WO2014001393A1

WO2014001393A1 - Device for handling containers under railroad overhead lines

Info

Publication number: WO2014001393A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/063399
Authority: WO
Inventors: Juha Seitsonen
Original assignee: Juha Seitsonen
Priority date: 2012-06-26
Filing date: 2013-06-26
Publication date: 2014-01-03
Also published as: FR2992277B1; FR2992277A1

Abstract

A device (10) for handling containers (91) has an overhead crane (20), a supporting beam (21) of which is intended to be arranged with a longitudinal axis approximately parallel to a loading/unloading track. The supporting beam is able to move in a horizontal plane in a transverse direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of this supporting beam, and the handling device has at least two elevators (30), each elevator having a lifting arm (32) extending approximately horizontally in a cantilevered manner on an outer side of the supporting beam (21) and being able to move in height in an approximately vertical direction. When it is incorporated in infrastructure comprising an electrified railroad line, the handling device makes it possible to load and unload containers on wagons standing on the railroad track having an overhead line.

Description

Device for handling containers

under railway catenary

The present invention belongs to the field of container handling used in freight transport activities.

More particularly, the invention relates to a device for handling containers to be loaded or unloaded from a railway platform.

In the field of goods transport, containers are widely used.

The containers have the advantage of standardized dimensions that facilitates handling and loading.

Most often between a starting point and an arrival point, a container is transported by different means of transport: road trucks, ships or trains on railways. At each change of means of transport, the container is then transported from one means of transport to another, possibly passing through a temporary temporary storage step on land.

For transportation by rail or truck, containers are placed on transport platforms of a wagon or trailer.

Today, container handling is most often done by means of cranes or hoists mounted on cranes that lift the container to move it over the ground, and sometimes over other containers, when is removed from a platform and down to put it on a platform.

This handling from the top, as described for example in the French patent FR 508583 or in the patent application FR 2653416, is widely used in the case of trucks and trains. However, the generalization of electric propulsion for trains has led to the electrification of railway tracks by means of catenaries which make it impossible, on this type of railway, to handle container handling from above using conventional means.

For these reasons it is known to install in the areas of loading and unloading trains of railways without catenary so that the conventional means are usable.

In this case, on the catenary-free tracks it is then implemented non-electric tractors, with thermal engines, to move the container cars.

The use of such tractors for this need alone is disadvantageous because of the financial immobilization, the maintenance burden, etc. it implies. It also requires hitching and unhitching operations which sometimes lead to preferring the permanent use of heat engine tractors to the detriment of the benefits of electric traction on long journeys.

In addition, overhead cranes require binding power supplies at medium or high voltage that are not always available at the unloading sites and may require the use of auxiliary generator sets. The length of the power cables is in practice limited to 300 to 400m from the power point which imposes train cuts which slow down the loading and unloading operations and limits the possibilities of using several cranes simultaneously to load or unload the same section of the train.

It is known from international patent application WO 96/17797 to use articulated arms in a horizontal plane which make it possible to lift the container from the platform of a wagon while remaining at a safety distance from the catenaries.

To handle a container two brackets are used each with an arm. To be able to raise and lower the container, the arm is movable in height either by a telescopic bracket leg to which it is fixed, or by being articulated to be able to take a position more or less inclined in a plane vertical

In addition the arms are telescopic to extend more or less to ensure a linear movement of the container to which it is attached, or to maintain a constant distance with the ends of the two arms that are attached to the container.

When the two arms are parallel, the movement of the container is achieved by acting on the length of the arms of the brackets. The container can thus be moved from one platform to another arranged parallel to the first on the same side of the brackets.

Another proposed solution is to transfer the container from one side to another of the brackets by means of the articulated arms in the horizontal plane.

In this case, the distance between the vertical brackets of the brackets is sufficient for the container to pass between the brackets and the telescopic arms are used to adjust the variable distance between the attachment points of the container and the legs of the brackets. Furthermore it is necessary in this case that the containers are lifted at each bracket by a single point of rotation about a vertical axis achieving an angle of the order of 90 degrees at least.

