DD234259A5 - PORTAL CRANE PLANT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a gantry crane system, which consists of a Fuehrungsbahn and a number lengs the Fuehrungsbahn movable vehicles. It is an object of the invention to design a gantry crane system so that the loading and unloading times are significantly reduced. The invention has for its object, in particular to unload containers almost continuously and to achieve accurate positioning of the container when lowering. The object is achieved in that the wheel and the guide and retaining wheel with one of the track and the cross-track at a compound are retracted separately, whereby the vehicle for transport from a track to the cross-track at the compound is caused, if necessary, by stopping the vehicle at the connection, wherein the wheel or the guide and retaining wheel with the track and the cross-track engage and then continue the movement along the track and cross-track and at an angle to the previous direction of movement. The inventive solution is used in gantry cranes for loading and unloading of goods.

Description

Field of application of the invention

The invention relates to a gantry crane system consisting of a guideway and a number along the guideway movable vehicles. Although the invention is applicable to a gantry crane for any purpose, including the transportation of both passengers and goods, it is particularly applicable in systems where the vehicles are arranged to carry containers, i. for stacking, unstacking, sorting and moving the containers both in their loading in or unloading from cars, such as rail vehicles, trucks or ships.

Characteristic of the known technical solutions

Conventionally, loading the containers into and out of ships through fixed dock side slewing cranes is time consuming and requires judgment and skill on the part of the crane operator as well as the application of additional physical force to achieve accurate positioning of a container when it is loaded is lowered into the hold of the ship or on land.

The time for loading and unloading the containers is also determined, in part, by the time it takes for the crane to swing it to the stack of containers and clear it and pick up the next container for loading or unloading , In a variety of cranes, it is generally impractical to work simultaneously on the same load on the containers and consequently not load while one crane returns to pick up another container. In addition, since the crane's operating range is comparatively limited, there is a limitation on the number of containers that can be brought into the work area of the crane, and this can lead to delays between the stacks of containers while placing more containers within the crane working area become. Road and rail vehicles may have a distance between them and the containers to be loaded on the shipboard in order to remain without load and undone.

Object of the invention

It is an object of the invention to design a portal crane system appropriately so that the operation of the system is considerably facilitated by the operator, the loading and unloading times are significantly reduced and the productivity of the system is significantly increased.

Explanation of the essence of the invention

The invention has for its object to provide a gantry crane, with the container in particular can be loaded or unloaded almost continuously and accurate positioning of the container is achieved when it is lowered into the cargo de ship or ashore. According to the invention the object is achieved in that the transport system consists of a guideway and a number along the guideway of moving vehicles, the guide &

a plurality of raceway parts engaged by drive means on each vehicle and a plurality of joints at which two raceways intersect at an angle; the drive means are selectively engageable with one of the two raceways at a junction, thereby moving the vehicle from one track to the other at the joint, as required, by stopping the vehicle at the link, the drive means engaging said other track and then continues the movement lär> gs of said other raceways, at an angle to the previous direction of movement.

The drive means are preferably designed so that the vehicle can move at any juncture from the track to the transverse track without any change in the absolute orientation of the vehicle.

In use, therefore, the track portions of the track may generally be oriented in the form of a grid extending over a large area, and the vehicles may be directed by suitable transport at the junctions of the grid from one location on the grid to any other location become; this ensures complete flexibility of operation. The vehicles may, for example, move continuously in a closed path between two or more locations, so that, for example, where the vehicles are equipped for container transport, a plurality of vehicles may transport containers from one location to another in turn, and if the If one place has been emptied, the work can continue uninterrupted to engage containers from another location covered by the guideway grid.

Specific arrangements for the operation in this form will be described later.

The drive means on each vehicle may consist of first and second drive assemblies which are arranged so that at one joint an arrangement with a raceway part and the other arrangement with the other raceway part is engageable.

The two raceway parts intersecting at a junction may have guides for engagement by said drive assemblies arranged at different positions relative to the vehicle.

Preferably, each drive assembly fully or partially cooperates with its associated guide to support and guide the vehicle.

On a raceway part, the rail is preferably arranged for engagement by a guide and support wheel near an upper portion of the vehicle, and the rail on the other raceway for engagement by the other drive arrangement is disposed in the vicinity of a lower portion of the vehicle. In this case, a guide may be designed in the form of a track and disposed above the vehicle on which the vehicle is suspended, and the other guide may be arranged in the form of a track under the vehicle on which the vehicle is running.

In such arrangements, the two raceway parts may be of different types at the respective juncture, one type carries only one type of guide, and the other type carries only the other type of guide.

Preferably, each drive mode is expandable with respect to the vehicle engagement with its associated guide and contractible with respect to the vehicle for release from the associated guide.

Each drive assembly may consist of wheels which are rotatably mounted on the vehicle and are rollably engaged with their associated guides. Preferably, at least one of said wheels is powered, for example electrically or hydraulically, to move the vehicle along the guideway.

