Gantry Crane for Containers and Operating Method

Abstract

A container gantry crane having at least one elevated horizontal beam, comprising: a ship-side spreader supported on a first section of the horizontal beam; a container shore-side spreader supported on a second section of the horizontal beam; and a horizontal transfer carriage displaceably mounted along the beam and positioned to support the container and displace the container into position below the shore-side spreader so as to be easily placed under a container lifted by the ship-side spreader, the horizontal transfer carriage comprising fixing means for releasably fixing the container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gantry crane for loading and unloading transport containers such as ports and railway stations. The present invention also relates to a method of operating the gantry crane.

Background Art

[0002] Container gantry cranes, also called STS (Ship to Shore) cranes, are known in the prior art. They consist of an infrastructure for loading and unloading containers at transport terminals and typically comprise the following. - A gantry-type structure usually having four columns and horizontal cantilever beams at both ends - A rail system within the beam - A spreader

[0003] The spreader is a device via a grip frame and is usually suspended from a trolley movable by a beam rail, and its height is controlled by a cable with a pulley driven by a motor. The spreader can be attached to the upper four corners of the container by fixing means which are usually electromechanical elements known as twist locks. They can also have centering means such as fins known as flippers operated by a crane operator, which can center the spreader when placed on the container.

[0004] A gantry crane transfers containers, for example, between a dock and a container ship. By law, the crane must be manually operated by at least one operator. The operator who manages the crane is usually in a cabin located on top of the gantry. When the gantry is at the height of the ship, the operator drives the crane equipped with a spreader to move to and lower towards the container being handled, activates the twist lock to lock onto the container, lifts it, moves it horizontally and loads it onto the dock. If the container is already on the ground, it is placed or stacked on another means of transportation (usually a container truck).

[0005] Note that in the latest "semi-automatic" cranes, the cabin is virtualized in an attached control building and the operator manages the handling remotely.

[0006] The gantry crane has a structure with a maximum height of 140 meters and a load capacity exceeding 20,000 tons. It is obvious that the handling time for a given container is long and the amount of energy required to operate the gantry crane is large.

[0007] To reduce energy consumption and handling time, the gantry cranes disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,630,390 and U.S. Patent No. 5,931,625 have a beam equipped with a spreader on the ship side (ship side spreader, the same hereinafter), a spreader on the land side (land side spreader, the same hereinafter), and a horizontal transport carriage. These present the possibility of moving the container from the ship side to the land side while the ship side spreader descends to pick up another container, the land side spreader ascends to unload the container from the carriage, and then the travel is reversed.

[0008] On the other hand, U.S. Patent No. 3,630,390 shows a crane bridge that extends between both banks of a canal and can handle container ships in the canal. The crane bridge has two groups of spreaders and trolleys for each group, and these can work simultaneously.

[0009] On the one hand, the crane in the literature of US Patent No. 5,931,625 discloses a trolley with platforms for two containers and a rotating system for exchanging the positions of the containers. With this crane, containers can be lowered from a ship in the operating direction of the spreader and another container can be loaded onto the ship in the opposite direction, but it is always arranged parallel to the quay line.

[0010] However, it is appropriate to improve the existing crane to make the handling of containers easier and shorten the handling time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0011]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0012] The object of the present invention is to provide a gantry crane having the advantages described below.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0013] The present invention is a gantry crane for containers in which at least one horizontal beam having rails is disposed at a high position, - one or more ship-side spreaders arranged to lift one or more containers supported by a first section of the horizontal beam, - one or more land-side spreaders arranged to lower one or more containers supported by a second section of the horizontal beam, A horizontal container carrier, for example, a trolley, which is displaceably attached along a beam so as to be placed under the containers lifted by the ship side spreader, support them, and be able to move them until they are placed under the land side spreader, and the horizontal carrier is provided with one or more fixing assemblies for fixing the containers in a separable manner. Comprises a gantry crane.

[0014] As described in the previous section, the spreader is a device that functions as a gripping frame, and its height is controlled by a cable pulley system driven by a motor. The spreader can be fixed to the upper four corners of the container in a separable manner by fixing means, which are usually electromechanical elements known as twist locks.

