AU653412B2 - Device for transloading unit loads such as containers, swap bodies, semitrailers or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for transloading unit loads, between road and rail vehicles using lifting gear movable along a railway line with at least one store arranged between the railway line and a road. The proposal of the invention is to arrange an entry and an exit stores (6 and 9) on different sides of the railway (7, 8), flanked on the outer side, away from the railway, by an offloading or loading road (4, 5 and 10, 11). The two stores (6 and 9) have several offloading or loading lifting devices (26 and 27) capable of moving in the longitudinal direction, by means of which unit loads can be transported outside the railway (7, 8) between the offloading and loading road (4, 5 and 10, 11) and at least between the adjacent entry and exit stores (6 and 9). Above and along the railway there are several train load transfer lifting devices (28), the operative ranges of which extend laterally over the railway towards the two stores (6 and 9). Beside the railway (7, 8) there are additional transport devices (29) bridging theseparate operating ranges of the offloading and loading lifting devices (26 and 27) and the train load transfer lifting device (28), by means of which unit loads can at least also be transported transversely to the railway (7, 8).

Description

A~i)P' DATE N/03/93 PCT NUMIWR PCT/EP92/01338 111h1I N INl~lfll AU9Z1 9997 (51) Internitluite Patcrntklasslfikitlort 5 (11) lntcrautionale Verllfreiitllclinitgs-iiiiiiier: WO 93/00280 1165G 63/100 Al (413) ttormi(lonale.4 7. Jiuor~ 1993 (07.0 1.93) (21) lInteriiatlonales Akctenzelchen: (22) Internationales Anmeldedatum: Priorithtsdaten: P 4120 922.2 25. Jui PCT/EP92/0 1338 13. Juni 1992 (13.06,92) ni 1991 (25.06.91) (71) Anmelder (far alle Hestinnnungssmtaaen ausser US): KRUPP INDUSTRIETECHNIK GESELLSCHAFT MIT BE- SCHRANKTER HAFTUNG [DE/DE]; Franz-Schubert-Strafte 1-3, D-4100 Duisburg 14 (DE).

(72) Erfinider; und Erfinder/Anmelder (nurftr US) :FCICHTEY, Heinz [DE/ DE); Steins Feld 9, D-4300 Essen I MENDE, Burkhard [DE/DEJ; Wuppertaler Str. 4, D-4300 Essen I SCHMITZ, Theo [DE/DEI; Meerfeld 38, D-4100 Duisburg 14 (DE), (74) Geiieltisancr Vertreter: KRUPP IN DUSTR IETEC I-I1K GMBIH; Patentabteilung, Altendorfer Strasse 103, D- 4300 Essen I (DE).

(81) Bestimmungsstaaten: AU, CA, CS, FI, HU, JP, NO, PL, RU, US, europlisches Patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IT, LU, MC, NL, SE).

Verbiffentlicht Ylit iteernatianalem Rec/ierclwnberich.

(54) Title: DEVICE FOR TRANSLOADING UNIT LOADS SUCH AS CONTAINERS, SWAP BODIES, SEMITRAILERS OR THE LIKE (54)Bezeiclinung: EINRICHTUNG ZUM UMSCHLAGEN VON SW'CKGUT IN FORM VON LADEEINHEITEN WIE CONTAINERN, WECHSELBEHALTERN, sAT'rELANHXNGERN O.DGL. f (57) Abstract The invention relates to a device for transloading unit loads, between road and rail vuhicles using lifting gear movable along a railway 7 line with at least one store arranged between the railway line and a road.

The proposal of the invention is to arrange an entry and an exit stores (6f and 9) on different sides of the railway flanked on the outer side, away from the railway, by an offloading or loading road 5 and 10, 11). I The two stores (6 and 9) have several offloading or loading lifting devices i (26 and 27) capable of moving in the longitudinal, direction, by means of 2 which unit loads can be transported outside the railway 8) between the offloading and loading road 5 and 10, 11) and at least between the ad- 2 jacent entry and exit stores (6 and Above and along the railway there are several train load transfer lifting devices the operative ranges of which extend laterally over thu railway towardg the two stores (6 and 9).

