Container spreaders

Electric automatic:

Container grippers of this type are produced in the following versions:

- Telescopic
- Swivel
- Rotary telescopic.

Resizing to grip a container of a specific length, pivoting the spreader, and gripping and releasing the container are all done by the crane operator.

Actuator drive:

Electric, electro-hydraulic.

Mechanical:

Spreaders (container grippers) are supplied in fixed lengths to handle containers of 10 ', 20', 30 ', 40' feet.

Control of gripping and releasing the container is carried out by converting the movement of lifting the crane hook into a rotary movement of the locking devices.

Spreader for container handling crane

The main lifting device - the "hand" of any means for handling containers (for example, container stacker, reachstacker, side forklift, container truck, crane), which serves to manipulate the container and is in direct contact with it, is the so-called spreader (from the English spreader, literally - "folding device, spacer"). In professional jargon all over the world, this word is usually used, although the German name conainergeschirr (literally - "container rigging") is much more accurate in meaning. If at first this attachment was used to grip only sea containers, now it is used to work with cargo containers of any type. The standardized hole spacing of the fittings allows the use of spreaders to work with containers of different sizes. Most spreaders are equipped with special twist locks that grip the container firmly and rigidly by the corner fittings.

There are spreaders that can grab containers from the top (they are called Top Lift Attachment) or from the side (Side Lift Attachment). Spreaders can be "rigid", that is, do not change their length (designed only for containers of the same size), and telescopic. The latter can be used to handle containers from 20 to 40 feet in length without any structural changes. The telescopic spreader weighs quite a lot at about 6,800 kg, so its weight should be deducted from the payload of the container handling device. There are also spreader designs specifically designed to work with road transport trailers, as well as devices for handling two containers at the same time.

The spreader, despite the seeming simplicity of the design, is a very important unit, since it is subjected to large alternating dynamic loads and not only the productivity of the machines, but also the safety of work, depends on its reliability and functionality. According to statistics, it is with disruptions in the operation of this unit that 90% of all breakdowns of container handlers are associated, since it is the most loaded component of the equipment. The main problems usually arise from vibration and shock, which lead to malfunctioning of the electrical or hydraulic systems of the spreader.