US545589A - Power-crane - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 She etsSheet 1.

- F. 0. KILGORE.

POWER CRANE.

No. 545,589. Patented Sept. 3, 1895.

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- F. O. KILGORE.

POWER CRANE. v No. 545,589. will Patented Sept. 3,1895.

" UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFF CE.

FREDERICK KILGORE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

POWER-CRANE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No; 545,589, dated September 3, 1895. I I I ihpplication filedlebruary 16,1895- Serial Ka -462,577. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FREDERICK O. KILGORE,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis,ii1' the county of Hennepin'and State of Minnesota, havexinvented certain newand useful Improvements in-Power-Cranes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to 10 which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to'cranes. 'While capable of general use, my present i invention was particularly designed for use in handling logs in sawmills, and hasforits special object to provide a crane for such pu rpose, which will be more nimble' and rapid in 2-10 I devices and novel combi lioperation, and which'may he more easily controlled than the cranes hitherto employed for the purpose.

' To these ends I employ the several novel nations and arrangements of devices, the salient features. of which'may be briefly set forth as follows: ri'First, I employ in connection with the pairof engines, applied as just described, asingle controller for the valves of both .of the said engine s, the said controller beingcapable of independent action on the valves or the two engines, either coincidently or at different times. Second, I so construct and arrange the nection for controllingthe grapple-opening device that a single operator may manipulate both and thereby control all the movements ofthe crane and the grappiefrom a single position; I

The valve mechanism of the ho'isting-en gine is also of novel construction and will be fully set forth in the following detailed description. H F i .Thepreferred form of in y invention is illustrated in. the accompanying drawings, as applied on a movable truck; but it will, of course, be understood that a fixed platform or other support might be used instead of the trucka Referring to said drawings, wherein like letters refer to like parts throughout the sevral views, Figure 1-is a right side elevation of the truck and my crane, some parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a detail in plan view engine for imparting the rotary or oscillatory showing my preferred connections from the motion-to the crane and also showing a por-- tion of the valve controlling mechanism. Fig. I

3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line single and common valve-controllingdevice or controller and the support for the same.

fioation of the mechanism shown in Fig.2 for oscillating the crane. Fig. 7 isa similar view of another modification. i

A represents the supporting-trucks, and B a steam-boiler thereon.-

C is the-crane-mast,whi'c'h is held at its top by the'stay brace or braces a, rising from the ings a. a, and is cut away or formed of double uprights spaced apart at their central and lower portionsto form aseat for the hoistingof the jib operated thereby..

jib-support rigid with the mast and'suitably braced therefrom.

the outer end of .the mast-arm 0'. I carries at its outer end a; grapple, which is by means of an unyielding or stiflt' liuke'. In virtue of this construction of: the grapple, when the weight of the jib is thrown upon the grapple, the toggle-sectione will be spread and the grapple-jaws E willbe forced. open,

and when the grapple is lifted by the j ibthe grapple-jaws'will tend to close by gravity, and their closing action will be further increased by the load caught by the grapple. The innor end of the jib D terminates at or near the mast (land works between the two upright parts of the same. 'i- F is the cylinder, and F is the piston of the load. The cylinder F is rigidly secured bejright position withits axis on. the pivotal cena detail View in front elevation showing the Fig. 6 isa detail plan view illustrating a modi-.

truck, and at its bottom by a bearing-plate a, fixed to the top of the truck-platform. Themast O is freetorotateor oscillate in its bear- C 'is an outwardly-extended n'nast-arm' or D is the pivoted jib pivotally connectedto' The jib D X X of Fig. 2,-some parts being broken away,

engine and give clearance for the inner end preferably in the form of a lazy-tongs E e, the toggle-section e of which is hung to the jib 1C0 reciprocating engine applied-for lifting the tween the two parts of the mast C in an upter of the mast. The piston F has its pistonrod f extended upward through the upper head of the cylinder and connected by-means of a link) to the inner end of the jib D. The lower head of the cylinder F is provided with a depending cylindrical pivot or pintle portion F, which projects downward through and works pivotally in thebearing-plate a of the truck. l