[0015] With the crane configuration of the present invention, it is possible to lift a container in one section of the beam while simultaneously lowering another container in another section, preferably in the opposite section of the beam. Due to this technical effect, there is an advantage that the operator can use the crane more efficiently in terms of time, such as lifting some spreaders and lowering others while moving the horizontal carrier from one side to the other.

[0016] Preferably, the crane comprises at least one support trolley that moves along a first section of the horizontal beam and is arranged to support at least one of the ship side spreaders. Similarly, the crane can comprise a support trolley that moves along a second section of the horizontal beam and is arranged to support at least one of the land side spreaders. In this way, it is possible to handle containers at various lateral positions.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the horizontal beam is provided with two sets of rails, and the support trolley of the spreader is provided with a set of wheels arranged to move on one of the two sets of rails, and the horizontal transfer trolley is provided with another set of wheels arranged to move on the other rail of the two sets of rails. Preferably, the horizontal beam has a double structure, one of the two sets of rails is located on the inner surface of the horizontal beam, and the set of wheels of the support trolley is arranged to move on the one of the two sets of rails, and the other of the two sets of rails is located on the upper surface of the horizontal beam, and the set of wheels of the horizontal transfer trolley is arranged to move on the other of the two sets of rails.

[0018] Another different aspect of the crane of the present invention is to be provided with actuating means arranged to simultaneously actuate the vertical displacement of at least one ship-side spreader and a land-side spreader, and the spreaders are operably connected to each other such that the potential gravitational energy and / or kinetic energy available in the container lowered by the land-side spreader can be utilized by the ship-side spreader by means of actuating means for lifting another container. The advantages obtained by this feature are as follows. - Utilize the potential gravitational and / or kinetic energy of the container being lowered to lift the container to be lifted. - By using such energy, it is possible to operate two or more ship-side spreaders and two or more land-side spreaders in parallel together with a trolley capable of moving one or more containers horizontally, without the need to excessively increase the power required by the crane, thereby further increasing the use of the handling time. - By using such energy, it is possible to increase the loading speed of the container without excessively increasing the energy consumed by the crane, thereby further increasing the use of the handling time.

[0019] In a first embodiment that depends on the above, the actuating means comprises a cable system having at least one cable that operably connects the spreaders to each other, and the cable system is liable to be actuated by a transmission system. Regarding the transmission system, for example, it can comprise a gear system, a winch, and / or an equivalent system operable by a motor. In a second embodiment, the actuating means comprises a cable system independent for each spreader, and the transmission system is arranged to be detachably connected to the cable systems and operably connect them freely. In this latter embodiment, the actuating means can be actuated by a single motor or independent motors for each spreader.

[0020] Optionally, the gantry crane can then be provided with a regenerative brake on the spreader and / or the horizontal trolley, so that the kinetic energy available when moving the container can be recovered by the regenerative brake.

[0021] In any embodiment of the gantry crane of the present invention, it comprises, below the horizontal beam, at one or more parallel beams at different working heights and their corresponding horizontal trolleys. In this way, an alternative method of using several ship-side spreaders simultaneously with the lowering is advantageous.

[0022] As described above, the horizontal trolley comprises one or more fixing assemblies for the container, which preferably consist of twist locks, similar to those of the spreader of the present invention.

[0023] Preferably, for further automation of the crane, the ship-side spreader, the land-side spreader and / or the horizontal trolley are provided with a speed sensor, a position sensor for the container, and / or a coupling sensor for the fixing means and the fixing assemblies.

[0024] A complementary aspect of this gantry crane consists of the arrangement of one or more additional horizontal beams in a series configuration with respect to the said horizontal beam, each of these horizontal beams being provided with its respective horizontal transport trolley or spreader, and having, either above or below these, fixing means and a fixing assembly for fixing the container, which receives the container and moves it through the said additional horizontal beam.

