Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2087~98
KRUPP INDUSTRIETECHN~ GESELLSCHAFT Mrl BESCHRANKTER
HAFTUNG in Duisburg
SPECIFICATION
Installation for the load transfer of pie e goods in the form of load units such as
containers, returnable containers, semi-trailers or the like.
The invention relates to an installation for the load transfer of piece goods in the form of
load units such as containers, retumable containers, semi-trailers or the like between road
and rail-borne vehicles using lifting equipment adapted to travel in the longitudinal
direction of a railway track, comprising at least one store set up between a single or
multiple track railway line and a single or multiple lane roadway.
The invention is based on the object to develop a means by which the load transfer of piece
goods between roads and rails, rails and roads respectively railways and railways can be
simplified and the load transfer time can be shortened. The load transfer means is to permit the
employment or rendering more economical of regular trains which, in succession, t}avel to a
plurality of stations for loading respectively unloading whereby time and cost consuming
shunting procedures for the assembly of trains with a variety of destinations can be avoided. A
fur~er sbject aimed at by the invention resides in the design of the load t~ansfer installation in
such a manner that it can be adapted using co nponents which are, in principle, all of the same
nature, to different requirements in particular also to increasing load transfer numbers.
The stated object is attained by a load transfer installation which comprises the features of claim
1.
The basic concept of the invention in this context resides in that on different sides of the
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railway line a receiving and an issuing store are provided, followed towards the outside by
the associated unloading respectively loading road way.
The receiving and the issuing store as well as the railway track are each associated with a
plurality of longitudinally movable unloading, loading respectively train transfer lifting
means, the operating ranges of which - viewed transversely to the direction of travel - are
separate but adjoin each other: for conveying the loading units between the operating
ranges of the unloading respectively loading and the train transfer lifting equipment
additional transport means are provided laterally adjoining the railway track, which at least
perform or perrnit the required transport movement transversely to the railway track. By
the use of mutually separate stores with an associated roadway the load transfer can in so
far be slmplified and accelerated as the road vehicles need not reach the load transfer
region simultaneously with the train. In this context the receiving and the issuing stores
serve as buffers by means of which in addition a desired transport sequence during the
transfer onto the train respectively onto road transport can be brought about. Because the
operating ranges of the respective lifting equipment serving the respective roadway and the
railway line are separate from one another these may be employed independently from one
another for load transfer depending on the requirements in the particular associated
operating region.
Having regard to an influx respectively outflow of loading units with as little interference as
possible, the road traffic way normally comprises at least two unloading respectively loading
carriage ways, the innermost carriage way (i.e. adjoining the receiving respectively the
issuing store) serving as parl~ng lane.
The processing of trains can be simplified and accelerated in that the number of train load
transfer lifting gear means is greater than that of the unloading or loading lifting gear means
The additional conveyance means may be of optional type as long as they are at least suitable
to convey the loading units between the mutually separated operating regions of the unloading,
loading and train transfer lifting means. In a preferred embodiment of the subject of the
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invention the additional conveyance means are designed as pallet conveyors circulating at two
levels and operating in the manner of a horizontally orientated continuous belt conveyor and
which - at least within the range of the input and the output store - extend laterally into the
operating range of the unloading respectively loading lifting gear and the train transfer lifting
gear means and the width of which in the longitudinal direction of the store is adapted to the
length of the largest possible loading unit (clairn 2).
Preferably the pallet conveyor belts extend on both sides in the direction of the railroad
line and the adjoir~ing unloading respectively loading roadway beyond the receiving and the
issuing store (claim 3). This offers the advantage that the associated lifting gear means
when transferring from respectively onto road traffic means and on respectively from the
rail transportation means needs to perform only short transverse routes; at least a
substantial portion of the required transverse transport and the predesigned keeping ready
(sorting with direct access) of the load units is brought about by the pa,let conveyor belts
of which, if the need arises, several at a time may be placed next to one another in the
longitudinal direction of the railroad line. The aforesaid design in analogy with a
continuous belt conveyor, besides an enlargement of the utilisable storage space, has the
consequence, that the pallets always remain part of the additional conveyance means and
accordingly the additional transport of empty pallets is dispensed with.
