US2521861A - Crane with portable boom - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1950 B, M, MA1-HMS 2,521,861

` CRANE WITH PORTABLE BOOM Filed March 22, 1949 s sheets-smet l ATTOe/ve' Ys.

SePt- 12, 1950 B. M. MATHlAs 2,521,861

CRANE WITH LPORTABLE Boom Filed March 22, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Ezra/v M. MATH/As,

A TTOB/VEYS.

Sept i2, 1950 B. M. MATHlAs 2,521,861

CRANE WITH PORTABLE BOOM Filed March 22, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 O mmm N ilq 1&5 X m LL INVENTOR. BEETON M. MATH/46,

BY )XW/EMM @wia/am A 7' roe/v5 YS.

Patented Sept. 12, 1950L v UNITED.. STATES 'CRANE-WITH 1 oRtirAB1cnn BOOM Y Berton M. Mathias, Monte;Vista, aColo.

'ApplicationMarch 22, 194 9,Seri1No.82,898

This'invention relates to "powercranes and sim- "ilardevices, 'andl more Aparticularly tofa power crane'having av foldableboom which can Ibe -reduced in length for convenience in transportation of' thecrane, Vand'canbe `quickly rand reasily` extended for use. Y l g It isamong the objects `of the invention to provide/an improved Vpower cranehavi-ng a foldable ``boom vwhich can be quickly and easily folded `at one V*orA more `locations along its lengthto reduce l the length'of the boom formore'con'venient trans- 'portationY ofthe 4craneirom place-to-place, and "which may also have a folda'ble toweror superstructure `which may be yquickly'arldfeasily Alowered for transportationA of the crane,so' that 4thefolding-and Aunfolding meansfarelsimple and dur?y able `in construction, economical tof-manufacture and install, and provides, when thesboom isfextended, a `boom of equal-strength -toa non-fold- `able boom of the Ysamegeneral dimensions.

Other objects and advantageswill become-ap- `#parent from a consideration -of `thefollowing -de- `scription and the appended'claims in conjunction `with the accompanying drawings,- wherein:

=`Figure l is Iaside-elevation ofva power-cr-ane f-'ihaving-afoldab1e -boom and foldable superstructure illustrative -of the invention, with the boom l:in extended condition,and the superstructure raised; I L

Figure 2 isa View similar to `'Figure 1-1withthe boom folded y and .the superstructurelowered Figure 3 is a transVerse-cross-section onI an enlargedscale on the line 3-3 -ofFigure l;

"Figure .4 is-a `longitudinal cross-sectionhf va 'fragmentaryfpor-tion ofvLthe boom and fboom-told- Y, ing means on itheline 4-44 ;of Figure; .Y il

i Figure 5 a rear Y elevation -of ythe Acrane illusi trated lin Figure 1- =with flthe crane r superstructure:`

ciolaims; (c1. .21a-144) Figure 7 iss-a `transverse cross-section -f onan enlarged scale Aof a)'fragrrientary portionof l:the

cable drumsl 2-andv lla ldrivinglyfconnected -to the. poWer-plantand operatedL lbythe' `usual` manual With continued-reference"to -the-drawingsfthe i 'y cranelhasea 'bodydl-Whiehf'rnavbe of conventional construction,-housing apoWer-plant ll l ,and

controils; not Aillust-rated.v Th'e 'body' Ll 0 is -pivotally suitable frame supported onaground-engaging otherv1-facilities#:for Y"the operator-of lthe crane. lThe elongatedscemi-generally indicated at Vlilyis pivotally connected. at one Aend to Athe-*cranebody -l at the front edgelof-the bottom of the body by outer end,-a pair-of. oppositely-'disposedsheaves *20 overwhich pass rthe cable-2 l 1*whiche-raise-A and lowerethe-outenend-of `tliegboom.` `r Ehe Vcable-2l -may'be a continuous cable having its endswound f ffFrom thesedrurnsithe two parts of- -the'ablef--pass upwardly andover respectivesheavesf-Z2 carried y on Ithe-top ofthe superstructure; vgenerally-indifon respective cable drums inthe-crane body-fl0.

