US2812071A - Crane - Google Patents

Description

J. J. LANIGAN' Nov. 5, 1957 CRANE 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .3 8 -i .m- Iumng; 9 86 l 5 JOHN J. LANIGAN J. J. LANIGAN Nov. 5, 1957 CRANE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1955 FIG.5

. INVENTOR. JOHN J.LANIGAN BY zi fi w v ATT'YS CRANE John J. Lanigan, Chicago, Ill. Application August 22, 1955, Serial No. 529,768

8 Claims. (Cl. 212-59) This invention relates to power cranes and more particularly to power cranes of the type mounted on mobile equipment such as trucks and the like.

This'invention is primarily directed to a crane suitable for use with a truck of the type commonly used by utility companies. In this connection it is necessary that the crane occupy as little of the available floor space of the truck body as possible, and that it be capable of lifting relatively large weights while being retractable so as to occupy as little height as possible while the truck is enroute. It is also a requirement that cranes of this type be comparatively light in weight for the lifting capacity.

With this in mind, a primary object of the invention is to provide a mobile crane of the stated type which is characterized by compactness in use as well as in transit and which is capable of lifting relatively large weights located at varied positions with respect to the truck body. Another object of the invention is to provide a crane of the stated type which includes a boom which exhibits great resistance to bending while under strain.

Other and further objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters relate to similar parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a service truck equipped with a crane made in accordance with the presline 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a modified form of the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view taken substantially on line 88 of Fig. 7.

With reference to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the crane of the present invention is shown in conjunction with a motor truck of the type commonly used by utility companies for servicing operations. Mounted at the forward end and to one side of the truck body is the cranegenerally indicated by reference numeral 10. This crane includes a mast structure 11, a boom 12 and an auxiliary mast 13. A cradle 14 is mounted on the roof of the truck body to secure the boom 12 in the position shown in dot-and-dash lines while the truck is in transit, and similarly, a cradle 15 extends upwardly from the roof of the truck cab to retain the. auxil- United States Patent 0 2,812,071 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 ice 2 iary mast 13 in the substantially horizontal position shown in dot-and-dash lines.

The crane is rigidly mounted at the forward right-hand corner of the truck body by means of a support assembly, generally indicated by reference numeral 16. By this arrangement, a minimum of useful floor space of the truck body is occupied. The assembly 16 includes a plurality of upright standards 17 which desirably take the form of angle beams and are secured at their lower ends by welding or other suitable means to the conventional floor beams of the truck body. Joining the upper ends of the standards 17 are horizontally disposed angle members 18, Angle members 19 extend upwardly and inwardly from the points of juncture of the angle members 18 and are fixedly secured at their upper ends to a plate 22 while their lower ends preferably are welded to the ends of the members 18. The plate 22 is provided with a central aperture 23 for securing in position the mast structure 11.

The mast structure 11 includes a hollow cylindrical column 23 which extends upwardly through the roof of the truck body at 24. Rotatably mounted within the column 23 by means of spaced thrust bearings 25, 25 is a mast 26 which extends beyond the upper edge of the column 23. The bearings 25 are of the conical type for facilitating rotation of the mast 26 while at the same time providing for axial thrust. Referring now to Figs. 4 and 6, a generally U-shaped socket 27 is mounted on the upper edge of the mast 26 and is secured in position by welding or other suitable means. This socket has arms 28 provided with oppositely disposed openings 29, 29 in which an axle 32 is journalled and openings 33, 33 in register each with the other, in which an axle 34 is mounted. A pulley 35 is rotatably disposed on the axle 32, and a pulley 36 is arranged for rotation about the axis of the axle 34. Also, mounted on the axle 34 is the boom 12. To this end a bearing member 37 is ailixed to the boom 12 at one end and is provided with apertures 38 in register each with the other.

According to an important feature of the present invention, the boom 12 is comprised of an outer sleeve 39, and anv inner concentrically mounted sleeve 42. The sleeve 42 is retained in fixed radially spaced relation with respect to the sleeve 39 by spacer rings 43 arranged in engagement with the marginal edges of the respective ends of the sleeves. The rings 43 are desirably fixed in position by welding or the like and are firmly secured to both sleeves. By this arrangement, additional rigidity is imported to the sleeve 39 by the sleeve 42. While the outer sleeve 39 tends to bend slightly while in use, the inner sleeve 42 remains straight since the load which it sustains is axial only. The composite boom is thus capable of resisting stresses that would readily bend tubing of a thickness equal to both of the sleeves 39 and 42 or a boom consisting of concentric tubes or sleeves in wall to wall contact with the other. While the precise reason for this phenomenon is not known it is believed that the bending stresses exerted on tube 39 cause an axial compression on the inner sleeve 42 which, acting as a strut connected only between the opposite ends of the main tube 31, increases the resistance to bending of the composite boom.