The load transfer capacity and operational safety may be further improved in that the lifting
gear means are each composed of an overhead crane including a telescopic jib carrying a
spreader, the spreader being pivotal in respect of the telescope jib and the latter in turn
being pivotal in relation to the crane girder and being pivotal in staggered relationship
thereto (claim 4). Due to the conventionally present hoisting ropes having been dispensed
with, undesirable s ~nnging movements of the load units are substantially avoided and more
rapid positioning procedures are possible. By operating the telescope jib it is possible to
carry out transport movements even without displacing the crane girder.
The use of a movable overhead crane movable on an elevated train trac~ brings about the
dispensing with the gantry supports which are nonnally necessary and thus at the same time
,-
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.
brings about a reduction of the mass which needs to be accelerated during travelling.
Preferably the adjoining telescope jibs which succeed each otherin the travelling direction (i.e.
those of the unloading respectively loading respectively train load transfer lifting gear
means) are mutually staggered transversely to the direction of travel so that their pivoting
axes adopt a different position in relation to the respective overhead crane (claim 5). This
design - in which the pivoting axes of adjoining telescope jibs are not aligned one behind
the other in the travelling direction - facilitates respectively makes possible the interaction
of adjoining lifting gear means of the same type, for example in the joint handling (in
particular turning around) of large loading units.
.
The load transfer installation, from a point of view of economics, can be operated
particularly advantageously if for each of the two pallet conveyor belts of the receiving or
the issuing store one train trans-loading Lifting means is provided (claim 6). The advantage
thereby attained resides in that a pallet conveyor belt can make available one suitable
storage place whereas the train trans-loading lifting gear services the other pallet belt.
The aforedescribed load transfer installation (claims 1 to 5) can more particularly be so designed
that it comprises a dual track ~ailway line (claim 7).
Departing from the previously described embodiments the subject of the invention may also be
realised such that at least one additional transportation means is provided between the receiving
respectively the issuing store and the railway line, i.e. separate from the receiving and issuing
store on both sides of the railway line. In this context the additional transport means is
constructed in the nature of a horizontal continuous belt conveyor comprising transport
surfaces for load units circulating in a plane, the receiver surfaces in the re-directioning
section perfornung a movement in the direction towards the railway line respectively away
from there and wherein the longitudinal axis of each additional transport means is
orientated parallel to the railway line or receiving respectively issuing store (claim 8). The
advantage of this design also resides in that the transport surfaces which in the normal
situation are horizontally disposed may, outside of the re-directioning sections (in the
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commencement and terminal regions of the continuous belt conveyor) may become
effective as a distributor by means of which loading units may be assembled in a desired
sequence with a view to the railway line or for example the issuing store. Because the
transport surfaces in any event also perform a transverse movement, it is possible for the
receiving and the issuing store optionally to be of particularly simple construction, i.e. for
example in the form of passive stores.
Each re-directioning section is for exa nple so designed that in that region three transport
surfaces at a time - viewed transversely to the longitudinal direction of the railway line -
may be placed directly next to one another; however, in that position only two transport
surfaces are available at any one time as well as the empty position, the size of which
corresponds to that of a transport surface. The result thereof is that the mutual spacing of
the innermost (adjoining the railway line) and outermost transport surfaces outside of the
re-directioning sections correspond at least in width to one transport surface.
In accordance with the purpose of use each transport surface corresponds in size to the
largest possible loading unit, i.e. the space requirements on the respective transport surface
(claim 9).