Beside the railway 8) there are additional transport devices (29) bridg- I ing theseparate operating ranges of the offloading and loading lifting de- I I f2 vices (26 and 27) and the train load transft, I :ting device by means 28 1IT 1 1 of which unit loads can at least also be trw nported transversely to the 9 railway Aei 1 Installation for the load transfer of piece goods in the form of load units such as containers, roeturnable containers, semi-trailers or the like.

The invention relates to an installation for the load transfer of piece goods in the form of load units such as containers, returnable containers, semi-trailers or the like between road and rail-borne vehicles using lifting equipment adapted to travel in the longitudinal direction of a railway track, comprising at least one store set up between a single or multiple track railway line and a single or multiple lane roadway.

The invention is based on the object to develop a means by which the load transfer of piece goods between roads and rails, rails and roads respectively railways and railways can be simplified and the load transfer time can be shortened. The load transfer means is to permit the employment or rendering more economical of regular trains which, in succession, travel to a plurality of stations for loading respectively unloading whereby time and cost consuming shunting procedures for the assembly of trains with a variety of destinations can be avoided. A further object aimed at by the invention resides in the design of the load transfer installation in such a manner that it can be adapted using components which are, in principle, 25 all of the same nature, to different requirements in S.particular also to increasing load transfer numbers.

The present invention provides an installation for transfer of load units such as containers, returnable containers, semi-trailers or the like between road and 30 rail borne vehicles using lifting equipment adapted to travel in the longitudinal direction of a railway track, said installation comprising at least one receiving/issuing store set up between a single or multiple track railway line and a single or multiple lane unloading/loading roadway, characterised in that a 2 receiving/issuing store is provided on either side of the railway line with an unloading/loading roadway on the outer side of said store remote from the railway line for unloading/loading of road vehicles, each receiving/issuing store comprising a plurality of longitudinally movable unloading/loading lifting gear means adapted to transport the load units E .way the athe unloading/ loading roadway a \the adjoining receiving/issuing store, a plurality of train transfer lifting gear means being provided above the railway line and movable in a longitudinal direction, the operating rad'i of the train transfer lifting gear means extending laterally beyond the railway line in a direction towards either receiving/ issuing store with additional transport means laterally adjoining the railway line to bridge the mutually separated operated ranges of the unloading/loading lifting gear means on the one hand and the train transfer lifting gear means on the other hand and to transport the load units tranversely to the railway line.

20 The basic concept of the invention in this context resides in that on opposite sides of the railway line a receiving and an issuing store are provided, followed towards the outside by tha associated unloading respectively loading road way.

f.e: 25 The receiving and the issuing store as well as the railway track are each associated with a plurality of longitudinally movable unloading, loading respectively e: train transfer lifting means, the operating ranges of which viewed transversely to the direction of travel 30 are separate but adjoin each other: for conveying the loading units between the operating ranges of the unloading respectively loading and the train transfer lifting equipment additional transport means are provided laterally adjoining the railway track, which at least perform or permit the required transport movement 3 transversely to the railway track. By tht use of mutually separate stores with an associated roadway the load transfer can be simplified and accelerated as the road vehicles need not reach the load transfer region simultaneously with the train. In this context the receiving and the issuing stores serve as buffers by means of which in addition a desired transport sequence during the transfer onto the train respectively onto road transport can be brought about. Because the operating ranges of the respective lifting equipment serving the respective roadway and the railway line are separate from one another these may be employed independently from one another for load transfer depending on the requirements in the particular associated operating region.

Having regard to an influx respectively outflow of loading units with as little interference as possible, the road traffic way normally comprises at least two unloading respectively loading carriage ways, the innermost carriage way adjoining the receiving respectively the issuing 20 store) serving as parking lane.

The processing of trains can be simplified and accelerated in that the number of train load transfer lifting gear means is greater than that of the unloading or loading lifting gear means.

