US2370661A - Portable crane - Google Patents

Description

v I March 6, 1945; i H. B. HAYES PORTABLE CRANE Filed June 15, 42 6 sheets-Sheet 1 ,m 1 m v m M 5 L 4 H March 6, 1945. H. B. HAYES PORTABLE CRANE Filed June 15, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Hm 5.14am;

March 6, 1945. H. B. HAYES v PORTABLE CRANE Filed June 15,1942 e Shets-Sheet s March 6,1945. 7 H. B. HAYES 4 2,370,661

POORTABLEE CRANE l Filed June 15, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y INVENTOR H 91. fi l-lq r55.

March 6, 1945. H. B. HAYES PORTABLE CRANE Filed June 15, 1942 6 Sheets-Shget 5 INVENTOR H41 Bil/77155 H. B. HAYES March 6, 1945.

PORTABLE CRANE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 15, 1942 1. K 5% mm a E 0 W L H H Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENTQOFFICE ron'ranu: CRANE Hal B. Hayes, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application June 15, 1942, Serial No. 447,065

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a crane, and particularly pertains to a portable crane oi the type shown in my issued U. S. Patents Numbered 2,143,111 and 2,200,274.

In various types of construction work, and particularly in connection with the erection of building structures made of sections of preformed concrete and the like, it is desirable to manipulated to operate in swinging a boom in a horizontal plane or a vertical plane, the said structure being compact in its design, exceedingly strong so that it may carry a heavy weight, and may be easily and flexibly manipulated by control means.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a crane structure of the type here disclosed which utilizes various driving elements salvaged from discarded trucks and automobiles, whereby the crane structure may be built inexpensively and rapidly while conserving metals now required for armament purposes.

The present invention contemplates the provision of aportable crane structure including a vehicle for transporting the crane and providing a base, a tower carried upon the vehicle, and a boom, the boom being collapsible with relation to the tower when not in use and provided with I various control elements, whereby all of the parts may be easily moved to and from their operative positions as well as caused to be driven through various operations when the structure is erected for action.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in sid elevation showing the crane mounted on a. truck and disposed in its folded position preparatory to transportation.

Fig. 2 is a view in plan showing the truck frame, the stabilizing means therefor.'and the base unit as seen on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view simllar'to Fig. 1 showing the truck and crane in position for operation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation showing the skip structure carried by the boom.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view in perspective showing the cable system or the crane.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in transverse section through the boom and the skip structure as seen on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in elevation showing the rear end of the truck and the crane structure thereupon.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in plan showing the power and transmission unit of the crane as seen on the lin 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a view in longitudinal section through one of the drum units as seen'on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view in plan showing the base of the crane and the turntable as seen on the line lO-Ill of'Fis. 3. v

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the'base of the crane and the power unit as seen in elevation and with parts broken away to disclose itsdetails.

Fig. 12 is a view in side elevation showing one of the clutch and driving units.

Fig. 13 is a view in horizontal section through the driving units as seen on the line I3-l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section showing the details of a driving unit and the manner in which the shaft and gears are connected.

Fig. 15 is a view in side elevation illustrating modified form of crane and showing in dotted lines the crane as collapsed.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatical view showing the cable arrangement of the form of. the invention shown in Fig. 15.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. Ill indicates a chassis of a truck mounted on a running gear including a front axle unit ii and a rear axle unit l2. Mounted upon the truck is a crane base l3. The crane base, as particularly shown inFigs. 10 and 11, is in the-form of a cylindrical concrete block having a cavity 14 in its central portion and carrying a spider 15 near the mouth of this cavity to support and center a turntable pin IS. The outer edge of the spider is formed with down-turned flanges I! which are imbedded within the base structure. Inclined braces l8 extend upwardly and inwardly to the turntable pin IE to brace the same. Disposed around the upper marginal edgeof the base I3 is a channel band is which carries a chain 20. The channel band is rolled to circular form, and when the concrete block is cast the space between the legs of the channel are filled with concrete so that the "band will be anchored in position. The band and its chain are provided as a substitute for the usual spur gear formed as a part of a crane turntable structure. Spur gears of large diameter are expensive but it has been found that drive chains from automotive trucks may be salvaged and welded around the band I9 to serve the same purpose as gearing. Thischainis engaged by a plurality J stroller chain sprockets 24, the mounting for jwhich will be hereinafter disclosed.

