US402524A

US402524A - helve y

Info

Publication number: US402524A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1906-04-30

Description

(NoModeL) s 'G; HVHELVEY.

I TRAVELINGYGRA'NE. No. 4 2,524. Patented Apr. 30, 18 89.

w w i MW- m E A N4 PETERS, Phohrulhugrnphur. wllhingwn. DIC.

Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE H. HELVEY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASS IGNOR TO THE HOOVEN, OWENS & RENTSOI-ILER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TRAVELING CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,524, dated April 30, 1889.

Application filed February 15 1839. Serial No. 300,072- (No model.)

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. HELVEY, of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraveling Cranes, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to overhead travelin goranes for use in factories, warehouses, &c., and my improvements will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the interior of a building provided with an overhead traveling crane arranged to hoist by pneumatic power and exemplifying my improvements; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section of the h eader-pipe K upon an enlarged scale, exhibiting in side elevationone of the branches L and its coupling part attached thereto; and Fig. 3, a side elevation upon an enlarged scale of the end portion of the flexible swing-pipe N, exhibiting its coupling part in vertical longitudinal section.

In the drawings, A indicates the interior of a building, as a shop or warehouse; B, the longitudinal track-rails supported therein and forming the overhead track on which the cranebridge travels; O, the crane-bridge arranged to travel along said track-rails, in the usual manner; D, the trolley, arranged to travel along the bridge in the usual manner; E, an air-cylinder suspended from the trolley and traveling with the trolley; F', the piston-rod of this cylinder; G, the crane-hook on the lower end of the piston-rod, this hook serving as the means by which the load is attached to the crane in the usual manner; H, an airreservoir, adapted to contain a supply of air ,under pressure; J, a supply-pipe placing the air-reservoir in communication with a source of supply or production of compressed air; K, a header-pipe communicating with the airreservoir, and extending parallel with the track-rails B, and entirely along such portion of the track length as is intended to be brought within the operation of the pneumatic crane system; L, a series of short branch pipes communicating with the header-pipe; M, a coupling part upon the-free end of each of the branch pipes; N, a flexible swing-pipe communicating with the air-cylinder E; O, a valve in this swing-pipe, preferably near the end thereof, this valve serving to open and close the pipe, so as to permit or prevent the tlow of air therethrough; P, an outlet-valve or cook communicating with the swing-pipe between the valve 0 and the air-cylinder; Q, a coupling part on the free end of the swingpipe, this coupling part being adapted to intermember with the coupling part M on any one of the branch pipes L; R, valves, one in each of the coupling parts M and Q, these valves being disposed within and seating out-' wardly in the openings of the coupling parts, portions of the valves projecting without the coupling parts, whereby the pressure within serves to keep the valves closed when the coupling parts are detached, whereby when the coupling parts are engaged with each other the projecting portions of the valve engage pressed air, and the air-pump or whatever ap-l. o

pliance'is used for compressing the airis m have a capacity to keep the pressure praott cally constant under general conditions of use. The air-cylinder will have an area suited to the maximum load to be lifted when considered in connection with the air-pressure carried in the system, and the length of the air-cylinder will of course be proportioned to the maximum lift desired of the apparatus. The upper end of the air-cylinder above the piston will be in free communication with the atmosphere. The swing-pipe will be of such length that when it is coupled to one of the branch pipes it will permit the travel of the trolley the entire length of the bridge. The branch pipes of the header are to be located at such frequent intervals that one of them can always be reached by the swing-pipes.

The coupling parts 0 may be of the kind ordinarily used with air-brakes on railwaytrains. \Vhen the parts are uncoupled, the air-pressure within the pipes presses the valves Rshut and prevents the outflow of air. IVhen the coupling parts are connected, the valves R make contact with each other and are forced open, thus permitting free communication through the couplings. The branch pipes of the header are preferably short flexible pieces of tubing. The header maybe disposed in any convenient position, so long as it is parallel with the track-rails of the crane. It may be placed overhead or under the floor or along the wall or along the track supports; but its branch pipes must be conveniently accessible. In the exemplification I have shown the header as secured against the series of columns sustaining one of the track-rails, and I have shown the branch pipes as being flexible tubes hanging downwardly therefrom.

In using the apparatus the bridge and trolley are moved in the usual manner to bring the crane-hook over the desired point. The load is then slung to the crane-hook, as usual. The swing-pipe, with the valves 0 and P closed, is then coupled to the nearest branch pipe of the header. The act of coupling serves to open the valves R. The valve 0 is now open, thus admitting the compressed air to the cylinder and to the extent desired, and lifting the load as far as desired. WVhen the proper lift has been effected, the valve 0 is closed. The swing-pipe is then to be disconnected from the branch pipe. The crane may now be moved to carry its load wherever desired within its range of action,the compressed air in the cylinder supporting the load. Upon reaching the point where the load is to be lowered the valve P is opened properly, thus permitting the escape of air from the cylinder and permitting the descent of the load to any desired extent.

I have referred only to air as an exemplifying medium; but I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to apparatus in which compressed air is employed as the medium. Any fluid under pressure would be its equivalent.

I claim as my invention- In a traveling crane, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a pair of track-rails, a crane-bridge arranged for travel thereon, a trolley arranged to travel along the cranebridge, an air-cylinder suspended from the trolley and having an attaching devicc as a crane-hook-upon the lower end of its pistonrod, an air-reservoir adapted for connection with a source of supply or production of air under pressure, a header-pipe connected with said reservoir and disposed parallel to said track-rails, a series of branch pipes connected with said header-pipe and provided each with a coupling part and with a valve, a swingpipe connected with said air-cylinder and provided at its free end with a coupling part adapted to engage the coupling part of any one of said branch pipes, a valve in said swing-pipe adapted for manipulation to open or close said pipe, and an outlet valve or cock communicating with said swing-pipe between said valve therein and said air-cylinder.

GEO. H. IIELVEY.

\Vitnesses:

J. W. SEE, W. A. SEWARD.