CA1230905A - Grappler system for lifting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A lifting apparatus having a grappler system by which one or a plurality of stacked containers may be lifted and transported. The grappler system includes pin devices capable of being inserted into standard holes provided at the corners of the container. The grappler system operates to support the bottom two containers of a plurality in a stack being lifted and is capable of dropping off the bottom container, while maintaining support of the container thereabove.
The apparatus includes a hollow center design so that the containers can extend to a position above the top structural portions of the crane.

Description

~z~9~s GRAPPLER SYSTEM FOR LIFTING APPARATUS
BACXGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Il jl This invention relates in general to a liftlng ¦ apparatus and, in particular, to an apparatus for lifting ¦ and transporting a plurality of large containers.
More specifically, but without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to a lifting apparatus having a grappler system to secure a stack of~containers ~or lifting and transporting. The apparatus of the invention is capable of accommodating a s-tack or number of containers having a height greater than the height of the crane. The grappler system is adapted to engage the lower two containers in the stack in a manner, such that the bottom container may be released, while maintaining support ofthe..containers above the reIeased one.
In the transportation industry, certain types of containers have been developed, which are sometimes referred I to as "intermodal" sy5tem5. Such trailers form unitized containers fitted to be interchanged between a truck, in which it forms a trailer therefor, and a ship or railroad car. The : deslgn of such containers has evolved into well-known standardized forms, such as IASO or Matson.containers and.the like. Each of these containers employ corner castings at each upper and lower corner to define sixteen apertures, which have been heretofore selectively engaged by such components as hooks or pins and the like for lifting the container. A typical gantry crane engages suitable holes in the corner casting and lifts a container, after it is removed from a train or ship, for 30 l ll !l !

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example, and transports the container to a storage area, or directly to a truck, or alternatively, from the storage area to a truck and so forth. The conventional designs for such l gantry cranes are only capable of lifting a single container at ¦ a time and can not accommodate the lifting and transporting of ¦ a plurality of containerg in a stack for efficiency of operation.
l Because of space limitations, transporting schedules, ¦ and considerations of economy, it is conventional for severa~
¦ transit containers to be stacked together in a storage area, for example, for a period durin~ exchange between vehicles and/or vessels. As a result o~ de~ign limitations of convenkional cranes, it is only possible to move one container at a time to form such stacks. Moreover, existing cranes can carry only one container over a stack of three or four containers high, because no design in the prior art permits handling of containers above the top of the equipment. In view of the foregoing deficiencies, it is obvious that known cranes can only pick-up the top container of any given stack of limited height and must return to completely remove every item from a stack.
Known lifting equipment also suffer from limitations of operative versatility. For example, no cranes are avail-able which can lift a stack of containers and release one of the containers as desired without interferring with the support of the remaining items. Prior apparatus are also designed so that the top beam or structure ~imits the height at which a container can be lited over the stack, and thus, the number of items to be stored on top of each other.

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SUMMARY OF THE ~NVENTION
Accordingly, this invention seeks to provide an apparatus for lifting and transporting one or a plurality of containers in a stack and seeks to provide a lifting apparatus capable of engaging for support adjacent containers in a stack.
The invention further seeks to provide a lifting apparatus capable of independently releasing the bottom container of a stack of containers being lifted.
The invention still further seeks to provide a lifting apparatus capable of supporting and lifting a stack of containers extending beyond the upper structure of the apparatus and a grappler system for a lifting apparatus capable of being adjusted to accommodate a range of sizes o~ containers being lifted.
The invention in one broad aspect comprehends an apparatus for lifting containers of the type having lifting apertures at the corners thereof, which comprises an interconnected open center frame, an open center bridge supported by the frame with lift means carried by the open center bridge. ~rappler means are connected to the lift means for engaging one or more of a plurality of stacked containers and means operatively connect the lift means to the grappler means to position the grappler means adjacent a stack of containers for lifting one or more of the containers. The open center bridge is disposed above the grappler means with the open center permitting containers to be elevated to a vertical position above the bridge. The grappler means further includes first latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a first container and second latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a second container above the first container, the grappler means including means for permitting withdrawal of the first latching means from the first container ~R