It will be noted that since the diameter of the band 19 is greater than the diameter of the base 13 an upper trackway 22 and a lower trackway 23 will be provided in spaced horizontal planes. The upper trackways form a circular path for turntable rollers 24 which are carried by the floor frame 25'of a turntable tower. The lower trackways 23 receive balancing rollers 28 which are secured to the frame 25 by standards 21. These rollers are mounted upon trunnions 28 and roll along the trackway 23 acting to stabilize the platform 25 when an overhanging weight is imposed upon the crane. The frame 23 carries a spider 29 having a central bearing Ill. Mounted within the bearing 30 is a ball-bearing structure 3i which receives the upper end of the turntable pin it, thus the pin it centralizes the spider 29 and maintains the rollers24 and 26 in their circular paths of travel.

The turntable frame, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, comprises opposite side rails 32 and 33. an end rail 34, and a bolting plate 33 at the opposite end. Intermediate cross braces 38, 31 and 38 are also provided. The length of the side rails is such as to provide an overhanging platform at one end of the frame structure. Secured upon the portion of the frame which is centered over the base i3 is a tower structure comprising vertical posts 89 and inclined braces 40. At the Juneture of the posts and braces horizontal boom pins 4| are journaled. The boom pins 4| extend through suitable bearings 42 in a truss 43. This truss comprises a main beam 44, diagonal struts 45, and a, king post 46. The bearings 42 are formed at one end of the main truss beam 44. At the opposite end of the beam 44 is a, shaft 47 upon which a plurality of sheaves are iournaled. as will be hereinafter described. Intermediate the length of the beam 44 and adjacent to the king post 46 is a pivot shaft 48 which receives the end of the boom 49. The boom 49 is of the box girder type, and as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings comprises upper longitudinal angle bars 58 and lower angle bars 51. The upper angle bars are disposed with their legs inwardly to form the corners of the beam, while the lower angle bars are disposed with one leg extending outwardly and horizontally to form a trackway at opposite sides of the beam as well as to add strength to the beam. Reinforcing tie bars 52 connect the members 50 and 5! together vertical y, while cross tie bars 53 connect them horizontally. The lower angle bars ii are straight, and thuprovide a straight trackway for a trolley structure 54. The upper angle bars 50 are inclined downwardly at their opposite ends to brace the ends of the boom structure.

By' reference to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the truss 43 and the boom 49 are articulately connected to each other, and that the truss 43 is pivotally mounted upon the tower structure in a manner to perm t the truss and boom to fold to a collapsed and substantially horizontally aligned position, as shown in Fig. 1, and to swing upwardly and rearwardly to the erected position shown in Fig. 3.

, When the boom is in its operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, the trolley structure 34 may move horizontally along the boom. This -trolley structure comprises side rails 35 and 59. These are parallel to each other and disposed at opposite sides of the boom. Mounted upon these rails are rollers 51 which are carried upon trunnions 58. The rollers rest upon the outwardly. projecting horizontal flanges of the angle bars i. Suspended from the members 35 and 58 are shackles 59 carried upon pins 60. Two of these shackles are suspended from each of the members 55 and 56, respectively, and are cross-connected by tie bars 6i. These shackles hang downwardly and g are free to swing in vertical planes parallel to the boom. The lower ends of the shackles are provided with pivot pins 82 which carry pivoted tie bars 83 to insure that the free ends of the shackles swing in unison. Extending between these tie bars is a cross-bar 84 from which a center shackle 65 is supported. This shackle carries a sheave 86 to receive a cable 91. This cable is led around sheaves 68 of a hoisting hook 69 or other suitable device, such as a skip. The pivot pin 82 carried by the pair of shackles 59 nearest to the crane tower is provided with a pulley 10 over which the cable 81 is led. The cable 61 is led over a sheave ll carried upon the pivot shaft 48 of the boom and is then secured to a skip drum [2. The trolley is moved back and forth by a cable 13 which is attached to the forward end of the trolley at 14 and is led around a sheave 15 carried upon a shaft 76 at the free end of the boom 49. This cable passes around a sheave 11 on the boom shaft 48 and is led down to one side of a trolley drum 18. The opposite side of the trolley drum, indicated at 19, has a cooperating trolley cable attached to it and winding in the opposite direc: tion from the cable 13. The cable 89 is led over a sheave 8| and is attached to the frame of the trolley 54 at 82. Attention is directed to Fig. 4 of the drawings, where it will be seen that a loop 8| of the cable 80 is' normally made by a spring 83. This spring is secured to the cable 80 at 84 and tends to hold the main length of the cable taut from the drum 19 to the connection 84, and compensates for differences in diameter of the wound cable on the drum sections I8 and 19 of the trolley drum. This drum is generally indicated by the numeral 85.

