초록 ▼

A cargo container handling cart and system comprises a plurality of cargo container handling carts 10, each cart comprising a frame 12 supported on wheels 16, the frame having two support surfaces 26 and at least one centrally disposed container guide 20, each support surface having two cart pins 32

A cargo container handling cart and system comprises a plurality of cargo container handling carts 10, each cart comprising a frame 12 supported on wheels 16, the frame having two support surfaces 26 and at least one centrally disposed container guide 20, each support surface having two cart pins 32, and a cart end edge 28, the support surface 26 bounded by the container guide 20 and the cart end edge 28 for supporting the end of a cargo container, wherein the support surface 26 has a width substantially equivalent to a standard cargo container, the container guide 20 abuts a container end resting on one of the support surfaces 26, and the cart pins 32 extend upwardly from the support surface 26 between the container guide 20 and the cart end edge 28 for engaging with the corner casting holes of the corner fittings of the container end for holding the container end on the support surface 26 against the container guide 20.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A handling cart for handling one or more cargo containers, each cargo container having two container ends, each container end having lower edges and two lower corner fittings, each corner fitting having one or more corner casting holes, the handling cart comprising: a frame supported on wheels, s

1. A handling cart for handling one or more cargo containers, each cargo container having two container ends, each container end having lower edges and two lower corner fittings, each corner fitting having one or more corner casting holes, the handling cart comprising: a frame supported on wheels, said frame having at least one support surface for supporting one of the container ends of a cargo container,at least one container guide mounted on said frame, said container guide having a sloped surface, upon engagement with one of the lower edges or one of the lower corner fittings of a descending container end said sloped surface guiding the container end onto said at least one support surface, andone or more cart pins mounted on said frame, each cart pin engaging one of the one or more corner casting holes of one of the lower corner fittings of a container end resting on said at least one support surface thereby restricting said container end against horizontal movement on said support surface, said cart pins spaced from said at least one container guide such that when said cart pins are engaged with the corner casting holes of the container end the corner fittings are held in abutting relation with said at least one container guide. 2. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said at least one container guide having at least one vertical face for abutting a container end resting on said at least one support surface. 3. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said at least one support surface has a width at least substantially equivalent to the width of a cargo container. 4. A handling cart for handling one or more cargo containers, each cargo container having two container ends, each container end having two lower corner fittings, each corner fitting having one or more corner casting holes, the handling cart comprising: a frame supported on wheels, said frame having at least two support surfaces, each of said two support surfaces for supporting one of the container ends of a cargo container, each of said support surfaces having a width at least substantially equivalent to the width of a cargo container,at least one container guide mounted on said frame, said at least one container guide disposed between said two support surfaces for horizontally abutting a container end supported on one or both of said two support surfaces, such that container ends resting on said two support surfaces are spaced apart by said container guide, andone or more cart pins extending upwardly from each of said two support surfaces, each cart pin for engaging one of the one or more corner casting holes of one of the lower corner fittings of a container end for holding the container end on said at least one support surface, said cart pins spaced from said at least one container guide such that, when said cart pins are engaged with the corner casting holes of the corner fittings of a container end resting on one of said two support surfaces, the corner fittings are held in abutting relation with said at least one container guide. 5. The handling cart of claim 4 wherein: said container guide having two vertical faces, each said face for abutting a container end resting on one of said two support surfaces. 6. The handling cart of claim 4 wherein: said container guide has two sloped surfaces each for guiding a descending container end onto one of said two support surfaces. 7. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said at least one container guide is comprised of a plurality of corner guides each having orthogonally intersecting outwardly sloped side and inner guide surfaces extending upwardly from said platform for guiding the corner fittings of a descending container end onto said support surface. 8. A handling cart for handling one or more cargo containers, each cargo container having two container ends, each container end having two lower corner fittings, each corner fitting having one or more corner casting holes, the handling cart comprising: a frame supported on wheels, said frame having at least one support surface for supporting one of the container ends of a cargo container,one or more cart pins mounted on said frame, each cart pin for engaging one of the one or more corner casting holes of one of the lower corner fittings of a container end for holding the container end on said at least one support surface, said cart pins spaced from said at least one container guide such that, when said cart pins are engaged with the corner casting holes of the corner fittings of a container end resting on said at least one support surface, the corner fittings are held in abutting relation with said at least one container guide, andat least one container guide mounted on said frame, said at least one container guide for horizontally abutting a container end supported on said at least one support surface,said at least one container guide having a top surface and one or more internal cavities, said top surface having one or more top openings each in communication with one of said cavities, said top opening having an elongated configuration suitable for receiving a twistlock of a crane spreader, each said cavity sized to permit rotation of a twistlock received in said cavity. 