3-~23~ ?5 while permitting the second latching means to remain in engagement with the second container.
The invention in another broad aspect pertains -to an apparatus for lifting containers of the type having apertures at the corners thereof including grappler means adapted to be manipulated into position adjacent one or more containers disposed in stacked relationship to each other for selective lifting of the containers. The grappler means includes ~irst and second latching means unitarily mounted on frame means adapted to be disposed adjacent one or more containers, the first and second latching means of the grappler means acting to selectively engage apertures at the corners of one or more staclced containers Eor liEting of the containers. The first latching means includes a-t least one pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common axis for insertion into apertures in selected corners of opposite walls of a first container of the one or more containers. The second latching means includes at least another pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second axis lying in fixed vertical spaced relation to the first axis for insertion into selected apertures in opposite walls of another container of the one or more containers when lying in stacked re:Lationship to the first container. The pin members of the first and second latching means are respectively vertically spaced in fixed spaced relationship to engage either the upper apertures in the lowermost container or the lower apertures of another container immediately above the lowermost container.
This design permits the lower container to be independently released in a manner that the remaining stack of containers is still carried by the lifting apparatus for attaining increased versatility and manipulation of -the stack, such as, for example, in a storage area or other location.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further aspects of the invention together with additional features contributing thereto and advantages accruing therefrom will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is shown in the accompanying drawings with like reference numerals indicating corresponding parts throughout, wherein:
Figure 1 is a side perspective view of the lifting apparatus of the invention operatively engaging a stack of three containers for lifting;
Figure 2 is a partial schematic side view of the lifting apparatus of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a partial schematic end view of the lifting apparatus of Figure 1, showing the capability of the invention to lift any one of three side-by-side stacks of containers;
Figure 4 is a side schematic view of the grappler system of the lifting apparatus of Figure l;

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Figure 5.is-an end schematic view of the grappler ,system of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is an enlarged schematic side view of the front latching mechanism of the grappler system of Figure 5 for engaging the top corners of a lower container;
Figure 7 is an end schematic view of the latching mechanism of Figure 6; and . . Figure 8 is.a top schema~ic view of one of the top container retaining assemblies of the lifting apparatus of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF A P~EFERRED EMBO~IMENT
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Referring now to Figure 1 there is illustrated an apparatus 2 of the invention capable of lifting and transporting one, or a stack of a plurality of large containers, such as . used in the well-known "piggyback" applications. For purposes of illustration,.apparatus 2 is shown in Fi3ure 1 in operative contact to lift a stack of three containers 4. Generally, containers 4 are the type of large container, which may be . placed on wheels and utilized as a trailer or truck, or may 20 be placed on the bed of a railroad car, transported by ship .
or stored in stacked form in a loading.area and the,like.
. Csntainers 4 are conventionally provided with corner ,devices or corner castings 4a, which provide holes to enable a . crane and the like to lift and transport the containers from place to place. Corner castings 4a are typically situated at each of the eight corners of the rectilinear container 4.

As a result, the front and rear walls of conta~ners each have . , . .

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lZ309~5 ,1 four holes 4a situated at each corner, while the containex side walls both have four holes at their respective corners.
, Lifting apparatus 2 is in the form of a gantry crane ¦ having a two elongated horizontal lower beams 6, two upper beams 8 and four vertical corner beams 10 to cre~te a~-in~eE -connected, open-centered frame work of the structure. The crane is mounted or supported by a typical wheel assembly 12 suitably affixed by brackets and the like to the lower beam 6 to permit the lifting apparatus 2 to be moved in a conventional manner by suitable power means (not shown). Thus, viewing Figure 1, it can be seen that the apparatus 2 can be maneuvered over a stack of containers 4 for lifting and transportiny to another location as needed. Two of the upper beams 8, being laterally disposed in parallel relationship to each other in a horizontal plane, function as tracks upon which a movable bridge 20 is carried for selective movement. The platform 20 comprises a rectangular,open-centered structure defined by four inter-connecting beams 22, such that the structure defines an opening I, 22a having a suff.icient size to enable containers 4 to pass 20¦ therethrough without interference with the bridge. This design of the apparatus 2 permits the lifting of a portion of the stack of containers 4 to a vertical position, above both the beams 8 and the bridge 20.
The movable bridge 20 is ~rovided with a pair of wheel assemblies 24 on each side in contact with the lateral upper beams 8 to permit ~ovement of the bridge by a conventional technique (not shown) in direction Z shown in Figure 1. As seen in Figure 3, the bridge 20 may be oriented above the center ¦ one of three stacks of containers 4, or above the end stacks,