The guideway may consist of a plurality of longitudinal track portions which are individually spaced apart and extend generally in the same direction, and consist of a plurality of transverse track portions which extend transversely to the longitudinal track portions. Each transverse track member preferably extends between two adjacent spaced apart longitudinal track portions.

In a particular embodiment, the guide track consists of a plurality of longitudinal track parts extending at a distance and substantially parallel to one another, wherein each pair of adjacent longitudinal tracks are connected to one another by one or more transverse track parts. Preferably, the transverse track members extend at right angles to the longitudinal track portions.

The track portions may be supported above the ground level so that the vehicles traveling over the track may be driven on objects located below the track. For example, each vehicle may have a hoist mechanism for objects to be lifted, such as a hoist mechanism. Containers, from the ground or a stack of objects at ground level and their transport. The vehicle is preferably adapted to receive a raised object therein for transporting it from one raceway part to the other at a connection point, while the

Object is held. _. .. - "'

Two or more track parts may be a supported boom design on one side or at the end of the track. For example, such an arrangement may be required for the transportation of the vehicles and their cargoes via ships anchored on a dock side.

In any of the above arrangements, one of the two raceway parts cut off at a joint may actually be movable along the other raceway part, so that the location of the joint can be changed. Therefore, in this case, where the guide track is in the form of a grid, the configuration of the grid can be varied by shifting the transverse track parts. The transverse track portions may either be moved to new locations determined by the required trajectory of the vehicles - the transverse track portions remain in those locations until a new configuration is required - or the movement of the track portions may themselves form part of the trajectory of the vehicles ,

In the case where the guideway consists of a plurality of spaced apart, nearly parallel longitudinal tracks, and each pair of adjacent longitudinal tracks is interconnected by one or more transverse track portions, each of the longitudinal track portions may have an equally spaced track associated therewith Ends of the transverse raceway parts are carried by wheels that roll along said raceways. The movement of the vehicles along the track and / or the relative movement of the track parts of the track may be subject to automatic computer control; Means are provided to scan the location or a vehicle and / or a movable track portion and return the information concerning the location of the vehicle and / or the track portion to the computer.

J / Ve erere features of the invention are that a movable portal for transporting the objects from a storage location as a career movable vehicles, containing on the portal a crane boom, located in a

Extending cantilever form from the upper part of the portal, a carriage which is movable along the crane jib and includes a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering objects, a plurality of transverse transverse tracks on the portal, which extend transversely below the crane jib, so that an object supported by the hoist mechanism, can be lowered on any one of said selected transverse transverse tracks, and at least one transport track that provides connections to each of the cross tracks and the track, whereby a vehicle is removed from the track along the longitudinal travel path and to a selected one Querlaufbahn can drive to record an offset on the cross-track object before the return to the track takes place. On the portal first and second longitudinal transport tracks are provided, which connect the track with the cross-webs, whereby a vehicle can drive from the track along the first transport longitudinal path to a selected cross-track and then along the second transport longitudinal path can return to the track, the first and second transport longitudinal paths parallel to each other and to the crane boom and the transverse tracks are parallel to each other and extend at right angles between the longitudinal transport paths. The vehicle is on the respective transport longitudinal track and is supported at its bottom part by the respective transverse track. For transporting objects from one place to another, the construction consists of a gantry, a substantially horizontal jib attached to the gantry, upper and lower rails extending one above the other and along the crane jib, upper and lower carriages, which are movable along upper or lower rails, the lower carriage including a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the objects, and the upper carriage having carrying cables extending downwardly on each side of both the upper and lower rails, the lower ones Ends of the support cables are interconnected by a support which extends transversely below the lower rail and said support includes a hoist mechanism for lifting and lowering the objects.

embodiment

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment. In the accompanying drawing show:

Fig. 1: a diagrammatic side elevation of a grid-like guideway for handling containers

suitable transport system for loading or unloading containers from ships; Fig. 2: a plan view of the guideway; 3 shows the vertical section through a part of the guideway; Fig. 5: the view of a vehicle which can be moved over the guideway; Fig. 6: a front view of the vehicle; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the vehicle; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a Börd Land portal that may be used in the transport system;

Fig. 9 is an end view of part of the portal of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a plan view of a portion of the portal of Fig. 8;

11 is a diagrammatic end view of an alternative vehicle form; Fig. 12 is a side view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an alternative form of the on-board land portal; Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portal of Fig. 13;

15 shows a diagrammatic vertical section through the crane boom of the portal according to FIGS. 13 and 14.

First, reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2. It shows a transport system for loading containers 46 in and their discharge from ships 10, which are fastened to the dock side 11.

The system consists of a runway system 12 which is fixedly mounted on the dock side 11 and on which vehicles can move for the transport of the containers 46 into and out of the vessels 10.

