US1100873A - Stiff-leg derrick. - Google Patents

Description

s. B. HARMNG.

STIPE` LEG DBRRIGK.

APPLICATION FILED BEB.`13, 1912.

Patented June 23, 1914.

4 SHBETSSHEBT l.

...M \M /WHw/n 1 y. 5 M f. o M

COLUMNA WWII WWAIHINGTON. D- C.

S. B. HARDING.

STIFF LEG' DERRICK.

APPLIUATLON FILED rma. 13, 1912.

Patented June 23,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET?.

COS-Um WIA, 00|. www D. C.

S. B. HARDIN'G.

STIFF LEG DERRIGK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1912.

.1, 100,873, Patented June 23, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

coLuMmA PLANQGRAPH cir-.WASHINGTON D. c.

S. B. HARDING.

STIFF LEG DERRIGK.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 13, 1912.

Patented June 23,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOUMPH Co.. WASHINGTON. D, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL B. HAIR'DING, OF WAUKESI-IA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO MODERN STEEL STRUCTURAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

STIFF-LEG DERRICK.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. HARDING, of Waukesha, lVisconsin, have invented a Stiff-Leg Derrick, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hoisting apparatus and more particularly that class known as stiff-leg derricks or portable jib-cranes, in which the mast is supported at its upper end by a pair of oblique strut-ties in vertical planes which intersect at a right angle. This type of derrick has some great advantages for building-contractors, and it is my obj ect to improve it with particular reference to obviating its disadvantages, and increasing its utilizability for such work.

More particularly my objects are: first, to provide an apparatus which can be quickly set up on the work and knocked down for transportation; secondly, to provide adjustable mountings on the base of the derrick for supporting the engine or motive apparatus thereupon, whereby the latter becomes a counterweight against the load; thirdly, to provide, substantially without eXtra cost, a stiifening construction for the bottom beam or bed-pieces of the derrick, whereby they can be utilized as rollingplanes; fourthly, to provide a support for the top sheaves of the mast, which shall'be above the upper mast journal so as to give greater freedom of rotation; iifthly, to provide special improved bearings for the mast; siXthly, to provide means whereby the boom can be swung into the space between the two stililegs when desired; seventhly, to provide improved means for counterweighting the load on the rear ends of the legs; eighthly, to provide means for lashing the derrick to the beams or other structure whereon it rests; ninthly, to provide vmeans whereby a single friction drum on the engine may be used for sluing the derrick in either direction; tenthly, to provide an improved guide-piece for the hoisting rope; and eleventhly, to provide means for preventing the twisting of the hoisting-rope.

My invention comprises the special constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in my claims.

For the better understanding of my inven- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 13, 1912.

Patented June 23, 1914.

serial No. 677,388.

this view the hoisting-engine is omitted;

Figs. 2 and 3 are a fragmentary end-view and side-view respectively on a larger scale of one of the bed-pieces showing the mounting of the weight-box and means for lashing the derrick; Fig. 4 is a transverse-section of the bed-piece and lashing-saddle upon the plane 4 of Fig. 3, illustrating further the method of lashing the derrick to an underlying structural member or portion of the work on which the derrick is being used; Fig. 5 is'a plan of the complete apparatus; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan-section of the bottom horizontal portions of the derrick on a larger' scale, the section-plane being indicated by the line 6 in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a vertical median section through the derrick on a plane making an angle of 45 degrees with the plane of projection of Fig. 1, indicated by the line 7 in Fig. 5; the engine and connected portions being shown in elevation; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section on a larger scale taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 8 in Fig. 5; Figs. 9 and 10 are longitudinal median sections through the upper and lower end respectively of the mast, and mountings thereof; Fig. 11 is a side-view of the hoisting tackle on the end of the boom; Fig. 12 is a cross-section thereof on the plane indicated by line l2 in Fig. l1; and Fig. 13 is a fragmentary horizontal median section of a portion of the bed-piece sh wing the manner of securing thereto one of the timbers or joists which form a support for the engine.