[0025] To facilitate the operation of the gantry crane of the present invention, the said horizontal transport trolley may have, for example, a platform for the operator to access in order to control the fixing of the container to the horizontal transport trolley and / or the onshore spreader.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, each fixing assembly of the horizontal transport trolley comprises a rotation mechanism suitable for rotating the fixing assembly by 90° about its vertical axis of symmetry. Optionally, the rotation mechanism consists of a rotating crown (a disk-shaped mechanism widely used for supporting and rotating the boom of a tower crane in a building structure). The swiveling crown is arranged on the vertical axis of symmetry of the fixing assembly such that its center is the swivel point. Each rotation mechanism comprises a control system configured to rotate its respective fixing assembly by 90° during the horizontal movement of the trolley, so that each container arrives by rotating 90° from one end of the beam to the other. The container is in a position parallel to the quay line on the ship side (the position when the container arrives at the ship), and in a position perpendicular to the quay line on the onshore side, which is a position suitable for loading by onshore vehicles. In a possible sub-embodiment, the onshore spreader is arranged perpendicular to the beam. In another possible sub-embodiment, the onshore spreader has rotating means, whereby the onshore spreader can fix the container in both a position parallel and perpendicular to the beam, and thus can unload the container onto the ground in any position. In this preferred embodiment, several advantages are implemented.

[0027] Another aspect of the present invention consists of a method for discharging containers by a gantry crane as described above. This method is characterized in that it consists of a first step that includes lifting one or more ship-side spreaders and simultaneously lowering one or more land-side spreaders. By executing the steps described in this step simultaneously, the values and advantages described by the gantry crane of the present invention can be obtained.

[0028] To increase time efficiency further, it is preferable that the step includes bringing at least one horizontal transport cart closer to the ship-side spreader simultaneously. This step may be considered optional because in certain situations, for example, at the start of discharging cargo, the horizontal transport cart may already be adjacent to the ship-side spreader.

[0029] Following any of the previous steps, preferably, the operation method includes placing at least one horizontal transport cart under a container already lifted by the ship-side spreader, fixing the horizontal transport cart to the container, detaching the ship-side spreader, and simultaneously detaching the land-side spreader from the container lowered together with it. Although it is common in container discharging, there are operators in both the loading area and the discharging area who control the fixing of the spreader to the container. This step can optimize the time spent by the operator when discharging cargo containing multiple containers.

[0030] Following the previous step, the method may include a step that includes lifting one or more land-side spreaders and simultaneously lowering one or more ship-side spreaders and moving the loaded horizontal transport cart close to the land-side spreader.

[0031] Following the previous steps, the method may include a step of placing the container moved by the horizontal transport cart under the land-side spreader, fixing the land-side spreader to the container, and detaching the horizontal transport cart of the container while fixing the ship-side spreader to a new container.

[0032] More than half a century has passed since the first gantry crane was developed, and after significant technological innovations in this field, a crane that incorporates the above-described features, operates in the manner described herein, and provides the beneficial advantages described herein has not yet been published.

[0033] To better understand the description made herein, a set of drawings is provided, and an actual example of one embodiment of the container gantry crane of the present invention is schematically shown merely as a non-limiting example.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0034]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0035] An embodiment of the gantry crane for containers and its operation method described in the claims will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0036] A preferred embodiment of the gantry crane of the present invention is as shown in FIG. 1 and can be seen as follows. - Horizontal beam (1), - A ship-side spreader (2) supported by a support carriage (21) in the first section (11) of the horizontal beam (1), the spreader (2) being lowered by a cable system having a pulley (22) and fixed to the container (10), - A land-side spreader (3) supported by the second section (12) of the horizontal beam (1), - A horizontal transport carriage (4) supported on the horizontal beam (1) between the ship-side spreader (2) and the land-side spreader (3).

[0037] For clarity, FIG. 1 does not show the rails or the operator's cab of the gantry crane.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the insertion view I of FIG. 1. It details the land-side spreader (3), the corresponding support carriage (31), the corresponding cable system (32), the fixing means (33) for the container (10), and the horizontal transport carriage (4) with a fixing assembly (41). For clarity, the container (10) in FIG. 2 is shown with transparent walls.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic embodiment of the crane of the present invention in which the cable systems (22, 32) for moving the ship-side spreader (2) and the land-side lowering spreader (3) are connected by a winch (5). The gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy available when lowering the container (10) with the land-side spreader (3) are used for lifting the container (10) by the ship-side spreader (2).