The runway system 12 consists of a plurality of spaced parallel raceways 13; 14; 15, which extend parallel to the dock side 11 and are interconnected by transverse tracks 16 to form a general grid-like structure. The raceways 13; 14; 15 rise above the ground level, and the vehicles extending along the raceways 13; 14; 15 are equipped with hoists (to be described) for receiving the stacked containers below the tracks 13; 14; 15 and for lifting the container 46 in the vehicle for removal. The vehicles can move along the raceways 13; They may also move transversely on longitudinal and transverse tracks 16, and may also move on mobile board-land portals 17 which extend from the dock side 11 over the holds of the ships 10. The transverse tracks 16 and the on-board portals 17 are mounted so as to extend along the longitudinal tracks 13; 14; 15 are movable in a manner to be described, and it will therefore be appreciated that by the movement of the vehicles along the raceways 13; 14; 15 and on-board landing portals 17 and the movement of the cross-haul trays 16 and the on-board portals 17 themselves a container 46 by a vehicle from any position within the track system to any other position and also to any position within a dock side 11 applied ship 10 can be moved.

Movement of the vehicles to all sides of the track system can be controlled manually or by computer, and the vehicles 20 can move to any side of the track system from any container location to one of the on-board portals 17 and then back to the container site or to any other Spot a closed track. Consequently, the vehicles 20 may follow each other at any predetermined intervals closely and sequentially from location to location on the closed track so that a continuous supply of the containers 46 to or from the ships 10 can be ensured.

To create such a closed path, the cross-webs 16 may be moved longitudinally to a required location and may then remain in such location as the vehicles 20 are moved from place to place of the runway system. Alternatively, the longitudinal movement of the transverse tracks 16 itself may be used to transport one or more vehicles 20 along the track system. However, for the loading of the containers 46, one of the transverse webs 16 is normally placed over a stack of the containers 46 so that the vehicles 20 during the time in which they are on the track 13; 14; 15 can receive containers 46 from the stack, after which each

Vehicle 20 is moved along the transverse track 16 and to an adjacent track 13; 14; 15 is transported until it is opposite to an on-board gantry 17, whereupon it is transported to another cross-track 16 which has previously been suitably fixed so that the vehicle 20 moves transversely until it reaches the track 15 reaches the dock side 11. The vehicle 20 is then moved longitudinally along the track 15 for a short distance until it reaches the on-board land portal 17 where it is transported to the portal 26 and on the gantry 26 to a position above the determined location in the cargo hold of the vehicle Ship 10 (in a manner to be described) is moved. The vehicle 20, after having deposited the picked-up container 46, is then returned to the original container stack at a different distance along suitably positioned tracks 13; 14; 15 and transverse tracks 16 returned to receive another container 46. In the meantime, the following vehicles 20 continue the process of placing their containers 46 in the cargo hold of the vessel 10.

A form of construction for the raceways 13; 14; 15 and transverse tracks 16 of the track system will be described in full detail with particular reference to FIGS. 3, 9 and 10.

As best seen in Fig. 3, each of the raceways 13; Figures 14 and 15 are a plurality of spaced-apart vertical support columns 18 carrying a run-up track 19. The runway 19 consists of parallel, spaced apart rails, which create a ground support for a vehicle 20 rolling along this runway 19. Each run-up 19 is returned to a longitudinal track because it provides each vehicle 20 with a ground support.

In the vicinity of each longitudinal ramp 19 there is another track 21 along which a wheeled pad 22 travels, at one end of a transverse portal 23 forming one of the transverse tracks 16 diagrammatically shown in FIG.

Each transverse portal 23 carries a monorail 24, on which a vehicle 20 can be suspended. In a manner to be described, each vehicle 20 is provided with wheeled downwardly driven members that intermesh and support the vehicle 20 on the longitudinally runway 19, and provided with wheeled upwardly driven members that mesh and the vehicle 20 on the monorail 24 carry. At a junction between a longitudinal ramp 19 and a monorail 24 on a transverse gantry 23, the driven members may be operated separately on a vehicle 20 in a manner to be described so that a vehicle 20 is transported from a track 21 to a transverse gantry 23 can be.

To engage a vehicle 20 for transport from a runway 19 on a monorail 24 or vice versa, each overhead conveyor 24 has at each end an extension 25 which protrudes through and over the track 19, so that at a connection between a track 19 and a Transverse portal 23, the appropriate driven members on the vehicle 20 can be operated separately, if necessary, to engage either the track 19 or the extension 25 of the overhead track 24, as it is just the case. In order to bring two transverse portals 23 into engagement with each other, the extensions 25 are hinged to the gantries 26 so that the extensions 25 on one of the gantries 25 a can swing to a longitudinal position as shown in Figs 3 to explain the extensions on the adjacent transverse portal 23

 Figures 5, 6 and 7 show in detail the construction of the respective vehicle 20 and the drive assemblies for engagement

with the runways 19 or overhead conveyors 24 ..

