US2449781A

US2449781A - Apparatus for lifting massive objects

Info

Publication number: US2449781A
Application number: US597612A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jameson William Howe; Durkee E Leland
Original assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corp
Current assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corp
Priority date: 1944-03-18
Filing date: 1945-06-05
Publication date: 1948-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 1965-09-21

Description

w. H. JAMESON ET AL 2,449,781 APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS Sept. 21, 1948.

'4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 1.8, 1944 Sept.'21,'l9.48. M w. H. JAMESON EI'AL 2,449,781}

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS Original Fil ed March 18, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 21, 1948. w. H. JAMESON ETAL 2,449,731

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE QBJECTS Original Filed March 18, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 oooooocoeoeco) afia 4% Sept. 21, 1948. w. H. JAMESON ETAL 2,449,781

APPARATUS'FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS Original Filed March 18, 1944 4 Sheefcs-SheetA.

F .10. 11. IJyJI 3: Z- X1 Z2 EZelandfiza-fiza Patented Sept. 21 1948 APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS William Howe Jameson and E. Leland Durkee, Bethlehem, Pa., assignors to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application March 18, 1944, Serial No. 527,091. Divided and this application June 5, 1945, Serial No. 597,612

This application relates to apparatus for raising and lowering massive wall sections with speed and safety, and is a division of our copending application filed March 18, 1944, Serial No. 527,091, for Wing raising devices for floating dry docks.

Dry docks which must be towed for long distances to their final destination are sometimes built in a plurality of connectable pontoon sections, the side wing walls of each section being hinged thereon, for greater stability, to fold inboard during towage.

Such wing walls in the larger sizes of docks.

however, may weigh several hundred tons, and

raising such heavy walls from prone to upright position has heretofore been thought to require elaborate compartmentation and piping, poweriul pumps, and complicated signal systems for the controlled submergence and pumping outof the pontoons.

One objectof this invention, therefore, is to provide a relatively inexpensive mechanical means for raising and lowering massive wall sections.

Another object is to provide simple lifting systems which may be operated by personnel. without specialskills with a minimum of training.

Still other objects, purposes and advantages of our invention will appear hereinafter in the specification and in the appended claims, and in order to describe the invention more clearly we shall now refer to the annexed four sheets: of drawings forming apart of the specification and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure i is a side elevation of a wing wall equipped with wing latch, showing in full lines the initial raising position and in dotted lines positions of the main raise and tensile stages;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the-lower portion of one of the jacking columns showing the tension harness; a Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the lower portion of one of the jacking columns and large compres-- sion jack, the latter being shown extended in dotted lines in one step of the main raise;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, at the commencement of the tensile stage, of the lower portion of one .9 Claims. (Cl. 254--93) 2 of the jacking columns with the tension harness applied thereto, with the compression jack killed and the tensionjacks shown extended in full lines, and the movement of the tension jacks and jacking column shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 9 shows the lower portion of the jacking column with tension harnessapplied thereto as indicated in Fig.8 but disposed atrig'ht angles to said figure with the jacking and guide columns and parts of the tension harnessishown in section afterthe initial movement of the tensile stage;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of thewing latch; Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section of the wing latchtaken on the line II--I I of FigfilZ; Fig. 12 is a transverse sectiono f the wing latch on the line I2 -I2 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a transverse sectionon the line I3-I3 ofFig.10; I 1 Fig. 14is atransverse section on the line I4-I 4 of Fig. 10; and Y I I I Fig. 15 is a detail section on the line I5-I5 of Fig.11. "1. In the embodiment of our invention shown in Fig. 2, the pontoonis providedwitha fiatdeck I, suitably braced at pointsof support and concentrated load during lifting by the'welded reinforcing bulkhead plates 2, "angle stiffeners 3, and

gusset plates 4. Upon heavy platehinges 5 having pivot pins 6 is pivoted the rectangular'wing wall I provided with the welded reinforcing T-bars 8, 9, l0, and I I, at each corner edge, and with two (or more) double web girder wing latches I2 on the topf ace I3. As shown in Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, each wing latch I2 comprises the pair of web'plates I4,jwelded in spaced parallel relation on back plate I I5, provided with reinforcing fianges and rib plates, and bolted through the lower bracket-platelfi, the lug I1, and the upper bracket-plate I8 tosaid T-bars B andI I.