25 The additional conveyance means may be of optional type as long as they are at least suitable to convey the loading units between the mutually separated operating

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regions of the unloading, loading and train transfer lifting means. In a preferred embodiment of the subject 30 of the invention the additional conveyance means are designed as pallet conveyors circulating at two levels and operating in the manner of a horizontally orientated continuous belt conveyor and which at least within the range of the input and the output store extend laterally into the operating range of the unloading respectively 4 loading lifting gear and the train transfer lifting gear means and the width of which in the longitudinal direction of the store is adapted to the length of the largest possible loading unit.

Preferably the pallet conveyor belts extend on both sides in the direction of the railroad line and the adjoining unloading respectively loading roadway beyond the receiving and the issuing store. This offers the advantage that the associated lifting gear means when transferring from or onto road traffic means and on or from the rail transportation means needs to perform only short transverse routes; at least a substantial portion of the required transverse transport and the predesigned keeping ready (sorting with direct access) of the load units is brought about by the pallet conveyor belts of which, if the need arises, several at a time may be placed next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the V railroad line. The aforesaid design in analogy with a continuous belt conveyor, besides an enlargement of the 0 a 20 utilisable storage space, has the consequence, that the pallets always remain part of the additional conveyance means and accordingly the additional transport of empty pallets is dispensed with.

The load transfer capacity and operational safety may be further improved in that the lifting gear means are each composed of an overhead crane including a telescopic jib carrying a spreader, the spreader being pivotal with respect to the telescopic jib and the latter in turn being pivotal in relation to the crane girder and being pivotal 30 in staggered relationship to the rotational axis of the jib. Due to the conventionally present hoisting ropes having been dispensed with, undesirable swinging movements of the load units are substantially avoided and more rapid positioning procedures are possible. By operating the telescopic jib it is possible to carry out transport q 5 movements even without displacing the crane girder.

The use of a movable overhead crane movable on an elevated train track brings about the dispensing with the gantry supports which are norrially necessary and thus at the same time brings about a reduction of the mass which needs to be accelerated during travelling.

Preferably adjacent telescopic jibs of each group those of the unloading or loading or train load transfer lifting gear means) are mutually staggered transversely to the direction of travel of the crane girders so that their rotational axes adopt a different position in relation to the respective overhead crane girders. This design in which the rotational axes of adjacent telescopic jibs are not aligned one behind the other in the travelling direction of the girders facilitates or makes possible the interaction of adjacent lifting gear means of the same type, for example in the joint handling (in particular turning around) of large loading units.

The load transfer installation, from a point of view of economics, can be operated particularly advantageously if for each of the two pallet conveyor belts of the receiving or the issuing store one train trans-loading lifting means is provided. The advantage thereby attained 25 resides in that a pallet conveyor belt can make available one suitable storage place whereas the train trans-loading lifting gear services the other pallet belt.

:The aforedescribed load transfer installation can more particularly be so designed chat it comprises a dual 30 track rai way line.

e0 Deparcting from the previously described embodiments the subject of the invention may also be realised such that at least one additional transportation mean_ is provided between the receiving respectively the issuing 35 store and the railway line, i.e. separate from the 6 receiving and issuing store on both sides of the railway line. In this context the additional transport means is constructed in the nature of a horizontal continuous belt conveyor comprising transport surfaces for load units circulating in a plane, the receiver surfaces in the re-directioning section performing a movement in the direction towards the railway line respectively away from there and wherein the longitudinal axis of each additional transport means is orientated parallel to the railway line or receiving respectively issuing store. The advantage of this design also resides in that the transport surfaces which in the normal situation are horizontally disposed may, outside of the re-directioning sections (in the commencement and terminal regions of the continuous belt conveyor) may become effective as a distributor by means of which loading units may be assembled in a desired sequence with a view to the railway line or for example the issuing store. Because the transport surfaces in any event also perform a transverse movement, it is possible for the receiving and the issuing store optionally to be of particularly simple construction, i.e. for example in the form of passive stores.