In the following, reference is made to FIGS. 5 and 6. Each vehicle 20 consists of two spaced parallel upright gantries 26 connected by an upper horizontal support structure 27 so as to form a gantry-like structure. The gantries 26 are placed at their lower edges of the track wheels in the form of supporting wheels 28, which roll on the rails 29 of the longitudinally runways 19. In the illustrated arrangement, the wheels 28 are driven by hydraulic motors 30, although it will be appreciated that any other suitable form of drive, such as electric motors, may be used. The electric power may be supplied to the vehicles 20 by collectors supplied by bus bars which run alongside the runways 19. For adjustment with the monorail 24, the respective end of the upper structure 27 is attached to a high drive assembly 31. Each high-drive assembly 31 is extendable and consists of a wishbone 32, which is articulated at the articulation point 33 to the upper structure 27 and by a hydraulic pressure piston 34 between an extended operable position, shown in Figures 5 and 6, and a retracted position, shown in Figure 7, is movable. As best shown in Fig. 6, the high drive assembly 31 consists of a carriage frame 35 which is hinged at its center at the uppermost end of the control arm 32. Each end portion of the carriage frame 35 is articulated at the articulation point 36, a swing arm 37 guides and guide wheel 38. The free end portion of the swing arm 37 is connected to the extreme end of the carriage frame 35 by a hydraulic or electric actuator 39 through which the swing arm 37 with respect to the carriage frame 35 can be pivoted. The operation of the drive assembly is as follows:

While the vehicle 20 is slidable on the support along the longitudinal runway 19, the lower wheels 28 ride on the rails 29 and support the weight of the vehicle 20. Under these conditions, the high drive assembly 31 is retracted as shown in FIG. When the vehicle 20, as shown in Fig. 5, with a transverse portal 23 in accordance, the hydraulic pressure piston 34 are pulled out so that the high-drive assembly 31 swing upwardly to the solid shown in Fig. 5 shown in extended positions. During this movement, the guide and support wheels 38 on the carriage frame 35 in such a position that they leave the rails 40 on the overhead conveyor 24. The hydraulic or electrical actuators 39 are then actuated to swing the swing arm 37 downwardly and the guide and support wheels 38 are engaged with the rails 40, the oscillatory motion of the swing arm 37 continues and causes the vehicle 20 to lift slightly; and this relieves the lower guide and support wheels 28 of the weight of the vehicle 20.

The lower guide and support wheels 28 are mounted on each side of the vehicle 20 on a frame member 42 which is vertically movable with respect to the support of the portal 26 by means of a hydraulic actuator 43. When the overhead drive member and the guide and support wheels 38 are engaged with the rails 40, the frame members 42 are raised by actuators 43 to lift the lower wheels 28 and exit the rails 29. The vehicle 20 can then be moved transversely along the rails 40 and across the transverse gantry 23 by actuating the drive of the guide and support wheels 38, the drive being again by hydraulic or electric motors 41. Although at an in

Considering computer control of the respective vehicle position very small tolerances can be achieved, one can provide means for automatically aligning the vehicle 20 when the overhead high-drive assembly 31 is engaged with level. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, at the upper end of each control arm 32, an abutment 44 may be arranged, which is interlocking with a fixed abutment 45 on the monorail 24 bar. Therefore, if the vehicle 20 is not originally aligned with the rails 40 on the transverse gantry 23, the engagement of the abutments 44 with the abutments 45 will automatically center the vehicle 20 with respect to the rails as the high drive assembly 31 is extended.

When a vehicle 20 is to be transported from a transverse portal 23 to a runway 19, it is moved to the portal end and to the extension 25 until its lower wheels 28 are aligned over the rails 29, whereupon the frame members 42 are lowered by the actuators 43, to bring the wheels 28 in a support position with the rails 29. The swing arms 37 on the carriage racks 35 are then swung up to fully bring the upper guide and support wheels 38 away from the upper rails 40, after which the overhead drive assemblies are retracted by contracting the pressure pistons 34 to the inoperative position.

The wheel assemblies can accommodate any type of suspension means, such as gas suspension. Fig. 3 shows most clearly that a vehicle 20 can be brought in this way to any position above a stack of containers 46 by transporting the vehicle 20 on a transverse portal 23, then there is an appropriate positioning of the transverse portal 23 and the vehicle 20 the transverse portal 23, so that the vehicle 20 is above the container 46 to be transported.

In the following, reference is made to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Mounted on the upper structure 27 of the vehicle 20 is a tenter and hoist system 47 which allows a tenter to be lowered, which is latched into a container 46 and then lifted to place the container 46 in the transport position 48 of the vehicle 20 this is indicated in Figures 5,6 and 7. The container tenter and hoist, which may be electrically and / or hydraulically operated, may be any suitable conventional construction used in container handling and, for that reason, will not be described in detail. It will be appreciated that the container 46 is fully contained in the raised position within the vehicle 20 when viewed in section and therefore does not hinder the transport of the vehicle 20 between the longitudinal runways 19 and the transverse overhead webs 24. The container 46 may protrude from the open end portions of the vehicle 20 as shown.

