TRANSPORT DEVICE

Abstract

Transport device (1) intended for the transport of at least one container (31) or other load, the transport device (1) comprising at least one winch trolley (2), at least one load-securing device (3) and at least eight lifting cables (20-27), and the load-securing device (3) comprising connecting devices (14) intended for securing the container (31) or other load and being suspended from the winch trolley (2) by means of the lifting cables (20-27) so as to be able to be raised and lowered, the lifting cables (20-27) being able to be wound on cable drums (4) rotatably mounted on the winch trolley (2), each lifting cable (20-27) being windable and / or at least partially windable on its own cable drum (4) and, for all cable drums (4), the speed of rotation and / or the direction of rotation being individually adjustable respectively.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport device for transporting at least one container or other load, wherein the transport device comprises at least one trolley, at least one load-handling device, and at least eight lifting cables, and the load-handling device has connecting devices for securing the container or other load and is suspended from the trolley by means of the lifting cables so as to be raised and lowered, wherein the lifting cables can be wound onto cable drums rotatably mounted on the trolley, and each lifting cable can be wound onto its own cable drum and / or is at least partially wound. The invention also relates to methods for transporting at least one container or other load, and to a crane with at least one transport device.

[0002] When transporting containers using at least one crane, transport equipment of the type mentioned above is employed. In addition to lifting and lowering, i.e., movement in a vertical direction, it is usually also necessary to adjust containers or other loads in at least one horizontal direction in order to place the containers or load in a predetermined location, transfer them to trucks, stack them, etc. The trolley, also called a crane trolley, typically runs along a main girder of the crane and enables the movement of the transport equipment in a first horizontal direction, while the crane as a whole can usually be moved on crane rails in a second horizontal direction. This also allows for the rough positioning of the transport equipment or load-handling device in relation to the container or other load.

[0003] For rapid container handling, in addition to high travel speeds, rapid and very precise positioning (=fine positioning) of the load handling device is advantageous, especially at the container handling point and at the intended container storage point.

[0004] German patent application DE 20 2006 000 490 U1 discloses a transport device of the type mentioned above, in which the load-handling device is supported by two pairs of longitudinal ropes and two pairs of transverse ropes. The two transverse rope pairs are driven jointly by a single motor. The two longitudinal rope pairs are also driven by a common motor. For fine positioning of the load-handling device, piston-cylinder units are provided on the device at the anchor points of the rope pairs. These units allow the load-handling device to be moved relative to the rope attachment points. Controlling the piston-cylinder units requires corresponding hydraulic power units, electrical components, sensors, etc., on the load-handling device, which increases the device's own weight.

[0005] German patent DE 10 2004 040 663 A1 discloses a hoisting device with eight lifting cables anchored to a load beam and four cable drums, each capable of holding two of the lifting cables, and two drives. Two of the cable drums can be driven by a common drive. The two drives can be controlled independently or in conjunction. To compensate for variations in the length of the lifting cables, four of the lifting cables have elastic attachments to the load beam.

[0006] German patent application DE 200 13 621 U1 discloses a transport device of the type mentioned above, wherein four cable drums are assigned to a lifting mechanism and four further cable drums to an auxiliary lifting mechanism. The auxiliary lifting mechanism supports the main lifting mechanism when its cable drums are subjected to excessively high loads.

[0007] The object of the invention is to provide a transport device of the above-mentioned type in which the dead weight of the load-bearing device can be reduced compared to the prior art.

[0008] According to the invention, this is achieved with a transport device having the features of claim 1.

[0009] In other words, a transport device according to the invention provides that all rope drums can be driven independently of each other at different speeds and / or in different directions of rotation.

[0010] The basic idea of ​​the present invention is that each cable drum can be individually driven at a currently desired speed and / or direction of rotation for winding and unwinding its lifting cable, in order to influence the overall movement of the load-handling device or container. The speed could also be referred to as the rotational speed. With the transport device according to the invention, it is possible to fine-tune the positioning of the load-handling device suspended from the trolley (also referred to as the headblock) by individually winding and unwinding each individual lifting cable. The overall movement of the load-handling device then results from the interaction of the individually controllable cable drums or lifting cables. Additional drive units, e.g.,The piston-cylinder units known from the prior art for fine positioning of the load-handling device, as well as their power supply and control means, can be dispensed with. This results in a significantly reduced weight of the load-handling device.

