WO1999029613A1

WO1999029613A1 - Arrangements on a lifting device

Info

Publication number: WO1999029613A1
Application number: PCT/SE1998/002099
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sten MALMSTRÖM
Original assignee: Bromma Conquip Ab
Priority date: 1997-11-21
Filing date: 1998-11-19
Publication date: 1999-06-17
Also published as: SE510958C2; SE9704280L; SE9704280D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a spreader for hoisting goods containers, comprising at least two and preferably four and in mutual opposite direction, extendible beams arranged in pairs (2, 3) having coupling means (5) at their outer ends for engaging with the corner fittings of a container, positioned in parallel and in a sliding manner in a housing body (1) accommodating drive means (7) and a first movement transferring means (8, 10) for the forward and return movement of the beams, wherein a second movement transferring means (12, 13) and first and second connection means (14, 30, 30', 30'') are arranged to engage the beams/beam pair in relation to first and/or second movement transferring means, and wherein the second movement transferring means connect to additional coupling means (4) for engaging with the corner fittings of a container.

Description

ARRANGEMENTS ON A LIFTING DEVICE

The present invention relates to arrangements in lifting devices, and particularly to an arrangement which provides an improvement of the operational capacity of a spreader designed for lifting goods containers, of the type described in the preamble of claim 1. The invention relates also to a spreader comprising the arrangement according to the invention.

For the purpose of loading and re-loading in container transport various types of lifting devices exist, for example, the type from which a rails-bound or wheel- supported crane is lowered over a container to engage with its corner fittings during a lift from a vessel to a dock, for example. The present invention is directed at improving the operational capacity of such lifting arrangements, commonly referred to as spreaders. The following disclosure relates to a construction comprising a central housing body in which two or several beams are accommodated for telescoping and oppositely directed relative movements. The beams have at their outer ends a pair of coupling means for engaging with the corner fittings, and are driven hydraulically or electrically to extend or retract, respectively, to adapt to the container's length. The drive means and movement- transmitting means are arranged in or on the housing body, which is suspended by the cables of the crane or positioned at the end of the beam of the crane.

The handling of containers is a constantly developing activity, and continuous adaptation of current technique is required to fill the needs of the transport market. In this technical field there exist containers of various standardised lengths of 20, 30, 40 and 45 feet. Because of the demands for rational, cost- saving goods handling, a growing need has arisen to handle containers also of greater lengths, for example 48, 53 feet, etc. in docks and goods terminals. Thus, there is a need for handling containers of greater lengths as well as containers of the shortest, most commonly used length of 20 feet, individually or in pairs, with the same spreader. Therefor there is a need for spreaders which have great flexibility and which are able to handle containers of greater lengths, and thus avoid set-up time for changing of lifting arrangements, and at the same time, have the capacity to displace the lifted container in a longitudinal direction, i.e. in the axial direction of the spreader, and displace the lifted container, or, in a double-lift, the pair of lifted containers, to compensate for an uneven weight distribution of the load, for example.

The technical solutions to accommodate the above mentioned requirements are limited, among other things because the length of the centre housing body shall permit retraction of the beams to allow containers having the shortest lengths to be lifted and yet, at the same time, allow for extension of the beams for engaging with longer containers or with containers paired together. Other restrictions reside in the total weight of the spreader, as well as in necessary adaptation of the inner coupling means to allow a twin-lift during longitudinal extension for hoisting long containers or containers that are paired together.

Thus, the invention is aimed at solving the above mentioned technical problems in relation to arrangements on spreaders.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a power reserve for telescoping the beams of the spreader during a lift, which can be employed individually for the beam or beam pair, respectively, or for synchronising the movements of the beams/beam pairs.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided two pairs of inner coupling means for engaging with the corner fittings of a container in a twin lift, which coupling means may be operated for displacement in pairs, each pair individually or the pairs in mutual synchronisation, respectively, independent of the operation of the outer coupling means or in synchronisation therewith at a fixed distance between the outer and inner coupling means, corresponding to a container length.

