EP1735233A1

EP1735233A1 - Mobile crane system comprising a mobile crane and an auxiliary device for assembly of a bracing device

Info

Publication number: EP1735233A1
Application number: EP05748071A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Irsch; Bernd Backes
Original assignee: Terex Demag GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Tadano Demag GmbH
Priority date: 2004-03-26
Filing date: 2005-03-23
Publication date: 2006-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-23
Also published as: DE602005023289D1; DE202005015044U1; WO2005092775A1; EP1735233B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a mobile crane system, comprising a mobile crane (7) with a crane boom (13), a guying assembly (9) with at least one guying element (9b) for guying the crane boom (13) and an attachment means (21) on said crane boom (13) with the aid of which the guying assembly (9) can be releasably attached at said crane boom (13). The system also comprises a mounting assistance apparatus (23) adapted to hold the guying assembly (9) in a mounting position apart from the crane boom (13) and making it possible for the crane boom (13) to be introduced underneath the guying assembly (9).

Description

Mobile crane system comprising a mobile crane and an auxiliary device for assembly of a bracing device

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a mobile crane system comprising a mobile crane and a mounting assistance apparatus. Such a mobile crane has a boom which can be erected in various luffing positions. A mobile crane of the mobile crane system according to the present invention is also equipped with a guying assembly adapted for the guying of the crane boom. Moreover, an attachment means is present on the boom with the aid of which the guying assembly can be releasably mounted on the mobile crane boom.

The invention also relates to a mounting assistance apparatus for mounting or removing a guying assembly on or from a boom of a mobile crane of the type in question.

The invention also relates to a guying assembly of a crane boom of a mobile crane adapted for performing the mounting or removing without the aid of an auxiliary crane.

The present invention also relates to a mobile transportation apparatus which in turn is intended for the transport of a guying assembly for a mobile crane and on the other hand is adapted for the mounting or the removing of the guying assembly without the aid of an auxiliary crane on or from the boom of the mobile crane to be guyed.

Finally, the invention relates to both a method for mounting and a method for removing a guying assembly of a mobile crane. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has been known for a long time that installing a guying assembly on the base section of the main boom of the telescopic boom crane, also known as "superlift", will increase the bearing load and reduce the bending of an extended telescopic boom of a telescopic boom crane. This well known arrangement comprises a gantry to be folded against the base section, wherein the gantry is connected, for example, to the foot section of the main boom via a guying means (boom stops) which is almost invariable in length, and with the head or collar of one of the inside telescopic sections via another guying means (the boom pendants) variable in length. This type of guying, which reduces bending in the luffing plane, may be applied to a telescopic boom crane alone, but it may also be applied in the context of the arrangement of an additional fly jib mounted on the telescopic boom, such as a rigid or luffing latticework fly jib. Such a guying assembly with a gantry is shown, for example, in the prospectus by Mannesmann Demag Fδrdertechnik, Demac AC 1600; 04/06, pp. 5, 17 and 27 or in DE 31 13 763 Al.

However, the above described superlift guying assembly only reduces bending in the luffing plane of the crane boom, i.e. that plane which is formed by the boom in the various steep positions. Terex-Demag GmbH & Co. KG / Germany has developed the above described guying assembly in such a way that now the boom is also made rigid with respect to lateral deformations, which helps to achieve considerable increases in bearing load, in particular in steep positions of the boom of the telescopic boom crane. The guying assembly, which is an entirely new development, has two separate guying arms that can be brought into a laterally protruding operational position, in particular, into a "V" position. This is to say that the guying arms, in their operational position, form an angle of between 0° and 90° to the luffing plane. Such a guying assembly is described, for example, in EP 1 065 166 Al. The references DE 200 23 223 Ul and DE 200 22 790 Ul also show such guying assemblies.

As has been mentioned, guying assemblies having laterally protruding guying arms can achieve considerable increases in the bearing load, in particular in steep positions of a boom of a telescopic boom crane when compared with the guying assemblies, as explained above, using a gantry. Moreover, such SSL guying assemblies can also function as a gantry when the guying arms have an essentially 0° position with respect to the luffing plane. This is why in due course, modifications of this guying assembly have been developed such as described in DE 202 03 443 Ul or EP 1 342 692 A2. Both the guying assemblies having a gantry and guying assemblies having two separate guying arms which can be brought into laterally protruding positions can be mounted on the boom of a mobile crane as separate guying assemblies. For example, the initially mentioned Demag AC 1600 telescopic boom crane has a guying assembly wherein a frame can be removed from the boom together with the gantry. To do this, it is necessary, however, to use an additional crane for removal or mounting in order to mount or to remove the guying assembly with the gantry on or from the boom of the telescopic boom crane. One of the exemplary embodiments of a guying assembly with guying arms which can be brought into laterally protruding positions according to EP 1 065 166 A2 comprises a frame with the guying arms pivotably arranged thereon. This frame can be bolted to the telescopic boom in a releasable manner. In either case, for mounting or removing of the guying assembly, an auxiliary crane is necessary, which involves additional cost and also increases rigging times for such modern telescopic boom cranes with lateral guying. Finally, it must be noted that a hook block or the hoist line must be offset since otherwise the mounting of such prior art guying assemblies is not possible. After the completed mounting of this guying assembly on the boom, the hoist line must be passed over it to the head of the boom.