Abutments 49 indicated in FIG. 6 are provided on the bridge structure of the vehicle 20 to position and stabilize the container 46 within the vehicle 20.

The construction and operation of the on-board portals 17 will now be described with reference to Figs. Each on-board land portal 17 consists of a leg 50 that extends vertically. Extending inwardly from the leg 50 via the dock side is a horizontal structure 51. A horizontal boom 52 extends from the other side of the leg 50, beyond the dock side and over the ship 10, as best seen in FIG. The boom 52 is connected about a hinge 53 rotatably connected to the vertical legs 50. The load-bearing guy wires 54 extend from the tip of the legs 50 to the inner end of the frame 51, and the ties 55 extend from the extremity of the legs 52 to the upper end of the legs 50. The tensions 55 are not by conventional mechanisms are shown operable to raise and lower the boom 52 as required. The lower part of the legs 50 is formed with movable elastic supports 56 which run along an outer race 57 parallel and adjacent to the dock side 11. The inner extremity of the horizontal structure 51 has an internally mounted carriage 58 which is a chassis structure which engages the track 59 which extend over the upper ends of the support columns in which the raceways 13 from the dock side 11 are located furthest away. The engagement between the carriage 58 and the track 59 is such that the inner end of the structure 51 is held down and in this way a downward balancing force is created to entgegenz the load on the boom 52 of the on-board portals counteract. . = __

Alternatively or additionally, the inboard end of the on-board land portal may be equipped with rollers which engage beneath a monorail 24 to provide the necessary downward loading on the inland end of the portal 26.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the boom 52 of each onboard land portal 17 is comprised of two parallel side rails 60 connected together at their free end by a fixed end portal 61 and further connected by two boom portals 62. which are movable along the side support 60 to the dock side 11 and away from it. Referring to Figure 4, it can be seen that each side rail 60 includes a monorail 63 which can run a vehicle 64 carrying a container 65 inside and outside along the boom 52. The vehicle 64 is transported from the longitudinal track 15 to the overhead track 63, the former passing along the dock side 11, using the preferably described drive mechanism.

Each jib portal 62 is suspended at each end by another overhead track 66 which extends along the side rail 60 outside the overhead track 63 When the vehicle 64 is moved along the overhead track 63 to a location where it overlies the boom portal 62, it may be moved to a track 67 on the boom portal 62 using the preferably described drive mechanisms move along the boom portal 62 from front to rear of the vessel 10, and this, combined with the movement of the boom portal 62 itself across the ship 10, that the vehicle 64 and carried by him container 65 in any position over the hold of the ship 10th The container 65 may therefore be lowered into the hold or forwarded from the hold to any one be raised. In addition, it follows that the boom portal 62 as a whole can be moved in the longitudinal direction that a container 65 can be positioned over any part of the total length of the ship.

In this way, it will be understood that the described gantry system makes it possible to move containers 65 successively at intervals a short distance from any location within the docking area covered by the track system to any location in a ship 10 on the dock side 11 to move. The necessary movements of the boom portals 62 and vehicles 64 to perform a required trajectory can be done by computer control to ensure maximum operational efficiency.

The system also allows the repositioning of containers 65 or container stacks from one location to another within the docking area of the track system. The transverse gantries 68 (see Fig. 2) at the opposite ends of the track system may be fixed transverse gantries 68 which support hanger tracks 63 for the vehicles 64 and may therefore extend over the entire raceways 13; 14 and 15 as shown. These transverse gantries 68 may extend over longitudinal sidings 70 in region 69 so that, for example, containers 65 carrying road or rail vehicles may be stopped below sidings 70 to remove their containers 65 and subsequently stack within the main region of the raceway system. The ends of the raceways 13; 14 and 15 could also be formed with extensions beyond the main area of the track system to provide the necessary sidings 70.

The hoist system 47 required to lift the containers 65 out of the hold of the vessel 10 or lower such containers 65 into the hold must be capable of greater vertical movement of the containers 65 than they would be for raising and lowering the container 65 over the land is necessary. The hoist system 47, which is necessary for working over the ships 10, is therefore more carefully designed and therefore more expensive than when used on land. To avoid the necessary equipment of all vehicles 64 with the carefully designed and costly hoist system 47 required for use above the ship 10, therefore, two types of vehicles may be provided, one being a simple hoist for use above the vehicle Country and a second type fitted with the more carefully designed hoist necessary for use above the ship 10. In this case, the over-the-vessel types of the vehicle 64 remain at or near the on-board land portal 17 at all times, and for the transport of the containers 65 from the over-land type of the vehicle to the over-ship Type of vehicle 64 devices are provided. Such an arrangement is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 11 shows an end elevation of a modified form of container 73 carrying vehicle 71 carried by landing gear wheels 72 on the aforementioned rails 29. The container 73 is guided by a tensioning frame 74 which is carried on rollers 75 which protrude on each side of the tensioning frame 74 and are capable of bearing their weight on horizontal roller guides 76 which are part of the vehicle 20.