Each re-directioning section is for example so designed that in that region three transport surfaces at a 25 time viewed transversely to the longitudinal direction o*e~e of the railway line may be placed directly next to one S-"another; however, in that position only two transport surfaces are available at any one time as well as the empty position, the size of which corresponds to that of a 30 transport surface. The result thereof is that the mutual spacing of the innermost (adjoining the railway line) and outermost transport surfaces outside of the re-directioning sections correspond at least in width to one transport surface.

In accordance with the purpose of use each transport 7 surface corresponds in size to the largest possible loading unit, i.e. the space requirements on the respective transport surface.

Having regard to the employment of the co-.nuous belt conveyor transport surfaces the receiving and the issuing store may each be designed as single storage stores, the storage area of which in the longitudinal and transverse direction is sub-divided according to the space requirements or half of the 2ace requirement for the largest possible load unit. This sub-division of the storage area simplifies the collating of the load units and their load transfer in a desired sequence.

The sub-division of the surface units into two surface halves is advantageous in order to be able .n particular to perform a substantially automatised load transfer also with relatively small load units. In the simplest case the surface units of the single storey store may be fixed by suitable markings (for example of a :Zmechanical or optical nature).

20 The unloading, loading and train transfer lifting gear means may be of optional design provided they have an adequate operating radius in relation to the circulating transport areas. With a view to economics at least the unloading and loading lifting gear means are designed as .:25 overhead cranes comprising crane trolleys and spreaders, the operating radius of which laterally at least embraces the outermost transport surface of the at least one associated additional transport means. In that context to*: the crane trolleys must be able to perform a transverse 30 movement by way of which the loading units can be conveyed to or removed from the region of the outermost transport surfaces.

The train transfer lifting gear means may be provided with telescopic jibs in the manner already described above. Preferably the train transfer lifting means 8 likewise take the form of overhead cranes each comprising two crane trolleys and spreader and the operating radius laterally embraces at least the innermost transport surfaces of the additional transport means. In this context one crane trolley is intended for loading the train and the other crane trolley for unloading it. The control and operation of the overhead crane may in appropriate circumstances be optimised in that it is coupled control technologically to the adjoining additional transport means; in this manner it is possible to ensure that the load unit to be taken over respectively passed on already adopts a favourable predetermined position in relation to the overhead crane on one of the transport surfaces.

The crane trolleys are preferably provided so closely above the railway line that only short lift movements involving small free rope lengths need to be performed.

The embodiment here discussed may also be equipped with a single track rail line. The unloading or loading roadway associated with the receiving and the issuing store, in order to avoid disruptions and delays should be so designed that at least two lanes adjoin each other of which the innermost lane serves as a parking lane for unloading or loading of road vehicles. If the load S 25 transfer installation comprises three lane roadways it is possible also for the two innermost lanes to be used as parking lanes.

One of the important advantages of a preferred form of the invention resides in that the load transfer installation is of modular design and can be adapted to varying requirements, in particular increasing transfer frequencies accordingly. In this context one module comprises besides the two passive stores including two horizontally circulating continuous belt carrier surfaces, respectively two dual level circulating pallet belts 9 (without passive stores), the railway line and the roadways on both sides, the necessary unloading, loading and train transfer lifting gear means.

A speciality of the load transfer installation resides in that the train during processing (loading and/or unloading) need not necessarily be stopped, but can be moved at a predetermined velocity adapted to the processing needs through the load transfer installation; by this operating mode time consuming transport movements in the longitudji al direction of the rail line can be avoided since the associated goods carriages must pass each section of the receiving respectively the issuing store. In this context the construction and the operational safety of the load transfer installation may be improved in that the train to be processed is moved at least in the region of the load transfer installation by means of a suitable drive unit (traction and/or push unit) so that for example the provision of an overhead electrical line can be dispensed with.