[0011] To achieve a lifting and lowering motion of the load-handling device exclusively in the vertical direction, it is advantageous that the cable drums can be driven synchronously, i.e., that the cable drums can be driven at the same time with a corresponding, possibly identical, rotational speed and in the same direction. This can be achieved by individually controlling the cable drums with appropriately coordinated setpoint values.

[0012] A cable drum according to the invention could also be called a cable winch and serves to wind and unwind a lifting cable. By rotating the cable drum, a lifting cable or an end section of the lifting cable is wound or unwound. The number of cable drums thus corresponds to the number of lifting cables.

[0013] In this document, a hoist rope is defined as a rope used to lift a container or other load. It runs continuously between the end wound on the respective rope drum and the end of the hoist rope furthest from the drum, which is anchored to a structural component. The term "rope" or "hoist rope" encompasses not only ropes themselves but also straps and chains. The entire system of hoist ropes forms the so-called rope shaft (also called a rope tower), which extends between the trolley and the load-handling device. The rope shaft is the supporting structure that carries the load-handling device and any container or other load attached to it. The geometry of the rope shaft depends on the relative position of the load-handling device in relation to the trolley.

[0014] In the event of a failure of one of the at least eight lifting ropes, e.g. due to a break in a lifting rope, the transport device can still be operated safely with the remaining lifting ropes without significantly reducing the stability of the rope shaft and the safety of the transport device.

[0015] Preferably, the load-bearing device has two opposing longitudinal sides and two opposing end faces oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal sides, wherein at least two of the lifting cables attach to each of the end faces and longitudinal sides, and the lifting cables attaching to the same end face, viewed in a direction parallel to the longitudinal sides, form at least one crossing point, and / or the lifting cables attaching to the same longitudinal side, viewed in a direction parallel to the end faces, form at least one crossing point.

[0016] By arranging two lifting cables in a crossed pattern, each attached to the same longitudinal or end face of the load-handling device, the stability of the cable shaft or transport system can be increased. Although a lifting cable can essentially only absorb forces in the direction of its path, this crossed arrangement of two lifting cables can reduce pendulum movements of the load-handling device caused by dynamic processes (acceleration, wind, etc.).

[0017] Advantageously, at least one of the lifting ropes, preferably each lifting rope, is deflected at the load-handling device by means of a pulley, and the end of the lifting rope furthest from the drum is anchored to the trolley. By deflecting the lifting rope, the effective rope forces are reduced, as a type of pulley system is implemented. The deflection of the rope at the pulley could also be described as reeving the lifting rope or double guiding the lifting rope. Due to the reduced rope forces, it is possible to select a smaller rope diameter. Furthermore, a smaller diameter of the drum can also be advantageously used. Because of the reduced rope forces, the torques required to drive each drum are also lower. The end of the lifting rope furthest from the drum is advantageously anchored or fixed to the trolley by means of a rope end connector.Such rope end connectors are well known.

[0018] It is particularly preferred that the transport device, preferably for each lifting rope, has at least one measuring device for determining the rope force acting in one of the lifting ropes, preferably in the respective lifting rope. Rope force is defined as the force with which the lifting rope is pulled, i.e., the force with which the rope is tensioned and which acts in the longitudinal direction of the rope. The rope force is variable and depends on the static boundary conditions (dead weight of the load-handling device, dead weight of the rope, dead weight of the container or other load) and the dynamic boundary conditions, such as the instantaneous acceleration of the load-handling device, acting wind forces, etc.

[0019] The service life of a lifting rope depends significantly on the rope forces acting upon it. By measuring the rope force using the measuring device, the current load on the respective lifting rope can be determined. In preferred embodiments, the information about the rope force acting on the respective lifting rope can be used to control and / or regulate the overall movement of the transport device or the load-handling device. An impending overload of a lifting rope can be detected immediately, for example, if the container or the load-handling device collides with other obstacles, and prevented by appropriately controlling the rope drums.