[0040] FIG. 4 schematically shows a gantry crane having two additional horizontal beams (1', 1'') in series with the horizontal beam (1), each having its respective horizontal transport trolley (not shown) and its respective spreader (3'), and having means for fixing the container (10) either above or below these, which receives the container and moves the container through the additional horizontal beams (1', 1'').

[0041] Regarding the operation method, FIG. 5 shows exemplary steps for discharging a container with the crane shown in FIG. 1. In this example, the method includes a first step (A) of lifting the ship side spreader (2) loaded with the container (10) while moving the horizontal transport trolley (4) closer to the ship side spreader (2), and at the same time lowering the land side spreader (3) loaded with another container (10).

[0042] Next, the illustrated operation method includes a second step (B) of placing the horizontal transport trolley (4) under the container (10) already lifted by the ship side spreader (2), fixing the horizontal transport trolley (4) to the container (10), disconnecting the ship side spreader (2), and at the same time disconnecting the land side spreader (3) from the lowered container.

[0043] Subsequently, the method of FIG. 5 shows a third step (C) of lowering the ship side spreader (2), lifting the land side spreader (3) at the same time, and moving the horizontal transport trolley (4) loaded with the container (10) closer to the land side spreader (3).

[0044] To complete the cycle, the method shown in FIG. 5 includes a fourth step (D) of placing the container (10) moved by the horizontal transport trolley (4) under the land side spreader (3), fixing the land side spreader (3) to the container, disconnecting the horizontal transport trolley (4), and fixing the ship side spreader (2) to a new container.

[0045] Figure 6 shows a second preferred embodiment of the gantry crane of the present invention, and the following can be seen. - Horizontal beam (1), - A ship-side spreader (2) in which the fixed position of the container (10) is normal, i.e., perpendicular to the horizontal beam (1), - A land-side spreader (3') in which the fixed position of the container (10) is instead parallel to the horizontal beam (1), - A horizontal transporter (4') whose fixed assembly (41') supports the container (10) during the rotation by the rotation mechanism (42').

[0046] Figure 7 shows in detail the horizontal transporter (4') under the ship-side spreader (2). The fixed assembly (41') is supported by a rotation mechanism (42') for rotation about its vertical axis of symmetry (43').

[0047] Figure 8 shows an example of a method for unloading a container loaded on a ship (not shown for clarity) by the crane shown in Figures 6 and 7. In this example, the method includes a first step (A') of fixing the ship-side spreader (2) to one of the ship's containers (10) while disconnecting the container that has already been transported by the horizontal transporter (4') from its fixed assembly (41'), and fixing the land-side spreader (3') to the latter container (10).

[0048] Next, the operation method of Figure 8 includes a second step (B') of approaching the horizontal transporter (4') to under the container (10) while lifting the ship's container (10) with the ship-side spreader (2), and at the same time lowering the other container (10) with the land-side spreader (3'). As can be seen, the position of the ship-side container 10 is perpendicular to the horizontal beam 1, while the position of the land-side container 10 is parallel to the horizontal beam 1.

[0049] Next, the operation method shown in FIG. 8 includes a third step (C') which includes fixing the horizontal transfer cart (4') to the container (10) of the ship, simultaneously disconnecting the ship-side spreader (2), and at the same time disconnecting the onshore-side spreader (3') from the container that has descended.

[0050] Subsequently, the method shown in FIG. 8 shows a fourth stage (D') which includes lowering the ship-side spreader (2) and lifting the onshore-side spreader (3') while displacing the fixing assembly (41') of the horizontal transfer cart (4') loaded with the container (10) of the ship by 90° until it is positioned below the onshore-side spreader (3').

[0051] Finally, the operation method shown in FIG. 8 includes a fifth step (E') which includes repeating the steps of the first stage (A') using other containers (10), and continuously repeating the remaining stages such as the sixth stage in which the container (10) descends together with the onshore-side spreader (3').