In the above mentioned EP 1 342 692 A2, this problem has been recognized, but the alleged solution proposed therein involves extensive structural changes with respect to the above embodiments. It is proposed, for example, that the separate guying arms are placed, not mounted on a common frame, at first on consoles or comparable supports while the boom is lowered, and that they be released from the telescopic boom. The consoles or supports are arranged next to the telescopic boom at the mobile crane. Then the telescopic boom is luffed into an upper position without the guying arms. The guying arms are then picked up by the telescopic boom itself from their intermediate storage on the consoles and then loaded onto a low bed truck or the like. For the purposes of mounting, the sequence of steps is reversed. The guying arms lying on a low bed truck or the like are lifted by the telescopic boom on which they are to be mounted itself and placed on consoles arranged by the telescopic boom crane or its carrier in predetermined positions. Then the telescopic boom is lowered so that it lies between the guying arms positioned on the consoles. Then the guying arms are mounted on the telescopic boom.

While with the above approach a separate auxiliary crane could be eliminated, the entire guying assembly had to be structurally changed. Moreover, the rigging is time-consuming since various rigging steps have to be carried out involving a plurality of lifting processes of the mobile crane, since each individual guying arm has to be picked up from the transportation apparatus and placed on the consoles. Moreover with the arrangement according to the EP 1 342 692 A2, a plurality of hydraulic connections for hydraulic cylinders associated with the individual guying arms have to be connected to their corresponding counterparts on the telescopic boom crane, which also increases rigging times.

For sake of completeness the following documents are referred to. FR 2 759 040 Al shows a crane of which the boom is mounted to a chassis unit, hinged about a point. A trailer carries a transit frame. For mounting and dismounting the boom, the frame and the chassis unit are connected at release points, and hinged arms are connected to the boom and the trailer bed. To dismount the boom, it is released at the point and a jack is extended, causing the boom to move on the hinged arms to rise and then drop onto the transit frame, with assistance from the jack. A guying assembly for a telescopic boom is not provided.

In US 5,484,069 a method and apparatus for self-assembling and self-disassembling a large capacity crawler crane are disclosed. The method uses the load hoist line of a crane to remove an equalizer from the boom. The method also uses a hydraulic cylinder to support, raise and lower the boom after the equalizer has been removed from the boom. Finally, the boom butt can be disassembled into several parts.

A mobile crane comprising a detachable telescopic boom is shown in DE 101 36263 Al (corresponds to US 2002027118 A). A part of the telescopic boom rests on a semitrailer and can be connected with a base portion of the telescope boom of the mobile crane by lifting it with the mobile crane boom itself. A guying assembly to be mounted on the telescopic boom is not provided.

US 5,642,821 shows a mobile crane including an undercarriage or lower crane carrying chassis, an upper load lifting and carrying chassis pivotally mounted on the lower chassis, a cab located on the upper chassis for operating the crane, a base section that can be swivelled about a horizontal axis, and a separate boom attachable to a free or operating end of the base section. The base section has a special construction such that with it alone especially crane operations can be performed. Attachment devices for attaching the separate boom are provided on the free end of the base section. The telescopic boom sections can be deposited on a semitrailer. Finally, DE 20002 748 Ul discloses a mobile crane comprising a guying assembly consisting of at least two guying elements. The two guying elements are connected to each other by a hinged cross member. The guying assembly can be turned over such that it rests on the telescopic boom during transportation. Such a guying assembly cannot be dismounted from the telescopic boom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a mobile crane system is proposed, comprising a mobile crane and a mounting assistance apparatus. In this mobile crane system or this combination of a mobile crane and a mounting assistance apparatus, the mobile crane has a crane boom, a guying assembly with at least one guying element for guying the crane boom and an attachment means on the crane boom with the aid of which the guying assembly can be mounted on the crane boom in a releasable manner. The mounting assistance apparatus is adapted so that the guying assembly can be held in a mounting position apart from the crane boom. The mounting assistance apparatus is also adapted to allow the introduction of the crane boom underneath the guying assembly.

The invention is based upon the idea of mounting the guying assembly as a whole on the crane boom in a releasable manner, but to hold the entire guying assembly in a mounting height by means of a mounting assistance apparatus so that the crane boom itself may be introduced underneath it in order to be connected to or released from it. This means that by using the system according to the present invention the entire guying assembly can be lifted to the desired mounting height in a single lifting operation and supported in this position by the mounting assistance apparatus so that the mounting of the guying assembly on the boom can be carried out quickly.

