Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8087867 | Loading/unloading system for container terminal Embodiments of the present invention include quayside cranes and yard cranes related by a low elevated transfer system and a ground transportation carrier system. The low elevated transfer system includes low elevated transfer subsystems having low elevated rails, t... | 01/03/2012 |
| 7370768 | Crane apparatus for direct transshipment of marine containers between transportation modes without need of ground placement A crane apparatus is installed on a pier, wharf, bulkhead wharf or other foundation extending into the water for directly transshipping containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation to another transportation mode without necessity of ground placement of t... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7322786 | Mobile loader for transfer of containers between delivery vehicles and marine terminal cranes A mobile loader is driven to a dockside location underlying the spreader bar of a marine terminal crane. A delivery vehicle such as a train or a truck is driven into the loader at such dockside location so that containers maybe transferred between the delivery vehic... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7287953 | Method for loading and unloading Method for loading and unloading long-distance transportation means (1, 2) and for temporarily storing a standardized cargo (18) in an intermediate storage facility (3) includes a rail-guided hoist (5) with gripper (8). The cargo i... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7289876 | Container crane, and method of determining and correcting a misalignment between a load-carrying frame and a transport vehicle A container crane includes a movable trolley and a load-carrying frame pendantly connected to the trolley and comprised of a spreader and a head block, for transfer of a container from or to a transport vehicle. Plural optical detectors are mounted on the trolley fo... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7274767 | Rotating carriage assembly for use in scanning cargo conveyances transported by a crane In one example, a radiation scanning system and method rotates a cargo conveyance after removal from a ship for proper orientation with respect to a scanning source and detector, for scanning. A movable carriage may be provided on a crane system, to rotate the cargo... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7181312 | Method and apparatus for quay container crane-based automated optical container code recognition with positional identification A method and system for a quay container crane with container code recognition of a container identified by a container code with container positional identification is disclosed. The system and method are capable of performing these tasks without the use of non-sta... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7123132 | Chassis alignment system A method for aligning a truck chassis with a required position relative to a crane, in which the truck is scanned by a sensor means. The laser scanner is located on the crane in such a way that it will be able to scan at least one of a plurality of loading/unloading... | 10/17/2006 |
| H2162 | Container conveyor load transfer A wheel supported conveyor having a central platform crane section disposed between opposite end crane sections is positioned in underlying relation to a container holding spreader of a dockside terminal crane for transfer of containers to and from the chassis of tr... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7052226 | Wheeled container transfer self-aligning platform for marine terminal crane A wheeled platform is positioned between the legs of a marine terminal crane for reception thereon and departure therefrom of a motor truck from which a container is transferred by the crane onto a dockside positioned ship. The container is supported by the platform... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7040848 | Transport platform An embodiment of a transport platform has a platform having first and second end members in which spaced vertically extending first slots are formed, the first slots being adapted to receive one of a plurality of vertically extending guide members that are provided ... | 05/09/2006 |
| 6936820 | Crane mounted cargo container inspection apparatus and method A cargo container inspection device for inspection of conventional cargo containers being lifted by a crane. The device is adapted for attachment to conventional cargo lifting cranes used in ports positioned adjacent to a cargo container elevated by the crane. If nu... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6931314 | Method of automating a loading and unloading of container ships in container terminals, and crane automation system In a method of automating the loading and unloading of container ships in container terminals, a stowage plan of a ship cargo compartment to be handled by a container crane is transmitted from a harbor-side master computer via a data link to a PC of a crane automati... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6902368 | Cargo-transfer apparatus and method Apparatus and method for cargo transfer. The method and apparatus encompass a shipping terminal with a marine-side and a land-side and a computer-controlled multi-level cargo-sled storage structure placed between the two sides. Cargo is received on the land-side fro... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6802684 | Container tranfer terminal system and method A terminal and system for the automatic computerized unloading of containerized cargo from container ships to trucks, railroad cars, other ships and storage. The terminal system is equipped to store or transfer unloaded cargo automatically by using independent conta... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6768931 | Method and apparatus for quay container crane-based automated optical container code recognition with positional identification A method and system for a quay container crane with container code recognition of a container identified by a container code with container positional identification is disclosed. The system and method are capable of performing these tasks without the use of non-sta... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6715977 | Loading device for ISO containers A loading device for ISO containers in a container terminal is arranged below the land-side boom in the rear area of the container bridge and cooperates with container transport vehicles. The loading device comprises at least two bridge members which are movable on ... | 04/06/2004 |
