US2192033A - Rotary crane - Google Patents

Description

Fu 27, 1940. w DALTON ROTARY CRANE Filed June 22, 1938 ..n W 1 h ol r bk 0 n J& v mfiA ma .6 m H W y b Patented Feb. 27, 1940 ROTARY CRANE William Dalton, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 22, 1938, Serial No. 215,310

' 8 Claims.

My invention relates to cranes and more particularly to portable rotary cranes.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and efficient rotary crane which is arranged for maximum convenience and flexibility in the operation thereof.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of my invention,'Fig. 2 is a plan View of my crane, Fig. 3 is a side view of the crane shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a view, partly K along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention includes a lifting beam pivotally supported on the roof of arailway car which is adapted to be used in connection with apparatus for welding the rails in the track of a railway system. A hoisting sheave is connected at one end of the lifting beam and an electric hoist is attached to the opposite end. The lifting beam is designed to reciprocate lengthwise so that, in the embodiment illustrated, the welder may be carried from' a platform on the car to the outboard position and vice versa. The beam isarranged to swing around a pivot so that the welder can be used on either rail. Such an arrangement occupies a minimum of space since by placing the crane on the roof of the car substantially the entire car may be utilized for. living quarters or storage space or'both as well as to carry the crane. Afurtheradvantage lies in the fact that acrane embodying my invention takes up a minimum of head room.

Referring to the drawing Ihave shown a railway car Ill provided with a platform II at one end thereof for the support of a welder 12. The Welder forms no part of my present invention .but is shown, described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 237,713, filed October 29. 1938, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The lifting beam l3 of the crane, illustrated as an I-beam having flanges I4, is shown on the roof of the car 10, the roof thus providing a platform for the support of the crane.

Hoisting tackle is provided at the outer end of the lifting beam'l3. A 'suitable cable 14a is.

in section, of the crane shown in Fig. 1 taken rove around hoisting sheaves I5 at the endof the lifting beam l3, and load sheaves 6 rotatablysupported in a running block I1. The running block I! carries a hook l8 for engagement with the work to be lifted. One end of the 'cable- Ma is attached to the lifting beam as indicated at IS. The other end of the cable; Mn is wound around a drum 20 at the opposite end of the. lifting beam l3, the drum being rotatably journaled in a support 20a on beam l3 and rotated in any suitable manner. I have shown an electric motor 2| for this purpose. The cable 14a may be'ofany suitable material such as rope', flexible wire or a chain, for example. It is obvious that 3 rotation of the. drum in one direction will cause the running block to beraised while rotation of the drum in the opposite direction will cause the running block I! to belowered.

Inorder' to swing or rotate the lifting .I have provided thefollowing' apparatus. Curved tracks 2| are attached to the roof at one end of the car l0. Pairs 'of flanged wheels 22 adapted 'to engage the tracks 2| are. carried on axles 23 which are suitably journaled in the arms of sub-.

stantially U'-shaped brackets 24 oneach side of the beam 13. The U-shaped brackets 24 are held in fixed spaced relationship by means of angle irons 25. which are suitably joined at the center as by Welding, for example. The axle 23 and accordingly the wheels 22 may be rotated in any suitable manner. In the arrangement illustratedI have shown one of'the flanges of one of the wheels 22 replaced by a gear 26. If desired, a separate gear may be placed on one of the axles 23. An electric motor 21 supported ona bracket 28 which is secured to one arm of one of the U-shaped brackets 24 drives the gear 26 through a pinion 29 carried by the motor shaft. Rollers 30 are carried by axles 3| which are suitably journaled in the base section of the U-shaped brackets 24. The rollers 30, one on each side of theweb of the lifting beam I3 engage beam,

the under sideof the upper flange M of the I-' beam.

As illustrated in the drawing the lifting beam I3 is adapted to swing about apivoted substantially U-shaped' member 3|!a which is located intermediate the ends of the car. Rollers. 32 similar to rollers 30 are suitably rotatably supported from each arm of the member am on each'side of the lifting beam 13 and engage the under side of the upper flange I4. This arrangement permits the lifting beam toride on the rollers during its reciprocable movement thereby minimizing friction and guiding the beam. Further, the support 20a for the hoist at the end of the beam serves as a stop and will cooperate serving the same purposes may be used if de;- 1

sired. For example, a longitudinal slot may be cut through the web of the beam and a' bar or rod extended therethrough perpendicular to the beam. The entire beam could then be moved. laterally along the rod instead of pivotally, the

rod and slot also cooperating to prevent tipping of the beam and to limit and guide the longitudi- With this arrangement,

nal movement thereof. 1 straight tracks would be satisfactory in place of the curved tracks 2L As a further alternative, member 3! and rollers 32 could be used in the form shown in the drawing but member 3! could be made to reciprocate in a direction cross wise of the beam. In this arrangement a tongue on the bottom of member 3| engaging an undercut groove on the car roof might be utilized.

It will be apparent that as the electric motor 21 is operated, rotation will be transmitted through the gears 29 and 26 to the wheels 22..

