Collapsible containers

Abstract

A collapsible shipping container has a corner post located at each corner of a base frame. A respective stile of an end cover frame, which may support at least one door, is pivotally mounted on the base frame adjacent each corner post. Respective lifting members on each corner post and stile have curved abutment faces which engage when the stile is in the erected position, and a latch member releasably locks the stile in the erected position. The or each end cover frame may be provided with a spring—or winch system to assist in moving the end cover frame to the erected position.

1 . A base frame/end cover engagement assembly, for a collapsible container, the assembly including:
 a corner post located at a corner of the base frame and extending upwardly therefrom;   a lower lifting restraint extending laterally from the corner post, towards an interior space, and spaced above the base frame, the lower lifting restraint having, at a distal end, a downwardly-directed concave abutment face;   a stile of an end cover frame pivotally mounted on the base frame adjacent the corner post;   a lower lifting restraint block on the stile, the lower lifting restraint block having an upwardly-directed convex abutment face complementary to the concave abutment face on the lower lifting restraint; and   a latch member on the corner post, or the stile, operable to releasably engage a stop member on the stile, or corner post, to releasably lock the stile in a substantially vertical position when a respective end cover is in an erected position; so arranged that:
 in the erected position, the respective abutment faces of the lower lifting restraint and of the lower lifting restraint block are engaged to increase the load strength of the collapsible container, in the vertical direction, when erected. 
   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the corner post is formed integrally with the base corner casting, being operable to receive the twist-locks of adjacent container(s).   
     
     
         3 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the lower lifting restraint extends, and is fixed, to a vertical side plate of the base frame extending along one side thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: the lower lifting restraint block is mounted on a bottom rail or plate of the end cover frame and fixed to the adjacent stile; where the axis of the curvature of the convex abutment face is substantially co-axial with the pivotal mounting of the end cover frame on the base frame. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one end cover frame comprises a door frame operable to support at least one door to provide selective access to the interior space.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein:
 at least one spring attachment plate extends from the end cover frame, below the pivotal connection, and is operably connected to one or more springs mounted on the base frame to assist the movement of the end cover frame to its erected position.   
     
     
         7 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein:
 at least one attachment plate extends from the end cover frame, below the pivotal connection, and is operably connected to a winch system having an operating bar slidably mounted on parallel guides on the base frame, the operating bar being movable relative to the base frame by a screw-threaded connection with an operating shaft rotatably journalled in the base frame, where selective rotation of the operating shaft by a handle is operable to move the end cover frame between the raised and lowered positions.   
     
     
         8 . A frame for an end cover, for a collapsible container, the frame including at least two stiles connected by a head rail and a bottom rail, respectively, wherein:
 a respective corner block is provided at the junction of a stile and the head rail, the corner block having body with an elongate slot or groove operable to receive, and engage, a spigot extending from the adjacent end wall when the end cover frame and the side wall are both in their erected positions.   
     
     
         9 . A frame as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 a latch plate on the stile is releasably engagable with the spigot to releasably lock the end cover frame to the side wall.   
     
     
         10 . The frame as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the frame comprises a door frame, having at least one door hingedly mounted thereto to enable selective access to the interior space.   
     
     
         11 . A mechanism to releasably lock a frame of an end cover to a side wall, of a collapsible container, the locking mechanism including:
 a striker plate mounted on, and extending from, the side wall;   a backing plate mounted on a stile of the end cover frame;   a sliding plate, extending laterally from the backing plate and operable to intersect the striker plate, the sliding plate being mounted on the backing plate between a released position and an engaged position; and   a safety flap operable to restrain the sliding plate in the engaged position;   the striker plate having an upwardly-directed slot and/or the sliding plate having a downwardly directed slot, so arranged that, when in the engaged position, the sliding plate engages the striker plate to releasably lock the end cover frame to the side wall.   
     
     
         12 . A collapsible container having:
 the assembly as claimed in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the door frame is operable to support at least one door to provide lockable access to the interior space. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more springs are tension springs. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more tension springs are in respective cylinders or housings. 
     
     
         16 . The frame as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the frame comprises a door frame, having at least one door hingedly mounted thereto to enable selective access to the interior space.   
     
     
         17 . A collapsible container having the frame as claimed in  claim 8 . 
     
     
         18 . A collapsible container having the mechanism as claimed in  claim 11 .