[0020] Advantageously, each cable drum is driven individually by its own motor, preferably an electric motor. A common electrical shaft allows the individual cable drums to be driven synchronously, as is necessary, for example, when lifting the load-handling device in the lifting direction (vertical). For this purpose, the motors advantageously have sensors, such as incremental encoders or resolvers, which detect the angular position of the respective motor shaft. Through appropriate control, precise rotation of the motor shafts of all motors can be achieved. The individual motors can also be controlled independently of each other, a feature particularly advantageous with electric motors.

[0021] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is also conceivable and possible that at least two rope drums are driven by a common motor, wherein a correspondingly controllable or adjustable gearbox is provided for individually adjusting the speed and direction of each individual rope drum.

[0022] Preferably, the measuring device for measuring the rope force is arranged on a torque support of a gearbox, with the gearbox acting between the rope drum and the motor. The drive torque or rotary motion is generated by the motor and transmitted to the respective rope drum via the gearbox. The torque support serves to support the gearbox housing on the crane trolley and prevents the gearbox housing from rotating during operation. For this purpose, a torque support typically has a lever, which is connected to the trolley, for example, by means of a bolt. By measuring the support forces of the torque support introduced into the trolley's supporting structure, the effective torques in the drive train or the rope forces acting in the respective hoist rope can be determined. The measuring device arranged on the torque support could, for example, include a force-measuring bolt or a load cell.The use of other force or torque measuring devices known in the prior art is also conceivable and possible.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment of the measuring device, it can be provided that the measuring device for detecting the rope force is arranged at an end of the lifting rope facing away from the rope drum.

[0024] The present invention also provides for a crane, preferably a gantry crane, with at least one transport device according to the invention. The trolley of the transport device is advantageously movable on running wheels on guide rails of a main girder (=crane girder) of the crane.

[0025] The invention further provides a method for transporting at least one container or other load by means of a transport device according to the invention, wherein translational and / or rotational movement of at least one container or other load suspended from the load-bearing device, preferably in six degrees of freedom, is carried out exclusively by winding and unwinding the lifting ropes of the transport device on the respective rope drum and the rope drums are driven accordingly.

[0026] In addition to translational movements, it is also advantageously possible to perform rotational movements, primarily around an imaginary vertical but also an imaginary horizontal axis of rotation, for the fine positioning of the load-handling device, container, or other load. These rotational movements are also referred to in technical terminology as skew, trim, and list movements. By appropriately coordinating the direction of rotation and / or the speed of the individual cable drums, all six degrees of freedom of a container can be achieved solely through individual drive of the cable drums. The six degrees of freedom refer to movements in three independent directions (translation) and rotations in three independent planes (rotation).

[0027] In a further method according to the invention for transporting a container or other load by means of a transport device according to the invention, it is provided that the rope forces of at least one lifting rope, preferably each lifting rope, are measured to prevent overloading, and the rope drums are driven individually and independently of one another. In particular, it can be provided that the individual rope drums are driven with different or even the same angular accelerations and / or rotational speeds and / or torques, as required.

[0028] Advantageously, the rope forces are determined in a measuring position where the container or other load is freely suspended. Based on the determined rope forces, a target value for a maximum permissible angular acceleration and / or a target value for a maximum permissible rotational speed of the respective rope drum can then be selected. Advantageously, it can also be provided that the other crane drives for coarse positioning of the container or other load can be limited with regard to the maximum travel speed and / or the maximum acceleration depending on the actually measured rope forces.

[0029] Additionally or instead, a further method may provide for monitoring the instantaneous tension of a lifting rope throughout the entire movement of the container or other load, and controlling the rope drums depending on the instantaneous tension. This makes it possible, for example, to detect suddenly occurring dynamic forces and reduce or compensate for them through an appropriate response, thus preventing overloading of the lifting rope(s).

[0030] In a further method according to the invention, it is conceivable and possible to select the position or orientation of a container with respect to the trolley such that the magnitude of the rope forces of the respective lifting ropes can be equalized. Particularly with containers of uneven weight (whose center of gravity is off-center), this makes it possible to distribute the load even better across the different lifting ropes, to select the travel speed of the crane accordingly, and to increase the service life of the lifting ropes.

