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The Gantrail GlideRail System

The Gantrail GlideRail System is specifically designed to protect booms on ship-to-store cranes, which regularly experience harsh operating conditions, often leading to earlier system failure and crane operator discomfort.
This product is proven to withstand issues such as high-impact forces and the corrosive environment in which booms on ship-to-store cranes operate.

Solutions to these have been worked on for several years, with various crane rail systems suppliers attempting to design products capable of withstanding the harsh operating conditions to little avail – which showcases the demand and needs for the GlideRail System from Gantrail.

We’ve meticulously focused on areas like our clamp design, a specially crafted rail head profile, and rail anchors to give crane operators total peace of mind that the rail will not move during use, or when the boom is raised.

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GlideRail System Overview

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Rail Anchor

Limits longitudinal movement

Gantail 1216-15 Clip

Limits horizontal movement

GlideRail Clamp

Limits vertical movement

ShortRail (seaside)

Designed for longevity

Guide Block

Aligns shorts rails back in position

Short Rail (landside)

Designed for longevity

Levelling System

Levels boom arm

Joint shim plate

Flat surface for install

Shim Plate

Flat surface for install

GlideRail System Details

The Gantrail GlideRail System has specifically designed components that work together to create a smooth & seamless transition from landside to seaside across the boom hinge joint.

Starting from the rail supporting surface, our levelling system (7) creates a solid platform to install the shim plates (8.9) in order to position the short rails (4.6). The clip & clamp bases (2.3) are then positioned & welded either side. Once the short rails are in place the 1216-15 clips (2) are used to align the rail horizontally, with the GlideRail clamps (3) used to align the rails vertically, then the rail anchors (1) are welded in place to stop any longitudinal movement of the short rails. Lastly, the guide block (5) is welded in place at the boom hinge joint to help guide the seaside short rail back into position for when the boom arm is lowered.

These core parts of the system help create a level running surface for the trolley wheel to operate smoothly time & time again and allow the specially design short rail profile to handle the load extending the life of the system.

The GlideRail system short rails (4.6) are available in A75 & A100 profiles to match the existing in place crane rail.

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ShortRail Section

The short rail is a section of rail positioned either side of the boom hinge joint (landside, seaside).

Short rails come in a range of lengths welded to the end of the long rail and clamped into position in 3 directions to limit movement.

The staggered finger joint at one end is positioned directly inline with the staggered cut in the boom hinge joint.

This allows the GlideRail system to move apart when the boom arm is raised for container ship docking.

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Boom hinge joint

Short rail (landslide)

Long rail

Short rail section

Trolley wheel runs along top surface

Seaside & landside short rail close up

Level running surface at joint

GlideRail in motion: Short Rail Wheel Path

The wheel path has been designed to split the load & focus the stress on 2 points of contact, this reduces the need for maintenance & prolongs the life of the system.

The short rail is manufactured in 880 or 1080 grade material as standard rails allowing for ease of welding & comes in A75 & A100 profile designs.

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GlideRail in motion: Short Rail Design Detail

The short rail profile is specially machined to reduce damage to the rail edge & around the L-shape joint, typically a problematic area for OEM boom hinge designs.

These core parts of the system help create a level running surface for the trolley wheel to operate smoothly time & time again and allow the specially design short rail profile to handle the load extending the life of the system.

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Profile optimises stress concentrations

Maximised web strength

Specially designed joint reduces damage to joint edge

Trolley wheel runs along top surface

Flange nut & bolt stay perpendicular

Cap rotates to adjust in height

GlideRail in position: GlideRail Patented Clamp

The GlideRail clamp is specially designed around concentric movement, this allows for a large range of adjustment, a strong clamping force & limits bolt fatigue enabling longevity of the product’s lifespan.

Key Design Features:

  • Concentric faces enable the cap to adjust for varying rail foot heights
  • Large angled curved surface contact area improves clamp slip
  • Downforce is generated by the concentric movement between cap & base
  • Clamping force stays perpendicular to bolt alleviating bending stress leading to bolt failure on OEM clamps
  • Concentric captive bolt rotates with cap to aid perpendicular movement for clamping
  • Locking flange nut helps limit retightening occurrences

GlideRail in position: GlideRail Clamp Components

The GlideRail clamp is specially designed to solve the current in market OEM system problems. Each key feature below combines to create part of the GlideRail system solution.