The aim of the invention is achieved by means of the arrangements provided as disclosed in claim 1, embodiments thereof being disclosed in the dependent claims, and as disclosed in a spreader of claim 13 with dependent claims. Briefly, the invention in a first aspect provides a spreader for hoisting containers, comprising at least two, preferably four extendible beams arranged in pairs and extendible in opposite directions, having coupling means at their outer ends for engaging with the corner fittings of a container, arranged in parallel and in a sliding manner in a housing body accommodating a first drive means and first movement transferring means for the axial movement of the beams; first and second coupling means whereby the beams are connectable to the first movement transferring means and connectable to a pair of second movement transferring means, respectively, which second means may be operated individually or in synchronisation and are designed to provide the beams with an axially directed power supply in addition to the capacity of the first movement transferring means, whereby, according to the second aspect of the invention, the respective second movement transferring means are connected to a respective pair of inner coupling means for engaging with the corner fittings of a container.

The embodiments of the invention are described in more detail hereunder with reference to the enclosed drawings wherein:

Figures la to d illustrate one area of use of the invention.

Figures 2a to c illustrate another area of use of the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically a longitudinal cross section of a spreader comprising the arrangement according to the invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a coupling means included in the arrangement.

Figure 5a illustrates a cross section of a first embodiment of coupling means included in the arrangement. Figure 5b illustrates the coupling means of Figure 5a in a partially broken off side view.

Figure 6a illustrates a cross section of an alternative embodiment of the coupling means of Figure 5.

Figure 6b illustrates the coupling means of Figure 6a in a side view partially broken off.

Figure 7a illustrates a cross section of a third embodiment of the coupling means of Figure 5.

Figure 7b illustrates the coupling means of Figure 7a in a partially broken off side view, and

Figure 8 illustrates a top plan view of a movement transferring means included in the invention.

As illustrative of the technical effect aimed at and obtained by the present invention, reference is first made to Figures 1 and 2, wherein Figures la to Id illustrate a double lift of two goods containers of a short length and Figures 2a to 2c illustrate a single lift of a container of a longer length. A short length in this case is a typical 20 feet, and the longer length represents a typical 40 feet, although the invention is not limited to these lengths since it is applicable to spreaders designed also to handle containers of other lengths.

Figure la illustrates a spreader comprising a box-shaped housing 1 having axially extending or telescoping beams, or beam pairs 2 and 3, where all the inner and outer coupling means 4, 5, of the spreader are in engagement with the corner fittings of containers 6, respectively, whereby these containers may be lifted in pairs, their opposite short sides essentially alongside or having an insignificant space there between and in a centred position in relation to the housing 1. Figure lb illustrates the beams/beam pair 2,3 of the spreader in a position synchronically axially extended in the longitudinal direction of the spreader to create a space between the two containers. This position may be required for a scheduled stop on a ship's deck to allow for lashing, or for parking on a load cell or on a dock.

Figures lc and Id, respectively, illustrate one position where one of the containers - in the drawing the container 6 to the right - individually is displaced towards the centre of the housing body into a position which corresponds to about half the movement or the stroke length during said manoeuvres of the coupled inner and outer coupling means 4 and 5, respectively.

Figure 2a illustrates a position wherein the beams or the beam pair 2 and 3 of the spreader are extended so that with their outer coupling means 5, they engage with the corner fittings of a container of greater length, i.e. 40 feet, 45 feet or more. The beams 2 and 3 are synchronically extended to engage with the container and to lift it into a central position in relation to the spreader 1.

Figure 2b illustrates a position wherein the coupled container 6, by synchronised extension of the beams is longitudinally displaced in the direction of the right margin of the figure in the drawing, and Figure 2c illustrates a position wherein the container has been displaced in the opposite direction.

