US3051321A

US3051321A - Gantry type crane assembly

Info

Publication number: US3051321A
Application number: US854862A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles D Ramsden
Original assignee: PACIFIC COAST ENG CO
Current assignee: PACIFIC COAST ENG CO; PACIFIC COAST ENGINEERING Co
Priority date: 1959-11-23
Filing date: 1959-11-23
Publication date: 1962-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-28

Description

C. D. RAMSDEN GANTRY TYPE CRANE ASSEMBLY Aug. 28, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1959 0 mg Q IN V EN TOR. CHARLES D. RAMSDE/V HIS ATTORNEYS 1962 c. D. RAMSDEN 3,051,321

GANTRY TYPE CRANE ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 6? 45" i 3 7 I I i INVEN TOR.

CHARLES D- RAMSDE/V BY fi zowa 3% HIS ATTORNEYS 8, 1962 c. D. RAMSDEN 3,051,321

'GANTRY TYPE CRANE ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 23. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR. CHARLES D. RAMSDE/V 6 wfiw s/ HIS A r TORNE rs United States Patent Ofifice 3,051,321 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 3,051,321 GANTRY TYPE CRANE ASSEMBLY Charles D. Ramsden, Alameda, Calif., assignor to Pacific Coast Engineering Company, Alameda, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 854,862 7 Claims. (Cl. 212-14) My invention relates generally to movement of cargo or freight and more particularly to the loading or transfer of such cargo or freight from one position of rest to another.

Today, the freight industry is making increasing use of cargo containers of standard volume units for transporting of freight from pick-up todestination. Typical of the size of such containers is one having a length of 24 feet, a width of 8 feet, and a height of 8 feet. These standardized containers are loaded at one point, then transported and transferred between the various common carriers without the necessity of disturbing the contents before unloading at the final destination. Such containers may be of sufficient size to permit of ingress or egress of a fork lift through an end thereof to facilitate the loading or unloading of the contents of such container.

The method of handling such a container necessitates movement thereof without the ability to reorient the same to effect a change of directional position of the container. Consequently, should it be required to shift such a container from a flat car to a truck, or vice versa, from a truck to a fiat car, it may become necessary for the truck to maneuver to a position alongside the flat car, substantially paralleling the flat car in order that the transfer may be effected.

Similarly, where it may become desirable to unload such a container from a flat car or truck to a location adjacent an entrance to a warehouse, such location may be beyond the ability of the conventional gantry crane to make the transfer, or if within the range of such equipment, the placing of the container at such location may result in its facing away from the entrance to the warehouse, thus necessitating inconvenient maneuvering of a fork lift to effect removal of the contents of such container to its intended place of storage in the warehouse.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved gantry type crane;

(2) To provide a novel and improved gantry type crane which is very flexible in the handling of large items such as freight containers;

(3) To provide a novel and improved gantry type crane which is capable of rotating a suspended load under positive control throughout a full 360 degree circle.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of a gantry type crane of the present invention;

' FIG. 2 is a plan view of a bridge and included trolley assembly included in the crane of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the bridge and included trolley assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view depicting details of the drive for the trolley assembly of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views which together depict the hoist arrangement for lifting a freight container;

FIG. 7 is a view depicting a type of installation for which the present invention is adaptable.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferred form, the gantry type crane illustrated involves a pair of parallel spaced main girders 3 and 5 supported on

legs

7, 9 and 11, 13 respectively and stabilized by upper cross beams 15 at the ends of the main girders, and lower cross beams 17 interconnecting the legs.

Each leg terminates at its lower end in a gantry drive unit 19 of suitable design, for example, involving flanged wheels 21 for travel on tracks 25., and driven through a suitable motor 27.

Along each of the main girders 3 and 5, runs a rail 31, the two rails together forming a track for the travel of a travelling bridge 35 supported thereon.

Such travelling bridge involves a rectangular framework involving longitudinal parallel spaced structural members 37 of a length to straddle the spacing between the main gantry girders, and connected together by fabricated end beams 39 carrying suitable corner wheels 43 for riding the gantry girder rails 31.

Spaced cross members 45 joining the longitudinal structure members 37, reinforce the bridge frame work and create a central section 47 flanked on either side by an

end section

49 and 51.

Aligned

drive shafts

53,55 extending toward each other from two of said wheels 43 meet in a common gear, constituting a component of a reduction gear drive 57 coupled to a reversible drive motor 59 mounted on the framework. This provides means for driving the travelling bridge in either direction along the gantry girders, the motor 59 having a built-in electrical braking system for effectively bringing movement of the bridge to a stop when desired.

Within the center section 47 of the bridge framework, is a circular track 67 supported directly by the longitudinal structural members 37 and cross members 45, this track serving to rotatably support a trolley assembly 71 in which all equipment essential to the lifting of a load will be carried, and in a manner such that the suspended load may be conveniently and efficiently rotated about a central vertical axis 75.