Said wing latch I2 is provided also with an upper pin hole l9 and alower pinhole"20, at the inner sides of which pin holes are the collars 2| tap-bolted to the web plates ,III and support" ing therotating guide frames 22. Said guide frames 22 comprise pairs of substantially square plates 23 with cut-ofi inner corners 24 and held in suitably spaced relation by means of r the spacing members 25and 26. Boltedto an outer side of one web plate. It at the upper and lower pin holes are the guide supports. 21, comprisingcentrally perforated square plates 28 to each of which is welded a projecting pipe 29, slotted longitudinally at 30 and braced by welded gussets 3L Said guide supports 21 hold the retractable upper and shoe 3'! is the slab 38, upon which slab is mounted the base 39 of the large hydraulic jack ll], Said Jack is provided with a valve t l-and inlet l2 for admitting fluid to the inner chamber thereof,

and with a ram or pistonadthhavinga. cap 44. Welded to said cap 44 are threaded-rods which pass through lugs 46 on the jaclobarrelor cylinder 4'! and have the nuts 43 normally run out to the cotters G9 to permit fii'll 'extensionflof' said] Also welded or bolted securely to' piston 43. said cap 43 is the short rectangular inner guide 4 the other column is similarly slacked and re-- pinned.

As the wing is raised the load on the jacks will diminish continuously, until the load is sufiicientlyreduced to permittaising to the next hole and holding on one column, while the second column is pinned olT with its jack closed and the said second jack is pumped up enough to take the entire load. Latch pin 32 in the first column ispulled and the first column is lowered under no load while the second column and jack are vpumped up under load and the process repeated. .EThiS results inpinning one column in the odd numbered pin-holes only, and the other column in the even numbered holes.

When the neighborho'o'd of holes I) on the jacking strut is 'r'eache'd'; the upper and lower pin holes l9 and column 58 upon which is mounted and adapted to slide freely the long rectangular outer jacking strutor column 5t welded to bracket plates 52' and 5.3-as Figs. 2-,, 3, and 7: to- 9, inclusive. Said rectangular columns-Elli. and '15 lyare; provided with corresponding sets of ,pi-n-holes '54, spaced longitudinally: apart a little less-than maxi-mum i5 jack-\runout; and adaptedto receive; the latch pins. 32-: and,-3'3 Azqound said: jackingcolumn His placedath-e tensionnharness, 55,. shown in Figs: 2-:to inclu sivetwhioh. comprises two channels '56 mounted on saidjacking;column5-l;, reinforcedv by. stiffener bans-51, bolted tolthe bracket, plates 1 53 and a pain 0117512135 583; upon-each of which slabs .58 is boltedahydraulic jack 59,; witha second pair :of

60, suitably perforated, are held. by movable pins 6]. and-6% towfour, corner .-t.ension1 bars :6 3, which pass therethrough and are provided with series ofwspacedzz pin-holespfid and .heldtby: pins 65;; in

grooves in slab 38 at the bottom and by: bQlts 65 in rectangular sliding yokerfi 'lyofr-welded or bolted angles, provided with soft wood rubbing: strips flatt t pi All the above-mentioned hydrauli j acks may bev actuated by any. suitable fluid, pumped: by: a

weight, distribution, which stages may Joede scribed; as; follows; (1.) the, main raise; t2) the transition stage and. (3;) the tensile-stage 'The i-nitial; stageor ,main raise is accomplished by,.the,two jackingastruts or columnstl; which are :operated by theihyd-raulictjacks All located between the lower end of said. columns :and. the upper. bearing shoe- 3'], connected by pin [36fto lowerbearing shoe. 35 weldedto the deckv I Beginning with theupper latchlpinst2 ofth wing latches |2Yin holes a on'thejacking columns 5I",j'the,wing wallf'l 'is raised by means of'the' bottom jacks dllin' succe'zssiv e one-hole"-1i'fts, with said jacks-"49" hydraiilical-ly coupled jtogether so as to carry-the load equally. "At the top" of each liftthe" loadis held entirely on one column: and jack whileithe' othercolumnand j ackarei'fleeted by pulling said upper latch.- pinl'32,t lowering-the jack ram-and column and pinning the winglatch 12 off to th'e n'ext higher "pi-m hole invthez column, then picking up andiho'ldingzion thattsj'ack while 20 in the wing latches [2 are brought into exact register with the corresponding holes in the jacking column 5! by carefully manipulating the xjac-ks ill. The lower l-atch'pins :33sa-rethen driven and, the upper pins 32" withdrawn, and: raising continued from hole-:c with the use of thelower pins *33-only.