9. A handling cart for handling one or more cargo containers, each cargo container having two container ends, each container end having two container sides and two lower corner fittings, each corner fitting having one or more corner casting holes, the handling cart comprising: a frame supported on wheels, said frame having two opposite sides and at least one support surface, said at least one support surface for supporting one of the container ends of a cargo container,one or more cart pins mounted on said frame, each cart pin for engaging one of the one or more corner casting holes of one of the lower corner fittings of a container end for holding the container end on said at least one support surface, wherein said cart pins are spaced from said at least one container guide such that, when said cart pins are engaged with the corner casting holes of the corner fittings of a container end resting on said at least one support surface, the corner fittings are held in abutting relation with said at least one container guide,at least one container guide mounted on said frame, said at least one container guide for horizontally abutting a container end supported on said at least one support surface, andone or more lateral container guides, each said lateral guide extending upwardly from one of said sides of said frame for horizontally abutting one of the container sides of a container end resting on said at least one support surface. 10. The handling cart of claim 9 wherein: each said one or more lateral container guides having a vertical side face for abutting the container side. 11. The handling cart of claim 10 wherein: each said lateral container guide has a sloped guide surface extending upwardly from said vertical side face for guiding a descending container end onto said at least one support surface. 12. The handling cart of claim 1 further comprising: one or more motors for driving said wheels. 13. The handling cart of claim 12 further comprising: one or more braking systems for restricting movement of said wheels. 14. The handling cart of claim 12 further comprising: one or more power sources for activating said motor. 15. The handling cart of claim 12 further comprising: a suspension system. 16. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said frame has a length substantially less than the length of a cargo container. 17. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said frame has a length substantially less than twenty feet. 18. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said frame has a length substantially less than twelve feet. 19. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said at least one support surface has a length less than six feet. 20. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said frame is comprised of two frame members, each said frame member supported on wheels and having an inner edge, said frame members pivotally engaged about a vertical axis between said inner edges. 21. The handling cart of claim 20 further comprising: overlapping pivot arms extending inwardly from said inner edges of said end portions, said arms pivotally engaged about a pivot pin forming said vertical axis. 22. The handling cart of claim 20 further comprising: each of said frame members having at least one support surface and two inner corners, each said inner corner having a corner guide for abutting the corner fitting of a container end resting on said support surface. 23. The handling cart of claim 22 further comprising: each said corner guide having orthogonally intersecting upwardly extending sloped side and inner guide surfaces for guiding the corner fittings of a descending container onto said support surface. 24. The handling cart of claim 20 further comprising: each of said frame members having at least one support surface and two lateral container guides each having a sloped guide surface for guiding a descending container end onto said at least one support surface. 25. The handling cart of claim 24 further comprising: said at least one support surface having at least one container edge support structure for supporting an edge of a container end resting on said at least one support surface. 26. The handling cart of claim 25 further comprising: said at least one support surface having an inner edge and at least one inner end container guide having a sloped guide surface for guiding a descending container end onto said at least one support surface. 27. The handling cart of claim 1 wherein: said frame is comprised of a pair of transverse frame members and a pair of bridge beams extending between said transverse frame members, each frame member supported by one or more wheels, each bridge beam having two of said at least one support surfaces and a container guide between said two support surfaces. 28. The handling cart of claim 27, further comprising: the container end having container sides, andeach said bridge beam having one or more upwardly extending lateral container guides for horizontally abutting one of the container sides of a container end resting on said support surfaces. 29. The handling cart of claim 1, the container ends of the containers having container edges, the handling cart further comprising: one or more edge support structures mounted on said frame, each said edge support structure having a flat support surface for holding a container edge of a container end. 30. The handling cart of claim 29 wherein: each of said one or more edge support structures has a vertical face for abutting the container edge to restrict the container end against horizontal movement on said at least one support surface. 31. The handling cart of claim 30 further comprising: said one or more container guides having orthogonally intersecting sloped side and inner guide surfaces for guiding the corner fittings of a descending container onto said at least one support surface. 