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and the like. A pair of drum assemblies 26 are mounted on bridge 20 and include a respective pair of drums 26a mounted at each end of a power driven shaft 28 rotatably supported on .
bracke~s 28a about an axis. extending substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the bridge relative to lateral beams 8. The drum assem~lies each are coupled to a power drive to achieve lifting and lowering o~ a load supported by elongated elements in.a manner well-known in the art. Each of the four drums 26a support a downwardly extendin~ cable or chain 30, which is directed' about respective intermediate pulley members 32 rotatabl~ mounted on the longitudinally disposed upper beams 8, as besk shown in Figures l and 2. The lower ends of cables 30 are adapted to be secured to the grappler system 40 of the invention and lift or lower the containers 4 in a vertical direction as shown by arrow Y in Figure 1.
Referring now to Figures 1 through 7, the grappler system 4.0 of the invention is b,est illustrated. As shown in Figures l and 4',.grappler system 40 includes two pairs of square tubular beams 42 and 44 which are welded together, one on top of the:other, and each pair is adapted to be disposed on a side of the'container 4 along the longitudinal dimension thereof. Telescoping inner tubular members 46 and 48 are respec-tively disposed within beams 42 and 44 in an opposite orientation to each other, such that the longitudinal extent of the grappler system 40 can be modified to ad~ust to containers having a longer iongit~dinal~dimension. .To achieve such.extension, a hydraulic cylinder 50 is mounted within upper extendible member 48. One end of hydraulic cylinder 50 is mounted in !l fixed relation to the lower beam 42 by a suitable bracket 52.
The extensible end 54 of the cylinder 50 is affixed by a suitable connector to inner member 48. This coupling permits the inner element 48 to move telescopically outwardly from within upper beam 44 to lengthen the longitudinal axtent of the grappler system.
The hydraulic cylinder 50 is coupled to a suitable source of hydraulic pressure (not shown). The extensible movement of upper inner member 48 is coordinated with the lower inner member 46 by a pulley system, which causes the lower inner member 46 to extend outward from lower beam 42 at the same rate as the upper beam 48. The pulley system consists oE
l four fixed pulley elements 56, 57, 58 and 59 suitably affixed to ¦ the frame. Pulleys 56, 57, 58 and 59 support cables 60 and 60a ~ which are affi~ed to inner member 46 and 48, whereby upon exten-I ¦ sion of the hydraulic device 50, both end portions of innerbeams 46 will extend outwardly in opposited directions to`increase the length of the grappler system. Withdrawal Oe the cylinder I 50 will likewise reduce the length from its extended configuration 201 as desired.
As best shown in Figure 4, a pair of brackets 62 are welded to the upper surface of both upper beams 44 adjacent their ends.

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I ~ Each bracket 62 is provided with a hole through which a respective hook connection 64, attached to the end of the four cables 30, is inserted to suspend the grappler system 40 from the bridge I 20. The e~tensible end of inner telescopic member 48 is secured to a bracket 70 having an upper horizonally disposed section 72 and an integrally downwardly dependent body . ~