The truss and boom are moved from their coilapsed position, as shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings, to their erected position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, by the action of a cable 86. This cable is wound around a boom drum 81 and is reeved-over a series of sheaves 88 upon the pivot shaft 41 and sheaves 89 of a sheave block 90. The shaft 41 is at the free end of the truss 43. The sheave block is connected by shackle bars 9! to the boom 49 at a point midway the ends thereof, as indicated at 92. Attached to the apex of the truss 43 are limiting cables 93 which are secured to the turntable main frame and limit the upward swing of the truss 43. When the truss and boom are in their collapsed position. as shown in Fig. 1, it is desirable to mount a post 94 upon the upper face or the truss 43. This post is provided with sheaves 95 over which the cable 86 is led so that a pull of the cable 86 between the sheaves 88 and 89 will tend to swing the truss 43 upwardly and shift the boom 49 rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the boom and truss are in their collapsed position, as shown in Fig. 1. the overhanging portion of the boom 49 is supported by an inclined brace 98 which is mounted detachably in a socket 91 carried on the chassis I of the truck.

The foregoing description was concerned with the boom construction and the trolley and skip arrangement. One of the great values of this invention from a commercial and economical standpoint has been the design of the power plant and hoisting mechanism, and the manner in which used automobile axles, transmissions and clutches have been utilized in this construction, with the result that a highly efficient and flexible driving control has been provided from relatively inexpensive materials.

Referring particularly to Figs. 8, 9, and 11-14, inc. the details of the power unit and the driving mechanism will be seen.

Mounted llpon theslde of the turntable frame is a power plant 98. This is preferably an internal combustion engine provided with the usual clutch and transmission 99 for driving a propeller shaft I00. Thepropeller shaft I00 connects with the usual drive shaft IOI of a gear unit I02. This gear unit has been reconstructed from an automobile rear axle differential, and as shown in Fig. 14 of the drawings includes a driving pinion I03 carried by the shaft IM and in mesh with a bevel gear I04 mounted upon a spider I05. The spider structure I05 is formed with reduced tubular ends I08 which carry antifriction bearings I01. These bearings are mounted in, bearing brackets I08 formed as a part of the gear housing element I09. The gears I04 ai'e suitably secured to the spider I05 so that the spider will be driven, thereby. Extending through the center of the spider I05 is a splined shaft IIO which is engaged by keys welded in position in the spider so that the shaft IIO may be withdrawn if desired. Mounted upon the propeller shaft I00 is a brake drumIII carrying a brake shoe II2. A suitable operating connection II3 moves the brake. It is in turn connected to a lever carried upon a shaft II4. This shaft also carries a lever connected to a clutch rod II5, the opposite end of which is connected to a clutch lever H8. The shaft II4'is suitably journaled on the power unit and may be fitted at its opposite end with a foot pedal In, so that when the foot pedal is depressed the clutch will be disengaged, while simultaneously setting the brake.

The splined shaft IIO extends through gear units I02a, I02b and I02c. These units are all constructed as shown in Fig. 14 of the drawings and as described i connection with the unit I02. Each one of them has been made from a central portion of an automobile rear axle, and after the axle housing has been cut off to suitable lengths the abutting ends of axle housings are welded together, as indicated at II8. This construction is shown i detail in Fig. 13 of the drawings. The shaft IIO thus simultaneously drives parallel drive shafts II9, I and I2I. The

the plate 35 of the turntable frame 25. A clutch I22 is operated by a clutch pedal I24. The usual speed changing gear set is operated by a gear shifting lever I25, and a brake I28 is operated by a lever I21.

The transmission I22a is provided with a propeller shaft I28. which, as particularly shown in Fig. 11 of'the drawings, leads to a speed changins gear'unit I29. A shaft I28 is driven through the unit I 29 and drives a gear unit I30a by which the drum 85 is driven, as will be hereinafter explained. The gear unit I30a includes a bevel pinion I3I on the shaft I28 and a gear I32 -mounted upon a spider I33 which drives hoisting drum shaft I34 upon which the trolley drum 85 is keyed; The structure is supported upon channel section frame uprights I35 and I38 which are carried upon the overhanging end of the tumtable frame 25 and are supported by braces I31.

