The present invention generally relates to cargo containers having a swing-out door movable between open and closed positions and, more particularly, to a cargo container door lock assembly including a locking member which is inaccessibly arranged on an interior surface of and for automatically locking the swing-out door.
Intermodal cargo containers provide an economic mode for transporting large quantities of cargo or goods between distant locations. Such containers are stacked on ships, carried on railcars, and are typically delivered to a specific location on a semi-trailer. The United States freight transportation network commonly uses cargo or freight containers to move a staggering volume of goods each year. In 2001, an estimated 19 million containers entered the United States through water and land ports. In 2002, 17 billion tons of goods, worth in excess of $9.5 trillion, were moved into and around the United States. This translates into approximately 320 pounds of freight moved daily for each and every U.S. resident.
A typical freight or cargo container includes a box-like enclosure having an open end for loading and unloading goods. A pair of swing-out doors, mounted in a rigid frame of the container, serve to close the open end of the cargo container during transport. Each door is hingedly secured to the door frame along one vertical edge thereof. In many applications, an exterior of each door is provided with a vertically elongated locking rod disposed adjacent to a vertical side of the door opposite from the hinged side. Rotation of the locking rod about a generally vertical axis allows the locking rod to cooperate with other conventional instrumentalities on the door frame to secure the respective container door in a closed position.
Coupled with this immense volume of goods being shipped is the exposure to enormous risks. One of the most prevalent and so called “victimless” crimes involves cargo theft. Worldwide industry theft losses for cargo in 1995 were approximated at $470 billion. Between hijackings and internal fraud, the costs to business has reached epidemic proportions. As a consequence, insurance premiums and deductibles are rising at an alarming rate. While insurance payouts can replace such stolen goods, the loss of business from clients forced to buy replacement goods might never be replaced. Even though enforcement agencies have begun forming task forces to deal with cargo theft problems, most of their responses have been reactive rather than proactive. Accordingly, law enforcement agencies and private industry have realized they must work together to find a solution to the problem of cargo theft.
Heretofore, a very basic procedure at inhibiting cargo theft involves locking the doors on the cargo containers. In one form, the locking rods on the doors of the cargo container are configured to permit a padlock or other suitable locking device to be arranged on the outside of the container to prevent rotation of the locking rod. Of course, if the locking rod cannot be rotated, opening of the doors is prevented.
External locking of cargo containers, however, has not provided adequate protection. After removing such cargo containers from the ships, they are often placed upon the ground in remote storage areas prior to being loaded on trucks or railcars. The remoteness of such cargo container storage presents a prime opportunity for cargo theft. Another prime opportunity for cargo theft is when a railcar carrying cargo containers is parked on a secluded siding or switching yard. Such areas are vulnerable to having conventional padlocks arranged in the exterior of the container being cut or otherwise removed without drawing particular attention to such acts. Furthermore, if a theft of cargo does occur in either a storage area, secluded siding or switching yard, it is possible for such theft not to be discovered for an extended time period.
Thus, there is a need and continuing desire for a cargo door lock assembly which prevents the container doors from being opened when the cargo container is on a railcar or on the ground.
In view of the above, and in accordance with one aspect, there is provided a cargo container door lock assembly including a resiliently biased door locking member movable between locked and unlocked conditions. Advantageously, the door locking member is adapted to be mounted to an interior surface of a cargo door on a cargo container including a rigid door frame. The door frame defines an opening configured to receive and accommodate a lengthwise portion of the door locking member when the door is moved into a closed position. The opening in the door frame has a closed margin which interengages with the door locking member, when the cargo door is moved to a closed position, to prevent movement of the cargo door toward an open position. With the cargo door in the closed position, the resiliently biased door locking member is accessible to being moved into an unlocked condition, thus allowing said cargo door to be moved to the open position, only from an underside of the door locking member. As such, and when the cargo container is placed on the ground or on a railcar, access to the door locking member is prevented and the door cannot be opened using normal door opening procedures.
Preferably, the cargo container door lock assembly further includes an actuator carried beneath the underside of and for moving the door locking member to an unlocked condition while the cargo door remains in a closed position. In one form, the door lock assembly actuator includes a selectively operated solenoid.
In one form, the cargo container door lock assembly further includes a flanged mounting bracket for accommodating the door locking member for generally linear sliding movement along a generally vertical path of movement. In this form, the flanged mounting bracket and the door locking member have cooperating instrumentalities for limiting linear travel of the door locking member relative to the mounting bracket. Preferably, a spring is arranged in operable combination with the mounting bracket to resiliently urge the door locking member toward a predetermined disposition. To facilitate retracting movement of the door locking member as the door is moved to a closed position, the door locking member is preferably configured with a camming head at a free end thereof.