| 6688249 | Method and apparatus for mounting or dismounting a semi-automatic twist-lock The invention relates to a fully automated, or a semi-automated, method for mounting or dismounting a semi-automatic twistlock at a corner of a deck container, wherein the twistlock is mounted or dismounted on a quayside where a ship may be docked for loa... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6652211 | Buffer straddle crane for cargo container handling operations A buffer crane for supplementing a quay crane operation and formed to operate thereunder with a landing deck for supporting a multiple of cargo containers above dockside cargo transport operations and for moving cargo containers therebetween by means of a... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6554557 | Inter-box connector (IBC) installation and removal system An inter-box connector (IBC) installation and removal system for a buffer crane formed to operate under a quay crane for supplementing operation thereof by semi-automating the previously "by hand" IBC installation and removal procedures.... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6551043 | Loading device for ISO containers A loading device for ISO containers in a container terminal with a container bridge for the loading and unloading of ships and with automatic incoming and outgoing transfer of the containers by means of automatic guided vehicles, with at least one contain... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6524050 | Container transfer terminal system and method A terminal and system for the automatic computerized unloading of containerized cargo from container ships to trucks, railroad cars, other ships or storage. The terminal system is equipped to store or transfer unloaded cargo automatically by using indepen... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6435361 | Lifting device for increasing the performance of a handling apparatus for ISO containers The invention relates to a lifting device for increasing the performance of a handling apparatus for ISO containers, in particular for increasing the performance of a container bridge in a terminal having automated inward and outward transport of the cont... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6092969 | Positioning device for at least one pallet A positioning device for at least one pallet that is deposited on a deposit area of a raiseable and lowerable container having at least one open side, especially for unloading ships, whereby the deposit area is larger than the pallets by a predetermined a... | 07/25/2000 |
| 6068435 | Goods handling system The present invention is a goods handling system incorporating a mobile unit for loading and unloading goods, preferably positioned on load carriers, to and from a ship. The unit incorporates at least one substantially horizontal transport arm with at lea... | 05/30/2000 |
| 5951226 | Freight handling plant in depots and related depots The plant is mainly designed to increase the productivity of freight handling operations--for instance containers, in any kind of depot--to simplify the engineering works supporting the mobile crane (1) having a transversal boom (2), to eliminate stressin... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5931625 | Freight loading/unloading crane A freight loading/unloading crane (10) comprises a crane bridge (16) with two lifting units (26, 28) displaceable in their longitudinal direction with a lifting system (26b, 28b) and associated load receiving device (26c, 28c) and a transfer unit (32) wit... | 08/03/1999 |
| 5882164 | Port arrangement The present invention relates to a port arrangement for transferring first-type and second-type freight units from a storage area on shore into a freight space of a ship and vice versa. The ship comprises a first freight space compartment forming a struct... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5876172 | High-capacity integrated depots for containers An integrated container depot (10) comprises a first transit sector (11) with a cellular structure (13) having cells superimposed and adjacent to one another to form columns and rows of cells designed to receive containers; a second storage sector (12) co... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5775866 | Cargo loading crane A cargo loading crane (10) comprises a crane bridge (16) having two hoist units (26, 28) with hoisting gear (26b, 28b) and assigned cargo pick-up devices (26c, 28c), a transfer unit (32) with at least one cargo pick-up region (32o, 32u) and a conveyor uni... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5765981 | Wire rope tensioning and reeving system for cargo container handling cranes An Improved Catenary Wire Rope Tensioning and Reeving System for Cargo Container Handling Cranes wherein the wire rope reeving for the catenary wire rope support trolleys is passive by being dead-ended to weights whereby it is continuously active.... | 06/16/1998 |
| 5511923 | Container terminal apparatus and method A method and apparatus for ASRS handling of loaded and empty oceangoing containers. Containers are stored in a multi-level loaded container facility in upland and pier banks of spaced rows and columns in a grill-like arrangement with each container in a p... | 04/30/1996 |
| 5505585 | Efficient marine/rail intermodal interface An efficient marine/rail interface method provides for the discharge of import containers from a container ship to well cars, in the simultaneous discharge of export containers from well cars to an intermodal transition zone. Once the container ship is su... | 04/09/1996 |
| 5478181 | Method and apparatus for moving containers between a ship and a dock The present invention relates to a dockside crane for moving cargo between a dock and a water-borne vessel. The crane has an elongated girder extending horizontally over the dock and the vessel. The crane can vertically raise and lower the girder to chang... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5456560 | Method and apparatus for moving containers between a ship and a dock The present invention relates to a dockside crane for moving cargo between a dock and a water-borne vessel. The crane has an elongated girder extending horizontally over the dock and the vessel. The crane can vertically raise and lower the girder to chang... | 10/10/1995 |
| 5409123 | Cable guide for the trolley traveling winch of gantry cranes A cable guide for the trolley traveling winch on gantry cranes for container, general-cargo, and grab operation, with a land-side support and a water-side jib that can be tilted up, the necessary deflection rollers, tensioning devices, and at least one ca... | 04/25/1995 |
| 5314262 | Hoisting gear on the trolley of a container crane A hoisting arrangement for a trolley (1) of a container crane with two motor-driven cable drums (2a, 2b), with cable rollers (4a-4d) arranged on the roller traverse (5), and with hoisting cables (3a-3d) guided between the cable fixed points (8a-8d) and th... | 05/24/1994 |
| 5232327 | Ship loader or unloader An arrangement for loading and unloading a ship comprises a boom having an upper portion in the form of a continuous box girder attached to a portal. An upper trackway is supported on a forward region of the boom on top of the box girder. A platform is su... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5039275 | Method for transferring cargo between vessel and dock A transfer frame mounted on a dock and formed with a pair of side by side elevator towers extending upwardly to about the level of the uppermost container on a ship to be unloaded and over on their sides facing such ship. Elevators are mounted in the towe... | 08/13/1991 |
| 4990046 | Apparatus for loading containers on to ships and unloading them therefrom An apparatus for loading containers onto and unloading containers from ships, in which the ships receive the containers at locations of varying height, comprises a quayside carrier framework and a travelling carrier system fitted on the carrier framework,... | 02/05/1991 |