20 The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a diagrammatic plan view without roof of a .oad transfer installation including a dual track railway line as well as a receiving and an issuing store each 25 comprising a plurality of additional transport means in the form of transversely orientated pallet belts, Fig 2 is a cross-section through the load transfer installation on a scale enlarged in relation to Fig i, Fig 3a, b are partial cross-sections through the load transfer installation in the region of the railway line respectively the unloading roadway on a scale which is larger than that in Fig 2, Fig 4 is a diagranunatic cross-section through an embodiment of a load transfer installation including a single track railway line, a ceceiving and an issuing store designed as a single storey store as well as distributor means in the form of continuous belt transport surfaces, laterally adjoining the railway line, Fig 5 is a diagrammatic partial plan view without roof of the left-hand half of the load transfer installation according to Fig 4, Figs 6a to d are various operating stages in diagrammatic form during the transfer of load units in the region of the railway line; and Fig 7 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a flow diagram of the various operations taking place in a load transfer installation according to Fig 4.

The load transfer installation illustrated in Fig 1 shows viewed from the right-hand side towards the left (see also Fig 2) the following components and equipment: an outwardly situated feed and distributor roadway including three delivery lanes 1 to 3, one unloading roadway including two adjoining unloading lanes 4 and 5, a laterally adjoining receiving store 6 a railway 20 line including two adjoining tracks 7 and 8, a laterally adjoining issuing store 9, a loading roadway including two mutually adjoining loading lanes 10 and 11 and laterally adjoining the previously mentioned outermost delivery .lanes 1 to 3.

The road vehicles to be unloaded or loaded (for exar;ple road trucks, semi-trailer and tractor units) enter the region of the load transfer installation (arrow 13) in the region of a reception area and again leave the installation (arrow 14).

After passing the reception area 12 the road vehicles may proceed either directly by way of the unloading lanes 4, 5 towards the region of the receiving store 6 or first on the delivery lanes 1 to 3, after by-passing the receiving store, proceed to the region of the issuing store 9 by way of the loading lanes 10 and 11. The 11 unloaded or loaded road vehicles may change over again to the delivery lanes 1 to 3 for travelling around the issuing store 9 or may enter these directly after leaving the issuing store 9. The roadways form a crossing-free one-way traffic ring without opposing traffic. This is also made possible by the feature that the railroad line with the tracks 7 and 8 crosses the delivery lanes 1 to 3 by way of bridges 15 and 16.

The reception area serves for allotting to the incoming road vehicles the most appropriate parking areas for the load transfer procedure in the region of the receiving respectively issuing store 6 and 9. As will be seen in particular in Fig 2 the load transfer installation as a whole is under roof; it comprises viewed transversely to the longitudinal direction of the tracks 7 and 8 seven mutually adjoining sections 17 to 23. The roofing serves as protection against weather and protects the environment against noise.

The transfer of the loading units to be handled which may for example comprise containers 24 and semi-trailers 25 (see Fig 2) between the unloading lanes 4, 5 and the receiving store 6, or between the issuing store 9 and the loading lanes 10 and 11, or between the rail tracks 7, 8 and the receiving store 6 or the issuing 25 store 9, proceeds by means of two unloading lifting gear means 26 and two loading lifting gear means 27 and a greater number of train transfer lifting gear means 28; the latter are supported in a longitudinally movable manner in the central roofed section 20 above the tracks 7 and 8.

In the working example under discussion the lifting gear means 26 to 28 are so designed that their operatinq radii extend merely over a small portion of the width of the receiving store 6 or issuing store 9 so that they will not overlap. Part of the transverse movement for bridging 12 th<, distance between the operating radii of the lifting means 26 and 28 or 28 and 27 will accordingly be taken care of by an additional transport means which serves to feed the load units 24, 25 to be handled to within the operating range of the train transfer lifting gear 28 or the loading lifting gear 27.

In the working example undsez discussion (see in particulars Figs 2, 3a, b) the additional transport means also with a view to improved storage capacity are designed as dual stotey circulating pallet belts 29 which operate in the manner of a horizontally orientated continuous belt conveyor. The pallet belts are composed of discrete pallets 29a which are slidable along an upper guide track 30 or a lower guide track 31 and which outside the roofed section 19 or 21 adjoining the inner lane 5 or and adjoining the rail tracks 7, 8 perform a direction changing mLovement; in the course thereof one pallet 29a at a time is lowered to the level of the lower guide track 31 or raised to the upper guide track 3U. The support of the pallets 29a in the direction changing region proceeds by way of lateral guides 32 (see Fig 3a) or by way of guide belts (not illustrated) running parallel to the plane of the drawing Fig 3a.