[0052] FIG. 9 shows an example of a method for loading a container from the onshore to the ship using the crane shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this example, the method includes a first step (A'') which includes fixing the onshore-side spreader (3') to one of the containers (10) on the ground, and at the same time disconnecting the container that has already been transported by the horizontal transfer cart (4') of the fixing assembly (41') and fixing the ship-side spreader (2) to the latter container (10).

[0053] Next, the operation method shown in FIG. 9 includes a second step (B'') which includes lifting the onshore container (10) with the onshore-side spreader (3') and approaching the horizontal transfer cart (4') to below the container (10) while lowering the other container (10) with the ship-side spreader (2). As can be seen, the position of the container 10 on the ship side is perpendicular to the horizontal beam 1, while the position of the container 10 on the onshore side is parallel to the horizontal beam 1.

[0054] Next, the operation method of FIG. 9 includes a third step (C'') of fixing the horizontal transfer cart (4') to the ground container (10) while simultaneously disconnecting it from the onshore spreader (3'), and at the same time disconnecting it from the container with the ship side spreader (2) lowered.

[0055] Subsequently, the method of FIG. 9 shows a fourth stage (D'') that includes lowering the onshore spreader (3') while lifting the ship side spreader (2), and displacing the fixing assembly (41') of the horizontal transfer cart (4') loaded with the ground container (10) while rotating it 90° until it is positioned below the ship side spreader (2).

[0056] Finally, the operation method of FIG. 9 includes a fifth step (E'') that consists of repeating the steps of the first stage (A'') using other containers (10), and continuously repeating the remaining stages such as the sixth stage of lowering the container (10) with the ship side spreader (2).

[0057] FIG. 10 shows a handling system that includes the following. - A main gantry crane (1) and one or more auxiliary gantry cranes (100, 101), which are parallel to each other and each has its own horizontal transfer cart and its own spreader. - At least one rail (200) perpendicular to the beam of the gantry crane (1, 100, 101), which runs under one of its spreaders, receives the container, and preferably has at least one horizontal transfer cart (in this embodiment, it is located on a rail adjacent to the ground, but it can also be on an elevated beam) for autonomously moving it between the gantry cranes (1, 100, 101).

Claims

1. A gantry crane for containers having an elevated horizontal beam (1), one or more ship-side spreaders (2) arranged to lift one or more containers (10) and supported by a first section (11) of the horizontal beam (1), one or more land-side spreaders (3') arranged to lower one or more containers (10) and supported by a second section (12) of the horizontal beam (1), a horizontal transport trolley (4') displaceably attached along the beam so as to be able to be positioned under the container (10) lifted by the ship-side spreader (2), supporting the container and arranged to displace the container to a position under the land-side spreader (3'), and comprising one or more fixing assemblies (41') for fixing the container (10) in a separable manner comprising, each fixing assembly (41') being characterized by comprising a rotation mechanism (42') suitable for rotating the fixing assembly (41') about its vertical axis of symmetry (43') by 90°, the gantry crane for containers.

2. The gantry crane for containers according to claim 1, characterized in that the land-side spreader (3') is arranged to fix the container (10) in a position parallel to the horizontal beam (1).

3. The gantry crane for containers according to claim 1, characterized in that the land-side spreader (3) is provided with rotation means for rotating about a vertical axis of symmetry so that the container (10) can be fixed in both a position parallel to the horizontal beam (1) and a position perpendicular to the horizontal beam (1).

4. The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by comprising at least one support trolley (21) moving along the first section (11) of the horizontal beam (1) and arranged to be supported by at least one of the ship-side spreaders (2).

5. The gantry crane for containers according to claim 4, characterized by comprising at least one second support trolley (31) moving along the second section (12) of the horizontal beam (1) and arranged to support at least one of the land-side spreaders (3').

6. The horizontal beam (1) is provided with two sets of rails, and the support trolleys (21, 31) of the spreaders (2, 3') are provided with a set of wheels arranged to move along one of the two sets of rails, and the horizontal transport trolley (4') is provided with another set of wheels arranged to move along the other of the two sets of rails. The gantry crane for containers according to claim 5 is characterized by this.

