Kidde Industries, Inc.

Manitowoc Crane Companies, Inc.

Grove US LLC

William E Hull

Henry D Barthalow

Claude R Zimmerman

Claude E Zimmerman

A jib coupling system a stowage coupling assembly having a locking member movable between a retracted position and an extended position, an extension pivot coupling system having a coupling member movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and a cable having a first end operably connected to the locking member and a second end having a locking pin. Movement of the locking member from the extended position to the retracted position causes the locking pin to engage the coupling member, and movement of the locking member from the retracted position to the extended position causes the locking pin to disengage the coupling member. The jib coupling system may be implemented as a part of a boom assembly and on a boom assembly of a mobile crane.

Jib coupling system for jib stowage

A crane including a telescoping boom has a base boom member and an inner member slidably mounted in the base boom member with a first end projecting from the base boom member. The inner member includes first and second connector elements. A boom extension has a first end including first and second attachment elements. The boom extension also includes first and second spaced bracket assemblies and is shiftable between use and storage positions. A first support associated with the base boom member includes a holder for pivotably retaining the first bracket assembly and a second support has a rail projecting from the base section. A slider is slidably supported by the rail, and an actuator connected between the slider and the boom shifts the slider between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base boom member. A method of deploying a boom extension is also disclosed.

Automatically deployable boom extension and method of deploying same

An electro-hydraulic operating system for an extensible boom includes one or more hydraulic cylinders for imparting relative motion between the boom sections to retract the boom according to an electronically stored program of sequences of movement and speeds. A source of pressurized hydraulic fluid is fed through appropriate control valves which include solenoid valves in fluid communication with a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid. The solenoid control valves are supplied with control currents proportional to the desired flow rates of fluid to the hydraulic cylinders in order to achieve speed and position control according to the stored program. A metering valve structure is provided for operation in conjunction with the solenoid control valves. The metering valve includes an associated pilot valve which receives variable pressure signals from the solenoid control valves to achieve the metering of fluid to the hydraulic cylinders in proportion to the characteristics of the control current supplied to the solenoid valves. The electrical control signals are such that the hydraulic cylinders may move associated boom sections at gradually increasing speeds during a starting period of any cycle of movement of the section, at a substantially constant speed during an intermediate period of movement and at a gradually decreasing speed during a stopping period preceding the end of the cycle of movement, thereby providing soft start and soft stop of the sections.

Electro-hydraulic operating system for extensible boom crane

The metering valve includes a housing assembly defining a metering cavity therein. At least one inlet port supplies fluid to be metered to the cavity, and at least one output port outputs metered fluid from the cavity. A valve seat in the cavity is disposed between the input and output ports, a pilot chamber and a pilot port to the pilot chamber. A control element in the pilot chamber is displaceable in proportion to the pressure of pilot fluid input to the pilot port. A valve spool is mounted for reciprocating movement in the metering cavity, and the spool is coupled to the control element and displaceable therewith. The spool has a metering flange for operative engagement with the valve seat in the cavity. The position of the metering flange with respect to the valve seat controls variable flow rates of fluid between the input port and output port of the valve housing assembly. A thermal relief valve is disposed within the spool and movable therewith, and the thermal relief valve vents fluid in the cavity through the input port when the pressure of fluid in the cavity exceeds a predetermined limit.

Metering valve

An alignment device on a crane boom having telescopic boom sections and a side stowable boom extension swingable from a stowed position to a working position and connectable to a nose assembly on a boom section by upper and lower clevis connections on each side of the nose assembly. The alignment device includes an abutment assembly mounted on the nose assembly boom section, and another abutment assembly mounted on another boom section. The abutment assemblies engage each other during relative retracting movement of the boom sections and forcibly engage the end of the boom extension to align the apertures of the clevis connection and nose assembly to facilitate the insertion of the pin therein.

Growing community of inventors

Greencastle, PA, United States of America

William E Hull