WH SCOTT
Latching Crane Systems for Multi-Bay Load Transfer
Move a suspended load from one crane bay to the next without setting it down. Designed into new crane systems or retrofitted to the cranes you already have, across the UK and Ireland.
Move Loads Between Crane Bays Without Lowering Them
A conventional overhead crane can only travel within its own bay. Anything that needs to reach the next bay has to be lowered, released and picked up again — usually with a forklift or a second crane in between.
A latching crane system removes that break. At a defined transfer point, the bridges in adjacent bays are brought into line and mechanically latched together, so the hoist trolley can travel from one bridge onto the next with the load still suspended. Long-travel and cross-travel motions are retained throughout, which means fewer set-downs, fewer sling changes and less reliance on other handling equipment between work areas.
WH Scott designs latching systems into new overhead gantry crane installations, retrofits them to existing cranes, and can supply the latch assembly on its own for fitting by your own engineers.
How the Transfer Is Controlled
Transfer is only possible once the two bridges are correctly positioned and latched. Limit switches confirm alignment, creep speeds slow the hoist as it approaches and crosses the joint, and mechanical stops prevent travel beyond the latched section. The movement becomes a controlled, repeatable sequence rather than a judgement call made from the floor.
- Full long-travel and cross-travel movement retained across every bay in the system
- Limit switches, creep speeds and mechanical stops built into each transfer point
- Transfer points positioned to suit your bay layout and production flow, not a standard arrangement
- Operated by radio remote control, so the operator can follow the load at floor level
Lifting Solutions
Part of a complete lifting range
This is one of the complete lifting solutions delivered by WH Scott across the UK and Ireland — from radio remotes, hoists and crane components to fully bespoke crane systems. Explore the full range to find the right fit for your operation.
What We Look At Before Specifying a System
Every latching system is engineered around the building it sits in, so specification starts with a site survey rather than a catalogue. Our engineers assess:
- The number of adjacent bays involved and the most practical transfer route between them
- Where transfer points should sit, based on bay layout and production flow
- Structural capacity of the existing runways, columns and supporting steelwork
- Compatibility with existing hoists, controls and runway arrangements
- Access for maintenance, inspection and thorough examination once the system is in service
On a retrofit, extending where a load can travel changes how forces pass through the existing crane and its supporting steelwork, so that has to be assessed before any work starts — and it determines what testing is required before the system returns to service.
Where Latching Crane Systems Are Used
Latching systems suit factories where the same load passes through several bays as part of a production sequence — assembly, fabrication, finishing and test areas served by separate cranes. They earn their place fastest where floor space is tight, where the load is large or awkward enough that repeated set-downs carry real risk, or where a forklift move between bays is the current bottleneck.
WH Scott has installed latching crane systems for aerospace manufacturers including GKN Aerospace and Airbus UK, where controlled movement of large assemblies between bays is part of everyday production. On systems of that size, hoists can be paired in tandem to carry long components, and control can be integrated so that any hoist can travel any beam.
Compliance for Latching Crane Systems
An installed latching crane system is lifting equipment. In Great Britain it falls under LOLER and PUWER, which means a thorough examination before first use — its safety depends on how it is installed — and then at least every 12 months in service. BS EN 15011 covers the design and post-installation testing of bridge and gantry cranes; BS 7121-2-7 covers their inspection, maintenance and thorough examination. Equivalent regulations apply in Northern Ireland.
In Ireland the duties sit in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007). Under Regulation 52 and Schedule 1, a crane requires thorough examination every 12 months and lifting accessories every six months; fixed lifting equipment must be tested before first use, and any lifting equipment must be tested again after substantial alteration or repair affecting its strength or stability — which is why retrofit scope matters. The HSA publishes guidance on the work equipment regulations.
Installation, commissioning and load testing are delivered by our lifting services teams, with ongoing statutory examination through our inspection services network across the UK and Ireland.
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Tell Us About Your Project
Whether you need a single piece of equipment or a fully engineered lifting system, our specialists can help. Tell us your load, environment and compliance requirements — we’ll do the rest.