Patents by Inventor Joachim Kroll

Joachim Kroll has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7549546
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wind safety device for at least two outdoor cranes (2a, 2b), able to move by traveling gears (6) on a jointly shared crane track (1), especially track-mounted full gantry cranes, with holding devices engaging at or in the region of the crane track (1) to prevent the cranes (2a, 2b) from lifting up and being pulled away when certain wind speeds are exceeded, and it being possible to join together at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b) in the region of the traveling gears (6). In order to achieve greater safety against the lifting up and pulling away of cranes (2a, 2b) taken out of operation due to high wind speeds prevailing, it is proposed that impact elements (10a, 10b) be arranged above the coupling on the at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b), lying against each other when the at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b) are coupled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Marie-Jeanne Chargé-Kröll, legal representative, Hermann Franzen, Jannis Moutsokapas, Joachim Kröll
  • Publication number: 20090120890
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wind safety device for at least two outdoor cranes (2a, 2b), able to move by traveling gears (6) on a jointly shared crane track (1), especially track-mounted fill gantry cranes, with holding devices engaging at or in the region of the crane track (1) to prevent the cranes (2a, 2b) from lifting up and being pulled away when certain wind speeds are exceeded, and it being possible to join together at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b) in the region of the traveling gears (6). In order to achieve greater safety against the lifting up and pulling away of cranes (2a, 2b) taken out of operation due to high wind speeds prevailing, it is proposed that impact elements (10a, 10b) be arranged above the coupling on the at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b), lying against each other when the at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b) are coupled together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: GOTTWALD PORT TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Joachim Kröll, Hermann Franzen, Jannis Moutsokapad
  • Patent number: 7410339
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transfer plant, especially for loading and unloading ISO containers from container ships at seaports, comprising a vertical support which is propped up on the land side and on which a horizontal extension arm is braced. Said horizontal extension arm, along which a horizontal conveying device can be displaced, protrudes across the ship that is to be unloaded on the sea side. The horizontal conveying device cooperates with hoisting and lowering devices which pick up and put down the containers. The aim of the invention is to create a redesigned transfer plant and a method for loading and unloading containers, preferably ISO containers, from container ships in seaports, which allow the transfer rate to be significantly increased and consequently the lay times of the container ships at the pier to be substantially reduced. Said aim is achieved by disposing at least two horizontal conveying devices (9, 10) on the horizontal extension arm (1.4, 1.5, 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll
  • Patent number: 7350840
    Abstract: A lifting device for containers comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder arranged on a support frame with a piston and piston rod and at least two, spaced-apart horizontal guiding cross-bars. Lengthwise displacement of the piston rod is transformed into a synchronous upward and downward movement by at least one angle lever pivoted on the support frame. The at least one angle lever comprises two lever arms, one of the lever arms being connected to the piston rod and the other of the lever arms being connected to one of the guiding cross-bars. The guiding cross-bars are connected to a load receiving device for the container and are guided on vertical support pillars of the support frame at both ends for lifting and lowering the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll
  • Publication number: 20060182525
    Abstract: The invention relates to a loading and unloading station comprising a container terminal that consists of storage modules (8). Each storage module (8) is provided with at least one elevated stacker crane (7) that receives, horizontally conveys, and stacks the containers (17). Said stacker crane (7) cooperates with transversal transporters (18) which can be displaced perpendicular to the storage modules (8) on a different horizontal plane so as to horizontally convey the containers (17) between the storage modules (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Joachim Kroll, Hermann Franzen, Mathias Dobner
  • Publication number: 20060182524
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transfer plant, especially for loading and unloading ISO containers from container ships at seaports, comprising a vertical support which is propped up on the land side and on which a horizontal extension arm is braced. Said horizontal extension arm, along which a horizontal conveying device can be displaced, protrudes across the ship that is to be unloaded on the sea side. The horizontal conveying device cooperates with hoisting and lowering devices which pick up and put down the containers. The aim of the invention is to create a redesigned transfer plant and a method for loading and unloading containers, preferably ISO containers, from container ships in seaports, which allow the transfer rate to be significantly increased and consequently the lay times of the container ships at the pier to be substantially reduced. Said aim is achieved by disposing at least two horizontal conveying devices (9, 10) on the horizontal extension arm (1.4, 1.5, 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kroll
  • Publication number: 20060125258
