Abstract: Wheel skids are utilized to load, maintain, and thereafter unload vehicles to and from a container. Preferably, paired separate skids are designed to receive and trap the front steering wheels of a vehicle. Each skid includes a wheel supporting surface, and a forward bumper surface for stopping the forward rolling wheel. A rear upward folding ramp first permits the wheel of the vehicle to roll onto the skid and then folds upward for trapping the wheel. Trapping of the wheel occurs between the forward bumper and rear upward folded ramp. Side skid members contact the side of the container during sliding movement of the skid on the bottom of the container. In operation, the skids are placed just inside the front of a container, usually just beyond the end of an auto loading ramp that allows the vehicle to easily enter the container at the front steering wheels. The vehicle is started, battery may be disconnected, hood closed, and driven onto the skids until collision with the forward bumpers occurs.

Abstract: A corner casting of the type used for lifting and moving containers is mounted to auxiliary apparatus such as a spreader for holding deckloading cargo. The corner casting is configured for actuating a crank upon the penetration of the lifting hook. When the hook penetrates at the top hole of the corner casting, a pedal pad is depressed. The pedal pad in turn is attached to a lever arm having a pivot at one end, the pedal pad at the other end and a pivotally attached spring bias rod therebetween. Upon twistlock penetration, the spring biased rod produces crank rotation at a protruding eccentric from a crank. By using the spring biased rod rotary motion can be imparted to the crank so that lifting of the spreaders effects automated container release in the case of the disclosed equalizer.

Abstract: A deck container restraint system is disclosed which unitizes discrete containers against vertical movement in modules of three-wide, typically four-high stacks or columns to prevent overboard loss due to static and dynamic load conditions experienced at sea. A three-wide, one-high bottom tier of containers is secured against side to side and vertical movement by deck cones having locking devices. The overlying three-wide second tier is secured against side to side and vertical movement by cones having locking devices at the top of the first tier. Finally the three-wide, two-high top third and fourth tiers of containers are loaded, first by being tied vertically together by cones having locking devices and second, by being lifted in vertically tied pairs onto stacking fittings at the second-third tier interface. The stacking fittings restrain side to side movement at the second-third tier interface only.

Abstract: The interface between a vessel loading crane and a container handling yard has been discovered to be the ideal location for the maintenance of a work bank of containers in conveyance along a one-way, reversible conveyance path. The conveyance path communicates to a vessel loading crane at one end of the path and apparatus for distributing and classifying the containers in the yard at the other end, this apparatus being preferably a carrier vehicle of the type that straddles the load it carries. Accordingly, a conveyor comprising an overlying support and an underlying shuttle car is disclosed. A shuttle car commutes reversibly along a shuttle car railway under containers supported on the overlying support. The shuttle car is operable to selectively raise containers above the support and move containers on the support reversibly and serially between work stations at either end of the conveyor.

Abstract: The interface between a vessel loading crane and a container handling yard has been discovered to be the ideal location for the maintenance of a work bank of containers in conveyance along a one-way, reversible conveyance path. The conveyance path communicates to a vessel loading crane at one end of the path and apparatus for distributing and classifying the containers in the yard at the other end, this apparatus being preferably a bridge crane. Accordingly, a conveyor comprising an overlying support and an underlying shuttle car is disclosed. A shuttle car commutes reversibly along a shuttle car railway under containers supported on the overlying support. The shuttle car is operable to selectively raise containers above the support and move containers on the support reversibly and serially between work stations at either end of the conveyor.