User:Nyholm

Cel-Lock fully automatic twistlocks
Twistlocks has locked freight containers to ships, rail cars, road chassis and other load carriers such as flat rack since the design of SO freight containers. One of the important issues has been to know whether the twistlocks are locked or unlocked.

The locking and securing of ISO containers to load carriers such as a truck chassis or rail car, has been pursued ever since.

Over time, different types of securing devices for securing freight containers on load carriers have been developed. Depending on the circumstances of the security required, three (3) basic types of container securing devices have been developed.

The number of different length containers now used greatly increases the number of different loading configurations that the securing system on the rail wagon must be able to handle. The twistlocks must be retractable or removable, so that the twistlocks are in the right positions to suit a required load configuration.

1. Location cones

A location cone does not provide a vertical hold down of the container. The disadvantage of not having vertical hold down on rail cars has been acceptable. This is now changing because empty freight containers without vertical load hold down have been blown off rail cars during exposure to side winds or passing over high bridges. Speed of flat type container wagons are also on the increase to 160 km/h and above.

2. Fully automatic locking and unlocking devices (positive locking)

Fully automatic locking devices provide vertical load hold down of the container onto the rail car. This type of device unlocks if a predetermined lifting force is exceeded. This device is a so called; fully automatic twistlock. It is locking and unlocking the container automatically. This type of locking device is becoming more and more common. These twistlocks gives many advantages during loading and unloading of containers in container terminals. It is imperative though that the twistlocks have a visual indicator clearly showing whether the twistlock is open or locked. All of the Cel-Lock fully automatic locking devices are fitted with safety indicators.

3. Manually locking and unlocking devices

Manual locking twistlocks provide vertical hold down of the container on the rail car unless unlocked or broken. After loading a container, the container is locked manually by turning the twistlock shaft right or left manually. They come in basic three designs, non-retractable, retractable or screw down. They are commonly used also on road vehicles. This type of twistlock is more time consuming to handle since they all have to be individually and manually operated. They can also be unsafe should the twistlock not be locked or a combination of right and left locking twistlocks are used on the same wagon/terminal. Operating manual locking twistlocks on rail wagons has been proven to be very labor intensive and unproductive. For instance, a rail wagon fitted with 24 manual twistlocks to its rail car requires an enormous amount of time to lock these containers and is considered a major disadvantage such as poor productivity. There is a need for less time consuming systems which the Cel-Lock systems provide with a fully automatic locking system which is driven not only by adverse experience with positioning locks but also by the number of different types of containers used.

The Cel-Lock fully automatic twistlock systems are designed to accommodate the need for positive vertical load and easy automatic locking and unlocking of all engaged twistlocks, during the use of different length containers on the same rail wagon. The Cel-Lock securing system facilitates easy loading of cargo containers as the Cel-Lock twistlocks locks automatically by lowering the container with the corner casting onto the lock.

The Cel-Locks that are not necessary in a particular load configuration can be manually moved or as in the Cel-Lock retractable type, retracted automatically. This Cel-Lock does not require manual handling. The Cel-Lock permits maximum flexibility in loading different length containers on the rail car by providing many seating positions in which the twistlock can be engaged to the container.

The Cel-Lock fully automatic twistlocks are fitted with a restriction pin which ensures that the wagon under frame cannot be dislodged from the bogie center bowel during the process of loading and un-loading.