Patent ID: 7677857

Claim:
A mobile cargo container scanning buffer crane comprising: a platform mounted on tires formed for independent movement of said platform on the wharf in a quay area whereby it can be located at variable positions below or adjacent to a container handling quay crane, said platform having at least a first predetermined container deposition buffer position and dual parallel horizontal tracks, said first predetermined container deposition buffer position located thereon disposed on the dock edge side of said platform where a cargo container can be located for pickup or deposition by a quay crane, a bridge crane mounted above said platform and arranged for engaging and suspending or depositing and releasing a cargo container at said first predetermined position on said platform, said bridge crane also arranged for moving a container between said first predetermined position and a second predetermined position disposed at or above platform height, and a container scanning inspection apparatus mounted on said tracks and formed to nonintrusively inspect a container positioned by said bridge crane at said second predetermined position, said bridge crane further arranged for moving a container vertically between said tracks to and from said second predetermined position and a truck trailer chassis located below or alongside said platform at a third predetermined position.