Patent ID: 8206074
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: B65G,B66C

Abstract:
1. A port material handling and storage system for storing and transporting shipping containers wherein the system is adapted for use for loading and off loading shipping containers relative to ships berthed adjacent a docking facility, the system comprising: an overhead grid guide track structure including a first portion positioned over at least one storage area wherein shipping containers may be vertically stacked one upon the other to thereby define a plurality of vertical storage cells and a second portion positioned over at least one ground transport area, said overhead grid guide track structure being made from a plurality of hollow beams connected together in an X-Y grid configuration, each hollow beam having a slot in the underside thereof, said hollow beams being connected to one another to form a plurality of first spaced and parallel tracks that extend in a first direction and a plurality of second spaced and parallel tracks that extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, said first and second tracks intersecting substantially perpendicularly with one another so that said slots in the undersides thereof form a plurality of open intersections that are spaced from one another to form the X-Y grid configuration of said overhead grid guide track structure, at least one transfer unit moveably mounted to said grid guide track structure so as to be suspended from at least two of said spaced and parallel first tracks when moving in the first direction and at least two of said spaced and parallel second tracks when moving in the second direction, said at least one transfer unit including carriage means for suspending said at least one transfer unit from said at least two first and second parallel tracks, said at least one transfer unit including selectively operable drive means for moving said at least one transfer unit along said tracks of said grid guide track structure so as to be moveable in a horizontal plane in X-Y motions along both the first direction and the second direction within the plane along and from or into said first and second portions of said grid guide track structure, a container engaging means suspended from a hoist means carried by said at least one transfer unit for raising and lowering said container engaging means, and said container engaging means being of a size to cooperatively engage a shipping container whereby an engaged shipping container may be conveyed to a selected location beneath the overhead grid guide track structure.