Having regard to the employment of the continuous belt conveyor transport surfaces the
receiving and the issuing store may each be designed as single storage stores, the storage
area of which in the longitudinal and transverse direction is sub-divided according to the
space requirements or half of the space requirement for the largest possible load unit ~claim
10). This sub-division of the storage area simplifies the collating of the load units and
their load transfer in a desired sequence.
The sub-division of the surface units into two surface halves is advantageous in order to be
able in particular to perform a substantially automatised load transfer also with relatively
small load units. In the simplest case the surface units of the single storey store may be
fixed by suitable markings (for example of a mechanical or optical nature).
The unloading, loading and train transfer lif~ng gear means may be of optional design provided
they have an adequate operating radius in relation to the circulating transport areas. With a
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view to economics at least the unloading and loading lifting gear means are designed as
` overhead cranes comprising crane trolleys and spreaders, the operating radius of which laterally
at least embraces the outermost transport suAace of the at least one associated additional
transport means (claim 11). In that context the crane trolleys must be able to peAorm a
transverse movement by way of which the loading units can be conveyed to or removed from
the region of the outermost transport surfaces.
'1
The train transfer lifting gear means may be provided with telescope jibs in the manner
already described above (cf claims 4 and/or 5). Preferably the train transfer lifting means
IL~cewise take the forrn of overhead cranes each comprising two crane trolleys and spreader
and the operating radius laterally embraces at least the innermost transport surfaces of the
additional transport means ~claim 12). In this context one crane trolley is intended for
loading the train and the other crane trolley for unioading it. The control and operation of
the overhead crane may in appropriate circumstances be optimised in that it is coupled
control technologically to the adjoining additional transport means; in this manner it is
possible to ensure that the load unit to be taken over respectively passed on already adopts
a favourable predetermined position in relation to the overhead crane on one of the
transport surfaces.
The crane trolleys are preferably provided so closely above the railway line that only short
lift movements involving small free rope lengths need to be performed.
:
The embodiment here discussed (see also clairns 8 to 12) may also be equipped with a single
track rail line (claim 13). The unloading respectively loading roadway associated with the
receiving and the issuing store, in order to avoid disruptions and delays should be so
designed that at least two lanes adjoin each other of which the innermost lane serves as a
parking lane for unloading or loading of road vehicles. If the load transfer installation
comprises three lane roadways it is possible also for the two innermost lanes to be used as
parking lanes.
,
One of the important advantages of the invention resides in that the load transfer installation is
of modular design and can be adapted to varying requirements, in particular increasing transfer
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frequencies accordingly. In this context one module comprises besides the two passive stores
includingtwohorizontallycirculatingcontinuousbeltcarriersurfaces,respectivelytwoduallevel
circulatingpalletbelts(withoutpassivestores), therailwaylineandtheroadwaysonbothsides,
the necessary unloading, loading and train transfer lifting gear means.
::
A speciality of the load transfer inst~ation resides in that the train during processing (loading
and/or unloading) need not nece~c~rily be stopped, but can be moved at a predetermined
velocity adapted to the processin~ needs through the load transfer installation5 by this
operating mode time consuming transport movements in the longitudinal direction of the rail line
can be avoided since the associated goods carriages must pass each section of the receiving
respectively the issuing store. In this context the construction and the operational safety of the
load ~ansfer installation may be improved in that the train to be processed is moved at least in
the region of the load transfer installation by means of a suitable drive unit (traction and/or push
unit) so that for example the provision of an overhead electrical line can be dispensed with.
The invention will in the following be explained in more detail with reference to two working
examples illustrated in the drawing.
