Embodiments of the invention relate to crane operation. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to an installation system for removable counterweights on cranes.
Cranes, digger derricks, and other heavy equipment utilize a boom assembly, a load line, and a winch to lift heavy loads. The winch is typically disposed on a base, and the load line runs from the winch along the boom assembly to an implement at the distal end of the boom. The implement then routes the load line downward so as to allow a load to be attached thereto. The winch may then be operated to reduce the available length of the load line and therefore lift the load.
On the other end of the boom to balance the load and prevent the crane from tipping over, a counterweight is commonly provided. A counterweight may be permanent or removable. On a crane with a removable counterweight, it is desirable the counterweight is installed properly to prevent injury or machine damage.
There are two main types of removable counterweight systems: pinned slab systems and tray systems. In a known pinned slab system, multiple slabs are first stacked and pinned together to form a unitary counterweight. Then, the cylinders are aligned with the lifting eyes on the top slab. The cylinders are then lowered, the pins are inserted, and the pinned slab can be raised. The cylinders are thereby used to pull the top slab up to the crane turntable. However, it is difficult for an operator to view and line up the cylinders with the lifting eyes and to install the pins. Furthermore, because the counterweight hangs on the cylinder, additional stow pins are often required to eliminate drift.
In a known tray counterweight system, multiple slabs are stacked on a tray and the cylinders pull up on the tray to install the counterweight. Known methods used to attach the cylinders to the tray counterweight system are a keyhole interface or a swing-through interface.
What is needed is a simpler and safer process for installing a counterweight system on a crane. The counterweight attachment mechanism of the invention reduces operator error and lowers the chances of inadvertent machine damage from running the machine into itself during the counterweight installation process.
The invention describes an improved system for attaching either a pinned slab counterweight system or a tray counterweight system to a crane structure.
Embodiments of the invention solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a system and method for easily and safely mounting a counterweight system to a crane.
A first embodiment of the invention is directed to an attachment mechanism for connecting a removable counterweight system to a crane. The attachment mechanism comprises a lower assembly adapted to be connected to the counterweight system, an upper assembly adapted to be mounted to the crane, and a latch block assembly mounted to the upper assembly. The lower assembly comprises a stud. The upper assembly comprises a frame formed by an inner plate and an outer plate attached together having a gap therebetween. The latch block assembly comprises a plurality of blocks cooperating together to form a central counterbore for receiving the stud therein. The plurality of blocks are mounted within the frame by at least one axle extending through a bore of at least one block of the plurality of blocks to allow for rotation of the at least one block. A distal end of the stud is removably connected to the latch block assembly to attach the counterweight system to the crane.
A second embodiment of the invention is directed to a system for connecting a removable counterweight system to a crane. The system comprises a crane comprising a boom assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, a turntable attached to the proximal end of the boom assembly, and an attachment mechanism for connecting the removable counterweight system to the turntable. The attachment mechanism comprises a lower assembly adapted to be connected to the counterweight system, an upper assembly mounted to the turntable, and a latch block assembly mounted to the upper assembly. The lower assembly comprises a stud. The upper assembly comprises a frame formed by an inner plate and an outer plate attached together having a gap therebetween. The latch block assembly comprises a plurality of blocks cooperating together to form a central counterbore for receiving the stud therein. The plurality of blocks are mounted within the frame by at least one axle extending through a bore of at least one block of the plurality of blocks to allow for rotation of the at least one block. A distal end of the stud is removably connected to the latch block assembly to attach the counterweight system to the crane.