.At a'certa-in pointin the gradualuraisingof the wing wall 1 it will reach a point of equilib: rium beyond which itvwillwexertra pulls instead of a. push on the jacking columns 5l, which must thereafter be restrained with a tensile force throughthe latches-J IZ' instead of propelledwith a compressive force. Somewhat below the. point of theoretical equilibrium, therefore-,the tension hannessn55r=actuatew by' the pairs of hydraulic jacks 59 is attached to each jacking column 5| to ease the elevation through the secondor transition; stage without shock or insecurity With the wing wall 1 shown, the transition stagewillbe: between the holes .d and e of the jacking columns 5|. Each wingis raised in this stage by one jacking column only. This column is jacked 'upby both the lower jack A0-and the upper: jacks 59,. with a fixed load-of about. l0%- of the total weight ofthe win-g on thejack M1 at allxtimesto guard against sudden overbalance. Ina'ordentovmaintain the specified load, ascertainable by apressure gauge (not shown) on said jack. 2 40, excessive pressure being, bled through relief valves (not shown), it is necessary to vary the load on. the jacks 59 as, the load cnthe columnr5'l changes- When this ,fi-rst column is being. fleeted, the load is laid on=thesecond-column,. with the jack flfpushing against slabs 60 through-the jacks-:59: under the fixed load, thus making it possible for the column to take either tensionor compression. By cradling the columns in this: manner full control over thecmotion of the. wing is assured. at all times-,regardless of the effects-nof wind. or -;wavewaction,.- since there is continuously-a. compressive load in the jack workingagainst a tensile load in .the tension harness 55.

, Accordingly;the-lower latch pint-33 being withdrawn on the second column, jacking of' the first, col-tr n y on. its lowerj ask all .is. continued until the slabs 58 bear on the pins 6! in their pinholes-wiills enstensionebars-63 Pressure onathe jack 40 being held as above, the upper jacks 59 are bledi suiliciently to allow said-j ack. 4 I), to extend and free the slabs 60 from the pins 62, which latter.pinsarethenl pulled out and. moved to the pin-aholes .next' above. TIT-he jacksa59 arepumped up untilthe slabs:60 again bear. against! the pins 62 and:- the pins:6"l :ar e1 freed. :Sa-id pins Gina-re withdrawnnand gplacednin" the; next highertpinholesron.thewtensicn-balrsifiihw i Still on the first column, its jacks 59 arebled slowlyand jack is simultaneously pumped up until the withdrawn latcnpin 331 of the second column registers with the next above pin-hole on that column, whereupon the said latch pin 33 is inserted. The jacks 59 of the first column are slacked off fully,,transferring the load from the first column tothe second column, and the latch pin 33 of the first column is pulled back into its guide support 21,

Jack 40 of the first column is slacked oil "until the next higher pin-hole inthat column registers with its latch pin 33, which is then inserted, and pins 51 and 62 are moved to the respective next lower pin-holes 64 in the tension bars 63. Jacks 59 of said first column are pumped up, without moving the column, until the gauge on the jack 40 shows proper pressure, and said jack 40 is raised slightly while bleeding the jacks 59 to free the latch pin 33 of the second column.

, These operations are continued until the win hasbeen raised to the point where the latch pins 33 have been inserted in the holes e of both columns. which are now in final tension.

