Pivotal gangway having container spotting system
AssigneeSafe Rack LLC
InventorsJason Ronald McKinney, Jeff W. Reichert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprising a gangway having a proximal end and a distal end. A cage assembly is connected to the distal end of the gangway. The apparatus further comprises a container spotting system including a camera mounted such that its field of view will show a hatch cover of a container when the hatch cover is in a predetermined location. Video electronics are in electrical communication with the camera. The container spotting system further includes a display device in electrical communication with the video electronics, the display device being operative to show at least a selected portion of the field of view of the camera. The camera may comprise an outdoor dome camera mounted to an underside of the gangway.
Claims8
A method of moving a container having a top hatch cover into position to be loaded or unloaded, said method comprising steps of:
- (a) positioning the container alongside a structure supporting an elevated gangway which is pivotal between a stowed position and a working position, the gangway having a cage assembly at its distal end defining an enclosed area;
- (b) while moving the container, viewing a display device showing a field of view corresponding to at least a portion of the enclosed area of the cage assembly when the gangway is in the working position;
- and
- (c) stopping movement of the container when the top hatch cover is in a selected location within the enclosed area of the cage assembly,
- wherein the display device has target indicia thereon and step (c) involves aligning the top hatch cover with the target indicia.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.