It is also known from patent application DE 20013245 devices comprising an arm articulated in a horizontal plane and whose hinge axis is movably mounted relative to a loading path. The free end of the articulated arm carries a single lifting system, itself movable in rotation and in translation on the articulated arm, the attachment means to a container are placed between the container and a catenary.

Such devices are therefore complex, the presence of sliding and pivoting elements with high loads and large overhangs being potential source of many problems in operation and expensive maintenance loads. The present invention relates to a container handling device comprising a crane whose carrier beam is arranged, when the device is functional along a railway track or another loading path, with a longitudinal axis of the carrier beam substantially parallel to a loading-unloading track, said carrier beam being movable in a horizontal plane in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said carrier beam, and the device handling device comprises at least two elevators, each elevator comprising a lifting arm extending substantially horizontally cantilevered on the same side of the carrier beam, corresponding to the side where is the loading-unloading way when the device is arranged for loading and unloading vehicles on said track, and each lift arm being movable in height, on the elevator to which it is attached, in a substantially vertical direction.

According to this arrangement the handling device is able to take or lay a container laterally on a transport platform and therefore without the space above the platform is necessarily free of any structure, such as than a catenary, as required by a conventional lifting system.

At least one, and preferably at least two risers, are movable in translation on the carrier beam in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam.

It is thus possible to adjust the distance between the elevators as a function of the length of the container to be handled, and, when the at least two elevators are mobile, it is possible to position the two elevators at the desired locations to fix the container without implement other means of displacement in the longitudinal direction of the carrier beam and it is also possible to move the container in this direction by the sole use of elevators which is advantageous for accurately placing a container on a plate transport form.

If necessary, one or more elevators are arranged between the at least two elevators to take up part of the lifting forces or to provide a safety function in the event of an elevator failure.

An elevator comprises a lift truck movable on the carrier beam in the longitudinal direction of the carrier beam, when the elevator is movable in translation, and each elevator comprises a longitudinal axis puller substantially vertical and movable along its longitudinal axis in a vertical guide system of the elevator carriage, which is attached to the lifting arm of the elevator . The coordinated implementation of the elevators thus makes it possible to raise or lower a container attached to the lifting arms.

Each lift truck is arranged to transmit to the carrier beam a torque induced by the weight of a load attached to the lifting arm cantilevered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam so that it is possible lifting a container without that being pulled vertically by a lifting means located above the container.

A lift arm has an L, T or X section profile of which a vertical veil is located, at least in part, under a horizontal veil, and includes the attachment means for fixing the container under said horizontal veil. There is thus obtained a lifting arm whose height exceeding above the container which is attached to it can be reduced, if necessary to the thickness of the horizontal veil.

To adapt the handling device to different lengths of containers, preferably at least two risers are movable on the carrier beam independently of one another.

The carrier beam is movable in the transverse direction on two gantries by means of bed bases, located at the ends of the carrier beam, rolling on gantry beam tracks. It is thus possible to ensure the displacement of the container in a direction transverse to the axis of the railway track, and the length of the gantry beams makes it possible to carry out a large offset, if necessary, the containers.

In one embodiment of the handling device the gantries are movable jointly in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam.

It is thus possible to perform the unloading of several cars of the same train parked on the railway track without the need to move the train and also it is also possible by this means to move the container in this direction when his handling. In one embodiment, an electrical and mechanical isolation safety structure is fixed to the gantries so as to be placed between a structure and the moving parts of the handling device and a zone of lateral hazard corresponding to a safety level of catenaries of a railway track. This safety structure makes it possible, with improved safety, to carry out the operations of handling a container on a platform of a car stopped on an electrified track without the need to interrupt the power supply of the catenaries.

The invention also relates to an infrastructure for loading and unloading containers transported on platforms of wagons intended to run on railway tracks comprising

at least one handling device according to the invention;

an electrified railway track having at least one catenary, said railroad track being located substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam on one side of the handling device to which the lifting arms extend.