Mounted upon the driving side of the gear changing unit I29 is a sprocket ,I39. A sprocket chain I39 passes around this sprocket and a sprocket I40 carried upon the shaft I of a speed changing gear set I42. The gear set I42 drives a shaft I43. This shaft is connected to a gear unit I30b identical with the unit I30a shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, and which unit drives the boom drum 81. It will be seen that by this arrangement the boom can be hoisted and the skip operated simultaneously, or the boom hoisting operation may be discontinued, after which the skip may be driven independently.. The transmission unit I22b drives a propeller shaft I44. This leads to a gear unit I300 by which the drum I2 is driven.

The transmission unit I220 drives a propeller shaft I45 connected to a gear unit I48. This unit is secured to the turntable frame and has a downwardly extending shaft I4l upon which the sprocket 2| is mounted. This sprocket is in mesh with the sprocket chain 20, which is secured around the member I9 of the crane base I3.

Since the crane here disclosed is mounted upon the usual motor truck, it is obvious that the frame of the truck must be held rigidly during operation Of the crane, and that the load shall not be imposed upon the spring suspension of the truck. In order to accomplish this, jacks I and I5I are mounted under the front and rear cross members of the frame I0 and are provided with relatively large base members I52 which rest upon the ground. Similar jacks I53 and I54 are, disposed at opposite sides of the main frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These jacks are mounted upon horizontally swinging brace elements I55 and I58, respectively.- The brace elements are pivoted to brackets I51 and I58 secured to the sides of the main frame I0. Adjustable swinging braces I59 and I80 are provided and are mounted upon brackets I8I and I82, respectively, which permit the braces 'I59 and I80 to swing outwardly and to be locked'i n a desired adjusted position by pins I83.

Referring to Figs. 15 and 16 a modified form of the invention is disclosed, which provides a fixed pivot for the boom 49, as indicated at I84.

This pivot takes the placeof the pivot shaft 4I employed in the previously described form of the invention, and thus makes it unnecessary to lift the entire weight of the boom when moving it from its collapsed to erected position. In this form of the invention the truss 43 is employed and swings from the dotted line position shown 3) in-Fig. 15 to the solid line position shown in}; that figure. In this, form of the invention the cable winding drum 8! for the boom is fitted with a cable I66 which leads upwardly over a sheave I65. The cable I65 leads over the sheave I66 and around sheaves I61 disposed on the top of the boom and near the free end thereof. The cable is then led around sheaves I66 at the end of the main beam 44 of the truss 48. Thus, as the drum 8! winds the cable I65 it will act to shorten the distance from the sheaves I61 and I68 and draw the truss 43 upwardly until it pulls the guy wires 93 taut. The operation and controls will of course be the same as previously described.

In operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-14, inc. the crane is assembled as shown in Fig. l and disposed upon the truck in its collapsed condition. The truck is then driven to the site of operations, after which the jacks I50 and I5I are set to lift the truck frame I0 and take the weight oil of the spring suspension. The members I55 and I56 are then swung outwardly at the opposite sides of the truck and in the direction of the arrows a. The braces I59 and I60 are then swung out in the direction of the arrows b and set by the lock pins I63. The engine 98 is then started and the transmission 99 operated to establish a driving connection from the engine through the clutch H6 and to the shaft Hill. The various gear units M211, 1821) and I020 are then driven simultaneously. The operator thereafter places the transmission unit I22a in driving engagement with the shaft H9, and then operates the transmission unit I42 to drive the boom drum 61.

This places tension upon the boom cable 86 and draws the truss 43 and the boom from the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the guy wires 83 are taut the transmission unit I42 is thrown into neutral and a brake I34 is set to hold the drum against rotation. It is understood that each of the drums I2, 85 and 81 are equipped with such a brake. The transmission unit I29 may then be moved from a neutral position to drive the shaft I28 and the trolley drum 85. It will be recognized that since each of the transmission units are fitted with reverse gears that a positive winding or unwinding movement of the drums may be accomplished. When the trolley has been properly positioned with relation to the load, the load drum I2 may be raised and lowered to manipulate the hook structure 69 or a that the transmission parts are improvised from old automobile driving gears, that the structure is decidedly durable and may be cheaply manufactured.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1, A crane, comprising a relatively fixed base formed with an annular turntable 'trackway thereon, a. turntable platform mounted to rotate upon said base and with relation to the trackway, a fixed tower carried by the platform and carrying a horizontally disposed pivot pin at its upper end, a truss mast pivoted to said pin and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a boom pivotally mounted to the mast at a point intermediate the ends of the mast to swing in a vertical plane, a prime mover carried by the turntable platform, a winding drum mounted upon the prime mover, means interposed between the prime mover and the winding drum for driving the same, a cable connected with the winding drum and rove over the free end of the mast and operativeiy connected to the boom, whereby said cable when wound will simultaneously swing the free end of the mast upwardly on its pivot and move the boom upwardly and outwardly to an operative position, guy wires connecting the mast to the turntable platform for limiting the upwardly swinging movement of the mast and supporting the weight of the boom and its load, and means connected with said prime mover for rotating the turntable frame upon the base.

