Abstract: A handling device for long goods is provided, having a spreader beam that can be displaced at least in the vertical and the horizontal direction with load receiving devices. The load receiving devices each include a gripping device with a pair of gripper arms for engaging the long goods.

Abstract: A gantry crane for storing (or removing) long cassettes containing rod-shaped material on (or from) racks for supporting such cassettes at both rack ends travels on rails raised above the bottom of an array of such racks, but only part way up to the tops of the racks which the crane bridges over with its traveling bridge. There are aisles between the parallel racks and each rack can be loaded on either of its sides. Load-lifting forks at each rack end can be lowered into an aisle from above and then, with a movement of the crane, inserted below a cassette on either side of the aisle to remove it, center it in the aisle, lift it above the racks and transport it to another aisle for lowering into a work place or storing it in a different place.

Abstract: Transfer between a cassette (8) and a storage region formed by bar elements (10, 10') is obtained by an automatic apparatus which includes lifting blades (4, 5) passing through an interrupted bottom of the cassette, and having inclined upper edges (36, 35) to form a V-shaped notch, within which rods (33) will collect. Adjacent the cassette, a slide path is formed, extending longitudinally of the cassette, by a plurality of plate elements (14) having an upper inclined edge (17). Upon lifting of the blades (4, 5) and shifting of one blade with respect to the other, rods (33) are taken out of the V notch and can slide over the slide path. The slide path terminates at a movable stop element (24) which can slide in a path parallel to the slide path. A plurality of pivotable plate-like segments are located in the spaces between the segments of the slide path, which, upon pivoting from beneath the slide path plates upwardly, transfer rods from the slide path over the stop elements to the receiving bars (10, 10' ).