The Power of Fully Automatic Twist locks

The question we get asked the most is; how do these twist locks work?

The power of the Cel-Lock system is that it is a mechanical system that remove all manual handling and any interaction for it to function. No pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical connection.

The ISO standards defines a twist lock as a standardized rotating connector system, for connecting and securing intermodal, and ISO-standard shipping containers. It consists of a house and a rotating shaft.

A twist lock is used in the shipping industry to secure shipping containers to each other or to a chassis such as trucks, ships or trains ensuring safe and stable transportation of containers. This can be done manually, semi-, or fully automatically.

They are designed to automatically engage and disengage with the container corner castings, allowing for efficient container handling and reducing or eliminate manual labour, increase safety among many other things.

This is how it works:

1. Position of twist lock: The fully automatic twist lock is installed at each corner of a shipping container, on the container chassis or railway wagons. The device features a rotating head with a locking mechanism that aligns with the container's corner castings.
2. Engagement: When a container is lowered onto the twist lock by a crane or other lifting equipment, the conical-shaped head of the twist lock slides into the corner casting aperture. The weight and downward force of the container trigger the locking mechanism within the twist lock to open.
3. Locking: As the twist lock engages with the container's corner casting, the internal spring-loaded mechanism rotates the head, securing the container in place. The twist lock's design ensures that the lock remains engaged even during vibrations and movements encountered during transportation.
4. Un-locking: Using a fully automatic twist lock the disengagement process is also automated, triggered at a specific force.

A manual twist lock is commonly used for double stack operation on trains and a fully automatic twist lock is used on platforms. At Celtec we provide both types with a fixed, removable, foldable, and a retractable systems.

You can create a simple, easy to install, mechanical, fully automatic system that requires no electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic connections that will assist you to automate loading, unloading and secure containers on platforms and remove all manual handling and interaction for better safety.