The Manitowoc Company, Inc.

Manitowoc Crane Companies, Inc.

Manitowoc Crane Group, LLC

Manitowac Crane Group, Inc.

Michael J Wanek

Robert J Walker

Terry S Casavant

David J Pech

Nathan P Holly

Terry L Petzold

Paul M Pukita

Daniel L Krajnik

P Ralph Helm

Art G Zuehlke

Thomas K Becker

A mobile lift crane includes a carbody having movable ground engaging members; a rotating bed rotatably connected to the carbody; a boom pivotally mounted on the rotating bed; a first hoist drum mounted in a first frame connected to the rotating bed; a second hoist drum mounted in a second frame connected to the rotating bed. Connectors used to connect the load hoist drum frames to the rotating bed include engagement members and alignment surfaces such that as the two crane components are brought close to their operational position during an assembly operation, the engagement member and the alignment surface of the connectors come into contact with one another to guide the crane components into their operational orientation so that a main pin can be placed through the through-holes of the extensions of the connectors.

Connection system for crane components

A method of assembling a mobile lift crane that includes, during operation, i) a rotating bed having attached thereto a luffing jib hoist drum and line, and a rigging winch drum and line, ii) a boom pivotally mounted on the rotating bed, iii) a luffing jib pivotally mounted to the end of the boom, iv) a first strut also pivotally connected to the end of the boom, and v) a second strut connected to the boom below the connection point of the first strut, the method including: a) pivotally connecting the first strut to the end of the boom; b) pivotally connecting a first section of the second strut near the top of the boom; c) connecting the rigging winch line to the top of the first section; d) pivotally attaching a second section of the second strut to the first section such that the second section lies folded onto the first section, forming a folded second strut; and e) lifting the second section while retracting the rigging winch line to thereby bring the first and second sections into alignment with each other.

Folding jib main strut and transportable reeved strut caps

A mobile lift crane includes a carbody having moveable ground engaging members; a rotating bed rotatably connected to the carbody such that the rotating bed can swing with respect to the ground engaging members; a boom pivotally mounted on the rotating bed; a first hoist drum mounted in a first frame connected to the rotating bed; a second hoist drum mounted in a second frame connected to the rotating bed; and a third hoist drum mounted in a third frame indirectly connected to the rotating bed by being connected to at least one of the first and second hoist drum frames. Preferably load hoist drum frames are connected to the rotating bed by removable pins, the hoist drum and frame thus being detachable from the rotating bed as a combined unit. Further a major crane component, such as a mast, a mast stop, a backhitch or a boom stop, is connected indirectly to the rotating bed such that forces directed along a line of action of the major crane component are transferred to the rotating bed through at least one of the drum frames.

Drum frame system for cranes

A crane boom and luffing jib assembly have an offsetting link to allow the luffing jib to fold back and under the main boom for assembly of the boom and luffing jib assembly on a construction site where the entire length of the boom and luffing jib cannot be laid out during assembly. A method of assembling the crane boom and luffing jib comprises the steps of assembling the luffing jib and boom, the luffing jib pivotally attached to the jib connection pivot, the luffing jib folded back and under the boom along a ground surface, the hinged connection allowing neutral axis of the jib boom section to be offset relative to the boom connection pivot; attaching the boom to a crane; raising the boom top upwardly, allowing the jib top to travel along the ground surface until the luffing jib is lifted off the ground surface; causing the jib boom section to be aligned with the jib connection pivot; and inserting hinge pins into the hinged connection to lock the jib boom section in axial alignment with the jib connection pivot. wherein the luffing jib is initially folded back and under the crane boom.

Offsetting link assembly for folding luffing jib

A crane boom top is disclosed in which a sheave assembly having a number of sheave sets is supported on the crane boom top by boom sheave supports. Each sheave set is mounted on an individual shaft and connectors connect the individual shafts to the boom sheave supports.

Easily removable sheave assembly

A longitudinally divisible crane boom segment includes at least a first and a second section that are easily nested together for transport. The sections each include at least one chord member, at least one bracket attached to the section, and a plurality of partial lacing elements. Each partial lacing element has a first end permanently attached to the at least one chord member and a second end. The second end of at least one of the plurality of partial lacing elements of the first section is connectable to a bracket attached to the second section to hold the sections in a nested fashion.

Method for nesting longitudinally divisible crane boom segments

A longitudinally divisible crane boom segment includes a plurality of sections that are easily transportable. The sections each include at least one chord member, and a plurality of partial lacing elements. Each partial lacing element has a first end permanently attached to the at least one chord member and a second end connectable to one or more corresponding ends of plurality of partial lacing elements attached to a chord member of another section. Preferably the partial lacing elements are connected by dovetail connectors.

Longitudinally divisible crane boom segment

A luffing jib backstop assembly for limiting rotation between a luffing jib and a boom to which the luffing jib is attached is disclosed. The assembly comprises at least one backstop pendant attached at a first end to the luffing jib and at a second end to the boom, the pendant having a length sufficient to allow the luffing jib to be extended to an angle of 180.degree. with respect to the boom. The assembly further comprises a deployable member which engages the backstop pendant and which, upon full deployment, holds a portion of the backstop pendant away from the boom and luffing jib such that the pendant and deployable member prevent the luffing jib from rotating with respect to the boom beyond a permissible operating angle.

Luffing jib backstop assembly

A crane and an attachment comprising a counterweight support beam including a plurality of connected segments movable relative to each other, and having a fore end adapted to be connected to the crane upper works, and an aft end rearward from the rear portion of the upper works. The attachment also includes a moveable counterweight carrier adapted to carry a counterweight when the counterweight is supported thereon. The carrier is mounted on the support beam for movement along the length thereof. The attachment also includes a cylinder for selectively moving the counterweight carrier fore and aft along the beam, landing gear for normally supporting the aft end of the beam on the ground, and a backhitch pendant and a pendant cylinder interconnecting the aft end of the beam and the top of the mast for raising the landing gear from the ground incident to lifting a heavy load from the boom. The support beam is extendable by moving the connected segments relative to each other between a first position, wherein the aft end is spaced from the rear portion of the crane upper works, and a second position, wherein the aft end is spaced further from the rear portion of the crane upper works.

Growing community of inventors

Two Rivers, WI, United States of America

Michael J Wanek