[0031] The various methods mentioned above can of course also be combined with each other.

[0032] Further features and details of preferred embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the exemplary embodiment of a transport device and a crane according to the invention shown in the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1an isometric view of a transport device according to the invention; Fig. 2 the transport facility according to Fig. 1 a view looking at the long side of the container; Fig. 3 the transport facility according to Fig. 1 a view of the front of the container; Fig. 4 the transport facility according to Fig. 1 in top view; Fig. 5 an isometric view of the transport facility according to Fig. 1 Viewed from below; Fig. 6 detail A according to Fig. 5 ; Fig. 7 a gantry crane with a transport device according to the invention with a raised load-handling device, and Fig. 8 the gantry crane according to Fig. 7 with a lowered load-bearing device.

[0033] For clarity, not all components in all figures are marked with a reference symbol.

[0034] The transport device 1 comprises a trolley 2 and a load-handling device 3. The load-handling device 3 serves to secure a container 31 and, for this purpose, has a plurality of known connecting devices 14. These connecting devices 14 are also called "flippers". The load-handling device 3 is suspended from the trolley 2 by eight lifting cables 20-27 and can be moved relative to the trolley 2 by lengthening or shortening the free length of the respective lifting cable 20-27.

[0035] The lifting ropes 20-27 can be individually wound onto, or are wound onto, rope drums 4 rotatably mounted on the trolley 2. The number of rope drums 4 thus corresponds to the number of lifting ropes 20-27. All rope drums 4 can be driven individually or independently of one another at different or the same speeds and / or in different or the same directions of rotation. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the rope drums 4 is driven by its own motor 5. Advantageously, at least two of the rope drums 4 have parallel axes of rotation 17. In the exemplary embodiment, the axes of rotation 17 of four of the rope drums 4 are parallel to each other.

[0036] In this embodiment, the motors 5 are designed as electric motors and each is combined with a gearbox 6. Such combinations are also referred to as geared motors. The motors 5 can be controlled independently of one another, meaning that the different motors 5 can have different or the same speeds and / or different or the same directions of rotation at the same time. It is also possible to apply different torques to the rope drums 4, generated by the respective motor 5.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment, each of the lifting ropes 20-27 is deflected at the load-handling device 3 by means of a deflection pulley 12. The end of each lifting rope 20-27 furthest from the rope drum 4 is anchored to the trolley 2 by means of a rope end fitting 16. The rope sections of a lifting rope 20-27 deflected at the deflection pulley 12 run between the deflection pulley 12 and the trolley 2 in essentially the same direction. In this context, the term "essentially" means an angular deviation of the deflected rope sections of no more than 30°, preferably less than 20°.

[0038] Due to the double guidance of each lifting rope 20-27 (=reeving), the rope forces acting in each lifting rope 20-27 are halved compared to a single guidance, which is why the diameter of the lifting ropes 20-27 can be chosen to be smaller. The torques required to rotate the rope drum 4 are also lower, which allows the use of smaller motors 5 or gearboxes 6. This also makes it possible to select rope drums 4 with a smaller diameter.

[0039] The load-handling device 3 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, i.e., it has two opposing longitudinal sides 7, 8 and opposing end faces 9, 10 oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal sides 7, 8. The longitudinal sides 7, 8 and the end faces 9, 10 are advantageously aligned parallel to the longitudinal sides 34 and the end faces 35 of the container 31 attached to the load-handling device 3. In the exemplary embodiment, two deflection pulleys 12 are arranged on each of the longitudinal sides 7, 8 and end faces 9, 10 and are rotatably mounted relative to the load-handling device 3. Two of the lifting cables 20-27 engage each of the end faces 9, 10 and longitudinal sides 7, 8 via the respective deflection pulleys 12.

