Abstract: For the positional correction of a load carrier (34) suspended on a trolley (22) a cable member (50′) of the lifting cable system interposed between the trolley (22) and the load carrier (34) is displaced in a horizontal direction at a location near the trolley (22) relative to the trolley (22) by imparting a movement onto a cable course influencing member (56) which is adjustably guided on the trolley in a horizontal direction and is subjected to the action of movement means (60) which again are supported on the trolley (22).

Abstract: A target-detection device (64) is used for the target-path correction of a container (36) that is being moved by a crane or a traveling hoist to a destination. The device includes a directional beam-emitting unit having a plurality of laser-beam emitters (76). The orientation of the emitters (76) relative to one another is varied to increase and reduce the size of the detection region.

Abstract: A freight loading/unloading crane (10) comprises a crane bridge (16) with two lifting units (26, 28) displaceable in their longitudinal direction with a lifting system (26b, 28b) and associated load receiving device (26c, 28c) and a transfer unit (32) with at least one load receiving region (32o, 32u). To prepare for a load exchange with one of the lifting units (26, 28), the transfer unit (32) is stopped adjacent to the lifting unit in question, so that this can continue to raise or lower its lifting system (26b or 28b) independently of the position of the transfer unit (32). The actual load exchange takes place by means of an operating device (36o, 36u), without further movement of the transfer unit (32).

Abstract: A cargo loading crane (10) comprises a crane bridge (16) having two hoist units (26, 28) with hoisting gear (26b, 28b) and assigned cargo pick-up devices (26c, 28c), a transfer unit (32) with at least one cargo pick-up region (32o, 32u) and a conveyor unit (64). Division of the horizontal transport path between the transfer unit (32) on the one hand and the conveyor unit (64) on the other shortens the duration of the operating cycle for loading and unloading a cargo carrier (18).

Abstract: In a container crane installation, swinging movements during the lowering of the spreader are suppressed in that the spreader, after the reaching of the ideal position of the hoist cable carrier in each case, is brought into swing-damping contact with the crane carriage. According to a further form of embodiment the position of the spreader in relation to the standing position to be approached is ascertained by a remote recognition system fitted on the spreader.

Abstract: In a container crane installation, swinging movements during the lowering of the spreader are suppressed in that the spreader, after the reaching of the ideal position of the hoist cable carrier in each case, is brought into swing-damping contact with the crane carriage. According to a further form of embodiment the position of the spreader in relation to the standing position to be approached is ascertained by a remote recognition system fitted on the spreader.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading containers onto and unloading containers from ships, in which the ships receive the containers at locations of varying height, comprises a quayside carrier framework and a travelling carrier system fitted on the carrier framework, with a horizontal track on which at least one container-receiving crane trolley may travel. The travelling carrier system is mounted on the carrier framework for variation in height, with at least one power appliance being provided for the height displacement of the travelling carrier system. The travelling carrier system is supported by a rigid support member which is connected to the carrier framework by a lower link rod system and an upper link rod system. The link rod systems define a parallelogram linkage which is deformable by the power appliance provided, to enable the lifting and lowering of the rigid support member while maintaining the predetermined orientation of the rigid support member in space during its lifting and lowering.

Abstract: In a device on hoisting machinery for automatically controlling the movem of a load carrier and for steadying the pendulum-type motion of a load suspended from the load carrier, a signal transmitter is provided for controlling the movement of the load carrier traction motor by means of a selected substantially cosine-shaped load carrier acceleration signal (b.sub.K). In such control a reduction is obtained of the acceleration time interval and braking time interval (T), respectively, at a selected maximum pulling force of the load carrier traction motor, and it is possible to keep the pulling force constant. The load acceleration (b.sub.L) follows a cosine curve.

Abstract: A system for loading liquids, particularly useful with water-borne oil tankers, which is basically constructed of liquid conduits articulated in the form of lazy tongs and vertically suspended from a cantilevered boom to enable oil to be loaded from a drilling platform onto a vessel. The lazy tongs system is formed with at least two vertically displaced articulated joints to enable the lower end of the system to move vertically for attachment to or during loading of a vessel. A block and tackle is provided for vertical actuation of the lazy tongs system.

Abstract: The four hoisting cables of a container loading crane which depend from the free end of the crane boom pass axially through a central opening of a turntable mechanism. The upper turntable portion is mounted on the boom and may tilt about a horizontal axis. The lower turntable portion may be moved relative to the upper portion about a vertical axis. The free ends of the hoisting cables extend between two pairs of engaging elements on the lower turntable portion and corresponding two pairs of engaging elements on a container hoisting frame. The pairs of engagement elements at least on the frame are spaced farther apart in the direction of frame elongation than the frame is wide. One engagement element associated with each tension member is a pulley over which the tension member is trained.

Abstract: A system or structure for supporting a construction rig, such as a crane or the like, is formed with four bearing members each of which is maintained in contact with a ground formation over which the rig is to be moved by deflective action of the support structure. In the operation of the device, when a first bearing member is deflected relative to a reference plane, a second bearing member located diagonally opposite the first bearing member is deflected relative to the reference plane in the same direction by approximately the same distance. At the same time, a third and fourth support bearing member of the support system are each deflected relative to the reference plane in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first and second support bearing members are moved by approximately the same distance as the first two support bearing members.