Key Design Features:

  • Locking flange nut – designed to reduce retightening
  • Slot for adjustment – designed to aid height adjustment
  • Concentric cap design - designed to work with concentric base for height adjustment
  • Large curved & angled contact area - designed for larger surface coefficient
  • Concentric base design – designed to work with concentric captive bolt to allow perpendicular movement
  • Large curved contact area for clamping – larger curved surface area
  • Concentric captive bolt – designed to move perpendicular with the clamping force reducing stress on the bolt

Locking flange nut

Slot for adjustment (horizontal & height)

Concentric cap design

Large curved & angled contact area

Concentric base design

Large curved contact area for clamping

Concentric captive bolt design

OEM System Problems

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Short rail alignment

Rail damage

Edge deformation rail wear

Pad damage

Structural damage

Weld failure

Clamp failures

Bolts loosening bolt failure

Excessive noise

Excessive vibration

GlideRail vs OEM System

GlideRail Key Features

  • Specially designed holding system ensures the engineered split profile short rails stay aligned & in position to aid longevity of the product system
  • The clamps specially designed concentric motion stays perpendicular to the bolt alleviating bending stress that leads to failure on OEM clamps
  • The specially designed rail profile wheel path splits the load & focuses the stress on 2 centralised points of contact; this reduces the need for maintenance & prolongs the life of the system

OEM Key Failures

  • OEM clamps allow a pivoting motion on the cap when an uplift force is applied; this results in a bending force on the bolt resulting in loosening, movement & vibration leading to bolt failure
  • OEM short rail designs are typically simple joints that are open to edge wear, delamination & high vibration at the joint
  • OEM short rails have a singular wheel path load that runs directly over the centre of the joint, that causes a stress concentration at the vulnerable edges resulting in high rate of wear & damage

OEM Common Joint Problems: Angle OEM Joint

The angle cut short rails are one of the most common OEM boom hinge joints in market. The typical wheel path & load runs directly along the top of the rail over the boom hinge joint.

Common design problems:

  • Edge wear at joint
  • Delamination at joint
  • High vibration at joint
  • Damage to system/structure
  • Driver discomfort
  • High maintenance
  • Higher costs
  • Shorter lifespan
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Surface delamination

Vulnerable edges

Typical wheel path

Typical OEM clamp

Surface delamination

Vulnerable edges

Typical wheel path

Typical OEM clamp

OEM Common Joint Problems: L-Shape OEM Joint

The L-shape short rails are one of the most common OEM boom hinge joints in market. The typical wheel path & load runs directly along the top of the rail over the boom hinge joint.

Common design problems:

  • Edge wear at joint
  • Delamination at joint
  • High vibration at joint
  • Damage to system/structure
  • Driver discomfort
  • High maintenance
  • Higher costs
  • Shorter lifespan

OEM Clamp Problems

The current in market clamp design typically operates by allowing a rotation at a pivot point, onto or up to a rail profile. This results in an impossible rotation of the nut as it attempts to stay parallel to the base resulting in applying a bending force to the bolt.

Over time bolts will loosen creating more movement & vibration throughout the system leading to full bolt failure & further structural damage.

Common design problems:

  • Minimal height adjustment
  • No horizontal adjustment
  • Minimal surface contact (cap & base)
  • Pivoting action leads to clamp failure

Bolt failure

Stress concentration

Pivot point

No locking thread

Standard flange nut

Minimal adjustment (horizontal & height)

Pivot point generates bending stress on bolt

OEM Cap

Flat surface not always in full contact with underside of cap

OEM Base

Standard bolt

OEM Clamps

Common design problems:

  • Standard flange nut – no locking thread feature
  • Through hole – no slot feature restricts adjustment
  • Cap pivot point – generates bending stress on bolt
  • Flat surface between cap & base – not always in contact
  • Standard bolt – no locking thread feature

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Gantry Railing Limited

Unit 11A Barnett Way, Barnwood, Gloucester
GL4 3QA
United Kingdom

+44 (0) 1452 300 688

info@gantrail.com

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