HARD OPEN TOP CONTAINER

CONTENEUR RIGIDE A DESSUS OUVRABLE

English Abstract

Disclosed is a hard open top container, comprising a container body (1), a top cover (2), and a top cover lock (3) on the top cover, wherein the top cover is provided with fork grooves (4) with which the top cover can be opened by a forklift truck; a hub structure (5) linked with the top cover lock is provided on the top cover near the fork grooves, and the automatic unlocking or locking of the top cover lock can be achieved by means of fork teeth of the forklift truck being inserted into or exited from the fork grooves. The hub structure comprises a T-shaped piece (51) for controlling the unlocking of the top cover lock, and an operational lever (52) driven by the fork teeth to drive the T-shaped piece to rotate. The T-shaped piece is mounted onto the top cover by a hub shaft (53). The top cover lock comprises a lock base (31) fixed to the container body, a lock head (32) mounted onto the top cover with the head portion thereof being insertable into the lock base, a lock bar (33) for pulling the lock head and making the lock head disengage from the lock base, and a spring (34) for pushing the lock head and making the lock head insert into the lock base. The hard open top container is able to achieve automatic operation by means of providing a hub structure onto the top cover.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un conteneur rigide à dessus ouvrable, comprenant un corps (1) de conteneur, un capot supérieur (2) et un verrou (3) de capot supérieur sur le capot supérieur, le capot supérieur étant pourvu de rainures (4) pour fourche avec lesquelles un chariot élévateur à fourche peut ouvrir le capot supérieur; une structure de moyeu (5) reliée au verrou de capot supérieur étant disposée sur le capot supérieur près des rainures pour fourche et le déverrouillage ou verrouillage automatique du verrou de capot supérieur pouvant être effectué au moyen des dents de fourche du chariot élévateur à fourche introduit dans les rainures pour fourche ou sorti de celles-ci. La structure de moyeu comprend une pièce (51) en forme de T pour commander le déverrouillage du verrou de capot supérieur et un levier opérationnel (52) entraîné par les dents de fourche pour faire tourner la pièce en forme de T. La pièce en forme de T est montée sur le capot supérieur au moyen d'un axe (53) de moyeu. Le verrou de capot supérieur comprend une embase (31) de verrou fixée sur le corps du conteneur, une tête (32) de verrou montée sur le capot supérieur, la partie de tête de celle-ci pouvant s'insérer dans l'embase de verrou, une barre (33) de verrouillage, pour tirer la tête de verrou et la faire se retirer de l'embase de verrou et un ressort (34) pour pousser la tête de verrou et la faire s'insérer dans l'embase de verrou. Le conteneur rigide à dessus ouvrable est capable d'accomplir un fonctionnement automatique en équipant le capot supérieur d'une structure de moyeu.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A hard open top container, comprising a container body, a top cover,
a top cover
lock at a junction position of the container body and the top cover; the top
cover being
provided with fork grooves with which the top cover can be opened by a
forklift truck,
wherein a pivot structure linked with the top cover lock is provided near the
fork groove on
the top cover, and an automatic unlocking or locking of the top cover lock can
be achieved by
a fork tooth of the forklift truck being inserting into or removed from the
fork groove by
means of the pivot structure,
wherein the pivot structure comprises a T-shaped piece for controlling the
unlocking of
the top cover lock, and an operating lever driven by the fork tooth to rotate
the T-shaped piece,
and the T-shaped piece is mounted on the top cover by a pivot shaft.
2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the top
cover lock
comprises a lock base fixed to the contain body, and a lock head mounted on
the top cover
and enabling to insert into the lock base, a lock bar for pulling the lock
head to disengage
from the lock base, and a spring for pushing the lock head to insert into the
lock base.
3. The container according to claim 2, characterized in that a notch, in which
the
operating lever swings, is provided on one side of the fork groove.
4. The container according to claim 2, characterized in that the top cover
lock further
comprises front and rear brackets fixed to the top cover and used for
installing the lock head.
5. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that the lock head is
provided
with a limit step in contact with the front bracket to limit the depth of the
lock head inserting
into the lock base.
6. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that the spring is
sleeved on the
lock head, and has a front end positioned by the limit step and a rear end
positioned by the
rear bracket.
7