McatedatN 26. Tromfthe -sheavesif thecable por- `tions pass respectively over the sheaves 20 at the outer end of thevboomandthen extend rearwardly :toward the,l sup erstriucture wheres they 1pass .over respectiveisheaves carried .by vrespective clevises extending yforwardly. :tronic-the. super--l .structure-carried.shaft 2.6 `on which the sheaves .,122 are;inountedcandirom .the sheaves. 24 the .center portion ofthe cableextends forwardlyl and .passes overa sheave 21;.carried-bya.clevisaa I,con-

nectedfto a shafti'asecured lita the .front :end :of

uitheboom,vwhiclrshaft also carries Vthe sheaves 2|] .and a, crown sheave A`zlifwllich is preferably-located Y at 'the lcenter offtheL ,width zof-fthe lboom. 1 A load cable 3 l fextends Y trom a Winding t drum;not :illus- A secured Yto the boomrat a locationfadjacent the Aand,tlflence over the crownlpulley 39, aroundca suitable block, .not illustrated, ,and .has its end 'crownpullem as indicated at'33. l

Injthe arrangement' illustrated, 'the' 'boom I 8,

is provided v`in three; separate sections including.

-twoend-sections-M a'ndj35, and*` a center `section Y i2?.connectedtogetherlby web bracing exten- A:arsenaal and rearwardly until it overlies, and issuperimposed upon the center section 36 of the boom.

A shaft 55 is transversely journaled in the outer-end frame 56 of the inner-boom section 35, and gears l xed on this shaft mesh respectively with the gear sectors 43 secured to the adjacent end of the boom-center section 36. In

, addition to being secured to the end frame 4i) of upper side of the section, that is, the side of the y section opposite the lugs.

A pair of gear sectors 43 is secured .to the end.

frame 46 of the boom center section 36at the end of the section adjacent thefcranebody Il) and these sector gears extend above the boom center section and outwardly from" the center' section of the boom to overlie the adiacenttend portion of the boom end` section which is pivotally ,connected at its end Opposite the center section lSii "to the crane bodyV l0.

The end section 35 of thevboorn also comprises lfour .longitudinali angle ironsd 44 connected together by diagonal web braces l5 which extend upper and lowerangle irons 44l of the end section 35 ofthe boom converge toward each other and enter a box structure 46 at the end of the boom connected to the cranebody. This box section f lii maybe formed of` suitable plates welded to- ;gether, and carries the lugs byrneans of which v `the correspondinghend of the boom end section 35 is pivotallyconnected to the bottom, front lend of the cranebody. As this pivotal connection be entirely conventional, it has not been illustrated, in detail. l

w yThe outer-end section`34 ofthe-boom also comprises four longitudinal angle irons 4l vwhich are interconnected by` diagonal web bracing 48 extending along the four sides of the section and converge toward their outer ends to `Va box structure 49 in which are mounted suitable bearings for -the sheave shaft 29, At its end adjacent the center section 36 of the boom, theendsection-' 34 has a square lend frame 50 fromwhich extends y .25 along the four sides of theiboom section.` Beyond a location spaced from the center section 36, the

Iapertured lugs 59,', the apertures of which register withapertures in the lugs42 on the lowerside of the boom center section 36 to receive Aa pivot pin 5l which pivotally connects the. boom outerend section 34 and center section 36 at their adjoining ends and at the lower side'of the boom.

- Two semi-circular gear sectors 52 areY secured 'tothe end frame 50 of .the :boom outerY section Sil at respectivelycpposite sides of the boom, and vextend upwardly from the outer end section and voutwardly from the end section 34 over the adja- 1 cent portion of the center section-36. The centers 'Y of these` gear sectors are substantially concentric corners of the gearjsectors to the corresponding longitudinal angle irons of the boom end section.