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74, having a lower edge situated beneath the lower beam 42. The . body 74 of the bracket 70 is formed as a rectangular,-tubular structure'having a pair of vertical plates 76, an upper plate 78, and open-bottom, the structure being welded together as best shown in Fi'gures 1, 2 and 4. The inner portion of plate 78 and a lower angled section 79 form the horizontal surfaces of upper section 72 and are attached to member 48 by bolt assemblies 79'. ,Similarly, a bracket 80 is secured to the extensible end of the lower inner member 46 and includes an inwardly disposed portion 82 suitably bolted thereto as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.
A downwardly depending hollow body 84h~vin~ an open bottom ,~t~s downward to a bottom edge in approximate,alignment ¦
with the'bottom of bracket 70.' Side.latching mechanisms 90, ,situated in the lower portions of brackets 70 and 80,extend inwardly to confront both sides of a container 4 positioned : therebetween. As shown in Figure 5, a latching assembly 90 includes a cylindrical casing 92 having a known hydraulic cylinder therein, which is coupled to an appropriate source of 20 hydraulic fluid (not shown). The extensible end of.the .
hydraulic cylinder 90 is directed inwardly and carries a pin 94 having a shaped end.. Pin 94 is adapted to be inserted into the holes in the bottom corner casting of a container 4 to . latch the grappler system 40 to the sidewall of a container,at four locations As il.lustrated in ~igure 1~ latching mechanism 90 is inserted to lift th.e bottom corner casting of a container stacked over a lower one.
As best shown in Figures,l and 5, brackets 70 and 80 support a pair of identical cross beams lOO respect.ively adapted to span the'two ends of a container 4. ~he cross 1~309~5 beams lOO comprise a plurality of elongaged plates welded together ~'a..- form a generally U-shaped configuration having an upper horizontal p~ate 102 and a pair of downwardly disposed walls 104 welded thereto as best shown in Figure 6. A pair of spaced cross plates 108 are welded at each end of cross beams 100 between walls 104~ ~our front latching mechanisms 110 extend downward in securement between each pair of plates for latching the top corner castings at the front and rear of the container which is beneath the container to which the latching mechanisms 90'are secured.
' As best shown in Figures S, 6 and 7, the latching mechanisms 110 each comprise a square tubular body 112 having an upper portion extending upward between plates 108. The body .
112 is secured to the cross be,ams 100 by an elongated shaft assembly 114 which is,disposed in a vertical elongated slot 116 formed 'in opposed walls of body 112. A suitable hydraulic cylinder assembly 120 extends through.the ,bottom portion of the body 112 and includes a tubular housing a casing 122 extending through the bottom portion of the body 112. T~'e casing is secured thereto by plates 124 suitably affixed to both the body of casing 122 and the hvusing 112. A hydraulic cylinder 126 having an extensible,end 128 is mounted in casing 122 and ¦
is in fluid communication with a source of hydraulic fluid (not sho.wn). The extensible end 122 of each cylinder supports a pin 130 which is adapted to be inserted into the holes of the upper front and back corner castings. As can be seen in Figures 6 and 7 the weight of the latching mechanism 110 causes the body 11'? to drop.to its lowest position because o~ slot 115.

At such a position the respective pins 130 may be oF}enLed with -10~
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the holes in the top corner castings of both the front and the back of the bottom container 4. In addition, upon withdrawal of the pins 130 from the top corner castings to release a bottom container independently of the container thereabove as will be described, the entire grappler system 40 can be lowered onto a support surface,in absence of the lower independently released container,without damage to the ~ront latching mechanism,s1nce the slot 116 permits the body 112 thereof to withdraw into beams 100 without damage thereto.
Four corner posts 140 are secured to the respective ends of the cross beam me~bers 100 and are formed as a pair of right angle sections that extend upward to a position just above a third container in a stack The upriyht posts 140 act as guides to enable the corner~s of the containers above the grappler to he supported during lifting. At the upper ends of the corner postsl40, a pair of hydraulic cylinders 150 and 152 are operatively positioned. The cylinders have extensible ends 156 and 158 which can apply a gentle centering force against the upper container in operation (as shown in spaced relation in Figure 8), such that correct orientation of the containers is achieve~ during liting.
In operation of the lifting apparatus of the invention, the system may be moved and manipulated over a stack of containers, which can be three or more in each stack.
As shown in Figure 3, the bridge 20 may be moved to a position over one of a plurality of stacks over which the gantry crane has been positioned, or where one or a stack is to be moved.
The bridge 20 is then operated to lift a stack thereunder or to lower or lift a stack into a position under the bridge. When the bridge is situated over a stack to be lifted, t~e grappler ' ' -11- .
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system 40 is lowered under the action of the power means (not shown) operating the pulley cable system 30. A known hole -sensing device tnot shown) may be employed, such that the lowering of the grappler system 40 to the correct position in alignment with a hole may automatically be determined. These devices are capable of sensing the presence of each of the holes within the bottom side corner castings and the upper front and back corner castings of the two lower containers to align each of the pin members of respective latching assemblies 90 and 110 with the holes for a latching operation. The latched containers thereby may be llfted upward in a manner that the upper portion of the stack of containers 4 may extend above both the upper beams 8 of the crane and the upper portions ~of the bridge 20~ because of its open center configuration permitting the passage of the containers therethroughO In addition, the bottom container of the stack may be independently ¦
released by unlatching of the front and back latching assemblies 110 without disturbing support o the remaining container l secured to the grappler 40 by latching mechanism gO. The lifting apparatus 2 herein described is capable of not only llfting a stack of items in the manner described, but is also capable of lifting one item at a time when appropriate.
~ While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be under-stood by those skilled in~the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the in~ention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapted a particular situation ~Zi~C~963~;
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or material to the teachings of the invention without departing .
from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling withi the scope of ~ e appended claims.

