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EP 0 705 770 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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23.05.2001 Bulletin 2001/21 |
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Date of filing: 25.09.1995 |
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Container with self-locking arms, especially suitable for rolling stock
Behälter mit selbstverrieglenden Armen, geeignet für die Lagerung von rollenden Gegenständen
Conteneur avec bras auto-verrouillables, adaptés au stockage d'objets roulants
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE LI LU MC NL PT SE |
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Designated Extension States: |
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LV SI |
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Priority: |
29.09.1994 IT BG940043
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Date of publication of application: |
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10.04.1996 Bulletin 1996/15 |
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Proprietor: LUCCHINI S.p.A. |
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20121 Milano (IT) |
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Inventor: |
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- Tignonsini, Zaverio Egidio
I-25047 Darfo Boario Terme (IT)
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Representative: Lecce, Giovanni |
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Studio Nord Brevetti,
Via Verdi, 14 24121 Bergamo 24121 Bergamo (IT) |
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References cited: :
EP-A- 0 505 295 DE-U- 7 227 227
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CH-A- 548 911
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] This invention relates to a container with self-locking arms, especially suitable
for rolling stock.
[0002] More particularly, this invention relates to a container with self-locking arms,
for the packing, transportation and storing of rolling stock especially tyres of railroad
cars, tyre-centres and monobloc wheels.
[0003] A device with self locking arms for receiving long objects according to the preamble
of claim 1 is known from EP-A-0 505 295.
[0004] As is known, because of the volume and weight of the components, the handling of
railroad wheel arrangement requires specific interventions, suitable to prevent damages
following the accidental and frequent shiftings of the load. Especially in relation
with tyres, tyre-centres and monobloc wheels of railroad cars, it is necessary to
provide packings such as to ensure as much as possible the stability and compactness
of the many grouped components, usually transported by sea or railroad shipping from
the production plants to the different destinations.
[0005] For this purpose, said wheels, tyres and tyre-centres are superposed in variable
number on pallets or beds of a traditional type and then steel strapped, i.e. tied
to the supporting frame by means of metal straps. This traditional solution involves
some severe drawbacks.
[0006] First of all, the steel straps utilized do not prevent the shifting of the superposed
elements in case of abrupts strains which happen often during transportation; as a
consequence, the superposed monobloc wheels, tyres and tyre-centres, tend to move
away from one another in a disorderly way, and in the worst cases, they break the
straps, sliding on the floor and suffering damages. Therefore, on unloading the material,
it is necessary to re-compact the group of components, which is obviosuly difficult
because of the weight, and time wasting.
[0007] Also in the stage of preparation of the bed for the shipment, the operation of arranging
the whole involves marked difficulties, as wheels, tyres or tyre-centres must be superposed
with a precise alignment, and therefore constrained by said steel straps.
[0008] Object of this invention is to obviate the aforementioned drawbacks.
[0009] More particularly, object of this invention is to provide a container for rolling
stock such as not to require binding operations of the material, and allowing, during
the transportation, the exact keeping of the original position even in case of abrupt
strains.
[0010] A further object of the invention is to provide users with a container as defined
above, suitable to automatically lock the rolling stock placed on the same.
[0011] A further object of the invention is to provide a container for rolling stock suitable
to ensure a high level of resistance and reliability in the long run, and also such
as to be easily and economically realizable.
[0012] According to the present invention, these and still further objects are achieved
by a container with self-locking arms, particularly suitable for rolling stocks, comprising
a metal frame made up by standards connected by cross-pieces and provided with lever
arms articulatably connected to the frame and whose fulcrum is on the inner front
of each of said standards, each arm being "L"-shaped and comprising a horizontal and
a vertical branch, characterized in that the metal frame is provided with a lower
and an upper cross-pieces and with two couples of "L"-shaped lever arms, the arms
of one couple being articulatably connected to the corresponding ones of the other
couple by respective ends of their horizontal branches and in that the lower ends
of the vertical branches of the arms of each couple are connected by a connecting
cross-piece provided at its ends with a protruding pins which fit in the corresponding
inner front of standards.