The apparatus, comprises in its main elements an upright mast A, a pair of bedpieces or horizontal beams B which make a right angle with each other and at the intersection of which the mast is supported, a pair of stili-legs C connecting the upper end of the mast with the rear ends of the respective bed-pieces, a pair of counterweightboxes D, a boom E pivoted to the mast at the lower ends; a cross-bracing framework comprising uprights F, a horizontal-beam G and diagonale H and I, the same extending diavonally between the centers of the two stilegs and bed-pieces; diagonal braces J connecting the center of each stiff-leg with the corresponding bed-piece at the mast-end thereof; and accessory apparatus which will be described in order.

The mast A is supported upon a pedestal or step K at its lower end and by a bearingcollar M at its upper end, said step and collar being formed in the manner shown in detail in Figs. 9 and l0. lt will be observed that the upper bearing-collar M, in contrast to all the derricks of this type heretofore constructed, is situated below the ropesheaves a, over which pass the hoistingropes 0 and 02, the former of which hoists the boom by the tackle-sheaves 03 and 0t connected with the boom-end and mast-collar by st 'aps 05 and 0G respectively; and the other rope 02, passing over a sheave 07 on the end of the boom, is connected with the cranehook P through a tackle having several novel features which will be hereinafter described. The mast iii may be made in any convenient form, and it is herein shown as of hollow boX-giider form, built up of two opposite channels a2, a plate a3 on the boomside and lattice-bars at on the other side; but this is immaterial to my invention. The boX-girder forming the mast-body is capped by a head-piece a5 having a shank a6 extending within the mast-body and carrying ballbearings al and as, upon which the headpiece turns within the collar M. Above the bearings a7 and as is a bifurcated bracket a9 which carries the journal-pin am for the sheaves a/ and the straps 0G. The collar M has furthermore a pair of sockets m for receiving the upper ends of the stiff-legs C, and herein lies a novel feature of the invention.

As hereinabove mentioned, it is one object of the invention to provide means for swinging the boom into the angle between the two stiif-legs, and thus making the crane available for a complete swing of 360 degrees, if necessary, and to this end the stiif-legs are each divided in the middle into two members n and c2,the lower of which is permanently secured to the lower framework, while the upper is disco-nnectible therefrom by means of bolts c3, which pass through and secure it to a gusset-plate c* forming the means of connection of several of the structural members, and its upper end removably secured by bolts o the flange of the socket m in such manner that when all but one of said bolts is removed, the upper member c2 can be swung downwardly, as indicated by Jthe dotted-line position in F ig. l and the fullline position in Fig. 9. When this is to be done a temporary guy-rope Q, is attached to the mast-collar M and anchored to some point on the opposite side of the stiff-leg, so

as to replace the latter as a support for the mast; all as indicated in the dotted-line positions of Fig. l.

The lower journal bearing or foot-step K of the mast is illustrated in Fig. l0. A footpiece all is riveted to the lower end of the mast and carries also the supporting-plates e for-the pivot-pin e2 of the boom E. This foot-piece all like the head-piece a5 is hollow centrally to permit the passage of the ropes 0 and 02. lt rests upon a ball-bearing am, and this in turn is supported by an annular member als, which has a spherical lower surface resting upon a surface of the same shape on the step-casting K. This spherically bottomed member als has an important function to perform since it serves to adjust the bearing to any slight non-alinemcnt of the mast. In cranes as heretofore constructed, I have found that such lack of alinement of the mast step-bearing will cause the derrick to stick at certain points in sluing it around and yield suddenly, thus causing the load to swing and making the crane ditiicult to handle. The step K has an internal annular flange 7c which engages the bearing-flange a of the foot-piece, and thereby holds the step in permanent but rotatable relation with the mast. This is of importance in the matter of disconnecting the parts for shipment, as will be described later. The step K further carries the journal-pin k2 for the lower rope-sheaves 7c3, and furthermore a hook extension 704 over which a rope may be passed when it becomes necessary to lash the mast-corner of the derrick to prevent it from overturning. This will be the case whenever the boom is swung into the angle between the legs as above described, and in some cases even when the boom is swung around adjacent to one of the legs, if it carries a load which much overhangs a line passing through the two lashing-saddles b2 (Fig. l).

