GB2035265A

GB2035265A - Ventilated transporter containers

Info

Publication number: GB2035265A
Application number: GB7930496A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Graaff KG
Current assignee: Graaff KG
Priority date: 1978-09-22
Filing date: 1979-09-03
Publication date: 1980-06-18
Also published as: FR2436718A2; AU516882B2; BR7906047A; FR2436718B2; DE2841219A1; DE2841219C2; AU5104179A

Abstract

A container provides ventilation paths inwardly via hollow beam 3 and outwardly via hollow beam 2, and a further path inwardly via at least one further hollow beam 15 positioned in floor 5 intermediate edges thereof to give more uniform aeration in the container centre. Preferably, the or each further beam 15 includes an inner wall 15a having a plurality of ventilating apertures 17, and deflector plates 16 extending transversely to the further ventilation path to exclude dust. Each hollow beam 2,3 may have ventilating apertures 7,8 and deflector plates 9. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transporter containers The present invention relates to transporter containers.

U.K. Patent Application No. 44487/77 (Serial No.

) discloses a transporter container having a side wall extending between upper and lower tie-beams constituted by continuous hollow members which have openings for ventilation of the load.

Each hollow member has a plurality of horizontal, diagonally opposed apertures offset at different heights and downward angled opposing deflector plates disposed between the apertures in the upper and lower hollow members. This known container certainly produces adequate aeration and ventilation of the load in the case of normal loads. However, it has been found that with certain cargoes, such as green peppers or cocoa, the aeration and ventilation is no longer adequate in the middle part of the container over lengthy journeys owing to thermal effects arising from the load.

According to the invention, there is provided a transporter container comprising: a floor having at each edge thereof at least one first ventilation path from the exterior to the interior of the container; at least one second ventilation path from the interior to the exterior of the container at the upper side of said container; and, at a position intermediate the edges of the floor, at least one aperture in said floor providing a further ventilation path from the exterior to the interior of said container.

Preferably, the or each further aperture is provided in a first wall of an elongate hollow beam member forming part of said floor.

Preferably, said first wall has a plurality of aperture therein.

Expediently, said floor includes a plurality of said hollow beam members.

Preferably, the or each beam member has a generally rectangular cross-section.

Preferably, the or each said beam member has said first wall provided with the or each aperture, two side walls generally perpendicular to said first wall, and two flanges extending laterally from respective side walls at respective edges remote from said first wall.

Preferably, the outer surface of said first wall is substantially coplanar with the surface of said floor.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the single figure of the accompanying drawing which shows a cross-sectional view of part of a transporter container.

A side wall 1 is disposed between an upper tie-beam 2 and a lower tie-beam 3. A roof 4 is attached to upper tie-beam 2 and a floor 5 and a lower cross member 6 are attached to the lower tie-beam 3. Both tie-beams 2 and 3 are constituted as hollow elongate edge beam members. The lower tie-beam 3 is provided with a plurality of horizontal apertures 7 which preferably lie in the lowermost area of the lower tie-beam 3 on the inside near the cross member 6. Beam 3 is also provided with a plurality of vertical apertures 8 which open into the interior of the container and which are preferably protected from the load, as shown, by the lower edge of side wall 1. Between the apertures 7 and 8 in the lower tie-beam 3 are provided generally horizontal deflector plates 9 angled towards the apertures 7.

The plates are alternately secured to mutually opposite internal side walls of beam 3. The distance x from the lowest deflector plate 9 to the opposite side of the lower tie-beam 3 is less than the diameter y of the apertures 7 and 8. It is important that the air speed be kept reasonably uniform over the entire intake cross-section, firstly to avoid undesirable ram effects and secondly to achieve complete separation of the rainwater and dust taken in with the air through the underside 13 during forward motion of the container.

It will be apparent that each of beams 3 on respective sides of the container provides ventilation paths via apertures 7 and 8 from the outside to the inside of the container. Similarly, upper beams 2 provide ventilation paths from the inside to the outside of the container.