Such an infrastructure has the advantage of being relatively compact in size and can operate with electrified railway tracks the length of which is not constrained by power supply problems of the handling device because of the reduced power requirements compared with to a conventional lifting device and the possibility of a power supply by the catenary of the railway track.

Advantageously, the at least one infrastructure handling device is movable in translation parallel to the railway track, for example on rails parallel to the rails of the railway track.

In one embodiment, the infrastructure comprises several handling devices, movable where appropriate on the same rails for moving the handling devices.

The exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the figures which, non-limitatively, schematically represent embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of a handling device according to a first embodiment to which is fixed a container;

FIG. 2: a partial profile view of a second embodiment of the handling device in working position near a railway track;

Figure 3 is a partial profile view of the first embodiment of the handling device in working position near a railway track;

FIG. 4 is a profile view of an elevator in position on the carrying beam;

FIGS. 5a to 5f: in profile view a sequence of unloading a container from a train platform by means of a handling device according to the first embodiment of FIG. 1

FIG. 6: a partial profile view of a variant of the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 for producing the handling device in the working position near a railway track.

In the various drawings, even illustrating different embodiments, the similar elements fulfilling the same functions are indicated by the same reference.

For the sake of clarity, the various elements are not necessarily shown in scale in the drawings and certain elements or parts are not shown when they are not necessary for the understanding of the device or its operation.

A handling device 10 according to the invention, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment of realization, includes:

a crane 20;

two risers 30 integral with the crane 20; The crane 20 mainly comprises a carrier beam 21 of longitudinal axis substantially parallel to a railway track 90 for loading / unloading containers 91, at the ends of which carrying beam are fixed sommiers 22 forming a rolling system of said carrier beam.

The bed bases 22 of the carrier beam 21 are arranged to move said support beam in a transverse direction on gantry girders 41 of two gantries 40 while keeping the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam 21 substantially constant and parallel to the railway track 90.

The gantry beams 41 are maintained in known manner by posts 42 at a desired height above the ground, for example to maintain under said gantry girders a desired height of passage, for example the height of a planned stack of containers or the height of a vehicle to circulate under the so-called porticoes. The gantry beams are also kept parallel to a fixed distance in known manner by cross members solidarisant said gantries between them.

The transverse direction of the displacement of said carrier beam is substantially perpendicular to the railway track 90 of loading and unloading.

Each bed base 22 consists mainly, as illustrated in Figure 3, a support 221 of the carrier beam 21 provided with wheels 222 which run on gantry beam tracks. The wheels 222 are preferably rigid wheels such as steel rollers which ensure a precise and stable positioning of the carrier beam 21, under the loads provided for the handling device.

The risers 30, an exemplary embodiment of which is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, similar to each other if not identical, are secured to the carrier beam 21 on which they are movable in translation along the longitudinal axis of said carrier beam.

Each elevator is movable independently of the other elevator so that the distance between the two elevators is changeable and that the middle position of the two elevators 30 on the carrier beam 21 is also modifiable.

Each elevator 30 comprises an elevator carriage 31 integral with the carrying beam 21 and comprises a lifting arm 32 movable at a height relative to the lift truck 31 by means of a tie rod 33.

The lift arm 32 is substantially horizontal and the tie rod 33 is substantially vertical.

The lifting arm 32 and the tie rod 33 are assembled square so that the lifting arm 32 extends laterally, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the carrying beam, with respect to an outer edge 211 of the carrying beam. 31 in the direction of the loading-unloading track 90. The lifting arm 32 is assembled to the tie rod 33, for example by welding, by bolting, by removable quick fasteners (if it is desired to be able to quickly separate the lifting arm pulling) or generally by any suitable means having a sufficient mechanical strength given the forces undergone by the lifting arm.