G is a spur-gear rigidly secured to the pintle portion F of the cylinder F at a point immediately above the bearing a and resting with its hub on thesaid hearing. The purpose of this gear G will appear later on. The pintle portion F is formed with an axial chamber and valve-seat F provided with steam-passages f 2 and f extending from the verticatwall thereof, respectively, one to the upper and the other to the lower end of the cylinder F. The lower end of this valve-seat F is closed by a stationary thimble F, theupper end of which extends into the seat F and permits the pivotal motion of the pintle' portion F around the same.

11 is an exhaust-pipe from the thimble F". Both the pip'e H and the thimble F are supported in position by means of a keeper h, secured to the bottom of the truck 'A and embracing said exhaust-pipe H.

H is a steam-supply pipe extending from the boiler B first downward below the platform of the truck A, then forward toa point immediately under the pivotal center of the mast, and then upward on the line of the masts pivotal center through the thimble E and terminating in and secured to a valve F for controlling the steam-passages f 2 and f. This valve F is in the form of a piston-head working with a tight joint in the seat F and has a port-opening f, forming a continuation of the steam-suppl y passage from the pipe H, and terminating in an annular peripheral groove f. This valve F has also a series of exhaust-perforations or outlet steam-passages f extending vertically through the same. To the elbow-union h of the pipe H is pivotally attached the free end of a lever m, pivotally f ulcrumed to the bracket 'm', depending from the truck-frame. The outer end of the lever m is connected by means of a link m to the forwardly projecting end of a bell crank hand-lever M. This hand-lever M constitutes the common and single controlling device or controller for the valves of both engines, as will presently appear. The lever M is mounted for universal pivotal movement by means of its pivotal connection with a swivel head or block m working in a fixed bearingblock m secured on top of the truck-platfor1n.- 1 The operation of the crane in raising and I lowering the load is as follows: By rocking the lever M toward the front the forward end of the steam-delivery pf'ipeH' will be raised, carryingwith it the valve F' and bringing the annular steam-port f opposite the steam-port f thus admitting steam .to the lower end of the cylinder F. In this position the valve will be carried above the steam-port f; hereby opening theupper end of'the cylinde to the 7::

lower portion. of the valve-seat F from whence the steam is free to exhaust through 1 the exhaust-pipe H. As is evident'under this action of the. valve mechanism,the piston F f will be raised and the load or grapple will be lowered. Again, when the hand-lever M a.

is rocked tor the rearthe valve 1? will be drawn downward "into the position shown in Fig. '4, in which position the annular valvegroovelf will be opposite the steam-port f 8c thus admitting steam to the upper end of the cylinderF. In this position the upper edge of the valve F Will be drawn below the port f thus opening the lower end of the cylinder to exhaust through said port f, through the upper chamber of the valve-seat F from thence through the perforations f in the valve F into the lower chamber of said seat F, and from thence into the exhaust-pipe H. i As is obvious in this action of the valve mecho anism, the piston F f will beforced downward and the load caught by the grapple E e or the grapple itself will be-raised. The horizontali section of the steam-supply pipe H will yield or spring sufliciently to permit the 5 movements of the valve F. N is a grappleopening device shown asin the form of a pair of strands connected one to each of the grapple-tongs on opposite sides of the tongs-pivotand provided with a common connection N,

extending over a suitable guide-sheave N on the outer end of the jib, and thence to within reach of the operator standing on the truckplatform. The inner end of the cord N .or

other flexible connection is secured to the jibsupport or elsewhere, and the said cord may be provided with a handle-piece N. The operator can handle the grapple-opening dey vice N from the connection N with one hand while handling the valve-controller M withuro the other. v