[0013] Particular embodiments of the invention are set forth in dependent claims 2 to 10.
[0014] The construction and functional characteristics of the container with self-locking
arms for rolling stock subject matter of this invention shall be better highlighted
by the following detailed description of a preferred non limitative embodiment of
the same, made with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows schematically a perspective view of the container with self-locking arms,
subject matter of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the container, limitedly to a couple of leverages
and locking arms which act on the loaded elements;
Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the container wherein the rolling stock is placed.
[0015] With starting reference to Fig. 1, the container with self-locking arms for rolling
stock is basically constituted by a metal frame indicated on the whole by 10, having
a hexagonal plan by way of example, made up by vertical standards 12 connected by
cross-pieces 14, horizontally arranged near the floor supporting point of said standards.
Further cross-pieces 16 connect, in the upper part, two couples of opposite standards
12. The aforementioned standards and cross-pieces, preferably made from quadrangular
iron sections connected to one another by means of welding, circumscribe a container
of a substantially parallelepipedal shape.
[0016] Frame 10 is provided with four metal lever arms 18, 18', connected in pairs, which
circumscribe a toggle device developed in the inside of the frame. More particularly,
each of the arms 18, 18' is constituted by a substantially "L"-shaped element from
steel or other suitable material having a section quadrangular by way of example,
connected to the internal wall of one of standards 12; the end of the horizontal branch
of each arm 18, 18' is connected, with pins or bolts 20, to the corresponding end
of the opposite arm by whose side it rests. The aforementioned arms are placed in
correspondence of the inner front of standards 12, which are not connected to one
another on the top, and which develop preferably with their vertical branch from about
mid-height of said standards until they almost reach standards 14.
[0017] Each couple of arms 18, 18' has a further connecting cross-piece 22, tied by welding
or equivalent means to the lower end of the vertical branch of said arms. Said connecting
element is parallel relatively to the underlying cross-piece 14 of frame 10, and is
spaced from it by a length comprised, by way of example, between 15 and 30 mm. The
opposite fronts of cross-piece 22 are provided with seats for fitting pins 28' or
equivalent means for connecting to standard 12.
[0018] Between the vertical branches of each couple of arms 18, 18', a "U"-shaped metal
frame 24 is located; the vertical branches 26 of said frame brush the inner front
of arms 18, 18' in correspondence of their upper branch to which they are connected
by means of bolts 28 or equivalent means. The vertical branches 26 of the same "U"-shaped
frames have preferably a double length compared to the vertical branches of arms 18,
18', reaching a sligthly lower level compared with the upper end of standards 12;
the horizontal branch 26' of said frames 24 is spaced by a length comprised, by way
of example, between 20 and 40 mm from cross-piece 22 connecting arms 18, 18', in order
to be able to oscillate freely relatively to the same.
[0019] Standards 12 and the horizontal branches of arms 18, 18' are preferably connected
by elastic means (not shown), such as for instance springs or the like; said means
allow, as stressed in particular in Fig. 1, to keep the horizontal branches of said
arms angularly oriented upwards, in the absence of loads placed in frame 10. In these
conditions, the vertical branches of arms 18, 18' may slighltly protrude towards the
outside relatively to standards 12, as shown by the diagram of Fig. 1; however, a
preferred solution provides for the arrangement of specific catches on the standards,
to prevent arms from protruding from the same.
[0020] Altogether, arms 18, 18' constitute an oscillating support for the load to be placed
in the container, made up by frame 10 and are stressed the moment the load rests on
them, as we shall specify in detail in the following with reference to Figs. 2 and
3.
