The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 27, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 27, 1998
Daniel Brian Zakula, Sr., Mokena, IL (US);
Myron Glickman, Arlington Heights, IL (US);
David A. Eckerd, Bethlehem, PA (US);
Mi-Jack Products, Hazal Crest, IL (US);
Abstract
A steering apparatus and method are provided for a gantry crane with four corner-mounted wheel assemblies having steerable wheels. The crane is a type which drivable in either longitudinal or transverse directions, wherein steering control is automatically switched steering control to the “leading” wheels, or more particularly the wheels of the “leading” pair of wheel assemblies. The system detects which two of the wheel assemblies are leading, whether the crane is moving longitudinally frontwardly or rearwardly, or transversly rightward or leftward. The system includes a steering controller which controls steering actuators in such a manner that the wheels of the then-leading wheel assemblies are moved according to steering control input, while the wheels of a remaining pair of then-“trailing” wheel assemblies are moved to and/or held in, a straight alignment.