There is shown in:
Fig. 1 a diagrammatic plan view without roof of a load transfer installation including a
dual track railway line as well as a receiving and an issuing store each
comprising a plurality of additional transport means in the form of transverselyorientated pallet belts,
Fig.2 a cross-section through the load transfer installation on a scale enlarged in
relation to Fig. l,
;
; Figs 3a,b partial cross-sections through the load transfer installation in the region of the
railway line respectively the unloading roadway on a scale which is larger than
that in Fig.2,
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Fig.4 a diagrammatic cross-section through an embodiment of a load transfer
instaUation including a single track railway line, a receiving and an issuing store
designed as a single storey store as well as distributor means in the form of
continuous belt transport surfaces, laterally adjoining the railway line,
- Fig.S a diagrarnmatic partial plan view without roof of the left-hand half of the load
transfer installation according to Fig.4,
Fig . 6a to d various operating stages in diagrarnmatic form during the transfer of load units in
the region of the railway line and
Fig.7 a diagra~nmatic representation in the form of a flow diagram of the various
operations taking place in a load t~ansfer installation according to Fig.4.
:
The load transfer installation iUustrated in Fig.l shows - viewed from the right-hand side
towards the left (see also Fig. 2) - the foUowing components and equipment: an outwardly
situated feed and distributor roadway including three delivery lanes 1 to 3, one unloading
roadway including two adjoining unloading lanes 4 and 5, a laterally adjoining receiving
store 6 a railway line including two adjoining tracks 7 and 8, a laterally adjoining issuing
store 9, a loading roadway including two mutually adjoining loading lanes 10 and 11 and -
latcraUy adjoining - the previously mentioned outermost delivery lanes 1 to 3.
~,~
The road vehicles to be unloaded respectively loaded (for example road trucks, semi-trailer and
tractor units) enter the region of the load transfer installation (arrow 13) in the region of a
reception area and again leave the instaUation (arrow 14).
Afterpassing the reception area 12 the road vehicles may proceed either directly by way of the
unloading lanes 4, 5 towards the region of the receiving store 6 or first on the delivery
lanes 1 to 3, after by-passing the receiving store, proceed to the region of the issuing store
9 by way of the loading lanes 10 and 11. The unloaded respectively loaded road vehicles
may change over again to the delivery lanes 1 to 3 for travelling around the issuing store 9
,
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or may enter these directly after leaving the issuing store 9. The roadways form a
crossing-free one-way traffic ring without opposing traffic. This is also made possible by
the feature that the railroad line with the tracks 7 and 8 crosses the delivery lanes 1 to 3 by
way of bridges 15 and 16.
The reception area serves for a11otting to the incoming road vehicles the most appropriate
parking areas for the load traosfer procedure in the region of the receiving respectively issuing
store 6 and 9. As will be seen in particular in Fig. 2 the load transfer installation as a whole is
under roof; it comprises - viewed transversely to the longitudinal direction of the tracks 7 and 8
- swen mutually adjoioing sections 17 to 23. The roofing serves as protection against weather
and protects the environ nent against noise.
The transfer of the loadiog uoits to be handled - which may for example comprise containers 24
aod semi-trailers 25 (see Fig. 2) - between the unloading lanes 4, 5 and the receiving store
6, respectively between toe issuing store 9 and the loading lanes 10 and 11, respectively
betweea the rail tracks 7, 8 and toe receiving store 6 or the issuing store 9, proceeds by
meaos of two unloading lif~ng gear meaos 26 respectively two loading li~ing gear means
27 respectivdy a greater numba of train transfer lifting gear means 28; the latter are
supported io a longitudioally movable manoer in the central roofed section 20 above the
tracks 7 aod 8.
Io the workiog example uoder discussion the lifting gear meaos 26 to 28 are so designed that
their cpelating radii e~ctend merely over a sma11 portion of the width of the receiving store 6
respectively issuiog store 9 so that they will not overlap. Part of the transverse movement for
bridging the distance between the operating radii of the lifting means 26 and 28 respectively 28
and 27 wi11 accordingly be taken care of by an additional ~;ansport means which serves to
feed the load units 24, 25 to be handled to the operating range of the train transfer lifting
gear 28 respoctively the loading liftiog gear 27.