[0021] Fig. 2 shows schematically the arrangement assumed by a couple of arms 18, 18' and
a "U"-shaped frame when rolling stock, for instance monobloc wheels 30 for railroad
cars, are placed in the container subject matter of the invention. Said monobloc wheels,
oriented with a vertical axis, are aligned to one another and arranged by groups in
frame 10, transversally relatively to arms 18, 18', whose horizontal branches, under
the action of the weight, are caused to lower in the direction of cross-pieces 14,
overcoming the resistance of the springs or like elastic means which connect them
to standards 12.
[0022] The lowering of the aforementioned branches is automatically limited by the whole
length of the groups of monobloc wheels 30, whose number is comprised between 4 and
6, depending on their thickness; the external front of the first and last of them
is actually directly catched by the vertical branches of arms 18, 18', which oscillate
in the direction of the centre of frame 10.
[0023] The opposite "U"-shaped frames 24, articulatably connected in correspondence of the
end of the vertical branches of said arms, oscillate in their turn in the same direction
and approach the monobloc wheels, circumscribing their exposed front also in the upper
portion, acting therefore as a restraining barrier. This condition is schematically
shown in Fig. 3.
[0024] Said monobloc wheels are traditionally provided with a central hole 30', within which
a temporary supporting shaft is advantageously provided; hence, a plurality of wheels
30 can be fitted on said shaft which, protruding from the opposite ends of the group
of artifacts approached to one another, constitutes the suitable grip point for the
whole of wheels which are simultaneously handled by hoists or lifting trucks, and
placed blockwise in frame 10.
[0025] As can be understood from the above, the invention achieves many advantages.
[0026] The container with self-locking arms subject matter of this invention allows to group
and keep in constant barycentric position the monobloc wheels, the tyres or the tyre-centres
of railroad cars; the same container is advantageously utilizable during the working
of said artifacts, acting as a small storehouse for temporary storing.
[0027] The material circumscribed by the arms and the "U"-shaped frames of the container
is not subject to slidings and ensuing possible dents, and does not require further
steel strapping operations.
[0028] The loaded containers are easily transportable, as the base cross-pieces are spaced
from the supporting plane and allow the insertion of the forks of the lifting trucks.
[0029] However, the invention, as described hereabove and claimed hereafter has been proposed
by way of example only, being understud that the same may be subject to many changes
and variants, all of them falling within the scope of the invention.
[0030] For instance, the container may be provided, especially along the standards, with
openings no matter how shaped for hooking ropes or chains allowing the handling with
overhead cranes, or it may have supporting plates on the upper end of said standards
or seats suitably shaped for their superimposition.
[0031] While it has been proposed in particular for the transportation of rolling stock,
the container subject matter of the invention can be used also for other purposes,
and house, for instance, with the suitable sizings, coiled metal strips or other artifacts
and materials for which an exact locking is required during handling.
[0032] Lastly, possible structural reversals or alternative placings of the components which
form altogether the container subject matter of the invention are also possible.
1. A container with self-locking arms, particularly suitable for rolling stocks, comprising
a metal frame (10) made up by standards (12) connected by cross-pieces (14, 16) and
provided with lever arms (18, 18') articulatably connected to the frame and whose
fulcrum is on the inner front of each of said standards (12), each arm (18, 18') being
"L"-shaped and comprising a horizontal and a vertical branch, characterized in that
the metal frame (10) is provided with a lower (14) and an upper (16) cross-pieces
and with two couples of "L"-shaped lever arms (18, 18'), the arms (18, 18') of one
couple being articulatably connected to the corresponding ones of the other couple
by respective ends of their horizontal branches and in that the lower ends of the
vertical branches of the arms (18, 18') of each couple are connected by a connecting
cross-piece (22) provided at its ends with a protruding pins (28') which fit in the
corresponding inner front of standards (12).
2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of the horizontal
branches of the arms (18, 18') of one couple are articulatably connected to the corresponding
ends of the opposite couple by pins or bolts (20).
3. The container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vertical branch
of each arm (18, 18') develops from about mid-height of standards (12) up to almost
the lower cross-piece (14).
