The present invention relates to tools useful for securing shipping containers.
Intermodal shipping containers are used throughout the world. Transporting everything from bulk raw materials to refined goods, millions of shipping containers move each day. The intermodal container is a large standardized shipping container, used in intermodal freight transport. The intermodal container can be 40 foot long with each of the eight corners adapted with a twist lock fitting for hoisting, stacking, and securing. Thus, making the containers stackable for loading and transport on large ships feasible and efficient.
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container using multiple modes of transportation (e.g., rail, ship, and truck), without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and improves security, reduces damage and loss, and allows freight to be transported faster. Reduced costs over road trucking are the key benefit for intercontinental use. The applicant has developed a tool to assist in the securing and removal of the intermodal container during transport and storage. Applicant has discovered a new and improved means for closing and securing the doors of intermodal shipping containers that are secured with turnbuckles.
One of the major objectives of this invention is to provide a tool that can help secure and unsecure shipping containers.
Some embodiments of the present invention provide tools for securing a shipping container door, comprising;
a head that comprises a front face and a rear face that together define a top edge;
two extension proximal to the top edge extending from the front face;
a handle extending from the head a length enough to provide leverage laterally downward while securing the turnbuckle.
While the disclosure provides certain specific embodiments, the invention is not limited to those embodiments. A person of ordinary skill will appreciate from the description herein that modifications can be made to the described embodiments and therefore that the specification is broader in scope than the described embodiments. All examples are therefore non-limiting.
These and other details of the present invention will be described in connection with the accompany drawings, which are not furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment to be described below but may be implemented in various embodiments of the U-shaped locking tool device. The embodiment is merely provided to completely disclose the present invention and completely inform those skilled in the art of the spirit of the present invention.
With reference now to the drawings, the u-shaped tool is used to secure containers above deck on a container ship or barge to keep containers from falling. One end of the turnbuckle is attached to either a short or long lashing bar which in turn is connected to a container corner casting as depicted in
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
Turnbuckles have a maximum and minimum opening length. If you turn the bars of the turnbuckle (50) they will tighten or loosen depending on the direction turned. During container use, you want the turnbuckle to have all slack taken out of the system, but you do not want the fitting to be too tight.
In use, the bar bracket of the turnbuckle is placed between the arc of the opposing extension. Then, leverage is placed upon the handle which causes turnbuckle (50) to rotate in the direction of arrow (52) or in the opposite direction of arrow (52) thereby respectively increasing or decreasing desired tension.
This application claims the benefit of application 62/697,592.
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2016090402 | Jun 2016 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20200115153 A1 | Apr 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62697592 | Jul 2018 | US |