The step K, for the purpose of placing it in position on the end of the mast, is bisected by the vertical plane which bisects the angle between the legs and the two halves united together by bolts 735. The head-collar M is similarly bisected (see Fig. 7), but this does not appear in Fig. 9 because the section of the collar is taken in the plane of the leg, that is at l5 degrees to the plane of the section of the step K. Fig. l0 further shows the corner-plate or gusset o which unites the bed-pieces B at the bottom as the step K does at the top.

On the outer end of each bed-piece is mounted a weight-box D which forms a special feature of my invention. These weightboxes may be filled with bricks, coal or other convenient material, and will generally make it unnecessary to otherwise secure the derrick against overturning; but where necessary I provide further a saddle b2 (Figs. 3 and 4) bolted to the bed-piece and having flanges b5, said saddle having further a rounded upper surface forming a means whereby a lashing-rope .716 may be wrapped around it and around an underlying structural member R (Fig. 4) and tightly drawn. The outer end of the weightbox D is supported upon a transversely placed channel t7 so as to raise it above the bed-piece and permit the saddle to be placed under it. The outer side cl of the weightboX is preferably made in the form of a door journaled upon a pintle-rod Z2 on its .lower edge and secured in the closed position by a hook Z3 or other suitable means; whereby the material in the box may be quickly removed by opening the door as shown by the dotted-line position in Fig. 1.

One of the important features of my invention is the cross-framing connecting the legs, which performs several functions, and is illustrated more especially in Figs. 6 and 8. This cross-framing, composed of the members F, G, II and I as hereinbefore mentioned, is disconnectible from the rest for the purposes of shipment and the members of it permanently connected together. The uprights F which extend between the centers of the respective bed-pieces and stiff-legs are turned at an angle of 45 degrees to the plane of the framework, and connected to the members G, H and I by the bent gussetplates f and f2. The two members H cross in the center and connect the upper end of each upright F with the lower end of the opposite one, while the members I connect the upper ends of the respective uprights F with intermediate points on the beam G, serving to support the latter against bending. rhe beam G performs another function in connection with using the hoistingengine or motor as a counterweight for the derrick, vand this is done by extending a pair of joists or timbers S in the middle of the angle between the two legs as shown. The ends of the timbers are beveled and abutted against the inner side-faces of the bed-pieces, tc which they are secured by bolts s passing through any one of a number of sets of holes bs in the bed-pieces, as shown in detail in Fig. 13. Said timbers are also supported intermediately from the beam G by stirrup-bolts s2 (Figs. 6 and 8), which pass between the two channels constituting the beam G and have their nuts on the upper face of the latter. lIhus these timbers can be extended to any desired length and additional weights used thereon counterweighting the derrick, but they are destined, as aforesaid, particularly for supporting the hoisting-engine or motor, here illustrated by hoisting-drums T operated by an engine t and boiler t2, all mounted upon a platform t3 on the joists S. The hoisting-ropes 0 and 02 extend from the sheaves 7c3 to the drums T. The distance apart of the timbers S may be varied by placing the bolts s in different holes 68 and by sliding the stirrup-bolts s2 along the beam G. I have also provided means for using the same engine for sluing the crane in either direction. A horizontal sheave U, commonly termed a bull-wheel, is mounted upon the lower end of the mast, and the sluing-rope o3 passed around it. The ends of the rope 03 pass between vertical snatch-drums u and below a horizontal drum u2 which are mounted upon blocking s3 on the timbers S. Either end of the rope 03 may be applied to a frictiondrum t* on the engine when the boom is to be slued in the corresponding direction.