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Claims (26)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for lifting containers of the type having apertures at the corners thereof comprising:
grappler means adapted to be manipulated into posi-tion adjacent one or more containers disposed in stacked relationship to each other for selective lifting of the containers;
said grappler means including first and second latching means unitarily mounted on frame means adapted for disposition adjacent the one or more containers, said first and second latching means of said grappler means acting to selectively engage apertures at the corners of one or more stacked containers for lifting of the containers;
said first latching means including at least one pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common axis for insertion into apertures in selected corners of opposite walls of a first container of the one or more containers;
said second latching means including at least another pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second axis lying in fixed vertical spaced relation to said first axis for insertion into selected apertures in opposite walls of another container of the one or more containers when lying in stacked relationship to a first container; and said pin members of said first and second latching means being respectively vertically spaced in fixed spaced relationship to engage either the upper apertures in a lowermost container or the lower apertures of another container immediately above the lowermost container.

2. The lifting apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said first latching means of said grappler means includes two pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of each pair being movable coaxially toward each other for insertion into upper corner apertures provided in opposite end walls of the lower most container

3. The lifting apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the axis of movement of said pin members of said first latching means of said grappler means is below the axis of movement of said pin members of said second latching means.

4. The lifting apparatus of Claim 1 further including:
bridge means coupled to said grappler meals for lifting and lowering said grappler means;
said bridge means including a frame forming an open center and being disposed above said grappler means; and said open center permitting the top portion of one or more containers to move to a vertical position above the frame.

5. The lifting apparatus of Claim 4 wherein said first latching means engages a bottom container and said second latching means engages a container thereabove of the lower two containers of a stack of two or more containers.

6. The lifting apparatus of Claim 5 further including means to release said first latching means from engagement with a bottom container while maintaining engagement of the second latching means with an upper container.

7. The lifting apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said grappler means includes a pair of longitudinal beams supporting said first and second latching means, said beams being selectively extensible to vary the length thereof to accommodate longer containers.

8. The lifting apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said grappler means includes a pair of spaced lateral beams adapted to span end walls of a container.

9. The lifting apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said first latching means depends downward from a pair of spaced beams, said first latching means further including means for per-mitting withdrawal of said first latching means upon contact thereof with a support surface.

10. The lifting apparatus of Claim 1 further including guide means disposed above said grappler means for maintaining proper vertical alignment of a stack of one or more containers.

11. An apparatus for lifting containers of the type having lifting apertures at the corners thereof, which comprises:
an interconnected open center frame;

an open center bridge supported by said frame;
lift means carried by said open center bridge;
grappler means connected to said lift means for engaging one or more of a plurality of stacked containers;
means operatively connecting said lift means to said grappler means to position said grappler means adjacent a stack of containers for lifting one or more of the containers;
said open center bridge being disposed above said grappler means with the open center permitting containers to be elevated to a vertical position above the bridge;
said grappler means further including first latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a first container and second latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a second container above the first container;
said grappler means including means for permitting withdrawal of said first latching means from said first container while permitting said second latching means to remain in engagement with the second container.

12. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 11,in which said first latching means comprises at least a first pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common horizontal axis; and said second latching means includes at least a second pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second horizontal axis normal to said first axis.

13. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 12,said axis of said first pair of pin members being vertically spaced from the axis of said second pair of pin members to permit said first and second pairs of pin members to simultaneously engage the apertures in the first container and the second container.

14. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 13, said grappler means having frame means disposed adjacent the lowermost container of the stack of containers, said frame means including spaced lateral beams and a pair of longitudinal beams supporting said second latching means, said longitudinal beams being selectively extensible to vary the length thereof to accommodate different size containers.

15. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 14, wherein said first latching means depends downward from said pair of spaced lateral beams, said first latching means further including means for permitting withdrawal of said first pair of pins of said first latching means from said lowermost container.

16. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 11, in which said lift means comprises drums supporting downwardly extending cables or chains which are directed about respective pulley members.

17. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 11, wherein said first latching means includes two pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of each pair being movable coaxially toward each other; said second latching means including two second pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of one second pair being movable coaxially toward the corresponding pin members of the opposite pair.

18. An apparatus for lifting containers as described in Claim 17, wherein the axis of movement of said pin members of said first latching means is below the axis of movement of said pin members of said second latching means.

