# US 12,110,215 B2 · Box girder, in particular crane girder, and crane herewith as well as manufacturing method therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,215 B2 - Document ID: US12110215B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/047,764 - Filed: 2019-04-17 - Published: 2021-04-22 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-18 - Assignees: Konecranes Global Corporation - Applicants: Konecranes Global Corporation - Inventors: Juha Peippo; Kirsi Kalliokoski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110215B2 ## CPC - B66C 6/00: Girders, or track-supporting structures, specially adapted for cranes (base supporting structures with legs B66C5/00; girders in general E04C3/02) - B23K 33/00: Specially-profiled edge portions of workpieces for making soldering or welding connections; Filling the seams formed thereby - B23K 2101/28: Beams - B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract A box girder configured as a crane girder has two side plates spaced apart from each other, at least one chord plate connecting the two side plates to each other and at least one transverse plate arranged between the side plates and connecting the side plates to each other, with a welded joint provided between the respective chord plate and the side plates. In order to facilitate the manufacturing process of the box girder, at least one form-fitting connection configured as a plug-in connection is provided between the transverse plate and each of the two side plates. A crane may thus be configured having such a box girder. A corresponding method of manufacturing may also be employed for forming the box girder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A crane girder and trolley for a crane comprising: a crane girder comprising; two side plates spaced apart from each other; at least one chord plate connecting the two side plates to each other, wherein the at least one chord plate defines a horizontally extending plane; at least one transverse plate that is arranged between the side plates and that connects the side plates to each other; and a welded joint connecting the respective chord plate and the side plates; wherein at least one form-fitting connection comprising a plug-in connection is disposed at the transverse plate and each of the two side plates, and wherein at least one form-fitting connection comprising a plug-in connection is disposed at the transverse plate and the chord plate; a crane trolley supported on the crane girder, wherein the crane trolley is configured for movement along the crane girder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 1, wherein each respective form-fitting connection comprises a plug-in portion of the transverse plate that is received by a corresponding receiving aperture of the respective side plate and the respective chord plate, with each receiving aperture having a substantially complementary shape relative to the respective plug-in portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 2, wherein each plug-in portion is formed as a protrusion of an outer edge of the transverse plate, and wherein the protrusion has a rectangular shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the plug-in portions is designed to form a support element extending through the corresponding receiving aperture, with the support element being configured to attachably receive a crane equipment element comprising a power supply line and/or a platform for personnel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a force-transmitting connection comprising a further welded joint provided between the transverse plate and the respective side plate and/or between the transverse plate and the respective chord plate, wherein the further welded joint comprises a fillet or a plug weld type. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one chord plate comprises two chord plates, and wherein each chord plate can alternatively form an upper chord in a first orientation of the box girder or a lower chord in a second orientation of the box girder, and wherein, independently from the orientation of the box girder, a running surface for wheels of the crane trolley is provided on the same chord plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 2, wherein each plug-in portion is formed as a protrusion of an outer edge of the transverse plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 7, wherein each protrusion has a rectangular shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the plug-in portions is designed to form a support element extending through the corresponding receiving aperture, with the support element configured to attachably receive a crane component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a force-transmitting connection comprising another welded joint provided between the transverse plate and the respective side plate and/or between the transverse plate and the respective chord plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one chord plate comprises two chord plates with one chord plate disposed at one end of the side plates and the other chord plate disposed at an opposite end of the side plates. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The crane girder and trolley as claimed in claim 11, wherein each chord plate can alternatively form an upper chord in a first orientation of the box girder or a lower chord in a second orientation of the box girder, and wherein, independently from the orientation of the box girder, a running surface for wheels of the crane trolley is provided on the same chord plate. ### Claim 13 A crane having a crane girder and a crane trolley supporting a lifting gear that is arranged on the crane girder, wherein the crane comprises: two side plates spaced apart from each other; two chord plates comprising an upper chord and a lower chord connecting the two side plates to each other, wherein the upper chord and lower chord define horizontally extending planes; at least one transverse plate that is arranged between the side plates and that connects the side plates to each other; and a welded joint connecting the respective chord plate and the side plates; wherein at least one form-fitting connection comprising a plug-in connection is disposed at the transverse plate and each of the two side plates, and wherein at least one form-fitting connection comprising a plug-in connection is disposed at the transverse plate and at least one of the two chord plates, and wherein a lifting gear is movable along the crane girder on its upper chord or lower chord by a crane trolley. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The crane as claimed in claim 13, wherein each respective form-fitting connection comprises a plug-in portion of the transverse plate that is received by a corresponding receiving aperture of the respective side plate and the respective chord plate, with each receiving aperture having a substantially complementary shape relative to the respective plug-in portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The crane as claimed in claim 13, wherein each plug-in portion is formed as a protrusion of an outer edge of the transverse plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The crane as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of the plug-in portions is designed to form a support element extending through the corresponding receiving aperture, with the support element configured to attachably receive a crane component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The crane as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a force-transmitting connection comprising another welded joint provided between the transverse plate and the respective side plate and/or between the transverse plate and the respective chord plate. ### Claim 18 A method of producing a crane girder, said method comprising: spacing two side plates apart from each other; arranging at least one transverse plate between the side plates; and connecting the two side plates to each other with the at least one transverse plate and with at least one chord plate, wherein the at least one chord plate defines a plane that extends horizontally when connected thereto and wherein said connecting the two side plates to each other includes at least one form-fitting connection comprising a plug-in connection disposed at the transverse plate and each of the two side plates, and includes at least one form-fitting connection comprising a plug-in connection disposed at the transverse plate and the chord plate; welding a joint between the respective chord plate and the side plates after said connecting the two side plates to each other; and supporting a crane trolley for movement on one of the at least one chord plates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of producing a crane girder as claimed in claim 18, wherein each respective form-fitting connection is produced by plugging a plug-in portion of the transverse plate into a corresponding receiving-aperture of the respective side plate and the respective chord plate, each receiving aperture having a substantially complementary shape relative to the respective plug-in portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of producing a crane girder as claimed in claim 18, further comprising welding a force-transmitting connection comprising a further welded joint between the transverse plate and the respective side plate and/or between the transverse plate and the respective chord plate, wherein the further welded joint comprises a fillet or a plug weld type.