Method and apparatus for automatic operation of container crane
First Claim
1. A method for automatic operation of a container crane of the type which comprises a container storage area, a main spreader for effecting ship-side cargo-handling operation for conveyance between said storage area and a container ship which is equipped with a cell guide for guiding a container into a hatch of said container ship and an auxiliary spreader for effecting land-side cargo-handling operation for conveyance between said storage area and transport equipment prepared at the rear of said crane, said method comprising the steps, for effecting said ship-side cargo-handling operation, of effecting a teaching operation in which said main spreader is brought to a given point on or in the hatch of said container ship to detect and store information of the position of the ship relative to the position of a ship-side end of said storage and effecting a corrective playback operation in which the position of said main spreader is automatically controlled according to a position of a container to be handled, said container position being calculated on the basis of said stored information and additional information on the geometric position of said container which is determined by the construction of said container ship, variation in position of said ship relative to said crane and state conditions of said main spreader and said crane, said method further comprising the steps, for effecting said land-side cargo-handling operation, of programming the schedule for conveyance between said storage area and said transport equipment and controlling the operation of said auxiliary spreader according to said programmed schedule.
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Abstract
A container crane system comprises a storage area on a crane for storing containers temporarily, a main spreader adapted for conveyance of the containers between the storage area and a ship so constructed that the containers are guided by a cell guide and stowed into a hatch of the ship, and an auxiliary spreader adapted for conveyance of the containers between the storage area and a transport system prepared on the land to the rear of the crane. The main spreader is operated automatically according to operation schedules which are previously stored in a memory by a teaching operation and whose variable components are corrected during the automatic operation through a corrective (or modified) playback operation, while the auxiliary spreader is automatically operated through a programmed operation schedule.
78 Citations
8 Claims
- 1. A method for automatic operation of a container crane of the type which comprises a container storage area, a main spreader for effecting ship-side cargo-handling operation for conveyance between said storage area and a container ship which is equipped with a cell guide for guiding a container into a hatch of said container ship and an auxiliary spreader for effecting land-side cargo-handling operation for conveyance between said storage area and transport equipment prepared at the rear of said crane, said method comprising the steps, for effecting said ship-side cargo-handling operation, of effecting a teaching operation in which said main spreader is brought to a given point on or in the hatch of said container ship to detect and store information of the position of the ship relative to the position of a ship-side end of said storage and effecting a corrective playback operation in which the position of said main spreader is automatically controlled according to a position of a container to be handled, said container position being calculated on the basis of said stored information and additional information on the geometric position of said container which is determined by the construction of said container ship, variation in position of said ship relative to said crane and state conditions of said main spreader and said crane, said method further comprising the steps, for effecting said land-side cargo-handling operation, of programming the schedule for conveyance between said storage area and said transport equipment and controlling the operation of said auxiliary spreader according to said programmed schedule.
- 3. An automatic control apparatus for a container crane of the type which is equipped with a container storage area, and capable of effecting an independently ship-side cargo-handling operation for conveyance between said storage area and a hatch of said ship into which a container is guided through a cell guide and land-side cargo-handling operation for conveyance between said storage area and transport equipment prepared at the rear of said crane, said apparatus comprising a main trolley adapted to laterally travel on a main girder extended toward the sea from said crane, a main spreader mounted vertically movably on said main trolley and having the function to hold said container, an auxiliary trolley adapted to laterally travel on an auxiliary girder extended toward the land from said crane, an auxiliary spreader mounted vertically movably on said auxiliary trolley and having the function to hold said container, driving means for laterally inching said main spreader in relation to said main trolley, means for controlling the position of said main spreader, means for detecting the separation between said main spreader in selected ones of the container-holding and container-released conditions and said container on said hatch cover, means for detecting any abnormality of insertion of said main spreader in one of said conditions into said cell guide in said hatch, means for detecting the condition under said main spreader in said cell guide of said hatch, means for detecting the relative positions of said ship and said crane and variations in said relative positions, and a control section including main spreader automatic operation control means for controlling the position and operation of said main spreader in response to the signal from said variations detector means and auxiliary spreader automatic operation control means.
Specification