Load-handling Patents (Class 212/77)
  • Patent number: 8800791
    Abstract: A bridge crane or gantry crane is provided for transferring standard cargo holders, especially ISO containers in port zones. A crane trolley is movable along a crane carrier. A rigid mast is guided on the crane trolley and extends in a raising and lowering direction and can be moved using at least one lifting gear and cables on the crane trolley. A load accepting device for standard cargo holders is fastened to the lower end of the mast. The mast is rotatable about a longitudinal rotational axis. A lifting frame supports the lifting gear and is suspended on the crane trolley by a revolving arrangement that includes a revolving tube. An upper end of the revolving tube rests against the crane trolley using a revolving joint, while the lifting frame is mounted on a lower end of the revolving tube. The mast is arranged coaxially to the revolving tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Franzen, Armin Wieschemann, Mike Hegewald, Jannis Moutsokapas
  • Patent number: 8757401
    Abstract: An article transport device having a housing space for housing an article retained by an article-retaining unit located in a raised position, is formed in a moving body of the article transport device, and an aperture for allowing the article-retaining unit to be raised and lowered between the raised position and a lowered position, is formed in the lower-end part of the housing space. The article transport device further comprising purified air ventilation means for ventilating purified air through an air purification filter, an opening/closing element capable of changing positions to an open position for opening the aperture and a closed position for blocking the aperture by pivoting around a lateral axis, and opening and closing control means for positioning the opening/closing element in the open position in a case in which the article-retaining unit is raised or lowered between the raised position and the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichi Uchino
  • Patent number: 8736459
    Abstract: A control system and a method for a back-and-forth cable system is provided. The cable system includes a running cable, a first pulley and a second pulley, the pulleys being located at both ends of a course for guiding the running cable. A controllable motor assembly drives of the pulleys and a carrier is connected to the running cable, for pulling or towing a boarder. The control system includes first and second tracking devices to generate first and second tracking signal indicative of the rotation of the pulleys. Two limit positions along the course are stored in storing means and a controller has inputs to receive the first and the second tracking signals and inverts rotation of the controllable motor assembly when the two positions of the carrier detected go beyond either one of the two limit positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Ouellet
  • Publication number: 20090152226
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lifting assembly such as a jib crane or similar apparatus having an articulated arm assembly and a flexible means for connecting a load to an actuator. The lift arm assembly forms an articulated cantilever boom, which is extensible so as to traverse a suspended load within a work cell area. The lift arm assembly further includes a first and second member pivotally connected to one another whereby an inclined plane (e.g., a cam) at the pivot point of the articulating arms provides a vertical displacement of the secondary arms thereby moving the distal end of the secondary arm to counterbalance inherent forces acting thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Gorbel, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Alday
  • Publication number: 20080135551
    Abstract: An article storage apparatus for storing article storage containers each having a plurality of positioning bores and a plurality of position correcting bores formed in a bottom surface thereof, said apparatus comprises a plurality of container support members for receiving and supporting said article storage containers, and with a support surface with positioning projections for engaging said positioning bores, a positioning member disposed in a position corresponding to a depositing and delivery position, and having a plurality of position correcting projections for engaging said position correcting bores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yoshida, Yoshitaka Inui
  • Patent number: 7206662
    Abstract: A crane installation, especially a container crane, includes at least one hoist mechanism provided with at least one motor for lifting and lowering a load suspended from the hoist mechanism. The operation of the hoist mechanism is controlled by a control unit which receives load-specific information signals from a device. The load-specific information signals are determined on the basis of load-dependent measuring signals generated by a load measuring assembly associated with the hoist mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ernst Sparenborg, Stephan Wöbse
  • Patent number: 5022543
    Abstract: Positioning device to be incorporated as a controllable coupling element between a load and the cable of a hoisting apparatus. The element includes a hydraulic cylinder connected to a hydro-pneumatic transformer and to a hydro-pneumatic reservoir. The transformer is connected to a source of pressurized gas through a first valve, a second valve being provided in the line from the cylinder to the reservoir. The cylinder, the transformer, the pressurized gas source, the reservoir and both valves are mounted in a common frame, both valves being operable from a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Vervako B.V.
    Inventor: Gijsbert Versteeg
  • Patent number: 4756431
    Abstract: There is a radio control aerial automatic carrying system for carrying an object such as cut woods by a carrying apparatus suspended to a cableway. This system comprises: an aerial main cableway suspended in a desired felling region; drive wheels suspended to the aerial main cableway; outer casings coupled to the drive wheels; a power source disposed in the outer casings; hoisting apparatuses which are driven by the power source and hoist the cables to hang up and down the object to be carried; a receiver, provided for the outer casings, for receiving the radio waves transmitted from a transmitter and for generating control commands to drive the power source and hoisting apparatuses in response to the radio waves received; a rotary shaft which is attached to the outer casings and rotated by the power source; sub cableways suspended in parallel with the aerial main cableway; and two drive wheels, attached to the rotary shaft, for moving the carrying apparatus by operating the sub cableways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Inventor: Kozo Hirano
  • Patent number: 4754886
    Abstract: There is a radio control aerial automatic carrying system for carrying an object by a carrying apparatus suspended to a cableway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Inventor: Kozo Hirano
  • Patent number: 4669619
    Abstract: A self-driven transporting unit with a magnetic detector which is propelled along a cable by a drive wheel having spokes arranged in two rows forming a V-shape. The cable is magnetized and mounted in a fixed manner. The spoke arrangement enables the drive wheel to engage with the cable. A programmable electronic control system permits pre-selection of the distance to be covered by the transporting unit and the drop height to which the load is lowered away from the self-driven transporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Sonnig, S.A.
    Inventor: Folke Kimblad
  • Patent number: 4558790
    Abstract: A load moving system, for moving articles such as a helicopter (18) form a port hangar (19a) to a starboard hangar (19b) or vice versa, wherein four trolleys (2 and 13) run on two rails (R) and are cabled to two after winches (3) and two forward winches (14). Vertical roller fairlands (12) act as cable runners. Two control positions (4 and 15) are provided from which the system may be operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1985
    Assignee: The Commonwealth of Australia Department of Defense Support
    Inventor: Patrick Bruce-Walker
  • Patent number: 4082193
    Abstract: As a preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, a winch is stationed to one side of an oil field derrick and a cable spooled on the winch extended over a pipe rack and secured at a convenient location above the derrick floor. A pair of spaced pulleys or carriages are independently pulled along the extended portion of the taut cable by a pair of selectively-controlled winches respectively carrying a cable or wire coupled to the carriages. Pipe carriers are dependently coupled to the carriages and operatively arranged for carrying a pipe laid between the carriers in a nearly-horizontal position as the selectively-controlled winches move the carriages along the extended cable between the derrick floor and the pipe rack. The pipe section is selectively raised or lowered over the pipe rack by operating the first winch to either tighten or slack off on the extended cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1970
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1978
    Assignee: LeRoy LaSalle
    Inventor: J. T. Teague
  • Patent number: 4054210
    Abstract: Pipe handling apparatus for transporting pipe in a pipe carrier between a pipe rack and a derrick floor wherein the pipe carrier is supported by a first cable and is manipulated between the pipe rack and the derrick floor by a second cable which is operably connected to a lateral displacement means mounted with the pipe carrier for lateral displacement of the pipe carrier and the pipe therein as the pipe carrier nears the derrick floor thereby to position the pipe for unloading at the derrick floor without detrimental contact of the pipe with any object to accomplish such lateral displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1977
    Inventor: Roger A. Crocker