A guying assembly can be one of the various embodiments mentioned above. This means that a guying assembly for a mobile crane system according to the present invention, can be a gantry. However, a guying assembly may also be used with two guying elements in the form of the two individual guying arms. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the guying assembly in either variant may comprise all the hydraulic cylinders for erecting the guying elements and/or the electrical or control elements necessary for the operation of the guying assembly. An advantage of the latter exemplary embodiment of the present invention with two guying arms is that, unlike the EP 1 342 692 A2, each guying arm does not have to be individually mounted, but that the two may be commonly mounted on or removed from the boom in one rigging step. It must also be noted that a boom of a mobile crane for the mobile crane system according to the present invention may either be a telescopic boom or a lattice boom of a mobile crane.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides that the mounting assistance apparatus and the guying assembly are configured as one assembly which can be mounted on or removed from the crane boom. This embodiment can have the advantage that the rigging times of a mobile crane can be further reduced since the mobile crane only has to lift off the one assembly, comprising the mounting assistance apparatus and the guying assembly, from a low bed truck or the like; then the mounting assistance apparatus is brought into the desired operational position so that the guying assembly is held at a particular height at which the crane boom can be lowered and linked to the assembly using, for example, only a plurality of linking bolts or other connection elements known or suitable as such, such as twist locks, screw connections or the like.

An alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for the mounting assistance apparatus and the guying assembly to be separate structural units, wherein only the guying assembly is adapted to be mounted or removed. The mounting assistance apparatus can either be erected, for example, at a suitable place as a single assembly on which the guying assembly may then be placed, from which position it can be taken up and lifted off by the crane boom to be introduced underneath it, or the mounting assistance apparatus is part of the transportation means on which the guying assembly is transported to each worksite. The transportation means can be, for example, a low bed truck, a semitrailer or the like.

Another exemplary embodiment provides for the mounting assistance apparatus to include a plurality of spaced struts. The struts serve to position the guying assembly either positioned on or connected to it at the mounting height necessary for the crane boom to be introduced underneath it. The struts can be in particular two spaced strut pairs to ensure, for example, in the manner of a table, the positioning of the guying assembly at the necessary mounting height.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for the struts of the mounting assistance apparatus to be brought from a transportation into a support position. This ensures an extremely compact design which is particularly advantageous for transport purposes. The struts can, for example, also be directly integrated in the guying assembly. It is also conceivable for the struts of the mounting assistance apparatus to be laterally extensible and retractable.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention can comprise struts that are variable in length, for example, in a telescopic manner.

A simple and cost-effective further exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for the struts to be pivotably mounted on the mounting assistance apparatus. Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the struts to be simply inserted at the mounting assistance apparatus. If the mounting assistance apparatus and the guying assembly are separate structural components it may be advantageous for the mounting assistance apparatus to comprise a frame at which the struts may be brought from a transport position into a supporting position, for example by pivoting them or by inserting them at the frame. With all the aforementioned embodiments of the present invention, it may be provided, for example, according to another embodiment of the invention, for the mounting assistance apparatus to comprise a resting means, onto which the guying assembly may be placed. This exemplary embodiment is advantageous when the mounting assistance apparatus and the guying assembly are separate structural units, for example, when the mounting assistance apparatus remains with the transportation apparatus or the mounting assistance apparatus is to be erected as a single structural unit at the worksite and is not also mounted on boom.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for the mounting assistance apparatus to comprise a pick-up means with which the mounting assistance apparatus may be raised. This exemplary embodiment is extremely advantageous when the mounting assistance apparatus does not remain with the transportation apparatus but is to be erected on site as a separate structural unit or is to be installed together with the guying assembly for mounting on the boom. The pick-up means advantageously comprises a plurality of suspension points, such as eyes for load hooks such that the mounting assistance apparatus may be installed in a horizontally aligned orientation, either as a separate apparatus or together with the guying assembly placed on top of or integrated with it.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for the mounting assistance apparatus to be part of a mobile transportation apparatus. The advantage of this exemplary embodiment is that extremely short rigging times may be achieved. Herein the guying assembly is transported to the worksite on the mobile transportation apparatus, and the mounting assistance apparatus serves to lift the guying assembly already on the transportation apparatus. For example, the mounting assistance apparatus may comprise a lifting apparatus which is mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus. The lifting apparatus therefore lifts the guying assembly up to the desired mounting height. All that remains to be done is that the lowered crane boom is introduced beneath the guying assembly lifted on the transportation apparatus, and all that is needed for mounting is for the guying assembly to be connected to the boom. For example, the connection of the guying assembly to the boom may be effected by bolting, for example, with four spaced bolting points.

The above exemplary embodiment of the present invention therefore also allows extremely fast and simple dismantling the boom of a mobile crane equipped with a guying assembly. The mobile transportation apparatus also has the advantage that counterweights may additionally be transported to the worksite. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, other equipment, such as mats, hook blocks, lattice boom sections etc., may also be transported to the worksite on the transportation apparatus.

