Folding containers

• US 4,355,732 A
• Filed: 11/25/1980
• Issued: 10/26/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sea Containers Ltd. (SeaCo Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sea Containers Ltd. (SeaCo Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nessfield, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US06/210,195
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 220/1.5, 220/6, 220/7, 217/0.5, 178/55.1, 178/55.3, 178/55.5
• US Class Current: 220/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/129 Transporter frames for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/522 all side walls hingedly connected to each other or to another component of the container

Abstract

A folding container has a base for carrying goods and end walls with corner posts articulated to the base by pins. Each corner post has a heel which just clears a bridge member above its arcuate path of movement. To lock each corner post upright, a locking member can be slid into the gap between the bridge member and the heel parallel to the axis of articulation to transmit compression forces directly from the heel portion to the bridge member.

Claims

1. A folding container, comprising:

a generally rectangular container base on which goods may be loaded;

corner posts articulated to each corner of the base for movement between a folded-down position, in which the corner posts lie substantially flat on the base, and an erect position, in which the corner posts extend substantially vertically upwards for supporting a superimposed container or stack of containers;

each corner post having a projecting heel portion formed with a first locking abutment surface thereon;

said base having a second locking abutment surface thereon which confronts, and is spaced by a gap from, said first locking abutment surface when said corner post is in said erect position;

said first locking abutment surface, when said corner post is swingably moved away from its erect position toward said folded-down position, being moved initially towards said second locking abutment surface along an arcuate path so as to swing clear and move past said second locking abutment surface; and

lock means positionable in the gap between the first and second locking abutment surfaces and being subject to compressive forces imposed thereon for blocking movement of the corner post away from its erect position toward said folded-down position, said lock means comprising a locking member which is slidable into said gap for substantially filling said gap when the corner post is in its erect position so that the locking member blocks movement of the corner post towards its folded-down position.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first locking abutment surface faces upwardly in the erect position of the corner post, and the second locking abutment surface faces downwardly and is on a portion of the base overlying the heel portion so that the second locking abutment surface is positioned over but spaced from the first locking abutment surface when the corner post is in said erect position.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the said portion of the base is a bridge portion interconnecting parts of the base on each side of the path of movement of the heel portion of the corner post.

4. A container according to claim 1 wherein each corner post is prevented from movement beyond its erect position by engagement of further abutment surfaces of the base and the corner post.

5. A container according to claim 3, wherein the said parts of the base are parts of a stub-corner post and the bridge portion is at the top of the stub-corner post, each corner post being prevented from movement beyond its erect condition by engagement of further abutment surfaces on the top of the bridge portion and on the corner post.

6. A container according to claim 1, wherein a clearance is left between the locking member and at least one of the locking abutment surfaces of the base and corner post.

7. A container according to claim 1 in which the locking member is slidable in guides into and out of the gap.

8. A container according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the locking abutment surfaces is on a pre-formed element secured to the corner post or base respectively.

9. A container according to claim 8, wherein a preselected shim is positioned under the pre-formed element.

10. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first locking abutment surface comprises an enlarged flat surface which faces upwardly when the respective corner post is in its erect position, and the second locking abutment surface comprises an enlarged flat surface which is formed on a portion of the base and faces downwardly, said second locking abutment surface being positioned substantially directly over and spaced upwardly from the first locking abutment surface when the corner post is in said erect position, and said locking member comprising an elongated bar of rectangular cross section having enlarged flat upper and lower surfaces which respectively engage said second and first locking abutment surfaces when the corner post is in its erect position so that said locking bar is subject substantially solely to compressive forces when blocking any tendency for the corner post to swing into its folded-down position.

11. A container according to claim 10, wherein the base includes first and second guide parts fixed thereto and horizontally spaced apart so as to define an open region therebetween for receiving therein the projecting heel portion of the corner post when the latter is in its erect position, said base also having a bridge portion fixed thereto and extending between said guide parts directly above said region, said bridge part having a lower surface thereon which defines said second locking abutment surface, said first and second guide parts having aligned openings therein for slidably supporting and receiving said locking member, said locking member being movable between a locking position wherein it bridges the region and is supported on the first and second guide parts and an unlocking position wherein it is withdrawn from the region and is supported only on the first guide part, and releasable latch means mounted on the base and coacting with the locking member for permitting the locking member to be latched in both its locking position and its unlocking position.

12. A container according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein both the base and the projecting heel portion have a removable wear plate attached thereto for defining the respective locking abutment surface.