4. The container according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the
connecting cross-piece (22) is parallel to the lower cross-piece (14) and is spaced
from it by a length comprised between 15 and 30 mm.
5. The container according to anyone of the preceding claims,
characterized in that a substantially "U"-shaped frame (24), comprising two vertical
branches (26) and a horizontal branch (26'), is provided between the vertical branches
of the arms (18, 18') of each couple, each vertical branch (26) is articulatably connected
to and brushes the inner wall of said arms (18, 18').
6. The container according to claim 5, characterized in that the vertical branch (26)
of the "U"-shaped frame (24) is connected to the inner wall of the arms (18, 18')
by a bolt (28).
7. The container according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the vertical branches
(26) of each "U"-shaped frame (24) have a lenght almost twice the lenght of the vertical
branches of the arms (18, 18').
8. The container according to anyone of the preceding claims from 5 to 7, characterized
in that the horizontal branch (26') of each "U"-shaped frame (24) is spaced from the
connecting cross-piece (22) to freely oscillate.
9. The container according to claim 8, characterized in that the horizontal branch (26')
of each "U"-shaped frame (24) is spaced from the connecting cross-piece (22) by a
lenght comprised between 20 and 40 mm.
10. The container according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the
standards (12) are connected to the corresponding horizontal branches of the arms
(18, 18') by elastic means to keep said branches angularly oriented upwards, in absence
of loads.
1. Behälter mit selbstsperrenden Armen, insbesondere verwendbar für rollende Güter, umfassend
einen Metallrahmen (10), der aus Ständern (12) zusammengesetzt ist, die durch Querstücke
(14, 16) verbunden und mit Hebelarmen (18, 18') versehen sind, die gelenkig mit dem
Rahmen verbunden sind und deren Hebelstütze auf der inneren Front jedes Ständers (12)
ist, wobei jeder Arm (18, 18') "L"-förmig ist und einen horizontalen und einen vertikalen
Zweig umfaßt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Metallrahmen (10) mit unteren (14) und
oberen (16) Querstücken und zwei Paaren von "L"-formigen Hebelarmen (18, 18') versehen
ist, wobei die Arme (18, 18') eines Paares gelenkig an den entsprechenden Armen des
anderen Paares durch jeweilige Enden ihrer horizontalen Zweige verbunden sind und
dadurch, daß die unteren Enden der vertikalen Zweige der Arme (18, 18') jedes Paares
durch ein verbindendes Querstück (22) verbunden sind, das an seinen Enden mit einem
vorstehenden Stift (28') versehen ist, welcher in die entsprechende innere Front der
Ständer (12) paßt.
2. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Enden der horizontalen Zweige
der Arme (18, 18') eines Paares gelenkig mit den entsprechenden Enden des gegenüberliegenden
Paares durch Stifte oder Bolzen (20) verbunden sind.
3. Behälter nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sich der vertikale Zweig
jedes Armes (18, 18') von etwa mittlerer Höhe der Ständer (12) bis fast zu dem unteren
Querstück (14) ausbildet.
4. Behälter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das
verbindende Querstück (22) parallel zu dem unteren Querstück (14) ist und von diesem
durch eine Länge beabstandet ist, die zwischen 15 und 30 mm umfaßt.
5. Behälter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß ein
im wesentlichen "U"-förmiger Rahmen (24), der zwei vertikale Zweige (26) und einen
horizontalen Zweig (26') umfaßt, zwischen den vertikalen Zweigen der Arme (18, 18')
jedes Paares vorgesehen ist, wobei jeder vertikale Zweig (26) gelenkig mit der inneren
Wand der Arme (18, 18') verbunden ist und diese überstreicht.
6. Behälter nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der vertikale Zweig (26) des
"U"-förmigen Rahmens (24) mit der inneren Wand der Arme (18, 18') durch einen Bolzen
(28) verbunden ist.