A lift arm 32 thus has a substantially constant orientation with respect to the axis of the carrier beam 21 and the only relative controlled movements of the lift arm relative to the carrier beam are vertical translation movements placing the lift arm more or less distant vertically relative to the carrier beam and horizontal in the direction of the axis of the carrier beam.

A length of the lifting arms 32 is such that when the carrier beam 21 is located on the gantries 40 on the rail side 90, said lifting arms extend cantilevered with respect to the outer edge 211 of the beam carrier to the top of the railway track 90 and at least one width of a container 91 placed on a platform of a wagon 93 parked on the railway track, as in the situation illustrated in Figure 5c. The elevator carriage 31 is movable on the carrier beam 21 by means of wheels 311 of said elevator truck traveling on carriage tracks of said carrier beam.

The tie rod 33 is movable vertically with respect to the lift carriage from which it is secured by means of pulling wheels 314 of said lift truck traveling on pulling tracks of said tie rod.

In addition, the various elements and subassemblies of the handling device 10 are designed to lift the maximum masses of the containers 91 attached to the lifting arms 32 which are cantilevered with respect to the carrying beam 21, unlike the conventional overhead cranes which perform lifting under the load-bearing beam of the traveling crane.

Thus the carrier beam 21 is made with a torsional stiffness adapted to the loads envisaged and has for example a box structure of closed rectangular section and the bed frames 22 are made with bearings between the wheels 222 also adapted.

Thus each lift truck 31 is designed to ensure the verticality of the tie rod 33, that is to say that the lift truck is designed to transmit to the carrier beam 21 the torque induced by a load 91 attached to the lifting arms 32 and is sized structurally as a function of the maximum load to be lifted and the corresponding torque.

In addition, the tie rod 33 and the lifting arm 32, as well as their assemblies, are also designed with the strength and rigidity suitable for the intended loads. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the handling device 10 makes it possible to lift or deposit a load 91, such as a container, on a platform of a wagon stationed on a loading-unloading railway track 90 arranged laterally relative to said handling device, and said handling device can move said load laterally with respect to said loading-unloading way.

The handling device 10 thus makes it possible to avoid interference with an area situated above the load 91 and in particular with a zone of danger 92 of catenaries of a railway track 90 corresponding to an electrified railway track.

In one embodiment, the handling device 10 is movable as a whole parallel to the railway track 90, for example on gantry rails 11.

FIG. 2 shows a partial profile view of the handling device 10, seen in a direction parallel to the carrying beam 21 and to the rail track 90 according to a second embodiment.

According to this embodiment, each gantry beam 41 extends cantilevered with respect to the posts 42 of the corresponding gantry above the railway track 90 so that the bed base 22 has a length such that the center of gravity a load attached to the handling device 10 by the lifting arms 32 is always between wheels 222 at the ends of said bed.

Thus the torque generated by the load 91 on the carrier beam 21 is not able to tilt said carrier beam.

In this embodiment, it is necessary that the gantry beams 41 are at a height at least sufficient to pass over the protected volume of the catenaries corresponding to the danger zone 92, firstly to avoid any mechanical interference. with the catenaries, and on the other hand to avoid any electrical risk in the case where the catenaries are left under tension.

In this embodiment, it is therefore necessary to implement gantries 40 whose posts 42 are relatively tall, higher in height at a height above the catenary floor, and tie rods 33 also long enough to compensate the height of posts 42.

In another variant of this embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 6, the railway track 90 is situated on an inner side of the gantry rail so that said railway track and the trains running on this track pass under the porticoes 40. this variant the height constraints of gantries are of the same nature as in the previous embodiment so as to remain outside the danger zone 92. Although the footprint of the gantries is increased in this variant, the forces on the gantry rails are decreased with the beneficial effects of a reduction of loads on the gantry rails and the associated rolling means.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment of the sommiers and corresponding to the mode illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to this embodiment, each gantry beam 41 is limited on the side of the railway track 90 at the level of the post 42 so that said gantry beam does not extend above said railway track.

