BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a lift device and, more particularly, to a lift device for servicing mechanical parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Maintenance and/or repair of industrial machinery may involve delicate handling of massive mechanical parts. For example, service operations on power cylinders of a gas engine compressor may often involve removal of a power cylinder head. The power cylinder head is often a heavy work piece that may be damaged by removal, positioning, and handling during routine service operations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an image showing selected elements of an embodiment of a lift device;
FIG. 2 is an image showing selected elements of an embodiment of a lift device; and
FIG. 3 is an image showing selected elements of an embodiment of a lift device.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments.
Disclosed herein is a lift device usable as a tool for handling a head of a power cylinder of a large engine, such as a gas engine compressor. The head of the power cylinder head is referred to herein as the “cylinder head” or the “work piece”, while the power cylinder is referred to herein as the “cylinder”. Although the present disclosure is described with respect to a gas engine compressor, the lift device described herein may be used in conjunction with a number of different mechanical parts of various types of large engines. One example of a type of mechanical part that an embodiment of the disclosed lift device is suitable for handling is a power cylinder head of an Cooper-Bessemer type GMV gas engine compressor.
Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts an image showing selected elements of an embodiment of novel lift device 100. In FIG. 1, lift device 100 is shown in preparation for removal of cylinder head 200 from cylinder 202. Cylinder 202 is intended to be representative for various implementations of power cylinders on different types of large engines and/or gas engine compressors. It is noted that a gas engine compressor with which lift device 100 is used may be equipped with multiple instances of cylinder 202. Thus, service operations described herein for a single power cylinder may involve multiple repetitions when working on a gas engine compressor. Cylinder 202 may be joined to cylinder head 200 at seal surface 204, which is visible in FIG. 2 as a circular crack. Pressure may be applied to seal cylinder 202 with cylinder head 200 using studs 206 and mounting nuts 208, which may be fastened at top portion 201 of cylinder head 200.
As shown in FIG. 1, lift device 100 may be comprised of lift frame 102 and stand 110. Lift frame 102 may comprise three members in a rectangular U-configuration to receive stand 110. Different embodiments (not shown) of lift frame 102 may incorporate other geometries, such as circular, triangular, and/or based on other polygons. At the top of lift frame 102, flange 104 may provide one or more attachment holes for lift hook 302 in various configurations. In one embodiment, a precise location of an attachment hole may cause lift device 100 to tilt, when lifted by the attachment hole, at a first angle roughly corresponding to a second angle given by an operational orientation of the work piece. The second angle may represent, for example, an orientation of cylinder 202 with respect to the engine in which cylinder 202 operates. In this manner, lift device 100 may provide for safer and expedited attachment of the work piece. Stand 110 may be coupled to lift frame 102 via pivot pin 124, which may define an axis of rotation around which stand 110 may rotate fully (i.e., 360 degrees) with respect to lift frame 102. Pivot pin 124 may penetrate a first bushing (obscured from view) contained within cylindrical end 130 of lift frame 102 and a second bushing (obscured from view) within cylindrical end 132 of stand 110, along with head connector 106. In certain embodiments, cylindrical ends 130, 132 are themselves bushings. Pivot pin 124 may be fixed with a pivot nut (obstructed from view in FIG. 1) behind head connector 106. Head connector 106 may be in the form of a plate having various holes, including holes for receiving pivot pin 124 and mounting bolts 120, as will be described in further detail below.
Head connector 106 may further include locking holes 108 for receiving locking pin 122, which may be used to mechanically secure stand 110 with respect to lift frame 102 by arresting rotation of stand 110 around pivot pin 124. Locking pin 122 may be equipped with internal spring-loaded ball bearings (not visible in FIG. 1) to facilitate entry and removal from locking holes 108. Different instances of locking hole 108 may provide detention of stand 110 (and a work piece attached thereto) at desired angular positions in conjunction with locking pin 122 (see also FIG. 3).
In FIG. 1, on each side of cylinder 202 and cylinder head 200 is water jumper 210 (of which only one instance is visible as shown) that forms a mounting surface. Water jumper 210 may include an opening to receive cooling water as well as threaded mounting holes, which may be used by lift device 100 to attach head connector 106 to cylinder head 200 using mounting bolts 120.
In operation, lift device 100 may be positioned above cylinder head 200 using lift hook 302. Lift device 100 may then be attached to cylinder head 200 at head connector 106 using mounting bolts 120. Lift device 100, as shown, may provide access to top portion 201 of cylinder head 200 for work piece removal operations, such as removal of mounting nuts 208. Rotation of stand 110 may be arrested by inserting locking pin 122 into an appropriate one of locking holes 108. After cylinder head 200 has been mechanically separated from cylinder 202, lift device 100 may allow lift hook 302 to securely lift and transport cylinder head 200 to a desired location for service operations, as will be described below with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3. It is noted that the operations described above may be performed in a reverse order using lift device 100 when cylinder head 200 is mounted to cylinder 202.
Turning now to FIG. 2, an image showing selected elements of an embodiment of novel lift device 100 is depicted. Lift device 100 is shown with removed cylinder head 200 being supported by lift hook 302 coupled to flange 104 of lift frame 102. Visible in FIG. 2 are both instances of head connector 106 (including respective locking holes 108), locking pin 122, and pivot pin 124, on respective sides of cylinder head 200. Lift device 100 is attached to cylinder 200 via one instance of head connector 106 and two mounting bolts 120 on both sides of cylinder head 200. In various embodiments (not shown), a different number and arrangement of mounting bolts 120 may be implemented. It is noted that, in the configuration shown, stand 110 forms a flat surface that is roughly parallel with seal surface 204, of which an edge is visible in FIG. 2.
Advancing now to FIG. 3, an image showing selected elements of an embodiment of novel lift device 100 is depicted. Lift device 100 is shown with cylinder head 200 being made accessible as a work piece for service operations, for example, on seal surface 204. Lift device 100 is shown in FIG. 3 in a free-standing configuration, with stand 110 serving as a base for supporting lift frame 102 and cylinder head 200. It is noted that, in FIG. 3, lift hook 302 (see FIGS. 1, 2) is no longer attached to lift device 100. Visible in FIG. 3 is pivot nut 126 for bolting together lift frame 102, stand 110, and head connector 106 using pivot pin 124. Locking pin 122, shown protruding through head connector 106, is used to fix stand 110 in an upright configuration, as shown. It is noted that no change in the attachment of cylinder head 200 to head connector 106 via mounting bolts 120 has taken place among the configurations of lift device 100 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
It is further noted that, in various embodiments, stand 110 may be configured in different shapes and configurations, which may depend on a particular work piece for which lift device 100 is intended. As shown in the drawings, lift device 100 may be constructed using substantially straight members having a rectangular cross-section, for example, such as a square cross-section. In particular embodiments, the members with which lift device 100 is constructed may be hollow members of a suitable material, such as steel. The members may also be solid, when desired. The members with which lift device 100 is constructed may be round in cross-section and/or in shape (not shown in the drawings). The members with which lift device 100 is constructed may be selected by material and/or geometric form for a desired environment or operational condition. Certain portions of lift device 100 may be coated and/or painted for desired operational purposes and still perform the methods and operations described herein.
To the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited to the specific embodiments described in the foregoing detailed description.
Patent Grant
8523252
