GB2504543A

GB2504543A - Shipping container made from interlocking timber elements

Info

Publication number: GB2504543A
Application number: GB201213793A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Straughan
Original assignee: MEADOWFIELD COURT Ltd
Current assignee: MEADOWFIELD COURT Ltd
Priority date: 2012-08-02
Filing date: 2012-08-02
Publication date: 2014-02-05
Also published as: GB201213793D0

Abstract

A shipping container has side walls which are made from interlocking timber elements. There is a door hinged to the front or back wall, and the side walls also connect to a roof and base 4 directly by interlocking or via a sub frame. Ideally there are two doors on the back and/or front which each fold through 270 degrees back on the side walls. There may be standard ISO container corner fastenings formed from interlocking pieces for ease of transport which include regularly spaced dowel to connect to the wooden structure. Ideally the edges of the roof and floor extend beyond the side walls to enclose them, and the connection between the base, roof and side walls can be articulated.

Description

UK Patent Application Interlocking timber container Inventor: David Straughan The container comprising of interlocking timber walls (11,12,13), with timber floor sub base(7,9,1O,13), one front side which opens () and a timber roof structure interlocking with the timber walls (11,12) can be assembled from and dismounted into the above listed components.

Means are provided (7,8,13) for fastening the roof and floor structure to the front, rear and side structures.

Means are provided to allow the container to be transported using a bracket system (1,2,3,4) is installed behind the interlocking timber joint abutting the structure, the bracket is secured at the head and base of the structure (14) with additional means of lateral support provided by metal steel dowels mechanically fixed through the bracket system (5,6) avoiding distortion in the interlocking timber structure when moved or transported.

The front side (FIG 2) of the container consists of two doors (15) or an open entrance which are hinged on the abutting side panels (16). The fixing method (13) which holds the side panels together with the base (7) can also be used to fasten the roof directly to the side panels through the wall plate (8).

The container does not have any small components likely to be lost; the container is very simple to assemble and to dismount; the bracket system and fasteners (1,2,3,4,5,6,14) are easy to operate and mechanically fix to the structure.

The container may be constructed of any of the following standard timber width sizes 45mm, 68mm 92mm, 115mm, 130mm, laminated log (from 2-3 pcs) 88mm, 110mm, 134mm, 136mm, 185mm 202mm and 240mm, Circular logs may also be used to construct the interlocking structure, these logs can be of 170mm diameter, 190mm diameter, 210mm diameter and laminated to suite requirements.

CONTAINER

The present invention is related to a large sized container for shipping of consignments by rail or road or sea. The container may also be used for static storage of materials within a permanent or semi permanent location or to create a retail or habitable environment within a permanent or semi permanent location environment.

The use of containers for transporting goods is now a well established practice, and several millions of such containers are circulating throughout the world. The advantage of using containers is that a 10 consignment can be dispatched without requiring any handling on the way.

As a general rule, shipping containers are made in accordance with the prescriptions of the International Standard Organisation (ISO). They are usually designed to be lifted by their four upper corner components. Shipping containers normally have the following dimensions: length: 20 ft., 30 ft. and 40 ft.

width: 8ff.

height: 8 ft. and 8ff. 6 in.

Due to increased requirements for suitability requirements the proposed container is constructed using an interlocking wood system using the same mechanical lifting methodology of standard steel containers in addition to complying with the ISO shipping container requirements The purpose of the present invention is to provide an interlocking timber container which can be moved and transported in a similar way to an existing ISO shipping container.

The outer walls of the container will be of standardised dimension, "Standardised dimensions" means any container dimension which is standard in the industry. Examples of standardised container dimensions: (Length x width x Height) 8ft x 7ff l"x 7ff 5"(2.42m x 2.17m x 2.26m), loft x 8ff x 8ff 6" (3.05m x 2.44m x 2.59m), 20ff x 8ff x 8ft6" (6.lm x 2/Mm x 2.59m), 30ff x 8ff x 8ff 6" (9.15m x 2.44m x 2.SYm) and 40ff x 8ff x Bft 6" (12.2m x 2.44m x 2.59m) although other standardised sizes are sometimes used for certain applications and the present invention would equally apply to these alternative sizes.

The container of the present invention is in accordance with the appended claims.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and also a modification thereof.

FIG. lisa perspective view of the container when assembled.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container sub frame FIG. 31s a front elevation of the container FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the container FIG. 5 is a gable elevation of the container when assembled FIG. 6 is a cross-section of one of the corners of the container in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the system used for affixing the floor and roof panels to the side panels FIG. 8 is a view of the bracket system to allow moving handling and locking of the containers.

FIG. 9 is cross-section 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is cross-section 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is the door hinge system

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The container illustrated in FIG. 1 is of standard dimensions. This container comprises a base formed by using interlocking timber framework (7,9,10,13,16), two side panels formed using interlocking timbers (11,12) and one rear panel (FIG. 4), a front side which opens (FIG 4) and a roof ( which is formed using the same interlocking timber method as the base structure (8, 13,17). The panels are formed using interlocking timber sections as seen in FIG.5 by way their rigidity is increased as would be expected.