To take up the torque generated by the load 91 on the carrier beam 21, each bed base comprises on the side of an end opposite to the lifting arms 32 of the counter-rollers 223 bearing on trolley tracks located on a lower face of the beam of gantry 41, having the effect of preventing the tilting of the carrier beam 21.

According to this embodiment, the height of the posts 42 is determined by the lifting heights of the containers 91 to be handled, regardless of the height of the catenaries and the protected volume of the danger zone 92.

As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of an elevator 30 shown in FIG. 4, the elevator carriage 31 has a C-shape which at least partially envelops the carrier beam 21.

To allow its movement along the carrier beam 21, the elevator carriage 31 comprises on the one hand the carrier wheels 311 with a horizontal axis, resting on an upper face of the carrying beam, taking up the vertical forces essentially due to the weight In this example, the carrier wheels 311 are arranged on the elevator carriage 31 to circulate on a carriage track located as close as possible to the outer edge of the carrying beam 21 in order to limit the torque linked to the weight of the container 91. around a bearing line of said carrier wheels on said carrier beam.

The lift truck 31 also has anti-torque wheels 312 vertical axis, bearing on the outer face 211 of the carrier beam 21, located on the side of the outer edge of said beam, and taking up the torque-related efforts around the bearing line of the carrying wheels 311. The anti- ^¬ wheels torque 312 are arranged on the lift truck 31 so that a bearing line of said anti-torque wheels are offset from the bearing line of the carrying wheels 312.

In addition, the lift carriage 31 also comprises stabilizing wheels 313 with vertical axis and bearing on an inner face of the carrying beam 21, opposite to the outer face 211 of said carrier beam on which the anti-torque wheels 312 are in support. The stabilizing wheels 313 balance the forces exerted on the anti-torque wheels 312 and participate in the rolling of the elevator truck 31 on the carrying beam 21.

The elevator carriage 31 also carries the horizontal axis pulling wheels 314 oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrying beam 21 which guide the tie rod 33 and take up the torque forces related to the offset of the weight of the container 91 with respect to an axis of said tie rod.

The lifting arms 32 comprise fastening elements 321 of a container 91. In the case of standardized containers, these fastening elements, for example quick bayonet interlocking fasteners, also known as

"Twist and lock", cooperate with anchor points located on an upper face of the container.

The lifting arms 32 are fixed to the container 91 preferably close to the ends of said container and said lifting arms are designed so that their height above the container is limited as much as possible, for example by laterally transferring to the ends of the container the parts of the lifting arms providing said lift arms their strength and rigidity.

Such a result is obtained for example by lifting arms 32 mainly comprising sections having an L, T or X profile, so that an angle formed by the profile comes to engage an upper edge of the container 91. when the lift arm is in place to secure the container. Such a form of lifting arm with an L-shaped profile corresponds to the embodiment illustrated in the figures in which each lifting arm 32 comprises a vertical veil 322, more or less thick and can take the form of a box, a lattice or any other form of rigid and rigid structure, facing the end blanks of the container 91 and which provides the lifting arm with the necessary rigidity without increasing a height of the arm above the container, and comprises a horizontal web 323, at least at the locations of the fastening elements, facing a top face of the container and on which the fastening elements 321 are placed.

A height overhang of the lifting arm 32 above the container 91 is in this case limited to the thickness of the horizontal sail 323 of the lifting arm necessary for the establishment of the fixing elements 321 and the height of said elements of fixation.

In a general manner, the skilled person can realize the lifting arms 32 by means of any structures arranged to perform the same functions by limiting the height overhang above the container 91 of the lifting arms and the fastening elements. and in particular by bringing to the maximum below the upper face of the container the structure of said lifting arms, which is possible because of the position of said lifting arms at the ends of the container.

The different moving parts together, in particular the tie rods 33 with respect to the forklift trucks 31, the forklift trucks with respect to the carrying beam 21, the carrying beam 21 with respect to the gantry cranes 40 and the handling device 10 on the gantry rails 11 are moved by known means such as electric or hydraulic actuators, not shown, using, for example, conventional drives with gears and racks or chains or with pulleys and cables.