Description

CA 02885764 2015-03-23
HARD OPEN TOP CONTAINER
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The disclosure generally relates to a hard open top container, in
particular, to a
container with an openable top cover on the top thereof, typically to an
openable structure of
the top cover of the container.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A hard open top container in prior art is provided as shown in Fig.
1 and Fig. 2.
The container includes a container body 1, an openable top cover 2 provided on
the top of the
container body 1, and a top cover lock 3 between the top cover 2 and the
container body 1.
The top cover 2 is provided with fork grooves 4 for matching with forks of a
forklift truck.
By unlocking the top cover lock 3 as desired, the top cover 2 is opened from
or locked to the
container body 1. Cargos may be conveyed by a crane from the top of the
container body 1
with the opened top cover 2 and positioned in the container body 1 accurately
when they are
loaded. Heaver cargos may be also placed in the container easily. And during
the
transportation, the opening manner or sealing manner of the container body 1
may be selected
as desired to satisfy the special requirements for different cargos.
[0003] At present, as for opening the top cover 2 of the hard open top
container,
generally, the top cover lock 3 between the top cover 2 and the container body
1 i firstly
unlocked manually, and then the top cover 2 can be opened with the fork
grooves 4 provided
thereon by the forklift truck. Since opening of the top cover 2 is operated
manually, it wastes
labor force, and also has security risk.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this disclosure is to provide
a hard open
top container provided with a pivot structure on a top cover thereof, and the
pivot structure is
enable to automatically unlock or lock a top cover lock to overcome
disadvantages in the
container in prior art.
[0005] The disclosure provides a technical solution aiming to the above
technical

CA 02885764 2015-03-23
problem below: a hard open top container comprises a container body, a top
cover, and a top
cover lock on the top cover, characterized in that the top cover is provided
with a fork groove
with which the top cover can be opened by a forklift truck; a pivot structure
linked with the
top cover lock is provided near fork groove on the top cover, and an automatic
unlocking or
locking of the top cover lock can be achieved by means of a fork tooth of a
forklift truck
being inserted into or removed from the fork groove.
[0006] In an embodiment, the pivot structure comprises a T-shaped piece
for
controlling the unlocking of the top cover lock, and an operating lever driven
by the fork
tooth to rotate the T-shaped piece; and the T-shaped piece is mounted on the
top cover by a
pivot shaft.
[0007] In an embodiment, the top cover lock comprises a lock base fixed
to the
container body, a lock head enabling to insert into the lock base and mounted
on the top cover,
a lock bar for pulling the lock head to disengage from the lock base, and a
spring for pushing
the lock head to insert into the lock base.
[0008] In an embodiment, a notch, in which the operating lever swings, is
provided
on one side of the fork groove.
[0009] Furthermore, the top cover lock further comprises front and rear
brackets fixed
to the top cover and used for installing the lock head.
[0010] Furthermore, the lock head is provided with a limit step, which is
in contact
with the front bracket to limit the depth of the lock head inserting into the
lock base; the
spring is sleeved on the lock head, has a front end positioned on the limit
step and a rear end
positioned on the rear bracket.
[0011] As compared with the existing container in prior art, the
technical solutions of
the disclosure has following advantages:
[0012] The top cover lock can be automatically unlocked by the fork teeth
of the
forklift truck, so that the automatic opening of the top cover can be
achieved; and the
= container body is opened by forking the top cover upward, so that the
automatic operation
can be achieved.
[0013] The top cover lock is provided with a spring, so that the lock
head may
automatically return and automatically locked with the lock base.
2