In the working example under discussion (see in particular Figs. 2, 3a, b) the additional
traosport meaos - also with a view to improved storage capacity - are designed as dual storey
circulatiog pallet belts 29 which operate in the manoer of a horizontally orientated continuous
belt conveyor. The pallet belts are composed of pallets 29a which are slidable along an upper
.
.
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guide track 30 respectively a lower guide track 31 and which outside the roofed section 19
respectively 21 adjoining the inner lane 5 respectively 10 and adjoining the rail tracks 7, 8
perform a direction changing movement; in the course thereof one pallet 29a at a time is
lowered to the level of the lower guide track 31 respectively raised to the upper guide track 30.
The support of the pallets 29a in the direction changing region proceeds by way of lateral
guides 32 (see Fig. 3a) respectively by way of not illustrated guide belts running parallel to the
plane of the drawing.
Depending on the circulating direction of the pallet belt 29 the associated load units 24, 25
perform cyclically a transverse move and enter for e~ample from the region of the roofed section
18 into a region adjoining the track 7 respectively from the region of the roofed section 20 into
a region adjoining the inner loading lane 10 (in the roofed section 22). As may be seen from
Fig. 2 the length of the pallet belts 29 transversely to the tracks 7, 8 is greater than the width
of the associated roofed section 9 respectively 21 for the receiving store 6 respectively issuing
store 9. The width of the pallet belts in the longitudinal direction of the tracks 7, 8 is adapted
to the length of the largest possible load unit.
The unloading, loading and train transfer lifting means 26 to 28 (see also Figs. 3a, b) each
comprise an overhead crane including a telescopejib 34 carrying a spreader 33. Thejib in turn
is supported from a crane girder 35 in a manner allowing it to travel longitudinatly i.e. normal to
the plane of the drawing.
The telescope jib can perform rotary and pivoting movements about the axes 34a and 35b
in relation to the crane girder 35; analogous conditions apply to the spreader 33 in
relation to the telescope jib 34. Whereas the lifting gear means 26 and 27 serve for
handling load units within the roofed section 18 respectively 22 between the unloading or
loading lanes 4, 5 respectively 10, 11 and the adjoining pallet belt 29, the train transfer
lifting means 28, accommodated in the roofed section 20, are employed for loading or
unloading trains 36 and 37.
The manner of employment of the aforedescribed lifting gear means (with telescope jibs 34)
may optionally be further improved in that lifting means adjoining each other in the direction of
travel (i.e. the unloading respectively loading or the train ~ansfer lifting means) comprise
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telescope jibs 34 which are mutually staggered in a direction transverse to the travelling
direction; their pivoting axes 34a accordingly adopt a different position in relation to the
crane girder 35, i.e. - viewed in the direction of travel - they are not positioned in one line
behind one another.
For explaining the aforedescribed situation reference is made for example to the illustration
according to 3a. Departing thenefrom thepivoting axes 34aof telescopejibs 34 adjoining each
other in the direction of travel are not provided in the middle of the respectively associated
crane girder 35, but are alternatingly displaced either in the direction of the roofed section 19 or
the roofed section 21. This mutually staggered arrangement of the telescope jibs 34 permits
respectively facilitates the interaction in the joint handling of rehtively large load units.
: . .
In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l of the subject of the invention the number of train transfer
lifting means 28 is so hrge that one train transfer lifting gear means 28 in each case sefvices
two pallet belts 29. Generally speaking the number of train transfer lif~n, means 28 should be
greater than that of the unloading respectively loading means 26 and 27.
., .
In the embodiment according to Fig.4 the reoeiving and the issuing store are each designed as
single storey stores having stationa~y store areas 38 respectively 39, which are adjoined
Iat~ally by three unloading respectively loading hnes5, 4, 40, respectively 10, 11, 41 and by
additional transport means s~ving as distributor means 42,43. Each store surface (for e~arnple
~; the store surface 39 of the issuing store 9 illustrated in Fig.5) is sub-divided in the longitudinal
s and transverse directions into surface units 39a respectively 39b, the size of which corresponds
to the space requirement for the greatest possible load unit or one half of such space
requirement (cf the surfa~ e units 39b).