In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a cargo container door lock assembly including a slam latch adapted to be mounted to an interior surface of a movable cargo door, with a lower portion of the slam latch projecting beyond a lower edge of the cargo door, as long as cargo door is an open position. The slam latch is vertically movable to allow the cargo door to move to a closed position. The cargo door is mounted on a cargo container with a rigid door frame having a series of rigidly interconnected members including a hollow sill defining an opening configured to receive a lengthwise portion of the slam latch when the door is moved into the closed position. The opening, defined by the door frame sill, has a closed margin which, when the cargo door is in the closed position, interengages with the slam latch to prevent the cargo door from being moved toward the open position. The slam latch is accessible to being removed from the opening defined by the door frame sill, thus allowing the cargo door to be moved to an open position, only from an underside of the slam latch. Accordingly, and as long as the cargo container is either on the ground or on a railroad car, the slam latch remains interengaged with the closed margin of the opening in the door frame sill to prevent movement of the cargo door toward an open position using normal door opening procedures.
In a preferred embodiment, the cargo container door lock assembly further includes an actuator carried by the hollow frame sill beneath the underside of and for moving the slam latch to an unlocked condition while the cargo door remains in a closed position. In one form, such an actuator includes a selectively operated solenoid.
Preferably, the cargo container door lock assembly further includes a flanged mounting bracket for accommodating the slam latch for generally linear sliding movement along a generally vertical path of movement. In this embodiment of cargo container door lock assembly, the flanged mounting bracket and slam latch have cooperating instrumentalities for limiting linear travel of the slam latch relative to the mounting bracket. A spring is preferably arranged in operable combination with the mounting bracket to urge the slam latch toward a predetermined disposition. To promote retracting movement of the slam latch as the door is moved to a closed position, the slam latch is preferably configured with a camming head at a free end thereof.
In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a cargo container door lock assembly including an elongated hollow housing adapted to be mounted to an interior surface of a cargo door adjacent a first side door edge disposed opposite from and generally parallel to a second vertical side edge hingedly connected to a door frame on the cargo container. The cargo container door frame includes a series of rigidly interconnected frame members including a generally horizontal hollow sill. An elongated locking bolt is mounted for endwise reciprocatory movement between locked and unlocked conditions within the hollow housing. A portion of the locking bolt extends beyond a lower edge of the cargo door when the cargo door is in an open position. The hollow sill of the door frame defines an opening having a closed margin. The opening is arranged to receive and accommodate a section of the locking bolt after the cargo door is in the closed position. A closed margin of the opening in the door frame sill interengages with the door locking member to prevent the door from being moved toward the open position. The door lock assembly is configured such that the locking bolt is accessible to being removed from the opening defined by the door frame sill, thus allowing said cargo door to be moved to an open position, only from an underside of the locking bolt. As such, and as long as the cargo container is either on the ground or on a railroad car, a lengthwise portion of the locking bolt remains interengaged with the closed margin of the opening in the door frame sill so as to prevent movement of the cargo door toward an open position using normal door opening procedures.
In a preferred form, the cargo container door lock assembly further includes an actuator carried by the hollow sill beneath the underside of and for moving the locking bolt to an unlocked condition while the cargo door remains in a closed position. In one form, the actuator for the locking bolt includes a selectively operated solenoid.
In a preferred embodiment, the flanged mounting bracket and the locking bolt have cooperating instrumentalities for limiting linear travel of the locking bolt relative to the mounting bracket. A spring is preferably arranged in operable combination with the mounting bracket to urge the locking bolt toward a predetermined disposition. Moreover, and to promote retracting movement of the locking bolt toward a position whereby allowing the door to close, the locking bolt is preferably configured with a camming head at that end portion extending beyond a lower edge of the cargo door when the cargo door is in an open position.
A primary feature of this invention relates to providing a door locking mechanism for preventing unauthorized opening of a door on a cargo container as long as the cargo container is either on the ground or on a railcar.
Another feature of this invention relates to providing a protective apparatus for securing a cargo container door on an interior surface thereof to reduce cargo theft.
Another feature of this invention relates to providing a protective apparatus for securing a cargo container door using a simplified lock design which is easily manufactured, installed and maintained.
These and other features, aims and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims and drawings.
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in multiple forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described preferred embodiments of the invention, with the understanding the present disclosure is to be considered as setting forth exemplifications of the invention which are not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated and described.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, in
In the illustrated example, access to the interior of the cargo container 10 can be provided by a pair of conventional side-by-side swing-out container doors 30 and 40. It should be appreciated, however, the door lock assembly of the present invention is equally applicable to cargo containers having one or more hinged doors mounted elsewhere on the container 10.
