Lid securement device and method

Abstract

A lid latch operates to secure the periphery of a lid to a container. The device comprises latch housing, a trigger assembly, an arm assembly, and a linkage assembly. The housing defines opposing trigger access windows and comprises first and second pivot axes. The trigger assembly comprises a trigger having first and second member ends and is pivotable about the first pivot axis. The arm assembly comprises first and second anchor ends and is pivotable about the second pivot axis. The linkage assembly links the second member end to the first anchor end for transferring trigger action to the arm assembly. The access windows enable bidirectional access to the trigger, which trigger is thus actuable from opposing directions at the first member end. The actuated trigger unidirectionally pivots the second anchor end for displacing the second anchor end from a locked position to a release position.

1 . A latching lid system, the latching lid system comprising a lid assembly, an interface structure, and force-imparting means, the lid assembly being selectively lockable upon a select anchor structure, the lid assembly comprising a container lid, a plurality of lid latches, and assembly-lift-enabling means, the container lid having a container-engaging periphery, the container-engaging periphery having opposing lid portions, the latches being cooperatively associated with the container-engaging periphery at opposing lid portions, each lid latch comprising a multidirectional trigger and a unidirectional latch release, the triggers being actuable from multiple directions and the latch releases being operatively coupled to the triggers, the interface structure being adapted to enable a user to simultaneously engage each trigger for imparting uniformly directed forces thereagainst and for enabling the user to transport the lid assembly via the assembly-lift-enabling means, the force-imparting means for directing the interface structure into latch-releasing, assembly-transporting engagement with the lid assembly, the actuated triggers operating the latch releases to a release position enabling lid assembly transport, the deactuated triggers operating the latch releases from the release position to a locked position, the locked position for selectively locking the lid assembly to the select anchor structure.  
   
   
       2 . The latching lid system of  claim 1  wherein the latch releases each comprise an anchor-cooperative arm, the anchor-cooperative arm comprising an anchor stop, the anchor-cooperative arm being pivotal via trigger action about a first pivot axis, the anchor-cooperative arms thus being selectively extendable outwardly adjacent a select anchor structure, the selectively extendable anchor-cooperative arms for positioning the anchor stops in inferior adjacency to the select anchor structure for locking the lid assembly thereto and for positioning the anchor stops in lateral adjacency to the select anchor structure for enabling lid assembly displacement.  
   
   
       3 . The latching lid system of  claim 2  wherein the select anchor structure is selected from the group consisting of basal anchor structure, an inferior lid assembly, and a container, the lid assembly thus being selectively stackable when removed from the container for minimizing storage space.  
   
   
       4 . The latching lid system of  claim 3  wherein the lid latches of stackable lid assemblies are lockable to one another.  
   
   
       5 . The latching lid system of  claim 3  wherein the select anchor structure is a cargo container, the cargo container for receiving cargo and comprising an upper chord, the received cargo imparting laterally-opposing, chord-displacing forces, the latches being adapted for maintaining the lid assembly in locked relation upon the displaceable upper chord.  
   
   
       6 . The latching lid system of  claim 1  wherein the assembly-lift-enabling means are integrally formed with the lid latches and defined by latch housing, the latch housing having a Π-shaped transverse cross-section thereby defining opposing trigger access windows and an upper assembly lifting portion, the opposing trigger access windows enabling bidirectional access to the triggers and lifting access to the assembly lifting portion.  
   
   
       7 . A lid assembly, the lid assembly comprising a lid structure, a plurality of lid latches, and assembly-lift-enabling means, the lid structure having a container-engaging periphery, the container-engaging periphery having opposing lid portions, the lid latches being attached to the container-engaging periphery at opposing lid portions, each lid latch having a bidirectional trigger and a unidirectional latch release, the triggers being actuable from opposing directions and the latch releases being operatively coupled to the triggers, the actuated triggers operating the latch releases from a locked position to a release position, the release position for enabling lid assembly transport, the deactuated triggers operating the latch releases from the release position to the locked position, the locked position for locking the lid assembly to select anchoring means.  
   
   
       8 . The lid assembly of  claim 7  wherein the latch releases each comprise an anchor-cooperative arm, the anchor-cooperative arm comprising an anchor stop, the anchor-cooperative arm being pivotal via trigger action about a first pivot axis, the anchor-cooperative arms being selectively extendable outwardly adjacent the select anchoring means, the selectively extendable anchor-cooperative arms for positioning the anchor stops in inferior adjacency to the select anchoring means for locking the lid assembly thereto and for positioning the anchor stops in lateral adjacency to the select anchoring means for enabling lid assembly displacement.  
   
   
       9 . The lid assembly of  claim 8  wherein the select anchoring means are selected from the group comprising basal anchor structure, an anchoring inferior lid assembly, and a container, the lid assembly thus being selectively stackable for minimizing storage space thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The lid assembly of  claim 9  wherein the lid latches of stackable lid assemblies are lockable to one another.  
   