Referring again to Fig. 4 and initially to Fig. 5, a socket 44 is swivelly mounted at the outer end of the boom 12 by means of a ball bearing 45. The socket 44 is generally U-shaped in configuration and has a pair of arms 46 provided with oppositely disposed apertures 47 for reception of an axle 48. A pulley 49 is rotatably mounted on the axle 48 for a purpose hereafter described.

The auxiliary mast 13 is shown in Fig. 4 in its operative position. In this position the auxiliary mast 13;cooperates with the mast 26 to afford a verticalmast of sufii cient height to obtain the requisite mechanical advantage to lift the boom 12, as will be hereafter apparent. This auxiliary mast includes an outer sleeve or tube 52 and. aninner sleeveor tube 53 maintained in fixed spaced relation with respect to the outer tube 52 by means of spacerrings 54 which. are preferably welded in position. The outer end ofthe auxiliary mast 13 is provided with a socket 55 in which a pulley 56 is suitably journalled. A bearing member 57 is afiixed to the inner end of the auxiliary mast 13 for pivotal movement of thisauxiliary mast about an axle 58 which is journalled in arms 59 offa generally U-shaped socket 62 welded to the upper marginal edge of the column 26. A pulley is rotatably. mounted on the axle 58 for a purpose hereinafter described. For securing the auxiliary mast 13 in operatingposition, a slip ring 63 is arranged in surrounding relation to the sleeve or tube 52. This ring. has a downwardly extending lug 64 which engages the inner surface of the base of the socket 27. When it is desired to move the auxiliary mast 13 to the position shown in dot-anddash lines in Fig. I, theslip ring 63 is merely raised so thatthe lug 64 no longer engages the socket 27.

Referring again to Fig. 2, a suitable source of power, not shown, which desirably takes the form of a power take=otf from the vehicle engine, is connected to a winch or power means 65 mounted in the space defined by the upright members 17 of the support assembly 16. The

winch-65 has a drive shaft (not shown) on which a reel .66 is mounted. A cable 67 is wound about the reel 66 and passes upwardly through the mast 26, over the pulley 35, under the pulley 36 and thence over the pulley 49, and terminates in hook 68. The hook 68 grasps the weight to be lifted, as will be understood.

The auxiliary mast 13 serves to control the angularity of the boom 12, and thus move objects bodily after they have been lifted to a predetermined level by the hook 68. For this purpose, a clutch 69 is arranged between reel 66 and a reel 72 on which is wound a cable 73. A shaft is connected to the clutch 69 and rotates the reel 72. The cable 73 engages the pulley 60, passes over the pulley 56 and is secured at its free end to an adjustable ring 75, which may be moved axially of the boom 12 for accommodating weights of predetermined mass.

outer end of the boom 12. For securing the ring 75 in position frictional elements such as thumb screws 76 'may be employed. The clutch 69 affords selective rotation and operation of the reels 66 and 72. For example, the clutch may be arranged to permit rotation of the reel 66 to lift the object to the level of the roof of the truck body.. The

reel 72 may then be operated independently to raise the boom 12 so that its outer end is moved toward the truck for depositing objects alongside the truck. In addition, thereels 66 and 72 may be operated in conjunction with each other to drag an object along the ground, if that be desirable.

Rotation of the entire crane structure about the axis with a correspondingly shaped socket. The crank 83 may be removed while the vehicle is in transit. The worm gear 77 meshes with the teeth of a ring gear 84, which 'isfixedly secured to the outer surface of the mast 26 by welding, or the like. Turning of the crank 83 affords full 360 rotation of the entire crane structure about the. truck body.