In one embodiment, the handling device 10 comprises electrical connection means, not shown, to the catenary 94 of the railway track 90. In this case these electrical connection means are retractable so as not to interfere with the pantographs of the tracer when the train is traveling on the railway track.

Incidentally, a protective structure 12 is arranged, for example fixed to the frames 40, which mechanically and electrically isolates the various moving parts of the lifting device from the danger zone 92 of the catenaries so as to avoid the formation of an electric arc in the case where a metal element to the electrical earth of the handling device 10 may approach too close to a catenary under tension.

Such a protective structure 12 is for example associated with a high cross member, rigid structure which connects the two gantries 40 of the handling device and which is associated with a possible lower crossbar 13 for stabilizing the lifting device also connecting the two gantries.

Other principles of realization are possible and within the abilities of those skilled in the art on the basis of the principles set out in the previous examples and considering an embodiment of the handling device 10 as described to follow.

Figures 5a to 5f schematically illustrate a sequence of loading or unloading a container 91 by a handling device according to the principles illustrated in Figure 3.

In FIG. 5a, a train of which a platform wagon 93 of a train is visible from the rear is parked on an electrified railway track 90 comprising catenaries 94 whose volume of the danger zone 92 is shown in the drawings. by a hatched surface. In the same FIG. 5a, the handling device 10 is placed laterally on the wagon carrying the container 91 where it has been brought, if necessary, by rolling on the gantry rails 11. To allow relative movement between the train and the handling device without interference, the crane 20 is shifted on the gantries 40 in a direction opposite to the rail track 90 so that the lifting arms 32 do not encroach over the railway track 90 and the train.

In FIG. 5b the horizontal arms, only one of which is visible in the figure, are: - moved along the carrier beam 21, in Figure 5b perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing, by means of the elevator carriages 31, if necessary, to be placed relative to the longitudinal ends of the container so as to be screwed opposite the attachment points of the container;

- adjusted in height by means of the tie rods 33 to be in height between the container 91 and the danger zone 92;

- introduced between the container 91 and the danger zone 92 by a lateral displacement of the crane 20 on the gantries 40.

In FIG. 5c the lifting arms 32 are:

- descended so that said arms are supported on the container 91;

- are attached to the container by the establishment of fasteners 321.

During this operation, the possible displacement, in height and along the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam 21, of each lifting arm 32 independently of the other lifting arm allows a precise adjustment of each of the arms relative to the points of fixing the container 91 whose position and shape are not necessarily strictly identical from one container to another.

During this operation, the lifting arms 32 optionally have adjustment means along their lengths perpendicular to the railway track to overcome a lack of parallelism between the carrier beam 21 and the container 91. Such means are for example integrated in at least one lifting arm 32 which is modifiable in length. Another solution consists for example in making articulated connections of the carrier beam 21 on the bed bases 22 so that by a differential movement between the bed bases, a direction of the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam 21 can be slightly modified to correct a lack of parallelism between the container and the carrier beam.

In FIG. 5d the container 91 is raised from the platform by a coordinated action on the tie rods 33 of the risers 30 without an upper part rapid fasteners 321 interferes with the danger zone 92, in practice the minimum necessary to allow a lateral translation of the container above the platform of the wagon, then is displaced laterally by a displacement of the carrier beam 21, rolling bed frames 22 on the gantry beams 41, to be cleared from the platform of the wagon 93.

In FIG. 5e, the container 91, after having been completely cleared from the platform of the wagon 93 and the railroad track 90, is displaced by the crane 20 and, if appropriate, by a displacement of the gantries 40, and is then deposited on a location. chosen which may be a storage area, another mobile platform, for example a trailer of a road vehicle, or a temporary location from where the container can be taken by other means of handling.