   
       11 . The lid assembly of  claim 9  wherein the container is a cargo container, the cargo container for receiving cargo and comprising an upper chord, the received cargo imparting laterally-opposing, chord-displacing forces, the latches being adapted for maintaining the lid assembly in locked relation upon the displaceable upper chord.  
   
   
       12 . The lid assembly of  claim 7  wherein the assembly-lift-enabling means are integrally formed with the latches and defined by a latch housing, the latch housing having a Π-shaped transverse cross-section thereby defining opposing trigger access windows and an assembly lifting portion, the opposing trigger access windows enabling bidirectional access to the triggers and lifting access to the assembly lifting portion.  
   
   
       13 . A lid securement device, the lid securement device for securing a lid structure to a container, the lid structure comprising a container-engaging periphery, the lid securement device comprising: 
 a latch housing, the latch housing defining opposing trigger access windows and comprising a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, and means for securing the latch housing to the container-engaging periphery;    a trigger assembly, the trigger assembly comprising a trigger member, the trigger member having first and second member ends, the trigger member being pivotable about the first pivot axis;    an anchor-cooperative arm assembly, the arm assembly comprising first and second anchor ends, the arm assembly being pivotal about the second pivot axis; and    trigger-anchor linkage means, the linkage means linking the second member end to the first anchor end for transferring trigger action to the arm assembly, the opposing trigger access windows enabling bidirectional access to the trigger member, the trigger member thus being actuable from opposing directions at the first member end, the actuated first member end unidirectionally pivoting the second anchor end via the second member end, the linkage means and the first anchor end for displacing the second anchor end from a locked position to a release position.    
   
   
       14 . The lid securement device of  claim 13  wherein the arm assembly comprises an anchor-cooperative arm, the anchor-cooperative arm comprising an anchor stop at the second member end, the anchor-cooperative arm being pivotal via the trigger action about the second pivot axis, the anchor stop thus being selectively extendable outwardly adjacent a select anchor structure for locking or releasing the container-engaging periphery thereto, the selectively extendable anchor-cooperative arm for positioning the anchor stop in inferior adjacency to the select anchor structure for locking the container-engaging periphery thereto and for positioning the anchor stop in lateral adjacency to the select anchor structure for releasing the container-engaging periphery therefrom.  
   
   
       15 . The lid securement device of  claim 14  wherein the select anchor structure is selected from the group comprising basal anchor structure, an anchoring inferior lid securement device, and a container, the lid securement device and the lid structure thus being selectively stackable for minimizing storage space thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The lid securement device of  claim 13  wherein the latch housing comprises an assembly lifting portion, the opposing trigger access windows enabling lifting access to the assembly lifting portion.  
   
   
       17 . The lid securement device of  claim 13  wherein the linkage means enables the user to manually position the second anchor end intermediate the release position and the locked position independently of the trigger member.  
   
   
       18 . The lid securement device of  claim 13  comprising locked-position-restoring means, the locked-position-restoring means for returning the second anchor end from an actuated release position to a relaxed locked position.  
   
   
       19 . The lid securement device of  claim 18  wherein the locked-position-restoring means comprises pivot-resisting means, the pivot-resisting means being cooperatively associated with the trigger assembly for resisting pivotal motion thereof about the first pivot axis, the pivot-resisting means for returning the trigger member to a relaxed trigger position coincident with the relaxed locked position.  
   
   
       20 . A lid latching method for selectively locking lid structure to select anchoring structure, the lid latching method comprising the steps of: 
 outfitting a lid structure, the lid structure being outfitted with at least one lid latch, each lid latch comprising a multidirectional trigger and a unidirectional latch release, the latch release being operatively coupled to the trigger;    actuating the trigger from a select direction, the actuated trigger for operating the latch release from a locked position to a release position; and    deactuating the trigger from a direction opposite the select direction, the deactuated trigger for operating the latch release from the release position to the locked position, the locked position for selectively locking the lid structure to select anchoring structure.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the lid structure has a container-engaging periphery, the container-engaging periphery having spaced lid portions, the container-engaging periphery being outfitted with at least two lid latches at spaced lid portions, the triggers being simultaneously actuated from the select direction and simultaneously deactuated from the direction opposite the select direction.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the lid structure has a container-engaging periphery, the container-engaging periphery having opposing lid portions, the container-engaging periphery being outfitted with at least two lid latches at the opposing lid portions, the triggers being actuable from opposing directions, the triggers being simultaneously actuated from the select direction and simultaneously deactuated from the direction opposite the select direction.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the release position enables lid structure displacement, the lid structure being repositioned from the select anchoring structure after actuating the trigger, the lid structure being positioned adjacent a container for lid-enclosing the container before deactuating the trigger, the locked position for locking the positioned lid structure to the container.  
   
   
       24 . A method of protectively covering a gondola type railroad car to prevent a gondola cover from being blown off the car, the method including the steps of: 
 latching the gondola cover at longitudinally spaced intervals to rail car rims extending longitudinally of the gondola type railroad car at a top open end of the gondola type railroad car;    releasing all the latches located at the opposite sides of the gondola type railroad car; and    lifting the gondola cover off of the gondola type railroad car preparatory to unloading the gondola type railroad car.