CA 02885764 2015-03-23
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The contents shown in the companying drawings of the description and
the
reference signs in the drawings will be depicted briefly.
[0015] Fig. 1 is a top view of a container in prior art;
[0016] Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line A-A of a top cover of the
container as
shown in Fig. 1;
[0017] Fig. 3 is a top view of the top cover lock in a locking state of the
hard open top
container according to the disclosure;
[0018] Fig. 4 is a front view of the top cover lock in the locking state of
the hard open
top container according to the disclosure;
[0019] Fig. 5 is a top view of the top cover lock in an unlocking state of
the hard open
top container according to the disclosure;
[0020] Fig. 6 is a sectional view along line B-B of the top cover of the
container as
shown in Fig. 3.
[0021] Wherein, the reference signs are described as follows:
[0022] 1 container, 2 top cover, 3 top cover lock, 31 lock base, 32 lock
head, 33 lock
bar, 34 spring, 35 front bracket, 36 rear bracket, 37 limit step, 4 fork
grooves, 5 pivot
structure, 51 T-shaped piece, 52 operating lever, 53 pivot shaft
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Detailed descriptions of the preferable embodiments of the
disclosure are
provided in conjunction with the companying drawings in order to further
explain the
principle and structure of the disclosure.
[0024] The disclosure provides a hard open top container, in which at least
one pivot
structure 5 linked with a top cover lock 3 is located near a fork groove 4 on
a top cover 2 of
the container. The automatic unlocking of the top cover lock 3 can be achieved
by inserting
fork teeth of a forklift truck into fork grooves 4. When the fork teeth of the
forklift truck are
removed from the fork grooves 4, the automatic locking of the top cover lock 3
can be
achieved. This may avoid manual operation and improve automation and
efficiency.
3

CA 02885764 2015-03-23
[0025] Fig. 3 is a top view of a top cover lock in a locking state of the
hard open top
container according to an embodiment of the disclosure; Fig. 4 is a front view
of the top
cover having a top cover lock in the locking state according to the
embodiment; Fig. 5 is a
top view of the top cover lock in an unlocking state according to the
embodiment; Fig. 6 is a
sectional view along line B-B of the top cover of the container as shown in
Fig. 3.
[0026] The disclosure provides a hard open top container with the following
principle:
the pivot structure 5 linked with the top cover lock 3 is provided near the
fork groove 4 on the
top cover 2 of the container, and can be pushed by a fork tooth of the
forklift truck to control
the unlocking of the top cover lock 3. The top cover lock 3 has a lock base 31
fixedly
connected to a container body 1. A lock head 32 of the top cover lock 3 is
mounted on the top
cover 2, and matches with the lock base 31 so as to lock the top cover 2. A
lock bar 33 of the
top cover lock 3 has one end connected with the lock head 32 and the other end
connected
with the pivot structure 5. A T-shaped piece 51 of the pivot structure 5 is
fixed with an
operating lever 52 extending into the corresponding fork groove. When the fork
tooth of the
forklift truck is inserted into the fork groove 4, the operating lever 52 on
the pivot structure 5
is driven by the fork tooth to drive the T-shaped piece 51 to rotate, so that
the lock head 32 of
the top cover lock 3 linked with the pivot structure 5 is apart from the lock
base 31, and the
top cover lock 3 is unlocked.
[0027] In addition, the lock head 32 may also be provided with a spring 33
for driving
the lock head 32 to insert into the lock base 31. When the fork tooth exists
from the fork
groove 4, the operating lever 52 automatically returns to the fork groove 4 by
the restoring
force of the spring 34. At the same time, the lock head 32 can automatically
restore to the
position for matching with the lock base 31, so that the automatic locking of
the top cover
lock 3 can be achieved.
[0028] The specific embodiments of the hard open top container according to
the
disclosure are illustrated as shown in the accompanying drawings. The top
cover 2 is
provided with the top cover lock 3 for locking the top cover 2 to the
container body 1, and
also provided with the fork grooves 4. At least one pivot structure 5
connected to the lock bar
33 of the top cover lock 3 is provided near the fork groove 4. The top cover
lock 3 has the
lock base 31 fixedly connected to the container body 1, and the lock head 32
of the top cover
4