The tackle on the outer end of the boom is shown in Figs. 11 and 12. From the ournal-pin e3 on the end of the boom which carries the sheave 07 depend straps V, between which is journaled a sheave o. The crane-hook P carries the customary sheave or sheaves 29. The rope 02 from the sheave 07 passes successively around the sheaves p and o one or more times, and has its end secured to a pin o2 termed the becket, carried by the straps V below the sheave o. A great dificulty in cranes as heretofore constructed has been caused by the twisting of the rope and tackle, which makes it necessary to unfasten the end of the rope from the becket and remove the twisting. 'Io avoid this I have provided a swivel consisting of a link-member W engaging the becket o2 and an eye-bolt w, which is pivoted about a longitudinal axis to the link TVV as shown, the end 0f the rope o2 being secured in the eye of the bolt co as shown. lVith this arrangement the twists in the rope are automatically relieved and the twisting of the tackle prevented.

To prevent displacement of the ropes from the sheaves due to the swinging of the load, I provide rope-guides o3, o4 having slots or passageways o5, o6, @7, through which the rope passes, immediately below the respective sheaves. The passageway fv" in the lower guide o4, as shown in Fig. 12, is elongated Vto permit the passage of two laps of the rope, one of which lies outside the other, and to allow said laps to swing free when the load swings from side to side.

A special feature of my invention consists in the arrangement of the bracing, whereby the stiff-legs are trussed and the bed-pieces B stiffencd for use in rolling the crane from one point to another. In such cases one bed-piece may be supported upon a dolly or roller, while the other is placed upon wooden rolls, and for this purpose a plate b9 is secured to the bottom of the bed-piece B, and has its outer end .slightlyY extending beyond it and turned up as shown at Z510. The vertical post F and diagonal member J together act to stiffen the beam.

The derrick, as aforesaid, is especially intended for use on construction work and for this purposeit is necessary to have it easily selmrable into pieces of convenient size for shipment. it is disconnected so as to form the following principal elements: irst, the mast A. with swivel-collar M and step-block K; secondly and thirdlyhthe two partial trames comprising each a bed-piece B, a lower stilfdeg halt1 c1, and diagonal J tourthly and titthly, the two upper still-leg halves c2," sixthly, the diagonal trame work comprising the members F, G, H and l; seventhly and eighthly, the two weightboxes D 5 and ninthly and tenthly, the boom in two or more pieces, divided in the center by means oit a jointpiece c4. Furthermore, my derrick is so constructed that it can be readily hoisted as a whole, as for example, in raising it from the ground or a lower story in a building to an upper' story, by simply lashing the hoisting-rope around the intersc ltion between the two diagonals H or joint-plate et. These being substantially iuunediately over the center ot gravity ot the structure, it will remain upright and will not overturn when the boom E is removed. This makes it particularly convenient for use in such cases.

F rom the above description it will be readily seen that my invention is not limited to special forms and mechanical constructions such as l have hereinabove shown by way et illustration, but that the principles thereof are expressible in a variety of ways as will be well understood by those skilled in the art; therefore the scope or my claims is to be interpreted in view et such alternative constructions.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a dori-ick, the combination with a mast of a step-bearing therefor comprising a step-piece having a hollow spherical surface, and a bearing-piece having a convex spherical. surt'ace ot the' same radius resting therein, the lower cud or' said mast rotaably rcsting'on said bearing-piece.

Q. In a derriclf, the combination with a mast ot a stepbearing therefor comprising a step-piece having a hollow spherical surface, a bearing-piece having a convex spherical surface oit the. same radius resting therein, the lower end of said mast rotatably resting on said bearing-piece, and a ballbearing between said bearing-piece and the lower end of said mast.

3. :in a` derrick, the combination with a mast, oit a hollow foot-piece secured to the lower end thereot` and having a bearing, a bearing-piece having a bearing-surface on which said bearing turns and ay spherical under-surface, and a step-member having a coacting spherical surface upon which the spherical surface of said coacting-piece rests, said step-member having a flange interlocking with said toot-piece, whereby it is securely swiveled upon the same.

el. In a derrick, the combination with a mast, of a hollow `toot-piece secured to the lower end thereof and having a bearing, a bearing-piece having a bearing-surface on which said bearing turns, and a spherical under-surface, a step-member having a coacting spherical surface upon which the spherical. surface of said bearing-piece rests, said step-member having a flange interlocking with said foot-piece whereby it is diseonnectibly swiveled upon the same, and being biseeted by a median plane into two symmetrical halves, astenings connecting the two halves, a journal-pin extending between the two halves and one or more ropesheaves rotatably mounted upon said journal-pin.