It can be seen from the manoeuvres illustrated in Figures la and Id that the inner coupling means 4 have been operated synchronically with the operation of the outer coupling means 5 for engagement with one and the same container and that preferably they should be in indirect fixed engagement with these at a fixed mutual distance between the coupling means 4 and 5. It can also be seen that for the manoeuvres illustrated in Figures lc and Id a prerequisite is the individual extendibility of the beams/ beam pairs with their inner and outer coupling means, respectively. Said individual extendibility is made possible according to the invention in a manner disclosed more closely hereunder and with reference to the figures in the subsequent drawings. When viewing Figures 2a to 2c it can be seen that the inner coupling means 4 in these manoeuvres are inactive and that the lift is carried out by means of only the outer coupling means 5. In the manoeuvres illustrated in Figures 2b and 2c, respectively, synchronised extendibility in the same direction of both the beams/beam pairs is a prerequisite. The inner coupling means 4, when in a central position relative the housing body (Figure 2a), extend from their innermost or bottom position in said manoeuvres to allow for extendibility in the longitudinal direction of the spreader as shown in Figures 2b and 2c. This is achieved according to the invention in the manner described below with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically a longitudinal cross section of a spreader comprising a housing body 1 in which at least two, preferably four beams, 2, 3, are positioned parallel to each other in pairs, and driven in a forward and return movement in opposite directions by drive means 7 and a first movement transferring means. In Figure 3 the beams 2,3 are not shown for the sake of clarity. Said movement transferring means may comprise an endless chain 8, such as shown in the illustrated embodiment, but in other embodiments not illustrated, may alternatively comprise an endless element in the form of a belt or wire, which can be driven over two rotating wheels 9, one of which suitably may be arranged on the rotating spindle of the drive means. The endless element or chain 8 is in the upper and the lower situated areas connected to a pushing rod or a pulling rod 10, 11, of which only rod 10 is shown in Figure 3, but it should be understood that the rod 1 1 extends in the opposite direction. The rods 10 and 1 1 are connected to the beams or beam pairs, 2, 3, respectively, to transform and convert the rotating movement of the chain over the rotating wheels 9 into an axial and synchronised extension movement of the beams. Said beams, at their outer ends, have coupling means 5 of a known type, for engaging with the corner fittings of a goods container.

The invention should not be regarded as being limited only to embodiments where an endless element is included in the first movement transferring means, however, since the idea of the invention may also be applied to spreaders wherein the first movement transferring means comprise other appropriate engineering adaptations to generate synchronous, axial movement of the beams/beam pairs 2, 3.

The description of a preferred embodiment given below is limited to the details and features of the invention attributed to one of the beams or beam pairs 2,3, while an operative spreader requires that corresponding details and devices are attributed to both the beams or beam pairs.

In a lower area of the housing 1 there is a second movement transferring means arranged for the purpose of providing the beam/beam pair with an axial power reserve in addition to the operational capacity of the first movement transferring means. Said second movement transferring means comprise a driving unit for generating a linear movement and may include a piston/ cylinder unit 12, but may alternatively include a hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically driven rack and pinion drive. Said linear drive unit 12 or an extending element connected thereto, such as a rod 13, is mounted in the housing 1 for parallel rectilinear movement with the rod 10. The rod 10 has at its inner end a first connection means 14, by which the rod 10 as desired may be connected and disconnected, respectively, from the extension member 13.

Figure 4 illustrates said connection means 14, which in a preferred embodiment comprises a catch lever 15, which is brought into engagement with a recess 16 in the rod 13. The catch lever 15 is positioned to swing at the inner end of the rod 10, by an arm 17 of the catch lever extending into the open end of the rod 10 and journalled to be swung from an axle 18 extended transversely through the rod. The free end of the arm 17 has a heel 19 directed towards the recess 16, and is in this area turned to extend in opposing direction of the heel so that the catch lever essentially has a T-form. The angled part of arm 17 is connected to piston /cylinder unit 20 arranged on the rod 10 for manoeuvring the catch lever 15 for connecting and releasing, respectively, the rod 10 and the linear driving unit or rod 13. The heel 19 and the recess 16 are mutually formed to fit in the catch lever's swinging movement around the shaft 18 by having bevelled or inclined side-edges on the sides defining the arch-like path of said movement.

When the catch lever 15 engages with the recess 16, i.e. in the connected position of the rod 10 with the linear driving unit or rod 13 as the driving unit is activated, an axial power reserve is provided in addition to the power of the endless element or chain 8, transferred to the beam/beam pairs via the rod 10. Said power reserve is employed for telescoping the beams/beam pairs 2,3 when loaded and may be employed for mutual synchronised extension of the beams, whereby the rod 10 may be coupled to the endless element. It may also be employed for individual or separate telescoping of the first, the second or both pairs of beams, whereby the rod 10 is released from the endless element. Below, in the example of one embodiment, different methods are disclosed of optionally coupling or releasing, respectively, the rod 10, with/from the chain 8 or corresponding endless element.