CA 02885764 2015-03-23
lock 3 is mounted on the top cover 2. The lock head 32 has a tail end
connected with one end
of the lock bar 33. The other end of the lock bar 33 is connected with a short
arm of the
T-shaped piece 51 of the pivot structure 5. The operating lever 52 of the
pivot structure 5 is
fixed to the T-shaped rod 51, so as to form a vertical portion of the T-shaped
piece 51. A
through hole is provided in the middle portion of the T-shaped piece 51, so
that the T-shaped
piece may be mounted on the top cover 2 by a pivot shaft. A notch, in which
the operating
lever 52 swings, is opened on one side of the fork groove 4. When the T-shaped
piece 51
rotates around the pivot shaft 53, the operating lever 52 swings inside and
outside the notch
of the fork groove 4.
[0029] When the top cover lock 3 is in the locking state, the head part of
the lock
head 32 is inserted into the lock hole of the lock base 31. The lock bar 33 is
perpendicular to
the longitudinal direction of the container, and the operating lever 52 is
parallel to the
longitudinal direction of the container. The operating lever 52 is inserted
into the middle
portion of the fork groove 4 through the notch of the fork groove 4. When the
fork tooth of
the forklift truck is inserted into the fork groove 4 to drive the operating
lever 52 to swing
toward the outside of the notch of the fork groove 4, the T-shaped piece 51 is
driven to rotate
around the pivot shaft 53, the short arm of the T-shaped piece 51 pulls the
lock head 32 out by
the lock bar 33 to disengage from the lock base 31, so that the automatic
unlocking of the top
cover lock 3 can be achieved.
[0030] As shown in the figures, two pivot structures 5 are provided near
the fork
grooves 4 of the top cover 2 of the container, and four top cover locks 3 are
mounted onto the
top cover 2. So there are four lock bars 33, wherein every two lock bars 33
have one end
connected with one pivot structure 5, so that every two top cover locks 3 are
linked with one
pivot structure 5.
[0031] Referring to Fig. 6, the lock head 32 is sleeved with a spring 34 to
be
automatically returned. The top cover lock 3 further includes a front bracket
35 for supporting
the front section of the lock head 32 and a rear bracket 36 for supporting the
rear section of
the lock head 32. The lock head 32 is provided with a limit step 37, which may
contact with
the front bracket 35 to limit the depth of the lock head 32 inserting into the
lock base 31. The
spring 34 is sleeved on the rod of the lock head 32, and has a front end
positioned by the limit

CA 02885764 2016-06-30
step 37 and a rear end positioned by the rear bracket 36.
[0032] When the fork teeth of the forklift truck are removed from the fork
grooves 4, the
fork teeth will not contact with the operating levers 52 any more, and the
elastic force of the
spring 34 acts between the limit step 37 on the front end of the spring 34 and
the rear bracket 36
on the rear end of the spring 34. Driven by the elastic force of the spring
34, the head part of the
lock head 32 is inserted into the lock hole of the lock base 31, so that the
top cover lock 3 may
automatically restore the locking state. The lock head 32 pulls the head rod
33 connected with
the tail end thereof, and the lock bar 33 pulls the short arm of the T-shaped
piece 51, so that
T-shaped piece 51 is reverted to drive the operating lever 52 to automatically
return into the fork
groove 4.
[0033] The disclosure provides a hard open top container, in which the top
cover lock 3
may be automatically opened by the fork tooth of the forklift truck, and the
fork tooth may open
the container body 1 by forking the top cover 2 up; the top cover lock 3 is
provided with the
spring 34 to automatically return the lock head 32 so that automatic locking
of the lock base 31
and thereby the automatic operation are achieved.
6

Representative Drawing