Patent Application
20210341094
This invention relates to the field of construction equipment and more particularly to a device for storage and transportation of a crane block.
Crane blocks (or otherwise known as load blocks) are the part of a crane that hoists objects, usually including a hook, swivel, bearing, sheaves, pins and a frame. The crane block is suspended by cables, ropes or chains. For lifting heavy items, the crane block is often very large and heavy, some as heavy as a ton.
Crane accidents are often reported in the news, the most common being the entire crane toppling, but there are many workers crushed by crane blocks that fall over onto the worker. In many construction sites, there are often several crane blocks are present for lifting different types of objects. Further, being that the crane blocks are so heavy, if the crane block is not in the correct position, it is difficult to string the crane block (e.g. threading the cable through the sheaves of the crane block) if the crane block is not upright. As the crane block is not very stable when laid in a side (e.g. for threading with a cable), the crane block may fall over and hurt or kill a worker, as has happened in the past.
What is needed is a device that will safely hold a crane block for storage, transportation, and stringing.
In one embodiment, a crane block holder is disclosed including a base made of steel and that has a thickness of at least ½ inch and also has several holes cut or formed therein. Each hole has an inner dimension. There are several crane block support arms. Each crane block support arm has an arm portion connected to a peg that has a shoulder. An outer dimension of the peg is less than or equal to the inner dimension of the holes allowing snug insertion. An outer dimension of the shoulder is greater than the inner dimension of the holes such that upon insertion of the pegs into the holes, the shoulder limits how far the peg can be inserted. By inserting two or more crane block support arms of the plurality of crane block support arms into selected holes of the base, the two or more arms support a selected crane block.
In another embodiment, a method of holding a crane block is disclosed including inserting pegs that are attached to two or more crane block support arms of a plurality of crane block support arms into selected holes of a base configured to hold the crane block between the two or more crane block support arms, whereas insertion of the pegs is limited by shoulders that are formed where each peg is welded to an arm portion, the shoulders having a larger width than each of the selected holes.
In another embodiment, a method of making a crane block holder is disclosed including providing a base made of steel and cutting a plurality of holes in the base. Each hole has an inner dimension. A frame is welded beneath a perimeter of the base. A plurality of pegs is formed from steel. Each peg has an outer dimension that is less than or equal to the inner dimension of the holes and each peg has a shoulder, each shoulder having a shoulder outer dimension that is greater than the inner dimension of the holes. An arm portion is welded to each shoulder to form crane block support arms.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.
Throughout this description, the crane block holder 8 is described for holding and/or transporting a crane block 2.
Referring to
The base 10 is supported by smaller supports 18 as well as larger support 16, the latter being wide enough to receive the tines of a forklift (not shown for brevity reasons), for example, four inches wide. In a preferred embodiment, the smaller supports 18 and larger supports 16 are also made of steel. In this way, the crane block holder 8, with or without the crane block 2, is relocatable by use of a forklift. Also, for transporting, in some embodiments, there are a plurality of D-rings 15. Another way of moving the crane block holder 8 is to attach a cable/chain/rope (not shown for brevity reasons) to one or more of the D-rings 15 to hoist the crane block holder 8 with or without the crane block 2, for example, using the crane (not shown for brevity reasons).
In some embodiments, the crane block holder 8 has ratchet strap loops 14 for securing the crane block 2 with one or more ratchet straps.
In some embodiments, to add additional structural strength to the base 10, there is a frame 17 around bottom edges of the base 10. In such, it is anticipated that the frame 17 be made of steel, for example, 2. inch steel stock.
It is fully anticipated that the frame 17, the smaller supports 18, the larger supports 16, the D-rings 15 and the ratchet strap loops 14 are affixed to the base 10 as known in the industry, for example, by welds.
The base 10 has a plurality of holes 12 (e.g. 30-50 holes) for receiving pegs 22/24 of crane block support arms 21/21a. In some embodiments, the holes 12 are plasma cut into the base 10 and in some embodiments the inner dimension of the holes 12 is 2. inches in diameter. The pegs 22/24 have protrusions 24 that fit snuggly within the holes 12 (e.g. the pegs have an outer dimension, or diameter of 2. inches) and the pegs 22/24 have shoulders 22 that prevent the pegs 22/24 from entering too far within the holes 12 (e.g. a diameter of the shoulders 22 is greater than a diameter of the holes 12, e.g. greater than 2. inches). The pegs are connected/formed with/to arm portions 20/20a that support the crane block 2. As there are many different sizes of crane blocks 2, there are holes 12 into which the pegs 22/24 with arm portions 20/20a are inserted to support crane blocks 2 of various sized. In some embodiments, some arm portions 20 have an endcap 26.
In some embodiments, the pegs 22/24 are rolled steel (e.g. cold rolled 1018 steel) and the arm portion 20/20a is a steel tube of any cross-sectional shape (e.g. circular, rectangular, or square). In the examples shown, the arm portions 20/20a have a square cross-sectional shape and are 2. Inch square stock welded to a surface of the pegs 22/24.
The pegs 22/24 are shown as being round/tubular, permitting insertion into the holes 12 at any degree of rotation. Although it is preferred that the pegs 22/24 are round/tubular, there is no restriction as to the cross-sectional shape of the pegs 22/24 or that the cross-sectional shape of the protrusions 24 be the same as the shoulders 22.
For example, it is fully anticipated that the protrusions 24 be tubular and the shoulders be rectangular. In some embodiments, the protrusions 24 have a square cross-sectional shape allowing four orientations or in some embodiments, the protrusions 24 have a rectangular cross-sectional shape allowing two orientations. In some embodiments, the protrusions 24 are keyed, allowing only a single orientation.
Referring to
Referring to
Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.
It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/017,804 filed on Apr. 30, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63017804 | Apr 2020 | US |
