EP1072553A1 - Folding device for a crane boom with nestable elements - Google Patents

Abstract

The folding elements (12, 13) of a crane jib, are articulated around a horizontal axis (17). The folding mechanism consists of a double acting jack (32), in the central vertical plane of the jib, and linked at one end, by a horizontal axis (35), to the rear element (12) of the jib, and at the other end, to a straight rod connector (38), linked to the rear part of the forward element (13). A curved link (41) is also connected to the forward end of the jack and to the front part of the rear element of the jib. The curved connector carries a horizontal bar, which is guided by the arc guides (30), cut in the side plates (31).

Description

The present invention relates to an unfolding / folding device motorized, independently controlled, of a composite crane boom elements linked together by articulation, with two arrow elements consecutive nesting one in the other in the folded position of the arrow.

We already know, by the German patent application n ° 3 441 573, a tower crane whose boom is made up of two elements, designated respectively as arrowhead and point of arrow, which are hinged together around a horizontal axis located substantially halfway up the boom. The arrowhead has a triangular section, and the arrowhead has a cross section "U" shape, so that the folding of the arrowhead on the boom foot, made along the aforementioned horizontal axis, can be continued until the two arrow elements nest in one another.

This known folding device also comprises a connecting rod connection of the upper members of the two jib elements, said connecting rod being articulated at the front end of the upper chord of the foot arrow, and sliding in lateral guides in an arc provided at the rear of the arrowhead.

In the aforementioned German patent application No. 3,441,573, the boom unfolding / folding motorization is provided by a cable reeved, controlled by the articulation between the boom foot and the top of the crane mast. As a result, the kinematics of unfolding / folding of arrow elements is imposed by the movement of the arrow foot.

Consequently, the size of the boom during mounting is always important, and does not avoid an obstacle possible. In addition, unfolding / folding the arrowhead is impossible, when the crane is working, to avoid an obstacle or to distribute a load with a short boom configuration.

French patent application No. 2,546,496 describes another tower crane with boom composed of two elements hinged together, and nestable in the folded position. The two boom elements are articulated between them around a horizontal axis located halfway up the arrow, the foot arrow here having a U-shaped section, while the tip arrow has a triangular section. The motorization of the boom unfolding / folding is ensured by a cable associated with an arm lever in an arc, itself motorized by the articulation of the foot arrow on the top of the crane mast.

This motorization device makes it possible to obtain a position in "Swan neck" of the boom, during the continuation of its lifting. However, it retains the same disadvantages as those of the document previous, because the kinematics of unfolding / folding the elements of arrow remains imposed by the movement of the arrow foot.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks, by providing a folding / unfolding device to avoid, in progress mounting or working of the crane, obstacles such as buildings existing, trees, power lines ..., while allowing an increase load characteristics by folding the arrowhead.

To this end, the invention essentially relates to a device motorized unfolding / folding of a crane boom composed of elements linked together by articulation, with two consecutive arrow elements nestable one in the other in the folded position of the arrow, these two elements having respective sections allowing their nesting, and being articulated to each other around a horizontal axis located substantially halfway up the boom, the front boom element having, in its rear part, lateral guides in an arc receiving a horizontal transverse axis linked to the rear boom element, the unfolding / folding device comprising, for its motorization, on the one hand a double-acting cylinder, located in the vertical median plane of the boom and articulated by a first end, around a horizontal axis, to the element rear jib at the height of the upper member (s) of this element, and on the other hand, a connecting rod made up of a straight rod articulated on the one hand at the second end of the jack and on the other hand at the rear part of the front boom element, in the lower part of this element, and a bent connecting rod articulated on the one hand at the second end of the cylinder and on the other hand to the front part of the rear boom element, in the lower part of this element, the angled connecting rod allowing passage, at level of its elbow, to the horizontal axis received in the lateral arcuate guides of circle.

Advantageously, the straight rod and the angled rod are, one and the other, double connecting rods, allowing free passage to the jack. The respective ends of these connecting rods, opposite to those of the articulation of the cylinder, are preferably articulated to respective yokes, fixed one on the lower part of the front boom element, and the other on the part bottom of the rear boom element.

There is thus obtained an unfolding / folding device of two consecutive nestable boom elements, such as a boom foot and an arrowhead in the case of an arrow in two articulated elements, which is a motorized device independently controlled by a jack specific. The cylinder rod output control allows unfolding boom elements to an aligned relative position, and the re-entry control of the cylinder rod allows the folding of the arrow until fully seated, all relative positions intermediates can also be obtained. So the position of the tip is no longer imposed by that of the arrow foot, and the point of boom can, at any time, be brought into a desired position to avoid an obstacle. In addition, the arrowhead may occasionally be folded, to allow the crane to work with a short boom and thus increasing the load characteristics of the crane. The linkage is designed to allow 180 ° rotation of the boom element front, relative to the rear boom element.

