Material or article handling – Marine loading or unloading system – Marine vessel to/from shore
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-05
2004-10-12
Krizek, Janice L. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Marine loading or unloading system
Marine vessel to/from shore
C114S004000, C104S098000, C414S140600, C414S141300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802684
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a terminal and system for the automatic computerized transfer, e.g., loading and unloading, of containerized cargo between a container ship and trucks, railroad cars, other ships and/or storage.
BACKGROUND ART
The related art of interest describe various means for unloading ship cargo on land or offshore. However, presently, the art neither teaches nor suggests the present invention of utilizing an automated transfer system which does not require gantries for loading and removing cargo from ships.
The related art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,219 issued on Nov. 27, 1990, to Laurence R. Brickner et al. (“the '219 Patent”) describes a computerized grid rail (GRAIL) container transport and storage system. An integrated container handling system is designed to move containers from a cargo vessel to appropriate storage facilities located proximal to a vessel docking area. The handling system collects containers from a vessel and maneuvers them via a master computerized control system to storage within a dockside facility. The '219 Patent is distinguished by its requirement for a buffer apparatus which includes a gantry type shore crane to unload the containers onto an upper raised platform and a lower raised platform in the buffer for loading containers. The present invention omits the buffer structure and does not require gantry cranes to load and unload the ship's cargo.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,561 issued on Oct. 13, 1992, to Donald E. Lee (“the '561 Patent”) describes an automated all-weather offshore cargo transfer terminal system. Four Delong B barges (150 ft.×60 ft.×10 ft.) are arranged in parallel pairs and connected by an overhead transverse frame structure (300 ft.×100 ft.) to form an H-shaped terminal in an offshore site. Larger vessels unload on the outside of the barges with smaller ships unloading inside the terminal. Several ship berthing modules under automatic control are required for maintaining the stability of the ships while moored in open water. These flat rectangular modules or fenders are either 16 ft. long and 15 ft. high or 50 ft. long for large ships. The requirements for offshore use with anchorage means and the lack of any mechanical cargo transfer system distinguish the offshore terminal system of the '561 Patent from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,585 issued on Apr. 9, 1996, to William B. Hubbard (“the '585 Patent”) describes a marine/rail interface method for the discharge of import containers from a cargo vessel. A series of rail mounted gantry cranes spanning six rail tracks on a pier remove the import containers from a container ship by individual mobile lifts. Individual rubber tired gantries load or remove the containers from the trucks for temporary storage or which transfer the containers to trucks from the temporary storage for travel on land to an upgraded inland rail area. The trucks return to the crane with export containers. An electronic management system is employed to record the movement of containers by transponders. The '585 Patent is distinguished by its use of multiple cranes, movable gantries, and its reliance on a remote inland storage area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,923 issued on Apr. 30, 1996, to Paul D. Dunstan (“the '923 Patent”) describes a container terminal apparatus and method for handling loaded and empty ocean-going containers. The loaded and empty containers are stored in separate remote buildings or banks. Each building has computer automated internal bridge cranes which transport the containers between the buildings and the pier. Each upland and pier bank is provided with external fast transport balconies which enable a container to be moved rapidly lengthwise along the length of the container facility. The '923 Patent is distinguished by its emphasis on transportation and storage in separate facilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,148 issued on Apr. 8, 1997, to Oyvind T. Iversen et al. (“the '148 Patent”) describes a method and apparatus for transporting larger units of container cargo from a ship. Heavy duty pallets on transfer trolleys or wagons driven by either electricity or diesel power are utilized to transport 20-25 containers weighing 600-875 tons directly from a vessel on a pair of parallel train tracks to the quay with crossing points for movement to two storage lines. The stacking and unstacking of containers on a pallet are performed by portal or overhead cranes. The '148 Patent is distinguished by its reliance on pallets, transfer trolleys and cranes not utilized in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,456 issued on Aug. 9, 1988, to Arthur J. Nelson (“the '456 Patent”) describes accommodations to exchange containers between vessels on a floating terminal. The transfer of container cargo is performed by floating gantry cranes. The system of the '456 Patent is distinguished, inter alia, by the lack of an intermodal transportation interface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,582 issued on Apr. 30, 1974, to Leif P. R. Anderson (“the '582 Patent”) describes a loading and unloading device for ship containers. The main thrust of the '582 Patent is to move containers from a ship and within a terminal without the use of hoist winches, cables and associated machinery. Containers are lifted up from inside the ship with hydraulic rams. An overhead mounted carriage accepts a group of four containers and moves the group onto a conveyor within the crane. The containers slide over to an elevator within the gantry. The elevator transfers the containers to a ground level roller type conveyor system that moves the container to a storage facility or to a transfer point within the yard. The system of the '582 Patent is distinguishable by its reliance on a ground level gantry crane and a conveyor system, which apparatus are omitted in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,987 issued on May 28, 1974, to Minoru Watatani (“the '987 Patent”) describes a container crane apparatus with a buffer between the crane and a rear conveyance facility on the crane. The apparatus of the '987 Patent is distinguishable because the present invention has no need for a gantry crane.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,957 issued on Jun. 26, 1973, to Robert J. McKenzie (“the '957 Patent”) describes an apparatus for stabilizing a barge in a body of water for the unloading of heavy loads directly onto rail tracks. A plurality of pilings and associated mechanical devices keep the barge level. The apparatus of the '957 Patent is distinguishable by its need for a track system on the barge to land.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,197 issued on Jun. 30, 1964, to John J. Bylo (“the '197 Patent”) describes the loading and unloading of an entire block of cargo from a ship by side mechanisms. The system of the '197 Patent is distinguishable by its requirement for removal of an entire block of cargo at one time.
German Patent No. 26 57 830 issued on Jun. 22, 1978, to Gerhard Mayer et al. (“the '850 Patent”) describes a freight container harbor transport system with continuously running conveyors alongside a ship and each other in a cascade pattern. The freight container loading gantries are connected to the gangways of a high-rise warehouse parallel to the quayside and accommodating them to the gangways. The continuously running conveyors are arranged in at least the length of the ship and stepped upward in a cascade pattern. The system of the '850 Patent is distinguishable by its reliance on a continuously running conveyor system and the use of a gantry crane for loading and unloading containers.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Accordingly, it is a principle object of the invention to provide a container ship terminal with storage, truck and rail facilities.
It is another object of the invention to provide a containe
Arntzen John O.
Thorsen Richard P.
ACTA Maritime Development Corporation
Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP
Krizek Janice L.
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