Referring now to the means for imparting to and controlling the rotary motions of the crane, R is the cylinder and B M5 the piston of the reciprocating engine) The cylinder R ,1 I 5 is rigidly secured to thelplatform-truck A longitudinally thereof, and the piston-rod r of the piston carries at its outer portion a rack R, which works through a keeper rand is thereby held inengagement with the'spurno gear G, which is rigid with the mast O. R is the steam-chest of the engine, a is the slide-valve working in said chest, and 7" are the stem ports opening from the steam-chest.

into the front and rear ends ot' the cylinder, :25

This valve mechanism is of the ordinary wellknown construction, and it is only deemed .1 Y

' necessary to,note that the forward movement of the slid'e alve 'r causes an outstroke of the piston, while the rearward movement of [3c the said valve '1' willcause the inward movement of the said piston. Steam is supplied to the steam-chest R from the boiler/B through 1- steam-supply pipe r and is exhausted two engines.forsimultaneously operating the through the exhaust-port The stem 4* of the valve 1' extends forward through the steam-chest R and is connected to one end (of a pivoted bell-crank. r", the other end of 5 which bell-crank is connected by means-of'a' link r to the side of the hand-leverjM. The

bell-crank r is pivoted at its angle to a bracket r? rising from the truck-platform; .The operation .of the mechanism just,de-

1o scribed to give the rotary er oscillatory motion to the craneis' a follows: By throwing the H lever M laterally toward the rightside of the machine the valve will be drawn forward, admitting steam to the rear end of the cylinder R, thus forcingthe piston R 'r 'and the rack R forward and rotating the crane so as to turn the grapple end of the jib to the right.

By moving the hand-lever M in the opposite direction-toward the leftside of the ma- :0 chine-the valve 1' will be .thrown backward,

the piston R '1' will make an inward stroke,

. and the grapple end of the jib will be thrown to the left. 'Thus,'by this construction and arrangement of the valve-operating mechanism .2 the movement. of the hand-lever M'laterally will give the movement of the grappleend of the jib the same direction as the movement of thelever. The forward motion of the lever M causes an upstroke of the piston of the hoisting-engine F F, thus lowering thegrap:

pie, and the rearward movement of the-lever .M causes a downstroke of the said piston, thus raising the grapple, as hitherto stated. It is therefore obvious, from the foregoing de- 'scription, thatin virtue of the universal movement of the lever M both engines may be independently controlled, either at diflerent times or at the same time, by one hand of the operator. This is accomplished by moving the said 40 hand-lever or controller M at an angle to the direct lines of itsoperative movements; or, otherwise stated, the lines of the operative movement on therespectiv'e valves extend'at right angles to each other, the forward and backward motion controllingthe engine which raises or lowers the jib and the lateral motion from right to leftcontrolli'ng the engine which oscillates ,or swings the crane. The lever M will therefore move on one or the other/of these direct lines if either engine'is'tobe operated alone, leaving the other idle; but ordinarily it is desirable to. operate both engines at one time, thereby raisin g or lowering the grapple while swinging the crane. To do 5 5--this it is only necessary for the operator to move the lever-M on the angular line, 'which would be the resultant of two forces simultaneously applied in the operative lines. for

the independent actions of the two engines.- In other wordsfit takes the diagonal of the two operativelines. This arrangement of the jib and swingingthe crane under-the control of. a single lever. greatly increases the chiciency/ of the machine The operator with onehand on the leverM controls the engine, leaving-his other hand freeto operate the grapple-opening devicethrough the connection N. Hence there need be no lost time whatever in manipulating the crane.

Inthe modification shown in Fig. 6 the spur-gear G'on the crane-mast C is engaged by-a segmental gear. S, pivoted to the truckframe at S and connected at a point eccentric to its center by means of a link S to the end of the piston-rod rof the engine R R. The segmental gear S is of relatively large radius, as compared with the gear G, for the purpose of giving an increased angular movement torthe said gear G, and hence to the crane.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 7,

wherein a flexible connection T-.such as a.

band, rope, or cable-is given aturn around "a sheave T onthe mast and its opposite ends described might be changed without departing from my invention.

