GB2537072A

GB2537072A - Tower crane cab roller ring restraint

Info

Publication number: GB2537072A
Application number: GB1612384.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mulcahy Alan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-07-14
Filing date: 2016-07-13
Publication date: 2016-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2036-07-13
Also published as: GB201612384D0; GB201520302D0; GB201512271D0; GB2537072B

Abstract

A tower crane cab 14 with means to lift and lower the cab and operator to and from the normal operating position, and with means allowing the cab to be lowered in an emergency. The cab movement may be controlled from within the cab or from a remote location using a remote control. The lifting and lowering means comprises a cable releasable from a drum 8, attached to the cab via a support beam 10 and strap 2. The cab may be supported on a roller ring 12 encircling the crane tower 11 ensuring the cab remains in a vertical position upon movement. The roller ring is not directly connected to the mast or tower. Access between the cab 14 and tower 11 may be via a moveable landing 5 with safety balustrade 4. The cab is secured to the docking frame 1 when in normal operating position.

Description

DESCRIPTION

The following description outlines how the adoption of the roller ring enables the tower crane manufacturer to effectively and safely resolve the problem of transporting a tower crane driver to and from the place of work including in emergency situations whilst remaining in the cab.

The idea of lowering a tower crane cab and driver to the ground is not new, but the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEM is unique in the fact that the Roller Ring that guides the cab is not connected to the mast or tower in any way so as not to put any stress on the structual integrity of the mast or tower in every day use. The Roller Ring would only come into contact with the mast or tower if the wind velocity was greater than the maximum safe working speed of the crane. The Roller Ring would ensure that the cab remains under control during an emergency descent and in everyday use. This is a new and simple way of controlling the pendulum affect caused by the wind. The Roller Ring would be manufactured in two halves and be connected to the cab at four points, two at the top on each side and two at the bottom at each side of the cab.The ring would be fabricated with the balustrade and rollers connected for ease of installation on site. The fixed landing and landing flap would be installed after the connection of the ring to the cab had been completed. The top section of the balustrade would be fixed at the same time. This section completes the circle of the balustrade, which would give the balustrade it's stabillity to support the Roller Ring.

In the hostile inviroment of the construction industry less is more when it comes to maintenance, so with the simple construction of the Roller Ring this means less maintenance is required. The Roller Ring is a fundamental component of the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEM that enables a crane cab to ascend or descend whatever the postion of the jib in relation to the mast, this is what distinguishes it from any other similar system, so this makes it novel.

All the controls and mechanisms for the raising and lowering of the cab are in daily use by crane manufactures. The manufactures would make the cab strong enough to allow for the Roller Ring to be fitted.

This unique system gives the cab the facility to be used as a pasenger lift and an emergency escape pod when needed.

This invention is a device designed to safely transport a tower crane operative to the ground in the event of an emergency so as to eliminate the risks to the emergency services attending the incident.

Tower cranes can often be several hundred feet high making any rescue challenging and requiring personnel to be specially trained to use a variety of different equipment to cater for the different crane designs in current use, this system removes all of those concerns for it can be used on all makes and designs of tower cranes.

The Health and Safety Executive requirers risk assessments to be in place and method statements prepared as well as personnel trained for a potential emergency, this system would save many hours of preparation for anybody that use tower cranes on a regular basis.

Clearly any response needs to be immediate in a life threatening event, but in remote locations this may be difficult to comply with, also despite our excellent and well trained emergency services, a response may not be as swift as required to save a life.

This invention endeavours to resolve all the aforementioned issues by providing a tower crane cab which can automatically be detached from its dock and be lowered to the ground, thus safely and quickly removing the operator from danger to receive treatment if required.

Consequently, this would involve potentially only one emergency service,namely paramedics or ambulance and not putting others at risk and the attendant disruption this may cause if an event was occurring in central London for example.

Other similar systems have been researched to compare functionality and the results are as detailed below.

POTAIN

Whilst the mechanism may function as drawn it does not address the real issues of safely returning a driver to the ground in the cab with total control over cab movement in high winds,it is not contained to remain in the vertical position either ascending or descending whereas with the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEM the Roller Ring provides this stability

HUGGLER

This system only works on a crane that rotates on a base turntable whereas the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEM can be used universally on all tower and luffing jib cranes.

MITSUBISHI

This system like the HUGGLER only works on a base turntable.

VERSCHERE

This system also only works on a base turntable.

KUSCHEL

This is the same as the others above.

LOFTMYR

This system is the most similar to the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEM but it cannot be used on a self erecting crane where the mast sections are telescopic as shown in Fig 2, to transport an incapacitated driver safely and directly to ground.

Furthermore the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEM will function on any current mast sections which are usally bolted together, the LOFTMYR would need flat serfaces to run upon and function correctly.

SKETCH 1 and 2 shows plan and elevation.

1. Shows docking frame for cab in normal working position.

2. Shows 2 bottlescrew adjusters fixed to the hanging strap also front and one side of the cab for fine adjustment to level cab and ring both ways.

3. Shows the hanging pivot point fixed off centre of the cab to balance ring and cab.

4. Shows a landing with a balustrade fixed to the cab to give the Roller Ring support.

5. Shows a hinged landing plate for access to the tower. This plate must be raised at all times when not in use to allow unrestricted movement of the crane.

6. Shows the Roller Ring fixed to the bottom of the cab only to restrict the pendulum affect when in use as the support cables will control the top of the cab.

7. Shows the top removeable section of the balustrade, which ties the Roller Ring support together.

8. Shows the cabs cable drum, which could be located anywhere on the crane, so would be decided by the manufacturer, possibly opposite the cab on the other side of the tower to help balance the crane.

9. Shows the centre bolted connection of the Roller Ring.

10. Shows the beam for the cable guides which is fixed to the tower and also supports the docking frame with a central strap.

11. Shows the position of the mast or tower in relation to the Roller Ring.

12. Shows the Roller Ring,which is made up of a core rail and nylon rollers.

13. Shows the fixing plates of the ring and balustrade bolted to the base and top of the cab 14 Shows the ring and cab position in everyday use.

Sketchl and 2 show all the numbers above, so please use both drawings together for ease of recogniton

Claims

ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEMCLAIMSThis device enables the following claims to be achieved.1. A new system for the safe transport of a crane driver to and from the working position whilst safely inside the control cab.
2. Firsts automatic cab release system with an emergency button to detach the cab from a tower crane.
3. First emergency system for the extraction of sick or incapacitated drivers from a tower crane.
4. First system to be controlled externally by an appointed person using a remote control.
5. First system to use automatic lowering of the cab to the ground or if crane is tied into the building, a safe scaffold area.
6. Unique system for saving lives without putting the emergency services at risk.
7. This system can be easily adapted on any new or existing tower crane whether utilizing a fixed or tufting jib.N.B. All the above claims simply require a tower crane manufacturer to bring together existing technology currently readily available, when used in a tower cranes cab fitted with the ALYVE SAFETY SYSTEMS Roller Ring.