Container and Cover Having Resilient Fastening Means

This application is a national phase application corresponding to PCT/CH 84/00195 filed Dec. 13, 1984 and based upon a Swiss National application 6682/83-9 filed Dec. 15, 1983 under the International Convention.

The invention relates to a container, especially for a conveyor system, which comprises a container body closable by a lid, the lid being connected to the container body on one side of the container by a hinge and on the opposite side by means of a snap lock.

Containers, particularly for a conveyor system as mentioned above, are known, e.g. from CH-PS 496 603. Because the lid of such a conveyor can be opened only from one side, the access from the other side is very difficult. Moreover, the containers can then be used only in a certain assembly configuration.

It is the object of the invention to provide a container of the aforedescribed type in which access to the interior is afforded from opposite sides of the container.

This object is achieved with a container which has on each side at least one combination snap closure formed as a hinge, which includes on one section of the container a latch formed as part of the hinge and held in closed position by a spring which cooperates manually detachably with the other hinge portion on the other container section, where the latch and/or the other hinge portion has a ramp surface for the automatic engagement of the combination snap lock. Unobstructed accessibility of the container from opposite sides is assured by the fact that the lock is designed as a combination snap lock which acts both as a hinge and as an opener for the container. Additionally, the automatic engagement of the combination snap lock always assures a secure closing of the container. Moreover, the position of the container in the conveyor system is no longer of importance.

Advantageous features of the container include that the latch is disposed on a lid or that the latch is disposed on the is disposed on the container body. Each latch can be used as a rocker which being on a rocker portion, a nose which in its closed position engages a fixed bearing element for a hinge pin disposed in the other container section.

Each latch is designed as a hinge pin axially slidable in a guide and which, in its closed position, engages the bore of a bearing element. claims 2-5.

The invention is described in detail below in accordance with the drawing which shows:

FIG. 1 a container with combination snap locks arranged on opposite sides in vertical section and in part;

FIG. 2 a combination snap lock on one side of the container in perspective view; and

FIG. 3 another combination snap lock in partial vertical section along the linkage axis.

FIG. 1 shows a container which may be used for a conveyor system according to CH-PS 496-603. This container comprises a container body 2 which is closed by a lid 4. Combination snap locks 8 are arranged on the longitudinal sides 6 of the container which may be used for either for opening the container or as hinges.

Each combination snap lock 8 has two block-shaped bearing elements 10 mounted on a side wall 12 of the container body 2. On these bearing elements 10, a latch 14 is rotatably journaled and is realized as a plate-shaped rocker 26. An upper rocker portion 18 contains noses 20 which engage the fixed bearing element 10 in the closed position shown. Each bearing element 10 contains on the side 22, which is engaged by the nose 20 of latch 14, a recess 24 for accepting a hinge pin 26 connected to cover 4 by means of a band element 28. The hinge pin 26 is held in the bearing recess 24 by means of nose 20 which protrudes over side 22 of the bearing element 10. A spring 30 is used for pretensioning the latch 14 into the closed position shown. The latch 14 has on its upper side a ramp surface 32 which enables the automatic actuation of the combination snap lock when the lid is closed. By movement of the hinge pin 26 on the ramp surface 32, the latch 24 is displaced out of its locked position against the force of the spring 30 until the hinge pin 26 snaps in behind the nose 20 of latch 14.

FIG. 3 shows another combination snap lock 34. Here a guide bushing 36 is fastened on lid 4, in which two hinge pins 40 shown as sliding catches 38 are disposed axially slidable against one another. A spring 42 compressed between hinge pins 40 tensions the hinge pins outwardly. Gripper means 40 are fastened on the inner ends opposing one another of the hinge pins, e.g. by screwing and are guided radially outwardly by means of a common longitudinal slot 46 in the guide bushing 36. The gripper means 44 also serve to limit outward axial movement of the hinge pins. These hinge pins 40 cooperate with the bearing elements 48 which are fastened in axial direction on both sides of the guide bushing 36 on the container body 2. The bearing elements 48 contain bores 50 for receiving the hinge pins 40. Ramp surfaces 52, 54 are arranged on hinge pins 40 and bearing elements 48, respectively, thus enabling engagment of the combination snap lock, even without actuation of the gripper means 44. For opening the lock, one need only move the gripper means 44 toward one another while compressing the spring 42.