US2524748A

US2524748A - Hoisting apparatus with an articulated mast boom

Info

Publication number: US2524748A
Application number: US24997A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin E Baker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-05-04
Filing date: 1948-05-04
Publication date: 1950-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1967-10-10

Description

E. E. BAKER Oct. 10, 1950 HOISTING APPARATUS WITH AN ARTICULATED MAST BOOM 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

E DWI-N E- BAKER BY WWW ATTORNEYS P'atentecl Oct. 10, 1 950 HOISTING APPARATUS WITH AN ARTICU- LATED MAST BOOM Edwin E. Baker, Merced, Calif.

Application May 4, 1948, Serial N 0. 24,997

- Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in hoisting apparatus with an articulated mastboom. It consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a hoisting apparatus having a mast-boom composed of articulated sections arranged in such a manner that the mast may be converted readily into a boom, or the boom converted into a mast. This arrangement provides a very flexible hoisting apparatus adapted for a great variety of uses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mast-boom made up of tubular articulated sections, which are hingedly secured together. A cable is guided through these articulated sections; and. upon paying out the cable, the mast is lowered into boom-forming position. Retraction of the cable will operate to restore the articulated sections into mast-forming position.

A still further object is to provide a mastboom of the character described, which is supported on a revolvable turntable. The latter may be traversed through 360, and thus a load may be picked up at any angular position and delivered to a selected spot.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features of my invention will be pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical elevational side view of my hoisting apparatus, the solid lines illustrating the articulated sections arranged in a mastforming position and the dot-dash lines showing the articulated sections in boom-forming position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the two perforated leaves of one of the hinges that I employ for securing the articulated sections together;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 and shows the hoisting apparatus in boom-forming position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the base portion of the hoisting apparatus, with the articulated sections arranged in an upright mast-forming position; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but disclosing the articulated sections swung into boomforming position.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that I provide a plurality of tubular articulated sections A, which may be arranged in end-to-end relation with respect to one another to form a mast indicated generally at B when the sections are arranged upright. Hinges C secure adjacent sections together with the pivotpins l of the hinges disposed along one side of the mast. The articulated sections may be inclined laterally on their hinges to lower the top 2 of the mast and extend the mast top laterally to provide a boom indicated generally at D.

The lower end of the mast-boom is anchored to a base E. The latter is secured by bolts 3 to a turntable F, which is revolvable through 360. The turntable includes a revolvable platform 4 having a power-driven drum 5 mounted thereon so as to turn therewith. This drum may be operated by any suitable means; and for this purpose I have shown a motor 6 that is carried by the platform 4 and operatively connected to the drum shaft I by bevel gears 8. However, I do not wish to be limited to any particular type of drum-operating mechanism.

In order to rotate the platform ll so as to swing the boom D into the desired angular position, I have shown a ring gear 9, which is driven by a pinion l0 carried by a shaft II. The latter may be operated by a crank 12 so as to impart rotary motion to the platform F. This platform is journalled for rotation in any suitable support G, which may be a portion of a loading platform, deck of a vessel, body of a truck, or the like.

The interior of the articulated sections A and centrally-disposed openings I3 in the hinges C provide a passageway Al through which a cable H is guided. The lower portion of this cable is coiled around and attached to the drum 5, while its upper end is secured to a cable stop J arranged exteriorly of the mast-boom. Briefly stated, when the cable H is played out the mast B may be inclined from its normal upright position into an inclined position to provide the boom D. On the other hand, when the cable is retracted by winding it in on the drum 5, the boom D is raised to reform the upright mast B. Any suitable means may be employed for paying out or retracting the cable.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, it will be observed that a hoisting tackle K is secured to an eyelet I4 formed on the cable stop J. This tackle includes a, hook H: which is intended for lifting a load L. Figure 3 clearly discloses the fact that the cable I-I may be extended beyond the mast top 2 in order to allow the hoisting tackle K to reach for a load. Then the load may be drawn in or raised until the cable stop J strikes the top 2 of the boom D. Further retraction of the cable will result in swinging the articulated sections A on their hinges C for lifting the load to the desired height. Now the turntable F may be rotated to swing the load to the desired place.

The details of the hinges C are disclosed in Figures 2, 4, and 5. Each hinge includes perforated upper and lower leaves l6 and I7, which are swingably secured together by a pin l. The hinges are interposed between adjacent pairs of articulated sections A. The upper and lower leaves l6 and I! are secured to the lower and upper ends I8 and 19, respectively, of adjacent articulated sections A by screws 20, or other suitable fastening means.

The upper leaves are provided with shieilds 2| that are arranged to form closures over the spaces formed between the adjacent ends l8 and I9 of the articulated sections when the mast is lowered into boom-forming position, as in Figures 3 and 5. The shields 2| may be welded at 2| to the lower ends of the sections A and have lips 2la projecting into recesses 22 fashioned in the articulated sections just below the lower leaves l1. The lips 2Ia and recesses 22 coact with one another to limit the swinging movement of the articulate sections A on the hinges C.

A sheave 23 is rotatably carried by each articulated section A on the hinged side of the latter, with the sheaves projecting into the passageway Al. These sheaves are arranged to hold the cable H out of contact with the articulated sections during opening and closing of the hinges C.