[0040] In the exemplary embodiment, the lifting cables 20, 21 and 20, 23, respectively, which act on the same end face 9, 10, form four crossing points 11 when viewed in a direction parallel to the longitudinal sides 7, 8, cf. Fig. 3 The lifting ropes 24, 25 and 26, 27, respectively, which attach to the same longitudinal side 7, 8, form four crossing points 11 when viewed in a direction parallel to the end faces 9, 10. By crossing the lifting ropes 20-27, which attach to the same longitudinal side 7, 8 or end face 9, 10, a high degree of stability can be achieved in the rope duct of the transport device 1 formed by the lifting ropes 20-27. Since ropes can primarily transmit forces in the longitudinal direction, this interlocking arrangement of the lifting ropes 20-27 is advantageous. Furthermore, it makes it possible to navigate relatively narrow container aisles with the transport device 1, cf. Fig. 8 If the deflection pulleys 12 are omitted and each lifting rope 20-27 is guided individually, there is only one crossing point instead of four for each pair of crossing lifting ropes.

[0041] To raise and lower the container 31 or the load-handling device 3 in the vertical direction, the cable drums 4 are driven synchronously by the motors 5, optionally with the exception of the fine adjustment possible according to the invention. This prevents the container 31 or the load-handling device 3 from tilting during the lifting and lowering movement. The rotational speed of each motor 5 is detected by means of corresponding sensors and compared with the other motors 5. This synchronous operation of several independent motors 5 is also referred to as a "common electrical shaft".

[0042] In addition to the synchronous operation of the rope drums 4, an independent drive of the rope drums 4 is also possible according to the invention, so that apart from or during the lifting and lowering movement, fine positioning of the load-bearing device 3 in further degrees of freedom is also made possible.

[0043] In Fig. 2Possible directions of movement of the load-handling device 3 are shown with reference to a view of the longitudinal side 34 of the container 31. For a movement of the load-handling device 3 or the container 31 in the first direction 40 (=lifting direction), all cable drums 4 are controlled at least essentially synchronously, as already explained, and the respective lifting cables 20-27 are wound essentially synchronously onto the respective cable drums 4.

[0044] For movement in the second direction 41, the cable drums 4 are driven individually. While a longitudinal section of each lifting cable 24, 26 is unwound from the corresponding cable drums 4 and a longitudinal section of each lifting cable 25, 27 is wound onto the corresponding cable drum 4, the load-handling device 3 or the container 31 moves in the second direction 41. The lifting cables 20 to 23 are wound or unwound proportionally to prevent overloading or sagging of individual lifting cables.

[0045] In addition to purely translational movements in the first direction 40 and the second direction 41, any combination of these directions is conceivable and possible. Naturally, the load-bearing device 3 can also be moved in the corresponding opposite direction to the first direction 40 and the second direction 41. The directions of rotation of the rope drums 4 then reverse accordingly.

[0046] In addition, the exemplary embodiment provides that the load-handling device 3 or the container 31 can be pivoted in a pivoting direction 42 (=rotational movement). This movement in pivoting direction 42 can be achieved by appropriately coordinating the movement of the cable drums 4. The lifting cables 20, 21 are partially unwound from the respective cable drum 4, while the lifting cables 22, 23 are partially wound onto the corresponding cable drum 4. The lifting cables 22, 26 and 25, 27 are wound and unwound accordingly to carry out the pivoting movement without loosening or overloading the respective lifting cables. A pivoting movement in the opposite direction to the pivoting direction 42 is also possible. The pivoting movement in or against the pivoting direction 42 can also be superimposed in any way with the translational movement in the first direction 40 and the second direction 41.

[0047] Similarly, as demonstrated by the Fig. 2 As explained for the view on the longitudinal side 34 of the container 31, a movement of the load-handling device 3 with respect to the view on the front side 35 of the container 31, or a view on the front side 9 of the load-handling device 3, is also possible, cf. Fig. 3 . Here too, translational movements in or against the first direction 40 and / or against the third direction 43 and a pivoting movement in or against the pivoting direction 44 (=rotative movement) around an axis of the container 31 or the load-bearing device 3 are possible by targeted driving of the respective rope drums 4 of the lifting ropes 20-27.

[0048] It is also possible to pivot the load-handling device 3 about the vertical axis of the transport device 1, in or against the pivoting direction 45, cf. Fig. 4 .