In'the last or tensile stage, after accidental reversals to compression are no longer possible, both lower jacks .40 go out of service. Their drain valves are opened and the nuts 48 are screwed upon the threaded rods welded to the jack caps 44 to prevent further movement of these jacks or of the inner guide column 50. The pairs of upper jacks 59 in the tension harnesses 55 together lower the wing to its final seat. Each jacking column 5! in this stage pulls against the pair of slabs 58 which inturn react against the pins 61 in the anchored tension bars 63. Holding on said slabs 58 the jacks 59 are run out until the, slab 60 is held by the pins 62 in the pin-holes next above in said tension bars. After each such increment the load is held on'the slabs 50,

I i The procedure for lowering the wings is in genl eral the reverse of the raising procedure just described, The jacking columns 5| and tension harness 55 are erected in the extended position in whichthey were last used in raising the wing walls and pinned off to the wing latches l2 at the hole e. The inside guide Columns 50 are extended with the jacks 40 killed" by screwing up the nuts 48 on the threaded rods 45 welded to the jack caps 44. The upper bearing shoe 3'! is pinned by the pin 36 to the lower bearing shoe 35 welded or bolted to the deck I. The foregoing three stages are then reversed in sequence, until the wing walls are again lowered to their prone position.

It is within the contemplation of this application that other massive objects beside dry dock wing walls may be raised and lowered in a similar manner by the use of our invention; and in general, although we have hereinabove shown and described our invention in considerable detail, we do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific structures and procedures stated, but may use such substitutes, modifications or equivalents thereof as are within the scope and.

6 spirit of the invention and of the appended claims ,1 i

Having thus described our invention, what we claim asnewand useful and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. A jacking. strut comprising, a load support comprising withdrawable pins, a pivotally movable ,strut fulcrum support, a. jacking column adapted to engage said pins selectivelyat a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis and comprising an abutment slab at its lower end, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support, and a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and comprising at its upper exterior end an abutment cap and an upwardly extending guide member, the said jack ing column being adapted for telescopic engagement with said guide member and in abutting engagement with said abutment cap. 5 i 2. A jacking strut comprising, a load suppor comprising withdrawable pins, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column adapted to engage said pins selectively at a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis and comprising an abutment slab at'its lower end, a hydraulic jack cylindersecured to said strut fulcrum support, a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and comprising at its upper exterior end an :abutment cap and an upwardly extending guide member, the said jacking column being adapted for telescopic engagement with said guide member and in abutting engagement with said abutment cap, tension rods secured at their lower ends to said strut fulcrum support and comprising a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis, a tension abutment slab slidable axially of said tension rods, pins selectively engageable in said apertures to limit upward movement of said tension abutment slab, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to the upper face of said jacking column abutment slab, and ahydraulic jack ram o'perable within said jack cylinder and adapted at its upper end to engage the underside of said tension abutment slab.

3. A jacking strut comprising, a duplex. load support having withdrawable pins, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column adapted to engage said pins selectively at a plurality of aperturesspaced along its axis and comprising an abutment slab at its lower end, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support, a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and comprising at its upper exterior end an abutment cap and an upwardly extending guide member, the said jacking column being adaptedfor telescopic engagement with said guide member and in abutting engagement with said abutment cap, tens-ion rods secured at their lower ends to said strut fulcrum support and comprising a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis, a, tension abutment slab slidable axially of said tension rods, pins selectively engageable in saidapertures to limit upward movement of said tens-ion abutment slab, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to the upper face ofsaid jacking column abutment slab, and a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and adapted at its upper end to engage the underside of said tension abutment slab.

4. A jacking strut comprising, a load support having withdrawable pins, guide frames mounted to rotate on said load support, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column slidable within the guide frames and adapted to engage said. pins aerate-i 7 selectively at a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis and comprising an abutment: slab at its lower-en'd, ahydraul-ic jack-:cylinder'secured: to said strut-fulcrum supportand a hydraulic jack ram operable within-said jack cylinder and comprising at its .upperiexterior end an abutment cap and an upwardlyextending. guide member, the said jacking column" being adapted for telescopic engagement '-withsaid::guide'=mem'- ber' and in abutting engagement with said abut ment cap. a 1