; Between the mutually opposite distributor means 42 and 43 a rail track 7 for a train 36 to be
~ udoaded respectively loaded is disposed.
,.~
Each distributor means 42 respectively 43 is designed in the manner of a horizontally disposed
continuous belt conveyor comprising transport surfaces 42a respectively 43a for load units
circulating in one plane.
The transport surfaces move - dcpending on the selected circulating direction - essentially
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parallel to the track 7 (cf the double arrows 44) and merely in the region of directional change,
i.e. in the beginning and ends regions of the distributor) perform a transverse movement (cf the
- double arrows 45) in the direction towards or away from the track 7.
"
In this context each distributor is so designed that in the directional change region at any stage
three transport surfaces 42a respectively 43a adjoin each other; accordingly the mutual
distance between the outermost and the innermost transport surfaces outside the directional
change region corresponds at least to the width of a transport surface; the latter is moreover
sizewise adapted to the largest possible load unit.
The unloading, loading and train transfer lifting means 26 to 28 each take the form of overhead
cranes comprising train trolleys 46 and spreaders 47 which can travel to and fro on train girders
48, 49 respectively 50 parallel to the track 7.
In order to accelerate the transfer procedure in the region of the track 7 the train girder 50 of
the train transfer lifting means 28 (in contrast to the crane girders 48, 49 comprises two train
trolleys 46 at a time.
As will be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 the crane girders 48 and 49 are so dimensioned that the
operating radius of these lifting means embraces the outermost transport surfaces 48a
respectively 43a of the distributors 42, 43; The operating radius of the train transfer lifting
means 28 as dictated by the crane girders 50 extends laterally beyond the innermost
transport suRaces 43a respectively 42a. The construction and mutual inter-relationship of
the lifting gear means 26 to 28 and distributors 42, 43 ensures that the load units to be
handled can be transferred from the operating range of the unloading lifting means to that
of the train transfer lifting means respectively from the operating range of the latter into
that of the loading lifting means.
In accordance with the length of the load transfer installation (and according to the embodiment
of Pig. l) a plurality of distributors 42 respectively 43 may each be fitted in modular manner in
succession in the longitudinal direction of the track 7.
The train transfer lifting apparatus 28 equipped with two crane trolleys 46 and spreaders 47 can
be operated as follows:
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In the starting position (Fig. 6a) a train 36 has entered the load transfer installation and has
stopped. The distributor 42 in the meantime adapts itself to the carriage sequence of the train;
the lifting apparatus 28 enters into a first transfer position, the spreaders 47 are lowered and
engage the load units 24 to be handled (Fig. 6b). These are subsequently lifted and conveyed
to a new transfer position (Fig.6c); there they are once again lowered (Fig.6d) and
subsequently released from the spreaders 47 before the train transfer lifting means 28 is moved
onward.
The functions and transfer procedures of the embodiment in accordance with Figs. 4 to 6 can
be derived from the flow diagram illustrated in Fig.7:
The load units to be handled are advanced from the region of the unloading lanes 4, 5 by means
of the unloading lifting gear 26 to the receiving store 6 respectively a distributor 42 and can be
transported by employment of the train transfer lifting gear 28 into the region of the track 7.
When unloading a train the reverse sequence applies. By means of the train transfer lifting gear
28 the load units are transferred from the region of the track 7 into the region of the
distributor 43 and can from there be forwarded with the aid of the loading lifting means
either first to be deposited in the issuing store 9 or directly to be transferred to the region
of the loading lanes 10, 11.
~,
In the embodiment according to Fig . 4 a roof cover S l extends laterally into the region adj oining
the outermost lanes 40 respectively 41.
,