This force, transmitted through the wheels 30. to

the lifting beam l3, tends to push the lifting beam in a direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor. Inasmuch'as the pivoted member (ii is shown in the drawing 'asifixed against translatory motion, the lifting beam will swing about the member 3| as a pivot point. Stops 33 are provided at the ends of the tracks 2! to limit the rotational movement of the crane. In order to reciprocate the lifting beam I3 I have provided means to drive the rollers 30. As will be seen best from Fig. 4 one of the rollers 3!! is provided with a flange 34. The roller 30 on the opposite side of the lifting beam I3, instead of having a flange, is provided with a gear 35. If desired, both rollers 30 may be flanged and a separate gear may be attached to one of the axles 3|. An'electric motor 36a carried on a bracket 31 which is supported from one of the U-shaped brackets 24 drives the gear 35' through a pinion 36 and an idler gear 31 which is carried on a bracket 38. Since the rollers 30 engage the upper flange M of the lifting beam l3, it will be apparent that the lifting beam will be moved lengthwise of the car according to the direction of rotation of electric motor 36. Any suitable motor control may be used and suitable-controls will be apparent to those skilled in the art. I v

It will be apparent that if desired, I may place the crane embodying my invention upon a turn{ table, or a platform movable or rotatable with re spect to its support. For example, I may place my crane on a turntable located on the roof of "a railway car. With such an arrangement, by rotating the turntable the lifting beam may be made available for reciprocation in any desired direction and, in addition, will be capable of a limited rotary or lateral movement, depending upon the type of guide member provided, for each position of the turntable or platform. 7 While for purposes of illustration I have described my invention in connection with welding apparatus, it is obvious that my invention is aplaterally movable lifting beam is advantageous. For example, instead of supporting my crane upon the roof of a railway car my invention could be set up on any platform or in the form of a pillar type crane. I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A portable crane comprising a platform, a lifting beam on said platform, a track on said platform, a wheel associated with said beam and engagingsaid track, means for driving said wheel and moving said beam laterally of said platform,

a roller engaging'said beam, and means for driving said roller and moving said beam lengthwise ofsaid platform.

2. Aportable crane comprising a platform, a lifting beam on said platform, a pivoted guide for said beam on said platform, means to swing said beam laterally about said guide as a pivot point, said means including a track on said platform, a wheel engaging said track and means to drive said wheel, and means to reciprocate said beam lengthwise of said platform including a roller engaging said beam and means to drive said roller.

3. 'A portable crane comprising a railway platform, a lifting beam on said platform,a pivoted member on said platform associated with said beam, a track on said platform, a bracket located on each side of said beam, a wheel journaled in each of saidbrackets and engaging said track,

means to rotate said wheels for swinging said beam laterally about said member as a pivot point,

a roller journaled in each of saidibrackets 'and engaging said beam and means'to rotate said roller for reciprocating said beamlengthwise of said platform.

4. Apparatus suitable for use with a rail welder comprising a railway car, a lifting beam on the roof 'of said car, hoisting tackle at one end of said beam, a hoist at the other end of said beam, a cable extending between said tackle and said hoist, a pivoted member on said car, a roller rotatably supported on said pivoted member in engagement with said beam for guiding the lengthwise movement of said beam and for preventing tipping of said beam with respect to said roof, a

curved track on'said roof of said car, a bracket beam lengthwise of said car.

5. Apparatus suitable for use with a rail welder comprising a railway car, a lifting beam on the roof of said car, hoisting tackle at one end of said beam, a hoist at the other end of said beam,- a cable-extending between said tackle and said hoist, a pivoted substantially U-shaped member on said car, said beam being arranged between the arms of said member, a roller rotatably supported on each arm of said member in engagement with said beam for guiding the lengthwise movement of said beam and for preventing tipping of said beam with respect to said roof, a

curved track on said car, a bracket located on each side of said beam, a flanged wheel journaled in each of said brackets and engaging said curved track, a second roller journaled in each of said brackets and engaging said lifting beam on opposite sides of said beam, means maintaining said brackets in fixed spaced relationship, a driven gear associated with oneof said flanged wheels, means to drive said driven gear for swinging said beam laterally about said U-shaped pivoted memher, a second driven gear associated with said second roller and means to drive said second driven gear for movingsaid beam lengthwise of said car.

6. A portable crane comprising a platform, a lifting beam supported on said platform, a laterally projecting portion on said lifting beam, a pivoted guide for said beam located on said platform, means for swinging said beam about said guide as a pivot point, means to reciprocate said beam lengthwise of said platform, said last-mentioned means and said pivoted guide cooperatingrwith said portion for preventing said beam from tilting with respect to said platform.

7. A portable crane comprising a platform, a lifting beam supported on said platform, a laterally projecting, longitudinally extending portion on said beam, a pivoted guide for said beam,

said guide including a member, a roller journalled on said member, said roller engaging the upper surface of said portion whereby said member and said roller cooperate with said portion to permit longitudinal and pivotal movement of said beam but prevent tilting of said'beam with respect to said platform, means for swinging said beam about said guide as a pivot point, and means to reciprocate said beam lengthwise ofsaid platform.

8. A portable crane comprising a platform, .a lifting beam supported on said platform, a laterally projecting longitudinally extending portion on said beam, a pivoted guide for said beam supported on said platform, said guide including a bracket, a roller journalled on said bracket, said roller engaging the upper surface of said portion to permit longitudinal and pivotal movement of v said beam butprevent tilting of said beam with respect to said platform, means to swing said beam laterally about said guide as a pivot point, said means including a track on said platform, a wheel engaging said track and means to drive said wheel, and means to reciprocate said beam lengthwise of said platform including a roller engaging said beam and means to drive said roller.

WILLIAM DALTON.

Images