For the introduction of the lowered crane boom underneath the elevated guying assembly to be as simple as possible, in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lifting apparatus may comprise two spaced adjustable-height pillars mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus. The lowered telescopic crane boom is then introduced between the spaced pillars. Additionally, the lifting apparatus may also comprise at least one hydraulic cylinder.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to a mobile crane with a removable guying assembly within which a supporting means is integrated for mounting the guying assembly on or removing it from the crane boom without an auxiliary crane. In this exemplary embodiment the mobile crane has a mobile carrier, a superstructure which is arranged to be slewed about a vertical axis on the carrier, a crane boom which is arranged to be luffed on the superstructure, and an attachment means mounted on the crane boom and with the aid of which the guying assembly is releasably attached on the crane boom. The guying assembly comprises at least one guying element adapted for guying the crane boom, and a support means adapted to hold the guying assembly in a state apart from the crane boom and making it possible for the crane boom to be introduced beneath the guying assembly. The support means according to an exemplary embodiment may comprise at least three struts which are pivotably mounted, for example, at the guying assembly. During the operation, the struts can be folded back. To support the guying assembly, they are then extended so that the guying assembly rests on legs in the manner of a table.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the struts may also be laterally extensible. Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may comprise struts which are variable in length.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a mounting assistance apparatus is proposed which is provided for mounting or removing a guying assembly on a boom to be luffed on a superstructure of a mobile crane. The mounting assistance apparatus comprises a resting means onto which the guying assembly may be placed, and a support means which allows the resting means to be positioned at such a height that the mobile crane boom, in a mounting position at the mobile crane, may be introduced underneath it, wherein the guying assembly may be mounted on the boom of the mobile crane or may be removed from it while the mobile crane boom is in the mounting position.

Such a mounting assistance apparatus may either be a separate structural unit or may be a structural unit integrated into a mobile transportation apparatus, such as a low bed truck or the like.

In particular, such a mounting assistance apparatus is provided for a guying assembly comprising two guying arms which can be brought in at least one guying position laterally protruding from the luffing plane. According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible for the guying assembly to comprise, as mentioned above, a single gantry which only provides guying in the luffing plane. Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for the guying assembly to be equipped with hydraulic cylinders necessary for erecting the two guying arms or the gantry, as well as with corresponding electrical connections so that the entire structural assembly need only be connected to the boom of the mobile crane via a single, or a small number of, hydraulic or electrical connections.

Unlike the initially mentioned prior art approach, according to another exemplary embodiment, it is also possible to mount the guying assembly on the boom without displacing the hoist line but to leave it running alongside the boom. This is done by leaving a certain distance to the boom, i.e. the frame of the guying assembly leaves a certain space to the mounting points on the boom, wherein the hoist line extends within this space.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a mobile transportation apparatus is suggested which is adapted for mounting and removing a guying assembly on or from a boom arranged to be luffed on a superstructure of a mobile crane. The transportation apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises a resting means, on which the guying assembly may be placed and transported, and a lifting means for adjusting the height of the resting means. The lifting means may be adapted in such a way that the mobile crane boom, in a mounting position on the mobile crane, may be introduced underneath it, and the guying assembly may be mounted on or removed from the boom of the mobile crane while the mobile crane boom is in the mounting position.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides for the lifting means to comprise at least one hydraulic cylinder to adjust the height of the resting means.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides for a holding means to be present, with the aid of which the guying assembly may be fixed on the lifting means. The guying assembly may then be raised by means of the mobile crane, and the lifting means may be fixed in the mounting position. Then the holding means is released so that the guying assembly may be lifted by the lifting means after it has been mounted on the boom. This exemplary embodiment has the advantage that no expensive hydraulic unit need be installed on the transportation apparatus. The lifting process is carried out by the mobile crane. Incidentally, the lifting means can be designed as described in the following, only without the hydraulic cylinder.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides that the lifting apparatus has two spaced adjustable-height pillars mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides that the resting means has two opposing rests defining a continuous gap with a width which is sufficient for the crane boom of the mobile crane to be raised or lowered through the gap.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides that the gap has a width which is narrower than the distance between opposite rests of the guying assembly, on which the guying assembly lies on a frame or on pillars. With respect to the frame or the pillars, reference is made to the description above or below.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides that the transportation apparatus has a longitudinal axis and the resting means is rotatable about a pivot axis normal to the longitudinal axis.

Another exemplary embodiment of a transportation apparatus according to the present invention provides that the transportation apparatus has a longitudinal axis and the resting means is displaceable by a certain distance in the longitudinal direction.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of mounting a guying assembly on a boom of a mobile crane. Such a method according to the present invention can comprise, for example, the following process steps. The guying assembly is lifted on a hoist line to a mounting height by means of the same mobile crane on the boom of which the guying assembly is to be mounted. The guying assembly being lifted to the mounting height is held at this height by means of struts. The guying assembly is then released by the hoist line of the mobile crane and the boom introduced underneath the guying assembly. Then the guying assembly is connected to the boom.

Another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention provides that the struts are pivoted from a transportation position into the supporting position after the guying assembly has been raised.