Having thus described the various parts of my hoisting apparatus, the operation thereof is summarized briefly as follows:

Assuming that the articulated sections A are arranged in upright position to provide a mast B as disclosed in full lines in Figure l, and it is desired to convert the lifting apparatus into a boom D, as indicated in dot-dash lines in the same view, the operator would proceed as follows:

As the first step, the motor-driven drum should be rotated so as to pay out the cable H. This will free the articulated sections A for swinging laterally on their hinges C, thus forming them into a boom D. The lips 2|a and the recesses 22 coact with one another to limit the maximum amount of lowering of the top 2. When this position has been reached, the cable stop J will leave the top 2 and additional cable H can be payed out until the hook I5 is extended for engagement with the load L. The sheaves 23 carry the cable pull when the mast is lowered to provide a boom.

It will be obvious that the crank l2 can turn the turntable F until the boom D points toward the load to be lifted. After the hook l5 has been engaged with the load, the direction of rotation of the drum 5 is reversed. This will pull in or retract the cable H and lift the load to the desired height. In the event that the cable is retracted until the stop J abuts the top 2 and the cable is retracted still further, the articulated sections will start to fold together.

While the boom D is being lifted up toward vertical position B it becomes a hoist. The sections A are greater in diameter at the base E than at the top 2. This gives the cable I-I greater leverage on the lower sections, causing them to close from the base upward as the load L is lifted. When the load is lifted to a desired height the remainder of the mast, which is not closed acts as a short boom that may be utilized to swing the load around upon rotating the turntable F. Thus the load can be spotted at any angular position around the turntable and at various distances therefrom within reach of the boom.

I claim:

1. In a hoisting apparatus; a plurality of tubular articulated sections arranged in end-to-end relation with respect to one another to provide a mast when the sections are upright; hinges securing adjacent sections together with the pivots of the hinges disposed along one side of the mast, whereby the articulated sections may be inclined laterally on their hinges to lower the top of the mast and extend the mast top laterally to provide a boom; a base having the lower end of the mast-boom anchored thereto; a cable guided through the hollow portions of the tubular sections and having a hoisting tackle anchored to the upper end of the cable; means for paying out the cable so that the mast may be inclined to provide a boom and for retracting the cable to raise the boom into mast-forming position; and shields mounted over adjacent ends of each pair of articulated sections and arranged to form a closure over the space formed therebetween when the mast is lowered into boom-forming position.

2. In a hoisting apparatus; a plurality of tubular articulated sections arranged in end-to-end relation with respect to one another to provide a mast when the sections are upright; hinges securing adjacent sections together with the pivots of the hinges disposed along one side of the mast, whereby the articulated sections may be inclined laterally on their hinges to lower the top of the mast and extend the mast top laterally to provide a boom; a base having the lower end of the mast-boom anchored thereto; a cable guided through the hollow portions of the tubular sections and having a hoisting tackle anchored to the upper end of the cable; means for paying out the cable so that the mast may be inclined to provide a boom and for retracting the cable to raise the boom into mast-forming position; and a sheave rotatably carried by each articulated section on the hinged side of the latter, with the sheaves projecting into the hollow interiors of the sections and arranged to hold the cable out of contact with the articulated sections during opening and closing of the hinges.

3. In a hoisting apparatus; a plurality of tubular articulated sections arranged in end-to-end relation with respect to one another to provide a mast when the sections are upright; hinges interposed between adjacent pairs of articulated sections, with the pivots of the hinges disposed along one side of the mast, whereby the articulated sections may be inclined laterally on their hinges to lower the top of the mast and extend the mast top laterally to provide a boom; each hinge including upper and lower leaves secured to the lower and upper ends, respectively, of adjacent articulated sections between which the hinges are interposed; each hinge having a lip projecting from one of its leaves and extending into a recess fashioned in the articulated section to which the other leaf of that hinge is secured; the lips and recesses coacting with one another to limit the swinging movement of the articulated sections on their hinges.

4. In a hoisting apparatus; a plurality of tubular articulated sections arranged in end-to-end relation with respect to one another to provide a mast when the sections are upright; hinges securing adjacent sections together with the pivots of the hinges disposed along one side of the mast, whereby the articulated sections may be inclined laterally on their hinges to lower the top of the mast and extend the mast top laterally to provide a boom; a base having the lower end of the mast-boom anchored thereto; a cable extending through the base and also guided through the hollow portions of the tubular sections and extendible from the upper end of the mast-boom; a hoisting tackle anchored to the upper end of the cable and extendible to a load disposed laterally of the mast-boom when the cable is payed out; means for paying out the cable so that the mast may be inclined to provide a boom and for retracting the cable; and means on the cable engageable with the topmost section to raise the boom into mast-forming position in response to retraction of cable.

5. In a hoisting apparatus; a plurality of tubular articulated sections arranged in end-to-end relation with respect to one another to provide a mast when the sections are upright; hinges securing adjacent sections together with the pivots of the hinges disposed along one side of the mast, whereby the articulated sections may be inclined laterally on their hinges to lower the top of the 6 mast and extend the mast top laterally to provide a boom; a base having the lower end of the mast-boom anchored thereto; a cable extending through the base and also guided through the hollow portions of the tubular sections and extendible from the upper end of the mast-boom; a hoisting tackle anchored to the upper end of the cable and extendible to a load disposed laterally of the mast-boom when the cable is payed out; means for paying out the cable so that the mast may be inclined to provide a boom and for retracting the cable; and a cable stop secured to the upper end of the cable and movable therewith; the stop being abuttable against the top of the mast-boom when the cable is retracted, whereby further retraction of the cable will move the articulated sections toward and finally into upright position with the hoisting tackle still extending from the boom-mast.

EDWIN E BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 912,308 Grimler Feb. 16, 1909 1,746,109 Edwards Feb. 4, 1930 1,971,300 Garrett Aug. 21, 1934