To the clamping frame 74, a longitudinal rack 77 is fixed, which is engaged by mounted on the vehicle 71 pinion 78, which are equipped with drive means, whereby the clamping frame 74 with respect to the vehicle 71 can be moved longitudinally. The vehicle 71 is also equipped with a hanging drive assembly 31 for co-operating with hanger runners of the hangrails on the transverse gantries and on the side girders 60 of the on-board gantry cantilever of the type previously described.

A vehicle 71 equipped with an over-land type hoist first conveys the container 65 along the raceways 13; 14; 15 and transverse tracks 16 in the manner described above, until the vehicle 71 is positioned on the track 15 and in the vicinity of an on-board portal 17. In this position, a vehicle 69 that is similar but equipped with an over-the-hoist hoist is aligned with the vehicle 20 on the track 15. The pinion 78 in the vehicle 71 then rotates to displace the tenter frame 74 along the vehicle 71 until the pinion engages a pinion 80 on the vehicle 79. The pinions 78 and 80 then set together and the pinion 80 then continues its own turns to fully transport the tenter frame 74 and the container 65 to the vehicle 79. When the tensioning frame 74 is fully supported by the vehicle 79, the two vehicles 71 separate; 79 such that the container 65 (which is longer than the vehicles 71, 79) is lifted from the vehicle 71. The vehicle 71 then picks up an empty stenter 74 from another vehicle 71 which has an over-the-hoist that has already deposited its container 65 into the cargo bay, and then returns along a predetermined path to the stack of containers to return one to receive other container 65.

The vehicles 71; 79 are provided with buffers that extend beyond the containers 65, which are from the vehicles 71; 79 are carried such that a collision between the containers, from adjacent vehicles 71; 79, although normally the computer control prevents movement of the vehicles 71; 79 is designed so that such collisions are prevented

 Figures 13, 14 and 15 show an alternative form of on-board land portal used in place of that shown in Figure 8

will be able to . - -

In the following, reference is made to FIGS. 13 and 14. The alternative form of gantry 81 is comprised of vertical forward support posts 82 and vertical rear support posts 83 interconnected by a suitable cross brace construction which carries a crane jib 84 which extends outwardly over the dock side 11 and over the cargo hold of a ship 85 , A carriage structure equipped with hoists travels along the raceways that extend along the crane boom 84 in the manner described with respect to FIG. 15.

On each side of the portal 81, the front support post 82 is connected to the rear support post 83 by a side cradle 87, and the two side cushions 87 are connected by parallel, spaced-apart transverse cusps 88. Three such transverse tracks 88 are illustrated, although any suitable number thereof may be provided. The transverse tracks 88 are designed so that a vehicle 71; 79 can travel from the main raceway system of the over-land type on the raceways that the vehicle 71; 79 carry at the lower level in a manner similar to the high runway 19 way, to which reference is made previously.

At a distance above the side panel 87 is located on each side of the portal 81, a transport hanger track 89, on which a vehicle 20 can be hung in a similar to the monorail 24 form, to which vorxBezug is taken. Each hanger track 89 extends transversely across the ends of the transverse cross-paths 88 and rearwardly from the gantry 81 so that the trailing extremities of the respective hanger track 89 extend over the track 15 of the over-land track system. The rear extremity of the respective hanger track 89 is rotatable to allow the ends of the hanger track 89 to run along the main over-land system as the gantry 81 is moved along the dock side 11.

In order to allow the movement of the portal 81 along the dock side 11, the lower parts of the Auflagerstützen 82 and 83 are formed with sprung, mobile carriage 90, which roll along the raceways 91 and 92 between the dock side 11 and the raceway 15.

In operation, the portal 81 along the tracks 91; 92 is moved to a certain position above the hold of the ship 85, and the hoist on the carriage 86 is used to lift the container 65 out of the hold 85 of the ship. The carriage 86 then moves inwardly along its track on the crane boom 84 until it is above a selected transverse track 88, whereupon the container 65 is lowered by the hoist onto the selected track. The carriage 86 then returns along the crane boom 84 to receive another vessel 65 from the vessel 85.

In the meantime, a vehicle 20 from the over-land track system passes through the track 15 to the transport hanger track 89 and travels along this hanger track 89 until it reaches the end of the particular cross-track 88, whereupon the vehicle 20 transports onto the hanger track 89 is and moves parallel to the dock side 11, one on the transport hanger track 89 previously deposited container 65 and then moves on to the opposite transport hanger track 89, where it is transported to the high support on this transport hanger track 89 and then back inside the transport hanger track 89 moved to the raceway 15.

In this way, the containers 65 can be dropped from the hold by the carriage 86 on any cross-track 88 that is currently clear, and the vehicles 20 moving on the portal 81 of the main over-land type track system directed to the particular cross-track 88 which carries a container 65 prepared for picking up. By this method, delays are kept to a minimum and containers 65 can be picked up uninterruptedly by the portal 81.