Another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention provides that the struts are mounted on the guying assembly after it has been raised.

Another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention provides that the guying assembly is attached at at least three spaced suspension points. For example, the suspension points are positioned in such a way that the guying assembly can be lifted in an essentially horizontal position. As an alternative it is conceivable, however, that the guying assembly assumes an inclined position and that it is supported in this inclined position.

Another exemplary embodiment of a mounting method according to the present invention provides that the guying assembly is lifted to a mounting height by means of a lifting unit arranged on a mobile transportation apparatus. Then the boom of the mobile crane is introduced underneath the guying assembly held by the lifting unit. After this the guying assembly can be connected to the boom, for example, by bolting.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of removing a guying assembly from a boom of a mobile crane. Such a method according to the present invention can comprise, for example, the following process steps. The boom is brought into an essentially horizontal luffing position. The guying assembly is brought into a transportation position, and the boom is introduced underneath the mounting assistance apparatus while the guying assembly is in the transportation position. Then the guying assembly is released from the boom and the boom is removed from under the mounting assistance apparatus.

Another exemplary embodiment of the removing method according to the present invention provides that the guying assembly is lifted with the aid of the same mobile crane and is placed on the mobile transportation apparatus.

Another exemplary embodiment of the removing method according to the present invention provides that the guying assembly has two guying arms which can be brought into at least one laterally protruding guying position and that the guying arms are folded back into the transportation position.

As already mentioned, according to an exemplary embodiment of the mounting method, the guying assembly can be lifted into an essentially horizontal or inclined position and be supported there. The same also applies to the removing method.

Another exemplary embodiment of the removing method according to the present invention provides that the guying assembly is lifted to the mounting height by means of a lifting means provided on and attached to a mobile transportation apparatus. Basically with respect to both the mounting and the removing method, the guying assembly can be lifted to the mounting height by the same mobile crane on which the guying assembly is to be mounted. As an alternative, in can be raised to the mounting height by a lifting means present on the transportation apparatus.

For completeness, it should finally be noted that in the present case a boom can principally be a telescopic boom and a lattice boom. A telescopic boom comprises a base section arranged on the superstructure of a mobile crane with telescopic sections extensible from and retractable into said base section. A lattice boom can consist of a plurality of lattice sections which, mounted one after the other, form the boom. Both a telescopic boom and a lattice boom can be extended by a fly jib. The fly jib is in turn attachable on the boom in a rigid or luffable manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For further explanation and for a better understanding of the present invention, a number of exemplary embodiments will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view diagonally from the top of a mobile crane with a telescopic boom in the process of lifting a guying assembly off a semitrailer;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the guying assembly as shown in Fig. 1 with the struts folded down;

Fig. 3 is a schematic elevational view of the guying assembly shown in Fig. 2 with the struts folded down;

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the process step shown in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the arrangements shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view diagonally from the top of a mobile crane with a lowered telescopic boom being introduced underneath the supported guying assembly;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to the one of Fig. 6 with the guying assembly mounted on the base section of the telescopic boom of the mobile crane;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view similar to the one of Fig. 7 with the guying arms erected;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to the one of Figs. 7 and 8 with an extended telescopic boom;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a mobile crane having a guying assembly according to Figs. 7 to 9, with the guying arms protruding laterally, i.e. extended in a N-like configuration; Fig. 11 is a schematic elevational view of a semitrailer on which a lifting means is mounted on which in turn a guying assembly lies in a transportation position;

Fig. 12 is an elevational view corresponding to the one of Fig. 11, wherein the lifting means 4 is shown in a mounting position in which the guying assembly is raised; and

Fig. 13 is an elevational view similar to the one of Fig. 12, wherein the boom of a mobile crane is introduced underneath the guying assembly raised with the aid of the lifting means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to Figs. 1 to 10, a first group of various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail. In the perspective view shown in Fig. 1, two or more counterweights 3 are on a semitrailer 1 which are to be mounted on a superstructure 5 of a mobile crane 7. A guying assembly 9 is transported on the counterweights 3, which will be described in more detail with reference to the other figures below. The semitrailer 1 is transported to the desired worksite of the mobile crane 7 with the aid of a truck 2.

The mobile crane 7 shown here basically comprises a carrier 11 and the superstructure 5 already mentioned, which can be slewed about a vertical axis D. On the superstructure 5, a telescopic boom 13 is luffable into various steep positions about an essentially horizontal axis. The telescopic boom 13 comprises a base section 15 attached on the superstructure 5 to be pivoted about the horizontal axis, and a plurality of telescopic sections 17 extensibly and retractably supported at the base section 15. In the configuration shown here, the entire mobile crane 7 is supported via hydraulic supporting elements 19 known per se.

With the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown here, an attachment means for guying assembly 9 is present at base section 15 of telescopic boom 13 of mobile crane 7. They may be, for example, four spaced bolting points 21, schematically shown in Fig. 6, however only on one side of base section 15. The two other bolting points 21 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis of boom 13 and thus hidden.