7. Behälter nach Anspruch 5 oder 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die vertikalen Zweige
(26) jedes "U"-förmigen Rahmens (24) eine Länge haben, die fast die doppelte Länge
der vertikalen Zweige der Arme (18, 18') ist.
8. Behälter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche 5 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
daß der horizontale Zweig (26') jedes "U"-förmigen Rahmens (24) von dem verbindenden
Querstück (22) beabstandet ist, um frei zu schwingen.
9. Behälter nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der horizontale Zweig (26')
jedes "U"-förmigen Rahmens (24) von dem verbindenden Querstück (22) durch eine Länge
beabstandet ist, die zwischen 20 und 40mm umfaßt.
10. Behälter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die
Ständer (12) mit den entsprechenden horizontalen Zweigen der Arme (18, 18') durch
elastische Elemente verbunden sind, um die Zweige, bei Abwesenheit von Lasten, winkelig
nach oben orientiert zu halten.
1. Conteneur à bras auto-bloquants, convenant en particulier à du matériel roulant, comportant
un châssis métallique (10) formé par des montants (12) reliés par des traverses (14,
16), et pourvu de bras de levier (18, 18'), reliés de façon articulée au châssis,
et dont le point d'appui est situé sur le côté avant intérieur de chacun desdits montants
(12), chaque bras (18, 18') ayant la forme d'un "L" et comportant une branche horizontale
et une branche verticale, caractérisé en ce que le châssis métallique (10) est pourvu
de traverses inférieure (14) et supérieure (16) et de deux couples de bras de levier
(18, 18') en forme de "L", les bras (18, 18') d'un couple étant reliés de façon articulée
aux bras correspondants de l'autre couple par des extrémités respectives de leurs
branches horizontales, et en ce que les extrémités inférieures des branches verticales
des bras (18, 18') de chaque couple sont reliées par une traverse (22) de liaison
pourvue, à ses extrémités, de broches en saillie (28') qui s'ajustent dans le côté
avant intérieur correspondant des montants (12).
2. Conteneur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les extrémités des branches
horizontales des bras (18, 18') d'un couple sont reliées de façon articulée aux extrémités
correspondantes du couple opposé par des broches ou des boulons (20).
3. Conteneur selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que la branche verticale
de chaque bras (18, 18') se développe depuis approximativement la mi-hauteur des montants
(12) jusqu'à presque la traverse inférieure (14).
4. Conteneur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce
que la traverse (22) de liaison est parallèle à la traverse inférieure (14), et en
est espacée d'une longueur comprise entre 15 et 30 mm.
5. Conteneur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce
qu'un cadre (24) sensiblement en forme de "U", comportant deux branches verticales
(26) et une branche horizontale (26') est prévu entre les branches verticales des
bras (18, 18') de chaque couple, chaque branche verticale (26) étant reliée de façon
articulée à la paroi intérieure desdits bras (18, 18') et l'effleurant.
6. Conteneur selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que la branche verticale (26)
du cadre (24) en forme de "U" est reliée à la paroi intérieure des bras (18, 18')
par un boulon (28).
7. Conteneur selon la revendication 5 ou 6, caractérisé en ce que les branches verticales
(26) de chaque cadre (24) en forme de "U" ont une longueur presque double de la longueur
des branches verticales des bras (18, 18').
8. Conteneur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes 5 à 7, caractérisé
en ce que la branche horizontale (26') de chaque cadre (24) en forme de "U" est espacée
de la traverse de liaison (22) de façon à osciller librement.
9. Conteneur selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que la branche horizontale (26')
de chaque cadre (24) en forme de "U" est espacée de la traverse de liaison (22), d'une
longueur comprise entre 20 et 40 mm.
10. Conteneur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce
que les montants (12) sont reliés aux branches horizontales correspondantes des bras
(18, 18') par des moyens élastiques pour maintenir lesdites branches orientées angulairement
vers le haut, en l'absence de charges.