In order to prevent further delays, two movable carriages 86 may be provided along the raceways on the crane boom 84 so that a carriage 86 can receive a container 65 from the vessel space, while the other carriage 86 places its container 65 on a cross-track 88 of the portal 81 settles. It is necessary, in this case, that the two carriages on the crane boom 84 can pass each other, and Fig. 15 shows diagrammatically a device for this embodiment.

Referring now to Fig. 15, there is provided an upper race comprised of parallel, spaced apart rails 93 on which an upper traveling carriage 94 travels. Furthermore, vertically below the rails 93, there are still rails 95 spaced apart from each other and engaged by wheels 96 on a frame structure connected beneath the carriage 94; This arrangement serves to stabilize the carriage 94.

Below the rails 96 are at a distance from each other further rails 97, which create an under track, and a lower mobile carriage 98 leads to this lower track. The lower carriage 98 includes a hoist mechanism whereby a container 99 can be raised and lowered by means of a rope 100 and a suitable tenter 101.

Support cables 102 extend from the upper carriage 94 on one side of the upper rail 93 and the lower rail 97 down. The lower ends of the support cables 102 are interconnected by a support 103 which extends transversely below the lower rail 97 and includes a hoist whereby a container 104 can be lifted and lowered by means of the hoist ropes 105 and a tenter 106.

From Fig. 15 it can be seen that it allows the arrangement container 104 by the two carriages 94; 98 from the same point below the crane jib 84, on which the rail 93; 96 and.97 lead, raise and lower while a cart 94; 98 can happen to others when he moves along the boom. The support cables 102 can be adjusted in their length.

It can be appreciated that the arrangement shown in Figure 15, although it is particularly applicable to the present invention, could also be used in any crane construction of the type in which a carriage 94; 98, which carries a hoist, along a rail 93; 96 moves on the crane boom.

Claims (27)