19. An apparatus for lifting containers of the type having lifting apertures at the corners thereof, which comprises:
an interconnected open center frame;
an open center bridge supported by said frame;
lift means carried by said open center bridge, said lift means comprising a plurality of drums each supporting a downwardly extending cable or chain directed around a respective pulley rotatably mounted to said bridge;

(claim 19 cont'd) grappler means connected to said lift means for engaging one or more of a plurality of stacked containers;
means operatively connecting said cables or chains to said grappler means to position said grappler means adjacent a stack of containers for lifting one or more of the containers;
said open center bridge being disposed above said grappler means with the open center permitting containers to be elevated through the pulleys and to a vertical position above the bridge;
said grappler means further including first latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a first container and second latching means mounted for engaging apertures of a second container above the first container;
said first latching means including at least a first pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common horizontal axis for respective insertion into said apertures of the first container;
said second latching means including at least a second pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second horizontal axis normal to said first axis for respective insertion into apertures of said second container;
said axis of said first pair of pin members being vertically spaced from the axis of said second pair of pin members to permit said first and second pairs of pin members to simultaneously engage the first container and the second container;
said grappler means having frame means disposed adjacent the lowermost container of the stack, said frame means including spaced lateral beams and a pair of longitudinal beams supporting said second latching means, said longitudinal beams being selectively extensible to vary the length thereof to accommodate different size containers; and said grappler means including means for permitting withdrawal of said first latching means from said first container while permitting said second latching means to remain in engagement with the second container.

20. An apparatus for lifting containers of the type having apertures at the corners thereof comprising:
grappler means for engaging one or a plurality of stacked containers, a movable bridge with suspended lift means thereon, means operatively connecting said lift means to said grappler means to position said latter means adjacent a container or stack thereof for lifting same;
said grappler means having frame means disposed adjacent the lowermost container of the stack to be lifted to said position;
said grappler means further including first and second latching means, said first and second latching means being mounted on said frame means for latching to the lowermost container and any second container immediately thereabove in said stack, said first and second latching means being operative to engage apertures at the corners of the lowermost and the second container for lifting one or more containers;
said first latching means including at least a first pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a first common horizontal axis for respective insertion into said apertures of selected corners of the opposite end walls of either one of the lowermost or the second container above the lowermost container of the stack of one or more containers;
said second latching means including at least a second pair of pin members horizontally arranged generally along a second horizontal axis normal to said first axis and vertically spaced relative to said first axis, said second pair of pin members being mounted for insertion into selected apertures in the opposite side walls of the other of the lowermost or the second container of the stack when the containers are in a stacked relationship;
said axis of said first pair of pin members being vertically spaced from the axis of said second pair of pin members to permit said first and second pairs of pin members to simultaneously engage the upper apertures in the lowermost container and the lowermost apertures in the second container immediately above the lowermost container;
said frame means including spaced lateral beams and a pair of longitudinal beams supporting said second latching means, said latter beams being selectively extensible to vary the length thereof to accommodate different size containers;
and said first latching means depends downward from said pair of spaced lateral beams, said first latching means further including means for permitting withdrawal of said first pair of pins of said first latching means from said lowermost container, means mounted on one of said beams for permitting lost-motion movement of one of said latching means.

21. The lifting apparatus of claim 20 wherein said first latching means includes two pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of each pair being movable coaxially toward each other for insertion into the upper corner apertures provided in the opposite end walls of the lowermost container of the stack to be lifted;
said second latching means includes two second pairs of spaced pin members, the pin members of one second pair being movable coaxially toward the corresponding pin members of the opposite pair for insertion into the corner apertures provided in the opposite side walls of any second container immediately above said lowermost container in said stack.

22. The lifting apparatus of claim 21 wherein the axis of movement of said pin members of said first latching means is below the axis of movement of said pin members of said second latching means.

23. The lifting apparatus of claim 22 wherein said first latching means engages the lowermost container and said second latching means engages the container immediately thereabove in the stack to be lifted.

24. The lifting apparatus of claim 23 further including means to release said first latching means from engagement with the lowermost container while maintaining engagement of said second latching means with the container immediately thereabove.

25. The lifting apparatus of claim 21 further comprising guide means disposed above said grappler means for maintaining proper vertical alignment of the stack of one or more containers.

26. The lifting apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first latching means depends downward from said pair of spaced lateral beams.