and said structural frame is in compression.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein each of said covering means is provided with a first and second hook shaped member and each of said profiled rods is provided with a groove wherein said plurality of covering means are mounted on said structural frame whereby said first hook shaped member engages said groove on one of said profiled rods on said first side wall frame member and said second hook shaped member engages said groove on one of said profiled rods on said second side wall frame member.

3. A container according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of tripodal corner members include means for adjusting the position of said first side wall frame member with respect to said second side wall frame member so as to seat said hook shaped members in said grooves thereby placing sad plurality of covering means in tension.

4. A container according to claim 3 wherein said adjusting means is movable so as to vary the relative positon between said first and second side wall frame members.

5. A container according to claim 3 wherein said adjusting means is associated with said third leg of said corner members.

6. A container according to claim 3 wherein said securing means associated with said third leg of said corner members comprises a bore adapted to receive said spar members.

7. A container according to claim 6 wherein said adjusting means comprises a screw movably mounted within said bore for adjusting the position of said spar members.

8. A container according to claim 2 wherein said coverings are mounted on said spar members by means of fasteners.

9. A container according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of said profiled rods forming either side wall frame member include projections adapted to releasably receive a door member.

10. A container according to claim 9 wherein said door member is formed by a flexible covering provided with a rolled seam which is adapted to rest in an undercut groove in one of said profiled rods, said undercut groove running above the doorway and having an oval cross section in the undercut region, the principal axis of which runs approximately in the plane of the door.

11. A container according to claim 10 wherein said door is provided with a plurality of flexible belts which run substantially parallel to said rolled seam, said flexible belts being provided with hooked members and further includes means for adjusting the length of said belts.

12. A method of constructing a container for transporting freight comprising:

providing a first and second plurality of profiled rods;

providing a first and second plurality of tripodal corner members;

securing said first plurality of profiled rods to said first plurality of tripodal corner members to form a first frame;

securing said second plurality of profiled rods to said second plurality of tripodal corner members to form a second frame;

providing a plurality of transverse spar members extending between said first and second frame members;

securing said first and second frame members to said plurality of transverse spar members so as to form a structural frame;

covering said structural frame with a plurality of covering members; and

adjusting the position of said first side wall frame to said second side wall frame whereby said covering members are placed in tension.