moo: Depending on the circulating direction of the pallet belt 29 the associated load units 24, 25 perform i cyclically a transverse move and enter for example from the region ot the roofed section 18 into a region •0:06: adjoining the track 7 or from the region of the roofed i section 20 into a region adjoining the inner loading lane 10 (in the roofed section 22). As may be seen from Fig 2 the length of the pallet belts 29 transversely to the tracks 7, 8 is greater than the width of the associated roofed section 19 or 21 for the receiving store 6 or issuing store 9, respectively. The width of the pallet belts in the longitudinal direction of the tracks 7, 8 is 13 adapted to the length of the largest possible load unit.

The unloading, loading and train transfer lifting means 26 to 28 (see also Figs 3a, b) each comprise an overhead crane including a telescopic jib 34 carrying a spreader 33. The jib in turn is supported from a crane girder 35 in a manner allowing it to travel longitudinally, i.e. normal to the plane of the drawing.

The telescopic jib can perform rotary and pivoting movements about the axes 34a and 34b, respectively, in relation to the crane girder 35; analogous conditions apply to the spreader 33 in relation to the telescopic jib 34. Whereas the lifting gear means 26 and 27 serve for handling load units within the roofed sections 18 and 22, respectively, between the unloading or loading lanes 4, or 10, 11 and the adjoining pallet belt 29, the trainl transfer lifting means 28, accommodated in the roofed section 20, are employed for loading or unloading trains 36 and 37.

The manner of employment of the aforedescribed lifting gear means (with telescopic jibs 34) may optionally be further improved in that lifting means adjacent each other in the direction of travel of crane girders 35 the unloading, loading or the train transfer lifting means) comprise telescopic jibs 34 which 25 are staggered or offset in a direction transverse to the travelling direction of girders 35; their pivoting axes 34a accordingly adopt a different position in relation to the crane girder 35, i.e. as viewed in the direction of travel of crane girder 35 the axes 34a are not collinear.

To explain the aforedescribed situation reference is made, for example, to the illustration according to Fig 3a wherein the pivoting axes 34a of telescopic jibs 34 adjacent each other in the direction of travel of crane girders 35 are not in the middle of the irrespective crane girder 35, but are alternatingly displaced either in the 14

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a I a direction toward the roofed section 19 or toward the roofed section 21. This staggered arrangement of axes 34a of the telescopic jibs 34 permits or facilitates the interaction of adjacent jibs 34 in the joint handling of relatively large load units.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig 1 the number of train transfer lifting means 28 is selected such that one train transfer lifting gear means 28 in each case services two pallet belts 29. Generally speaking the number of train transfer lifting means 28 should be greater than that of the unloading or loading means 2' and 27.

In the embodiment according to Fig 4 the receiving and the issuing store are each designed as single storey stores having stationary store areas 38 respectively 39, which are adjoined laterally by three unloading or loading lanes 5, 4, 40, respectively 10, 11, 41 and by additional transport means serving as distributor means 42, 43. Each store surface (for example the store surface 39 of the 20 issuing store 9 illustrated in Fig 5) is sub-divided in the longitudinal and transverse directions into surface units 39a respectively 39b, the size of which corresponds to the space requirement for the greatest possible load unit or one half of such space requirement (cf the surface 25 units 39b).

Between the mutually opposite distributor means 42 and 43 a rail track 7 is disposed for a train 36 to be unloaded or loaded.

Each distributor means 42 and 43 is designed in the manner of a horizontally disposed continuous belt conveyor comprising respective transport surfaces 42a, 43a for load units circulating in one plane.

The transport surfaces move depending on the selected circulating direction essentially parallel to the track 7 (as shown by double arrows 44) and merely in 0 ff 15 the rogion o! directional change, i.e. at the beginning and end regions of the distributor, perform a transverse movement (as shown by double arrows 45) in the direction towards or away from track 7.