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting device (2) for containers (18), especially ISO containers (18) which can be handled by container handling devices (1), comprising a drive means for traction means (16), which is arranged on a supporting frame (3) in order to raise and lower the container (18) by means of a load-receiving means arranged on the lower end of the traction means (16). In order to create a low-volume lifting device for a container handling device, requiring only a small amount of bridging height, the drive means comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder (4) with a piston and a piston rod (5) whose longitudinal displacement is converted into a synchronous upward and downward movement of at least two distanced horizontal guiding cross-bars (10a, 10b) which are respectively connected to the upper ends of the traction means (16), said guiding cross-bars (10a, 10b) being guided on both ends on vertical carriers of the supporting frame (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kroll
  • Patent number: 7004338
    Abstract: An empty container store for the temporary storage of empty ISO containers, in particular in fully automatic container terminals of sea ports or river ports includes a gantry bridge crane which spans the empty container store. The gantry bridge can be moved on an elevated craneway and has a traveling crab which can be moved thereon in the longitudinal direction thereof. A vertical lifting column is fastened to the traveling crab for lifting and lowering a load receiving means for the empty container. The load receiving means includes a spreader on a spreader support which is arranged on a spreader carriage which is guided on the lifting column by rollers on a spreader support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Demag Mobile Cranes GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll
  • Patent number: 6715977
    Abstract: A loading device for ISO containers in a container terminal is arranged below the land-side boom in the rear area of the container bridge and cooperates with container transport vehicles. The loading device comprises at least two bridge members which are movable on the ground independent from one another transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boom, and are oriented parallel to one another and to the boom. Each bridge member forms a loading station for an ISO container and carries in the area of its longitudinal center a receiving platform for an ISO container which can be set down and picked up by load-carrying means, this receiving platform being rotatable about a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Dobner, Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll
  • Patent number: 6698990
    Abstract: A transfer installation for piece goods, in particular for ISO containers, including a warehouse having individual linear storage modules, and including at least one loading installation which can be displaced transversely to the storage modules and is intended for land-going means of transport, between which a storage and retrieval unit assigned to each storage module operates. The loading installation includes at least two ground-level leading stations for means of transport, to each of which is assigned one intermediate buffer store which is arranged on the second level, located above the means of transport, and has at least one storage location from which the respective means of transport can be manually loaded/unloaded by means of an associated loading crane. The intermediate buffer stores are connected to one another via a transfer transporter and one of the intermediate buffer stores is connected to the warehouse via the storage and retrieval unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Dobner, Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll
  • Publication number: 20040007552
    Abstract: The invention refers to mobile harbor crane (1) for the handling of ISO containers from smaller container ships (3), with steerable wheel mechanism (4.1) with multiple axles and supports (4.2) telescoped laterally, as well as upper carriage (5) holding rigid tower (6), boom (7), drive aggregates and a counterweight, and connected to lower carriage (4) via a slewing gear. The new handling equipment is intended to make it possible to load and unload smaller container ships (3) efficiently and to connect different areas of a container terminal as an integrated component of an automated container terminal. According to the invention, boom (7) is articulated in the lower area of upper carriage (5)'s steel structure to accommodate luffing and holds at the tip of the boom, boom head (9), connected via parallelogram system (8), consisting of two pieces in a horizontal direction, that is an upper first part (9.1), connected to luffing boom (7) via parallelogram system (8), and a lower second part (9.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kroll
  • Patent number: 6648571
    Abstract: A mobile handling apparatus for loading and unloading ships in docks, the apparatus including portal supports, steerable traveling mechanisms arranged on the portal supports, an undercarriage freely movable on the traveling mechanisms, a harbor crane having a tower rigidly connected to the undercarriage, a luffing jib coupled to the tower, the luffing jib having an exchangeable device for picking-up a load, supporting girders mounted on the undercarriage so as to be horizontally moveable, the supporting girders each having a free end, vertical supporting pillars connected to the free ends of the supporting girders; and further traveling mechanisms arranged on the vertical supporting pillars so as to be raisable and lowerable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Atecs Mannesmann GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Dieter Klessinger, Joachim Kröll
  • Patent number: 6564955
    Abstract: A mobile harbor crane for the combined handling of containers and bulk materials, having an undercarriage and an upper carriage which is mounted rotatably on the base frame of the undercarriage and on which a tower with a boom that can be pivoted about a horizontal axis is arranged. Four support beams are connected pivotally to a base frame of the undercarriage, symmetrically to the longitudinal and transverse axes of the vehicle, in such a way that they can each be pivoted about vertical axes, they are provided at their free ends with vertically acting leveling cylinders, by means of which the support beams are supported on the wheels of a plurality of traveling gear assemblies via balancers for uniform distribution of the supporting forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll, Janis Moutsokapas
  • Publication number: 20030077154