[0049] Advantageously, the load-handling device 3 or the container 31 can thus be moved freely in six degrees of freedom, as is also provided in the exemplary embodiment. Since the fine positioning of the load-handling device 3 can be carried out with the lifting cables 20-27, an intermediate frame and the additional drives for fine positioning known from the prior art can be dispensed with. Overall, it is thus advantageously possible to save up to one-third of the mass of the load-handling device 3 compared to the load-handling device known from the prior art.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiment, the rope force acting in the respective lifting rope 20-27 is measured by means of a respective measuring device 13. The measuring device 13 is arranged on a torque support of the gearbox 6 of the geared motor. The gearbox 6 acts between the respective rope drum 4 and the respective motor 5. Fig. 6The torque support of the gearbox 6 is concealed by the cable drum 4. The torque support serves to support the housing of the gearbox 6 or the geared motor on the trolley 2. The differential torques occurring on the input and output sides of the gearbox 6 are transferred via the torque support into the supporting structure of the trolley 2, thus preventing rotation of the gearbox 6 during operation. By arranging a force measuring pin of the measuring device 13 on the torque support, between the torque support and the trolley 2, the instantaneous forces or torques can be determined, and thus the effective cable forces in the hoisting cables 20-27 can be deduced. Such measuring devices 13 are well known. In other embodiments, the measuring device 13 could also include a load cell or a pressure sensor arranged on the torque support, which would allow conclusions to be drawn about the differential torques or the effective cable forces.

[0051] Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible that a measuring device 13 for recording the rope force is arranged at an end of the respective lifting rope 20-27 facing away from the rope drum 4. Such a measuring device 13 could, as provided in the exemplary embodiment, be arranged in the area of ​​the rope end connector 16, cf. Fig. 6 .

[0052] The effective rope forces in the lifting ropes 20-27 can be determined in a measuring position of the transport device 1 in which the load-handling device 3 is freely suspended. With asymmetrical loads, i.e., particularly with unevenly loaded containers 31, very different rope forces can occur in the lifting ropes 20-27. To avoid overloading individual lifting ropes 20-27 during the transport of the container 31, the maximum acceleration of the container and / or the maximum travel speed is advantageously limited depending on the rope forces measured in the measuring position. Due to the independently driven rope drums 4, it is also possible to equalize the rope forces acting in the lifting ropes 20-27 by finely adjusting the position of the load-handling device to distribute the load accordingly among the lifting ropes 20-27.

[0053] In the exemplary embodiment, it is also provided that the load-bearing device 3 or the container 31 can be repositioned in its orientation by means of the independently driven rope drums 4 in order to further equalize the different rope forces in the lifting ropes 20-27, which are particularly common in the case of unevenly loaded containers 31, or to distribute the load onto the lifting ropes 20-27.

[0054] The equalization of the rope forces in the lifting ropes 20-27 advantageously takes place during the entire travel movement of the container 31 or the load-handling device 3. Dynamically occurring loads on the individual lifting ropes 20-27, e.g. due to wind forces suddenly acting on the container 31 or on the load-handling device 3, can also be compensated for by equalizing the rope forces.

[0055] Furthermore, by using at least eight lifting ropes 20-27, it is possible that in the event of a rope break of one of the lifting ropes 20-27, the remaining seven lifting ropes can absorb the load of the container 31, thus achieving a high reliability of the transport device 1 without a significant reduction in the stability of the rope shaft.

[0056] The transport device 1 is designed according to the exemplary embodiment Figs. 7 and 8 The transport device 1 is used on a crane 30 designed as a gantry crane. The trolley 2 of the transport device 1 is movable along a main girder 33 of the crane 30. For this purpose, the trolley 2 has wheels 15 which roll on guide rails of the main girder 33 (not shown in detail). The entire crane 30 is movable on crane rails 32 in the longitudinal direction of the crane rails 32. The movement in the direction of the crane rails 32 and along the main girder 33 serves for the coarse positioning of the transport device 1.

[0057] In the exemplary embodiment, each lifting cable is deflected around a pulley 12. It is also conceivable and possible for each lifting cable to be fixedly anchored to the load-handling device 3 by means of a cable end connection. Even when the lifting cables are anchored to the load-handling device, the lifting cables that attach to the same longitudinal or end face of the load-handling device advantageously cross over each other, forming a single crossing point.

