American Hoist & Derrick Company

Bucyrus Erie Company

John T Hornagold

Gary H Beckley

Ram N Rathi

A telescopic boom consists of a plurality of generally rectangular boom sections nested with each outwardly extending section inside of the next adjacent inward section. The boom is provided with self-aligning slide pad mounts at both the front and rear reaction points. At the front reaction point, this mounting includes elongated slide pads supported to stay with the outside inward boom section and situated directly under the side plates of the outwardly extending inside boom section. At the rear reaction points, the mounting includes elongated slide pads mounted to move with, and to be immediately adjacent to, outer surfaces of the side plates of the outwardly extending, inside boom section. Both the front reaction slide pads and the rear reaction slide pads are mounted to pivot on a horizontal axis with respect to the boom section with which they move, and the pivotal mountings for these slide pads are situated between the adjacent, spaced apart side plates of the nested boom sections. Adjustable shimmed slide pads are provided at the top and bottom sides of the boom sections adjacent each front reaction point to provide side support when the boom is subjected to side loads. The rear reaction slide pads provide similar support at the rear reaction points.

Self-aligning slide pads for telescopic boom

A steering mechanism particularly suited for vehicles of the type having a variable width track. The steering mechanism is flexible enabling it to automatically extend and retract laterally along with the track of the wheels of the vehicle. The mechanism acts on steering arms of the steerable wheels of a vehicle to simulate a conventional tie rod type of steering geometry. During turning, the inner wheel turns more than the outer wheel to minimize tire slippage or scrub. A flexible steering linkage assembly is connected between the steering arm ends of the pair of steerable wheels to maintain controlled spatial relationship between them which results in a simulation of tie rod steering geometry.

Steering mechanism

An improved mounting arrangement for the vertical cylinder of an extensible outrigger assembly includes laterally extending plates on the cylinder that are connected to the beam side walls by two transverse mounting pins, one of which also functions as a connection point for the horizontal cylinder that actuates the outrigger beam. In the preferred embodiment, the vertical cylinder has a self-storing float and a piston rod that is held against rotation to assure correct alignment of the float.

Mounting for an outrigger cylinder on a crane

An outrigger assembly for stabilization of a load handling machine such as a truck crane. An outrigger beam is horizontally extensible from the vehicle to a working position and retractible to a storage position. A float assembly is located on the beam end and has a float pad vertically extensible and retractible relative to the beam end by means of a hydraulic power unit enabling the float pad to be positioned in stabilizing engagement with the ground. The float pad is rotatable with respect to the beam end between a generally horizontal working orientation and a generally vertical storage and transport orientation adjacent the structure. During extension and retraction of the outrigger beam, the float pad is maintained in the horizontal, less obtrusive, position for clearance of ground obstacles. An actuator is mounted on the vehicle to contact a part of the float assembly as it approaches the vehicle. Just as the float assembly approaches a fully retracted position, the actuator contacts the float assembly part to rotate the float pad to the vertical position upon final retraction of the assembly. As soon as the float pad is again extended vertically or horizontally, it moves to the horizontal orientation.

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Arden Hills, MN, United States of America

John T Hornagold