Self-locking, self-adjusting receptacles, particularly containers

Abstract

The invention relates to receptacles and, in particular, containers. Conventional receptacles (containers) have the drawback in that the locking together of stacked containers has to be, up to now, carried out manually thus resulting in the workers in the harbor and on the ship being exposed to a considerable safety risk. In addition, it is left to the skill of the crane operator of exactly stacking the containers (C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 ) next to or atop one other. Adjusting devices for this do not exist. The aim of the invention is to provide a receptacle (container), which is equipped so that it can be horizontally locked with other like receptacles (containers) without manual action and which simultaneously enables an exact positioning of the container on the provided space. To this end, the invention provides that the receptacle comprises, on its outer surfaces, means such as U-shaped guide rails ( 24 ), which engage in like means of adjacent receptacles, exactly position the container in its location, and which horizontally lock the receptacles (C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 ) to one another.

1 - 5 . Cancelled  
     
     
         6 . A receptacle, comprising: 
 four vertical outer sides; and    means disposed on said outer sides, wherein said means are adapted to engage in like means of an adjacent receptacle, and wherein said means serve to position said receptacle in a defined manner relative to at least one adjacent receptacle and to horizontally interlock said receptacles.    
     
     
         7 . A receptacle according to  claim 6 , wherein said means are disposed in corner regions of said receptacle.  
     
     
         8 . A receptacle according to  claim 7 , wherein said means are U-shaped, hook-shaped, or bent-round guide rails.  
     
     
         9 . A receptacle according to  claim 6 , wherein said means are provided with upper sections that are beveled in a manner sloping inwardly from the outside.  
     
     
         10 . A receptacle according to  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of said means is provided with lower sections that are beveled in a manner sloping inwardly from the outside and/or outwardly from the inside.