Figure 5a illustrates schematically a first embodiment of a second connection means 30 in a cross sectional view of the rods 10 and 13. A plunger or piston 31 is supported in the rod 10 and is activated by a piston /cylinder unit 32 to have a reciprocating movement transversely to the longitudinal extension of the rod. With its outer or extended end, the piston 31 passes a vertical centre plane 33 through the endless element or chain 8. The latter has a receiving position for the extended piston 31 , in the form of a link 34 fitted into the chain, which has a hole adapted to the piston, but is not illustrated further. A sleeve or clamp 35 extends from the rod 10 and partly surrounds the link 34 when in the coupled position. The clamp 35 has a cross section permitting the link 34 to be received and guided when inserted in the clamp. A damping or spacing element is preferably arranged in the end of the link 34 to dampen the impact of the clamp during the coupling manoeuvre, and to position the chain 8 and the link 34 into receiving position for the piston 31. Figure 5b illustrates a side view of the connection means of Figure 5a, where it can be seen that the piston 31 and its drive unit 32 is positioned at the inner end of a rod 10, near the catch lever 15. In a phantom drawing, the piston 31 is shown behind the driving unit 32 and in engagement with the receiving position of the link 34. It is understood that instead of the chain 8, the endless element may consist of a wire, a toothed belt or the like having a link 34 inserted therein and operating with the piston as in the illustrated embodiment. Thus, the term link here should be understood widely to include an inserted element in the chain, wire or belt.

Figure 6a illustrates a second embodiment of the second connection means 30' in a view corresponding to that of Figure 5a. A toothed wheel or cogwheel 41 is positioned to rotate on a rod 10 to engage and rotate with a chain, a toothed belt or cog belt 8. The chain 8 is led into an arch-formed path or into a counteracting support 42 along a part of circumference of the wheel 41. The wheel 41 has a shaft 43 supported in the rod 10 on which a gear ring 44 is arranged in an axially sliding manner but arranged to revolve. A piston/ cylinder unit 45 is coupled to the gear ring and by axial displacement of the gear ring 44, optionally brings this into engagement with the corresponding or supplementary formed gear ring 46, which is fixed in a revolving manner to the rod 10, or a securely fixed member on the rod.. A spring 47 may be arranged to press the gear ring 44 to engage with the gear ring 46. It should be understood that during engagement of the gear rings 44 and 46, the rod 10 will be brought into the movement of the chain, and the rod 10, in the freely rotating position of the cogwheel 41 , is free to move independently of the chain.

Figure 6b is a side view corresponding to Figure 5b and illustrates a toothed wheel or cogwheel 41 and the counteracting support means 42 arranged at the inner end of the rod 10.

Figure 7a illustrates a third embodiment of the second connection means 30". An arm 51 is arranged to pivot across a rod 10, and at one of its ends is connected to the piston/ cylinder unit 52 which is optionally activated to oscillate the beam's opposite, free end 53, so as to clamp against an endless element comprising a wire, toothed or cog-belt or a chain 8. A counteracting support means 54 is arranged on the rod 10, whereby the support means has a sliding surface facing the chain whilst the beam 51 has a toothed or cog formed jaw 55 facing the chain.

Figure 7b illustrates the jaw 55 and the counteracting support 54 in a side view corresponding to Figure 5b.

Figure 8 illustrates an extension of the linear drive means in the shape of a rod 13, in a plan view from above where drive means 12 have been left out. On the upper side of the rod 13 the recess 16 is shown to co-operate with the catch lever 15 of the rod 10 which is supported in the housing 1 parallel with and above said rod 13. Rod 13 is likewise supported in the housing 1 for axial extension, and for this purpose may have rails 60 co-operating with grooves, (not shown) in the housing 1. In the area of the recess 16, the rod 13 is provided with guiding means 62 in the form of grooves or heels, to operate with supplementary guide means formed on the under side of the rod 10, and during the relative extension of the rods these ensure a correct positioning of the rod 10 with the catch lever 15 on engagement with the recess 16. A guiding face 61 may be arranged on the upper side of the rod 13, designed to co-operate with above mentioned guide means of rod 10 during the relative displacement of the rods in a disengaged position.

An arm 63 fixed on the rod 13 extends in transverse direction to the rod 13 and on the respective sides thereof. The arm 63 is in the outer ends thereof preferably shaped to engage with inner couplings means 4, adapted for engagement with corner fittings on a goods container and slidably supported in axial direction on the outside of the housing 1 by means of guide rails, e.g. The arm 63 may, thus, be arranged on the rod 13 to either extend through openings such as slots in the sides of the housing 1 , or arranged to hang from the bottom side of the rod 13 to extend through an opening in the bottom side of the housing. The position of the arm 63 on the rod 13 is determined by taking into account that in the coupled positions of the rod 10 and the rod 13, the distance between the twist locks of the outer coupling means 5 of the beams/ beam pairs 2,3, and the inner coupling means 4 mounted on the box body, is equivalent to the central distance between the receiving openings in the corner fittings of a goods container of shorter length, typically 20 feet.