According to one embodiment of the device, the rear part of the front boom element has two vertical side plates, in each of which is provided a guide and stop light in shape of an arc of a circle, each light being crossed by one end of the transverse horizontal axis linked to the rear boom element, and each side plate being crossed by the articulation axis of the boom element front relative to the rear boom element, located substantially halfway up of the arrow.

• fonction de butée supérieure réalisant, en coopération avec l'axe horizontal traversant ces lumières, une liaison entre les membrures supérieures des deux éléments de flèche, tels que le pied de flèche et la pointe de flèche, lorsque la flèche est alignée ;
• fonction de butée inférieure pour le même axe, lorsque la flèche est entièrement repliée, les deux éléments de flèche étant alors emboítés l'un dans l'autre ;
• fonction de guidage de sécurité de cet axe, au cours des opérations de dépliage et de repliage des éléments de la flèche.

The articulation lights, thus provided on the lateral faces of the front boom element, such as an arrowhead, fulfill the following functions:

• upper stop function performing, in cooperation with the horizontal axis passing through these openings, a connection between the upper members of the two boom elements, such as the boom foot and the arrowhead, when the boom is aligned;
• lower stop function for the same axis, when the boom is fully folded, the two boom elements then being fitted one into the other;
• safety guiding function of this axis, during unfolding and folding operations of the boom elements.

Advantageously, the axis of articulation of the boom element front relative to the rear boom element, located substantially halfway up arrow, has a functional clearance, so as to release this axis of all effort, to make the connection system of the two isostatic boom elements, when it is aligned.

According to one embodiment of the device of the invention, the front ends of the members of the rear boom element are connected by a transverse stiffening sheath, crossed by the horizontal axis aforementioned transverse.

To ensure the connection at the level of the lower members of the boom elements, it is provided, according to an additional characteristic, that the lower members of the rear boom element have, at their front end, support and guide means for the ends rear of the lower members of the front boom element; these means preferably include, at the front end of each lower frame of the rear boom element, a horizontal support, a lower guide provided by a support plate, and lateral guide provided by a support plate with ramp, such a combination allowing to take all the efforts and to align with precision the lower members of the two boom elements, so as to form a continuous raceway for the carriage movable along the arrow.

Figure 1 est une vue de côté, en position de travail, d'une grue avec flèche équipée d'un dispositif de repliage conforme à la présente invention ;

Figure 2 représente la même grue en vue de côté, mais en position repliée de transport ;

Figure 3 est une vue en bout de la grue repliée ;

Figure 4 est une vue partielle en perspective de la flèche alignée, montrant plus particulièrement le dispositif de repliage ;

Figure 5 est une vue de côté partielle de la flèche alignée, dans la région de son dispositif de repliage ;

Figure 6 est une vue de dessus partielle de la flèche alignée, illustrant les appuis des membrures inférieures ;

Figure 7 est une autre vue de côté partielle de la flèche, en cours de dépliage ou de repliage ;

Figure 8 est une autre vue de côté partielle de la flèche, entièrement repliée.

The invention will in any case be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of example, an embodiment of this device for folding a boom of a crane to nestable elements:

Figure 1 is a side view, in the working position, of a crane with jib equipped with a folding device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows the same crane in side view, but in the folded transport position;

Figure 3 is an end view of the folded crane;

Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the aligned arrow, showing more particularly the folding device;

Figure 5 is a partial side view of the aligned arrow, in the region of its folding device;

Figure 6 is a partial top view of the aligned arrow, illustrating the supports of the lower members;

Figure 7 is another partial side view of the boom, during unfolding or folding;

Figure 8 is another partial side view of the boom, fully folded.

Figures 1 to 3 show a collapsible tower crane which comprises a fixed base chassis 1 on which a chassis is mounted turning 3, orientable around a vertical axis 2. The crane includes a mast 4, made of two elements 5 and 6 hinged together around an axis horizontal 7. The lower mast element 5 is articulated by its base, around a horizontal axis 8, at the front of the rotating chassis 3. At the top of the upper mast element 6 is articulated about a horizontal axis 9, an arrow 10 along which a carriage 11 can be moved, the arrow 10 being here composed of two elements, either an arrow foot 12 and a arrowhead 13. As shown in Figure 1, the crane still includes guy wires 14 for dressing the mast 4, a retaining device 15 for the arrow 10, and a ballast 16 carried by the rear part of the rotating chassis 3.