5. In a still-leg derrick, the combination of a. pair of bed-pieces forming an angle and united at the mast-ends, a mast journaled thereupon, a mast-collar at the upper end of said mast, a pair et stift-legs connecting said mast-collar with the further ends ot the bedpieces, and a lashing-saddle mounted on the tree end of one of said bedpieces, and having an upper rounded surface to receive the lashing rope.

6. The combination with a stift-leg derrick having base members at an angle of horizontal beam-members secured to the base of the derrick at one end extending laterally at an angle bisecting the angle between the two legs and supported from the base mem-A bers at an intermediate point whereby a counterweight placed upon said beamsmembers may be utilized to counterbalanee the load.

7. In a stili-leg derrick, the combination of two horizontal bed-pieces, a diagonal beam extending from an intermediate point of one bed-piece to an intermediate point of the other, and a pair of stirrup-bolts depending from the lower side of said beam and adapted to embrace and support timbers extending at right angles to said beam; said bed-pieces having each a horizontal hole through which a bolt may be passed to tasten the end of one ot said timbers.

8. In a still-leg derriek, the combination of the two horizontal bed-pieces making an angle with each other, a horizontal beam extending diagonally across the angle and connecting intermediate points of the respective bed-pieces, and means for securing and supporting a pair et' parallel timbers to and from intermediate points of said bedpieces and beam, said timbers bisecting the angle between the two bed-pieces.

9. In a stili-leg derrick, the combination of the two bed-pieces making an angle, a diagonal beam extending across the angle ssb and connecting intermediate points of the bed-pieces, a pair of parallel horizontal supporting beam-members bisecting the angle between the two bed-pieces, means for fastening the end of each of said supportingmembers to the side of the corresponding bed-piece, and means for supporting each beam-member intermediately upon said diagonal beam.

10. In a stiff-leg derrick, the combination of a pair of horizontal bed-pieces making an angle and connected together at their meeting-ends, a diagonal-beam connecting said bed-pieces at intermediate points and disposed above said bed-pieces, a pair of horizontal parallel supporting-members lying in the same horizontal plane as said bed-pieces and bisecting the angle between them, the ends of said supporting-members being beveled and abutting upon the side faces of said bed-pieces, bolts passing through said bedpieces and the ends of said supportingmembers and connecting them together, and a pair of stirrup-bolts mounted upon and depending from said diagonal beam and embracing and supporting said supportingmembers.

11. In a stiff-leg derrick, the combination with the mast and stiff-leg framework, comprising a pair of bed-pieces and a pair of stiff-legs, of diagonal framing connecting intermediate points of said bed-pieces and stift"-v legs together.

12. ln a stiff-leg derrick, the combination with the mast and stiff-leg-framework comprising a pair of bed-pieces and a pair of stilegs; of diagonal framing connecting intermediate points of said bed-pieces and stiff-legs together, said framing having a point midway between the two stiff-legs and bed-pieces for the attachment of means for hoisting the derrick.

13. In a stiff-leg derrick, the combination with the mast and stili-leg framework comprising a pair of bed-pieces and a pair of stiff-legs, of diagonal framing connecting intermediate points of said bed-pieces and stiif-legs together; said framing comprising a horizontal beam, a pair of uprights at its ends, and diagonale connecting the upper end of each upright with the lower end of the opposite upright.

14. In a stiff-leg derrick, the combination with the mast and stiff-leg framework comprising a pair of bed-pieces and a pair of stiff-legs, of diagonal framing connecting intermediate points of said bed-pieces and stiff-legs together; said framework comprising a horizontal beam, a pair of uprights at its ends, diagonals connecting the upper end of each upright with the lower end of the opposite upright, and a second pair of diagonals connecting the upper end of each upright with an intermediate point on said eam.

l5. In a stiff-leg derrick, the combination of arhorizontal bed-piece, an upright mast mounted to rotate at one end thereof, a stiff-leg connecting the opposite end of said bed-piece with the upper end of said mast, an upright connecting the center of said stiff-leg` with the center of said bed-piece, and a diagonal connecting the center of said stiff-leg with a point near the mast-end of said bed-piece.

