US2135631A

US2135631A - Portable apparatus for transferring loads

Info

Publication number: US2135631A
Application number: US117060A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest G Amesbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-12-21
Filing date: 1936-12-21
Publication date: 1938-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 1955-11-08

Description

Nov. 8, 1938. E. e. AMESBU RY 2,135,531

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING LOADS Filed Dec. 21, 1936 s Sieecs-Sheet 1' lnuenfm': fENES-T 6i. flMESBl/EY,

i/(i Jimmy 5 Nov. 8, 1938. E. e. AMESBURY 2,135,631

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING LOADS Filed Dec. '21, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 2 [Mei e102":

Nov. 8, 1938.- r-i. G. AMESBURY 2,135,631

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING LOADS Filed Dec. 21, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 hwenfor: ERNEST 6. QME BUEY,

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRAN SFERRIN G LOADS Ernest G. Amesbury, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application December 21, 1936, Serial No; 117,060

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the transfer of loads, and more particularly to the erection or disvmantling of structural members, although not limited thereto.

In erecting the high columns of suspension bridge towers, by way of example, it has heretofore been the usual practice traveler or frame-work upon which is mounted one or more booms or derricks. This traveler is usually hoisted by special block-and-tackle and held in position while moving by temporary guides. The use of such a device is attended by many troublesome features, such as the provision of extra engines, extra block-and-tackle, and the necessary guides. In addition, a traveler is limited in its operation to the handling of relatively short structural members which, of course, requires considerable riveting and assembling on the site of the structure.

It is among the objects of the present invention to eliminate, to a great extent, the involved equipment incident to theemployment of conventional devices for handling loads.

Another object is to transfer difiicult loads, such as long structural members, and in that instance thereby enable more riveting and assembling in the shop,

The foregoing and other objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an erecting rig of the walking-beam which composes part of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan of the showing of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan of a pair of walking-beams mounted on a column of a suspension bridge tower;

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram in elevation disclosing the method of employing the rig of the present invention to start erection on a pier and to raise the rig to the top of the first column section;

Figure 6 is an elevation of a load bracket and bracket-knee brace used to support the erecting Figure '7 is a fragmentary view on the line VII-VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an elevation of a raising beam as used in combination with a pair of Walkingbeams, the latter being shown in section;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of the showing of Figure 8; t

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevation of an adjustment beam which is used to vary the width of the erecting rig to accommodate a change in the width of the column being erected; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view on theline XI-XI of Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the numeral 2 generally designates a walkingbeam which may be in the form of a truss, braced truss, or a simple beam of such proportion, strength and shape as the structure to be erected or dismantled may require. In the present instance, the walking-beam 2 is shown as comprising a braced truss which is provided with out board supporting trusswork 3.

The walking-beam 2 carries a pair of centrally disposed, laterally aligned apertured hangers 5, while the trusswork 3 carries an apertured hanger 6 in alignment therewith, An elongated main pivot pin 8 is disposed to extend through the pair of apertured hangers 5 and the apertured hanger 6. A sheave 9 is carried by the elongated pin 8 between the pair of apertured hangers 5.

One end of the walking-beam 2 carries a hanger l2 which supports a pair of sheaves 4. A rope I 5, carrying a tackle block IE on one of its ends, is passed around one of the sheaves I 4, around the tackle block l6, and around the other of the V I is passed around the sheave 9, between the apertured hangers 5, and extends away from the walking-beam 2. The tackle block l6 carries a suitable hitching device, such as a downwardly extending rope I1. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the hanger 2 on the Walking-beam 2 can be provided with a single sheave M, or any suitable number, depending upon the load to be handled.

The foregoing arrangement of sheaves 9 and I4, tackle block l6 and rope |5 comprise a load-fall; the rope I5, after passing around the sheaves 4 and extending away from the walking-beam 2, forming the load lead line by reason of its being connected to a conveniently disposed engine (not shown).

The other end of the walking-beam 2 carries a hanger I9 to which there is connected a pair of pivotal links 20, the latter pivotally supporting a pair of sheaves 2|. A rope 23, carrying a tackle block 24 on one of its ends, is passed around one of the sheaves 2| around the tackle block 24 and around the other of the sheaves 2| from which it extends away from the walking-beam 2. The pulley 24 carries a suitable hitching device, such as a downwardly extending rope 25. A single sheave 2|, or any suitable number, may be substituted for the pair described, depending upon the load to be handled.

The foregoing arrangement of sheave 2|, tackle block 24 and rope 23 comprise a hold-down fall; the rope 23, after passing around the sheaves 2| and extending away from the walking-beam 2, forming the hold-down line by reason of its being connected to a conveniently disposed engine (not shown).

In practice, the walking-beam 2 is preferably used in combination with a reversely constructed duplicate thereof, the pair being disposed in ad jacent parallelism, as shown in Figures 4, 8 and 10. For the purposes of simplicity, however, the operation of a single walking-beam 2 will be described, it being understood that the other of the pair is operated in an identical manner and. simultaneously therewith.