[0058] In certain embodiments, the load-handling device 3 could additionally have a swivel unit to allow the container to be swivelled by larger angles, such as 90° or more.

[0059] In contrast to the illustrated embodiment, it is conceivable and possible to drive at least two cable drums from a single common motor. A variable distribution gearbox could then be used to drive the cable drums individually in different directions of rotation and / or at different speeds.

[0060] The transport device according to the invention can also be adapted for other loads. It is not limited to the transport of containers.

[0061] The transport device 1 could also be used in other design variants on a bridge crane or another type of crane. Key to the reference numbers: 1 Transport equipment 22 hoist rope 2 trolley 23 hoist rope 3 Load handling device 24 hoist rope 4 rope drum 25 hoist rope 5 Motor 26 hoist rope 6 transmission 27 hoist rope 7 long side 30 crane 8 long side 31 container 9 Front 32 crane rail 10 Front 33 Main support 11 Intersection point 34 long side 12 pulley 35 Front 13 Measuring device 40 first direction 14 Connection device 41 second direction 15 balance bike 42 direction of rotation 16 Rope end connection 43 third direction 17 axis of rotation 44 direction of rotation 20 hoist rope 45 direction of rotation 21 hoist rope

Claims

1. A transport device (1) for transporting at least one container (31) or other load, wherein the transport device (1) has at least one trolley (2) and at least one load suspension device (3) and at least eight hoist cables (20-27), and the load suspension device (3) has connecting devices (14) for securing the container (31) or other load and is liftably and lowerably suspended on the trolley (2) by means of the hoist cables (20-27), wherein the hoist cables (20-27) can be wound on cable drums (4) rotatably mounted on the trolley (2), and each hoist cable (20-27) can be wound, and / or is at least partially wound, on a separate cable drum (4), characterised in that the rotational speed and / or the direction of rotation for all cable drums (4) is individually adjustable in each case.

2. The transport device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the load suspension device (3) has two mutually opposing longitudinal sides (7, 8) and two mutually opposing end sides (9, 10) aligned normally to the longitudinal sides (7, 8), wherein at least two of the hoist cables (20-27) act on each of the end sides (9, 10) and longitudinal sides (7, 8) and the hoist cables (20, 21; 22, 23) acting on the same end side (9, 10), as seen in a direction parallel to the longitudinal sides (7, 8), form at least one intersection point (11) in each case and / or in that the hoist cables (24, 25; 26, 27) acting on the same longitudinal side (7, 8), as seen in a direction parallel to the end sides (9, 10), form at least one intersection point (11) in each case.

3. The transport device (1) according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one of the hoist cables (20-27), preferably each hoist cable (20-27), is deflected at the load suspension device (3) by means of a deflection pulley (12) and the end of the hoist cable (20-27) which is remote from the cable drum (4) is anchored on the trolley (2).

4. The transport device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the transport device (1) has, preferably for each hoist cable (20-27), at least one measuring device (13) for determining the cable force acting in one of the hoist cables (20-27), preferably in the respective hoist cable (20-27).

5. The transport device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each cable drum (4) is driven individually by a separate motor (5), preferably an electric motor.

6. The transport device (1) according to Claim 4 and 5, characterised in that the measuring device (13) is arranged on a torque support of a gear (6), wherein the gear (6) acts between the cable drum (4) and the motor (5).

7. The transport device (1) according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the measuring device (13) for detecting the cable force is arranged on an end of the hoist cable (20-27) which is remote from the cable drum (4) .

8. A method for transporting at least one container (31) or other load by means of a transport device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein a translatory and / or rotatory movement of at least one container (31) or other load suspended on the load suspension device (3) preferably takes place in six degrees of freedom, exclusively via a corresponding winding and unwinding of the hoist cables (20-27) of the transport device (1) on the respective cable drum (4), and the cable drums (4) are driven accordingly for this purpose.

9. The method for transporting at least one container (31) or other load by means of a transport device (1) according to one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the cable forces of at least one hoist cable (20-27), preferably each hoist cable (20-27), are measured to prevent an overload, and the cable drums (4) are accordingly driven individually, independently of one another.

10. A crane (30), preferably a gantry crane, having at least one transport device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7.