    Abstract: The invention relates to an empty container store for the temporary storage of empty ISO containers, in particular in fully automatic container terminals of sea ports or river ports, having a gantry bridge crane (6) which can be automated, spans the empty container store (1), can be moved on an elevated craneway (4) and has a traveling crab (7) which can be moved thereon in the longitudinal direction thereof and to which a vertical lifting column (7.1) for a load receiving means (7.3, 7.4) which can be lifted and lowered and is intended for the empty container (8, 11, 13) is fastened. The load receiving means is a spreader (7.4) which is arranged on a spreader carriage (7.3), which is guided on the lifting column (7.1) by means of rollers (21), on a spreader support (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kroll
  • Publication number: 20030077149
    Abstract: A loading device for ISO containers in a container terminal is arranged below the land-side boom in the rear area of the container bridge and cooperates with container transport vehicles. The loading device comprises at least two bridge members which are movable on the ground independent from one another transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boom, and are oriented parallel to one another and to the boom. Each bridge member forms a loading station for an ISO container and carries in the area of its longitudinal center a receiving platform for an ISO container which can be set down and picked up by load-carrying means, this receiving platform being rotatable about a vertical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mathias Dobner, Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kroll
  • Patent number: 6551043
    Abstract: A loading device for ISO containers in a container terminal with a container bridge for the loading and unloading of ships and with automatic incoming and outgoing transfer of the containers by means of automatic guided vehicles, with at least one container load suspension device in the form of a spreader and devices for the intermediate positioning of the container within the loading device to allow the installation or removal of the twistlocks, and with platforms for the workers performing this task. The loading device consists of a polar bridge crane, which can rotate around its center vertical axis, and which is designed as a bridge crane with a trolley capable of traveling on a crane bridge supported on a circular track located in the rear area of the land-side rail of the container bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll, Mathias Dobner
  • Publication number: 20030047529
    Abstract: The invention relates to a loading and unloading plant in a sea or river port, in particular for ISO containers, comprising a container storage facility which is located along a quay and consists of individual line-type storage modules and at least one loading device for handling loads to and from a vessel on the quay. In this case, the loading plant for loading and unloading loads comprises at least one mobile harbor crane (5), whose load jib extends into the area of at least one transfer point (6) which is provided within a container storage facility (7) consisting of a number of storage modules (9, 9.1, 9.2) with a number of container rows that depends on the width of the module, and forms an interface between the mobile harbor crane (5) and the storage modules (9, 9.1, 9.2) of the container storage facility (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Mathias Dobner, Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kroll, Gerlinde Pohlmann
  • Patent number: 6499611
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile harbor crane for normal and heavy load operation, having an undercarriage and a superstructure mounted thereon. A tower is fastened on the superstructure and a jib which pivotable about a horizontal axis is arranged on a front side of the tower. During a normal mode of operation, the jib is held pivotably on the superstructure by a luffing cylinder coupled to the jib and to the tower and the load lifted and lowered via a hoisting cable guided to the jib head and having a snatch block suspended on it. For a heavy load operating load, the mobile harbor crane further includes a heavy load lifting winch with a heavy load lifting cable which is guided over a deflecting roller fastened to the jib and further guided to a roller assembly of a heavy load snatch block arranged releasably on the jib head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Atecs Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll
  • Patent number: 6435361
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting device for increasing the performance of a handling apparatus for ISO containers, in particular for increasing the performance of a container bridge in a terminal having automated inward and outward transport of the containers by means of self-propelled transport vehicles, and having at least one container load-lifting means in the form of a spreader and devices for the intermediate positioning of the containers within the handling apparatus for the purpose of fitting or removing the twist locks, and platforms for the personnel occupied in doing this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Atecs Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Joachim Kröll, Janis Moutsokapas
  • Patent number: 6431379
    Abstract: An automated load handling apparatus is provided for handling loads fastened to a spreader having corners and a load suspension mechanism. The load handling apparatus includes a lifting yoke having a horizontal supporting framework that may be suspended at its comers to the spreader, four axially displaceable pendulum supports arranged between the lifting yoke and the spreader for supporting the lifting yoke, a rigid load guide including a lifting mechanism having ropes corresponding to comers of the lifting yoke that may be fastened to the load suspension mechanism of the spreader, and a cylinder pair 7.1, 7.2 arranged toward an end of the lifting yoke. The cylinder pair 7.1, 7.2 provides torque support to the lifting yoke relative to the load guide and is capable of displacing and/or pivoting the lifting yoke relative to the load guide. A sensor mechanism is arranged in the cylinder pair for detecting relative orientation of the lifting yoke relative to the spreader and/or the load guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Atecs Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Joachim Kröll, Jürgen Breitfeld, Hermann Franzen, Jannis Moutsokapas