7. The horizontal beam (1) has a double structure, one of the two sets of rails is arranged on the inner surface of the horizontal beam (1), the set of wheels of the support trolleys (21, 31) is arranged to move on the one of the two sets of rails, the other of the two sets of rails is arranged on the upper surface of the horizontal beam (1), and the set of wheels of the horizontal transport trolley (4') is arranged to move on the other of the two sets of rails. The gantry crane for containers according to claim 6 is characterized by this.

8. It is provided with operating means arranged to simultaneously operate and operably connect the vertical displacements of at least one ship-side spreader (2) and a land-side spreader (3), whereby the gravitational potential energy and / or kinetic energy available in the container (10) lowered by the land-side spreader (3) can be utilized by the operating means to lift another container (10) by the ship-side spreader (2). The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is characterized by this.

9. The operating means comprises a cable system having at least one cable that operably connects the spreaders (2, 3) to each other, and the cable system is easily operated by a transmission system (5). The gantry crane for containers according to claim 8 is characterized by this.

10. The operating means comprises independent cable systems (22, 32) for each spreader (2, 3), and a transmission system (5) that is detachably connected to the cable systems (22, 32) and arranged to operably connect them. The gantry crane for containers according to claim 8 is characterized by this.

11. The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises one or more parallel beams under the horizontal beam (1) at different working heights and their corresponding horizontal transport trolleys.

12. The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises one or more additional horizontal beams (1', 1'') arranged in a series configuration with respect to the horizontal beam (1), each of the horizontal beams being provided with its own horizontal transport trolley or its own spreader, and container (10) fixing means being provided either above or below these, and being arranged to receive the containers (10) and move them along the additional horizontal beams (1', 1'').

13. The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a regenerative brake for braking the raising and / or lowering of the spreaders (2, 3).

14. The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the ship-side spreader (2), the land-side spreader (3'), and the horizontal transport trolley (4) are provided with a speed sensor, a position sensor for the container (10), and a coupling sensor for the fixing means (33) and the fixing assembly (41').

15. The gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the horizontal transport trolley (4, 4') is provided with a platform for the operator to access.

16. A method for unloading containers from a ship to land by means of the gantry crane for containers according to any one of claims 1 to 15, a first step (A') that simultaneously includes the following, fixing one or more containers (10) of the ship to the ship-side spreader (2), detaching the containers pre-loaded on the horizontal transport trolley (4') from the fixing assembly (41') and fixing them to the land-side spreader (3'), these containers being pre-loaded in a position parallel to the horizontal beam (1), the first step (A'), While lifting the container (10) of the ship with the ship-side spreader (2), at the same time, bringing the horizontal transport cart (4') closer to the ship-side spreader (2), while rotating their fixing assembly (41') until it is placed in a position perpendicular to the horizontal beam (1) under the container (10), and at the same time lowering the pre-loaded container with the land-side spreader (3'), a second step (B'); While fixing the container (10) of the ship to the horizontal transport cart (4') by the fixing assembly (41'), at the same time, disconnecting the ship-side spreader (2) of the container (10), and during that time, disconnecting the land-side spreader (3') of the pre-loaded container, a third step (C'); While lifting the land-side spreader (3') and rotating the fixing assembly (41') 90° about its vertical axis of symmetry (43'), moving the horizontal transport cart (4') loaded with the container (10) of the ship, and placing them under the land-side spreader (3') in a position parallel to the horizontal beam (1), while lowering the ship-side spreader (2), a fourth step (D'); While disconnecting the container (10) from the ship from the horizontal transport cart (4') and fixing them to the land-side spreader (3'), and during that time, fixing other containers of the ship to the ship-side spreader (2), a fifth step (E'); Lowering the container (10) of the ship with the land-side spreader (3'), lifting the other container with the ship-side spreader (2), and rotating the fixing assembly (41') until the fixing assembly (41') is placed under the other container, while bringing the horizontal transport cart (4') closer to the ship-side spreader (2), a sixth step; A method, characterized by including the above steps.

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