Abstract: The bridge portion of a traveling gantry for a rotary crane has four carrier arms hingedly secured to the four corners of a platform for free pivoting movement in a plane adjacent and parallel to the normally horizontal platform surface which carries the crane. An upright member extends downward from the free end of each carrier arm in the normal traveling condition of the gantry, and its lower end carries at least one road wheel for rotation about a horizontally extending axis. Steering devices permit the several wheels to be turned about respective axes parallel to the pivot axes of the carrier arms. The bottom faces of the wheels jointly define a plane tangential to each wheel whose spacing from the platform is greater than all horizontal dimensions of the platform and adjacent upright members, in certain positions of the associated carrier arms define the horizontal width of a portal which is at least equal to the portal height between the tangential plane and the platform.

Abstract: In a rotary crane whose boom has two longitudinal members pivotally fastened to a turntable in transversely spaced relationship and converging radially outward from the upright turntable axis toward respective outer terminal portions fastened to each other, two of the several undercarriage assemblies depending from the turntable for movement along a circular track are fastened to the turntable below the fastened terminal portions of the boom members, and compression members of a column extend upward and rearward from the junction of the boom members with the turntable. The boom is held in its angular position by a tension member whose end portions are fastened to the column and to the outer terminal portions of the boom member, a load may be hoisted by varying the effective length of a hoisting cable trained from the column over the outer end of the boom, and a counterweight is mounted on the turntable diametrically opposite the boom.

Abstract: The winches of a luffing crane having two individually operated hoisting cables depending from different longitudinal sections of the boom are deenergized by an overload protection mechanism when the torque exerted during luffing by a single load suspended from both cables exceeds a value consistent with the stability of the crane. The mechanism which employs only mechanical elements derives signals from the stresses transmitted by the loaded cables to the two winches, weights the signals in accordance with the different spacing of the dependent cable ends, adds the weighted signals, and compares the sum so obtained with a signal derived from the angular boom position and a curve of maximum permissible loads arrived at from design parameters of the crane and the spacing of the cable ends.

Abstract: In building a crane, the electrically actuated winches for raising and lowering the boom for moving a trolley along the boom, and for operating a hoist on the trolley are fixedly mounted in a standard transport container at a construction site remote from the assembly site for the crane. The power supply system for the winches, including a step-down transformer and switch gear, is similarly mounted in a second container remotely from the assembly site. The two containers and their contents are lifted to the top of the erected crane tower and permanently fastened there. The winch motors are connected to the switch gear by a plug-in, multi-conductor cable, and the winches are connected with the boom, the trolley, and the hoist by steel cables or other tension elements. Labor for installing the winches and the associated electrical system is reduced and damage to the relatively sensitive machinery during assembly with other crane elements is avoided.

Abstract: A hydraulic dredge for recovering manganese nodules from the sea bottom includes a transfer station suspended from a mother ship at a fixed depth from the surface and a dredging tool assembly suspended from winches on the transfer station by means of cables whose effective lengths are varied in response to depth signals from sensors respectively associated with the cables on respective parts of the tool assembly to keep the same contiguously adjacent the sea floor surface in parallel relationship.

Abstract: A tower crane is erected from a boom assembly, first and second tower sections of different cross section, and a base in a sequence of steps in which the boom assembly is mounted on a hollow climbing section dimensioned to be received in each of the larger second tower sections and defining a cavity dimensioned to receive each of the first tower sections. One of the latter is secured on a base in upright position, and the upright section is received in the cavity of the climbing section which is then raised relative to the first section and enveloped by one of the second sections. The enveloping section is secured to the base and the raised climbing section for supporting the climbing section whereupon the first tower section may be rleased from the base, raised, and secured to the second tower section.

Abstract: The disassembled tower and/or boom units of a modular construction crane are arranged in packages for handling by container equipment by means of rectangular frames releasably attached to the two longitudinal end portions of each unit and equipped with the conventional couplings of a shipping container of standard dimensions.

Abstract: A transporter for red hot steel ingots has two pairs of jaws horizontally movable relative to each other along a carrier bar. A hanger pivotally mounted on one jaw and carrying a gripper pad may be swung toward the other jaw by a separate clamping drive. The momentum exerted on the jaws by the engaged ingot causes sufficient angular displacement of the jaws to tilt them into jamming engagement with the carrier bar, thereby blocking longitudinal jaw movement on the bar.

Abstract: An artificial island including at least one modular, upright supporting column having a base portion normally standing on the ocean floor, a platform supported by the column or columns in an operative position above the water surface, one or more floats sufficiently buoyant when filled with air to hold the platform in its operative position, and guide cables guiding the floats between a position of engagement with the platform and a position adjacent the ocean floor is assembled by floating the platform, floats, and column modules on the water surface to a desired location, lowering the column into the water until its base portion engages the ocean floor, attaching the floats to the platform in fixed spatial relationship while the floats are at least partly flooded and submerged, raising the platform by expelling water from the floats by means of compressed air, fastening the raised platform to the column in the operative position, and releasing the floats.