The boom foot 12 has a triangular section, and the arrowhead 13 has a U-shaped section. This tip of arrow 13 is articulated, by its rear part, to the front part of the foot of arrow 12, around a horizontal axis 17 located substantially halfway up arrow 10. Thus, in the folded position of the crane (see Figures 2 and 3), the two mast elements 5 and 6 are arranged horizontally, one above on the other, and the two arrow elements 12 and 13 are also arranged horizontally, above the mast elements 5 and 6, these two arrow elements 12 and 13 being nested one inside the other, the section triangular of the jib foot 12 nesting in the “U” section of the arrowhead 13 returned (see also Figure 8).

In detail, as shown in Figures 4 and following, the boom foot 12 has two lower members 18, serving as raceway to the carriage 11, and an upper member 19, defining the current triangular section of the arrow base 12. The point boom 13 has two lower members 20, and two members upper 21. The members are interconnected, in the different faces of the two jib elements 12 and 13, by lattice structures 22, 23 and by lower crosspieces 24, 25.

In the front part of the jib foot 12, the frame upper 19 is divided into two symmetrical branches 26, the front ends are connected by a transverse stiffening sheath 49, crossed by a horizontal axis 27 which is located at the height of the upper members 21 of the arrowhead 13. Two plates side 28 connect the ends of the sleeve 49 to the front ends respective of the two lower members 18 of the jib foot 12.

In the rear part of the arrowhead 13, there are provided two vertical side plates 29, each of which connects a frame lower 20 than the upper member 21 located on the same side.

The horizontal axis 17, by which the arrowhead 13 is articulated at the jib foot, crosses the two side plates 28 and also the two side plates 29, substantially halfway up. This axis horizontal 17 has a functional play, allowing to free it from all effort to make the bonding system isostatic when the arrow 10 is aligned.

In each side plate 29 of the arrowhead 13 is formed a hinge light in the shape of an arc of a circle 30, centered on the horizontal axis 17. The two lights in an arc of a circle 30 are crossed by the ends of the horizontal axis 27, located at the front of the foot arrow 12. This axis 27 is provided, at each end, with a lateral blocking 31 such as head or washer.

The previously described articulation is motorized by a jack double effect 32 and linkage 33.

The jack 32, located in the vertical median plane of the arrow 10, has a body 34 articulated by its rear end, around an axis horizontal 35, at jib foot 12 at the height of the upper chord 19, in particular at the point where this upper chord 19 is divided into two branches 26. The rod 36 of the jack 32 is articulated by its end front, around a horizontal axis 37, at one end of a first connecting rod 38 belonging to linkage 33.

The connecting rod 38 is a double straight connecting rod, the end of which lower is articulated, around a horizontal axis 39, to a clevis 40 fixed on the lower rear cross member 25 of the arrowhead 13.

The connecting rod 33 comprises another double connecting rod 41, of form bent. One end of the double angled connecting rod 41 is articulated around of the above-mentioned horizontal axis 37, at the front end of the rod 36 of the jack 32. The other end of the double angled connecting rod 41 is articulated around a horizontal axis 42, to a yoke 43 fixed on the lower front cross member 24 arrow foot 12.

The bend 44 of the double connecting rod 41 allows passage to the axis horizontal 27, as shown in particular in FIGS. 4 and 5. The double rod configuration of this bent rod 41, as well as of the first connecting rod 38, leaves free passage to the rod 36 of the jack 32.

The fully extended position of the rod 36 of the jack 32 corresponds to the aligned position of arrow 10, illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In this position, the horizontal axis 27 is in abutment at one end of the lights in an arc of a circle 30, which ensures the connection and the continuity of respective upper members 19, 26 and 21 of the jib foot 12 and of the arrowhead 13.

• un appui horizontal 45 dû à la force de gravité s'appliquant sur la pointe de flèche 13, articulée autour de l'axe horizontal 27 ;
• un guidage inférieur assuré, de chaque côté de la flèche 10, par une plaque d'appui 46 soudée à l'extrémité avant de la membrure inférieure 18 du pied de flèche 12, destinée à reprendre les efforts verticaux ;
• un guidage latéral assuré, de chaque côté, par une plaque d'appui 47 avec rampe, destinée à faciliter l'alignement des membrures inférieures 18 et 20 et à reprendre les efforts horizontaux transversaux.

In addition, in this aligned position of the arrow 10, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 5 and 6, a guided connection is made to the respective lower members 18 and 20 of the arrow foot 12 and of the arrow tip 13. This connection guided is carried out by:

• a horizontal support 45 due to the force of gravity applying to the arrowhead 13, articulated around the horizontal axis 27;
• a lower guide provided, on each side of the boom 10, by a support plate 46 welded to the front end of the lower member 18 of the boom foot 12, intended to take up the vertical forces;
• lateral guidance provided, on each side, by a support plate 47 with ramp, intended to facilitate the alignment of the lower members 18 and 20 and to take up the transverse horizontal forces.