When using the crane on a stationary plat form instead of the truckas, for example,

on the floor or framing of a sawmill-it is preferable to mount the-hoisting-engine below the mast in line with the same and pass the piston-rod up through the bearing-plate to the jib or to a cross-head connected with the jib. I a

It should be noted that'the construction of the hoisting-engine-cranemast is animportant improvement, enabling the valve mechanism to bereadily applied and controlled while permitting the free rotary or oscillatory movement of the crane.

The pivotal connection of the grapple with the jib by the link e, the flexible grappleopening device N with its operating extension N, and the location of the guide-sheave N a short distance back of the link e.', which should be about'ten inches, enable the oper ator bythe proper manipulation of the j-ibd) and the cord N to swing th'egr'appleyith re-" spect to the jib throughan arc of about forty- .five degrees to each side of the vertical line.-

It will be understood, 'of course, that the grapple is given its movem nt on one side of a vertical line by drawin on the cord N and is swung to the other side of the vertical line by letting goof the cord and. allowing gravity and. momentum to becomeeffective.1v This gives the grapple a range forward and'backward of about ninety degrees, enabling the logs or'other. materials tobe picked up from any point ina comparatively large field. 1 In other words, the connection N N. serves a double function, one of whichis to co-operatewith the pivoted jib D to swing the grapple forward "and backward. Of course it would. .be possible to add another connection for the express purpose of swinging the grapple; but

this would :be much less desirable, forathereason operator could not well manipulate two I difierent connections with one hand, which he must do with this'crane to leave the other hand-free for the lever M, to'control'the en- T, [O

' What Iiclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofxthe United States, is as follows:

. 1. The combina'tion with a crane, of a pair of 7 engines applied one toraise or lower the load and] theother to swing'the craneand a common controller for the valves of both engines,.snbstantially as described. p .2; The combination with a crane'having a pivotedjib, of apair of vreciprocating engines,

the reciprocating menibers of which actrre-J specti vely one to oscillate the mast -and the other to oscillate the jib' and acommon hand controller-for the valves of both engines mounted for'simultaneous or'independent action on the said valves, wherebyboth engines may beindependcntly or simultaneously op-' erated under control from a common source, substantially as described.

3. The combination with acrane having a pivoted jib, of a pair of reciprocating engines applied one to swing the-crane and the other.

i to raise or lower the jib, and a common "controller for the valves of both engines in the form of a hand-lever having a universal movement, substantiallyas'and vfor the pnrposes set forth. v 4. The combination with the crane having a pivoted jib of theengines F F and R R operating as described, the bell crank handlever pivoted to the swivel m pand prostantiall'yias described.

5. The combination with a crane having a' pivoted jib, of the pair of reciprocating engines' having their reciprocating members applied respectively one to swing the crane and the other to raise or lower thejib, a common controlleriforthe valves of both engines ca.-

pable of' independent or simultaneous action thereon, a lazy tongs grapple having its head toggle connected to the jib by .an unyielding operating, sublink, a'nda grapple opening device provided i with an operating connection extended to within reach of the operator, whereby both control of asingle operator from one position. 6. The combination with a crane having a pivoted jib of the engine on the mast havin cessed extension forminga pintle or pivotfor the mast and a seat for the engine'valve,'.a slidingvalve in said seat and a combined supply pipe and valve stem movableaxially' .in said-seat for supplying/the-fluid and :controlling the valve, substantially'as described. 7. In a crane having the pivoted jib'D, the combination withthe lazy tongs grapple E e having its head toggle 'pivotally connected with the'jib'by the rigidlinkcf, of the guide sheave N located on the jib,-.al'short distance back of the grapple, and thejcombinedopening "and swinging, device N appliedJtothe grapple and provided with the common connection N passing over said sheaveN, substantially as and fertile purpose-set forth.

of the engines and the grapple are under the I 1S5- its piston applied tofloperate the, j iband pr l vided on one of its cylinder heads with a re- I In testi'monywhereof I afiix my signature Witnesses:

JAstF. WILLIAMSON,

EMMA F. ELMORE.

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