The rotatable trolley assembly includes a rectangular frame 78 having corners reinforced by parallel

cross corner members

79, 81 providing journal mountings for track Wheels 83 which engage and ride on the circular rail 67. To one of the wheels may be connected a drive motor 87 through a suitable reduction gear coupling 89, the motor, like the bridge drive motor, having a built-in electrical braking system.

The trolley frame 78, aside from the corners occupied by the wheels, may be floored to provide a platform 91 for the mounting of the equipment required to be carried thereon, including the drive motor 87 previously mentioned.

Included in such equipment is a hoist drum 95 which is rotatably mounted adjacent an end of the platform, and carries a gear 97 for drive coupling to a drive motor 99-through an intermediate speed reducer 101.

This hoist drum carries four cables 105, 107, 109 and 111, the cables and 107 passing directly downwardly through the platform where each passes around a load sheave and is then anchored to a point in the trolley assembly below the drum. The remaining two drum cables 109 and 111 pass downwardly over a pair of head shears 117, 1.19 respectively, mounted in spaced relationship in the platform adjacent the remote end of the trolley, with each cable, like the others, passing around a load sheave 121 and then anchored above to an anchor point on the trolley assembly.

The load sheaves are located substantially at the corners of a rectangle, and by proper location of each of the cables, the center of such rectangle can be made to coincide with the center axis 75 of the trolley frame and platform.

symmetrically suspended from these load sheaves, is a load carrying frame assembly 125 involving a frame of size and shape comparable to the length and width dimensions of a freight container 126, such frame normally carrying load gripping and releasing mechanisms (not illustrated) adapted to grip and releaseably hold such a container after the frame assembly has been lowered into engagement with such container.

All motor drive controls are centralized in an operators cab 131 mounted in one corner of the bridge and extending above and below the general plane of said bridge to afford an operator a View of the hoist mechanism on the trolley platform as well as the load being moved thereby. From this vantage point, therefore, an operator may exercise full control without guidance from an assistant.

The rotatable trolley assembly permits of any hoisted load to be rotated about the central axis 75 of the trolley assembly through a complete 360 circle. This enables an operator to conveniently transfer a load from one position of rest such as on a flat car 132, to another position of rest such as a truck 133 for example, Without necessitating the prior inconvenient maneuvering of the truck alongside the fiat car to bring them into parallelism, for the load may now be rotated to any angle which will permit of the same being properly deposited on the bed of the truck, regardless of the directional position of the truck with respect to the flat car.

Such rotatability of the load further makes it possible to extend the operational capacity of a gantry type crane in the handling of such large loads as freight containers, which are normally too large to pass sideways between the supporting end legs of the crane. Such containers when rotated through a 90 degree angle can pass between the end legs of the crane, and thus by designing such crane with cantilever extensions 137 of its main girders, at one or both ends thereof, the travel range of the bridge may thus be materially extended beyond the supporting legs of the crane.

This type of construction, becomes very desirable in the case of a situation such as depicted in FIG. 7 of the drawings, wherein a railroad freight yard 139 is flanked on one side by a roadway 141 and a warehouse 143 and premises bordering on the roadway, while the freight yard along 1 its other side may be bordered by a storage strip of land 145 which might preferably be paved for the purpose.

The rails 25 on which the crane will ride, may be disposed along each bordering edge of the freight yard, while the cantilever extensions of the crane at one end will extend across the storage strip 145, while at the other end, such extensions will extend sufiiciently to reach the Warehouse premises, whereby the crane may service trucks on the roadway in addition to servicing the warehouse. In connection with the latter, a freight container may be deposited with a loading or unloading end facing an entrance to the warehouse, whereby a fork lift may move directly from the warehouse into the container to thereby conveniently and efiiciently effect a transfer of cargo between the two.

A gantry type crane of the type described, including the rotatable trolley assembly may also be utilized to great advantage in the handling and transferring of freight between the hold of a ship and a dock vice versa.

The term gantry type crane, where applicable, is to be construed broadly to include bridge and overhead traveling cranes and the like.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description of my invention in its preferred form, that the same will fulfill all the objects attributable thereto, and while I have illustrated and described the same in considerable detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to such details as I have illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders supported on legs, said main girders extending beyond at least one pair of said legs as cantilever extensions, a cross beam connecting said pair of legs toward the lower ends thereof and a cross beam connecting said main girders at said extended ends to permit of movement of a suspended load beyond said pair of legs; a bridge supported on said main girders for movement therealong, including said cantilever extensions, said bridge having an open space therethrough; and means supported by said bridge for rotatably suspending a load about a vertical axis, said means including a circular track on said bridge in the area of said open space, a trolley assembly having a plurality of wheels on said circular track to enable said assembly to rotate about an axis centrally of said circular tnack, said trolley assembly including hoist equipment having a plurality of load carrying sheaves disposed at the corners of a rectangle lying symmetrically about said central axis.

2. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders; a bridge supported on said main girders for movement therealong, said bridge having an open space therethrough; means supported by said bridge for rotatably suspending a load about a vertical axis, said means including a circular track on said bridge in the area of said open space, a trolley assembly having a plurality of wheels on said circular track to enable said assembly to rotate about an axis centrally of said circular track, said trolley assembly including hoist equipment having a plurality of load carrying sheaves disposed about said axis; and an operators cab carried by said bridge to one side of said trolley assembly and extending both above and below the general plane of said bridge, said cab having visual exposure above and below said plane to provide visual access to the components of the trolley assembly and any load suspended therefrom.

3. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders; a bridge supported on said main girders for movement therealong, said bridge having an open space therethrough; means supported by said bridge for rotatably suspending a load about a vertical axis, said means including a circular track on the upper side of said bridge in the area of said open space, a trolley assembly having a plurality of wheels on said circular track to enable said assembly to rotate about an axis lying Within said circular track, said trolley assembly including a motor in drive connection to at least one of said trolley assembly Wheels, hoist equipment including a hoist drum having a plurality of hoist cables, each suspending a sheave with said sheaves disposed about the axis of said circular track above, and a motor in drive connection to said hoist drum; and an operators cab carried by said bridge to one side of said trolley assembly and extending both above and below the general plane of said bridge, said cab having visual exposure above and below said plane to provide visual access to the components of the trolley assembly and any load suspended therefrom.

4. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders supported on legs, a lower cross beam connecting said legs at each end of the crane, a cross beam connecting said main girders at each end; a bridge supported on said main girders for movement therealong, said bridge having an open space therethrough; and means supported by said bridge for rotatably suspending a load about a vertical axis, said means including a circular track on the upper side of said bridge in the area of said open space, a trolley assembly having a plurality of Wheels on said circular track to enable said assembly to rotate about an axis centrally of said circular track, said trolley assembly including a motor in drive connection to at least one of said trolley assembly wheels, at hoist drum having four hoist cables, each suspending a sheave to define the corners of a rectangle whose vertical axis coincides with that of said circular track above, a container holding frame carried by said sheaves, and a motor in drive connection to said hoist drum; and an operators cab carried by said bridge to one side of said trolley assembly and extending both above and below the general plane of said bridge, said cab having visual exposure above and below said plane to provide visual access to the components of the trolley assembly and any load suspended therefrom.

5. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders supported on legs, a lower cross beam connecting said legs at each end of the crane, said main girders including cantilever extensions beyond said end legs, a cross beam connecting said main girders at each end whereby with said lower crossbeams, to permit of movement of a suspendel load beyond said legs at either end; a bridge supported on the upper surfaces of said main girders for movement therealong including said cantilever extensions, said bridge having an open space therethrough; means supported by said bridge for rotatably suspending a load about a vertical axis, said means including a circular track on the upper side of said bridge in the area of said open space, a trolley assembly having a plurality of wheels on said circular track to enable said assembly to rotate about an axis centrally of said circular track, said trolley assembly including a motor in drive connection to at least one of said trolley assembly wheels, at hoist drum having four hoist cables, each suspending a sheave to define the corners of a rectangle whose vertical axis coincides with that of said circular track above, a container holding frame assembly carried by said sheaves, and a motor in drive connection to said hoist drum; and an operators cab carried by said bridge to one side of said trolley assembly and extending both above and below the general plane of said bridge, said cab having visual exposure above and below said plane to provide visual access to the components of the trolley assembly and any load suspended therefrom.

6. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders supported on legs and extending beyond at least one pair of said legs as cantilever extensions, a crossbeam connecting said pair of legs toward the lower ends thereof and a crossbeam connecting said main girders at the cantilever ends thereof leaving clear spacing between said main girders from end to end whereby to permit of movement of a bridge with a sus pended load along the upper rims of said girders to points beyond said pair of legs; a bridge supported on the upper rims of said main girders for movement therealong including said cantilever extensions; and means supported by said bridge for suspending a load therefrom.

7. A gantry type crane comprising a pair of parallel spaced main girders supported on legs and extending beyond at least one pair of said legs as cantilever extensions, a crossbeam connecting said pair of legs toward the lower ends thereof and a crossbeam connecting said main girders at the cantilever ends thereof leaving clear spacing between said main girders from end to end whereby to permit of movement of a bridge with a suspended load along the upper rims of said girders to points beyond said pair of legs; a bridge supported on the upper rims of said main girders for movement therealong including said cantilever extensions; means supported by said bridge for suspending a load therefrom; and an operators cab carried by said bridge and extending both above and below the general plane of said bridge to provide visual access to regions both above and below said bridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,419,129 Fitch June 13, 1922 1,440,065 Donnelly Dec. 26, 1922 1,990,539 Fildes Feb. 12, 1935 2,063,913 Fitch Dec. 15, 1936 2,646,892 Dehn July 28, 1953 2,675,131 Osojn-ak Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 751,082 Great Britain June 27, 1956