16. lin a stiff-leg derrick, the combination of a horizontal bed-piece, an upright mast mounted to rotate at one end thereof, a stiflleg connecting the opposite end of said bedpiece with the upper end of said mast, an upright connecting the center of said stileg with the. center of said bed-piece, and a diagonal connecting the center of said stiffleg with a point near the mast-end of said bed-piece; said bed-piece having a plate on the lower surface thereof whereby it can loe used to roll upon rollers.

17. A knock-down arrangement for a stiE- leg derrick comprising the combination of the horizontal bed-piece, a lower stiff-leg half permanently connected to one end thereof, a diagonal permanently connecting a point Ynear the free end of said bed-piece with the upper end of said lower stiH-leg half; a detached upper stiff-leg half provided with means for connecting it to the upper end of the lower stiff-leg half, and an upright detachably connected to the middle of said bed-piece and the upper end of said lower stiff-leg half.

18. A knock-down arrangement for a stiffleg derrick comprising in combination two members each consisting of a bed-piece, a lower stiff-leg half, and a diagonal member connecting the upper end of said lower stiffleg half with a point near the opposite end of said bed-piece, one of said bed-pieces having means for connecting it to one. end of the other; a mast having mounted on its respective ends a swiveled step-bearing and a swiveled top-collar, the former having means for securing it to the meeting-ends of the two bed-pieces and the latter having sockets for the. upper ends of the stiff-legs; a pair of upper stileg halves, each detachably connected at one end to the respective lower stiff-leg halves and at the other end to the respective sockets of said collar; and a diagonal framework detachably connected with the middle of the respective bed-pieces and the upper ends of the respective lower stiff-leg halves.

19. A knock-down arrangement for a stiffleg derrick comprising in combination two members each consisting of a bed-piece, a lower stiff-leg half, and a diagonal member connecting the upper end of said lower stiffleg half with a point near the opposite end of said bed-piece, one of said bed-pieces having means for connecting it to one end of the other; a mast having` mounted on its respective ends a swivel'ed stepbearing and a swiveled top-collar, the former having means for securing it to the meetingeends of the two hed-pieces and the latter having sockets for the upper ends ot' the stiff-legs; a pair ol" upper stiff-leg halves, each detachably connected at one end to the respective lower stitldeg halves and at the other end to the respective sockets of said collar; a diagonal framework detachahlv connected with the middle of the respective bed-pieces and thel upper ends of the respective lower stiff-leg halves; and a pair ctt weight-boxes mounted on the fartherends of said bed-pieces.

20. A knocledown arrangement for a stifflegderrick comprising in combination two members each consisting of a hed-piece7 a lower stiff-leg half, and a diagonal member connecting the upper end of said lower stitileg half with a point near the opposite end of said hedpiece, one of said hedpieces having means for connecting it tol one end of l the other; a mast having mounted on its respective ends a swrveled step-bearing and a swiveled top-collar, the former having tlie two hed-pieces and the latter having E sockets for the upper ends oli the stitllegs;

1 a pair of upper stit-leg halves7 each detachl ably connected at one end to the respective lower stili-leg halves and at the other end @to the respective sockets of said collar; and fa diagonal framework detachably connected with the middle of the respective bed-pieces l and the upper ends of the respective lower stiii-leg halves; said diagonal framework @comprising a pair of uprights extending loe @tween the middle ot said bed-pieces and the lupper ends of said stiH-legs and adapted to stillen the former, a horizontal beam connecting the lower ends of said uprights7 and diagonale connecting the upper end of geach upright with the lower end of the opposite upright.

In witness whereof` l have hereunto set lmy hand in the presence of two witnesses.

S. B. HARDING.

lVitnesses:

H. F. PAZIK,

G. T. RUNGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingv the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, '.D. C.

Images