invention claim A gantry system comprising a track and a number of vehicles movable along the track, the track including a plurality of track portions engageable by drive means on each vehicle and a plurality of links, with two track portions below intersect an angle and each pair of adjacent longitudinal raceway parts are interconnected by one or more transverse raceway parts, characterized in that the wheel (28) and the guiding and retaining wheel (38) engage with one of the raceway (13) and transverse track (16) disconnected from a connection whereby the vehicle (20) is caused to move from a track (13) to the cross track (16) at the connection, if necessary, by stopping the vehicle (20) at the connection, the wheel (28 ) or the guiding and retaining wheel (38) engage with the raceway (13) and the transverse track (16) and subsequently move along the track (13) and transverse track (16) and continue at an angle to the previous direction of movement. 2. gantry crane to point!, Characterized in that the wheel (28) and the guide and retaining wheel (38) are designed such that the vehicle (20) at each connection from the track (13) to the transverse track (16) without any change in the absolute orientation of the vehicle (20) can be moved. 3. gantry crane system according to item 2, characterized in that the drive means on each vehicle (20) consists of a wheel (28) and a guide and retaining wheel (38) and are arranged so that at a connection a wheel (28) a guide track (13; 14; 15) can be engaged and the guide and retaining wheel (38) can be engaged with the transverse track (16). 4. gantry crane system according to item 3, characterized in that the raceway (13) and the transverse track (16) crossing at a junction, rails (29; 40) for engagement by said assemblies, which with respect to the vehicle ( 20) are arranged at different locations. 5. gantry crane system according to item 4, characterized in that the wheel (28) and the guiding and supporting wheel (38) interact with their associated rails (29; 40) in a manner, wholly or partly, around the vehicle ( 20), except for the rails (29; 40). 6. gantry crane system according to item 4, characterized in that the rail (40) on the transverse track (16) for engagement by a guide and retaining wheel (38) in the vicinity of an upper portion of the vehicle (20) is arranged, and a Rail (29) on the other raceways (13; 14; 15) for engagement by the wheel (28) near a lower portion of the vehicle (20) is arranged. 7. gantry crane system according to item 6, characterized in that a guide in the form of a rail (40) above the vehicle (20) is arranged, on which the vehicle (20) is suspended, and the other guide in the form of a rail ( 29) is disposed below the vehicle (20) on which the vehicle (20) travels. A gantry crane system according to items 4 to 7, characterized in that the raceways (13; 14; 15) and the transverse track (16) are of two different types at each connection, the raceways (13; 14; 15) being only one kind of rail (29 ) and the Queriaufbahn (16) carries only the other type of rail (40). 9. gantry crane system according to the points 4 to 8, characterized in that the guide and support wheel (38) with respect to the vehicle (20) for engagement with its associated rail (40) expandable and with respect to the vehicle (20) is retractable for disengagement from its associated guide. 10. gantry crane system according to the points 4 to 9, characterized in that each drive arrangement of wheels (28) and guide and support wheels (38) which are rotatably mounted on the vehicle (20) and with their associated rails (29; ) are rolling engageable. 11. gantry crane system according to item 10, characterized in that at least one of said wheels (28) and guide and retaining wheel (38) for the movement of the vehicle (20) along the track (15) is also powered. 12. gantry crane system according to the points 1 to 11, characterized in that the runway (19) of a plurality of längsyerlaufenden raceways (13; 14; 15), which are spaced apart from each other and extend in the same direction generally, and consists of a plurality of transverse raceways (16) extending transversely of the longitudinal (13; 14; 15). 13. gantry crane according to item 12, characterized in that each transverse transverse track (16) extends between the adjacent, spaced-apart raceways (13; 14; 15). 14. gantry crane system according to item 13, characterized in that the track (15) consists of a plurality of spaced apart, substantially parallel tracks (13; 14; 15), each pair of adjacent tracks (13; 14; 15) is connected by one or more transverse transverse tracks (16). 15. gantry crane according to item 14, characterized in that the transverse transverse tracks (16) extend at right angles to the raceways (13, 14, 15). 16. gantry crane system according to the items 1 to 15, characterized in that the raceways (13; 14; 15) are carried above the ground level, so that the vehicles (20) which move over the raceway (15) on the Container (46) may be in operation, which are arranged under the track (15). 17. gantry crane according to item 16, characterized in that each vehicle (2ü) a hoist system (47) for lifting the objects, such as containers (46) from the ground or a stack of objects at ground level and their transport contains, - - 18. gantry crane system according to item 17, characterized in that the vehicle (20) is adapted to adapt to an object to be lifted thereby, so that the transport of a track (13; 14; 15) to a transverse track (16) at a connection point is allowed while the object is being worn. 19. gantry crane system according to the items 1 to 18, characterized in that two or more arms (52) on one side or at the end of the track (15) are a supported Auslegergestaicung. 20. gantry crane system according to the points 1 to 19, characterized in that the transverse tracks (16) at the connection point in the longitudinal direction with the raceways (13; 14; 15) are movable and the connection points are interchangeable. 21. The gantry crane according to item 20, characterized in that each track (13; 14; 15) has an associated, similarly extended track (21) and the ends of the transverse transverse track (16) are supported by wheels (28) which extend move along the rails (29). , 22. gantry crane system according to the points 1 to 21, characterized in that the movement of a vehicle (20) along the track (15) and / or the relative movement of the transverse track (16) of the track (15) is subject to an automatic computer control that means are provided to scan the location of a vehicle (20) and / or a movable track (13; 14; 15) and the information as to the location of the vehicle (20) and / or the track (13; 14; 15) to the computer due. _ 23. gantry crane system according to points 1 to 22, characterized in that a movable portal (81) for transporting the objects from a storage location to the along a track (15) movable vehicles (20) containing on the portal (81) a crane jib (84) extending in a cantilever form from the upper part of the portal (81), a carriage (86) movable along the crane jib (84) and containing a hoist mechanism for raising and lowering objects, a plurality of transverse ones Transverse tracks (16) on the gantry (81) extending transversely below the crane jib (84) so that an object carried by the hoist mechanism may be dropped on any one of said selected transverse transverse tracks (16), and at least one hanger track (89) providing links with each of the cross-ply tracks (16) and the track (15), thereby releasing a vehicle (20) from the track (15) g of the transport hanger track (89) and to a selected cross-track (16) can drive to receive an offset on the cross-track (16) object before the return to the track (15). 24. gantry crane according to item 23, characterized in that on the portal (81) first and second transport hanger tracks (89) are provided, which connect the track (15) with the transverse tracks (88), whereby a vehicle (20) of the track (15) along the first transport hanger track (89) can travel to a selected cross-track, and then along the second transport hanger track (89) to the track (15) can return. 25. gantry crane system according to item 24, characterized in that the first and second Transporthängelaufbahnen (89) to each other and to the crane boom (84) extend, and the transverse paths (88) are parallel to each other and extend at right angles between the transport hanger tracks. 26. gantry crane system according to the points 23 to 25, characterized in that the vehicle (20) is suspended from the respective transport hanger track (89) and is supported at its bottom part by the respective transverse track (88). 27. gantry crane system according to the items 1 to 26, characterized in that for the transport of objects from one location to another, the construction of a portal (81), a substantially horizontal crane boom (84) attached to the portal (81) , upper and lower rails (93; 97) extending one over the other and along the crane jib (84), upper and lower carriages (94; 98) movable along upper and lower rails (93; 97), respectively the lower carriage (98) includes a hoisting mechanism for raising and lowering the objects, and the upper carriage (94) has support cables (102) extending down each side of each of the upper and lower rails (93; 97), the lower ends of the support cables (102) being interconnected by a support (103) extending transversely below the lower rail (97), and said support (103) comprises a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the objects holds. 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