In this context each distributor is so designed that in the directional change region at any stage three transport surfaces 42a respectively 43a adjoin each other; accordingly the mutual distance between the outermost and the innermost transport surfaces outside the directional change region corresponds at least to the width of a transport surface; the latter is moreover sizewise adapted to the largest possible load unit.

The unloading, loading and train transfer lifting means 26 to 28 each take the form of overhead cranes comprising crane trolleys 46 and spreaders 47 which can travel to and fro on crane girders 48, 49 or 50 which girders move parallel to the track 7.

tIn order to accelerate the transfer procedure in the region of the track 7 the crane girder 50 of the train transfer lifting means 28 (in contrast to the crane a: girders 48, 49) comprises two crane trolleys 46.

As will be seen in Figs 4 and 5 the crane girders 48 and 49 are so dimensioned that the operating radius of these lifting means embraces the outermost transport 25 surfaces 42a respectively 43a of the distributors 42, 43.

The operating radius of the train transfer lifting means 28 as dictated by the crane girders 50 extends laterally beyond the innermost transport surfaces 43a respectively 42a. The construction and mutual inter-relationship of the lifting gear means 26 to 28 and distributors 42, 43 ensures that the load units to be handled can be transferred from the operating range of the unloading lifting means to that of the train transfer lifting means respectively from the operating range of the latter into that of the loading lifting means.

16 In accordance with the length of the load transfer installation (and according to the embodiment of Fig i) a plurality of distributors 42 respectively 43 may each be fitted in modular manner in succession in the longitudinal direction of the track 7.

The train transfer lifting apparatus 28 equipped with two crane trolleys 46 and spreaders 47 can be operated as follows: In the starting position (Fig 6a) a train 36 has entered the load transfer installation and has stopped.

The distributor 42 in the meantime adapts itself to the carriage sequence of the train; the lifting apparatus 28 enters into a first transfer position, the spreaders 47 are lowered and engage the load units 24 to be handled (Fig 6b). These are subsequently lifted and conveyed toward a new transfer position (Fig 6c); there they are again lowered (Fig 6d) and subsequently released from the spreaders 47 before the train transfer lifting means 28 is moved onward.

The functions and transfer procedures of the embodiment in accordance with Figs 4 to 6 can be derived *feet: from the flow diagram illustrated in Fig 7: The load units to be handled are advanced from the 5*9* region of the unloading lanes 4, 5 by means of the 25 unloading lifting gear 26 to the receiving store 6 or a distributor 42 and can be transported by employment of the :train transfer lifting gear 28 into the region of the i e track 7. When unloading a train the reverse sequence applies. By means of the train transfer lifting gear 28 the load units are transferred from the region of the track 7 into the region of the distributor 43 and from there can be forwarded with the aid of the loading lifting means either first to be deposited in the issuing store 9 or directly to the region of the loading lanes 10, 11.

In the embodiment according to Fig 4 a roof cover 51 17 extends laterally into the region adjoining the outermost lanes 40 respectively 41.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

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Claims (13)

1. An installation for transfer of load units such as containers, returnable containers, semi-trailers or the like between road and rail-borne vehicles using lifting equipment adapted to travel in the longitudinal direction of a railway track, said installation comprising at least one receiving/issuing store set up between a single or multiple track railway line and a single or multiple lane unloading/loading roadway, characterised in that a receiving/issuing store is provided on either side of the railway line with an unloading/loading roadway on the outer side of said store remote from the railway line for unloading/loading of road vehicles, each receiving/issuing store comprising a plurality of longitudinally movable unloading/loading lifting gear means adapted to transport the load units em-ta l- \.the unloading/ loading roadway 4vaMthe adjoining receiving/issuing store, a plurality of train transfer lifting gear means being provided above the railway line and movable in a longitudinal direction, the operating radii of the train transfer lifting gear means extending laterally beyond the railway line in a direction towards either receiving/ issuing store with additional transport means laterally adjoining the railway line to bridge the mutually 25 separated operated ranges of the unloading/loading lifting gear means on the one hand and the train transfer lifting gear means on the other hand and to transport the load units tranversely to the railway line.