32. The handling cart of claim 31 wherein: said at least one support surfaces is comprised of two support surfaces,said one or more edge support structures is comprised of at least two said edge support structures, each edge support structure mounted on one of said two support surfaces, andsaid one or more container guides is comprised of at least two container guides, at least one of said container guides mounted on each of said two support surfaces. 33. The handling cart of claim 1, the container end having container edges, wherein: said at least one support surface is comprised of at least one support surface having a generally C-shaped geometry dimensioned to correspond with and underlay the container edges of the container end. 34. The handling cart of claim 33 further comprising: two spaced apart container guides mounted on said frame, said container guides spaced from said at least one support surface for horizontally abutting a container end supported on said at least one support surface. 35. The handling cart of claim 34, the container end having container sides, the handling cart further comprising: said at least one support surface having one or more lateral container guides for horizontally abutting one of the container sides of a container end resting on said at least one support surface. 36. The handling cart of claim 1, the corner fittings each having a laterally facing corner casting hole, the handling cart further comprising: one or more cart pin housings mounted on said frame,a cart pin received in each of said one or more cart pin housings, said cart pin movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said extended position for inserting said cart pin in the laterally facing corner casting hole of one of the corner fittings of a container end resting on said at least one support surface, and said retracted position for said cart pin being removed from the corner casting hole. 37. The handling cart of claim 1 further comprising: a positioning pin extending downwardly from said frame, said positioning pin vertically downwardly extendable for insertion of said pin into one of one or more positioning holes in the ground for anchoring said handling cart in a precise position associated with the location of the positioning hole. 38. The handling cart of claim 37 further comprising: one or more positioning holes each having a sloped upper surface for guiding said positioning pin into said positioning hole. 39. The handling cart of claim 38 wherein: said one or more positioning holes is comprised of a series of holes having a predetermined spacing permitting two adjacent carts to be positioned at a distance appropriate for loading a cargo container on said carts. 40. The handling cart of claim 1, each container end also having side edges, wherein: said frame has two end portions, each said end portion having two of said support surfaces, one or more of said cart pins mounted on each of said support surfaces for holding one container end of a cargo container on said support surface, such that each of said two end portions is capable of simultaneously handling two container ends. 41. The handling cart of claim 40 wherein: one or more transverse container guides are interposed between said two end portions for horizontally abutting a container end supported on one or more of said support surfaces. 42. The handling cart of claim 41 wherein: one or more medial container guides are interposed between said two support surfaces on each of said two end portions for horizontally abutting the side edges of container ends supported on one or both of said support surfaces on one of said end portions. 43. The handling cart of claim 42 wherein: each of said transverse and medial container guides having a sloped surface for guiding a descending container end onto one of said support surfaces. 44. A handling cart for handling one or more cargo containers, each cargo container having two container ends and a predetermined container width, each container end having two container sides and two corner fittings, each corner fitting having a downwardly facing corner casting hole, the handling cart comprising: a frame supported on wheels, said frame having two support surfaces, two cart end edges and at least one centrally disposed container guide, each support surface having two cart pins, each support surface bounded by said container guide and one of said cart end edges, and having a width at least substantially equivalent to the container width, and a length less than six feet, each said support surface for supporting one of the container ends, said two cart pins extending upwardly from said support surface between said container guide and said cart end edge for mating engagement with the corner casting hole of the corner fitting of a container end resting on said support surface for holding the container end on said support surface, said cart pins spaced from said container guide a distance such that when said cart pins are engaged with the corner casting holes the corner fittings of the container end are held in abutting disposition against said container guide. 45. A handling cart system for handling a plurality of cargo containers, the cargo containers of the type having two container ends, each container end having two container sides and two corner fittings, each corner fitting having a downwardly facing corner casting hole, the handling cart system comprising: a plurality of cargo container carts, each cart comprised of a frame supported on wheels, said platform having at least two support surfaces and at least one container guide mounted on said frame between said at least two support surfaces each for supporting one of the container ends, each of said at least two support surfaces having two cart pins, said cart pins extending upwardly from said support surface for mating engagement with the corner casting holes of the corner fittings of a container end supported on said support surface for holding the container end on said support surface against said container guide,a motor mounted on each said frame for driving said wheels,a power source for activating said motor, anda braking system for restricting movement of said wheels.