The walking-beam 2 is hoisted to the top. of

a pier 30 (Figure 5) in any convenient. manner. A temporary shoe 3| is secured to'the top of the pier 36 and the walking-beam 2 is pivotally connected thereto by means of the elongated pin 6. The hold-down hitching device, orrope 25, is.

suitably anchored and the hold-down lead rope 23 is, as previously mentioned, connected to an engine (not shown). The hold-down lead rope '23 is let out, or slackened, and the Opposite end of the walking-beam '2 pulled or permitted to tilt downwardly. This is continued until the load-fall tackle clears the pier 36 and the loadhitching device, or rope IT, can be hooked onto the structural member to be hoisted. The loadfall lead rope I5 is then pulled in by its engine (not shown) until the structural member being hoisted is elevated to the required position. The hold-down lead rope 23 is then pulled in by its engine (not shown), causing the downward tilting of that end of the walking-beam 2. This shortening of the hold-down lead rope 23 is continued until the structural member being hoisted is directly over its permanent location. This stage of operation is illustrated in Figure 5, wherein the structural member being hoisted is shown at 33 (full lines) as comprising the first section 33 of a tower column.

If the centerjof gravity of the walking-beam 2 passes almost or totally to. the right of the elongated pin 8 (Figures 1 and 5), a runner-line, or set of blocks-and-tackle, may be connected to the pier or face of the column to the left end of the walking-beam and used to pull it back until the center of gravity is sufficiently in that direction, whereupon the left end of the walking-beam will tilt downwardly as the hold-down lead rope 23 is let out or slackened. If it is necessary to tilt the walking-beam 2 into almost vertical position to hoist a structural member, this runnerline maybe used to prevent the walking-beam from tipping over.

According tothe foregoing, it will be seen that the walking-beam 2 very effectively operates as a simple lifting beam.

Afterthe hoisting has been completed, and the first section 33 of the tower column installed,the walking-beam 2 is raised thereonto in the following manner:

A raising-beam. 34 is provided for supporting a pair of pins 8 for the walking-beam2 when the latter is being elevated. This raising-beam 34 is temporarily bolted wherever desired, and is elevated from time to time. At the present stage of operation, the raising-beam 34 is bolted to the first section 33 of the tower column, and the loadhitching device, or rope I1, is suitably anchored. Rocker-shoes 36 are secured to the upper surface of the raising-beam 34. The pivot pins 8* connect the rocker-shoes 36 .to the walking-beam 2 through

supplemental shoes

5 and 6 which are connected to the latter; for example, through bolt holes 31, as shown in Figure 1. The loadfall lead'rope I5 is pulled, in until the walkingbeam 2 is made to rest on the rocker-shoes 36 carried by the raising-beam 34. The walkingbeam 2 is then connected by the pivot pins 8 to the rocker-shoes 36. The load-fall lead rope i5 is pulled in until the load of the walking-beam 2 is transferred from the elongated pin 8 to the rocker-shoes 36 on the raising-beam 34. At this stage of operation, the elements are in the lower of the two dotted line positions of Figure 5.

'The elongated pin 8 is removed and the temporary shoe. 3| is removed from the top of the pier 36. The load-fall lead rope I5 is then pulled in until the walking-beam 2 is in the upper dotted line position of Figure 5.

In the present instance, it is necessary to support the walking-beam 2 on the side of the first section 33. Accordingly, I provide a load-bracket,

a practical form of which is generally indicated at 44 in Figures 6 and '7 of the drawings. This load-bracket 44 comprises a framework which supports a pair of vertically extending laterally aligned apertured hangers 45. This framework is suitably bolted to the side of the first section 33 of the tower column, and is provided with a knee brace 46 which is also secured to the side of the first section. The vertically extending, laterally aligned apertured hangers 45 are constructed and arranged to receive the elongated pin 8 of the walking-beam 2. After the walking-beam 2 is pivotally mounted on the loadbracket 44, it is operated in the same manner as was previously mentioned in connection with its former position on the temporary shoe 3| on the top of the pier 30.

According to the foregoing, it will be seen that the walking-beam 2 is employed in its load-hoisting capacity when, centrally pivotally mounted. When moving it from one position to another, the walking-beam 2 is alternately pivotally mounted at two points; one of which is between its center and one ofits ends, and the other is at its center. It is desirable to leave the loadbrackets 44 36 on raising-beam 34) attached to the walking-beam 2 when moving the latterfrom one position to another, thereby avoiding duplicated effort.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, I have disclosed an adjusting device on the raising-beam 34. This adjusting device comprises slidable rocker-shoes 5| and screw-jacks 52, and is used to adjust the walking-beam 2 toward oraway from the structure being erected.

While I have shown and described several specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A portable apparatus for transferring loads comprising a walking-beam, a load fall rigging carried by said walking-beam adjacent one of its ends, a hold-down fall rigging carried by said walking-beam adjacent the other of its ends, a mounting for supporting said walking-beam intermediate its ends, and a mounting between said first-named mounting and one of the ends of said walking-beam, said second-named mounting being adjustable longitudinally of said walking beam, each of said mountings being constructed and arranged to support said walkingbeam for free pivotal movement.

and elevating-brackets (rocker-shoes