Starting from the aligned position described above, the folding of arrow 10 is obtained by controlling cylinder 32 in the direction of re-entry of its rod 36. The jib foot 12 being maintained substantially horizontal, the arrowhead 13 pivots about the horizontal axis 17 and is then pick up along arrow 48, passing through positions intermediaries, one of which is illustrated in Figure 7.

The movement thus controlled by the jack 32 continuing, the arrowhead 13 is folded over the arrowhead 12, until it comes, after a 180 ° swivel, fit onto this jib foot 12, the Figure 8 showing the fully folded position of the arrow 10. In this position, the axis 27 abuts at the other end of the lights in arc of a circle 30.

The reverse control of the jack 32, that is to say in the direction of the exit of its rod 36, causes the reverse unfolding movement of the arrow 10, bringing the arrowhead 13 in alignment with the foot of arrow 12.

• en prévoyant, à l'inverse de l'exemple décrit, un pied de flèche de section en forme de « U », et une pointe de flèche de section triangulaire, ou des éléments de flèche de toutes autres formes emboítables ;
• en appliquant le même dispositif de repliage à une flèche de grue en plus de deux éléments articulés, par exemple une flèche en trois éléments, auquel cas le dispositif est monté entre un élément intermédiaire de flèche et la pointe de flèche, emboítable sur l'élément intermédiaire.

One would not depart from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims:

• by providing, unlike the example described, an arrow foot of section in the shape of a "U", and an arrow tip of triangular section, or arrow elements of any other nestable shape;
• by applying the same folding device to a crane jib in addition to two articulated elements, for example a jib in three elements, in which case the device is mounted between an intermediate jib element and the jib tip, nestable on the element intermediate.

Claims (8)

Motorized unfolding / folding device of a crane boom (10) composed of elements linked together by articulation, with two consecutive boom elements (12, 13) nestable one inside the other in the folded position of the arrow (10), these two elements (12, 13) having respective sections allowing their nesting, and being articulated to each other about a horizontal axis (17) located substantially halfway up the arrow ( 10), the front boom element (13) having, in its rear part, lateral guides in an arc (30) receiving a transverse horizontal axis (27) linked to the rear boom element (12), characterized in that it comprises, for its motorization, on the one hand, a double-acting cylinder (32), located in the vertical median plane of the boom (10) and articulated by a first end, around a horizontal axis ( 35), to the rear boom element (12) at the height of the upper chord (s) re (s) (19, 26) of this element (12), and on the other hand, a connecting rod assembly (33) composed of a straight connecting rod (38) articulated on the one hand (at 37) at the second end of the cylinder (32) and on the other hand (at 39) at the rear part of the front boom element (13), in the lower part of this element (13), and with a bent connecting rod (41) articulated d on the one hand (at 37) at the second end of the jack (32) and on the other hand (at 42) to the front part of the rear jib element (12), in the lower part of this element (12) , the bent connecting rod (41) leaving the passage, at its elbow (44), to the horizontal axis (27) received in the lateral guides in an arc (30). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the straight rod (38) and the angled rod (41) are both connecting rods double leaving a free passage to the jack (32). Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that that the respective ends of the connecting rods (38, 41), opposite those of the articulation (at 37) of the jack (32), are articulated to respective yokes (40, 43), one attached to the lower part of the front boom element (13), and the other on the lower part of the rear boom element (12). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rear part of the front boom element (13) has two vertical side plates (29), in each of which a guide and abutment light is formed in the form of an arc of a circle (30), each lumen (30) being crossed by one end of the axis horizontal transverse (27) linked to the rear boom element (12), and each side plate (29) also being crossed by the hinge pin (17) of the front boom element (13) relative to the rear boom element (12), located substantially halfway up the arrow (10). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the hinge pin (17) of the front boom element (13) relative to the rear boom element (12), located substantially halfway up of the arrow (10), has a functional clearance. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the front ends of the members (26) of the element rear boom (13) are connected by a stiffening sheath transverse (49), crossed by the horizontal transverse axis (27) above. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lower members (18) of the boom element rear (12) comprise, at their front end, support means and guide (45, 46, 47) for the rear ends of the lower members (20) of the front boom element (13), these means comprising preferably at the front end of each lower member (18) of the rear boom element (12), a horizontal support (45), a guide lower provided by a support plate (46), and a lateral guide provided by a support plate (47) with ramp. Use of the device according to any one of the Claims 1 to 7 on a crane boom (10) in two articulated elements nestable, the rear jib element being the jib foot (12) and the front boom member being the arrowhead (13).

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