Crane system for cargo containers

Claim 2

A crane system for moving a cargo container, said system comprising: a crane having a crane boom and a crane operator''s cab, a container head adapted to be received upon the top of said container, said container head having four remotely operated locking members located substantially at corners of said container head for engaging mating locking devices provided at the top of a container, cable means for suspending said container head and container locked thereto from said crane boom, a first group of four switching devices located on the container head and responsive to the container''s presence for preventing unlocking of said locking members when said container head is not resting on said container, four additional switching devices located on the container head and responsive to operation of said locking members, and indicating means located in the operator''s cab and electrically coupled to said container head for indicating to the crane operator the position of said first group of four switching devices and the position of said four additional switching devices, whereby, when the crane lifts the container, said container head is not resting on said container and upon lowering of the container onto a supporting surface said container head rests on the container and said indicating means thereby provides an indication to an operator in said operator''s cab that the container is fully down on the said supporting surface.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 wherein said first group of four switching devices comprise pressure-sensitive switching devices located substantially at corners of said container head and operative when the weight of said container head is not resting on said container for inhibiting unlocking operations of said locking members.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 2 wherein said first group of switching devices are each provided with an actuator movable upwardly and downwardly according to whether the weight of said container head rests on said container or said container head carries said container as the same is upraised by said cable means.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 3 wherein said first group of four switching devices have normally open contacts connected in series in an interlocking circuit for providing power to said locking members, each of said first group of switching devices being operable from a normally open to a closed condition as the actuator therefor indicates said container head is resting on said container.

Claim 6

The system according to claim 4 also including indicating means on said container head for indicating the position of said switching devices and the position of said locking members.

Claim 7

The system according to claim 1 wherein said cable means comprises a pair of cables extending from a crane boom adapted to be raised and lowered from a pair of drums, a spreader bar suspended at respective ends thereof by said pair of cables for positioning said cables apart, including means for connecting said spreader bar to said pair of cables, and further pairs of cables extending from each end of said spreader bar to corners of said container head wherein the last mentioned pairs of cables make an angle of nearly 180* with the first mentioned pair of cables for carrying said container head and container with a minimum of container head weight-carrying structure.

Claim 8

The system according to claim 1 further including a plurality of hingeable guides located on said container head and adapted to be rotated into a position extending downwardly from said container head for contacting sides of said container when said container head is moved into place, upon said container, said guides each comprising a first arm pivotally connected to said container head and operating means for rotating said arm from an upraised position to a downwardly extending position for juxtaposition with a side of a container, and hook means on the side of said container head for receiving a portion of each said arm for bracing each said arm in said downwardly extending position relative to thrust of horizontal forces against said arm as said arm encounters the side of a container.

Claim 9

The system according to claim 7 including means for remotely operating said guides in groups.

Claim 10

A crane system for moving a cargo container, said system comprising: a crane having a crane boom and a crane operator''s cab, a container head adapted to be received upon the top of said container, said container head having four remotely operated locking members located substantially at corners of said container head for engaging mating locking devices provided at the top of a container, cable means for suspending said container head and container locked thereto from said crane boom, four switching devices located on the container head and responsive to the conntainer''s presence for preventing unlocking of said locking members when said container is present, indicating means located in the operator''s cab and electrically coupled to said container head for indicating to the crane operator the position of said switching devices and the position of said locking members, a plurality of hingeable guides located on said container head and adapted to be rotated into a posiTion extending downwardly from said container head for contacting sides of said container when said container head is moved into place, upon said container, said guides each comprising a first arm pivotally connected to said container head and operating means for rotating said arm from an upraised position to a downwardly extending position for juxtaposition with a side of said container, a linkage for rotating said arm, said linkage comprising second and third arms pivotally connected to the first mentioned arm and said container head respectively and pivotally connected to one another, said operating means comprising a hydraulic cylinder for rotating the third arm pivotally connected to said container head, and means on the side of said container head for bracing each said first mentioned arm in said downwardly extending position relative to thrust of lateral forces against said arm as said arm encounters the side of a container.

Claim 11

A crane system for moving a cargo container, said system comprising: a crane having a crane boom and a crane operator''s cab, a container head adapted to be received upon the top of said container, said container head having four remotely operated locking members located substantially at corners of said container head for engaging mating locking devices provided at the top of a container, cable means for suspending said container head and container locked thereto from said crane boom, four switching devices located on the container head and responsive to the conntainer''s presence for preventing unlocking of said locking members when said container is present, indicating means located in the operator''s cab and electrically coupled to said container head for indicating to the crane operator the position of said switching devices and the position of said locking members, a plurality of hingeable guides located on said container head and adapted to be rotated into a posiTion extending downwardly from said container head for contacting sides of said container when said container head is moved into place, upon said container, said guides each comprising a first arm pivotally connected to said container head and operating means for rotating said arm from an upraised position to a downwardly extending position for juxtaposition with a side of said container, a linkage for rotating said arm, said linkage comprising second and third arms pivotally connected to the first mentioned arm and said container head respectively and pivotally connected to one another, said operating means comprising a hydraulic cylinder for rotating the third arm pivotally connected to said container head, and means on the side of said container head for bracing each said first mentioned arm in said downwardly extending position relative to thrust of lateral forces against said arm as said arm encounters the side of a container.

Claim 12

The system according to claim 9 wherein said means for bracing comprises a hook-shaped member on the side of said container head having an upwardly facing opening for receiving the pivotal connection between first and second arms as the first arm rotates downwardly, the side of said hook-shaped member resisting lateral force against said first arm as said first arm encounters the side of said container.

Claim 13

A crane system for moving a cargo container, said system comprising: a crane having a crane boom and a crane operator''s cab, a container head adapted to be received upon the top of said container, said container head having four remotely operated locking members located substantially at corners of said container head for engaging mating locking devices provided at the top of a container, cable means for suspending said container head and container locked thereto from said crane boom, four switching devices located on the container head and responsive to the container''s presence for preventing unlocking of said locking members when said container is present, indicating means located in the operator''s cab and electrically coupled to said container head for indicating to the crane operator the position of said switching devices and the position of said locking members, a pair of clutch-operated tag motors mounted on the crane which suspends said cable means, said tag motors being separately operable and each including a reel and a tag cable drawn around a said reel, and sheave means mounted on the boom of said crane at an intermediate location along the length thereof, the cable from the tag motor reels passing over said sheave means to separate locations on the side of said container head.

Claim 14

A crane system for moving a cargo container, said system comprising: a crane having a crane boom and a crane operator''s cab, a container head adapted to be received upon the top of said container, said container head having four remotely operated locking members located substantially at corners of said container head for engaging mating locking devices provided at the top of a container, cable means for suspending said container head and container locked thereto from said crane boom, four switching devices located on the container head and responsive to the container''s presence for preventing unlocking of said locking members when said container is present, indicating means located in the operator''s cab and electrically coupled to said container head for indicating to the crane operator the position of said switching devices and the position of said locking members, a pair of clutch-operated tag motors mounted on the crane which suspends said cable means, said tag motors being separately operable and each including a reel and a tag cable drawn around a said reel, and sheave means mounted on the boom of said crane at an intermediate location along the length thereof, the cable from the tag motor reels passing over said sheave means to separate locations on the side of said container head.