In the container floor 5 there is provided at least one elongate member 15 running parallel with the lower tie-beams 3 and being hat-shaped in crosssection with its open side facing downwards. In other words, beam 15 has an upper wall 15a and two side walls depending therefrom, each of which side walls carries a laterally extending flange. Downward angled deflector plates 16 facing alternately in opposite directions with a gap on both sides are disposed in the elongate member 15, the free ends of said plates being bent over to effectively trap and separate impurities in the air. On the side 15a facing the interior of the container, the or each elongate member 15 is provided with a plurality of apertures 17 which can have virtually any shape and arrangement e.g. they may have a staggered arrangement.

The height of the side walls of member 15 matches the thickness of the container floor, and the outer surface of wall 15a is coplanar with the floor surface.

During forward motion of the container and consequent ventilation, as described in Application No. 44487/77 (Serial No. ) a region of lowered pressure is obtained, as a result of the arrangement and design of the upper tie-beams 2, in the upper part of the container and a region of raised pressure is obtained, as a result of the arrangement and design of the lower tie-beams, in the lower part of the container. Thus uniform ventilation is achieved. As a result of the arrangement and design of the or each elongate member 15, together with the cross-member 6, a pressure change is achieved in the middle part of the container also so that here no thermal effect develops from the load. The enlargement of the ventilation cross-sections in the lower part of the container by optional choice of the number of elongate members 15 also has the result of allowing the air flow speeds arising in the container to be adapted to the load.

Claims

1. Atransporter container comprising: a floor having at each edge thereof at least one first ventilation path from the exterior to the interior of the container; at least one second ventilation path from the interior to the exterior of the container at the upper side of said container; and, at a position intermediate the edges of the floor, at least one aperture in said floor providing a further ventilation path from the exterior to the interior of said container.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the or each further aperture is provided in a first wall of an elongate hollow beam member forming part of said floor.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein said first wall has a plurality of apertures therein.

4. A container according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said floor includes a plurality of said hollow beam members.

5. A container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the or each beam member has a generally rectangular cross-section.

6. A container according to claim 5, wherein the or each said beam member has said first wall provided with the or each aperture, two side walls generally perpendicular to said first wall, and two flanges extending laterally from respective side walls at respective edges remote from said first wall.

7. A container according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the outer surface of said first wall is substantially coplanar with the surface of said floor.

8. A container according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the or each beam member includes a plurality of deflector plates extending generally transversely of said further ventilation path and inclined towards the exterior of the container.

9. A container according to claim 8, wherein in the or each beam member the deflector plates are mutually spaced and interleaved and are secured alternately to mutually opposite internal walls of the beam member.

10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is provided an elongate hollow edge beam member at each edge of said floor and each edge beam member is provided with apertures defining a said first ventilation path.

11. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, at the upper edge of each side wall of the container, there is provided a respective elongate hollow edge beam member having apertures defining a said second ventilation path.

12. A container according to claim 10 or 11 when dependent on claim 8 or 9, wherein each beam member includes a plurality of deflector plates extending generally transversely of the relevant ventilation path and inclined towards the exterior of the container.

13. A container according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein each said edge beam member has at least two said apertures in diametrically opposed positions, one opening into the interior of the container and the other to the exterior of the container thus providing a said ventilation path therebetween.

14. Atransporter container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the single Figure of the accompanying drawing.

15. A side wall of a container whose upper and lower tie-beams are constituted by continuous hollow members and have openings for ventilation of the load wherein the upper and lower tie-beams exhibit a plurality of horizontal, diagonally opposed apertures offset at different heights and wherein downward angled opposing deflector plates are disposed between the apertures in the upper and lower tie-beams, wherein the continuous longitudinal members disposed between the lower tie-beams in the floor of the container consist of a hat-shaped section which accommodates downward angled deflector plates facing in opposite directions on both sides and which possesses a plurality of apertures in the top side, the top side constituting a part of the surface of the container floor.