Referring now more particularly to- Fig. 2, the crane For instance, when the article to be lifted is of considerable weight, the ring 75 may be moved upwardly towards the of the present invention is capable of lifting weights of such magnitude that the entire truck would tip over were not provision made for counteracting this force. This is particularly true where the object to be lifted is located in distant relation to the side of the truck in which the crane structure is mounted. To this end, an outrig 85 is provided. The outrig 85 includes a structural member 86 dimensioned to be received within one of the conventional channel members supporting the truck body. At the outer end of the structural member 86 is formed a yoke 98 in which is received a tongue 87 of a support leg 88, as best shown in Fig. 2a. A pin 89 passes through opposed apertures 92 in the yoke and an aperture 93 in the tongue 87 to secure the support leg 88 and the structural member 86 in fixed position. When the sup port leg 88 is not in use, it may be stowed within the truck body and the structural member 86 may be slid to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines and secured by the pin 89 which passes through a suitable opening in the channel member of the truck chassis. The support leg 88 is adjustable to permit use under varied terrain conditions. For this purpose the leg 88 is formed in two sections, a hollow base section 93 and a main section 94 slidably received in the base section 93. The base section 93 is formed with an elongated longitudinally extending slot 95 and plurality of oppositely disposed bayonet slots 96 opening into the slot 95. Projecting radially from the body section 94 is an operating lever and stop element 97 which may be selectively placed in any of the slots 96- as terrain conditions require.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modified form of the present invention in which the need for the pulley 35 is eliminated. In this form of the invention, a pulley 36a is mounted in the socket 27 in a manner that efficient operation at 'all' boom elevations is afforded. For this purpose, the

inner end of the'boom 12 is mounted on a pair-of shoeshaped brackets'98 which pivot about the axle 34. Each of the brackets 98 includes an arcuate ankle section 99 for engaging and fastening to the surface of the end of the boom 12, and a foot portion 101 having an opening 102 for reception of the ends of the axle 34. By this arrangement, movement of the boom 12 to a vertical position is permitted without interference with the opera- I tion of the pulley 36a.

A capstan 103 may be attached to the free end of the shaft 70 for pulling objects along the ground. For this purpose, the clutch 69 may be actuated to disengage the reels 66 and 72. An additional power take-off shaft104 is provided for operation of a power digger or the like. This shaft is rotated by the shaft 70 through a reduction gear 105.

It will be apparent that this invention maybe embodied in devices which differ in many respects from theparticular embodiment disclosed. All modifications which do not go beyond the scope of the invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, not intended that the invention be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but only to the inventive concept as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A crane adapted to be mounted on a truck comprising a stationary upright hollow cylindrical column, a hollowcylindrical mast concentrically mounted within said column, means for rotating said mast with respect to said column, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted on said first mast, said auxiliary mast being movable from a horizontal position While the truck is in transit to a vertical position while the crane is in use, a boom pivotally mounted on said first mast, a pulley swivelly mounted on the outer end of said boom, a cable passing through said boom and'over said pulley, areel mounted within the body of said truck for winding said cable,

power means selectively operable to rotate said reel for winding and unwinding said cable, and means operable in cooperation with said auxiliary mast for raising and lowering said boom.

2. A crane adapted to be mounted on a truck comprising a stationary upright hollow cylindrical column, a hollow cylindrical mast concentrically mounted within said column, means for rotating said mast with respect to said column, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted on said first mast, said auxiliary mast being movable from a horizontal position While the truck is in transit to a vertical position while the crane is in use, a boom pivotally mounted on said first mast, said boom having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve maintained in fixed radially spaced relation to each other and connected together at their ends only, a pulley swivelly mounted on the outer end of said boom, a cable passing through said boom and over said pulley, a reel mounted within the body of said truck for winding said cable, power means selectively operable to rotate said reel for winding and unwinding said cable, and means operable in cooperation with said auxiliary mast and connected to said boom intermediate the ends thereof for raising and lowering said boom.

3. A crane adapted to be mounted on a truck comprising a stationary upright hollow cylindrical column, a. hollow cylindrical mast concentrically mounted within said column, means for rotating said mast with respect to said column, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted on said first mast, said auxiliary mast being movable from a horizontal position while the truck is in transit to a vertical position while the crane is in use, a boom pivotally mounted on said first mast, said boom having an outer tubular sleeve and an inner tubular sleeve, a spacer ring secured between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve at each end only for maintaining the tubes in fixed radially spaced relation, a pulley swivelly mounted on the outer end of said boom, a cable passing through said boom and over said pulley, a reel mounted within the body of said truck for winding said cable, power means selectively operable to rotate said reel for raising or lowering said cable, and means operable in cooperation with said auxiliary mast for raising and lowering said boom.

4. A crane suitable for mounting on a truck of the van type comprising an upright hollow cylindrical column adapted to extend through the roof of the truck body, a hollow cylindrical mast rotatably mounted concentrically within said column and having an upper marginal edge extending beyond said column, a fir'st U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, a pulley journalled in said socket, a boom pivotally mounted in said socket, a pulley swivelly mounted on outer end of said boom, a second U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted in said second socket and having a pulley journalled at its free end, a first cable arranged in engagement with the pulley of said first socket and said boom pulley, a second cable passing over said auxiliary mast pulley and having its free end secured to said boom, a first reel for winding said first cable, a second reel for winding said second cable, and power means ror rotating said reels operable to afford selective rotation of said reels whereby said first cable may be Wound and unwound to lift and lower an object and said second reel may be actuated to raise and lower said boom.