Gears 54 are iixed on shaft il and mesh respectively with .thesector gears 52 to rotate the lsector gears/about the axis of'pivot pin 5l.`

'.wnenfthe boom is in the extended cendraan,"i1 `11;1strateu in sigur-eran@ the shaft ai fis rc'tated'in'a clockwise directiornthe gear sec- 'g Ytors EZ-wiii be rotated in a direction to fold the outer-end section 34 of the boom downwardly the boom-center section, the gear sectors 43 may be reinforced by diagonal. braces l58 extending from the 'outer-corners' ofthe'gear sectors re- Ylugs 6B located at respectively opposite sides of the boom, and the end section 35 is provided with apertured lugs 6I which are disposed at the inner sides of respective lugs 50 with their apertures in alignment with the apertures of the lugs 6i), and ashaft 52 extends through the lugs 6E) and 6l and through vthe gear sectors 43 substantially concentric with the arcuate curvature of these gear sectors. l

Asis particularly` A'illustrated in Figures l and 3, the shaft 55 is located at the vlower side, and the vshaft 62 is located at the upper side of the boom.

A chain sprocket 63 is xed on the shaft 55, and a chain 64 extends around the sprocket 63 and around a sprocket 65 mounted on the shaft 66 by means of which the boom is pivotally 1connected to the crane body. The sprocket 65 is driven from the crane power plant by suitable means and under suitable manual control,y not illustrated. Y f

When the boom is .in the extendedpcsition, illustrated in Figure l, and the shaft 551s rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, the gear sectors 43 will be rotated to foldthe centersectionV 36 of the boom upwardly and rearwardly to overlie the boom-end section 3 5.

A right-angle bearing bracket S1 is `journaled j on shaft 55 outside of the chain sprocket 63, and

69 secured on shaft 82 at the outer sideof one of the gear sectors 43. Abeveled gear 'l0 is secured on shaft `55 outside of the bracket 67, and a beveled gearr 'Il is secured'on shaft 62 outsidel of the bearing bracket 68. A connecting shaft 'I2 extends through the bearing brackets 67 and 68, and has, onA its opposite ends, beveled gears i3 and 'i4 meshing respectively with the beveled gears 'Hl and 1I, so that when the sprocket 63 is rotated by its power connection with the power plant of the crane, thesprocket 69 on shaft 62 will be simultaneously rotated,l.,but in the opposite direction.` A chain Asprockei'f'l is securedA on shaft 4I at the outer end of the center section 36 of' the boom, and a link chain'lt` extends around the sprockets 69 and 15, so that the shaft 4| yand the gears 54 will Vbe driven whenever the-shaft 55 is driven from the power plant Vof the crane.

With this arrangement,` as the center section 36 oi the boom is moved upwardly and rearwardly relative to theinner-end section 35, the outerend section 34 will be simultaneously moved downwardly relative to the center section 36,' so that when the `sector gears -743 and 52 have been rotatedA through one-half' of a revolution, the three sections of the boom will be superimposed, one upon the other, as illustrated in Figure 2. rAfter the' three sections of-the boom have been brought to the position illustrated in Figure v2, the outer-end section may be connected near its I"direction"from lthe Vv'fc'i'lding direction of 'thesev shafts,-so that the center section 36 of the boom is moved upwardly and forwardly relative to the".`A`

inner-end section 35, and the outer-end section 34 is moved forwardly relative to the center section 36. When the three boom sections have been brought to an aligned, end-to-end relationship, they are releasably secured in this position :by suitable bolts 'i8 inserted through apertured lugs 19 carried by the center section 36 at respectively opposite ends thereof and overlying the adjacent ends of the end sections, the lugs overlying the outer-end section being at the upper side of the boom, and those overlying the innerend section being at the lower side of the boom, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 1.

The superstructure 23 is generally pyramidal in shape, and is pivotally secured at its rear, lower edge to the rear, upper edge of the crane body I'by apertured lugs 86 projecting outwardly in mutually aligned relationship from the superstructure and the crane body, and a shaft 8l extending through these lugs along the upper, rearward edge of the crank body. Semi-circular gear sectors 32 are secured to the superstructure and project rearwardly thereof with their centers of curvature substantially concentric with the shaft 8 I.