The quick fasteners 321 are then disassembled to release the container 91 and the risers 30 can be returned to a position permitting movement of the handling device along the railway track without interference as illustrated in Figure 5f. The handling device can then be moved on the gantry rails 11 along the railway track 90 to be positioned opposite another container on a platform of another wagon, to put itself in a situation. similar to that illustrated in Figure 5a.

As it is noted from this description of the use of the handling device, the unloading of a container from a platform of a wagon parked on a railway track electrified by a catenary is possible without particular difficulty and without complex handling. In addition the travel distances are short which allows for rapid handling of containers.

All operations can be performed in the reverse order to that described for loading a container on a platform of a car on a railway track.

Thanks to the handling device of the invention, it becomes possible to load and unload containers from wagon platforms on railway tracks electrified by catenaries, directly without the need to implement non-electric tractrices.

The compactness of the handling device, and its relatively low cost in comparison with existing container handling devices, also make it possible to arrange several devices along the same railway track and thus reduce the loading-unloading cycles.

The use of lift trucks that can be operated separately or simultaneously gives the device the possibility of handling containers of different dimensions in a simplified manner and of accurately positioning the lifting arms without moving the entire handling device by gantry cranes whose precise displacement is more difficult to obtain and is also more energy-intensive.

Claims

Container handling device (10) (91) comprising a crane (20) provided with a carrier beam (21), said carrier beam being movable in a horizontal plane in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said carrier beam, characterized in that the handling device comprises at least two elevators (30), each elevator comprising a lifting arm (32) extending substantially horizontally cantilevered on the same side of the carrier beam (21). ) and said lifting arm being movable in height on said elevator in a substantially vertical direction.

2 - handling device according to claim 1 wherein an elevator (30) is movable in translation on the carrier beam (21) in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said carrier beam. 3 - handling device according to claim 2 wherein an elevator (30) comprises a lift truck (31) movable on the carrier beam (21) in the longitudinal direction of said carrier beam and comprises a tie rod (33) of longitudinal axis substantially vertical and movable along its longitudinal axis in a vertical guide system of the elevator carriage (31), which pulling (33) is fixed the lifting arm (32) of said elevator.

4 - handling device according to claim 3 wherein a lift truck (31) is arranged to transmit to the carrier beam (21) a torque induced by a weight of a load attached to the lifting arm (32) door offset from the longitudinal axis of said carrier beam.

5 - handling device according to one of the preceding claims in a lifting arm (32) having an L-shaped, T-shaped or X-shaped section having a vertical veil (322) at least partly under a horizontal veil (323) and having attachment means ( 321) of a container (91) under said horizontal veil.

6 - handling device according to one of the preceding claims wherein the at least two elevators (30) are movable on the carrier beam (21) in the longitudinal direction of said carrier beam independently of one another.

7 - handling device according to one of the preceding claims wherein the carrier beam (21) is movable in the transverse direction on two gantries (40) via sommiers (22), located at the ends of said carrier beam , rolling on gantry beam tracks (41) and arranged to recover a torque induced by a weight of a load attached to the lifting arm (32) cantilevered with respect to the longitudinal axis of said carrier beam.

8 - handling device according to claim 7 wherein the gantries (40) are movable jointly in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam (21).

9 - handling device according to one of claims 7 to 8 wherein a safety structure (12) of electrical and mechanical insulation is fixed on the frames (40) so as to be placed between a structure on the one hand and the moving parts of the handling device (10) and secondly a side danger zone (92) corresponding to a catenary safety volume of a railway track.

10 - Infrastructure for loading and unloading containers (91) transported on platforms of wagons (93) for use on railway tracks comprising:

at least one handling device (10) according to one of the preceding claims;

an electrified railway track (90) comprising at least one catenary (94), said railway track being situated on one side of the handling device (10) towards which the lifting arms (32) extend on the outside, said track rail being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam (21) of the handling device (10). - Infrastructure according to claim 10 wherein the at least one handling device (10) is movable in translation parallel to the rail track (90).