Guying assembly 9 comprises a frame 9a on which two guying arms 9b are erectable about a transverse axis Q, and which, as will be shown below, are laterally pivotable with respect to the luffing plane. The hydraulic cylinders 9c and 9d necessary for erecting and laterally protruding the guying arms 9b are arranged on frame 9a. Four eyes 9e are also provided on the frame as attachment points. With the aid of these attachment points, the guying assembly is raised, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, from semitrailer 1, for example, in a position which is essentially horizontal so that struts 23 may be extended and folded down as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As an alternative, the mounting assistance apparatus of struts 23 may also be formed as an independent frame onto which guying assembly 9 is placed.

With the embodiment shown here, struts 23 are arranged at guying assembly 9 and can be pivoted back and forth between transportation and mounting positions.

The individual technical details can be seen even better from the perspective view in Fig. 4. A hoist 25 is fixed to the four attachment points 9e suspended from a load hook 27. Load hook 27 can be raised and lowered by means of a hoist line 29 of mobile crane 7.

With reference to Fig. 6, guying assembly 9 is placed on struts 23. Boom 13 of mobile crane 7 is lowered in an essentially horizontal position and is in the process of being introduced underneath guying assembly 9. The introduction process is carried out until the front bolting points 21 on base section 15 come into registration with the corresponding bolting points 29a. Then the front bolting points 29a and 21 on base section 15 are bolted on to the other. By slightly luffing up boom 13, the rear bolting points 29b on guying assembly 9 are brought into registration with the corresponding bolting points 21 at base section 15 of boom 13, and also bolted. By further luffing up the boom, struts 23 are lifted off the ground and can either be removed or folded back. Then boom 13 and guying assembly 9 now attached thereto by means of bolts is completely prepared for further rigging. All that remains is that the hydraulic and electrical connections (not shown) of guying assembly 9 be connected to the corresponding connections on mobile crane 7.

The condition in which guying assembly 9 is bolted to base section 15 is also shown in Fig. 7 in an enlarged view. From the basic position as shown in Fig. 7, after connecting the hydraulic connections, the two guying arms 9b are pivoted into an essentially vertical position by means of hydraulic cylinders 9d. Guy ropes or back hitches 30, which are either connected to superstructure 5 or guying assembly 9, are pulled up. The free ends of guying arms 9b are connected to back hitches 30. For example, back hitches 30 can have pivot links 31. As also shown in Fig. 8, the guying assembly 9 shown here also comprises further hydraulic cylinders 9c serving to pivot guying arms 9b to the outside, i.e. into a N-like configuration, as shown in Fig. 10.

Once the position according to Fig. 8 has been assumed, guy ropes 32 connected to the free ends of guying arms 9b are connected to the front end of innermost telescopic section 17, and the telescopic sections are extended. This is followed by the lateral extension of the two guying arms 9b, as shown in Fig. 10.

As already mentioned, it is also common to configure guying assembly 9 without struts 23. Then the mounting assistance apparatus comprises two struts 23 and a separate frame (not shown) on which the struts 23 are laterally pivotable and perhaps also laterally extensible. The lateral extension can also be provided when struts 23 are integrated in guying assembly 9. The mounting assistance apparatus with struts 23 and the frame is then transported on the semitrailer together with the guying assembly.

It makes sense for the mounting assistance apparatus also to be placed on guying assembly 9. It is then raised in a similar way as shown in Fig. 1 and placed on struts 23. Then the guying assembly is placed on the mounting assistance apparatus with the aid of mobile crane 7. Otherwise the mounting method is carried out as shown in Figs. 2 to 10.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 11 to 13. Here, a semitrailer 50 is shown in an elevational view, on which a lifting means 51 is mounted. Lifting means 51 comprises two spaced pillars 52. Guying assembly 9 can be raised from the transportation position as shown in Fig. 11 into the mounting position as shown in Fig. 12 by means of a hydraulic cylinder 53. It should be noted that the counterweights 3 also to be transported are not shown in Fig. 11. Guying assembly 9 additionally rests on these counterweights 3. The additional weights are only shown in phantom in Fig. 11.

The two pillars 52 are pivotable about a pivot axis 54. The pillars 52 have rest surfaces 58 which are not in abutment with guying assembly 9 in the position shown in Fig. 11, but serve as resting surfaces for guying assembly 9 in the supporting position, as shown in Fig. 12. Rods 57 are linked to pillars 52 which can be bolted to base section 55. For this purpose, rods 54 are bolted to base section 55 by means of bolts 56. This serves to fix pillars 52 in the mounting position as shown in Fig. 12. Guying assembly 9 has two support points or support forks 60 spaced from each other and resting on a support bolt 61 which forms a rotating support of the guying assembly about an essentially horizontal axis.

