GB2167364A

GB2167364A - Ground support members, in particular for cranes

Info

Publication number: GB2167364A
Application number: GB08527552A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Horst Bendix; Hans-Ulrich Sommerfeld; Eberhard Heinig; Frank Schumann
Original assignee: MAN Takraf Fordertechnik GmbH
Current assignee: Takraf GmbH
Priority date: 1984-11-21
Filing date: 1985-11-08
Publication date: 1986-05-29
Also published as: GB8527552D0; GB2167364B; DD232477A1; DE3530273A1

Abstract

The invention provides a ground support member which can be used to prepare the support surface on the ground. Blade-like cutting edges 5 or plough-like clearing edges 7 are arranged on the support elements 4 which are fixed to the support ram 2 in such a way as to be rotationally and vertically movable. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ground support members in particular for cranes This invention relates to a ground support member, particularly for cranes. It can be used both on railway cranes and on motor cranes with regard to which it is important to have a support surface which is suitable for the use in question, in the supported operating condition.

Ground support members on cranes are known, which can perform a rotary movement and which are movable vertically and which, in the supported condition, are set down on a support element.

Furthermore, DD patent specification No.

108255 discloses a ground support on cranes, in which a support pyramid member is secured to the vertically movable support spindle.

In the supported operating condition, the support plates or the support pyramid members are set down on levelled or flattened support surfaces on the ground. In that respect, there is the disadvantage that the support surfaces must be initially prepared either manually or by using special earth moving equipment. Such operations involve a substantial amount of erection time for the purposes for preparing to use the crane.

SU-US No. 633 793 discloses a construction in which the support spindle is provided at its end with a special earth borer which is set rotating by the extension movement of the support spindle and which thereby bores into the ground. A disadvantage in that arrangement is that, because of the natural limit in respect of the load-carrying capacity of the ground, only relatively low support forces can be transmitted as it is not possible to increase the support surface area by means of special intermediate insert members and the diameter of the earth borer can only be within certain limits. Another disadvantage is that the rotary movement of the earth borer is only possible in conjunction with the vertical movement of the spindle.

The present invention eliminates the manual operation of levelling the support surfaces for the crane or the use of additional items of equipment therefor, and thereby achieves a reduction in the erection time required for use of the crane.

According to the present invention there is provided a ground support member, in particular for cranes, comprising a support arm having an operating cylinder with a support ram which can perform rotary and vertical movement and on which a support element is fixedly or movably arranged, for transmitting the support forces, blade-like cutting edges in the manner of a milling cutter or plough-like clearing edges being provided on the support element.

The support element is so formed on the support ram of the operating cylinder secured to the support arms, that by virtue of the movement of the support ram or by means of a separate drive, it performs both a vertical and also a rotary movement. For the purposes of better removing the ground which has been worked off, an alternative embodiment provides that the blade-like clearing edges on the support element are arranged in an inclined position relative to the vertical. To produce the necessary magnitude of support surface, pivotal or reciprocating movement of the support arm is used. A further advance movement for the support element which is of a plough-like or milling cutter-like configuration is achieved by the crane's own travel movement.

Besides working the ground, the support elements transmit the support forces which occur in the supported mode of operation of the crane, into the ground directly or by way of support substructures such as for example stacks of boards. In order in that connection to avoid damage to the cutting edges of the milling cutter-like clearing edges, they are connected to the support element in such a way that they can be slid or displaced, pivoted or dismounted.

With the fixed connection of the cutting edges to the support element with clearing edges which are of a plough-like configuration, a further alternative embodiment provides for downward movement of special support elements between the cutting edges or the clearing edges.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a support element with cutting edges arranged in a milling cutter-like manner; Figure 2 is a section taken along the line A-A shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a side view of another embodiment of a support element with clearing edges arranged in a plough-like configuration, and Figure 4 is a section taken along the line B-B shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 1, an operating cylinder 1 with a support ram 2 is mounted on a support arm 3. A support element 4 is rotatably or non-rotatably disposed at the lower end of the support ram 2. The support element 4 performs both a vertical and also a rotary movement due to the movement of the support ram 2 or by means of a separately disposed drive. In accordance with the invention, provided on the support element 4, for processing or working the ground, are cutting blades 5 forming a milling cutter-like configuration, being disposed both at the face and at the periphery of the support element 4 (Fig.

2). The cutting blades 5 are preferably ar ranged at an inclined angle relative to the vertical, in order better to carry away the ground material which has been removed.

In order to avoid damage to the cutting blades 5 in the supported mode of operation of the crane, when the support forces occurring are transmitted to the ground, the cutting blades 5 are connected to the support element 4 in such a way that they can be dismounted, pivoted or moved or slid. In accordance with the alternative embodiment shown in Fig 2, the fixedly disposed cutting edges 5 are protected, when operative to provide support, by special support elements 6 which are arranged in such a way that they can be lowered therebetween.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the support element 4 is provided with clearing edges 7 which are of a plough-like configuration. In the support mode, the clearing edges 7 are also protected by support elements 6 which are arranged in such a way that they can be lowered into position.

For the purposes of preparing or working the ground, the cutting edges 5 are either mounted on the support element 4 which is of a milling cutter-like configuration, or the cutting edges 5 are pivoted or slid into the operative position. The lowerable support elements 6 are pushed into their uppermost position, for that operation. The support element 4 is lowered onto the support surface, for the purposes of working the ground. The support surface on the ground is processed or worked by virtue of the rotary movement of the vertical lowering movement of the support element 4. If, as a result of necessary substructures for supporting the crane, a larger area on the ground is required, then the pivotal or inward and outward movement of the support arm or the travel movement of the crane are also used for the purposes of working the ground.

In the alternative embodiment of the support elements 4 with clearing edges 7, there is no need for mounting and dismounting the bladelike cutters 5.

In order to prepare for the support mode, when using the support element 4 which is of a milling cutter-like configuration, the blade-like cutters 5 are either dismounted or they are displaced or pivoted away to such a degree that they no longer project beyond the support surface 8 of the support element 4, or the special lowerable support elements 6 are extended to prepare for the support mode, so that the cutting edges 5 do not incur damage when the support element is in the support condition. In the case of the support element 4 with plough-like clearing edges 7, before the arrangement is put into the support mode, special support elements 6 are also extended beyond the plane of the cutting edges 5, to provide protection for the cutting edges 5.

Claims

1. A ground support member, in particular for cranes, comprising a support arm having an operating cylinder with a support ram which can perform rotary and vertical movement and on which a support element is fixedly or movably arranged, for transmitting the support forces, blade-like cutting edges in the manner of a milling cutter or plough-like clearing edges being provided on the support element.

2. A ground support member as claimed in claim 1, in which the blade-like cutting edges are arranged fixedly or releasably or displaceably or pivotably on the end face and/or at the periphery of the support element.

3. A ground support member as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which support elements which can be lowered are arranged between the blade-like cutting edges or the plough-like clearing edges.

4. A ground support member for cranes, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.