A third embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of connecting a removable counterweight system to a crane with an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism comprises a lower assembly adapted to be connected to the counterweight system, an upper assembly adapted to be mounted to the crane, and a latch block assembly mounted to the upper assembly. The lower assembly comprises a plate assembly including a cylinder, and a stud having a shaft mounted within the cylinder and a head extending from a distal end of the cylinder. The upper assembly comprises a frame formed by an inner plate and an outer plate attached together having a gap therebetween. The latch block assembly comprises a plurality of blocks cooperating together to form a central counterbore for receiving the stud therein. The plurality of blocks are mounted within the frame by at least one axle extending through a bore of at least one block of the plurality of blocks to allow for rotation of the at least one block. The method comprises raising the lower assembly such that the head of the stud pushes up on at least one block of the plurality of blocks to cause the at least one block to rotate from a closed position to an open position, and then lowering the lower assembly such that the head of the stud rests in the central counterbore thereby attaching the counterweight system to the crane.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.
Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The drawing figures do not limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.
The following detailed description references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
In this description, references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments but is not necessarily included. Thus, the technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.
The base 12 of the crane is a selectively stabilized platform. In some embodiments, the base 12 may be a crane chassis, a utility truck, an aerial device, an oil rig, an earth-working machine, or a fixed structure. The base 12 provides stability and a counterweight to a load being supported by the boom assembly 14, including a counterweight system 100. Larger loads typically require a more stable and a heavier base 12. To achieve this stability, in some embodiments of the invention, the base 12 may utilize a set of outriggers 26 or other hydraulic stabilizers.
In one embodiment, the counterweight system 100 may include four slabs weighing about 1,500 lbs. each, two side packs weighing about 3,500 lbs. each, and a tray weighing about 500 lbs. In other embodiments, the counterweight system 100 may weigh from about 4,000 lbs. total to about 6,000 lbs. total or more. Although these are exemplary weights, the design of the invention can accommodate a counterweight system with greater or lesser weights.
In an embodiment, the counterweight system 100 may be attached to turntable 106 by an attachment mechanism 108. Attachment mechanism 108 includes lower assembly 200, upper assembly 300, and latch block assembly 400. In some embodiments, the attachment mechanism 108 includes lower assembly 200, upper assembly 300, and latch block assembly 400 located on each of the left side 201 and right side 203 of the slabs 102. In some embodiments, the attachment mechanism on the right side 203 is a mirror version of the attachment mechanism 108 provided on left side 201, as described herein.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
Latch block assembly 400 may be mounted within the central opening 308 in the gap 306 between plates 302, 304. In some embodiments, latch block assembly 400 can include a first block 402 and a second block 404, as will be described further herein with respect to
Plates 302 and 304 can be fixedly or removably attached together by multiple connection mechanisms, as shown in
Outer plate 304 may include at least one post 322 extending outwardly from top flat portion 310 above central opening 308. A first spring 324 may have a distal end 326 connected to first attachment mechanism 316, a central coiled portion 328 received around post 322, and a proximal end 330 connected to latch block assembly 400. In one embodiment, outer plate 304 includes two posts 322 as shown in
Second spring 334 may have a distal end 336 connected to a first attachment mechanism 316, a central coiled portion 338 received around post 322, and a proximal end 340 connected to latch block assembly 400. First spring 324 and second spring 334 may be used to facilitate opening and closing of the latch block assembly 400.
Although described herein with respect to outer plate 304, in some embodiments, inner plate 302 may have a similar post and spring configuration for facilitating the opening/closing of the inner wing portions 410, 420 of blocks 402, 404, respectively.
Inner plate 302 and outer plate 304 may include additional openings 332 for receiving additional attachment mechanisms. In some embodiments, the additional openings 332 in inner plate 302 and outer plate 304 are aligned such that additional attachment mechanisms can be provided therethrough to connect the plates 302, 304 together.
The lower end of both the left side 312 and the right side 314 can include a second attachment mechanism 342 for connecting the latch block assembly 400 to the plates 302, 304. The second attachment mechanism 342 forms an axle 344 that allows for rotation of the first and second blocks 402, 404 thereabout, as shown in
With respect to
Similar to first block 402, second block 404 has a second top surface 416 that is substantially T-shaped having a second stem portion 418, a second inner wing portion 420, and a second outer wing portion 422. A second substantially semicircular opening 424 is located at the intersection of the second inner wing portion 420 and the second outer wing portion 422.
