Abstract:
Apparatus for substantially increasing the load lifting capacity of mobile vehicles, such as truck mounted railroad cranes and the like, without a proportionate increase in the weight thereof, including stabilizing outrigger assemblies integrally supported by and weight distributed through the main bed frame, an improved main bed frame design, and an improved crane boom superstructure.
Abstract:
The upper works of a boom machine such as a crane is supported for rotation about a vertical axis on a lower portion of modular construction. The lower portion comprises a hub-like member having four leg module holders which are equidistant from said axis and spaced around it at uniform intervals and to each of which a leg module is detachably securable. To outer ends of the leg modules can be secured pad modules or extension leg modules that have ground engaging pads at their outer ends; or laterally opposite pairs of leg modules can be detachably connected to crawler modules. The hub-like member also has a pair of body module holders at opposite sides thereof, each laterally intermediate a pair of leg module holders, to which wheeled transporter modules can be detachably secured. Alternatively, with crawler modules installed, a hydraulic power module for energizing them can be secured to one body module holder. When not supporting the machine for transport or as a truck crane, transporter modules can serve as auxiliary counterweight carriages.
Abstract:
A telescopic boom is pivotally mounted on a frame of a vehicle and comprises telescopically disposed first, second, third and fourth sections. A double-acting cylinder has a rod thereof connected to the first section and a housing thereof connected to the second section. A first pulley is rotatably mounted on a forward end of the cylinder housing and a second pulley, having a larger diameter than the first pulley, is rotatably mounted on a rearward end of the cylinder housing. A first end of a cable is secured to the first section and is sequentially entrained over the first pulley, secured to the third section, entrained over the second pulley and has a second end thereof secured to a forward end of the first section. Thus, extension of the cylinder will function to extend the second section relative to the first section and simultaneously extend the third section at twice the linear speed as that of the second section. The fourth section of the boom is adapted to have a rearward end thereof connected to a forward end of the third section to substantially increase the overall working length thereof.
Abstract:
A wheel support (outrigger) for a rolling and stepping vehicle, especially a crane, excavator or like agricultural, industrial or construction machine in which a leg carries a wheel and is, in turn, connected by a parallelogrammatic linkage to a knuckle which articulates the parallelogrammatic linkage to the vehicle chassis. A further knuckle is provided between the wheel or its leg and the parallelogrammatic linkage. The wheel-carrying outrigger is swingable in a vertical plane while the first knuckle is provided with a vertical pivot axis on the chassis. The outrigger is also provided with an actuating device, preferably a fluid-powered cylinder, which swings the outrigger.
Abstract:
A crane is operable in either a regular mode or a heavy duty mode. In the regular mode, an upper works is rotatble, through a turntable bearing, on a lower works. A boom is pivotally connected to one end of the upper works and a counterweight is connected to the opposite end thereof. In the heavy duty mode, a support ring surrounds the lower works and is connected thereto. An auxiliary frame is mounted on the support ring, surrounding the upper works, for rotation on the ring in unison with rotation of the upper works. The boom used in the regular mode is pivotally connected to the auxiliary frame for use as a gantry, and a heavier boom is pivotally connected to the auxiliary frame adjacent the gantry. The counterweight of the machine in the regular mode is shifted to the auxiliary frame opposite the boom and gantry, and an auxiliary counterweight is added to the auxiliary frame.
Abstract:
A rotary tower crane having a tower which can be extended step-wise by adding a section between the boom supporting segment and segments of the supporting structure is provided with a host and crab mechanism for adding or removing a section adjacent to the boom without the use of another crane. The tower is provided with a movable inner tower member slidably disposed in the upper tower segment. The inner tower member has transverse members adapted to be retracted so they will pass bracing members on the tower and to expand to a point where they will support the inner member on the brace members when immediately above the brace members.
Abstract:
An improved joint and method of providing such a joint between the upper and lower portions of a rotatably driven crane post, comprising a sleeve-shaped member formed internally with screw threads and provided at the lower end of the upper position, a pin provided at the upper part of the lower post portion and formed externally with screw threads matching the sleeve member threads, and a collar on the lower post portion below the pin against which collar the sleeve-shaped member is pressed upon screwing together of the lower and upper post portions to form said joint.
Abstract:
A tower crane is disclosed in which a balance arm is pivotally connected to the top of the tower on an axis midway between the front edge of the tower and the rear edge thereof. The front end of the balance arm extends beyond the front edge of the tower, and a boom to support a load is connected to said front end of the arm. A backstay exerts a downward force on the rear end of the balance arm to balance the load. The load carried by the boom is therefore distributed equally to the four corner chords of the tower.
Abstract:
A portable, readily attachable and detachable, mobile materials handling device which is capable of being selectively connected at or near the extreme end of the boom of a crane, for example, a hydraulic crane, to provide the crane with a fork lifting capability. When suspended from the boom head of a crane, the device is free from engagement with any support member of the crane other than the boom head. The attachment comprises elevator means which include a fork lift carriage assembly capable of being raised and lowered in cooperation with a plurality of telescoping channel members by the operation of the load line of the crane to achieve the desired lifting functions at all positions accessible by the boom of the crane. Leveling means are provided for maintaining the orientation of the fork lift, for example, in a substantially horizontal position, wherein the main frame of the elevator mechanism is maintained in a substantially vertical position. The leveling means comprise a pair of spaced leveling members defining gear racks which mate with similar drive pinions driven by a power source conncted to the power system of the crane. The leveling members are secured to the elevator means so that, by operation of the drive pinions, the lower end of the elevator means may be advanced or retracted relative to the vertical by the tracking of the leveling members. The apparatus is arranged for convenient and rapid attachment to the crane, and the method of attachment is disclosed wherein the load line of the crane is reeved about a plurality of guide members, to connect to the boom of the crane. When so positioned, the device is raised into a connecting alignment with attaching pins on the boom head to be automatically secured thereabout with a locking member. The primary laching mechanism comprises the attaching pins on the boom of the crane which cooperate with cammed, generally U-shaped slots on plates secured to the device and further includes the locking members for enveloping the attaching pins and being secured thereabout by a dog member. A secondary safety locking mechanism is disclosed comprising laterally actuatable pins in the plates on the device to be secured in mating recesses in the boom head by the operation of the secondary pin latching mechanism. The apparatus is characterized as being readily attached and detached from the boom of the crane and as being operable throughout the range of operation of the boom, for example, 0 to 70 degrees or more relative to a horizontal plane. Moreover, the load space above the fork lift is substantially free from interfering members to accommodate a wide variety of loads.In another embodiment, the leveling means comprises one or more hydraulically actuated members, for example, hydraulic cylinders, connected either directly or through linking means to the elevator means for orienting the fork lift carriage assembly.
Abstract:
A pipelayer comprising a tractor vehicle having an extensible boom pivotally mounted to the vehicle and extended to one side thereof is provided with a hydraulic circuit for performing all operations of the boom and accessories. The hydraulic circuitry comprises a low volume source of fluid selectively directable to a first plurality of the motors of the machine for operating these motors at a low speed and a second source of fluid including circuits for selectively directing the fluid to a second plurality of motors including some of the first motors. Two motors within the circuit may be operated from either of the sources of fluid. Valve means are interconnected for simultaneous control for selectively directing fluid from either of the sources to the two motors.