An exemplary variant of the embodiment of a transportation apparatus 50 according to the present invention can be that guying assembly 9 rests on pillars 52 rotatably, but also fixed in height. For this purpose, a releasable fixing means is present for fixing guying assembly 9 on pillars 52 (for example a transverse bolting in each of forks 60 so that support bolts 61 are locked in forks 60). By lifting guying assembly 9 by means of the mobile crane (similar to the one shown in Fig. 1), guying assembly 9 is brought from the transportation position as shown in Fig. 11 into the mounting position of Fig. 12 and then fixed there. Then the hoist is released from guying assembly 9, and finally the introduction position as shown in Fig. 13 is assumed. This exemplary embodiment has the advantage that for bringing the guying assembly from the transportation position into the mounting or removing position, hydraulic cylinders or the like are not necessary, which saves costs.

In Fig. 13, again, the front bolting is carried out first, then the boom is slightly raised and the rear bolting is carried out. Then the entire guying assembly which is now bolted to telescopic boom 13 can be lifted off pillars 52. Then, again, only the hydraulic lines and/or electrical components need be connected, after which rigging can be continued.

As has been made obvious from the explanations of the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the removal can be done by carrying out the process steps in reversed order.

Claims

1. A mobile crane system, comprising: a mobile crane (7), having: a crane boom (13), a guying assembly (9) with at least one guying element (9b) for guying said crane boom (13), an attachment means (21) on the crane boom (13) with the aid of which said guying assembly (9) is releasably attachable on the crane boom (13), a mounting assistance apparatus (23) adapted for holding said guying assembly (9) in a state apart from the crane boom (13) in a mounting position making it possible for the crane boom (13) to be introduced underneath the guying assembly (9).

2. The mobile crane system according to claim 1 , wherein said mounting assistance apparatus (23) and said guying assembly (9) are configured as a structural unit which can be mounted on or removed from the crane boom (13).

3. The mobile crane system according to claim 1, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus (23) and said guying assembly (9) are separate structural units and only said guying assembly (9) is adapted to be mounted and removed.

4. The mobile crane system according to claim 3, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus (52) is arranged on a mobile transportation apparatus (50).

5. The mobile crane system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus has a plurality of spaced struts (23).

6. The mobile crane system according to claim 5, wherein said struts (23) can be brought from a transportation position into a supporting position.

7. The mobile crane system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said struts (23) are pivotable at said mounting assistance apparatus (9a).

8. The mobile crane system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus comprises a frame on which said struts (23) can be brought from a transportation position into a supporting position.

9. The mobile crane system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus has a resting means on which said guying assembly (9) can be placed.

10. The mobile crane system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus comprises a pick-up means (9e) at which said mounting assistance apparatus can be raised.

11. The mobile crane system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the crane boom is a telescopic crane boom (13) having a base section (15) and a plurality of telescopic sections (17) retractable and extensible in it.

12. The mobile crane system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said crane boom is a lattice boom.

13. The mobile crane system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said guying assembly (9) has two guying arms (9b) which can be brought from the transportation position into at least one guying position laterally protruding from said boom (13).

14. The mobile crane system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said guying assembly (9) comprises a gantry which can be brought from a transportation position into at least one guying position.

15. The mobile crane system according to claim 4, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus comprises a lifting means (52, 53) which is mounted on said mobile transportation apparatus (50).

16. The mobile crane system according to claim 15, wherein said lifting means comprises two spaced adjustable-height pillars (52) which are mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus (50).

17. A mobile crane system comprising a mobile crane (7) and a guying assembly (9) for the mobile crane (7), wherein the mobile crane (7) has: a mobile carrier (11), a superstructure (5) arranged on the carrier (11) and slewable about a vertical axis (D), a crane boom (13) luffably arranged on said superstructure (5), an attachment means (31 ) on the boom (13) with the aid of which the guying assembly (9) is releasably attachable on the crane boom (13), the guying assembly (9) has at least one guying element (9b) adapted for guying said crane boom (13), and the guying assembly (9) is equipped with a support means (23) adapted to hold the guying assembly (9) in a mounting position apart from the crane boom (13) and making it possible for the crane boom (13) to be introduced underneath the guying assembly (9).

18. The mobile crane system according to claim 17, wherein the support means comprises a plurality of spaced struts (23).

19. The mobile crane system according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein said struts (23) can be brought from a transportation position into a supporting position.

20. The mobile crane system according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein said struts (23) are releasably attachable at the guying assembly (9).

21. The mobile crane system according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein said struts (23) are pivotable at said guying assembly (9).

22. The mobile crane system according to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein said guying assembly (9) comprises a pick-up means (9e) by which said guying assembly (9) can be raised.

23. A mounting assistance apparatus for mounting and removing a guying assembly (9) on or from a boom (13) which is arranged to be luffed on a superstructure (5) of a mobile crane (7), wherein said mounting apparatus comprises: a resting means on which the guying assembly (9) can be placed, and a supporting means (23) allowing the positioning of the resting means at such a height that the mobile crane boom (13), in a mounting position, can be introduced underneath it, wherein, in the mounting position of the mobile crane boom (13), the guying assembly (9) can be mounted on or removed from said boom (13).

