Delft University of Technology
Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
Transport Technology



J. Biemond Positioneerhulpmiddel t.b.v. automatische container overslag voor de binnenvaart.
Engineering Assignment, Report 94.3.TT.4424, Transport Engineering and Logistics.


In this report a design is presented of a device for guiding containers in the cells of a push barge. This positioning device is developed to make automatic loading of barges possible. The positining device togther with an automated crane can be a contribution to better container transhipment to inland barges.

The positioning device, in combination with the cellguide of the push barge, is able to eliminate an inaccuracy of the container position in relation to the cellguide of 0,30 meter.
The positioning device exists of a boxgirder, which is placed on four wheels. Two of those wheels rest on a rail at starboard of the barge, the other two wheels on a rail at larboard. The positioning device is able to move to every container cell of the barge. A construction, guided by the boxgirder, is able to move in the transversely direction of the barge. This construction consists of moving plates, which guide a lowered (by the wires of the crane) container in three seconds in the correct position above the cell of the barge. The plates are mounted on a double parallelogram, which can be activated by means of a hydraulic cylinder.
The advantage of this construction is the allowance of a high lowering speed of the container, so a high (un)loading capacity can be achieved with the system. Important for positioning containers is the fixation of positioning device above the cells of the barge, when (un)loading a container. Firstly, this requires an exact measurement of the actual position of the positioning device. Secondly, the control of the electrical driven positioning system must be precise, and thirdly the fixation system must be very accurate.

The presented design answers the requirements. By absence of a barge, the positioning device is parked at a pontoon.


Reports on Transport Engineering and Logistics (in Dutch)
Modified: 2008.05.13; logistics@3mE.tudelft.nl , TU Delft / 3mE / TT / LT.