In a method for preventing a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, a height profile of the obstacle is captured along a trajectory of movement of the load by at least two sensors for distance measurement. Signals of the sensors are transmitted via at least two communication channels to a controller having at least two operating systems. At least one of the operating systems has a safety program in a secure area. The obstacle is identified along the trajectory via the height profile. The controller includes a secure communications interface for transmitting signals from the controller to a crane control.

A gantry crane for a container includes a portal main frame, a traveling mechanism, a translation mechanism, a hoisting mechanism and a spreader assembly. The spreader assembly includes a spreader body, two telescopic girders and a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a cam, a sliding way and two sliding blocks. Two arc-shaped first sliding grooves are circumferentially provided on the cam. A middle of the sliding way is rotatably connected with the cam. Two sides of connection of the sliding way and the cam on the sliding way are provided with a second sliding groove. Each sliding block matches with the first and second sliding grooves, and can slide back and forth along them. The telescopic beams are slidably connected to the spreader body, and are symmetrically provided and connected to the sliding blocks, respectively.

A crane system includes an elevated track spanning a first location to a second location; at least one spreader assembly configured to move along the elevated track using a tram assembly unit, and to move a shipping container from a first storage area to a second storage area, wherein the first storage area and the second storage area are between the first location and the second location; and a controller configured to identify the shipping container and control a movement of the shipping container using the at least one spreader assembly.

There is provided an apparatus comprising means for: receiving a first image of a first feature of a load; receiving a second image of a second feature of the load; determining image plane coordinates of the features of the load based on the first image and the second image; determining one or more action candidates based on the image plane coordinates; evaluating the one or more action candidates using an intermediate medium embodying historical experience information within a finite time horizon; choosing a control action based on the evaluation, wherein the control action causes a spreader to move with respect to the load.

An image-processing unit, a system, an automatic loading and/or unloading system and a method for detecting a locking device on a movable object, wherein the locking device locks a plurality of movable objects to one other and is arranged in a locking region of the movable object and the movable object is moved via a loading device, where the locking region can be sensed in a sensing region of at least one camera and an image-processing unit evaluates a signal of the camera to detect locking devices in a locking region of a movable object so as to detect locking devices efficiently and reliably.

A method, system and communication arrangement for container handling equipment (CHEs) is described, the CHEs configured to operate within an area comprising a plurality of container spots arranged in rows and columns. A first CHE receives a message from a terminal operating system, the message including a plurality of jobs to be performed by the first CHE within said area, the plurality of jobs comprising instructions to move a container and identifying a container spot of the plurality of container spots. The first CHE receives, from a second CHE within the determined area, a request message to share a job of the plurality of jobs. The first CHE transmits a message to the second CHE responsive to the request message to share a job. Communication with the second CHE may be autonomous from messages received from the terminal operating system and/or manual triggering.

A method for moving a load with a crane in a collision-free manner in a space having at least one obstacle includes providing a position of the obstacle, providing at least one safe state variable of the load, determining from the safe state variable a safety zone surrounding the load, and dynamically monitoring the safety zone in relation to the position of the obstacle.

The present invention relates to the technical field of container handling, and more particular to a container side loader. The container side loader includes a base, a combined gantry, a sling, and a plurality of control mechanisms such as lifting, rotation, inclination, control mechanisms and the like. The loader can directly perform container side handling on various freight platforms of an electrical railway line, and has the functions of moving and conveying a heavy container, overturning and unloading an inverted container, overturning and loading a vertical container, and stacking two layers of heavy containers.

A positional lane scanner and method therefor includes a positional lane cargo scanning structure having a first frame portion, a second frame portion, and a top frame portion connected to define a passage lane for a cargo vessel. The first and second frame portions are located on opposite sides and cargo vessels pass therebetween. The first and second frame portions, or both, include a first housing portion and a scanning device mounted within the first housing portion. A lifting member is provided on the top frame portion facing outward, or if the lifting means is on a transport vehicle, such as a reach spreader, a pair of lifting beams may be arranged on the transport vehicle. The lift member removably connects with a boom portion of the transport vehicle for positioning and relocating the scanning structure to be disposed adjacent a cargo vessel lane.

A system for the transfer, storage and distribution of intermodal containers of a plurality of lengths. The system comprises a first storage area comprising a first plurality of shafts arranged in a grid pattern along a first and second axis, a plurality of gantry cranes slidably disposed along the first axis and extending beyond the storage area, a roof structure disposed at a distance above the plurality of shafts, and a plurality of overhead cranes slidably associated with the plurality of tracks. The shafts disposed in rows along the first axis are configured to store intermodal containers of a plurality of lengths. The shafts disposed in a given row along the second axis are configured to store intermodal containers of a corresponding length. The plurality of gantry cranes are each configured to attach to and transport an intermodal container from a first location to one of a plurality of platforms slidably disposed along the first axis. The platforms delivering the intermodal container to one of the rows of the shafts along the first axis are based on the length of the intermodal container. The roof structure comprises a plurality of tracks corresponding to the rows of the shafts along the second axis. The overhead cranes are each configured to attach to and transport the intermodal container from the platforms to either one of the shafts or to a second location.