24. The mounting assistance apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said support means comprises a plurality of spaced struts (23).

25. The mounting assistance apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said struts (23) can be brought from a transportation position into a supporting position.

26. The mounting assistance apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said struts (23) are pivotable at the guying assembly (9).

27. The mounting assistance apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus is arranged on a mobile transportation apparatus (50).

28. The mounting assistance apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said mounting assistance apparatus comprises a lifting means (52, 53) which is mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus (50).

29. The mounting assistance apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said lifting means comprises two spaced adjustable-height pillars (52) which are mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus (50).

30. A mobile transportation apparatus (50) arranged for mounting and removing a guying assembly (9) on and from a boom (13), which is luffable on a superstructure (5) of a mobile crane (7), comprising: a resting means on which the guying assembly (9) can be placed and transported; and a lifting means (52) for adjusting the height of the resting means, wherein said lifting means (52) is adapted in such a way that the mobile crane boom (13), in a mounting position on the mobile crane (7), can be introduced underneath it, and the guying assembly (9) can _^ --._^...ed on or removed from the boom (13) in said mounting position of the mobile crane boom (13).

31. The transportation apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the lifting means (52) comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder (53) with the aid of which the resting means is adjustable in height.

32. The transportation apparatus according to claim 30 or claim 31, wherein the lifting means comprises spaced adjustable-height pillars (52) which are mounted on the mobile transportation apparatus (50).

33. The transportation apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein the resting means comprises two opposing rests which define a continuous gap with a width sufficient for the crane boom (13) of the mobile crane (7) to be raised or lowered through the gap.

34. The transportation apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the gap has a width which is smaller than the distance of the opposing rests of the guying assembly (9).

35. The transportation apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 34, wherein the transportation apparatus (50) has a longitudinal axis and the resting means is rotatable or pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a transverse direction to said longitudinal axis.

36. The transportation apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 35, wherein said transportation apparatus (50) has a longitudinal axis and the resting means is displaceable by a certain distance in the longitudinal axis direction.

37. The transportation apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 36, wherein the transportation apparatus (50) has a fixing means with which the guying assembly (9) can be releasably fixed at the lifting means.

38. A method for mounting a guying assembly (9) on a boom (13) of a mobile crane (7), comprising the steps of: a) raising the guying assembly (9) to a mounting height by a hoist line (29) with the aid of the same mobile crane (7) which has the boom (13) on which the guying assembly is to be mounted; b) holding, at the mounting height, by means of struts (23), the guying assembly (9) lifted to said mounting height, c) releasing the guying assembly (9) from the hoist line (29) of the mobile crane (7); d) introducing the boom (13) of the mobile crane (7) underneath the guying assembly (9); e) connecting the guying assembly (9) to the boom (13).

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the struts (23) are pivoted from a transportation position into the supporting position after the guying assembly (9) has been raised.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein said struts (23) are attached to the guying assembly (9) after it has been raised.

41. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 39, wherein the guying assembly (9) is raised while it is held at, at least, three spaced suspension points (9e) in an essentially horizontal position.

42. A method of mounting a guying assembly (9) on a boom (13) of a mobile crane (7), comprising the steps of: a) lifting the guying assembly (9) to a mounting height with the aid of a lifting unit (52, 53) arranged on a mobile transportation apparatus (50); b) introducing the boom (13) of the mobile crane (7) underneath the guying assembly (9) held by the lifting unit (52, 53); c) connecting the guying assembly (9) to the boom.

43. A method of mounting a guying assembly (9) on a boom (13) of a mobile crane (7), comprising the steps of: a) lifting to a mounting height the guying assembly (9) and the lifting unit (52) coupled to it, which are arranged on a mobile transportation apparatus (50), with the aid of the mobile crane (7); b) introducing the boom (13) of the mobile crane (7) underneath the guying assembly (9) held by the lifting unit (52) fixed at said height; c) connecting the guying assembly (9) to the boom (13) and releasing the coupling between the guying assembly (9) and the lifting unit (52).

44. A method for removing a guying assembly (9) mounted on a boom (13) of a mobile crane (7), comprising the steps of: a) bringing the boom (13) into an essentially horizontal luffing position; b) bringing the guying assembly (9) into a transportation position; c) introducing the boom (13) with the guying assembly (9) in the transportation position underneath a mounting assistance apparatus (23); d) releasing the guying assembly (9) from the boom (13), e) removing the boom (13) from under the mounting assistance apparatus (23).

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein after step e) the guying assembly (9) is raised with the aid of the same mobile crane (7) and placed on a mobile transportation apparatus (50).

46. The method according to claim 44 or claim 45, wherein the guying assembly comprises two guying arms (9b) which can be brought into at least one laterally protruding guying position, and wherein said guying arms (9b) are brought into the transportation position before step c).

47. The method according to any one of claims 44 to 46, wherein the guying assembly (9) is picked up by at least three spaced suspension points (9e) in an essentially horizontal position.