Empty container handler is a key equipment for container transportation, widely used in the stacking and transshipment of empty containers in ports, docks, railway and highway transfer stations and yards. The container handler has the characteristics of high stacking layers, fast stacking and handling speed, high operating efficiency, flexibility and space saving.
What Is The Function of Empty Container Handler?
The empty container stacker uses spreader to realize the stacking and transportation of 20 feet and 40 feet empty containers. It can stack up to 9 layers, with flexible and reliable performance. The machine can be used for multiple purposes, not only for transportation, but also for yard stacking, loading, unloading, and unpacking operations.
Because the special spreader lifts vertically along the mast, the empty container handler can only stack the outer containers, and cannot achieve cross-container operations.
Highlights of Empty-container Handler
There are two types of empty container stackers, diesel-driven and battery-driven. Compared with reach stackers, it is less expensive, which is an economical choice for empty container stacking and transshipment.
Safe And Reliable
- Annular automatic fire extinguishing system: The fire extinguishing system is arranged around the engine room, self-detection and automatic start.
- Using high-quality plates, fatigue analysis in all working conditions, reasonable stress on the spreader, frame and mast.
- Using self-circulating parallel hydraulic motor independent heat dissipation technology, and the heat balance temperature of the hydraulic system is below 80 ℃, so users can continue to work in high temperature environments without stopping the machine, saving work time and costs.
Smart And Efficient
- Adopting large displacement dual variable pump load-sensitive hydraulic system, dual pump confluence and flow regeneration differential technology, the lifting speed is 5%~10% higher than other container handlers.
- The whole machine has a reasonable and optimized layoutand strong continuous operation ability.
- Mast eccentric load detection and early warning system: The weight and eccentric load on both sides of the mast are detected by the pressure sensor installed at the end of the chain, and the detection error is less than 1%.
- Intelligent brake system: detects the situation behind the container stacker through radar and infrared probes, and when a person or obstacle approaches, it alarms and brakes intelligently.
Comfortable Operation
- Convenient operation: reasonable layout of control elements and commonly used buttons within easy reach.
- Comfortable cab: intelligent temperature adjustment, high-power heating and cooling air conditioners, three-dimensional air duct layout, wide temperature adjustment range, fast response speed; large cab space, shock-absorbing suspension seat can be adjusted to various positions; multi-point layout at the bottom and large contact surface cushions minimize the fatigue strength of the driver.
- Wide field of vision: panoramic field of visionin the front, large area of glass at the top with no obstruction, and observation hole at the rear.
- Smooth operation: The dual-variable pump valve-controlled load-sensing system is adopted to automatically adjust the output flow of the oil pump according to the load demand. The electro-proportional valve-controlled output is stable and small, and the minimum stable lifting speed is less than 1.5mm/s.
Energy Saving And Environmental Protection
- Dynamic power matching energy-saving technology: By detecting the pressure of the hydraulic system and the user’s operating speed requirements, it automatically recognizes the dynamic power requirements, and actively adjusts and controls the engine speed to make the engine work in the best operating area, which is highly efficient and energy-saving.
- Load-sensitive hydraulic system: The hydraulic system automatically adjusts the output flow of the oil pump according to the load demand to achieve high-precision flow control and avoid overflow losses.
Lifting System of The Empty Container Handling Machine
The lifting system of the empty container handler is mainly composed of inner mast, outer mast, lifting cylinder, tilt cylinder, and spreader. It is an important system of the empty container handler, which reflects the lifting capacity and loading and unloading efficiency, and is an important factor in determining the operating productivity of the stacker.
Specifically, the empty container stacker realizes the stacking and handling of containers through the up and down movement of the lifting system. The stacking height depends on the maximum lifting height of the lifting system, and the operating productivity depends on the lifting and lowering speed of the lifting system.
Therefore, the relevant parameters of the lifting system are one of the important indicators that determine the performance of the empty-container handlers.
Special Spreader for Container Stacker
When the spreader is aligned with the container through the guide angle plate, the twist lock device is inserted into the corner hole of the container, and the container can be locked for lifting after rotating by 90°.
The spreader is composed of load-bearing beam and telescopic beam. When loading, the spreader is located on the side of the container, and the telescopic beam can be extended and contracted laterally under the drive of the telescopic cylinder.
This special spreader usually has two twist lock devices, which are located at both ends of the telescopic beam. The load-bearing beam does not have the function of rotating adjustment, so it cannot be rotated and positioned in the horizontal plane. It can only rely on the forward, backward and steering of the stacker to adjust the position of the container and complete the container docking and stacking operations.

Learn More About The Operation of Container Stackers
Operation Standard of Empty Handler
- The working environment is -20℃-40℃, and the maximum corresponding humidity is not more than 95%.
- When the container stacker is working, the wind power must not exceed 6 levels.
- The work site must be level and solid, and the ground slope should not be higher than 3%.
- The safety factor of the lifting chain should not be less than 5.
- The hoses and connecting parts used can withstand 3 times the pressure of the hydraulic circuit for 1 min without breaking and no abnormal phenomena.
- The structure can withstand an overload weight of 1.33 times the rated load without deformation or damage.
- When the overload is 10%, there should be no leakage and other abnormal phenomena in the mast system and hydraulic system.
Safe Operation Regulations for Empty Container Handlers
- Check the hydraulic system functions such as the brake limit.
- Check whether the tire fastening bolts are looseor damaged.
- Check whether the brake and brake switch are in good condition.
- Check whether the anti-tilting device is sensitive and reliable.
- Check whether the passage and the driver’s cabare clean, and whether there are oil stains and sundries.
- Check whether there are people or obstacles around the machine. If there are, remove the obstacles first.
- The gear shift lever is placed in the neutral position.
- No people are allowed to be carried on any part outside the cab.
- When going backwards, honk the horn, look back to confirm safety, and start at low gear.
- It is forbidden to start with the second or third gear.
- Strictly abide by the requirements of the load curve chart of the machine, and overload operation is strictly prohibited.
- When lifting the container, the empty container handler should be as close as possible to the container to be lifted, so that the machine can operate in the best stable state.
- When driving with the container, use low-speed gear, and the traveling speed should not exceed 55km/h.
- It is strictly forbidden to turn sharply, brake sharply, or accelerate sharply. Avoid load swings and sudden movements.
- Partially loaded containers are not suitable for lifting, andit is strictly forbidden to adjust the spreader during lifting.
- When the machine is loaded, the driver is not allowed to leave the cab.
- It is strictly forbidden to stop on the ramp.
- During driving and operation, it is strictly forbidden for others to get on and off the vehicle.