In this connection it is mentioned that the rod 13 also may have an additional recess 16' arranged on its upper side in a position which allows engagement of the rod 10 in relation to the rod 13 in such a way that the inner coupling means 4, when the beams/ beam pairs are in the extended position for engagement with a goods-container of greater length, typically 40 feet or more, are brought into a position in relation to the centre of the housing, or to the bottom position of the inner coupling means, corresponding to about half a stroke of the linear drive means.

With reference to Figure 3, a description of the inner coupling means 4 is given below. Conventionally, these may comprise a revolving twist lock 64, having a heel at its outer end, which on engagement with a goods container is inserted into the opening of a corner fitting on the container and turned to a locking position. The twist lock is housed in a box 65 together with the revolving and locking means, which by means of heels, rollers or similar, is supported for displacement on the outside of the housing 1. The box 65 is on its rear side formed to receive the outer end of the arm 63, the later being designed for displacing engagement with the box 65 on activation of the linear drive means 12, 13.

In the non-active position of the inner coupling means 4, for example in lifts of an individual container of short length or long length, the twist lock 64 is lifted by means of a piston /cylinder unit 66 to pass over free from the upper side of the container. The piston/ cylinder unit 66 is arranged to operate between the box 65 and a moveably arranged support 67 in the box, in which the twist lock 64 is supported in a manner not more closely described, and which is unessential for the scope of invention. The support 67 is thus mounted by means of rollers 68 running on rails, on ridges or in tracks 69, arranged inside the box. The tracks 69 are designed to guide of the support 67 inwards towards the axial centre line of the housing 1 during the lifting movement of the support, and may be arranged in an inclined position or have an arch form. In the lowered and active position of the coupling means 4, the support 67 rests directly against a construction member of the box 65, or against heels 70 in the lower area of the tracks, which form a stop bolt for the rollers 68. By retraction of the twist lock 64 when in hung-up position, the advantage is gained that the inner coupling means 4 do not prevent the spreader from being lowered between tightly packed containers in a loading space, for instance.

While it is not specifically illustrated, it will be understood by a skilled person that end position sensor means, inductive sensors or other positioning sensor means may be arranged in a suitable manner to co-ordinate the activation of the above described drive unit and coupling means during axial extension of the beams/beam pairs. It should also be understood that predetermined work schemes may be stored in a processor unit for controlling and co-ordinating the drive units, coupling means and movement transferring means for simplifying the work of the operator during use and for carrying out manoeuvres described in Figures 1 and 2.

Although the invention has been described here on the basis of an hydraulically operated embodiment in which tanks, pumps and valves are left up to the skilled person to dimension and install for adaptation to a specific application, it should be understood that also electrical and pneumatic operation is possible for the linear driving units and the coupling means, respectively.

Claims

1. An arrangement in a spreader for hoisting containers, comprising at least two and preferably four in opposite directions extendible beams (2,3) arranged in pairs having coupling means (5) at their outer ends for engaging with the corner fittings of a container and supported in parallel and in a sliding manner in a housing body (1), accommodating drive means (7) and a first movement transferring means (8,10) for synchronised axial movement of the beams, c h a racterizedby

- a second drive means and movement transferring means (12, 13) for the axial movement of the beams

- a first (14) and second (30, 30', 30") connection means for engagement of the beams (2,3) with the first (8,10) and/or with the second (12,13) movement transferring means, where the second movement transferring means (12,13) is arranged to be driven separately or in synchronisation with the first movement transferring means (8,10).

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the first movement transferring means comprises an endless member (8) such as a chain, a belt or a wire, driven over traversing wheels (9), and that the second movement transferring means comprises a piston/ cylinder unit (12) or a rod (13).

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the second movement transferring means (12,13), via an arm (63) is connected to a pair of additional coupling means (4) for engaging with the corner fittings of a container.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the first movement transferring means comprises a rod (10) to engage with the endless member (8) and the second movement transferring means comprises a rod (13) connected to the piston/ cylinder unit (12).

5. An arrangement according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that the rod (10) has first connection means (14) arranged for engagement with at least one engagement position (16) of the rod (13).

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one engagement position (16) of the rod (13) is adapted to connect the rods (10) and (13) at a mutual distance between the outer (5) and inner (4) coupling means corresponding to the standard length of a goods container.

7. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the rod (13) has a second engagement position (16') which is adapted to connect the rods (10) and (13) at a mutual distance between the outer (5) and inner (4) coupling means which is less than the standard length of a goods container, whereby the second engagement position (16') is preferably spaced from the first connection position (16) at a distance which essentially corresponds to half a stroke of the piston /cylinder unit (12).

8. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the first connection means comprises a catch lever (15), manoeuvred by means of a piston/ cylinder unit (20), which is designed to engage at least one of the engagement positions (16,16') of the rod (13), formed as a recess (16) on the upper side of the rod (13), whereby the rod (10) and the rod (13) are supported in parallel above each other, and on their facing surfaces are formed with guide means (62) for guiding the catch lever when engaging with the recess.

9. An arrangement according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that the rod (10) in the area of its inner end has a second connection means (30) for engagement of the rod (10) with the endless member (8), comprising an electrically or hydraulically or pneumatically driven, axially moveable piston (13) mounted transversely to the rod (10), which on engagement with the endless member is brought into engagement with a receiving position in the endless member, and which on disengagement is brought out of said receiving position, preferably designed as a link (34) arranged in the endless member.

10. An arrangement according to claims 1 and 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rod (10) in the area of its inner end has a second connecting means (30") for engagement of the rod (10) with the endless member (8), comprising a jaw (53) pivo tally supported transversely to the rod (10) and driven either electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically, which is brought into contact with the endless member by means of clamping the endless member between the jaw (53) and a counteracting support (54) rigidly fixed on the rod (10).

1 1. An arrangement according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the endless member comprises a chain (8) and that the jaw (53) has cogs or teeth for gripping with the chain, and that the counteracting support (54) is planar and allows the chain to slide pass said support when the jaw is in the open position.

12. An arrangement according to claims 1 and 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rod (10) in the area of its inner end has a second connecting means (30') for engagement of the rod ( 10) with an endless element (8) in the form of a chain, comprising a cogwheel or toothed wheel (41) supported for rotation transversely to the rod (10) and which in a disengaged position of the rod (10) rotates freely on engagement with the chain, and is locked against rotation, electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically by a co-rotating gear ring (44) on the axis of the wheel being axially displaced and brought into engagement with a supplementary formed gear ring (46) fixed rigidly on the rod (10) in the engaged position of said rod (10).

13. A spreader for lifting containers, comprising at least two and preferably four beams (2,3) arranged in pairs and extendible in opposite directions, having coupling means (5) at their outer ends for engagement with the corner fittings of a goods container, said beams being arranged in parallel and in a sliding manner in a housing body (1) accommodating drive means (7) and a first movement transferring means (8, 10) for the forward and return movement of the beams, wherein said movement transferring means comprises an endless member (8) driven over traversing wheels (9) connected to the beams (2,3), allowing their synchronised axial extension, c h a r a c t e r- i z e d in that a second drive and movement transferring means (12, 13) and first (14) and second (30, 30', 30") connecting means for engaging the beams/beam pairs with the first and the second movement transferring means, wherein the second movement transferring means (12, 13) are connected to additional, inner coupling means (4) for engaging with the corner fittings of a container, whereby the spreader allows for hoisting of two containers of short length during simultaneous individual or mutual side displacement of these in the axial direction of the spreader, and also allows for hoisting of an individual container of larger length during side displacement in the axial direction of the spreader.

14. Spreader according to claim 13, characterised by the second movement transferring means (12, 13) comprising an arm (63), connected to the inner coupling means (4) and extending through openings defined in the housing (1) and adapted in the engaged positions of the first and second movement transferring means, respectively, for positioning the inner coupling means (4) through a movement which is synchronised with a movement of the outer coupling means (5) of the beams/pair of beams.

15. Spreader according to claim 14, characterised by the inner coupling means (4) being supported on the outside of the housing (1) for guided axial displacement, and the arm (63) extending through an opening defined in the bottom side of the housing (1) for engagement with and for displacement of the inner coupling means (4) in the axial movement of the second movement transferring means (12, 13).

16. Spreader according to claim 15, characterised by the inner coupling means (4) comprising retractable twist locks (64), retractable towards the longitudinal centre of the housing (1).

17. Spreader according to claim 16, characterised by the twist locks (64) mounted in a support (67) moveable in the inner coupling means (4), said support on retraction of the twist locks being guided in tracks or on rollers (68) arranged on the coupling means.