5. A crane suitable for mounting on a truck of the van type comprising an upright hollow cylindrical column adapted to extend through the roof of the truck body, a hollow cylindrical mast rotatably mounted concentrically within said column and having an upper marginal edge extending beyond said column, a first U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, a pulley journalled in said socket, a boom pivotally mounted in said socket, said boom having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve maintained in fixed radially spaced relation to each other, said sleeves being secured together at their respective ends only, a pulley swivelly mounted on outer end of said boom, a second U-shaped-socket mounted'on the upper marginal edge of said mast, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted in said second socket and having a pulley journalled at its free end, a first cable arranged in engagement with the pulley of said first socket and said boom pulley, a second cable passing over said auxiliary mast pulley and having its free end secured to said boom, a first reel for winding said first cable, a second reel for winding said second cable, and power means for rotating said reels operable to afford selective rotation of said reels whereby said first cable may be wound and unwound to lift and lower an object and said second reel may be actuated to raise and lower said boom. 6, A crane suitable for mounting on a truck of the van type comprising an upright hollow cylindrical column adapted to extend through the roof of the truck body, a hollow cylindrical mast rotatably mounted concentrically within said column, and having an upper marginal edge extending beyond said column, a first U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, a pulley journalled in said socket, a boom pivotally mounted in said socket, said boom having an outer sleeve and inner sleeve, a spacer ring disposed between said inner tube and said outer tube at each end and secured fast thereto for maintaining the tubes in fixed radially spaced relation, a pulley swivelly mounted on outer end of said boom, a second U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted in said second socket and having a pulley journalled at its free end, a first cable arranged in engagement with the pulley of said first socket and said boom pulley, a second cable passing over said auxiliary mast pulley and having its free end secured to said boom, a first reel for winding said first cable, a second reel for winding said second cable, power means for rotating said reels, and power means operable to afford selective rotation of said reels whereby said first cable may be wound and unwound to lift and lower an object and said second reel may be actuated to raise and lower said boom.

7. A crane suitable for mounting on a truck of the van type comprising an upright hollow cylindrical column adapted to extend through the roof of the truck body, a hollow cylindrical mast rotatably mounted concentrically within said column, and having an upper marginal edge extending beyond said column, a first U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, a pulley journalled in said socket, a boom pivotally mounted in said socket and having a pulley at its outer end, said boom having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, a spacer ring disposed between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve at each end and secured to both said sleeves for maintaining the sleeves in fixed axial and radially spaced relation so that forces tending to bend said outer sleeve are resisted by endwise compression imparted to said inner sleeve by said outer sleeve, a second U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast,

an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted in said second socket and having a pulley journalled at its free end, a first cable arranged in engagement with the pulley of said first socket and said boom pulley, a second cable passing over said auxiliary mast pulley and having its free end secured to said boom, a first reel for winding said first cable, a second reel for winding said second cable, power means for rotating said reels, and clutch means operable to afford selective rotation of said reels.

8. A crane suitable for mounting on a truck of the van type comprising an upright hollow cylindrical column adapted to extend through the roof of the truck body, a hollow cylindrical mast rotatably mounted concentrically within said column, and having an upper marginal edge extending beyond said column, a first U- shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, a pulley journalled in said socket, a pair of shoe-shaped brackets pivotally mounted in said socket, each of said brackets having an angle portion arcuately 7 formedtfor engagement with one :end ofsaid boom, said boom havingan outer tubular sleeve and an inner tubular sleeve-maintained in fixed radially spaced relation to each other, said sleeves being secured Ito-each other 'at their endsonly, a pulley mounted on outer end of said boom, 21 second U-shaped socket mounted on the upper marginal edge of said mast, an auxiliary mast pivotally mounted in said second socket and having a pulley journalled at its free end, a first cable arranged in engagement with the pulley of said first socket and said boom pulley, a second cable passing over said auxiliary mast pulley and having its free end secured to said boom, a first reel for winding said first cable, a second reel for winding said second cable, and power, means for rotating said reels selectively.

References Citediin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSI Tillson AprrS, 1,873 Bradney'et al. Jan; 21; 1919 Ferguson June 22, 1920 Harbinger Jan: 3, 1922 Miller Oct-8,1929 Nelsonet al. July -4, 1933' Wilson et al. Maul, 1949 Shoemaker Jan: 19, 1954

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