Dock side cargo handling apparatus

Claim 1

Cargo handling apparatus for transferring cargo between a load-receiving area on a dock and the hold of a ship, said apparatus comprising: mounting means disposed on said dock; a frame mounted on said mounting means and including a boom projecting beyond the edge of said dock; an endless track carried solely from said frame and boom and formed with a pair of turned-back loops connected directly together by a pair of coextensive side portions to form a substantially oval track, one of said side portions projecting over said load-receiving area, one of said loops being carried from said boom and projecting over said hold and said other side portion of said pair of side portions cooperating with said other loop of said pair of loops to form a return from said one loop to said one of said side portions; a plurality of trolley devices mounted on said track; trolley drive means for driving said trolleys independently around said track; a plurality of hoists suspended from the respective trolley devices and including cargo engaging means; hoist motors for operating said hoists individually; operator platform carried from said respective trolleys; and control means accessible from the respective platforms for controlling said trolley drive means and said hoist motors whereby operators on said platform may actuate said trolley drive means to move said trolleys sequentially onto said one loops, said hoist motors selectively actuated to lower said respective cargo engaging means into said hold and cargo loaded thereonto, said hoist motors actuated to hoist said cargo out of said hold, said respective trolley drive means actuated to advance said trolleys along said return to said one of said sides and said respective hoist motors actuated to lower said cargo to said load-receiving area.