KNOWLEDGE BASE

ANTI RACK DEVICE
Hardware normally attached to doors to provide additional strength and stiffness to the door and end frame assembly. Such a device allows containers to withstand greater transverse twisting forces.

BEND
A deflection in a structural component which causes the component to change direction abruptly from that of it's original design.

BLADE
Hinge component permanently attached by welding or bolting to the door.

BOTTOM FRAME
The lower structural support for the floor, panels and posts.

BOTTOM RAIL
A structural component running longitudinally along the bottom sides of a container between the end frames.

BOW
A gradual deformation of the entire length of the component in a direction at a 90 degree angle to that length.

BROKEN
Fracture or shattered in to two or more separate pieces.

BUSHING
A tubular enclosure surrounding a rotating shaft which reduces friction against rotation, and may reduce electrolytic corrosion.

CAULKING (SEALANT)
Material used to seal all joints and riveted seams to ensure water tightness. caulking is used between wood flooring and board edges, sides and end frame assembly.

CENTER SPACER
A steel section found in many containers with plywood panel flooring, running along the center of the container from the rear sill to the front sill ( or to the tunnel bolster ) and separating the plywood panels along the longitudinal center line.

CHASSIS
A vehicle built specifically for the purpose of transporting a container, so that when the chassis and the container are assembled the unit produced serves the same function as a road trailer.

Container
A rectangular structure of standardized dimensions designed to carry unit loads, packages or bulk cargo and which is quickly transferable as a complete module between a number of modes of transportation. A container is composed of a rigid frame, usually made of steel or aluminum with panels between the frame members. ^TOP

CORNER POST
A structural component running vertically from top to bottom at each corner of the container's end frames.

Cross member
A traverse component other than a sill, tunnel bolsters or forklift, attached to the bottom side rails and supporting the floor.

CUBIC CAPACITY (CUBE)
Usable internal load carrying space within a container, expressed in cubic feet, cubic meters, gallons or liters. Also called "available cube" or simply "cube".

Customs seal
A temporary device fitted to the container that prevents the container from being opened without detection.

DOOR FRAMES
An assembly of structural members supporting the door panels.

END FRAME
The components at either end of a container consisting of two corner posts.

FRAME
A peripheral structural assembly including corner fittings, rails and / posts around one face of the container. ^TOP

GUSSET
A reinforcement plate normally welded in place.

HOLD BACK (TIE BACK)
Piece of hardware or nylon/rope to hold door in the open position when loading or unloading.

ISO
Abbreviation for the International Organization of Standardization, an international standards writing body composed of national standards associations.

ISO MARKINGS
Markings placed on a container in conformance with ISO standards.

LAMINATED FLOOR
Wooden flooring composed of longitudinally laid planks each of which is composed of sections laminated longitudinally and boned to one another.

LASHING FITTINGS
Cargo tie down fittings for the attachments of straps or other devices to restrain movement of cargo.

MARKING PANEL
A panel of a corrugated side wall containing a flat portion used for the display of marking. ^TOP

PAYLOAD (NET WEIGHT)
The total weight (mass) of the cargo or contents of the container including a removable cargo securement devices, dunnage, etc, but excluding the container and permanently installed fittings.

PLANK
A solid or longitudinally laminated hardwood or softwood board.

Rear end frame
The frame of the container face containing the end door, including the rear corner fittings, corner posts, header and sill.

REPAIR WORTHY
Damage or wear defects that require repair according to standards.

ROOF BOW
A traverse structural component attached to both top side rails that supports flat roof panels from underneath. They may be fixed or removable.

TAG (TRANSPONDER)
A device fitted to the exterior of a container, which contains electronically readable data that is applicable to the container. The reading device, which is part of the container, is called an interrogator. ^TOP

TARE
The weight (mass) of an unloaded container (a container without cargo), including any fittings, devices or special machinery that form a part of a container in it's normal working condition (such as the refrigeration unit of a refrigerated container).

TEU
Twenty equivalent units

UNDERCOATING
A waterproof material brushed or sprayed on the container underside. It protects the steel members from corrosion and waterproof wooden flooring.

VENTILATOR
A device permanently attached to the side (or front) panel of a container which allows the exchange of air between the interior of the container.

WEIGHT PANEL
Markings affixed to the door panel to indicate maximum gross, tare and (usually) payload weights. The cubic capacity of the container is generally included within the weight panel.

Reproduced with appreciation to Institute of International Container Lessors of USA and Mitsubishi Corporation for permission to use the glossary of terms and diagrams illustrating container construction - Guide for Container Equipment Inspection, 5th Edition