Container conveyor apparatus and method for vessel loading crane-yard interface

Apparatus for conveying containers, the interface between the vessel loading crane for loading and unloading containers from a vessel and yard classification equipment for distributing containers to and from a container handling yard comprising:

• an underlying support extending along a single file conveyance path, said underlying support including a first work station underlying said vessel loading crane, a second work station underlying and communicated to yard classification equipment at the remote end of said support from said vessel loading crane and an intermediate storage station for the support of at least one container between said work stations at either end of said support;
• a car for running reversibly along and underlying said support between said work stations, and any containers resting on said support;
• means on said car for contacting containers on said support and raising said containers one at time to and from a support position on said support;
• and, means for moving said car between said work stations along said single file conveyance path for the movement of raised containers one at a time on said path over said support to convey containers from one work station on said path to a storage position juxtaposed to any container at said other work station to create a work bank of containers in conveyance between said work stations.

Apparatus for conveying containers in the interface between a vessel loading crane for loading and unloading containers from a ship and yard classification equipment for distributing containers to and from a container handling yard wherein said vessel loading crane includes lateral movement for passing over variable athwart ships positions to a vessel being loaded or unloaded comprising:

• an underlying support extending along a single file conveyance path, said underlying support including a first work station underlying said vessel loading crane, a second work station underlying and communicated to yard classification equipment at the remote end of said support from said vessel loading crane, and at least one storage station including an intermediate support for the support of at least one container between said work stations at either end of said support;
• means for conveying said underlying support in registry with said vessel loading crane to move said underlying support to said first work station in registry with said vessel loading crane upon lateral movement of said crane to a variable athwart ship position;
• a car for running reversibly along said support underlying said support and any containers resting on said support, means on said car for contacting containers on said support and raising said containers serially one at a time to and from a support position on said support;
• and means for moving said car between said work stations along said single file conveyance path for movements of said containers on said path over said support to convey containers between said work stations through said storage station whereby the spacing between said serially conveyed containers is variable.

Apparatus for conveying containers in the interface between a vessel loading crane for loading and unloading containers from a vessel in yard classification equipment for distributing containers to and from a container handling yard wherein each of said containers is provided with lower castings, on which lower castings said container is designed to rest, said apparatus comprising:

• an underlying support extending along a single file conveyance path, said underlying support including a first work station underlying said vessel loading crane, a second work station underlying and communicated to yard classification equipment at the remote end of said support from said crane, and an intermediate storage station for the resting storage of at least one container between said work stations;
• said underlying support spaced for receiving a portion of the blocks of each of said containers to rest said containers along said single file conveyance path;
• a car for running reversibly along said support underlying said support and any containers resting on said support;
• and means for contacting said only one of containers on said support at said castings, said contacting means spaced to contact said castings at a portion not contacted by said underlying support;
• means for raising and lowering said contacting means for correspondingly raising and lowering one of said containers at a time to and from said rest position on said support;
• and means for moving said car between said work stations along said single file conveyance path for the movement of a single raised container on said path over said support to convey containers between said work stations through said storage station whereby the spacing between said serially conveyed containers is variable.

Apparatus for conveying containers in the interface between vessel loading crane and yard classification equipment comprising:

• and underlying support along a single file conveyance path for the support of one or more containers between and on work stations at either end of said path, a first work station underlying said vessel loading crane at one end of said path a second work station communicated to yard classification equipment at the other end of said path at least one storage station between said first and second work stations for receiving at least one container;
• a shuttle car;
• means for moving said shuttle car reversibly between said work stations on a path underlying said support and any containers resting on said support;
• means for raising containers one at a time above said support attached to said shuttle car to thereby move raised containers with movement of said shuttle car;
• and means for conveying serially between said work stations along and over said support said raised containers operably connected to said means for moving and means for raising, said means for actuating said serial conveyance operable to conveying any container on said path from one of said work stations through said storage station to the other of said work stations and remotely conveying any other container on said conveyor to a juxtaposed storage position to any container at the other of said work stations whereby the spacing between said serially conveyed containers is variable.

In combination a vessel loading crane for loading and unloading containers from the vessels;

• a yard bridge crane for distributing containers to and from a container handling yard, said yard bridge crane extending over a substantial width of said yard;
• a conveyor extending in the interval between said loading crane and said yard bridge crane, said conveyor including:
• an underlying support extending along a single file conveyance path, said underlying support including a first work station underlying said vessel loading crane, a second work station underlying and communicated to said yard bridge crane;
• at least one intermediate storage station support for the support of at least one container between said work stations at either end of said support;
• a car for running reversibly along said support underlying said support and any containers resting on said support;
• means on said car for contacting containers on said support and raising containers one at a time to and from a support position on said support;
• and, means for moving said car between said work stations along a single file conveyance path for movement of containers one at a time on said path over said support to convey containers between said work stations through said storage station whereby the spacing between said serially conveyed containers is variable.

Apparatus for conveying containers in the interface between a vessel loading crane for loading and unloading containers from a vessel and yard classification equipment for distributing containers to and from a container handling yard wherein each of said containers is provided with lower castings on which said container is designed to rest, said apparatus comprising:

• an underlying support extending along a single file conveyance path, said underlying support including a first work station underlying the vessel loading crane, a second work station underlying and communicated to yard classification equipment at the remote end from said crane, sand at least one intermediate storage station for the support of at least one container between said work stations at either end of said support;
• said support spaced for receiving a portion of said castings of each of said containers to rest said containers along said single file conveyance path;
• said supports movable to a variable spacing to permit containers with various spacing between said castings to be supported on said supports;
• a car for running reversibly along said support underlying said support and any containers resting on said support;
• means on said car for contacting only one of said containers at a time at said castings of said container, said contacting means including a plurality of blocks, said blocks being placed in anticipation of various spacings of said castings;
• said blocks spaced to contact said castings at a portion not contacted by said support at said spacings of said support;
• means for raising and lowering said contacting means for correspondingly raising and lowering container one at a time to and from said rest position on said supports;
• and, means for moving said car between said work stations along said single file conveyance path for the movement of raised containers serially on said path over said support to convey containers between said work stations through said storage station whereby the spacing between said serially conveyed containers is variable.