FIG. 1 shows the container when assembled and FIG. 3 and FIG 4 shows the side, front and rear elevations of the container after construction.

The root of the container is of flat timber construction providing sufficient surface and falls to allow a membrane or green roof covering to be fixed over the timber base construction, The floor structure is of timber construction mechanically secured to the sub-frame as shown within FIG 2 and FIG 6 with a central locking rail providing mid floor support.

The interlocking timber container may be moved and transported by means of the bracket system as shown within FIG 7, 8 and 9.

The bracket comprises two sections C shaped sections which are mechanically fixed to the side elevations of the container both at the top and base of the structure (4) in addition to 200mm c3ntres through a steel dowel system within the bracket (5,6). A base and head rail lock the bracket in position around the container allowing the weight of the container to be distributed across its structure during moving and transportation.

This bracket comprises standard with corner components of standard dimensions (178X 151 X 110 mm) and they are provided with standard sized bores on all their outer sides. The purpose of these bores is manifold. They provide a grip for the lifting of the container with, for instance, a derrick. They provide a means for fastening two containers together and for fastening a container and a supporting frame (usually with "Twys locks").

The roof (8,16,) is provided on all sides with interlocking joints binding t to the main interlocking timber structure (13).

The timber members forming the side, rear and front panels of the container are formed using a jointing system (11,12,17) with male joint element provided to the top of each timber (12) element and a corresponding female element (17) provided to the base of the timbers allow the timbers to be locked together.

The interlocking panels are mechanically fixed to the sub-frame as shown within FIG2 to provide support to both the panels and interlocking floor structure. Using both the bracket system fixings (14,5,6) in addition to mechanically fixings provide along the underside of the base rail (7) A seal is provided between the interlocking panels and the base. The seal provides both additional adhesion of the structure to the base in addition to water proof protection of the interlocking panel structure.

The front side consists of two doors, hinged on the interlocking structure P1Gb shows a portion of the door (19) with the two upper pins 20 and 20a and the lower pin 21 borne by the components 22 and 21a of the said door.

The doors are maintained closed and the seals 12 kept tight by means of two bars 14. One bar mounted on each door. They have at both ends hooks which engage in the rings 23 of the base 1 and the rings 24 of the roof wall plate by rotating the bars around their axes, thus closing tightly the doors.

The following advantages should be noted when using the containers according to the present invention.

The container is extremely ridged due to the interlocking structure in addition to the bracket system which provides additional lateral support.

The timber container can be recycled increasing the overall sustainability of the unit.

The steel bracket system which allows the unit to be moved and transported can be removed allowing it to be reused in addition to allowing interlocking containers to be placed directly on top of each other.

When a container is assembled, there is no component protruding into the inside of the container which could hinder the loading. The whole area of the floor is at the same level, so that the container can be loaded and unloaded with such equipment as forklifts without inconvenience.

Rings can be fitted in hollows in the floor to provide means of immobilizing such consignments as tanks, Two openings 10 are provided in the base for lifting the container with a fork-lift.

Claims

I claim: 1. A container comprising a base, two side, a front and a back side which includes at least one door, and a roof, characterized in that (a) the preceding components are provided with selective interconnection into an assembled unit, for shipping cargo, and storage of goods, the container only; and in that the preceding components include: (b) interlocking means within the structure and within the timber elements forming to sides front and rear of the container each respective panels formed by making an interlocking joint in parallel relation with the connected means on other respective panels when the container is assembled, (c) the at least one door being pivotally hinged on at least one abutting means of a respective one of the *side elevations, and (d) the connection means for connecting the base and the roof to the side panel by interlocking means with the sub frame and or interlocking panels being adapted for directly interconnecting the base and the roof so as to define a space there between for containing the side panels, the front panel and the door to form said unit.
2. A container as in claim 1, in which said back or front side includes two doors.
3. A container as in claim 2, in which the two doors are each pivotally hinged on a corresponding abutting means of a side panel or elevation so as to be rotatable through substantially 2700 when opened
4. A container as in claim 1, further comprising interlocking means permanently mounted on the side panels between their respective abutting means for connecting the side panels to the base and the roof.
5. A container as in claim 1 or claim 4, in which (a) the inside and outside of said side interlocking panels and front panel are constructed of an interlocking timber; (b) the thickness of the abutting means is less equal to or greater than the depth of the width of the timber (c) the connecting means are located within the sub frame allow the roof and floor structure to be mechanically fixed to all side panels,
6. A container as in claim 1, in which is fitted with a bracket system to allowed moving and transportation The bracket specifically having the following properties (a) the base and head include respective corner components of standard dimensions to allow moving and transportation; (b) the bracket is formed of interlocking peaces with a mechanically fixing provided through the head and base of the bracket into the interlocking timber structure (c) the bracket is fitted with a dowel system at uniformed distances along its height to provide additional mechanically fixing and support to the interlocking timber structure l.A container as in claim 1, in which the base and the roof include means for interconnecting a plurality of interlocking timber units.9. A container as in claim 1 or claim 7, in which the base and the roof have respective pairs of side members defining a space substantially enclosing the side panels, front panels, and at least one door when the unit is formed.10. A container as in claim 1, in which the coupling means include an articulated fastening device or bracket.