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Similarly, and as shown in
Preferably, and as shown in
In the embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
Intermediate opposed ends, each locking rod 62 is furthermore customarily provided with handle structure 66 radially extending from axis 64 for rotating the locking rod 62 about axis 64. As will be appreciated, rotation of the locking rod 62 causes the upper and lower ends thereof to move into and out of operable combination with the keepers on the header 18 and sill 20 to lock and unlock the respective doors 30, 40 from an exterior of the container 10. In one form, handle structure 66 further includes conventional and well known structure 68 for preventing rotational movement of the locking rod 62 about axis 64 while permitting the doors 30, 40 to be secured, as with a pad lock or the like, in a closed position from an exterior of the container 10.
In accordance with the present invention, and as shown in
Door lock assembly 70 includes a door locking member or slam-latch 72 vertically movable between an unlocked condition (
Preferably, the locking bolt 72 is resiliently biased such that a lower lengthwise portion of the locking bolt 72 extends beyond the lower edge 36 of the door on which the locking bolt 72 is mounted as long as the cargo container door on which the locking bolt 72 is mounted is in an open position. In this regard, the locking bolt 72 and mounting bracket or housing 74 have cooperating instrumentalities 76 for limiting downward linear displacement of the locking bolt 72 relative to the lower edge 36 of the door on which the locking bolt 72 is mounted.
In the embodiment illustrated in
Preferably, a suitable spring 86 is operably disposed between the locking bolt 72 and housing 74 so as to resiliently and positively bias the locking bolt 72 toward the position shown in
As shown in
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Once the door reaches a fully closed position, as shown in
Returning to
In the form shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Actuator 100 of door lock assembly 70 can be enabled using several different methodologies. In the embodiment shown by way of example in
Alternatively, and in the embodiment shown in
The actuator 200 shown in
During transport, member 208 of apparatus 202 is in a retracted position so as to allow a lengthwise portion of the locking bolt 72 of lock assembly 70 to automatically drop or pass into the opening 90 upon closure of the door 30 such that a lengthwise portion of the locking bolt 72 interengages with the closed margin 92 of opening 90 and locks the container doors 30, 40 from an interior of the container 10. As such, the doors 30, 40 cannot be moved toward an open position using the normal door opening techniques and notwithstanding the conventional locking devices on the exterior of the container 10 having been illegally broken or otherwise impaired.
After container 10 is properly positioned on the trailer chassis 130 or the like, apparatus 200 can be selectively operated to distend member 208 whereby pushing the locking bolt 72 out of engagement with the closed margin 92 of the sill opening 90 of container 10. Like plunger 102, member 208 of actuator 202 is preferably configured to allow for at least partial passing of a free or operative end of member 208 through the opening 90 in the sill 20 while preventing the remainder of member 208 from being pushed above the upper sill surface 24 to reduce the likelihood of damage to member 208 from tines on a fork truck or the like. Of course, after the doors 30, 40 are opened, apparatus 202 of actuator 200 is operated so as to return member 208 to a retracted position such that after the doors 30, 40 are returned to their closed position, the doors 30, 40 can be again automatically locked from an interior of the container 10.
The door lock assembly of the present invention permits the swing-out container doors 30, 40 to close in a typical fashion. That is, with the present invention, there are no special operational instructions required to close the container doors 30, 40. Notably, however, after the container doors 30, 40 are closed, the door lock assembly of the present invention serves to automatically lock the container doors 30, 40 from the interior of the cargo container 10. Regardless of the type of apparatus used to affect release thereof, the door lock assembly 70 of the present invention is specifically configured to permit release of the door locking member 72 only from beneath or from an underside of the door locking member 72. As such, and when container 10 is located in a predetermined position, i.e., on the ground, the bottom or lower surface 26 of the sill 20 is in engagement with the ground, thus, preventing access to the locking bolt 72 of the door lock assembly 70. As such, the cargo swing door 30 cannot be opened even after any conventional securement device on the outside of the container swing doors 30, 40 may be forcibly and illegally opened. Moreover, when the cargo container 10 is situated in a predetermined position, i.e., on a railcar, access to the underside surface 26 on the container sill 20 is prevented thus thwarting access to the locking bolt 72 of lock assembly 70 and thereby preventing unwarranted unlocking of the door lock assembly 70. As such, and until the cargo or freight container 10 is loaded onto a trailer chassis with suitable means for operating the actuator of the lock assembly, the cargo and freight carried within the enclosure of container 10 is guarded by the door lock assembly 70 arranged within the interior of the container 10.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be made and effected without departing or detracting from the true spirit and novel concept of the present invention. Moreover, it will be appreciated, the present disclosure is intended to set forth an exemplification of the invention which is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. Rather, this disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.
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