A shaft 83 is journaled inthe ycrane body immediately below the sector gears 82 and carries gears 84 meshing respectively with the sector gears 82, and a chain sprocket 85. A drive shaft 86 is journaled in the crane body below the shaft 83 and carries a chain sprocket 81 and a link chain 88 extends around the sprockets 85 and 81 to drive the shaft 83 and gears 84.

When the superstructure is in its raised position, as illustrated in Figure l, and shaft 33 is driven in a counter-clockwise direction, the sector gears 82 will be rotated to fold the superstructure rearwardly and downwardly from the raised position illustrated in Figure 1, to the lowered position illustrated in Figure 2, in which the rear side of the superstructure, when in raised position, is superimposed upon the rear end of the crane body l0. y The boom-supporting cable 2| may be removed entirely, or may be loosened and tightened as the boomis folded .and unfolded, and the superstructure is lowered and raised, so as not to interfere with the folding and unfolding movements of the boom and the raising and lowering movements of the superstructure.

When the superstructure 23 is in raised position, it may be releasably locked in that position by suitable means, such as the apertured plates S extending from the upper portion of the crane housing to the lower housing of the superstructure near the forward end of the crane housing, and the rivets 9| and bolts 92 securing these plates to the crane housing and superstructure respectively.

The invention may be embodied in other specie forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated bythe 'rappended:fclaimsf'rather rlthan fibyftheifforegong v "description, and falli-fchaln'fges "which "comefxwithin #the :meaning and :range of .equivalency -ffof-v :the

claims are, ftherefore, intended to :be2 embraced 'therein. l f

getner-at their `-adjoining ends, :poweroperated means carried by such sections at; their adjoi-ning ends to move said sections relative to each other between a folded position in which they are relatively superposed and an extended position in which they are in end-to-end relationship,

and means carried by said boom sections at their adjoining ends for releasably locking said sections together. in end-to-end relationship, said power-operated means comprising a pair of semicircular gear sectors Xed on one of said sections, a transverse shaft journaled in the other of said sections, gears onsaid shaft respectively meshing with said gear sectors, and drive means extending from said shaft for drivingly connecting the latter to a crane power plant.

2. In a power operated crane having a crane body, an elongated foldable boom pivotally connected at one end to the crane body and including at least two lengthwise sections pivotally connected together at their adjoining ends, power operated means carried by said sections at their adjoining ends to move said sections relative to each other between a folded position in which they are relatively superimposed and an extended position in which they are in end to end relationship, and means carried by said boom sections at-their adjoining ends for releasably locking said sections together in end to end relationship, said power` operated means comprising gears mounted on said sections near their adjoining ends With the gears on one section meshing with the gears on the other section, and drive means connected to the gears on one of said sections for folding and unfolding said sectionsrelative to each other.

3. In a power operated crane having a crane body, an elongated foldable boom including three sections the iirst of which is pivotally connected at one end to the crane body, the second of which is pivotally connected at one end to the other end of ksaid first section at the upper side of the latter, and the third of which is pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said second section at the lower side of said third section so that when said boom is folded said second section will be superimposed on said rst section and said third section will be superimposed on said second section, first boom folding means connected between said first and second sections, power operated means `drivingly connected to said first boom folding means, second boom folding means connected between said second and third sections, and means drivingly oonnecting said first boom folding means to said second boom folding means.

4. In a power operated crane having a crane body, an elongated foldable boom including three sections the first of which is pivotally connected at one end to the crane body, the second of which is pivotally connected at one end tov the other endof said first section and the third of which is pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said second section so that said sections will be relatively superimposed when said boom is folded,

.;1rs't and second sections, powernperated means 4drvingly connected to said lIrst boom folding means, second boom folding means connected between said second and third sections, and means drivngly connecting said' first boomfoldf ling means to said second boom folding means.

BERTON M. MATI-HAS.

REFERENCES CITED 1 The `following lreferences are Aof record-in the Vfiile of this patent;` 1 Y i y UNTTED STATES PATENTS Number I I 'Name Datev De Vo'w Sept. 29, 1903 Terry Apr. 28, 1908 Forsythe et a1 Aug. 1,1933 Wagner etl a1 Aug. 21, 1945 Borsin May 6, 1947

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