The first inner wing portion 410, the first outer wing portion 412, the second inner wing portion 420, and the second outer wing portion 422 are all substantially triangularly shaped such that when the first block 402 and the second block 404 are mounted adjacent to each other between plates 302, 304, they form a substantially star-shaped configuration, as seen in
First stem portion 408 extends down from the first top surface 406 forming a connection portion 426 for connecting the first block 402 to the plates 302, 304. First connection portion 426 has a substantially triangular-shaped cross-section, as shown in
Second stem portion 418 extends down from the second top surface 416 forming a second connection portion 436 for connecting the second block 404 to the plates 302, 304. Second connection portion 436 has a substantially triangular-shaped cross-section, as shown in
The operation of attachment mechanism 108 will now be discussed with respect to
As shown in
Alternatively, the turntable 106 may be rotated laterally to engage the stud 204 with the latch block assembly 400. Stud 204 can be received from either direction, entering the latch block assembly 400 from either the inner side between the first inner wing portion 410 and the second inner wing portion 420, or from the outer side between the first outer wing portion 412 and second outer wing portion 422.
A difference in the lead-in angles on the inside and outside of the blocks 402, 404 make it easier to swing the stud 204 into engagement with the blocks 402, 404 than to remove the stud 204 therefrom. As shown in
Central counterbore 403 is formed by first semicircular opening 414 and second semicircular opening 424. First semicircular opening 414 and second semicircular opening 424 cooperate together to receive head 218 of stud 204. In some embodiments, first semicircular opening 414 includes a recessed portion 440 forming a lip 442 and an inner circumferential rim 444. In some embodiments, second semicircular opening 424 includes a recessed portion 450 forming a lip 452 and an inner circumferential rim 454. In an engaged position, lower flat surface 222 of head 218 will rest on lips 442, 452 and side circumferential surface 224 of head 218 will contact inner circumferential rims 444, 454, as shown in
A proximal end 330 of first spring 324 is fixedly connected to block 402 at first outer wing portion 412, as shown in
When the stud 204 is in the engaged position, the latch block assembly 400 cannot be opened by lateral motion of either the turntable 106 or of the counterweight system 100. Rather, in order to remove the counterweight system 100 from the turntable 106, the lower assembly 200 is raised to such that head 218 of stud 204 is lifted out of recessed portions 440, 450, as shown in
Latch block assembly 400 may include proximity sensors 460 and/or contact sensors 462, or other desired sensors for assisting the operator in remotely determining the position of the elements of the device. Proximity sensors 460 may detect when the latches are in the resting position. In some embodiments, proximity sensors may be located on one or both of blocks 402, 404. In some embodiments, outer plate 304 may also include a proximity sensor 333 for detecting when the blocks 402, 404 are in a closed position. Contact sensors 462 may detect when the stud 204 is seated in the engaged position. In some embodiments, contact sensors 462 may be located within the counterbore 403, and may be located on one or both of recessed portion 440, 450. Counterweight system 100 may further include audible and/or visual alarms associated with the sensors 460, 462. For example, an audible or visual alarm may be triggered when an operator attempts to move the turntable 106 when the blocks 402, 404 are in an open position. Additionally, the sensors 333, 460, 462 may be associated with preventing a swing command for the turntable 106 in certain instances.
Although illustrated herein with a tray counterweight system, in some embodiments, the counterweight attachment mechanism can be used with a pinned slab counterweight system. Although the latch block assembly is illustrated herein as mounted to the turntable, in some embodiments, the latch block assembly could be mounted to the tray or mounted to counterweight lift cylinders. Additionally, the lift mechanism is illustrated herein mounted to a sub-base, however in some embodiments the lift mechanism could be mounted to the crane turntable.
Although the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.
Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:
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