2. In a crane structure, a tower, a substantially horizontal boom supported therefrom, a longitudinal trackway on the boom, a trolley structure adapted to move along said trackway, a cable fixed to the trolley at a point intermediate its ends, a drum to which one end of the, cable is skip bucket used as a substitute therefor. It will also be understood that the transmission I22c may be operated as desired to drive the gear set' I46 and cause the shaft I41 to rotate the sprocket 2i in engagement with the sprocket chain 20 secured around the base of the crane. It will be seen that when an overhanging load is imposed upon the crane the wheels 26- win engage the lower trackway 23 of the base and stabilize the crane.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 15

of the drawings, wheels are placed above and below the track structure, and a counter-weight block I59 is supported upon the opposite side of the turntable structure from the uprights 39 to stabilize the load.

secured and upon which the cable may be wound when the drum is rotated in one direction, the opposite end of the cable being led around the free end of the boom and being secured to said drum tounwind when the drum is winding the first named cable length, means compensating for variation in the efi'ective lengths of said cable ends instant to the winding and unwinding thereof, whereby the trolley will be moved along the trackway without strain on the cable, and a spring element attached to one side of the trolley structure and to the cable in a manner to form a loop in the cable, whereby variation in the effective cable length is provided.

3. In a portable crane structure, a vehicle upon which said structure is mounted, a base for the crane mounted upon the vehicle formed by a monolithic concrete block having an enlarged annular flange around the upper end thereof. and an annular member of channel shape circumscribing said flange with the legs of the channel overhanging opposite horizontal faces of the flange, whereby parallel annular trackways will be formed.

4. The structure of claim 3 including a turntable post rigidly secured centrally of said base, a turntable structure mounted upon said post, and rollers carried by the turntable structure and moving along the trackways of the annular flange on the base.

table post rigidly secured centrally of said base, a turntable structure mounted upon said post, rollers carried by the turntable structure and moving along the trackways of the annular flange on the base, a gear'circumscribing the annular base flange, a sprocket engaging the same mounted on a shaft on the turntable structure, and means mounted on the turntable structure for driving said shaft.

6. In a crane structure, a frame, an engine mounted thereon, a transmission unit including a clutch and a set of speed changing gears driven by the engine, a distributing shaft driven by'the transmission unit, a cable drum for raising and lowering a boom, a cable drum for moving a trolley in opposite directions along a boom, a drive shaft establishing a driving connection between the distributing shaft and the trolley cable drum, and a drive shaft for the boom cable drum driven from the trolley cable shaft.

7. The structure of claim 6 including a power transmission unit interposed in the length of the trolley shaft, and a power transmission unit interposed in the length of the boom shaft and driven from the trolley drum shaft in advance of its transmission unit, whereby said drums may be simultaneously driven at the same or different speeds and may be separately rendered inoperative.

8. The structure of claim 6 including a power transmission unit interposed in the length of the trolley shaft, a power transmission unit interposed in the length of the boom shaft and driven from the trolley drum shaft in advance of its transmission unit, whereby said drums may be simultaneously driven at the same or different speeds and may be separately rendered inoperative, and a power transmission unit'interposed between the trolley shaft and the distributing shaft, said unit including a clutch, speed changing gears and a brake.

9. A crane, comprising a fixed base,.a turntable thereon, a turntable frame mounted to rotate around the vertical axis of the turntable. a tower fixed to said frame, a boom pivot mounted at the upper end of said tower, aboom pivotally supported on the boom pivot for vertical swing ing movement, a mast pivoted upon the boom pivot and adapted to swing upwardly, a power unit carried on the turntable frame, a boom cable drum driven from said power unit and a cable connected therewith for simultaneously swinging the mast to an erected position and the boom to an operative position, and restraining means for limiting the upward swinging movement of the mast and supporting the weight of the boom and a load carried thereon.

HAL B. HAYES.

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