5; A jacking ,strut comprlsing,.a loadrsupport having withdrawable pins, rotatable guide framcsmounted on said-load support, a-strut fulcrum support, a jacking column slidable on the guide frames and adapted to-engage said pinsselect-ively at a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis and comprising-anabutmcnt slab at its lower end, a hydraulic jackcylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support,- a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jackcylinder and comprising at its upper exterior end an abutment cap'and an upwardly extending guide member, the said jacking column being adaptedfor'telescopic engagement with said guide memberand in-abutting engagement with said abutment cap, tension. rods secured at their lower endsto said strut fulcrum support and comprising a pinrality of apertures spaced along its axis, atension-'abutmentslab slidable axially of saidtension rods, pins selectively engageable in said apertures to limit'upward movement of said tension abutment slab, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured-to the upper face of saidjackingcolumnabutment slab, and a hydraulic-jack. ram operable-within said jack cylinder and adapted at its upper end to engagethe underside of said-tension abutment slab. s

6; A jacking strut comprising, withdrawable pins, a strutfulcrum support, a jacking column adapted to engage sa-idpins. selectively *ata plurality of apertures spaced alongzits-ax-isand comprising an abutment slab at. its lower end-,.-a hydraulic jack cylinder secured'to said -strut-:f=ulcrum support, a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and comprising .at.-its upper exterior end an abutment-cap andflan upwardly extending guide member,-. the said. jacking column beingadaptedfor telescopic engagement with said guide member and iii-abutting engagement with said abutment cap, andbolts forpreventing movement of the jack ram-when desired.

7 A jacking strut comprising, a -load support comprising Withdrawable pins, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column. adapted to engage said pins selectively at a plurality of apertures spaced along its axisand comprising -an=-abutment slab at'its lowerendya hydraulic jack cylinder secured to said strut fulcrum :support, a hydraulic jackram operable within said jack cylinder and comprising at itsupper exteriorend an abutment cap with: hold-down bolts to regu= late the'movement of the jack ram and an upwardly extending guide member, the said-jacking column being adapted for telescopic-engagement with saidguide member and-insa-butting engagement with said abutment :cap, *tension rods secured at'their lower ends-tocsaid'stnut fulcrum su port and com-prising a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis; aten'sioniabut ment slab sli'dable" axially of' said tension r-o'd's, pins selectively engageable in said apertures to limit -.upward movement of said tension 'abut ment slab; a hydraulic ja'ckcylinder secured to the upperface of said jacking column abutment slab, and ahy'draulic jack'ram operable :within said jack cylinder and adapted at its'u-ppcr end to engage the underside of said tension abut.- mentslab,

a A -ja6lting strut comprising, 'duplex load support having withdrawable pins, guide" frames rotatably connected to said load support, a strut fulcrumsupport, a jacking column slidable on said-guide frames and-adapted to engage-said pins selectively at a plurality of apertureszspaced along its axis and comprising an abutment sla-b at its lower end, a 'hydraulic jack cylinder se cured to said strut'fulcrum support, a; hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylin'der-= and comprising at its upperexteriorend -an -abut ment'cap and an upwardly extending guid'e'm'em her, the saidjacking column being adapte'd ibr telescopic engagement with said guide mem-ber and in abutting engagement with said abutment cap, and -boltsfor limiting themovement'of -the jack ram.

9. 'A'jacking strut comprising, a duplexdoad support having withdraw'able pins, guide frames adapted to rotate on said load -support,a strut fulcrumsupport, a jacking column adapted to slide on'the guide "frames and to engage said pins selectively at a pluralityof aperturesspaced along its axis and comprising anabutment slab a-t-its lower end, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support, ahydraulic jack ram operable withinsaidjack cylinder and comprising atits upper exterior end 'an'abutment capwith hold-down bolts to restrict 1 the movement of the jack ram when desiredand an upwardly extending guide member, the said jacb ing column being adapted'for telescopic engagement with-said guid'e member and in--abuttin'g engagement with said abutment cap, tension rods-secured at their lower ends to-sailrlstrut fulcrum support and comprising a pluralit'y o'f apertures spaced along its ax-is,'a tension-abut ment slab slidable' a-xially of saidtension rods, pins selectively engageable in said apertures to limit upward movement of-saidtension =abutment slab, a hydraulic'jack cylinder secured-to the upperfaceof said jacking column abutment slab, and a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and adapted at'it-s uppercnd to engage the underside ofsaid' tension-"abut men't" slab;

' HOWE! JAMESON;

E."LELAND DURKEE;

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are ofrecord in" the 'fil'e'of this patent:

2,314,539- -Mandl- '23, T1943