2. An installation according to claim 1, characterised in that each additional transport means comprises a dual storey horizontally oriented continuous conveyor belt which, at least, within each receiving/issuing store, extends laterally into the operating ranges of the unloading/lifting gear means and of the train transfer lifting gear means, the width of the additional transport 19 means being at least equal to the length of the largest possible load unit.

3. An installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the lifting gear means each comprise an overhead crane incluQing a telescopic jib carrying a spreader, said jib being supported on a crane girder, the spreader being pivotal and rotatable relative to the telescopic jib and the jib being pivotal and rotatable about respective axes relative to the supporting crane girder and wherein the pivot axis iF offset relative to the rotational axis.

4. An installation according to claim 3, characterised in that the rotational axis of the telescopic jib of each adjacent crane in the issuing store, receiving store or above the railway line, respectively, is staggered in the direction parallel to the railway line.

5. An installation according to any one of the preceding plurality of conveyor belts and further wherein the number of train transfer lifting gear means is selected such that 'aone train transfer lifting gear means services two conveyor belts.

6. An installation according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the railway line is a dual track railway line.

7. An installation according to claim 1 characterised in that between the railway line and each of the receiving/ som:i issuing stores, at least one additional transport means is provided, said additional transport means comprising a horizontally disposed continuous conveyor belt with transport surface circulating in one plane to transport said load units, wherein the transport surfaces in a directional change region are adapted to move toward and away from the railway line, the longitudinal axis of each additional transport means being parallel to the railway 20 line or the receiving/issuing stores.

8. An installation according to claim 7 characterised in that each transport surface is sized to receive a predetermined maximum size of load unit.

9. An installation according to any one of claims 1, 7 and 8, characterised in that each of the receiving/issuing stores are of a single storey configuration, the store surface area being divided in longitudinal and transverse directions into surface area units corresponding to space requirements or half space requirements of a predetermined maximum size of load unit.

An installation according to any one of claims 1 and 7-9, characterised in that at least the unloading/loading lifting gear means comprise overhead cranes equipped with crane trolleys and spreaders, the operating radii of said trolleys laterally embracing at least outer transport surfaces of at least one associated additional transport means.

11. An installation according to any one of claims 7-10 characterised in that each train transfer lifting gear means comprises overhead cranes equipped with two crane trolleys and spreaders, the operating radii of which laterally embrace innermost transport surfaces of the additional transport means. 25

12. An installation according to any one of claims 7-11 characterised in that the railway line is a single track railway line.

13. An installation for transfer of load units substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs l-3b or Figs 4-6d of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 21th day of July 1994 KRUPP INDUSTRIETECHNIK GmbH Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F.B. RICE CO. ABSTRACT Apparatus for the load transfer of piece goods in the form of loading units such as containers, returnable containers, semi-trailers or the like. The invention relates to an installation for transferring piece goods between road and railbome vehicles with the aid of lifting gear adapted to travel longitudially in relation to a railway line, comprising at least one storoe arranged between the railway line and.a roadway. The invention proposes to provide on different sides of the railway line a receiving and an issuing store (6 respectively the outer sides of which remote from the railway line adjoin an unloading respectively loading roadway 5 respectively 10, 11) for the unloading respectively loading of road vehicles. The two stores (6 respectively 9) each comprise a plurality of unloading respectively loading lifting gear means (26 respectively 27) adapted to travel longitudinally, by means of which load units can be transported beyond the railway lines 8) between the unloading respectively loading roadway respectively 10, 11) and at least the adjoining receiving respectively issuing store (6 respectively Above the railway line a plurality of train transfer lifting means (28) are provided adapted to travel longitudinally, their operating radii extending laterally beyond the railway line in the direction towards the two stores (6 respectively 9). Adjoining the railway line 8) addit ral transport means (29) are provided which bridge the mutually separated ranges of the unloading respectively loading lifting means (26 respectively 27) and the train transfer lifting gear means (28) and by means of which load units can be transported at least also transversely to the railway line 8). (Fig.l)